Comic Info
Comic Name: Top 10
Publisher: America’s Best Comics
Writer: Alan Moore
Artist: Gene Ha/Zander Cannon
# of Issues: 7
Release Date: 2000
Top 10 #1
Reprints Top 10 #1-7 (September 1999-April 2000). Robyn Slinger is starting her new job as an officer at the 10th Precinct. Like most officers, she’s nervous about her first day and what she might be facing. She’s also living up to the legend of her father. The other problem Slinger is facing is that everyone in the city has superpowers. Now Slinger (aka Toybox) and her partner Smax are on the hunt for the Gemini Killer who has been patrolling the city. How do Slinger and the other superhuman officers of the 10th Precinct handle a world where gods literally walk the Earth?
Written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Gene Ha and Zander Cannon, Top 10 was part of Alan Moore’s America’s Best Comics line which included The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Tom Strong, and Promethea (ABC later fell under WildStorm and then DC Comics). The Top 10—Book 1 and Top 10—Book 2 collection of the series are considered “Season 1”. The series has been collected multiple times including an Absolute edition with both volumes.
Top 10 was my favorite title in the ABC line. I just enjoyed the rather smart cop work (it is a combination of Law & Order and Hill Street Blues) and the mystery aspect of the story. The series seems to borrow heavily from the style of Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (also great). The running plot with the search for the Gemini Killer is mixed with some great stand-alone storylines and issues.
Top 10 #6
Top 10 just had so many characters but still managed to develop them and give them personalities. Slinger and Smax obviously are the stars of the series, but they have great back-up characters like Girl-One, Irma, and even minor supporting members of the 10th Precinct. I just wish the series had gone longer to explore these fun and surprisingly rounded characters.
Top 10 is aided by fantastic art by Gene Ha and Zander Cannon. From the great character designs of the main characters, to the even awesome background art. Half the fun of Top 10 is looking at the characters floating around in the background. DC characters, Marvel characters, other characters and pop culture characters are always mixed in the series in creative (and sometimes ways that push the boundaries of the characters).
Top 10 is just a fun comic. Alan Moore wrote this volume and Top 10—Book 2 which wraps up “Season 1” in addition to the limited series Smax and a stand-alone Top 10: The Forty-Niners. The short issues of this series really developed a ton of characters and breathe life into them so if you haven’t checked Top 10 out, do it now!
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