2002, Windstorm

Writer: Alan Moore

Art: Gene Ha, Zander Cannon

Colours: Alex Sinclair

Best described as The Shield with capes, Top 10 is an undeniably enjoyable cop drama with a heavy soap opera element that, while stopping it from ever being placed alongside Alan Moore's genuine classics, allows its characters to grow on you in a way his typically finite tales rarely can. Whereas volume 1 of Top 10 introduced us to the world of Neopolis through the eyes of rookie gal Toybox, Book 2 demotes that character into the foreground, with the large, eclectic cast given their moment in no order of preference. And the result is a far more enjoyable latter half of this "season 1".

Each individual issue in Top 10 features a standalone story, but Moore is never one to let a loose plot thread go untied, and if it feels as though there's often a dozen or so cases going on at once, it's probably because there is. New cases thrown into the teeming mix include a paedophile ring posing as a superhero team in order to recruit adolescent sidekicks, Detective John "King Peacock" Corbeau's tribulations in an alternate timeline where the Roman Empire never crumbled, and new cop on the block, Officer Joe Pi; a Shogan Warriors inspired robot who flaunts a far better sense of humour than his organic team mates.

But it's the city of Neopolis that is the star of this would-be cop show. This is definitely a universe I'd happily visit on a regular monthly basis. As with Watchmen, Moore succeeds at what so many of his contemporaries fail at; creating a universe that is plausible in its absurdity. His characters can fly, walk through walls and traverse multiple dimensions, but they’re a far more human assortment than many mainstream heroes. Several even have paunches, heaven forbid. Of course, the guys at Precinct Ten would scoff at the term "heroes" – they're just comparatively normal guys doing a comparatively mundane job.

Part of the enjoyment in reading this series is the number of references Moore and Gene Ha manage to cram into every scene, from miniscule background appearances by Rom the Space Knight and an amphibian Thor, to a 'Transworld Transport Terminus' poster advertising "Vacation on Multiple Earths". This is definitely a book you'll want to read several times over, just to catch those little touches you missed the first time round. Ha's delicately inked, no-nonsense illustrations never pull you from Top 10's universe; like Moore, Ha appreciates that no matter of eye candy can outshine sincere characterisation.

Though we've received a Tolkein-esque spin-off and a prequel, I do hope that Moore writes a Top 10 "season 2" someday soon. If for nothing else, in anticipation of another appearance from the planet devourer Galactapuss…

2006, Marvel

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Art: Steve Epting, Mike Perkins

Colours: Frank D'Armata

With Civil War steadily approaching, Ed Brubaker is evidently in a hurry to wrap up many of the loose ends from his excellent Winter Soldier arc. Its red buses aplenty as Steve Rogers trails Lukin to sunny ol' England, teaming up with his English counterpart Union Jack, and the speedster Spitfire. Lukin is still being unaccountably haunted by the spirit of the Red Skull, who he had previously assassinated, and has possession of an arsenal of ancient but technologically advanced weaponry that Cap has previously encountered during World War II. Elsewhere, Crossbones and a freshly perverted Sin are hell-bent on avenging their Nazi mentor and papa, respectively.

There's definitely enough going on.

It's a shame that the second instalment of Red Menace is overall a little underwhelming, though still an enjoyable continuation of Brubaker's run. It's rather disappointing that the current Lukin plot culminates in such a cliché as a giant robot wrecking havoc on a city; as with the Winter Soldier arc, Brubaker's set-up is stronger than its resolution. But then I guess that's comics for you; always raising the stakes that little bit higher, until they've nowhere to tread but worn conventions.

The Indestructible Nazi moron Master Man also makes an unwelcome return. I always cringe when an old Swastica emblazoned villain such as Master Man, the Marvel equivalent of DC's Captain Nazi, is reintroduced. Why is it that the Red Skull has made a smooth transition into contemporary comics while a character such as this doe not? Perhaps it's the slick monochrome suits; at least the Red Skull always has an air of sophisticated villainy about him.

Unsurprisingly, Mike Perkin's illustrations are consistently stunning, and augmented in no small part by Frank D'Armata's brilliant colour palette. In contrast to what has traditionally been a vivid and relatively optimistic title, their art is grim and ashen throughout; not entirely surprising in this instance, given the dreary London backdrop.

Nevertheless, reading this book after the events of Civil War, it's tempting to consider Red Menace, cradled beside the superior Winter Soldier arc, as both a highlight to one of Marvel's greatest icons, and a fitting swansong to the character as we knew and loved him.