For those who pay any attention to signatures, you may have noticed in mine I kept track every week of the best X-Men and non-X-Men comic. Using this I figured out which creators appeared the most times in the pages of the finest issues. It is a bit unconventional measure in some ways (comics are only considered relative to those coming out the same week) but I still feel it provides a good idea of who is week in and week out consistently giving us quality books to read.
Note that in comics it isn't always clear how much of effective storytelling is due to author or due to artist. Therefore I did not consider writers and artists separately; if a story was the best, both the writer and artist received credit for that story. Thus the artists aren't necessarily who I would pick as my stylistic favorites, but they are the ones who were often involved in the best issues of the year.
So to my list, and in response I would love to see your own opinions about who did the best work in 2020.
X-Men Comics
Writers
1. Jonathan Hickman
Anyone who knows my opinion of the Hickman era of X-Men Comics overall might be surprised by this (hint: it makes me nostalgic for Chuck Austen), but the reality is whatever my thoughts are in general, most of the best individual issues of this era are being written or co-written by Hickman himself. The ambition of his ideas is impressive and while he has introduced grand concepts both good and bad, it has always generated discussion of interest among us fans. It cannot be denied that Hickman has been the person most responsible for breathing new life into the franchise.
Highlight Issues this year: New Mutants #5, X-Men #6 and #8 and #10-11 and #15, Empyre X-Men #1 and #4, Giant-Size X-Men Storm #1, X of Swords Stasis #1
2. Gerry Duggan
From some of the cast choices to the concept to even the title of the book, Marauders was met with a heavy dose of skepticism by many when it was announced. Fast forward and I don't think any other run in the X-books this year met such consistent praise as Duggan's has. Hickman might have built the new X-world, but Duggan has made it fun to live in.
Highlight Issues this year: Marauders #5-6 and #8-12 and #14-15
3. Benjamin Percy
Asking whether you can handle the truth of what it takes to protect a nation, Percy has written provocative issues about the lengths X-Force will go to in defense of Krakoa. And while it doesn't reinvent the wheel, he has made another fine entry into the long tradition of Wolverine solo runs. Further cementing his third place, Percy gave us some lemonade out of lemons by writing some of the better issues of what turned out to be a pretty bad crossover in X of Swords.
Highlight Issues this year: X-Force #10, Wolverine #6, Marauders #14-15
Honorable Mentions:
Ed Brisson
Chip Zdarsky
Tini Howard
Artists
1. Stefano Casselli
As I previously mentioned, Duggan's Marauders run has often gotten high marks on the forums. Two artists were largely responsible for bringing the series to life and if one has to be placed on top I think it is Casselli. From the emotional aftermath of Kate's death in Marauders #8 (that Storm and Emma embrace
) to her triumphant rebirth in #11, many of the best moments of the run were put to paper by Casselli.Highlight Issues this year: Marauders #8 and #10-11 and #14-15
2. Matteo Lolli
And yet the other artist on Marauders did great work as well. Lolli has a good eye for action scenes and this can be viewed in the issue where Kate is killed and in that unforgettable Yellowjacket sequence in Marauders #9.
Highlight Issues this year: Marauders #5-6 and #9 and #12
3. Mahmud Asrar
Go look at his images of a massive Brood swarm devouring an Acanti and you will see the undeniable talent of Mahmud Asrar. It is no wonder he was chosen to do the climactic issue of X of Swords, featuring both a character-heavy moment of Cyclops and Jean reinstating the X-Men before the Council as well as an emotional action scene of Apocalypse battling his own wife to the death.
Highlight Issues this year: X-Men #8 and #15, X of Swords Stasis #1
Honorable Mentions:
Terry Dodson
Rod Reis
Matteo Bufagni
Non-X Comics
Writers
1. Al Ewing
In the beginning of the year Ewing is telling fantastic tales of Jane Foster's new identity as a mystical shepherd of the dead in Valkyrie and by the end of the year he is weaving murder mysteries into the science fiction of Guardians of the Galaxy and re-inventing the character of Star-Lord. Throughout all of this he is continuing a run on Immortal Hulk that will surely go down in Marvel comics history as one of the greats. Oh and did I mention he co-wrote the biggest event of the year in Empyre? And found time to write quality one-shots like Empyre Aftermath Avengers and Immortal She-Hulk? Also to debut a new series in the X-Men franchise with SWORD? Al Ewing should receive a literal knighthood for the work he has done in comic books.
2. Frank Tieri
This is probably a big surprise to some since Tieri did not write any ongoing comics at Marvel this year. However, and while I think much of the fanfare over it was unfortunately lost when it became disrupted by the pandemic, Tieri crafted a fun and creepy new corner of the universe centered around Ravencroft. Through the miniseries of that name as well Ruins of Ravencroft one-shots featuring the likes of Carnage and Sabretooth, he weaved a tale of horror that brought new revelations connected to Marvel history.
3. Nick Spencer
Amazing Spider-Man has been blessed with a history of talented creators and current writer Nick Spencer is no different. This year he put a fresh spin on classic characters from the tearjerker tale of Gog to the horrifying revelations in the long-simmering subplot of Kindred's identity and his unleashing of the resurrected Sin Eater.
Honorable Mentions
Saladin Ahmed
Donny Cates
Jed Mackay
Artists
1. Joe Bennett
As I stated above, Al Ewing's Hulk run will be long-remembered as a definitive chapter of the character's story. And Joe Bennett's artwork is inseparable from that. He has done the large majority of the issues of the run and along the way drawn images of unspeakable horror that have to be seen to be believed.
2. Valerio Schiti
Valerio Schiti was a key talent in this year's big Empyre event and it is not surprising that he was paired with Ewing again for the new SWORD series. He has a knack for great scenes of sci-fi and X-fans should consider themselves lucky they will get to enjoy his art in their titles in 2021.
3. Ario Anindito
Marvel has been pushing a slate of diverse new Asian heroes the past couple of years and Ario Anindito is an Indonesian artist who was one of the ones chosen to bring these characters to life and did so admirably through his work on the Atlantis Attacks series this year. Hopefully we see more both of them and him in the new year.
Honorable Mentions
Nic Klein
Ryan Ottley
Dike Ruan
