With 2011 winding down, it’s time to look back on the past year and highlight some of our favorite writers, artists, publishers and more! Our full list of awards, for those of you that want to follow along at home and share some of your choices as well, are as follows:

-Best writer of the year
-Best artist of the year
-Best creative team
-Best publisher of the year
-Best new book (2011 debut)
-Best comic series of the year

Listen to this episode now on Longboxradio.com!
Subscribe to LBR via iTunes

Recorded: Sunday December 4th, 2011
Duration: 25m 37s
Edited by: Lee Skwarek
Music: Great Lakes Avengers by Kirby Krackle

Click the image below for the much larger, much more badass version:

Lakers & Celtics; Ali & Frazier; Yankees & Red Sox; and in comics it’s the Avengers fighting the X-Men. We’ve brought together the biggest writers, biggest artists and biggest characters for the biggest story we’ve ever told. This is the kind of high-octane action-packed story that fans demand while also having a profound effect on every character involved—and reshaping the Marvel Universe in its wake. (Axel Alonso – Marvel Entertainment Editor-in-Chief)

The series, according to Marvel, will be a twelve issue, bi-weekly event that will feature writers Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Jonathan Hickman, Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker all sharing the writing duties. In the art department, Avengers vs. X-Men will be drawn by Olivier Coipel, John Romita Jr. and Adam Kubert.

The first issue of Avengers vs. X-Men will arrive in April of 2012.

For more info, check out Marvel.com.

When you take everything into account, I’ve written over 200 issues. I’m very, very proud of that, and what we have coming up this summer gives me the opportunity to go out on a high note. I know enough about showbiz to know that’s a great time to go.

- Avengers/New Avengers/Ultimate Spider-Man
writer Brian Michael Bendis
(Announces to CBR that he’ll be ending his eight
year run on the Avengers titles in 2012)

‘Quoted’ is a look at some of the powerful, informative and sometimes outrageous quotes from the world of comics including the characters themselves, the writers who create them and comic fans who read them.

This week on the show, we take a look at some of the books you can expect to see during next year’s Free Comic Book Day, Nicolas Cage’s Action Comics #1 sells for a record amount and, as always, we run through the few books we actually got this week.

Note: Please be aware that Free Comic Book Day takes place on the first Saturday of MAY and not MARCH. Cut us some slack, it’s our first day.

Listen to this episode now on Longboxradio.com!
Subscribe to LBR via iTunes

Recorded: Sunday December 4th, 2011
Duration: 42m 22s
Edited by: Lee Skwarek
Music: White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes and Great Lakes Avengers by Kirby Krackle

This Week’s Top 3:

Avenging Spider-Man #2 (Marvel Comics)
SPIDER-MAN and RED-HULK lead an underground army in this action packed extravaganza from superstar artist JOE MADUREIRA!

Swamp Thing #4 (DC Comics)
All across the world, those with a primal connection to the forces of life and death can feel that something is very wrong. The war between The Green andThe Other has begun, and the knights of decay walk the Earth unchecked – but without Alec Holland, the Green has no champion strong enough to fight back!

Defenders #1 (Marvel Comics)
Doctor Strange, Iron Fist, Namor, Red She-Hulk, Silver Surfer and more of your favorite Marvel heroes will band together exploring corners of the Marvel Universe you never knew existed for missions so deadly they have to be kept secret. Once a Defender, always a Defender – no matter the cost or sacrifice.

New Releases This Week:

Here’s a look at all the books hitting your local comic book shop Wednesday, December 7th from Marvel, DC and the rest of the major publishers courtesy of Diamond.

DC COMICS

ACTION COMICS #4
ANIMAL MAN #4
BAD DOINGS BIG IDEAS A BILL WILLINGHAM DLX HC (MR)
BATMAN NO MANS LAND TP VOL 01 NEW EDITION
BATWING #4
BRIGHTEST DAY TP VOL 01
DC COMICS PRESENTS CAPTAIN ATOM #1
DETECTIVE COMICS #4
GREEN ARROW #4
HAWK AND DOVE #4
HELLBLAZER ANNUAL #1 (MR)
HUNTRESS #3 (OF 6)
IZOMBIE #20 (MR)
JACK KIRBYS FOURTH WORLD OMNIBUS TP VOL 01
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #4
LOONEY TUNES #204
MEN OF WAR #4
OMAC #4
PENGUIN PAIN AND PREJUDICE #3 (OF 5)
RED LANTERNS #4
SANDMAN TP VOL 07 BRIEF LIVES NEW ED (MR)
SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #16
STATIC SHOCK #4
STORMWATCH #4
SUPERBOY SMALLVILLE ATTACKS TP
SUPERMAN GROUNDED HC VOL 02
SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN TP
SUPERNATURAL #3 (OF 6)
SWAMP THING #2 2ND PTG
SWAMP THING #4
SWEET TOOTH #28 (MR)
WATCHMEN THE ABSOLUTE EDITION HC NEW PTG

IDW PUBLISHING

ANGEL AFTER THE FALL TP VOL 04
CAPTAIN CANUCK COMPLETE ED TP
COLD WAR #3
ETERNAL DESCENT VOL 2 #2 (OF 6)
GI JOE COBRA ONGOING TP VOL 01 COBRA CIVIL WAR
GI JOE VOL 2 ONGOING #8
HP LOVECRAFT THE DUNWICH HORROR #3 (OF 4)
JURASSIC PARK DANGEROUS GAMES #4 (OF 5)
SHAMANS TEARS TP
STAR TREK CLASSICS TP TNG GORN CRISIS
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MICRO SERIES #1 RAPHAEL
TRANSFORMERS ONGOING #31
TRUE BLOOD FRENCH QUARTER #4 (OF 6)

IMAGE COMICS

BLOOD RED DRAGON #2
BREED III #7 (OF 7) (MR)
CHEW #22
CHEW OMNIVORE ED HC VOL 02 (MR)
GIRLS COMPLETE COLLECTION TP (MR)
HACK SLASH #10 CVR A SEELEY & ENGLERT (MR)
HACK SLASH #10 CVR B CLOONAN (MR)
HACK SLASH ANNUAL 2011 HATCHET SLASH #1 CVR A (MR)
HACK SLASH ANNUAL 2011 HATCHET SLASH #1 CVR B (MR)
HEART #2 (OF 4) (MR)
LAST OF THE GREATS #3 CVR A PEEPLES
LAST OF THE GREATS #3 CVR B PLATI
MORIARTY #7
REED GUNTHER #6
SPAWN #214
STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #2 (OF 6) VAR CVR 2ND PTG (M
STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #3 (OF 6) (MR)
THOUGHT BUBBLE ANTHOLOGY #1
WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #49 (MR)

MARVEL COMICS

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #675
ART OF SPIDER-MAN CLASSIC HC
AVENGERS WEST COAST AVENGERS PREM HC SINS PAST
AVENGERS WEST COAST AVENGERS PREM HC SINS PAST DM VAR ED 80
AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #2 WITH FREE DIGITAL CODE
CAPTAIN AMERICA CORPS TP
CRIMINAL TP VOL 06 LAST OF INNOCENT (MR)
DEADPOOL #47
DEADPOOL PREM HC VOL 09 INSTITUTIONALIZED
DEADPOOLMAX X-MAS SPECIAL #1 (MR)
DEFENDERS #1
DEFENDERS #1 NEAL ADAMS INKED VAR (PP #995)
ESSENTIAL FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 02 NEW ED
FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #4 (OF 12)
HULK #45
MOON KNIGHT #8
PUNISHER #6
SHIELD NICK FURY VS SHIELD PREM HC
SHIELD NICK FURY VS SHIELD PREM HC DM VAR ED 81
SPIDER-MAN THROUGH DECADES TP
THOR DEVIANTS SAGA #2 (OF 5)
ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN MUST HAVE #1
ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES MUST HAVE #1
ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN MUST HAVE #1
VENOM #10
VILLAINS FOR HIRE #1 (OF 4)
X-23 #18
X-CLUB #1 (OF 5)
X-FACTOR #228
X-MEN #22 XREGB
X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST TP NEW PTG
X-MEN WITH GREAT POWER TP
X-STATIX OMNIBUS HC

The Pull List is a weekly rundown of all the latest comic book, trade paperback and hardcover releases from major publishers such as Marvel, DC, Image and more.

