Top 5 Comic Arcs of All Time (according to me)

“Hey Pete, you know a lot about comics! What are your favourites?”

Said nobody ever.

But I’m not the sort of man to let a little thing like “nobody caring” get in the way of my own fun.

So here it is; a spoiler-filled run down of my favourite comic arcs.

You should buy all of these.

5) Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War (2007)

I found it somewhat difficult not to list Geoff Johns’ ENTIRE Green Lantern run from Rebirth (the return of Hal Jordan) right the way through to The End due to its high quality and brilliant character arcs.

I decided on the Sinestro Corps War as the high point because it was this specific story that allowed Johns to show off his heavily redesigned cast and setting whilst teasing lots of ominous foreshadowing of the Blackest Night to come.

Some characters remained the same; Hal Jordan was still a commitment phobic risk taking hotshot pilot (largely taking cues from Darwin Cooke’s New Frontier) and Kyle Rayner was still a skirt-chasing dildo who always takes the time to have a little cry mid-battle.

Other characters, however, received an overhaul. John Stewart had the “ex-sniper” part of his personality come to the forefront; they used the destruction of Xanshi (a planet that was destroyed on Stewart’s watch) to create a fractured veteran who devotes himself to protecting life because he can’t stand to see any more death. He was the only human Lantern not interested in showing off; he just wanted to get the job done and save as many lives as possible. This made him, in my opinion, far more sympathetic than in previous comic book incarnations.

Guy Gardner had his more lecherous and abhorrent character traits toned down and elements of his back story altered to include an abusive father which transformed him from a spoof of Reagan-era leather-clad “heroes” into a damaged abuse victim who was desperate to prove himself. When I was a kid, Hal Jordan had been my favourite Lantern but thanks to Geoff Johns, Gardner quickly took the top spot. He made inappropriate sex jokes, drank too much, acted without thinking of the consequences and had a deep-seated resentment for his father; how could I not empathise? During the Sinestro Corps War, Guy got to shine as a field-commander and readers, both new and old, got to see why the ring had chosen him in the first place.

Now to the full reason why “Sinestro Corps War” is my favourite; the man himself. Thaal Sinestro, former Green Lantern of Sector 1417 and future master of the universe. The Sinestro that Geoff Johns resurrected (after being killed by Hal Jordan in the nineties) was aristocratic, self-assured and calmly cruel. This new Sinestro made an enemy that could challenge the power of the Green Lantern Corps; in this arc, Sinestro had surrounded himself with sadists and murderers in the name of spreading fear throughout the universe.

Why? Because with fear comes order and that’s what Sinestro is all about; order.

The war that was waged set the stage for years to come and was chock-full of snappy one-liners, philosophical debates (backed up by physical violence of course, this IS a superhero comic, after all) and allowed the Green Lanterns to seem less all-powerful and easier to empathise with. Plus, we got to see more of Superboy-Prime and who DOESN’T love that snotty little prick?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Absolute-Green-Lantern-Sinestro-Corps/dp/1401237355/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579685&sr=1-3&keywords=sinestro+corps+war

4) Batman: Knightfall (1993 – 1994)

“I am Bane -- and I could kill you... but death would only end your agony and silence your shame. Instead, I will simply... BREAK YOU!”

Arkham Asylum cracked wide open.

Batman’s entire rogues’ gallery on the loose.

A shitty film version of this story yet to come.

Knightfall came at a time of change for Batman comics; desperate to pull away from the current “Bat-family”, the writers needed an arc that would shatter the status-quo and send readers plummeting into the depths of a darker Gotham and so Batman was put through his greatest challenge to date.

The first volume had Batman going up against everyone from the Joker to Amygdala (look it up, bitches). Each villain put Batman through a different trial; Zsasz made Batman question his no-killing rule, the Hatter made him question his own mental strength and so on until Batman was worn-down, sleep deprived and brimming with MAN-FLU... perhaps his greatest enemy to date. It was at that point that the South American steroid abuser and criminal genius known as Bane stepped out of the shadows dressed as a luchador (because DC comics has always relied on lazy stereotyping *cough* Black Lightning *cough*) and breaks Batman’s back.

While he recovers, Batman passes his mantle to his long-time partner, friend and confidant; Dick Grayson...

Oh no... wait... Batman DOESN’T do that. Instead, our dark knight detective passes the cape and cowl to Jean-Paul Valley, otherwise known as Azrael, a militant Christian who enjoys decapitating sinners with a flaming broadsword.

What the shit, Batman?

