I was editing my post to add this bit:

Not that Perez's run was less than phenomenal, or that he didn't do the heavy lifting on the production of the run for most of it (he gave up the art and wrote part of it later in the run), but there were a lot of cooks in the kitchen so I don't think he single-handedly redefined Wonder Woman.

while you were responding.

-M

#10 Michael Ramirez

He's a conservative editorial cartoonist who is currently working at Investor's Business Daily. In fact, he works as both the co-editor of the editorial page itself and cartoonist and has about four hours each weekday to make his deadline. He previously worked at the Commercial Appeal in Memphis and the Los Angeles Times. Mr. Ramirez is a two time winner of the Pulitzer Prize in both 1994 and 2008. The first time he won, there was a protest of his award. Since no one knew what he looked like in those pre internet days, he joined in the protest and still has one of the picket signs in his office.

He's on my list because he is one of the best in the business, in any form of media, at making the conservative political argument. He's #10 on this year's list, but when his Obama Administration cartoons are added in a decade, he's sure to climb higher.


up next at #9...Fantagraphics got him on this list with their reprints and volume 12 is on my Christmas list

What a perfect tribute to Eisner. He was on and off my list dozen times. If I was making a strictly intellectual list he would be at the top no doubt. And of course Eisner's work is rich with emotion, but the kid in me ended up being a bully and wouldn't let the old master on. Shame on me.

# 10: Steve Dahlman for Electro

In narrowing my list down I decided that I'd limit myself to one Marvel/DC guy - Not that I don't love it, it gets discussed plenty on these boards - And I figure y'all will have Kubert, Eisner, Everett, Wally, and both of the Jacks covered, right?

So I thought I'd go a little more Golden Agey.



Which required, at great personal sacrafice, me to lunk some TPBs down to the library to make some scans. I am a hero.

Anyway, Dahlman's work is like nothing I've ever seen in the 70 odd years since he was active in the industry. Wildly creative and effective designs combined with a weirdly two-dimensional, almost woodcut influenced style, mashed with a sense of page design that would be impressive by today's standards, and was pretty much unparalleled back in 1940.




Sadly, there doesn't seem to be much biographical information about him. In the introduction to the Marvel Mystery Comics volume where these appear, Roy Thomas is oddly dismissive - C'mon, Roy, this is so much better than the Human Torch! - and it seems like he dropped out of comics early in the '40s. Which is a damn shame. This is the same issue with the first, famous Human Torch vs. Sub-Mariner fight; but that's only the SECOND best thing in this comic. How can you not love a page which has a giant octopus menacing a shapely damsel, a bearded scientist and a robot beating up dragon men with a tree all on the same page?! (And I cut out the panel where Electro is juggling the dragon men like tenpins!)

#10 Phillipe Druillet

I definitely favour artists with over sized imaginations. When I am lucky enough to come upon that rare individual with the talent to match that imagination it is indeed a good thing. Every thing about Druillet was colossal and in full measure. The man cheated neither himself nor his reader and admirer. If Jack Kirby were to have grown up as young immigrant in France instead of as young scrapper in the the Lower East Side of Manhattan he would have become Druillet. Likewise if the prodigiously talented Frenchman were rather a young American born artist entering just entering comics Golden Age he would have become Kirby.

At least that's how I often dream of things. As it is Druillet is a massive visionary in his own right drawing his storytelling out of the most mystical, most forsaken, most illuminated, most psychedelic, most furiously savage corners of the cosmos. Sometimes his writing takes turns too cryptic (or maybe that is poor translation), but he ever trades in runic archetypes, and gods and devils. And he laughs a little with us along the way too.

Kirby aside, is there another more operatic weaver of story through the medium of comics than the utterly magnificent Phillipe Druillet?

There's little doubt in my mind that most of Kirby's work in the '70s (which I consider to be his best work) was heavily inspired by Druillet.

On the other hand, having just read The Six Voyages of Lone Sloan for the first time this week, I really struggled with the writing.

I therefore consider Druillet the superior artist, but Kirby the better overall package.