Mike Grell (born September 13, 1947) is an American
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
writer and artist, known for his work on books such as ''
Green Lantern/Green Arrow
''Green Lantern'' is an ongoing American comic-book series featuring the DC Comics heroes of the Green Lantern, same name. The character's first incarnation, Alan Scott, appeared in ''All-American Comics'' #16 (July 1940), and was later spun off ...
'', ''
The Warlord'', and ''
Jon Sable Freelance''.
Early life
Grell studied at the
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (UW-Green Bay, UWGB, or Green Bay) is a public university in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with regional campuses in Marinette, Wisconsin, Marinette, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Shebo ...
, the Chicago Academy of Fine Art, and took the
Famous Artists School
Famous Artists School is an art Distance education, correspondence course institution, in operation since 1948. The school was founded by members of the New York Society of Illustrators, principally Albert Dorne and Norman Rockwell.
History
T ...
correspondence course in cartooning. To avoid getting drafted into Army service during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, he enlisted for four years in the
U.S. Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
, including a stint as illustrator in Saigon.
After the Air Force, Grell enrolled in the
Chicago Academy of Fine Art, and also worked as a freelance graphics artist.
[
]
Career
Grell entered the comics industry as an assistant to Dale Messick
Dalia Messick (April 11, 1906 – April 5, 2005) was an American comic strip artist who used the pseudonym Dale Messick. She was the creator of '' Brenda Starr, Reporter'', which at its peak during the 1950s ran in 250 newspapers.
Early life
Me ...
on the ''Brenda Starr
''Brenda Starr, Reporter'' (often referred to simply as ''Brenda Starr'') is a comic strip about a glamorous, adventurous reporter. It was created in 1940 by Dale Messick for the Chicago Tribune Syndicate.
History
Although set in Chicago, ''B ...
'' comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions. Traditionally, throughout the 20th and into the 21st ...
in 1972.
DC Comics
In 1973 Grell moved to New York City, and began his long relationship with DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
. At DC, Grell worked on characters such as Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially ...
, Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
, Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
, and the Phantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, of unspecified paranormal origins, who battles mysterious and occult forces, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in an ...
in arcs or single-issue stories. He and Elliot S. Maggin
Elliot S. Maggin, also spelled Elliot S! Maggin (born 1950), is an American writer of comic books, film, television, and novels. He was a main writer for DC Comics during the Bronze and early Modern ages of comics in the 1970s and 1980s. He is ...
launched the ''Batman Family
A collective of fictional characters appear in American comic books published by DC Comics featuring the superhero Batman as the main protagonist.
Since Batman's introduction in 1939, the character has accumulated a number of recognizable suppo ...
'' title in 1975 and Grell would work with Dennis O'Neil
Dennis Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until his retir ...
on the revival of the ''Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
/Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
'' series the following year. For a time between 1976 and 1978, Grell was writing and penciling one series, Warlord
A warlord is a person who exercises military, economic, and political control over a region in a country without a strong national government; largely because of coercive control over the armed forces. Warlords have existed throughout much of h ...
, and providing pencil art on two others, Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
and Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comicbooks published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series featuring ...
.
''Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes''
His regular first assignment at DC was on ''Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comicbooks published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series featuring ...
and the Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st c ...
'', a high-profile assignment for an artist with no prior experience illustrating a monthly comic book. Grell says he got that job because he was walking in the editor's door to ask for work, literally, as the previous artist, Dave Cockrum
David Emmett Cockrum (; November 11, 1943 – November 26, 2006) was an American comics artist known for his co-creation of the new X-Men characters Nightcrawler, Storm, Colossus, and Mystique, as well as the antiheroine Black Cat. Cockrum was ...
, was walking out the door, having just quit. Grell inked a Cockrum penciled story ("Lost: A Million Miles from Home!") in issue #202 and became the penciler of the book with issue No. 203 (August 1974) which featured the death of Invisible Kid
Invisible Kid is the name of two fictional characters, comic book superheroes in the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries.
