boyajian@akov68.DEC (JERRY BOYAJIAN) (06/12/85)
Since this is long overdue, I suppose it's about time I posted this. Since I
missed the last poll in net.comics, I thought that when I got around to doing
up my COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE poll ballot, that I'd post my choices here.
While the CBG ballot only asked for one choice in each category, here
I'll be listing my top three choices, with perhaps some remarks on why I made
the choice. For comparisons sake, I'm going to list the CBG winners in each
category also, with some commentary.
*************************************************************
FAVORITE EDITOR: (1) Mike Gold for the outstanding First Comics line.
(2) Len Wein for having the foresight to get Alan
Moore to write SWAMP THING.
(3) Carl Potts for improving DR. STRANGE and starting
POWER PACK.
CBG results: (1) Jim Shooter - 624
(2) Marv Wolfman - 623
(3) Mike Gold - 536
A fairly close race. Mike Gold did respectably well against the fan
favorites.
FAVORITE WRITER: (1) Alan Moore need I say why?
(2) Howard Chaykin ditto
(3) Dave Sim double ditto
CBG results: (1) Chris Claremont - 1041
(2) Alan Moore - 871
(3) Marv Wolfman - 707
Was there any doubt that fan fave Claremont would win? What
surprises me most (and makes me feel that there's hope for
the masses yet) is that Moore did so well, especially beating
out Wolfman.
FAVORITE ARTIST: (1) Barry Windsor-Smith for work in MACHINE MAN,
MARVEL FANFARE #15, and X-MEN #186.
(2) Jamie Hernandez for Maggie and the gang.
(3) Dave Stevens for The Rocketeer (and ---
pantpantpant --- Betty)
CBG results: (1) John Byrne - 1089
(2) George Perez - 1055
(3) Bill Sienkiewicz - 371
Again, the two fan favorites were way up ahead. I'm surprised that
Sienkiewicz beat out Simonson, Paul Smith, and others for #3 spot.
FAVORITE COVER: (1) EVANGELINE #1 [Judith Hunt]
(2) JUDGE DREDD #7 [Brian Bolland]
(3) SOMERSET HOLMES #5 [Brent Anderson]
CBG results: (1) NEW TEEN TITANS #1 [George Perez] - 274
(2) SECRET WARS #1 [Mike Zeck & John Beatty] - 203
(3) NEW MUTANTS #18 [Bill Sienkiewicz] - 95
SUPERMAN #400 [Howard Chaykin] - 95
I must admit, it wasn't a great year for exceptional covers, but
it amazes me that there weren't enough votes for any of Bolland's
wonderful JUDGE DREDD covers.
FAVORITE COMIC BOOK: (1) AMERICAN FLAGG!
(2) SWAMP THING
(3) CEREBUS THE AARDVARK
Pretty much follows my Favorite Writer choices, except that, while
Moore's writing is better than Chaykin's, I think that Chaykin's art
is much better than Bissette/Totleben's, so overall, FLAGG edged out
SWAMPY.
CBG results: (1) THE X-MEN - 906
(2) NEW TEEN TITANS/TALES OF... - 577
(3) SWAMP THING - 487
I'm as pleased that SWAMP THING did so well as I am surprised that
TEEN TITANS was so far behind X-MEN. And that SECRET WARS was beaten
by (among others) CEREBUS, AMERICAN FLAGG!, and JON SABLE was worth
any outcome.
FAVORITE STORY: (1) "The Anatomy Lesson" [SWAMP THING #21]
(2) "Who Is Donna Troy?" [TEEN TITANS #38]
(3) "Roots" [SWAMP THING #24]
,- 290
CBG results: (1) "The Judas Contract" [TEEN TITANS #42-44, Ann. #3]
(2) "Who Is Donna Troy?" [TEEN TITANS #38] - 237
(3) "The Anatomy Lesson" [SWAMP THING #21] - 173
Again, I was surprised and pleased that SWAMP THING did so well.
It was a tough competition --- there were a lot of good stories
last year. Even more this year.
FAVORITE BOOK: (1) TERRY & THE PIRATES [NBM]
(2) PRINCE VALIANT: LITHWAY'S LAW [Fantagraphics]
(3) THE FILES OF MS. TREE [Aardvark-Vanaheim]
In 1984, NBM did the first two volumes of their projected 12 volume
reprint of Caniff's entire run of T&tP. Classic stuff. The VALIANT
volume has excellant art (of course) and gorgeous color repro. FILES
was a nice collection of the Ms. Tree story from ECLIPSE MAGAZINE.
