The Onion's A.V. Club

The Best of 2011

There’s still glitter on the streets. Fridges are filled with half-empty bottles of champagne and gyms are extra crowded due to people working on their resolutions. And while we celebrate the beginning of a new year, there’s no better way to ring in 2012 than to reflect on the successes of 2011.

The DC offices were closed all of last week, but that doesn’t mean that press didn’t continue to roll in. Below, take a look at some of the year-end “best of” lists that ran.

CNN’s GEEK OUT highlighted ANIMAL MAN, BATWOMAN, THE FLASH, I, VAMPIRE and JOE THE BARBARIAN in an article about the “unprecedented creativity” in comic books in 2011.

THE ONION’s A.V. CLUB’s list of the best comic books of 2011 included DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN, BATWOMAN and ANIMAL MAN. The article also gave individual honors to WONDER WOMAN, O.M.A.C. and JIMMY OLSEN.

GAWKER’s IO9 featured SPACEMAN, ANIMAL MAN, SWAMP THING, BATMAN and FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.HA.D.E. on their list of the best science fiction and fantasy comic books of 2011.

COMPLEX MAGAZINE’s list of top 25 comic books of 2011 included FLASHPOINT, JUSTICE LEAGUE, NORTHLANDERS, SWAMP THING, WONDER WOMAN, BATWOMAN, ACTION COMICS, DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN and ANIMAL MAN.

BLOODY DISGUSTING’s list of top 10 comic books of 2011 included SWEET TOOTH, DETECTIVE COMICS, BATWOMAN and ANIMAL MAN.

AFTER ELLEN highlighted BATWOMAN in their 2011 review of books.

SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE named DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 the biggest comic book story of 2011.

POPDOSE included BATWOMAN, SCALPED and XOMBI on their list of favorite comics of 2011.

COMIC BOOK RESOURCES’ list of top 100 comics of 2011 included BATMAN INCORPORATED, HELLBLAZER, XOMBI, FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E., THE UNWRITTEN, SWEET TOOTH, THE SHADE, ALL-STAR WESTERN, JONAH HEX, AMERICAN VAMPIRE, FLASHPOINT: BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE, O.M.A.C., FABLES, IZOMBIE, BATGIRL, BATMAN, AQUAMAN, ACTION COMICS, SWAMP THING, WONDER WOMAN, BATWOMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS, SCALPED and ANIMAL MAN.

IFANBOY declared DC Comics as their “Publisher of the Year.” Their list of best new books in 2011 included ANIMAL MAN, SPACEMAN, BATMAN and ACTION COMICS. Meanwhile, their list of the top 10 comic events of 2011 included DC: RETROACTIVE and the STAR TREK/LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES crossover, while FLASHPOINT and DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 took the top two spots. And their list of 2011’s best comic book writers included Jeff Lemire (ANIMAL MAN/FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E./SWEET TOOTH), Brian Azzarello (WONDER WOMAN/100 BULLETS/SPACEMAN), and taking the #1 spot was Scott Snyder (BATMAN/SWAMP THING/DETECTIVE COMICS/AMERICAN VAMPIRE).

To be continued …

Clark and Lois Talk about the Future of Print (While Everybody’s Talkin’ About DC COMICS-THE NEW 52)

Have a case of the Mondays? No worries. Loads of exclusive previews ran over the weekend and they just might help distract you from the impending work week. Ready?

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL’s SPEAKEASY BLOG ran an exclusive preview of SUPERMAN #2, which finds Daily Planet co-workers Clark Kent and Lois Lane discussing the future of print journalism.

USA TODAY gave you a first look at ALL-STAR WESTERN #2. "We're uncovering a bigger chunk of the mystery surrounding the Gotham Butcher and what exactly is happening in the fledgling city of Gotham, at its very core of its industrial revolution at that time," said series co-writer Justin Gray. "The gambit being made by a certain criminal underworld to establish their roots in Gotham would have lasting implications throughout, all the way to the timeline with Batman."

Curious what happens when members from the entire color spectrum of the Green Lantern Corps come together? Then look no further than UGO, who has your first look at GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #2.

A new fury is unleashed in THE FURY OF FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MEN #2 and KOTAKU has your exclusive first sneak peek at it.

Take a glimpse at Carter Hall vs. the newly awakened Morphicus in THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #2 over at GAWKER’S IO9.

Is Voodoo a hero or a villain? IGN helps you decide with their preview of VOODOO #2.

COMICVINE teases at the secrets Lady Blackhawk is keeping to herself with their preview of BLACKHAWKS #2.

Meanwhile, THE ONION’S A.V. CLUB ran a profile of BATMAN and SWAMP THING writer Scott Snyder. “What if there’s a reason that he was chosen? What if there’s something in his past? What if he’s always known that Swamp Thing was waiting for him and waiting to claim him?” Snyder said of SWAMP THING protagonist Alec Holland. “What if he wasn’t just meant to be Swamp Thing, but the accident that supposedly turned him into Swamp Thing actually prevented him from becoming the Swamp Thing he was supposed to be, because you’re supposed to bond to the Green in your life, and the accident killed him? And this idea that he’s not just supposed to be Swamp Thing, but he’s supposed to be the greatest Swap Thing ever. We’ve never seen that creature that he could be, hypothetically. Once I had that I knew that was it. I was like, ‘This is my story.’ It’s everything I love to write about and I’ve been a fan of the character forever.”

And don’t worry. It may be Monday, but we’ll have all sorts of interesting things happening this week on THE SOURCE.

To be continued …