Publication history
The first Invisible Kid debuted alongside Cha ...
. These stories were written by Cary Bates
Cary Bates (born 1948) is an American comic book, animation, television and film writer. He is best known for his work on ''The Flash'', '' Superman'', ''Superboy, the Legion of Superheroes'' and ''Captain Atom''.
Biography
Early career
Bates ...
with later issues by Jim Shooter
James Shooter (born September 27, 1951) is an American writer, editor and publisher for various comic books. He started professionally in the medium at the age of 14, and he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comic ...
. Grell drew ''All-New Collectors' Edition
''Limited Collectors' Edition'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1972 to 1978. It usually featured reprints of previously published stories but a few issues contained new material. The series was published in an overs ...
'' #C-55 (1978), a treasury-sized special written by Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz (; born October 21, 1956) is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles. Along with publisher Jenette Kahn ...
in which longtime Legion members Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl (Imra Ardeen) is a fictional superheroine appearing in American DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Saturn Girl is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Imra's "Saturn Girl" title refers to her homewo ...
and Lightning Lad
Garth Ranzz, also known as Live Wire and Lightning Lad, is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually those featuring the Legion of Superheroes, a 30th and 31st century group of which he is a founding mem ...
were married.
''The Warlord''
A writer as well as artist, Grell cemented his status as a fan-favorite with his best-known creation, '' The Warlord''. The character first appeared in ''1st Issue Special
''1st Issue Special'' was a comics anthology series from DC Comics, done in a similar style to their ''Showcase'' series. It was published from April 1975 to April 1976. The goal was to showcase a new possible first issue of an ongoing series eac ...
'' No. 8 (Nov. 1975) and was soon given his own ongoing title (''The Warlord'' #1, Jan/Feb 1976). In this series, Air Force pilot Travis Morgan crash-lands in the prehistoric "hidden world" of Skartaris
Skartaris is a fictional Hollow Earth fantasy setting created by Mike Grell for the sword and sorcery comic book '' The Warlord'', published by DC Comics. Skartaris debuted in '' 1st Issue Special'' #8 (November 1975), where the character Travis M ...
(a setting highly influenced by Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraor ...
's ''A Journey to the Center of the Earth
''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' (french: Voyage au centre de la Terre), also translated with the variant titles ''A Journey to the Centre of the Earth'' and ''A Journey into the Interior of the Earth'', is a classic science fiction novel ...
'' and Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, he ...
' Pellucidar
Pellucidar is a fictional Hollow Earth invented by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs for a series of action adventure stories. In a crossover event, Tarzan, who was also created by Burroughs, visits Pellucidar.
The stories initially involv ...
). For years thereafter, Morgan engages in adventures dressed only in a winged helmet, wristbands, boots, and breechclout, and armed with a sword and a .44 Auto Mag
The .44 Auto Mag pistol (AMP) is a large caliber semi-automatic pistol. It was designed between 1966 and 1971 by the Auto Mag Corporation to make a semi-automatic pistol chambered in .44 AMP.
The pistol's reputation and looks have made it popul ...
. Grell wrote himself and editor Jack C. Harris
Jack C. Harris (born August 30, 1947) is an American comic book writer and editor known mainly for his work in the 1970s and 1980s at DC Comics.
Biography
Early life and career
Jack C. Harris attended the Philadelphia College of Art and grad ...
into the metafictional conclusion of the story in ''The Warlord'' #35 (July 1980). Other artists took over pencil duties, while Sharon Grell, as revealed in the letter column of a later issue, took over writing.
''Tarzan''
Grell wrote and drew the ''Tarzan'' comic strip from July 19, 1981, to February 27, 1983 (except for one strip, February 13, 1983, by Thomas Yeates
Thomas Yeates (born January 19, 1955) is an American comic strip and comics artist, comic book artist best known for illustrating the comic strips ''Prince Valiant'' and ''Zorro'' and for working on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Ca ...
