10 Comic Writers Who Need To Stop

9. Tony Daniel

DC ComicsDC ComicsThat one was pretty tough going - a bad writer and totally offensive! - so for number nine on our list we're just gonna go with a plain terrible writer. Tony Daniel, as an artist, isn't anything too terrible. Pretty unremarkable, sure, but not terrible. It's when he's allowed to not only draw but write comics that he really shows himself up as an awful excuse for a storyteller. Following his feted collaborations with Grant Morrison on the title, Daniel was handed complete control over the Batman-starring Detective Comics. To disastrous results. It's clear where Daniel's talents lie, and it's not with writing. He does try, bless him, but we're just not sure he has it in him. His structuring was incredibly sloppy, to the degree that an issue which switched between flashbacks and the "current day" was totally incomprehensible because of the way it was written. When he wasn't been totally obtuse he was being way too obvious, signposting character arcs and "twists" from a mile off, and it seemed at times like he thought the audience were stupid enough not to catch on. Everything got explained over and over again, slowing the pace and being a might condescending. He earned some leeway by following a truly execrable run by Judd Winick but, really, Daniel's Batman wasn't all that much better. Daniel really surpassed Winick by having basically no ability as a writer, being seemingly unable to write any of his characters consistent throughout his time on the book, tossing in blood and guts to compensate for any real depth or maturity. We're not saying you should quit comics completely, Mr Daniel, just perhaps to consider sticking to the drawing board.
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Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/