Two Questions: Who's on Your Mount Rushmore?



Martinex1: Today we have two questions based on a poll I posted recently on twitter.  Here is the poll and the results.

Because twitter had limitations regarding the number of choices and options, let me pose the question to you a little differently:


QUESTION 1: Who is on your comic book artist Mount Rushmore?  Name four artists that you think should be on the monument.  It is open to any artists from any genre of comics.  Tell us why you chose your selections.   Here are some options (this list is definitely not all inclusive):


Jack Kirby, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, John Byrne, Wally Wood, John Buscema, Frank Miller, Steve Ditko, John Romita Sr., Joe Kubert, Neal Adams, Will Eisner, Jim Steranko, Gil Kane, George Perez, Gene Colan, Jim Starlin, Bill Sienkiewicz, Marie Severin, Mort Drucker, Joe Shuster, Carmine Infantino, Todd McFarlane, Bill Everett, Sal Buscema, Paul Smith, Don Heck, George Tuska, Michael Golden, Carl Barks, Mike Ploog, Jim Aparo, Amanda Connor, Bill Finger, Frank Frazetta, Moebius, Fiona Staples, Walt Simonson, Bob Bolling, Stan Goldberg, Harry Lucey, Ramona Fradon, Bob Montana, Dan DeCarlo, Frank Robbins, Nick Cardy, Bernie Wrightson, etc.

QUESTION 2: Who is on your comic book writer Mount Rushmore?  Name four writers that you would honor in this way.  Again, it can be a writer from any genre of comic book, and again tell us why you made the choice you did.  Consider anybody that has written comics including but not limited to:

Stan Lee, Bob Haney, Chris Claremont, Al Feldstein, Grant Morrison, Jim Shooter, Edmond Hamilton, Art Spiegelman, Doug Moench, Roger Stern, Mark Waid, Otto Binder, Jack Kirby, Bill Mantlo, Roy Thomas, Frank Miller, John Byrne, Ann Nocenti, Bill Mantlo, Alan Moore, Gardner Fox, Joe Gill, J,M, DeMatteis, Gail Simone, Gaiman, Peter David, Denny O'Neil, Jim Starlin, Mark Gruenwald, Kurt Busiek, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Jeph Loeb, Don McGregor, Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, etc.


Cheers all!

c

  

Rank and File: The Year's Best Comic Stories, 1976!

Redartz:  Welcome once again, folks, to another assessment of the finest comics offerings of the year. The year 1976, that is- and a mammoth year it was. Treasury Editions, Annuals, beginnings and endings, it had it all. Loads to choose from, and as always my picks are subjective,  based upon my own readings and memories. And in this case, the tally is heavily Marvel-tilted. Ah, but the House of Ideas was running in high gear in '76. Let's have a look...



 

Superman vs. Spider-Man- "The Battle of the Century", by Gerry Conway, Ross Andru and Dick Giordano.  How could the initial meeting between the marquee characters of the Big Two not make a best-of list? An oversize edition, fitting the big story. Oh, and Neal Adams and John Romita helped out a bit, too.










 



Howard the Duck 3- "Four Fingers of Death", by Steve Gerber, John Buscema  and Steve Leialoha. One of my favorite HTD tales. Gerber ponificates a bit, but the story is great and so is the art. Brunner and Colan may be better known as Duck artists, but Big John delivers  here, as always.










 



Tomb of Dracula 44-  "His Name is Doctor Strange", by Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer. This nomination could go to either this book or to the conclusion of the story in Dr. Strange  14. But ToD gets the nod, in consideration of the overall high quality of the book...



 





 


Avengers 148- "20,000 Leagues Under Justice", by Steve Englehart, George Perez and Sam Grainger. The Avengers was hitting another high point here, and this wild tale with the Justice League (excuse me, Squadron Supreme) is one of the best of a solid run.



 






 



Warlock 15- "Just A Series of Events", by Jim Starlin. Starlin wraps up his Warlock series with his typically talented tendencies. And he inks himself, bonus!



 








 



X-Men 101- "Like A Phoenix, From the Ashes", by Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum and Frank Chiaramonte. Juggernaut and Black Tom Cassidy are there to help introduce us all to Phoenix. And her story was just beginning...



 






 


Amazing Adventures 39- "Mourning Prey", by Don McGregor and P. Craig Russell. The final issue in McGregor's Killraven epic, and it was a memorable sendoff. And Russell's linework is a beautful thing.



 







 




Fantastic Four 176- "Improbable as it May Seem- the Impossible Man is Back  in Town", by Roy Thomas, George Perez and Joe Sinnott. A romp of a story, generously filled with humor and many Marvelous guest stars.



 





 


Thor Annual 5- "The War of the Gods", by Steve Englehart, John Buscema and Tony DeZuniga. A Cinemascope-sized look at a younger Thor, battling with a younger Hercules. If Cecil B. DeMille did a comic, it would have looked like this.



 







 



All-Star Comics 64- "Yesterday Begins Today", by Paul Levitz and Wally Wood. Vandal Savagevs. the JLA, by Paul Levitz. And Wood art on top  of that? This book was at the apex of DC's stack in76.

Ten titanic tales, culled from the cream of comics in the Bicentennial Year of the USA. These books all reside very fondly in my memory, but the question remains: do they bring a smile to you as well? Or did you have other favorites that year, and if so, enlighten us all; and share your Best of 1976 list!