Angel Gabriele
Encyclopedia
Angel Gabriele, sometimes credited as Pat Gabriele or Pasquale D. Gabriel (born March 21, 1956, in Brooklyn, New York), is an American
comic book
artist and publisher, best known for the comic book adaptation of the Space Giants; and a professional wrestling manager and promoter, renowned for his role as the Dark Angel.
, hosting such guests as Kelly Freas, Wally Wood
, Murray Leinster
, and Mike Kaluta. Gabriele learned the basics of the art trade in the early 1970s from Freas in his Virginia Beach studio.
In 1974 Gabriele's professional comic book art career started when he left his parents' home in Tidewater, Virginia, and sojourned to New York City
, assisting Rich Buckler
at Marvel Comics
on uncredited work involving the Fantastic Four
, Deathlok
, and other assignments. By 1975 Gabriele had graduated to producing covers and splash pages for Marvel's British department while still working with Buckler. Gabriele's first credited work was DC Comics
' Kobra
#4 in 1976, a comic which was already four weeks late when it was assigned to him for "layouts & pacing." In 1977 Gabriele became acquainted with lifelong friend and fellow artist Denys Cowan
.
In 1978, having relocated to Wabash, Indiana
(and after a stint as a T-shirt artist) Gabriele acquired merchandising rights to the Space Giants, a U.S. adaptation of Osamu Tezuka
's Japanese comic, Magma Taishi ("Ambassador Magma
"). In 1979 Gabriele's company, FBN (Fantasy Book Novels) Publications, published a comic book adaptation of the first four episodes of Space Giants.
In 1981, after a stint with Merrillville, Indiana
-based fledgling multicultural comic book company Leader Comics, Gabriele returned to New York City. There he worked again for a very short period with Rich Buckler, and met Mark Texeira
, with whom he later shared a studio and produced the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
revival for JC Productions. Eventually, Gabriele, Denys Cowan, and fellow artist Trevor Von Eeden
shared an apartment in New York's Chelsea Hotel
. There Gabriele designed the original "Beast Machine" characters for Strongen-Mayhiem's Power Lords
(the action figures would be released by Revell
).
Concurrently, Gabriele stepped into the role of the Dark Angel and became part of Dick the Bruiser's WWA
, working live events and television episodes with wrestling legends like Don Kent
, Yukon Moose Cholak, Bobo Brazil
, Scott Steiner
, Terry Sullivan, as well as Dick the Bruiser himself. After a 1988 disagreement with Dick the Bruiser, Grabiele began operating his own wrestling promotion and television show, Powerslam Professional Wrestling, featuring established wrestlers such as Ox Baker
and Calypso Jim (now Bobo Brazil, Jr.), Ed Farhat
(a.k.a. the Original Sheik), as well as booking early matches with new talent such as Sabu and Rob Van Dam
. Powerslam Professional Wrestling lasted until 1991.
. Gabriele also drew several covers for DC, including a three-cover run for one of DC's Impact titles, The Web
. He also produced several books for Boneyard Press, including an adaptation of the stories of Ed Gein
, Billy The Kid
, and another issue of the Space Giants, which printed a Mark Texeira story originally drawn in 1981.
In 1996, Gabriele was approached by the California
firm LK Management to publish a line of comics, with Gabriele as its executive editor. A deal was struck and, utilizing the talents of Willie Peppers, Greg Theakston
, Jeff Newman, and Byron Black, Gabriele set up the Hyper X Studio (a division of his Hyper Graphics Studio) in North Manchester, Indiana
. From this arrangement the Pyramid Comics line was born. Several full comics were prepared and solicited before the LK Management vanished with investors' funds. Gabriele attempted to save the fledgling company, but by the end of 1997 Pyramid had ceased, leaving him with twenty-three unpublished titles.
co-creator Chris Ecker as an announcer. Gabriele held a live event at the 1999 Novi, Michigan
, Pop Culture Convention with the Iron Sheik in the main event. In 2000, Gabriele again withdrew from active involvement in the world of professional wrestling and has only made a few rare appearances at live matches since.
