Greg LaRocque (born February 24, 1954) is an American comic book illustrator best know for his work on the Legion of Super-Heroes and The Flash.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, LaRocque worked as an assistant teacher at the Professional Institute of Art while still a teenager. He started his art career in the advertising field.
Comics career
Greg LaRocque began his comics career at DC Comics and his first published work was the story "That Which Conquers All" in Mystery in Space #115 (Jan. 1981). This was followed by a series of OMAC back-up stories in The Warlord #42-47 (Feb. 1981-July 1981). His first work for Marvel Comics appeared in Power Man and Iron Fist #73 (Sept. 1981). He drew several issues of Marvel Team-Up including the last issue of the series. He and writer Louise Simonson then launched a new Spider-Man title, Web of Spider-Man, in April 1985. After returning to DC Comics, LaRocque became prominent for his work illustrating the Legion of Super-Heroes. He stated in a 2013 interview that "I decided to leave Marvel for personal reasons, and the first person I called was [editor] Karen Berger. She handed me the next available Legion script, and the day I handed in the work she offered me the book." He drew The Flash with writer William Messner-Loebs from issue #15 (Aug. 1988) through #79 (Aug. 1993). A career highlight was redesigning the Flash's costume to its current incarnation.
Exiled Studio released LaRocque's creator owned material in the three-issue mini-series The Exiled, followed by CryBaby, Exiled Studio's first color comic book. The CryBaby story arc was concluded in the 80-page graphic novel Extinction. LaRocque's The Dreaming graphic novel was published by Exiled Studio in 2009.
LaRocque's work among the independent companies include London Night Studios, Peregrine Entertainment, Realm Press, Catfish Comics, and Avatar Press. In 2010 he helped launch the revival of Dave Cockrum's Futurians with a cover for David Miller Studio. LaRocque's fantasy art was exhibited at Gallery Provocateur in Chicago, Illinois to coincide with his appearance at the 2010 Chicago ComicCon. He returned to DC Comics in 2011 to draw the DC Retroactive: The Flash - The '80s one-shot.
LaRocque and his wife Rose have three children, a daughter, Charisse, and two sons, Justin and Ben LaRocque.
Bibliography
References
External links
- Greg LaRocque at the Comic Book DB
- Greg LaRocque at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
- Greg LaRocque at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators