Limited series come and go, but often they make the biggest impressions. Creators are allowed to helm their comic for its entire run, and with the shorter lifespan, many of our favorite comic books are the ones that start in sight of the finish line.

Best Limited Series - Hellboy: The Crooked Man, by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben (Dark Horse)

As comic fans, we often become anxious about limited series that only contain a few issues simply because three twenty-two page segments usually aren’t enough to build a worthwhile tale. But once and awhile a title comes along that makes us rethink the expertise of the medium. Comics can be good, remember? And Mike Mignola and Richard Corben’s work on the three-part story, “The Crooked Man,” exceeds beyond its two-dimensional page art and word balloons.

It’s short, it’s sweet, and there isn’t one panel that shouldn’t be there. “The Crooked Man” lures Hellboy to the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. The threat of witchcraft and foul curses inspires Hellboy and the newly returned native, Tom Ferrell, to track down the alleged witch, Cora Fisher. Tom and Cora both sunk shoulder-deep in witchcraft years ago, and now they’re in danger of losing their souls for good to “the devil”: the Crooked Man. Tom feels he must atone for his past misdeeds and rid himself of the Crooked Man’s ill devotion. The price he pays and the burden he carries because of his decision isn’t light, and Hellboy has more in common with Tom than he might first realize.

“The Crooked Man” might be clean-shaven in dialogue and art, making it seem like just another story, but the comic speaks volumes about Hellboy as a character and the demons lurking in human nature. –WITA

Groo: Hell on Earth, by Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier (Dark Horse)

Sergio Aragones’ Groo: Hell on Earth makes me nostalgic for Sunday brunches with the family and sneaking the funnies out of my parent’s newspaper. Lighthearted humor is abundant in Groo’s newest compilation—a series mainstay if you know anything about the long-established character. A fearsome warrior, Groo is known and avoided across the land for his quick temper and lack of intelligence. Groo and his dog Rufferto wonder the world looking for the next great battle with no real concern about who ends up on the receiving end of his sword.

Hell on Earth unfolds as kingdoms across the world struggle for prosperity, usually at the expense of their neighbors. To avoid smoke darkening their skies, one kingdom builds tall smokestacks to disperse the problem, but the act results in the smog blowing to the next kingdom. Instead of helping, the next kingdom simply builds taller smokestacks. Tension builds and war looms as the effects of the smog and a general disregard for the state of the planet results in poor crops, lifeless lakes and melting icecaps. The Sage, a series staple character, figures out the cause of the environmental changes and begins a crusade to teach each kingdom about pollution and their children’s future—an obviously poignant subject matter in today’s culture. So what about Groo? Groo is at the center of everything, leading an army and looking for a war that no kingdom really wants to fight. Aragones knows how to pen an easy and fun read, making Groo: Hell on Earth entertaining for more than just its comedic nature and moral compass. Whether you are a familiar or a first-time Groo reader, this standalone adventure is worth your time and attention. –VirtualGirl

Locke & Key, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)

Buy this comic now. When anyone asks me for a recommendation that isn’t about superheroes, Locke & Key is always the first title out of my mouth. Author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez are a pair to be reckoned with. For those of you who don’t know, Hill is Stephen King’s son and in my opinion, not only does the apple not fall from the tree, it kicks the tree’s ass in the talent competition.

L&K tells the story of the parents and three children who make up the Locke family. They are severely traumatized after a pair of teenagers victimize them in their own home and then murder the father. There’s more at work here then just violence, however, as the children find out when they move to their father’s old home in Lovecraft, Massachusetts. Several keys have been found in “Keyhouse” with amazing powers. One can change your sex, another turns you into a ghost—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The family’s torment isn’t over, as a mysterious creature is hell-bent on gaining the special keys for itself. Rodriguez has a knack for expressing the characters’ feelings, and boy do they run the gambit. The unbelievable things we’ve seen so far are brought to life vividly and with boatloads of imagination. Just take a look at this recent two-page spread. L&K is a limited series being told in several continuing arcs. The second “Head Games” is wrapping up soon and the next, “Crown of Shadows” is expected to begin fall/winter of this year. It’s the perfect time to get on board for this epic horror tale you won’t soon forget. –Jill aka TheNerdyBird

Omega the Unknown, by Jonathan Lethem, Karl Rusnak, and Farel Dalrymple (Marvel)

Those familiar with the original Omega will be pleasantly surprised with Letham’s quirky yet nostalgic remake. Originally introduced in 1975 by Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes, Omega the Unknown spanned only ten issues but left quite the legendary imprint on its beloved followers. Superbly strange, Omega still stands as an ahead-of-its-time story of an ingeniously ambiguous anti-hero.

Alien robots, magic salts, mute superheroes, machine plagues, labyrinthine lairs and nanobots are but a fraction of the crazy elements that make up the Omega-verse. Omega is the story of a mute, disheartened superhero from outer space and his extraordinary connection to a lonely teenager from Earth. Together they learn the meaning of friendship and explore the good as well as the bad sides of loyalty. Of course, the story can’t be complete without arch-nemeses: a myriad of evil robot aliens and nanoviruses sweep down from afar in an attempt to search and destroy the unlikely pairing. With an ending that is just as cryptic as Gerber’s, Omega does well in staying true to what makes the original so successful: pulling off the weird and obscure while spinning a touching story in a surprisingly understated manner.

The sketchy and unusual artwork of the novel both parallels and augments the ambiguity of the story as well its underlying tone. The emotional angst and frenzy is captured quite well over the pages, and the style even shifts directions entirely at some points. Omega will appeal to fans of the former run as well as to those aching for a little bit of change in their comics. Remarkably weird yet strangely compelling, Omega doles out a story worth remembering. –Melissa Kay

The Twelve, by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston (Marvel)

It should not have surprised anyone when J. Michael Straczynski was chosen to helm a spectacular limited series like The Twelve. This is the man who imagined his entire television creation, Babylon 5, while in the shower and knew exactly how long it should be and how it would begin, develop and end. That’s the kind of brain trust any fan would want for a self-contained comic book. Despite its impressive reviviscence of twelve Golden Age superheroes, fans are left wanting since the series has fallen into its own type of stasis and failed to continue past issue #8. Whether it was Straczynski’s disagreements with editor Joe Quesada or the success of the extremely similar Project Superpowers by Dynamite Entertainment, it’s unclear as to exactly why this comic has been abandoned.

The Twelve stands against fierce competition in the Best Limited Series category. There are other fan favorites to consider including Hellboy, Groo and the unstoppable juggernaut by Joe Hill, Locke & Key. –Amber Love

Related Posts:

• Best Writer
• Best Coloring
• Best Cover Artist
• Best Penciller/Inker
• Best Continuing Series