In the 2000s Gabriele has been accepting commissioned work and maintained a website promoting Powerslam Wrestling and Space Giants memorabilia. He collaborated with his friend Richard "Grass" Green
, producing Green's 2002 Xal-Kor comic book, released by TwoMorrows Publishing
, only months before Green's untimely passing due to lung cancer. Gabriele also contributed an article on hidden messages in Bill Everett
's inking of Jack Kirby
's art for Thor (Marvel Comics)
in The Jack Kirby Collector #49.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist and publisher, best known for the comic book adaptation of the Space Giants; and a professional wrestling manager and promoter, renowned for his role as the Dark Angel.
Comics
Gabriele began his venture in comic books at the age of 16 by holding the 1972 convention Fan Con '72 in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, hosting such guests as Kelly Freas, Wally Wood
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
, Murray Leinster
Murray Leinster
Murray Leinster was a nom de plume of William Fitzgerald Jenkins, an award-winning American writer of science fiction and alternate history...
, and Mike Kaluta. Gabriele learned the basics of the art trade in the early 1970s from Freas in his Virginia Beach studio.
In 1974 Gabriele's professional comic book art career started when he left his parents' home in Tidewater, Virginia, and sojourned to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, assisting Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler is an American comic book artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four in the mid-1970s and, with writer Doug Moench, co-creating the character Deathlok in Astonishing Tales #25...
at Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
on uncredited work involving the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
, Deathlok
Deathlok
Deathlok is a fictional cyborg published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Astonishing Tales #25 , and was created by Rich Buckler and Doug Moench...
, and other assignments. By 1975 Gabriele had graduated to producing covers and splash pages for Marvel's British department while still working with Buckler. Gabriele's first credited work was 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...
' Kobra
Kobra (comics)
Kobra is the name used by two fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The Jeffrey Burr Kobra first appeared in Kobra #1 , and was created by Martin Pasko, Steve Sherman, Jack Kirby, and Pablo Marcos...
#4 in 1976, a comic which was already four weeks late when it was assigned to him for "layouts & pacing." In 1977 Gabriele became acquainted with lifelong friend and fellow artist Denys Cowan
Denys Cowan
Denys B. Cowan is an American comic book artist and television producer. He gained prominence as the primary artist on The Question, an acclaimed comic book series published by DC Comics for 36 issues from 1987 on, written by Dennis O'Neil.-Career:Denys Cowan is a 1979 graduate of the High School...
.
In 1978, having relocated to Wabash, Indiana
Wabash, Indiana
Wabash is a city in Noble Township, Wabash County, Indiana, United States. The population was 10,666 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wabash County....
(and after a stint as a T-shirt artist) Gabriele acquired merchandising rights to the Space Giants, a U.S. adaptation of Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
's Japanese comic, Magma Taishi ("Ambassador Magma
Ambassador Magma
is the title and protagonist of a manga and tokusatsu TV series created by Osamu Tezuka. The TV series, produced by P Productions, aired on Fuji TV from July 4, 1966 to September 25, 1967, with a total of 52 episodes. It is the first color tokusatsu TV series in Japan, beating Ultraman to the...
"). In 1979 Gabriele's company, FBN (Fantasy Book Novels) Publications, published a comic book adaptation of the first four episodes of Space Giants.
In 1981, after a stint with Merrillville, Indiana
Merrillville, Indiana
Merrillville is a town in Ross Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 35,246 at the 2010 census. Merrillville is located in the east-central portion of Lake County.-Geography:Merrillville is located at ....
-based fledgling multicultural comic book company Leader Comics, Gabriele returned to New York City. There he worked again for a very short period with Rich Buckler, and met Mark Texeira
Mark Texeira
Mark Texeira is an American comic book artist. Classically trained as a painter, Texeira broke into the comics field in the early 1980s.-Career:Mark Texeira was born and raised in New York City...
