JMS and Morrison.

There are some others whose work I only enjoy sometimes, but with these two, I cringe if I hear they're taking on a title.

I did like some of Morrison's JLA though.

Bendis.

Millar. 

Garth Ennis.

QUOTE: Why do you *want* to say you don't like his work if you haven't read it? I'm no big fan of his but I don't unerstand this statement.

I've read of it and of things he's responsible for.  Also skimmed through a few of his comics and it didn't appeal to me.  I haven't read a book of his cover to cover but I'm not inclined to do so, given the negative reviews.

I really dont see what the fuss is about with Jeff Loeb. I thought Superman For All Seasons was okay, Hush/ Long Halloween both sprawling confused messes, and Ultimates 3 possibly the worst written comic I have ever had the misfortune to pay money for. Im sure he's a nice guy though.

Torn a little on Bendis - when I first started reading him I thought his dialogue was really fresh and naturalistic. Some years on, it grates somewhat:

"webhead?
"webhead
"you really called me webhead?
"I really called you webhead. There a problem with that?
"there is a problem with that
"i dont got a problem
"i think you do
"you do a lot of thinking
 
...and so on. It just fills up the page and doesnt tell you anything.

QUOTE: ...and so on. It just fills up the page and doesnt tell you anything.

Who were the speakers in that brilliant exchange?

Bendis Bendis Bendis.  Brian Nyquil Bendis.

Joe Kelly - Very much a matter of shoving round pegs into square holes character-wise in order to get from Story Point A to Story Point B.  Add a dash of "wokka wokka wokka...these are the jokes, folks" so-called humor and a pinch of cookie-cutter characterization.  What do you get?   Joe Kelly.

Joe Casey - Just...ugh.  He's even failed a "blind taste test" for me, when I was reading an annual of a title I read regularly, hadn't checked the credits, and kept thinking, "Man...the writer's usually better than this.  This is just...awful."  Then, I checked the credits.  Casey.  Plus:  Hulk beaten by snake...'nuff said.

Actually Bendis' dialogue and stories do tell you a lot more than you think.  I've been studying symbolism for the past few years including characterization and what not in order to become a writer and I've found that he's hinted a lot to the past through his dialogue and use of illustration.  Like for example in Mighty Avengers when Simon is talking to his agent and the agent swears and Simon tells him don't swear.  Bendis was alluding to how Simon is trying to be a good role model in spite of his past mistakes.  Or how in Avengers Disassembled that skrull that was there was a hint to Secret Invasion or how in the Pulse #1-#6 the image of Jessica dreaming about just her and the baby alluded to her possible break-up with Luke Cage.

As for the topic at hand.  There are three writers I don't get why they are popular and I usually get stoned for when I mention their names.

Grant Morrison -- I understand he's obsessed with symbolism, but his lack of understanding when it comes to characters like Superman, the X-Men, and such really makes my stomach turn. I don't get how fans could find his New X-Men run so great when he reduced Magneto to a two dimensional villain whose motivations was to just kill humans. Or how he changed Professor Xavier from his Martin Luther King Jr. Style mutant activism to Malcolm-X style slash and burn tactics.

Joe Casey -- I just don't get why this guy gets so much love. All he does is obsess over corporate intrigue, but he seems to forget that he is working with super heroes half the time. Every time he's on a super hero comic he comes up with ideas that always have something to do with corporate intrigue and they always revolve around established super hero characters doing nothing, but talking about big business and capitalism. I'd tolerate Casey more if he actually did something with the books he wrote instead of wasting all of his pages having the characters talking instead of doing something about their fears.

Garth Ennis - I honestly don't find any of this guy's work appealing. It's always depressingly cynical and over the top violent. I like action as much as the next guy, but only if its used in necessary doses according to the plot.

>Who were the speakers in that brilliant exchange?

Surely you can guess one of them. ;)

Surprised to see people mention Joe Casey. Have those people read any of his recent Marvel work like Earth's Mightiest Heroes which I thought was great? Love the first issue of Last Defenders too.