The CGS "Best of 2016" Awards: The Final Vote (Deadline: Monday, 2/27/17!)

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  Dyl_Grave Posts: 1

  February 2017

  Thanks Adam for taking your time in organizing this! This was my first year voting and I loved being able to "play along". You guys are the best!

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  bralinator Posts: 5,967

  February 2017

  Thanks again, @Adam_Murdough

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  nweathington Posts: 6,741

  February 2017 edited February 2017

  I'll also add my thanks to Adam for his commitment to this longstanding tradition. Nice work as always.
  
  And here are my picks, for what they're worth:
  
  BEST NEW HERO or HERO TEAM (debut in 2016): The Spiral City 7 (Black Hammer)
  Excellent book with an interesting batch of characters.
  
  BEST NEW VILLAIN or VILLAIN TEAM (debut in 2016): abstain
  The name Godspeed still makes me giggle, and I haven’t read anything with the other nominees.
  
  BEST NEW COMIC (first issue shipped in 2016): Future Quest
  Future Quest has tailed off a little bit as it’s gone on and gotten more crowded, but the first two or three issues were sooooo good.
  
  BEST LIMITED SERIES (last issue shipped in 2016): abstain
  I love The Vision, but as it was an ongoing series that happened to retroactively become a limited series, I'm not going to vote for it here. Just my personal nitpick. It will show up later on my list though. And I haven’t read any of the other nominees.
  
  BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR ONE-SHOT: The Vision #7
  Not my favorite issue of the series, but there were several great issues in there.
  
  BEST CLIFFHANGER/MOMENT: The death of Izabel (Saga #38)
  Okay, so I haven’t gotten there in my reading yet, but I know it'll hit hard. Meanwhile, Rebirth #1 just didn't do much for me.
  
  BEST STORYLINE (within a series or across multiple series): The Vision #1-12
  One of my three nominees that made the final ballot, so of course I’m voting for it.
  
  BEST SLEEPER/SURPRISE HIT: Black Hammer
  Was I surprised Black Hammer is a really good book? Not in the least. Lemire rarely lets me down. Was I surprised at how much love it’s gotten? A little bit, yeah.
  
  BEST ONGOING COMIC (need not have begun publication in 2016): Silver Surfer
  I've only read the first issue of Lazarus so far—didn’t have time to catch up on that one. So that leaves Silver Surfer as the easy choice.
  
  BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM (OGN or COLLECTION): March Book 3
  Very disappointed (but not at all surprised) The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye didn’t make the ballot. But I don’t have any problem voting for March. Nate Powell was underappreciated for years.
  
  BEST WRITER: Jason Aaron
  I love Mark, and Gillen is a good writer, but for me, it's really down to four writers this year, and two of them—Brian K. Vaughan (the one I nominated) and Jonathan Hickman —didn’t make the ballot. I've already given The Vision love, so I'm going with Aaron.
  
  BEST ARTIST: Mike Allred
  I like Phillips a lot, but I prefer Mike.
  
  BEST WRITER/ARTIST: Eric Powell
  I probably would have voted for Jeff, but I don’t think he did anything in 2016 that he both wrote and drew—Roughneck was pushed back until this April. I like Terry Moore’s work a lot in general, but Rachel Rising disappointed me a bit. But Eric is in fine form, so I'll go with him.
  
  BEST COLOR ARTIST: Matt Wilson
  Bellaire and Allred are great choices too, but I picked Wilson based mainly on his work on Paper Girls, which is such a well-designed book. The coloring is the perfect complement to Cliff’s artwork and to the overall tone and packaging of the book.
  
  BEST LETTERER: Terry Moore
  I'm going with the only one of the nominees who still hand-letters on the original art boards.
  
  BREAKTHROUGH TALENT OF 2016: Previews—I mean, Tom King
  Only because I want to hear @Pants go nuts again.

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  Pants Posts: 567

  February 2017

  nweathington said:

  BREAKTHROUGH TALENT OF 2016: Previews—I mean, Tom King
  Only because I want to hear @Pants go nuts again.

  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

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  nweathington Posts: 6,741

  February 2017

  Pants said:

  nweathington said:

  BREAKTHROUGH TALENT OF 2016: Previews—I mean, Tom King
  Only because I want to hear @Pants go nuts again.

