Best Writer of 2008
Doom DeLuise says: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning!
Whether it was pitting Nova against The World Eater Galactus and his Herald, The Silver Surfer, or establishing the new Guardians of the Galaxy, these two guys have done for Marvel’s Cosmic Universe what nobody seems to be capable of doing with Marvel’s heroes on Earth: They’ve consistently put out amazing, compelling, worthwhile stories.
Coming up in 2009, they’re going to be taking on even more writing duties with the War of Kings series, which I don’t know much about, other than it looks like Black Bolt has wings in the promo image for it.
Personally, I’m just waiting for the storyline where they finally have Nova and the Guardians team-up to take down some intense new cosmic threat. You know, like they did at the end of Annihilation: Conquest, only told in their monthly series instead of a big, glossy, expensive event-type comic.
Honorable Mention: Ed Brubaker
If it weren’t for a couple dull parts of Daredevil and Uncanny X-Men, I’d probably give the nod to Brubaker. Unfortunately, Uncanny was just downright awful this year. I dropped it about three times, went back, caught myself up, and dropped it again, until I finally gave it up for good. I kept hoping it’d get better, but it just never did. Besides that, though, Daredevil, Captain America, and Criminal have all been pretty awesome.
Fin Fang Doom says: Geoff Johns!
This year, this category comes down to a battle between Marvel’s best writer, Ed Brubaker, and DC’s best, Johns. And while Captain America, Daredevil and Criminal continue to be three of the best comics on the stands, they’re really not any better than they were last year.
Geoff Johns, on the other hand, got quite a bit better in 2008. After Infinite Crisis, Johns seemed to have lost a little of his spark. 2007’s Sinestro Corps War turned out to be the start of the tide turning though. Action Comics by Johns and Gary Frank was one of the best series of the year. Legion of Three Worlds and Rogue’s Revenge were the only two good things to come out of Final Crisis. The buildup to Blackest Night in Green Lantern has been spectacular, and the epic Kingdom Come arc running in Justice Society for well over a year came to very satisfying conclusion just before the start of the New Year.
And with Blackest Night, Flash: Rebirth and Superman: Origin, it seems like Johns is probably going to be a force to be reckoned with in 2009.
Jim Doom says: Ed Brubaker!
I almost dropped him from consideration when I lost interest in Daredevil this summer, but the Lady Bullseye storyline pulled me back in. His work on Captain America is fantastic. I’m very excited for Incognito. I was sad that he left Iron Fist.
Honorable mention: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
I think I say this every month, but I love Guardians of the Galaxy, and I’m especially surprised by that given how I knew next to nothing about most of the characters.
And here are our picks for Best Writer in years past:
2007:
Doominator: Messiah Complex team
Fin Fang Doom: Ed Brubaker
Doom DeLuise: Ed Brubaker
Jim Doom: Brian Michael Bendis2006:
Jim Doom: Ed Brubaker
Doominator: Grant Morrison
Doom DeLuise: Kurt Busiek
Fin Fang Doom: Peter David