While Batman recovers, Valley kits himself out in a new Bat-Suit that looks like a Rob Liefeld designed Transformer; big, metal and FULL of unnecessary pouches and proceeds to deal with every criminal with the mission statement “You can’t commit another crime if you’re in a coma!”

Eventually Batman returns and defeats Mecha-Bat by tricking him into getting naked (no, really). The tale ends with Batman being sure of his mission once more and the overall tone of book embracing the “dark” of the Dark Knight.

And yes, Dark Knight Rises WAS a load of old wank. Stop defending it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Knightfall-TP-Vol-01/dp/1401233791/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579657&sr=1-1&keywords=knightfall

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Knightfall-New-Vol-Knightquest/dp/1401235360/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579657&sr=1-3&keywords=knightfall

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-Knightfall-New-Vol-Knightsend/dp/1401237215/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579657&sr=1-2&keywords=knightfall

 3) League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (1999 – ongoing)

Another contender in the list of awesome comic series’ that have been botched by their film adaptation. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen film managed to change and wreck every character in the book; it is an aberration that will hopefully, one day, be erased from the timeline like Rory was that one time in Doctor Who.

WE WILL SPEAK OF IT NO LONGER!

The comic book series, on the other hand, is fantastic. It collects some of the British Empire’s finest fictional creations and bands them together into a clandestine team of super-spies, working behind the scenes to ensure the survival of Queen and country.

The prim and proper Mina Murray (Dracula) is recruited by the mysterious “M” (Casino Royale) to assemble a team. Their mission? Track down some missing cavorite (The First Men in the Moon). She soon recruits Captain Nemo (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea); a violent, death-worshipping pirate and Allan Quatermain (King Soloman’s Mines); an opium addled ex-soldier. Along the way they meet Hawley Griffin (The Invisible Man) and Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde); the former hiding in a girl’s sixth form, visiting the girls as the “Holy Spirit”, getting several of them pregnant and the latter murdering prostitutes in France.

Their next outing is set to the backdrop of the Martian Invasion (War of the Worlds). Once more called upon, this band of scrappy literary creations acts as the front line of defence for the world but are betrayed by the Invisible Man who is then raped to death by Mr. Hyde (Alan Moore has never shied away from just being plain DARK). Volume Two ends with half the team dead and the other half disbanded over the use of a biological weapon provided by Dr. Moreau (The Island of Doctor Moreau) against the Martian horde (the “killed by the common cold” explanation in the original book is given as the “official” statement).

The team reassemble at different points to deal with threats like Jimmy Bond (Casino Royale), Big Brother (1984), Oliver Haddo (The Magician) and his Moonchild (Moonchild) who ends up being VERY Harry Potter-esque in the end and they recruit allies like Orlando (Orlando: A Biography) and A.J. Raffles (A Thief in the Night).

If you’re a fan of classic literature, good writing and interesting character development, then LoEG is the series for you. Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill have crafted a world that blurs the line between fact and fiction; did these characters really only exist on the page or has the truth been classified? If you do read it, take the time to spot any other characters or references written or drawn into the background... for... y’know... FUN... or something... but it is cool when you spot the First and Eleventh Doctor having a chat and then identify a reference to The Beggar’s Opera on the next page. “Haha” you can say “I know what that is referring to because I’m amazing”

http://www.amazon.co.uk/League-Extraordinary-Gentlemen-Omnibus-ONeill/dp/1401240836/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579791&sr=1-1&keywords=league+of+extraordinary+gentlemen+omnibus

http://www.amazon.co.uk/League-Extraordinary-Gentlemen-Dossier-Gentmn/dp/0861661761/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579812&sr=1-1&keywords=league+of+extraordinary+gentlemen+black+dossier

http://www.amazon.co.uk/League-Extraordinary-Gentlemen-Vol-Century/dp/0861662326/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579827&sr=1-2&keywords=league+of+extraordinary+gentlemen+century

 2) Nick Fury: Agent of Nothing (2009 – 2010)

Please note that the Nick Fury featured in this storyline is the Infinity Formula powered, grumpy, stubbly 616 Fury and NOT the Nick Fury that has had enough of these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane.

Intrigue? Check.

Norman Osborn getting punched in the face? Check.

Renaissance-era alien technology because reasons? Double check.

Agent of Nothing came at a time after the disbanding of S.H.I.E.L.D, in the comics due to incompetence during an alien invasion, and the installation of H.A.M.M.E.R; its replacement helmed by Norman “Captain Crazypants” Osborn. The villains were posing as heroes and the heroes were on the run. Dark times, true believers.