  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

  It's funny because it's you instead of me. ;)

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  DAR Posts: 1,128

  February 2017

  Looking at the nominations I read more than I actually thought

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  TallKarlMpls Posts: 2

  February 2017

  Thought I'd share.
  
  BEST NEW HERO or HERO TEAM (debut in 2016)
  Sugar & Spike
  I'm glad you put them as new characters (they only share names with those two babies). They were the most fun I had in a comic this year. I heard your raves on issue 1 (Legends) and waited for the trade collection. I was not disappointed.
  
  BEST NEW VILLAIN or VILLAIN TEAM (debut in 2016)
  Dylan Cross (Kill or Be Killed)
  The idea that your protagonist may be evil is not new, but there isn’t a more compelling exploration of what it’s like to be lost and suddenly find that thing that makes you feel relevant/powerful/excited. Even if that thing is going to destroy you from within. Not suffering from any debilitating addictions – besides comics, maybe – I suspect that this is how an alcoholic in recovery might describe their addiction.
  
  BEST NEW COMIC (first issue shipped in 2016)
  Future Quest
  Space Ghost meets Johnny Quest . That is all.
  
  BEST LIMITED SERIES (last issue shipped in 2016)
  The Vision
  This was a great look at an old, but underappreciated, character that deserves a spotlight. Family, fitting in, love and identity are always interesting topics, but by adding the layers of history that an Avengers title offers this felt like more than 12 issues. So well done. And who doesn’t love a green synthazoid puppy.
  I’ve seen some mention that it was a series cut short. To that I say: given that many of the “ongoing” series being published are written “for the trade” in small blocks that could easily be multiple series (in the way that the BBC uses the term) the distinction between "limited” and ongoing breaks down in the current environment.
  
  BEST SINGLE ISSUE/ONE-SHOT
  Star Wars Special: C-3PO—The Phantom Limb
  Maybe it’s just me but, the “hard science” stories in SciFi have always been more compelling. And I was finally able to see what the SW franchise could do with a less “space opera” perspective. Like Arrival the suspension of disbelief in the premise (aliens visit) was just a warm up to the real imagination the story invited us into (what can we accomplish if we think beyond the limits of our own lives). This was a great way to pose that unanswerable question of free-will, evil and redemption.
  
  BEST CLIFFHANGER/MOMENT
  Abstain – haven’t read any of the nominees.
  
  BEST STORYLINE (within a series or across multiple series)
  Black Widow #1-6
  I am finally discovering Mr. Samnee. (Then found and loved his Rocketeer: Deadly Cargo TPB) All the art “moved” in a way that no other book could match. I reread each issues as the new one came out and was amazed that at even multiple times through I was still engaged with that first issue. Beautiful! Here’s an Idea for Marvel: instead of bubbles, the dialog/script could be printed beneath the art so that each panels can be un-obstructed.
  
  BEST SLEEPER/SURPRISE HIT
  The Flintstones
  Subversive? Who’d have thought? Said better here: http://www.gq.com/story/the-flintstones-woke-comic-book
  
  BEST ONGOING COMIC (need not have begun publication in 2016)
  Abstain – haven’t read any of the nominees.
  
  BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM (OGN or COLLECTION)
  Dark Knight: A True Batman Story
  Finally getting a look at the origins of Harley Quinn? What made this book so great was how it was able to universalize the reasons that superhero myths matter to us as a people (Americans in particular). Through the particulars of his recovery from that trauma I saw my childhood. He talks to Batman, I talked to Dazzler.
  (This may be technical but I think March should be considered as a single work. Having already won a best award, I took it out of contention.)
  
  BEST WRITER
  Tom King
  See above. Also Sheriff of Babylon, Batman and Grayson.
  
  BEST ARTIST
  Mikel Janin
  I thank/blame him for the click-hole that is the hashtag #graysoncasting. And also the cover for issue 12.
  
  BEST WRITER/ARTIST
  Jeff Lemire
  In 2016 I bought (I think) every book he had his name on. Descender, Black Hammer, (Underatted IMHO) Moon Knight, Hawkeye, Old Man Logan, Plutona & Extraordinary X-Men. Not a bad read in the bunch.
  
