Frank Brunner (b. 1949)
Frank Brunner studied under Burne Hogarth and others at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. But his major initial influences were the great heroic fantasy painter, Frank Frazetta, Weird Science comics artist Wally Wood and Al Williamson, as well as Batman artist Neal Adams who Brunner worked along-side at Adams' Continuity studio. The work of Frank Brunner reflects a unique sensibility, combining heroic design, and a lush eroticism with a touch of whimsy. Brunner has proven a seminal illustrator of Dr. Strange, Warp, Elric, Heavy Metal magazine, Howard the Duck, Epic magazine and Red Sonja. After relocating to California, a long career of work followed, including work for Hanna Barbera, Disney and Dreamworks-SKG. Frank Brunner illustrated the front covers, so far, of Silver Comics #1 and #4.
Vince Musacchia (b. )
Vince Musacchia's talents have been utilized in several different areas of the visual arts. His earlier work was for the ad agency, Gem Studios, where he drew storyboards, comprehensive sketches and finished arts. Later, at Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising, Vince's uncanny ability to encapsulate story and product enabled him to become a senior designer. This talent eventually took Vince to printed texts, where his artwork has accompanied publishing efforts by Golden Books, among other large publication houses. But it is with the idiosyncrasies of the Looney Tunes characters that make his Warner Bros work stand out. Vince finds that he owes his inspiration to an equally eclectic grouping of artists ranging from Van Gogh, past and present DC Comics inkers, to the Pixar company as his inspiration. Vince Musacchia illustrated Dr. Monster parts 1, 3 and the front cover of Silver Comics #2.
Nick Cardy (b. 1920)
Nicholas Viscardi's career began in 1939 with the Eisner-Iger Studio working on the series Fight Comics, Jungle Comics, Kaanga Comics. Viscardi drew the 'Lady Luck' strip in the Spirit newspaper. Nick Viscardi was the first artist who drew 'Senorita Rio', in Fight Comics. In the 1950s, as Nick Cardy, he drew the 'Tarzan' comic strip and later worked for DC Comics drawing two short lived series, 'The Legends of Daniel Boone' and the jungle adventure 'Congo Bill' as well as stories for varied titles including 'House of Mystery' and' Gang Busters'. For Standard Comics, he drew many horror and romance comics. Nick Cardy helped define the comics Silver Age with stunning sequential artwork on 'Aquaman', 'Teen Titans', and 'Bat Lash'. After the Teen Titans, Cardy worked on Marvel Comics Crazy Magazine and was the primary cover artist for DC from the early to mid-1970s. Cardy drew many covers including 'Superman', 'Action Comics', 'The Brave and the Bold','Batman', 'Flash', 'Ghosts', 'Witching Hour', 'Secret Origins', 'Jimmy Olsen' and 'World's Finest'. After finally leaving comics, Cardy moved on to illustrating advertising art and movie posters. Nick Cardy illustrated the front cover of Silver Comics #3.
George Tuska (b. 1916)
George Tuska finished his studies at the National Academy School of Art at age 21. In 1939, he became John Terry's assistant on 'Scorchy Smith'. At the same time, he joined the graphic studios of Jerry Iger and Will Eisner . There he worked on several comic books, like 'Jungle', 'Wings', 'Planet Wonderworld' and 'Mystery Men'. In the 1940s, Tuska created the character 'Hercule' for Quality Comics and, as a member of Studio Chesler, he drew several episodes of 'Captain Marvel', 'Golden Arrow', 'Uncle Sam' and 'El Carim'. Tuska was mobilized during World War II, so he had to postpone his comic activities. After the war, he continued in the comic field with 'The Crime Does Not Pay', and as the illustrator on 'Scorchy Smith'. In 1959, he took over the daily and weekly 'Buck Rogers' pages, which he continued until 1967. In the late 1960s, Tuska started working for Marvel, where he contributed to the series 'Ghost Rider', 'Planet of the Apes', 'X-Men', 'Daredevil' and 'Iron Man'. He continued drawing superhero comics for DC, like 'Superman', 'Superboy' and 'Challengers of the Unknown'. In 1978, along with José Delbo , Paul Kupperberg and Martin Pasko, Tuska started a new version of the daily 'Superman' comic. Tuska worked on this series until 1993. George Tuska illustrated the back cover of Silver Comics #3.
