The best comic book writers are, at the top, Alan Moore , Neil Gaiman , Grant Morrison and Frank Miller. This tier list ranks comic book authors according to their influence, their ambition and the quality of their work. Facts (major works, period) verified, no rating invented; each screenwriter refers to one of his works on the site.
The screenwriter is the architect of the comic: plot, dialogue, themes, inspiration. This tier list ranks the great authors according to their influence on the medium and the consistency of their work. The criterion is not productivity but the footprint left.
Editorial Ranks, Facts verified. Each screenwriter points to a signature work of the site.
Tier S: the absolute masters
Alan Moore redefined what a comic could be (Watchmen, V for Vendetta). Neil Gaiman brought a literary dimension to the medium with Sandman. Grant Morrison pushed conceptual ambition to its extreme, and Frank Miller reinvented the dark, adult superhero.
Tier A: the great authors
Chris Claremont wrote the longest and most influential X-Men run. Brian K. Vaughan dominates modern indie, while Warren Ellis et Garth Ennis have marked the mature comic.
Tier B: excellence confirmed
Ed Brubaker (king of thriller), Jonathan Hickman (universe architect), Brian Bendis et Mark Waid are among the most prolific and respected screenwriters.
Tier C: the great contemporary voices
Tom King, Geoff Johns, Jason Aaron et Kurt Busiek have each signed notable runs in the recent period.
Tier D: authors to follow
Jeff Lemire , Kieron Gillen et Robert Kirkman close this tier list: major screenwriters of the current generation.
To remember
- Alan Moore is the most influential screenwriter in the history of the medium.
- A great screenwriter sells: his runs become collector's items.
- The author's comic owes a lot to this British generation (Moore, Gaiman, Morrison, Ellis).
- Each screenwriter refers to a signature work of the site.
Frequently asked questions
Alan Moore is unanimously considered the most influential screenwriter, followed by Neil Gaiman and Grant Morrison. The choice depends on the style you are looking for.
Absolutely. Many collectors follow a specific author (Moore, Claremont, Vaughan) and collect his runs. This is a very common themed entryway.
By their flagship works: Watchmen (Moore), Sandman (Gaiman), Saga (Vaughan). All exist in accessible bound collections.
Do you own an original edition signed by a great screenwriter? Estimate its value for free with our tool based on real eBay sales.