My Top 10 Comic Artists

Art can make or break a comic in my eyes. If the art is bad, then the most amazing story in the world isn't going to get me to read it. So in tribute to this great responsibility, I present to you, in alphabetical order, my current Top 10 Comic Artists...

J. Scott Campbell

It’s no revelation that comic characters are all about the cultural ideal. The men are either tall and muscular, as in Captain America, or slim and toned, as with Spider-Man. At the same time, the women are uniformly slim and buxom. This is where J. Scott Campbell comes in. Even though he has worked on titles such as Gen 13 and Danger Girl, it is fair to say that he is better known for his pinups. Those such as this:

Clayton Crain

Though not to everyone’s tastes, I found Crain’s work in X-Force to be amazing. I really like the dark, dirtiness that it has. Just now, in researching this article, I’ve seen that he has a Ghost Rider mini, so I may just have to check that out.

David Finch

Now sadly DC-exclusive, I originally fell in love with Finch’s art in New Avengers. Then when I started reading Moon Knight, I discovered that his style suited Moon Knight’s dark, gritty world even more. Once he (and Charlie Huston) had left the title, it was just never the same…

Alex Maleev

I’ve only recently discovered the marvel of Alex Maleev, once again, thanks to Moon Knight. I was very impressed with his work in the new Moon Knight #1. I had heard from some that his art is “too muddy”, and from what I’ve seen of his Scarlet and Spider-Woman work, I would probably agree. However, he only did the pencils and ink on Moon Knight, so this may be where the problem lies--perhaps it’s his colouring that is leading people astray.

Ed McGuinness

When I was starting to get back into comics, I downloaded the Marvel iApp, and Hulk #1 was on there for free. I read it, and loved it so much, primarily due to Ed’s art, that Hulk became my favourite character (though has now been taken over by Moon Knight). There was just something about the semi-cartoonish style that really appealed to me.

Steve McNiven

Steve McNiven is a new-comer to the list. Having just read Civil War, I found I not only loved the story, but the art as well.

Jefte Palo

Another Moon Knight discovery, Palo drew the arc “Down South”. Most Moon Knight fans consider this the worst arc of the series, but I really liked it, thanks in no small part, to Palo’s art. I’ve since learned that he also did the Taskmaster mini, which I’ve heard a lot of good things about, so that’s another one to add to the list.

Paul Pelletier

I was never a fan of the cosmic comics… until I read Guardians of the Galaxy! Man, that it one fun read, and the art lives up to the story. Anyone who can make a raccoon look badass must be a damn good artist ;)

Humberto Ramos
I first encountered Ramos’ work when reading any issues I could find in which a favourite of mine, Blindfold, made an appearance. This included the arc “Blinded By The Light” in X-Men, which Ramos drew. I loved the over-the-top cartoon style. It just felt so dynamic and fun.

Kevin Walker

Yet another newcomer to the list, Walker won me over with something simple: How he drew Man-Thing! Man-Thing is one of those crazy characters that can be drawn any way, and normally looks ridiculous, but Walker makes him look so so cool. His rendition of Ghost is also the best I have seen, and with the help of writer Jeff Parker, has not only made both of these characters favourites of mine, but also made Thunderbolts my favourite current title.