Top Ten Ongoing Series That Should Be On Your Pull List 9/21/16

Welcome to the top ten where each week we find something about comics that we may know and love and rate them in a list.  This week we are talking about the top ten books that should be on every comic bookers pull list.  I am omitting books that either are limited series like Vision and Lady Killer 2 or books that were on the one of the top ten underrated independent lists. The ground rules for this list was that they had to have at least five issues out, which eliminated a lot of the DC books and the book had to be an ongoing series.

My goal is to do this list twice a year in order to help you guys trim your pull lists.  Before I started my blog, I liked to have about 20 books on my pull list, which was about $100 a month.  However, with limited series like The Wake, erratically produced books like Afterlife With Archie, weekly books like Future's End or event books like Secret Wars, it was usually closer to 30 books or about $150 a month.  If I did not trim twice a year then my list would balloon up to 40 or 50 books.

Trimming your list can create some hard choices, especially on books that you have been getting forever, but when you are reading a book and it feels like a chore or you can't even follow the story any more, it is time to drop the book.  This has happened to me a couple times with characters that I really liked. Sometimes I would jump off for an arc and it would be better other times I dropped the book completely. A couple of good examples would be X-Men. I love the X-men, but Uncanny X-Men has been really hard to follow.  I had high hopes for the All New X-Men, where they brought the original X-Men from the past to present and I was disappointed, but I continue to get excited for and try every X book that I can, Magneto, Storm, Cyclops, etc. Another example was during the Green Lantern crossover with the New Gods. I dropped that book, but continued with other related books like Sinestro or Green Lantern: The Lost Army until Rebirth started.

There are people who buy a book regardless of who is writing or drawing it just because it contains their favorite character. I do understand that impulse, but sometimes they change the character so much for an arc or multiple arcs where you are no longer enjoying the story and are just picking it up because you have to have a full run.  Same thing happens with writers and artists.  Listen, the writers at the big two and any of the independents have talent, but occasionally get stuck in a bad path, by their own fault or with an editor trying to shoehorn a story that doesn't belong in the book. A perfect example would be Robert Vendetti. The last couple arcs of the New 52 Green Lantern book were not very good, but the Rebirth and Hal Jordan And the Green Lanterns have been great. Sorry this turned into a mini rant, but bottom line is that we as the consumer need to vote with our wallet. If you think cross over events are a way for the big two to take your money instead of tell an interesting story, don't give into FOMO and don't buy them.  Same can be said about variant covers and tie in books.  Eventually they would stop putting annual events just to put them out, Convergence and Axis that means you and would put out events because they have a good story to tell that are actually good stories like Civil War and Flash Point.

Rant over.  Back to the top ten ongoing series that should be on your pull list.

W: Jeff Lemire A: Greg Smallwood

10. Moon Knight - "THE BOOK YOU'D BE INSANE TO MISS! Marc Spector (a.k.a. Moon Knight/Jake Lockley/Steven Grant) has been fighting criminals and keeping New York City safe for years… or has he? When he wakes up in an insane asylum with no powers and a lifetime's worth of medical records, his whole identity (indentities) are called into question. Something is wrong, but is that something Marc Spector himself? Jeff Lemire (EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN) and rising star Greg Smallwood are calling everything you know about Moon Knight into question."

This book is so intriguing that it deserves a read through.  Moon Knight has had a couple good runs lately, but this may be better.  This is a book that as soon as you think you know what is going on, they flip the script and you never saw it coming. Even when picking this up at number one, you may be a little lost, but that is by design, but is well worth a read.



W: Tom Taylor A: Jheremy Raapack

9. Injustice Gods Among Us - From the makers of Mortal Kombat comes the critically acclaimed prequel comic to the smash-hit fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us! In this new hardcover collecting issues #1-6 of the hit series, things in the DC Universe have changed after Superman is tricked into destroying the one thing he loves most. Now unwilling to let crime go unpunished, the heroes of our world must choose if they are with Superman or against him. But not every country will submit to his new world order-and neither will Batman!

