Marie Severin
Marie Severin | |
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Shazam Award: Best Penciller (Humor Division); Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame, 2001 2019 Inkwell Awards Stacey Aragon Special Recognition Award |
Marie Severin (
Early life and career
Marie Severin was born in East Rockaway, New York, on Long Island,[7] the second and last child of John Edward Severin, born in Oslo, Norway, who immigrated to the United States at age 3,[2] and a mother, Marguerite (Powers) Severin,[8] from Syracuse, New York,[2] whose heritage was Irish.[9] Her older brother, John Severin, was born in 1922. The family moved to Brooklyn, New York City, when Marie was 4.[7] She attended a Catholic grammar school and then the all-girl Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School.[10][11] The family lived in an apartment in the Bay Ridge neighborhood at the time;[12] it is uncertain if this was the family's original Brooklyn locale from Severin's childhood or if the family moved to that neighborhood in the interim. Due to the high school's staggered schedule, Severin's class graduated in January 1948, rather than in mid-year as typical.[8]
Severin grew up in an artistic household where her father, a World War I veteran, eventually became a designer for the fashion company Elizabeth Arden during the 1930s.[13] In her teens, Severin took what she recalled as "a couple of months" of cartooning and illustration classes, and attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn "for one day and said, 'This is a college', and I wanted to draw and make money".[13] Her first job was doing clerical work for an insurance company in downtown Manhattan "for a couple of years" while still living at home.[14] She continued living there after her father died.[8]
Severin was working on Wall Street when her brother John, then an artist for EC Comics, needed a colorist for his work there.[13] Marie Severin's earliest recorded comic-book work is coloring EC Comics' A Moon, a Girl ... Romance #9 (Oct. 1949).[15] In a 2001 interview, she recalled she broke in as a colorist
... for all the war books at EC with [Harvey] Kurtzman. I went on to color all their books, they were happy with it, and I learned a lot about production color and how everything worked. ... I believe the color chart for the printed pages had a range of up to 48 colors. I had the full range; I would mix colors — golds, greens, blues, and so on — and you would intensify them so that the separators could see the difference. ... What they liked is that I really studied which colors looked best and sharper next to one another, the subtleties of it. I would also proofread the colors.[13]
She would contribute coloring across the company's line, including its
Blue-panels assertion
Severin repeatedly refuted that assertion, which became part of comics lore,[18] while also saying she sometimes used coloring to "kind of shield" some gruesome content, noting,
I would never assume an editorial position. What I would do very often is, if somebody was being dismembered, I would rather color it in yellow because it's garish, and also [so] you could see what was going on. Or red, for the blood element, but not to subdue the artwork. ... I mean, the main reason these people were buying these books was to see somebody's head cut off, y'know? ... And [the editors] trusted me with a lot a stuff. They knew that I wouldn't subdue artwork; I would just kind of shield it a little bit so if a parent picked up the book in the drug store, they wouldn't see that somebody's stomach was all red.[19]
Silver Age
In 1959,[20] when the industry had picked up again during the period fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comic Books, Severin again worked for Marvel Comics in production. Severin recalled in 2001 that when Esquire magazine requested an artist to illustrate a story "on the college drug culture", Marvel production manager Sol Brodsky offered Severin rather than one of the regular artists, who were on deadline. Her illustration for the magazine led Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee to assign her the feature "Doctor Strange" in Strange Tales, replacing Bill Everett,[21] who had succeeded character co-creator Steve Ditko. With Lee, Severin co-created the fictional cosmic entity the Living Tribunal in Strange Tales #157 (June 1967).[22]
Severin was Marvel's head
Bronze Age
In 1976, Severin co-created Spider-Woman, designing her original costume.[27] She co-created Howard the Duck villain Doctor Bong in 1977.[28] Two years later she provided the art for the Spider-Man and the Hulk toilet paper.[29][30]
In the 1980s, she was assigned to Marvel's Special Projects division, which handled non-comic book licensing. She helped design toy maquettes and film and television tie-ins products, and worked on the short-lived
During the following decade, Severin penciled the "Impossible Tale" of the "Li'l Soulsearchers" in issue #31 (Aug. 1998) of
Retirement and Death
Severin retired but continued into the mid-2000s to make occasional contributions, such as recoloring many of the comics stories reprinted in the EC-era retrospective books
On October 11, 2007, Severin suffered a stroke, and was taken to Huntington Hospital, in Huntington on Long Island, to recover and recuperate.[33]
She died in 2018 at the age of 89.
