Decapitated Dan's Best of 2015: Comics

 

  Well it’s the end of the year, and what better way to recap it than by making a list! So check out what I liked best in 2015!
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Writer of the Year: Kieron Gillen
Kieron oh Kieron, how could you let me down in 2015. Über was amazing, as always, Mercury Rising was awesome, but neither of those were horror. So how do I attempt to justify having you as my top pick? Simple, your Crossed Badlands arc Homo Tortor put the nail in the coffin. While I have not had the chance to read more of Gillen's work, these three things alone, which I LOVED, cemented his spot as my writer of the year. I can not wait to see what he has planned for 2016.

Honorable Mentions: Terry Moore, Mark Kidwell, Mike Wolfer

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Artist of the Year: Mike Wolfer
Mike is a HUGE double threat. His writing is above and beyond, but his artwork is just GORE-Geous. Just look at what he did in 2015 and you will know what I mean. Whether he was doing his own thing on his Daughters of the Dark Oracle issues or working on his The Lesser of 2 Evils arc for Crossed Badlands, he never let me down in terms of the artwork. I wish I could see a new page from him everyday of the year. So damn talented.

Honorable Mentions: Raymund Bermudez, Kyle Strahm, Stan Silas

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Horror Publisher of the Year: Avatar Press
THREE PEAT!! 
Avatar brings it home again for a third year in a row! If you want to debate that another company is putting out a more solid Horror Line-up be my guest, but with titles like Crossed Badlands, Crossed +100, Dark Gods, Providence, God is Dead and non-Horror titles like War Stories, Mercury Rising and of course Über... yeah that is like every book they did this year, so damn good.

Honorable Mentions:  Dark Horse Comics, Oni Press, Image Comics

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Best Ongoing: Rachel Rising
THREE PEAT!!
For three years running Rachel Rising has been the go to book. It has never, never, not once, never ever let me down. It's so solid, and has now solidified itself as one of the BEST COMIC BOOKS EVER! It is a must read, and if you are not reading it, after all this time, I really can not believe you don't live in a cave. Terry Moore delivers like no one else with GORE-Geous on page after page artwork and a story that has me hooked like nothing else. GOD DAMN IT, I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Honorable Mentions: Crossed Badlands, Spread

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Best Limited Series: Who Needs the Moon
I have waited patiently, for a few years now, for Todd McCullough to finish Who Needs the Moon. I would send him emails every now and then, starting with small talk, but always focusing on asking WHEN WILL IT BE DONE! Well, it's done, and it is a book to behold. Todd's artwork is off the chains jaw dropping. This story is a fun filled thrill ride from start to finish. I could not be happier to finally have it all in my hands, and sing it's praises. So damn good, and so worth the wait.

Honorable Mentions: Colder Bad Seed, Brides of Helheim. Lady Demon

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Best OGN: Norman Vol. 2
Stan Silas is a genius. Norman Vol. 1 was fantastic, but the story he told in Vol. 2 took it to a whole new level. This is Horror Comedy done so well, you will slap your mama for not reading it too. Silas really has a fantastic cartoon art style that delivers the jokes so well in the art, but adding the jokes in the dialogue puts the icing on the cake. Need some B-Movie comics in your life, look no further than this book right here. It is an unstoppable force of laughs and gore.

Honorable Mentions:  Norman Vol. 1, Hellbound, 40 Coffins

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Best Book(s) You Need to Go Find: TIE - Some Kind of Blue Moon & Red Angel Dragnet Vol. 1

This category is so hard to pick a winner in, hence the tie. I mean these are books fighting to be known, so how can I make one an honorable mention, when I need to tell you about them.

Some Kind of Blue Moon looks so damn good. It has a FANG-Tastic werewolf that adds to how great the artwork is, but what I really liked about this book was the writing. It's a classic "how do I control the change" tale, that adds in some great humor. It even leaves itself open for what will come next, and that makes me happy. I can not wait to see more.

Red Angel Dragnet has a huge Hellblazer feel to it, and man do I miss that book. The story is a page turner and when it ended I was left craving more. The big highlight here for me though was the artwork. Anna Wieszczyk put some of the most GORE-Geous pages together. It has an Æon Flux like feel to it, and those demons... oh man, to die for!

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Best Comedy Title: I Hate Fairyland
Before I get into even trying to describe I Hate Fairyland, I want to say that the Honorable Mentions here were in the middle of a Royal Rumble in my head for who would take the top spot. But then October came and Skottie Young said "BEHOLD! I PRESENT TO YOU I HATE FAIRYLAND!" HOLY S#!+ PEOPLE! This book is amaze-balls. It just destroyed me. I was laughing so damn hard everytime I read it. Yeah, I read issue #1 like 10 times, and I will probably go back and read it again and again. Just give me the words and it's the funniest book of the year, but add in the artwork and and I am on the floor, rolling around, laughing so hard wondering when my butt fell off because it is laughing too. I want this book daily, it is the freshest breath in comics in a long time for me. 

Honorable Mentions:  Futurama, Invader Zim, Norman Vol. 2

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Best Non-Horror Title: Über
THREE PEAT!! 
I knew at the start of the year that nothing, and I mean that nothing was going to take Über off of this top spot. I am seriously addicted to this book. It's a buy every single issue 5 times for every cover, buy every trade, buy every hardcover addiction. I just love these What If style War stories. I'm addicted to the show The Man in the High Castle right now, so what does that tell you. But here is the bad news, it ended! Yes I know it's starting up again in 2016, but damn it, I miss it right now. The story is just so solid, I can not put it down. I need my fix, and I need it now!

Honorable Mentions:  War Stories, Saga, Mercury Rising

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Best Comeback: The Dead
I am guessing that only a handful of you are adult enough for this book. That image up there is not even the cover. I can't show you the cover it's so graphic! Which, if you recall the series when it was coming out had covers that were just like that. Rough House Publishing has done the world a service, they have collected, cleaned and restored one of the hardest to find GOROR (get it Gore + Horror) comics ever. I have searched for years since I got back into comics to find these single issues, and now, now it is here in a collected format for you. If Deadworld is the Daddy of Zombie Comics, then The Dead is the Creepy Uncle. It's grotesque, it's dirty, it's hideous and good lord it is so damn good. You gotta hide this one under your mattress because you won't show it to your kids, your parents, your spouse or even you pets, but if this is not in your Horror Comic collection there is something wrong.

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So there you have it. My comic picks for the best of 2015!

• Note: It was not easy to make this list. There are so many great horror comics that come out each year, so I say to you, create your own list and let the world know what stood out to you. When it came to choosing the writer and artist of the year I specifically took into consideration people who worked on more than one book for the year. Please also note that my picks in no way shape or form have any influence over the Ghastly Awards.