In this time of general silliness, Nick “politeness is for pussies” Fury assembled a team of new characters that Marvel were keen to push to the front, and Daisy, the girl from Secret War with the earthquake powers. Fury set about fighting the remnants of Hydra and the all-powerful H.A.M.M.E.R because Fury hates injustice and also probably other reasons but DAMN does that man hate injustice.

The Gorgon comes back to life and teams up with Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker (Hydra’s leader and Fury’s nemesis since 1964) in order to unleash the full power of Hydra on the world. Enter Russian terrorist Orion and his gaggle of generic cretins to fight Hydra AND Fury in order to unleash THEIR brand of rampant twattery on the world as well.

See what I mean? Silliness.

Cue flashbacks to one time in the 1960’s when Leonardo Da Vinci (bear with me here) brought Fury, Strucker, Orion and many others together to capture alien super-science that could be used to create an army of monsters. Which Orion now has.

After destroying the machine, Fury and Strucker are captured and the latter gleefully reveals that *gasp* S.H.I.E.L.D had been infested with, and taking their orders from, Hydra! (yes, I know, you’ve all seen Winter Soldier by now)

BUT

CINEMA GOING PEOPLE

IN THE COMIC

NICK FURY

NICK “THE KING OF SPIES” FURY

THIS SMOOTH, ONE-EYED STUD REVEALS THAT HE’S KNOWN ABOUT HYDRA’S INFLUENCE IN S.H.I.E.L.D FOR DECADES AND THE REASON WHY EVERY HYDRA PLOT ALWAYS FAILS IS BECAUSE, WHILE HYDRA HAVE BEEN GIVING ORDERS TO S.H.I.E.L.D, FURY HAS BEEN GIVING ORDERS TO HYDRA!

DOES IT MAKE SENSE? NO!

WHO CARES, MAN?

IT’S NICK FURY!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Warriors-Omnibus-Brian-Bendis/dp/0785163336/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579862&sr=1-1&keywords=secret+warriors+omnibus

1) Superior Spider-Man (2013 – 2014)

In 2013, Marvel announced their intention to dump the mind of Otto Octavius (who was dying) into the body of everyone’s favourite wall-crawling underachiever; Peter Parker. I, like many others, decried what seemed like an obvious stunt (and sure enough, they’ve restored Parker in time for the new film) but what we got in between were 31 issues of, in my opinion, the single greatest character in comic book history (sorry bats).

I loved Spidey when I was younger; the wise-cracks, the nerdiness, the spandex but as I got older, I found it harder to relate to Parker. He was a nerd, sure, but dated a slew of aesthetically perfect supermodels and was always socially competent enough to charm his way out of any situation.

Enter Otto in Peter’s body. The self-proclaimed “Superior” Spider-Man was a wonderful mix of arrogant, kind-hearted, socially incompetent and endlessly wonderful as he swang round New York making crime-fighting more “efficient” while, out of the spider suit, he developed a charming and entirely pure love for Anna-Maria Marconi, a genius scientist who happens to be a dwarf (something that Otto doesn’t even see because he has no interest in traditional “beauty”)

It was a very limited run that revealed a lot about Otto as a child, his morals and his ideals as he grew from a selfish man afraid of death to a self-sacrificing hero, proving once and for all that he is, and ever shall be, the Superior Spider-Man.

Unlike the other entries on the list, I have kept this entry pretty spoiler-free because I urge you to go out and buy the first volume and lose yourself in this wonderful character that Dan Slott built.

I cannot over-state how much I loved reading this run and, while many will cheer at the return of Peter Parker, I’m left feeling upset that Superior didn’t run for longer.

Rest in Peace, Otto. You will be missed.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superior-Spider-Man-Own-Worst-Enemy/dp/1846535387/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579889&sr=1-3&keywords=superior+spiderman

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superior-Spider-Man-Troubled-Mind-Marvel/dp/0785167056/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579889&sr=1-7&keywords=superior+spiderman

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superior-Spider-Man-Escape-Marvel-Now/dp/0785184724/ref=sr_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579889&sr=1-11&keywords=superior+spiderman

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superior-Spider-Man-Necessary-Evil-Marvel/dp/0785184732/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579889&sr=1-4&keywords=superior+spiderman

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superior-Spider-Man-Vol-Venom-Spiderman/dp/1846535840/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579889&sr=1-2&keywords=superior+spiderman

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superior-Spider-Man-Goblin-Nation-Marvel/dp/0785187979/ref=sr_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397579889&sr=1-9&keywords=superior+spiderman