Our Guest Artists for 2017!
 Howard Chaykin & Bill Morrison
Howard Chaykin
       Howard started his career as Gil Kane's assistant, He was doing [the early graphic novel] Blackmark. He learned a lot from watching Gil work. In the early 70's he worked with quite a few established professionals and even did some work for Marvel. He also did some stories for DC, mostly sci-fi and romance comics. Moving to Marvel Comics, he began work as co-artist with Neal Adams on the first Killraven story in 1973. After this, Howard was given various adventure strips to draw for Marvel, including his own creation, Dominic Fortune now in the pages of Marvel Preview.In 1978, he wrote and drew his Cody Starbuck creation for the anthology title Star Reach, one of the first independent titles of the 1970s. In 1976, Howard landed the job of drawing the Marvel Comics adaptation of the first Star Wars film. This proved successful for Marvel, but Chaykin left after ten issues. Howard penciled DC Comics' first miniseries, The World of Krypton (July–September 1979).


Howard had a six-issue run on Marvel's Micronauts series and drew issues #13 (Jan. 1980) to #18 (June 1980).In 1983, Howard launched American Flagg! for First Comics. He was both writer and artist, the series was successful for First and proved highly influential, mixing all of Howards previous ideas and interests — jazz, pulp adventure, science fiction and sex. After the first 26 issues of American Flagg!, Howard started work on new projects. Howards involvement in his original run of the series was that of writer for 29 issues, interior artist for issues #1–12 and 14–26, and cover artist for issues #1–33. He returned to full art and writing duties for the American Flagg! Special one-shot in 1986. In 1987, a four-issue run was released.

The first new project was a revamp of The Shadow in a four-issue miniseries for DC Comics in 1986.  Rather than setting the series in its traditional 1930s milieu, Howard updated it to a contemporary setting and included his own style of extreme violence. Howard revamped another DC Comics character: Blackhawk was a three-issue mini-series that gave Howard another chance to indulge in the 1930s milieu, proving itself another successful revamping of a defunct DC character..  

Chaykin's cover for Star Reach #1 (April 1974).

In 1988, Howard created perhaps his most controversial title: Black Kiss, a 12-issue series published by Vortex Comics which contained his most explicit depictions of sex and violence yet. Telling the story of sex-obsessed vampires in Hollywood, Black Kiss pushed the boundaries of what could be shown in mainstream comics. Even though Black Kiss shipped sealed in an "adults only" clear plastic bag, its content drew much criticism. This did not stop it from selling well enough for Howard to describe it as "probably, on a per-page basis, the most profitable book I've ever done.".

In the 90's Howard returned to DC to write a three-issue prestige format mini-series called Twilight, This was another radical revamp of DC characters—this time, DC’s science fiction heroes from the 1950s and 1960s, such as Tommy Tomorrow and Space Cabby. This was followed with the Ironwolf: Fires of the Revolution graphic novel in 1992. Howard then co-created/designed Firearm for Malibu Comics in 1993. This was followed by the four-issue miniseries Power and Glory in 1994, a superhero-themed PR satire for Malibu Comics' creator-owned Bravura imprint.

by the 2000's, Howard began co-writing American Century with David Tischmann for Vertigo. This story, set in post-war America, would be a pulp-adventure strip inspired by the likes of Terry and the Pirates as well as the EC Comics war stories created by Harvey Kurtzman. His next work was Mighty Love, a 96-page original graphic novel published in 2004 and described as "You’ve Got Mail with super-powers". This was acclaimed as a return to the type of work he did on American Flagg! and contained his first art in a title since the early 1990s. Howard helped to revamp the Challengers of the Unknown in a six-issue mini-series for DC, as well as writing a mini-series about gangster vampires called Bite Club for Vertigo.

Howard continues to be involved in many Comic related projects.

Howard serves on the Disbursement Committee of the comic-book industry charity The Hero Initiative.

To learn more about Howard, visit:         to contact Howard:

    


Bill Morrison








Award-winning cartoonist and illustrator Bill Morrison is best known for his nearly three- decade association with The Simpsons. For that world-beloved property he has created thousands of drawings and illustrations for T-shirts, video games, posters, toy packaging, books, calendars, limited edition prints, and of course, comic books.

Bill began his career as a technical illustrator but soon moved from his home in Detroit, MI and began working in motion picture advertising where he painted dozens of movie posters, including many for Walt Disney Pictures, such as The Little Mermaid, Bambi, Peter Pan, Cinderella, and The Jungle Book.

When The Simpsons creator Matt Groening founded Bongo Comics, Bill was hired on as art director and realized his cartoonist dreams when he drew the very first Simpsons comic. He quickly took on the role of Creative Director, editing Bongo’s entire output and writing and drawing stories and covers as time permitted.

Morrison also worked with Groening on early character designs for the TV show Futurama and served as the series art director.

In his spare time, Bill has written and drawn his own comic book series’; the four-time Eisner Award-nominated Roswell, Little Green Man, Heroes Anonymous, Dead Vengeance, and Lady Robotika (the latter with Jane Wiedlin of the legendary all-girl rock band, The Go-Go’s).

Bill is currently serving as the president of the National Cartoonists Society.











         

Bill's Bio web-site