Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' Thor from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill.He is also known for the creator-owned work Star Slammers, which he inaugurated in 1972 as a Rhode Island School of Design thesis.He has also worked on other Marvel titles such as X-Factor and Fantastic Four, on DC Comics books including Detective Comics, Manhunter, Metal Men and Orion, and on licensed properties such as Star Wars, Alien, Battlestar Galactica and Robocop vs. Terminator.
Simonson has won numerous awards for his work and has influenced artists such as Arthur Adams and Todd McFarlane
.
He is married to comics writer Louise Simonson, with whom he collaborated as penciller on X-Factor from 1986 to 1989.
Early life
Walter Simonson was born September 2, 1946, in Knoxville, Tennessee, and lived there for two and a half years.When his father, who worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, received a promotion at work that required him to relocate to Washington, D.C., Simonson, his younger brother and his parents moved to Maryland, where Simonson's parents still lived as of 1989.[3] Simonson first read comics as a child, through the subscriptions to Walt Disney's Comics and Stories that his brother had.By the age of ten he was an avid fan of the work of Carl Barks,[4]Little Lulu, Little Iodine, and Alex Toth's work on The Land Unknown.[3] He also enjoyed drawing from a very young age.[4] Although Simonson was embarrassed to be seen by girls buying comics while in high school, he discovered Russ Manning's work on Magnus Robot Fighter right before he started college, and submitted a drawing that was printed in issue #10 in May, 1965, in the publication's fan page, "Robot Gallery."This was his first published work in comics.[3]
Simonson studied geology at Amherst College, with the intent of becoming an expert on dinosaurs.[4] In 1964 or 1965, Simonson discovered Marvel Comics, in particular that company's version of Thor.[3][4] Having already developed an interest in Norse mythology prior to discovering Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's take on the hammer-wielding deity,[5] it became Simonson's favorite title, one that he read for four years.[3][4]
After graduating from Amherst with a degree in geology,[4] Simonson took a year off, and then enrolled as an art major at the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972.His thesis project there was the 50-page black and white book The Star Slammers, which took him two years to write, pencil, letter and ink himself, and was initially published as a series of ashcan promotional 5.5" x 8.5" b&w chapter booklets from 1971–1973 to promote the 1974 World Science Fiction Convention in Washington, D.C. (DisCon II).Simonson would later revisit Star Slammers throughout his career, publishing it through various publishers over the decades.[3][4]
Career
1970s
In August 1972, Simonson traveled to New York with his Star Slammers portfolio, and met with Gerry Boudreau, a friend who worked for DC Comics, where, as Simonson recalls, many young artists had begun working in the 1970s, in contrast to Marvel, which Simonson perceived as more stagnant.Boudreau arranged a meeting between Simonson and editor Archie Goodwin.After meeting with Goodwin, Simonson went to DC's coffee room, where he saw Howard Chaykin, Michael Kaluta, Berni Wrightson and Alan Weiss sitting together. Simonson struck up a conversation with the artists, who looked at his portfolio. Kaluta showed Simonson's work to Assistant Production Manager Jack Adler, who in turn showed it to DC Publisher Carmine Infantino, who after being shown the portfolio, summoned Simonson into his office.After speaking to Simonson for about ten minutes, he had Goodwin and his fellow editors Julius Schwartz and Joe Orlando give Simonson work.Simonson walked out of Infantino's office with jobs from each one of them.[3]
At one point Simonson lived in the same Queens apartment building as artists Allen Milgrom, Howard Chaykin and Bernie Wrightson.Simonson recalls, "We'd get together at 3 a.m. They'd come up and we'd have popcorn and sit around and talk about whatever a 26, 27 and 20-year-old guys talk about. Our art, TV, you name it. I pretty much knew at the time, 'These are the good ole days.'"[8]
Simonson's first professional published comic book work was illustrating writer Len Wein's story "Cyrano's Army", which appeared in DC's Weird War Tales #10,[3][9] which was cover-dated January 1973.Such short back-up war stories comprised most of Simonson's early published work.[10] He also did a number of illustrations for the Harry N. Abrams, Inc. edition of The Hobbit, and at least one unrelated print of a samurai warrior that was purchased by Harvard University's Fogg Museum, and included in its annual undergraduate-use loan program.Simonson's breakthrough illustration job was "Manhunter", a backup feature in DC's Detective Comics written by Goodwin, which cemented Simonson's professional reputation.[3][11]
Starting in January 1977, Simonson was the original artist on The Rampaging Hulk, a black-and-white magazine published by Marvel's Curtis Magazines line.[20] Simonson also had his first run on Thor at this time, working only as the series' artist alongside writer Len Wein.[14] In late 1978,[21] Simonson, Howard Chaykin, Val Mayerik, and Jim Starlin formed Upstart Associates, a shared studio space on West 29th Street in New York City.The membership of the studio changed over time.[22]
