As suggested by Jenos Idanian #13, the idea behind this game is to connect two comic creators to each other through artists/writers that they have jointly worked together with, in as few links as possible.

For instance, take connecting John Byrne and John Buscema.

Byrne drew Captain America with writer Roger Stern

Roger Stern wrote Avengers with artist John Buscema.

That's a simple one, but presumably there are more difficult ones out there.

I'll try to keep the ground rules brief.

1. We're only using writers and pencilers for this game. No offense to inkers, colorists and letterers, but it makes this too easy if we count them.

2. Plotting counts as writing and breakdowns/layouts count for penciling. Finishes SHOULD count, but I'm not counting them for the same basic reason of #1.

3. Alterations by another penciler don't count as a connection to the first penciler. Basically, you're never going to connect an artist with another artist. You can connect writers with each other, though, if they co-wrote (or plotted/scripted) a story. And obviously if an artist wrote a story, you can connect an artist with another artist in that fashion (like John Byrne can connect with Jerry Ordway from Byrne writing stories Ordway penciled).

4. Only comic book stories count. No pin-ups.

5. If a comic story contains multiple writers and artists, it's up to you to prove that the given writer actually wrote the page in the comic that the artist drew.

Every installment, whoever connects the two creators in the least amount of turns gets to pick the next match (in the event of a tie, the winner is chosen randomly among the people who sent in challenges for the next match.

NOTE: When you folks send in your answers, please include your suggestion for the next match in the event that your answer is chosen. And demonstrate that it IS possible to connect your two suggested choices within six moves. Thanks!

Last week's match-up was Herb Trimpe and Kelly Sue DeConnick. A lot of people were able to connect them in three. I randomly selected Sandy B. as the winner. Here is how he connected them:

Herb Trimpe drew the "Grudge Match" backup story written by Peter David in Incredible Hulk #393

Peter David wrote X-Factor #232 pencilled by Emanuela Lupacchino

Emanuela Lupacchino drew Richard Castle's Storm Season OGN co-written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Brian Bendis

Sandy's challenge is...

Jim Steranko to Frank Miller





E-mail me your answers at bcronin@comicbookresources.com. Do NOT post your answers in the comments section!

Whoever connects the two characters in the least amount of creators gets to pick the connection for next time around (I'll pick a random winner in the event of a tie)!