At the San Diego Comic Con last weekend, Entertainment Weekly gathered together several major players in today’s comics industry for the first in their SDCC Visionaries panel discussions which consisted of DC/Wildstorm’s Jim Lee, artist John Cassaday (Astonishing X-Men), writer Matt Fraction, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead, Invincible), Colleen Doran (A Distant Soil), and Grant Morrison (heh.. what isn’t Grant working on?).

The discussion covered thoughts on comics being adapted into big-budget films, the future of the digital comic medium, how the attitude toward independent comics has changed over the years, and touched on some of the notable up-and-coming comics creators to keep an eye on.

With the recent advent of Marvel’s Digital Comics Unlimited which offers digital access to a massive archive of its catalog, and DC Comics newly launched online effort, Zuda comics, the panel was asked how they felt about the possibility of comics moving toward a digital distribution model. “The digital medium still has a long way to go,” said Matt Fraction, adding that comic readers are people who like to hold the page in their hands, and he’s yet to see an iPhone that can replicate the tactile experience of a real comic. Grant Morrison added in his characteristic brogue “…And you can’t take your computer in the bath. You’d ruin it. They’d be useless.”

When asked how he felt about the creative license Guillermo Del Toro had taken with the Hellboy movies Mignola said, “You make your peace with it, and you realize it’s a completely different thing. You give the director freedom to change it. You try like hell to convince yourself that it’s okay. Sure, the gun [referring to the movie calling the gun Big Baby] doesn’t have a name and there’s no girlfriend. You either make your peace or don’t sell the rights.” Mignola later added, “The more contact I have with Hollywood, the more I just wanna stay by myself in my studio and draw comics. I desperately want to be drawing comics.” Matt Fraction added, “There’s never been an idea that comics couldn’t do. You don’t have to say that the camera can never do that.”

The big news to come out of the panel is the announcement that Robert Kirkman will be ceasing all of his collaborations with Marvel Comics. Kirkman still has a few leftover Marvel projects like Destroyer Max which he’s fully written and just up to Marvel to get it drawn and get it out, but beyond these few remaining titles he will be writing exclusively for Image comics from this point forward. Kirkman also revealed that he was made an executive partner at Image Comics, which explains the disconnect from Marvel. Kirkman joked that he didn’t see much difference with his new role at Image beyond taking a few more phone calls, but added that he was sure to become much more involved as he grows into the position.

Some of the names tossed around when asked who are some of the up and coming creators we should be on the lookout for were Jason Aaron, the writer of Vertigo comic series Scalped; Jonathan Hickman, who’s been writing one of my very favorite title, Pax Romana. Even though I’m months behind on my comic reading (I know, for shame!), Romana is one of the comics I make a point to read without fail, and after only a few issues it’s become clear to me that Hickman is one of the most talented writer/illustrators in contemporary comics.

The unifying factor that all the panel members unanimously agreed on was that Jack Kirby was the one person in comics that they all put on a pedestal.