Johnny Ortiz (b. 1963)
Johnny Ortiz began his career in 1985, after attending the School of Visual Arts in NYC, working for the Walt Disney Company as a product designer/character artist. He later went on to freelance for DC Comics designing and drawing most of the covers of Looney Tunes magazine and Tiny Toons magazine under the creative direction of Joe Orlando. Johnny's ability to breath life into the Looney Tunes characters rewarded him with the title of Manager for the Warner Bros. Studio Store. After relocating to California in 1996, he went on to work for both Disney and Warner Bros. as a Director designing various products, including laying out an award winning series of Birdman posters for Cartoon Network. Now nearing the peak of his career, Johnny Ortiz is currently the President and publisher of Silver Comics where he has created an entire new universe of characters including Sea-Bolt, Cloud Buster, The End, Dr. Monster, Boom Boxx, Captain Rescue and many more. With Silver Comics, Johnny exhibits his editing, writing, illustrating and inking talents. His influences are Monty Python, Woody Allen, Stanley Kubrick and anyone who wrote and drew comic books prior to 1980. Johnny Ortiz did the layouts for all the Silver Comics covers.
Dan Beltran (b. 1971)
Dan Beltran started illustrating for licencees in 1993 after graduating from UCLA, majoring in graphic design. In 1996 he worked as a Character Illustrator for the Warner Bros. Studio Stores. By 2001 he had been promoted to Senior Illustrator after proving his versatility with both cartoon and superhero characters. Dan continues to create artwork for product using Warner Bros., Disney, MGM, Universal, Dreamworks, and 20th Century Fox properties. He also takes on storyboard projects whenever possible. His influences include Orson Welles, Hiyao Miyazaki, Bill Peet and the Beatles. Dan's main duties at Silver Comics are writing and editing, which utilize his love of the English language. Dan Beltran wrote and illustrated the first Captain Rescue story 'Songs In The Key Of Crime' for Silver Comics #3.
Ruben Procopio (b. 1961)
Ruben Procopio is a talented animator/sculptor who has worked in the field for over 25 years. Some of his clients include The Walt Disney Studios, New Line Cinema, DC Direct, Bowen Designs, Electric Tiki, and The Cartoon Network. His long list of animation film credits include Disney classics such as "The Little Mermaid", "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast", "The Lion King" and "Mulan". Ruben says, " I grew up in the 60's where my fascination with Silver age comics began, since then I've been a avid collector and admirer of anything to do with the masked avengers of yesteryear." You can see more of his work by visiting his website at www.maskedavenger.com. Ruben Procopio is the creator of the Crimson Mask/Chameleon Man, making his debut in Silver Comics #3.
Chris Roberts (b. 1969) aka Rocketderby
Chris Roberts began his creative career working in the Art Department on the television shows Cheers and Bob, which was followed by eight years with Warner Bros. Studio Stores. Today, he is a freelance graphic designer working under the name Rocketderby and a design educator for UCLA Extension. His work is mostly inspired by things rather than specific people (old comics, toys, candy wrappers and fast food packaging being favorites) - but he will give a "shout out" to Charles Spencer Anderson, Chris Ware, Chip Kidd, Charles Fichter, Saul Bass and David Lynch. Chris designed & developed the Silver Comics logo & character logos, and his son Timo appeared in issue #2.
Dick Giordano (b. 1932)
Dick Giordano is mainly known for his work on 'Sarge Steel', 'Green Lantern', 'Green Arrow', 'Catwoman' and 'Modesty Blaise'. Giordano majored in illustration and advertising art at the High School of Industrial Art in New York and went to work at Jerry Iger 's studio, starting out inking backgrounds. After nine months at Iger, Giordano went freelance. Soon afterwards, he went to work for Charlton Comics, where he did space adventures, westerns, hot rods, romances, but mostly crime comics. In 1955 he became a staff artist at Charlton in order to maintain his job. A couple of years later he began freelancing again, doing work for both Dell and Charlton. In the years that followed, Giordano worked as an inker and/or penciller for a variety of publishers including DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dell, American Comics, Valiant, Treasure Chest and Junior Life. At DC, Giordano worked on several 'Batman' spin-off series and the The L.A.W. mini-series. Giordano has acted as Editor-In-Chief for Charlton Comics, during which he oversaw the creation of their most memorable characters including such classics as 'The Blue Beetle' and 'Captain Atom'. Dick Giordano has also been responsible for launching two successful ad-art companies, namely the legendary Continuity Associates (with partner Neal Adams ) and Dick-Art, Inc. Dick Giordano has illustrated a cover for Silver Comics.
