Best Mini-Series of 2009
Jim Doom: Batman Unseen!
This was an awesome year for miniseries, as you will see in my 18 entries for honorable mention. But this was my favorite. It had some old-school charm, a fun story, a fantastic characterization of frustrated Batman, awesome Kelley Jones art, campy but lovable storytelling experimentation, and a reliable shipping schedule! I highly recommend this whenever it comes out in trade.
Honorable Mentions: Incognito, Batman & Robin (it’s only 12 issues, right?), Mysterious the Unfathomable (figured it’d be my #1 until Batman Unseen came along), War of Kings, Pluto (which I love, but thought it might be cheap to rank some manga in just one category).
Doom DeLuise: Justice League: Cry for Justice!
For the past few years, the Justice League has been completely worthless, but, thanks to this mini-series, I finally got my League fix. And James Robinson did it without Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman!
The basic premise is that, in the wake of Final Crisis, a few members of the League feel that they’re not delivering enough justice, that they’re tied down by rules and regulations, so in a very right-wing sort of way, they go out to crack some skulls the old fashioned way, with a mean streak and no red-tape tying their hands. Surprisingly, the quite liberal Green Arrow spear-heads this new team.
The art is some of the coolest I’ve ever seen in my life, and the best part is that this team will be hopping into the regular monthly JLA sometime this year, with Robinson as writer. Can’t wait.
Honorable Mention: Superman: World of New Krypton. This is the only Superman book I kept reading through 2009, and I’m glad I did. It’s been consistently entertaining, and the ending has me pretty pumped for the upcoming Superman Wars or whatever it’s called.
Here were our favorite limited doses from previous years:
2008:
Jim Doom: Sandman: The Dream Hunters
Doom DeLuise: Nothing!
Fin Fang Doom: Grendel: Behold the Devil2007:
Doom DeLuise: Trials of Shazam!
Jim Doom: Captain America: Fallen Son
Doominator: Eternals
Fin Fang Doom: Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born2006:
Doominator: X-Men: Deadly Genesis
Fin Fang Doom: Marvel Zombies
Jim Doom: (tie) Batman: Monster Men and Batman: Mad Monk
Doom DeLuise: Secret Six2005:
Colonel Doom: Villains United
Jean-Claude Van Doom: Villains United
Fin Fang Doom: Spider-Man/Human Torch
Jim Doom: (tie) The Question and Astro City: The Dark Age
Nice to see Mysterious get a mention. I like all the things Jeff Parker writes and that was certainly one of his highlights from last year.
I’ll have to checkout Unseen. I always liked Kelly Jones work on Batman. It isn’t the prettiest thing but works somehow.
Astro City: The Dark Age was one of the only mini-series I remember enjoying last year. Funny that it was also one of your favorites from 2005, Jim.
I forgot about that one for 2009. I’ve been looking back at a lot of the old categories and it’s nuts to think about how much time has passed since some of these things came out. For one, I can’t believe the first series of The Dark Age came out almost five years ago. I also couldn’t believe how long it had been since The Goon was good, and how many years I kept beating that drum and wishing it’d be good again before finally giving up.