Top ten lists are always a challenge, not only deciding which books grace the list, but also where in the list the book belongs. This list is purely my favourite series’ of this past year. Some started new, others continued on from 2012. Whether you agree or not is your call, but there are no ifs, ands, or buts that 2013 was an epic year for the comic industry.

Jeff Lemire’s “Animal Man” came off a massive crossover with Scott Snyder’s “Swamp Thing” entitled “Rotworld”. This left Buddy Baker in limbo with his wife hating him, son dead, and the totems of the Red caring more about his daughter than him. I enjoyed that Buddy’s life took after rotworld and am pleased with the development of his daughter’s role in the grand scheme. At the end of the day the element that made “Animal Man” a must for this list is the change late this year to Rafael Albuquerque on art. The man’s work on “American Vampire” is unbelievable and I look forward to him closing out this series.

When Marvel Now! titles dropped I did my best to pick up as many 1st issues I could and start thinning out the flock. One title that immediately caught my eye was Rick Remender’s “Uncanny Avengers”, after its one year anniversary in October it’s easy to see why this cracked the top ten. The creative talent of Remender shines here. Growing up I was always a fan of Age of Apocalypse and here, the people changed, but the story stays true as the twin children of Archangel take their shot at the throne of Apocalypse. This story line is jam packed with characters from the past, present, and future. The 4 horseman are well chosen and even more awesome is the fact that Remender isn’t afraid to shed blood as he did in November’s issue.

The first of two Mignola titles on this list is “Abe Sapien”. It’s incredible to see how far this character has come in such a short amount of time. Abe is currently on a journey of self-discovery that will have a massive impact on the Mignolaverse. The story is top notch in creativity and the art is always of the highest quality. I look forward to this book on a month to month basis. This year may be coming to a close, but Abe Sapien is still going full steam.

Snyder is one of my favourite writers of the year and this is the first of 3 of his titles that make my list (haters can deal with it). Snyder takes the opportunity to take us back to the beginning. “Zero year” is about Bruce Wayne becoming Batman as he takes on the Red Hood Gang. There are two main reasons why I love this book. The first is seeing the rebuild of one of the most loved characters in comic book history. The second is Snyder not writing his own “Forever Evil” storyline.

Snyder is one hell of writer and his new take on Superman proves it. The story is flying by and I can’t wait to sink my teeth in these issues. Once again, Snyder stands apart from rest of DC as this book is untouched by the events of “Forever Evil”. “Unchained” introduces a secret military hero who is more powerful than the Man of Steel himself, and has them working together to combat some terrorist bots designed to kill Superman. An extra from this book are the short stories at the end, which are super fun. Though “Superman Unchained” is still a young blood, its potential is incredible which is why it has earned its spot on my list.

Even though we are a few books in, the story is a blast. With zombies taking the world by storm it was only a matter of time before they popped up in Archie. This book takes a character that has existed for decades and flips the poor ginger’s world upside down. I’m loving this book, my mom’s loving this book, and if you haven’t tried it yet, you’re doing comics wrong.

“The Wake” is a combination of some old folklore tales that have been circulating this Earth for a long time, marine behemoths and mermaids. The book started off with a bang and hasn’t stopped coming. Each issue brings you deeper into this world’s depths and has really taken the folklore to a new level of intrigue. This is the last book by Snyder on this top ten but it was in tight competition to say the least.

After his ill-timed demise Hellboy was cast into his old stomping grounds: Hell. Mignola is back in full force with this book taking on the art workload as well as the writing. His style is incredible as the script is infused with classic literature and constant panel shifts that make the story an eerie one. Hellboy is the centre of the Mignolaverse and this ongoing will have epic ramification on all the adjoining ongoing series.

Well if you thought this title wasn’t going to make this list you are a damned fool. This series is incredibly addictive, and with the most recent arc being the conclusion, makes it all the more important. Though this book is only number two in my heart, it may be the first overall pick for the BD crew. Joe Hill has proven himself one of the most potent writers this year following in his father’s footsteps. This series unfortunately comes to stifling end, but it has been a wild ride. I can’t wait to collect the final trade and lock myself in my basement to feast on the completed series.

Well for anyone who reads my reviews, you know that I have a continuous erection for this series. BKV and Fiona Staples have changed the comic book industry in my eyes by creating this epic. The story has been rolling for a while now and it just continues to get better. Every month I look forward to this book with mouth-watering anticipation, and now, finally, the moment is coming for an epic confrontation that will change the book’s layout completely. “Saga” is number 1 in my eyes because of the potency of its art, story, and dialogue.

Happy Holidays from the Green Basterd