PoP! Top 6-Pack: Creator Power Couples
The PoP! Stars narrow it down to the cream of the crop in categories ranging from (but not limited to) Comics, Movies, Toys and Geek Culture in general. This is the PoP! Top 6-Pack.
One of the main keys to a successful relationship lies in doing something that both partners enjoy. This theory seems to be proven in the realm of comic creators, where several married couples have successfully collaborated on a number of popular titles. Here are six of the most famous comic creator power couples in the industry.
Walter and Louise Simonson
These two giants in the comic field have been married for over thirty years and have worked on some of comicdom’s most beloved characters for even longer. Walter, of course, is known mostly for his popular runs as writer and artist on such well-known titles as Thor and Fantastic Four, while Louise, a former Marvel editor, created Power Pack and has written for several notable titles such as Superman: The Man of Steel and New Mutants, where she co-created Cable with Rob Liefeld. Walt and Louise collaborated on several projects during the 1980s, most notably a five-year run on the original X-Factor, where they introduced readers to Apocalypse and turned Warren Worthington into Archangel. Today, they continue to work on lower-profile projects, though Walt has worked with Brian Michael Bendis on recent issues of Avengers. Their work, both separately and together, has provided the template for many of today’s creator couples.
Rachel and Terry Dodson
This superstar art team is known best for their bright and dynamic style and pin-up inspired renderings of female characters. Their work has graced the pages of such high-profile superhero books as Uncanny X-Men, Wonder Woman, Marvel Knights Spider-Man and Matt Fraction’s recent revamp of The Defenders. Terry provides the pencils while Rachel inks and colors the images. Their art styles complement each other so well on the page that it’s nearly impossible to imagine one of them working with a different artist. They are simply one of comicdom’s most consistent and prolific creative teams, and their name on the cover of a book pretty much guarantees quality.
Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti
This fun-loving and uber-talented duo is arguably the most high-profile husband and wife creative team in modern comics. Palmiotti made a name for himself as an inker in the early 90′s and as a co-writer with his good friend Justin Gray on such diverse books as Jonah Hex, The Monolith, The Last Resort, and Random Acts of Violence, and Conner’s lively, sexy artwork has graced the pages of many female-driven titles such as Vampirella and Batgirl. Their first project together was illustrating Garth Ennis’ acclaimed Image title The Pro, and they have since gone on to collaborate on a very well-received run on DC’s Power Girl. The two are basically inseparable at conventions and continue to be fan-favorites both separately and together.
Roy and Dann Thomas
After over two decades in the industry, legendary scribe and former Marvel Editor-In-Chief Roy Thomas teamed with his lovely wife and fellow comic book writer Danette during the Eighties and early Nineties. The first comic they ever co-wrote was the 300th issue of Wonder Woman in 1983, which incredibly was the first time the iconic heroine had ever been scripted by a female writer on the comics page. Their continued output during this period included memorable runs on Avengers West Coast and Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, as well as the twelve-issue miniseries Saga of the Sub-Mariner. Though both continued to pursue solo writing projects, their time writing together gave fans some genuinely enjoyable comics featuring some of the most famous characters in the industry.
Wendy and Richard Pini
The story of indie comic pioneers Wendy and Richard Pini reads like a romantic comedy co-written by Joss Whedon and the late, great Nora Ephron. The couple first met after Richard read Wendy’s letter in the letters page on a Silver Surfer comic in the late sixties, and the two began writing letters to each other. Their four-year correspondence culminated in them getting married in 1972. Their shared appreciation for comics resulted in them collaborating on the popular fantasy book Elfquest, which they self-published in 1978 and was eventually picked up by Marvel’s creator-friendly Epic Comics imprint, where it managed to find a wider audience. This mature and inventive title soon crossed over into a successful line of role-playing games and was optioned by Warner Brothers for a possible film adaptation. The Pinis have embarked on several individual projects since then, both within and outside the comics industry, but nothing has matched Elfquest in sheer popularity and notoriety among a certain generation of readers. Three decades before the prevalence of the Internet, two comic fans managed to find each other and make a significant contribution to the industry that brought them together.
Stuart and Kathryn Immonen
Much like Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti, the Canadian duo of Stuart and Kathryn Immonen creates great content together and on their own. Stuart is the superstar Marvel artist whose work has graced the pages of such popular books as New Avengers and Ultimate Spider-Man, as well as the fan-favorite Nextwave, while Kathryn is an accomplished writer who has worked on such books as Runaways and a Wolverine and Jubilee miniseries. The two have collaborated on several projects for Marvel, such as a Hellcat story for Marvel Comics Presents and most recently on a story for AvX: Vs., and in 2010 Top Shelf published the collected edition of their webcomic Moving Pictures, a story of intrigue set in Nazi-occupied Paris. Their output so far, both together and apart, shows great promise for the future in both mainstream and indie circles.
Filed Under: Columns • PoP! Top 6-Pack
don’t forget the creators of Sailor Moon and Yu Yu Hakusho are married to each other
What about Mike & Laura Allred? I would consider them one of the “most famous” but also still 100% relevant for nearly 20 solid years!
They were definitely considered. Alas, it’s hard sometimes to narrow many lists down to six.
Wow… You’re leaving the Smiths out? “Bone” was one of the most widely read books in the world and was independently published by Jeff Smith and his lovely wife. It’s the most successful indie comics venture of an entire generation!!
Bone was indeed a great achievement, but Jeff Smith was in fact the sole creator. if the covers of the collected editions are to be believed.