Every year, we send out a survey to some of our favorite creators and ask them questions about the year in comics. We had an incredible response this year, and got creators from all corners of the comics world to weigh in one what they loved about comics in 2016. Every day this week, we will be sharing a different question from our questionnaire.
Hopefully these inspire you to check out some new books, and to give some other books a second look.
Our fourth question: What are you looking for from comics in 2017?
Sanford Greene (Artist, “Power Man and Iron Fist,” “Wonder Girl”) – Bilquis Evely
Donny Cates (Writer, “The Paybacks,” “Interceptor”) – Fabian Rangel. Eliot Rahal. Geoff Shaw. Bilquis Evely. Ed Brisson. Alex Paknadel. Stephen Green. Tristan Jones. Jack Cole. Magdelene Visaggio. Daniel Waren Johnson . Tonci Zonjic. Brandon Thomas. Nick Derrington. Ian Bederman. Josh Hood. I’d say Chris Sebela and Matthew Rosenberg too, but those guys are evergreens, man. They don’t ever put out anything but top notch quality work, so they don’t need my lowly endorsement! I’m sure I’m forgetting some folks and I’m sure they will let me know VERY SOON!! haha.
Steve Orlando (Writer, “Supergirl,” “Virgil”) – I think, a lot of the people mentioned (earlier this week) – I expect big things from Thompson/Nadler going forward, as well as Howard, Visaggio, Frank Barbiere, Roge Antonio, Bilquis Evely, Jason Badower, Sina Grace, Stephen Byrne, and Jamal Campbell – all people doing amazing work and positioned to be even more in the future.
Ollie Masters (Writer, “Sons of Anarchy: Redwood Original,” “The Kitchen”) – I know Declan Shalvey is already a big name in comics as an artist but I think next year we’re going to see him really break out as a writer. And Alex Paknadel is destined to break out in a big way. He’s already doing great work and it’s already happening but I think 2017 is when he’s really going to break through. Also Eoin Marron, who I’m working with on “Sons of Anarchy.” Right out of the gate he had been nothing but amazing to work with and I think he’s going to do really well next year.
Rob Williams (Writer, “2000 AD,” “Suicide Squad”) – I was reading the new “Superman” annual last night: Jorge Jimenez. If I were DC I’d stick him on the next big event book ASAP. Tristan Jones’ “Aliens” work was pretty stunning; be excited to see what he does next. Writers? Matthew Rosenberg seems to be on the rise. Be interested to see what Si Spurrier does next after “Cry Havoc.” Ollie Masters and Alex Paknadel are two Brit writers with big futures, I think.
Joshua Hale Fialkov (Writer, “Exodus: The Life After,” “Punks”) – If Josh Williamson isn’t the biggest writer in comics by this time next year, I will fight you. FIGHT. YOU.
Moritat (Artist, “The Hellblazer,” “All-Star Western”) – Color artists are refining the craft issue by issue, panel by panel. They are not limited to genre, a good color artist can set a beautiful wedding with a crowd of characters and take you to the depths of loneliness with a poignant close up in the space of a single panel gutter.
Fabian Rangel Jr (Writer, “Space Riders,” “Doc Unknown”) – Don’t be mad, but my answers are all people I’m doing books with next year. Alexis Ziritt, Warwick Cadwell-Johnson, Logan Faerber, and Javi Caba. I hope people read these books we’re making and recognize the raw power of these guys.
Brian Hurtt (Artist, “The Sixth Gun,” “Poppy”) – I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that it’ll be me!
B. Clay Moore (Writer, “Savage,” “Aloha, Hawaiian Dick”) – B. Clay Moore. I mean, it’s about time.
Actually, I know I’ve worked with them both, but I think artists Jacob Wyatt and Paul Reinwand are both prepared to take a big step forward in 2017. Writer Seth Peck’s got a couple of things in the works that should elevate his profile, and it’s only a matter of time before artist Stephen Green is recognized as the Next Big Thing. I’m really looking forward to seeing what artist Tomas Giorello does next.
Continued below
James Harren (Artist, “Rumble,” “B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth”) – If all those secret, horrible, personal, triggering, terribly things don’t come to light; Daniel Warren Johnson?
Ryan Browne (Artist, “Curse Words,” “God Hates Astronauts”) – I’m betting Daniel Warren Johnson has an even bigger 2017 than he did 2016. That guy is born to sling ink! I’m also hoping that artist Jim Terry gets some more exposure. His throwback Jack Davis style is so rich and wonderful and I hope he’s working on something big soon.
Sina Grace (Writer, “Iceman,” Artist, “Lil’ Depressed Boy) – Matthew Rosenberg and Tini Howard. They’be both been percolating. It’s their time.
Sonny Liew (Artist, “Doctor Fate,” Writer/Artist, “The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye”) – That kind of crystal ball thing is beyond my limited powers of perception.
Rafer Roberts (Writer, “Harbinger Renegade,” “A+A: The Adventures of Archer and Armstrong”) – I’ll refer back to some creators I’ve previously mentioned. Kristen Gudsnuk, Miss Lasko-Gross and Kevin Colden. I’d include Ryan Ferrier, but in my mind he’s already big and broken out despite the fact that he still sometimes writes stuff for me to draw.