). These strips were rerun in newspapers in 2004 – 2005.
First Comics: ''Jon Sable Freelance'' and ''Starslayer''
Through the 1980s Grell developed creator-owned
In the United States, creator ownership in comics is an arrangement in which the comic book creator retains full ownership of the material, regardless of whether the work is self-published or published by a corporate publisher.
In some fields of ...
titles such '' Jon Sable Freelance'' and ''Starslayer
''Starslayer: The Log of the Jolly Roger'' was an American comic book series created by Mike Grell.
Publication history
Grell originally created ''Starslayer'' for DC Comics, but plans to publish it were halted after the mass cancellation of title ...
''. ''Jon Sable Freelance'' was published by the now-defunct First Comics
First Comics was an American comic book publisher that was active from 1983 to 1991, known for titles like ''American Flagg!'', ''Grimjack'', ''Nexus'', ''Badger'', ''Dreadstar'', and ''Jon Sable''. Along with competitors like Pacific Comics and ...
. ''Starslayer'', a space-born science fiction series, started at Pacific Comics
Pacific Comics (PC) was an American comic book publisher that was active from 1981 to 1984. It was also a chain of comics shops and a distributor. It began at a San Diego, California, comic book shop owned by brothers Bill and Steve Schanes. Alo ...
, but shifted to First after Pacific went out of business.
The titular character of ''Jon Sable Freelance'' was a former Olympic athlete, later an African big-game hunter, who became a mercenary. First appearing with a cover date
The cover date of a periodical publication is the date displayed on the cover, which is not necessarily the true date of publication (the on-sale date or release date); later cover dates are common in magazine and comic book publishing. More unusu ...
of June 1983, ''Jon Sable'' was a precursor to what would eventually be called, by some, "the Dark Age of Comics", when even long-established super-heroes would become increasingly grim and violent.
The character was heavily influenced by Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was a British writer who is best known for his postwar ''James Bond'' series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., a ...
's James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
novels as well as drawing on pulp fiction crime stories. Many of the stories of Sable's hunting exploits in Africa were influenced by Peter Hathaway Capstick
Peter Hathaway Capstick (1940–1996) was an American hunter and author. He was born in New Jersey and educated at the University of Virginia although he was not a graduate. Capstick walked away from a successful Wall Street career shortly befor ...
's novels. At a convention in the late 1980s, Grell stated that his idea for Sable was "something like a cross between James Bond and Mickey Spillane
Frank Morrison Spillane (; March 9, 1918July 17, 2006), better known as Mickey Spillane, was an American crime novelist, whose stories often feature his signature detective character, Mike Hammer (character), Mike Hammer. More than 225 million c ...
's Mike Hammer Michael Hammer or Mike Hammer may refer to:
*Michael Armand Hammer (1955–2022), American philanthropist and businessman
*Michael Martin Hammer (1948–2008), engineer and author
*Mike Hammer (character), a fictional hard boiled detective
** ''Mick ...
".
Sable was adapted into a short-lived television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
and the character's origin tale, "A Storm Over Eden", from the comic book, was expanded and novelized by Grell under the title ''Sable'', which was published in 2000 by Tor Books
Tor Books is the primary imprint of Tor Publishing Group (previously Tom Doherty Associates), a publishing company based in New York City. It primarily publishes science fiction and fantasy titles, and is the largest publisher of Chinese scien ...
.
Back at DC: Green Arrow
In 1987, Mike Grell wrote and drew the three-issue prestige format limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
*Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
'' Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters''. He redesigned the character's costume, away from the costume Neal Adams
Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and recognition for Supe ...
had designed in 1969, and recast Green Arrow as an "urban hunter" going up against non-super-powered, real world villains such as serial killers, terrorists, street gangs, American mobsters and Japanese Yakuza. He did away with Green Arrow's arsenal of "trick arrows" and instead rearmed him with penetrating broadheads with which he actually killed his opponents. ''The Longbow Hunters'' showed the first instance in which Green Arrow ever deliberately killed someone.
