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The Bleeding Cool Top 100 Power List 2017 Countdown: #11-15

Published Sun, 31 Dec 2017 13:30:04 -0600

Last updated Tue, 02 Jan 2018 10:47:55 -0600

Every year, Bleeding Cool runs its Top 100 Power List of members of the comics industry. And every year we get told how wrong we are. Somehow, it's always for completely different reasons and from completely different directions. Why was X in when Y was not? Why is Z is high when W is so low? And neither U or T should be on this list after that incident involving V…

But that's part of the fun. This attempt to list the most powerful people working in the English-speaking comic book marketplace is, of course, flawed. It is judged by all manner of attributes, the ability to influence what comics exist and sell, but also the willingness to use that power in the industry to affect things, and the ability to retain said power if a job is taken away. Which is why you will see a number of people on a higher spot than their bosses.

The Power List rewards those who combine roles, creator, publisher, distributor, retailers, those who are double and triple threats, and also where power is concentrated in one person rather than being spread out among many. Some powerful organisations or groups, where power is diffused amongst many individuals, drop down or drop out altogether.

It does not measure talent or likeability, and it does not intend to represent diversity. All it does is note power, used for betterment — or detriment — in comics.

The list was created in consultation with a number of senior figures in the comics industry, and I thank them for their help. Although because they all disagree, they'll all think the final list is wrong, too.

Watch for new batches every day.

11. Kevin Feige – Head of Marvel Studios, and while the comics side of the publisher may not be talking to him, they are agog at trying to match his cinematic decisions with the comic book line. Expect Black Panther and Avengers Infinity galore
12. Scott Snyder – Taking on some of the Geoff Johns role at DC Comics, Scott Snyder has stepped up in 2017 to become a mentor, and a guide for the shape of the DC Universe in 2018, while still writing books that sell extraodinarily well, with his gumption on the nature of Metal, and standing up against the suits until they came round to his way of thinking having been justified by sales and critical acclaim, whole keeping his line of creator owned books going and headlining a New Age of Heroes titles, the New Challengers.
13. James Killen – Buyer at Barnes & Noble for 38 years, he specialises in the sci-fi and comics lines which still present a strong face to the public for comic books. His picks and decisions have a remarkable impact on the way comic books appear to the masses
14. Netflix Comics Suit – Here comes 2018. The murmurs I am hearing suggest a major player with a very large audience, bank balance and a kinship with Mark Millar. Now all I need is a name.
15. Pat McCallum – Executive Editor of DC Comics, heading up the DC Superhero line that has done so well for the publisher this year. DC Rebirth is in his direction.

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