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Norm Breyfogle

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Norm Breyfogle
Norm Breyfogle by Michael Netzer
BornNorman Keith Breyfogle
(1960-02-27) February 27, 1960 (age 64)
Iowa City, Iowa[1]
Died(2018-09-24)September 24, 2018
Houghton, Michigan
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Writer, Penciller, Inker, Letterer
Notable works
Batman
Detective Comics
Prime

Norman Keith "Norm" Breyfogle (February 27, 1960 – September 24, 2018)[1] was an American artist, best known for his comic book art on the Batman family of comics from 1987 to 1995. During this time, he co-created the villains Ventriloquist and Ratcatcher with writers Alan Grant and John Wagner, and the characters Anarky, Jeremiah Arkham, Victor Zsasz, and Amygdala with Grant alone. He co-created with writers Gerard Jones and Len Strazewski the Malibu Comics Ultraverse flagship hero Prime, and both wrote and drew the Malibu-published series featuring his original character Metaphysique.

Biography

Early life and career

When Breyfogle was 12 years old, he began taking private lessons from commercial artist Andrew Benson. Around this time, he won his first award at a town and country art show. The Daily Mining Gazette, the local newspaper in Houghton, Michigan, profiled him in 1976 as "Norm Breyfogle: Near Master Cartoonist at 16." During his time in high school, he co-plotted, wrote, and illustrated a comic book titled Tech-Team for Michigan Technological University. In 1977, he submitted his version of Robin's costume to DC Comics. This was published in Batman Family #13.[2]

After high school, Breyfogle attended Northern Michigan University, studying painting and illustration. During his time in college, Breyfogle worked as an illustrator for a local magazine and for a graphics company. In 1980, he illustrated a book titled Bunyan: Lore’s Loggin’ Hero, published by Book Concern. Shortly after college, Breyfogle moved to California in 1982. He worked as a draftsman and later as a technical illustrator designing a Space Shuttle training manual for the United Space Boosters.

Early comics work

In 1984, Breyfogle penciled a six–page story for DC Comics’ New Talent Showcase. Mike Friedrich (President of Star Reach, a talent representative agency) saw Breyfogle's work hanging at the 1985 San Diego Comic-Con Art Show and began representing him.[3] This was followed by several issues of First Comics’ American Flagg, penciling a back-up story titled "Bob Violence" in 1985. During this time he drew for Tales of Terror, a horror anthology published by Eclipse Comics.[4] Following that, Breyfogle wrote, illustrated, and lettered a Captain America story in Marvel Fanfare #29 (Nov. 1986).[5] He then drew Whisper for First Comics in 1986–1987, his first monthly book,[6] before landing on Detective Comics starring Batman published by DC Comics.

Batman

Batman and Robin as drawn by Breyfogle. The cover is a modernization of Batman #9 (Feb.–March 1942), drawn by Fred Ray and Jerry Robinson.

Teamed with writer Alan Grant, Breyfogle worked on Detective Comics. They introduced the Ventriloquist in their first Batman story together[7] and the Ratcatcher in their third.[8] He drew the Batman for six years (1987–1993), penciling Detective Comics from 1987–1990, then moving to Batman to introduce the new Robin[9] from 1990–1992, and finally starting a new Batman series for DC titled Batman: Shadow of the Bat from 1992-1993[10] which saw the Grant/Breyfogle team create three new characters, Jeremiah Arkham, Mr. Zsasz,[11] and Amygdala. During his six-year run on the Batman character, he drew a few one-shots, two of them being Batman: Holy Terror, the first DC comic book to feature the Elseworlds logo,[12] and Batman: Birth of the Demon,[13] which he hand painted. He provided pencils to a 10-page short story in Superman 80-Page Giant #1 (Feb. 1999).

Later work

In 2000, Breyfogle drew the Elseworlds three-issue mini-series Flashpoint. In 2001, DC offered him the job of penciling The Spectre monthly, which he drew for one year.

He spent 2003 penciling and inking the title Black Tide, published by Angel Gate Press.[4]

In 2004, Breyfogle began work on an illustrated children's book for the Society of St. John Monastery, finished many commissions for fans, put together a couple printed sketchbooks showcasing his work, and continued writing his novel, getting halfway done, finishing through chapter six. He wrote over forty poems and over 1,300 haikus in a five-month marathon, and a number of short stories.

In February 2005 he accepted an offer to pencil and ink the interiors and covers of the new ongoing monthly title Of Bitter Souls from studio Relative Comics, originally published by Speakeasy Comics.[4] It is written by Chuck Satterlee. Shortly before Speakeasy Comics went out of business, Relative Comics joined with Chimaera Studios and moved to publisher Markosia Comics. Breyfogle produced illustrations for a wide variety of clients outside of the comics industry including Nike, Inc., Mojo, The Red Bulletin, Time Out, Company, Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin, and various bands such as 12 Stone Toddler, among many others.

In 2007, he provided art for the main story interiors and the covers for the comic book title The Danger's Dozen. He began a professional relationship with the London-based art agency Debut Art.