In 1979 Simonson did writing and art on a book for the first time with his run on Marvel's licensed Battlestar Galactica series,[4] penciling 12 sporadic issues from issues #4 to 23 with writer Roger McKenzie.Simonson began co-writing the series with McKenzie with issue #11, co-wrote some issues with Bob Layton and Steven Grant after McKenzie left the title, began writing the book himself with issue #19, staying on until issue #23.[14]
1980s
In 1982, Simonson and writer Chris Claremont produced The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titansintercompany crossover between the top-selling Marvel and DC titles.[23][24]
Simonson is best known for his work on Marvel Comics' Thor which he began writing and drawing with issue #337 (Nov. 1983).[25] During his run as writer/artist, Simonson used the epic story that he first began writing in college in 1967,[5] transformed Thor into a frog for three issues and introduced the supporting character Beta Ray Bill, an alien warrior who unexpectedly proved worthy to wield Thor's hammer, Mjolnir.[26]
1990s
Simonson became writer of the Fantastic Four with issue #334 (Dec. 1989), and three issues later began penciling and inking as well (#337).For issues #347–349, he collaborated with Arthur Adams, introducing the "New Fantastic Four" consisting of Wolverine, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider and the Hulk.[32][33][34] In issue #345 he depicted dinosaurs with feathers, two decades before this idea gained mainstream acceptance among paleontologists.Simonson's decision to depict the dinosaurs in this manner was inspired by Gregory S. Paul's then-controversial book, Predatory Dinosaurs of the World, in which Paul theorized that dinosaurs had feathers.Because this idea was met with skepticism from the scientific community at the time, Simonson decided to compromise by depicting the dinosaurs with a small amount of feathers, rather than covered with them.[35] Simonson left the Fantastic Four with issue #354 (July 1991).
2000s
In the 2000s, Simonson mostly worked for DC Comics. From 2000 to 2002 he wrote and illustrated Orion.[36] After that series ended, he wrote six issues of Wonder Woman (vol. 2) drawn by Jerry Ordway.[14] In 2002, he contributed an interview to Panel Discussions, a nonfiction book about the developing movement in sequential art and narrative literature, along with Durwin Talon, Will Eisner, Mike Mignola and Mark Schultz.[37]
From 2003 to 2006, he drew the four issue prestige mini-series Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer, written by Elric's creator, Michael Moorcock. This series was collected as a 192-page graphic novel in 2007 by DC. He continued to work for DC in 2006 writing Hawkgirl, with pencillers Howard Chaykin
2010s
In 2011, Simonson had a cameo role in the live-action Thor film, appearing as one of the guests at a large Asgardian banquet.[40] The sequel, Thor: The Dark World, featured Simonson's character Malekith the Accursed.[41]
Simonson serves on the Disbursement Committee of the comic-book industry charity The Hero Initiative.[42]
Other work in the 2010s includes drawing six issues of The Avengers vol. 4 in 2012 and providing the artwork for three issues of The Indestructible Hulk which guest starred Thor. Simonson collaborated with his wife for a short story in Rocketeer Adventures vol. 2 #4 and drew covers for several Rocketeer comics during this period.[14]
In 2021, Walt Simonson revisited his run as an artist on X-Factor by providing covers and artwork for a two-issue X-Factor story in X-Men Legends, written by his wife Louise Simonson who had also scripted his issues for the original series.[45]
In April 2022, Simonson and his wife Louise were reported among the more than three dozen comics creators who contributed to Operation USA's benefit anthology book, Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds, a project spearheaded by IDW Publishing Special Projects Editor Scott Dunbier, whose profits would be donated to relief efforts for Ukrainian refugees resulting from the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[46][47] Simonson's contribution was a story featuring the Star Slammers, his first time returning to that property since the 1990s.[48]
Awards and honors
Simonson's awards include Shazam Awards for Outstanding New Talent in 1973, for Best Individual Short Story (Dramatic) in 1973 for "The Himalayan Incident" in Detective Comics #437 (with Archie Goodwin),[49] and the same award in 1974 for "Cathedral Perilous" in Detective Comics #441 (again with Archie Goodwin). Simonson and Goodwin also won the Shazam Award for Best Individual Story (Dramatic) in 1974 for "Götterdämmerung" in Detective Comics #443.[50] All three winning stories were a part of the Manhunter saga.
At the 2010 Harvey Awards, which were held at the Baltimore Comic-Con on August 28, 2010, Simonson received the 2010 Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award. It was presented to him by his wife, Louise Simonson.[52][53]
A collection of Simonson's Thor comics shot from the original art, published as part of IDW's Artist's Edition series, took the 2012 Eisner Award for "Best Archival Collection/Project: Comic Books"[54] and two Harvey Awards for "Best Domestic Reprint Project and a Special Award for Excellence in Presentation".[55]
Asteroid 53237 Simonson was named in his honor. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 31 January 2018 (M.P.C. 108697).
