2014 might already be underway, but I think we have room for one more list. Unlike listing who we loved most in 2013, I’m shaking the Crave Online Magic Eight Ball to see who we can expect big things from in 2014. These thirty names make me giddy for the future of comics. From the Big Two to creator-owned and independents, 2014 could rise up and become one of the best years in comics. Please remember, this list is no order, this is not a best of, so don’t attach a numerical value to the quality of the artist. We certainly do not.
So, without further ado, here Are 30 Creators to Watch in 2014.
Okay, those are our thirty. Sure, we probably left some – no, actually, a huge number of up and comers out. Who are some comic creators you see taking off in 2014?
30 Comic Creators to Watch in 2014
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30. DAVID AJA
Artist: Hawkeye
I seriously can’t think of another artist I enjoy more. David Aja’s work on Hawkeye is absolutely key to the success of the book. Don’t believe me? Try and imagine anyone else putting together the series. It won’t come to you, because Aja owns that book. I hope there’s more coming in 2014 from this incredibly talented artist, and winner of two 2103 Eisner Awards.
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29. JEFF PARKER
Writer: Batman ’66, King’s Watch, Aquaman
I always had big respect for Jeff Parker. A first rate writer usually handed books that were on their last legs by Marvel, Parker has managed to get me into Batman ’66, and I hated the TV show. His awesomeness on that book, as well as Image’s King’s Watch, hyped DC to give him the Aquaman slot after Geoff Johns left. Things are very bright for this young man.
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28. J.H. WILLIAMS III
Artist: Batwoman, Sandman: Overture
Few can even step into the ring with JH Williams III. While not exactly an unknown, Williams had a massive year in 2013, turning out some of his best work on Batwoman, and being tapped to reintroduce Neil Gaiman’s Sandman legacy. Whatever else Williams does in 2014, you can bet it will be gorgeous to look at.
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27. RAGS MORALES
Artist: Action Comics, The Movement, Avengers World
With the coming of Avengers World and his work on Action Comics, 2014 looks to be a big year for Morales. Morales’ pencils are exemplary, with a great sense of action, and amazing detail. After jumping from book to book, he has has settled into a great groove. Excited to see what happens with Action Comics and Avengers World.
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26. MICHAEL ALLRED
Writer/Artist: FF, Madman, Red Rocket 7, Silver Surfer
Okay, so Allred isn’t exactly a newbie, but 2014 might just burst his already roasting star into a supernova. The bizarre take on the FF alongside Matt Fraction, sprung from the insane good time that is Madman, plus Red Rocket 7. With all that in his cache, this year could explode for the man as he teams up with Superior Spider-Man genius scribe Dan Slott for…….wait for it……SILVER SURFER!! ‘Nuff said.
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25. FIONA STAPLES
Artist: Saga
I’m in the minority in that I don’t really care for Saga. I know, it’s the greatest comic book since Jack Kirby met Stan Lee, but I just never jived with it. That being said, it’s impossible to avoid the greatness of Fiona Staples. Not just a gifted artist, Staples also paints the covers, and hand letters each book. As the fourth Saga arc comes to close in 2014, let’s hope the remainder of the year kicks off the fifth. If nothing else we could always use more of Fiona Staples art.
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24. DECLAN SHALVEY
Artist: Deadpool. 28 Days Later, Moon Knight
Irish artist Declan Shalvey has a really dark, sinister style. One that works perfectly for Marvel’s grittier stories. Shalvey has unleashed his amazing work on both 28 Days Later and Deadpool. In what seems like a match made in heaven. Shalvey will roll with Warren Ellis on the upcoming reboot of Moon Knight. We are incredibly excited for that series, and for Declan Shalvey’s future.
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23. NICK SPENCER
Writer: Superior Foes of Spider-Man, Avengers World, Morning Glories, Bedlam, Secret Avengers
You just can’t deny the power of Nick Spencer. He took on the impossible task of penning another Superior Spider-Man spinoff book, and living up to the amazing work of Dan Slott. Superior Foes of Spider-Man isn’t Spencer’s only foray into awesome. He’s also behind Morning Glories, Bedlam and in 2014 he’ll co-write Avengers World with Jonathan Hickman. 2014 is going to be a good year for Mr. Spencer.
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22. MATT KINDT
Writer: Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE, My Greatest Adventure, Suicide Squad, Justice League of America, Infinity: The Hunt, Suicide Squad, Marvel Knights: Spider-Man, Unity, Mind MGMT
We stumbled onto Matt Kindt during his run on Frankenstein, a book we loved and whose cancellation we were resoundingly pissed about. Kindt has managed to weather some pretty harsh storms at DC, and stretched his talents over to Marvel. With so many pots boiling, it’s only a matter of time before Kindt is a household comic book name like Scott Snyder or Brian Michael Bendis.
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21. RYAN STEGMAN
Artist: Fear Itself Hulk vs. Dracula, Incredible Hercules, Fantastic Four, Superior Spider-Man
Ryan Stegman has always been a superior talent. His work in World War Hulks and Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar adaptation were solid, as was his work on Fantastic Four and Incredible Hercules. In 2013, Stegman announced his arrival with stellar pencils on Superior Spider-Man. Now Stegman is stepping into art duties for Wolverine, which could be one of the best move Marvel makes all year.