  BEST COLOR ARTIST
  Jordie Bellaire
  
  BEST LETTERER
  Abstain - I'm not educated enough on this category.
  
  BREAKTHROUGH TALENT OF 2016
  David F. Walker

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  AtchAttack Posts: 5

  February 2017

  Good day, CGS! I echo the sentiments of thanks to Murd for taking the time to organize this effort. While I have benefited from listening to the “Best of…” episodes in previous years, I am leaving the sidelines and stepping onto the field of participation!
  
  BEST NEW HERO or HERO TEAM (debut in 2016)
  “The Spiral City 7” (cast of Black Hammer) – Intriguing and quirky characters with very relatable voices, and art that is top-notch storytelling, made this an easy choice for me. I have always had a soft spot for the “family” type of superhero team, like the New Teen Titans and JSA, and this team is just that. From the gentle giant father-figure of Abraham Slam, and the bitter but somehow hilarious Golden Gail (who so reminds me of Claudia from Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, a woman who has grown mentally, but physically stuck in a girl’s body), to the enigmatic Colonel Weird (I love how he more floats than flies!), this is Lemire at his best.
  
  BEST NEW VILLAIN or VILLAIN TEAM (debut in 2016)
  Ultrawoman and her Bizarresses (Superwoman) – While the Ultra-dense storytelling of Phil Jimenez has not made this my favorite book, I do love the spin on these classic characters.
  
  BEST NEW COMIC (first issue shipped in 2016) – abstain as I have not read any of the nominated comics.
  
  BEST LIMITED SERIES (last issue shipped in 2016)
  The Vision – There is not much more that I can add to the praise already given for this series by Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta (not to mention Jordie Bellaire, and Clayton Cowles). My aforementioned affinity for family atmosphere in comics drew me to this comics when I read the first reviews. It has been quite a joy.
  
  BEST SINGLE ISSUE/ONE-SHOT
  DC Universe Rebirth #1 – This is where I have a hard time containing my exuberance. I as much felt the emotion and the nostalgia in my core being as I did see and read the pages. It jumped out of the book and into my heart. I fall right in line with Pants on my level of love for this comic, as much for its quality and how it reached out to the hardcore DC fan Mike Atchison, as its being so overdue and the feeling that my perseverance through the mostly muck that was the New 52 finally paid off!
  
  BEST CLIFFHANGER/MOMENT
  The Flash remembers Wally West (DCU Rebirth #1) – I almost could have strayed from my nomination for either of two other great moments nominations, but the Flash/Wally reunion was at its root the crescendo of all the emotion-building of preceding moments involving Wally in this comic…his appearance to Batman and Linda Park in his Kid Flash uniform (especially the Crisis hearkening scene mimicking Barry’s own breaking through the barrier), the flashbacks to his origin, his Teen Titans days and to the Crisis, all the way to the heart-wrenching possibility that he would not be remembered and lost forever to the speed force…when Barry said “Wally?” and grabbed arm at the last minute, my heart skipped a beat. Three pages later when they embraced and Barry said “how could I ever forget you?”, well, I am not afraid to tell you that I, like Pants and I am sure many others, was overcome with emotion. That does not happen in this medium very often, and when it does, it is very gratifying. Geoff Johns outdid himself, and no one could have done a better job rendering the vivid emotions on the faces of Barry and Wally like Phil Jimenez. It was simply masterful.
  
  BEST STORYLINE (within a series or across multiple series)
  The Vision #1-12 – No sense repeating the same justification I had for this as I cited in the Best Limited Series category. Great stuff.
  
  BEST SLEEPER/SURPRISE HIT
  Black Hammer – Again, the justification is the same as the Best New Hero or Hero Team, but is even more striking because it came out of nowhere, despite Lemire’s great track record.
  
  BEST ONGOING COMIC (need not have begun publication in 2016)
  Batman – A few months ago I would not have voted for Batman in this category. I was not a huge fan of the Gotham/Gotham Girl storyline and definitely not the Monster Men crossover (partly because I don’t particularly like crossovers), the but the I Am Suicide and Rooftops storylines more than made up for it. Batman’s Suicide Squad-like extraction team in I Am Suicide was awesome and original! And King’s sense of pacing and his ability to show the real yet conflictive love between “Bat” and “Cat” is fantastic!
  
  BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM (OGN or COLLECTION) – abstaining as I have not read any of the nominated books.
  
  BEST WRITER
  Tom King – My first exposure to Tom King’s writing was in Grayson, and I have followed him ever since, through Omega Men, The Vision, and finally to Batman. And Sheriff of Baghdad is on my read list. I struggle with adequately describing writing skills and styles, but I do recognize talent and the feeling of satisfaction good writing gives one. Tom King has done that many times over, so he gets my vote.
  
  BEST ARTIST
  Mikel Janin – I am not much better at critiquing comic art, but I can tell you Mikel Janin first caught my eye in Justice League Dark and really grabbed my attention in Grayson. His clean style is lovely to behold and reminds me that of Amy Reeder, whose work on Madame Xanadu with Matt Wagner I adored.
  
  BEST WRITER/ARTIST
  Matt Wagner – This was as tough one, mostly because while my second place nominee is a fantastic writer, I am not a fan of his art. I am, however, a huge fan of Matt Wagner’s writing and art! And I can’t wait to meet him at C2E2 in April to get my Doctor Mid-Nite mini-series and Green Arrow #2 signed!
  
  BEST COLOR ARTIST
  Jordie Bellaire – I must admit that casting a vote in this category prompted me to learn more about the art of a colorist and recognize just how taken for granted the profession is. And it is fairly easy to see why Jordie Bellaire is at the top of her field.
  
  BEST LETTERER
  Todd Klein – If for no other reason than his longevity and consistent quality, Todd Klein gets my vote. I mean, he was the letterer on ‘Mazing Man, for heaven’s sake!
  
  BREAKTHROUGH TALENT OF 2016
  Julie Benson and Shawna Benson – Another tough choice…I love the work of all of these writers. The winners in my book, though, are the super-hero sisters Julie Benson and Shawna Benson!
  
  Thanks, CGS crew, for the opportunity to flesh out my thoughts and opinions in a way that is much more fulfilling than bouncing them around in my own internal monologue! If there is one thing I have learned, though…it is I need to not immediately file my read comics in their proper box and order like I am wont to do…I need to keep out and more easily accessible the comics that strike a chord with me so I have them at the ready for Best of 2017!
  

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  bralinator Posts: 5,967

  February 2017

  Final day to vote is today!

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  Eternal_E Posts: 15

  February 2017

  
  BEST NEW HERO or HERO TEAM (debut in 2016)
  The Champions
  
  
  BEST NEW VILLAIN or VILLAIN TEAM (debut in 2016)
  Dylan Cross (Kill or Be Killed)
  Godspeed (The Flash)
  Steve Rogers, Agent of HYDRA
  Ultrawoman and her Bizarresses (Superwoman)
  
  BEST NEW COMIC (first issue shipped in 2016)
  Future Quest
  
  
  BEST LIMITED SERIES (last issue shipped in 2016)
  
  The Vision
  
  BEST SINGLE ISSUE/ONE-SHOT
  DC Universe Rebirth #1
  
  
  BEST CLIFFHANGER/MOMENT
  
  The Flash remembers Wally West (DCU Rebirth #1)
  
  BEST STORYLINE (within a series or across multiple series)
  
  The Vision #1-12
  
  BEST SLEEPER/SURPRISE HIT
  
  The Vision
  
  BEST ONGOING COMIC (need not have begun publication in 2016)
  
  Star Wars
  
  BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM (OGN or COLLECTION)
  Dark Knight: A True Batman Story
  
  
  BEST WRITER
  
  Tom King
  
  BEST ARTIST
  
  Gabriel Hernandez Walta
  
  BEST WRITER/ARTIST
  Jeff Lemire
  
  BEST COLOR ARTIST
  
  Matt Wilson (he really added a texture to Paper girls)
  
  
  BEST LETTERER
  
  Dave Lanphear
  
  
  BREAKTHROUGH TALENT OF 2016
  Julie Benson and Shawna Benson
  
  

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  Eternal_E Posts: 15

  February 2017

  Godspeed , best new villain
  

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  BionicDave Posts: 377

  May 2017

  Feel like such a loser for not discovering LAZARUS until recently, and ignoring it for two CGS Awards now. Is it too late to change my nominations/final voting :joy:

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