Best Ongoing Series of 2009


Fin Fang Doom: Invincible!

Yeah, I know I said in my Best Artist choice that The Walking Dead was the best series currently on the stands, but Robert Kirkman also writes the best superhero comic on the stands, and this was really a great year for that series.

For starters, Kirkman was able to stick with his “on time in ’09” pledge and deliver twelve issues last year, including a giant-sized #60. And while regular artist Ryan Ottley was only able to do ten of those issues, series co-creator Cory Walker was able to return to the series for a great two-issue stint that was a prelude to this year’s Viltrumite War.

The stories were also massive in 2009. The giant-sized 60th issue was a “summer crossover in one issue” that featured nearly every character in the Image Universe (yes, there’s an Image Universe) battling an army of evil alternate dimension Invincibles led by Angstrom Levy, which featured the death of beloved character Rex Splode. That transitioned into one of the most brutal battles in comic book history between Invincible and a Viltrumite soldier which featured the death of beloved character Atom Eve. Eve ended up getting better, but the sheer fact that she died and I believed she was actually dead is a testament to the awesomeness of the book. Then there was the great two-part adventure with Omni-Man and Allen the Alien, and Atom Eve finding out she was pregnant in a truly heart-breaking scene.

And then there was all the sub-plots that are the trademark of the series. The Martian slug storyline that began when I started reading around #20 finally came to fruition recently. Mark and Eve really get a chance to explore their romantic relationship (aw!) while they attempt to become Heroes-for-Hire. Also, the Viltrumite that nearly killed Invincible for most of the year broke out of government custody and is on his way back to tell the empire it’s time to go to war.

With the Viltrumite War coming later this year, 2010 is looking to be another great year for Invincible. That story has been the backbone of the series since Day 1, and I’m excited to see what direction the book goes in without it afterwards.

Jim Doom: X-Factor!

X-Factor. I’ve gotten to a point in my comics fandom that I pretty much only read books anymore that are consistently pleasing, so honestly it’s kind of hard to pick a favorite. But X-Factor is just a solidly enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it.

Honorable Mentions: Captain America has been good, but it was very much derailed by Captain America Reborn. Guardians of the Galaxy had a rough patch in early 2009, but overall it’s quality. I hopped on the Fantastic Four bandwagon in the latter part of the year and fully expect it to be a contender for this spot in 2010. I’d liked to have included Iron Fist, but they went and canceled it.

Here are the series we kept buying and liking it from previous years:

2008:
Fin Fang Doom: Walking Dead
Jim Doom: Captain America
Doom DeLuise: Action Comics

2007:
Jim Doom: New Avengers
Doominator: None!
Fin Fang Doom: Captain America
Doom DeLuise: Nova

2006:
Doominator: Ultimates 2
Doom DeLuise: 52
Fin Fang Doom: Amazing Spider-Man
Jim Doom: (tie) Captain America and Daredevil

2005:
Jean-Claude Van Doom: Ultimates 2
Fin Fang Doom: Walking Dead
Colonel Doom: Walking Dead