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20. JEFF LEMIRE
Writer/Artist: Trillium, Animal Man, Justice League Canada, Sweet Tooth
Jeff Lemire is the whole damn show. Not only can the guy write, but his art style is something I have grown to love. Blowing a hole in the indie world with Sweet Tooth, Lemire followed it up with some incredible work on Animal Man, plus the consistently awesome Trillium. With a new mystery Justice League book coming, along with Justice League Canada, 2014 could prove to be another bright spot in Lemire’s career.
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19. PAUL POPE
Writer/Artist: Batman: Year 100, 100%, The Death of Haggard West, Battling Boy
Paul Pope. The Iggy Pop of comic books. His work often bridges the gaps between science fiction, mythology, and hard-boiled detective fiction. I first discovered him with Batman: Year 100, but in 2013 he gave us Battling Boy, a fully realized, rather stupendous graphic novel. Spin-offs and next chapters are promised in 2014, which could mean big things for Mr. Pope.
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18. BEN TEMPLESMITH
Artist: Squidder, Tome 2, Ten Grand
2013 was an odd year for Templesmith. It started with his brilliant work in Ten Grand alongside J. Michael Strazcynski and ended with him walking away from that project. Templesmith has been keeping a low profile, creating a Kickstarter account for two different projects, Tome 2, and Squidder. Hopefully 2014 will bring more from Templesmith. He is one of the most gifted artists out there.
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17. MARIKO and JILLIAN TAMAKI
Writer/Artist: Skim, This One Summer
Mariko Tamaki, the writer/performance artist, and her artist cousin Jillian, wowed the world with their 2008 graphic novel Skim. Silent for several years, the two return in 2014 for This One Summer, a tale about summer friendship that will debut at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. We’re hoping 2014 brings a lot more exposure for these two bold artists.
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16. MAHMUD ASRAR
Artist: Dynamo 5, Justice League Oo America, X-Men, Nova, Supergirl, Wolverine & The X-Men
Following his exceptional work with Jay Faerber on the Image Comics title Dynamo 5, Mahmud Asrar carved out a name for himself doing pencils for JLA, X-Men and Nova. DC handed him Supergirl and, in 2014, he’ll join writer Jason Latour for the much anticipated re-launch of Wolverine and the X-Men. Being less than fans of the original run, we’re stoked on a new direction for WatX, and the level of artwork Asrar will bring to it.
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15. J GONZO
Writer/Artist: La Man del Destino
In 2012, those of us who love both comics and wrestling were graced with La Man del Destino, J Gonzo’s self-published story of an aging luchadore. Since the debut, the series has released only three issues, but Gonzo says the remaining three will arrive in 2014. With such a solid storytelling ability and a Jacky Kirby art style blended into his own, we’re hoping somebody picks this guy up in 2014, and lands him on a regular book.
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14. JOE KEATINGE
Writer: Popgun War, Marvel Knights Incredible Hulk
Keatinge’s contributions to comic books have been mostly behind the scenes at Image, though he has written for anthologies like Fantastic Comics and Negative Burn. In the tail end of 2013, Keatinge’s Marvel Knights Incredible Hulk was released, and it was a knockout. Outside of Hulk, we’ve always been fans of his work with Popgun War. Based on what we’ve seen, Crave is hoping Keatinge lands a plum gig on regular series.
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13. PIOTR KOWALSKI
Artist: Urban Vampires, La Branche Lincoln, Gail, Sex, Marvel Knights Incredible Hulk
Kowalski is not exactly a name most fans know, but we’re hoping 2014 will change all that. Currently on the Image series Sex as well as Marvel’s Marvel Knights Incredible Hulk, Kowalski’s stunning style screams to be put on a permanent book. It would be awesome to have Joe Keatinge and Kowalski take over Hulk.
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12. JAMES TYNION IV
Writer: Batman, Red Hood And The Outlaws, Talon
Another of the gifts given to us by Scott Snyder is James Tynion IV. A former student of Snyder’s, Tynion was brought into DC and assigned back-up stories for Batman. After proving his ability there, DC handed him Talon, which has become a really interesting title. With Tynion’s work on Red Hood and Talon being so good, we’d love to see Tynion take over Dark Knight or Detective. Coming into his own in 2013, we expect huge things from Tynion in the new year.
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11. EMILY CARROLL
Writer/Artist: His Face All Red, The Hare’s Bride, Margot’s Room, Anu-Anulan, Out of Skin
Emily Carroll is a seriously untapped talent. Her web comics, including His Face All Red and Margot’s Room, have become huge fan favorites. In 2014, Carroll will make her print debut with a collection of horror stories titled Out of Skin. A double threat of storytelling ability and visual skills, look for 2014 to bring about a wider audience for Carroll.
