Who Is Your Comic-Writing Hero?

[Mixtape]

I personally felt compelled to start making my own comics when I discovered Max Bemis's graphic novel- Polarity. I was familiar with Bemis as the lead singer of Say Anything, one of my favorite bands since high school, but with Polarity he exposed a whole new, personal side of him. The main character Tim, like Bemis in real life, suffers from bipolar disorder. In the comic, Tim's disorder becomes his "power" of sorts, and I felt really inspired. I live with an anxiety disorder, which made Polarity easy for me to relate to. It moved me to really embrace this side of myself that I had until that point been ashamed and embarrassed of, and because Bemis spawned this change in attitude for me, I consider him my comic-writing hero.

What about you? Do you have a comic writing hero? If so, why? Did they influence you as deeply as to change your lifestyle? If so, how? Let me know! ^_^

[spadesart]

James Roberts tbh, his work is the perfect blend of funny, dramatic, emotional, and quick witted as hell. He's responsible for the first canon gay couple in transformers media and since he got the OK from Hasbro he's put even more lgbt relationships into his comic (there's two that are a main focus too.). He's also like...the master of continuity. There's stuff in issue 1 of more than meets the eye that connects all the way to issue 38.

[dojo]

idk I think my bigger influences are actually games more than comics. For the longest time that's what I wanted to do was write for games, but I ended up not sticking with it yet because most successful games demand teams and I have yet to bring together a motivated team (and I haven't gotten far making one on my own either because reasons)

A couple of my influences are games like LISA: The Painful and Dropsy, which are both really quirky indie games that like to flip flop between being ridiculous and bizarre to emotional and serious without being too heavy handed with it. That's something I try to achieve in my own writing. I don't like writing things that are completely serious, but I don't like making things completely silly either.

[indagold]

I think Bill Watterson influenced me in many respects. He's one of those few newspaper artists that actually has real art skills and puts time and effort into his work. I would read his books as a kid and he stood out to me and made me want to just draw and create and made me challange myself.

Edward Gorey also was a cartoon illustrator I would read and influence as a kid and when I was older. His work wasn't really for children although I think Gorey was asexual and he opted out of putting sexual things in his work. Kinda ironic he's one of my favorite illustrators especially giving I came out as ace a few years back.

I think the Osbick Bird is one story I like to look back on about two friends just being together. It was one of those more happier tales.

[ChipGod]

Neil Kohney. No question

[Tieback]

I grew up on American cartoons and Japanese comics (Manga). I know you just asked for comic-Writers, but I have an animator that is my hero as well!

Timm Bruce

yuu watase

Chiho Saito

[briadawson2014]

I'm really a huge fan of Japanese shonen series, such as Jojo's Bizarre Adventure's Hirohiko Araki and Baki the Grappler's Keisuke Itagaki, etc. The over the topness of the characters really drive the stories they tell and their sense of action is so breath taking! The also influenced my character designs. http://65.media.tumblr.com/87f550d6910d24caa54b648b84411701/tumblr_nk2yk8axgf1ql9w5oo1_1280.jpghttp://orig05.deviantart.net/69d3/f/2008/364/4/5/baki_the_grappler_by_godzillafighter92.jpg

[Isky]

I'd have to say Yoshihiro Togashi. Brian K. Vaughan is a close second though.

[R.n.P]

The artist that got me really invested in making actual long story based comics was Tite Kubo, I really loved how his manga felt laid back yet always had nice reveals n awesome fight scenes and likeable characters. It was really worth my while following his series up till the end

[agentfink]

I think growing up with artistic influence and admiring as an adult are different... so I am going to write down the "heroes" I've discovered as an adult.

Jeff Lemire: I love his panel flow and story telling. His art is so easily recognizable too and learning that he was in film but wanted to try out comics is very inspiring. I think he believed he couldn't draw but he didn't let that stop him.

Toril Orlesky: Web comic creator of HotBlood. I never read an online comic before and hers was my first that I really kept up with. Before I wasn't interested in the idea of posting pages one at a time but through her art and story telling it changed my perspective of the medium. And I like seeing that she finished her story!

Jeff Smith: His dedication to Bone and being one of indie comics loudest voices, it's hard not to think of any indie creator who hasn't read Bone... and when you do find someone, that is corrected immediately!

Pascalle Lepas: Creator of Wilde Life. Another online webcomic that I pick over now and again. I never read through it in order, but I love seeing her interaction with fans and how she was able to turn her passion into her day job. She shows me it can be done.

[Mixtape]

That's a line I like to tread in my writing as well! I like to call it "realistic fantasy" hah like it can't really happen... but just MAYBE... it's not TOO far fetched...

[Mixtape]

Huge Brian K. Vaughan fan!

[Mixtape]

I'll have to look that one up!

[Mixtape]

@indagold Two of my favorites too! Simple, but effective! and @Tieback I mean any one in any profession really that made an impact on your style, so your picks totally count!

[ahhvecadoes]

Okay, 1: I absolutely adore Max and how he's been approaching the arts as of late. Such a cool dude.

2: My hero would probably be Yoshihiro Togashi. Yu Yu Hakusho was life-changing and definitely the reason I started making comics as a kid. Nothing beats the sudden gravity and darkness of Chapter Black, or the opening chapters and the groundwork he laid out for the characters. Absolutely a masterpiece.

My other hero is Beka Duke, who makes Fantomestein. Without reading Fantomestein, I wouldn't have started making my own comics again this past year. Her art is really expressive and the writing keeps up with the grandiose backdrop of her own Frankenstein monster of a plot. I love it dearly.

[Kura]

Yoshihiro Togashi

For the most part I've always loved his writing and characters, even though some pages can get really wordy.

I also look up to him because he's sick or in pain yet still working on comics. It just hits close to home for me. I know often I'll do the "I wish he would just write a novel" or "I really wish he would just get another artist and just do the writing" as to end the many hiatus's his current series gets stuck in, or avoid the awful sketchy art quality you sometimes get. But actually, even if I have to wait or look at not so great scribbles I'm pretty happy he's still going despite the hurdles.

[Caffinedragon]

I love Faith Erin Hicks. I love the way she makes her comics look so cinematic and her characters feel very relatable. The expressions and actions she draws look so lively My favorite graphic novel by her is definitely "Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong". I always aim to have my comics and writing flow as naturally as hers does.

[ChipGod]

Hell yeah, shes awesome

[comicyperson]

I love waffles and pancakes. It's funny but it also has adorable moments now and then and it's about everyday life. I find it nice when people can so accurately describe life in a comic. ^---^

[jerreaudriessen]

Right now, the manga artist One is kinda my hero. Mostly bcus he became popular drawing the One Punch Man webcomic wich looks terrible (tbh) and hey, if he can get popular like that why not me (lol)