The popularity of ''Longbow Hunters'' led to an assignment writing – and occasionally drawing – an ongoing ''Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
'' series for 80 issues from 1988 to 1993. During this run, Grell avoided references to the fantastical elements of the DC Universe (e.g., in a guest appearance by Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
the character is out of costume and does not use his powers). Notably, believing "Green Arrow" was "a stupid name", in no Mike Grell Green Arrow story (with the exception of ''Longbow Hunters'' #1) is the character ever referred to as Green Arrow anywhere other than on the cover.
Grell would write a retelling of Green Arrow's origin and first case in ''Secret Origins
''Secret Origins'' is the title of several comic book series published by DC Comics which featured the origin stories of the publisher's various characters.
Publication history
''Secret Origins'' was first published as a one-shot in 1961 and c ...
'' vol. 2 #38 (March 1989). He was the co-writer/cover artist for ''Green Arrow Annual
Annual may refer to:
* Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year
**Yearbook
** Literary annual
* Annual plant
* Annual report
* Annual giving
* Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco
* Annuals (b ...
'' (1991), drew the cover art for ''Annual'' #5 (1992), and wrote ''Annual'' #6 (1993). Grell wrote and illustrated the official Post-Crisis
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to Ma ...
origin of Green Arrow in ''Green Arrow: The Wonder Year'' miniseries in 1993.
In 1988, Grell had a run writing Blackhawk Black Hawk and Blackhawk may refer to:
Animals
* Black Hawk (horse), a Morgan horse that lived from 1833 to 1856
* Common black hawk, ''Buteogallus anthracinus''
* Cuban black hawk, ''Buteogallus gundlachii''
* Great black hawk, ''Buteogallus urub ...
in the short-lived anthology series ''Action Comics
''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/Comic anthology, magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as National Allied Publications, and later as National Comics ...
Weekly'', writing the Blackhawk serial from issues #601–608.
James Bond
In 1988, Grell wrote and illustrated the graphic novel
A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
adaptation of the Timothy Dalton
Timothy Leonard Dalton Leggett (; born 21 March 1946) is a British actor. Beginning his career on stage, he made his film debut as Philip II of France in the 1968 historical drama ''The Lion in Winter''. He gained international prominence as ...
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
film ''Licence to Kill
''Licence to Kill'' is a 1989 spy film, the sixteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the second and final film to star Timothy Dalton as the MI6 agent James Bond. It sees Bond suspended from MI6 as he pursues t ...
'', and in 1989 wrote and drew an original Bond story, the three-issue mini-series ''Permission to Die'', both co-published by Acme Press
Acme Press Ltd. (styled as ACME Press), later known as Acme Comics, was a British comic book publisher active from 1986 to 1995. The company's initial publication was ''Speakeasy'', a monthly fanzine of comics news and criticism. Acme published ...
and Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market. It was ...
.
''Shaman's Tears'' and ''Bar Sinister''
''Shaman's Tears
''Shaman's Tears'' was an American comic book series created by Mike Grell and published by Image Comics.
The comic starred Joshua Brand, the son of a half-Sioux father and an Irish mother, who returns as an adult to the reservation he ran away fr ...
'' was a more ecologically themed outing for Grell. Main character Joshua Brand, the son of a half-Sioux father and an Irish mother, as an adult returns to the reservation he ran away from as a child. Discovering he mystically possesses the powers of all animals and the Earth itself, he becomes the protector of the planet. Jon Sable guest starred in issues #5–9 of this 12 issue series (May 1993 – Aug 1995). There was a number 0 issue published in November 1995.