MINOR SPOILER. In the first book Superman tells Batman that Lois is pregnant and everyone is as happy as can be. Next thing you know Joker and Harley show up infect Superman with Joker gad mixed with scarecrow fear toxin and the fun begins. The results of Joker's fun are that Batman and Superman are now on opposite sides and the super hero community has to take sides. This book mixes in great humor with some darker scenes. There is some banter between Harley and Green Arrow that is hilarious as shown above.  This book is so well written, fun and different from anything else you will read that it is a must get for any fan of DC books.

W: Benjamin Percy A: Otto Schmidt

8. Green Arrow - THE DEATH AND LIFE OF OLIVER QUEEN' chapter one As Oliver struggles with how he can fight 'the man' when his huge fortune makes him the man, he and Black Canary uncover a deadly new threat to Seattle that cuts the Archer to the bone. THEY SAID IT: 'My touchstones are [former GA writers] Dennis O'Neil and Mike Grell, while trying to make the series my own,' says writer Benjamin Percy. 'Green Arrow will be a politically and culturally relevant series. Expect stories that aim a broadhead into the zeitgeist, that are ripped from the headlines.'

This has been one of the bigger surprises of Rebirth.  Green Arrow's complicated family issues are well written and compelling, which is a great part of this story. Black Canary is back as well as Diggle, Shadow and Emiko as his sister and sidekick. Another plus about this book is that the B covers are done by Neal Adams, who has always drawn Green Arrow incredibly.

W: Jeff Lermire A: Andrea Sorrentino

7. Old Man Logan - Fifty years from now, Logan - the man who no longer calls himself Wolverine - will have endured many atrocities: The Marvel Universe's villains will have banded together and rid the world of its heroes. Logan's closest friend, Hawkeye, will have been murdered in cold blood right before his eyes. And driven mad by the same radiation that gave him his superhuman strength, Bruce Banner will have fathered a family of hillbilly Hulks... that eventually went on to slaughter Logan's wife and two children. But now, in the present, Old Man Logan wakes up to discover himself in a world before these atrocities, before the Wasteland. And he's going to seize this opportunity and change history to ensure that his future never comes to pass...

This book is by far the best book Marvel is putting out right now.  The art is amazing and perfectly paired with the dark tale that is being told.  It further elaborates on the back story from the original Old Man Logan and then continues to build.  This isn't one of those books that is out just to cash in on the name or nostalgia of the original. This is the type of story that will make you love Wolverine and long for the days of great X-Men stories.

W: Josh Williamson A: Carmine Di Giandomenico

6. Flash - LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE' chapter one A new storm brews over Central City and disproves the old adage about lightning never, well…you know. Just as Barry begins to feel overwhelmed fighting crime, a new speedster debuts-but just where did this amazing new friend come from? FLASH FACT: '2016 is the 60th anniversary of Barry Allen becoming The Flash and it's a privilege to be a part of it,' says writer Joshua Williamson. ''The Return of Barry Allen' in FLASH #79 [1993] is one of my favorite comics of all time. It's where I became a Flash fan for life.'

This book has a lot going on in it, but Williamson is handling it deftly. There are problems hanging around from The New 52 to he is addressing as well as the chaos with speedsters being created and the relationship with his partner. Williamson does a great job of keeping it light and fun and mixing in the perfect amount of darkness and intrigue.

W: Robert Kirkman A: Paul Azaceta

5. Outcast - NEW HORROR SERIES FROM THE WALKING DEAD CREATOR ROBERT KIRKMAN! Kyle Barnes has been plagued by demonic possession all his life and now he needs answers. Unfortunately, what he uncovers along the way could bring about the end of life on Earth as we know it.

This book takes a dark and twisted path that you can't wait to see what happens. The first issue was so good in fact that it was pretty much immediately optioned for a show on Cinemax. Sure it is no HBO, but from what I saw of the show, it was fantastic. As always, the book is better. Kirkman does a great job of making a multi layered and faulted character with a tragic background. Even if you are not a fan of horror, this is a book you should be reading.

