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Wrightson had originally been asked by DC to handle the art for its revival of [[The Shadow]], but he left the project early on when he realized he could not produce the necessary minimum number of pages on time.
Wrightson had originally been asked by DC to handle the art for its revival of [[The Shadow]], but he left the project early on when he realized he could not produce the necessary minimum number of pages on time.


By 1974. he had left DC to work at [[Warren Publishing]], for whose black-and-white [[horror fiction|horror]]-comics magazines he produced a series of original work as well as short story adaptations. As with ''BadTime Stories'', Wrightson experimented with different media in these black-and-white tales: [[Edgar Allan Poe]]'s "The Black Cat" featured intricate pen-and-ink work which stood in direct contrast with his brush-dominated ''Swamp Thing'' panels. "Jenifer", scripted by [[Bruce Jones (comics)|Bruce Jones]], was atmospherically rendered with gray markers. "The Pepper Lake Monster" was a synthesis of brush and pen-and-ink, whereas [[H.P. Lovecraft]]'s "Cool Air" was a foray into duotone paper. "Nightfall" was an exercise in ink wash and a subtle "[[Little Nemo in Slumberland]]" satire, and "The Muck Monster" a sequential art precursor to Wrightson's ''Frankenstein'', with the [[Franklin Booth]]-inspired pen-and-ink style in evidence.
In 1974, he left DC to work at [[Warren Publishing]],<ref name="GCD">[http://www.comics.org/search/advanced/process/?ind_pub_notes=&letters=&series=&series_notes=&issue_notes=&synopsis=&colors=&isbn=&tracking_notes=&indicia_publisher=&issues=&issue_date=&title=&variant_name=&brand=&feature=&job_number=&pub_name=&is_indexed=None&story_editing=&method=icontains&pub_notes=&inks=Wrightson&issue_title=&end_date=&format=&brand_notes=&price=&barcode=&volume=&pages=&characters=&genre=&issue_pages=&order2=series&order3=&order1=date&pencils=Wrightson&target=sequence&reprint_notes=&notes=&is_surrogate=None&issue_count=&issue_editing=&start_date=&script=Wrightson&logic=True&indicia_frequency=&page=1 Bernie Wrightson] at the [[Grand Comics Database]]</ref> for whose black-and-white [[horror fiction|horror]]-comics magazines he produced a series of original work as well as short story adaptations. As with ''BadTime Stories'', Wrightson experimented with different media in these black-and-white tales: [[Edgar Allan Poe]]'s "The Black Cat" featured intricate pen-and-ink work which stood in direct contrast with his brush-dominated ''Swamp Thing'' panels. "Jenifer", scripted by [[Bruce Jones (comics)|Bruce Jones]], was atmospherically rendered with gray markers. "The Pepper Lake Monster" was a synthesis of brush and pen-and-ink, whereas [[H.P. Lovecraft]]'s "Cool Air" was a foray into duotone paper. "Nightfall" was an exercise in ink wash and a subtle "[[Little Nemo in Slumberland]]" satire, and "The Muck Monster" a sequential art precursor to Wrightson's ''Frankenstein'', with the [[Franklin Booth]]-inspired pen-and-ink style in evidence.


In 1975, Wrightson joined with fellow artists [[Jeff Jones (artist)|Jeff Jones]], [[Michael Kaluta]], and [[Barry Windsor-Smith]] to form [[The Studio (commune)|The Studio]], a shared loft in Manhattan where the group would pursue creative products outside the constraints of comic book commercialism. Though he continued to produce sequential art, Wrightson at this time began producing artwork for numerous posters, prints, calendars, and even coloring books. He also drew sporadic comics stories and single illustrations for ''[[National Lampoon (magazine)|National Lampoon]]'' magazine from 1973 to 1983.
In 1975, Wrightson joined with fellow artists [[Jeff Jones (artist)|Jeff Jones]], [[Michael Kaluta]], and [[Barry Windsor-Smith]] to form [[The Studio (commune)|The Studio]], a shared loft in Manhattan where the group would pursue creative products outside the constraints of comic book commercialism. Though he continued to produce sequential art, Wrightson at this time began producing artwork for numerous posters, prints, calendars, and even coloring books. He also drew sporadic comics stories and single illustrations for ''[[National Lampoon (magazine)|National Lampoon]]'' magazine from 1973 to 1983.

