I heard this great debate recently on sports talk radio about the Mt. Rushmore of coaches and who belonged on it. This got me thinking about all the different possibilities to have this discussion. There may, perhaps, possibly be more of these in your future but today I am starting with the broad brush model of the Comics Industry as a whole. Take a gander and let the debate begin!
George Washington = Stan Lee
Stan is the godfather of comics and the face of the industry. There are plenty of guys like Bob Kane who definitely hold a historical foothold in the industry and are widely known and respected, but Stan has been at the forefront of comics and a leader in promoting them for decades. His name and face are synonymous with Comics.
Thomas Jefferson = Jack Kirby
Kirby was the ultimate visionary. His style and abilities as an artist set the stage for where comics have grown. The Jack Kirby School and art books have led thousands of young children to dream of the day they could one day become professional comic book artists.
Abraham Lincoln = Jim Lee
This is more of an antithesis comparison: Lincoln fought to hold the country together whereas Lee was a driving force behind the creation of Image from the ashes of Marvel (Marvel in this case being a phoenix that rose up and lived again…somehow). But the comparisons are valid in the idea that Lee is an innovator; he has always sought out what was best for the industry as a whole and when he felt there was a need he worked to fill it.
Theodore Roosevelt = Geoff Johns
Much the same as the fact that Roosevelt was only mounted on Rushmore because he was president at the time, but was a great president in his own right (though not necessarily Rushmore worthy) Johns acts as that man whom belongs there…right now. Will he possibly spin-off and become a crazy person producing incoherent nonsense from a hovel in England (I’m lookin’ at you Ellis), who knows? But right now, Geoff Johns is the best we got. He has taken DC to levels not believed they could achieve from the shadow of Marvel. Let’s hope he deserves this awesome honor.
Have your own Mt. Rushmore of comics? Want to debate mine? Hit me up in comments below, on Twitter @tim_thewriter or via e-mail at [email protected].