Matt Price’s ten best comic-book titles of the year

Monthly comics remain the backbone of many comic-book stores, and several strong storylines worked their way into fans’ hands in 2007.  While some fans suffered from “event fatigue” as last year’s “Civil War” and “Infinite Crisis” were followed by “World War Hulk” and “Countdown,” events done right still drew in fans.  While superhero comics remained a mainstay of monthly comic books, slice-of-life tales and science fiction also found a place among the year’s best comics. The following are the ten best comic-book series of 2007.

1.      Captain America — All Captain America had to do to have the best comic on the stands was get killed.  In “Captain America” No. 25, writer Ed Brubaker drew the attention of the nation by killing Cap.  Since the Captain’s death, the story has continued to be compelling, as Captain America’s friends and allies investigate his death.  In January, someone new will take the mantle of Captain America.

2.      Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 — Joss Whedon continues his critically acclaimed television series “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer” in comic-book format.  With arcs written by Whedon and Brian K. Vaughan (“Y: The Last Man,” TV’s “Lost”), “Season 8” captures the wit and action of the television series, with a much lower budget. 

3.      The Sinestro Corps War  —  Geoff Johns and company showed the world how to do a superhero crossover with “Sinestro Corps War,” which ran through “Green Lantern,” “Green Lantern Corps” and four specials.   The Green Lanterns, an intergalactic peacekeeping force, find themselves stretched to their limit when Sinestro, a former Green Lantern, creates his own corps, dedicated to spreading fear throughout the galaxy.

4.      Y: The Last Man — Vaughan’s long-running saga about the last male left on earth after a plague remains one of the best science-fiction dramas of recent years.  Questions are answered and destinies uncovered as the series, drawn by Pia Guerra, heads toward its finish. (The final issue, No. 60, is set for a January release.)

5.      Local — While Brian Wood’s “Local” suffered from some delays, the issues that did hit stores were among the best of the year.  With artist Ryan Kelly, Wood explores life across the United States as each issue takes place in a different city.  “Local” No. 9, set in Norman, features main character Megan McKeenan dealing with the death of a parent.

6.      Strangers in Paradise  —  Writer-artist Terry Moore, one of the last of the 1990s self-publishers still standing, completed his epic about love and relationships, “Strangers in Paradise,” in 2007.