Do you know who Stan Lee is? Probably. In the world of comic books, it is an unfortunate thing that many of the great works and advances in the art are often credited to the comic book publishers not the artists themselves. Somehow Stan Lee over the years had made a character of himself and has transcended the comic world, but even gigantic names like "Jack Kirby" may get puzzled looks by the general public. Another gigantic name in the history of comic books who helped push the medium forward is the artist Gene Colan.
Born in 1926 Bronx New York, he starting drawing at just 3 years old, had great influences like Norman Rockwell, Syd Shores, and Milton Caniff, and studied at the "Art Students League of New York". He would take his skills in the 1940's, before most of the comic world we know today had even been made, starting with publishing company Fiction House worked on Wings comics.
After serving 2 years in the Air Force, he returns to a regular life and starts submitting work to both Timely Comics and National Comics Publications, or as we know them by their names today, Marvel and DC. In 1946 Stan "The Man" Lee himself hires Gene to work for Marvel Comics, however he gets fired, freelances with DC, and then goes back working with Marvel sometimes under the pseudonym "Adam Austin"
Marvel gives Gene a lot of freedom with his art, including sometimes the ability to draw panels that a writer would later come in and script based on his drawings, he stays with Marvel. He is given work on some of Marvel's biggest names, Captain America, Daredevil, Iron Man, Howard the Duck, Tomb of Dracula, Sub-Mariner, Doctor Strange, and I assure you I can go on and on. Remember, this is just Marvel.
In 1981, Gene leaves Marvel to go with DC. Here he took on one of DC's biggest franchises, Batman. He also worked on Firestorm and Wonder Woman among others.
Lover of geeky things, Rob Zombie, hired Gene to do the artwork on Hellbilly Deluxe and also worked on some "Spookshow International" comics.
Gene had a way lot more to him than I could condense in one Steemit post, this is such a light dusting of his works. Consider this just a little introduction to the person, because maybe you have seen his works and just didn't know the name Gene Colan behind it. Check out the below sources for more great information about his life and images of his works.
Sources
http://robzombie.com/2011/06/gene-colan/
http://www.nycgraphicnovelists.com/2010/05/gene-colan-on-vampires-shadows-and.html
https://www.silveragecomics.com/doctor-strange-1968-180-vg-fn-eternity-photo-montage-cover.htm
https://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/panel-pages/gene-colan-as-adam-austin-and-bill-everett-tales-to-astonish-79-sub-mariner-page-11-original-art-marvel-1966-/a/7152-92063.s
http://www.wymann.info/comics/074-GeneColan.html
http://www.theothermurdockpapers.com/2011/06/gene-colans-daredevil/
http://ifanboy.com/articles/ten-things-you-should-know-about-gene-colan/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jun/29/gene-colan-obituary
http://www.cbr.com/remembering-gene-colan/
http://marvel.com/comics/creators/270/gene_colan
http://www.dccomics.com/talent/gene-colan
This post is an entry to @awispa's Art Discovery Contest. Gene's art skills are passed in his blood to his son Erik who just joined Steemit and his art can be seen at http://erikcolan.com
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