Stephen R. Bissette

Infobox Comics creator


imagesize =
caption = Steve Bissette. July 2007.
birthname = Stephen R. Bissette
birthdate = March 14 1955
location = Vermont
deathdate =
deathplace =
nationality = American
area = Penciller; Inker; Publisher
alias = Steve Bissette


notable works =
awards =

Stephen R. Bissette (also known as Steve Bissette), is an American comics artist and publisher best known for working with writer Alan Moore and inker John Totleben on the DC comic "Swamp Thing" in the 1980s.

Career

Steve Bissette was born on March 14 1955 in Vermont, where he was raised and still lives. Shortly after the publication of his first work, "Abyss" (1976), Bissette enrolled in the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. Before his first year was completed, his work was being published professionally in the pages of "Sojourn", "Sgt. Rock", and "Heavy metal". In 1978, Bissette was among the Kubert School's very first graduating class, along with classmates Rick Veitch, Tom Yeates, and others.

His early work appeared in the pages of "Heavy Metal", "Epic Illustrated", "Bizarre Adventures", Scholastic Magazines' "Weird Worlds and Bananas" (illustrating stories written by Goosebumps founder and author R. L. Stine), and he worked with Rick Veitch on the graphic novelization of Steven Spielberg's motion picture "1941" (Simon and Schuster, 1979).

Bissette is best known for his multiple award-winning collaboration with writer Alan Moore and inker John Totleben on DC Comics' "Saga of the Swamp Thing" (1983-87). He subsequently worked with Moore, Veitch, Totleben, and others on the Image Comics' series "1963", their final creative collaborative effort.

He later published the horror anthology "Taboo", the original home of Moore and Eddie Campbell's "From Hell" and Tim Lucas' "Throat Sprockets" (illustrated by Mike Hoffman and David Lloyd). He created "Tyrant", a comic book biography of a "Tyrannosaurus rex", which lasted only four issues, and worked on the miniseries "1963" with Moore, Totleben, and Rick Veitch. From "1963", Bissette owns the characters Hypernaut, N-Man, and the Fury. He contributed five covers for a comic book series about another swamp monster, "Bog Swamp Demon".

Scott McCloud's 24-Hour Comic project began as a dare to Bissette in 1990. Each created a 24-page comic in 24 hours. The 24-Hour Comics involved into a challenge taken up by hundreds of hopeful contributors with several published collections, and inspired other time-limited creative projects.

No longer active in mainstream comics, he teaches courses in Comic Art History, Drawing, and Film at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont. Since the Spring of 2005, he has also edited and published "Green Mountain Cinema", a trade paperback journal devoted to the independent cinema scene in his home state of Vermont.

The Stephen R. Bissette Collection at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas houses Bissette's works and memorabilia. [http://www.hsu.edu/bissette/]

Awards

His work with Alan Moore and John Totleben earned the 1985 Jack Kirby Award for Best Single Issue for "Swamp Thing Annual" #2, and the 1985, 1986, and 1987 Jack Kirby Awards for Best Continuing Series for "Swamp Thing". His work with John Totleben earned them the 1985 Jack Kirby Award for Best Art Team for Swamp Thing.

He was nominated for the Squiddy Award for Favorite Artist of the 1980s. His work with Alan Moore and John Totleben earned a nomination for the 1985 Jack Kirby Award for Best Single Issue for "Swamp Thing" #34. His work with John Totleben earned them nominations for the 1986 and 1987 Jack Kirby Awards for Best Art Team for their work on "Swamp Thing". His work with Alan Moore earned them a nomination for the 1986 Jack Kirby Award for Best Writer/Artist (Single or Team).

External links

* [http://users.rcn.com/aardy/comics/awards/ Comic Book Awards Almanac]
* [http://www.srbissette.com/ srbissette.com]