Every year, we send out a survey to a wide variety of 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 2017. 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.
Editor’s Note: We sent out questionnaires to 20+ publishers, seeking responses from their creative talent. Thank you to all the folks who took the time during this busy holiday season to reply.
Who were some of the writers that you felt were really doing special things this year?
Rob Williams (“Suicide Squad,” “2000AD”): I’m sure I’m not going to be alone in lauding Tom King’s recent work. Brian K Vaughan and Garth Ennis continue to be two of the best around with some hugely accessible, emotionally affecting writing. I enjoyed Scott Snyder’s willingness to go up to 11 on “Metal.” There’s a confidence to Jonathan Hickman’s work. I’m probably forgetting too many.
Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín (“Secret Weapons,” “Wrath of the Eternal Warrior”): Joann Sfar always wins our hearts! So does Paco Roca. Also, Brian K. Vaughan on “Barrier” was really interesting.
Alan Quah (“Dark Souls,” “Orphan Black”): George Mann, Cavan Scott and Sean Gordon Murphy.
Jeremy Lambert (“Goosebumps: Monsters at Midnight,” “Attack on Titan Anthology”): I was extremely excited to see Jordie Bellaire writing in addition to coloring, as well as Declan Shalvey take on some writing duties in addition to drawing. “Redlands” and “Savage Town” are so good!
Paul Cornell (“Saucer State,” “Vampirella”): I think a group of writers including Tom King, Cecil Castellucci, and Jody Houser really moved comics forward this year, with a specific new style that seems very influenced by TV writer/director Noah Hawley. Or maybe the influence is the other way round. The weird is back in a very good way.
J.K. Woodward (“Star Trek: Mirror Broken,” “Micronauts”): Tom King. I really enjoyed watching him just blow up this year. I’ve enjoyed his work since reading his novel, A Once Crowded Sky years ago. He’s got me reading a superhero comic again which I never thought would happen. Adam Glass. I love what he’s doing with these historic characters in “Rough Riders.” The amount of research must have been overwhelming based on the and understanding of this period in history he shows in his work.
Cavan Scott (“Doctor Who,” “Star Wars Adventures”): Tom King has been on fire with both “Batman” and “Mister Miracle.” I love Jason Aaron’s work, both on “The Mighty Thor” and “Star Wars,” and adored Si Spurrier and Dan Watter’s take on “The Shadow” from Dynamite. Cullen Bunn’s “Unholy Grail” was also a brilliantly twisted take on Arthurian legends. Oh, and a shout out for Nick Abadzis, who has been doing sterling work on “Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor.” He really channels the feel of the show at that time, while constantly pushing it in new directions.
Tazio Bettin (“War Hammer 40,000,” “Independence Day”): Jonathan Hickman created an especially powerful story and setting through “The Black Monday Murders.” I felt like it was on a similar vein as “The Nightly News,” only even more intense: a merciless deconstruction of our society’s dirty sides: you can almost feel the writer’s anger against the monsters he portrays.
Clay McLeod Chapman (“Lazaretto,” “Edge of Venomverse”): Again, I’d say Emil Ferris and “My Favorite Thing is Monsters.” It dives so deep and feels so personal, so intimate. I burned right through and re-read it again in practically one sitting.
Alan Robert (“Killogy,” “Crawl to Me”): Lonnie Nadler (“The Dregs”), Rodney Barnes (“Falcon”).
Jon Davis-Hunt (“The Wild Storm,” “Clean Room”): I think Daniel Warren Johnson’s “Extremity” has been amazing. And he’s drawing it too! I’ve really enjoyed Gerard Way’s “Doom Patrol.” I love stories that manage to bring together seemingly disparate plot threads, and it’s able to combine weird and inventive ideas with a really purposeful narrative. I’m also continuing to really enjoy Marjorie Liu’s “Monstress.”
Continued belowChristos Gage (“ROM,” “Ninja-K”): I think it was Tom King’s year. Also, Dan Slott and Brian K Vaughan.
Rafer Roberts (“Harbinger Renegade,” “A&A: The Adventures of Archer & Armstrong”): Tom King continues to write the best superhero comics around, helping to change the very way that stories can be told. He and the artists he works with always seem to be in perfect sync with one another, which has led to some amazing and trailblazing comics. And I will always buy a comic if I see Ryan Ferrier’s name on it.
Tim Rozon (“Wynonna Earp”): Beau Smith and Dan Slot.
Caleb Goellner (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Amazing Adventures,” “Pressure/Sensitivity”): Tom Scioli’s “Super Powers” backups in Cave Carson were my cup of tea, for sure — both as a writer and an artist. Michel Fiffe’s “COPRA” continues to rule in the same way.
Hajime Isayama did some wild stuff on “Attack on Titan” this year. I can’t believe this manga makes any sense at this point, but I’m loving it.
Joey Alison Sayers, Olivia Walch, and Mike Norton were funny as hell every time they posted new comics.
And I’m biased, of course, but IDW’s “TMNT” books continue to work the way every serialized comic book reader wishes Big Two books did. Tons of rewarding setups and payoffs and energy to keep everything moving. I’m very proud to get to contribute to this team.
Paul Allor (“Monstro Mechanica,” “Clue”): Ryan Ferrier continues to be my favorite writer in comics. Seeing Ed Brisson dig into the Marvel Universe has been wonderful. I’ve also been working as a teaching assistant in the Comics Experience writing courses, and seeing so many extraordinary future superstars in the making has been a real delight. This industry is absurdly stacked with talent at every level.
Fico Ossio (“Revolution,” “Orphan Black”): John Barber, Aubrey Sitterson, James Roberts, Kevin Eastman-Tom Waltz, Robert Kirkman, Scott Snyder, Brian Michael Bendis
Benjamin Percy (“Green Arrow,” “Teen Titans”): Tom King is especially good at blending the ordinary and the extraordinary. Having wild, outlandish things happening — like, say, Superman getting in a brawl with an irradiated villain — while he discusses with Lois whether or not he should call Bruce and congratulate him on getting engaged. It makes iconic characters feel relatable and it makes the outlandish circumstances feel more like something that could apply to me as a reader.
