Her other published work includes illustrations for The New York Times and Revolver magazine, advertising work for products such as Arm & Hammer, Playskool, design work for ABC's Nightline, and commercials for A&E's Biography magazine.
Early life
Amanda Conner studied at The Kubert School in Dover, New Jersey.[1] She names as influences Joe Kubert, for teaching his students to compose pages as if they were to be devoid of any dialogue or word balloons, and Frank Miller for his pacing and his ability to create tension and intense action and reactions.[2]
Career
Gatecrasher: Ring Of Fire #4 (June 2000). Cover art by Amanda Conner (penciler), Jimmy Palmiotti (inker)
Conner worked at a color separation company, which handled comics coloring prior to the industry adoption of computer programs such as Photoshop. She subsequently worked in a comic book store. At the time she lived a little over an hour from New York City, and on her days off, would travel to New York City with her father, and use his office at the advertising industry where he worked as a home base from which to call editors at Marvel Comics and DC Comics to request a portfolio review. When granted these interviews, she was told that she had potential, but needed to work on her art more. At this same time she became acquainted with professional artists through her work at the comic shop, and answered an advertisement by artist Bill Sienkiewicz, who was seeking an assistant. She took the job, which became her first comics work, while continuing to show her portfolio to editors at Marvel and DC.[2] She also illustrated storyboards for the advertising industry.[3] After about her sixth or seventh time showing her portfolio, Marvel editor Greg Wright gave Conner her first illustration assignment, an 11-page Yellowjacket back-up story in Solo Avengers #12 (November 1988).[2][4]
From 1993 to 1994 she penciled issues #1–10 of Peter David and Richard Howell's creator-owned series, Soulsearchers and Company, which was published by Claypool Comics. In 1994 she penciled Barbie Fashion #43, a Marvel Comics title that was licensed from the Mattel doll. That same year she did her first Vampirella work with Vengeance of Vampirella, a mini-comic that was bundled with an issue of Wizard magazine. The following year she pencilled issues 2 - 11 of Marvel's Gargoyles, which was based on the Disneyanimated television series of the same name. In 1996 she pencilled Kid Death & Fluffy Spring Break Special #1 for Topps Comics and Tomoe #3 for Billy Tucci's Crusade Comics. She also returned to Vampirella with Harris' Vampirella Lives #1–3, which teamed her with writer Warren Ellis.[4]
In 1997 she illustrated the intercompany crossoverPainkiller Jane vs. The Darkness for Event Comics. It was in working on this book that Conner says that she found her niche in the industry, explaining that the licensed characters she had previously worked on, particularly Barbie and Vampirella (the latter of which she stresses she nonetheless enjoyed for the writers she worked with) had narrow emotional ranges, which limited the facial expressions she was able to render. On PKJ v. the Darkness she discovered that it was possible to render material of a dark tone that incorporated black humor.[2] Conner returned to Painkiller Jane with a #0 issue, which recounted the character's origin.
Conner, Palmiotti, and writer Justin Gray work together via their multimedia entertainment company PaperFilms. They collaborated on the Terra miniseries, which premiered in November 2008,[9] and the first 12 issues of the Power Girlongoing series,[10] which were published between 2009 and 2010, both of which Conner penciled.[11] in 2009, Conner drew the Supergirl story in Wednesday Comics which also featured appearance by Krypto and Streaky the Supercat.[12] Following her departure from Power Girl, Conner wrote and pencilled a story published in Wonder Woman #600, which featured a team-up between Power Girl, Wonder Woman, and Batgirl. IDW Publishing released The Art of Amanda Conner in April 2012[13][14] while DC Comics published DC Comics: The Sequential Art of Amanda Conner the following November.[15][16]
In 2012–2013, Conner drew the Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre limited series which she co-wrote with Darwyn Cooke. Cooke had insisted on having Conner as a collaborator on the series, stating that "I knew I had something to say about Laurie, and I needed somebody to collaborate with who could help realize it. The only person I know alive that could do that was Amanda. So I kind of made it a fuck-or-walk situation, you know? [Laughs.] 'We get Amanda, or I can’t do this.' So that made it incumbent upon [DC co-publisher] Dan [DiDio] to bring Amanda into it."[17] Conner and Palmiotti launched a Harley Quinn ongoing series in November 2013.[18][19]
She provided the design concepts for the DC Universe streaming Harley Quinn animated series.[20] Many of the story line ideas and dialog have been used for source material on the episodes. These concepts have also been launching points for both the Birds of Prey and Suicide Squad feature movies.[21]
Conner's art was featured in "The Perspiration Implementation", the October 19, 2015, episode of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory. In the episode, comic book store owner Stuart Bloom asks the women for ideas on how to attract more women to his shop, and Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) points out that an illustration hanging on one of the shop's walls, "Girl on a Leash", may not be conducive to attracting female customers. The image, which was illustrated by Conner and colored by Paul Mounts, depicts a scantily-clad woman being held on a chain leash by a muscular, whip-wielding masked man.[22] The piece was custom-drawn for the show by Conner.[23]
In 2015, Conner was voted as the #2 top female comics artist of all time.[24]
On May 18, 2019, at the Comic Con Revolution event in Ontario, California, Conner was named the 2019 recipient of the Joe Kubert Distinguished Storyteller Award, which is given to "outstanding comic book creators who exemplify both Joe Kubert's artistic talent and his commitment to nurturing the comic book community."[25]
While reading each page of a script, Conner does tiny thumbnail sketches with stick figures corresponding to the story indicated on each page, in order to help her design the page's layout. She then does tighter, more elaborate sketches, though still fairly small compared with the finished artwork,[3] approximately 4in ×6in (100mm ×150mm),[2] and then blows those up on a photocopier to the proper original comic art size, which is 10inches x 15inches. She then uses "very tight pencils" to light-box it onto Bristol board, if she intends to have it inked by her husband and collaborator, Jimmy Palmiotti, but will do the pencils "lighter and looser" if she intends to ink it herself, as she already knows how she wants the artwork rendered.[3]
Conner has created her own paper stock and blue line format on her drawing paper, because, she explains, she likes having those configurations pre-printed on the page, and feels that "sometimes the rough is too toothy and the smooth is too slick." The stock she uses is the 10in ×15in (250mm ×380mm) Strathmore 500 series, but she also orders a custom 8in ×12in (200mm ×300mm) stock because she sometimes finds those dimensions more comfortable and easier to work on more quickly. She also finds the Strathmore 300 series "pretty good", in that she appreciates its texture and greater affordability, but says that she must occasionally contend with getting a "bleedy batch".[2]
Conner uses mechanical pencils with .03 lead because she finds it easier to use than regular pencils that require her to stop and sharpen them frequently.[2] When working on one of her own projects, such as The Pro, she prefers to letter the art herself, before the inking stage, as she appreciates the handmade, organic look and feel of hand lettering, in contrast to the computer lettering with which most books are currently produced.[3] To ink her own artwork, she uses Staedtler .03, .01 and .005 technical pen, and will sometimes use a Copic .005 for extremely fine work, as these implements feel better in her hands than crowquills and brushes.[2] As her artwork is open and lacks much shading, Conner feels that Paul Mounts is a compatible colorist for her work, as he achieves "the right amount of bounciness or moodiness, depending on what's needed." Conner has stated that her favorite things to draw are facial expressions and body language.[3]
Personal life
Conner has lived in Los Angeles; Jacksonville, Florida; and Connecticut.[3] She and her husband and frequent collaborator Jimmy Palmiotti[26][27] lived in Brooklyn, New York City but as of 2010 live in Florida,[3] which Palmiotti referred to in an interview as the "sixth borough of New York."[28]
Harley Quinn is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm for Batman: The Animated Series as a henchwoman for the Joker, and debuted in its 22nd episode, "Joker's Favor", on September 11, 1992. While intended to appear in one episode, Quinn became a recurring character within the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) as the Joker's sidekick and love interest, and was adapted into DC Comics' canon seven years later, beginning with the one-shot Batman: Harley Quinn #1. Quinn's origin story features her as a former psychologist at Gotham City's Arkham Asylum who was manipulated by and fell in love with the Joker, her patient, eventually becoming his accomplice and lover. The character's alias is a play on the stock character Harlequin from the 16th-century Italian theater commedia dell'arte.
Andrew Kubert is an American comics artist, letterer, and writer. He is the son of Joe Kubert and brother of Adam Kubert, both of whom are also artists, and the uncle of comics editor Katie Kubert.
Joseph Kubert was a Polish-born American comic book artist, art teacher, and founder of The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman. He is also known for working on his own creations, such as Tor, Son of Sinbad, and the Viking Prince, and, with writer Robin Moore, the comic strip Tales of the Green Beret.
Bruce Walter Timm is an American artist, animator, writer, producer, and director. He is best known for contributing to building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, most notably as the head producer behind Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995), Superman: The Animated Series (1996–2000), The New Batman Adventures (1997–1999), Batman Beyond (1999–2001), Justice League (2001–2004), and Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006).
