Alan Davis

Last updated

Alan Davis
Alan Davis 2013.jpg
Davis in the 2013 Chicago Wizard World
Born (1956-06-18) 18 June 1956 (age 68)
Corby, England,
United Kingdom
NationalityEnglish
Area(s)Writer, Penciller
Notable works
 Captain Britain
ClanDestine
Detective Comics
Excalibur
JLA: The Nail
JLA: Another Nail
Uncanny X-Men
Awards Inkpot Award (2011) [1]

Alan Davis (born 18 June 1956) [2] is an English artist and writer of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain , The Uncanny X-Men , ClanDestine , Detective Comics , Excalibur , JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail .

Contents

Career

UK work

Cover of Amazing Heroes #85 (Dec 1985) by Alan Davis Amazingheroes.jpg
Cover of Amazing Heroes #85 (Dec 1985) by Alan Davis

Davis began his career in comics on an English fanzine. His first professional work was a strip called The Crusader in Frantic Magazine for Dez Skinn's revamped Marvel UK line. [3]

Davis's big break was drawing the revamped Captain Britain story in Marvel Superheroes . At the time, he was working full-time in a warehouse in Corby doing work that included loading trucks. He initially had no interest in pursuing a career in comics, as he considered drawing to be a hobby. [4] Due to his inexperience, Davis did not leave enough room for word balloons in the five-page first installment, so it had to be recut to six pages. [5] Afterwards, Alan Moore took over writing duties on Captain Britain. Davis drew 14 issues of the monthly Captain Britain title, which was later reprinted in trade paperback. [6] Davis and Moore formed a close working partnership as creators; they also created D.R. and Quinch for 2000AD . [7] Later, Davis replaced Garry Leach on Marvelman in Warrior and yet again worked with Moore. [8] He also drew the story "Harry Twenty on the High Rock" in 2000AD. [9]

Davis created the illustrations used by the Post Office in their 2019 Marvel commemorative stamp set. [10] The set included ten stamps featuring indiviual superheroes as well as a miniature sheet. [10]

American work

In 1985 Davis received his big break in the United States when he was hired by DC Comics to draw Batman and the Outsiders , written by Mike W. Barr. Davis took over from Jim Aparo, who launched the direct market version of the title. [11] His work proved popular enough for him to be assigned artistic duties on DC's flagship title Detective Comics in 1986, again with Barr writing. [12] During the "Batman: Year Two" storyline, however, Davis encountered difficulties with his editor and left after the first issue of the four-issue storyline. The remaining three issues were illustrated by Todd McFarlane. In the story, which featured Joe Chill, the murderer of Batman's parents, Barr wanted Chill to have a large gun. He asked Davis to draw him with a Mauser with an extended barrel, similar to the one used by the Paul Kirk version of Manhunter. [13] However, after Davis rendered Chill with this firearm throughout Detective Comics #575 and on its cover, he obtained copies of the pages for Batman #404 by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, which was scheduled to be released months before the "Year Two" storyline, and saw that Chill was depicted using a smaller handgun without the extended barrel. When asked by editorial to redraw the gun in his artwork, Davis refused. Dick Giordano redrew the gun in the artwork. [14]

Davis accepted an offer by Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont to work on Marvel Comics' X-Men books. With Claremont, Davis drew two New Mutants Annuals and three issues for Uncanny X-Men. In 1987 the duo launched the monthly series Excalibur , [15] which featured a team consisting of Captain Britain and Meggan together with former X-Men members Kitty Pryde, Nightcrawler and Rachel Summers. The stories, set in England, saw appearances by many characters from Moore's and Davis' Captain Britain stories of the early 1980s, including the Crazy Gang and the Technet. Davis' pencils were inked by Paul Neary and, later, Mark Farmer. [16] Davis left with issue 24 due to deadline pressures, but returned with issue 42, this time also as writer. [5] During this second run, according to Davis, "[Editor] Terry Kavanagh spoiled me, gave me near total freedom, and encouraged me to experiment." [5] Among the new characters he created for his second run on the title were Feron, Cerise, Micromax and Kylun.

The ClanDestine, created by Davis for Marvel in 1994 ClanDestine.jpg
The ClanDestine , created by Davis for Marvel in 1994

In 1994 Davis created a new series of original characters called the ClanDestine, which featured the Destines, a family of long-lived, magically powered British superhumans. [17] Davis wrote and penciled the title for the first eight issues. He departed after issue 8, and the series was canceled with issue 12. In 1996 Davis wrote and drew the two issue crossover miniseries X-Men and The ClanDestine. [18]

In 1991, Davis reunited with writer Barr to draw the sequel to "Year Two", the one-shot Batman: Full Circle . [19] During much of the 1990s Davis drew many of Marvel and DC Comics major characters and titles, including JLA: The Nail [20] and The Avengers . [21] He was also commissioned to write both main X-Men series in 1999 (providing art for X-Men as well), but he left the following year.