CBG results: (1) DAZZLER: THE MOVIE [Marvel Graphic Novel #12] - 320
(2) THE UNCANNY X-MEN [Marvel trade paperback] - 263
(3) ELFQUEST BOOK FOUR [Donning/Starblaze] - 212
No real surprises here, though it distresses me that my choice for
*worst* "thing" of the year should win Favorite Book. If I'd been more
interested in ELFQUEST, I might've voted for that --- it does have
terrific color repro. I confess that I forgot about the X-Men trade
paperback, which reprinted the Dark Phoenix saga.
FAVORITE CHARACTER: (1) Ambush Bug even though he only appeared a couple
of times in 1984.
(2) Jon Sable one of the most sensitive characters
in comics today.
(3) Maggie Chascarillo [LOVE & ROCKETS]
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun!"
CBG results: (1) Wolverine - 963
(2) Spider-Man - 476
(3) Batman - 272
No surprise that the 'rine [A tip of the hat to Art Cover] took tops.
It seems a shame that one of the most bloodthirsty (now that Dracula's
gone :-)) characters in comics is the most popular. Batman's popularity
is perplexing considering how poor the sales on his books are ---
unless it's all the Outsider fans that voted for him.
FAVORITE SUPP. CHAR. (1) Raul [AMERICAN FLAGG!]
(2) Judah Maccabee [NEXUS]
(3) Jenny Weaver [ZOT!]
CBG results: (1) Raul [AMERICAN FLAGG!] - 386
(2) Beta Ray Bill [THOR] - 385
(3) Abby Cable [SWAMP THING] - 169
Yet again, SWAMPY makes a respectable showing.
FAVORITE PUBLICATION ABOUT COMICS:
(1) AMAZING HEROES because it has a nice balance
balance of features and fannish
articles. Just about everything I
look for in a fanzine.
(2) COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE which removed itself from
consideration on its ballot. Inform-
ative, fannish, good reviews and
articles, and timely news. A must
for the serious comics fan.
(3) THE COMICS JOURNAL because there's nothing else
left. :-) No, seriously --- Groth may
be an asshole, and the magazine may
be irritating, but the controversy is
a lot of fun.
CBG results: (1) AMAZING HEROES - 1208
(2) MARVEL AGE - 753
(3) COMICS COLLECTOR - 718
FAVORITE WRITER ABOUT COMICS:
(1) Bob Ingersoll [CBG] whose "The Law Is a Ass"
column is witty, entertaining, and
different. I notice most of the
grievous scientific errors in comics,
but I don't know enough about law to
notice the legal errors. Bob always
points them out. (Oh, what is he
going to do when the Flash bites the
big one? :-))
(2) Don Thompson [CBG] His comments and opinions are
informed and fair. And besides, his
opinions are frighteningly close to
mine.
(3) Jeff Meyer [net.comics] :-)
CBG results: (1) R. A. Jones [AMAZING HEROES] - 185
(2) Don Thompson [CBG] - 173
(3) Bob Ingersoll [CBG] - 154
Damn close again. Jones probably would've been my next choice.
FAVORITE FAN ARTIST: (1) Brian Pearce
CBG results: (1) Fred Hembeck - 713
(2) Francis Mao - 66
(3) Brian Pearce - 51
Hembeck was the obvious winner, but even though he still does work
for fanzines, I consider him a professional artist rather than a fan
artist. Pearce was the only one I found to be exceptional.
PHIL SEULING AWARD FOR FAVORITE DIRECT-SALES-ONLY TITLE:
(1) THE SPIRIT [Dennis Kitchen]
(2) MANHUNTER [DC]
(3) THE ROCKETEER SPECIAL EDITION [Eclipse]
One would think that since two out of my favorite three comics were
direct-sale only titles, that there would be a repeat. But no, I
have my reasons --- I feel that it would be unfair for reprints to
qualify for the Favorite Comic/Story/etc. categories, but that the
importance of many of them (eg. THE SPIRIT) cannot be denied. I voted
for THE SPIRIT because it's simply The Best, and Kitchen deserves
to get rewarded for his efforts in bringing it to us.
CBG results: (1) NEW TEEN TITANS - 481
(2) AMERICAN FLAGG! - 394
(3) DREADSTAR - 298
--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA)
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