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Best Artist
1.) JOHN CASSADY (Astonishing X-Men, Planetary)
When you pick up a book with John Cassaday artwork, you might as well be renting a DVD or going to the movies because he makes everything he draws look incredibly real. Whether it’s a Sentinel attack, a battle royal with Ord or a tense scene between Kitty and Emma, Cassaday makes you feel as if you’re right in the thick of things.
Other artists have been touted as being ultra-realistic in their style, but from my vantage point, Cassaday has two big things over the pack: smoothness and consistency. Cassaday’s style is clean, unmarred by signs of rushing, yet Astonishing X-Men ships monthly on a consistent basis (and he still manages the occasional issue of Planetary as well).
But of course Cassaday’s most powerful sequence, possibly the most emotionally moving scene this year in comics, was the return of Colossus in Astonishing X-Men #4, and, more importantly, Kitty Pryde’s reaction. The pain, confusion and stunned awe in Kitty’s heart were captured perfectly by Cassaday’s painstakingly detailed etchings with the unbridled rage of Colossus serving as wallpaper. The icing on the cake was Peter Rasputin transforming from steel to human form and crumpling into a bewildered Kitty’s arms; touching, heart-wrenching and, thanks to John Cassaday: beautiful.
-Ben Morse
Ben praises Cassaday’s work on X-Men above, and rightfully so. It is one of the most well composed, well layed out, most gorgeously rendered superhero books on the market. However, I reserve the majority of my props for Cassaday’s work on Planetary. Yes, it only comes out about 2-4 times a year, but every one of those issues is worth the wait. In his most recent effort, (Death Machine Telemetry), he took a script that was incredibly heavy in exposition and made it magical and nearly weightless. In another artist’s hands, it was an issue that could have easily folded under the pressure of all those captions. Instead, he excelled and the result was another excellent artistic edition of Planetary.
-Tim Stevens
2. Darwyn Cooke (DC: The New Frontier)
Darwyn Cooke doesn’t waste any lines. In fact his style looks deceivingly simplistic. But within that simplistic style he packs an emotional punch. “New Frontier” not only captures the essence of an era, but also makes it look alive and vital.
-Mathan Erhardt
Darwyn Cooke has not hit a false not since Batman: Ego and his efforts on New Frontier kept that streak alive. His art bucks convention in its choice to embrace an almost animated style of illustration. However, instead of being lightweight and overly shallow (as that art style is often stereotyped), Cooke’s has substance. It portrays a world of depth, where, despite its “cartoony” quality, the scenes are fully realized. They have shadows and light…they have meaning. Whatever it is you call Cooke’s approach (and it has earned a few nicknames in the past couple years) one thing is undeniable: it is powerful.
-Tim Stevens
3. Tony Harris (Ex Machina)
Ha, #3 eh? Who beat me? Cause I’m gonna give THEM the beatin’ of their lives!!!! Punks the lot of them!! You OUT there! Worship meeeeeeeeeeee!! Meet me in the parking lot #’s 1 and 2!! DEAD FREAKIN’ MEAT!!!!
– Tony Harris
Tony Harris has given us a working man’s hero. The Great Machine is nothing else if not practical. He also crafted one of the most shocking images of 2004; a single standing WTC Tower. And his snow covered NYC gives me nightmares of the blizzards I endured in Baltimore (thank goodness I live in Las Vegas now.)
-Mathan Erhardt
I sat next to Tony Harris the entire ride from Atlanta to San Diego this past year on the way out to the convention. I didn’t realize it until we got off the plane. His efforts on Ex Machina, while quite excellent, bring me pain every time I see them because they are a reminder. I sat next to Tony Harris. On the way to a comic convention. With a copy of Ex Machina sitting in my bag. And I never said a word. Well, I hope he takes it here in writing: excellent work, Tony, excellent work.
-Tim Stevens
I only had faint interest in Ex Machina when it launched. Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man is one of my current favorites) collaborating with Tony Harris (Starman is one of my all-time favorites) was interesting for sure, but a comic focused on the mayor of NYC, albeit a former superhero, didn’t jump out at me.
