Gather 'round, everyone! The 2017 Hammy Awards are in and this year was a doozy! The HCB crew has picked through a myriad of titles from Indies to the Big Two and we are ready to let slip the dogs of war.
Without further ado, I'm pleased to present your 2017 Hammies.
Madman's picks
Comic of the Year:
For this top honor I’m going to give it to Spider-Woman. If memory serves I gave it to her last year too but, hey, I seriously enjoy the hell outta the book.
Manifest Destiny wins this one again, no contest. In my opinion the momentum in the story may have stalled a wee bit, but the artwork and covers are still pure eye candy.
Best New Comic:
This is a pretty wide brush stroke but I’m going with all the new Warhammer 40,000 books. All of them have been fantastic but my favorite of the lot was probably Will of Iron.
Most Overrated:
Inhumans vs X-men. This series could’ve been something, but it was trash and I quickly lost interest.
Most Underrated:
I admit I hated Hulk at first, mostly because it’s completely Bannerless. I’m a bit of a Hulk purest, but Mariko Tamaki, Georges Duarte, and company have made me believe Jennifer Walters can deliver the Hulk fix I need…
Cho who? The book has been dark and edgy and I’m a card-carrying subscriber of the series.
Most Disappointing:
Man-Thing by R.L. Stine(see below)
The Rob Liefeld:
Ben Riley: Scarlet Spider. I couldn’t bring myself to read it… Maybe I should just give the most disappointing trophy to Marvel for thinking this was a good idea… It makes my nose bleed just thinking about it. Let. It. Go.
Best Mini series:
Giving it to the aforementioned Warhammer 40,000 series, Will of Iron. I’ve been waiting for Games Workshop to start putting out their comics again for a good many years. It turns out it was well worth the wait.
Worst Mini series:
Man-Thing by R.L. Stine. This series was absolute horseshit. I was so pumped when I heard this book was coming out, even if Stine was writing it…but holy hell. Reading it was like taking a dump in your own mouth after a hard night of drinking and eating Taco Bell. Stick to your Goosebumps, Stine, and stay the hell outta my comics.
I’m going to have to put Dennis Hopeless on the pedestal. Not to beat a dead horse here but, seriously, Spider-Woman has been the book I look forward to above all others, even my Spidey books.
Artist of the Year:
This goes to a trio, actually. Browne, Boyd, and Parkinson for their 3-way on Curse Words. The story is what it is, and it usually is when Browne is involved. The art work throughout each issue has been the guiltiest of pleasures. I am horrible at drawing, but if I did art I would do it like Browne and company does it. From pencils to colors I found no faults.
Art Bee's picks
Comic of the Year:
I was very tempted to choose Manifest Destiny for the second year and was very close to locking it in as such. Instead, a different contender has won the right to be called comic of the year. This book delivers a great story with a solid plot, a superb main character, superior artwork, and best of all, witty humor. All of this is delivered by Ryan Browne and Charles Soule in Curse Words.
This category has been a hard one to pin to one comic book. Darth Vader, Manifest Destiny, and Spawn were contenders this year, but the new series Sacred Creatures surpassed them all. The first issue of the series was one of my favorites for the year. It resembles an image from the old TV series The Addams Family, which has been one of my favorites for a long time.
Best New Comic:
Sacred Creatures and Regression are the top choices for this award, because both offer a richly developed story along with fantastic artwork. Even with both having so much going for them, “there can be only one.” For this award I am selecting Regression. It is a refreshing delivery of horror and intrigue, which the comic world has been sorely lacking lately.
Most Overrated Comic:
After finishing this post, I will have to consider self-mutilation for saying what I am about to say. The award for Most Overrated Comic goes to WWE. As much of a fan as I am of pro wrestling, this comic offers nothing to those who are not wrestling fans. The artwork is great and story pros are strong, but too many people will not get it or be interested.
Most Underrated Comic:
This award most definitely has to be presented to Sacred Creatures. This comic book came out of nowhere and is very captivating and suspenseful. The first issue was presented as a double issue just to get the story moving properly. There are so many complex characters along with a wonderfully thought out plot and this book should be on the pull list of everyone who loves suspense.
