It’s that time of year! The Multiversity Year in Review is here, and from now until Thursday, December 22, we will be talking about favorites in a variety of categories. Let us know what we missed in the comments!
10. Riley Rossmo
(Zach Wilkerson) Riley Rossmo has always been a fantastic artist. In 2016, he had the distinction of illustrating two issues of my favorite Batman story of the year: ‘Night of the Monster Men.’ Coming off a terrific stint on “Constantine: The Hellblazer,” Rossmo’s penchant for drawing all things macabre was perfectly suited for the crossover. Paradoxically, his Batman is significantly brighter and less frightening than the hulking brute seen in other books and stories. Capping the year off with the chilling “Stag” story in “Batman Annual” #1, Rossmo delivers a meaningful promise of things to come. I look forward to his healing touch to grace the pages of “Suicide Squad” in January!
9. Brian Hurtt
(Mark Tweedale) Brian Hurtt blew me away this year. After six years, “The Sixth Gun” came to an end in an enormous triple-sized issue, and as you’d expect on an occasion such as this, it was truly epic. It was also truly intimate, digging deep into its characters. I was blown away as the story seemed to moved so effortlessly between these two modes, sometimes doing both simultaneously. Most amazingly, the biggest reveal of the series wasn’t even treated like a reveal, but rather a character moment where all the important things that needed to be said weren’t even said with words, but rather it was said in the way Becky and Drake look at each other. This is spectacular visual storytelling.
But there’s more to Hurtt than just “The Sixth Gun.” This year he worked on seasons 3 and 4 of the webcomic “Table Titans,” a comic that straddles two worlds: the world of the gamers and the world of the game.
Plus it’s fun to see him do a series with much more physical comedy. Speaking of which, Hurtt also did “Poppy! and the Lost Lagoon” with Matt Kindt. Aimed at a younger audience, this comic has a much looser style than Hurtt’s other work, and that feeling seeps into the whole story. Poppy’s energy cannot be contained.
The range shown in Hurtt’s 2016 output is truly impressive. He simply had to be on our list of favorites for the year.
8. Mike Mignola
(Mike Romeo) Every year Mike Mignola puts out comics that earn him a spot on my best of list. I say without hyperbole that he is one of our greatest living cartoonists, and this year’s conclusion to “Hellboy in Hell” is undeniable proof of that. His whole career, Mignola has pared down the marks he makes on the page, eliminating any line unnecessary to communication, ultimately finding himself using odd shapes and their relationships to one another to create his scenes. Out of context, his marks may not make any sense or mean anything to the viewer, but once placed near others in a panel and what it is becomes obvious. A short, bent line on its own is just that, but when gathered with like marks at the feet of a character we understand it to be rubble. Oddly shaped triangles take on greater meaning when properly placed in a panel, becoming tiny islands on a hazy horizon. Take a look at the image above as an example. Some of the birds we see are just tiny tic marks that’d mean nothing in isolation, or something entirely different in another context. It’s this sort of thing that amazes me about Mignola’s art, and ensures him a spot on this year’s list.
7. Jaime Hernandez
(Greg Matiasevich) Jaime Hernandez on a Best Artist list? I’m as shocked as you are . . . which should be not shocked in the least. The younger half of the Los Bros Hernandez duo, Xaime has been putting pencil to paper professionally for over 30 years, so it makes sense he’d be at least good enough to start making lists like this by now. But if you think it’s taken him this long to get noticed in comics, then I envy the amount of discovery ahead of you when you look back at Jaime’s career and find out how acclaimed his comics (“Love & Rockets” and beyond) have been . . . and how underrated he still is.
Continued belowIf I had a dollar every time I labeled someone a “master cartoonist” in 2016 alone, I could surely afford a few of those cartoonists’ Artist Editions. And I’ve meant it every time — from Richard Corben to Stan Sakai to Alex Toth. But with Jaime, there’s no other description for him. I’ve heard folks compare this work to other artists occupying a similar stripped-down style and not see how Jaime’s work stands out in that comparison. For them, I’ll try and explain why he’s head and shoulders over everyone else, at least for me.
When I look at other cartoonists’ work, I try and take in not only what’s on the page in black & white, but also the ‘what ifs’ of other choices and directions they could have gone in. Not in a bad way, like missed opportunities; when my brain shifts into this gear, I’m usually looking at someone whose art is well beyond my eye to suggest improvements for. But different angles, different panel arrangements, different levels of shading/cross hatching/what-have-you. It’s a fun little game to play. With Jaime, that voice is silent.
