Things You Didn't Know About Legendary Comic Book Creators

Best Known For:"The King" co-created Captain America. He also helped create many modern Marvel characters like the X-Men, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, and the Fantastic Four. His "Fourth World" saga brought the New Gods to the DC Universe.

Jack Kirby shaped the industry; his techniques and innovations still drive it today. Artists saw his intricate detail. He drew complex machinery spanning comic book pages. Though it took time, Kirby worked incredibly fast.

Most artists produce one to three pages daily; three pages beats most artists' pace. On average, Kirby produced five pages every day.Mark Evanier, an expert on "The King," toldCBRhow fast the man worked with his pencil:

Jack Kirby often did more than three comics daily. From 1963 to 1967, he often drew five or six a day. His 1970 deal with DC demanded fifteen a week; sometimes, he drew twenty.

Kirby faced many deadlines constantly. He managed his work well. Kirby never missed a deadline; he turned in work early and started a new project immediately.

Best Known For:Writing and illustratingBatman: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, Sin City,and300. He also created Elektra while working onDaredeviland directed or co-directed film adaptations ofThe Spirit, Sin City,andSin City: A Dame to Kill For.

Frank MillerFrank Miller left his mark on comics. He recreated Batman with the Dark Knight work, influencing many artists and writers. His effect reached two independent creators in the 1980s: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Those two madeTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, arguably one of the most successful independent comic franchises ever.

Miller's work onDaredevilin the late 1970s and early '80s inspired the duo to makeTMNT. Miller's introduction of ninjas into the book inspired them. His six-issue DC miniseries,Ronin,also influenced the pair.

Following theDaredevilinspiration, Eastman and Laird used Matt Murdock's radioactive isotope blindness as their start. They imagined the isotope's container hit a bystander carrying a bowl of turtles; the rest is history.

Best Known For:Co-creating the modern Marvel Universe! He worked with artists and writers to make Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, the X-Men, Hulk, Wasp, Ant-Man, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Groot, and many others.

Stan "The Man" LeeStan Lee was key to Marvel's success. He worked there for many years, though he had not been with the company for decades before he died. Still, he strongly connected with the classic Silver Age characters that saved Marvel and served as Marvel's public face.

the company paid him a salary of $1 millionHe received $1 million yearly for life. His pay came from his role as the company's public face; he promoted this role his whole life, even after leaving Marvel.

Stan Lee's Marvel pay came just for being Stan Lee. Being Stan Lee publicly offered amazing, cheap publicity. Stan earned a million dollars a year just for being Stan, and most people think he deserved it.

Best Known For:Co-creating many characters, includingX-Mencharacters like Rogue, Psylocke, Phoenix, Mystique, Emma Frost, Madelyne Pryor, Warpath, Pyro, Legion, Mister Sinister, Forge, Gambit, and many others. He is most known for "The Dark Phoenix Saga" and "Days of Future Past."

Chris Claremont always wrote. However, his goals for Bard College did not focus on comics. He saw the industry dying, so it did not interest him. He focused instead on becoming an actor, novelist, and director. He studied acting and political theory, then got a job as a gofer at Marvel Comics before graduating.

He worked at the publisher for four years. Then, he received his first assignment to writeDaredevil#102with the story "Stilt-Man Stalks the City!". His acting and directing dreams shifted after he started writing comics. He still studied acting and used that knowledge in his writing. He built character motives like a method actor, making their personalities feel real.used itin his writing. He built character motives like a method actor, making their personalities feel real.

Best Known For:His work onThe Amazing Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, andBatmanis his early best work. Today, he is best known as a founding member of Image Comics and the creator ofSpawn,plus the co-creator ofVenom. He also created McFarlane Toys, which supplies highly detailed model figurines based on everything from sports and the military to pop culture and video games.

Todd McFarlane answers to no one in the industry. He is a founding member of Image Comics and works for himself. He collaborates because he wants to. Despite being one of the most sought-after pencilers of his time, McFarlane also inks well. He shares those skills with many creators for free.

