Rank the Vertigo Writers

[Hellpop]

So, from one to ten, how do you rank the writers of Vertigo? Pick any ten, with the caviat that they have to have at least written one major series for Vertigo. One exception: Alan Moore, who never actually wrote for Vertigo, but inspired the whole line. You can, BTW, use their non- Vertigo work in judging them.

Here's mine:

1. Alan Moore
2. Grant Morrison
3. Neil Gaiman
4. Peter Milligan
5. Garth Ennis
6. Warren Ellis
7. Brian Azzarello
8. Jaime Delano
9. Mike Carey
10. Bill Willingham

Just one guy's opinion.

[FanboyStranger]

This is a really tough list in that sometimes a writer will have done something truly fantastic outside of Vertigo, but produced something merely okay within the label. The guys who are not on my list but fits into that category are Dylan Horrocks, who produced one of the finest graphic novels in Hicksville, but only wrote the solid if unspectacular Hunter: Age of Magic for Vertigo, Bryan Talbot, who influenced the entire Vertigo line, especially in its early days, with The Adventures of Luther Awkright, but has really only done a few fill-ins and minis for Vertigo, Steve Gerber, one of the all-time greats with only the mini Nevada on his Vertigo C.V. (what ever happened to Nevada II?), and Eddie Campbell, who is my favorite with his Alec stories, but only wrote a few Hellblazers. So, here's my list:

1) Alan Moore (his shadow is just too long)

2) Grant Morrison (Seven Soldiers is going to surpass The Invisibles as his crowning achievement, in my opinion)

3) Neil Gaiman

4) Harvey Pekar (haven't read The Quitter yet, but that would certainly be a "major project", in my opinion; had one very fine movie made about him)

5) Howard Chaykin (by virtue of American Flagg alone; imagine, say, Transmetropolitan without it)

6) Matt Wagner (Grendal, Mage, and Sandman Mystery Theatre!)

7) Garth Ennis (Preacher and Hitman are must haves, but rest of his output is sort of hit-and-miss with me)

8) Peter Milligan (writer of what arguably is the best thing Vertigo's ever put out, Enigma)

9) James Robinson (another guy whose Vertigo input pales in comparison to outside work like Starman or The Golden Age)

10) Warren Ellis (his influence on the current crop of comics can't be overestimated, but a great deal of his recent output (meaning the "three and out" era, not Fell, Jack Cross, and Desolation Jones, which are too new to really judge) has tarnished his crown a bit

Feel free to tear it apart, point out how dumb I am, whatever... Brubaker would have been on the list if they only gave my beloved Deadenders more of a shot!

[Hellpop]

This is a really tough list in that sometimes a writer will have done something truly fantastic outside of Vertigo, but produced something merely okay within the label. The guys who are not on my list but fits into that category are Dylan Horrocks, who produced one of the finest graphic novels in Hicksville, but only wrote the solid if unspectacular Hunter: Age of Magic for Vertigo, Bryan Talbot, who influenced the entire Vertigo line, especially in its early days, with The Adventures of Luther Awkright, but has really only done a few fill-ins and minis for Vertigo, Steve Gerber, one of the all-time greats with only the mini Nevada on his Vertigo C.V. (what ever happened to Nevada II?), and Eddie Campbell, who is my favorite with his Alec stories, but only wrote a few Hellblazers. So, here's my list:

1) Alan Moore (his shadow is just too long)

2) Grant Morrison (Seven Soldiers is going to surpass The Invisibles as his crowning achievement, in my opinion)

3) Neil Gaiman

4) Harvey Pekar (haven't read The Quitter yet, but that would certainly be a "major project", in my opinion; had one very fine movie made about him)

5) Howard Chaykin (by virtue of American Flagg alone; imagine, say, Transmetropolitan without it)

6) Matt Wagner (Grendal, Mage, and Sandman Mystery Theatre!)

7) Garth Ennis (Preacher and Hitman are must haves, but rest of his output is sort of hit-and-miss with me)

8) Peter Milligan (writer of what arguably is the best thing Vertigo's ever put out, Enigma)

9) James Robinson (another guy whose Vertigo input pales in comparison to outside work like Starman or The Golden Age)

10) Warren Ellis (his influence on the current crop of comics can't be overestimated, but a great deal of his recent output (meaning the "three and out" era, not Fell, Jack Cross, and Desolation Jones, which are too new to really judge) has tarnished his crown a bit

Feel free to tear it apart, point out how dumb I am, whatever... Brubaker would have been on the list if they only gave my beloved Deadenders more of a shot!

Wow, I like your taste in comics. Yeah, I meant guys whom you would associate with the label. Other great indy guys who have worked for Vertigo include Paul Chadwick, Gilbert Hernandez, and Paul Pope. But I love all those guys you listed at the top of your list. Don't you wish you could go to Hicksville?

