Carl Potts
Encyclopedia
Carl Potts is an American
comic-book writer
, artist, and editor
best known for creating the series Alien Legion
for the Marvel Comics
imprint Epic Comics
.
, Potts received an Associate's degree
in commercial art
from Chabot College
in Hayward, California
. He went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts
degree in creative writing
and editing from State University of New York
, Empire State College
.
' Richard Dragon: Kung Fu Fighter
, being drawn by Bay Area
comics artists Jim Starlin
and Alan Weiss
. Potts began his comics career in 1975.
Relocating to New York City
, he freelanced briefly until joining Neal Adams
' commercial-art company and comic-book packager Continuity Studios. As he explained in a 2000 interview: "Continuity was gearing up to produce black-and-white magazines based on several TV series: The Six Million Dollar Man
, Space: 1999
and Emergency!
. I got involved with storyboard and comp art for major New York ad agencies. I also produced finished-illustration for magazines and books for several years before joining Marvel's editorial staff in 1983".
, Mike Okamoto
(who won the Russ Manning Award
as artist on Epic's Atomic Age), Whilce Portacio
, Steve Skroce
, Larry Stroman
, and Scott Williams
early in their careers. He oversaw the development of The Punisher
from guest star to franchise character, and edited such titles as The Incredible Hulk, Doctor Strange
, The Defenders
, The Thing
, and Alpha Flight
, as well as the newly created Power Pack
and Strikeforce: Morituri
. Potts' editorship was humorously characterized in 1988 as "a remarkable feat considering [his] legendary spelling disability." Potts was the editor through whom both Art Adams
and Jim Lee
broke into the comics industry with their first Marvel Comics work.
After hours, Potts continued to write and produce occasional art for Marvel, and in 1983 teamed with Alan Zelenetz
and Frank Cirocco to co-create the series Alien Legion
, conceived as "the French Foreign Legion
in space." Two ongoing series and several miniseries
and one-shots were produced. In the mid- to late 2000s, Alien Legion was optioned by producer Jerry Bruckheimer
and The Walt Disney Company
.
In 1989, Potts was named executive editor in charge of the Epic imprint, and about a third of the mainstream Marvel titles. Five years later, he became editor-in-chief of the "General Entertainment" and Epic Comics
divisions.
company. He then worked with Gary Winnick and Cirocco's Lightsource Studios before becoming senior creative director
of the New York City office of Agency.com. He also consults for publishing, entertainment and interactive clients including HarperCollins
, Tokyopop
, Mainframe Entertainment
, The Learning Company
and Funrise Toys.
In 2010, Potts' Alien Legion
screenplay was bought by Jerry Bruckheimer Productions/Disney.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic-book writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, artist, and editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
best known for creating the series Alien Legion
Alien Legion
Alien Legion is a science-fiction comic-book series and associated titles created by Carl Potts, Alan Zelenetz, and Frank Cirocco for Marvel Comics; Epic Comics imprint in 1983...
for the 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...
imprint Epic Comics
Epic Comics
Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
.
Early life
Raised in Oakland and San Diego, California, as well as in HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Potts received an Associate's degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
in commercial art
Commercial art
Commercial art is historically a subsector of creative services, referring to art created for commercial purposes, primarily advertising. The term has become increasingly anachronistic in favor of more contemporary terms such as graphic design and advertising art.Commercial art traditionally...
from Chabot College
Chabot College
Chabot College is a community college located in Hayward, California.-Campus:The campus has a 200-seat theatre, a 1,432-seat performing arts center, a full-size planetarium, four major athletic fields, an HD television studio, and an Olympic-class swimming pool.-History:Chabot College was the first...
in Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
. He went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
and editing from State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
, Empire State College
Empire State College
Empire State College, one of the thirteen arts and science colleges of the State University of New York, is a multi-site institution offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. It is primarily oriented towards the adult learner...
.
Career
After contributing to such comics fanzines as the anthology Venture, Potts drew backgrounds and some secondary figures for a late fill-in issue of DC ComicsDC 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...
' Richard Dragon: Kung Fu Fighter
Richard Dragon
Richard Dragon is a fictional character created by Dennis O'Neil and Jim Berry in the novel Dragon's Fists under the pseudonym "Jim Dennis." O'Neil later adapted the character for DC Comics in the comic book Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter....
, being drawn by Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
comics artists Jim Starlin
Jim Starlin
James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters...
and Alan Weiss
Alan Weiss (comics)
Alan Weiss is an American comic book artist and writer known for his work on Warlock, Avengers, Captain America, Daredevil, Sub-Mariner and Spider-Man...
. Potts began his comics career in 1975.
Relocating 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...
