Ye Olde Comick Booke Meme
So, in response to Challenge of the Ye Olde Comick Booke Blogge, here's my list of 15 comics that I publish once I'm in charge of..erm...comics. I stuck to the big Two with a couple of exceptions, and you'll notice that I don't have an Iron Man title (maybe if I had 20 comics instead of 15), nor do Flash, Green Lantern, Superman, or most other heroes have a solo title. I also refused to give any writer/artist more than one book. I tried to strike a decent balance between long-established properties and trying to cover as much ground as I could. Oh, and dammit, some of these I just want to see.
The funny thing is, I could re-do this list a hundred times and get 15 different comics each time, depending on my mood. Weird, huh?
Anyhoo, on with the list!
Marvel
Avengers
Written by Kurt Busiek
Drawn by Mark Bagley
No surprises here, except for the lineup: Iron Man, Cap, Thor, Sue Richards, Dr. Strange, and ROM:Spaceknight, because in my comics world Marvel will have reacquired the license. And Sue Richards will be the leader of the group, because that's just an awesome idea. And Busiek is da man. (Hi, Kurt!)
(And if you think I didn't consider putting Busiek on every book on this list, you're crazy. Kurt, are you out there? Stop on by! Holla for ya people!)
Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Written by Ed Brubaker
Drawn by Tony Harris
For some reason, I see this being better than Brubaker's Captain America book, particularly because he gets to tell all sorts of spy stories instead of superhero ones (though he's largely been doing that with Cap anyway). Plus he gets all of S.H.I.E.L.D. to play with. Tony Harris just rocks, period.
Marvel Team-Up
Written by Darwyn Cooke
Drawn by Darwyn Cooke
This'll be the Marvel team up book, revolving partners and all. Darwyn Cooke should have a blast getting to play with the entire Marvel U, and it'd be an interesting bookend to New Frontier. Plus, we're guaranteed kickass art.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Written by Peter David
Drawn by John Romita Jr.
Because Peter David can make anything at least readable and very often fantastic. Also, JRJR drawing was pretty much a no-brainer.
Marvelous Tales of Suspense
Written by: Whoever damn well wants to
Drawn by: Whoever damn well wants to, especially if their name is Gene Colan, Master of the Universe(TM).
This is a catchall book, an anthology series for Marvel suspense/crime/horror stories be they long or short in any given month. Hey, maybe Bendis has a really good 8-page vampire story in him. Maybe this is where you give first-timers a chance with a story. The point is, I think this is a book that's needed. And yes, I'm probably alone in that thinking.
Fantastic Four
Written by: Mark Waid
Drawn by: Mike Weiringo
I know, I know. It's been done. But it was good, and there's no reason it wouldn't be again. Also: since my Sue Richards is off leading the Avengers, the fourth member of the FF is a captured/reprogrammed Doombot who now fights for good...or does he?
X-Men
Written by: Fabian Nicieza
Drawn by: John Cassaday
Because of the art, that's why. And Nicieza's underrated, in my opinion.
DC
Detective Comics
Written by Brian Azzarello
Drawn by Pablo Raimondi
OK, this one I kind of stole from Jake, but it's brilliant. I too was highly impressed by "Broken City", and think Azzarello would be perfect for the ongoing stories that feature Batman CRIME stories, not supervillain stories. Also, I loved Raimondi's look on the Madrox miniseries and think it would work well here too.
Brave and the Bold
Written by James Robinson
Drawn by Cameron Stewart
The DCU team-up comic. Starring Superman and a guest-of-the-month. And yes, this means that I don't have a solo Superman title. Mmmmm....Cameron Stewart art.
Phantom Stranger
Written by Grant Morrison
Drawn by Simone Bianchi
I just have nothing but love for this matchup. Morrison can write his whacked-out superhero/magic/myth/occult tales, and Bianchi can draw and paint the hell out of them. Of all the books I came up with, this is one I would most love to see.
