ComicsAlliance’s Best Of 2016: The Best New Character Of 2016

Cute, clever, and determined, Goldie Vance is obviously one of the best new characters of 2016. In her debut series by writer Hope Lawson and artist Brittney Williams, Goldie rescues a runaway toddler from a hotel laundry room, saves a kidnapped German scientist from the perils of the Russian space program, and discovers an underwater base off the Florida coast. With a penchant for fast cars and the tenacious drive to always find the truth, Goldie is Nancy Drew for a new generation. [Zina H.]

It would have been easy for Gwenpool to be a one-note joke, and indeed, that's how she originated: a gag variant cover riffing on the popularity of Deadpool and Spider-Gwen. However, in the deft hands of skilled creators Christopheer Hastings and Gurihiru, Gwenpool has become a well-rounded character who stands apart from both Deadpool and Gwen Stacy (her name is actually Gwen Poole), and the premise that she's a refugee from the real world who uses her knowledge of comics to her advantage has led to hilarious adventures. [Benito Cereno]

He's anxious, he's bashful, he's terrified of other boys and their penchant for unchecked farting. He's a one-boy warehouse of panic sweat, anime sparkles, and blush radiation. But despite his fears, he'll be the first one to weaponize red paint and keep a horde of swarming tool mice from eating him and his friends. Jory, of James Tynion IV and Rian Sygh's Backstagers, breaks from ubiquitous teenage male archetypes that confuse emotional constipation for heroism. True courage is facing your fears and embracing the anime sparkles. [Jon Erik Christianson]

When you name a character "New Super-Man," you’re setting a pretty high standard, but Gene Yang and Viktor Bogdanovic have managed to create something incredible in Kenan Kong. Rather than trying to recapture Clark Kent's kindness and optimism, Shanghai's Super-Man leans into asking what would happen if you gave Superman's powers to a teenage jerk who might just have a good heart in there somewhere. It's refreshing and delightful, and well worth picking up! [Chris Sims]

Who is Shade, the Changing Girl? She's Loma, a birdlike alien from the planet Meta. She's also Megan, a mean girl from Earth who isn't quite herself after recovering from a coma. Maybe she's just Loma inhabiting Megan's body. But no, there’s definitely still some Megan in there: abilities, memories, and a whole lot of anger. Maybe Shade is a new person, more than the sum of her parts. The question of who — and what — Shade is stands at the center of her comic, and it just gets more interesting. [Elle Collins]

Space Case, aka Casey Brinke, is a delightful addition to the cast of characters in modern comics. As the main character in Gerard Way and Nick Derington's new Doom Patrol, she's cute and charming and only a little bit wild. What else do you expect from a daredevil ambulance driver? She has a bit of heavy lifting to do story-wise, bringing new readers unfamiliar with previous Doom Patrol runs into the fold, but she's still interesting in her own right and instantly likeable. [Emma Lawson]

While Tom King, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, and Jordie Bellaire’s Vision was one of the books of the year, it was still a bit of a surprise when the android Avenger's daughter stepped out on her own as a member of the new team of Champions. However, in a short space of time across both books Viv has proved herself a worthwhile addition to the Marvel Universe, providing a unique insight into the world around her. [Kieran Shiach]