Crickets.
I can’t remember the last time I looked at a Jaime Hernandez piece and thought of any way that image could be improved. I’m sure Jaime could offer hours of critique to the contrary, but that kind of commentary is beyond me. His stuff may look flat and simple, but his command of line and getting so much meaning and impression out of using so little actual ink is astounding. It makes me wish I was an artist so I could decipher it better, if I wasn’t moved to rage with jealousy or tears with despair.
Jaime’s art makes me think of that bit from Amadeus where Tom Hulce is talking about one of his pieces being made with just the right amount of notes; no more, no less. Could Jaime use more lines? Sure. Could he go with more “exciting” or “dynamic” layouts? You bet. But the reason Jaime is on this list, and will always be on my version of this list, is because the combination of his comics storytelling eye AND his skill in executing that vision has become so powerful that you can’t mistake his work for anyone else’s. And only the best artists can pull that off.
6. Fiona Staples
(Jess Camacho) By now, you know Fiona Staples. The multiple Eisner Award winner has been doing, what I consider, the best consistent monthly work in comics right now. “Saga” remains beautiful and in 2016, she found new ways to blow us away. Her work became bolder, it became stranger and it became more unforgettable. As Marko and Alana’s story shifted, so did Staples’s art. This year’s issues were a bit darker and more somber as the characters of “Saga” were tested in huge ways and not everyone has made it out alive. There is so much strong storytelling in the work that she does that “Saga” would be almost entirely understandable without word balloons. Each glance, each move and each reaction is what has shaped these characters over these years and in 2016, barely anyone could be considered a better artist than her.
This year the first, revamped, “Archie” collection hit shelves and in this, she showed just how wide her range is. “Archie” has been much more understated than “Saga” but just as beautiful. Her redesigns have set the stage for the upcoming television adaptation — you can see her influence in some of the early images that have been released. Her redesigns have also been what every artist on “Archie” after her has worked from and have quickly become the signature looks for these classic characters. When you think of what comic book art can be, Fiona Staples is the golden standard.
5. James Harren
(Walter Richardson) If each issue of “Rumble” was released without dialogue or even coloring, I would still buy it at $3.50 an issue and think I’m getting a killer bargain. This isn’t to speak ill of John Arcudi, Dave Stewart, or Joe Sabino — they are each, of course, some of the best in their respective fields, and they’re each doing a terrific job on the book — it’s just that James Harren is that good. On one page, he’s portraying some of the most visceral combat you have seen, if not in the actual level of violence then in how much the reader feels each blow. Then on the next page he’s selling comedic bits with facial expressions and exaggerated actions that even Don Rosa would approve of. Whatever Harren is trying to convey, you see it, you get it, you feel it. These facts alone would be enough to label him as a great artist, but what’s more is he does it with style. Nobody draws like James Harren, and every issue of “Rumble” serves as a delightful reminder of this fact. And if you compare his work on “Rumble” with his (also excellent) work on “B.P.R.D.” it’s clear he’s only getting better. That’s scary.
Continued below4. Sean Phillips
(Kyle Welch) At this point I feel like we take for granted the level of quality produced by the team of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. When making my list for best artist of 2016 I was flipping through my floppies, scrolling through pdfs, and clicking around comiXology. I must’ve passed over “Kill or Be Killed” and “The Fade Out” countless times. It was not till I opened up the first issue of “Kill or Be Killed” again that it hit me: oh yeah Sean Phillips is still one of the best artist in comics.
I think it’s easy to take for granted the consistency of Philip’s art but the thing it’s consistently great. There are very few artists capable of capturing the style of pulp noir and none as great at it as Sean Phillips. Between “The Fade Out” and the debut of “Kill Or Be Killed” you already alone have some of the best looking art on stands. “Kill Or Be Killed” has some of the best glances or facial expressions of characters. Philipps is able to capture emotions and acting in a way that even the best Brubaker narrative book might not get across to the reader. Sean Phillips is one of 2016’s best artist because he has been one of comics best artists for a while.
3. Jason Latour
(Leo Johnson) While Jason Latour first gained my attention as an artist on various Marvel books, it’s on “Southern Bastards” that he really came into his own. There have been multiple times where I’ve, mostly poorly, tried to talk about comic art with people and described Latour’s art as “like one of those blind contour drawings, but good.” I still stand by it.
