The JBS Personal Best of the Decade 2000-2009.

Since we have reached the end of another ten year period (and yes, I know the Decade of the Aughts proper technically encompasses the years 2001-2010), I'm feeling the itch to issue forth with another list, this time putting out there for the record my favorite comics series of that period, i.e. the comics that rocked my world in that space of time, as remembered through the filter of time.

As always, the usual disclaimers: this is not intended to be a definitive best-of the decade list. It's limited to series, one-shots, GNs, etc. that I read in the past 10 years. There are a great many excellent (I'm sure) comics that I did not read in that decade, for various reasons, and regardless of their perceived merit, I won't include them here. No webcomics, either- that's a separate list on Planet Dave. I'm going to omit trade collections and reprint series as well, which is why you won't see Showcase Presents: Bat Lash, Bambi and Her Pink Gun, or Starstruck here, to name a few.

Since we're talking 10 years here, I think I'll extend the list to a nice, even 20 titles. I realize I may be contradicting myself here- over the years I may not have rated these titles as highly as others. But with the laws of hindsight and revisionist thinking fully in effect, I simply regard a few of these with more affection (for lack of a better word) than I may have previously. These will be in alphabetical order, to show lack of favoritism. Of course, merely being on the list shows favoritism, but you know what I mean. And just for shits and giggles, I'll post them in cover gallery format without a capsule description. Also, bear in mind that I started blogging in 2002, and while I tried to go back and research what was released in 2000- September 2002, I may have forgotten or overlooked something. It's easier to collate the information when you have it all in writing, as I do from October 2002 to date. I've got a lot on the list below, and I'll bet I'll be thinking of others I've forgotten for another 10 years at least. OK. Enough blather, let's go:

HONORABLE MENTIONS: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen V2, Asterios Polyp, Underground, Aqua Leung, Top 10, B.P.R.D.: 1946, Nocturnals: Carnival of Beasts, Batman: Year 100, Beasts of Burden, DC: The New Frontier, Empowered, Hellboy: The Wild Hunt, Freddie & Me, Planetary, Sleeper Seasons 1-2, Criminal Seasons 1-3, Batgirl: Year One, Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin, Captain Britain & MI-13, Same Difference and Other Stories, Dr. 13: Architecture and Morality, Hawaiian Dick series, The Legend of Wild Man Fischer, Ursula, Courtney Crumrin series, Black Metal V1, Shazam and the Monster Society of Evil, Peculia and the Groon Grove Monsters, Scurvy Dogs, Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, Owly.


I also feel I should cite certain titles that may not always have been among the very best in any particular month in which they were released, but over the decade were consistently very, very good, and I bought them on a regular basis throughout. To wit:

100 Bullets, John Constantine: Hellblazer, Gotham Central, Lucifer, Daredevil, Meat Cake, Love & Rockets (incl. New Stories and Penny Century), Catwoman, Fables, Incredible Hercules, Guardians of the Galaxy, Invincible Iron Fist/Immortal Weapons, Invincible Iron Man, X-Statix, Hero Squared.


And now that this is out of my system, I will resume hiatizing. Hope everyone has a happy 2010.