Atomic Romance Awards

It’s the Second Annual Atomic Romance Awards! This is my special tribute to the comic books of 2008 that have earned fame or infamy in my little corner of comic fandom. The Atomic Romance Awards reflect my personal preferences so that's why some obvious choices may not appear. But before we begin I'd like to take a moment to thank She-Hulk, my Co-presenter this time around. Also, I'd like to thank all of you, my net buddies, for stopping-by Atomic Romance this last year. It's been one hell of a ride.

Now on with the show!


Best Overall Title: The Astounding Wolf-Man, Image Comics

Runner-up: Conan the Cimmerian

Best Writer: Robert Kirkman for both Astounding Wolf-Man and Walking Dead (and probably Invincible too, but I'm nont reading it right now), IDW


Runner-up: J. Michael Stryzinski for The Twelve, Marvel Comics (He could have won top honors if he had finished this series)


Best mini-series: Star Trek: Assignment Earth, IDW

Runner-up: The Age of Sentry


Best Adventure Comic: Tor, DC Comics

Runner Up: The War That Time forgot,DC Comics


Best Sword and Sorcery Title: Conan the Cimmerian, Dark Horse Comics
Runner-up: Wolf-Skin, Avatar


Best Sci-Fi: North Wind, Boom Studios

Runner Up: Star Trek: The Hollow Crown, IDW


Best Art: Chris Weston, The Twelve. Marvel Comics

Runner-up: John Byrne, Star Trek: The Hollow Crown. IDW


Best Horror: Necronimicon

Runner-up: The Crossed


Best Death: Rebecca gets accidentally slapped to death by Zecheriah the vampire, The Astounding Wolf-Man #7, Image Comics

Runner-up: Drunk Officer pulped by a propeller in Phantom Eagle #1, Marvel Comics


Best Cover: Army@Love: The Art of War #3, Vertigo

Runner-up: Amazing Spiderman #560


Worst Cover: 1985 #4, Marvel Comics

Runner Up: The Man With No Name #2, one of the greatest western characters ever is drawn to look like Bush


Best Dramatic Moment: Dynamic Man (from the 1940s) discovers interracial marriage, The Twelve #2

Runner-up: Captain Wonder at his wife’s grave, The Twelve #2


Best Butt: She-Hulk on King Size Hulk #1

Runner-up: damsel in distress on cover of Conan the Cimmerian #2


Best Animal Hero: Monkey Speedball, Marvel Apes
Rocket Raccoon, Guardians of the Galaxy


Best Geekout: Reading how Mirror Kirk assassinated Mirror Pike in Star Trek Mirror Images 1-5


Worst Costume: THE BLUE BLAAAADE!
Oh come on, could there possibly be any other choice from 2008!?

Runner-up: Jack Pot


Best Costume: Female Starhawk, Guardians of the Galaxy #5

Runner-up: The Crimson Reporter, The Twelve, Marvel Comics


Favorite Hero: Ambush Bug (If you can call him a hero)



Favorite Villain: Cranio, The Man with the Tri-Level Mind! The Age of the Sentry

Runner-up: Catman, Secret Six


Horniest Villain: King Crimson, Dark Tower, Marvel Comics



Best New Character: Ape X, Marvel Apes


Worst New Character: Jackpot


Best Fake Covers: Marvel Apes


Best Essential or Showcase Presents: Savage Sword of Conan… Ha!



Most Likely To Piss Off PETA Badger Saves the world


Best Gunfight: Brothers in Arms#4

Runner-up: Bat Lash #6


Best Formerly Ugly Aliens that Are Now Sexpots: Skrulls


Best Sword Fight: Wolfskin Annual, Avatar


Best Reprint: Dr. Who Classics, IDW


Best Cross of Hellraiser Cenobites with Piers Anthony’s Incarnations of Immortality: Army of Darkness: Home Sweet Hell


Lamest Series I’m glad I didn’t read: It is a Tie
Secret Invasion/Final Crisis and all of the spin offs


Best Single Issue: Fantastic Comics #24 Image

Runner-up; Jonah Hex #33, DC Comics


Best Comedic Moment: Ambush Bug, it turns out, is responsible for the death of Sue Dibney, Ambush Bug Year None #1

Runner-up: A Medieval wizard buys a shit-load of goods at S-mart, AoD/Xena #1


Best Free Comic Book Day Comic: Gumby… of course


Best Trade Paperback: Zot!: The Complete Black and White Collection: 1987-1991
Runner-up: Captain Carrot and the Final Ark!


Biggest Warm Fuzzy: The Medieval Silent Knight is revealed to be an ancestor of Superman’s adopted Family, Brave and The Bold #10, DC Comics.


Best Collection of Older Comics: I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets
Runner-up: The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics



Best Cameo: ‘Mazing Man: Ambush Bug: Year None. #1
Nazi Super Villains in the entrance way in Berlin Building The Twelve #1


Coolest Country in Marvel Atlas Volume 2: Boca Caliente (doesn’t that mean spicy hot mouth?)


Dumbest Moment: New Gods, New Gods New Gods!