Jim Starlin (b. 1949)
Jim Starlin was born in Detroit, Michigan. He was educated in a parochial grade school and a public high school. From 1968 until 1971, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Photographer's Mate. Jim started drawing at Marvel Comics in 1972, and has been working on and off with comics ever since. He can be seen as the preeminent space saga storyteller. His works include 'Amazing Spider-Man', 'Batman', 'Warlock', 'Captain Marvel', 'Cosmic Odyssey', 'Silver Surfer', 'Dreadstar' and many more. Jim Starlin has illustrated a cover for Silver Comics.
Al Milgrom ()
Al Milgrom was a Marvel artist. In 1968, he worked on the 'Captain America' series and on 'The Hulk', for which he also did the scripts, as well as 'The Avengers', 'West Coast Avengers', 'Secret Wars', 'Kitty Pryde', 'Thor' and 'Wolverine'. In the early 1990s, he was a writer of the 'Amazing Spider-Man' series. Al Milgrom has inked a cover for Silver Comics.
Alex Toth (b. 1928)
Alex Toth enrolled at the High School of Industrial Arts and studied illustration. While in high school he received his first paid freelance art assignment from Steve Douglas at "Famous Funnies". After school Alex would spend most of his time at his drawing board doing two or three pages for "Heroic Comics". In 1947, after graduating from high school, Shelly Myers hired him at D.C. and he worked there until 1952 when he moved to California. Alex was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1954 and was stationed in Tokyo, Japan. While in Japan he wrote and drew his own weekly adventure strip "Jon Fury" for the base paper. Re- ~ turning to the U.S. in 1956, Alex settled in the Los Angeles area and worked for Dell Comics until 1960. Prior to joining Hanna-Barbera in 1965, Alex did animation and comic book work including ghosting "Casey Ruggles" in 1950 and also "Roy Rogers" in 1960. Alex worked for Hanna-Barbera until 1968 and then again in 1973 when he was assigned to Australia for five months to produce the TV series "Super Friends". Through the years Alex has worked for D.C., Marvel, Standard, Dell, Funnies, Inc., Whitman, Western, and numerous pulps, ad and illustration accounts on both coasts. He has illustrated and written his own stories for Warren Publications (Eerie, Creepy). One of his best known works is "Bravo for Adventure". Alex Toth has illustrated a pin-up for Silver Comics #3.
Russ Heath (b. 29/9/1926, USA)
Russell Heath was born in New York in 1926, and debuted with 'Hammerhead Hawley' in Halyhoke at the age of sixteen. In 1946, he was employed by Timely, where he began drawing for several different genres of strips. His best work was on Westerns, especially 'Arizona Kid', 'Two-Gun Kid' and 'Kid Colt Outlaw', which stood out for their realistic artwork and details. In addition to westerns, Heath drew science-fiction stories for Avon, romance stories for Lev Gleason and 'Plastic Man' for Quality. In the early 1950s, he was present in EC titles like 'Mad' and 'Frontline Combat', working alongside Harvey Kurtzman, with whom he also worked for Mag Mag and Trump. During the 1950s, he worked for DC/National, where he drew for the full range of adventure features, such as 'Golden Gladiator' and 'Robin Hood' in Brave and the Bold. He also took drawing for war titles again, such as Sea Devils, 'Our Army at War ('Sgt. Rock') and G.I. Combat ('The Haunted Tank'). Apart from his own comic work, Heath assisted other artists, such as George Wunder on 'Terry and the Pirates', Dan Barry on 'Flash Gordon', Stan Lynde on 'Latigo' and Kurtzman and Elder on 'Little Annie Fanny'. From 1981 to 1984, Heath worked on a revived version of 'The Lone Ranger' for the New York Times Syndicate. Russ Heath has illustrated the cover for Silver Comics TPB, coming soon.
