20 Fab Comic Book WritersWriters are sooo much more difficult to list than artists. For one, there's the matter of consistency, which seems to effect writers more than artists. Chris Clairmont for example, authored some of the most memorable moments in X-Men history, especially early on. But I've never liked anything else he has written.
Personal taste is a factor – I'm not into Donald Duck so Carl Barks is out. Despite his work on Hellblazer, I’m not fond of Garth Enis, as much of his work I find crude, mean spirited and infantile. And I flat out hate Mark Millar. Now add in the fact that there are some old timers I've never, ever read or have not read enough of to gauge or get an attachment too (especially the golden agers) and this proved no easy task.
As with the artists I gave extra points for those who meant something to me personally. Here’s what I came up with, what do ya think?
20. Gardner FoxHis writing was simplistic, often cheesy, but still a lot of fun... and important. Fox was one of DCs most prolific writers during the golden age, historian's estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comic book stories in his 50 year career. He had a hand in creating some of DC’s best known characters including The Flash, Sandman, Hawkman, Doctor Fate, and Starman. His Batman tales introduced such mainstays as the Batarang and the Batplane.
19. Kurt BusiekThe first of my throwbacks -- Busiek first came to my attention as the writer of the brilliant "Marvels”"and he has proven to be a guy who has a great love and respect for old style superheroics and is one of the few authors who’ll write good old fashioned stand-alone stories. He has done everything from Iron Man to Superman but is best loved for his long running Astro City.
18. Mark WaidWaid reminds me of Roy Thomas, he loves comic's history and he often taps into those more innocent days. His best work is bright, action packed, imaginative and entertaining – I was introduced to his writing on the fabulous Flash. He is currently working on Daredevil, where he has stripped away the Frank Miller darkness and brought the character back to the style and look of the old Stan Lee/Wally Wood era.
17. Archie Goodwin Though best known as a much beloved editor, Archie was actually a darned good stroyteller. I have much affection for him as the first to write for Iron Man's solo series. His 28-issue run offered heartbreak, thrilling action (against colorful villains) and intense drama. Archie wrote a lot of the movie adaptations for Marvel, including "Star Wars" and "Alien" – and for DC he penned the acclaimed back-up story "Manhunter", which won him a few awards. Goodwin started off writing horror stories for Warren, most notably “Vampirella”. Jim Shooter said of him...
"Archie Goodwin was an amazing writer with outstanding story sense, penetrating insight, a gift for dialogue, an effortless knack for character, a flair for drama and utter mastery of the art of delivering the payoff. His sheer creativity ranks with the best ever." 16. Gerry Conway He was just a teenager when he joined Marvel comics, and he wrote just about everything for them. Including "Iron Man" and a notable tour through the "Amazing Spider-Man", where he wrote the death of Gwen Stacey and with Ross Andru, created the Punisher. At DC he co-created Firestorm and wrote the JLA for 8 years. As a screenwriter he teamed with fellow Marvel scribe, Roy Thomas for Schwarzenegger’s "Conan the Barbarian".
15. Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray Couldn’t find a pic of the two together (That’s J.P. above). Jimmy was primarily an inker, known as Amanda Conner's partner in crime (and comics). He later teamed with Gray and started writing solid good stories for non-traditional titles, from "Jonah Hex" to the "Freedom Fighters". Palmiotti has a silly sense of humor, which worked well in his and Gray's run on Terra/Powergirl series. Both provided the most fun I've ever had reading a comic.
14. Marv WolfmanBest known for his work with George Perez on the classic "Teen Titans" series and the horror based "Tomb of Dracula". Marv is also responsible for creating many notable characters including Blade, Starfire, Bullseye, Cyborg, Raven and Nova.
13. Ben EdlundThough he’'s moved on to television (he's a friend of Joss Whedon and penned a few episodes of Firefly) Edlund makes this list for one reason only...
the mighty Tick! He (slowly) wrote and drew the first 12 issues (more or less) and while he never finished the arc, what he gave us was classic. So bright and funny that it inspired a live action and animated TV series. Edlund gave each of his characters a distinct voice and personality, and came up with some wonderfully funny, quotable lines -- as when the Tick falls from a great height and after a hard crash landing, exclaims...
"Gravity is a harsh mistress!"12. Grant MorrisonMorrison is a mixed bag - his abstract narratives can be delightfully challenging or irritating in their self-conscious cleverness. Sometimes Grant can get too cute for his own good. Other times it's a joy, like in the way he drops in esoteric references from comics past and beyond.