Everyone and everything in “Southern Bastards” is a bit rough and gnarled. The clothes are a little too big or a little too tight on folks, they’ve got gapped teeth, faces like old catcher’s mitts, and guts that are maybe a little too big. Latour gives his worlds real depth, making them feel like our own with how he presents them. There’s a texture to things, from the craggy faces of old men down to the bristling fur of that mangy dog that keeps showing up by the side of the road. With his style and attention to detail, Latour captures the often brutal beauty that is the South and small Southern towns.
2. Gabriel Hernandez Walta
(Chris Thompson) I’ve been a fan of Gabriel Hernandez Walta for a long time. He and his family are champion karaoke stars — and I really like his art as well! I first remember seeing him on IDW’s mini-series “The Suicide Forest” with El Torres, but it was his run on “Magneto” with Cullen Bunn that really made me sit up and pay attention. Walta had a way of rendering his heroes (or villains, depending on your viewpoint) in a style I hadn’t seen before. The power and the majesty were there, but he didn’t fall back on your typical steroid-pumped approach to super-heroics . . . there was something else at play. Obviously Marvel recognised this as well, and had the genius idea of putting him together with Tom King for their wonderfully unique take on the classic Avenger, The Vision. Their 12 issue run on that title took a lot of people by surprise, and cemented them as major forces to be reckoned with inside the comics world. Sadly “The Vision” is no longer with us, but we had an incredible year of it, and there is no doubt plenty more to look forward to. Thanks, Gabriel!
1. Patrick Gleason
(Vince Ostrowski) One of the most iconic aspects of Superman, whether most people know it or not, is that gleam in his eye. It’s the smile, as he swoops Lois off her feet and away from peril. It’s the wink and wave, as he accomplishes an impossible feat of strength for a crowd of adoring onlookers. Does anyone draw that glint better than Patrick Gleason right now? Has anyone ever done it better? “Superman” has been one of DC Comics’ strongest titles for a variety of reasons, but first and foremost, it’s a book that has assembled an incredible band of rotating artists, none better than Gleason. His star keeps rising, but every time he and writing partner Peter J. Tomasi attempt a new project, they somehow outdo themselves. Can it get even better than this? I’m not sure how, but I’ll bet he proves me wrong.
Continued belowIf you look at the arc that “Superman” has been on, it’s clear that Tomasi wants to challenge Gleason. He throws everything at him. Draw the emotional highs and lows of Clark and Lois raising a super child? He can break your heart drawing the emotional tragedy of Jon Kent accidentally frying an animal with his heat vision. He can display the pride in the hearts of parents that see their son being honest with them and learning a lesson. When asked to pair Clark and Jon up with Bruce and Damian Wayne, he can draw the conflict in a way that magnetizes the reader rather than repels them from another “Batman v Superman” situation. It’s because he draws his characters as their characters traits first. Clark is big, bold, and positive. Bruce keeps himself shrouded in darkness, aware of his surroundings at all times — and wears eye black, just because he’s having that kind of day. Jon explodes off the page with excitement. Damian puffs out his chest and turns up his nose. Did I mention Gleason can stage one hell of a fight scene? You never forget these are super people. And whatever adventure these super people are onto next, if they’re coming from the king-size vision of Patrick Gleason, then they’ll be worth reading.
Editors’ Notes:
Brian: Comic art has, in my opinion, never been better than it is right now and, if you look to the ten artists discussed here, I think you’ll see evidence of that. From classicism to minimalism, from the digital frontier to old school techniques, these ten artists represent the full spectrum of comics art, and you can’t go wrong picking up a book by any of them.
Mike: In my opinion, this is the biggest category we have. Without art you can’t have a comic, and these are the folks who make it happen. And can I say how thrilling I think it is to see Jaime Hernandez make the list? I think I vote for him every year and he’s never quite made it, so the new (old?) magazine-size issue must’ve really hit the mark. Looking over how the staff voted, though, it’s astounding how far ahead in votes Gleason made it. His work, particularly when inked by Mick Grey, was especially excellent this year, and the staff voted accordingly.
Matt: No doubt there are some strong presences on this list. When the staff turned in their results and we tallied them all together, there was a moment where I was like “Both Hernandez Bros. made the list?!” but then I realized it was Gabriel Hernandez Walta.
