ComicsAlliance’s Best Of 2016: The Best Comedy Comic of 2016

After trying to escape Fairyland for 30 years, Gertrude fought her way through an incredible number of obstacles only to find that she’d landed on the throne instead of a way back home. The dark spin on familiar fairy tale tropes has been a constant delight since Skottie Young introduced us to Gertrude’s quest. This year, he ratcheted her challenges up a notch, cranking up the candy-coated violence and cussing along the way. The denizens of Fairyland might have grown weary of Gertrude’s mother-fluffing murder sprees, but Young and colorist Jean-Francois Beaulieu make these felonies so adorable, it’s hard to look away. [Luke Brown]

Jughead has always been Archie's best character, and if you ever doubt that, consider that in a single year he foiled a plot to brainwash Riverdale High's students into being perfect special forces soldiers, reunited with January McAndrews of the 29th Century Time Police, and then went on a date with a humanoid hamburger who turned out to be a teenage witch. If this thing had Jingles the Christmas Elf, it'd be the perfect Archie comic. [Chris Sims]

Anyone who has read Kaijumax knows that it'll stomp all over your heart as if it were a building in Tokyo, but at the same time Zander Cannon's series has shown an uncanny ability for humor. His oversized crew of monsters, robots, and aliens might look ridiculous, but to his credit he never pulls the obvious joke. Instead, he's always looking for the character behind each of them, and stringing together jokes based primarily on their personalities. He foregrounds the heart of these kaiju, and his ability to make them funny makes them sympathetic — so when he does pull an emotional string, it tugs even harder. [Steve Morris]

Kyle Starks’ Eisner-nominated Sexcastle was the story of one man’s vendetta against the people who threatened his new life away from violence. Kill Them All, his follow-up graphic novel, expands that scale, examining the relationships and cross-purposes of a disgraced detective, his beleaguered partner, and an assassin on the run. All the while, Starks showcases his comic timing, sly skill with pastiche, and phenomenal ability to craft memorable dialogue. [James Leask]

In Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat, the titular character is basically the world's most relatable superhero. She's easily distracted, incapable of finding steady work, and has no idea how to handle frenemies like Hedy Wolfe. She's the typical 20-something living in New York. Only with superpowers and a super cute costume. Kate Leth's funny, witty dialogue (and her willingness to use cat-related puns as often as possible) combined with Brittany Williams' adorable art bring readers what may well be the best slice of life superhero comic around. [Zina H.]

The best compliment I can pay DC’s new Flintstones series is that it is better than it has any business being. And please believe me when I tell you that I pay that compliment with no offense intended toward the numerous animated incarnations of everyone's favorite modern Stone Age family. The wit, nuance, and cleverness on display in each issue from Mark Russell and Steve Pugh has been a wonder to behold that far exceeds the expectations any reasonable reader could have predicted. [Chris Haley]

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is, as the title suggests, pretty much unbeatable. It's still as warm, big-hearted and — vitally — funny a comic as it was when it launched last year, but in 2016 it also managed its first crossover, a choose-your-own adventure story, an issue told from the point of view of a cat, and a standalone graphic novel. All these accomplishments, and it's still the funniest book on the stands. [Alex Spencer]