Mark Schultz (comics)

Mark Schultz (born June 7, 1955) is an American writer and illustrator of books and comics. His most widely-recognized work is his self-created and owned comic book series, Xenozoic Tales, about a post-apocalyptic world where dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures coexist with humans. He is also the current writer of the Prince Valiant comic strip.

§Biography

§Early life and career

Schultz was born on June 7, 1955 just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but raised near Pittsburgh. At the age of six he discovered both comics and classic adventure films, his early favorites including Tarzan and King Kong. As a teenager he was further inspired by such fantasy authors as Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard and the artists who had illustrated their work, including Frank Frazetta, Roy Krenkel, and Al Williamson.

He enrolled in Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 1973 and graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting. From there, he embarked upon a career in advertising illustration, bolstered by such odd jobs as working as a security guard, but he found this work unsatisfying.

§First comics work

In the early 1980s, Schultz became interested in the burgeoning underground comics scene, which allowed independent artists to publish stories outside the traditional assembly-line approach of the mainstream comics industry. He also became attracted to the art of the classic stories published by EC Comics in the 1950s. At one point, he took the few boxes of 1960s and early 1970s Marvel and DC comic books he owned to a local comic book store and traded them for a large collection of EC Comics. From then on, he began to hone his illustration style to emulate that of classic EC artists.

Schultz's first published comics work was on a story called "The Sea King," featuring Robert E. Howard's character King Kull, which appeared in Savage Sword of Conan #132, published by Marvel Comics. Schultz inked over pencils by Val Semeiks. Schultz did not actively pursue further work from Marvel, however, as he was more interested in developing and publishing comics based on his own concepts.

§Xenozoic Tales

Throughout the early 1980s, Schultz would germinate the ideas which would eventually bear fruit as Xenozoic Tales. The characters and stories he created were set in a future time period he dubbed the "Xenozoic Age," in which an unspecified cataclysm had all but wiped out modern human society. The survivors emerged from their underground bunkers to find a world transformed, where prehistoric creatures had once again become the dominant life forms on Earth.

The first story set in the Xenozoic Age that Schultz completed was "Mammoth Pitfall," but it would not see publication until Xenozoic Tales #2. The first to be published was "Xenozoic!", which ran in the anthology title Death Rattle #8, published in December 1986 by Kitchen Sink Press.

§Later work

Since Xenozoic Tales, Schultz has written comics series for a number of publishers, including Dark Horse and DC. Typically these are stories based on company-owned or licensed characters, rather than his own original work.

Schultz created the underwater adventure comics series SubHuman, published by Dark Horse comics.

In 2002, Schultz contributed a number of illustrations to Conan the Cimmerian: Volume 1, a new reprinting of the Conan stories of Robert E. Howard, published by Wandering Star Books. The book has since been reprinted in paperback by Del Rey as The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian. He was also interviewed by Durwin Talon for Panel Discussions, a nonfiction book about the developing movement in sequential art and narrative literature, along with, Will Eisner, Walter Simonson and Mike Mignola.

Since November 1, 2004, he has been the writer for the long-running comic strip, Prince Valiant, originally created by Hal Foster. He also wrote the two-issue intercompany crossover Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predator.

In 2009, he was announced by Dan Didio as the writer of the up-coming The Spirit series, spinning-off of the First Wave limited series, that is intended to create a new universe of non-superpowered characters like Doc Savage, Batman, Black Canary, the Blackhawks, Wildcat, The Avenger, Rima the Jungle Girl and others. Schultz will only write the first two issues of The Spirit.

§Influences

Schultz is influenced by many illustrators of the 20th Century, including Frank Frazetta, Al Williamson, Alex Raymond, Wally Wood, Howard Pyle and Joseph Clement Coll.

§Awards

Schultz has been awarded five Harvey Awards, two Eisners, an Inkpot, a Spectrum, and three Haxturs (from the Salon Del Internacional Comic del Principado de Austurias).

§Bibliography

§Kitchen Sink Press

Titles published by Kitchen Sink include:

