As 2022 draws to a close, fans are reflecting on the comics they’ve read over the past year. In Marvel Comics, the year has been full of exciting events, from Devil’s Reign, where the villainous Kingpin took over New York as Mayor, The X Lives/Deaths of Wolverine, which saw Logan revisiting moments from his long life, and AXE: Judgment Day, which pitted the mightiest heroes of Earth against each other and a powerful Celestial.
The heroes of Marvel Comics have been busy this year, fighting battles both big and small. They have saved the world, friends and allies, and sometimes even villains. Marvel’s heroes have been making new discoveries about their past and using them to protect the present. Among the many acts of heroism, some have really stood apart over the past year.
10/10 Moon Knight Helps People Through His Midnight Mission
Moon Knight has been on a hot streak in 2022. Moon Knight teamed up with a number of heroes throughout the year, the Moon Knight MCU TV show was a success, and his comic series is one of Marvel’s best offerings of 2022. He’s spending a lot of time on the therapy couch, but it’s not stopping Moon Knight from helping people.
After becoming disillusioned with his patron deity Konshu, Marc Spector and his alter-egos decided to focus on his core purpose–protecting night travelers. He set up the Midnight Mission to provide help to anyone who needs it, and has spent his time helping and protecting his neighbors while delivering some of Marvel’s best one-liners.
9/10 Clea Strange Is Sorcerer Supreme Of Two Dimensions
In the recent limited series The Death of Doctor Strange, Doctor Strange predictably died. After his death, his wife, Clea Strange, took over as Sorcerer Supreme in the series Strange. Clea is a natural for the position, as she is Sorcerer Supreme of the Dark Dimension, and the niece of Dormammu himself.
Over the course of Strange, Clea has been trying to bring Stephen back from the dead. She fought gangs of magic-wielding thugs, battled with revenants of dead heroes, and most horrifying of all, hosted dinner with her mother. Many fans have enjoyed the series so much that they hope Clea will stick around as Sorcerer Supreme after Stephen inevitably returns.
8/10 Wolverine Has Been Re-Living His Best (And Worst) Moments
Wolverine is among the oldest Mutants on Earth, and he has seen some stuff over the years. At the start of 2022, he was at the center of Marvel’s acclaimed X Lives/Deaths of Wolverine series. Fans who subscribe to Marvel Unlimited were also treated to the X Loves of Wolverine, exploring Wolverine’s romantic relationships.
In order to protect a key figure in Mutant history, Wolverine had to return to events from his past, which allowed the creative team to take the character back to some fans’ favorite moments from Wolverine comics, as well as revealing new details about Logan’s life. Saving the world is not new to Logan, and he was busy as ever this year.
Last year, writer Gene Luen Yang took the reins of the Shang-Chi comic, and his run has been one of this year’s best Marvel comics. Yang has been exploring Shang-Chi’s past and family, providing fans with revelations about his origins, including the fun fact that he used to train Spider-Man when his spider-sense was malfunctioning.
Shang-Chi inherited the Ten Rings from his father, though he has had to fight for them. He also inherited his father’s criminal organization. While reluctant to step into that role, inspired by the heroes he has been working with, Shang-Chi has tried to turn the organization into one that helps, rather than hurts people.
6/10 The Fantastic Four Have Been On Fire This Year
The Fantastic Four had a great year in 2022, with multiple comic series, Alex Ross’s gorgeous Full Circle, a successful Thing miniseries, a key role in the Devil’s Reign event, and a new MCU movie in the works. The original Marvel super team is stronger than ever, and so busy they’ve added a second team under their banner.
In addition to their heroics, the Fantastic Four also provided a moral center for the Marvel Comics universe this year. Reed Richards’s love for his wife was the focus of his judgment by the Progenitor. The Thing provided She-Hulk with a friend to lean on in her series. The Fantastic Four have shown readers that heroics can be both big or small.
5/10 Luke Cage Is Now A Political Power
Luke Cage isn’t one to seek the spotlight. He and his partner, the rebellious Jessica Jones, prefer to keep a low profile and focus on raising their daughter. When Kingpin took over New York and outlawed all superhero activity within the city, however, lying low was no longer an option.
Tony Stark proposed running against Fisk for mayor, but New York’s heroes decided that Luke Cage would be a better fit. After Kingpin was defeated, Luke Cage became Mayor. Not all heroes wear capes, and although Cage does have super-human abilities, he is now a political Power-Man, using his position to help people on a larger scale.
4/10 Miles Morales Has Been Fighting Across The Spider-Verse
Miles Morales is the star of arguably the best Spider-Man movie, Into the Spider-Verse, which has lead to a proliferation in Spider-Verse titles. Sequel Across the Spider-Verse is coming soon, and comic fans have enjoyed the Tales from the Spider-Verse comic, which told short stories various spider people in the multiverse.
Miles Morales started out life in another dimension, but was brought to our world after Secret Wars. This year, he’s been battling his way across the Spider-verse to protect his friends, family, and the world. He teamed up with many of Earth’s greatest heroes, and helped protect Peter Parker while he recovers his strength.
3/10 Ms. Marvel Is Helping Out In A Big Way
Kamala Khan, or Ms. Marvel, has been one of Marvel’s biggest breakout stars in recent years. The Ms. Marvel MCU TV show was released to rave reviews, and drew many new fans into Ms. Marvel comic books, where she has been busy as ever, saving both New Jersey and the world.
The teenage superhero super-fan has teamed up with both Moon Knight and Wolverine for one-shot comics this year, wrapped up her own limited series, and had regular cameos in Spider-Man comics, where she works with Peter Parker. Although she works with the world’s biggest heroes, her strongest allies often remain her team of friends, who support her through her toughest fights.
2/10 Magneto Gave Everything To Protect Arakko
Magneto was a member of the Krakoan Quiet Council, but he eventually decided to leave to join the Mutants on Arakko. On Arakko, he and Storm teamed up to form the Brotherhood of Arakko to defend the people of that planet. When Uranos showed up to destroy Arakko, Magneto was in the thick of the fighting, teaming up with another Mutant who could create metal shards.
Magneto saved countless lives by confronting Uranos and fighting against Uranos’s automated weapons. Storm literally powered his body after his physical injuries became too great to survive unaided. He eventually gave up his life to save the people of Arakko, making Magneto’s actions one of the most heroic deeds of the year.
1/10 Jeff Is The Perfect Hero For Difficult Real-World Times
Heroic acts come in all shapes and sizes, but even small acts of heroism matter to the people affected. Jeff is the star of one of the best Marvel Infinity comics, It’s Jeff! In that comic, the adorable landshark puppy who lives with Kate Bishop and Gwenpool goes on adventures while interacting with different heroes and villains. Everywhere Jeff goes, smiles follow.
In the past year, Jeff has confronted M.O.D.O.K. over his production of unauthorized Jeff toys (though he ultimately showed mercy, as a hero does), defended the city from a giant ant, protected dogs at the park, and provided much-needed joy and comfort to the many heroes around him. In the real world, after the last couple of difficult years, Jeff is exactly the hero the Earth needs.
