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Richard Corben

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Richard Corben
Corben working on the cover for
Jeremy Brood #1: Relativity(1982)
Born(1940-11-01)November 1, 1940
Anderson, Missouri,U.S.
DiedDecember 2, 2020(2020-12-02)(aged 80)
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Writer,Penciller,Artist,Inker,Editor, Publisher,Letterer,Colourist
Pseudonym(s)Gore, Corb, Harvey Sea
Notable works
Den,Bloodstar,Rip in Time,Bat Out of Hell(album cover).
Awards
corbenstudios

Richard Corben(November 1, 1940 – December 2, 2020) was an American illustrator andcomic book artistbest known for his comics featured inHeavy Metalmagazine, especially theDenseries which was featured in the magazine's firstfilm adaptationin 1981. He was the winner of the 2009 Spectrum Grand Master Award[1]and the 2018 Grand Prix at Angoulême. In 2012 he was elected tothe Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.

Biography[edit]

Richard Corben was born on a farm[2]inAnderson, Missouri,and went on to get a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from theKansas City Art Institute,in 1965.[3]At the same time, he trained inbodybuilding,but eventually retired from the art with few accomplishments due to a lack of time to dedicate himself to it.[4]

After working as a professional animator at Kansas City's Calvin Productions, Corben started writing and illustrating for theunderground comics,includingGrim Wit,Slow Death,Skull,Rowlf,Fever Dreamsand his own anthologyFantagor.[5]In 1970 he began illustrating horror and science-fiction stories forWarren Publishing.[6]His stories appeared inCreepy,Eerie,Vampirella,1984andComix International.He also colored several episodes ofWill Eisner'sSpirit.All the stories and covers he did forCreepyandEeriehave been reprinted by Dark Horse Books in a single volume:Creepy Presents Richard Corben.[7]The three stories he drew forVampirellahave been reprinted by Dynamite Entertainment inVampirella Archives Vol. 5.[8]

In 1975, whenMoebius,Druillet,andJean-Pierre Dionnetstarted publishing the magazineMétal Hurlantin France, Corben submitted some of his stories to them.[9]He continued his work for the franchise in America, where the magazine was calledHeavy Metal.Also in 1975, a selection of his black-and-white underground comix stories was collected in hardcover asThe Richard Corben Funnybookfrom Kansas City's Nickelodeon Press. In 1976 he adapted a shortRobert E. Howardstory in an earlygraphic novel,Bloodstar.[10]

Among the stories drawn forHeavy Metalhe continued the saga of his most famous creation,Den,which had begun in the short filmNeverwhereand a short story in the underground publicationGrim WitNo. 2. The saga of Den is a fantasy series about the adventures of a young underweightnerdwho travels to Neverwhere, a universe taking inspirational nods fromRobert E. Howard'sHyborian Age,Edgar Rice Burroughs'sBarsoomandH. P. Lovecraft's horror dimensions. This story was adapted in a highly abridged form, in theanimated filmHeavy Metal,where Den was voiced byJohn Candyin a humorous interpretation of the character that Corben found excellent.

Corben's collaborations are varied, ranging fromRip in TimewithBruce Jones,toHarlan EllisonforVic and Blood,to theMutant Worldtitles,Jeremy Brood,andThe Arabian NightswithJan Strnad.

From 1986 to 1994 Corben operated his own publishing imprint,Fantagor Press.Among the titles Fantagor published wereDen,Den Saga,Horror in the Dark,Rip in Time,andSon of Mutant World.Fantagor went out of business after the 1994 contraction of the comics industry.[11]

Due to the sexual nature of Corben's art, it has been accused of beingpornographic,a description he disagreed with, preferring to call his work "sensual"instead.[4]One notorious example was the interview he gaveHeavy MetaleditorBrad Balfourin 1981.[2][9][12]Corben was very dissatisfied with the interview. He felt it portrayed him as a "petty, childish, borderline psychotic oaf". He wrote a letter in retort, which was published in the September 1981 issue.[13]

Corben did the cover ofMeat Loaf'sBat Out of Hell,Jim Steinman'sBad for Goodand amovie poster(based on a layout compositional sketch byNeal Adams[14]) for theBrian De PalmafilmPhantom of the Paradise.In addition, he provided cover art for the VHS release of the low-budget horror filmSpookies.

