Contest of Creators

As part of the ongoing fight between Marvel and DC for exclusive creators, Marvel has signed Tom Grummett and Olivier Coipel. As exciting as the incredible competition is, sadly Marvel has not equaled the status of DC's big name signings. While Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Millar devote most of their time to Marvel, DC has monopolies on blockbusters stars like Jim Lee, Jeph Loeb, Geoff Johns, and Carlos Pacheco. DC deprived Marvel of their Loeb/Sale retro tales while Marvel took DC's fill-in artists.

This competition has made DC comics great reads and rising sellers. How good or bad this has been for Marvel is debatable. Geoff Jones left Avengers early in what looked to be an exciting run to work for DC. Chuck Austen took over with a washed up, bland storyline. Now Bendis has taken over the Avengers. Millar has released Greg Rucka, another DC steal, on Wolverine. Marvel's go-to guys were gone to. Good stories, but limited voices.

On the other hand, while DC has stolen some of Marvel's stars (after Marvel stole them from DC), Marvel has now turned to new talent from film, TV and literature. Joss Whedon on X-Men; Bryan Singer (upcoming) on Ultimate X-Men; Allan Heinberg on Young Avengers; and possible break-out stars with sci-fi writer Orson Scott Card and director Reginald Hudlin.

If Marvel (and DC) continueto bring in new talent, there should never be a shortage of creators to make our favorite books brilliant.