Richard Corben

Richard Corben (born October 1 1940) is an American comic book artist best known for his illustrated fantasy stories in "Heavy Metal" (HM) magazine.

Biography

He was born on a farm in Anderson, Missouri, and went on to get a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Kansas City Art Institute, in 1965.

After a short stint as a professional animator, Corben started doing underground comics in 1970, when he started illustrating horror comics for Warren Publishing.

In 1975, when Moebius, Druillet, and Dionnet started publishing Métal Hurlant in France, Corben started submitting stories to them. He continued his work for the franchise in America, where the magazine was called "Heavy Metal". In 1976 he adopted a short Robert E. Howard story in what is possibly the first graphic novel, "Bloodstar".

Among the stories drawn for "Heavy Metal" was one of his most famous, Den, a fantasy series about the adventures of a young underweight nerd who travels to the other world of Neverwhere, a universe taking inspirational nods from Robert E. Howard's Cimmeria, Edgar Rice Burroughs's Barsoom and H. P. Lovecraft's horror dimensions. There, the boy becomes an enormously endowed (and always naked) muscleman who has erotic adventures in a world of outrageous dangers, hideous monsters and buxom naked women who lustfully throw themselves at him. This story was adapted in a highly abridged form in the animated film, "Heavy Metal", where Den was voiced by John Candy.

Due to the sexual nature of Corben's art, he is often accused of being pornographic, a description he himself disagrees with. As an example, Corben was interviewed by HM editor Brad Balfour in 1981 (vol V, issues 3-5, June - August), but was very dissatisfied with the interview. He felt it portrayed him as a repressed homosexual and a "petty, childish, borderline psychotic oaf". He wrote a letter in retort, which was published in September 1981 (vol V, issue 6).

His work in comics have won him some recognition, including the "Shazam Award for Outstanding New Talent" in 1971, and a "Shazam Award for Superior Achievement by an Individual" in 1973. He also received a C.I.N.E. Golden Eagle and President of Japan Cultural Society trophy in 1968 for his short film Neverwhere

Corben did the cover of Meat Loaf's "Bat out of Hell", Jim Steinman's, "Bad for Good". and a movie poster (based on a drawing by Neal Adams) for the Brian De Palma film "Phantom of the Paradise".

Corben's collaborations are varied ranging from Rip in Time with Bruce Jones, to Harlan Ellison for Vic and Blood, to the Den Saga, Mutant World, Son of Mutant World,Jeremy Brood and The Arabian Nights with Jan Strnad.

In 2000, Corben collaborated with Brian Azzarello on four issues of Azzarello's run on Hellblazer (147-150) which was collected in a trade called Hellblazer - Hard Time. He also adapted the classic horror story The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson for DC's Vertigo imprint.

In 2001, Azzarello and Corben teamed up to create Marvel's Startling Stories - Banner (a four issue mini-series exploring Doc Samson's relationship with Bruce Banner) and Marvel Max's Cage (a five issue mini-series starring Luke Cage)

Ever the independent, Corben would work with rocker, Rob Zombie, and Steve Niles in 2005 on a project for IDW Publishing called "Bigfoot". The graphic series ran for five issues and demonstrates the artist's evolution. The story chronicles a young boy who witnesses the brutal slaughter of his parents by the enigmatic title character and his return to the forest for revenge when he becomes older.

In 2007, Corben did a two issue run on Marvel Comics' surreal demon biker, "Ghost Rider". At Marvel's MAX imprint he has produced "Haunt of Horror", mini-series adapting classic works of horror to comics, with the first mini-series based on the stories of Edgar Allan Poe [comicbookdb|type=issue|id=41649|title="Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allan Poe"] and the upcoming one will be on H.P. Lovecraft's. [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=150798 Corben and Lovecraft at Marvel in June] , Newsarama, March 20, 2008]

Quotes about Corben

Corben's work has affected a generation of illustrators and graphic novelist, both in the United States and in Europe. Here are some quotes about his work:

Will Eisner, from the introduction to "The Odd World of Richard Corben":

Robert Crumb in "R. Crumb: Conversations":

Frank Miller in "The Comics Journal":

Film director Guillermo del Toro:

Artist Moebius:

Notes

References

*comicbookdb|type=creator|id=684|title=Richard Corben
* [http://www.lambiek.net/corben.htm Richard Corben's] biography in lambiek "comiclopedia"

External links

* [http://www.corbenstudios.com Official web site of Richard Corben]
* [http://www.muuta.net The Most Complete Comicography of Richard Corben]
* [http://www.muuta.net/Ints/IntCorbHM54.html The Richard Corben Retort Letter]
* [http://perso.wanadoo.es/richardcorben Richard Corben Comic and illustration]

Interviews

* [http://www.muuta.net/Ints/IntCorbHM51.html The Richard Corben Interview pt. 1]
* [http://www.muuta.net/Ints/IntCorbHM52.html The Richard Corben Interview pt. 2]
* [http://www.muuta.net/Ints/IntCorbHM53.html The Richard Corben Interview pt. 3]