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Alan Kupperberg

Alan Kupperberg (May 18, 1953 – July 16, 2015) was an American comics artist known for working in both comic books and newspaper strips.

Early life

Alan Kupperberg was born on May 18, 1953[1] in New York City. He graduated from the High School of Art and Design in 1971.[2]

Career

Alan Kupperberg entered the comics industry by working at Neal Adams' Continuity Associates[3] and was a member of the Crusty Bunkers.[4] He began writing and drawing for Marvel Comics in 1974,[5] mostly doing fill-ins and one-shots. He later worked on team books such as The Invaders[6] and The Defenders and drew several issues of What If.[7]

Occasionally working as a writer, Kupperberg created the 1983 one-shot comic Obnoxio the Clown vs. the X-Men, and handled everything from writing and illustrating to lettering.[8] In 1987, Kupperberg worked on both The Spectacular Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man. His work on those titles included The Amazing Spider-Man #289 (June 1987) which featured the Jack O'Lantern (Jason Macendale) becoming the new Hobgoblin[9] as well as The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #7 (1987) which depicted the honeymoon of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson.[10] From 1988–1991, Kupperberg drew Spider-Ham back-up stories in Marvel Tales.[5]

For Marvel Custom Comics, he provided art for clients such as Campbell Soup Company, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Sylvan Learning Center, and The Dallas Times Herald.[2]

In 1978, Kupperberg and writer Marv Wolfman took over the Howard the Duck weekly newspaper strip. Kupperberg also worked on the short-lived The Incredible Hulk strip[11] and Little Orphan Annie.[2]

From the mid-1980s into the early 1990s, Kupperberg illustrated such DC Comics titles as Justice League of America, The Warlord, The Fury of Firestorm, COPS, Dragonlance, and Blue Devil.[5][12]

Kupperberg drew illustrations for Archie Comics,[5] National Lampoon, Cracked magazine, Spy, and McClannahan Books.[2]

Outside of comics

Kupperberg worked on script development and character design for Sullivan Bluth Studios' 1994 animated feature Thumbelina. In 1994, he worked with Nickelodeon on the Tom Terrific animated project.[2]

He also did design work and scripting for numerous advertising and production agencies. His autobiographical strips appeared in Comic Art and in the Streetwise book.

Personal life

Kupperberg's brother, Paul Kupperberg, also works in the comic book field as a writer, editor and executive, primarily at DC Comics.

Alan Kupperberg died of thymus cancer on July 16, 2015.[13]

Bibliography

Archie Comics

  • Fly #3 (1983)
  • Mighty Crusaders #11–12 (1985)

DC Comics

Defiant Comics

  • The Good Guys #6 (1994)

Marvel Comics

External links

References

  1. John Jackson Miller. Comics Industry Birthdays Comics Buyer's Guide, June 10, 2005, retrieved December 12, 2010^
  2. Alan Kupperberg Lambiek Comiclopedia, May 29, 2009, retrieved April 9, 2009^
  3. Bryan D. Stroud. Alan Kupperberg Interview The Silver Age Sage, February 14, 2011^
  4. Jerry Bails. Crusty Bunkers Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999, retrieved June 16, 2012^
  5. {{gcdb|type=credit|search= Alan+Kupperberg|title= Alan Kupperberg}}^
  6. Daniel Best. The Invaders: Alan Kupperberg Looks Back 20th Century Danny Boy, Blogspot, December 24, 2006^
  7. Daniel Best. Alan Kupperberg Looks Back: What If? 20th Century Danny Boy, Blogspot, May 26, 2007^
  8. Mark Arnold. Obnoxio the Clown Back Issue!, TwoMorrows Publishing, September 2016^
  9. Matthew K. Manning. Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging Dorling Kindersley, 2012^
  10. Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 165: "In this special by writer James Owsley, layout artist Alan Kupperberg, and finishing artists Jim Fern and Al Milgrom, Spider-Man set out to make his fortune when Thomas Fireheart, the Puma, visited him at the Parkers' honeymoon destination."^
  11. Dewey Cassell. Smashing into Syndication: The Incredible Hulk Newspaper Strip Back Issue!, TwoMorrows Publishing, February 2014^
  12. Daniel Best. Blue Devil: Alan Kupperberg Looks Back 20th Century Danny Boy, November 3, 2006^
  13. Rich Johnston. Alan Kupperberg Dies, Aged 62 Bleeding Cool, July 17, 2015^