Mark Beachum

Last updated
Mark Beachum
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Artist, Painter, Illustrator, Writer, Photographer, Filmmaker, Comic Art, Erotic Art, Fine Art, Art Film
Pseudonym(s)XL, Diamond, Mnem0sys, dv8xtc
Notable works
 Vampirella
Samuree
Spider-Man
Penthouse Comix
Collaborators Neal Adams, Trevor von Eeden, Josef Rubinstein, Michael Bair, Mark Texeira, Christopher Priest, Sandra Chang, Horatio Weisfeld, Peter David, Kristina Marie, Dennis Mallonee
supergurlz.net

Mark Beachum is an American comic book artist, [1] writer, painter, publisher, photographer and filmmaker known for renditions of the female figure. [2] Having worked for Marvel, DC, and Continuity, among others, his most notable credits include work in Web of Spiderman , Samuree, Vampirella , Penthouse Comix , Razmataz, Alienzkin and Supergurlz.

Contents

Michael Bair summarizes Beachum: [3]

...Sexy, Elegant. Before Adam Hughes, before Frank Cho... Beachum set the standard for "Sexy"...

— Michael Bair

Beachum has often expressed that superheroes are an erotic idiom, and that he is not interested in writing/drawing for children. [4] Beachum is known for depicting men or women in a more erotic fashion. In New Talent Showcase, Mark is said to be influenced by Frank Frazetta, Hal Foster, Trevor Von Eeden, Michael Jackson, Neal Adams, and Alex Toth. [5] He is also known in the industry for his unstructured work philosophy, as noted by Christopher Priest. [6]

Mark Beachum, notorious gangsta deadline breaker, had a standing deal with me: I NEVER gave him anything on a schedule because I knew it'd bring us into conflict. But I guaranteed he'd always have work. When he turned in Job A, I'd hand him another script. When he turned that one in, I'd hand him another. This way, Mark worked at his own pace, instead of getting kicked by me for being late. Of course he'd be late! He's Mark Beachum!! But, damn, that man can draw!!

— Christopher Priest

Early life

Mark Beachum was born in New York City. He dropped out of the High School of Art & Design [5] and continued his artistic development as an autodidact. [4]

He worked at the Soundscape jazz club as he was making his way into the comic industry. [5]

Career

DC

In 1981 he came up to DC Comics and showed his portfolio to then-art director Dick Giordano, a short time after he was commissioned to draw a Batgirl story that was never published. However, in 1984 there was the Jenesis story on the New Talent Showcase, penciling a Wonder Woman story and the Huntress backup in Wonder Woman. [5]

Marvel

Many covers for The Spectacular Spider-Man and Web of Spider-Man from the late 80s were created by Beachum. Together with Peter David over at Marvel, he created Spider-Man's adversary Ace, a street character, which, contrary to various reports, was not based on the musician Prince nor Michael Jackson; Ace was, in fact, modeled after Beachum himself. [6]

FTR-- the character Ace was pretty much a self-portrait of Mark, only toned down a little. Yes, I said toned down. It kind of answered the question (as Mark in real life did): "What If Michael Jackson Looked Masculine?" He looked like Mark. He *was* Mark. Mark looks like a masculine Michael Jackson. An MJ that could kick your ass. He's tall and lean with a piercing gaze and funky hair. He *is* Ace.

— Christopher Priest

Continuity Comics

From the late 80s to early 90s Beachum is working with Neal Adams at Continuity Comics where he was doing both comics and commercial advertising art work. He became most notable for drawing the Samuree story while there; at the same time he also worked on Michael Jackson Pepsi commercial storyboards and animatics. [7] Mark warmly recounts and regards the time spent around Neal Adams at Continuity Publishing, as the place where all kinds of creativeness intersected and the place he wanted to be. [4]

Peter Stone, editor and writer at Continuity describes Beachum's dynamic in the studio: [8]

...Mark would doddle around with and decide if he would finish it or not. If he didn't Neal would give him some money and finish it himself. Or Mark would disappear and return a week later with a painting. He was one of those people that everyone wanted to lock down and force them to do consistent work in a marketable style... but that just wasn't Mark. You took what he gave you and liked it.

