David John Mazzucchelli[1] ([2] born September 21, 1960)[3] is an American comics artist and writer, known for his work on seminal superhero comic book storylines Daredevil: Born Again and Batman: Year One, as well as for graphic novels in other genres, such as Asterios Polyp and City of Glass: The Graphic Novel.He is also an instructor who teaches comic book storytelling at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.
Career
Mazzucchelli received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design,[4][5]
and started working in comics in the early 1980s, first at
Miller and Mazzucchelli collaborated again on the graphic novel Batman: Year One, serialized in issues #404–407 (Feb.–May 1987) of DC Comics' monthly Batman title, and published in a single volume shortly afterwards.Batman: Year One is considered one of the best Batman stories ever produced.[8] Mazzucchelli had previously drawn Batman in a five-page backup story in World's Finest Comics #302 (April 1984).[9]
After Batman: Year One, Mazzucchelli drew an Angel story in Marvel Fanfare #40 (Oct. 1988).[10] He then moved on to focus on more personal projects.[11] He published three issues of his own independent anthology, Rubber Blanket, co-edited by his wife, painter Richmond Lewis, in which he began finding his voice as a writer in addition to exploring new avenues of visual expression. His evocative and haunting stories in Rubber Blanket, notably "Near Miss," "Dead Dog," "Discovering America," and "Big Man," set the stage for his work to come. Mazzucchelli's work in Rubber Blanket, and especially his use of two-color printing to create his artwork, influenced a number of young indie-comics artists through the 1990s and 2000s, including Darwyn Cooke, Frank Santoro, and Dash Shaw.[12] With writer/artist Paul Karasik, he co-wrote and illustrated an adaptation of Paul Auster's City of Glass,[13] published first by Avon Books in 1994, then by Picador in 2004 as City of Glass: The Graphic Novel.Auster's later book The Brooklyn Follies features a character with the name Nancy Mazzucchelli, an homage to David. He continued to write and draw short comics for various publishers until 2000. Mazzucchelli was one of the artists on the Superman and Batman: World's Funnest one-shot written by Evan Dorkin.[14]
In 2009, Pantheon Books published Mazzucchelli's graphic novel, Asterios Polyp.[15] The book was named a New York Times Notable Book for that year,[16] and won the 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for graphic novels.[4][17]
Mazzucchelli has done illustrations for various publications, including interior pieces and covers for The New Yorker[3] In 2011, an animated adaptation of Batman: Year One was released by Warner Home Video.[18]
Mazzucchelli has taught a cartooning course for BFA students at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.[4]
Awards
2009 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Graphic Novel Award[4][17]
2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, Best Graphic Album—New; Best Writer/Artist; Best Lettering (for Asterios Polyp)[19]
2010 Harvey Awards, Best Original Graphic Album; Best Single Issue or Story; Best Letterer (for Asterios Polyp)[20]
Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Creative Artist Fellowship[4]
6.{{gcdb|type=credit|search= David+Mazzucchelli|title= David Mazzucchelli}}^
7.Tom DeFalco. Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History Dorling Kindersley, 2008^
8.Matthew K. Manning. DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle Dorling Kindersley, 2010^
9.Matthew K. Manning. Batman: A Visual History Dorling Kindersley, 2014^
10.John Trumbull. 'Marvel Fanfare #40: Fallen Angels and Stormy Weather Back Issue!, TwoMorrows Publishing, June 2017^
11.Frank Young. Comics Used to be about Telling Stories: David Mazzucchelli Discusses his Transition from Mainstream to Independence The Comics Journal, Fantagraphics, August 1992^