In 2022, Simonson was awarded the Inkwell Awards All-in-One Award.[1][2]
In 2025, he was awarded the Inkwell Awards Stacy Aragon Special Recognition Award.[56]
Signature
Simonson's distinctive signature consists of his last name, distorted to resemble a Brontosaurus. Simonson's reason for this was explained in a 2006 interview. "My mom suggested a dinosaur since I was a big dinosaur fan."[57][58]
Creative process
Simonson creates using the Marvel method, plotting out his storylines on a grid and then doing detailed plots for each issue.After thumbnailing the story, he writes a full script, from which he moves to full-size layouts, and then finished art.[59]
Simonson inked his own work with a Hunt 102 crow quill pen.[60][61] He switched to a brush during the mid-to-late 2000s, and despite the disparity between the two tools, Bryan Hitch, an admirer of Simonson's, stated that he could not tell the difference, calling Simonson's brushwork "as typically good and powerful as his other work."[61] He has used Pelikan drawing ink for most of his career.[62]
Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans one-shot (penciller) (1982)
Star*Reach
Star*Reach #1 (artist) (1974)
Topps Comics
Jurassic Park movie adaptation #1–4 (writer) (1993)
TwoMorrows Publishing
Streetwise ("The Sparking Cruise") (artist/writer) (2000)
Warren Publishing
Creepy #102, 107, 112 (artist) (1979)
Books and compilations
DC Comics
The Art of Walter Simonson collects stories from Detective Comics #450; 1st Issue Special #9; Unknown Soldier #254–256; Star Spangled War Stories #170 and 180; Hercules Unbound #11–12; and Metal Men #45–49, 208 pages, June 1989, ISBN 0930289412
Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 (introduction only), 396 pages, August 2007, ISBN 140121357X
Manhunter: The Special Edition collects stories from Detective Comics #437–443, 104 pages, June 1999, ISBN 1563893746
Marvel Comics
Fantastic Four Visionaries: Walter Simonson trade paperbacks
Volume 1 collects Fantastic Four #334–341, 200 pages, May 2007, ISBN 0785127585
Volume 2 collects Fantastic Four #342–346, 120 pages, September 2008, ISBN 0785131302
Volume 3 collects Fantastic Four #347–350 and 352–354, 192 pages, November 2009, ISBN 0785137513
Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson trade paperbacks
DC Comics
The Art of Walter Simonson collects stories from Detective Comics #450; 1st Issue Special #9; Unknown Soldier #254–256; Star Spangled War Stories #170 and 180; Hercules Unbound #11–12; and Metal Men #45–49, 208 pages, June 1989, ISBN 0930289412
Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 (introduction only), 396 pages, August 2007, ISBN 140121357X
Manhunter: The Special Edition collects stories from Detective Comics #437–443, 104 pages, June 1999, ISBN 1563893746
Marvel Comics
Fantastic Four Visionaries: Walter Simonson trade paperbacks
Volume 1 collects Fantastic Four #334–341, 200 pages, May 2007, ISBN 0785127585
Volume 2 collects Fantastic Four #342–346, 120 pages, September 2008, ISBN 0785131302
Volume 3 collects Fantastic Four #347–350 and 352–354, 192 pages, November 2009, ISBN 0785137513
Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson trade paperbacks
Volume 1 collects Thor #337–348, 288 pages, May 2001, ISBN 0785107584
Volume 2 collects Thor #349–355 and 357–359, 240 pages, September 2003, ISBN 0785110461
Volume 3 collects Thor #360–369, 232 pages, March 2004, ISBN 078511047X
Volume 4 collects Thor #371–374 and Balder the Brave #1–4, 192 pages, September 2007, ISBN 0785127119
Volume 5 collects Thor #375–382 208 pages, February 2008, ISBN 0785127372
Thor by Walter Simonson Omnibus collects Thor #337–355, 357–369, 371–382 and Balder the Brave #1–4, 1192 pages, April 2011, ISBN 0785146334
Marvel Platinum: The Definitive Thor 2 an anthology with Lee, Kirby, et al., 2013, ISBN 1846535522
IDW Publishing
Walter Simonson's The Mighty Thor: Artist's Edition collects Thor #337–340 and 360–362, 176 pages, July 2011, ISBN 1613770383
Titan Books
Alien - The Illustrated Story (Original Art Edition), 2012, ISBN 9781781161302
15.Matthew K. Manning. Batman: A Visual History Dorling Kindersley, 2014^
16.John Trumbull. A New Beginning...And a Probable End Batman #300 and #400 Back Issue!, TwoMorrows Publishing, December 2013^
17.Manning "1970s" in Dougall, p. 128: "Crafted by writer David V. Reed and penciller Walter Simonson, this special 34-page issue imagined a possible future where Gotham City had become the hub of Magalopolis-East."^
23.Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 199: "The issue, written by longtime X-Men scribe Chris Claremont and drawn by Walter Simonson [was]...one of the most well-received crossovers of its time - or of any time for that matter - the team-up was a huge success."^
