The Year of Comic Books in Review - Nominees

Let's review the titles that are in contention for "Best Comic Book of 2003 according to Bloggity-Blog-Blog-Blog": Amazing Spider Man #55/496, Amazing Spider-Man #56/497, Amelia Rules #9, Aquaman #2, Aquaman #13, Aquaman Archive Volume One, Aquaman Secret Files 2003, Astro City: Local Heroes #1, Crossovers #3, Crossovers #4, the forgotten, Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, Hellboy: The Right Hand of Doom, JLA/Avengers #3, Leave It To Chance (FCBD edition), Leave It To Chance: Shaman's Rain, Leave It To Chance: Trick or Threat & Other Stories, Leave It To Chance: Monster Madness, Lone Wolf and Cub Volume 28, More Fund Comics, PS238 #1, PS238 #2, PS238 #3, PS238 #4, Sandwalk Adventures #5, Superman: Blood Of My Ancestors, Superman: Red Son #1, Usagi Yojimbo #63 and Usagi Yojimbo #67.

Wow. That's almost too much to pick from. So the next step is to eliminate some books from the running by giving them "Other Bloggity-Blog-Blog-Blog Awards".

"Most Effective Reprint" goes to Leave It To Chance (Free Comic Book Day edition), as it had the desired effect of getting me to buy all three hardcover reprint volumes.

"I Can't Believe It's Over" goes to Lone Wolf and Cub Volume 28.

"Best Anthology" goes to More Fund Comics. It also gets an award for "trippiest cover" because of the Hulk cover that echoes DC's More Fun comics. Only somebody who has a high interest in More Fun (like, oh, me) would be tripped out by it, but it was very cool.

"Missed but not Forgotten" goes to the forgotten, which also gets the "Best Banner Ad" award.

"Best Archive of 2003" goes to Aquaman Archive Volume One, which I hope will be followed someday soon with a Golden-Age Aquaman Archive.

"Coolest Loaned Book" goes to the collective Hellboy anthologies, which have introduced me to a new and fascinating character that I find myself really liking. And Abe is neat too. I wouldn't have discovered that I like Hellboy without a friend willing to loan me her books (and in return I got her addicted to Usagi Yojimbo).

"Best Story Written For Laura" goes to Aquaman Secret Files 2003. It was a very good story. For me.

"Longest Wait" goes to JLA/Avengers... and in particular to the fact that it took three issues to get to the real fun stuff (for me).

"Rookie of the Year" goes to PS238, which was a very close second to the "winner".

And tomorrow I'll reveal the comic book, out of all that I read in 2003, that I thought was the best of the year.