Top Ten Writers #4: Dan Slott

.... Yeah, I know. Let's crank this out and I can weep openly.

Today we get to 'the funnyman' of Marvel comics. A person who doesn't have the same wealth of comics as some of the others in this Top Ten, but what he does do is shiny gold. Not to say he can't do serious well, he just has a powerful sense of humour.

And can kill you with a swipe of his mighty hand.

Yes. I'm talking about

#4: DAN SLOTT

I WISH I HAD A GREAT LAKES INITIATIVE LINE FOR THIS THING TELLING YOU TO HIT THE JUMP!

Who is he?: 42 year old Californian Demi-God.

What has he done that I might know?: Amazing Spider-Man (Brand New Day stuff), Avengers: The Initiative, Great Lakes Avengers, GLI/Deadpool Summer Fun Spectacular, Mighty Avengers, She-Hulk
What has he done that I don't know?: Most mentionable things are the The Thing 8-issue-then-cancelled-series and the Ren & Stimpy Marvel comics that were his big break. Oh and he did a Doc Samson mini but I've never read that.

Tell me Five Four series that warrant him being in the Top Ten:


1. She-Hulk
Dan Slott pulled off just about the most amazing things in this series, from explaining character assassinations to delving into the mentally disturbed mind of Jennifer Walters (well mentally disturbed... more just nymphomaniac tendencies). The character went through so much more in his 30ish issues than anything I've seen of the character beforehand. Sure like most things Dan Slott has handled the sales suffered, even at one point leading to a relaunch, but within these issues you got the best examination of the character that's ever graced anything ever. If that doesn't warrant a Top Ten position then... Be glad I'm sucking up to 4 other series he's done.


2. Avengers: The Initiative
There were a million and one ways this could have gone wrong, most of which are related to having a worse writer on the title. Marvel got lucky though and had Dan Slott kick things off. The series is a shadow of its former self now, but back in those opening 19 issues it was the best avengers title available (admittedly because Bendis was still on Mighty Avengers and Pet Avengers didn't exist at the time), with the initial story about MVP/KIA being so freaking awesome that some readers exploded at the sight of it. You'll spot I'm having trouble being all snooty and clever with my thoughts on Slott but that's simply because he's a fun writer, something that's hard to delve into with smarts. You just need appreciation.

... Yeah now I've disguised my incompetence!


3. Amazing Spider-Man (specifically New Ways To Die)
Screw the people who moan about Brand New Day. Seriously anyone who moans about it should be shown this arc. And the Hammerhead arc. And Kraven's First Hunt. All three are awesome with this at the pinnacle. Ya know why? Two words, connected by a hyphen: Anti-Venom. Oh and another two words: Mr. Negative. Admittedly the latter is a cheat because I'm in vicious man-love with 'Martin Li', so any arc he appears in is immediately a classic. It helps that this is some pretty high quality thrills, with some brilliant symbiote interaction (best since Venom vs Carnage?) and one of the last GOOD appearances of the thunderbolts. If you're trying to show someone a good modern spidey story it's THIS one. Or Kraven's First Hunt.


4. Mighty Avengers
Where to begin. After what, 20 issues of Bendis' above average but still not that good Mighty Avengers (wherein almost half was event material with no real relation to the Mighty Avengers comics before them) Dan Slott stepped up to the plate. What did he bring in? HANK PYM IN AN AWESOME NEW COSTUME!

Seriously my favourite new costume. But that's not all! He took in a variety of characters from all over and constructed what might be the most original and interesting team of Avengers EVER. Heck that wasn't even enough! He created the best overarcing subplot of the Scarlet Witch/Loki deception and reintroduced G.R.A.M.P.A., his better-than-shield world agency. This is a groundbreaking approach to the Avengers with no mistakes so far outside of some bum art for an issue or two. This comic would seriously have to start murdering people before I'd mark it down at all. And THAT. THAT. THAT IS WHY DAN SLOTT IS AT NUMBER FUCKING FOUR!

Yeah there's only four here but I haven't read all that much (coulda spoke about Great Lakes but that's just straight up awesome comedy, so I'd be rambling) and I'm a fanboy. Shut up!


I'm also not going to write about why his writing's awesome. Because you've gotten the gist of that from me going on and on and on.

In fact I'm just going to go to sleep, it's been a busy few days.


Low editing and such because I'm drained. I'll go back and redo this one some day. Reviews soon or another break? Seriously not into doing the next one tomorrow.