Personal life
Severin never married but she had a wide circle of friends. Her brother John Severin was an artist who worked for EC and Marvel; her niece, Ruth Larenas, is a producer for her nephew John Severin Jr.'s Bubblehead Publishing.[34]
Awards and honors
Severin won the Best Penciller (Humor Division)
Severin spoke at a 1974 New York Comic Art Convention panel on the role of women in comics, alongside Flo Steinberg, Jean Thomas (sometime-collaborator with then-husband Roy Thomas), Linda Fite (writer of The Claws of the Cat) and fan representative Irene Vartanoff.[36] She also participated in the Women of Comics Symposium at the 2006 Paradise Comics Toronto Comicon.
Severin won an
She was the first inductee into the
Severin's work was among those included in the
In consideration of her contributions to comics, ComicsAlliance listed Severin as one of twelve women cartoonists deserving of lifetime achievement recognition.[41] She received Comic-Con International's Icon Award in 2017.[42]
In 2019, Severin was posthumously awarded the Inkwell Awards Stacey Aragon Special Recognition Award for her lifetime of inking artwork.[43] Severin was also inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame alongside her brother John, and fellow Mad contributors Will Elder, Jack Davis, and Ben Oda.[44]
Bibliography
Atlas Comics
- Astonishing #54 (artist) (1956)
- Tales of Justice #55 (artist) (1957)
- Uncanny Tales #54 (artist) (1957)
- World of Mystery #3, 7 (artist) (1956–1957)
Claypool Comics
- Elvira: Mistress of the Dark #144 (inker) (2005)
- Soulsearchers and Company #31 (penciller), #43 (inker) (1998–2000)
DC Comics
- 9-11: The World's Finest Comic Book Writers & Artists Tell Stories to Remember, Volume Two (artist/colorist) (2002)
- Batman Black and White, vol. 2, HC (artist, among others) (2002)
- Bizarro Comics HC (inker/colorist) (2001)
- Fanboy #4 (artist) (1999)
- L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons) #6 (colorist) (2000)
- Looney Tunes #100 (artist) (2003)
- Pinky and the Brain #27 (colorist) (1998)
- Supergirl Plus #1 (colorist) (1997)
- Superman Adventures #1–12, 14, 22–38, 40–66 (colorist) (1996–2002)
Paradox Press
- The Big Book of... Volume 9, 11–14, 17 (artist) (1997–2000)
Dark Horse Comics
- Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor Quarterly #1 (colorist) (1996)
- Michael Chabon Presents the Amazing Adventures of the Escapist #5 (artist) (2005)
EC Comics
- A Moon, a Girl... Romance#9 (colorist) (1949)
- Aces High #1–5 (colorist) (1955)
- Crime SuspenStories #17–20, 22–27 (artist/colorist) (1953–1955)
- Extra! #1–5 (colorist) (1955)
- Frontline Combat #5 (colorist) (1952)
- The Haunt of Fear #1, 14–17 (colorist) (1950–1953)
- Impact #1–5 (colorist) (1955)
- Incredible Science Fiction #30–33 (colorist) (1955–1956)
- Piracy #1–7 (colorist) (1954–1955)
- Shock SuspenStories #6, 9–14, 18 (artist/colorist) (1952–1954)
- Valor #2–3 (colorist) (1955)
- The Vault of Horror #16, 34 (colorist) (1950–1954)
- Weird Fantasy #6–12, 14–16 (colorist) (1951–1952)
- Weird Science-Fantasy #24, 27, 29 (artist/colorist) (1954–1955)
Gladstone
- Mickey Mouse #219 (colorist) (1986)
GT Labs
