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  1. #1
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    Default Who is the top dog writer at Marvel right now? Who is the premier artist?

    I just asked a similar question to this one in the DC forum and whereas I found that question pretty easy (Williamson/Tynion and Jiminez) I think it's much harder for Marvel.

    For a long time this was an easy question (at least with Writer). It was Millar and Bendis alternatively year to year with really Bendis being the obvious top dog writer at Marvel. Doing event after event, on every major book, etc. For a decade, Bendis was the lead Marvel writer. For good or ill.

    Now the obvious answer would be Hickman but something about the fact that he's sort of sequestered in the X-Line could hurt his case.
    Cates is the next most obvious candidate cause he's writing the current event and his books SELL.
    On the other hand Al Ewing is being given a lot responsibility these days. A best selling Hulk title, a cosmic universe story, an X-Men book, and now maybe The Defenders???
    Let's not forget Jason Aaron wrote the Marvel Legacy one-shot that sort of spurred that era, and is writing Avengers and headlining the next Marvel event. He kind of feels like the last man standing from the Bendis/Fraction/Loeb/Brubaker era.
    And of course Spencer is writing the most important character in the company.


    Artist wise, it's always a harder question but there have been windows were it was definitely Hitch, or Cassaday, or McNiven, or Immonen. But it doesn't seem as straightforward these days.

    Larraz has become a super star but isn't on a regular book and is pretty secluded to X-Men stuff.
    Schitti did a major event (Empyre) which is usually indicative of whom Marvel thinks is top talent but now he's on a side X-Men book (a great book but still not a premier title)
    Stegman in on a best selling series, and did two major events. He has a pretty good argument to the title right now.
    McGuinness was tasked with launching Avengers and is now doing the Heroes Reborn event
    Dauterman is just so damn good and did a major event recently (War of the Realms)



    I think, despite the sporadic nature of their work, I would go with Hickman and Larraz.

    But a good argument could be made for Cates or Al Ewing and Stegman for sure.

  2. #2
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    For writer, I would say Donny Cates.

    For artist...not so sure.

  3. #3
    see beauty in all things. charliehustle415's Avatar
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    If not Hickman, then probably Ewing since he is writing major characters.

    Artist, I would say McGuinness, Gleason, if Ottley was still on Spidey then him; but I would say Yu

  4. #4
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    Hickman is the top writer for a decade now.
    -- Fantastic Four.
    -- Avengers/New Avengers.
    -- Infinity.
    -- Time Runs Out.
    -- Secret Wars 2015.

    Then he takes a gap year or two and then comes back with the X-Men line totally changing the conversation around comics and becoming the center of Marvel again.

    As for Top Artist...I don't think there really is a single one anymore. Maybe Ryan Stegman or Russell Dauterman.

  5. #5
    Really Feeling It! Kevinroc's Avatar
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    Writer? Probably Aaron or Hickman. Ewing and Cates feel like they're next in line after that.

    Artist is a bit harder to pin down these days. You could make an argument for a lot of different people.

  6. #6
    Ultimate Member Fokken's Avatar
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    (W) Ewing
    (A) Larraz
    (C) Marte Gracia

  7. #7
    The King Fears NO ONE! Triniking1234's Avatar
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    Hickman saved the X-Men and had good runs on F4 and New Avengers
    Ewing saved Hulk and has some good Avengers minis.
    Cates saved Venom. He should've stayed on GotG longer tho.

    For artists, probably Larraz.
    (Hope my another comment didn't vanish cuz of his 1st name.)
    "Cable was right!"

  8. #8
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    It's weird how there isn't one obvious artist. Feels like it is usually easy enough to pick out who Marvel thinks of as their top dog. It's who gets put on events. or launches big number ones, but there's no one in that Steve McNiven / John Cassaday space right now.

    We'll see what books Gleason, Ottley, and Stegman all move on to.

    Whatever happened to Aaron Kuder? There was kind of a big deal made when he left DC to come to Marvel and launched Duggan's GOTG. But he's basically been a fill in guy since then. Kind of the same with Gleason who has done some amazing covers already but hasn't really been given a featured role yet outside of a pretty crappy Amazing Spider-Man arc.

    What books do you think Ottley and Gleason are a good fit for?

