I am curious. I won't be reading the issue myself until at least next Wednesday, I didn't pick up the latest issue due to some budget constraints. Last issue, the one featuring Butterball(a character I believe you once proclaimed had to be a Slott creation) was one of my favorite comics of the year so far. Gage was the solo writer on that issue.

I don't have favorite and least favorite writers. If you are talking like and dislike on a personal level, I don't know enough about any writer enough personally to like of dislike them. Interviews are often not true indicators of someone's personality and I always try to separate the work from the writer. Slott and PAD are two of my favorite writers, they both have excellent track records. I don't track down everything they write though. For example, I'm not buying Amazing Spider-man, although for years during the JMS tenure I often proclaimed that Slott would be the perfect Spidey writer. The shabby treatment of my favorite character over the years keeps me away from the title, no matter who is writing it.

However, I'm loving JMS on both The Twelve and Thor(despite slow pacing), so while some writers aren't good fits on some titles they are perfect for others and their skills really shine.

If I have to give an answer I will say that in addition to Slott and PAD, I think Mike Carey, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction and the team of Abnett and Lanning are some of my faves right now.

I don't like Bendis on either Avengers title and I'm not feeling the love for Millar/Hitch over on the FF. However, I am enjoying Millar's "1985" so what can you say?