Top 5 Writers for the week of 3/11/09  

Starting here we kick off a weekly feature where I rate the top 5 writers of the week. The format will change slowly over time as I decide how best to do these so stick with me and I'll get it down.

So here are this weeks Top 5:

5. Greg Pak (Skaar Son of Hulk) - Pak has done such an incredible job building the world of Sakar that it will be a shame if once the upcoming event which sees Skaar come to Earth finishes he doesn't return back there. To let such a world that is a character unto itself go to waste would be a great disservice to the stories told by Pak. From his Hulk run that started there to the current issue of Skaar Son of Hulk #8 Pak has consistently added new and compelling elements to the story of the planet and its inhabitants. This is a title that I think if done by anyone else would have floundered in a large and disastrous way. Pak though having created it has such a wealth of stories it seems that he has a genuine love for the creations he has put to page. Personally at some point I would like to see him get a crack at Thor and the gods of Asgard.

4. Duane Swierczynski (Immortal Iron Fist) - The story of the weapons traveling to the Eighth City has been a lot like everything to come from this title since its inception in that it has done nothing but kick ass. Great ideas here and ways to have the characters interact without necessarily having them come face to face. From taping Morse code through walls to having it written in blood on the arena floor to build a plan of escape Swierczynski finds inventive ways to make a compelling and action packed story. In a matter of two issues he has made an old man who just might be the first Iron Fist into a three dimensional character by giving us his origin as well as showing his need to gain his freedom. All of this while still moving the main story along and showing us that Davos is still the bastard we knew he was all along.

3. Matt Fraction (The Invincible Iron Man) - So the story so far is that Tony is on the run from Osborn and Pepper now has an Iron Maiden suit I suppose you could call it. While the story isn't anything revolutionary the way in which Tony orchestrates his soldiers by having them use a soccer mom email account to ping each other is a brilliant fucking idea. Where he came up with this is beyond me but I can assure you I am jealous. Word is he set up the email as well but someone dicked it up and it is now inaccessible. If Fraction can keep this title as creative and fun as he has since he joined it we may be seeing a long run with him as the mouth of Tony Stark.

2. Jason Aaron (Ghost Rider) - So here Aaron does a great job of introducing many new Ghost Riders that could easily have their stories told all while giving the Caretaker character focus, purpose, and a voice. While she will surely remain a secondary character in the title her she assumes the role of star. Front and center throughout the title she poses as the voice and Aaron builds her into a believable character that I am excited to follow. Ghost Rider is consistently one of the crazier more inventive titles challenging religious stand points and using incredibly unique characters to do so. Gun carrying, motorcycle riding nuns. Need I say more. Great stuff from a guy who is about to launch a new Wolverine title. His stock is on the rise to say the least.

1. Peter Tomasi (Green Lantern Corps) - Tomasi was able to add character development to the new Ion as well as further a relationship (which had me thinking well guess we are going to need another freezer). Oh and there was also this huge badass battle in which Mongul expressed his dominance by ripping out Arkillo's fucking tongue and declaring that Arkillo was not to be heard from from here on out. Great sequence at the end of a visceral fight. Tomasi does get the added benefit of working within the buildup to Blackest Night but much credit to him for making Green Lantern Corps feel like a primary title and not a backup to Green Lantern proper. This tends to be what happens to titles like this but Tomasi has consistently made this title just as entertaining as GL. All these things combined make Peter Tomasi the writer of the week.

Stay tuned weekly as we continue this feature. At the end of the month a writer will be declared writer of the month. For this month Peter Tomasi is the first nominee. Here's looking forward to next week.