The Most Popular Comic Book Creators of All Time
Comic books have defined the culture of the 21st century. Superhero films like The Avengers, Captain America, Spider-Man, and The X-Men Series, all began as comic books. And while these creations are now a staple of popular culture, their creators often go uncelebrated. So, in this article, we would like to shine a light on some of the most popular comic book creators of all time.
Chris Claremont
The X-Men franchise is without a doubt one of the most popular superhero franchises in the world. While the original team was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the run that made the X-Men a massive success was done entirely by one man: Chris Claremont.
Creator of some of the most iconic characters of all time, Chris Claremont propelled the X-Men series to superstar status. His most popular character is likely Gambit, the card-playing, smart-mouth Cajun, who makes the casinos his home. Of course, in 2023, you literally can bring casinos to your home, by making an account at one of the multiple online casino websites. Luckily, Gambit’s character has endured seeing the development of the iGaming industry.
Some of Chris Claremont’s most famous stories include: God Loves; Man Kills, Days of Future Past, New Mutants, Excalibur, and the X-Treme X-Men.
Stan Lee & Jack Kirby
The Stan Lee and Jack Kirby duo are perhaps the most well-known comic book creators of all time. Stan Lee’s ideas accompanied by Jack Kirby’s art shaped the modern era of comic books. With their 1960s release, The Fantastic Four, they resurrected the era of superheroes and subverted the conventions of the genre.
Most fans of comic books today are already familiar with Stan Lee’s influence. He made superheroes more human and identifiable. Thanks to his focus on the “man” rather than the “super,” comic books “grew up,” so to speak.
However, while Stan Lee remained a popular icon in culture, Jack Kirby’s influence has been largely forgotten. Unjustifiably so, as his art and knack for visual story-telling is an incredibly important part of comic book history. Among comic book fans he is often referred to as “The King,” a title that he absolutely deserves.
Bill Finger
Casual fans of Batman might be familiar with two names: Bob Kane and Bill Finger. And while Bob Kane might have had the initial idea for the caped crusader, it was really the efforts of Bill Finger that propelled the dark knight to the superstar that he is today.
Bill Finger came up with the costume, the Batmobile, the teenage sidekick, most, if not all of the iconic villains, and a mainstay character of the Batman mythos, Lt. Jim Gordon. Without him, we wouldn’t have films like Batman (1989), the Dark Knight, or the recent hit, The Batman (2022). In fact, it is even debatable if Batman would have been the hit character he is today, if not for Bill Finger’s contribution and influence.
For a long time, Bill Finger went largely forgotten due to the poor treatment of artists by the industry. However, as time goes on, one of the earliest greats of the industry is getting his just rewards. It is a shame that he did not live to see it happen.
Jerry Siegel & Joe Schuster
There is no more important duo in comic book history than Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster. Even if you’ve never read a comic, and have never heard their names, you are familiar with their creation. In the late 1930s, the two boys, still teenagers at the time, pitched the idea of a superhuman champion of the oppressed. And so, Superman was born.
Possibly the most iconic hero of the 20th century, Superman’s story has been told, retold, and adapted dozens of times. From an astonishingly popular serial to a film series to a notoriously terrible Nintendo game, the Man of Steel has endured as a cultural icon. And it all began in 1938 when the two boys penned the first Superman comic.
Honorable Mentions
We certainly talked a lot about some of the most influential comic book creators. However, the names mentioned are but scratching the surface of the comic book industry. So, let’s finish this article off with a couple of honorable mentions and their most iconic creations:
- Will Eisner: The Spirit
- Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Stan Sakai: Usagi Yojimbo
- Robert Kirkman: Invincible / The Walking Dead
- Alan Moore: Watchmen
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