These days in the world of comics, you could make a pretty strong case that it’s a pretty writer-centric market. That’s not to say that the artists aren’t amazing – they are – but the names that get bandied about more often than not are those of writers.
Today on 2011 in Review, we break down the best of the best for the writers in the industry for the year, and let’s face it: it was a pretty damn incredible year. Click through the jump to find the big winners in this category, and as it has been, thanks to Tim Daniel for the fantastic 2011 in Review logo.
10. Mike Carey
Why he makes the list (David Harper): Recently, one of our reviewers made a comment about how X-Men Legacy is only for people who have X-Men Encyclopedias, or something of that sort. Sure, Mike Carey layers a lot in on continuity for that book, but it pays off huge if you know the characters and the history. And for someone who has X on the brain all of the time, that book is an absolute killer.
That said, Carey earned a spot in my ranks strictly because of The Unwritten. That book is an incredible effort from him and Peter Gross, and this year Carey did a magnificent job of beginning to explain the mechanism behind Tom Taylor’s powers and the whole sordid deal that surrounds him and his band of merry…people. The Unwritten is nothing if not fiercely intelligent and inventive, and if you are a fan of good comics or Mike Carey, you should definitely be reading. It in itself should have ranked Carey on this list, and I am glad it did.
9. Robert Kirkman
Why he makes the list (David Harper): It’s hard to argue against anyone having a better year than Kirkman. I mean, that guy is basically printing money at this point with The Walking Dead TV show, and with good reason. He’s captured the imagination of the gore-hunting society that we all live in.
But back in the realm of comics, Kirkman had a huge year as well. The Walking Dead and Invincible continue to be two of the books that are most guilty of being underrated in my world strictly because they are always so good. Every month, both of those books are straight up amazing, and every month I forget to speak of them as some of the best in the biz.
Well here it is: The Walking Dead and Invincible are absolutely amazing.
That said, he had other big books, like continuing on Haunt and starting up Super Dinosaur, but for me, the reason why he made the list are The Walking Dead and Invincible. If he keeps writing them, I’ll keep reading them.
8. Grant Morrison
Why he makes the list (Matt Meylikhov): Morrison is the single most important writer in comics today. There is no way to escape this; at this point, its simply fact. The man knows everything there is to know about comics past, and he uses that knowledge to make the comics of tomorrow for today.
With his part-historical analysis of comics/part-autobiography Supergods on shelves now, it should with that alone be obvious why Morrison has earned his place on Multiversity’s Best Writer of 2011 list. Throw in the wonderful finale to Joe The Barbarian, his character-defining/game-changing work on the world of the Dark Knight in Batman Inc, his triumphant return to Superman in the DCnU version of Action Comics and the reprint of WE3 with new pages by Frank Quitely, and you have yet another wonderful year for Morrison and his contribution to comics, one that we are all so lucky to be able to take part in.
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6 (tie). Ed Brubaker
Why he makes the list (Patrick Tobin): In 2011, Ed Brubaker ended one Captain America series, began two more, finished up the second Incognito caper, and dove into the latest Criminal one. On the hand, an argument could be made that he’s just treading water, doing what he knows, not stretching himself — and that hand should shut its stupid hand mouth. Seven years (or something like that) into his run on Captain America, Brubaker has achieved such a steady narrative flow that the worst thing I can say is that sometimes the book is just “really, really good” and not “totally fantastic.” The real gem of his year, though, was Criminal: Last of the Innocent, one of the grimmest and grimiest stories he and co-conspirator Sean Phillips have ever told — but one which captures perfectly the sick thrill of getting away with it.
6 (tie). Kieron Gillen
Why he makes the list (Josh Mocle): Fun fact (that you’ll know if you scroll down), but Kieron happened to be my own personal top choice for the year and believe you me, that was not an easy to call to make. If we’re being completely honest, my top five are essentially tied for first, but I realize that is not how things work in a traditional ranking. So, how’d Kieron end up with the top spot when I love the other writers on my list just as much? Simply enough, the sum total of his work this year entertained me way more often than not. In fact, now that I realize Generation Hope #2 came out last year, I can honestly say that he did not write a single comic this year that I wasn’t entirely enamored with. Looking at the sum total of the other writers on my list, Kieron was the only one I could say that about.
And what a year he had. Starting off completing the cast of Generation Hope and going on to write one of the most emotionally resonant comics of the year with longtime partner Jamie McKelvie (Gen Hope #9). At the start of the year he was the co-writer of Uncanny X-Men. By April he was writing it solo and went on to bring his immensely unique voice to some of the most iconic characters in all of comics. In November, he also relaunched Uncanny X-Men for the first time it’s 60+ year history and continued spinning mega gold out of the gold that was already there. Speaking of immensely iconic series, he also revived Journey into Mystery and turned it into one of the most compelling and infectiously entertaining comics on the stands that has consistently wiped the floor with the title it spun out of. Topping a banner year off right, he was also responsible for one of the most subtle, poignant one-shots of the year with his Captain America & Batroc the Leaper special which redefined one of the most misunderstood and derided villains in all of comics. All in all not bad year for someone that made his Marvel 616 debut writing a Dazzler story.
5. Jonathan Hickman
Why he makes the list (Matt Meylikhov): Whoever it was at Marvel that said, “You know, we should give this Jonathan Hickman guy a job” should be given a raise or something. To say that wasn’t a wonderful decision and an absolute boon for Marvel is to also say that the sky isn’t blue, or that pizza isn’t delicious. Hickman apparently isn’t satisfied with just telling stories in the Marvel Universe, and it shows. Instead, he weaves micro-universes, quietly redefining corners and pockets of the grander playing field for everyone. Hickman is a true architect with a terrific visual eye, and not only does Marvel need him, but so do comics in general.
Continued belowWhat Hickman has done this past year alone between two volumes of SHIELD, Fantastic Four’s’ finale and rebirth, the FF ongoing (putting out almost a years worth of content in less than a year’s time), two books in the rebirth of the Ultimate universe and one in the old as well as the Secret Warriors finale is a staggering feat, and with a return to creator owned work with The Red Wing it’s easy to say that it has been a banner year for Hickman. With even more creator owned work on the way next year and who knows what else from his Marvel work, its easy to say that Hickman has moved beyond “a writer to watch” and become “a writer to implicitly entrust with all of your money.”
4. Jeff Lemire
Why he makes the list (Mike Romeo): This was an awesome twelve months for Jeff Lemire. Let’s look back, shall we? He wrote twelve issues of his creator owned Sweet Tooth, which is now in it’s second year. Nine of these issues he penciled, one he painted the interiors with water colors, and he didall of the covers. That amount of work equals one of, if not the, best Vertigo comics on the stands today. It might also be an entire workload for one creator. Not Jeff. So what else has he done this year?
The Year of the Rabbit (that’s 2011 according to the Chinese restaurant place mats) has seen Mr. Lemire wrap up the Superboy series that he began, whip up a little Flashpoint tie-in, and launch not one, but two high profile New 52 books. Oh, and to fill in the cracks there were a few anthology contributions, a little Adventure Comics thrown in, that Atom one shot, and he managed chip away at his next OGN, The Underwater Welder.
So the quantity’s there, let’s get to quality. I’ve already established Sweet Tooth as being awesome. It will wring out your emotions like a wet towel and lead you down paths you’d never expect. Things will be so quiet, and then catch you with the gut shot. So how does that translate into something like, say, Frankenstein? It doesn’t really, and that’s why Jeff’s great. Frankenstein is written as a big awesome monster with a big awesome sword, and he’s got this team of other awesome monsters. Go have fun. And Animal Man! Here’s where a character who was torn between two identities, is suddenly trapped between them as they bleed together. And it’s horrifying. Each of the books Jeff’s done this year have had a distinctly different tone. It’s like he’s stretching out in as many different directions as possible, and there are no walls in sight.
What’s really great is that as impressive as the body of work I’ve just gone over is, it feels like it’s only the beginning. This is a creator who is now really hitting a gallop. I think we’re going to be doing this write-up every year for a while.
3. Rick Remender
Why he makes the list (Ryan Closs): I don’t really know where to begin talking about Rick Remender. I’ve been a big fan of his since I first read Fear Agent and since then I’ve read pretty much everything he’s released but this year? This is Rick Remender’s year. This is the year he released the final issue of Fear Agent, one of the best comic series ever made. This is the year(ish) he released Uncanny X-Force, the best book at Marvel and one of the best books on the stands. This is the year he released a new Venom title, which, almost unbelievably, is excellent.
Remender is a master of taking a pretty normal idea and putting a crazy spin on it. He made Punisher into a Frankenstein-esque monster. Fear Agent started off as a pretty traditional space adventure and ended up running through all kinds of genres. He took the Venom symbiote and by pairing him with Flash Thompson created one of my favourite “new” character dynamics in comics. Uncanny X-Force has re-energized my love for the X-Books in general by mining one of my favourite X-Events, the Age of Apocalypse, and bringing it back by making Archangel into Apocalypse and tying together so many different X-Men ideas that it makes even me, a very very long time X-Fan, dizzy trying to keep up. I also feel like I can’t talk about Rick Remender without talking about how he gets some fantastic artists on his books, from Tony Moore and Jerome Opena that (basically) started with him on Fear Agent and are working with him again on Venom and X-Force respectively, he’s also worked with Tom Fowler (a personal fav of mine), Eric Canete, Kieron Dwyer and is about to work with Gabriel Hardman.
Continued belowAs great a year as Rick Remender had in 2011 I can’t wait to see what he has in store in 2012 with more Uncanny X-Force, Venom and debuting on Secret Avengers. In the meantime, GO BACK AND READ FEAR AGENT YOU FOOL.
2. Jason Aaron
Why he makes the list (David Harper): Jason Aaron is my favorite writer in comics (well, until Brian K. Vaughan makes his triumphant return with Saga next year). It’s with good reason too. He’s the writer of one of my absolute favorite current comics (Scalped), he’s the man who has made Wolverine better than he’s been in a very, very long time, and he’s performing something that I can only describe as straight up magic with the X-Men. He’s one of the best in the business, and deservedly one of the Marvel Architects.
That said, I wanted to highlight something about him in specific. In a 2010 interview I did with Aaron, he said “I don’t ever want to be looked at as the guy who can only do gritty, street level, violent, macho characters. I don’t think of myself in that way at all.” While he’s still great at doing just that, Wolverine and the X-Men proved without a shadow of a doubt that he is not just capable of telling stories that are dark, but ones that could be described as “fun.” We already knew he was a fiercely capable writer. 2011 was just a year that he showed me a different angle to his writing that I knew was in him, I just hadn’t seen it yet. And man…what a side.
1. Scott Snyder
Why he makes the list (Brian Salvatore): In late 2010, Scott Snyder popped on my radar for the first time when buzz started to build about his first issue on Detective Comics. I had, in passing, heard about American Vampire, but hadn’t been reading it, nor did I recognize Snyder’s name. But the buzz was strong enough that I picked up both Vampire and Detective and holy crap was I sold quickly.
Snyder manages to do two things that rarely go together — he tells stories that fit perfectly into the grand scheme of a character’s history, while still breaking new ground. His characterization of Dick Grayson in Detective and now Bruce Wayne in Batman doesn’t take the characters in unexpected places, but manages to shed light on new parts of their personality that seem organic. And now, with Swamp Thing, Snyder is given the unenviable task of cleaning up the continuity of one of comics’ most often retconned characters. And so far, despite some very, very exposition heavy issues early on, Snyder seems to be excelling there as well.
I can see a future where Snyder is the Geoff Johns position at DC in 2021, writing multiple big events, launching new series and being the go-to guy to fix a broken character. However, I believe that Snyder is better suited where he is: writing a couple of books spectacularly well, instead of having to be the Midas touch for an entire universe.
David’s Picks
1. Jason Aaron
2. Rick Remender
3. Scott Snyder
4. Robert Kirkman
5. Mike Mignola
6. Ed Brubaker
7. Mike Carey
8. Joe Hill
9. Jonathan Hickman
10. John Layman
Matt’s Picks
1. Grant Morrison
2. Jonathan Hickman
3. Jason Aaron
4. Ed Brubaker
5. Scott Snyder
6. Joe Hill
7. Kieron Gillen
8. Rick Remender
9. Joe Casey
10. Brian Wood
Gil’s Picks
1. Rick Remender
2. John Layman
3. Scott Snyder
4. Geoff Johns
5. Nick Spencer
6. Robert Kirkman
7. Paul Cornell
8. Gail Simone
9. Fred Van Lente
10. Greg Pak
Brandon’s Picks
1. Scott Snyder
2. Rick Remender
3. Jeff Lemire
4. Robert Kirkman
5. Jason Aaron
6. Mike Carey
7. Peter David
8. Ed Brubaker
9. Jonathan Hickman
10. Christos Gage
Josh’s Picks
1. Kieron Gillen
2. Jason Aaron
3. Scott Snyder
4. Nick Spencer
5. Jonathan Hickman
6. Jeff Lemire
7. Grant Morrison
8. Cullen Bunn
9. Rob Williams
10. Rick Remender
Walt’s Picks
1. Scott Snyder
2. Jonathan Hickman
3. Mike Carey
4. Ed Brubaker
5. Kieron Gillen
6. Jason Aaron
7. Grant Morrison
8. Brian Michael Bendis
9. Dan Slott
10. Rick Remender
Patrick’s Picks
1. Grant Morrison
2. Ed Brubaker
3. Mark Waid
4. Brian Azzarello
5. Christos Gage
6. Joe Casey
7. Jeff Parker
8. Jim Shooter
9. Peter Milligan
10. Kieron Gillen
Brian’s Picks
1. Scott Snyder
2. Grant Morrison
3. Brian Azzarello
4. Jeff Lemire
5. Paul Cornell
6. Gail Simone
7. Geoff Johns
8. Jason Aaron
9. Mike Mignola
10. Robert Kirkman
Ryan’s Picks
1. Rick Remender
2. Scott Snyder
3. Jason Aaron
4. Kieron Gillen
5. Jeff Lemire
6. John Layman
7. Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray
8. Brian Clevinger
9. Paul Cornell
10. Terry Moore
Chad’s Picks
1. Jason Aaron
Mike’s Picks
1. John Arcudi
2. Scott Snyder
3. Jeff Lemire
4. Joe Casey
5. Jonathan Hickman
6. Benjamin Marra
7. Richard Starkings
8. Kieron Gillen
9. Rick Remender
10. Mark Andrew Smith.
