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The FTN Top ten Comics of 2015

January 4th, 2016 by Marc Comments
Top-10-comics
You know the drill by now; 2015 was a year that, for better or worse, movies were watched, comics were read and opinions were formed. Here is the rundown of FTN’s top 10 comic book picks of 2015. Everything was eligible, from stand alone one shots to ongoing series and massive graphic novel tomes. How much did you get read last year?
Huck
10. Huck (Image Comics)
Written by Mark Millar
Art by Rafael Albuquerque
Millar can be, at times, very hit and miss with his work. Though often unapologetically in-your-face, there was something different about Huck; it was something special, as close to a change of pace from him as you’ve ever seen. This isn’t his usual brass, obnoxious or psychotic superhero, instead settle down to an extremely likeable guy that you will love falling in love with.
Mighty_Thor
9. Thor / Thors / The Mighty Thor (Marvel)
Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Russell Dauterman, Chris Sprouse, Jorge Molina, Goran Sudžuka
Some saw it as a master stroke, others asked “why bother?” but whenever Marvel made their intentions clear about portraying the character of Thor as a woman, despite cracking the Internet open with joy or rage for a few days, they actually delivered a very interesting run for the character as a result. Much more than a fresh lick of paint or a simple gimmick to sell issues, this is a stunning run that bursts off the pages every chance it gets.
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8. Star Wars: Darth Vader (Marvel)
Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Salvador Larroca
Tears were shed when Disney announced the fate of all those years of rich, galaxy-expanding stories we got in the form of Star Wars novels and comics; with them now no longer cannon, whatever new building blocks were used as a foundation for brand new tales better have been worth the restart. Luckily for us, The Force is strong indeed with the new run of Star Wars comics, with Darth Vader’s story being the personal standout. This takes the villain we all know and love, and demonstrate just how good it is to be bad.
Klaus
7. Klaus (BOOM! Studios)
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Dan Mora
With an idea as entertaining as it is baffling, Grant Morrison’s origin story for Santa Klaus (no, really) is a violent, hallucinogenic and medieval fairytale dripping with love for Norse mythology and magic. No, I never thought I’d ever read that sentence either.
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6. Spider-Gwen (Marvel)
Written by Jason Latour
Art by Robbi Rodriguez
Not just splintering off from the rich history of Spider-Man, the meeting of endless story possibilities within the Spider-Verse saw the strongest reinvention of the character this reader has seen in years (maybe I’m still just bitter about the whole Superior Spider-Man thing). Giving an alternative reality’s Gwen Stacy the wall-crawling powers is one thing, but to spin an interesting, interweaving web that plays with the other characters and their alterations (making Peter The Lizard is a fascinating choice) makes this a spider-treat to read issue after issue.
loki
5. Loki: Agent of Asgard (Marvel)
Written by Al Ewing
Art by Lee Garbett
The places they’ve taken the character of Loki in recent comic book times is quite astounding. Maybe it’s because of the heightened interest that the character has found as a result of Tom Hiddleston’s portrayal of him in the movies, but Marvel are pulling no punches as Loki’s involvement in the world of heroes is as funny as it is heartwarming, proving that a villain maybe can change his stripes; and look all the better for it.
wytches-interior-2
4. Wytches (Image Comics)
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Jock
I always smile to myself when I can include some horror cuts on the Best of the Year lists, and Scott Snyder’s claustrophobic creep of a read delighted in dread from start to finish. With the art of Jock providing a mesmerisingly view of the macabre to come, this is one that hits hard and leaves you breathless, stumbling to turn the light back on.
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3. Hawkeye (Marvel)
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by David Aja
Since their run on the character began, I’ve been singing the praises of Fraction and Aja and their work on Hawkeye to anyone who would listen. It’s always fun to see the faces of non-comic fans when they ask what’s worth reading right now, to your response of Hawkeye. With wit as sharp as a tack and a whole heck of a lot of heart, Clint and Kate and Pizza Dog (but mostly Clint) have a wrap up story so satisfying you’d wish they could have kept it going another year. It’s a bullseye straight off the mark.
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2. The Dark Knight III: The Master Race (DC Comics)
Written by Brian Azzarello and Frank Miller
Art by Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson
There’s nothing more satisfying than when the master returns to work, to discover that everything still runs like clockwork… and it’s time to blow the clock sky high. Bringing Miller’s Dark Knight out of retirement was always going to be a dodgy business, but the mystery surrounding the return to one of Gotham’s most noir takes on the world’s greatest detective is dark, twisted and addictive. Let’s just hope the payoff in 2016 is the icing on the cake.
 
Sandman
1. The Sandman: Overture (Vertigo)
Written by Neil Gaiman
Art by JH Williams III
For years now fans of The Dream King have waited patiently as Gaiman has spoken about the one Sandman story he had left to tell; and oh was it more than worth it. So much more than “just a prequel story” this acts as a new tale, a companion piece to its predecessors and a thank you to fans all at once, all wrapped up in the beautiful dreamscapes of Williams’ breathtaking art.

Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….