Best Monster: Giant Eyeball Demon, Iron Man Legacy of Doom #4, Marvel Comics

Runner-up: Ursus the Ultra Bear, The Age of The Sentry #2, Marvel Comics



Biggest Surprise: Ambush Bug Marries Dumb Bunny, Ambush Bug #3,


Best Golden Age Retcon: The Twelve, Marvel Comics
Runner-up: Fantastic Comics #24 Image


Worst Golden Age Retcon: Project Superpowers, Dynamite Entertainment


Worst Retcon Period: Red Sonja #29, her own Goddess set’s her up to get raped and have her family murdered.


Best Pimp Scene: Star Trek: Mirror Images #2, IDW



Best Terrorist Acronym: NACHO (Nihilist Anti-Capitalist Hate Organization) Badger Saves the World IDW


Best New Trick for an Old Dog: John Byrne doing Star Trek Comics
Runner-up: DC Fontana doing Star Trek comics


Most Ruined Character: Red Sonja
Runner-Up: The Wasp… because she’s like dead


Best Supporting Character: Cheeks the Toy Wonder (Of course)

Runner Up: Abdul Alhazred, Fall of Cthulhu, Boom Studios


Best Western: Jonah Hex


Best Nonfiction Comic: Comic Book Comics, Evil Twin


Biggest Yawn: The Flash is coming Back!!!!! Zzzzzz


Best Revival from Suspended Animation: The Creature Commandos in Action Comics #872


Best Origin Story: The Black Widow, Twelve #8
Runner-up: Ungrounded Super Agent The Twelve #6


Lamest Promotion: Those Skrull "Who Do You Trust" ads
Runner-up: What were you doing final crisis


Best Crossover: The Army of Darkness/Xena: Why Not, Dynamite Entertainment


Title I would Have Liked To Try from the Beginning But It Was Always Sold Out: Guardians of the Galaxy


Favorite Lesbian: Golden Age Black Widow, The Twelve, Marvel Comics
She was Goth before there was Goth...



Best One Liner: “Hi Lois! I’ve got a weenie with your name one it” Earth 2 Superman. Ambush Bug: Year None # 3


Best Meh Ending: Y: The Last Man.


Best Capturing of the Spirit of 1980s Comics: Amazing Spider-Girl


Best Corporate Foot-Stepping: Moonstone vs. Dynamite over the publishing rights to The Phantom.


Biggest Disappointment: Project Superpowers, The heroes have been stuffed in a jar all these years? ...give me a break...
Runner Up: What... No Poo flinging in Marvel Apes?


Congratulations to all the winners!

Atomic Romance Awards

It’s the First Annual Atomic Romance Awards! This is my special tribute to the comic books of 2007 that have earned fame or infamy in my little corner of comic fandom. Now you might think there are some obvious choices missing from the winner’s circle, but as I’m not buying a huge swath of titles published by Marvel or DC this makes sense. The Atomic Romance Awards reflect my personal preferences and that’s just how it should be… …it’s my blog. So, I’ll end the banter and let the ceremony begin.

Note: The Atomic Romance Award categories were painstakingly developed along with a rigorous vetting process for the awardees. In other words, this is bunch of crap I made up off the top of my head.

Best Title Overall: Army of Darkness, Dynamite Entertainment.

Runner up: The Walking Dead, Image.

Best Writer: Dan Slott She-Hulk, Marvel Comics.

Runner Up: Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead, Image

Best mini-series: Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born, Marvel Comics.

Runner up: Captain Carrot and the Final Ark.

Best Adventure Comic: Jungle Girl, Dynamite Entertainment.

Runner Up: Black Coat, Ape Entertainment.

Best Horror Title: Fall of Cthulhu, Boom Studios.

Runner Up: The Secret, Dark Horse Comics.

Best Sword and Sorcery Title: Red Sonja, Dynamite Entertainment.

Runner Up: Conan, Dark Horse Comics.

Best Sci-Fi Title: Star Trek Klingons: Blood Will Tell, IDW.

Runner Up: Terminator 2 Infinity, Dynamite Entertainment.

Best Art: Jae Lee & Richard Isanove – Dark Tower: The Gun Slinger Born, Marvel Comics.
Runner Up: Phil Noto Jonah Hex, DC Comics.

Worst Costume: Earth-11 Wonder Man.


Best Costume: SHIELD She-Hulk


Best Dramatic Moment: Spock’s lack of emotion shocks vicious Aliens, Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Vulcans #1, IDW

Runner Up: Suicide by Zombie, Walking Dead #41, Image.

Best Comedic Moment, Zombie Hulk wipes butt with the Necronomicon, Marvel Zombies vs. the Army of Darkness #5, Marvel Comics/Dynamite Entertainment.
Runner Up: The Sandy Eggo Comic Con in Captain Carrot and the Final Ark #1

Best One-liner: Ash: “Save the Whore Save the World” Army of Darkness From the Ashes # 3, Dynamite Entertainment.
Runner Up: Wolverine: “...I got better things to do than go around chasing Juggernaut’s sloppy seconds.” She-Hulk #16, Marvel Comics.