In 2000, Corben collaborated withBrian Azzarelloon five issues of Azzarello's run onHellblazer(146–150) which was collected in atradecalledHellblazer: Hard Time.[15]He also adapted the classic horror storyThe House on the BorderlandbyWilliam Hope Hodgsonfor DC's Vertigo imprint. In 2001, Azzarello and Corben teamed up to createMarvel'sStartling Stories: Banner(a four issue mini-series exploringDoc Samson's relationship withBruce Banner) andMarvel MAX'sCage(a five issue mini-series starringLuke Cage). In June 2004, Corben joined withGarth Ennisto produceThe Punisher: The End,aone-shottitle for Marvel published under theMAXimprint as part of Marvel'sThe Endseries. The story tells ofThe Punisher's final days on an earth ravaged bynuclear holocaust.Ever the independent, Corben would work with rockerRob ZombieandSteve Nilesin 2005 on a project forIDW PublishingcalledBigfoot.In 2007, Corben did a two issue run onMarvel Comics' surreal demon biker,Ghost Rider.AtMarvel'sMAXimprint he has producedHaunt of Horror,amini-seriesadapting classic works of horror to comics. The first mini-series, published in 2006, was based on the stories ofEdgar Allan Poe[16]followed by a second series in 2008 adapting works byH. P. Lovecraft.[17]Between 2008 and 2009 he illustrated the flashback sequences inConan of Cimmeria#1–7, collected asConanVolume 7: Cimmeria.In 2009 he illustratedStarr the Slayerfor Marvel's MAX comics imprint. Since then Corben has done more work for Marvel, DC, IDW, and most notably Dark Horse, drawing the Eisner Award-winningHellboy.

In May 2020,Parallax Studioannounced preproduction on thelive-action animated filmMEAD(originally titledTo Meet the Faces You Meet) based on the comic bookFever Dreamsillustrated by Corben and written by Jan Strnad.[18][19]The film starsRobert PicardoandSamuel Huntand features the voices ofPatton OswaltandPatrick Warburton.[20]MEADwas premiered at the2022 Cannes Film Festivalon May 22, 2022, and was released forstreamingin North America on August 9, 2022.[21]

Personal life[edit]

Corben's wife is named Madonna "Dona" (née Marchant). Corben was the special-effects/animation technician for her prize-winning film entrySiegfried Saves Metropolisin a contest sponsored byFamous Monsters of Filmlandmagazine in 1964 (see issues #34 and 35). They married soon afterward in 1965.[22]They had a daughter, Beth, who is a watercolor painter and often colored her father's comics.

Corben died on December 2, 2020, following heart surgery. He was 80 years old.[23]

Awards[edit]

Corben's work in comics and animation has won him recognition, including theShazam Awardfor Outstanding New Talent in 1971, and a Shazam Award for Superior Achievement by an Individual in 1973. Corben won a 1973Goethe Awardfor "Favorite Fan Artist". He also received aCINEGolden Eagle and President of Japan Cultural Society trophy in 1968 for his short filmNeverwhere.[24]

While working for theWarrenanthologies, he received numerous Warren Awards: 1973 Best Artist/Writer and Special Award for "Excellence", 1976 Best Art for "Within You, Without You" (Eerie#77) and Best Cover (also forEerie#77), and 1978 Best Cover Artist.[1]

In 2009 Corben won the "Best Finite Series/Limited Series" Eisner Award forHellboy: The Crooked Manand in 2011 he won the "Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)" Eisner Award, for Hellboy: Double Feature of Evil. Finally, in 2012 he was elected tothe Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.