  9. #9
    BANNED Killerbee911's Avatar
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    For artists, it is easily Larraz. House of X, Extermination, Avengers No Surrender, Empyre. He is the one artist imo you feel will end up on the biggest books, which are event book today

    For Writers, it is probably Hickman. Hickman has a level of control over X-books I have not seen extended to other writers. Cates and Ewing are good but if they were to go DC I don't think they would get any book they wanted, While I think Hickman could go I want the book that Bendis is writing and they would kick him off it.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Killerbee911 View Post
    For artists, it is easily Larraz. House of X, Extermination, Avengers No Surrender, Empyre. He is the one artist imo you feel will end up on the biggest books, which are event book today

    For Writers, it is probably Hickman. Hickman has a level of control over X-books I have not seen extended to other writers. Cates and Ewing are good but if they were to go DC I don't think they would get any book they wanted, While I think Hickman could go I want the book that Bendis is writing and they would kick him off it.
    Pretty much agree with this. I'm sure there are limits to what a writer can ask for. If Hickman went to DC right now and said give me the main Batman book, I don't think they would do it. Didn't he go to them with a Legion pitch before going back to Marvel and they shot him down?

    Curious to see what books some of these writers end up on. Cates is finishing Venom and would just be left with Thor. Ewing is wrapping up Hulk. I thought I had read a while back that Spencer was nearing the end of ASM? Coats is almost finished Black Panther and possibly Cap? Is Heroes Reborn going to end Aaron's run on Avengers? He has written just about every corner of Marvel. What else is for him to do. I wouldn't mind him taking a run a Cap. Ewing or Cates on Aveng

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by youthoftoday View Post

    Curious to see what books some of these writers end up on. Cates is finishing Venom and would just be left with Thor. Ewing is wrapping up Hulk. I thought I had read a while back that Spencer was nearing the end of ASM? Coats is almost finished Black Panther and possibly Cap? Is Heroes Reborn going to end Aaron's run on Avengers? He has written just about every corner of Marvel. What else is for him to do. I wouldn't mind him taking a run a Cap. Ewing or Cates on Aveng
    Spencer has implied he's like halfway through with his Spider-Man run. Wouldn't be surprised if he's on it until issue 800.
    Yes Immortal Hulk is ending but Ewing is on a lot of books. Sword, We Always Find Them, Guardians, and now Defenders. Defenders might be taking Hulks "spot" in his schedule.
    I don't think anyone has said Aaron's Avengers run is ending but it does seem like its gonna happen sooner or later. I wonder if we are going to get Cates/Stegman on Avengers?
    I always thought Aaron would get Captain America at some point.
    And we have to remember there is always Dan Slott who probably has one more ongoing series he could write if he wants. He's only writing Fantastic Four these days and even he, who is notoriously slow, might be able to write two ongoings.

  12. #12
    BANNED Rang10's Avatar
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    Donny Cates without doubt: best seller writer and good execution of ideas.

    penciller? gonna list RB Silva, Pepe Larraz, Ryan Stegman, Asrar

  13. #13
    Latverian ambassador Iron Maiden's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rang10 View Post
    Donny Cates without doubt: best seller writer and good execution of ideas.

    penciller? gonna list RB Silva, Pepe Larraz, Ryan Stegman, Asrar
    If your talking about comic book sales let's remember that Hickman's Secret Wars series, which was only 9 issues had a cumulative sales of over 2,000,000. And the X-Titles are back at the top of the charts again.

    When I had nothing better to do a while back, I gathered up the sales estimates on Secret Wars from Comichcron . The first issue racked up over 500,000 sold. Of course, this represents orders by comic book shops, etc. It's the culmination of his magnum opus that started way back in his first Fantastic Four gig as the writer of the mini Dark Reign Fantastic Four in 2009. He once posted the timeline/chart he created for this story






    Last edited by Iron Maiden; 02-23-2021 at 10:48 AM.

  14. #14
    Astonishing Member your_name_here's Avatar
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    Hickman, probably. Aaron, Cates and Ewing seem to be the best tier, though.


    Larraz for artist. Empyre and HoX, No Surrender and so on.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hcmarvel View Post
    Spencer has implied he's like halfway through with his Spider-Man run. Wouldn't be surprised if he's on it until issue 800.
    Yes Immortal Hulk is ending but Ewing is on a lot of books. Sword, We Always Find Them, Guardians, and now Defenders. Defenders might be taking Hulks "spot" in his schedule.
    I don't think anyone has said Aaron's Avengers run is ending but it does seem like its gonna happen sooner or later. I wonder if we are going to get Cates/Stegman on Avengers?
    I always thought Aaron would get Captain America at some point.
    And we have to remember there is always Dan Slott who probably has one more ongoing series he could write if he wants. He's only writing Fantastic Four these days and even he, who is notoriously slow, might be able to write two ongoings.

    Totally forgot Ewing was on SWORD (I'm waiting to read that on MU) and that Defenders was announced. So ya, his plate is full. I hope Cates and Stegman do another book together and would love for it to be Avengers. I like Slott, but can he handle another book at this point? He had trouble keeping up with 2 issues of ASM a month and you would think writing 2 separate titles is more work that writing 1 title twice a month. Then again, I'm not a writer so who knows!

    Also, I know Ottley was leaving ASM, but was anything said about him staying with Marvel or was he going back to a creator owned book?

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