Mike Harris (comics)

Mike Harris
Born	Michael Jay Harris 1962
Nationality	American
Area(s)	Penciller, Inker, Colorist

Michael Jay "Mike" Harris (born 1962) is an American comic book artist who was active in the industry from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s.

Harris was able to use his personal interests in weapons and martial arts to establish himself as an illustrator for characters like The Punisher and G.I. Joe, and titles like Cops: The Job, and No Escape.

Biography

Harris attended New York City's School of Visual Arts, where he studied under Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Marshall Arisman, and Gil Stone;^[1] Harris's influences included J. C. Leyendecker, Heinrich Kley, and Neal Adams.^[1]

Breaking into the industry in 1985, Harris worked as a fill-in artist on several Marvel Comics titles, such as Web of Spider-Man, The 'Nam, Nomad, and Nova: Deathstorm. Harris (with writer David Michelinie) co-created the Spider-Man enemies Chance and Foreigner, both in Web of Spider-Man #15 (June 1986). Later, Harris contributed to Punisher War Zone, and Punisher War Journal, and illustrated the Marvel limited series Cops: The Job, No Escape, and Dragon Strike.

During the 1980s, before becoming a Marvel Comics regular, Harris also freelanced for DC Comics (where he illustrated, among others, All-Star Squadron), Comico, Deluxe Comics, Eclipse Comics, Fantagraphics, First Comics, and Harris Publications. In the mid-1990s, Harris worked for Tekno Comix/Big Entertainment on such titles as Lost Universe and Lady Justice.

During this period Harris also did some G.I. Joe mini-comics, which were packaged with the toys; and illustrated a Magnus, Robot Fighter trading card for Valiant Comics.

Leaving comic books in 1997, Harris moved on to the computer game and animation industries. He has had no significant credits since 1999.

Harris was commissioned as an armored cavalry officer in 1988, and is proficient with a variety of small arms, armor weapons and demolitions. He is also a martial arts student, having studied judo, aikido, Taekwondo, and T'ang Soo Do.^[2] He has served in a variety of positions with the Army Reserve and National Guard, and was assessed to the Active Guard Reserve program in 2004. Lieutenant Colonel Harris is currently on active duty with the United States Army at Fort Hood, Texas.^{[citation needed]}

Bibliography

The Shining Knight and Victory, from the cover of All-Star Squadron #62 (October 1986). Pencils by Harris; inks by Tony DeZuniga.

Comics work includes:

• All-Star Squadron #48-49, #61, #62 [cover only] (DC, Aug—Sep. 1985, Sep.—Oct. 1986)
• Web of Spider-Man #15 (Marvel, June 1986)
• Amazing Spider-Man #278 (Marvel, July 1986) - Part of the Scourge of the Underworld crossover story
• Punisher: The Prize (with writer C.J. Henderson) (Marvel Comics, 1990)
• Magnus, Robot Fighter trading cards (Valiant, Dec. 1991) — card #13, Mogul Badur
• Cops: The Job (Marvel, June–Sept. 1992)
• Dragon Strike (Marvel, Feb. 1994) — official adaptation of the TSR, Inc. role-playing game DragonStrike.
• Penthouse Comix #1 (Penthouse, Spring 1994)
• No Escape limited series (Marvel, June–Sept. 1994) — Novel/movie adaptation based on 1987 novel The Penal Colony (1987) and 1994 screenplay No Escape.
• Lady Justice volume 2 (with writer Neil Gaiman) (Tekno Comix, June 1996–February 1997)

Non-comics work includes:

• Beat the House computer game, Interplay Entertainment, Inc. 1997
• Conquest 2 computer game, Interplay Entertainment, Inc. 1998
• MAX2 computer game, Interplay Entertainment, Inc. 1998
• Godzilla: The Series (animation), Adelaide Productions, Inc. 1998
• Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles (animation), Adelaide Productions, Inc. 1998
• Heavy Gear (animation), Adelaide Productions, Inc. 1999
• Jackie Chan Adventures (animation), Adelaide Productions, Inc. 1999

Gallery

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Harris entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.
2. ^ Harris bio, Punisher: The Prize (Marvel Comics, 1990).

References

• Mike Harris at the Comic Book DB
• Mike Harris at Lambiek's Comiclopedia

Persondata
Name	Harris, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1962
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death