Starting in 2006, he began a working relationship with Mazz Press, contributing stand-alone illustrations to two novels by Stephen Pytak, The .40 Caliber Mousehunt and The Wild Damned.

In 2008, Breyfogle began drawing Archie's New Look, for Archie's Double Digest, published by Archie Publications. Breyfogle drew two titles for Archie Comics: Archie loves Betty and Archie loves Veronica.[4]

He returned to DC to draw DC Retroactive: Batman - The '90s, written by his former Batman collaborator Alan Grant, in October 2011. Breyfogle contributed art to DC's Batman Beyond Unlimited digital comic series from 2012-2013; later reprinted as an 18 issue series.[14]

In 2015, DC published Legends of the Dark Knight: Norm Breyfogle Vol. 1, a hardcover collection of Breyfogle's early Batman stories.[15] A second volume is set for release in late 2018.[16]

Retirement and death

In December 2014, Breyfogle suffered a stroke, which caused paralysis on his left side. He was left-handed, and although he regained some use of his left side, he was no longer able to draw professionally.[17] He died on September 24, 2018 in Houghton, Michigan.[18]

Bibliography

DC Comics

First Comics

Malibu Comics

Marvel Comics

Valiant Comics

References

  1. ^ a b Breyfogle, Norm (n.d.). "Biography". Normbreyfogle.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Norm Breyfogle was born on February 27, 1960 in Iowa City, Iowa. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Greenfield, Dan (October 3, 2013). "Batman's Hot-Line: Norm Breyfogle". 13th Dimension. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. One of the sketches was by a guy named Norm Breyfogle of Houghton, Michigan, printed in #13 of the late, lamented Batman Family title. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Greenberger, Robert (April 2014). "New Talent and Bonus Babies". Back Issue! (71). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 65–71.
  4. ^ a b c d Norm Breyfogle at the Grand Comics Database
  5. ^ Eury, Michael (June 2017). "Norm Breyfogle's Batman/Captain America Makeover". Back Issue! (96). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 51.
  6. ^ Friedt, Stephan (February 2017). "The Whisper Interview: Whisper in the Hands of Steven Grant and Norm Breyfogle". Back Issue! (94). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 74–78.
  7. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1980s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 235. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. In February [1988], the Batman crossed paths with Scarface and the Ventriloquist in Detective Comics #583 by writer John Wagner and Alan Grant and artist Norm Breyfogle. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Dougall, Alastair, ed. (2014). "1980s". Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 171. ISBN 978-1465424563. Writers John Wagner and Alan Grant and artist Norm Breyfogle introduced the Ratcatcher in this two-part story. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 247: Batman #457 (Dec. 1990) "In this tale by writer Alan Grant and artist Norm Breyfogle, Robin finally got a new uniform...When DC editorial made the decision to modify the classic costume of the iconic Boy Wonder, they called upon several artists to put their own spin on it. It was legendary artist Neal Adams who delivered the winning concept."
  10. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 253: "Shadow of the Bat lasted ninety-four issues. Handled by the former team on Detective Comics - writer Alan Grant and artist Norm Breyfogle - the first issue was released in both a newsstand and deluxe polybagged format."
  11. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dougall, p. 194: "Shadow of the Bat was writer Alan Grant's newest forum to tell Batman stories on a monthly basis, along with his partner, artists Norm Breyfogle. The pair introduced the new head of Arkham, Jeremiah Arkham, as well as the new villain Mr. Zsasz."
  12. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dougall, p. 193: Batman: Holy Terror became the first Elseworlds special. This tale by writer Alan Brennert and artist Norm Breyfogle featured a Gotham City ruled by the church and Batman as a vigilante man of the cloth."
  13. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dougall, p. 198: "The third and final installment of the Ra's al Ghul hardcover trilogy arrived in this origin volume by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Norm Breyfogle."
  14. ^ Manning "2010s" in Dougall, p. 326: "This new digital-first ongoing series featured a Batman tale by writer Adam Beechen and artist Norm Breyfogle."
  15. ^ Breyfogle, Norm (2015). Tales of the Batman: Norm Breyfogle Vol.1. DC Comics. p. 520. ISBN 978-1401258986.
  16. ^ Breyfogle, Norm (2018). Tales of the Batman: Norm Breyfogle Vol.2. DC Comics. p. 456. ISBN 978-1401285128.
  17. ^ Melrose, Kevin (December 23, 2014). "Fundraiser launches to help Norm Breyfogle following stroke". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. A fundraiser has been established online to help cover the medical expenses of veteran Batman artist Norm Breyfogle, who suffered a stroke last week, leaving the left-handed illustrator paralyzed on his left side. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Johnston, Rich. "Batman Artist Norm Breyfogle Died on Monday, Aged 58". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Preceded by Detective Comics artist
1987–1990 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Batman artist
1990–1992 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
n/a
 Batman: Shadow of the Bat artist
1992 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
n/a
 Prime artist
1993–1994 		Succeeded by
Preceded by The Spectre vol. 4 artist
2002–2003 		Succeeded by
n/a
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