The Beat’s Annual Creators Survey ’24-’25, with previews galore

Happy New Year! It’s hard to imagine a wilder year than ’24, but somehow we think ’25 is going to full or surprises. And to kick things off, it’s our annual survey of creators for what they’ve got coming up and what’s on their mind. For the last 20 years or so we’ve run this survey to ask creators for a look back and look forward and maybe even throw in a few previews here and there. We’ll be running answers the next few days and announcing the the Comics Industry Person of the Year for 2024 on Friday.

AI….unions….the return of the comic book with Absolute…2024 had a lot of big news but what’s coming in the new year? Here are some projects to keep an eye out for. 

Thanks to everyone who took some time out of their day to respond to this survey. And Happy New Year all!

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Jimmy Palmiotti, Creator/ Publisher

2025 Projects: Deadly Tales of Gunslinger, Spawn monthly- an upcoming 6 issue company crossover- Popkill for Mad Cave Publishing and Painkiller Jane for Kickstarter.

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? McFarlane keeping all their titles cheaper than any other comics company with no drop in Quality or pages and at the same time expanding his line.

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? I think the biggest story will be the price of production of comic books as companies will have to pay more for everything from paper costs, to the production and delivery of the goods themselves. I see a lot less books by the end of 2025 as the audience is feeling the pain in the pocketbook.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025? Seeing my run on All Star Western finally get collected into an Omnibus and working more on characters I love, like Painkiller Jane.

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? One we lost recently – Greg Hildebrandt. His love for the medium of storytelling was contagious. When we spoke, there was always so much hope in his words and I will be missing that for the rest of my time here.

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David Harper, Journalist/Podcaster

2025 Projects: 2025 will be a big year for SKTCHD and Off Panel, as I’ll be celebrating the 10th anniversary of both as well as the 500th episode of the podcast. Expect things related to that this upcoming summer.

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? I know I’m going to forget something so instead of biggest I’m going to choose my favorite: DC’s Compact Comics. It turns out if you put great comics in a desirable format that’s reasonably priced and then promote it, it can have very promising results!

I guess that connects to my real answer: Publishers seemingly (finally) responding to changes in the market and delivering material that speaks to the reader of today rather than the one of yesterday. And I hope there’s more to come!

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? Unfortunately, quite possibly tariffs and the potentially catastrophic impact they could have on everything.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  Paddington in Peru, baby! Not a guilty pleasure in the slightest but I am ready for Paddingtonnnnn!!!!

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? Zach Lowe, the NBA writer/podcaster, for having such an inspiring approach to his work, and Shea Serrano, the writer/podcaster/etc. etc., for doing his own thing and finding success at it. Both have been inspirations in a number of ways, and are just two examples from a sea of possible choices.

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Sean Von Gorman (of Comics), Illustrator

2025 Projects:  I have an OGN being put out by Z2 Comics loosely based on the life of KOOL KEITH called Kool Keith: The Flower Cosmic written by Seamus “Esoteric” Ryan of Czarface!

I’ve also got some cover work coming out with Ghost Machine

And Look out for the first volume of my SMASH HIT series with Joey Esposito THE PEDESTRIAN Vol 1 TPB coming in January from Magma Comix!

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? The SDCC Fire. This one hit me personally as the AirBNB I would staying at went in flames during the Eisner’s. There was another hotel fire during Baltimore Comic Con which I also happened to be a guest at. Jamie Rich of Ignition Press is asking a lot of questions and making a lot of wild accusations.

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? If any more Comic Convention fires occur at a show I’m attending Jamie Rich will come after me hard.  More on this story as it develops, back to you Heidi!

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  I’m really looking forward to continuing THE PEDESTRIAN with Magma Comix! And AWARDS season!

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? Dean Haspiel has been a huge influence not only as a creator but someone who has never missed an opportunity to go out of his way to go to bat for me.

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Maia Kobabe, author

2025 Projects:  I have stories coming out in two forthcoming 2025 anthologies- Cartoonists for Palestine and Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights.

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? The biggest stories I saw were cartoonists working together on large social causes. There was Stop Project 2025 Comic, which published 28 comics explaining some of the most insidious pieces of the Project 2025 document. These comics were created by 40+ authors and illustrators including some very big names, and others who chose not to be credited publicly. Around the same time, several folks who used to edit The Nib organized the website Cartoonists for Palestine as a collection of comic responses to the ongoing genocide in Palestine. This became the charity volume Cartoonists for Palestine, which work from over 50 authors from all around the world in over 200 pages. Cartoonists also took leadership roles in the new Authors Against Book Bans organization and several contributed to a forthcoming anthology Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights.

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? Unfortunately, I’m expecting censorship to be the biggest story of 2025. I’m expecting some publishers to attempt to quietly kill or under-market their queer books, I’m expecting potential legal challenges to queer, trans, BIPOC, Muslim and Jewish authors, I’m expecting Authors Against Book Bans, ACLU, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and PEN America to have to step up their efforts to protect minority authors and argue against state and federal level book ban legislation and threats of library defunding.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  I’m back in my manga reading era and it feels great!