Revision as of 01:47, 2 February 2012

For the American diver, see Bernard Wrightson.
Bernie Wrightson
At the 2006 Dallas Comic Con.
Born (1948-10-27) October 27, 1948 (age 76)
Baltimore, Maryland
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Penciller, Artist, Inker
Pseudonym(s)Berni Wrightson
Notable works
Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein
House of Mystery
House of Secrets
Swamp Thing
AwardsShazam Award, 1972, 1973, 1974
H.P. Lovecraft Award, 2007

Bernie "Berni" Wrightson (born October 27, 1948, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.) is an American artist known for his horror illustrations and comic books.

Biography

He received training in art from reading comics, particularly those of EC, as well as through a correspondence course from the Famous Artists School.[3]

In 1966, Wrightson began working for The Baltimore Sun newspaper as an illustrator. The following year, after meeting artist Frank Frazetta at a comic-book convention in New York City, he was inspired to produce his own stories. In 1968, he showed copies of his sequential art to DC Comics editor Dick Giordano and was given a freelance assignment. Wrightson began spelling his name "Berni" in his professional work to distinguish himself from an Olympic diver named Bernie Wrightson,[4] but later restored the final "e" to his name.

Swamp Thing #1 panel, original ink art by Wrightson

His first professional comic work was the story "The Man Who Murdered Himself" which appeared in House of Mystery #179 (March-April 1969).[4] He continued to work on a variety of mystery and anthology titles for both DC and its principal rival, Marvel Comics. With writer Len Wein, Wrightson co-created the muck creature Swamp Thing in House of Secrets #92 (July 1971) in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century.[5] The following year, the Swamp Thing returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in the general DC continuity.[6] Also in 1971, he published BadTime Stories, a horror/science fiction comics anthology featuring his own scripts and artwork, each story being drawn in a different medium (ink wash, tonal pencil drawings, duoshade paper, screen tones, e.g., along with traditional pen-and-ink and brushwork). He and writer Marv Wolfman co-created Destiny in Weird Mystery Tales #1 (July-Aug. 1972), a character which would later be used in the work of Neil Gaiman.[7]

Wrightson had originally been asked by DC to handle the art for its revival of The Shadow, but he left the project early on when he realized he could not produce the necessary minimum number of pages on time.

In 1974, he left DC to work at Warren Publishing,[8] for whose black-and-white horror-comics magazines he produced a series of original work as well as short story adaptations. As with BadTime Stories, Wrightson experimented with different media in these black-and-white tales: Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" featured intricate pen-and-ink work which stood in direct contrast with his brush-dominated Swamp Thing panels. "Jenifer", scripted by Bruce Jones, was atmospherically rendered with gray markers. "The Pepper Lake Monster" was a synthesis of brush and pen-and-ink, whereas H.P. Lovecraft's "Cool Air" was a foray into duotone paper. "Nightfall" was an exercise in ink wash and a subtle "Little Nemo in Slumberland" satire, and "The Muck Monster" a sequential art precursor to Wrightson's Frankenstein, with the Franklin Booth-inspired pen-and-ink style in evidence.

In 1975, Wrightson joined with fellow artists Jeff Jones, Michael Kaluta, and Barry Windsor-Smith to form The Studio, a shared loft in Manhattan where the group would pursue creative products outside the constraints of comic book commercialism. Though he continued to produce sequential art, Wrightson at this time began producing artwork for numerous posters, prints, calendars, and even coloring books. He also drew sporadic comics stories and single illustrations for National Lampoon magazine from 1973 to 1983.

Wrightson spent seven years drawing approximately 50 detailed pen-and-ink illustrations to accompany an edition of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein.

Jim Starlin and Wrightson produced Heroes for Hope, a 1985 one-shot designed to raise money for African famine relief and recovery. Published in the form of a comics "jam," the book featured an all-star lineup of comics creators as well as a few notable authors from outside the comic book industry, such as Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Harlan Ellison, and Edward Bryant.[9] In 1986, he and Starlin produced a second benefit comic. Heroes Against Hunger featuring Superman and Batman was published by DC and like the earlier Marvel benefit project featured many top comics creators. [10][11] Starlin and Wrightson produced the four-issue miniseries Batman: The Cult in 1988.[12]

Wrightson illustrated the comic book adaptation of the film Stephen King-penned horror film Creepshow. This led to several other collaborations with King, including illustrations for the novella "Cycle of the Werewolf", the restored edition of King's apocalyptic horror epic, The Stand, and Wolves of the Calla, the fifth installment of King's Dark Tower series.

Wrightson has also illustrated cards for Last Unicorn Games' collectible card game Heresy: Kingdom Come.[13]

Wrightson has contributed album covers for a number of bands, including Meat Loaf.