I generally like his character interactions, I like that while he delves into darkness, he isn't gloomy. In the book “Batman Incorporated”, Batman and Catwoman have a great relationship, theirs a warm familiarity in their conversation that feels natural and honest. You can tell that these are two people who like one another… and the Bat actually has a bit of a personality. He's not just a grim humorless denizen of the night.
"All-Star Superman" is the quintessential example of his style done right, in the right doses. His "Doom Patrol" is an example of his excess gone off the rails. That title was Dadaesque, and featured a team composed of broken people who would feel at home in Tod Browning's “Freaks”. It stared off wild and original, but it soon bogged down in a quagmire of quirky for quirkiness sake.
Notable Works: All-Star Superman, The New X-Men, Batman Incorporated, Animal Man, Doom Patrol, The Invisibles, The Filth[/i]
11. Frank MillerI remember when Frank took over drawing and then writing chores on "Daredevil" – what a "wow" moment that was. His panels were cinematic, noir in style and his stories were grim. He took Daredevil, a lighthearted wisecracking crime fighter, who was always stuck under Spider-Man's more successfully wisecracking shadow… and made him Marvel’s equivalent to Batman. Under Miller's reign, Matt Murdock engaged in brutal battles with Bullseye and became involved in a tragic love story with the assassin Elektra. Frank eventually moved to DC and remade Batman into the Dark Knight - an influential story that reverberates to this day. Frank has had his stories adapted to film (Sin City) and even gave directing a try (the horrid Spirit). I feel Miller has lost his muse; his writing has become corny, overblown and just plain stupid. But based on the strength of his early work I'll slot him on my list.
Notable Works: Daredevil, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One, Sin City, The 300[/i]
10. Geoff JohnsJohns, like Kurt Buisiek, is a throw back. Geoff has a reputation as working well with teams and is known for his epic events... but I prefer him when he keeps it intimate and focuses on relationships (of all types) and character interaction. I think he's weakest when he's locked into action and mayhem mode (ala the current Justice League)
He started off with "Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E", a nice little series that focused on a young woman based on his late sister, who was a passenger in one of the planes that struck the Twin Towers on 911. Stargirl has gone on to become one of DC brightest: She's smart, spirited and her character development was one of the highlights of this book, on through to her inclusion in the JSA.
Geoff's most famous work is his long run as writer and architect of the "Green Lantern" universe. He brought back Hal Jordan in an original and compelling tale. But he's never satisfied with the status quo and has made one surprise move after another with Hal and the Corps. No, he's not perfect (I disliked the Blackest Night event, it was messy and superficial) but when he's on; when he's focused on character, he is one of the best.
Notable Works: Green Lantern, Aquaman, JSA, Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.[/i]
9. Denny O'NeilDenny helped DC grow up, helped usher Batman from the shadow of the campy TV show. When you read an O'Neil title you got a level of sophistication and maturity that was missing from Knaggier and Fox and the like.
He was a too radical for Stan Lee (wearing a T-shirt printed with a pot leaf) and was let go (returning years later). He found a home at DC where he wrote stories that addressed serious sociopolitical issues. In the 70s he and Neal Adams (another who found Marvel not to his liking) broke new ground with Green Arrow/Green Lantern, addressing such hot topics as drug abuse and racism. And he did this through the eyes of two political opposites, liberal Ollie and conservative Hal.
Denny helped create Talia and Ra's al Ghul for DC and Obadiah Stane for Marvel. He won the Shazam award for writing in 1970 and 1971.
Notable Works: Batman, Detective Comics, Green Arrow/Green Lantern, The Question[/i]
8. Will EisnerEisner was one of the first writers to take his craft seriously - in an age where a lot of titles were quickly churned out in order to cash in, with little thought to craft- Will felt that comics could be a viable art form. While his stories with the Spirit weren't exactly "War and Peace" (they were still basically a silly good time) they were thoughtful, smartly plotted, stocked with colorful characters and more elevated than the usual fare. He set the standard followed by future greats.
Will took a 20-year break from the industry – when he returned he helped usher in the American long form comic known as the Graphic Novel. These pieces were personal, articulate – and focused on subjects as varied as religion, prejudice and the immigrant life. Will's efforts helped turn comics into something that would appeal to an adult readership.