In 2015, Corben was inducted into the Ghastly Awards Hall of Fame. His previous Ghastly Awards include Best Artist in 2013 and Best One-shot Comics for his Dark Horse Poe adaptations... Edgar Allan Poe's The Conqueror Worm in 2012, Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven & The Red Death (2013) and Edgar Allan Poe's Morella and the Murders in the Rue Morgue in 2014.[25]

In January 2018 he won the prestigiousGrand PrixatAngoulêmeand presidency of the 2019 festival.[26]Beginning concurrently with the 2019 festival in January, a 250-piece collection of his original artworks was put on display at the Musée d'Angoulême, the exhibit ending March 10, 2019.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ab2009 Spectrum Grand Master AnnouncedfromLocus Online
  2. ^abBalfour, Brad (June 2001). "The Richard Corben Interview, Part 1". Heavy Metal #51: 6–11.
  3. ^Bharucha, Fershid (1981). Richard Corben: Flights Into Fantasy, page 26. Thumb Tack Books.ISBN978-84-499-1949-7.
  4. ^abSánchez Rodríguez, Antonio (2019).Fisicoculturismo. Orígenes antropológicos y connotaciones filosóficas.Midac, SL.ISBN9788413241197.
  5. ^Bharucha, Fershid (1981). Richard Corben: Flights Into Fantasy, page 52-56. Thumb Tack Books.ISBN978-84-499-1949-7.
  6. ^Bharucha, Fershid (1981). Richard Corben: Flights Into Fantasy, page 92. Thumb Tack Books.ISBN978-84-499-1949-7.
  7. ^"Creepy Presents Richard Corben HC:: Profile:: Dark Horse Comics".
  8. ^"VAMPIRELLA ARCHIVES VOL. 5 HC".Dynamite Entertainment.Archived fromthe originalon October 21, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 29,2024.
  9. ^ab"The Richard Corben Interview, Part 2".Heavy Metal.No. 52. Interviewed by Brad Balfour. July 1981. pp. 8–14.
  10. ^Seuling, Phil (1975). "The Fantasy Epic: Crearaphic Novel".Mediascene#16: 8–9.
  11. ^"Comics Publishers Suffer Tough Summer: Body Count Rises in Market Shakedown". Newswatch.The Comics Journal.No. 172. November 1994. pp. 13–18.
  12. ^"The Richard Corben Interview, Part 3".Heavy Metal.No. 53. Interviewed by Brad Balfour. August 1981. pp. 8–13.
  13. ^"Richard Corben letter".Heavy Metal.Vol. V, no. 6. September 1981.
  14. ^Adams, Neal (1976).The Neal Adams Treasury.Pure Imagination. Page 36,
  15. ^Irvine, Alex(2008). "John Constantine Hellblazer". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.).The Vertigo Encyclopedia.New York:Dorling Kindersley.pp. 102–111.ISBN978-0-7566-4122-1.OCLC213309015.
  16. ^Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allan Poeat the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)
  17. ^Corben and Lovecraft at Marvel in JuneArchivedDecember 8, 2008, at theWayback Machine,Newsarama,March 20, 2008
  18. ^Osborn, Nicholas (May 13, 2020)."NEWS WATCH: Parallax Studio launches Kickstarter for new film" To Meet the Faces You Meet "starring Patton Oswalt".Comic Watch.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  19. ^"Patton Oswalt Joins Corben/Strnad for 'To Meet the Faces You Meet' Movie".Heavy Metal.May 14, 2020.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  20. ^"Robert Picardo, Others Join 'To Meet the Faces You Meet' Film Cast".Creepy Kingdom.September 12, 2020.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  21. ^"Vision Films to feature four screenings at the Cannes Film Festival".Señal News.May 5, 2022.RetrievedJune 30,2022.
  22. ^Keränen, SidSid."The Jan Strnad Interview, Part 2(2),"Muuta.net (Mar./Apr. 2001).
  23. ^Weiss, Josh (December 10, 2020)."Celebrated Heavy Metal, comic book, and album cover artist Richard Corden dies at 80".SyFy.
  24. ^Bharucha, Fershid (1981).Richard Corben: Flights Into Fantasy.Page 44. Thumb Tack Books.ISBN978-84-499-1949-7.
  25. ^"Ghastly Awards – Don't be an Amber Ghastly awards".
  26. ^"Richard Corben, la belle surprise du Grand Prix d'Angoulême 2018".January 24, 2018.