Adam Kubert is an American comics artist known for his work for publishers such as Marvel Comics and DC Comics, including work on Action Comics, Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine, The Incredible Hulk, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Ultimate X-Men, and Wolverine.
Painkiller Jane is a fictional superheroine created by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada for Event Comics in 1995. Originally a five-issue mini-series, the character went on to star in numerous crossover titles with the likes of the Punisher, Vampirella, and Hellboy.
Chris Batista is an American comic book artist, known for his work on a number of titles for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, including Steel, Spaceknights and Thunderbolts.
James Palmiotti is an American writer and inker of comic books, who also does writing for games, television and film.
Adriana Melo is a Brazilian comic book artist, Colorist, and penciller. She has worked on various Star Wars, Marvel Comics, and DC Comics titles. Notably, she worked on the Star Wars: Empire series. She has also worked on DC Comics' Rose & Thorn and Birds of Prey as well as Top Cow's Witchblade and Marvel Comics's Ms. Marvel. In 2018 she collaborated with writer Gail Simone on a six-issue DC miniseries featuring Plastic Man.
Liam Roger Sharp is a British comic book artist, writer, publisher, and co-founder/CCO of Madefire Inc.
Scott Kolins is an American illustrator, writer, and creator of multiple different superhero and science fiction comic books. His main credits are as a penciler but he is an established inker as well as colorist and has some credits as a writer.
Amy Reeder, formerly known as Amy Reeder Hadley, is an American comic book artist and writer known for her work on titles such as Fool's Gold, Madame Xanadu, Batwoman, and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
Event Comics was an American independent comic book publisher founded by veteran artists Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada. The company published during the years 1994 to 1999. In 1998, it was contracted to form the Marvel Knights imprint for Marvel Comics.
Wednesday Comics was a weekly anthology comic book launched by DC Comics on July 8, 2009. The twelve issues of the title were published in 14" x 20" broadsheet format, deliberately similar to Sunday newspaper comics sections. Each edition featured 15 pages, each from a different story by a different creative team.
Phil Noto is an American painter and comic book artist who is known for his work on such titles as Jonah Hex, X-23, Uncanny X-Force and, more recently, Black Widow. His work on The Infinite Horizon with Gerry Duggan earned him an Eisner nomination for Best New Series. Noto has also worked as a concept artist for video games such as BioShock.
Joyce Chin is an American comic book artist. She has created content under the Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dynamite Comics, Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and IDW Publishing labels. A large portion of Chin's work has been in creating comic book covers.
Joëlle Jones is an American comic book artist and writer, best known for her work on Lady Killer, a series published in 2015–2017 by Dark Horse Comics, for her cover work on various Marvel Comics series, and for her work writing and illustrating DC Comics series including Batman and Catwoman.
Katie Kubert is an American comic book editor. She is known for her work at DC Comics, where she supervised the reinvention of the Batgirl comics.
Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica is a six-issue American comic book miniseries co-written by Marc Andreyko and Paul Dini, illustrated by Laura Braga. The intercompany crossover was published by DC Comics and Archie Comics from October 2017 to March 2018. A hardcover edition collecting the series was released on August 29, 2018.
Harley Quinn is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the DC Comics character Harley Quinn as its protagonist.
References
↑ Weldon, Glen (August 13, 2012). "Comics Legend Joe Kubert, 1926-2012: An Appreciation". NPR. p.2. Archived from the original on December 23, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2012. His Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in New Jersey has produced several generations of comics creators (including his own sons, Andy and Adam Kubert) who have gone on to make their own, widely varied, contributions to the field: Amanda Conner, Rick Veitch, Eric Shanower, Steve Lieber, Scott Kolins, and many more.
↑ "Amanda Conner". PaperFilms.com. n.d. Archived from the original on June 9, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2014. Amanda Conner started out in comics working on small projects for Marvel and Archie. She had been working as an illustrator for New York ad agencies Kornhauser and Calene and Kidvertisers. She worked on a number of launches and campaigns such as Arm & Hammer, PlaySkool and Nickelodeon, to name a few.
↑ Cowsill, Alan; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "2000s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p.338. ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9. Writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, together with artist Amanda Conner, emphasized the fun of Power Girl in her first ongoing series.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ Manning, Matthew K.; Dougall, Alastair, ed. (2014). "2010s". Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p.340. ISBN978-1465424563. Back in her own ongoing series, Harley Quinn's new lease on life was celebrated by writers Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ Davis, Lauren (April 5, 2010). "WC10: Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2022. Archive requires scrolldown
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