Notable Works: The Spirit, A Contract With God, Life on Other Planets[/i]
7. Jonathan HickmanThis might be an oddball selection as I don't have a lot of history with Hickman –but the two titles I have read are among the best comics has to offer. Jonathan must be a science geek because he writes about science like he actually knows what he is talking about. And even though some of that goes way over my head, I find it engrossing. This makes him the perfect man to pen the
Fantastic Four. Hickman did what no one else has done – he made Reed Richards cool. And he made him cool for his mind and science. If anything, I actually found Reed more interesting than the team’s usual heavy hitters, The Thing and the Human Torch. The F4 weren’t truly superheroes in Jonathan’s hands, but cosmic explorers. And that’s what made them distinct.
The other title I've read is
the Manhattan Projects. Hickman's high ranking on this list is an indication of how mind numbingly brilliant this book is. It’s weird beyond words, but not inaccessible. It's an imaginative look at the famous weapons project that brought together the era’s greatest minds. Jonathan then takes this history, weaves in some far-out sci-fi and adds a healthy dash of intrigue and a sprinkle of humor. The tag line for the book goes...
Science.
Bad.
That fits, because these scientists aren't what they seem – and some of what happens offends a few folks. And I get that, (what happened to Harry Daghlian is real life was tragic and sad, and it is rather disrespectful to show him walking around with an irradiated glowing skull. Funny… but disrespectful). Saying that, this is an alternate reality, so I try to not take it to heart and just enjoy the sharp science... fiction? No, that’s not the proper word. Call it instead, "science-madness".
Notable Works: The Manhattan Projects, Fantastic Four, Nightly News, Pax Romina6. Warren EllisEllis is known for his tech-savvy themes and socioculteral commentary. "Planetary" is probably my favorite (I just finished the irreverant, mad cap "Nextwave" and it is its equal); the book is about these "Archeologists of the Impossible" who excavate what amounts to pop culture vistas: For example - The team has travel to a place a kin to Monster Island, met a Doctor Brass (a nod to the Man of Bronze) and seen allusions to DCs superhero trinity and Marvel's Fantastic Four... all of them (and more) are tiny pieces of a larger puzzle. The book is dark, but with a sense of humor. The characters are richly developed, from arse kicking uber hottie Jakita Wagner, to the annoyingly cracked Drummer and the hub of it all, cranky Elijah Snow.
Ellis was a part of the British invasion that changed the landscape of American comics and has worked on a variety of projects outside the technological, ala the horror laced "Vampirella" (with Amanda Conner) and DCs "Hellblazer". He has also seen his tales adapted to film (Red).
Notable Works: Planetary, Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. Transmetropolitan, Two-Step, The Authority, Red, Iron Man: Extremis[/i]
5. David MichelinieDavid started off at DC worked on a handful of titles (wrote the story where Manta kills Aquaman's son) but it wasn't until he jumped to Marvel in 1978 and was assigned
Iron Man that he made his mark. I remember the issue well and the wonderful feeling that
Iron Man, after all these years, was tapping into something truly magnificent. Michelinie delved into the characters alcoholism, penning one of comic’s greatest stories, "Demon in a Bottle". He also introduced a whole new cast of supporting characters, from Jim Rhodes and Bethany Cabe to arch nemesis Justin Hammer. He made the new Ant Man an employee of Stark Industries, adding to a colorful and well-developed group of employees, friends, lovers and enemies. The stories were thrilling and loaded with drama. Stark had become a multi-faceted figure for the first time in his history. For this alone Michelinie earns my admiration. He left the title after 3 and half years, returning for a second run in the 80s, and bringing back the magic with the famous "Armor Wars" story. In total, he wrote over 70 issues.
After Iron Man he took over the Amazing Spider-Man, where he would remain for nearly 100 issues. During his run he created the villains Venom and Carnage and contributed to the wedding of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson.
David would then return to DC for a run on Action Comics, but he never distinguished himself there as he had at Marvel. He dabbled in self-publishing but that too failed to match the brilliance of his Marvel days. Years later David did return to Tony Stark with a couple of specials, and completed his Dr. Doom trilogy in 2008 for a 4-part Iron Man mini-series. It was pretty cool too.
Notable Works: Iron Man, Web of –and- Amazing Spider-Man[/i]
4. John OstranderFor most comic fans John is best known and beloved for his work on the
Suicide Squad (it was their that he transformed Barbara Gordon into Batman's favorite computer specialist, Oracle). But I first came to know John for his work at First comics with the pirate-y sword for hire "Grimjack" and most especially and fondly on the mind bending
Specter. John, a theology student, re-imagined the Specter as the embodiment of Gods avenging wrath – the Spectre, for example, was the being God sent out to slay the first born of Egypt during Moses' time. Throughout his run, Ostander addressed several complex, morally ambiguous questions about the nature of vengeance and God and religion. This was a perfect move as the character had always been too powerful, too otherworldly to fight alongside traditional crime fighters. In shifting away from superheroics, John created one of the most thought provoking, high concept, big idea storylines this side of "Sandman" and "Swamp Thing" (though unfortunately, the book doesn't receive the attention those two have).