— Peter Stone

Aja Blu

In 1990 Mark Beachum co-created an independent label Aja Blu Comix along with a comic world debutante Sandra Chang, who although a beginner, was among the first self-published Asian-American female indie comic creators and definitely one of the first women in the erotic comics field.The two of them did all that was required: wrote, edited, penciled, inked, produced, published... to self-publish the Achilles Storm/Razmataz books. [9]

Penthouse

At the time of its existence Penthouse Comix had the highest paying rate for comics and was priding itself on hand picking the best artists [10] and in mid 90s Beachum painted the futuristic story Backlash written by Tom Thornton for them. Then he published his art portfolio FemmErotiSexiVision in the magazine as well as two stories Nightclaw and Latex Diva, which appeared in later issues of Penthouse Comix. The stories were painted as well as written by Beachum.

Other

In the early 90s Beachum was friendly with Horatio Weisfeld and did cover art for his Bullet Comics publications Radrex and BIO 90.

In 1994 he illustrated the Syphons story written by Allen Curtis. Originally published in color as a three issue mini-series by NOW Comics, a decade later in 2004 it was republished by Image Comics as a black and white graphic novel.

Around the time of working for Continuity and Penthouse, he began submitting fully painted art thus eliminating the need for either inker or colorist. The art would be produced using watercolors, acrylics, graphite, ink, markers or any mixture necessary to achieve the desired effect.

In the early 2000s when the Alienzkin GN came out, there was a new look to Beachum's work, he started using CG to add yet another dimension to his art.

Beachum created original characters for his Razmataz and Alienzkin books and shared his ideas about independent publishing with others. Hart D. Fisher cites Beachum as his inspiration to go independent and create his own company, Boneyard Press, after Beachum said to him: “Why do you want to spend all of your artistic energy on something someone else owns?” [11]

Art Collectors

Mark Beachum created a logo for Sizzle magazine of NBM Publishing. Sizzle was the first place where his Alienzkin story was published over the course of three issues in 1999 (originally it was supposed to be called Razor Burn). NBM was in the process of moving to a new location, after the move they discovered that the original artwork for Alienzkin story was lost. [12]

Beachum's artworks are numerous on the collectors' market, [13] but several of them have been sold off without his permission on eBay. [14]

Fellow comic artist Michael Bair collects Beachum art and tells that he would get paid with Mark Beachum art by Anubis Press. [15] Beachum and Bair have done much work together; while some animosity has been reported between them between them. [12] [16]

Vampirella

Beachum produced Vampirella work and covers during the Harris era, some of the art consisted of paintings and photography mixed media art.

In 2019 he was approached to make a variant Vampirella cover for the upcoming Black History Month in which Vampirella would be portrayed as a black character, Christopher Priest and Matt Idelson were putting that idea together. Here is what Beachum had to say about his history with the character: [17]

I was about 10 or 11 when I discovered Warren and that international cast of artists expanded my interest in art beyond the bandwidth of mainstream superheroes. Esteban Maroto, Jose Gonzalez, Jordi Bernet, Gonzalo Mayo, Frazetta, Vaughn Bodé, Sanjulián, and Enrich Torres were like a huge crew of brilliant art teachers showing me what was possible. Vampirella functioned as a landmark that provoked the modern era of creators to expand their ambitions. This is what inspired, has sustained and continues to instruct me to this day.

— Mark Beachum

Photography and Filmmaking

Sometime in the 90s Beachum started holding photo shoots for art reference and to include in his multimedia creations. [14] He would shoot films and had models cosplaying as characters for him before it became mainstream.

Over the years he created numerous album covers and promotional photo shoots for artists and bands, among them: Mark Wood, The kHz, Natasha Komis, Illuminated ft Zen, Soco Fa Sho.