Bryan Mon (b. 1966)
Bryan Mon started his journey to become a professional artist in 1991, forever abandoning his former path to become a disgruntled theme park employee with a mechanical engineering degree. As a staff character artist in the Walt Disney Consumer Products division, he created art for "Toy Story 2", and "Mulan", as well as the popular Disney Princess line. Currently, Bryan works in Atlanta, Georgia for Cartoon Network, creating character art and toys. Bryan's biggest influences are Neal Adams, Drew Struzan, Charles Schulz and Gil Elvgren. Bryan Mon illustrated the Sea-Bolt story 'Enemy of the Lost Realm' featured in Silver Comics #3 and created and drew Tuff-Girl in issue #5.
Merrill Hagan (b. 1977)
Merrill Hagan became a writer for Cartoon Network in 2000, after spectacularly failing as an animator and designer. He wrote a series of award winning commercials and campaigns for properties like Teen Titans, Star Wars, and the Powerpuff Girls. Currently, Merrill is a writer for the Cartoon Network Adult Swim show Stroker and Hoop and a creative consultant on Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. Merrill's biggest influences are Marv Wolfman, Grant Morrison, and Elmore Leonard. He is thrilled to start his comic book career in the company of so many of his artistic idols. Merrill wrote the very first Tuff-Girl story in Silver Comics #5.
George Perez (b. 1954)
George first started in comics in 1973 as an assistant to Rich Buckler, working on a back-up story in Astonishing Tales #25. His first solo assignments came a year later when he penciled the story Sons of the Tiger from the black and white magazine Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu, and Man-Wolf from Creatures on the Loose. Within a year of these stories, he was offered regular assignments on Fantastic Four, The Inhumans, and The Avengers . George has worked steadily since that time. It was his work on these large-scale team books that garnered him the reputation as the artist that liked to draw group books. During his historic career, George has worked for every major publisher, as well as some minor ones. He is best known for his work on The New Teen Titans, a series that helped turn DC Comics around in the early 80s and was also the first mainstream title to offer a royalties program to its creators. He is also well known for his runs on Wonder Woman, Marvel Comics' Avengers series, and for the maxi-series to end all maxi series, Crisis on Infinite Earths. George Perez has contributed a pin-up for Silver Comics #3 and co-writes Chameleon-Man.
Steve Rude (b. 1956)
Steve Rude, also known as "The Dude", was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He attended grade school in Madison and high school in Escanaba, Michigan. After two years of study at the Milwaukee School of Art and Design, he returned to Madison for further training at both the University of Wisconsin and Madisson Area Technical College. With writer Mike Baron, he created the comic serial 'Nexus' during the summer of 1981. 'Nexus' first appeared at Capital Comics and was later continued at First Comics and Dark Horse Comics. Rude drew the series until the early 1990s, when the series was cancelled by Dark Horse. Steve Rude worked also on several mainstream titles, such as 'Space Ghost', 'Johnny Quest', 'Spiderman: Lifeline', 'Legends of the DC Universe' and 'Captain America'. Steve received the Russ Manning Outstanding Newcomer Award in 1984, and has won comic industry awards as best artist, in 1986 and 1988. Steve Rude has a pin-up in Silver Comics #3.
Dennis Rau (b.1953)
Dennis Rau grew up in Amityville, NY in the 60s and was an avid comics fan since early childhood. His love of reading became a love for writing, first in outdoor publications for 10 years, The Fisherman, Florida Game and Fish and others. He worked as an ideas person with several editors and other writers. His lifelong love of the masked heroes of yesteryear resurfaced circa 2001, when a trilogy of yearly Green Hornet stories he wrote culminated in the online 'Lone Ranger/ Green Hornet Timebridge' collaborating with Disney veteran Ruben Procopio. Today he continues his collaborations with Ruben, developing continuing Lone Ranger and Green Hornet features as well as their new 'Chameleon Man', their homage to the Silver Age comics and great artists and writers of yesteryear. Quote: "I Love Silver Comics!"
More bios are on the way!
