Comic Booked presents our nominees and winner for Best Character in our best of 2011 awards.
For our Best Character Award, we try to take a look at the characters that had the biggest impact on the industry over the course of the past year. The characters that were the most prominent or that perhaps earned their place as A-listers for the first time. Any character whose presence was felt this year can be nominated for this award, for this is where we honor the best of the best. Those that had the largest impact on readers. Here are our nominees for Best Character of 2011!
Superman. Anyone that knows me personally will be shocked to see me give this nomination, because I’ve made it no secret that I harbor a great disdain for Superman. Why? He’s overpowered and there are very few people that have managed to write ‘good’ Superman stories (mostly because it’s hard to write a good story when there isn’t any real threat since he is over powered). So why is he getting my nod for Best Character of 2011? Because this year, Superman was all over the place. Way earlier this year we saw Action Comics #900, which included Superman renouncing his American citizenship as well as the inevitable revelation to Lex Luthor that Clark Kent is actually Superman. Throw in the Reign of Doomsday, on top of his appearances in The New 52 in his self titled series, Action Comics and Justice League, Superman has had a pretty solid year in 2011. – Jordamus Prime
- It really PAINS me to write this because I hate him with a passion, but Superman. He got the most press and really was transformed through the writing back to his roots. Don’t ever tell anyone I said this. Batgirl is my second choice.- Robb Orr
- Hope Summers. While Hope isn’t really a new character any more, in fact she has been the center of the X-men‘s universe for some time, she didn’t devlop much as a character until this year. Hope is not only the reason for the split between Cyclops and Wolverine during the events of Schism but she is also the best hope for the future of mutant-kind.- Rob The Wrecker
- 2011 was Miles Morales’ year – we just lived in it. After clearing the decks with the brutally efficient killing of Ultimate Peter Parker, Brian Michael Bendis defied the odds and cued up a wholly original new Spider-Man, who wasted no time in winning me over in a handful of issues. Even though we’ve witnessed the birth of a Spider-Man before, with Miles Morales and the new perspective he brings the whole thing feels fresh – and above all he helps make the Ultimate Universe feel re-energised for the first time in an age. I can’t wait to see what what the young scamp gets up to next.- Colin Bell
- Spider-Man, he will always be my favorite, from his individual title and dealing with the death of friends and family at the hands of villains, to his work with the Avengers and the Future Foundation, he always steals the spot light. – James Halstead
- It might not have impacted the Marvel Universe in general but Spider-Man’s actions during Spider-Island were major. For the first time ever Peter Parker was able to be Spider-Man out in the open (minus costume, of course) and was even able to web swing with his then girlfriend Carlie Cooper. It was great seeing him feel safe at being open about what he is.- Skott of Fables
- Harley Quinn. Whether she was making guys drool in Arkham City, me grin in Gotham City Sirens, or the fans cry in the reboot, she was on all our minds this year! – Nicole Sixx
- Skinner Sweet, because he takes being the villain you vote for to a whole new level. He is dark and twisted and brutal, but that is the point of the comic, and he hates vampires as much as anyone, only wanting his kind. It is fun to see someone so bad succeed. – Jason Padua
- Oracle (AKA Barbara Gordon). Sure, Professor X has been in a wheelchair since forever, but Oracle was a hero for women AND disabled people as well. She was a strong role model, showing that you didn’t have to leap tall buildings or run faster than sound to be a capable hero.- Robert LeMoyne
- Nemesis. He’s like Batman but a bad guy, hell he’s worse than a bad guy. In four issues Millar created the meanest, baddest, smartest badass. The best part is from issue #1 you already know this guys a TRUE villain.- Jeremy Boreske
- Cloak and Dagger. OK, it’s kind of a cheat because they’re technically 2 characters, but they come as a set. Cloak and Dagger popped up with a 3-issue mini during Spider-Island, and fan reaction has been explosive. Not only was their mini a great, fun read, but fans have been clamoring for an on-going Cloak and Dagger series, myself included. These guys don’t get utilized enough.- Michael Wirth
- Madame Xanadu appears to be the linking character of DC’s dark fantasy titles – Demon Knights, Resurrection Man and Justice League Dark all feature her. Given that these books cover a good thousand years of comic book time, it’ll be interesting to see what DC’s writers have in mind for this mysterious sorceress. -Emmet O’Cuana
Winner, Comic Booked’s Best Character of 2011-
Superman
Congratulations to Superman and DC Comics for being Comic Booked’s Best Character of 2011! We’d also like to extend a special congratulations to all of those that were nominated! Remember, there is always next year!
