2018 is almost upon us, but before we say goodbye to 2017 it’s time to recognize the greatness that this year had to offer in the realm of comics. That’s where ComicBook.com’s Golden Issue Awards come in.
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The entire staff at ComicBook.com came together to vote on their favorite comic writer from the past year. As you can imagine, whittling it down wasn’t easy, and brought about more than a few, let’s call them inspired conversations amongst the staff. Still, someone has to win but to be clear every writer on this list is exceptional and deserves any attention they receive. But only one could win.
And the winner of Best Writer is…
Writer Tom King seems to have an amazing grasp on the Dark Knight’s inner workings. His Batman is closed off but not curt, focused but more open to seeing other’s points of view, and somewhere along the line found a sense of humor despite not necessarily being comedic. King’s Batman is never exactly what you expect, and that’s when the Dark Knight is at his best.
King brought a fresh viewpoint to Batman’s rogues gallery as well, telling inspired stories with characters like Bane and Psycho Pirate (I Am Suicide) as well as the Riddler and Joker (The War of Jokes and Riddles). He introduced new characters into the mix too, developing Gotham and Gotham Girl into well-rounded heroes while also not ignoring classic characters like Catwoman. That longtime relationship got several more layers thanks to King’s work, ending in an unexpected but genuine payoff that left fans floored.
King’s work wasn’t restricted to just Batman. He also teamed with Mitch Gerads to deliver an altogether different take on Mister Miracle, creating something that defied expectations around every turn. Odds are you’ve never seen Mister Miracle quite like this, and King managed to give the character more depth than he’s received in some time, if ever.
List of Nominees:
- Tom King [WINNER]
- Christopher Priest
- Al Ewing
- Greg Rucka
- Brian K. Vaughan