Sources[edit]

  • Corben, Richard; Alan Moore (Introduction) (2000).The House on the Borderland.DC Comics.ISBN978-1-56389-545-6.
  • Corben, Richard (1977).The Odd World of Richard Corben. A Warren Adult Fantasy Publication.Warren Publishing Co.ISBN978-2-913999-01-5.
  • Corben, Richard; Moebius (preface) (2001).Den La Quete, tome 2.Toth.ISBN978-84-85138-21-0.
  • Balfour, Brad (June 1981). "The Richard Corben Interview, Part 1".Heavy Metal(51): 6–11.
  • Balfour, Brad (July 1981). "The Richard Corben Interview, Part 2".Heavy Metal(52): 8–14.
  • Bharucha, Fershid (1981).Richard Corben: Flights Into Fantasy.Thumb Tack Books.ISBN978-84-499-1949-7.
  • Bissette, Stephen R.; Wiater, Stanley (1993).Comic Book Rebels: Conversations with the Creators of New Comics.Donald I. Fine, Inc.ISBN978-1-55611-354-3.
  • Garriock, P. R. (1978).Masters of Comic Book Art.Morpheus International.ISBN978-0-9623447-6-3.
  • Giger, H. R. (1993).Necronomicon II.Aurum Press, Ltd.ISBN978-0-905664-05-7.
  • Horn, Maurice(1985).Sex in the Comics.Chelsea House Publishers.ISBN978-0-87754-850-8.
  • Kurtzman, Harvey (1991).From Aargh to Zap!Harvey Kurtzman's Visual History of the Comics.Prentice Hall Press.ISBN978-0-13-363680-2.
  • Richardson, John Adkins (1977).The Complete Book of Cartooning.Prentice-Hall, Inc.ISBN0-13-157594-5.
  • Sackmann, Eckart (1987).Great Masters of Fantasy Art.Parkwest Pubns.ISBN978-3-89268-008-6.
  • Oliver, Agustín (2004).Richard Corben (Un rebelde tranquilo).Sinsentido.ISBN978-84-95634-51-1.
  • Van Hise, James (1989).How to Draw Art for Comic Books: Lessons from the Masters.Pioneer Books, Inc.ISBN978-1-55698-254-5.
  • Adams, Neal (1976).The Neal Adams Treasury.Pure Imagination.
  • Balfour, Brad (June 2001). "The Richard Corben Interview, Part 1".Heavy Metal(51): 6–11.
  • Balfour, Brad (July 2001). "The Richard Corben Interview, Part 2".Heavy Metal(52): 8–14.
  • Balfour, Brad (August 2001). "The Richard Corben Interview, Part 3".Heavy Metal(53): 8–13.
  • Bharucha, Fershid (1981).Richard Corben: Flights Into Fantasy.Thumb Tack Books.ISBN978-84-499-1949-7.
  • Brayshaw, Christopher (December 1998). "Interview Frank Miller".The Comics Journal(209): 69.
  • Giger, H. R. (1993).H. R. Giger Necronomicon II.Morpheus International.ISBN978-0-9623447-6-3.
  • Holm, E. K. (2004).R. Crumb: Conversations.University Press of Mississippi.ISBN1-57806-637-9.
  • Seuling, Phil (1975). "The Fantasy Epic: Creating the Graphic Novel".Mediascene(16): 8–9.

External links[edit]

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Interviews[edit]

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