The Inevitable Best and Worst List of 2021 - Part II

Let's carry on with Part II of my year in review. Now we get on to favorite writers, mini-series, events and favorite series. I have also started to read more graphic novels, so I now have a category for that as well.

Favorite Writer of 2021
Gene Luen Yang - Shang Chi (Marvel) - I have absolutely loved what Gene has been doing with his Shang Chi series that started in the middle of the year. I won't act like Marvel put this book out with good intentions. It was to coincide with their movie. I get that. However, Gene has taken his obvious love of the character and is doing something meaningful with him. I've said it before somewhere, but for characters that are non-white, it makes sense to have someone of that similar background write their stories. I'm not saying that white people can't, but there is a lot of nuance that they can never capture. This book has been a fun ride as Shang Chi interacts with the larger Marvel Universe once more. For years he's been relegated to the side, but now he is getting a push and I think it's past due. Put Iron Fist in the back and elevate Shang-Chi to the front. I think this is a good jumping on point for new readers. 

Honorable Mention: Brandon Thomas (Aquaman: Becoming (DC), Excellence (Image), Hardware (DC)), Donnie Cates (Thor)

Pleasant Surprise of 2021
Planet Size X-Men - The X-Men have been on another level lately and this was the culmination of some bonkers stories under the Hickman era. This book goes into painstaking detail (in a good way) detailing how the X-Men terraform Mars and then give that planet to someone else! The skill involved to tell this tale and make it believable is a site to behold.

Shocker of 2021
Runaways being cancelled - This was probably my favorite volume of this series since the original. Rainbow Rowell really had a feel for these characters and her spin on them was fresh. It was chugging along and right at issue #100, it was unceremoniously cancelled. Off all the books that come and go, I never suspected this would be one of them. It's a true crime. I'm still in shock that it happened.

Worst Mini-series of 2021
M.O.M (Image) - I talked about this before and I was not kind. I was so put off by it, that it affected me more than I thought. It was well intentioned, but very poorly executed. Maybe it got better, I don't know. However, it was the only thing that got to me in a negative way, so that is why it ends up here.

Honorable Mentions: N/A

Favorite Mini-series of 2021
Fantastic Four: Life Story (Marvel) - Yes, my Fantastic Four bias is real. But hear me out. This book follows the Fantastic Four in real time, which is unheard of in comics. They've been doing this with a few other characters (i.e. Spider-Man) at Marvel. So each issue takes place in a different decade, so you see how people age. The through line is that Reed Richards saw that Galactus is going to come and devour the Earth, he just doesn't know WHEN. So he starts trying to plan to save the Earth and to the normal world, he comes off as a crazy, crack pot conspiracy nut. This has an obvious effect on his family and we see how it plays out. This has been a fascinating book about a whole different series of what ifs. I highly recommend this book to see how things play out if you are somewhat familiar with the Fantastic Four.

Honorable Mentions: Bermuda (IDW)

Favorite New Series of 2021
Shang-Chi (Marvel) - I sung my praises for writer, Gene Luen Yang up above already. So I think I said there what I would have to say about this book. It has a great writer and a great artist. It's been a fun series, but it is tinged with some seriousness and interpersonal workings that are going to come to a head. If you can get over your cynicism about why this book even exists, you will find that you can enjoy it.

Honorable Mentions: Robin (DC)

Favorite Graphic Novel of 2021
N/A - Unfortunately, I have not read any graphic novels this year. Anything I read was from the last year, so that technically cannot count. I have to be fair!

Honorable Mentions: N/A

Favorite Maxi-Series
Far Sector (DC) - Since this series ended this year, I can put it on this list and consider the totality of it all. The art from Jamal Campbell was excellent. Jemisin's voice for Sojourner feels like it is coming from an authentic place. When she's appeared in other books, it hasn't been the same. They should give Jemisin an ongoing title (provided she has the time) to let her flesh it out more. I'm assuming that DC can't afford her. Also, why would a novelist that is doing well, come do comics unless they REALLY enjoyed it. Sorry, the book. It was fascinating and really good sci fi/political intrigue. I recommend checking it out.

Honorable Mentions: N/A

Worst Series of 2021
Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel) - It kinda pains me to put this here, but it's here for a few reasons. There was a lot of issues this year. They went to a weekly format almost, had a bunch of .X issues (where you have an issue like #80.BEY instead of just GOING TO THE NEXT NUMBER) and previous writer Nick Spencer killed me with his long in the tooth arc about Kindred. It was exhausting and I realized I was not having fun. Spider-Man is one of my favorite characters, but his book is one I pick up and drop a lot more than I should.

Honorable Mentions: N/A - I can't think of any others that made me dislike them.

Favorite Series of 2021
Fantastic Four (Marvel) - I tried my damnedest to pick any other book for the year. When it came down to it though, no book made me feel joy or just got me all up in my feelings like this book. It has continued to be good old fashioned story telling and the stories with this group has only gotten better, as we've settled into their lives. We're starting to see more with the children and how they are dealing with things. A lot of real world scenarios have crept in to go with the Fantastic nature of their travels. It has felt very grounded and Dan Slott is doing some great work here. I can't gush about this book enough.

Honorable Mentions:  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW), Shang-Chi (Marvel)