This was a big year for comic books. DC was Absolute while Marvel was Ultimate. Independent books came from all sorts of companies from Mad Cave to Dynamite to Oni Press to Bad Idea. Blind Bags were the hot item once again, at least when Mark Spears covers were the prize. Not so much with Turtles. Doom took over the Marvel Universe. Darkseid prepared to return to the DC Universe. Batman and Deadpool teamed up…twice. Thor died and came back as a mortal. The X-Men found themselves in another alternate future. The Justice League let everyone in. Three men escaped from Alcatraz. The Hulk became Infernal, Dr. Strange an Asgardian, and Tony Stark insurgent. Universal Monsters were all over Image. A priest is marked for death in Ordained. Miss Fury teamed up with Green Hornet, and then she teamed up with Red Sonja, Vampirella and Dejah Thoris. We had Godzilla, zombies and vampires. Storm became an Avenger. Transformers and G.I. Joe were a thing.

And that was just a taste.

Here are the awards given to comics over the last year.

Best Marvel Comic: Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell

Best DC Comic: (TIE) Absolute Batman; Black Canary: Best of the Best

Best Independent Comics: Exquisite Corpses, No Man’s Land, Feral, Wild Animals, and Out of Alcatraz

Most Stylistic Comic: News From the Fallout

Best Character: Absolute Batman

Best Rebooted Cartoon Character: Blue Falcon & Dynomutt

Best Writer: (TIE) James Tynion IV; Ryan North

Best Artist: Szymon Kudranski

Best Cover Artist: Mark Spears

Best Graphic Novel: The Knives by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Best #1: Wild Animals #1

Best Surprise: Doug Ramsey is Revelation

Under Appreciated: Pinupocalypse

Best Vampire Series: Vatican City

Best One Shot: Ice Cream Man: The Mortal Coil Shuffle (story in a deck of cards)

Best X-Book: Uncanny X-Men

Best Imprint: Ghost Machine (from Image)

Biggest Oopsie of the Year: Red Hood #1 (When a regular series suddenly becomes a one-shot)

Best Anthology Series: Assorted Crisis Events

Crossover of the Year: Batman/Deadpool

Trend of the Year: Anthology comics (horror, sci-fi, Twilight Zone etc.)

Comic Character 2025 MVPs: Absolute Batman, Mr. Terrific, Ms. Marvel, Dr. Doom, Speed Racer, Space Ghost, Rogue

Company of the Year: Mad Cave

Best Individual Issues of the Year: Out of Alcatraz #1, No Man’s Land #1, Survive #1, Absolute Batman Annual #1, Mark Spears Monsters #8, Uncanny X-Men #17, Exquisite Corpses #1, Assorted Crisis Events #6.