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Post by coke & comics on Dec 22, 2020 13:32:29 GMT -5
If you want a peek at my top 2 entries, you'll find both mentioned above again and again. But for the moment... 3. Stan Lee
Mysterious voice: You are not alone! There are many of us... many "mutants", as mankind calls us!! Mutants who have powers that human beings never dreamed of!! ...Such as the power to make you fly, though we are far away! We are the next great stage in the development of man! We are the telepaths, the teleporters, the mind readers! We are the future! Tad Carter: But why are you hidden? Why do you not reveal yourselves? Voice: Because people fear those who are different! And humans try to destroy those whom they fear! ...Just as they tried to destroy-- you! Tad: By we can do so much for mankind! We can lead humanity to a new golden era! Why can't they understand? Voice: They are too savage, too primitive to understand! But we will bring you to us now, and you will wait with us... We shall wait together until the world is ready to welcome us! We shall wait, in hiding, until that fateful day... when mankind comes of age! --"The Man in the Sky", Amazing Adult Fantasy #14, Marvel, 1962 Spider-Man: If she-- doesn't make it-- it'll be my fault! Just the way I'll always blame myself for what happened to Uncle Ben...! The two people in all the world who have been kindest to me! I can't fail again! It can't happen a second time! I won't let it-- I won't! No matter what the odds-- no matter what the cost-- I'll get that serum to Aunt May! And maybe then I'll no longer be haunted by the memory-- of Uncle Ben! Within my body is the strength of many men...! And now, I've got to call on all that strength-- all the power-- that I possess! I must prove equal to the task-- I must be worthy of that strength-- or else, I don't deserve it! --"The Final Chapter", Amazing Spider-Man #33, Marvel, 1966 Watcher: Consider the courage they display! Though they are still in their infancy, you must not disdain them! Did not your race... and mine... evolve from such humble beginnings? Do they not possess the seed of grandeur within their frail, human frames? Galactus: But what of Galactus? What of the limitless energy I must absorb, if I am to survive? Watcher: There are other planets! We both know full well that the universe is endless! Destroying a race cannot be the answer! Galactus: I grow weary! The prize is not worth the battle! Let the human surrender his weapon, and I shall tarry here no longer! Watcher: Do as he says, mortal! The promise of Galactus is living truth itself! His word can never be questioned! Galactus: So! For the first time... since the dawn of memory...my will has been thwarted! But I bear no malice! Emotion is for lesser beings! Yet, there is one thing that must be done...! Since you shall be herald to Galactus no longer, I remove your space-time powers! Henceforth, the Silver Surfer shall roam the galaxies No more! Narrator: With those words, the towering figure of Galactus is transformed into a living, raging fury of pure power... as the very atoms in the air seem to crackle in elemental disarray--!! Galactus: The game is ended! The prize has eluded me! And at last I perceive the glint of glory within the race of man! Be ever worthy of that glory, humans... Be ever mindful of your promise of greatness! ...For it shall one day lift you beyond the stars... or bury you within the ruins of war!! The choice is yours!! --"The Startling Saga of the Silver Surfer!", Fantastic Four #50, Marvel, 1966 Also recommended: Strange Tales, Tales to Astonish, Tales of Suspense, Sgt. Fury, Silver Surfer, Captain America
Wish I had a better quality photo, but here's me and Stan, circa 2005.  |
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Post by EdoBosnar on Dec 22, 2020 13:46:36 GMT -5
3. Archie GoodwinGoodwin has made several appearances here, and I can’t disagree with anything the others have said before me. Like all of the writers that occupy the top few spots on my list, Goodwin is a writer who has never let me down – I don’t think I’ve ever read anything by him that I disliked or that disappointed me (including his run on Iron Man back in the late 1960s, which I only read, up to issue #14, quite recently). He’s truly a master of the craft, and he wrote what I think is one of the best comics stories ever written, the Manhunter saga from Detective Comics back in 1974 (illustrated by another of my absolute favorites, a then rather young Walt Simonson). The opening page lets you know you’re about to read something awesome:  Also collaborating with Simonson, Goodwin wrote another personal favorite, the previously mentioned graphic adaptation