To say 2012 was a big year for comics would be quite the understatement. This year we’ve seen the horrifying return of the Joker to the pages of Batman, the Avengers clash with the X-Men, the return of Valiant comics, and lets not forget all the great new series like Saga, The Massive and Indestructible Hulk to name a only a few. But in this year of plenty, one publisher stands out (in my mind at least) as a cut above the rest in terms of consistently delivering truly new and original series.

That publisher is Image comics.

So without further ado, here are my choices for the best of Image Comics for 2012 .

Saga : It would heresy to talk about the best comics of 2012 and not include Saga. This epic melding of ccience fiction and fantasy continues to blow me away with every issue. Brian K.Vaughan and Fiona Staples are both comic creators at the top of their game and together they have created what will no doubt be a comic I look forward to for years to come. This book has received so much coverage (and for good reason) that there really isn’t much left to say except read it!

The Manhattan Projects : Hickman and Pitarra really hit the nail on the head with this truly unique comic book. For those not in the know, the series essentially operates under the premise that the making of the atomic bomb was simply a public face on a series of much more ethically questionable and futuristic experiments and undertakings collectively known as The Manhattan Projects. The series features Zen-powered death robots, evil Einstein and an A.I president Roosevelt – what’s not to like?

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode : Luther Strode was more then just the harrowing tale of a teenage geek’s run-in with an ancient murder cult. It was also the uplifting tale of how Tradd Moore and Justin Jordan broke into the comic industry and a great reminder of how far you can get with a bit of talent and determination. In itself, Luther Strode is hilarious, clever, poignant and bursting with delightful ultra-violence

Chew : Yes, I am well aware that Chew started way back in 2009, but with the book hitting issue 30 out of a planned 60 issue run, I felt it was worth a mention. In 2012, John Layman and Robert Guillroy reminded me why it’s still one of the best series on the shelves. This strange tale of criminals, clairvoyants and cannibals continued to puzzle me, intrigue me, and make me laugh, but most importantly make me genuinely care about a cast of bizarre but lovable characters.

So there you have it, folks! But just don’t take my word for it. Check out some of these titles for yourself – you won’t regret it!