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The Bleeding Cool Top 100 Power List 2015 – 28 To 26

Welcome to the Fourth Bleeding Cool Top 100 Power List for the next Bleeding Cool Magazine, being serialized right now on the Bleeding Cool website.

It's an attempt to list the most powerful people working in the English speaking comic book marketplace. It's judged by all manner of attributes, the ability to influence what comics exist and sell, but also the willingness to use that power and the ability to retain said power if one aspect is taken away – a job, a gig or a prominent role. 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, those who are double and triple threats and also where power is concentrated in one person or perceived identity. But it also notes certain teams who work together, who've built up a joint identity, a gestalt more powerful than the sum of their parts. Some powerful organisations or groups, where power is diffused amongst many, drop down or drop out altogether.

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

The list has been created in consultation with a number of senior figures in the comics industry. However, I'm aware the one thing that can be guaranteed is that everyone will think it's wrong and prefer their own take. Including all of those who were consulted.

There will be a new post every day on Bleeding Cool.  We'll run the previous ones below as well, so, in reverse order…

28. John Cunningham (UP)

VP Content Strategy at DC Comics in their Burbank Marketing department, John Cunningham is a bruiser of a man in a marketing position, so you probably don't want to meet him in a back alley. He knows where some of the bodies are buried and isn't afraid to enact a voodoo spell to reanimate them and kick your arse. Creates an atmosphere of fear against those news reporters that depend upon his PR altruism. But after years hiding in the dark corners, he has started to get a bigger public presences in panels, in interviews, at shows.

Position in next year's list depends upon: Defeating the boy Harry Potter and retrieving all his Horcruxes.

27. Dave Marshall (NEW ENTRY)

The editor-in-chief of one of the biggest comic book publishers, Dark Horse Comics, Dave Marshall, is a career man at Dark Horse having spent his working life at the company, until his promotion to the top spot this year.

Although the company has lost the Star Wars license, its other licenses from Halo to Call Of Duty to Zelda, a growing manga line and more prominent creator owned books has seen Dark Horse have its best year to date.

His plan to team experienced creators with younger, fresher editors will be changing the type of books Dark Horse publish in 2016, with a Tarzan film about to hit that they made themselves, a new focus at the publisher look. And Dave has only one man to report to – the publisher and owner, which gives him a lot of leeway in shaping the publisher to his vision.

Position in next year's list depends upon: Being more of a presence on the list when creators are shopping their products round.

26. Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti (UP)

Amanda is an A-list artist in her own right. Jimmy Palmiotti was an inker-turned-executive-turned DC mainstay and Kickstarter extraordinaire. But together they did something extraordinary, writing Harley Quinn in such a wacky, silly way that was so against the cut and thrust of the DC Universe, it was doomed to fail. And instead became one of DC's best-selling titles, outdoing the likes of the Justice League, Detective Comics and the Superman books. They have also controlled the destiny of the character, no one else at DC aside is allowed to write her, aside from in Suicide Squad. And they have managed the pressure of creating multiple ongoing series, relenting for a Harley Quinn-Team Up title every two months. Add their movie production company Paper Films and involvement with new start up Aftershock Comics and you have a true power couple in comics.

Position in next year's list depends upon: Just how well Harley Quinn goes down in the Suicide Squad movie.

#100-#98 – Dennis Barger, Janelle Asselin, Matthew Rosenberg

#97-#95 – Rich Johnston, Marc Silvestri, James Killen

#94-#92 – Jim Demonakos, Tim Buckley, Gahl Buslov

#91-#89 – Rob Liefeld, Peter Dolan, Catlin DiMotta

#88-#86 – Ken Levin, David Alpert, Kate Leth

#85-#83 – Jason Aaron, Stephen Christy, Jon Goldwater

#82-#80 – Stan Lee, Lorelei Bunjes, Marc Toberoff

#79-#77 – Jason Kingsley, Fiona Staples, Neal Adams

#76-#74 – Jim Sokolowski, Robbie Robbins, Corey Murphy

#73-#71 – Greg Capullo, Neil Gaiman, Art Baltazar & Franco

#70-#68 – Nemesis 43, Chris Powell, Mike Armstrong

#67-#65 – Hank Kanalz, Chuck Parker, John Rogers

#64-#62 – Alan Moore, Fred Pierce, John Wurzer

#61-#59 – Kate Beaton, CB Cebulski, Charles Soule

#58-#56 – Jeff Lemire, Matt Gagnon, Gail Simone

#55-#53 – Grant Morrison, Dinesh Shamdasani, Nicola Barrucci

#52-#50 – Skottie Young, William Christensen, Brian Azzarello

#49-#47 – Warren Ellis, Tim Lenaghan, Nicola Landau

#46-#44 – Eddie Berganza, Jonathan Hickman, Ross Richie

#43-#41 – Jonah Weiland, Peter Philips, Mark Waid

#40-#38 – Chris Ryall, Dan Slott, Mark Paniccia

#37-#35 – Nick Lowe, Raini Telgemeier, Sana Amanat

#34-#32 – Mark Doyle, Lance Fensterman, Mark Millar

#31-#29 – Hajime Isayama, Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie, Kevin Tsujihara

And catch up on previous years, here:

2014:

#100-#81
#80-#61
#60-#41
#40-#21
#20-#11
#10-#1

2013:

#100-#81
#80-#61
#60-#41
#40-#21
#20-#11
#10-#1

2012:

#100-#81
#80-#61
#60-#41
#40-#21
#20-#11
#10-#1

Bleeding Cool Magazine #19 is out now in all good comic book stores. Bleeding Cool Magazine #20 with the full Top 100 Power List will be out in January.

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