Ex Machina #1 began strongly and included one of the best final pages in comic history. Each successive issue has gotten better. Brian Vaughan’s writing has made the life of Mayor Hundred extremely exciting, but the artwork of Tony Harris has brought the series to life like I never would have imagined. Sure there are plenty of flashbacks to Hundred’s superhero days as The Great Machine, but the majority of the book is the life of a politician. And it looks and reads so good.
-Chris Delloiacono
4. Rags Morales (Identity Crisis, Hawkman)
“Wow, this is indeed an honor! Really, it’s my first award of any kind professionally, and my wife and I are thrilled! I started Identity Crisis in January ’04, and it’s been all encompassing. Winning this award puts a cap on a very special year for me, thank you to all who voted for Brad, Identity Crisis, and me!”
– Rags Morales
Without a doubt, this was the breakthrough year for one of comics’ most underrated artists, Rags Morales. With the success of Identity Crisis, Rags proved up to the task of rendering the entire DC Universe and depicting some of the most powerful scenes of emotion, from the perverse glee of Dr. Light to the agony of Ralph Dibny and Tim Drake. Rags also answered a call usually only heeded by George Perez and managed to cram about a hundred characters into one scene (several times) without giving anybody short shrift or missing any details.
Rags, with his incredibly detailed facial expressions and masterful use of shading, also served up some of the best action sequences of the year, from the amazing melee between Deathstroke and the classic JLA in Identity Crisis to the bloody war for Kahndaq in the forgotten gem from early this year that was “Black Reign” in Hawkman.
Rags Morales isn’t going to be comics’ best-kept secret anymore.
-Ben Morse
Whether it’s agony (Sue Dibny) perversity (Dr. Light) or dreaded fear (Tim Drake) Rags managed to give life to the characters of the DCU, through emotion.
-Mathan Erhardt
Rags Morales has been a favorite since his days on the wonderful Hourman series with writer Tom Peyer. Morales’s collaboration with Geoff Johns on Hawkman was another favorite. I was genuinely bummed when it was announced that both Morales and Johns were leaving Hawkman.
Of course, the work that Rags Morales has done on Identity Crisis in 2004 has made me forget all about Hawkman. Identity Crisis looks better than almost anything on the stands. Brad Meltzer is writing a story that is heart-wrenching and tragic. Without Rags Morales’s ability to render emotion this series could not have the effect it does month-to-month.
-Chris Delloiacono
5. Howard Porter (The Flash, Fantastic Four)
“Wow! What a pleasant surprise and honor it was to open an email and read this news. With the internet being nearly all the feedback a comic creator receives, this means a lot to me. Geoff and I have been having so much fun with Flash this year and it is good to see that other people have as well. Thank you very, very much.”
-Howard Porter
“He’s brought a hi-octane energy to the Flash. Couldn’t have a better guy working on the book.”
– Geoff Johns
The Flash is both my favorite character and my favorite title, so I hold the creators on the book to very high standards, and it’s been a long time since an artist was as right for the Fastest Man Alive as Howard Porter is.
I’ve been a fan of Howard since before his historic run with Grant Morrison on JLA, back when he was drawing The Ray. He’s a guy who infuses a sense of excitement into every panel with his style, his characters, his backgrounds, everything. Howard is more than just an artist, he’s a storyteller with the way he lays out his panels, places objects and figures in relation to one another and the little touches like Flash’s lightning effect when he runs or the saliva spewing from Grodd’s mouth. Just as he did on JLA, Howard ups the ante for every scene, makes every story seem more important and the stakes of every battle higher.
-Ben Morse
First and foremost he made the Turtle look threatening. He’s also given us a sullen Wally West (after his wife leaves him) as well as some revitalized Rogues. But clearly his biggest accomplishment was the subtle overhauling of The Turtle.
-Mathan Erhardt
Howard Porter is one of my all-time favorite artists and The Flash is my all-time favorite character. You could imagine how excited I was when Mr. Porter was announced as the new artist on The Flash.
