Worst Single Issue of 2007
Doom Deluise says: Amazing Spider-Man #545!
Coming in just under the wire, let’s turn to the judges. Does it count? It counts! Amazing Spider-Man #545, you’re not only the single worst issue of a comic book in the year 2007, but you might be the single worst issue of a comic book ever written. Congratulations! You FUCKING suck! You’re so bad, you ruined twenty years of stuff that was better than you. That’s a lot of issues that you completely ruined. Way to go, you must be proud of yourself. Welcome back, Harry Osborne, webshooters, and teenage angst. Good-bye, twenty years of character development and continuity. It’s like a gay dad accidentally raping his son.
Honorable Mention: Civil War: The Return. I can’t think of a single more ineffectual, unnecessary issue than this one. They brought back Captain Marvel in this much-hyped stand-alone tie-in, yet, within the pages of Civil War, he only showed up for a single panel, in the background, to no fanfare. Remember, Captain Marvel’s death was the first giant event in Marvel Comics’ history. And then they slipped him back in, fully alive, at the 11th hour of Civil War. Seemed annoying and pointless at the time; strikes me as desperate and pathetic in hindsight.
Jim Doom says: Marvel Zombies: Dead Days!
Marvel Zombies: Dead Days was probably the worst comic book I’ve ever read. I can’t even think of anything that comes remotely close.
Honorable mention: The Goon #19
As I wrote in July, “This comic has just gotten downright sad…Good looking art, really stupid story. It’s like the guy had a finite number of ideas that were fresh and exciting for the first dozen or so issues, but since then, is cluelessly cursed to reviving them and firing scattershot at the page, hoping that Frankie’s vulgarity and occasional visual non sequiturs would somehow fall conveniently into a humorous and intriguing combination. It just doesn’t work, and it’s so mind-boggling that something so incredibly good has devolved into something this bad.”
Honorable mention: X-Men #200
At the time, I wrote “I haven’t been reading this book at all, so maybe I missed out on that cleverly crafted setup that would have tricked me into being surprised, but I started reading and thinking ‘Jeepers creepers, X-Men, you idiots. What are you doing with someone named after Mastermind, somebody with ‘Sentinel’ in their name, and Mystique – all on your team of good guys? Was Satan too busy to put on a costume with an X on it?’ Wouldn’t you know it, by the end of the issue, the lady named after Mastermind (surprise), the lady who is a sentinel (surprise) and Mystique turn out to be BAD GUYS! Maybe the drama would have been heightened had the editors not seen fit to put this serious storyline in the hands of Chris Bachalo and Humberto Ramos, artists who might make the Smurfs look a little too cartoony and childish. The tough guys don’t look tough; the sexy women don’t look sexy; the intensity doesn’t look intense.”
Honorable mention: Action Comics #848-849
Fabian Nicieza’s attempt at writing a story around the dynamics between politics, religion and authority was an insulting flop. As I wrote at the time, “Nicieza is just out of his league attempting to deconstruct superhero authority. It’s a judgmental, condescending sermon against those who are judgmental, condescending preachers with the intellectual strength of a junior high student who just read his first philosophy book.
The religion of the Kents and Superman is sold out in order to strengthen Fabian Nicieza’s stupid story. I just can’t believe that DC editorial allowed what could have been such a powerful situation (Superman crossing paths with religion / faith) to be presented in such a heavy handed, preachy self-parody.”
Doominator says: Ultimates 3 #1!
I ranted about it. Go read that instead.
Fin Fang Doom says: Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons & Various Monstrosities!
To quote Doominator:
I ranted about it. Go read that instead.
Hey! Check out what we had to say about this category in 2006 and 2005!
Have not read “One More/Brand New Day” — not really sure I want to — but have been following it’s trajectory via internet news and reviews. In thirty five years of faithful comic book reading, I cannot remember a comic that has ever been as despised by the fans as this one — not the New Universe, not the current Legion of Superheroes, not even the Clone Saga has generated this much hatred in the fan press. I made an attempt to try to find at least one positive review somewhere online, but just got sick of all the bile and quit.
Must respectfully disagree with Jim Doom on Marvel Zombies, tho. In these days of Civil Wars and Houses of M and Joe Quesada tossing characterization out the window, I found the characters in Dead Days strangely (and ironically) familiar. Just check out the scene where Mr. Fantastic infects the rest of the team. This is exactly how Reed Richard would react! I prefer this guy to the creep in the current Marvel Universe.
No worst choices of my own to add, as I thought last year was pretty good for comics. Let’s stay positive, guys! Happy new year!
Hey Joe, you might enjoy reading our group review of Marvel Zombies.