of Alien (otherwise, I’ve written about my love for both that book and the Manhunter saga at some length elsewhere). Goodwin is also rightly remembered and praised as a top-notch scribe of Star Wars comics; codystarbuck said he thinks Goodwin wrote the best Star Wars stories, and it’s hard to argue with that. Back when Marvel’s series was being published, I often avoided it because, well, I really hated Infantino’s art back then (still not the biggest fan of it even now). But any time I picked up an issue or two, I always enjoyed the story – such was Goodwin’s talent. (And just a tangent: I think what Lucas should have done back in the 1990s, before Goodwin's untimely death obviously, was offer Goodwin, along with – I think Confessor would also agree with me here – Jo Duffy and David Michelinie, the opportunity to write the screenplays for next SW trilogy, and let them use the characters from the original trilogy instead of insisting on those ill-advised prequels. The world would have gotten some far better movies I think…)
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,197 
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Post by Confessor on Dec 22, 2020 15:09:55 GMT -5
That's a very cool photo to have. Nice one. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 22, 2020 17:16:17 GMT -5
3. Alan Moore
Swamp Thing
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
From Hell
V for Vendetta
Tom Strong
Watchmen
1963
Miscellaneous DC comics, including "Whatever Happened to You Know Who?"Can't add much to what has been said so well so far. Moore is one of the very, very few writers whose work I would buy sight unseen for a while there. Have to admit that the last/third series of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen put me off. Nayland Smith and Minna Harker in the park or wherever it was seemed exploitative at best and extremely creepy at worst. Top Ten and Promethea didn't float my canoe either. But, until then, I found Moore's scripts challenging, enlightening, and imaginative. Earlier someone said that (I'm paraphrasing) he saw through the conventions and silliness of comics and exploded them, but in as loving a way as one might do that. That a writer who brought new meaning to the word "horror" -- and not just in comics -- would also be the author of some of the most loving, affectionate tributes to the very whimsy and innocence that he often satirized and mocked is certainly a tribute to his protean talents. In Watchmen, League, and of course, From Hell, Moore's endnotes, annotations and commentary made the books themselves twice the attraction. In Swamp Thing and many another story, he introduced us to concepts and areas of knowledge we might never have encountered otherwise and made them as fascinating to us as they were to him and made us (at least made me) want to explore them further. Not just a fine writer and craftsman, but also in that sense the best of teachers, as well.  He also wrote one of the most chilling moments ever, anywhere: {Spoiler: Click to show}  If he'd written nothing else but "Down Among the Dead Men" in Swamp Thing Annual 2; or "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" in the final pre-Crisis issues of Action and Superman;" or "For the Man Who Has Everything" in Superman Annual 11, he would be on this list and a comics immortal. Can't say much more without sounding as if reading a Moore story is a religious experience, but it does seem as if no comic trope, idea, character or convention has ever been mined for all its value unless and until Alan Moore writes a story about it. Fun Fact: I played softball with Alan Moore for well over ten years. He was a left-handed pitcher and the most enthusiastic teammate I ever had in nearly 40 years of playing. He was also a mail carrier. 
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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 22, 2020 19:00:09 GMT -5
On the Tenth day of Classic Comics Christmas I give unto thee... Doug Moench Clocking in at third place is the man with the most awesome 70's look in all of comics: Doug Moench. But he doesn't make it so high up on my list based on looks alone, oh no, he won his place most deservedly with some absolutely stellar writing. As I've said previously Batman was a big influence on the creation of this list and his various runs on Batman through the 80's and 90's are certainly some of my favorite stories. In particular, his storyline "Prey" running from Legends of the Dark Knight #11-15 is one of my all time favorite Batman stories and it boggles my mind that such a fantastic psychological look at the character hasn't made its way to the silver screen as it just seems ripe for adaptation.