JLA
Written by Robert Kirkman
Drawn by Butch Guice
I'd like to see Kirkman get a major team book, and I think his comic savvy and ability to not take things too seriously would be a benefit for this book that's been mired in the dark side of comics for the last three years. And Guice's work on JLA:Classified and Aquaman recently have been picture-perfect in my opinion, particularly the way he draws Superman.
Legends of The Golden Age
Written by: Gail Simone
Drawn by: J.H. Williams
This seems to me like it would serve the anthology/JSA-ish role well; a series of stories/arcs focusing on the Golden Age DCU, using any and all of those wonderful characters, continuity be damned. Simone sold me on Villains United; let's give her her own entire era to play with. I think she's got perfect sensibilities for this.
Diana: Woman of Wonder
Written by: Brian K. Vaughan
Drawn by: Phil Jimenez
This one was the hardest for me. I really want a Wonder Woman comic, but I've been aching to change that title for years now. I honestly couldn't settle on a writer, having briefly considered Rucka but thinking a change was in order. So BKV gets the nod here based on overall quality of work and real curiosity to see what would happen.
Other
The Shadow
Written by Warren Ellis
Drawn by Eduardo Risso
30s Pulp Hero Comic Vanity Project #1 on my list. Lamont Cranston has all the makings of an Ellis hero, and I think it'd be at least interesting to see Ellis' take on what's essentially a 1930s Bruce Wayne with powers. And Eduardo Risso's outstanding stylized noir look would be perfect for this, I think.
Flash Gordon
Written by Dave Gibbons
Drawn by Bryan Hitch
30s Pulp Hero Comic Vanity Project #2. Since Gibbons did such a good job on GLC:Recharge recently, and he's got the sci-fi vibe down pretty well, here's the galaxy-spanning episodic space adventure comic I've been wanting for a long time now. Bryan Hitch will get to draw his beautiful linework detailing new worlds and dynamic space battles.
There you have it. Man, I tried, but couldn't squeeze in Justin Palmiotti, Garth Ennis, David Michelinie, Mark Millar, Joe Casey, Greg Rucka, Frank Miller (although he was thisclose to getting the Nick Fury title), Walt Simonson, and a whole bunch of others. Like I said, if I made this list on a different day, you'd get 15 totally different answers.
6 Comments:
I'm finding the interesting part of this exercise to be finding the combinations that aren't completely impossible. Why can't a reprogrammed Doombot join the FF? His name could be Herb.
Totally agree on Nicieza's being underrated, and I put him on X-Men, too. And I like the Avengers squad, especially with ROM on it. Feels very Defenders-ish in its random effectiveness.
I couldn't squeeze an anthology book into my lineup, but I'd definitely buy Marvelous Tales of Suspense.
Avengers
Written by Kurt Busiek
Drawn by Mark Bagley
Bagley? I like Bagley a lot, but he doesn't fit Avengers for me.
Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Written by Ed Brubaker
Drawn by Tony Harris
Good pick. Just after Alias turned up, I thought Marvel were missing a trick by not putting out a spy book. Put Fury's name on the cover, but make it a team thing, really digging into the underbelly of the Marvel Universe. And tie it in, subtly, with the othr books, so that if one of Doctor Doom's labs is raided in Fantastic Four, you nevr know who did it unless you read SHIELD and see them pulling it off. Behind the scenes crossovers.
Brubaker's a good choice. I'm not that familiar with Harris, but I'll take your word for it.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Written by Peter David
Drawn by John Romita Jr.
Yes, except David's return to Spidey over in FNSM has been a directionless mess. I'd give Kirkman the gig. But you're spot on about JRJR. He said he was only taking a rest from Spidey (and to be fair, his last few issues showed that). That's enough resting now, John. Spidey needs you!
