who are the most important non-artist people in comic history?

[dekeuk]

Artists always get the attention, but who are the most important people in comic book history who were not artists? (or at least made huge contributions other than as an artist). I will start the list.

 

In no particular order:

 

1. Stan Lee

2. Jerry Siegel

3. Walt Disney

3. Denny O'Neil

4. Julie Schwartz

5. William Gaines

6. Martin Goodman

7. Dave Sim

8. Alan Moore

9. Denny O'Neil

10. Chris Claremont

11. Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson

12. Bill Finger

13. Frank Miller (as a writer)

14. Eastman & Laird (as creators/writers)

 

If I were to rank them, I'd put Stan, Jerry & Walt at the top of the list.

 

 

Your additions to the list?

[topofthetotem]

Artists always get the attention, but who are the most important people in comic book history who were not artists? (or at least made huge contributions other than as an artist). I will start the list.

 

In no particular order:

 

1. Stan Lee

2. Jerry Siegel

3. Walt Disney

3. Denny O'Neil

4. Julie Schwartz

5. William Gaines

6. Martin Goodman

7. Dave Sim

8. Alan Moore

9. Denny O'Neil

10. Chris Claremont

11. Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson

12. Bill Finger

13. Frank Miller (as a writer)

14. Eastman & Laird (as creators/writers)

 

If I were to rank them, I'd put Stan, Jerry & Walt at the top of the list.

 

 

Your additions to the list?

Dr. Fredric Wertham

[Jahbulon-migration]

Excellent question - because of my introduction to comics in the 80's Claremont definitly springs to mind. I would also add Jim Shooter and definitely Alan Moore, but most of my responses would be people who (like several on your list) were artists first. It seems to me that only in the modern (i.e. last 5-7 years) era are people who are strictly writers - or non-artists - who have less than minor roles in the industry. Because of their modern state, I hesitate to give them historical status.

[deamentia]

No Neil Gaiman? This thread fails.

[Duffman_Comics]

It is a no-brainer. Stan Lee.

 

If he did not exist, the entire comic book industry would look like 1959. Struggling for Oxygen and no amount of reboots by Julie Schwartz could save it.

 

Sure, there were comic book collectors before FF#1. Their numbers could dance handily on the head of a pin.

 

Stan's books created the back issue industry beyond the simple collector-to-collector deals.

 

I wonder if those who make their living from the back issue trade ever reflect on the debt they owe Marvel and Stan Lee.

 

Just my . No, 12c

[chromium]

Dr. Fredric Wertham

 

 

[chromium]

Artists always get the attention, but who are the most important people in comic book history who were not artists? (or at least made huge contributions other than as an artist). I will start the list.

 

In no particular order:

 

1. Stan Lee

2. Jerry Siegel

3. Walt Disney

3. Denny O'Neil

4. Julie Schwartz

5. William Gaines

6. Martin Goodman

7. Dave Sim

8. Alan Moore

9. Denny O'Neil

10. Chris Claremont

11. Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson

12. Bill Finger

13. Frank Miller (as a writer)

14. Eastman & Laird (as creators/writers)

 

If I were to rank them, I'd put Stan, Jerry & Walt at the top of the list.

 

 

Your additions to the list?

 

you put Denny O'Neil in there twice

[Kevin76]

No Neil Gaiman? This thread fails.

Gaiman rocks!

[whomerjay]

Interesting question. I agree with the Stan Lee comment.

 

Seems the list is all people involved in production of comics in some way. In terms of historical impact, IMO these 3 people would bump 3 of yours off the list;

 

1. Chuckles (with acknowledgement to Edgar Church)

2. Whoever was the force behind establishing CGC and making it work (Borock?).

3. Al Gore

 

Chuck and Edgar because of the amount of publicity the MH books have brought to hobby, serving to increase the ranks of collectors (and investors).

 

The CGC force because of a similar impact, lowering the resistance to buying all kinds of books, especially pricey ones, and thereby sustaining, if not increasing, participation in the hobby.

 

Al Gore, for inventing the internet (actually he never claimed this and his words have been twisted to vilify him), and its obvious impact on the hobby.

[heinlein99]

How about M.C. Gaines, Bill's father? He started EC, and convinced National to buy a neat little newspaper strip from Siegel & Shuster.

[dekeuk]

 

maybe I should have said POSITIVE contributions

[Scrooge]

Dr. Fredric Wertham

 

maybe I should have said POSITIVE contributions

 

Like it or not, he did have an enormous influence on the course of comics. While we can't equate entirely the disappearance of many publishers in the mid-50's strictly to the Horror comic movement, it certainly was the straw that broke the camel's back for many smaller outfits + it generated the Code which, with some alterations along the way, casts its shadows for decades on the field.

 

And I agree Charlie Gaines has to be on the list as much as his son should.

 

While I won't dispute Stan as # 1, I wouldn't be as hyperbolic about his influence.

[comicparadox]

How about M.C. Gaines, Bill's father? He started EC, and convinced National to buy a neat little newspaper strip from Siegel & Shuster.

 

I agree with that one!

Lloyd Jaquet was also a seminal figure who probably belongs. (packaged the first Marvel comic)

If you put Wertham on the list, why not Estes Kefauver? (Tennessee senator whose hearings nearly brought down the industry)

Gutenberg? (moveable type/printing press)

[grandz-migration]

I'm a big Marx Bros. and Laurel and Hardy fan.

[dekeuk]

Gutenberg? (moveable type/printing press)

 

Yes, I'm sure Gutenberg's primary reason for inventing the printing press was to allow sequential strips of cartoon images to be printed depicting grown men running around in skin tight neon clothing with flowing capes, accompanied by huge-breasted toothpick-thin-waisted model-type females in similar clothing, with their breasts practically bursting from those costumes.

 

Yes, of course that's why Gutenberg invented the printing press. What other reason could there be?

 

So in that sense, yes, Gutenberg is important in comic history I guess. Let's not forget the caveman that first invented vegetable ink while we're at it. And the first guy on the planet that ever slugged another guy in the face, thus inspiring every super hero comic ever created.

[FourthWorld]

Avi Arad is somewhere near the top (if NOT at the top)

[Robert Beerbohm]

Artists always get the attention, but who are the most important people in comic book history who were not artists? (or at least made huge contributions other than as an artist). I will start the list.

 

In no particular order:

 

1. Stan Lee

2. Jerry Siegel

3. Walt Disney

3. Denny O'Neil

4. Julie Schwartz

5. William Gaines

6. Martin Goodman

7. Dave Sim

8. Alan Moore

9. Denny O'Neil

10. Chris Claremont

11. Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson

12. Bill Finger

13. Frank Miller (as a writer)

14. Eastman & Laird (as creators/writers)

 

If I were to rank them, I'd put Stan, Jerry & Walt at the top of the list.

 

 

Your additions to the list?

 

Lloyd Jacquet

Whitney Ellsworth

Harry Donenfeld

Paul Sampliner

Otto Binder

Mort Weisinger

Martin Goodman

Hugo Gernsback

George McManus (publisher of EmBee's Comics Monthly in 1922, the first news stand periodical comics magazine, also did a strip titled Bringing Up Father, Jiggs & Maggie)

George Delacorte

William Marston

George Reeves

Jerry Bails

Adam West

Christopher Reeves

 

there are 1000s more

[drice6900]

Roy Thomas

Mile High Chuck

Heritage Auctions

Steve B and CGC

 

[Detroit MIke]

 

Donenfeld

Gaines

Goodman

Liebowitz

Delacourte

Finger

Schwartz

[OrangeNemesis]

obviously ...greggy