Starting in October 2002 he wrote and drew for Marvel Killraven , a six-issues miniseries revamping the title character of the 1970s. After a return to Uncanny X-Men, working again with Claremont, Davis wrote and drew in 2006–2007 a six-issue Fantastic Four: The End limited series for Marvel [22] (not to be confused with a similar one-shot written by Stan Lee and drawn by John Romita Jr). In February 2008, Davis wrote and pencilled a five-part ClanDestine miniseries and the one-shot Thor: Truth of History for Marvel. [23] Davis most recent work has been in Totally Awesome Hulk (#7–8, 2016), the Thanos Trilogy (2018–2019) [24] [25] and a reunion with Roy Thomas in 2019 for two issues of The Savage Sword of Conan (#10–11, volume 2). [26]

Personal life

Davis and his wife Heather have a son, Thomas, and a daughter, Pauline. Thomas had recently been born when Davis began his work on the Captain Britain stories in 1981, and Pauline was born a few years later. [4]

Bibliography

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

Marvel UK

Other publishers

Collected editions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Byrne (comics)</span> American comic book writer and artist (born 1950)

John Lindley Byrne is a British-born American comic book writer of superhero comics. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on many major superheroes; with noted work on Marvel Comics's X-Men and Fantastic Four. Byrne also facilitated the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics's Superman franchise with the limited series The Man of Steel, the first issue of which featured the comics' first variant cover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Pérez</span> American comic book artist and writer (1954-2022)

George Pérez was an American comic book artist and writer, who worked primarily as a penciller. He came to prominence in the 1970s penciling Fantastic Four and The Avengers for Marvel Comics. In the 1980s he penciled The New Teen Titans, which became one of DC Comics' top-selling series. He penciled DC's landmark limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths, followed by relaunching Wonder Woman as both writer and penciller for the rebooted series. In the meantime, he worked on other comics published by Marvel, DC, and other companies into the 2010s. He was known for his detailed and realistic rendering, and his facility with complex crowd scenes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Starlin</span> American comics artist and writer

James P. Starlin is an American comics artist and writer. Beginning his career in the early 1970s, he is best known for space opera stories, for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock, and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters Thanos, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Nebula, and Shang-Chi, as well as writing the acclaimed miniseries The Infinity Gauntlet and its many sequels including The Infinity War and The Infinity Crusade, all detailing Thanos' pursuit of the Infinity Gems to court Mistress Death by annihilating half of all life in the cosmos, before coming into conflict with the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and the Elders of the Universe, joined by the Silver Surfer, Doctor Strange, Gamora, Nebula, and Drax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Captain Britain</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Captain Britain is a title used by various superheroes in comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with Excalibur. The moniker was first used in publication by Brian Braddock in Captain Britain #1 by writer Chris Claremont and artist Herb Trimpe, and is currently held by Brian's twin sister, Betsy Braddock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Farmer</span> British comic book artist

Mark Farmer is a British comic book artist. He is best known as an inker, often working with Alan Davis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thanos</span> Supervillain appearing in Marvel Comics

Thanos is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-artist Jim Starlin, the character first appeared in The Invincible Iron Man #55. An Eternal–Deviant warlord from the moon Titan, Thanos is regarded as one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. He has clashed with many heroes including the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men.

<i>Uncanny X-Men</i> Marvel comic book series

Uncanny X-Men, originally published as The X-Men, is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X-Men, a group of mutants with superhuman abilities led and taught by Professor X.

Salvador Larroca is a Spanish comic book artist, primarily known for his American work on various X-Men titles for Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Ordway</span> American comic book writer & artist

Jeremiah Joseph Ordway is an American writer, penciller, inker and painter of comic books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Maguire (artist)</span> American comics artist

Kevin Maguire is an American comics artist, known for his work on series such as Justice League, Batman Confidential, Captain America, and X-Men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Leonardi</span> American comics artist (born 1957)

Rick Leonardi is an American comics artist who has worked on various series for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, including Cloak and Dagger, The Uncanny X-Men, The New Mutants, Spider-Man 2099, Nightwing, Batgirl, Green Lantern Versus Aliens and Superman. He has worked on feature film tie-in comics such as Star Wars: General Grievous and Superman Returns Prequel #3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Pacheco</span> Spanish comics artist and penciller (1961–2022)