• Xenozoic Tales (w/a, some stories drawn by Steve Stiles):
  • After the End (tpb, 160 pages, Dark Horse, 2003, ISBN 1-5697-1690-0) collects:
    • "Xenozoic!" (in Death Rattle v1 #8, anthology, 1986)
    • "An Archipelago of Stone/The Opportunists/Law of the Land" (in #1, 1987)
    • "Rogue/Mammoth Pitfall/The Rules of the Game" (in #2, 1987)
    • "Benefactor/The Road Not Taken" (in #3, 1987)
    • "History Lesson/Postal Service" (in #4, 1987)
    • "Excursion/Dog's Life" (in #5, 1988)
    • "Foundling/Green Air/Intrusion" (in #6, 1988)
  • Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (exact reprints of #1-6, Epic, 1990â€"1991)
  • The New World (tpb, 128 pages, Dark Horse, 2003, ISBN 1-5697-1691-9) collects:
    • "The Growing Pool/Crossed Currents" (in #7, 1988)
    • "In the Dreamtime.../Foul Weather" (in #8, 1989)
    • "Last Link In the Chain/The Acqeduct" (in #9, 1989)
    • "Lords of the Earth/Fields of Expertise" (in #10, 1990)
    • "Primeval/Report from the Resistance" (in #11, 1991)
    • "Two Cities/A Woman's Work" (in #12, 1992)
    • "Dangerous Grounds/Boiling Point" (in #13, 1994)
    • "Another Swarm/The Family Business" (in #14, 1996)
  • Xenozoic (collects #1-14 and the Death Rattle short, tpb, 352 pages, Flesk, 2013, ISBN 1-9338-6531-8)
• Images of Omaha: A Benefit for Reed Waller: "Some Cats" (w/a, pin-up, anthology one-shot, 1992)
• Death Rattle v2 #1: "The Probability Chamber" (w, with Roger Petersen, anthology, 1995)
• The Spirit: The New Adventures #4: "Dr. Broca Von Bitelbaum" (w, with David Lloyd, anthology, 1998) collected in Will Eisner's The Spirit Archives Volume 27 (hc, 232 pages, Dark Horse, 2009, ISBN 1-5697-1732-X)

§Dark Horse Comics

Titles published by Dark Horse include:

• Dark Horse Presents #120: "One Last Job" (w, with Al Williamson, anthology, 1997) collected in Al Williamson Adventures (hc, 96 pages, ISG, 2003, ISBN 1-8893-1717-9)
• Predator: Hell & Hot Water #1-3 (w, with Gene Colan, 1997) collected in Predator Omnibus: Volume 3 (tpb, 344 pages, 2008, ISBN 1-5930-7925-7)
• Aliens (w):
  • Omnibus Volume 5 (tpb, 364 pages, 2008, ISBN 1-5930-7991-5) includes:
    • Havoc #1-2 (with Leif Jones, Duncan Fegredo, D'Israeli, John Totleben, Art Adams, Gary Gianni, George Pratt, Igor Kordey, Paul Lee, John K. Snyder III, Mark A. Nelson, Peter Bagge, Brian Horton, Dave Taylor, Kelley Jones, Guy Davis, Kellie Strom, Jay Stephens, Jerry Bingham, Kevin Nowlan, Frank Teran, Joel Naprstek, Travis Charest, P. Craig Russell, Adian Potts, Sean Phillips, Rebecca Guay, Jon J Muth, Kilian Plunkett, Ron Randall, John Pound, Gene Ha, Vania Zouravliov, Sergio Aragonés, John Paul Leon, David Lloyd, Moebius, Dave Cooper, Mike Allred and Tony Millionaire, 1997)
  • Omnibus Volume 6 (tpb, 376 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-5958-2214-3) includes:
    • Apocalypse #1-4: "The Destroying Angels" (with Doug Wheatley, 1999)
    • Dark Horse Presents #140: "Once in a Lifetime" (with Phil D. Amara and Rick Leonardi, 1999)
• SubHuman #1-4: "Rapture and the Deep" (w, with Michael Ryan and Roger Petersen, 1998â€"1999)
• Star Wars (w):
  • Episode I: Queen Amidala (with Galen Showman, one-shot, 1999) collected in Omnibus: Emissaries and Assassins (tpb, 480 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-5958-2229-1)
  • The Bounty Hunters #2: "Scoundrel's Wages" (with Mel Rubi, 1999) collected in Omnibus: Wild Space Volume 2 (tpb, 488 pages, 2013, ISBN 1-6165-5147-X)
  • Tales #6: "Fortune, Fate & the Natural History of the Sarlacc" (with Kellie Strom, anthology, 2000) collected in Tales Volume 2 (tpb, 232 pages, 2002, ISBN 1-5697-1757-5)
• Aliens vs. Predator Annual: "Chained to Life and Death" (w, with Tom Biondolillo, co-feature, 1999) collected in Omnibus Volume 2 (tpb, 464 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-5930-7829-3)
• Aliens vs. Predator vs. The Terminator #1-4 (w, with Mel Rubi, 2000) collected as Aliens vs. Predator vs. The Terminator (tpb, 96 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-5697-1568-8)
• Al Williamson: Hidden Lands: "Chapter 1 â€" Up from South America" (w, with Al Williamson, anthology graphic novel, sc, 224 pages, 2004, ISBN 1-5697-1816-4)