Alex Paknadel (Writer, “Turncoat,” “Arcadia”) – I expect to see my poised and photogenic studio-mates Ryan O’Sullivan and Ram V making serious waves next year. They both have utterly unique voices and they share this incredible work ethic, so it’s only a matter of time. I think you can also expect to see Tony Patrick, Ryan K. Lindsay, Vita Ayala and my dear friend Ibrahim Moustafa go off in a big way. They’re all DC Workshop alumni, so you’ll be seeing their names gracing the covers of your favorite Rebirth books in the very near future, I’m sure. On the soon-to-go-thermonuclear front, I’m calling it: 2017 belongs to Tini Howard, Ryan Ferrier, Rich Douek, Ollie Masters, Curt Pires, Eric Scott Pfeiffer, Devaki Neogi, Claire Roe, Magdalene Visaggio, Rachael Stott, Chris Wildgoose and Donny Cates. These cats are steadily getting more and more work, and the air around them just has that ozone crackle of success. In terms of who I’d advise your readers to keep an eye on before they swallow 2018 whole, I’d pick Deniz Camp, PM Buchan, Rachael Smith, Amancay Nahuelpan, Mike Kennedy, Grim Wilkins, Dave Hendrick, John Lees and Owen Michael Johnson.
Ryan Ferrier (Writer, “Hot Damn,” “D4VE”) – Brian Level is on an upward ascent; even though practically everyone knows how great he is, I think 2017 will be the year he becomes a household name. I think Chris Sebela is going to do the same, even though he’s already strapped to a rocket. I can see Daniel Bayliss making a big impact, and lord knows he deserves it. James Asmus is another creator whom I absolutely love, and is already in the stratosphere of greatness; I do believe he will continue that in a big way. There are so many amazing creators that deserve to have a “break out” year that it almost seems an injustice to limit this answer to a select few. But…
Matthew Rosenberg (Writer, “4 Kids Walk Into a Bank,” “Civil War II: Kingpin”) – Writers: There is no justice in the world if Chris Sebela isn’t one of the big comic stars next year. Ed Brisson is finally going to get the recognition he deserves. Vita Ayala will have a big year, I’m sure. She is just too good not to. Tee Franklin will make a big splash. She practically already has and she’s only had 3 pages published. Ryan Lindsay, everyone who reads his stuff loves him. More people will next year. John Lees is a great writer who will definitely get noticed some more. Tony Patrick is such a great writer and just needs more eyes on his work. Alex Paknadel is doing better work than almost everyone else right now and I think a lot of folks will notice next year.
Artists: Tyler Boss for sure. Jorge Coelho will find a ton of new fans very soon I bet. Caspar Wijngaard deserves to be a lot more famous. Ibrahim Moustafa is about to be huge. Skylar Patridge is amazing. Becca Farrow is so good. And I think Natasha Alterici is someone more folks should be paying attention to.
Continued belowDan Watters (Writer, “Limbo,” “Dark Souls: Legends of the Flame”) – Any and all of the creators in Ram V’s Kickstarted “Black Mumba” should, and I’m sure will be, huge names very soon. Eoin Marron, who’s just started on “Sons of Anarchy” with Ollie Masters, is also going to be doing amazing things – it would seem there’s something artistic in the water over there in Dublin. At the risk of sounding self-serving, my “Limbo” co-creator Caspar Wijngaard also has Really Big Things planned for the year and is churning out fantastic stuff at breakneck speed, going from strength to strength as we all gnaw our limbs with jealousy. We’re going to be treated to some really exciting stuff in 2017.
Tom Scioli (Writer/Artist, “Transformers Vs. G.I. Joe,” “Super Powers” backup in “Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye”) – Great question. There are a bunch of works that are years-in-the-making being released in 2017. Jim Rugg has been stockpiling a series of “Street Angel” stories that are due next year. Katie Skelly’s “My Pretty Vampire” graphic novel is coming out from Fantagraphics. Also from Fanta is Ben Marra’s complete “Night Business” which he started like a decade ago. Michel Fiffe’s “Copra” is going to break the 30 issue mark next year I think. Ed Piskor’s been quietly working on an unannounced project for an unannounced publisher that looks incredible.
Brian Schirmer (Writer, “Black Jack Ketchum”) – Donny Cates. That boy has an amazing resume, but “God Country,” his forthcoming series from Image with Geoff Shaw, is going to put him on the map. Si Spurrier and Caspar Wijngaard have a thing on the way that’ll be both the kind of madness we’d expect from each of them and high-profile enough to push them further into the stratosphere. Tony Parker is killing it on “Mayday.” He’s overdue for becoming a household name. Last but not least, Jason McNamara. He wrote one of the best horror comics in recent memory with “The Rattler,” and I expect to see his name on more books in 2017. Make it happen, comics industry!
Caspar Wijngaard (Artist, “Limbo, “Assassin’s Creed: Locus”) – Writers: Alex Paknedal, Dan Watters, Olly Masters, Ryan Ferrier all doing great things.
Artists: Marley Zarcone, Devaki Neogi, Claire Roe, Adam Gorham are all fantastic and deserve your attention.
And… ME? Me please.
Michael Moreci (Writer, “Roche Limit,” “ReincarNATE”) – You know, maybe it’s age that’s leading to this honesty, but this is the moment where I’m urged to list my friends. It’s what everyone does at this prompt. Let me say this instead: I want the next people to break out to be the ones who tell their stories in their own way. I don’t care if it’s for Marvel, Image, Top Shelf, wherever. I want those people to be the ones who break out, the bold ones who use the comics medium to its full effect. Go get ’em, whoever you are.