Biggest Surprise How Good It Was: Planetary Brigade trade paperback, Boom Studios.

Best Single Issue: Jack of Fables # 16, DC Comics.
Runner Up: Fall of Cthulhu # 7, Boom Studios.

Worst Single Issue: Green Arrow and Black Canary Wedding Special, DC Comics
Runner Up: Green Arrow and Black Canary Wedding Special, DC Comics (it's that bad)

Best Trade Paperback: 52, DC Comics.
Runner up: El Cazador, Disney

Best Collection of Older Comics: Chronicles of Conan, Marvel Comics/Dark Horse Comics.
Runner Up: Sword of the Atom, DC Comics.

Best Comic Company: Dynamite Entertainment.

Dumbest Moment: Killing Captain America.

Worst Editor-in-Chief: tie Dan Didio & Joe Quesada.

Silliest Outrage: Mary Jane Statue (on all sides).

Biggest Disappointment: Cancelled Showcase Presents titles, DC Comics
Runner Up: Star Trek: Year Four, IDW.

Lamest Promotion: Countdown’s Evil Shall Inherit the Earth

Favorite Earth from DC’s 52 Multiverse: Earth-3.
Runner Up: Earth-10

Favorite Hero: Red Sonja.
Runner Up: Captain Carrot.

Most Ruined Character: Spiderman,
Runner Up: The Flash

Favorite Villain: Kulan Gath, Red Sonja
Runner Up: the Governor, Walking Dead.

Best Origin Story: Book Of Thoth, Dark Horse Comics.

Best Cameo: Bald Female Luthor, The Search for Ray Palmer: Superwoman/Batwoman #1, DC Comics.
Runner Up: Zombie Ham, The Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham #1, Marvel Comics.

Team or Character Most in Need of Another Mini-series: Captain Carrot.

Team or Character Least Deserving of Another Miniseries: Green Lantern

Best Cover She-Hulk #20, Marvel Comics.


Worst Cover: Spiderman/Red Sonja #1


Most Shocking Cover: Black Summer #0, Avatar.

Biggest Bone Thrown to Female Comic Fans: Earth-11.
Runner Up: Gail Simone on Wonder Woman.

Best Title I Have No Desire to Read: Buffy: Season Eight, Dark Horse Comics.

Best Title I have a Desire to Read But Won’t Until the Trade Comes Out: Conan, Dark Horse comics.

Worst Title I’m Really Glad I Didn’t Read: Amazons Attack, DC Comics.

Best New Anti-Hero: Tallulah Black “The Ballad of Tallulah Black,” Jonah Hex #17, DC Comics.
Runner Up: Sergeant Hook, Army of Darkness: From the Ashes, Dynamite Entertainment.

Biggest Blood Bath: Black Summer #2, Avatar.

Best Porn Face: Jungle Girl #2 Cover, Dynamite Entertainment.

Best Supporting Character: Lori Grimes, Walking Dead.
Runner Up: Stu, She-Hulk.

Biggest Fanboy Moment: The appearance of the old style cylons in the Battlestar Galatica comics.

Most Rapists: Jonah Hex. DC Comics.

Best Formerly Un-cool Character That’s Now Very Cool: Doll Man.

Best Gunfight: Jonah Hex 25, DC Comics.

Most Friendly Depiction of Native Americans: Lone Ranger

Most Not So Friendly Depiction of Native Americans: Streets of Glory.

Best Letters Page: Walking Dead

Best Retcon: It wasn’t’ Alley Cat Abra that killed Little Cheese, it was her evil clone, Dark Ally! Captain Carrot and the Final Ark, DC Comics.

Best Monster: The Harlot, Fall of Cthulhu, Boom Studios.
Runner Up: Mutant Evil Ash From the Ashes #4, Dynamite Entertainment.

Best Sword Fight: Wolfskin #1, Avatar.
Runner Up: Sword of Red Sonja: Doom of the Gods # 3.

Most Squandered Potential: Shadowpact.

Best Free Comic Book Day Comic: Astounding Wolf-Man #1, Image.

Best Marvel Essential: Silver Surfer Vol 2

Best Showcase Presents: Adam Strange Vol 1

Best Crossover: Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness, Marvel Comics/ Dynamite Entertainment.

Best Death Scene: Spiderman eats Mary Jane and Aunt May, Marvel Zombies: Dead Days.

Biggest Oh Come On!: Spiderman One More Day,
Runner Up: Spiderman Reign

Best Reunited Lost Love Scene That Didn’t Happen: Captain Carrot and Wonder Wabbit.

Lamest Country in Marvel Atlas Volume 1: Any made up Balkan nation that’s not Latveria.

Cover That Makes Me Think About Vagina the Most: Shadowpact #16



Favorite Lesbian: Batwoman

Most Anticipated Title for 2008: The Twelve, Marvel Comics.
Runner Up: Superpowers, Dynamite Entertainment.

Worst News: Rob Liefeld is drawing Killraven… …and Robert Kirkman thinks it looks good.

Congratulations to all the winners!



-Swinebread