Louise Simonson

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Louise Simonson
Eagle Award for Power Pack;
Comics Buyer's Guide Award for The Death of Superman
;
Inkpot Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comic Arts

Louise Simonson (

Apocalypse
.

In recognition of her contributions to comics, ComicsAlliance listed Simonson as one of twelve female comics creators deserving of lifetime achievement recognition.[2]

Early life and career

In 1964 while attending

Georgia State College, Louise met fellow student Jeffrey Catherine Jones. The two began dating and were married in 1966.[3] Their daughter Julianna was born the following year. After graduation, the couple moved to New York City. Louise modeled for artist Bernie Wrightson's cover of DC Comics' House of Secrets #92 (June–July 1971),[4][5] the first appearance of Swamp Thing,[6] and was hired by McFadden-Bartell, a magazine publisher and distributor and worked there for three years.[3] She and Jones split up during this time but she continued to use the name Louise Jones for several years afterward.[3]

Louise met the comic book writer and artist

X-Factor
from 1986 to 1989.

Career

Comics editor

In 1974, Jones started her professional comic book career at Warren Publishing. She went from assistant to senior editor[8] of the comics line (Creepy, Eerie, and Vampirella) before leaving the company at the end of 1979.[9]

In January 1980, Jones joined Marvel Comics, where she initially worked again as an editor, most notably on Uncanny X-Men, which she edited for almost four years (#137–182) and Conan the Barbarian (#114–148 ). Simonson (as "Louise Jones") edited another X-Men spin-off, The New Mutants, at its debut in 1983. After leaving the series, she had a "cameo" in New Mutants #21, drawn in as a slumber party guest by artist Bill Sienkiewicz.[10] During this period, she also edited Marvel's Star Wars and Indiana Jones comics.[9][11]

In 2017, she edited the graphic novel Son of Shaolin for Image Comics.[12]

Comics writer

At the end of 1983, Jones quit her editing job at Marvel to try her hand at full-time writing as Louise Simonson. She created the

Eagle Award-winning Power Pack.[13] The title, which debuted in August 1984, featured the adventures of four pre-teen superheroes. Simonson wrote the majority of the title's first forty issues, even coloring one issue (#18). Her other Marvel writing work included Starriors, Marvel Team-Up, Web of Spider-Man,[14] and Red Sonja. Louise helped her husband Walt Simonson color his "Star Slammers" story in Marvel Graphic Novel
#6 (1983).

In 1986

Fall of the Mutants," "Inferno", and "X-Tinction Agenda".[18]
She ended her run on the title with #64 in 1991.

In 1987, beginning with issue #55, she became the New Mutants scripter. Similarly to X-Factor, she was originally brought in as a fill-in writer so that Chris Claremont could launch two other titles,

Havok and Wolverine: Meltdown limited series painted by Jon J Muth and Kent Williams
.

In 1991, Simonson began writing for DC Comics. She, artist Jon Bogdanove, and editor Mike Carlin launched a new Superman title, Superman: The Man of Steel[20] — a title she wrote for eight years until #86 in 1999. She contributed to such storylines as "Panic in the Sky" in 1992.[21] Later that year, Simonson (along with Carlin, Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern and others) was one of the chief architects of "The Death of Superman" storyline, in which Superman died and was resurrected. It was during that storyline, in The Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993),[22] that Simonson and Bogdanove introduced their character Steel, who graduated to his own title in February 1994,[23] with Simonson as writer until #31. The character went on to feature in an eponymous feature film starring Shaquille O'Neal in 1997. Simonson was one of the many creators who worked on the Superman: The Wedding Album one-shot in 1996 wherein the title character married Lois Lane.[24]

In 1999, Simonson returned to Marvel to write a

Magnus, Robot Fighter for the publisher Ibooks, Inc. In 2007, Simonson wrote a one-shot starring Magik of the New Mutants as part of a four-issue event known as Mystic Arcana.[25] In 2009, she wrote two issues of Marvel Adventures featuring Thor. The next year, she scripted the five-part limited series X-Factor Forever and reunited with June Brigman for a new Power Pack story in Girl Comics #3. Simonson also co-wrote the comic World of Warcraft, based on the multi-million player internet game, for Wildstorm, and a manga story, based in the Warcraft universe, for Tokyopop. In 2011, DC hired Louise Simonson to write DC Retroactive
: Superman - The '90s, pencilled by her Man of Steel-collaborator Jon Bogdanove.

