Announcing the 2024 Comic Book Industry Person of the Year

Each year as part of our annual creators survey, we ask people to pick a Person of the Year, defined as “the most important person, someone who had the biggest impact, an innovator, someone who set the pace, or had a banner year creatively.”

In a year that had a lot of creativity and change, it’s perhaps a nod to the basics that the choice for Comics Industry Person of the Year was cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson. 

Johnson had a great year as the writer/artist of Transformers, the runaway hit from Skybound’s reimagined Energon Universe, but that was after establishing himself as one of the industry’s most innovative and spectacular artists with books like Do a Powerbomb, Murder Falcon, and Wonder Woman: Dead Earth. Johnson only drew the first six issues of Transformers, but it proved that licensed comics can still be great comics, and he’s staying on as writer for two years. He followed up Transformers with The Moon is Following Us, a collaboration with  Riley Rossmo, a vivid and gripping fantasy that showed his writing talents yet again. He also swept industry awards last year. In short, Johnson is well qualified to be Comics Industry Person of the Year. 

Johnson was reached for comment on his selection and he sent a statement: 

“I’m so honored! Thank you so much to The Beat for this special recognition, and to all the people who’ve taken the time to purchase and read my work, I wouldn’t be here without every single one of them!  I also want to take a moment to thank my collaborators, including Riley Rossmo, Jorge Corona, Mike Spicer, Shawn Lee, and Rus Wooton. You all elevate what I do! I also want to thank the amazing people over at Skybound like Ben Abernathy and Sean Mackiewicz (and many more!), and all the wonderful people at Image comics who are making it possible for creators like myself to make a mark in a way that is real and honest.”

Our voters had more to say: 

• Daniel Warren Johnson has dominated my comics news feed.
• Not only did he win two Eisner Awards for TRANSFORMERS (Best Continuing Series and Best Writer/Artist), but he launched yet another beautiful and heart-warming creator owned series with THE MOON IS FOLLOWING US.
• Daniel Warren Johnson proved that art does matter, and brought the idea of the writer-artist back to best selling comics in a way that hasn’t been seen in a while, but was much needed. With The Moon is Following Us he proved his writing is no fluke. Johnson just gets comics and how they work and we need more of that, too. 

Publisher of the Year: DC Comics

Several folks who were part of DC’s Absolute/All In revamp were cited for their work: DC editor-in-chief Marie Javins, who oversaw the initiative, and Scott Snyder, who was the “creative director” for the line and tirelessly promoted it. A healthy DC is good for the industry, and rising periodical sales helped buoy comics shops through some rough waters. 

• Marie Javins – DC Comics had a strong, buzzy year that positioned it well for the future, with the launch of the Absolute comics, the much-praised compact editions, and even the vertical scroll initiative. Lots to like at DC these days!
• Marie Javins for keeping the DC boat steady
• Marie Javins for cultivating an environment for useful experimentation and big swings at DC while maintaining her position as a beloved figure. It’s a hard line to walk, and she does it well.
• Scott Snyder – No one can deny the massive effect the Absolute DC launch has had on creators, fans, and shop owners.
• Scott Snyder/Joshua Williamson deserve the credit for putting together the Absolute/All-In series.

Other Innovators

Comics keep moving forward as visionary creators and publishers keep finding new ways to expand the industry. Several of them were noted. 

• Chip Zdarsky – From his Zine to his prolific written work, as well as his undersubscribed YouTube channel, he is trying to grow comics, his audience, and is really adding to the world.
• Chip Zdarsky is my person of the year. I LOVE what he’s doing with Zdarsky Comic News. I think it was one of the most fun, memorable and innovative things that happened in the industry in 2024. I don’t read all of Chip’s books, (because there are only so many hours in the day), but thanks to ZCN, Chip is very present when I think about what’s working in the industry. He’s created a brand for himself that transcends and amplifies the books he writes. I think the example he set in 2024 is one that many will try to emulate in 2025. I know I have and will continue to be influenced by it.
• James Tynion IV – After three years running winning the Eisner for Best Writer, he showed comics a different side of his talent this year: as CEO. The entry of Tiny Onion into the industry this year was classy, innovative, and titanic. I can’t wait to see all the cool things they do.
• Deb Aoki for one, she has done a lot this year from teaching at the school, traveling abroad, meeting lots of industry pros, and helping K-Comics Beat exist.
• Geoff Johns is building something really special with Ghost Machine. The books they are putting are are terrific but behind the scenes is even more impressive. It sounds like everyone is enjoys working there are are happy to be there. Which is UNHEARD of in Comics!

Other publishers and behind the scenes people were mentioned:

• Chip Mosher and DSTLRY – if you’ve ever spent any time around Chip, you will know that his love of DSTLRY is palpable, but he’s passionate about the medium, and enabling creators to tell great stories. He is doing some of the best work of his career right now, and I think DSTLRY should get a shout out for doing such cool stuff.
• Hisashi Sasaki of VIZ Media’s One-Shots program, which is giving a lot of rookie creators an opportunity to share their work on a big platform.
• The Mad Cave crew: Mark London and Allison Pond
• Sean Watkins of Atheneum Comics Art. He has quietly and ethically found ways to make significant money for his alternative comics clients in a time where making a living is increasingly difficult.
• Shay Mirk not only helped found and run the Cartoonists for Palestine website, edit the Cartoonists for Palestine anthology, completed a year-long residency at the Center For Cartoon Studies, but also founded a new nonfiction comics publishing site, Crucial Comix. Shay has been making waves in the indie and nonfiction comics world for a long time but this felt like a breakout year for them. 

The New Icon?

