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Michael Zulli

Michael Zulli
Born(1952-12-20)December 20, 1952
DiedJuly 8, 2024(2024-07-08) (aged 71)
Area(s)Writer, Penciller, Artist, Inker
Notable works
The Puma Blues, The Sandman

Michael Zulli (December 20, 1952 – July 8, 2024) was an American artist known for his work as an animal and wildlife illustrator and as a comic book illustrator. Best known for his work on the Sandman.

Career

Michael Zulli's career in the comics industry began in October 1986 with The Puma Blues,[1] on which he collaborated with writer Stephen Murphy.[2] The monthly title was published by Dave Sim's Aardvark One International and later by Mirage Studios. Zulli illustrated the characters, wildlife and natural landscapes in the polluted post-industrial environment of the story's not-too-distant future. The ecological warnings of the series put forward an argument for natural conservation and against the abuse and pollution of the natural environment.[3] The series was published for 23 issues and a mini-comic half issue, ending in 1989.

Between 1990 and 1991, Zulli created three issues of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: #31 ("Soul's Winter") #35 ("Soul's Withering"), and #36 ("Soul's End"). His dark and uniquely realistic interpretation of the TMNT entitled the "Soul's Trilogy" was a polarizing one among fans of the series.[4] Zulli wrote, drew, and painted the covers for the 3 issues. The work has been viewed as a classic series in hindsight and collected by IDW as "Soul's Winter."[5]

He drew a never-published issue of DC Comics' Swamp Thing in which the title character meets Jesus Christ.[6][7] In the 1990s another unfinished and unpublished story, Sweeney Todd, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Zulli for Stephen R. Bissette's publication Taboo was stopped when the anthology itself was discontinued.[8] By this time, Zulli had received the attention of many writers, editors and artists in the comics industry. In 1990 he guest pencilled issue #13 of DC Comics' nascent Vertigo series The Sandman written by Gaiman. This story introduced the Hob Gadling character.[9][10] Zulli would illustrate seven Sandman issues[11] including the final Sandman story arc "The Wake". Zulli and Gaiman collaborated on a comics adaptation of Alice Cooper's The Last Temptation in 1994.[12] After The Sandman series ended, he had a gallery show called "Visions of the Wake" in New York City. He also began illustrating for several newer Vertigo imprint titles including Winter's Edge, Witchcraft: La Terreur and Sandman Presents: Love Street.[2] He was one of the artists on the Shade limited series which spun off from the Starman series.[13]

Death

Zulli died on July 8, 2024, at the age of 71.[14]

Comics bibliography

Awards and nominations

  • Eisner Award
    • 1996 Nominated for Best Serialized Story (with Neil Gaiman for "The Wake", in The Sandman #70–72)[16]
    • 1996 Nominated for Best Best Penciller/Inker (for "The Wake")[16]
    • 1996 Nominated for Best Comics-Related Item (for Sandman: The Wake poster)[16]

References

  1. ^ "Michael Zulli". Lambiek Comiclopedia. 2012. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Michael Zulli at the Grand Comics Database
  3. ^ Dueben, Alex (July 26, 2016). "The Michael Zulli Interview". The Comics Journal. Fantagraphics Books. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017.
  4. ^ "Michael Zulli's Ninja Turtles!". Mars Will Send No More. August 29, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  5. ^ "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Legends: Soul's Winter by Michael Zulli". IDW Publishing. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  6. ^ "Rick Veitch Quits Swamp Thing". The Comics Journal (129). Fantagraphics Books: 7–11. May 1989.
  7. ^ "Swamp Thing Cancellation Begets Protest, Media Attention". The Comics Journal (130). Fantagraphics Books: 28–29. July 1989.
  8. ^ Johnston, Rich (June 5, 2012). "Get Your Free Neil Gaiman And Michael Zulli Sweeney Todd Comic Here". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  9. ^ Bender, Hy (1999). The Sandman Companion. New York, New York: DC Comics. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-1563894657.
  10. ^ Burgas, Greg (January 7, 2013). "Comics You Should Own – Sandman". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on April 10, 2014.
  11. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah (2010). "1980s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 238. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The Sandman saw a variety of artists grace its pages. Sam Kieth drew the first few issues, followed by Mike Dringenberg, Chris Bachalo, Michael Zulli, Kelley Jones, Charles Vess, Colleen Doran, and Shawn McManus, among others.
  12. ^ "SDCC Announcement – Neil Gaiman, Alice Cooper and Michael Zulli Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of The Last Temptation with Fully Remastered Deluxe Edition from Dynamite". Westfield Comics. July 17, 2013. Archived from the original on August 22, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  13. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 281: "The Shade...nabbed his first miniseries in April [1997], courtesy of writer James Robinson and artist Gene Ha, J. H. Williams III, Bret Blevins, and Michael Zulli."
  14. ^ Michael Zulli of Puma Blues, Swamp Thing and Sandman Has Died Aged 71
  15. ^ Murphy, Stephen; Zulli, Michael (2015). The Puma Blues: The Complete Saga in One Volume. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications. p. 576. ISBN 978-0486798134.
  16. ^ a b c "1996 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Zulli.
Preceded by The Sandman artist
1995 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
n/a
 Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man artist
1999 		Succeeded by
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