- Dignifying Science OGN (penciller) (1999)
Marvel Comics
- 2001: A Space Odyssey Marvel Treasury Special #1 (colorist) (1976)
- 2099 Unlimited #1, 3 (colorist), #6 (artist/colorist) (1993–1994)
- Alf #1–18, 20–38, 40–50, Annual #1–3, Holiday Special #1–2, Spring Special #1 (inker/colorist) (1988–1992)
- Amazing Adventures #16 (penciller) (1973)
- Amazing High Adventure #1, 3–4 (colorist) (1984–1986)
- The Amazing Spider-Man #186 (colorist), Annual #5 (penciller) (1968–1978)
- Astonishing Tales #20 (penciller/colorist) (1973)
- The A-Team #1 (penciller/colorist) (1984)
- Battlestar Galactica #3 (colorist) (1979)
- Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey #1 (inker) (1991)
- Bill & Ted's Excellent Comic Book #4–12 (inker) (1992)
- Captain America #440 (inker) (1995)
- Captain Britain #1–2, 4–7, 10, 15–16 (colorist) (1976–1977)
- Casper #1 (inker) (1995)
- Cat #1–2 (penciller/colorist) (1972–1973)
- Chamber of Darkness #2 (penciller) (1969)
- Conan the Barbarian #10 (penciller), #69, 72 (colorist) (1971–1977)
- Conan the King #20 (inker) (1984)
- Conan the Reaver GN (colorist) (1987)
- Coneheads #1–4 (inker) (1994)
- Crazy Magazine #11, 69, 75, 78–79 (artist) (1975–1981)
- Creatures on the Loose #10 (colorist), #14 (penciller) (1971)
- Damage Control vol. 2 #4 (inker) (1990)
- The Deep #1 (colorist) (1977)
- Defenders #53 (colorist), #127 (writer/artist) (1977–1984)
- Doc Savage #4 (penciller) (1976)
- Doctor Strange vol. 2 #20, 31 (colorist) (1976–1978)
- Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #78–79 (penciller) (1995)
- Droids #1, 6 (colorist) (1986–1987)
- Epic Battles of the Civil War Volume 1–4 (colorist) (1998)
- Epic Illustrated #9, 11, 13 (inker), #12 (letterer), #15–20 (colorist) (1981–1983)
- Ewoks#1–2 (inker/colorist) (1985)
- Fallen Angels #3 (penciller) (1987)
- Fantastic Four #177 (colorist) (1976)
- Fraggle Rock #1–8 (artist/colorist) (1985–1986)
- Francis, Brother of the Universe #1 (inker/colorist) (1980)
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #28 (penciller) (1984)
- Giant-Size Chillers #3 (artist) (1975)
- Heathcliff#53 (artist) (1990)
- Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men #1 (colorist) (1985)
- Howard the Duck #7 (colorist) (1976)
- Hugga Bunch#2 (colorist) (1986)
- The Hulk #15 (colorist) (1979)
- Human Fly#1 (colorist) (1977)
- The Incredible Hulk #102–105, Annual #1 (penciller), #190, 354, 358–367 (inker) (1968–1990)
- Invaders #14 (colorist) (1977)
- Iron Fist#13 (colorist) (1977)
- Iron Man #82–83, 85 (inker), #108 (colorist) (1976–1978)
- Kickers, Inc. #2 (colorist) (1986)
- Kid 'n Play #6 (inker) (1992)
- King Arthur and the Knights of Justice #1–3 (inker) (1993–1994)
- Kull the Conqueror #2–10 (penciller) (1971–1973)
- Kull the Conqueror vol. 2 #1, 7, 9 (colorist) (1982–1985)
- Kull the Destroyer #18, 20–21 (colorist) (1976–1977)
- The Life of Pope John Paul II #1 (colorist) (1983)
- Logan's Run #1, 3 (colorist) (1977)
- Marvel Comics Super Special #1–3, 9, 15, 22–23 (colorist), #20 (penciller/colorist) (1978–1982)
- Marvel Holiday Special #3 (artist) (1994)
- Marvel Premiere #50 (colorist) (1979)
- Marvel Spotlight #12 (colorist) (1973)
- Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 2 #12 (penciller) (1993)
- Marvel Team-Up #74 (inker/colorist) (1978)
- Marvel Treasury Edition #12, 24 (colorist) (1976–1980)
- Marvel Two-in-One #23 (penciller) (1977)
- Midnight Sons Unlimited #6–7 (artist/colorist) (1994)
- Mighty Mouse #1–10 (inker) (1990–1991)
- Misty #1–3 (colorist) (1985–1986)
- Monsters on the Prowl #16 (inker) (1972)
- Moon Knight Special #1 (artist/colorist) (1992)
- Ms. Marvel #1 (colorist) (1977)
- Muppet Babies #1, 3–13, 15–16 (artist/colorist) (1985–1987)
- New Warriors Annual #1 (inker) (1991)
- Not Brand Echh #1–9, 11–13 (artist) (1967)
- Nova #6, 11 (colorist) (1977)
- Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #3, 14 (penciller) (1983–1984)
- Pizzazz #5, 9–13, 15 (Star Wars comic) (colorist) (1978)
- Power Man #35 (penciller) (1976)
- Power Man and Iron Fist #60 (penciller/colorist) (1979)
- Psi-Force #3 (colorist) (1987)
- Punisher 2099 #7–8, 12 (colorist) (1993–1994)
- Rawhide Kid, vol. 2, #1 (colorist) (1985)
- Red Sonja vol. 3 #8 (inker) (1985)
- The Ren & Stimpy Show #9 (inker) (1993)
- Royal Roy #1 (colorist) (1985)
- Sergio Massacres Marvel #1 (inker) (1996)
- The Smurfs #1 (inker) (1982)
- The Spectacular Spider-Man #8 (colorist), #45, 47–48, 51, 54, Annual #3, 11 (artist) (1977–1991)
- Spider-Man and the Dallas Cowboys Sunday supplement (writer/penciller) (1983)
- Spider-Man: Christmas in Dallas promotional one-shot (colorist) (1983)
- Spoof #1–5 (1970–1973)
- Star Team promotional one-shot (colorist) (1977)
- Star Trek #13 (inker) (1981)
- Star Wars #1, 17 (colorist) (1977–1978)
- Strange Tales #153–160 (artist) (1967)
- Sub-Mariner #9, 12–19, 21–23, 44–45 (penciller/colorist) (1969–1972)
- Supernatural Thrillers #1 (penciller) (1972)
- Tales of Suspense #73 (colorist) (1966)
- Tales to Astonish #92–101 (penciller) (1967–1968)
- Tarzan #1–2 (colorist) (1977)
- Thor #253, 287 (colorist), 306, 308 (inker) (1976–1981)
- Thundercats #13–16 (colorist) (1987)
- The Tomb of Dracula #58, 60 (colorist) (1977)
- Toxic Crusaders #1, 3, 6–7 (inker) (1992)
- Transformers: Generation 2 #1–4 (inker) (1993–1994)
- Web of Spider-Man #27 (colorist) (1987)
- What If ... ? vol. 2 #17 (inker) (1990)
- What The--?! #1, 16, 18, 21, 25–26 (artist/inker/colorist) (1988–1993)
References
- ^ a b Dare2Draw: Backdate Rewind: Marie Severin
- ^ ISBN 978-1605490427.
- ^ a b Schudel, Matt (August 30, 2018). The Washington Post versatile Hall of Fame comic-book illustrator, dies at 89 https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/marie-severin-versatile-hall-of-fame-comic-book-illustrator-dies-at-89/2018/08/30/5ab73fa2-ac6b-11e8-b1da-ff7faa680710_story.html?noredirect=on, versatile Hall of Fame comic-book illustrator, dies at 89. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ McMillan, Graeme (August 30, 2018). "Marvel Artist Marie Severin Dies at 89". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019.
- ^ Cronin, Brian (August 30, 2018). "Spider-Woman Co-Creator Marie Severin Dies At Age 89". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 11, 2019.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
- ^ a b Cassell, p. 8
- ^ a b c Cassell, p. 19
- ^ Cassell, p. 21.