The "Captain Sternn" segment of the animated film Heavy Metal is based on a character created by Wrightson.

He did production design for the characters the Reavers in the 2005 film Serenity.[14]

Awards

Wrightson won the Shazam Award for Best Penciller (Dramatic Division) in 1972 and 1973 for Swamp Thing, the Shazam Award for Best Individual Story (Dramatic) in 1972 for Swamp Thing #1 (with Len Wein).

He has received additional nominations, including for the Shazam Award for Best Inker in 1973 for Swamp Thing, as well as that year's Shazam for Best Individual Story, for "A Clockwork Horror" in Swamp Thing #6 (with Len Wein). He won the Shazam Award for Best Penciller (Dramatic Division) in 1974.

Wrightson received the H.P. Lovecraft Award (also known as the "Howie") at the 2007 H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, Oregon.[15]

Quote

Berni Wrightson on editing the magazine Web of Horror

That was done by a guy named Richard Sproul out in Long Island. His company, Major Magazines, put out Cracked magazine.... A fellow named Terry Bisson tracked down me, Mike Kaluta, and Jeff Jones, and presented us with a proposal to do this black-and-white horror magazine in competition with Creepy. ...Bisson (who was writing blurb copy for romance magazines when I first met him) left after the third issue under very mysterious circumstances — and the running of the whole magazine, for some reason, fell into [writer-artist] Bruce Jones' and my laps (and I can't remember if Terry said, 'Here, you guys take over the editorial', or if we volunteered). Bruce and I put together the whole fourth issue, which had already been assigned. We were working at home! We had to take this incredibly long trip to get [to Major Magazines] — Bruce lived in Flushing at the time and from there we took a train to the end of the line and from there we had to take two buses and then walk about 10 blocks to get to the office! It was an all-day thing and we finally get out to the office.... and the place was empty. All the desks, all the filing cabinets, everything, was gone! ... [W]e never learned where the guy went and what happened to him. We had all this stuff for the fourth issue and we were planning issues five and six — Bruce and I were going to take over the magazine and make it like Creepy or EC Comics — but they just left! ... Whatever had been turned in already, they took with them. I don't think anybody got paid for anything — and Bruce and I took a bath on it.[16]

Bibliography

Comics

Interior art (except where noted) includes:

DC

DC/Dark Horse

Marvel

Warren

Other publishers

Other publishers

Book illustration


References

  1. ^ George Khoury and Eric Nolen-Weathington. Modern Masters Volume Six: Arthur Adams, 2006, TwoMorrows Publishing.
  2. ^ Cooke, Jon B. "The Art of Arthur Adams", Reprinted from Comic Book Artist #17, November 15, 2001
  3. ^ "Connecticut Talent". Connecticut Historical Society. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
  4. ^ a b McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1960s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. 'The Man Who Murdered Himself' in House of Mystery was...the first DC story illustrated by Berni Wrightson (who left the "e" off his first name to distinguish himself from a famous diver. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 146: "'Swamp Thing' was the name of Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson's turn-of-the-century tale, and its popularity with readers led a modernized version of the character into his own series a year later."
  6. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 153: "Following his debut in House of Secrets #92 in 1971, the Swamp Thing grew into his own series, albeit with a reimagining of his origins by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson."
  7. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p.152 "The host that was first presented in a framing sequence by scribe Marv Wolfman and artist Bernie Wrightson would provide endless creative material for Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series decades later."
  8. ^ Bernie Wrightson at the Grand Comics Database
  9. ^ Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men at the Grand Comics Database
  10. ^ Heroes Against Hunger at the Grand Comics Database
  11. ^ Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 219: "Plotted by Jim Starlin, with dramatic designs by Bernie Wrightson...Heroes Against Hunger featured nearly every popular DC creator of the time."
  12. ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 234: "Writer Jim Starlin took the Dark Knight into the depths of Gotham for the four-issue prestige format Batman: The Cult...with horror artist Bernie Wrightson."
  13. ^ "Heresy Cards by Artist". The Sendai Bubble. Archived from the original on 2003-12-10. Retrieved 2011-08-17. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Daniel Robert Epstein. Interview with Joss Whedon at suicidegirls.com Sep 30, 2005
  15. ^ The H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival Awards
  16. ^ Bernie Wrightson interview, Comic Book Artist #4 (Spring 1999)
  17. ^ Ron Marz inverview, Comic Book Resources, August 12, 2010
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