Elaine Lee is an American actress, playwright, producer, and graphic novel writer.
Biography
Theatre
She received a 1980 Daytime EMMY nomination for her role on NBC-TV’s The Doctors and was a founding member and artistic director of Manhattan-based theatre company, Wild Hair Productions.
Wild Hair began its run performing three plays written by Elaine Lee and Susan Norfleet Lee, which the duo acted in: Brief Lives, The Contamination of the Kokomo Lounge, and Starstruck. Starstruck, a science fiction spoof with a largely female cast, was performed off-Broadway at the N.E.T.W.O.R.K. Theater, from April 16-May 10, 1980. Elaine Lee portrayed Captain Galatia 9, and Susan Norfleet Lee played Brucilla The Muscle. In 1983, Elaine Lee directed a revised production with a new cast that was performed at the Park Royal Theater, from April 16-May 8, 1983.
Starstruck is published by Broadway Play Publishing Inc.
Comics
Writer
- Starstruck: As a comics writer, her best-known work is likely Starstruck, her collaboration with artist Michael Wm. Kaluta which has appeared in both stage play and comics incarnations. A Starstruck spin-off by Lee and Kaluta, The Galactic Girl Guides, appeared in Dave Stevens' Rocketeer Adventure Magazine. Lee also scripted Skin Tight Orbit, an NBM Publishing/Amerotica collection of adult comic stories, some set in the universe of Starstruck. The Starstruck Deluxe Edition, a large-format hardcover omnibus of her Starstruck series, was released by IDW on March 29, 2011. ISBN 1-60010-872-5
- DC: She has worked on several limited series for DC Comics under its main imprint and their Vertigo Comics and Helix imprints. These include Vamps and its sequels Vamps: Hollywood & Vein and Vamps: Pumpkin Time, the science fiction series BrainBanx, and an early 1990s limited series reviving the character of Ragman, Ragman: Cry of the Dead.
- Marvel: Lee has written for Marvel Comics, including Saint Sinner, a Marvel/Razorline series created by Clive Barker, and The Transmutation of Ike Garuda, with artist James Sherman, for Marvel/Epic Comics. She also scripted Prince Valiant, which was plotted by Charles Vess and drawn by John Ridgeway.
- Dark Horse: Lee and Vamps co-creator, Will Simpson, teamed up with artist Dan Spiegle to do Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny.
- Lee’s shorter works have been published in Heavy Metal, Eclipse Comics, Epic Illustrated, and Taboo.
- Moonstone: She has worked for Moonstone Books, including the three issue story "Murder On Mars" in Honey West #3-5, and the short story "Mischief" in the book, "Chicks In Capes". ISBN 1-933076-71-2
- In November 2013 it was announced that Lee will be scripting the Red Giant Entertainment comic book Duel Identity, an ongoing feature of their Giant-Size Comics line of free print comic book titles set to debut on May 3, 2014 as part of Free Comic Book Day. Duel Identity will appear monthly in Giant-Size Fantasy.
Collaborators
As a writer, Elaine Lee has collaborated with artists Michael Wm. Kaluta, Charles Vess, James Sherman, Steve Leialoha, Will SImpson, John Ridgeway, Phil Winslade, Mary Wilshire, Linda Medley, Ray Lago, Gabriel Morrissette, Dan Spiegle, Jason Temujin Minor, Ronn Sutton, and Lee Moyer.
Colorist
Elaine Lee has also worked as a comic colorist, doing such titles as Starstruck (Epic), New Mutants (Marvel), and The Shadow (Dark Horse).
Graphic Novels
Elaine Lee has written five graphic novels.
- Starstruck: The Luckless, the Abandoned and Forsaked (Marvel) ISBN 0-87135-001-7
- Skin Tight Orbit, Vol. 1 (NBM/Amerotica) 9781561631186
- Skin Tight Orbit, Vol. 2 (NBM/Amerotica) 9781561631377
- Vamps, (Vertigo) 9781563892202
- Starstruck Deluxe Edition, 2011 (IDW) ISBN 1-60010-872-5
Starstruck: The Luckless, the Abandoned and Forsaked was nominated for a Jack Kirby Award as The Best Graphic Album of 1985.