For years, people would pick publisher Annie Koyama as a person of the year, but with Koyama Books now retired, we have a new perennial pick, Silver Sprocket’s Avi Ehrlich. 

• Avi Ehrlich – I’ve probably nominated him before, but I have the utmost respect for how Avi Ehrlich runs Silver Sprocket. They’re innovative, have contagious excitement for comics, have built a community around his publishing house and store, and treat their co-workers with respect. I also love that even though Annie Koyama is no longer publishing, she provides targeted funding to help independent artists.
• Avi Ehrlich is a breath of fresh air in independent comics. Their ego never comes first. They are always here for the cartoonist and for the comics. They are one of my favourite people, a positive punk rock force of nature, and makes life worth living in this industry And will get D+Q going to shows again because of their epic camaraderie (Peggy Burns).

Team of the Year

Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki are cousins and collaborators, and their book Roaming swept the best graphic novel categories of all the comics awards last year. 

• Mariko and Jillian Tamaki won multiple awards, including two Eisner Awards, for their graphic novel, Roaming. I love that they continue to create outstanding books! I needed something positive in 2024, and this book was one of them.
• Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki. I’d single out J because, though their book Roaming won the Eisner Award for Best Young Adult Work and Best New Graphic Album and the Harvey Award for Best Young Adult Book and Book of the Year, hopefully finally putting to bed the silly argument that YA is inferior in quality to comics for adults, it also won Eisners for Best Writer and Best Penciler/Inker. Which, yes, that’s cool too. But, and Mariko said this when accepting the award for writer, the artist is very much also the writer of the story.

Other creators, other picks: 

• Alan Moore – Honestly, I had trouble picking someone but I just read The Great When, his new novel, and it was stellar.
• Charles Burns because he’s still better than all of us.
• Caroline Cash has been all over the place this year for a REASON. I love that people are critically discussing Pee Pee Poo Poo. It’s a beautiful thing. Comics are so fun, and this year sucked so hard – we needed Cash’s humor to get us through.
• Dav Pilkey – Can it really be anyone other than Dav Pilkey? Maybe I’m biased because I have kids that are just starting his series, but it’s mind-boggling how ubiquitous the series is.
• I think someone that has had a truly banner year is artist/writer Jason Loo. The guy is writing and drawing all of the coolest projects at Marvel. And you can quote me on that! (Jeremy Holt)
• Emil Ferris: The most eagerly anticipated book of the past decade became the most critically acclaimed book of the year.
• Kelly Thompson. Quietly doing the work.
• Matt Bors. I work with him but I’m going to say Matt Bors, who’s moved from publishing and editorial cartooning to comics writing. He’s smart, talented, and a pleasure to do business with.
• Ray-Anthony Height. His positivity and willingness to share his experience and expertise with creators creates a community built on empathy and support, one that ensures the success of all of its members.
• Sarah Gailey. I’m relentlessly proud of them for a lot of the work we’ve done together, but it’s so clear to see that they give so much to their communities, both in fiction writing but in comics as well. I am grateful to be surrounded by such a wonderful person doing so much activism and still somehow finds time to live a normalish life, while freelancing on top of it.
• Sean Von Gorman & Joey Esposito of “The Pedestrian.” Why? Because the book was a breath of fresh air, and they’re both very nice people.
• Tatsuki Fujimoto, who can write both Look Back and Chainsaw Man.
• Todd McFarlane.
• Dave Baker. Because Mary Tyler Moorehawk. Full. Stop.
• Graveweaver: met her during NYCC 2021 back when she was just working on I’m The Grim Reaper for Webtoon. Since then she has been streaming on Twitch with notable big Vtubers like GirlDM and recently got her series published by VIZ Media, compared to the many other artists who get their stories published by PHR, WT unscrolled, Inklore, and such. She also had a blast in NYCC ’24 with the panels she was at, even getting to be part of the Viz panel there. Proud of you, Grave!
• Gooseworx, the creator of The Amazing Digital Circus. This was a big year for this independent animated project created by her. its pilot in 2023 surpassed over 20m views in a week, and each episode getting larger engagement each upload. It has gone on to have pop up shops overseas, an official manga coming out, nendoroid, recently being streamed onto Netflix as well, and just bringing so much attention to independent animation as a whole all with only 4 episodes out currently. I have never seen an independent project grow so fast but not yet burn out so quick and not only bringing more attention and appreciation to independent animation on the internet, but also lifting up other talents such as the voice actors, animators, and fellow indie animation teams such as Lackadaisy, Murder Drones, and Vivziepop’s works. 2023-2024 has been her year for sure.
• Alex Schumacher
  
• Oliver Bly

In Memoriam Person of the Year

Over the years of this survey, several people have been selected as “In Memoriam Person of the Year” and for 2024 it was Ed Piskor.  There’s no question that his death by suicide had a huge effect on the comics community. Piskor’s work, as a cartoonist and as a chronicling of comics history via the Cartoonists Kayfabe podcast, would have left a legacy on its own but his passing left people with complicated thoughts that they are still working out. 

Piskor’s family has been working to keep his legacy alive, and they shared their thoughts on this selection in a statement. 

“We are honored to learn that Eddie has been chosen for this achievement. Eddie was someone who ate, slept, and breathed comics. His favorite thing in the world was to create art along with talking about it any chance he could. The past 9 months, our family has had a front row seat into his world, learning just how beloved he was. To us, he was just Eddie. But to so many in the comic book world, he was a teacher and a historian that loved to share his knowledge with the world. We can’t thank everyone enough for sharing all of their kind words and stories with us during this difficult time. And we certainly can’t say thank you enough to those of have chosen Eddie for this achievement.”

Other thoughts on Piskor: