Karl Kesel ([1] born January 7, 1959[2]) is an American comics writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics.He is a member of Periscope Studio and is known for his collaborations with fellow artist Tom Grummett on The Adventures of Superman, Superboy, and Section Zero, as well as the first Harley Quinn comic title.
Biography
DC Comics
After a friend at college complimented his inking, Karl Kesel began submitting his portfolio to
— so soon, in fact, that he suspected that he was assigned New Talent Showcase #8 as a test run to see how well he jelled with Tales of the Legion penciller Terry Shoemaker.
Kesel's first work for Marvel Comics was inking a Vision story in Avengers Spotlight #23 (Oct. 1989).[4] He inked Mark Bagley's cover art for the Japan-exclusive Super Famicom video game The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes in 1995.Kesel wrote Daredevil issues #353–364 (June 1996 – May 1997)[4] and in 2002 wrote the story "Remembrance of Things Past" in which it was revealed that Ben Grimm, the Thing of the Fantastic Four, is Jewish.[12] Kesel wrote and drew a "lost" Captain Americacomic strip from the 1940s which was published on Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.[13] In 2011, Kesel scripted a Hulk and the Human Torch story which had been plotted by Jack C. Harris and drawn by Steve Ditko in the 1980s.It was published by Marvel as Incredible Hulk and the Human Torch: From the Marvel Vault #1 (August 2011).[4][14]
Dark Horse Comics
Kesel worked with comic book illustrator Brandon McKinney on issues #6 and #13 of the comic series Aliens: Space Marines published by Dark Horse Comics, which accompanied alien figures in the first line of Alien figures released by Kenner in 1992.
Gorilla Comics
In 2000, Kesel and his former Superboy collaborator Tom Grummett created Section Zero as part of the Gorilla Comics imprint at Image Comics.Gorilla Comics was intended to be a creator-owned company financed by a comics-related website, eHero.com.[15] The website proved to be a financial failure, leaving the creators to personally finance their own books.Along with the other Gorilla Comics creators, Kesel and Grummett attempted to continue the series they started, but these efforts proved to be unsuccessful.[16] In January 2012, Kesel announced that he and Grummett would relaunch Section Zero as a webcomic on the Mad Genius Comics website.[17][18] The previously published stories were posted on the site and new material was added as it was completed.[19] A Kickstarter campaign in 2017 allowed Kesel and Grummett to finish the story.[20][21]
Personal life
For several years, Kesel was married to fellow comics writer Barbara Kesel (née Randall), with whom he wrote Hawk and Dove; they have since divorced.[22]
Awards
Kesel was nominated for the Eisner Award for "Best Inker" in 1991[23] and 1992.[24] In 2016, he was nominated for Inkwell Awards Favorite Inker.[25]
2.John Jackson Miller. Comics Industry Birthdays Comics Buyer's Guide, June 10, 2005, retrieved December 12, 2010^
3.Robert Greenberger. New Talent and Bonus Babies Back Issue!, TwoMorrows Publishing, April 2014^
4.{{gcdb|type=credit|search= Karl+Kesel|title= Karl Kesel}}^
5.Matthew K. Manning. DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle Dorling Kindersley, 2010^
6.Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 259: "The issue also featured four teaser comics that introduced a group of contenders all vying for the Superman name...A cloned Superboy escaped captivity in a yarn by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett."^
7.Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 265: "Superboy set up camp in picturesque Hawaii in his new ongoing title written by Karl Kesel and with art by Tom Grummett."^
8.Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 274: "In this four-issue miniseries by writer Karl Kesel and artist Stuart Immonnen, the heroes of the present united with the Legion of Super-Heroes and the New Gods in an attempt to stop a 'sun-eater'."^
9.Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 275: "The behind-the-scenes talent on the monumental issue appropriately spanned several generations of the Man of Tomorrow's career. Written by Dan Jurgens, Karl Kesel, David Michelinie, Louise Simonson, and Roger Stern, the one-shot featured the pencils of John Byrne, Gil Kane, Stuart Immonen, Paul Ryan, Jon Bogdanove, Kieron Dwyer, Tom Grummett, Dick Giordano, Jim Mooney, Curt Swan, Nick Cardy, Al Plastino, Barry Kitson, Ron Frenz, and Dan Jurgens."^
10.Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 289: "Batman and Superman reunited in April [1999] in the ten-issue limited series World's Finest...The series was written by Karl Kesel."^
11.Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 297: "Written by Karl Kesel and drawn by Terry Dodson, the double-sized first issue dealt with Harley's twisted relationship with the Joker."^
