GeekMoms’ Best Comic Books of 2013

2013 was a great year to be a comic book fan. From publishers big, small, and self-published, several single issue comic books stood out from the crowd as exceptional works of art and story. Here are GeekMom’s favorite comic books of 2013. Swing by your local comic book store and pick one up!

Leaving Megaopolis (Self-Published), Gail Simone and Jim Calafiore – The best comic book I read this year was Gail Simone and Jim Calafiore’s Leaving Megalopolis, which was a Kickstarter project and isn’t available yet to the general public. I thought I’d like it because I like Gail’s work, but this has to be the best thing she’s ever done. I hope it’s on Amazon or available to the public soon. – Corrina Lawson

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, #4 of 4 (Archaia), David Petersen – This issue was my favorite, mainly for the Bill Willingham story. His writing is great in Fables, but certainly not kid-friendly. Combining his style and imagination with an awesome family series like Mouse Guard was a home run. – Lisa Tate

Batman and Robin #18 (DC Comics), Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason – A Batman comic with no text seems like an odd choice for one of the best of the year, but Tomasi and Gleason masterfully capture anguish and grief in an unforgettable single issue. – Kelly Knox

Smallville: Season 11 #56 (DC Comics), Bryan Q. Miller and Jorge Jimenez – If I could put every issue of the “Olympus” arc on my top ten list for 2013, I would. Smallville: Season 11‘s version of the first adventure of Wonder Woman and Superman had me impatient for Fridays so I could read the next digital installment. – Kelly Knox

Hawkeye #11 (Marvel Comics), Matt Fraction and David Aja – Another issue with almost no text that still makes a huge impact, Hawkeye #11 is told from the unique perspective of Clint Barton’s dog, Lucky (AKA Pizza Dog). The icons showing how Lucky sees (and smells) the world are innovative and thought-provoking, like the series itself. – Kelly Knox

The X-Files: Season 10 #6 (IDW Publishing), Joe Harris, Elena Casagrande, and Silvia Califano – For me there was no question about my favorite single comic issue of 2013–Joe Harris’ The X-Files #6 stood head and shoulders above the rest. Although the opening five-part arc had set up the return of Agents Mulder and Scully in classic style, issue #6 returned Season 10 to the show’s popular Monster-of-the-Week format. There was the tense and creepy pre-“credits” set up, some nice scenes at FBI headquarters (including the return of the basement office), an appearance from everyone’s favorite boss D.D. Skinner, and some brilliant banter between Mulder and Scully themselves–consistently one of my favorite aspects of the show.

Finally, #6 had Mulder and Scully going about their usual roles: Mulder off investigating in the field and generally riling up the locals with Scully left behind to do autopsies and lab work; the pair staying in constant contact via their surgically attached cell phones. The flashbacks to TV episodes and the cliffhanger ending were just the icing on the cake of an issue that, in my opinion, really proved to me that my beloved X-Files was really back again. – Sophie Brown