Ostander has written a variety of characters throughout the Marvel and DC universes. One short run I was particularly fond of was the 6 issues he did in Catwoman's first long running monthly. It was the highlight of the entire series.
Notable Works: The Specter, Suicide Squad, Catwoman, Grimjack, Star Wars: Legacy[/i]
3. Stan LeeTo hell with the revisionist nay Sayers, Stan was the most important figure of the modern era. Yes, his artists did a lot of the heavy lifting; the success of Marvel owes a great debt to the likes of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. But Marvel would have been nothing without Stan. He was the face of the company, an affable salesman who –via his monthly column "Stan's Soapbox"- made his readers feel like they were part of the gang – the Bullpen as it was known. He wrote and oversaw everything early on. To keep up with this schedule he developed the Marvel style, where he gave an outline for the beginning, middle and ending and then let the artists flesh this out (making them co-authors). Then he'd take these pages and write the dialog.
His greatest contribution was to make his characters human, with human fears and foibles and whatnot. The Fantastic Four was a family, who bickered like any other family, but who also genuinely loved one another. Spider-Man was a geeky teenager, who worried over finances and the health of his aging aunt, he had girl and job troubles…. but when he put on that suit he had the time of his life (and proved to be a hell of a funny guy). They were relatable, but also amazing and colorful. He gave us the philosophical in the Silver Surfer and while not a especially political, he did explore the social consciousness with stories about drug abuse (Spider-Man) and through the X-Men addressed prejudice.
While Stan wasn't a technically great author (he over-wrote, was often repetitive) he was a wonderfully creative storyteller. He changed the comic book landscape and for that, he deserves a spot in the top 10 as well as a whole lot of love and respect from the comic’s community.
Notable Works: Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD, Silver Surfer and more...[/i]
2. Neil GaimanTechnically I think he's the best writer comic's has ever seen. The only reason I have him at #2 is because he has primarily done one character for an extended period of time and I’ve not had much opportunity to judge him outside of this comfort zone (the lone Batman story I read from him was under whelming). But Sandman –and his delightful sister Death– are enough to warrant high entry on the list
The first time I read a
Sandman tpb, it was exhausting. I thought I would sit back, and an hour and half later be done with it, just like most of my collected edition reads. But I soon saw the folly in this. This was like nothing I had ever read in comics. It had substance and a complexity more a kin to what you'd find in a novel. And it required that you took your time and pay attention. On the surface it seemed just another fantasy tale, but once I opened those pages I discovered so much more. It was deep, it was heavy and it was thought provoking.
Rightfully so, comics are seen as adolescent – even well written comics - it’s part of their charm and appeal. But Neil also proved that they could put on their big boy pants and be as inspired and erudite as any respected work of literature.
Notable Works: Sandman, Death, Books of Magic[/i]
1. Alan MooreSo concludes the list as well as the British Invasion. And could the top spot belong to any other? Moore has some annoying personality quirks, and he’s also never –at least in his mind- ever wrong (Lord, Alan, please just shut your yap once in a while). He's a "true believer" and I sometimes fear that might lead him on to a dangerous path. I hope not, but for this blog let us focus on his talents. And boy, is he a talent. I first came upon Alan in the pages of
Swamp Thing, and I don’t know that I'd ever seen something so freshly original. His ideas genuinely scared me, but there was also a lot of humanity and heart, and intelligence. What I love about Alan is that he surprises me. In a medium where I have seen it all, Moore keeps me on my toes and holds my attention fast because I never know what might be coming next.
Alan draws a lot from other sources, takes the familiar and offers a new spin. "Watchmen" are inspired by the old Charleton characters (Rorschach is based on the Question),
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen redefines just what makes up a superhero team, by using classic literary figures to make up his unique band of crime fighters.
Supreme was a warm and funny love letter to comic's superhero history.
Notable Works: Swamp Thing, Supreme, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Watchmen, The Killing Joke[/i]
Honorable MentionsDoug Moench (Master of Kung Fu), Joss Whedon, Mike Mignola, Jim Shooter, Roger Stern, Chris Clairmont (X-Men), Ron Marz, Jeff Parker, Ed Brubaker, Jeff Lemire, Judd Winick, Roy Thomas