Carlos Pacheco Perujo was a Spanish comics penciller. After breaking into the European market doing cover work for Planeta De Agostini, he gained recognition doing work for Marvel UK, the England-based branch of Marvel Comics, for his work on the Spider-Man magazine Dark Guard. He then began doing work for the American-based Marvel and DC Comics, where he was one of the first Spanish-born artists to make a major impact in that country, attaining popularity for his work on Avengers Forever, JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice, X-Men: Legacy, Fantastic Four, Green Lantern, and Captain America. He contributed to some high-profile storylines published by the Big Two, including 2009's "Final Crisis" at DC and 2013's "Age of Ultron" at Marvel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ariel Olivetti</span> Argentine comic book penciller (born 1967)

Ariel Olivetti is an Argentine comic book penciller best known for his work on American comic book titles such as Daredevil, X-Man, Space Ghost and Punisher War Journal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Weeks</span> American comics artist (born 1962)

Lee Weeks is an American comics artist known for his work on such titles as Daredevil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Golden (comics)</span> American comics artist and writer

Michael Golden is an American comics artist and writer best known for his late-1970s work on Marvel Comics' The Micronauts and The 'Nam, as well as his co-creation of the characters Rogue and Bucky O'Hare.

Opal Luna Saturnyne is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Dave Thorpe and Alan Davis for their Captain Britain stories. Formerly the servant of Roma, she is currently the Omniversal Majestrix and rightful Ruler of Otherworld, charged with the safety of the Omniverse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonard Kirk</span> Artist

Leonard Kirk is an American-born comic book artist living in Canada. He has worked on such properties as Supergirl, JSA, Star Trek, Batman, and Witchblade. Currently Kirk is exclusively signed for Marvel Comics.

Scot Eaton is a comic book artist, best known for his work on Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Thor, X-Men: Endangered Species, and X-Men: Messiah Complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed McGuinness</span> American artist

Edward McGuinness is an American comic book artist and penciller, who has worked on books such as Superman, Superman/Batman, Deadpool, and Hulk. His pencil work is frequently inked by Dexter Vines, and as such, their cover work carries the stylized signature "EdEx". McGuinness frequent collaborator, writer Jeph Loeb, had characterized McGuinness' art style as incorporating elements of artists Jack Kirby and Arthur Adams.

Excalibur is the name of several superhero comic books published by Marvel Comics since 1988, generally featuring the team of the same name.

References

  1. ↑ Inkpot Award
  2. ↑ "Show #72: The Mark Gruenwald Show". The Fred Hembeck Show. Quick Stop Entertainment. 14 September 2006. Archived from the original on 18 October 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  3. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 49–52.
  4. 1 2 Davis, Alan (w). "Stick with it, it gets better!", X-Men Archives Featuring Captain Britain #1 (July 1995), Marvel Comics (New York City), p. 4.
  5. 1 2 3 Lowrey, Nigel (August 2008). "The Saga of Captain Britain". Back Issue! (29). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 35–43.
  6. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 45–47.
  7. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 39–42.
  8. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 35–40.
  9. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 38–39.
  10. 1 2 "Avengers assemble in superheroic fashion". Stamp Magazine. Vol. 85, no. 4. My Time Media. April 2019. pp. 20–21. ISSN   0307-6679.
  11. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 61–65.
  12. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 62–64.
  13. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, p. 66.
  14. ↑ Cronin, Brian (21 November 2014). "Comic Book Legends Revealed #498". Comic Book Resources . Archived from the original on 25 November 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  15. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 63–65.
  16. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 68–71.
  17. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 72–73.
  18. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 73–76.
  19. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 69–71.
  20. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 75–77.
  21. ↑ Nolen-Weathington 2003, pp. 79–82.
  22. ↑ "Alan Davis Moves from the X-Men to Fantastic Four". Comic Book Resources . 25 May 2005. Retrieved 19 September 2008.
  23. ↑ Ekstrom, Steve (29 August 2008). "Alan Davis on Thor: Truth of History". Newsarama . Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2008.
  24. ↑ Johnston, Rich (22 March 2018). "Thanos to Fight His Own Future in Thanos: The Infinity Conflict by Jim Starlin and Alan Davis". Bleeding Cool . Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  25. ↑ Johnston, Rich (21 March 2019). "Jim Starlin and Alan Davis's Thanos: The Infinity Ending Gets a Description". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  26. ↑ Johnston, Rich (2 August 2019). "A Look at Roy Thomas and Alan Davis' Savage Sword of Conan Prequel to People Of The Black Circle". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2019.

Further reading

Preceded by Detective Comics artist
1986–1987		Succeeded by
Preceded by Excalibur writer
1991–1993		Succeeded by
Scott Lobdell
Preceded by Uncanny X-Men writer
1999–2000		Succeeded by
Preceded by X-Men (vol. 2) writer
1999–2000		Succeeded by
Chris Claremont
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.