SETH’S FAVORITES OF 2012 :: It’s been an eclectic year for comics.  Amid all the relaunches and reboots, company-wide crossovers and such, there were still some truly entertaining books that caught my attention.  It’s like I always say, you might not like everything new, and might not like the directions of some books or companies, but if you take the time to look around, you’ll find plenty of quality comics to enjoy.

Favorite Super-hero Book of 2012: Wolverine and the X-men/Hawkeye: I couldn’t narrow it down to one.  Wolverine and the X-men, in spite of having to weave in and out of the giant Avengers vs. X-men story, managed to be one of the most consistently joyous comics of the year for me.  Much of this is owed to writer Jason Aaron, who kept the tone of the book consistent, which may well have been a challenge this year.  Kudos also to artists Chris Bachalo and Nick Bradshaw for matching the energy and humor in Aaron’s scripts, and adding their own unique takes on these characters.
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RICO’S PICK :: HAWKEYE #4: It’s still a great time to start following the new Hawkeye series. Javier Pulido is drawing a two issue story arc starting this issue. It’s great when the regular series artist takes a couple months off and someone with a unique visual style steps in. Pulido had great runs on Spider-Man, Robin and Catwoman and he’s going to be a perfect fit on Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye.Dav

JUSTIN’S PICK :: FANTASTIC FOUR #1 :: Based on the preview book that accompanied the kickoff of Marvel NOW a few weeks ago, the new Fantastic Four title is getting back to basics, that is: a family of adventurers, adventuring. In just four pages, writer Matt Fraction demonstrated he can ably handle the dynamics of bickering relatives. As for stalwart penciller Mark Bagley, he’s won me over after years of indifference, and his ever-improving style looks great on Marvel’s first family. Pick this one up and get in on the ground floor.

Over the past several years, writer Matt Fraction has produced a varied body of work, ranging from big company events like Fear Itself, to smaller, character driven books like Immortal Iron Fist.  Let’s not forget he also managed to write fifty-plus issues of Invincible Iron Man and still maintains creator owned projects like Casanova.  Fraction currently reunited with Iron Fist collaborator David Aja on the critically acclaimed Hawkeye series, and is taking over Fantastic Four and FF as part of the Marvel Now event.  Plus, Image announced that he’ll be working on even more upcoming creator owned titles for them in the near future.  With all these irons in the fire, Matt still found time to answer a few questions, and I appreciate it.

Seth Peagler (SP): First off, congratulations on what ended up being a long and successful run on Invincible Iron Man. Have you had a chance to reflect on your tenure? (more…)

Seth’s Pick :: Hawkeye #3: You’re a normal guy who happens to have a pretty high profile day job.  It just so happens it’s a high stress, high risk gig.  Your co-workers include a big guy who walks around like he’s a god, an old soldier who casts a shadow on everyone, and a rich man-child who can build or blow up whatever he wants.  After a long day, you go home to your modest little apartment, pet the dog, and maybe grab a bite to eat with some neighbors grilling on the roof.  You try to keep your head down, but you can’t help sticking your nose into other people’s business when you know they’re up to no good.  You’d like to kick back, have another beer, and ignore your conscience, but you can’t help yourself.  Sometimes you bring work home with you even when you’re out of the uniform.

Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye is a fine comic, plain and simple.  It’s not too late to read one of the best monthly comics (superhero or otherwise) on the shelves.

HEATHER’S PICK :: HAWKEYE #2: I read Hawkeye #1 at Seth’s insistence and wasn’t really expecting to enjoy it.  My forays into the Avengers are generally short with rapid retreats.  Color me surprised to not only enjoy Hawkeye #1, but to add it to my reading list each month.  David Aja’s art is beautiful, especially his covers, and Matt Fraction is crafting an interesting story about Hawkeye that seems to paint him a little in the vein of a modern day Robin Hood.  The first issue also managed to spin off at least two twitter accounts with @PizzaDog and @LandlordBro.  This issue promises the return of Kate Bishop, who is apparently a fan favorite I will need to learn more about.

SETH’S PICK :: HAWKEYE #1 : I catch a lot of grief from fellow staffers for my unabashed love for Hawkeye. Regardless of what you think of the character, it’s worth pointing out that this series marks the return of the Matt Fraction/David Aja creative team. Their Immortal Iron First series still stands up after a few years, and they should offer up a worthwhile take on the Avenging Archer.