Grell wrote and drew the covers, but did none of the interior artwork, for issues #1–4 of the ''Shaman's Tears'' spinoff series ''Bar Sinister'' (June – September 1995) from Windjammer, the creator-owned imprint of Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is an American comic book publisher. The company was founded in 1989 by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter along with lawyer and businessman Steven Massarsky. In 1994, the company was sold to Acclaim Entertainment ...
. This series followed the adventures of a group of escaped government experimental subjects, animals genetically engineered to human intelligence and, basically, human form, as potential bio-weapons.
During this time period, Grell began work writing and penciling the unfinished and unpublished ''Shaman's Tears''/'' Turok Dinosaur Hunter'' cross-over limited series for Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is an American comic book publisher. The company was founded in 1989 by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter along with lawyer and businessman Steven Massarsky. In 1994, the company was sold to Acclaim Entertainment ...
. He did co-write the two issue Turok limited series entitled ''Turok The Hunted'', as well as several fill-in issues of the ongoing ''Turok'' series.
2000s
From 2002 to 2003, Grell worked on ''Iron Man''. It was during a Grell written story from this period that Tony Stark revealed his secret identity to the world, a development met with mixed fan reaction.
After his work on ''Iron Man'', Grell came back to comics in 2008, providing a variant incentive cover for ''Action Comics
''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/Comic anthology, magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as National Allied Publications, and later as National Comics ...
'' #861, part four of the ''Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes
"Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" is a 2007 comic book DC Comics story arc written by Geoff Johns, illustrated by Gary Frank, which features the character Superman and the return of the pre-"Crisis on Infinite Earths" Legion of Super-Hero ...
'' story. DC sought variant drawings for this story from artists who had worked on the Legion in the past, such as Steve Lightle
Steve Lightle (November 19, 1959 – January 8, 2021) was an American comics artist who worked primarily as a penciller. He was best known as the artist of DC Comics' '' Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''Doom Patrol'' titles.
Biography
Steve Light ...
, Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen (born November 30, 1952) is an American comics artist and writer. He is known for his work for DC Comics on their ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''Justice League'' titles as well as for being the co-creator of Lobo.
Biography
K ...
, and Grell.
Other work includes a new ongoing series
In comics, an ongoing series is a series that runs indefinitely. This is in contrast to limited series (a series intended to end after a certain number of issues thus limited), a one shot (a comic book which is not a part of an ongoing series), ...
of ''The Warlord'' launched to coincide with the 35th anniversary. Grell brought the lead character's story to an end and drew some issues. Grell worked for Marvel drawing some stories of ''X-Men Forever
''X-Men Forever'' is the name of three comic book series published by Marvel Comics featuring the mutant superhero group the X-Men. The first is a 2001 miniseries, unrelated to the others. The second and third are the work of writer Chris Clarem ...
''. His last collaboration with DC to date has been the Green Lantern story for the ''DC Retroactive
''DC Retroactive'' is a line of one-shot comic book issues published by DC Comics. It revisited periods (grouped by decades) of the company's main characters: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Justice League, and the Flash. Thes ...
'' series, in 2011, where he provided the art.
Grell is rewriting the ''Jon Sable'' screenplay, working on an adaptation of ''Shaman's Tears'', and writing two stories for ComicMix.com, a new Jon Sable story and ''The Pilgrim'' with Mark Ryan. In December 2010 he was announced as editor-in-chief of Ardden Entertainment.
In 2012, Grell provided the cover art for the 10-page preview comic produced by DC Comics for the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
to promote the TV series ''Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
''. Grell did interior art for issues #6 and #11 of the digital comic based on the TV series.
Personal life
In the 1980s, Grell was married to Sharon Wright. She ghost-wrote the last two years of ''The Warlord'', while Grell concentrated his efforts on ''Starslayer''; ''Jon Sable, Freelance''; and the weekly ''Tarzan'' Sunday comic strip.