24.Jonathan Brown. The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans: The Breakfast Club of the Comics Crossover Back Issue!, TwoMorrows Publishing, August 2013^
25.DeFalco, Tom "1980s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 213: "This issue began a highly acclaimed run by writer/artist Walt Simonson that would last for nearly four years and end with issue #382 (Aug. 1987)."^
32.Nolen-Weathington Modern Masters Volume Eight Walter Simonson p. 67^
33.Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 252: "Spider-Man, the Hulk, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider were tricked into forming a new Fantastic Four...Written by Walter Simonson with art by Arthur Adams, this new FF found themselves locked in battle with the Mole Man."^
34.Alan Cowsill. Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging Dorling Kindersley, 2012^
36.Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 296 "Comic book legend Walt Simonson brought his unique vision to one of Jack Kirby's greatest heroes on Orion, the first ongoing series to feature the most prominent of the New Gods."^
67.Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins", Marvel comics cover-dated July 1981.^
68.John Trumbull. 221B at DC: Sherlock Holmes at DC Comics Back Issue!, TwoMorrows Publishing, April 2014^
69.53237 Simonson (1999 CU118) Minor Planet Center, International Astronomical Union, retrieved February 6, 2018^
70.MPC/MPO/MPS Archive Minor Planet Center, International Astronomical Union, retrieved February 6, 2018^
From this he realized that drawing comics was more fun, and more feasible as a career than working outdoors in hot weather as a geologist or paleontologist, despite harboring a love for the latter that continued the rest of his life.
In a 2000 interview, Simonson recalled, "What 'Manhunter' did was to establish me professionally. Before 'Manhunter,' I was one more guy doing comics; after 'Manhunter,' people in the field knew who I was. It'd won a bunch of awards the year that it ran, and after that, I really had no trouble finding work."
In 1979 Simonson and Goodwin collaborated on an adaptation of the movie
Alien
, published by
Heavy Metal
.
It was that book that Simonson began his long working relationship with letterer John Workman, who would go on to letter most of Simonson's work.[18][19]
Simonson continued to write the book until issue #382 (Aug. 1987).[14] Buscema described Simonson's stories as "very stimulating. It was a pleasure working on his plots, because they were a lot of fun to illustrate. He had a lot of great ideas, and he took Thor in a totally new direction."[28] In late 1986 he dropped several of his assignments, including Thor, remarking that "I had a very busy season over the past six to eight months, and I'd like to take some time off, to take time maybe to take stock and refuel a bit."[29]
Simonson was to have drawn a Daredevil story written by Frank Miller but it was never completed and remains unpublished.[30] Simonson joined his wife Louise on the X-Factor series with issue #10.In #25, the creators gave the character the Angel blue skin and metal wings in a process which would lead to his being renamed as "Archangel".Their run on X-Factor included the story arcs "Mutant Massacre", "Fall of the Mutants," and "Inferno".[14]
In 1983, he returned to Star Slammers with another version of the story that Marvel published in Marvel Graphic Novel No. 6.[4]
Simonson left Upstart Associates in late 1986.[31]
In 1992, he wrote and illustrated the one-shot Superman Special #1 for DC.
His other Marvel credits in the decade included co-plotting/writing the Iron Man 2020 one-shot (June 1994) and writing the Heroes Reborn version of The Avengers.[14]
In 1994 Simonson continued the adventures of the Star Slammers in a limited series as one of the founders of Malibu Comics' short-lived Bravura label.[4]
His other work includes cover artwork for a Bat Lash mini-series and the ongoing series Vigilante,[14] as well as writing a Wildstorm comic book series based on the online role-playing game World of Warcraft.[38] The Warcraft series ran 25 issues and was from #15 on co-written with his wife, Louise Simonson.He wrote the Demon and Catwoman serial in Wednesday Comics in 2009.[39]
a graphic novel written and drawn by Simonson.
The book shows how one silver coin paid to Judas to betray Jesus affects various characters down the centuries including Batman.[43]
In July 2014 IDW Publishing published the first issue of Simonson's creator-owned series Ragnarök, which depicts a version of Thor unrelated to the Marvel version of the deity.[44] It ran for twelve issues until 2017 and was followed by the six-issue mini-series Ragnarök: The Breaking of Helheim in 2019, also written and drawn by Simonson.
