Alec Stevens
Encyclopedia
Alec Preston Stevens is a professional author
, illustrator
and musician
.
, Bahia
, Brazil
where his father, a USAF
officer stationed in various parts of the world, was on military assignment. At age twenty, Stevens began his career as a professional illustrator for magazines, books, and newspapers and also as an artist/writer for comics and graphic novel
s. His work for the former includes a fourteen year stint as a contributing artist to The New York Times Book Review, as well as for The New Yorker
, Tower Records
's Pulse! and Classical Pulse! magazines, Reader's Digest
Corp., New Jersey Monthly
, United Features Syndicate
, AT&T
, and numerous other accounts.
His comics work includes literary adaptations (Wilde
, Lovecraft
, Dinesen, Dostoevsky
, Reymont
, and Jan Neruda
) for Fantagraphics Books
, Heavy Metal Magazine
, and Kitchen Sink Press
. Stevens also wrote and illustrated two graphic novel
s, The Sinners and Hardcore, for the DC Comics
imprint Piranha Press
in 1988 and 1989. He had an original story serialized in Dark Horse Comics
's Deadline: USA in 1991-1992, and from 1993-1999 he drew a string of short stories for DC's Paradox Press
imprint. In 1993 he illustrated Neil Gaiman
's "A Tale of Two Cities" in DC/Vertigo's Sandman #51, reprinted as the lead story in the World's End collection.
A dedicated Christian
since late 1989, Alec Stevens has also published two issues of Glory to God which feature stories from the Bible
, historical accounts, and modern-day testimonies of faith. July, 2006 saw the release of the full color Sadhu Sundar Singh graphic novel
, published under his own Calvary Comics imprint. This is a biography in comics form of the famous Indian evangelist
. In September, 2007 Stevens authored E. J. Pace: Christian Cartoonist, a 250 page biography with hundreds of drawings and rare photos of Dr. Pace, a United Brethren
missionary to the Philippines
and itinerant Bible teacher whose work appeared in many Christian journals in the early to mid 20th century. Erlo Stegen and the Revival Among the Zulus was published in July, 2008. This graphic novel
portrays the events which led to the formation of the KwaSizabantu Mission
in South Africa
. A reprint anthology of Glory to God was released in June, 2009 with additional material. His Clendennen: Soldier of the Cross graphic novel
, published in March, 2010, is a biography of B. H. Clendennen, a World War II
veteran who later founded The School of Christ International which operates in over 150 countries.
Since 1992, Alec Stevens has served as an instructor at The Kubert School. Many of his former students are now industry professionals.
In addition to being an artist, Stevens is also a singer and guitarist. He did session work for Paragon Records (London, UK) in 1988 and 1992, and his band The Quest were a staple in New York City clubs like CBGB's
and Kenny's Castaways in the early '90s. He later played with the Christian bands
As Living Stones and Force for Good. From 2002-2003 he was a tenor
in the front rank of the Times Square Church
choir, singing before hundreds of thousands in an evangelistic outreach in Nigeria
, West Africa, as well as in Carnegie Hall
for a 9/11
benefit. In April, 2010 Alec Stevens joined the Times Square Church
band as a guitarist. His preferred instrument is a 1962 reissue Fender Stratocaster
.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Biography
Alec Stevens was born in SalvadorSalvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
, Bahia
Bahia
Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
where his father, a USAF
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
officer stationed in various parts of the world, was on military assignment. At age twenty, Stevens began his career as a professional illustrator for magazines, books, and newspapers and also as an artist/writer for comics and graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s. His work for the former includes a fourteen year stint as a contributing artist to The New York Times Book Review, as well as for The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
's Pulse! and Classical Pulse! magazines, Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
Corp., New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly is a monthly glossy publication featuring issues of possible interest to residents of the United States state of New Jersey...
, United Features Syndicate
United Media
United Media is a large editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States, owned by The E.W. Scripps Company. It syndicates 150 comics and editorial columns worldwide. Its core business is the United Feature Syndicate and the Newspaper Enterprise Association...
, AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
, and numerous other accounts.
His comics work includes literary adaptations (Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
, Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
, Dinesen, Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhaylovich Dostoyevsky was a Russian writer of novels, short stories and essays. He is best known for his novels Crime and Punishment, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov....
, Reymont
Wladyslaw Reymont
Władysław Stanisław Reymont was a Polish novelist and Nobel laureate. His best-known work is the novel Chłopi .-Surname:...
, and Jan Neruda
Jan Neruda
Jan Nepomuk Neruda was a Czech journalist, writer and poet, one of the most prominent representatives of Czech Realism and a member of "the May school".-Early life:...
