Favorite Comics of 2014

[BPP]

Way too many good things but at a pinch..

Roger Red Charlie
Ordinary
Squidder
Wilds End
Shaolin Cowboy
Southern Bastards
Celebrated Summer

But the best comic by a mile was Judge Dredd: Titan. I bloody loved that.

Oh and Stray Bullets: Killers. That's probably number 2 on my list.

After Titan.

Did I say how bloody good Titan is?

[Hawkmumbler]

Yes, and I completely agree. If not for that wonderful two parter with Sensitive Klegg, of which the name has slipped my mind, it would have taken my Dredd Thrill of the year. But it's all part of Mr. Williams grand scheme for the comic so i'll consider them one story.

[Batman's Superior Cousin]

My Favourites of 2014
2000AD

• Jaegir
• Judge Dredd (Block Judge, Cascade, & Titan amongst others)
• Ordinary
• Stickleback
• Strontium Dog
• Time Twister: Burping Hitler
• Tharg's 3hrillers (particularly Colony & Voodoo Planet)
  
• The Grievous Journey of Ichabod Azrael (and the Dead Left in His Wake)
• Ulysses Sweet: Maniac for Hire

Fables
Grandville: Noel
Saga

[Dash Decent]

Grandville: Noel.  I got it for Christmas, read it in a day and probably have to wait a year for the next one.

Chrono Commandos: Dawn Patrol (WWII GI's & Nazis, plus dinosaurs).

Mercenary Seas volume 1

The IDW Rogue Trooper collection

The Fantagraphics collections of Carl Bark's Donald Duck & Uncle Scrooge stories continue to be superb.  I'm glad to see they've finally got on to collecting Don Rosa's work as well.

[Link Prime]

An interesting year for me, with less than ever 'mainstream' Marvel / DC titles making the pull list.

The breakdown:

Best Comic: 2000AD
A stellar year from Tharg & The Droids- in particular some brilliant runs on Dredd (Block Judge, Titan, Trauma Town) and some of the greatest artwork in, well, the galaxy (The Flint, Langley, Davis, Coleby and Percival Droids were working on overdrive this year).

Best Ongoing US Comic: Afterlife With Archie
Very few issues published in 2014, likely due to Francavilla's hectic schedule, but every one I read was a gem. I have no real affiliation for or familiarity with 'Archie' characters, but I didn't need to. It is quite simply the best horror comic I have ever read, and deserves every iota of praise heaped upon its worthy shoulders.
Honorable mention: X-Force by Simon Spurrier (Not for everyone- it is being cancelled in 2 months after all- but I really enjoyed Spurrier's take on these characters. I know that he has more irons in the fire at Marvel, so we'll see what 2015 brings).

Best Mini Series: The Royals: Masters of War
Epic in every sense of the word- this was a joy to read. I have recommended it to many other readers, all of whom enjoyed it immensely.
Honorable mention- The Sandman Overture (Gaiman & Williams III are crafting something magical here, bringing back that feeling from long ago, when I first encountered this series).

Best New Series: Sabrina
In a similar vein to 'Afterlife with Archie' (same excellent writer, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa), this is a grown-up horror take on a familiar 'teen' character. Only one issue published so far, but it absolutely blew me away.
Honorable mention: Ragnarok (Walt Simonson's epic, starring the reanimated corpse of Thor, is three issues in, and every one has been an absolute delight to read. Long may this continue).

Best Collected Edition: Moon Knight (By Ellis / Shalvey).
I picked this up in September- and am very glad I did. It collects 6 mini stand alone masterpieces.
For me, the character has never had any real previous appeal, but this creative team caught lightning in a bottle (and were naturally removed from the title after 6 issues...FFS Marvel).
Honorable mention: The Library of Death (collected by our very own David McDonald & chums. A nostalgic selection box of terrifying treats).

A good year to be a fan of good comics methinks.

[Colin YNWA]

Best Ongoing US Comic: Afterlife With Archie
Very few issues published in 2014, likely due to Francavilla's hectic schedule, but every one I read was a gem. I have no real affiliation for or familiarity with 'Archie' characters, but I didn't need to. It is quite simply the best horror comic I have ever read, and deserves every iota of praise heaped upon its worthy shoulders.

Getting increasingly intrigues by this after reading so much about it in the end of year lists. I'm a big fan of Francavilla's work... hmmm becoming very tempted...

[Link Prime]

Best Ongoing US Comic: Afterlife With Archie
Very few issues published in 2014, likely due to Francavilla's hectic schedule, but every one I read was a gem. I have no real affiliation for or familiarity with 'Archie' characters, but I didn't need to. It is quite simply the best horror comic I have ever read, and deserves every iota of praise heaped upon its worthy shoulders.

Getting increasingly intrigues by this after reading so much about it in the end of year lists. I'm a big fan of Francavilla's work... hmmm becoming very tempted...

£1.50 for your new tablet...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Afterlife-Archie-Roberto-Aguirre-Sacasa-ebook/dp/B00K2BZSOU/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420206911&sr=8-1&keywords=afterlife+with+archie

[Colin YNWA]

Well at that price it'd be a follie not to. Bought and I'll report back when I've read it...