- ^ Cassell, p. 12
- ^ The school closed circa 1973 with the building then housing the St. Francis De Sales School for the Deaf: Morris, Montrose (February 20, 2013). "Building of the Day: 260 Eastern Parkway". Brownstoner.com. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ Cassell, p. 18
- ^ a b c d e f Severin in Keller, Katherine (May 2002). "The Chromatic Queen". SequentialTart.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
- ^ Cassell, p. 13
- ^ Marie Severin at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ Shaw, Scott (December 2, 2005). "The Story Of Checks". "Oddball Comics" (column) #1097, ComicBookResources.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2005.
- Lyle Stuart, Inc.p. 83. Library of Congress Card No 72-91781
- ISBN 978-0060746988.
- ^ Cassell, p. 26
- ^ Meth, Clifford (October 17, 2007). "Marie Severin: Comics' First Lady". Comics Bulletin. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008.
- ISBN 978-1893905320.
- ISBN 978-1605490557.
- Fictioneer Books. p. 50.
- ISBN 978-0756641238.)
{{cite book}}
:|first2=
has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 157: "Written by Linda Fite and originally drawn by Marie Severin, the series lasted merely four issues, but the Cat later became Tigra."
- ISBN 9780810938212.
In 1967, [Marvel] launched Not Brand Echh, a monthly comic book devoted to spoofs of the company's own heroes ... one of the mainstays of the series was Marie Severin, a gifted caricaturist who had worked for years on Marvel's production staff.
- ^ Johnson, Dan (August 2006). "Marvel's Dark Angel: Back Issue Gets Caught in Spider-Woman's Web". Back Issue! (17). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 57–63.
- ISBN 978-1893905450.
- ISBN 978-1-84576-324-4.
To many fans the Amazing Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk toilet paper is the ultimate '70s oddity, coming as it did at the tail end of the decade. For long visits to the bathroom, the roll actually featured a comic strip with art by Marie Severin – no doubt something she kept on her résumé for years.
- ^ Lamar, Cyriaque (June 23, 2010). "This Hulk toilet paper comic is the apex of bathroom reading". io9. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
In 1979, Oh Dawn! Inc. released "The Amazing Spider-Man & the Incredible Hulk" in "The Gamma Gambit," a short comic printed entirely on toilet tissue.
- ^ "Marie Severin". Lambiek Comiclopedia. September 5, 2012. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013.
- ^ Cassell, p. 172-173
- ^ Gold, Mike (October 16, 2007). "Comics Great Marie Severin Suffers Stroke". ComicMix.com. Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ^ Storniolo, Mike (January 7, 2005). "A Voyage Of A Million Miles". Comics Bulletin. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011.
... John Severin, Jr., son of legendary comic book and Cracked magazine artist John Severin, came into the picture. John, along with business partner and sister Ruth Larenas, had the notion to complete the remaining six chapters of the story and, along with the original six issues, publish them under one cover.
- ^ "1974 Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
- ^ Lovece, Frank (1974). "Cons: New York 1974!". The Journal Summer Special. Paul Kowtiuk, Maple Leaf Publications; editorial office then at Box 1286, Essex, Ontario, Canada N0R 1E0.
- ^ "Inkpot Award Winners". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012.
- ^ "Lulu Award". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013.
- San Diego Comic-Con International. 2014. Archivedfrom the original on June 4, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
- ^ Baker, R. C. (July 6, 2006). "Women's Work". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
- ^ "A Life's Work: 12 Women Who Deserve Lifetime Achievement Recognition". ComicsAlliance. January 29, 2016. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016.
At a time when we're still discussing the problems facing women in comics, it's important to remember Marie Severin, who for a time was probably the woman in mainstream comics.
- ^ "Icon Award". Comic-Con International. Archived from the original on November 19, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
- ^ "2019 Inkwell Awards Voting Results and Ceremony". April 13, 2019.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (September 26, 2019). "Harvey Awards Announce Seven 2019 Hall of Fame Inductees". Animation Magazine. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
Further reading
- Comic Book Artist #18 (April 2002): Marie Severin interviewed about Flo Steinberg
External links
- Marie Severin at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Marie Severin at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
- Marie Severin at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
- Dare2Draw: Backdate Rewind Marie Severin on YouTube1983 interview with Marie Severin