That said, I present to you 10 ESSENTIAL COMICS FOR 2005. Are these the 10 BEST comics of the year? No. There are certainly a few that I left off this list. What makes these “essential” is that they are not only excellent work, but that they fill a niche. I will, however, name a “Comic Of The Year,” which again is not necessarily the “best,” but there’s a reason for its rank.

COMIC OF THE YEAR

FELL
Written by Warren Ellis and Drawn by Ben Templesmith
Published by Image Comics

Ellis and Templesmith’s remarkable experiment broke a number of “rules” this year, and proved that comics still retained some hidden power.

What power? The power to bring readers who don’t normally look at comics into shops, for one. By pricing the book at $1.99, not only is the book affordable to your average person off the street, it taps into Ellis’ cache of readers who aren’t necessarily geared towards comics. Say, women, for instance. It also draws in kids who might normally balk at prices they could be buying beer with, bringing pocket coinage back into play. While there was some grousing from some retailers about the lower cost (and therefore lower profit margin), the smart ones ordered heavy and used the book’s appeal to try and introduce other products to the new faces in their stores. For those out there who are “slow,” that’s called marketing. Good shops do it. Bad shops whine and don’t deserve your business.

The other power demonstrated by FELL is one that far too many comics ignore these days: the power of strong, compacted, character-oriented storytelling. By sticking to the nine-panel grid, and completing each issue in a sixteen-page story, FELL demonstrates an awareness towards satisfying the audience, and yet the challenge keeps the creators on their toes enough to stay fully invested and interested.

Other comics may have higher highs or stronger ambitions, but FELL delivered upon its promise like nothing else in 2005. The format, the storytelling, and the price combine to make each issue an event that something like INFINITE CRISIS could never hope to match. And it has proven successful enough that Image will be releasing another book in the same format this spring. Here’s to a trend that, for once, I approve of.

THE REST OF THE BEST

DAISY KUTTER
Published by Viper Comics
Originally reviewed here

Kazu Kibuishi’s nifty sci-fi epic was one of the best-drawn action tales we saw this year, delivering an amazing world of cowboys and robots that felt as natural as breathing. By turns clever, exhilarating, and warm, Daisy herself remains the best female comic character role yet to be snapped up by Hollywood.

OWLY: JUST A LITTLE BLUE
Published by Top Shelf
Originally reviewed here

Last year’s best graphic novel got its first sequel earlier this year, and while it wasn’t quite as strong as the first volume (which may solely be because the shock of the new wasn’t there this time), this was still the best “all ages” book released this year. Owly and his friends display humanity in doses that you find yourself wishing that real people could. Pick up this wonderful piece of art and be transported to a place that is simply better.

FLIGHT VOL.2
Published by Image Comics
Originally reviewed here

In a year full of great anthologies (MOME, SENSES, FOUR LETTER WORLDS), none stood out more than the second helping of FLIGHT. Put together by the aforementioned Kazu Kibuishi, this eclectic mix of unheralded artists and animators provided more amazement and imagination per page than you could ever expect. When I want to show non-comics readers what the medium is really all about, I pull this book off the shelf.

PARTING WAYS
Published by Speakeasy
Originally reviewed here

This amazing story of what happens to a man who commits suicide was a shot across the bow from fledgling company Speakeasy, which soon saw its fortunes begin to take a southern turn. Still, if the company does fold its tent, it will have been worth it, just to have been able to read this. As the man’s soul navigates a bizarre Hell and its punishments, his body survives to become the ultimate corporate drone. Touching, deeply felt, and thought provoking, this is a terrific work for adults that definitely focuses on the “novel” in graphic novel.

BAMBI AND HER PINK GUN VOL.1
Published by Digital Manga
Originally reviewed here

No year-end list would be complete without at least on manga title, and no manga set my hair on fire this year like this one did. Bambi, a wildly innocent and violent young girl, has kidnapped a little boy for unknown reasons, and assassins are everywhere, trying to get the kid back. If Tarantino finally sat down and scripted a comic, this would be it. If you love twisted, dark humor and ludicrous action, nothing satisfies quite like BAMBI.

TREE OF LOVE
Published by NBM
Originally reviewed here

For the sophisticated reader looking for a dose of culture in his graphic novels, it’s hard to top an effort by Patrick Atangan. This third effort in hi “Songs Of Our Ancestors” series brings the romantic history of northern India into the mix, providing a sumptuous visual feast alongside lessons of the heart. Exquisitely produced and packaged, TREE is the epitome of beauty.

ELECTRIC GIRL VOL.3
Published by AiT/PlanetLar
Originally reviewed here

The multi-award winning, library-friendly, and perfectly drawn ELECTRIC GIRL finally returned this year after a long hiatus. While manga gets most of the (well-deserved) credit for its appeal to teenage girls, when it comes to an American-produced book, they don’t get better than this one. Virginia is a heroine with lots of pluck, and even though her adventures are filled with oddities, she is as human and real as it gets. If you have a niece or a daughter, start them on this right away.

GIANT MONSTER
Published by Boom Studios
Originally reviewed here

I’ll get some odd looks for this, but when it comes to pure, giddy pop thrills, nothing delivered for me in 2005 like this book did. An astronaut infected by a space fungus becomes the titular character and begins stomping and destroying his way across the land. Eschewing sophistication for pleasure, this book became the equivalent of a tight, 3-minute single. GIANT MONSTER is insane, over-the-top entertainment meant to tap your inner child and make him giggle with delight, and a nice homage to the classic EC Comics from the 50s.

BLACK HOLE
Collection Published by Pantheon
Issues Published by Fantagraphics
Originally reviewed here

Easily the best collection of the year, this brings together Burns’ decade-in-the-making epic and offers it in a perfect package for the bookstore market. This astounding look at teenage sexuality and alienation hits so close to home that it barely qualifies as metaphor. The individual issues allow for a stronger examination of Burns’ art, as they’re printed at a larger size, but that’s a small quibble for one of the great pieces of graphic literature we’ve seen in the past few years.

Review-A-Day Month continues over at The Comics Waiting Room. Please click the link down below and check it out!

See you in seven.

Review materials may be sent to: Marc Mason, P.O. Box 26732, Tempe, AZ 85285. You can also find me at Happy Nonsense and The Comics Waiting Room

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