[shaolin_monkey]

Best New Series: Sabrina
In a similar vein to 'Afterlife with Archie' (same excellent writer, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa), this is a grown-up horror take on a familiar 'teen' character. Only one issue published so far, but it absolutely blew me away.
Honorable mention: Ragnarok (Walt Simonson's epic, starring the reanimated corpse of Thor, is three issues in, and every one has been an absolute delight to read. Long may this continue).

Very interested in this one!  I read some of the intro pages and was very impressed!  It shows the aunts in a very different light.  Salem rocks as it is, so to give him a much more evil edge sounds pretty awesome.

[Fungus]

Best of 2000AD:

• Dredd  (Titan, ...Klegg Hunter, ...Sylvia Plath)
• Slaine
• ... Ichabod Azrael...
• Stickleback
• Jaegir
• Ulysses Sweet
• Aquila

Restricting the rest to a top 10 of stuff I've read (which excludes series like C.O.W.L. which looks great and will get read, honest...), the best of the bunch:

• Saga
• East of West
• Black Science
• Velvet
• Tooth & Claw
• Satellite Sam
• Death Sentence
• Hawkeye
• Elektra
• The Royals: Masters of War

And on slog-related matters, I enjoyed Big Dave quite a lot on a first read. It's firmly tongue-in-cheek, not something to get upset about. And as a temp proposition, the prog wasn't exactly in danger of dropping its core Thrills? Glossing over poor stuff so I won't mention some of the empty-headed Millar stuff that took up valuable pages.

[Colin YNWA]

£1.50 for your new tablet...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Afterlife-Archie-Roberto-Aguirre-Sacasa-ebook/dp/B00K2BZSOU/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420206911&sr=8-1&keywords=afterlife+with+archie

And I am in your debt sir. Just read it and my oh my that is one fun read. I have no real knowledge or affection for Archie, but the limited knowledge I do have helps by-pass a couple of bits that might otherwise have made for slightly ackward reading, why exactly Betty and Veronica are 'BFFs' while clearly not really liking each other and obsessing over his fella Archie for some Cap America based reasons... but that aside its a gem. A great horror comic.

There are certain scenes and moments that are breath-takingly good. Sure, as many, many seem to say its not original, the story is awash with Zombie tropes, nay cliche, but its just told so very very well. I love that it explains in simple, smart, in story terms the origin of the zombie plague, something missing must such stories. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa selects the scenes he choices to tell his story really, really well, with a Wagner like efficency (well not quite, but hey) and uses ever set piece to build character as well. He makes most of these so very cartoon characters work in a true horror story, which I admit allows you get away with much more than you might in other genra.

Love that Jughead is the king Zombie that simple, slightly ridiculous crown thingie he wears works with a simple elegance here so very very well.

Oh and I'm a sucker for a good loyal dog scene and this has the best ever loyal dog scene that in a wonderfully typical way for this book, is unsentimently underlined a couple of pages later to remind you however great that moment was this is a brutal horror book first and foremost.

However good Mr Aguirre-Sacassa is it'll be no surprise to anyone whose heard me whitter about the man here before, but the real star of the book is of course Francesco Francavilla. This is the book he was born to draw. I'll spare you my drooling over his simply incredible page design, is peerless storytelling and his simple devine rendering and focus instead on saying his colouring is the very best thing about this comic. He is probably the single best colourist for grim and gritty books. He showed that on his work on Detective Comics and proves the point beyond doubt here. The man is a genius colourist and its only that his art is so good in all departments that this gets over looked. Never again will I produce a top 10 artists list without this man's name on it!

Anyway sorry to derail this thread but sine the recommendation came here this seemed like the most suitable place for me to share my throughts.

If you do have a device that you can buy Kindle things on I can't recommend spending a pawltry quid and a half on this title. Best  less than the cost of a pint I have ever spent!

Mr Link Prime I owe you one - thank you sir.

[Hawkmumbler]

I should also mention Blacksad: Amarillo as my favorite Euro Comic of 2014. A superb action/comedy triumph as all volumes before.

[Link Prime]

£1.50 for your new tablet...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Afterlife-Archie-Roberto-Aguirre-Sacasa-ebook/dp/B00K2BZSOU/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420206911&sr=8-1&keywords=afterlife+with+archie

A great horror comic.

Really glad you enjoyed it Colin, there was little doubt you would, being a fan of Francavilla.
In the past 6 months there have only been 2 further issues published, both of which were excellent (issue 6 in particular, which delves into Lovecraftian territory).

I don't think I'll ever stop reading this, as long as they publish it.

[Colin YNWA]

Yeah the only question I have now is whether to buy the singles or trade wait for a bigger hit in one go?

[Link Prime]

Yeah the only question I have now is whether to buy the singles or trade wait for a bigger hit in one go?

Could be a long wait 

They began releasing the single issues in large 'Magazine' format in October, and I picked the first two up to satiate my cravings.