Jonathan Hickman is the award-winning writer/artist of critically acclaimed independent titles Pax Romana, Transhuman and The Nightly News. Teaming with writer Brian Michael Bendis, he launched Marvel’s Secret Warriors, spinning out of Secret Invasion. He then wrote the Dark Reign: Fantastic Four limited series, which served as a warm-up for his revered runs on Fantastic Four and FF, and two S.H.I.E.L.D. series. Hickman penned numerous Ultimate Universe titles before bringing his intricate plotting to Avengers and New Avengers. Hickman’s years of planning culminated with the Marvel Universe-shattering Secret Wars. His impressive list of credits includes a trio of lauded series for Image: East of West, Secret and the Eisner Award-nominated The Manhattan Projects. Hickman returned to Marvel to mastermind a transformative relaunch of its mutant titles, beginning with House of X and Powers of X, and continuing with X-Men.

Following his dynamic and eye-catching work on Marvel UK’s Dark Guard, Spanish artist Carlos Pacheco went on to illustrate Bishop, X-Universe, Starjammers and Excalibur for Marvel before becoming regular penciler on X-Men. He then teamed with Kurt Busiek on the fan-favorite Avengers Forever. Pacheco wrote and drew Fantastic Four, and penned a spinoff Inhumans limted series. His first work upon returning to Marvel in 2009 was Ultimate Comics: Avengers with writer Mark Millar. He subsequently helped relaunch Uncanny X-Men with Kieron Gillen.

Artist Rafa Sandoval made his debut on the all-ages Marvel Adventures Iron Man. He went on to illustrate the World War Hulk: Aftersmash one-shot and Warbound miniseries, Incredible Hercules, and Ultimate Captain America Annual — earning recognition as one of Marvel’s 2009 Young Guns. Following runs on Young X-Men and Avengers: The Initiative, Sandoval illustrated writer Brian Michael Bendis’ Ultimate Comics Enemy, Mystery and Doom trilogy of miniseries.

Croatian artist Esad Ribić broke into the U.S. comic industry with Four Horsemen with writer Rob Rodi. His classic European-influenced artistic style garnered attention from Marvel Comics, leading to a career-making series of painted covers for Wolverine and Kingpin. Ribić’s stunning interior artwork on the Rodi-penned Loki elicited critical comparisons to the legendary Alex Ross, firmly establishing him as one of the industry’s premier painters. His interior art has also graced Silver Surfer: Requiem, Sub-Mariner: The Depths, Uncanny X-Force and Ultimate Comics Ultimates. Ribić reunited with Ultimates writer Jonathan Hickman on event series Secret Wars, and brought epic grandeur to the pages of Jason Aaron’s Thor: God of Thunder and Kieron Gillen’s Eternals.