Britain v the US who has the best comic writers, I choose you Alan Moore

[Whirlysplat]

I agree that if you go by ratio, the UK certainly tops, but on the overall, more good and excellent work has come out of the US

Like?

I remember reading ten year old Lee and Kirby in reprint in the seventies it did not hold up in the same way 20 year old Moore does today in my opinion.

Bull****. You look at how those stories were told, not just content, and you'll find levels upon levels of complexity.

I don't disagree, I just don't think you'll find the same levels Moore et al have.

- Whirly

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I read Eisner's Contract With God story recently and found it quite relevant, almost thirty years after it was first published. Moore and Gaiman probably have more works that stand the test of time, but Eisner and others are still no slouches.

 

[Xofenroht]

Exactly my point. But standing from where I am today, Neil Gaiman is the best, then there's Alan Moore, afterwhich comes Eisner, then Lee. Neil Gaiman, I will always back up, because he's my favorite and without his works I would never have had my interest in comicbook writing peak like it has.
Aside from that, you have to cut some of these guys some slack in comparing them to legends like Eisner. Eisner was what...80-something when he passed away? Still writing at that age and still shoving these things out to the masses. None of the people we're comparing to him have even hit 70 yet, which means that's at least leaving them 30-40 years behind.
Besides, Neil winning the World Fantasy Award for best Short Story with Sandman #19 (I think) speaks multitudes. Sure Eisner was a GREAT influence on his and the work of many others, but the fact that this was accomplished only once and may never be accomplished again cannot be ignored. The greatest students surpass the teacher...

 

[Sandman138]

Also getting his book on the NY Times Bestseller list. I'm not trying to degrade Gaiman (I mean come on, it's me we're talking about here). It's just that the question was who has turned out the best comic writers, and with the US having Eisner, Speigelman, and McCloud I feel that they are at least on the level of Gaiman, Moore, and Ellis.

 

[Whirlysplat]

The US also had in the early/ mid seventies Scwhartzs Batman run, still in my opinion better than Miller. It amazes me though in these discussions no one mentions that incredibly underrated child writer and eventual editor in chief at Marvel, creator of Valiant and other companies Jim Shooter. He wrote some gold for the time he was writing.

 

[TheFalcon]

From the thread title and first post I think the thread starter is talking about writers active today.

I also agree with him that UK writers come out on top. The americans have been closing in lately with guys like Johns, Rucka and Vaughan, but UK has Grant Morrison and Alan Moore as well as many other great writers so they take the top spot.

 

[Whirlysplat]

From the thread title and first post I think the thread starter is talking about writers active today.

I also agree with him that UK writers come out on top. The americans have been closing in lately with guys like Johns, Rucka and Vaughan, but UK has Grant Morrison and Alan Moore as well as many other great writers so they take the top spot.

I was but even I went off ata tangent It's so easy to do, but that was my initial idea.

- Whirly

 

[Xofenroht]

The US also had in the early/ mid seventies Scwhartzs Batman run, still in my opinion better than Miller. It amazes me though in these discussions no one mentions that incredibly underrated child writer and eventual editor in chief at Marvel, creator of Valiant and other companies Jim Shooter. He wrote some gold for the time he was writing.

You're referring to "Prince Valiant" right? I liked that strip.

 

[Whirlysplat]

You're referring to "Prince Valiant" right? I liked that strip.

No, "Valiant" it was an independant company in the early 90's set up by Shooter, Layton and others using new and old "Gold Key" characters. After some problems he then created another Universe inside a year - the Defiant Universe with original titles like "Warriors of Plasm".

NB. I also liked Prince Valiant.

- Whirly

 

[Nasty-B]

I miss Valiant, they had some really interesting characters and a very coherently ordered universe.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

From the thread title and first post I think the thread starter is talking about writers active today.

From the thread title, I thought the thread starter was talking about Pokemon.

 

[Whirlysplat]

From the thread title, I thought the thread starter was talking about Pokemon.

You got that huh?

I miss Valiant, they had some really interesting characters and a very coherently ordered universe.

Acclaims take on those characters was not as good in my opinion.



- Whirly