Books
With her sister, comedian Susan Norfleet Lee, Elaine Lee co-authored the humorous relationship book Porch Dogs, under the pen name Georgia Sullivan. ISBN 0-9726863-0-4
Animation
From 1995 until 2008, Elaine Lee wrote scripts for children's animation and developed animated series for the European market, working for companies in Germany, Denmark and Belgium.
- Stevie Stardust (Stardust Entertainment/ Hallmark Entertainment) - Elaine Lee wrote scripts, the series bible, and was a story editor.
- Troll Tales (A-Film)
- The Mooh Brothers (Niolan)
Elaine helped to develop six different animated cartoon series for young children for Niolan Kids. She wrote scripts for five of these shows, including one with her two sons.
Audioplays
Playwright
Elaine Lee has adapted various Starstruck projects into new audioplay productions.
- Starstruck: The Audioplay was a revised adaption of the original stage play. It was recorded in May, 2010, with a full cast, music, and sound effects; it was released for sale by The AudioComics Company as a double CD and as an MP3 download.
- Starstruck: Running Scared, a new short play, was created for a cast reading at I-Con in April, 2011.
In both productions, the villainess was portrayed by Denise Poirier, most known as the voice of the animated Aeon Flux.
- The Adventures Of The Galactic Girl Guides, a series of ten-minute shorts focusing on the mischievous children in Starstruck. Based on illustrated stories printed in the Starstruck Deluxe Edition, the six adaptations will be collected for purchase on a one-hour CD or available as individual downloads beginning in 2014. Additionally, one of the stories, "Bye Bye Birdy", will be a bonus track on a remastered edition of Starstruck: The Audioplay.
In 2011, Elaine Lee was chosen as an Artist In Residence at the National Audio Theatre Festival workshop. The NATF commissioned her play "TransMars Tango" for a live performance, which was based on game events created by Lee and David Nolte for "The Ares Project", an unreleased video game. The live production starred Philip Proctor of The Firesign Theatre, and was directed by Brian Price.
Lee also adapted her "Honey West: Murder On Mars" (Moonstone Books) as an audioplay. She will continue as story editor and adaptor for future "Honey West" recordings, which will be based on work by other writers.
Producer
In 2011, Elaine Lee became a co-producer for all subsequent productions of The AudioComics Company; Starstruck, "The Batsons: The Trouble with Fang!", "The Batsons: Camilla's Crush", "Honey West: Murder On Mars", "Titanium Rain, Vol.1", and "The Domino Lady: All's Fair in War".
After adapting her "Honey West: Murder On Mars" comic arc as an audioplay, Lee co-produced the recording of it with AudioComics. Directed by William Dufris, it starred Carrington MacDuffie as detective Honey West.
Art Director
Elaine Lee acted as Art Director for Stadium Entertainment, a music company that specialized in compilation CDs meant to benefit various charities.
Lee has also supervised Art Direction of the packaging and marketing for AudioComics Company recordings that she co-produced. These include: Starstruck, "The Batsons: The Trouble with Fang!", "The Batsons: Camilla's Crush", "Honey West: Murder On Mars", "Titanium Rain, Vol.1", and "The Domino Lady: All's Fair in War".
