Who is the best Superman Writer?

[Jcogginsa]

Inspired by Lightning63's threads elsewhere, I've made this thread in order to determine: Who is the definitive Superman writer?

Note: I will not be including Brian Michael Bendis' on this poll due to his run still being ongoing. It is not a commentary on the quality of his run.

[Celgress]

A very tough question -

I'll go with Alan Moore, Grant Morrison (a close second), and Jerry Siegal (the OG) as my top three, god tier.

FYI - If we were rating Bendis (as things stand) I'd put him in the bottom five if not bottom three, trash tier.

[Robanker]

I plead the fifth. Many of them are the GOAT for different approaches and selecting one would be too hard.

If I had to pick a story, sure, All-Star so Morrison seems like the obvious choice... and yet I'm uneasy snubbing Moore, Maggin, Siegal and many more. None of them are without duds, but goddamn picking one over the others is too hard.

FYI - If we were rating Bendis (as things stand) I'd put him in the bottom five if not bottom three, trash tier.

This isn't fair. Just on a technical level it has to be false. For all his controversial decisions on the book, he's done very well by Clark's voice and handling the duality of the character which many writers stumble on. I'd argue middling at worst. Keep in mind, most the controversy is in respect to his son, not him. This is about who writes Clark/Kal himself best. I'd put Azzarello significantly below Bendis if only for never seeming to really have a grasp on Superman as a character, for example.

I get not enjoying his run or outright hating it, but bottom five/three is undeserved.

[Jcogginsa]

I plead the fifth. Many of them are the GOAT for different approaches and selecting one would be too hard.

If I had to pick a story, sure, All-Star so Morrison seems like the obvious choice... and yet I'm uneasy snubbing Moore, Maggin, Siegal and many more. None of them are without duds, but goddamn picking one over the others is too hard.



This isn't fair. Just on a technical level it has to be false. For all his controversial decisions on the book, he's done very well by Clark's voice and handling the duality of the character which many writers stumble on. I'd argue middling at worst. Keep in mind, most the controversy is in respect to his son, not him. This is about who writes Clark/Kal himself best. I'd put Azzarello significantly below Bendis if only for never seeming to really have a grasp on Superman as a character, for example.

I get not enjoying his run or outright hating it, but bottom five/three is undeserved.

Note, this is Superman the series, not specifically Superman the character. So while their handle on Superman's voice is obviously very important, their handles on the supporting cast and villains can be considered.

[Ra-El]

Same anwser as in the Green Lantern thread, Morrison.

[Jim Kelly]

No Marty Pasko, no Edmond Hamilton? If the poll allowed multiple selections, I was going to vote for Jerry Siegel, Cary Bates, Otto Binder, Elliot Maggin and for Other to represent all the writers not included. But since I can only vote for one, I voted for Other. Marty Pasko was my favourite comic book writer for Superman, followed closely by Edmond Hamilton. After that Siegel, Bates, Binder, Maggin, Leo Dorfman, Alvin Schwartz, Bill Finger.

[Celgress]

I plead the fifth. Many of them are the GOAT for different approaches and selecting one would be too hard.

If I had to pick a story, sure, All-Star so Morrison seems like the obvious choice... and yet I'm uneasy snubbing Moore, Maggin, Siegal and many more. None of them are without duds, but goddamn picking one over the others is too hard.



This isn't fair. Just on a technical level it has to be false. For all his controversial decisions on the book, he's done very well by Clark's voice and handling the duality of the character which many writers stumble on. I'd argue middling at worst. Keep in mind, most the controversy is in respect to his son, not him. This is about who writes Clark/Kal himself best. I'd put Azzarello significantly below Bendis if only for never seeming to really have a grasp on Superman as a character, for example.

I get not enjoying his run or outright hating it, but bottom five/three is undeserved.

Hey, it's my opinion. I haven't enjoyed a single thing he did aside from Nuclear Man (even that was ended in lackluster fashion). The horrible Semi-OMD farce "I'm cheating on Clark with Superman" thing was trash. And there is no way the real Clark would ever let Jor-El take his son into space after the crap daddy dearest has pulled Lois or no Lois (nor would Lois go along for the ride). Contrived OOC for the sake of Da Plot thy name is Bendis. Don't even get me started on Sups revealing his identity and how flat that fell or the failure that is Teen Jon. Bendis has been awful on Superman he can't leave soon enough for me.

[Laufeyson]

Hmmm, this is tricky. I am a big fan of Silver Age Superman so I have fondness of Jerry Siegel, Cary Bates, Otto Binder, Elliot S Maggins, Edmond Hamilton, Marty Pasko, and many more. But, on the other hand some of the best idea that they chunked most likely come from their editor Julius Schwartz, so I kind in between here. But, the easiest answer would be Grant Morrisson. Until this point, everything that he did with Superman is just awesome a thousand times. From JL to All Star to Final Crisis to Action everything is awesome.

Alan Moore is also a great Superman writer with stories that far better than All Star. But, the problem is he has too little Superman issues for me to tell him that he is one of the best. But, if we count his Miracleman, Supreme, and that issue from Cinema Purgatoria, then he is the clear winner, because those books triumph everything that Grant Morrisson ever did.

So in simple:
Grant Morrisson > Alan Moore >>> Silver Age Writers > Geoff Johns/Joe Kelly/Jeph Loeb/Mark Waid >>>>>>>> The Others - If we county only Superman issue
Alan Moore >>>>>> The Rest - If we count Alan Moore's Miracleman, Supreme, and that issue from Cinema Purgatoria

[Stanlos]

I picked Byrne. For the simple fact that he avoids the trap of oh no magic or kryptonite he dead nonsense

[SJNeal]

J Michael Straczynski
Chuck Austen
Mark Schultz

[Vordan]

J Michael Straczynski
Chuck Austen
Mark Schultz

Lmao what did Schultz do? Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators? Good Lord that was a real thing?

[SJNeal]

Lmao what did Schultz do? Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators? Good Lord that was a real thing?

He was on the monthly Man of Steel book toward the end of that series run. It was relatively good compared to the other two; inoffensive but mostly forgettable.

[Stick Figure]

Bendis for me. I never collected Superman until he was on the books. He really got to me to appreciate and enjoy the character.

I need to look up the stuff by Straczynski. He’s my 2nd favorite writer after Bendis. I missed out there.

[Vordan]

Bendis for me. I never collected Superman until he was on the books. He really got to me to appreciate and enjoy the character.

I need to look up the stuff by Straczynski. He’s my 2nd favorite writer after Bendis. I missed out there.

JMS Superman Earth One would probably be right up your alley. It’s 3 volumes that are totally standalone.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I am curious as to what story everyone would put up as their "exhibit A" for best Superman writer.
For example I don't think he has the output to justify the title, but Superman in Supertown would be my nominee for Jack Kirby as best Superman writer. I would have given Kirby the Superman titles when he came to DC.