He left the inking duties onSpawnTodd McFarlane appeared behind issue #70.McFarlane does inking. He inks for Rob Liefeld, Greg Capullo, Jim Cheung, and others. He charges nothing for his work. McFarlane also does some pencils, filling in areas needing little work. He does this to help his fellow artists.He works with Rob Liefeld, Greg Capullo, Jim Cheung, and others, inking their work. He also pencils in easy areas to help his fellow artists. He charges nothing for this work.

McFarlane says, "If you want help, I'll do it free of charge. You'll still get your inking rates. I can draw a little bit; you don't have to do all of it." Deadlines and helping teammates drive this. He says you don't need a full body; squares or lines for a skyline work. He understands.

McFarlane thinks inking is essential. He invited people with no industry experience to help ink.McFarlane helps ink some pages.He does this for Spawn.Spawn.Spawn #300 was one of his most important books.

Jim Starlin Best Known For:Starlin co-created many Marvel characters, including Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Thanos, and Shang-Chi. He also wrote The Infinity Gauntlet.The Infinity Gauntlet.This became the inspiration for Avengers: Infinity War.Avengers: Infinity War.and Endgame.Endgame.Starlin appeared in Endgame.Endgame.He also revamped Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock for the modern age.

Jim Starlin wrote one of the most important books for DC Comics.Batman: Death in the Family.This book showed the Joker killing Jason Todd (Robin, the Boy Wonder). The writer did not decide the book's fate, even though he favored one outcome. Fans decided Robin's fate by voting between issues three and four. Only 72 votes decided Todd's fate.72 votes..

Starlin disliked Robin. He had a reason for disliking the teenage superhero, which he explained in an interview with Screen Geek.Screen Geek.:

If you fight crime in black and gray, you don't bring a kid in primary colors. You send him out to fight. That seems like child cruelty, trying to kill him. You could put up a sign saying, "Shoot the kid." I never thought Robin fit in Batman mythology. I avoided using him in my stories. Denny O’Neal, the editor who pushed for it, suggested a phone gag. I had wanted to get rid of Robin for six months. He agreed, and that is history.

John Romita, Sr. Best Known For:Romita created the Punisher and Wolverine. He also has long-running work on The Amazing Spider-Man.The Amazing Spider-Man.He illustrated some of the most important covers and panels in The Amazing Spider-Man's early history.

In 1949, John Romita worked at Forbes Lithograph in New York City. He made $30 a week, which equals $340 in 2021. An old friend approached him. Romita met comic book inker Lester Zakarin, a high school friend, on the subway. That meeting changed his life.ZakarinZakarin offered his old pal between $17 and $20 a page to pencil a 10-page story, which he would uncredited.ghost artist. Romita recalled:

I thought, "This is ridiculous!" I could make more money in two pages than I usually make all week. So, I ghosted it and kept ghosting for him.

This happened when Marvel was called Timely Comics. Romita met the company's editor-in-chief and art director, Stan Lee. Romita worked for Lee for a couple of years. Then, he was drafted into the US Army. He returned to New York while on leave. Romita reconnected with Lee and began working on Westerns and war stories, starting his independent work. His career grew with uncredited work for DC and freelance illustrations for Atlas (Timely became Atlas before becoming Marvel).

Best Known For:His work onThe Ultimates, Ultimate Fantastic Four, The Authority, Civil War, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Wanted, Superior, Kick-Ass, Superman: Red Son, Jupiter's Legacy,and much more. People call his large body of work "Millarworld," and it has influenced Hollywood for years.

Mark Millar started by working for independent titles and DC. In 2001, he moved to Marvel Comics and began making his mark. His work on theUltimatetitles redefined all Marvel characters for a new generation, making him a big success. At one point, he got a chance tospeak with Stan Leeover the phone, which he felt "was like phoning God."

He gave me the best advice ever. About eleven years ago, I felt pleased. I had four books in the top five then, but they were all Marvel books. He told me, "That’s great, but you should create your own characters instead of mine. I did not do"SupermanandBatmanandTarzanandSherlock Holmes, I went and made theX-Men."