Most Disappointing Comic:
The Most Disappointing Comic this year has to be Rat Queens. I used to love this comic, but after an extended break and an artist change, the series restarted and has lost much of its original luster and has gotten very boring. Rat Queens has a gun to its head; just pull the trigger already.
Most Likely to Be Burned First for Heat in the Event of a Post Apocalyptic Earth “This is the End” Scenario (AKA The Rob Liefeld):
This has to be anything tied to Secret Empire. Those people at Marvel need to drug test the development team. Seriously.
Predator: Hunters has to be my pick for this award. It has delivered a fresh angle and concept to the Predator institution. This series will be a major benchmark in the Predator franchise
Worst Miniseries:
Secret Empire.
Writer of the Year:
Chris Dingess has done something very rare. He has not only kept writing a series for 3 years but has kept it fresh and interesting. Manifest Destiny has been my favorite book from the first issue, and it is the most anticipated comic on my pull list each month. Keep up the good work Mr. Dingess.
Artist of the Year:
As the artwork is the most crucial component of comic books, this award is the most important one given. As such, it deserves a great amount of attention and consideration. Over the past year there have been several artists worthy of consideration for Artist of the Year and the decision has been hard to reach. My pick for Artist of the Year is . . . Ryan Browne for Curse Words. Browne’s unique style and color usage is unparalleled in comicdom. Ever since being introduced to his comic God Hates Astronauts, I have really enjoyed his work and hope he continues to deliver his artistry to us in new and interesting venues.
Will Dubbeld's picks
Comic of the Year:
Ragnarok.
Walt Simonson wrote and illustrated some of the finest Thor comics ever to grace a shelf or spinner rack. After leaving the God of Thunder alone for some time, Walt's back in action with a post-Ragnarok undead Thor. The book feels like another chapter in Norse mythology and just looks absolutely beautiful.
Francesco Francavilla Monsters Unleashed variants.
Alright, the Monsters Unleashed miniseries was a bit of a letdown in my opinion. I wanted an epic monster uprising spearheaded by Mole Man, but I basically got Pacific Rim via the Marvel Universe with a dash of Cloverfield.
These variant covers though.
I love Francavilla's art and he is on fire here. Showcasing a forgotten monster from Marvel's yesteryear, these covers are part B-movie poster and all amazing.
Best New Comic:
Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye
So, DC launched a Hipster Vertigo.
I mean, that's what Young Animal kinda is, right?
Anyway, I was severely nonplussed with Doom Patrol at first. It grew on me, but Cave Carson was love at first sight. Carson is a great Pulp-adventure character and, whether it's intentional or pure happenstance, the guy from My Chemical Romance has hit the jackpot.
Evil corporations, underground kindgdoms, and a burrowing machine all mix together for a perfect melange of adventure and incidental psychomachia.
An added bonus is the supporting character, Mad Dog.
He's kinda like a shitty DC version of Punisher and I love him.
Most Overrated Comic:
Anything Deadpool.
Don't get me wrong, I like the Merc With A Mouth as much as the next fanboy but Marvel's doing that thing they do.
You know, the one where something is popular and the next thing you know there's five monthlies and several guest appearances. That. That's what I'm talking about.
Deadpool can support maybe, maaayyybe, 2 ongoing titles and 1 (1!) guest shot.
I understand the the logic in riding the popularity wave, but Marvel needs to understand a little thing called over-saturation.
Most Underrated Comic:
Insexts.
Part Victorian costume drama, part body horror, part monster movie and part Sapphic erotica, Insexts wraps all of the above in a cocoon and serves it up warm and wiggling.
Marguerite Bennett and company serve a beautiful book from script to colors and deserve some accolades for the effort. Bennett in particular continues to impress with her diverse subject matter, from superhero books to her creator-owned work like this one and Animosity.
Props to the creators and here's hoping their efforts on Insexts get some more notice.
