Latest Comic Guest Announcement - John Watkiss

[SM Comic Zone]

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - John Watkiss

 

Artist: Deadman; Ring of Roses; John Jakes' Mullkon Empire; Trigger

 

Attending: Friday, Saturday & Sunday

 

SINCE 2007 when – having illustrated all but one of the 13 issues of the Vertigo title – he completed his run on Deadman, John Watkiss has been almost totally absent from comics. He has worked on an issue of Swallow for IDW, which also dedicated a 2009 issue of its Sparrow series to the British artist, but most of his time since has been focused on cinema and fine art.

 

Prior to embarking on Deadman Watkiss had spent two decades working in comics. His first work was the two issues of Kiss of Death, a 1987 title published by Acme, a UK-based indie. That was followed in 1988 by Last Kiss, an Acme one-shot.

 

Four years later he made his US debut at DC with a pre-Vertigo (1992) issue of The Sandman before moving on to Dark Horse for the four issues of Ring of Rosesalongside which he produced his first work for Marvel – two issues of Conan the Barbarian. In 1993, after contributing a four episode James Bond serial to Dark Horse Comics, Watkiss illustrated four straight issues of Vertigo's Sandman Mystery Theatre, which he followed with a three-issue run on Conan the Adventurer for Marvel. After that came a Batman: Legends of the Dark Knightthree-parter for DC itself.

 

The British artist ended 1995 at Tekno Comix for which he drew the six issues ofJohn Jakes' Mullkon Empire. After that and for the next 10 years Watkiss's comics output was limited to just a handful of fill-ins for DC. Then, in 2005, he returned to Vertigo for the eight issues of what was to prove to be his penultimate project. OnlyDeadman followed Trigger.

 

Much of his time away from comics is down to his work in the film industry. His screen credits are primarily for Disney where he has worked on such animated features asTarzan (1999), The Emperor's New Groove (2000), Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and Treasure Planet (2002).

 

After more than a decade away, Watkiss is returning to comics later this year with Image Comics' Surgeon X.