This month, we’re going to have an elaborate run of looks at the best of 2013 and what we’re excited about for 2014. To kick that all off, we’ll have a week of some of our favorite creators sharing their thoughts on the year to date as well as what they’re looking forward to in 2014.
Today, we asked creators “which writers were your favorites to read in 2013?” Here are the creators’ thoughts, and look for more tomorrow.
Kathryn Immonen’s Journey into Mystery was one of the most fun comics I read last year. I am sad it did not last. Why is “fun” so often the kiss of death in comics? I hope to one day be as wonderfully eccentric on the page as Kathryn.
Terry Moore is, of course, an exceptional artist, but the writing in Rachel Rising is key. It’s the definition of a page turner, and the series as a whole is a master class in how to do extended serialized storytelling.
Chris Roberson (Monkeybrain honcho, Edison Rex)
The correct answer is always Kurt Busiek.
Michael Walsh (Zero, the upcoming Secret Avengers)
This was a great year for John Arcudi, that guy has been firing on all cylinders producing a ton of great Hellboyverse stuff while still branching out to do the Creep (Which I loved). Also, Jason Aaron is still one of the most versatile writers in comics, He made me fall in love with Thor again this year and I’m insanely excited for Southern Bastards.
Christopher Sebela (High Crimes, the upcoming Ghost)
Ed Brisson, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Matt Fraction, Curt Pires, Ryan Ferrier, Ed Brubaker.
Sina Grace (Burn the Orphanage)
Scott Snyder is a writer who I will pretty much follow on any project. I think DJ Kirkbride brings delight back to comics.
I’ve been reading (as has everyone else) lots of Michael DeForge’s work, and he’s fantastic. I read his comics and then I have to sit for a minute or two just to process how crazy of a thing has just happened on the page in front of me. Then I have to run off and share them with someone else because the craziness cannot be stopped. I particularly recommend the exceedingly peculiar alternate-reality story about Canadian royalty in Lose #6 and also his Adventure Time back-up story about the Lumpy Space Princess and the Breakfast Princess, which is wildly hilarious.
I also thought that the design of Brian Ralph’s Reggie-12 was just amazing – that was definitely the best use of spot gloss I’ve seen this year! Tom Devlin does an amazing job on those books, and Brian’s comics are always so much fun.
Michael Moreci (Hoax Hunters, Prime-8’s)
This year, Jason Aaron proved, again, he can write damn near anything. Thor: God of Thunder is terrific, widening his already impressive range. With Scalped, he seemed like a crime writer through and through (which is not at all a bad thing), but then he did Wolverine and the X-Men and proved not only could he do superheroes, he could be really funny as well. I don’t think Aaron had to cement his status as an immensely talented any further, but this Thor run is a pleasant reminder of what a writer with a polished craft can accomplish.
Likewise, Mike Carey is a creator who deserves far more attention than he receives. He’s not a flashy writer—he doesn’t have a cult of personality propelling his work forward. But, he’s one of the best out there, without question. The Unwritten may be the best monthly title going, and it was good as ever in 2013. And his Boom book, Suicide Risk, is a smart, exciting take on superhero tropes. Believe in the work, people; not the hype.
Tim Daniel (Curse, Enormous)
Brian K. Vaughan and Greg Rucka.
Joe Keatinge (Marvel Knights Hulk)
Naoki Urasawa takes home the prize. 20th Century Boys was done a while ago, but it’s only been wrapped up officially in English this year, so I’m counting it. I’m always stunned by Urasawa, I feel he’s doing some really innovating things with story structure. He’s the number one writer lately who I feel can lead me down a path I don’t understand at first, only to completely blindside me with how it fits into an overall whole, making it read like he’s really fleshed out the entire world.
Continued belowJeremy Holt (After Houdini)
My favorite stories this year came from Kurtis Wiebe, Frank Barbiere, and Ed Brisson. These guys produced top quality stories this year and I can’t wait to see what they have planned for 2014.
