The year is almost drawing to a close, meaning that it’s time for everyone to look back on the stories and media that brought them joy over the past 365 days. For those of us at ComicBook.com, that means celebrating the year’s best in comics, television, movies, anime, and games as part of our third annual Golden Issue Awards.
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There really was no shortage of exceptional comic writers this year, with every week bringing readers beautifully constructed narratives. Narrowing that pool down to our list of nominees wasn’t easy as so many comic writers deserved praise for the work they’ve put out in the past year. But for those of us at ComicBook.com, one writer stood above the rest.
And the winner of Best Writer is…
Kelly Thompson!
Thompson began the year signing an exclusive deal with Marvel Comics, the impact of which ruminated across 2018. Throughout the year, Thompson reminded readers of how great Rogue and Gambit are together, taking the beloved X-Men couple through a slew of new life events in 2018. From Thompson’s Rogue & Gambit miniseries to Mr. and Mrs. X and beyond, she brought a love and humanity to the couple that fans have been waiting decades for.
Thompson gave fans an equally-powerful follow-up on a beloved character with her Jessica Jones miniseries, which had a surprise digital launch over the summer. The new Jessica story saw Thompson paving new narrative ground with the snarky private investigator, in a storyline that simultaneously felt sprawling and self-contained.
Addditionally, after wrapping up Kate Bishop’s solo run on Hawkeye, Thompson brought the character (and some friends) to a new iteration of West Coast Avengers. While West Coast Avengers might only be a few issues in, it’s already brought readers so much sun-kissed delight and proven that its roster of characters are just as strong together as they are individually.
Thompson also brought some delightful stories to life outside of the Marvel world, most notably with Dynamite’s Nancy Drew. Alongside beautiful art from Jenni St-Onge, Thompson reinvented the iconic sleuth as an ombre-haired, wise-cracking, unbelievably relatable female lead in a series that has been an absolute joy to read.
In a world where the comic community and beyond regularly feels more divided than ever, Thompson’s work does a stunning job of reminding us of the relationships that unite us. Whether she’s putting a fresh spin on classic characters, continuing the legacy of old favorites, or crafting an entirely new story, Thompson has proven that she’s one of the strongest writers in this era of comics.
List of Nominees:
- Kelly Thompson [WINNER]
- Al Ewing
- Chip Zdarsky
- Donny Cates
- Jason Aaron
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Image courtesy of Marvel Studios. -
Image Credit: Marvel Comics