Book design
Elaine Lee did the book design and layouts for the hardcover collection Starstruck Deluxe Edition (2011) along with painter/designer Lee Moyer. ISBN 1-60010-872-5
Comics bibliography
Writer
Starstruck
- Starstruck (Ilustracion+Comix International)
- Starstruck (Heavy Metal)
- Starstruck: The Luckless, Abandoned And Forsaked (Marvel Graphic Novel)
- Starstruck (Epic)
- Starstruck: The Expanding Universe (Dark Horse)
- Starstruck: Remastered (IDW)
- Starstruck Deluxe Edition, 2011 (IDW)
Various
- Morrigan Tales (Eclipse, Taboo, Epic Illustrated)
- Galactic Girl Guides (Rocketeer Adventure Magazine, Comico)
- The Transmutation of Ike Garuda (Marvel/Epic)
- Steeltown Rockers (Marvel)
- Saint Sinner (Marvel/Clive Barker)
- Prince Valiant (Marvel)
- Ragman: Cry of the Dead (DC)
- Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny (Dark Horse)
- '"Tam Lin", from The Book of Ballads and Sagas (Green Man Press)
- Skin Tight Orbit: Vol I & II (NBM)
- Vamps (DC/Vertigo)
- Vamps: Hollywood and Vein (DC/Vertigo)
- Vamps: Pumpkin Time (DC/Vertigo)
- BrainBanx (DC/Helix)
- Honey West: Murder on Mars (Moonstone Books)
Colorist
- Starstruck #1, 2 (Epic)
- Amazing Adventures #1 (Marvel)
- The Amazing Spider-Man #277 (Marvel)
- The Avengers Annual #15 (Marvel)
- Classic X-Men #6 (Marvel)
- Hyperkind Unleashed #1 (Marvel/Clive Barker)
- Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny (Dark Horse)
- Indiana Jones Omnibus (Dark Horse)
- Marvel Fanfare #34-38 (Marvel)
- Misty #5 (Star/Marvel)
- New Mutants #42 & 44 (Marvel)
- The Private Files Of The Shadow': In the Toils Of Wing Fat (Dark Horse)
- Star Wars #107 (Marvel)
- Steelgrip Starkey #2, 3 (Epic)
References
- Elaine Lee at the Grand Comics Database
- Elaine Lee at the Comic Book DB
- Starstruck (Epic) at the Grand Comics Database
- Starstruck (Epic) at the Comic Book DB
- Starstruck (Dark Horse) at the Grand Comics Database
- Starstruck (Dark Horse) at the Comic Book DB
- Starstruck (IDW) at the Grand Comics Database
- Starstruck (IDW) at the Comic Book DB
- Private Files of the Shadow (Dark Horse) at the Grand Comics Database
- Private Files of the Shadow (Dark Horse) at the Comic Book DB
- The Rocketeer Adventure Magazine (Comico) at the Grand Comics Database
- The Rocketeer Adventure Magazine (Comico) at the Comic Book DB
- The Transmutation of Ike Garuda (Epic) at the Grand Comics Database
- The Transmutation of Ike Garuda (Epic) at the Comic Book DB
- Steeltown Rockers (Marvel) at the Grand Comics Database
- Steeltown Rockers (Marvel) at the Comic Book DB
- Saint Sinner (Marvel/Clive Barker) at the Grand Comics Database
- Saint Sinner (Marvel/Clive Barker) at the Comic Book DB
- Prince Valiant (Marvel Select) at the Grand Comics Database
- Prince Valiant (Marvel Select) at the Comic Book DB
- Ragman: Cry of the Dead (DC) at the Grand Comics Database
- Ragman: Cry of the Dead (DC) at the Comic Book DB
- Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny (Dark Horse) at the Grand Comics Database
- Indiana Jones and the Spear of Destiny (Dark Horse) at the Comic Book DB
- Skin Tight Orbit' (NBM/Amerotica) at the Grand Comics Database
- Skin Tight Orbit (NBM/Amerotica) at the Comic Book DB
- Vamps (Vertigo) at the Grand Comics Database
- Vamps (Vertigo) at the Comic Book DB
- Vamps: Hollywood & Vein (Vertigo) at the Grand Comics Database
- Vamps: Hollywood & Vein (Vertigo) at the Comic Book DB
- Vamps: Pumpkin Time (Vertigo) at the Grand Comics Database
- Vamps: Pumpkin Time (Vertigo) at the Comic Book DB
- BrainBanx (DC/Helix) at the Grand Comics Database
- BrainBanx (DC/Helix) at the Comic Book DB
- Honey West (Moonstone) at the Grand Comics Database
- Honey West (Moonstone) at the Comic Book DB
External links
- Elaine Lee at the Internet Movie Database
- Official Starstruck site
- Elaine Lee site
- LinkedIn page
