Lists

When superheroes make the transition from comics to TV animation, it's always interesting to hear what kind of theme music they get. Songs with lyrics that explain who the heroes are can be fun, but they can also go awry. Instrumental tracks can be boring if you're not careful, but if they're well-executed, they can do a great job of creating just the tone you want for your cartoon. I've put together a chronological list of nine memorable theme songs from TV superhero cartoons. Obviously I can't include them all, but I expect to see in the comments which of your favorites I've left out.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our years on the Internet, it’s that there’s no aspect of comics that can’t be broken down and quantified in a single definitive list, preferably in amounts of five or ten. And since there’s no more definitive authority than ComicsAlliance, we’re taking it upon ourselves to compile Top Five lists of everything you could ever want to know about comics. In celebration of the unique relationship between comics and music, we've put together five of the best fictional musical acts in mainstream comics.

Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love is a superhero book, a haunted house story, and a romance comic. In assembling a playlist to accompany the comic, we've attempted to strike a similar balance, highlighting queer artists, and including a love song or two, while creating a spooky, haunted atmosphere. This playlist incorporates dark mansions, and perhaps forbidden love, and at least one dead man.

Steve Orlando, Fernando Blanco and Romulo Fajardo Jr's Midnighter and Apollo straddles a sweet spot between being one of the most brutal and visceral superhero comics on the stands, and also one of the most tender and heartfelt romance stories. That intersection is exactly where my musical taste lies, so this playlist reflects these two beating hearts of the series.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, by Ryan North, Erica Henderson and Rico Renzi is a vibrant, self-reflexive, upbeat and funny female-led comic --- and those happen to be all the qualities I enjoy in my pop music as well! So stick on your headphones, grab some nuts, and let me kick your ears' butts in this playlist inspired by Doreen Green.

We at ComicsAlliance love comics, and we love music, so this week we’ve decided to combine those two loves and create playlist tributes to some of our favorite titles. Think of these as something to listen to while you read the comic, or an introduction to the vibe of a comic if you're not yet a fan. Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro and Cris Peter's Bitch Planet is one of the most important comics being published today. In addition to being an amazing sci-fi story with glorious butt-kicking women, it’s rife with feminist critique of patriarchy, while still maintaining an inspirational tone. Putting together this playlist, I thought I’d be choosing angry, riot grrrl songs, but what I ended up with feels more like a modern celebration of women. I think Bitch Planet itself is kind of the same thing.

We asked you to vote for the best comics, creators, and more in 2016, and over the last few weeks we’ve been sharing the results. Now you can check out all the winners in one place!

Comics can live forever, but the great talents that make them are mortal like the rest of us. We at ComicsAlliance would like to take a moment to salute and remember those creators that the comics community lost in 2016. You work was loved, and you are remembered.

Check out the final award of the year; best new series' of 2016. The list including our critics’ picks in alphabetical order, and the titles you voted the runner up and winner in this category! This is the very best of 2016!

Our writers and editors have made their picks of the breakthrough talents of the past year --- the creators who have made a big splash in the industry or jumped to the next level in their careers --- and you, the readers of ComicsAlliance, have voted for your favorites. Check out the breakthrough talents of 2016, including our critics’ picks and the creators you voted the runners up and winner in this category!