Simonson wrote the "Five Minutes" chapter in Action Comics #1000 (June 2018)[26] and a twelve-part webcomic tie-in to The Death of Superman animated movie.[27] In 2019, she contributed two stories to DC Primal Age #1 and teamed up with June Brigman again for the one-shot Power Pack: Grow Up.[28] In 2020 she scripted the comic adaptation of Leigh Bardugo's novel Wonder Woman: Warbringer as well as a comic tie-in to the movie Wonder Woman 1984. Simonson revisited her runs on X-Factor and New Mutants with new stories for X-Men Legends, pencilled by her husband Walt and published in 2021 and 2022.[29][30]

In April 2022, Simonson and her husband were reported among the more than three dozen comics creators who contributed to

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[31][32] Simonson teamed up with artist June Brigman to produce an original story with new characters created specifically for the anthology.[33]

Novelist

From 1993 through 2009, she wrote five picture books and eleven novels for middle-readers, many of which featured characters from DC Comics. Two YA novels, Justice League: The Gauntlet[34] and Justice League: Wild at Heart,[35] published by Bantam Books, were based on the Justice League cartoon. She wrote an adult Batman novel and the non-fiction DC Comics Covergirls.[36]

Awards

Bibliography

Capstone Publishers

  • Far Out Fairy Tales: Snow White and the Seven Robots OGN (2015)

Dark Horse Comics

DC Comics

Ibooks

IDW

Image

Marvel Comics

Tokyopop

  • Warcraft Legends
     #5 (2009)

Valiant

Virtual Comics

  • The 6 #2–3 (1996)

Warren Publishing

Welsh Publishing Group

  • Superman & Batman Magazine #5 (1994)