) for Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
, Heavy Metal Magazine
Heavy Metal (magazine)
Heavy Metal is an American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine, known primarily for its blend of dark fantasy/science fiction and erotica. In the mid-1970s, while publisher Leonard Mogel was in Paris to jump-start the French edition of National Lampoon, he discovered the French...
, and Kitchen Sink Press
Kitchen Sink Press
Kitchen Sink Press was a comic book publishing company founded by Denis Kitchen in 1970. Kitchen owned and operated Kitchen Sink Press until 1999. Kitchen Sink Press was a pioneering publisher of underground comics, and was also responsible for numerous republications of classic comic strips in...
. Stevens also wrote and illustrated two graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s, The Sinners and Hardcore, for the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
imprint Piranha Press
Piranha Press
Piranha Press, an imprint of DC Comics from 1989 to 1994, was a response by DC to the growing interest in alternative comics. The imprint was edited by Mark Nevelow, who instead of developing comics with the established names in the alternative comics field, chose to introduce several unknown...
in 1988 and 1989. He had an original story serialized in Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
's Deadline: USA in 1991-1992, and from 1993-1999 he drew a string of short stories for DC's Paradox Press
Paradox Press
Paradox Press was a division of DC Comics formed in 1993 after editor Mark Nevelow departed from Piranha Press. Under the initial editorship of Andrew Helfer and Bronwyn Carlton the imprint was renamed. It is best known for graphic novels like A History of Violence and Road to Perdition...
imprint. In 1993 he illustrated Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's "A Tale of Two Cities" in DC/Vertigo's Sandman #51, reprinted as the lead story in the World's End collection.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
since late 1989, Alec Stevens has also published two issues of Glory to God which feature stories from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, historical accounts, and modern-day testimonies of faith. July, 2006 saw the release of the full color Sadhu Sundar Singh graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
, published under his own Calvary Comics imprint. This is a biography in comics form of the famous Indian evangelist
Sadhu Sundar Singh
Sadhu Sundar Singh was an Indian Christian missionary. He is believed to have died in the foothills of the Himalayas in 1929.-Early years:...
. In September, 2007 Stevens authored E. J. Pace: Christian Cartoonist, a 250 page biography with hundreds of drawings and rare photos of Dr. Pace, a United Brethren
Church of the United Brethren in Christ
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ is an evangelical Christian denomination based in Huntington, Indiana. It is a Protestant denomination of episcopal structure, Arminian theology, with roots in the Mennonite and German Reformed communities of 18th century Pennsylvania, as well as close...
missionary to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and itinerant Bible teacher whose work appeared in many Christian journals in the early to mid 20th century. Erlo Stegen and the Revival Among the Zulus was published in July, 2008. This graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
portrays the events which led to the formation of the KwaSizabantu Mission
Kwasizabantu
Kwasizabantu is anorganization, originating in South Africa, but also active in Germany and Switzerland...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. A reprint anthology of Glory to God was released in June, 2009 with additional material. His Clendennen: Soldier of the Cross graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
, published in March, 2010, is a biography of B. H. Clendennen, a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran who later founded The School of Christ International which operates in over 150 countries.
Since 1992, Alec Stevens has served as an instructor at The Kubert School. Many of his former students are now industry professionals.
In addition to being an artist, Stevens is also a singer and guitarist. He did session work for Paragon Records (London, UK) in 1988 and 1992, and his band The Quest were a staple in New York City clubs like CBGB's
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
and Kenny's Castaways in the early '90s. He later played with the Christian bands
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
As Living Stones and Force for Good. From 2002-2003 he was a tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
in the front rank of the Times Square Church
Times Square Church
Times Square Church is an inter-denominational church located at 237 West 51st Street in the Theatre District of Manhattan, New York City. A large number of people representing many nationalities gather to worship together every week...
choir, singing before hundreds of thousands in an evangelistic outreach in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, West Africa, as well as in Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
for a 9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
benefit. In April, 2010 Alec Stevens joined the Times Square Church
Times Square Church
Times Square Church is an inter-denominational church located at 237 West 51st Street in the Theatre District of Manhattan, New York City. A large number of people representing many nationalities gather to worship together every week...
band as a guitarist. His preferred instrument is a 1962 reissue Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
.
External links
- Alec Stevens web site
- Calvary Comics web site
- Who's Who of American Comic Books: entry on Alec Stevens
- Lambiek Comiclopedia: entry on Alec Stevens
- Grand Comics Database: Entry on Alec Stevens
- Frank Frazetta and Alec Stevens (Archived 2009-10-25)
- Alec Stevens in Olney, Bucks, UK (Archived 2009-10-25)