Awards
Mike Grell received an Inkpot Award
The Inkpot Award is an honor bestowed annually since 1974 by Comic-Con International. It is given to professionals in the fields of comic books, comic strips, animation, science fiction, and related areas of popular culture, at CCI's annual c ...
in 1982.
Bibliography
DC Comics
*''Action Comics
''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/Comic anthology, magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as National Allied Publications, and later as National Comics ...
'' (Atom
Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus. The nucleus is made of one or more protons and a number of neutrons. Only the most common variety of hydrogen has no neutrons.
Every solid, liquid, gas, and ...
) #442; (Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
) #440, 441, 444–446, 450–452, 456–458 (1974–76), #601–608 (writer, Blackhawk Black Hawk and Blackhawk may refer to:
Animals
* Black Hawk (horse), a Morgan horse that lived from 1833 to 1856
* Common black hawk, ''Buteogallus anthracinus''
* Cuban black hawk, ''Buteogallus gundlachii''
* Great black hawk, ''Buteogallus urub ...
serial) (1988)
*''Adventure Comics
''Adventure Comics'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues (472 of those after the title changed from ''New Adventure Comics''), ...
'' (Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially ...
) #435–437; (Crimson Avenger
The Crimson Avenger is the name of three separate fictional characters, superheroes and supervillains who exist in the DC Comics Universe. The character debuted in 1938 and is notable as the first masked hero in DC Comics.
The first Crimson Aveng ...
) #440 (1974–75)
*''Arrow'' (digital comic based on the TV series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed betw ...
) #6, 11, 16 (2012–13)
*'' All–New Collector's Edition'' (Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st c ...
) #C–55 (1978)
*''The Amazing World of DC Comics
''The Amazing World of DC Comics'' was DC Comics' self-produced fan magazine of the mid-1970s. Running 17 issues, the fanzine featured DC characters and their creators, and was exclusively available through mail order. Primarily text articles, with ...
'' #12 (previously unpublished story) (1976)
*''Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' #287–290 (1977)
*''Batman Family
A collective of fictional characters appear in American comic books published by DC Comics featuring the superhero Batman as the main protagonist.
Since Batman's introduction in 1939, the character has accumulated a number of recognizable suppo ...
'' (Robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
**Forest rob ...
and Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies to the superhero Batman. Although the character Betty Kane was introduced into publication in ...
) #1 (1975)
*''DC Super Stars
''DC Super Stars'' was a comics anthology series published by DC Comics from March 1976 to February 1978. Starting off as a reprint title, it finished its run with original stories.
Publication history
The tagline "The Line of DC Super-Stars" wa ...
'' (Green Arrow) #17 (1977)
*''DC Retroactive
''DC Retroactive'' is a line of one-shot comic book issues published by DC Comics. It revisited periods (grouped by decades) of the company's main characters: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Justice League, and the Flash. Thes ...
: Green Lantern – The '70s'' #1 (one-shot, 2011)
*''Detective Comics
''Detective Comics'' is an American comic book series published by Detective Comics, later shortened to DC Comics. The first volume, published from 1937 to 2011 (and later continued in 2016), is best known for introducing the superhero Batman i ...
'' (Robin) #445; (Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
) #455; (Atom) #463; (Black Canary
The Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics: Dinah Drake and her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance. The original version was created by the writer-artist team of Robert Kanigher and ...
) #464 (1975–76)
*''1st Issue Special
''1st Issue Special'' was a comics anthology series from DC Comics, done in a similar style to their ''Showcase'' series. It was published from April 1975 to April 1976. The goal was to showcase a new possible first issue of an ongoing series eac ...
'' (Warlord
A warlord is a person who exercises military, economic, and political control over a region in a country without a strong national government; largely because of coercive control over the armed forces. Warlords have existed throughout much of h ...