All this has me thinking about just how quickly the year has flown by and how many really great titles we’ve seen or, sadly, have missed. Let’s take a couple looks back at some of the moments in comics that defined the year.

2011 has been a pretty interesting year for the gang over at DC Comics. Sure, books get cancelled or stopped for various reasons only to be restarted a couple of months later but rarely does a comic book company (let alone one of the big two) just suddenly drop everything and start from scratch. DC did just that earlier this year and took the entire comic book and pop-culture world by storm. From major newspapers to the evening news, everyone was talking about the ‘New 52′ and what it could mean for not only DC but also for the entire industry. making the move to full day-and-date digital before Marvel was a huge step also and ending up becoming a big part of the fascination with the entire relaunch as well.

Some of the books themselves are definite highlights of this year too, both for good and bad reasons. On one hand, we have titles like Batman, Flash and All Star Western that have been wonderfully entertaining books with great art, and fun stories. Alternatively, we also have books like Catwoman, Green Arrow and Hawk & Dove which, according to some, feel like they’ve missed the mark.

Before we had the relaunch, DC’s Flashpoint event was what set everything up for the complete reboot. While the series itself may have not been the best thing DC’s put together, it was a very important part of DC’s larger plan and having artist Andy Kubert on the title didn’t hurt either.

On the Marvel side of things, Matt Fraction took a crack at crafting an event of his own in Fear Itself. The book featured some great action scenes and some fantastic art by Stuart Immonen but seemed somewhat unnecessary now looking back as many of the deaths or major plot points have already been reverted back and Thor’s death being somewhat mishandled.

Dan Slott brought Amazing Spider-Man to the Big Time and introduced some new characters but also explored many aspects of Peter’s new life and job. 2011 was also home to the Spider-Island event that took over the title and incorporated some other series’ into the mix including a Cloak and Dagger mini-series by Nick Spencer and a tie-in to the Venom series being written by Rick Remender. The Spider-Island event, which was drawn by Humbero Ramos, was a very fun, exciting read that set the tone for not only a number of things that will be taking place in 2012 but also for new books that will be starting up as well including Chris Yost and Ryan Stegman’s Scarlet Spider.

Marvel’s Ultimate line also went though a massive overhaul with writers like Nick Spencer and Jonathan Hickman jumping on to Ultimate X-Men and Ultimates respectively. Brian Michael Bendis continued his Spider-Man story in the pages of his Ultimate book but brought in newcomer Miles Morales to take over the title role after the death of Peter Parker. This turn of events caused not only a surge of news amongst comic book fans but the mainstream media as well not only because of the death of the character but the introduction of a half black, half latino Spider-Man also.

We had books restarting, books getting cancelled faster than we could count, such as Alpha Flight, and books that just never saw the light of day, including Marvel’s Victor Von Doom and Destroyers.

Image continued their streak of #1 sellouts with books like Nonplayer and Blue Estate rocketing up in value the same day that they arrived on shelves. With books like Morning Glories having set the pace last year for books to follow, 2011 ended up being a good year for any new creators looking to make names for themselves. People were took the chance, having done so already with Spencer, on new titles and names they hadn’t heard of. This worked out for both the publisher and the readers because of the high level of quality many of the releases brought to the table.

It’s been a year. The entire landscape of comics has changed once again what with reboots, relaunches cancellations and a strong push for digital. These are just some of the things that made up the year for me but please toss your own memories and favorites into the mix with our comment section below and be sure to check out our Best of 2011 podcast when it arrives online early next week.

Keeping that in mind, Image has officially announced that Torres is hard at work on a follow-up to the original series and he’s signed on a couple new faces to help him bring hell to our doorsteps and they’ve brought a preview of the first issue!

