I second the majority of the list, especially New X-Men, Alias, Hard Time, The Authority, All-Star Superman and Top Ten. And a few others too but then I'd just be retyping Gardner's list. How about what I don't agree with insteatd? Nextwave reads like a nicer, Cartoon Network friendly Authority. And All-Star Batman upset my stomach. Hated that book.
Jarrod and Hillary, I highly recommend Preacher, Fables and Y the Last Man. While not superheroes per se (I can't remember if capes are part of the original criteria), they are some of the best serialized, graphic fiction available. Preacher is the greatest comic ever published. Period. Email me and I'll send you a link to the books on Amazon. You have the address from Footbizzle. Or maybe Gardner will be kind enough to post a link on the blog. He loves Jesse Custer almost as much as I do.
Speaking of Ennis, G, how is that Punisher series? I dropped it during the whole Irish bombing of the cafe in New York. Still good? Or are you referring the mini-series with The Russian?
I've only read Punisher through the Kitchen Irish arc--I dropped the singles in favor of trades--but I have it on good authority that it gets a lot better. And I really liked the first story with Micro.
I second the Preacher and Y recommendations; I've found that they tend to be popular among people who don't regularly read comics. Y in particular reads like a good Lost-esque, vaguely sci-fi TV show. There's nothing groundbreaking about it, but it's just good, solid, addictive storytelling.
Gotta disagree with you on Nextwave, though. The Authority had its satirical moments, but it was more-or-less straightforward superheroics, though with the knob turned to 11; Nextwave, on the other hand, is a flat-out comedy. There are even elements of self-parody there, as Ellis lampoons the kind of thing he used to do on The Authority. Nothing's more subjective than comedy, but I thought Nextwave #1 was just hilarious, and maybe the best thing Ellis has done since 2000 or so. It's right up there with Desolation Jones, at least. (I mean, come on, the flashback to young Monica vaporizing her dog? You've gotta give it up for that.)
I'm not giving up on Nextwave. This might be a series that will win me over as the issue count rises. Sometimes, I have a similar skeptical reaction when a favorite band of mine releases a new album. Eventually, I'll see the satire where I only saw a gloves-on Authority before. During the first read, Elsa Bloodstone should have been draped in Union Jack tank top and answering to "Jakita Sparks". Agreed, Monica blasting her dog was hilarious though. And a nice parody of the same deadly serious scene from JMS' Supreme Power.
And I may not have had the right mindset when I read it.
But my original objection to Nextwave was as a recommendation above other books. That's all.
And Fing Fang Foom's rhyme about his pants might be funnier than the zapped canine.
Cool. Thanks, Chris and Gardner. We've actually read the first five(?) volumes of Y thanks to Hassiotis and enjoyed them quite a bit. I look forward to checking out more of this stuff too.
Gardner -- How about a defense of All-Star Batman and Robin, which i found the biggest disappointment since maybe The Killing Joke?
I might get around to it, but in the meantime check out Jog's review of ASB&R #3, which articulates pretty much all of my feelings toward the book.
Speaking of The Killing Joke, I finally read it last week, after wanting to read it since literally fourth grade (when I saw the book in possession of Nick...I know his last name wasn't Cassavetes, but that's how I'm remembering it...and was properly awed by that cover), and boy was I disappointed. I had always discounted Moore's own poo-pooing of the work as just grouchy-old-manism, but wow, not his finest hour.
Gardner, did you just plain forget to include the Bendis Daredevil run? Or the new Brubaker run on that title, which just came off to a rather amazing start?
No, I love Bendis's Daredevil, but I don't think it's in my top ten. It's like #11. Plus I alread recommended it, so spreading the love and all that. And I read DD in the hardcovers, so I'm like a year behind and haven't gotten to Brubaker yet.
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