2017, you were a… year. In and amongst some arduous times, to say the least, were some amazing comic book experiences. Starting today, the team at Comicosity are talking about the best of the best in the year that was, including:
- Best Colourist
- Best Editor
- Best Letterer
- Best Artist
- Best Writer
- Best Graphic Novel
- Best Single Issue
- Best Series
We continue with the Best Editors of 2017 right here:
MJ Rae
Shelly Bond
Bond is back, and using her witchcraft to launch Black Crown, a new punk rock imprint with some heavy-hitting new titles. Bond brings her personal style and skills from decades at Vertigo to create a cohesive, striking line of comics.
Bond’s best move is her choice of creative teams. Pairing comics veterans with some of the brightest stars of the current scene makes for layered, innovative comics that break the traditional mold.
John Ernenputsch
Jamie S. Rich
There are a lot of editors who are really good at their job, but Jamie Rich stood head and shoulders above them all in 2017. Not only was he the group editor for the Young Animal imprint, but he also edits Tom King’s stellar run on Batman. To top it all off he is the editor behind the team of Tom King and Mitch Gerads, the Mister Miracle team, and arguably the absolute best creative team in comics. His workload doesn’t appear to be slowing down either, as 2018 will see the first Young Animal/DCU crossover featuring some of the best talent in the industry. To be honest, picking Rich as best editor might just be the easiest choice for this year end list.
Runner-Up: Wil Moss
Doug Zawisza
Brittany Holzherr/Dan DiDio
Brittany Holzherr and Dan DiDio are credited with editing Kamandi Challenge, and to their credit, this book has been a stunning “Who’s Who” of comic book creators. Even more impressive is the fact that the series has done so and stayed on track. Editors have two major tasks in comic book production: meet deadlines and curate (discover/cultivate/beg/plead/bribe) talent. This duo has done both and deserves to celebrated for, well, doing their jobs.
Runners-Up: Jamie S. Rich, Alex Antone, Jordan D. White
Matt Santori
Joseph Illidge
Introducing a swath of new heroes — Black, Latinx, Asian, queer, cognitively disabled — is challenge enough in a crowded comic book marketplace, but editor Joe Illidge (and editorial assistant Desiree Rodriguez) didn’t stop there. He and the team at Lion Forge doubled down, ensuring that not only were the faces on the page diverse, but that the roles behind the page were inclusive. The Catalyst Prime universe is filled to the brim with voices that super-hero comics have only sparingly included in the past eight decades. And the proof of success is just how smart and compelling the books are. From Noble, Accell, and Superb to Kino, Astonisher, the Incidentals, and Summit, Illidge’s work on Catalyst Prime is a template for how to do business in 2018 and beyond. Take notice, publishers.
Aaron Long
Jamie S. Rich
Mister Miracle. Batman. Doom Patrol. BUG! The Adventures Of Forager.
I’m just scratching the surface of titles edited by Jamie S. Rich in 2017 and they are solid fucking gold. Some comic fans follow writers. Some comic fans follow artists, colourists…you name it. I’m following Jamie S. Rich anywhere he chooses to edit in the future.
Runners-Up: Andy Khouri, Wil Moss