The following is from the official press release by Image:

Spanish comics scribe El Torres has enlisted the intricately detailed artwork of Enrique Lopez Lorenzana and coloring of Fran Gamboa, to render even the beastliest citizens of Nancy’s Hell as breathtaking.

This 4-issue Grindhouse inspired miniseries presents the follow up to last years’ NANCY IN HELL miniseries, a take-no-prisoners tale of one woman versus the greatest evil. Now with the Gates of Hades left wide open, not even the angels in heaven can save our world from the hordes!

The book will be arriving in both standard print and digital format on January 25th, 2012.

This Week’s Top 3:

Thunderbolts #166 (Marvel Comics)
ARE THE THUNDERBOLTS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GRISLIEST MURDERS IN HISTORY? Great Britain, 1888: London is gripped in fear, afraid to go out at night as Jack the Ripper’s body count goes higher. But one witness claims she saw an enormous man by a murder scene a man named HYDE! The Bolts’ chase through time continues as Declan Shalvey returns!

Haunt #19 (Image Comics)
AN ALL-NEW CREATIVE TEAM KICKS OFF WITH A BOLD NEW DIRECTION! Brothers Daniel and Kurt Killgore have shared an ominous power, but things begin to unravel – for both of them – when a past tragedy comes back to haunt them. All-new action! All-new enemies! The new nightmare begins…NOW!

Daredevil #6 (Marvel Comics)
THE MOST CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED NEW SERIES OF THE YEAR CONTINUES! Matt Murdock relives some of his late father’s worst nightmares as Daredevil meets Bruiser, a fighter who can’t be put down and won’t fall! How will Matt survive–and how will doing so make him the most dangerous man in the Marvel Universe?

New Releases This Week:

Here’s a look at all the books hitting your local comic book shop Wednesday, November 30th from Marvel, DC and the rest of the major publishers courtesy of Diamond.

DARK HORSE COMICS

ANGEL & FAITH #4 REBEKAH ISSACS VAR CVR
ANGEL & FAITH #4 STEVE MORRIS CVR
BPRD BEING HUMAN TP
MIGHTY SAMSON ARCHIVES HC VOL 04
MPD-PSYCHO TP VOL 10
STAR WARS CRIMSON EMPIRE III EMPIRE LOST #2 (OF 6)
STAR WARS DARK TIMES OUT O/T WILDERNESS #3 (OF 5)

DC COMICS

ABSOLUTE BATMAN HUSH HC NEW PTG
BATMAN ODYSSEY VOL 2 #2 (OF 7)
CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #65
DC COMICS PRESENTS BATMAN DONT BLINK #1
DC COMICS PRESENTS SUPERMAN SECRET IDENTITY #2
DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #18
FABLES #111 (MR)
GREEN LANTERN SER 4 CHUMMUK AF
GREEN LANTERN SER 4 GREEN LANTERN STEL AF
GREEN LANTERN SER 4 POWER GLOW HAL JORDAN AF
GREEN LANTERN SER 4 RED LANTERN GUY GARDNER AF
GREEN LANTERN THE ANIMATED SERIES #0
HEROES OF THE DCU BLACKEST NIGHT ARKILLO BUST
INFAMOUS TP
JONAH HEX BURY ME IN HELL TP
LEGION SECRET ORIGIN #2 (OF 6)
SPACEMAN #2 (OF 9) (MR)
THUNDER AGENTS TP VOL 01
THUNDER AGENTS VOL 2 #1 (OF 6)
TINY TITANS #46
UNCHARTED #1 (OF 6)
VERTIGO RESURRECTED SGT ROCK HELL HARD PLACE #1 (MR)
WONDER WOMAN CHRONICLES TP VOL 02

IDW PUBLISHING

ANGEL THE END HC
COBRA ONGOING #7
DEFINITIVE FLASH GORDON & JUNGLE JIM HC VOL 01
DOCTOR WHO DAVE GIBBONS COLLECTION HC
JACK AVARICE IS THE COURIER #5 (OF 5)
STAR TREK ONGOING #2 2ND PTG
STAR TREK ONGOING #3
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #4
X-9 SECRET AGENT CORRIGAN HC VOL 03

