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Mark Schultz
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His Influence
I've loved Mark's work since I first encountered his XENOZOIC
TALES comics. An extremely gifted artist, Mark's work reflects
his obvious appreciation of great comic illustrators. In my mind,
Mark is the heir-apparent to these comic legends. Mark was kind
enough to e-mail me his official biographical information:
His Story
Born in 1955 near Philadelphia, and raised outside Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, Mark at age six discovered both comics (Dell Comics'
Tarzan, and DC Comics' Superman, Metal Men and Hawkman), and,
through television broadcasts, classic adventure films, in particular
King Kong and the Tarzan series. As a teenager, he was further
inspired by the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard,
and the illustrators associated with them, especially Al Williamson,
Roy Krenkel, and Frank Frazetta.
Upon graduating from Kutztown State College in 1977, Mark devoted
his career to producing commercial illustration until 1986, when
a long-repressed desire to tell stories prevailed, and he submitted
an eight page Xenozoic introductory tale to Kitchen Sink Press.
Publisher Denis Kitchen showed interest in the concept, and the
first Xenozoic adventure appeared in the eighth issue of the anthology
magazine, Death Rattle. Reader response was positive, leading
Kitchen Sink to offer Mark his own book; Xenozoic Tales premiered
in February of 1987.
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"The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest" comic book is copyrighted
by Dark Horse Comics. No infringement is intended, nor should it
be inferred.
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Immediately garnering critical praise, Xenozoic Tales built to
a commercial success that saw it adapted, under the name Cadillacs
and Dinosaurs, to a CBS television animated series with associated
product merchandising.
In recent years, Mark has branched out, co-creating and co-writing
SubHuman, an underwater adventure series, for Dark Horse Comics,
and assuming monthly scripting chores on Superman, Man of Steel,
for DC Comics. In addition, he continues to write and draw Xenozoic
stories, and produce scripts and cover art for various other comics
projects, including Star Wars, Aliens, and Predator.
Mark has been awarded five Harveys, two Eisners, and an Inkpot.
He is currently working on illustrations for a collection of Robert
E. Howard's original Conan stories, to be published by Wandering
Star in 2002.
Mark's artwork is strongly influenced by his love for classic
American illustration, and its roots. Some of the artists he admires
and studies include Winslow Homer, Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, Daniel
Smith, Dean Cornwell, Herbert Morton Stoops, and William Stout.
Mark's principal influences from within the comics field include
Hal Foster, Alex Raymond, Roy Crane, Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman,
Wally Wood, and Al Williamson.
He, his wife (and letterer) Denise, and their two cats live in
the mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. For relaxation he
hikes, travels, watches old movies, and tries to keep current
with developments in the paleontological and environmental sciences.
Back to Main Influences Page
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