2. Image Comics
Once upon a time, there were a handful of artists that got the crazy idea to quit their high profile jobs at Marvel and start their own company and that crazy idea became Image comics. The original Image 7 did something unheard of: they lived their dream. They did things the ways they wanted to and they changed the entire industry, showing countless creators that you can hold on to your intellectual properties and still be successful. Many talented young writers and artists now own their characters thanks to the bold move of Silvestri, Macfarlane, Portacio, Liefeld, Lee, Valentino and Larsen. When remembering the founders of Image people tend to remember the negative elements but the quality, creator-owned books Image is still churning out prove the company was/is a success. We have tons of great stories, either directly or indirectly, as a result of what these seven men accomplished. Their first few titles
did feel a lot like hamfisted Marvel books but the company has long since outgrown that. If you've read The Authority, Pirates of Coney Island, The Walking Dead, Invincible, Chew, Hack/Slash, Hawaiian Dick or Danger Club then you know what I mean.