[Lubichev]

1. Alan Moore
2. Howard Chaykin
3. Brian Azzarello
4. Warren Ellis
5. Brian K. Vaughn
6. Neil Gaiman
7. Garth Ennis
8. Bill Willingam
9. Grant Morrison
10. Mike Carey

[stealthwise]

Moore
Gaiman
Ennis
Brian K Vaughan
Morrison
Ellis
Azzarello

[FanboyStranger]

Wow, I like your taste in comics. Yeah, I meant guys whom you would associate with the label. Other great indy guys who have worked for Vertigo include Paul Chadwick, Gilbert Hernandez, and Paul Pope. But I love all those guys you listed at the top of your list. Don't you wish you could go to Hicksville?

Hell, I'd settle for going to New Zealand. On that topic, though, do you have any idea whatever happened to Horrock's Atlas? I have one issue of what I thought was going to be a semi-regular series, but I haven't seen anything else in about two years, if I'm not mistaken.

Oh, and I totally agree on Chadwick (Concrete is one of my all time favorites), Hernandez (both of them, for that matter), and Pope, who I think should be the go-to for every fourth or so issue of Solo.

[Hellpop]

Hell, I'd settle for going to New Zealand. On that topic, though, do you have any idea whatever happened to Horrock's Atlas? I have one issue of what I thought was going to be a semi-regular series, but I haven't seen anything else in about two years, if I'm not mistaken.

Oh, and I totally agree on Chadwick (Concrete is one of my all time favorites), Hernandez (both of them, for that matter), and Pope, who I think should be the go-to for every fourth or so issue of Solo.

I've long wondered about Atlas myself. There definately was only the one issue, more than two years ago. I think it was even before Names of Magic (I remember thinking that Dylan must be concentrating on his writing at some point while waiting).

[aelio]

Here is my list based solely on thier Vertigo stories (except Moore, whose work is pre-vertigo; his is based on his pre-vertigo, vertigo stories:
1. Alan Moore (duh, he created Constantine, the first Vertigo book, although the first actual issues of that series were written by Delano)
2. Gaiman (if Constantine began Vertigo, then Sandman defined it for almost a decade.)
3. Grant Morrison (Morrison revitalized Vertigo with books like The Invisibles)
4. Warren Ellis (Transmet alone earns him this spot, but I really liked his Hellblazer stories as well)
5. BKV (Y: the last man maybe the best book out right now)
6. Mike Carey (He crafts Sandman mythos stories second only to Gaiman; great Hellblazers as well)
7. Willingham(Fables rocks, and so did his Dreaming stories as well as Thessally)
8. Azzarello (love 100 Bullets; hated his Hellblazer stories)
9. Milligan/Jenkins (Can I do this? I really like their works equally)
10. Ennis (yes, I know, I'm a heretic, but Ennis just doesn't thrill me. I liked "son of man" but that was it.

[sunsetdayglo]

I don't think he'd be in the top five, but... didn't Mark Millar do some Vertigo work?
I haven't read anything of his from Vertigo, but I know he kinda got his start through Morrison.
Judging him on his outside-Vertigo work, though, I definately think he deserves a nod.

[FanboyStranger]

I don't think he'd be in the top five, but... didn't Mark Millar do some Vertigo work?
I haven't read anything of his from Vertigo, but I know he kinda got his start through Morrison.
Judging him on his outside-Vertigo work, though, I definately think he deserves a nod.

He wrote Swamp Thing from 140 until its end. Issues 140-144 were co-written with Morrison. It was pretty good. Definitely kept my eye on Millar after reading it.

[Hellpop]

Here is my list based solely on thier Vertigo stories (except Moore, whose work is pre-vertigo; his is based on his pre-vertigo, vertigo stories:
1. Alan Moore (duh, he created Constantine, the first Vertigo book, although the first actual issues of that series were written by Delano)
2. Gaiman (if Constantine began Vertigo, then Sandman defined it for almost a decade.
3. Grant Morrison (Morrison revitalized Vertigo with books like The Invisibles)
4. Warren Ellis (Transmet alone earns him this spot, but I really liked his Hellblazer stories as well)
5. BKV (Y: the last man maybe the best book out right now)
6. Mike Carey (He crafts Sandman mythos stories second only to Gaiman; great Hellblazers as well)
7. Buckingham (Fables rocks, and so did his Dreaming stories as well as Thessally)
8. Azzarello (love 100 Bullets; hated his Hellblazer stories)
9. Milligan/Jenkins (Can I do this? I really like their works equally)
10. Ennis (yes, I know, I'm a heretic, but Ennis just doesn't thrill me. I liked "son of man" but that was it.


Glad you put Ennis at the bottom. That's what I was hoping, to find out who likes who and stir things up. I expected to hear about it from people for ranking Milligan ahead of Ennis and Ellis.

By the way, I think you mean "Willingham" and not "Buckingham".

[dancj]

From best to worst:

Alan Moore
Peter Milligan
Grant Morrison
Garth Ennis
Bill Willingham
Brian Azzarello
Neil Gaiman
Brian K Vaughan
Mike Carey

[sunsetdayglo]

Kind of funny that all the lists are comprised of basically the same eleven or twelve guys. Basically the only real vertigo stars. Kinda sad though, considering how long the line's been around.

