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Alan Kupperberg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alan Kupperberg
Alan Kupperberg at the Big Apple Comic Con in Manhattan, June 8, 2008
BornMay 18, 1953
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 16, 2015(2015-07-16) (aged 62)
Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
Area(s)Writer, Penciller
Notable works
Obnoxio the Clown
The Invaders
Blue Devil
http://www.alankupperberg.com

Alan Kupperberg (May 18, 1953 – July 16, 2015) was an American comics artist known for working in both comic books and newspaper strips.

Early life

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Alan Kupperberg was born on May 18, 1953[1] in New York City. He graduated from the High School of Art and Design in 1971.[2]

Career

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Alan Kupperberg entered the comics industry by working at Neal Adams' Continuity Associates[3] and was a member of the Crusty Bunkers.[4] He began writing and drawing for Marvel Comics in 1974,[5] mostly doing fill-ins and one-shots. He later worked on team books such as The Invaders[6] and The Defenders and drew several issues of What If.[7]

Occasionally working as a writer, Kupperberg created the 1983 one-shot comic Obnoxio the Clown vs. the X-Men, and handled everything from writing and illustrating to lettering.[8] In 1987, Kupperberg worked on both The Spectacular Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man. His work on those titles included The Amazing Spider-Man #289 (June 1987) which featured the Jack O'Lantern (Jason Macendale) becoming the new Hobgoblin[9] as well as The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #7 (1987) which depicted the honeymoon of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson.[10] From 1988–1991, Kupperberg drew Spider-Ham back-up stories in Marvel Tales.[5]

For Marvel Custom Comics, he provided art for clients such as Campbell Soup Company, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Sylvan Learning Center, and The Dallas Times Herald.[2]

In 1978, Kupperberg and writer Marv Wolfman took over the Howard the Duck weekly newspaper strip. Kupperberg also worked on the short-lived The Incredible Hulk strip[11] and Little Orphan Annie.[2]

From the mid-1980s into the early 1990s, Kupperberg illustrated such DC Comics titles as Justice League of America, The Warlord, The Fury of Firestorm, DC Comics Presents, COPS, Dragonlance, and Blue Devil.[5][12]

Kupperberg drew illustrations for Archie Comics,[5] National Lampoon, Cracked magazine, Spy, and McClannahan Books.[2]

Outside of comics

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Kupperberg worked on script development and character design for Sullivan Bluth Studios' 1994 animated feature Thumbelina. In 1994, he worked with Nickelodeon on the Tom Terrific animated project.[2]

He also did design work and scripting for numerous advertising and production agencies. His autobiographical strips appeared in Comic Art and in the Streetwise book.

Personal life

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Kupperberg's brother, Paul Kupperberg, also works in the comic book field as a writer, editor and executive, primarily at DC Comics.

Alan Kupperberg died of thymus cancer on July 16, 2015.[13]

Bibliography

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Archie Comics

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DC Comics

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Defiant Comics

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Marvel Comics

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References

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  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 b c d e "Alan Kupperberg". Lambiek Comiclopedia. May 29, 2009. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  3. ^ Stroud, Bryan D. (February 14, 2011). "Alan Kupperberg Interview". The Silver Age Sage. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012.
  4. ^ Bails, Jerry. Crusty Bunkers. Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999. Archived from the original on May 11, 2007. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d Alan Kupperberg at the Grand Comics Database
  6. ^ Best, Daniel (December 24, 2006). "The Invaders: Alan Kupperberg Looks Back". 20th Century Danny Boy. Blogspot. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012.
  7. ^ Best, Daniel (May 26, 2007). "Alan Kupperberg Looks Back: What If?". 20th Century Danny Boy. Blogspot. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012.
  8. ^ Arnold, Mark (September 2016). "Obnoxio the Clown". Back Issue! (91). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 68–71.
  9. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2012). "1980s". Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 162. ISBN 978-0756692360. Written by Peter David and penciled by Alan Kupperberg and Tom Morgan...Jack O'Lantern took on the Hobgoblin's mantle. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 165: "In this special by writer James Owsley, layout artist Alan Kupperberg, and finishing artists Jim Fern and Al Milgrom, Spider-Man set out to make his fortune when Thomas Fireheart, the Puma, visited him at the Parkers' honeymoon destination."
  11. ^ Cassell, Dewey (February 2014). "Smashing into Syndication: The Incredible Hulk Newspaper Strip". Back Issue! (70). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 37–40.
  12. ^ Best, Daniel (November 3, 2006). "Blue Devil: Alan Kupperberg Looks Back". 20th Century Danny Boy. Archived from the original on February 6, 2012.
  13. ^ Johnston, Rich (July 17, 2015). "Alan Kupperberg Dies, Aged 62". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on August 10, 2015. Alan Kupperberg died last night from thymus cancer...
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alan Kupperberg.
Preceded by The Invaders artist
1978–1979 		Succeeded by
n/a
Preceded by Thor artist
1982–1983 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Justice League of America artist
1984 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Tod Smith
 Blue Devil artist
1985–1986 		Succeeded by
Preceded by The Amazing Spider-Man artist
1987 		Succeeded by
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