Mike Mignola

Mike Mignola

Mignola in June 2011
Born Michael Joseph Mignola
(1960-09-16) September 16, 1960
Berkeley, California
Nationality American
Area(s) Writer, Penciller, Inker
Notable works
 Hellboy
B.P.R.D.
Cosmic Odyssey
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Awards Full list

Michael Joseph "Mike" Mignola (/ˌmɪnˈjoʊlə/; born September 16, 1960)[1] is an American comic book artist and writer who created the comic book series Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics. He has worked for animation projects such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the adaptation of his one shot comic book, The Amazing Screw-On Head.

Career

Marvel and DC

Mignola was born in Berkeley, California.[2] He began his career in 1980 by illustrating spots in The Comic Reader.[3] His first published piece was in The Comic Reader #183, a spot illustration of Red Sonja (pg. 9). His first published front cover was The Comic Reader #196 in November 1981. In 1982 he graduated from the California College of the Arts with a BFA in Illustration.[4]

In 1983 he worked as an inker at Marvel Comics on Daredevil and Power Man and Iron Fist and later on titles such as The Incredible Hulk, Alpha Flight and the Rocket Raccoon limited series.

In 1987, he began working for DC Comics as well. He drew the Phantom Stranger and World of Krypton limited series.[5] With writer Jim Starlin, Mignola produced the Cosmic Odyssey miniseries in 1988.[6] Mignola drew covers for several Batman stories, including "Batman: A Death in the Family"[7] and "Dark Knight, Dark City".[8] Writer Brian Augustyn and Mignola crafted the Gotham by Gaslight one-shot in 1989.[9] Through the early 1990s Mignola worked on covers and backup features for various DC and Marvel Comics.[5] He collaborated twice with writer Howard Chaykin. In 1990-1991, they produced the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser limited series for Epic Comics, with inker Al Williamson. This was followed with the Ironwolf: Fires of the Revolution graphic novel in 1992.[10]

Main article: Hellboy Universe

Hellboy

Prior to 1994 Mignola had done work-for-hire illustration. That year, Dark Horse Comics released Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, Mignola's creator-owned project. Though he wrote the story himself, it was scripted by John Byrne. The next Hellboy story, The Wolves of Saint August, was completely written and drawn by Mike Mignola. Since then all Hellboy stories have been written solely by Mike Mignola with the exception of They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships which was co-written by Joshua Dysart.

Makoma (2006) was the first Hellboy story not drawn by Mignola, featuring the art of Richard Corben. Corben would return to draw many flashback stories for the series. Other artists have also had a hand in drawing flashback stories including Jason Shawn Alexander, Kevin Nowlan and Scott Hampton. In 2007, following after 2005's The Island, British artist Duncan Fegredo took over art duties on the ongoing story arc of Hellboy from Darkness Calls onwards.

Mike Mignola returned as the full-time artist for Hellboy in 2012 for the ongoing series, Hellboy in Hell. The series is currently published sporadically, but multiple-issue stories are monthly.[11]

Abe Sapien

In 1998 the first Hellboy spin-off, Abe Sapien, was launched. It was not written by Mike Mignola, but it did feature his Hellboy short story "Heads" as a back-up. Abe Sapien did not take off properly until a decade later in 2008's The Drowning. Since then it has had several short stories and beginning in 2013 it became an ongoing series with Scott Allie as the lead writer with Mignola.[12]

Lobster Johnson

Lobster Johnson was the next spin-off, debuting as a back-up feature in 1999's Box Full of Evil. The series got its own title later in 2007's Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus. It returned again with the miniseries The Burning Hand in 2012, followed by various short stories.

B.P.R.D.

B.P.R.D. was the third spin-off, but it was the first one which was conceived to be more than just a one-off side story, but rather a series of stories.[13] It began with 2002's Hollow Earth, which continued on from Hellboy: Conqueror Worm. Beyond that followed as series of short stories designed to explore what the B.P.R.D. series could be. 2004's Plague of Frogs was the story that solidified what the series was, and would set the direction for future books to come, so much so that the first major story cycle is collected in omnibus editions titled B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs. A vast majority of the stories in this era were co-written with John Arcudi and drawn by Guy Davis.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth is the main series continuing after the catastrophic events at the conclusion of the Plague of Frogs cycle. Guy Davis left the series in 2011 with the conclusion of Hell on Earth: Gods. Tyler Crook became the new ongoing artist beginning with Hell on Earth: Monsters, but he is joined by several regular artists, most notably James Harren.

Sir Edward Grey, Witchfinder

Sir Edward Grey, Witchfinder (more commonly known simply as "Witchfinder") began with a teaser story in 2008's MySpace Dark Horse Presents #16, followed by a full miniseries in 2009. It follows the stories of the occult investigator, Sir Edward, agent of Queen Victoria.

Sledgehammer 44

Sledgehammer 44 is the most recent addition to the Hellboy Universe. It is about a Vril Energy Suit, like the one first introduced in Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus, in World War II.

Baltimore

Baltimore is a series begun with a 2007 illustrated novel, and continued as a comic book series. It was created by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden.