Most Disappointing Comic:
The Mummy: Palimpsest
Hammer Horror needs to feel classic. Gothic horror was the name of the game, and if you bypass that aspect you may as well not call it Hammer Horror.
I was pumped for this book, ecstatic to have a Hammer comic. I immediately preordered and was almost immediately disappointed upon receipt. The art is great, but the story had absolutely none of the familiar flavor I expected from a book touting the hallowed Hammer name.
I only made it through issue one before canceling the book from my pull list. It said Hammer, but it felt like a prequel to that Tom Cruise Mummy flick that came out this summer.
Most Likely to Be Burned First for Heat in the Event of a Post Apocalyptic Earth “This is the End” Scenario:
Captain America/Sam Wilson/Secret Empire
Man, fuck a bunch of this Nick Spencer garbage. I loved his Deadly Foes book, but then somebody let him entirely off the leash and now here we are with this Nazi Cap story.
Marvel can backpedal and retcon all they like, but HYDRA are an allegory for Nazis.
I understand Spencer is pushing his agenda, and politics absolutely belong in comics, but Nick Spencer is wielding his political stance like a drunk with a broken bottle where he should be like a acting like a surgeon.
Not a fucking hack with a license run rampant across Marvel's landscape. Subtlety is absolutely lost on this man, and it bleeds all over his comics.
Also, classy fucking move on everyone's part pulling this debacle on Jack Kirby's centenary. Whereas DC is honoring The King with a series of books paying tribute to his most famous creations, the House of Ideas honors the occasion by turning Jack Kirby's patriotic superhero into a goddamn Nazi.
And Jack hated Nazis.
Deadman: Dark Forbidden Mansion of Love
Hell, yeah, Deadman! I love Boston Brand and feel a ping!ping!ping! of excitement when I see him show up.
Deadman is great because he works equally as well in a superhero book as he does in horror books. There's aspects to the character that work in both genres and allow for easy crossover.
Horror comics are where he absolutely shines, however. The Mike Baron/Kelley Jones Deadman books are probably the Gold Standard, but this year's mini comes awfully close.
Part haunted house, part ghost story, and part revenge, Dark Mansion hits all the sweet spots you're looking for in a Deadman book.
Worst Miniseries:
Inhumans Vs X-Men
It's probably good that Marvel is (allegedly...) taking a breather when it comes to event books.
Especially considering they all have sucked, with rare exception, for the past several years. IVX was not the exception.
It stops just short of character assassination, but it certainly is full of bold actions and uncharacteristic behavior. Considering the X-Men have V'd almost everything in the Marvel Universe at this point I think they deserve a rest.
The series may have ended in a draw, but the reader sure did lose.
Just like Civil War II, this event reeks of mandate from on high pushing an agenda based on a property appearing in a theater near you.
Please, can we focus on making good comics again. Please?
Which brings us to...
Writer of the Year:
DC Comics
Okay, this is extremely unorthodox, but I think DC, as a whole, deserves a mention. Their post-Flaspoint books were pretty horrible, with few exceptions, and flagrantly horrid editorial decisions ran rampant.
They must have realized pissing everything away in Nu52 was a poor move and are attempting to course-correct.
The quality has improved immensely since the Rebirth one-shot and I'm hoping this is upward momentum and not a Flash in the pan.
Obviously not every book is striking gold, but everything is a far cry better than it has been. There's been some stumbles, and hopefully I don't have to write another angry Watchmen review any time soon, but at least DC seems to have gotten all of that old Image Comics crap the hell out of my books.
Good job, DC.
Don't fuck it up.
Artist of the Year:
Walt Simonson & Mike Deodato
It's a tie. Walt has stepped back into the limelight with Ragnarok and is showing absolutely zero ring rust as he rips through Nordic mythology in a post-Ragnarok world. His art looks like you could drop the 1980s Thor in the comic and it would blend seamlessly. Mighty fine work, Walt.
Tied for first is Mike Deodato for his work on Thanos. I'm partial to Mike's work in general, but he really is bringing his A-game lately. From Guardians of the Galaxy to the Thanos book, Deodato is bringing the 'wow' and isn't showing signs of stopping.
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