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10. CHRISTOPHER SEBELA
Writer: High Crimes, Fantastic Four, Ghost, Captain Marvel
Sure, Christopher Sebela stepped up to assist Matt Fraction on FF, and he helped bring Ghost back for Dark Horse. Yes, Christopher Sebela contributed some of his greatness to the anthology issue of Valiant’s Shadowman, as well as Captain Marvel. None of that matters once you read High Crimes, which will blow your mind. Sebela has the two things all writers strive for, versatility and talent.
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9. AARON KUDER
Artist: The Armory Wars, Green Lantern: New Guardians, Legion Lost, Action Comics
Aaron Kuder has been dropping bombs since Armory Wars, and continues to make anything he touches better. New Guardians benefitted from his ridiculous line work, as did Legion Lost. Now, Kuder is set to take DC’s center stage by teaming up with Greg Pak on Action Comics. That is the very definition of a dream team, and we can’t wait for Kuder to blow our collective minds in 2014.
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8. RYAN BROWNE
Writer/Artist: Blast Furnace, The Manhattan Projects, God Hates Astronauts
Easily one of the creators on the precipice of greatness, Ryan Browne blew up the comic book spot with God Hates Astronauts, a story so bizarre and involved, it is nearly impossible to describe. Browne also cavorted around with Jonathan Hickman on The Manhattan Projects, and now Image is publishing GHA. Seriously, there is no reason Ryan Browne should not be put on a monthly series. The guy is awesome personified.
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7. ANNIE WU
Artist: Batman Beyond Unlimited, Hawkeye
When another artist steps into Hawkeye for whatever reason, I get defensive. David Aja’s work is so good that I scoff at anyone who attempts to hit that goal. Cue Annie Wu, who came aboard to pencil Kate Bishop’s adventures and knocked it right out of the park. Wu is also responsible for co-creating the new Batgirl for Batman Beyond Unlimited. 2014 needs to be the year of Wu. The comic gods demand it!
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6. ALES KOT
Writer: Wild Children, Suicide Squad, Secret Avengers, Zero, Iron Patriot
Ales Kot is one of those creators who seems to constantly want to push the parameters of the medium. Dropping on the comic book world like a bomb with 2012’s Wild Children, Kot’s unique storytelling style came through, even during his brief stint on Suicide Squad. DC’s ridiculous editorial shuffling slapped Kot around, but he bounced back with Zero for Image Comics and on Marvel’s Secret Avengers. In 2014, Ales Kot will step into Iron Patriot, which should be really interesting. Fingers crossed that 2014 brings Kot the attention he deserves.
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5. ED PISKOR
Writer/Artist: The Beats: A Graphic History, Hip Hop Family Tree
One of our absolute favorite things in 2013 was Ed Piskor’s Hip Hop Family Tree, a painfully detailed and startling visual look at the history of a genre that would define the modern age. Intrigued, we looked into his work with Harvey Pekar on The Beats: A Graphic History, and were equally impressed. We simply can’t wait to see what Ed Piskor does next.
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4. TERRY MOORE
Writer/Artist: Strangers In Paradise, Echo, Rachel Rising
It really doesn’t get any better than Terry Moore. Strangers In Paradise was a 106-issue stroke of genius, as was Echo, which we felt deserved a longer life. In 2013, Moore unveiled his latest work, Rachel Rising, the story of a woman who wakes up in her own grave and must discover who murdered her. Creepy, unsettling, and wonderful to look at, here’s hoping that 2014 carries Rachel Rising to the Strangers In Paradise numbers, and beyond.
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3. CHARLES SOULE
Writer: Letter 44, Superman/Wonder Woman, Swamp Thing, Thunderbolts, Red Lanterns, Strongman
We stumbled into the wonderful world of Charles Soule when he took over Swamp Thing from Scott Snyder. It’s not easy to pen Swamp Thing, especially with its combination of sci-fi, mythology and comic book action. Soule took right to it, and has expanded the ST canon impressively. Outside of that, Soule is also doing some of the best work on Superman in Superman/Wonder Woman. He’s creating turmoil among a superhero power couple, which takes some real chutzpah. Soule’s 2013 was pretty great, we’re betting 2014 will be even better.
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2. SEAN MURPHY
Writer/Artist: Punk Rock Jesus, The Wake
Since issue one of Punk Rock Jesus, we’ve been singing the praises of Sean Murphy. The guy knows how to tell a story, and he can draw like nobody else. In 2013, he tackled the enormous thriller/sci-fi epic The Wake with Scott Snyder, which will conclude in 2014. Whatever is next for Murphy, it will be something that slaps the complacency right out of you. We’re hoping he lands on a monthly series very soon.
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1. G. WILLOW WILSON
Writer: Cairo, Air, Superman, Ms. Marvel
2014 could be the year of G. Willow Wilson. Already one of the most prominent Muslim writers in comics, Wilson has received huge acclaim for both Cairo and Air. This year, she pens Ms. Marvel, the first Marvel comic book series with a female Muslim character in the lead. In the series, Ms. Marvel is a teenage girl, trying to deal with her powers, her religion, and her place in the world. If anyone can handle all the layers of this story, it’s Wilson.
