2021 had a lot of pressure on it. Following up on one of the worst years ever can’t be easy. While the outside world is still dealing with pandemics and the such, we are at least being blessed with some great comic books. This year, the writers brought their A game, bringing us some of the most entertaining stories in recent memory. Here are our picks for 2021’s best writers.
Marcus Orchard – Ram V
To be honest with you, all it took for Ram V to become my writer of the year is The Many Deaths of Laila Starr. That gorgeous miniseries is not only my favorite comic of the year, but it might be my all-time favorite mini-series. When you throw in some other hits, including the excellent Swamp Thing and Catwoman, you have a writer that ticks every box and reminds you of what makes this medium so special. Ram V was barely on my radar last year, but he has solidified himself as a writer that can sell a book to me just by putting his name on there.
Alex Marks – Tom King
Yeah, he’s still my favorite writer of the year. Rorschach and Strange Adventures wrapped up nicely and I have a lot of faith and hope in The Human Target – which I’ll probably be talking about this time next year. King just nails it for me. Even in Batman/Catwoman – a series I’m not too enthralled with – his writing just works great for me. I’m happy with everything he’s pumped out.
Zach – Rick Remender
Remender is my favorite writer in comics and while the story of Seven To Eternity didn’t quite hit for me, his time-hopping management in Deadly Class–an act that can discombobulate even the sturdiest narrative–has been admirable. Remender’s work in 2021 also included the first two issues of A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance, and while the writing in that book has remained threadbare thus far, I sense something special taking form.
Ethan Maddux – Tom Taylor
While there’s no short list of writers worthy of the title, I think it’s clear that this was Tom Taylor’s year. The guy’s been nailing it with hit after hit for years, but he flew just left of the mainstream radar with his alternate universe tales where he was able spin and twist stories unbeholden to ‘The Continuity’—plus, his overtly positive brand of character work being so often betrayed by his often dark tendencies is a fun contrast that fans always respond to.
Then, it seemed like the Big Two (more specifically DC, as per their recent exclusive signing of Tom) began to take him more seriously. It’s undeniably a smart move, as Taylor appears to hold so much love for every character he touches. He’s not a bad guy to keep around and pump out classics for a while.
The first notable change in Tom’s status at DC came with the announcement of Nightwing. This felt big, as this is one of DC’s most beloved characters who just went through one of the more controversial storylines in his history. Not only that, but it was to be drawn by his longtime collaborator Bruno Redondo. Editorial allowing that team on that book was a sign that they were listening, and now with the book being met with such critical and financial success, it was clear that Tom was meant for bigger things.
Things like Superman. With that book and the recent media frenzy it caused in mind, it makes me not care so much this year about what made a writer “better than” or “worse than” any other. In 2021 Tom, got new eyes on great books for good reasons.
Honorable Mentions: Christopher Cantwell, Donny Cates,
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