IMAGE COMICS

AVENGELYNE #5 CVR A LIEFELD
AVENGELYNE #5 CVR B GIENI
AVENGELYNE #5 CVR C STINSMAN
BOMB QUEEN TP VOL 02 QUEEN OF HEARTS (NEW PTG) (MR)
BOMB QUEEN VII #1 (OF 4) (MR)
COMPLETE INVINCIBLE LIBRARY HC VOL 03
COMPLETE INVINCIBLE LIBRARY HC VOL 03 LTD S/N ED
DARKNESS #95 (MR)
DOC BIZARRE MD HC
GREEN WAKE #7 (MR)
HAUNT #19
INFINITE HORIZON #6 (OF 6) (RES)
MORNING GLORIES HC VOL 01
NEAR DEATH #3
PILOT SEASON THEORY OF EVERYTHING #1
SAVAGE DRAGON #176
SHINKU #3 (MR)
SKULLKICKERS #12
SUPER DINOSAUR #6
WALKING DEAD LUNCHBOX
WALKING DEAD OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 NEW PTG (MR)
WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #48 (MR)

MARVEL COMICS

ASTONISHING X-MEN MONSTROUS PREM HC
AVENGERS ORIGINS THOR #1
BRILLIANT #1 2ND PTG BAGLEY VAR (MR) (OF 5)
CAPTAIN AMERICA MAN OUT OF TIME TP
DAREDEVIL #6
DEADPOOL CORPS TP VOL 02 YOU SAY REVOLUTION
DEADPOOL MAX INVOLUNTARY ARMAGEDDON PREM HC (MR)
DISNEY PIXAR PRESENTS INCREDIBLES CITY OF INCREDIBLES
DOROTHY AND WIZARD IN OZ #3 (OF 8)
ESSENTIAL SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 05 NEW ED
FF #12
GHOST RIDER #6
HALO FALL OF REACH COVENANT PREM HC (MR)
HERC #10
HISTORY OF MARVEL UNIVERSE #1
OFF HANDBOOK OF MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z TP VOL 02
RED SKULL #5 (OF 5)
SPIDER-MAN MARVEL TEAM UP BY CLAREMONT AND BYRNE TP
SUPREME POWER GODS AND SOLDIERS TP
THOR BY KIERON GILLEN ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP
THUNDERBOLTS #166
ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #4
UNCANNY X-MEN #2 XREGB
UNCANNY X-MEN #544 2ND PTG LAND VAR
WOLVERINE #19 XREGG
X-MEN LEGACY #259 XREGG

The Pull List is a weekly rundown of all the latest comic book, trade paperback and hardcover releases from major publishers such as Marvel, DC, Image and more.

These are carefully crafted communities and owned and staffed by people with a genuine passion for what they’re doing in a way that the ‘Amazon Also Recommends’ box isn’t quite going to match.

- Kick-Ass/Ultimates writer Mark Millar
(Talking with CBR about what separates comic shops
from online digital comic apps when it comes to
buying comics locally versus purchasing
them on a Kindle Fire or iPad)

‘Quoted’ is a look at some of the powerful, informative and sometimes outrageous quotes from the world of comics including the characters themselves, the writers who create them and comic fans who read them.

On this week’s show we lay low for fear that Marvel will cancel our podcast, we talk DC Universe Online expansion news, Wramil and Rob trade reading duties for the week and, as always, we take a look at the many comics that have hit shelves since our last episode.

Note: We’re well aware that, unlike the other books listed, Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon’s Punisher MAX was not the victim of a cancellation but rather that the title is simply coming to an end.

Listen to this episode now on Longboxradio.com!
Subscribe to LBR via iTunes

Recorded: Sunday November 20th, 2011
Duration: 1h 19m 32s
Edited by: Lee Skwarek
Music: Grenade by Bruno Mars and Great Lakes Avengers by Kirby Krackle