However, if all Moench had ever done was Batman he wouldn't have rated this high on my list...but fortunately he's a writer of many talents crafting stories in just about every genre you can imagine. From some of the best horror short stories ever put out by Warren to fantastic action/ adventure stories like those in Master of Kung Fu and Conan to sci-fi greats like Aztek Ace and Six From Sirius and even the odd romance tale. What ever you're in the mood for there's sure to be an excellent story penned my Moench to suit your fancy. |
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Post by Paste Pot Paul on Dec 22, 2020 20:36:11 GMT -5
10. Warren Ellis
Planetary, The Authority, and Nextwave
 If Id written this 10 years ago, my clear winning choice would have been the Authority(with the last of Stormwatch thrown in for good measure). It is the book that introduced me to Ellis, the one that blew my mind, and the one I stayed with the longest(at this time young family, shit job, little disposable income). I have and will always have a love of alternate earth stories, and parts of this reminded me of the Captain Britain strips I'd seen. The totally new take on those archetype characters, the "Widescreen", it all appealed in a massive way to me. Heroes Return and Batman/Bane and Clones were all fresh, and the utter lack of anything to read was disheartening. Planetary then was a close second, with its fresh take on capes and pulp heroes, but in the last decade or so this book has come to mean a lot more to me. I guess the ability to binge the whole series at once makes this better as a whole, while Authority eventually got watered down. Finally Nextwave, sheer delight. Take a bunch of has beens and just have fun with them
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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 22, 2020 21:47:05 GMT -5
3. Roy Thomas :
Comics resume: Avengers, Conan, Warlock, Captain Marvel, Thor - Celestial saga, All Star Squadron, Created Vision, Red Sonja, etc etc etc…
Roy Thomas is such an important figure for Marvel Comics. If not for his continuation of Stan Lee’s vision of a universe where continuity was essential to the comic characters, the company might have gone away. Nothing was certain, many comic companies that were flourishing back in the 60’s and 70’s are no longer around. As for his actual stories, he expanded Lee and Kirby’s work by writing the famous Kree/ Skrull War which introduced and connected the two civilizations in a classic story. He introduced Conan into the comic universe and redefined characters like Warlock ( as the cosmic Jesus) and Captain Marvel as the Marvel Shazam Captain Marvel. But what Thomas really brought to his writing was love. He loved comics from the Golden age and he showed his love with his All Star Squadron series. He took over the Avengers series and introduced the Vision who became a superstar for the series. I enjoyed his FF run and he never disappointed when he took over a book. One of my favorite stories was when he had the Avengers face off against the Sentinels. The conclusion had Pietro’s ( Quicksilver) story continued into The FF book.   {Continued here} The story is concluded in FF # 131 
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Post by foxley on Dec 23, 2020 3:19:23 GMT -5
3. Mike W. BarrAlthough, now I am starting to wonder if I am secretly brutalis (or vice versa)? Barr is both a very reliable writer and great storyteller. But I think many people forget how much of an innovator he can be. Camelot 3000 was the first maxi-series, the first depiction of a lesbian relationship in mainstream comics, and touched on transgender issues that would not become common comics (or any mainstream media) for decades. But, more than that, Camelot 3000 is just a spectacular piece of storytelling. It was one of my all-time favourite works related to the Arthurian mythos. There are a couple of 1980s political references that have not aged well (although part of me wonders how much input Brian Bolland had into those), but they do not interfere with my enjoyment. I have lost track of how many times I have read this story, and I will undoubtedly go back reread many times in the future, and enjoy just as much every time. In previous 12 Days lists, I have voiced my opinions that the pairing of Barr and Alan Davis on Detective Comics is one of the unjustly underrated runs on the Bat-books. However, they had the misfortune to be working on Detective at the same time that Frank "CATWOMAN IS A PROSTITUTE" Miller was doing his overrated "Year One" at Batman. but while Miller left after those four issues (presumably to start planning his masterwork in which Batman murders every Muslim in the world), Barr and Davis kept going and produced classic after classic. Their run included the two-parter where the Joker transforms Catwoman back into a villainess; "My Beginning...And My Probable End" which created the modern of Leslie Thompkins, including making her a doctor and establishing her role in raising the orphaned Bruce; "Fear For Sale", which is the closest thing there is to a classic Scarecrow story; and the 50th anniversary story in which Batman teams up with Sherlock Holmes. Internal politics forced Davis off the book, but Barr kept writing for about a year after he left: teamed with a variety of artists including Todd McFarlane, Norm Breyfogle and Jim Baikie. None of these issues quite hit the heights of the Barr/Davies (although the story that reintroduced the largely forgotten Crime Doctor to Batman's rogues gallery comes close), but Barr's writing was consistently strong. And after Barr left, the new creative team on Detective was Alan Grant, James Wagner, and Norm Breyfogle. small wonder I consider this to be *my* era of Batman. And, of course, then there is The Maze Agency. Readers of previous 12 Days lists will know of love for this title. I will try to keep this brief. Many writers say that the most difficult genre to write well is the fairplay whodunnit. Doing so in a visual medium just raises the degree of difficulty. Barr does this brilliantly, and even with difficulty of crafting an engaging mystery, he does it without sacrificing story or characterization. Quite frankly, these books are worth reading just to enjoy the interplay between Jen And Gabe.
