As 2009 draws to a close we're practically awash in Best Comics of the Year and/or Decade lists. But when it comes to breaking down the books that made a difference this decade, there's more than one way to skin a cat, and a pair of sites have developed novel approaches to the traditional decade-ender.

First up is Tom Spurgeon, The Comics Reporter. This year he's aiming his annual Holiday Interview Series squarely at "emblematic" books from 2000-2009 -- "by which we mean favorite, representative or just plain great" -- by hosting discussions with a series of critics, each one focusing on one particular book. So far he's tackled Mat Brinkman's monster-mash Multiforce with writer/artist/critic/bon vivant Frank Santoro, and Craig Thompson's rapturous romance 'n' religion memoir Blankets with me. Further installments will roll out on (I believe) a daily basis until the New Year. If you're the sort of person who loves to really dig into what makes a great graphic novel tick, these are for you.

Next we have Marvel's Ben Morse, DC's Rickey Purdin, and CBR's own Kiel Phegley, who collectively park their online presence at The Cool Kids Table. In their ongoing look back entitled "Our Comics Decade," the trio take a look at one comic per year that impacted their view of the medium. So far they've covered 2000, 2001, and 2002, and recounted their experiences with books ranging from Scott Lobdell's Uncanny X-Men to Jeffrey Brown's Clumsy. Personal and aesthetic history have a tendency to mix and match in unexpected and interesting ways, and it's fascinating to watch these guys spill the beans on how it happened in their lives in such a methodical way.

So go, click the links and curl up with (a good post on) a good book...