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? Lucy Bellwood has been a constant inspiration for me. I met Lucy in 2011 and have watched her build a career that feels deeply rooted in her values of community, friendship, family, balancing work and life in a sustainable way, using the internet as an intentional tool, and disconnecting when needed. Lucy is chipping away at a very long middle grade graphic novel project that will definitely land with a tall ship sized splash when it is finally released.

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Daniel Kalban, Writer

2025 Projects:  Nothing I can officially announce…for now. (Potentially American Dreams issue 6 on Kickstarter currently)

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? Absolute DC Line launch boffo!

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? DC begins to take a bigger slice of the market away from Marvel (I know, I’m being a fanboy, but DC is definitely firing on all cylinders creatively and I think the fan reaction backs that up.)

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  The new Superman movie, hoping for a fresh start for DC movies.

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? Probably my dad, who got me into comics and is a regular supporter of anything I write, be it my own stuff or anthologies I’m in.

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Jerry Craft, Author / Illustrator

2025 Projects:  J VS. K Due out May 6, 2025. Created by real-life rivals and #1 New York Times bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft this hilarious illustrated story features two talented fifth graders going head-to-head in a competition for the ages. It’s artist vs. writer with plenty of shady double crosses as J and K plot their way to the top. This epic match-up from Newbery medal winners Kwame Alexander (The Crossover) and Jerry Craft (New Kid) celebrates comics, creativity, and the magic of collaboration.

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? The impact of AI and ChatGPT

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  The next batch of Marvel Movies

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? Cartoonists Barbara Slate, Raina Telegemeier, and Gene Yang.

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Farel Dalrymple, Comic Creator/Cartoonist

2025 Projects:  ROBOT TOD comic first issue will be in stores in JANUARY 2025 and the rest coming out bi-monthly.

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? Taiyo Matsumoto releasing TOKYO THESE DAYS

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025? Whatever Marvel and DC movies and tv shows that are coming out this year. i’ll watch them all while screaming at my screen.

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? Taiyo Matsumoto for consistently putting out the type of quality work i would like to emulate

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Alex de Campi, writer

2025 Projects: Reversal

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? The increasing irrelevance of the Big Two, especially as their movies stumble hard

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? The huge slowdown in film and TV production now that the streaming boom is over is going to kill a lot of indie comics publishers who depend on option and production fees since almost none of their comics make money‚ and/or who are VC-backed. Oh no, they died, etc

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  I’m gonna buy the big gay Dracula book (DRCL Midnight Children) and read tf out of it

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? Naoki Urasawa, because his books were the first that I read and thought, I want to tell a story like THAT

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Henry Barajas, Author, editor, and publisher.

2025 Projects:  Chicano Noir: Death to Pachuco #1 by Rachel Merrill, Lee Loughridge, and myself. During the summer of 1943, Los Angeles became a hotbed of tension and conflict as a series of fierce clashes erupted between U.S. Navy members and Mexican American youth stemming from the murder of Jose Diaz. Private eye Ricardo “Ricky” Tellez needs to find the Sleep Lagoon Killer before the racist mob kills him in the Zoot Suit Riots. Limited release in July 2025  

 

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? The death of Elena Salcedo. Elena gave her body and soul to Top Cow comics for 15+ years. She helped so many people get their start in the industry anywhere from the business side to the helping creators get their careers started. So many behind the scenes figures go largely unnoticed or completely ignored, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. We lot a lot of people this year, but Elena’s hurts because it wasn’t her time to go. She had so much to offer in and out of the business.

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? There will be a Comic Book Artists Guild established in 2025. It’s long overdue.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025? My guilty pleasure is watching the L.A. Clippers and the Dodgers. I hope the Clips will win it all this year, but I’m a hopeless romantic. But I cannot wait for Dodger baseball!

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? David Fitzsimmons was the editoral cartoonist of my local newspaper. He was the reason why I picked up the paper that lead me to reading the cartoons and news which ultimately inspired me to be a journalist and working writer. If it weren’t for Fitz, I wouldn’t have worked for Heidi MacDonald and have her friendship and guidance when I first entered the comic book industry. I’m lucky to be where I am because of Fitz and Heidi and folks like David Lapham, John Layman, Elena Salcedo, Matt Hawkins, Marc Silvestri, Kelly Sue Deconnick, John Siuntres, and many more.

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Joe Casey, writer

2025 Projects:  WEAPON X-MEN for Marvel Comics and keeping up with my Substack newsletter

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? I guess we should be patting ourselves on the back that we made it through 2024 at all, right? That’s how it feels to me right now, anyway. So, what was the biggest comics industry story for me? Our survival.