In 1996 together with artist Kristina Marie a.k.a. Glitterfist, Beachum puts out a portfolio of black and white erotic themed photos called FemmErotiSexiVision under his own label Elektrik Ladyland (play on Electric Ladyland album by Jimi Hendrix), Beachum autographed those as "Diamond". That same year, again with Kristina Marie, Beachum takes part in a music video shoot for the song "Boom N' Bust" by Japanese actor Masatoshi Nagase, who was working to promote his music career. The video was directed by Hal Hartley. In the video, Beachum sported blond hair, and Kristina Marie wore a fetish-wear PVC catsuit designed by Beachum, made by Madonna's designer. [18]

During the mid 2000s, Beachum began venturing into film production. He showcased some of his film work on his websites, which appear to be between neo-noir and art-house that look inspired by Helmut Newton, Bob Carlos Clark, David Lynch, Shinya Tsukamoto. [2] [19] [20]

In 2011 Beachum was cited to direct a short film based on Heroic Publishing's superheroine Flare. Heroic Publishing held a successful crowdsource campaign to fund the film.

Bibliography

DC

Marvel

Continuity

Aja Blu Comix

Penthouse comix

Hero Comics/Heroic Publishing

Vampirella: Harris/Dynamite

Eros

Self Publishing

Other Publishers

Portfolios

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Brunner</span> American comics artist and illustrator

Frank Brunner is an American comics artist and illustrator best known for his work at Marvel Comics in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurt Busiek</span> American comic book writer

Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer. His work includes the Marvels limited series, his own series titled Astro City, a four-year run on The Avengers, Thunderbolts and Superman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Adams (comics)</span> American comic book artist

Arthur Adams is an American comic book artist and writer. He first broke into the American comic book industry with the 1985 Marvel Comics miniseries Longshot. His subsequent interior comics work includes a number of Marvel's major books, including The Uncanny X-Men, Excalibur, X-Factor, Fantastic Four, Hulk, and Ultimate Comics: X, as well as books by various other publishers, such as Action Comics, Vampirella, The Rocketeer, and The Authority. Adams has also illustrated books featuring characters for which he has a personal love, such as Godzilla, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and Gumby, the latter of which garnered him a 1988 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Texeira</span> American painter

Mark Texeira is an American comic book artist. Classically trained as a painter, he broke into the comics field in the early 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adult comics</span> Comics intended primarily or strictly for adult readers

The catch-all term adult comics typically denotes comic books, comic magazines, comic strips or graphic novels that are marketed either mainly or strictly towards adult readers. This can be because they contain material that could be considered thematically inappropriate for children, including vulgarity, morally questionable actions, disturbing imagery, and sexually explicit material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continuity Comics</span> Defunct American independent comic book publishing company

Continuity Publishing, also known as Continuity Comics, was an American independent comic book company formed by Neal Adams in 1984, publishing comics until 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Nowlan</span> American comics artist (born 1958)

Kevin Nowlan is an American comics artist who works as a penciler, inker, colorist, and letterer. He has been called "one of the few artists who can be called 'artists's artist'", a master of the various disciplines of comic production, from "design to draftsmanship to dramatics".

Steve Pugh is a British comic book artist who has worked for American and British comic producers including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse and 2000 AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Bodé</span> American cartoonist

Mark Bodé ( born February 18, 1963) is an American cartoonist. The son of underground comics legend Vaughn Bodē, Mark shares the Bodē family style and perpetuates many of his late fathers creations as well as his own works. He is best known for his work on Cobalt-60, Miami Mice, and The Lizard of Oz. Bodé has also worked for Heavy Metal magazine and on The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Michael A. Hernandez is an American comics artist also known by the pen name Michael Bair, who is best known for his work as an inker. His work includes Marvel Comics' Alpha Flight, and DC Comics' Hawkman. He is best known for inking Rags Morales' pencils since 2002, most notably on the miniseries Identity Crisis.

Jason Trent Pearson was an American comic book creator, known for his series Body Bags and for his dynamic illustration work on books featuring characters such as the Legion of Super-Heroes, Spider-Man, Batman, and Deadpool. He was one of the founding members of Gaijin Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erotic comics</span> Adult comics which focus substantially on nudity and sexual activity

Erotic comics are adult comics which focus substantially on nudity and sexual activity, either for their own sake or as a major story element. As such they are usually not permitted to be sold to legal minors. Like other genres of comics, they can consist of single panels, short comic strips, comic books, or graphic novels/albums. Although never a mainstream genre, they have existed as a niche alongside – but usually separate from – other genres of comics.

