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Given my 20-book monthly limit, I've found myself relying heavily upon authors who've earned my trust. An example would be Charles Soule, whose dialogue and character development first won me over with "Superman/Wonder Woman". That got me to try his "Red Lantern" title, which earned him more capital, which led to "Thunderbolts" and even "She-Hulk" making my pull-list. I'd said in a previous post that I'd be skipping "The Death of Wolverine". Now that I know that Soule is on the book, I may be wavering on that. Other writers in this camp would include Geoff Johns, Dan Slott, and Mark Waid. For these authors (and several others -- it's a slowly expanding list), I'll occassionally overlook pet-peeves such as double-shipping, because the quality of their work justifies additional investment. "Superior/Amazing Spiderman" and "Daredevil" are current examples. Which authors would make your personal Mount Rushmore -- authors who, when you see their name linked to a title, you're almost certain to sample it?

Brian K Vaughn
Greg Rucka
Garth Ennis
Scott Snyder

A few current writers who are always the first to read...
Joshua Dysart (Harbinger)
Scott Snyder (Batman & The Wake)

...and a few I loved growing up.
Larry Hama - GI Joe
Frank Miller - Daredevil

I like the Vaughan and Snyder picks; I considered Snyder myself and am enjoying catching up on some of Vaughan's work. I'm not as familiar with Rucka and Ennis. Which of their works would you particularly recommend?

Chuck Dixon
Marv Wolfman
Mark Waid
Dan Jurgens
Frank Miller

While he hasn't been active in a while if Denny O'Neil were to ever write anything I would buy it without thinking.

Robert Venditti is also beginning to be in this class for me

Mark Waid is certainly in the group. As for others, I'd have to give that some thought. Geoff Johns, Dan Slott, Charles Soule, Peter David and a few others are in the running.

jacovny wrote:I like the Vaughan and Snyder picks; I considered Snyder myself and am enjoying catching up on some of Vaughan's work. I'm not as familiar with Rucka and Ennis. Which of their works would you particularly recommend?

Rucka-Lazarus(image), Cyclops (marvel now), Gotham Central(Dc),
Ennis-Preacher(vertigo), Rover Red Charlie, Caliban,(both Avatar)

Rucka's run on Wonder Woman a number of years ago was excellent.

fudd71 wrote:Chuck Dixon
Marv Wolfman
Mark Waid
Dan Jurgens
Frank Miller

Interesting that you put Dixon in that category. About 6 months ago a student gave me a stack of his "Punisher" comics as a gift, something she just randomly selected at Half Price Books. I really enjoyed his pacing and characterizations, enough that I pre-ordered the first three issues of IDW's "Winterworld" when I saw his name in the credits. So I have to credit Chuck Dixon and an 8-year-old little girl for starting me on my first non-licensed independent.

jacovny wrote:

fudd71 wrote:Chuck Dixon
Marv Wolfman
Mark Waid
Dan Jurgens
Frank Miller

Interesting that you put Dixon in that category. About 6 months ago a student gave me a stack of his "Punisher" comics as a gift, something she just randomly selected at Half Price Books. I really enjoyed his pacing and characterizations, enough that I pre-ordered the first three issues of IDW's "Winterworld" when I saw his name in the credits. So I have to credit Chuck Dixon and an 8-year-old little girl for starting me on my first non-licensed independent.

mt rushmore only has 4 faces fudd you gotta trim your list...thats why its so tough

drew102e wrote:

jacovny wrote:

fudd71 wrote:Chuck Dixon
Marv Wolfman
Mark Waid
Dan Jurgens
Frank Miller

Interesting that you put Dixon in that category. About 6 months ago a student gave me a stack of his "Punisher" comics as a gift, something she just randomly selected at Half Price Books. I really enjoyed his pacing and characterizations, enough that I pre-ordered the first three issues of IDW's "Winterworld" when I saw his name in the credits. So I have to credit Chuck Dixon and an 8-year-old little girl for starting me on my first non-licensed independent.

mt rushmore only has 4 faces fudd you gotta trim your list...thats why its so tough

You are correct and this wouldn't be my list for all-time but I was trying to think of current creators who are still publishing work as to be useful for someone looking for suggestions. If forced Mark Waid would be off, I still like his work but to be fair I don't read either Daredevil (still upset about 8 books in a month on the shadow land event) or Hulk (I have never cared for the character) neither of these are a reflection on Mr. Waid's writing but statements of my personal choices.

My all-time top 4 writers are slightly different but not vastly so.
Chuck Dixon
Denny O'Neil
Frank Miller
John Byrne

None of these men are currently as prolific as they once were. I am clearly a product of my time, that and being a Batman fan has greatly shaped this list. Dixon & O'Neil were the Batman office writers threw much of the 1980s & 1990s, Dixon particularly doing Detective, Robin, Catwoman and Birds of Prey all for long runs while Denny O'Neil was the group editor at the time and still wrote quite a few stories.Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns being such a monumental story for the character and my love of Sin City explains that one. John Byrne is still a creator I enjoy but I'm not a huge Star Trek fan so that has removed him from the buy anything list currently.

jacovny wrote:

fudd71 wrote:Chuck Dixon
Marv Wolfman
Mark Waid
Dan Jurgens
Frank Miller

Interesting that you put Dixon in that category. About 6 months ago a student gave me a stack of his "Punisher" comics as a gift, something she just randomly selected at Half Price Books. I really enjoyed his pacing and characterizations, enough that I pre-ordered the first three issues of IDW's "Winterworld" when I saw his name in the credits. So I have to credit Chuck Dixon and an 8-year-old little girl for starting me on my first non-licensed independent.

I hope you enjoy Winterworld, I know I loved the first issue. If you find you particularly enjoy it, the older trade is well worth reading as well.

While I certainly miss the art of Jorge Zaffino, Butch Guice while being different is certainly not a step down.

fudd71 wrote:...and this wouldn't be my list for all-time but...

This has me thinking my Mount Rushmore of comic book writers would be in a fairly frequent state of resculpting.

fudd71 wrote:Chuck Dixon
Marv Wolfman
Mark Waid
Dan Jurgens
Frank Miller

While he hasn't been active in a while if Denny O'Neil were to ever write anything I would buy it without thinking.

Robert Venditti is also beginning to be in this class for me

Even though Miller got the credit, Denny did more and before to update Batman then Miller ever did. And O'Neil's The Question is one of my all time favourite series.

Mine is pretty easy it would mostly draw from comics from my youth.

Larry Hama - The comic that got me into comics and shaped my expectations for what I want in a comic.

Mark Gruenwald - Captain America is my favorite character because of his run.

Chris Claremont

Kurt Busiek