Style

Alan Moore has described Mignola's style as "German expressionism meets Jack Kirby".[14] His style has also been likened to an amalgamation of Jack Kirby and Alex Toth.[15]

Film and television

Mignola worked as an illustrator for Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 movie Bram Stoker's Dracula. He was also the production designer for the Disney feature film, Atlantis: The Lost Empire in 2001, and was a concept artist for 2002's Blade II, also directed by del Toro, and a concept artist for Pixar's Brave.

Mignola was hired by Bruce Timm to provide character designs for Batman: The Animated Series in 1991. His redesign of Mr. Freeze was used for the series.[2]

Mignola's design of the 1880s Batman costume from the comic Batman: Gotham by Gaslight appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Hellboy was made into a feature film in 2004 by director Guillermo del Toro. Mignola was closely involved with the movie's production, and a sequel was released in 2008. Recently, Hellboy has been made into two direct-to-video animated films, Sword of Storms in 2006 and Blood and Iron in 2007.

Mignola's The Amazing Screw-On Head debuted in 2006 on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring the voices of Paul Giamatti and David Hyde Pierce.

Awards

Bibliography

Comics

Novels

Covers

Media covers

Notes

  1. ↑ Miller, John Jackson (June 10, 2005). "Comics Industry Birthdays". Comics Buyer's Guide. Iola, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on October 29, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Art of Mike Mignola - Bio". Art of Mike Mignola. 2010. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Mike Mignola". Lambiek Comiclopedia. March 31, 2013. Archived from the original on December 20, 2013.
  4. ↑ Norrena, Jim. "Spotlight: Mike Mignola". California College of the Arts. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  5. 1 2 Mike Mignola at the Grand Comics Database
  6. ↑ 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. Writer Jim Starlin and artist Mike Mignola teamed up for a sci-fi miniseries that spanned the [DC Universe].
  7. ↑ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 235: "Written by Jim Starlin, with art by Jim Aparo and haunting covers by Mike Mignola, 'A Death in the Family' proved a best seller with readers in both single-issue and trade paperback form."
  8. ↑ Manning, Matthew K.; Dougall, Alastair, ed. (2014). "1990s". Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 188. ISBN 978-1465424563. Writer Peter Milligan penned this memorable three-issue storyline, illustrated by Kieron Dwyer and with cover art by Mike Mignola, in which the Riddler proved that he was still a serious threat to Batman.
  9. ↑ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 241: "An 'alternate history of the Batman' was spawned in this dark prestige format one-shot by writer Brian Augustyn and artist Mike Mignola."
  10. 1 2 3 Greenberger, Robert (2012). The Art of Howard Chaykin. Dynamite Entertainment. p. 132. ISBN 978-1606901694.
  11. ↑ Khouri, Andy (December 14, 2012). "Hellboy in Hell is the Comic Mike Mignola Will Be Drawing for the Rest of His Life". Comics Alliance. Archived from the original on November 8, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  12. ↑ Salvatore, Brian (March 1, 2013). "Talkin' Abe Sapien with Scott Allie". Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  13. ↑ Mignola, Mike (2011). "Introduction by Scott Allie". B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs - Volume 1. Dark Horse Comics. ISBN 978-1-59582-609-1.
  14. ↑ Mignola, Mike; Moore, Alan (Foreword only) (1997). "Foreword". Hellboy: Wake the Devil. Dark Horse Comics. ISBN 978-1593070953.
  15. ↑ Cooke, Jon B. (January 2002). "The Art of Arthur Adams". Comic Book Artist. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (17). Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Mike's style is almost a weird amalgamation of Kirby and Toth.
  16. ↑ "1995 Harvey Awards". Harveyawards.org. Archived from the original on November 8, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  17. ↑ "1996 Harvey Awards". Harveyawards.org. Archived from the original on November 8, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Inkpot Award Winners". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012.
  19. ↑ "2008 Harvey Awards". Harveyawards.org. Archived from the original on November 8, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Seventh Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards". Rondoaward.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  21. ↑ "2010 Harvey Awards". Harveyawards.org. Archived from the original on November 8, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Cosmic Odyssey". DC Comics. Archived from the original on January 14, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Ironwolf: Fires of the Revolution". DC Comics. Archived from the original on January 14, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  24. ↑ "ZombieWorld: Champion of the Worms". Dark Horse Comics. Archived from the original on August 19, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Read Pages 1–29 of Mike Mignola's Jenny Finn: Doom Messiah". Comic Book Resources. March 28, 2008. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012.
  26. ↑ "The Amazing Screw-on Head and Other Curious Objects". Dark Horse Comics. Archived from the original on July 21, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  27. ↑ "The Amazing Screw-On Head". Dark Horse Comics. Archived from the original on May 28, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  28. ↑ "Dark Horse Maverick: Happy Endings". Dark Horse Comics. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013.
  29. ↑ Manning, Shaun (June 19, 2009). "Mike Mignola Talks Witchfinder". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  30. ↑ Montgomery, Paul (July 22, 2010). "SDCC 2010: Mignola, Arcudi, and Severin Head West for Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever". iFanboy. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2011.

References

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