, with whom he later shared a studio and produced the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents is a fictional team of superheroes that appeared in comic books originally published by Tower Comics in the 1960s. They were an arm of the United Nations and were notable for their depiction of the heroes as everyday people whose heroic careers were merely their day jobs...
revival for JC Productions. Eventually, Gabriele, Denys Cowan, and fellow artist Trevor Von Eeden
Trevor Von Eeden
Trevor Von Eeden is a comic book writer/artist who, known for his work on such DC Comics books as Black Lightning, Batman, and Green Arrow, as well as Marvel Comics books such as Power Man and Iron Fist, and the biographical series The Original Johnson.-Early life:According to Von Eeden, he...
shared an apartment in New York's Chelsea Hotel
Hotel Chelsea
The Hotel Chelsea, also known as the Chelsea Hotel, or simply the Chelsea, is a historic New York City hotel and landmark, known primarily for its history of notable residents...
. There Gabriele designed the original "Beast Machine" characters for Strongen-Mayhiem's Power Lords
Power Lords
Power Lords - The Extra-Terrestrial Warriors is a science fiction themed action figure line produced by Revell in 1983. Revell hired Wayne Barlowe to design the toys.Each figure has an action feature...
(the action figures would be released by Revell
Revell
Revell is the brand name today of two manufacturers of scale plastic models. The original US company merged with another, Monogram, but now trades only under the Revell name. European Revell Germany separated from the US company in 2006.-Early history:...
).
Dark Angel and professional wrestling
It was during this period in the mid-1980s after the birth of his daughter that Gabriele's stylized alter-ego the Dark Angel was born. By 1986, Gabriele had again left New York City and returned to the midwest, where he introduced the Dark Angel, in the first three issues of the independent comic book series Dark Adventures (published by Darkline).Concurrently, Gabriele stepped into the role of the Dark Angel and became part of Dick the Bruiser's WWA
World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)
The World Wrestling Association was an Indianapolis-based pro wrestling promotion which was operated by Dick "The Bruiser" Afflis and his business partner Wilbur Snyder. The WWA was affiliated with the larger American Wrestling Association and recognized its champions, though the WWA also had its...
, working live events and television episodes with wrestling legends like Don Kent
Don Kent (wrestler)
Leo Joseph "Joe" Smith Jr. was an American professional wrestler who wrestled as Don Kent and also as The Black Dragon, Doug Kent, Joe Smith and Super Medico III during his 20 years in professional wrestling.Don Kent is one half of The Fabulous Kangaroos alongside partners Al Costello, Bruno...
, Yukon Moose Cholak, Bobo Brazil
Bobo Brazil
Houston Harris was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bobo Brazil. He is credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling...
, Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
, Terry Sullivan, as well as Dick the Bruiser himself. After a 1988 disagreement with Dick the Bruiser, Grabiele began operating his own wrestling promotion and television show, Powerslam Professional Wrestling, featuring established wrestlers such as Ox Baker
Ox Baker
Douglas A. Baker better known professionally as Ox Baker, is an American former professional wrestler and actor, and was feared for his dreaded finishing move, the Heart Punch, sometimes called the "Hurt Punch", after Baker's famous catchphrase "I love to hurt people!" He has appeared in several...
and Calypso Jim (now Bobo Brazil, Jr.), Ed Farhat
Ed Farhat
Edward George Farhat was an American professional wrestler best known as by his ring name The Sheik...
(a.k.a. the Original Sheik), as well as booking early matches with new talent such as Sabu and Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. Powerslam Professional Wrestling lasted until 1991.
Return to comics
During the 1990s, Gabriele (along with his protege Jeff Newman) collaborated with Denys Cowan in Milestone Comics "universe," as well as inking titles such as Static and HardwareHardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
. Gabriele also drew several covers for DC, including a three-cover run for one of DC's Impact titles, The Web
WEB (comics)
The Web is a team of superpowered agents published under DC Comics Impact Comics line. The team is based on Archie Comics old superhero, The Web.Created by Len Strazewski and Tom Artis, its first appearance was in The Web #1 September 1991 .-Members:...
. He also produced several books for Boneyard Press, including an adaptation of the stories of Ed Gein
Ed Gein
Edward Theodore "Ed" Gein - July 26, 1984) was an American murderer and body snatcher. His crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety after authorities discovered Gein had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes...
, Billy The Kid
Billy the Kid
William H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
, and another issue of the Space Giants, which printed a Mark Texeira story originally drawn in 1981.
In 1996, Gabriele was approached by the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
firm LK Management to publish a line of comics, with Gabriele as its executive editor. A deal was struck and, utilizing the talents of Willie Peppers, Greg Theakston
Greg Theakston
Greg Allen Theakston is an American comics artist and illustrator who has worked for numerous publishers. In addition to his many contributions to books and magazines, he is known for developing the Theakstonizing process used in comics restoration. He has used the pseudonym Earl P...
, Jeff Newman, and Byron Black, Gabriele set up the Hyper X Studio (a division of his Hyper Graphics Studio) in North Manchester, Indiana
North Manchester, Indiana
North Manchester is a town in Chester Township, Wabash County, Indiana, United States. Peter Ogan, acting as the town’s founder filed for recording the 'Original Plat of Manchester' on February 13, 1846...
. From this arrangement the Pyramid Comics line was born. Several full comics were prepared and solicited before the LK Management vanished with investors' funds. Gabriele attempted to save the fledgling company, but by the end of 1997 Pyramid had ceased, leaving him with twenty-three unpublished titles.
Return to wrestling and later career
In 1998, Gabriele was enticed back into professional wrestling, reprising his 1980s television show Powerslam as Powerslam2000, and recruiting Big Bang ComicsBig Bang Comics
Big Bang Comics first appeared in 1994, with five issue mini-series , published by Caliber Comics. Their second series was published by Image Comics. Currently their titles are self-published.-Publication history:...
co-creator Chris Ecker as an announcer. Gabriele held a live event at the 1999 Novi, Michigan
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...
, Pop Culture Convention with the Iron Sheik in the main event. In 2000, Gabriele again withdrew from active involvement in the world of professional wrestling and has only made a few rare appearances at live matches since.
In the 2000s Gabriele has been accepting commissioned work and maintained a website promoting Powerslam Wrestling and Space Giants memorabilia. He collaborated with his friend Richard "Grass" Green
Grass Green
Richard Eugene "Grass" Green was an African American cartoonist notable for being the first black participant in both the 1960s fan art movement and the 1970s underground comics movement...
, producing Green's 2002 Xal-Kor comic book, released by TwoMorrows Publishing
TwoMorrows Publishing
TwoMorrows Publishing is a publisher of magazines about comic books, founded in 1994 by John and Pam Morrow out of their small advertising agency in Raleigh, North Carolina...
, only months before Green's untimely passing due to lung cancer. Gabriele also contributed an article on hidden messages in Bill Everett
Bill Everett
William Blake "Bill" Everett, also known as William Blake and Everett Blake was a comic book writer-artist best known for creating Namor the Sub-Mariner and co-creating Daredevil for Marvel Comics...
's inking of Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
's art for Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
in The Jack Kirby Collector #49.
Selected bibliography
- Kobra #4 (DC, 1976)
- Space Giants NN# (FBN, 1979)
- JCP Features: T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1 (JC Publications, 1981)
- Dark Adventures #1-4 (Darkline, 1986)
- Alphawave #1 (Darkline, 1986)
- Darkside #1 (Darkline, 1986)
- Calypso Jim Souvenir Album (Wehner, 1986)
- Elfinwild #1 (Wehner, 1987)
- Astonish #1 (Wehner, 1988)
- RIP #5 (TSR, 1991)
- Frank (Frankenstein) #3 & #4 (Nemesis/Harvey, 1992)
- The Web #6, 7, 8 (DC/Impact, 1992)
- Ox Baker Souvenir Coloring Book (Hypergraphics, 1993)
- KlownShock #1 (Northstar, 1993)
- True Gein: The Story Of Ed (Boneyard, 1993)
- The Space Giants (Boneyard, 1994)
- Billy The Kid (Boneyard, 1994)
- Static #17 (DC/Milestone, 1994)
- The Long Hot Summer #3 (DC/Milestone, 1995)
- Hardware #34, 35, 36 (DC/Milestone, 1995)
- Xal-Kor, The Human Cat (TwoMorrows, 2002)