Marvelous Tales of Suspense
Written by: Whoever damn well wants to
Drawn by: Whoever damn well wants to, especially if their name is Gene Colan, Master of the Universe(TM)
This is a good idea. I've often thought that the Spidey line should be pared down to Amazing (and maybe Peter Parker) and a general "anything goes" Tales book in which you could do reprints, historical stories, out-of-continuity stories, stories surrounding supporting characters, eetc. A combination of Tangled Web, Webspinners, Untold Tales, and MTU, perhaps even as an anthology. I'd never thought about a similar thing for the wider MU, but it's a good idea. That said, US comic fans fear anthologies and the broadly-similar Aamazing Fantasy as died a death.
Fantastic Four
Written by: Mark Waid
Drawn by: Mike Weiringo
I didn't really take to their run, to be honest, although I did love Wieringo's art. I'd like to see one of the hard science fictioners have a go at the book, someone like Iain Banks (although he says he's unable to understand comics on a conceptual level). And Bryan Hitch to draw the spaceships and aliens and time portals and shit.
JLA
Written by Robert Kirkman
Drawn by Butch Guice
I'd like to see Kirkman get a major team book, and I think his comic savvy and ability to not take things too seriously would be a benefit for this book that's been mired in the dark side of comics for the last three years.
Yeah, which is why he's going to be doing Avengers. I've already explained this. :)
The Shadow
Written by Warren Ellis
Drawn by Eduardo Risso
Absolutely.
He did this in a recentish Planetary issue. Did you read that one?
And here are some I came up with on a message board just a couple of days ago (spooky!):
Thor by Jim Lee and Neil Gaiman. Gaiman does mythology well, and Lee's style is perfect for Marvel's larger-than-life Norse pantheon.
Amazing Spider-Man by Joss Whedon and Skottie Young. Whedon's humour is a good fit for Spidey, much more so than for the X-Men, and Young is an underrated artist who's funky artwork would be a great match for the funky character.
Doctor Strange by Alan Moore and Mike Mignola. Moore could do an excellent job with a magician character, and the moody mystical shenanigans would suit Mignola.
Batman by Tsutomu Nihei. Nihei gets in a bit of a rut with his projects, apparently remaking his Blame! again and again, but if forced to tone it down and instead of forcing Batman into his style, shaping his style to fit Batman, the result could be spectacular.
Sgt Rock by Garth Ennis and Carlos Ezquerra. I know this is Kubert's baby, but Ennis knows how to write a war story, and Ezquerra's art is perfect for depicting the grubbiness of conflict.
I might swap Mignola in on Thor, perhaps to write and draw once Gaiman/Lee leave (twelve isssues minimum!), and I might try the Sgt Rock team there on Captain America too.
Kelvin:
1) I'm thinking more of Bagley's pre-USM work here. At the least, it could be interesting. At worst, we're no worse off than...perhaps I'd just better stop there. :)
2) Yeah, David's FNSM hasn't impressed from what I've seen. But I've got to give him a book, and in my imaginary publishing world we have to have a Spidey book to keep the cash rolling in. :)
3) I confess that I've been waiting for Planetary to finish entirely (what is it, 5 more issues or something?) and then I'll sit down and read the whole thing.
4) Your Thor idea is brilliant. Yeah, Jim Lee would be perfect for that.
5) I wrestled with making Morrison/Bianchi Dr. Strange or Phantom Stranger. I went with PS because I put Strange in the Avengers.
6)I like the Sgt. Rock idea as well.
Plok: You're 100 percent correct that I don't 'get' the FF. :) Which is why I tried to make them interesting for ME. :-)
In that case, don't read forward to the "Shadow" issue of Planetary. You'll be in horrible spoiler territory if you do!
Morrison would be another good choice for Doc Strange, but I think I've put him on Hawkmen in my list, so Moore it is. Although he'd have to behave himself, or I'd stick Mignola on there alone.
And Plok, yes FF is about family, but it's also about spaceships and mole men and men the size of moons who eat planets and all that jazz. Because if it wasn't, it would be The Cosby Show, and that's not getting published as one of the fifteen. :)
Flash Gordon, written by Andy Diggle, Drawn by P. Craig Russel.
The Shadow. Written by Ed Brubaker, drawn by Guy Davis.
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