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Post by EdoBosnar on Dec 23, 2020 4:59:53 GMT -5
Barr came under consideration for me, but I just don't think I've read enough of his work. For example, I've never read Maze Agency (although I really would like to). Also, while I liked it for the most part, I found certain aspects of Camelot 3000 a bit disappointing. However, I do really like his work on Batman - and not just during his run on Detective. Otherwise, I agree with everything you said about Frank Miller and Batman. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 23, 2020 12:11:15 GMT -5
Random thoughts on Day Ten...because there are still a few newbies.
Mike W. Barr - I didn't even think of Barr. He wouldn't have made my list, but I'm surprised I didn't think of him at all. The Maze Agency is a great book that filled a unique niche. I liked his run on Detective. And I like Batman and the Outsiders at the time, though I suspect it wouldn't hold up well. I will say that Camelot 3000 left me completely cold.
Barrie Tomlinson - I got nuthin'.
William Messner Loebs - I feel super bad I didn't think of Messner Loebs. Journey was an amazing book. It's a shame the collections are far out of print. I also love both Epicurious and Jonny Quest. Would not have made my list, but probably should have been an honorable mention I thought about.
Charles Biro - Biro is one of those historical names I know, but I'm quite sure I've never read anything he wrote.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Dec 24, 2020 9:45:39 GMT -5
3. Neil Gaiman
Lots of people have said more, better things than I can.. Gaiman was the guy the showed me comic books could be awesome without men in tights... I loved Books of Magic.. the Fairie stuff is great.. only made better in Sandman.
And, of course, he's just a great writer in general. I'm not a fan of American Gods, but everything else he's ever done is amazing.
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Post by MWGallaher on Dec 24, 2020 11:49:33 GMT -5
3. Doug Moench Image from Batman #483--I have the original art to this page and the 3 pages leading up to it.In 1992, I had the pleasure of meeting my comic art idol Jim Aparo at the Chicago convention, at one point dining with him and the man responsible for scripting Jim's current gig, Batman. I was so in awe of Aparo, getting this opportunity to spend hours and hours talking with him throughout the two days, that I wasn't very interested in meeting other pros. But it suddenly hit me. This was Doug Moench across the table from me. The guy that had written so many comics that I had not only enjoyed, but had been devoted to on a don't-miss-an-issue basis. GodzillaPlanet of the ApesShogun WarriorsElectric WarriorRampaging HulkKa-Zar
Mr. Miracle... At that point, 20 years into my collecting and reading, I was only beginning to be discriminating with respect to writers, and I had not done a retrospective to identify which writers from my earlier days of comics had really stood out. At that point, I put it together: this guy was absolutely one of my favorite comics writers, I'd just never recognized it for myself.
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Post by Calamas on Dec 29, 2020 0:38:29 GMT -5
Steve Englehart
My three final selection, not surprisingly, focus first and foremost on character. I’ll let Mr. Englehart explain it:
“I've always been primarily interested in people, and my attitude towards how people should live their lives--or what they do with their lives--is that they progressed upward. When I was doing comics, I think I was the only writer who first figured out what my characters were going to move on to and then think of a villain for them to fight. . . . I'm interested in people. I want to see them move on.”
That’s it. The primary focus of his whole career. It’s how a Vietnamese prostitute becomes the Celestial Madonna. It’s how Captain America can become so disillusioned that he becomes Nomad, and then finds his way back again. And unlike with so many inferior talents that followed him, this isn’t change for the sake of change. Because everything starts with character, there were real reasons for every step of the journey. And despite the preference Englehart stated above, not all journeys can move upward. So Englehart gave us Mark Shaw during his Justice League run. His characters had to evolve, regardless of the direction.
It’s a shame he can’t work today. No, comics haven’t passed him by. But the way comics are made today have rendered Englehart ineffective. Gone are the days when new Bat-Editor Dick Giordano would tell Gerry Conway, “I want Batman back in Wayne Manor. I also want this, this, this and this; I don’t care how you do it. Now go have fun.” Englehart thrived under conditions like that. Today editors want to know where you’ll be a year from now, six months from now, next month. For the most part Englehart never knew that. He had plans and ideas, and with each issue completed he knew the characters better and saw the future clearer. That was the key to his success. All he needed was a firm grasp of past continuity and an eye on the horizon, and the characters would take care of the rest.
It’s why Steve Englehart regularly ended up at the top of my comic stack.
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Post by Rob Allen on Dec 29, 2020 12:50:36 GMT -5
3. Steve Englehart
See above.
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Post by Calamas on Dec 30, 2020 13:47:07 GMT -5
Couldn't have said it better myself.
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