That talk sparked a fire in Millar that has grown over the years. Millar followed Lee's advice and started his own path. In 2004, he launched his own line calledMillarworld, splitting ownership with his artists 50/50. From this, he createdKick-Ass, Hit-Girl, Jupiter's Legacy, Kingsman: The Secret Service, and more. He aimed to create 25 independent franchises, and he is close to reaching that goal.

Best Known For:His work on many DC Comics, includingAnimal Man, LJA, Batman, All-Star Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Doom Patrol, Action Comics, and Vertigo'sThe Invisibles. He also worked on Fleetway's2000 ADand was the editor-in-chief ofHeavy Metal.

Grant Morrison's influence on DC Comics is legendary. He mostly wrote since the 1980s, but he also appeared as a comic book character.He appeared as a comic book character.He first made cameos in Animal Man issues #11 and #14, which he wrote. He later appeared fully in issue #25 but finished there. In the next issue, he held a long talk with the main character.He made these appearances in Animal Man.He wrote issues #11 and #14 of Animal Man. He made a full appearance in issue #25, but he did not finish there. In the following issue, he had a long conversation with the main character.

InAnimal Manhe was known asthe Writer, and he was one of the protagonist's enemies. He could change reality by writing a story, which is a very meta move for a writer in a comic book.

Since then, he has appeared in issues ofSuicide SquadandSimpsons Comics, where he fought fellow writer Mark Millar. In his book,Seven Soldiers, he appears as seven "reality engineers." The eighth one goes rogue in the books, becoming Morrison's likeness while wearing a magician's costume. This fits well because Morrison is an occultist.

Best Known For:He co-created Bishop, Sabretooth, Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde, Scott Lang, Omega Red, Rachel Summers, and Shadow King. He also createdNext MenandDanger Unlimitedand wrote the first issues ofHellboy. Also, his work onX-Men,Fantastic Four, She-Hulk,andSupermanestablished the characters as they stand now, permanently marking his presence in the industry.

John Byrne worked a lot for Marvel Comics. He left the company in the late 1980s to join its main competitor, DC Comics. When he joined, he led the revamp of the company's main character, Superman. Before he arrived, DC changed and reorganized all its characters using theCrisis on Infinite Earthsstoryline.

This change fixed all the timelines and alternate Earths, but it also fixed the Man of Steel. In DC's pre-Crisisuniverse, Superman became too powerful. He needed a revamp to make sense again, so Byrne was theman for the job.At that time, he said, "I'm taking Superman back to the basics. It's basically Siegel and Shuster's Superman meets the Fleischer Superman in 1986."

Byrne's six-issue miniseries,The Man of Steel, completely changed the character, grounding him in the modern age. Every Superman version you see in a movie, TV show, or comic after 1986 comes from Byrne's changes. This shows how much Byrne's work on the character matters, and his effect will likely stay long.

Best Known For: The SpiritandA Contract with God.

Will Eisneris comic book royalty. He was one of the first three people inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame. Many creators on this list joined that group after winning the Eisner Award for their work. Eisner started drawing comics in 1935 after submitting his work toWow, What a Magazine!

Comic books looked very different then; they were just tabloid-sized strips reprinted in color. The industry and Eisner changed starting in 1939 when he got the chance to publish.The SpiritEverett M. "Busy" Arnold of Quality Comics published it. Eisner's career grew from this point.The SpiritThe Spirit became hugely popular. However, it took the late '70s for Eisner to truly impact the industry.

Eisner published The Spirit in 1978.A Contract with GodThis book features poor Jewish characters in New York City. The term "graphic novel" existed before its release, but Eisner made it popular. Comic book creators used his work as inspiration and an example for their stories, which could not sell in the standard serialized comic book way. Since then, people call him the "Father of the Graphic Novel" because he showed the world comics were another form of literature.

Jim Lee Best Known For:He co-founded Image Comics before becoming the publisher and chief creative officer of DC Comics. He worked on major Marvel and DC comics, includingJim Lee created Uncanny X-Men, All-Star Batman & Robin, Fantastic Four, and The Punisher War Journal., and many others.