George Caragonne was an American comic book writer and editor, most notable for being co-founder of Penthouse Comix magazine. He committed suicide on July 20, 1995, by jumping off the 45th floor of the interior atrium of the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paris Cullins</span> American comics artist

Paris Cullins is an American comics artist best known for his work on DC Comics' Blue Devil and Blue Beetle, and Hyperkind from the Marvel Comics imprint Razorline.

<i>Penthouse Comix</i> Comic book series

Penthouse Comix is an American mass-market, magazine-sized comic book, published by Penthouse International/General Media Communications from spring 1994 through July 1998. Founded and initially edited by George Caragonne and Horatio Weisfeld, it originally ran 32 issues plus one special edition. Foreign versions of Penthouse Comix remained in publication through 2011.

Horatio "Ray" Weisfeld is a writer/editor/publisher who co-founded mass-market comics magazines and developed other media properties. His creation of often irreverent commercial entertainment follows in the footsteps of his father, Irwin Weisfeld, a writer and manufacturer of ubiquitous mid-late '60s counterculture buttons.

Bob Larkin is an American comics artist primarily known for his painted covers for Marvel Comics' magazine-format titles Marvel Magazines in the 1970s and early 1980s and for his 32 painted covers on the Bantam Books paperback reissues series of the Doc Savage pulp novels.

Jan Steven Strnad is an American writer of comic books, horror, and science fiction. He is known for his many collaborations with artist Richard Corben, as well as his work in the Star Wars expanded universe, the majority of which has been published by Dark Horse Comics. He has also written for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Eclipse Comics, and Fantagraphics Books.

Notable events of 1969 in comics.

Michael Jay Harris is an American comic book artist who was active in the industry from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s.

References

  1. ↑ "Mark Beachum". lambiek.net. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  2. 1 2 "Mark Beachum : Wizard World Comic Cons : ANAHEIM COMIC CON APRIL 29-30- MAY 1, 2011 FRI-SAT-SUN Anaheim Convention Center". 2011-04-29. Archived from the original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  3. ↑ "Rose-issue # 3 pg. # 9 by Mark Beachum, in Michael Bair's Mark Beachum Comic Art Gallery Room". www.comicartfans.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  4. 1 2 3 "Interview for BACK ISSUE issue #94 – mNem0sys". mnem0sys.synthetikxs.com. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Berger, Karen (August 1984). New Talent Showcase. New York, NY: DC Comics. p. 25.
  6. 1 2 "PRIEST: True genius..." groups.google.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  7. ↑ "CollectedEditions.com-Strange Daze: All Kinds of Comix Craziness". CollectedEditions.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  8. ↑ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  9. ↑ "Who's Who bio". www.bailsprojects.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  10. ↑ "Penthouse Comix". COMICSANDO comic art blog (in Italian). 2008-06-24. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  11. ↑ "Hart Fisher Tells Us Crazy Stories: In The Beginning". Optimum Wound. 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  12. 1 2 "Unfinished Beauty by Mark Beachum, in Michael Bair's Mark Beachum Comic Art Gallery Room". www.comicartfans.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  13. ↑ "Mark Beachum - Comic Art Member Gallery Results - Page 1". www.comicartfans.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  14. 1 2 "Vampirella Ephemera - Photographs and Slides". vampilore.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  15. ↑ "Savage Tales # 6 pg.2 [inside front cover] by Mark Beachum, in Michael Bair's Mark Beachum Comic Art Gallery Room". www.comicartfans.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  16. ↑ "Satana-unused pinup by Mark Beachum, in Michael Bair's Mark Beachum Comic Art Gallery Room". www.comicartfans.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  17. ↑ "Christopher Priest Celebrates Black History Month with Vampirella Variants". www.previewsworld.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  18. ↑ "boom-n-bust – mNem0sys". mnem0sys.synthetikxs.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  19. ↑ "Original Erotic Art | Mark Beachum". FEMMENOIR EROTIX. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  20. ↑ "flare : gothikdiva – mNem0sys". mnem0sys.synthetikxs.com. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
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.