W: Tom Waltz & Kevin Eastman A: Dave Wachter

4. TMNT - They're BACK! This summer, the original heroes in a half-shell make a triumphant return to comics! Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo, and Raphael reunite to bring their ninja aptitude and teenage attitude to IDW Publishing in this all-new, action-packed series. Featuring a cast of familiar characters-Master Splinter, April O'Neill, Casey Jones, and more-and true to the spirit of the original comics created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES are bigger and badder than ever, and ready to rock old and new fans

This book is not the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that you grew up with.  This is a more adult take on them. Kevin Eastman is involved and has really done something different.The family dynamic is well written and the shredder is compelling.  If you liked any form of Ninja Turtles  you should be reading this. One of the best things about this book is that the B cover is done by Kevin Eastman as seen above.

W: Kieron Gillen A: Salvador Larroca

3. Darth Vadar - One of the greatest antagonists in all of fiction stars in his first volume of villainy! Fresh from a stinging defeat at the hands of the Rebel Alliance, Darth Vader must rise again to reassert the Empire's iron grip on the galaxy. But will his personal desire for vengeance against the young Jedi who destroyed the Death Star distract from Vader's duty to the Emperor? As a fateful quest begins, the Dark Lord of the Sith will face a fresh threat to his power. And as other villains old and new play their parts - from Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt to diabolical debutant Aphra, as well as the killer droids Triple Zero and BeeTee - how long until Vader's dangerous alliances blow up in his face? Join Darth Vader and feel the power of the dark side!

Yes I know this is a little bit of a cheat since this is ending and can be replace with Star Wars.  However, this is the best Star Wars related material that I have ever read and gives new depth to the movie and the character.  This series has added in a couple new driods and a really strong side character.  Additionally, the Vadar Down cross over event was one of the best I have read in recent memory. If you are a Star Wars fan and have not read this you are doing yourself a great disservice.

W: James Tynion IV A: Eddy Barrows & Eber Ferreira

2. Batman Detective Comics -RISE OF THE BATMEN' chapter one An unknown predator begins outdoing Batman, taking down dangerous threats with military precision. It's up to the Dark Knight and series costar Batwoman to rally and train the young heroes of Gotham City to end this mysterious threat! WHAT NOW: Batman and Batwoman begin training Spoiler, Red Robin and Cassandra Cain, but is the villainous Clayface ready for redemption?

This has been the best bat book of DC's Rebirth, in fact this is the best book that is DC is currently putting out. The team that was built for this book has endless potential especially with Clayface included. This book is complex and well written with a real sense of danger written in it where you may feel that nobody is safe. As you may or may not have read there was a big twist at the end of the first arc.  If you only are getting one DC book, this is the book that you should be getting.

Robert Kirkman A: Charlie Adlard

1. Walking Dead - Rick Grimes is not prepared for this. A couple months ago he was a small town cop who had never shot anyone and only ever saw one dead body. Separated from his family he must now sort through the death and confusion to try and find his wife and son. All the while fighting for his survival. How did this happen? How did things get so bad so fast? How will things ever return to normal after everything he's seen? THE CONCEPT: How many hours are in a day when you don't spend half of them watching television? When is that last time any of us REALLY worked to get something that we wanted? How long has it been since any of us really NEEDED something that we WANTED? The world we knew is gone. The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled, no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start to live.

If you haven't heard of this book, you must be living under a rock.  I know a lot of people are like, meh I will just watch the show or I am too far behind and I don't want to catch up.  Well you know what, get the compendiums and catch up! Again, the book is way better than the show and makes you think what you would do if the world came to an end.  The characters are flawed and you hate some of them, but the story is so compelling that you have to keep reading.  The villains are deep and well written and could be the jerk you work with.  This is one of the few books that you feel like none of the characters are ever safe and can be killed at any moment.

Think I missed series or included something that I should have.  Feel free to give me a piece of your mind in the comments section.