References

  1. ^ Miller, John Jackson (June 10, 2005). "Comics Industry Birthdays". Comics Buyer's Guide. Iola, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on February 18, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  2. ^ "A Life's Work: 12 Women Who Deserve Lifetime Achievement Recognition". ComicsAlliance. January 29, 2016. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Louise Simonson has influenced superhero comics to a degree that few women have.
  3. ^ a b c Cooke, Jon B. (Spring 1999). "'Weezie' Jones Simonson - Louise discusses her life & times as a Warren editor". Comic Book Artist (4). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 92–94.
  4. ISBN 978-3-8365-1981-6
    . When Swamp Thing debuted in this issue of House of Secrets as a "one-shot", no one could have known it would lead to an enduring hit franchise, least of all its cover model, future comics writer Louise Simonson.
  5. ^ Keily, Karl (May 28, 2014). "Louise Simonson Declares War on Cartoon Network in IDW's Super Secret Crisis War". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 16, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  6. ^ Cooke, Jon B. (Summer 1999). "Like a Bat Out of Hell Chatting with Bernie Wrightson, DC's Monster Maker". Comic Book Artist (5). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  7. ^ Cooke, Jon B. (October 2000). "Simonson Says The Man of Two Gods Recalls His 25+ Years in Comics". Comic Book Artist (10). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 23.
  8. ^ a b Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins", Marvel Comics cover-dated July 1981.
  9. ^ a b Louise Jones (editor) at the Grand Comics Database
  10. ^ "New Mutants #21 (November 1984)". UncannyX-Men.net. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  11. ^ Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel Comics cover-dated November 1983.
  12. ^ "Son Of Shaolin OGN". Image Comics. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
  13. ISBN 978-0756641238. Working with artist June Brigman...Louise created the preteen super-hero team called Power Pack. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  14. ISBN 978-0756692360. Spider-Man swung into the pages of an all-new ongoing series in this first issue by writer Louise Simonson and penciler Greg LaRocque. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  15. ^
    Fictioneer Books
    . pp. 42–57.
  16. ^ DeFalco "1980s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 227: "Simonson liked the idea of introducing a Darwinian character who would initiate disasters to help stimulate humanity's evolution."
  17. ^ a b Grant, Paul J. (August 1993). "Poor Dead Doug, and Other Mutant Memories". Wizard: X-Men Turn Thirty. pp. 66–69.
  18. ^ Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 251
  19. ^ Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 248: "Writer Louise Simonson and penciller Rob Liefeld introduced one of the hottest stars of the 1990s, the mysterious mutant known only as Cable."
  20. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. DC editorial saw the chance to give their hero a fourth ongoing monthly book, Superman: The Man of Steel was born, with the first issue written by Louise Simonson and with art by Jon Bogdanove, Tom Grummett, Bob McLeod, and Dan Jurgens. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  21. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 253: "In this seven-part adventure...writers Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Roger Stern, and Louise Simonson, with artists Brett Breeding, Tom Grummett, Jon Bogdanove, and Bob McLeod assembled many of DC's favorite characters to defend the world."
  22. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 259: " The issue also featured four teaser comics that introduced a group of contenders all vying for the Superman name...Construction worker John Henry Irons found a new purpose in life as the future Steel in a story by Louise Simonson, with art by Jon Bogdanove"
  23. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 265: "Steel finally stepped out of Superman's shadow in his own ongoing series by writers Jon Bogdanove and Louise Simonson, and artist Chris Batista."
  24. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 275: " The behind-the-scenes talent on the monumental issue appropriately spanned several generations of the Man of Tomorrow's career. Written by Dan Jurgens, Karl Kesel, David Michelinie, Louise Simonson, and Roger Stern, the one-shot featured the pencils of John Byrne, Gil Kane, Stuart Immonen, Paul Ryan, Jon Bogdanove, Kieron Dwyer, Tom Grummett, Dick Giordano, Jim Mooney, Curt Swan, Nick Cardy, Al Plastino, Barry Kitson, Ron Frenz, and Dan Jurgens."
  25. ^ Furey, Emmett (May 8, 2007). "Louise Simonson - Where has the 'Magik' gone?". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  26. ^ Johnson, Jim (April 18, 2018). "Action Comics #1000 Shows Superman Still Looks Good at 80 Years Old". Newsarama. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Louise Simonson and Jerry Ordway typify the Man of Steel's miracles in 'Five Minutes,' while providing a fun look at the conflict Superman creates in the life of Clark Kent.
  27. ^ "DC Returns to The Death of Superman in New Comic". Comic Book Resources. 2018-08-01. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  28. ^ Grunenwald, Joe (2019-05-14). "POWER PACK returns in new one-shot by Louise Simonson, June Brigman, and Gurihiru". The Beat. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
  29. ^ Adams, Tim (2021-01-06). "X-Men Legends Recruits Louise and Walter Simonson for a New X-Factor Story". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  30. ^ Varona, Henry (2021-10-08). "X-Men Legends Begins the Search for Apocalypse's Next Horseman". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  31. ^ Kaplan, Rebecca O. (April 18, 2022). "ZOOP launches benefit anthology COMICS FOR UKRAINE: SUNFLOWER SEEDS". The Beat. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  32. ^ Brooke, David (April 18, 2022). "'Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds' to benefit Ukrainian refugees". AIPT. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  33. ^ Kit, Borys (April 20, 2022). "Comic Book Creators Team for Ukraine Relief Effort Anthology 'Sunflower Seed'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  34. ISBN 978-0553487732
    .
  35. ISBN 978-0553487756
    .
  36. ISBN 978-0-7893-1544-1
    .
  37. ^ "Inkpot Award Winners". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Louise Simonson.
Preceded by
n/a
 Power Pack writer
1984–1988 		Succeeded by
Preceded by X-Factor writer
1986–1991 		Succeeded by
Preceded by New Mutants writer
1987–1991 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
n/a
 Superman: The Man of Steel writer
1991–1998 		Succeeded by
Preceded by World of Warcraft writer
2009–2010
(with Walt Simonson) 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Louise_Simonson&oldid=1210138776"