Many times the talent cannot meet the hype or, more importantly, the expectations of a fan. Howard Porter has exceeded all of my expectations for The Flash. I’ve read nearly every Flash comic ever published, and I’ve got to say that the character has rarely looked as good as he does right now. Speed, grace, and grandeur are tough to capture. Many artists have failed to bring out a perfect Flash, Howard Porter makes it look easy.
-Chris Delloiacono
6. Cary Nord (Conan)
The main reason I started reading Conan was the .25 cent issue #0. The reason I stayed on was a mixture of Robert E. Howard’s wonderful source material, Kurt Busiek’s amazing abilities as a writer, and, of course, Cary Nord’s awe-inspiring artwork. Nord’s take on Conan makes me feel like I’m reading and seeing a historical accountâ€â€seriously. Many of these panels, or pages, would be worthy of inclusion in a museum exhibit. Conan’s a character with a strong literary tradition, so reading great Conan material isn’t that hard. The comics need to be brought to life with a master’s touch, otherwise we could just read Howard’s originals. Nord is one of the masters that has made Conan one of the best titles of 2004.
-Chris Delloiacono
7. Jim Lee (Superman)
Anyone can draw a fanboy’s wet dream (Hush), but drawing a story full of dramatic tension and still managing to make it visually exciting and compelling is a feat. Yet Jim Lee does this every week on the pages of “Superman.” Plus I’d rather watch Bruce and Clark spar verbally than physically.
-Mathan Erhardt
What can you say that has not already been said? The man is Jim Lee. Two years running he has pushed icons to the top of the charts while managing one of the most innovative labels on the shelf (Wildstorm). The question is not whether or not he’ll make the list next year, it’s just what project will get him there.
-Tim Stevens
8. John Romita Jr. (Amazing Spider-Man, Wolverine, The Gray Area)
Thank you very much for this honor. I really don’t have a clue how to react…but I’ll try. It seems any award I’ve received (.. this is the second…) has one common element… I should say, two, common elements. The Amazing Spider-Man title and J Michael Straczynski are the two major factors in both awards sent my way. It is an honor and a privilege to work on Spider-Man and with JMS. I look forward to working on the character, and with the writer, again, in the future!
– John Romita Jr.
The term “legend” is thrown around quite a bit in comics. John Romita Jr. is a true legend, and he’s still on top of his game. Reading a comic that John Romita Jr. drew is like watching Babe Ruth, Bobby Orr, or Julius Erving in their prime. While it was sad to see JR JR’s long run on Amazing Spider-Man come to an end, it’s exciting to see his work on Wolverine, Gray Area, and next year’s Black Panther.
-Chris Delloiacono
9. Michael Turner (Superman/Batman)
Say what you will about Michael Turner. It is an invite much of the internet community has been more than happy to accept. The detractors and fans of the man seem legion. One thing neither side can debate, however, is that he moves comics. Superman/Batman dominated the charts for most of ’04, despite complaints about its lateness. He kept his Aspen imprint afloat while other non-big three companies (Dreamwave, CrossGen) found themselves facing bankruptcy. Turner may attract buzz, good and bad, but one thing is for certain…everyone is talking.
-Tim Stevens
10. Salvador Larocca (X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, Ultimate Elektra)
Salvador Larocca is the most under appreciated artist in the comic book industry; he’s so good at everything he does, his work so beautiful, that he’s just come to be taken for granted. Every review of a Salvador Larocca book is basically just “…oh, and it’s Larocca, so of course the art is good.”
Well Salvador Larocca is better than just “oh, of course it’s good,” he’s damn brilliant! With every issue he draws, Larocca improves; drawing every character with majesty and beauty of detail they’ve likely never received before and may never will again. The surfaces of every object and building look real because Salvador draws every grain of sand and every line on every brick; his dedication to detail and realism is incredible.
Next time you see a piece of Salvador Larocca art, don’t take it for granted, take it all in and appreciate it because the man is a true jewel in the industry.
-Ben Morse
Be here tomorrow for Best Villain. I would say Doom demands it, but I’d hate to give anything away.