) #8 (1975)
*''The Flash
The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'' (Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
backup stories) #237–238, 240–243 (1975–76)
*'' Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters'' miniseries #1–3 (1987)
*''Green Arrow'', vol. 2, #1–80, ''Annual'' #4, 6 (1988–94)
*''Green Arrow: The Wonder Year'', miniseries, #1–4 (1993)
*''Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
'', vol. 2, (Green Lantern/Green Arrow) #90–100, 106, 108–110 (1976–78)
*''Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st c ...
'', vol. 3, #45 (four pages only) (1988)
*'' Ms. Tree Quarterly'' (Batman text story) #1 (1990)
*''Phantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, of unspecified paranormal origins, who battles mysterious and occult forces, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in an ...
'', vol. 2, #33 (1974)
*''Secret Origins
''Secret Origins'' is the title of several comic book series published by DC Comics which featured the origin stories of the publisher's various characters.
Publication history
''Secret Origins'' was first published as a one-shot in 1961 and c ...
'', vol. 2, #38 (writer for Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
story only) (March 1989)
*'' Shado: Song of the Dragon'', miniseries, #1–4 (1992)
*''Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comicbooks published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series featuring ...
starring the Legion of Super-Heroes'' #203–224, 235 (1974–78)
*''Warlord
A warlord is a person who exercises military, economic, and political control over a region in a country without a strong national government; largely because of coercive control over the armed forces. Warlords have existed throughout much of h ...
'' #1–52, 59, ''Annual'' #1 (1976–82)
*''Warlord'', vol. 3, #7–12, 15–16 (2009–10)
*''Weird War Tales
''Weird War Tales'' was a war comic book title with supernatural overtones published by DC Comics. It was published from September–October 1971 to June 1983.
Publication history
The original title ran for 12 years and 124 issues. It was ...
'' #67 (1978)
Image Comics
*''Maggie the Cat'' #1–2 (1996)
*''Shaman's Tears
''Shaman's Tears'' was an American comic book series created by Mike Grell and published by Image Comics.
The comic starred Joshua Brand, the son of a half-Sioux father and an Irish mother, who returns as an adult to the reservation he ran away fr ...
'' #1–12, No. 0 (1993–95)
*''Spawn
Spawn or spawning may refer to:
* Spawn (biology), the eggs and sperm of aquatic animals
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Spawn (character), a fictional character in the comic series of the same name and in the associated franchise
** '' Spawn: Ar ...
: The Impaler'' miniseries #1–3 (1996)
Marvel Comics
*''Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
'' vol. 3 #50–69 (2002–03)
*''X-Men Forever
''X-Men Forever'' is the name of three comic book series published by Marvel Comics featuring the mutant superhero group the X-Men. The first is a 2001 miniseries, unrelated to the others. The second and third are the work of writer Chris Clarem ...
Giant-Size'' No. 1 (2010)
*''X-Men Forever'' vol. 2, #9–10 (2010)
Other publishers
*'' Jon Sable Freelance'' #1–43 (First) (1983–86)
*''Starslayer
''Starslayer: The Log of the Jolly Roger'' was an American comic book series created by Mike Grell.
Publication history
Grell originally created ''Starslayer'' for DC Comics, but plans to publish it were halted after the mass cancellation of title ...
'' #1–6 (Pacific) (1982–83)
*''ShadowStar'' #2 (cover art only) (Savage Graphics) (1985)
Collected editions
*'' Legion of Super-Heroes Archives''
**''Volume 10'' includes ''Superboy'' # 202; 232 pages, October 2000,
**''Volume 11'' collects ''Superboy'' #203–212; 224 pages, August 2001,
**''Volume 12'' collects ''Superboy'' #212–223; 240 pages, May 2003,
**''Volume 13'' includes ''Superboy'' #224; 240 pages, May 2012,
References
External links
*
*
*
Mike Grell
at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grell, Mike
1947 births
American comics artists
American comics writers
Comic book editors
Inkpot Award winners
Living people
School of the Art Institute of Chicago alumni
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay alumni