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? I’m just hoping that there’ll actually be a “biggest comics industry story” next year. That would be amazing. Right now, it feels like we have no North Star to guide us, no breakout event or success that gives everyone else something new to shoot for. I’m always optimistic, but I really have no idea what 2025 will bring. Hopefully something new. Hopefully something great.

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Rachel Merrill, comic artist

2025 Projects:  Death to Pachuco

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? The overwork and underpaid exploitation of artists.

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? Further labor organizing between comic artists and writers. Solidarity together!

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? Henry Barajas

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Jeffrey Brown, cartoonist

2025 Projects:  The Uncanny X-Men: Days Of Future Fun (Chronicle, April) Hulk Teach! (Scholastic, August)

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? Maybe PRH buying Boom, I suppose?

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? Some kind of AI comics scandal that will be wildly entertaining yet completely devoid of substance in the end, leaving us all cold and emotionally unfulfilled.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  I’m going to draw Gollum at some point. I may make a whole book’s worth of pictures, just for my own enjoyment. If I can find time.

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? One person? Impossible to choose! I’d have to say Chris Ware is at the top of the list, not only for the work he’s made – which by itself would already be a lifetime of inspiration – but for being a mentor when I was starting out, and then a friend.

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Jeremy Holt, Writer

2025 Projects:  Sadly, I have nothing slated for 2025, but do have three books slated for 2026 and 2027. The only one I can talk about is THE GRAVESTONE SESSIONS with artist David Cole. It will be published by Mariko Tamaki’s Surely Books imprint at Abrams.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  I’m looking forward to more episodes of SQUID GAME and SEVERANCE.

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? The one person who has inspired me the most would have to be Brian K. Vaughan. Beyond being an insanely talented writer, he’s also one of the nicest people in comics. They say never meet your heroes, but in this case, I feel incredibly lucky that I have.

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Brian Garside, Manage Comics, Software Developer

2025 Projects:  Manage Comics multi-store, our own version of simple publisher tools, and more work on both the COMET standard (see COMETstandard.com) and the Fan Confidence Rating with Atom! Freeman. We’ve got so much good stuff lined up for 2025, and I can’t wait to let it all out.

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? The continuing challenges of Diamond Comics Distributors. The closure of Plattsburgh caused a number of disruptions, and has caused a number of issues for people all throughout the industry.

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? Something huge from Marvel, 2024 was DC Comics’ year, and these things are cyclical.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  Movies – I want to see the Marvel Cinematic Universe get back on its feet, a strong Marvel Entertainment is better for the comics industry. James Gunn’s DCEU will also be something to keep an eye on as Superman launches in July.

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? My first real boss Wayne Carrigan has given me a few solid pieces of advice over the years, but none better than when he asked me “Does it scare you? You don’t grow unless you do things that scare you a little bit.” – I weigh many big decisions I make against that to this day.

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Kwanza Osajyefo, Writer

2025 Projects: The follow-up to the WHITE part of the BLACK trilogy, titled…

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? The return of Vertigo as a DC Comics imprint was the biggest story that wasn’t really a story.

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? AI-generated comic books will be the big comics industry story of 2025‚ unfortunately.

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025? In 2025, I’m looking forward to having more affordable access to digital periodicals and more high-end hardcover trades/collected editions.

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? Dwayne McDuffie forever.

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Justin Guerrero, Writer and Illustrator

2025 Projects:  La Tarantulavispa (For the Webtoon 2025 contest). A short story from one of the many adventures of this crazed cannibalistic raider turned bug-themed vigilante in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi world.

What was the biggest comics industry story in 2024? Has to be Robert Downey Jr’s surprise return to the MCU as Doctor Von Doom. It has been months and there is still so much chatter among the comic sphere, Marvel fans, and film fans who still to this day are speculating, arguing, and engaging in conversations surrounding whether this is the right way to go.

What will be the biggest comics industry story in 2025? I am sure Sony buying out Kadokawa will have some effects in the Manga and Anime industry down the line. Also the supposed stagnation and eventual decline of the Korean wave might affect webtoons across the world and lots of Korean comics. Lastly, I am sure there will be something surrounding studios as AI is continually being pushed into projects and causing controversy wherever it is.

 

What guilty pleasure (of any kind) are you looking forward to in 2025?  Attending more conventions to meet and connect with more artists, writers, and industry pros.

Who is the person who inspired you most in your career and why? My ex girlfriend, Mira. I don’t think I would even be where I am now if she didn’t give me the motivation and push to just not think too hard in taking that leap in starting a webtoon (she gave me a deadline for March 14th), which then led to meeting fellow artists, which led me to seeing Deb’s tweet for getting new writers for the Beat, which led to me meeting many more people in the industry, making new friends and connections, and so much more. Looking back it all started with her, even if we have gone our separate ways since. I just know a lot of things would play out drastically different if it wasn’t for that.

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