Joe Eisma (Morning Glories)
Joe Hill, Sam Humphries, James Tynion IV, Rick Remender.
I was really impressed by Gene Luen Yang’s writing in Boxers & Saints. I talked about Charles Forsman’s fantastic work in TEOTFW in another question, but I’d mention that here as well. Ed Brisson, Chris Sebela and Frank Barbiere are among the many writers who always have something interesting to say. At the big two, Scott Snyder and Matt Fraction are both guys who always feel like they’re reaching for something new, whether working on creator-owned books or decades-old properties. It’s admirable as hell, and as a reader it’s just fantastic.
Antony Johnston (Umbral, The Fuse)
Again, I’m biased, but I think this one has to go to Kieron Gillen. YOUNG AVENGERS, UBER and THREE are pretty amazing by themselves — I know how much hard work it can be to pull off that kind of genre diversity, and to execute them all with such skill is doubly impressive. But I’ve also seen some of the other stuff Kieron’s working on, and I know he’s only just getting started. His brain operates on a whole different level to the rest of us poor hacks.
I have to also mention Matt Fraction, for taking two things I never thought I could possibly care about — HAWKEYE, for heaven’s sake, and then a silly farce called SEX CRIMINALS — and use them to produce two
of the best series in the past couple of years. I mean, that’s just not fair.
Curt Pires (Theremin)
In no particular order. Ed Brisson. Joe Casey. Ales Kot. Kieron Gillen. Adam Egypt Mortimer. Frank Barberi. Chris Sebela. Matt Fraction.
Ryan Browne (God Hates Astronauts, Bedlam, The Manhattan Projects)
I think Zander Cannon wrote the best book of the year, so he’s gotta be number one. I’m also super fortunate to be working with Jonathan Hickman and Nick Spencer and those guys are pretty damn good. I also dig Charles Soule’s work and I’m excited to see more from him as his career grows.
Mike Allred (FF)
Damon Gentry (Sabertooth Swordsman) was a great surprise, Mark Waid continues to rock it, As well as Matt Fraction, and my big brother, Lee Allred, who I’ve always been a huge fan of his novels and short stories, surprised even me with his masterful FF scripts. The Best!
Franco (Itty Bitty Hellboy)
Again-too many but hands down top three in no particular order – Mark Waid, Dan Slott and Brian Michael Bendis…and Geoff Johns – see I could just keep going.
Ales Kot (Zero, Change, Wild Children)
I very much enjoyed the works of Garth Ennis and John Smith this year.
Justin Jordan (Luther Strode, Dead Body Road)
Hmmmm. Fraction is definitely there, as should be obvious from the other question. As is Hickman – I still thoroughly enjoy Manhattan Projects as well as East of West. Azzarello – I’m still waiting for Brother Lono to play out, but Wonder Woman is one of the best, if not the best, books DC is putting out.
Robert Wilson IV (Knuckleheads, Like a Virus)
Perhaps Bradon Graham for PROPHET, it’s the book that I feel most excited to read every month. I’m also really into what Matt Fraction is doing on HAWKEYE.
Charles Paul Wilson III (Stuff of Legend, Wraith)
It’s hard not to mention Joe Hill. The Locke and Key stories put me onto his novels which in turn put me onto his other comics and I wound up searching for the obscure stuff. I think I’d only really done that with artists up to that point, and that’s pre-2013. But I very much enjoyed everything his name was attached to in 2013 including The Cape with Jason Ciaramella. I like Steve Niles’ books a lot, and usually reread some of his earlier stuff with Wrightson (Doc Macabre, The Ghoul and my favorite of the three, Dead, She Said) when I get through his current stories.
What I really want, though, is a new book by Brian Smith (Smitty), one of my co-creators on The Stuff of Legend. I heard he had something in the works this past year, although that might be a secret, and I just got something in the mail from him and I was thinking man, I think this is it and it’s a cool surprise!!! But it was a box of book plates. It made me realize I was excited about seeing what he’s doing next though.