§DC Comics

Titles published by DC Comics and its various imprints include:

• Superman (w):
  • DC One Million Omnibus (hc, 1080 pages, 2013, ISBN 1-4012-4243-X) includes:
    • Action Comics #1000000: "Brave New Hero" (with Ron Lim, 1998)
    • The Man of Tomorrow #1000000: "Future Story" (with Georges Jeanty, 1998)
    • The 80-Page Giant: "In the Age of Solaris' Heroic Rebirth!" (with Georges Jeanty, 1999)
  • The Man of Steel:
    • "King of the World: Parts 12, 17 and 21" (with Doug Mahnke, in #87-89, 1999)
    • "A Girl and Her Robot" (with Mike Collins, in #90, 1999)
    • "Nemesis" (framing sequence only, with Doug Mahnke, in #91, 1999)
    • "The Sea Beast of Metropolis!" (with Doug Mahnke, in #93, 1999)
    • No Limits! (tpb, 208 pages, 2000, ISBN 1-56389-699-0) includes:
      • "Krypton Lives" (with Doug Mahnke, in #95-97, 1999â€"2000)
    • Endgame (tpb, 176 pages, 2000, ISBN 1-56389-701-6) includes:
      • "Thirty Minutes to Oblivion" (with Doug Mahnke, in #98, 2000)
    • 'Til Death Do Us Part (tpb, 224 pages, 2002, ISBN 1-56389-862-4) includes:
      • "All That Dwell in Dark Waters" (with Doug Mahnke, in #99, 2000)
      • "Creation Story" (with Doug Mahnke, in #100, 2000)
    • Metropolis Secret Files: "Municipal Bonds" (with Cully Hamner, 2000)
    • Critical Condition (tpb, 192 pages, 2003, ISBN 1-56389-949-3) includes:
      • "All Fall Down" (with Pablo Raimondi, in #101, 2000)
      • "Critical Condition, Part 3" (with Doug Mahnke, in #102, 2000)
    • "What He Didn't Do" (with Doug Mahnke, in #103, 2000)
    • Emperor Joker (tpb, 256 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1193-3) includes:
      • "Parts 3 and 8" (with Doug Mahnke, in #104-105, 2000)
    • "Under the Waterfront" (with Carlo Barberi, in #106, 2000)
    • "In the Zone" (with Doug Mahnke, in #107, 2000)
    • President Lex (tpb, 240 pages, 2003, ISBN 1-56389-974-4) includes:
      • "Metropolis is Burning" (with Doug Mahnke, in #108, 2001)
      • "World without Superman" (with Duncan Rouleau, in #109, 2001)
      • "Saints" (with Doug Mahnke, in #110, 2001)
    • Return to Krypton (tpb, 208 pages, 2004, ISBN 1-4012-0194-6) includes:
      • "The Most Dangerous Kryptonian Game" (with Doug Mahnke, in #111, 2001)
      • "Blood and Heresy" (with Karl Kerschl, in #128, 2002)
    • "The Adventures of...Krypto!" (with Yanick Paquette and Olivier Coipel, in #112, 2001)
    • "Poor Elijah" (with Doug Mahnke, in #114, 2001)
    • Our Worlds at War (tpb, 512 pages, 2006, ISBN 1-4012-1129-1) includes:
      • "Parts 3, 7 and 11" (with Doug Mahnke, in #115-117, 2001)
    • "Time and Punishment" (with Doug Mahnke, in #118, 2001)
    • "Joker: Last Laugh â€" Snowball's Chance" (with Yvel Guichet, in #119, 2001)
    • "What Lies Beneath" (with Yvel Guichet, in #120, 2002)
    • "Superman V Steel" (with Darryl Banks, in #122, 2002)
    • "Gangs of Metropolis" (with Yvel Guichet and Josh Hood, in #123-125, 2002)
    • "Pantheon" (with Yvel Guichet and Kevin Sharpe, in #126-127, 2002)
    • Ending Battle (tpb, 192 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2259-5) includes:
      • "Parts 3 and 7" (with Brandon Badeaux, in #130-131, 2002)
    • "The Big Parade" (with John Lucas, in #132, 2003)
    • "Every Little Thing" (with Brandon Badeaux and Jon Bogdanove, in #134, 2003)
  • Adventures of Superman #600: "Superman: The Dailies 2002 - Super-Commander Kent - In The 7th Millennium!" (with Dave Gibbons, co-feature, 2002)
  • Superman vs. Darkseid: Apokolips Now! (with Mike McKone, one-shot, 2003)
• Strange Adventures #4: "Metal Fatigue" (w, with John Totleben, anthology, Vertigo, 2000)
• Gotham Knights #17: "The Call" (w, with Claudio Castellini, co-feature, 2001) collected in Batman: Black & White III (hc, 288 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1531-9)
• Tom Strong #26: "The Day Tom Strong Renegotiated the Friendly Skies" (w, with Pasqual Ferry, ABC, 2004) collected in Book Five (hc, 136 pages, 2005, ISBN 1-4012-0624-7; tpb, 2006, ISBN 1-4012-0625-5)
• Superman/Batman vs. Aliens & Predator #1-2 (w, with Ariel Olivetti, 2007) collected as Superman/Batman vs. Aliens & Predator (tpb, 112 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1328-6)
• First Wave: The Spirit #1-3: "Angel Smerti" (w, with Moritat, 2010) collected in Will Eisner's The Spirit: Angel Smerti (tpb, 168 pages, 2011, ISBN 1-4012-3026-1)

