Welcome to our end of the year list! Unlike other sites, we give all of our writers the opportunity to make their own picks. What you'll read below and on the rest of the site is a list of each individual writer's picks. As much as we like making our choices, we love hearing yours so let us know what you'd pick for the "Best Mini-Series" below in the comments.
KEVIN: Big Man Plans (Image Comics)
Eric "the Goon Guy" Powell is at it again with one of the most entertaining revenge tales since Park Chan-wook Sympathy series.
DUSTIN: Big Man Plans (Image Comics)
I always have the hardest time with this category since there's so many great things out there. To be honest, Big Man Plans, barely beat out things like Oxymoron: The Loveliest Nightmare. I mean just barely which says a lot about both of these series. In the end, it was Big Man Plans' story and pacing that won out. This is a series everyone should have read and probably didn't.
ASA: Sandman: Overture (Vertigo Comics)
Neil Gaiman's seminal fantasy series has had more than a dozen spin-offs and tie-ins in the last twenty years accounting for over 150 issues, but somehow 'Overture' is the first to feel like a truly meaningful, substantive addition. Overture is respectful of what came before while adding rich new details to one of comics' most famous mythos. While there is likely too much material forced into a six issue stretch, anything that comes this close to the height of the original 75 is a year-end highlight to be sure.
AUSTIN: Enceladus: New Life (Rebellion)
This was a Judge Dredd story that ran in 2000 AD's sci-fi anthology. Henry Flint, a consistently stellar artist, was at the top of his game for this story, with a lot of credit due to writer Rob Williams for giving Flint such fun monsters to draw. Flint's lines are at all times harsh and lively. Not only do his colors keep up with those lines, but his page layouts do too: Enceladus: New Life was pound-for-pound the best new comic I read this year.
JAMES: Southern Cross (Image Comics)
This limited series is postively creepy, and awesome. I have not felt the coldness and empitiness of space not since maybe the first time I watched Alien on the big screen. Writer Becky Cloonan and artist Andy Belanger have created a murder mystery, a family drama, as well as a suspenceful supernatural thriller all in one power pack of series. I went in with no expectations and was blown away with each issue. And the best thing about it, it is as intellectually stunning as it is visually pleasing. Southern Cross covers all the bases and makes for one super scary and twisted story.
STEVE: Space Riders (Black Mask Studios)
Nostalgia-drenched, hallucinogenic art mixed with a lighthearted yet raucus story about space-faring tex-mex banditos bent on personal vengeance and uncovering the tomb of ancient space gods. What the actual fuck is not to like? Black Mask kills it again.
DAVID: Secret Wars (Marvel Comics)
Marvel have delivered the best major comic-book event in some time with Secret Wars. While regrettable delays have led to the series going on perhaps a little longer than it should have, there's no denying that the Doom-controlled battleworld Hickman has created is fascinating and very ambitious - not to mention beautifully illustrated by Esad Ribic. Overall, a fantastic series that has reminded me that event comics aren't always terrible, although unfortunately they are most of the time.