Jim LeeJim Lee is a big name in comics now. He became DC Comics' chief creative officer in 2018. Before that, he worked for Marvel and DC, then left to help co-found Image Comics in the 1990s. His name is as known in comics as almost anyone's.

His family encouraged Jim Lee to join the medical field, following his father's path. This plan existed early, even though Jim Lee loved comic books.Jim Lee attended Princeton University.There, he earned a psychology degree, planning to go to medical school. In 1986, near graduation, he took an art class that reignited his interest in art.

This, plus rediscovering comics through Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons'sJim Lee worked on Watchmen.Jim Lee worked on Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns.Jim Lee worked on The Dark Knight Returns.made him change his life. He delayed medical school and tried entering the comic book business. His parents reluctantly gave him their approval, and though he did not succeed right away, his persistence worked. He reached Marvel Comics, where he got his first job pencilingJim Lee worked on Alpha Flight..

Alan Moore Best Known For:He wrote and created many series, includingAlan Moore wrote Watchmen, From Hell, V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, Batman: The Killing Joke, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen., and more. His work shaped modern comics, making him one of the most influential writers in the medium's history.

Alan Moore acts like an occultist, anarchist, and ceremonial magician; he is an absolute genius at writing comic books. His work shaped the medium. You may know his name even if you never read his books.WatchmenMany consider Watchmen the greatest graphic novel ever made, even if the movie it inspired lacks wide appeal.

Moore saw his writing change for the silver screen during film adaptations. He would watch them if he ever did. Despite his constant objections,he has constant objections, his work appears in many films, includingWatchmen, From Hell, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, V for VendettaandBatman: The Killing JokeMoore always opposes turning his books into movies. He attacks them every time people ask about them.

WhenWatchmenMoore stated that Watchmen was released in 2009.EWHe told EW, "My book is a comic book," explaining why he would not see it.EW"Not a movie, not a novel. A comic book." In a later interview with the Los Angeles Times,Los Angeles TimesHe said, "TheWatchmenfilm sounds like more regurgitated worms. I am sick of worms."

Best Known For:He created the Ultimate Universe (Earth-1601) for Marvel Comics. He also wrote major Marvel stories from the 21st century, such as "Secret Wars," "Secret Invasion," "Siege," "House of M," and "Age of Ultron." He also created Miles Morales.

People now know Brian Michael Bendis for his writing, but he started as an artist. Breaking into the industry was hard. Like most artists, he had to earn money first. He did this by working as acaricature artistBendis worked as a caricature artist at events like bar mitzvahs. He did not enjoy this work, but it paid the bills while he pursued his main passion: writing.

Bendis spent time drawing caricatures, which let him move to bigger things. He worked as an illustrator forThe Plain Dealer, the main Cleveland newspaper, and later found work atCaliber Comics. From there, he made his mark on the industry, working on many titles before moving to Image Comics in the late 1990s.

Best Known For: Sandmanfor Vertigo. Many of his novels became live-action or animation, includingStardust, American GodsandCoralineHis other works includeAnansi Boys, The Graveyard Book,Norse MythologyandThe Ocean at the End of the Lane, which won theBook of the Yearin the British National Book Awards.

People who love Neil Gaiman's comics, novels, and adaptations know him now, but he did not start in these fields. He began working in the 1980s as afreelance journalistDuring this time, he made many connections that helped him later as a novelist. Gaiman explained:

I wanted to learn how the world works and how publishing works. I figured all this out myself. I was lucky. I made this choice in England. Lots of magazines and newspapers used freelancers then.

As a journalist, Gaiman conductedNeil Gaiman gave interviews.Neil Gaiman spoke with Terry Jones of Monty Python.Neil Gaiman's fame came from Divine.Neil Gaiman is from Pink Flamingos.Neil Gaiman worked with Rik Mayall and Richard O'Brien from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.Neil Gaiman worked with Rik Mayall and Richard O'Brien from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.Neil Gaiman worked with Rik Mayall and Richard O'Brien from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.Gaiman did all this without formal journalism training. For him, this was a means to an end, making him one of his generation's greatest creative minds.