[Ilash]

1. Neil Gaiman Sandman is probably my favourite comic series ever so for that alone he comes out tops. I may be biased by his novels as well because I am a huge fan of those but for Sandman and the Death minis alone, he deserves this spot.

2. Warren Ellis Again, I'm basing this on one series but Transmetropolitan is so insanely great, I have no problem with that. A bit uneven a writer but at his best Ellis is phenomenal.

3. Grant Morrison Seeing as how I've never read either Invisibles or the Filth, his placing here may be a but strange but I have really loved Seaguy, WE3 and Viminarama and his non-Vertigo stuff enough to give him this high a placing. Possibly my favourite active writer in comics today.

4. Brian K Vaughan Y The Last Man (with some outside help from Ex Machina) guarantees this guy a high rating. Y is usually my favourite title, month in a month out since it came out.

5. Garth Ennis Preacher is slightly overrated but it excellent nonetheless but the series that really cements his place here is the brilliant and underrated Unknown Soldier mini from a while back.

6. Peter Milligan Shade the Changing Man was one of Vertigo's most daring yet highly entertaining series ever and for that alone he gets this spot.

7. Bill Willingham I actually feel a bit guilty putting him this low but I guess some of his inferior superhero stuff sours me on him slightly (that definitely does NOT include Day of Vengeance) but Fables is my favourite series pretty much every month that Y isn't and is one of those rare series that seems to get better with each passing issue.

8. Mike Carey I haven't read Lucifer and wasn't mad about his Hellblazer stuff when I was reading it but for My Faith In Frankie he deserves inclusion here.

I can't really think of more than eight right now but Alan Moore and James Robinson would be here if the former actually wrote for Vertigo and I actually ever read any Vertigo stuff by the latter.

[lukewarmwater]

1. Alan Moore
2. Warren Ellis
3. Neil Gaiman
4. Kyle Baker
5. Garth Ennis

[stoneskull]

1. Grant Morrison
He owns. I loved how he went and owned regular DC with JLA, then went and owned Marvel with New X-Men. Chris Claremont - owned. Morrison isn't just Vertigo's best, he is the best.
2. Neil Gaiman
He's a writer up there with the best novelists, and an excellent ability to put his ideas, which are meticulously researched and put together, into comic form.
3. Alan Moore
Rocked. Legend. A huge leap forward.. but he can't be the best of all time - for all time.. I don't think so anyway. He was responsible for Vertigo's creation in a way.. changing up comics. Best of the old school.
4. Peter Milligan
A writer who can take me places and make me laugh. A unique writer who I love to read. Excellent with characters and their conversation, and putting them in fantastic places. He's a trip and a half.
5. Garth Ennis
i think he peaked on Preacher, but for Preacher alone, the greatest movie ever made, cracking me up every month like no other comic has, he gets my 5th place.

[Apathy Boy]

1. Alan Moore
2. Steven Seagle - Vertigo's most daring writer. HOUSE OF SECRETS was brilliantly innovative and challenged genre more than any other mainstream book. SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE got markedly better when he joined the writing team. VERTICAL was a blast.
3. Grant Morrison - ANIMAL MAN is the reason I'm still reading comics (and yes, Vertigo has reprinted the trades, so it counts). Plus, he's just so damn lovable.
4. Garth Ennis - When he stays away from over-the-top silliness (e.g. RIFLE BRIGADE, GODDESS, his Marvel stuff), I like his stuff a lot. HELLBLAZER, PREACHER, PRIDE & JOY, UNKNOWN SOLDIER and WAR STORIES are all great reads.
5. Peter Milligan - Horribly erratic at times. But duds like THE EATERS and THE MINX are off-set by the brilliance of HUMAN TARGET and the goodness of stuff like SHADE THE CHANGING MAN and VERTIGO POP: LONDON.
5. Brian Azzarello - One of the most distinctive voices in comics.
6. Neil Gaiman - I admire his talent and his impact on the industry, but I've never been a big fantasy fan, so I don't have that much of an emotional connection to his stuff.
7. Ed Brubaker - I'd like to rate him higher, but he's produced under 30 issues for Vertigo.

Not good enough to make the list: Brian K. Vaughn, Bill Willingham, Warren Ellis. Not bad, but nothing special. (The exception being TRANSMETROPOLITAN, which was brilliant for the first year and then hit the point of diminishing returns over the next 48 issues.)

[Ryan K]

1. Alan Moore. If we're counting him as a Vertigo writer, than he's my number 1.
2. Neil Gaiman. Sandman is THE Vertigo work as far as I'm concerned.
3. Grant Morrison. On a different day, I might switch him with Gaiman. It's a toss up.
4. Warren Ellis. Transmetropolitan.
5. Peter Milligan. When the hell are they gonna collect the rest of Shade.
6. Garth Ennis. He's slowly descending the list.
7. Brian Azzarello. May end up higher depending on how 100 Bullets ends.
8. Mike Carey.

I'd like to put Vaughan and Willingham on my list somewhere, but I don't really want to until I see how Y The Last Man and Fables end. I debated not putting Azzarello and Carey up there for the same reasons.