§Other publishers

Titles published by various American publishers include:

• A1 True Life Bikini Confidential: "The Betty Page Portfolio: Strange Fantasies" (w/a, profile page, anthology, Atomeka, 1990)
• Marvel (w):
  • Flash Gordon #1-2 (with Al Williamson, 1995) collected in Al Williamson's Flash Gordon (hc, 256 pages, Flesk, 2009, ISBN 1-9338-6513-X; tpb, ISBN 1-9338-6512-1)
  • Sub-Mariner Comics 70th Anniversary Special: "Vergeltungswaffe!" (with Al Williamson, co-feature, 2009) collected in Timely Comics: The 70th Anniversary Collection (hc, 280 pages, 2010, ISBN 978-0-7851-3899-0; tpb, 2010, ISBN 978-0-7851-4092-4)
• Prince Valiant #3537-ongoing (w, with Gary Gianni (Nov 21, 2004â€"Mar 25, 2012) and Thomas Yeates (Apr 1, 2012â€"present), sunday strip, King Features, 2004â€"...)
• Flesk Publications (w/a):
  • Mark Schultz: Various Drawings (a collection of studies and finished works):
    • Volume 1 (hc, 48 pages, 2005, ISBN 0-9723-7587-2; tpb, ISBN 0-9723-7586-4)
    • Volume 2 (hc, 48 pages, 2006, ISBN 1-9338-6501-6; tpb, ISBN 1-9338-6500-8)
    • Volume 3 (hc, 48 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-9338-6503-2; tpb, ISBN 1-9338-6502-4)
    • Volume 4 (hc, 48 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-9338-6517-2; tpb, ISBN 1-9338-6516-4)
    • Volume 5 (hc, 48 pages, 2011, ISBN 1-9338-6536-9; tpb, ISBN 1-9338-6535-0)
  • Flesk Prime (among other artists, graphic novel, hc, 64 pages, 2011, ISBN 1-9338-6538-5)
  • Mark Schultz: Carbon (another collection of studies and finished works, tpb, 56 pages, 2013, ISBN 1-9338-6554-7)
• The Stuff of Life (w, with Kevin Cannon and Zander Cannon, graphic novel, hc, 160 pages, Hill and Wang, 2009, ISBN 0-8090-8946-7; sc, ISBN 0-8090-8947-5)

§Covers only

• Kings in Disguise #3 (Kitchen Sink, 1988)
• Amazing Heroes #169 (Fantagraphics Books, 1989)
• King Kong #2, 5 (Fantagraphics Books, 1991)
• The Comics Journal #150 (Fantagraphics Books, 1992)
• Classic Star Wars #8, 17 (Dark Horse, 1993â€"1994)
• There's a Madman in My Mirror #1 (Bench Press, 1994)
• Penthouse Men's Adventure Comix #2 (Penthouse, 1995)
• The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest #11 (Dark Horse, 1997)
• Tarzan #15-16 (Dark Horse, 1997)
• The Spirit: The New Adventures #2 (Kitchen Sink, 1998)
• The Tarzan Comics Library Volume 1-3 tpb (Dark Horse, 1999)
• Captain Gravity tpb (Penny-Farthing Press, 1999)
• Fantastic Five #2 (Marvel, 1999)
• Star Wars #13-17 (Dark Horse, 1999â€"2000)
• Robert E. Howard's Worms of the Earth #2 (Cross Plains, 2000)
• Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards gn (G T Labs, 2005)
• Alien Pig Farm 3000 #2, 4 (Image, 2007)
• Bad Planet #3 (Image, 2007)
• The War That Time Forgot #3 (DC Comics, 2008)
• Our Fighting Forces #1 (DC Comics, 2010)
• The Colossal Conan hc (Dark Horse, 2013)

§Notes

§References