, he freelanced briefly until joining Neal Adams
Neal Adams
Neal Adams is an American comic book and commercial artist known for helping to create some of the definitive modern imagery of the DC Comics characters Superman, Batman, and Green Arrow; as the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates; and as a creators-rights advocate who...
' commercial-art company and comic-book packager Continuity Studios. As he explained in a 2000 interview: "Continuity was gearing up to produce black-and-white magazines based on several TV series: The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a former astronaut with bionic implants working for the OSI...
, Space: 1999
Space: 1999
Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that ran for two seasons and originally aired from 1975 to 1977. In the opening episode, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon's far side explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the Moon out of orbit and...
and Emergency!
Emergency!
Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
. I got involved with storyboard and comp art for major New York ad agencies. I also produced finished-illustration for magazines and books for several years before joining Marvel's editorial staff in 1983".
Marvel Comics
At Marvel as an editor, Potts worked with such notable comics creators as Jon BogdanoveJon Bogdanove
Jon Bogdanove is an American comic book artist and writer. He is best known for his work on Power Pack, Superman: The Man of Steel, and for creating the character Steel with writer Louise Simonson in 1993.-Comics:...
, Mike Okamoto
Mike Okamoto
Mike Okamoto is an American comic book artist and commercial illustrator best known for co-creating Marvel Comics' Atomic Age; as a "good girl art" cartoonist; and as the five-time International Network of Golf Illustrator of the Year.-Early life and career:Born and raised in Detroit Michigan,...
(who won the Russ Manning Award
Russ Manning Award
The Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award is an American award presented to a comic book artist whose first professional work appeared within the previous two years. It was named after comic book artist Russ Manning...
as artist on Epic's Atomic Age), Whilce Portacio
Whilce Portacio
William "Whilce" Portacio is a Filipino-American comic book writer and artist. Noted for his work on such titles as The Punisher, X-Factor, and the Uncanny X-Men. Portacio was also one of the seven co-founders of Image Comics, though he did not become a partner in the company.-Early life:Portacio...
, Steve Skroce
Steve Skroce
Steve Skroce is a Canadian comic book and movie storyboard artist. He is of Croatian origin.-Biography:Skroce broke into comics in 1993 on the Clive Barker series Ectokid for Marvel Comics' Razorline imprint. He went to work on the Marvel series Cable and X-Man before moving onto The Amazing...
, Larry Stroman
Larry Stroman
Larry Stroman is an American comic book artist and writer. After first gaining attention illustrating the Epic Comics series Alien Legion , he went on to illustrate various Marvel Comics books such as The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, Ghost Rider Larry Stroman is an American comic book artist and...
, and Scott Williams
Scott Williams (comic book artist)
Scott Williams is an American comic book artist and inker.-Career:Williams has provided inkwork for comic book illustrators such as Jim Lee, Whilce Portacio and Marc Silvestri, and is best known for his collaboration with Lee...
early in their careers. He oversaw the development of The Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
from guest star to franchise character, and edited such titles as The Incredible Hulk, Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
, The Defenders
Defenders (comics)
The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...
, The Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, and Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
, as well as the newly created Power Pack
Power Pack
Power Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
and Strikeforce: Morituri
Strikeforce: Morituri
Strikeforce: Morituri is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics from 1986 to 1989. The series was created by writer Peter B. Gillis and artist Brent Anderson....
. Potts' editorship was humorously characterized in 1988 as "a remarkable feat considering [his] legendary spelling disability." Potts was the editor through whom both Art Adams
Art Adams
Arthur "Art" Adams is an American comic book artist and writer. He first broke into the American comic book industry with the 1985 Marvel Comics miniseries Longshot...
and Jim Lee
Jim Lee
Jim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, writer, editor and publisher. He first broke into the industry in 1987 as an artist for Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as Alpha Flight and Punisher War Journal, before gaining a great deal of popularity on The Uncanny X-Men...
broke into the comics industry with their first Marvel Comics work.
After hours, Potts continued to write and produce occasional art for Marvel, and in 1983 teamed with Alan Zelenetz
Alan Zelenetz
Alan Zelenetz is an American film producer and comic-book writer best known for co-creating the series Alien Legion for the Marvel Comics imprint Epic Comics and a founder of Ovie Entertainment...
and Frank Cirocco to co-create the series Alien Legion
Alien Legion
Alien Legion is a science-fiction comic-book series and associated titles created by Carl Potts, Alan Zelenetz, and Frank Cirocco for Marvel Comics; Epic Comics imprint in 1983...
, conceived as "the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
in space." Two ongoing series and several miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
and one-shots were produced. In the mid- to late 2000s, Alien Legion was optioned by producer Jerry Bruckheimer
Jerry Bruckheimer
Jerome Leon "Jerry" Bruckheimer is an American film and television producer. He has achieved great success in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. His best known television series are CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Eleventh Hour, Without a Trace, Cold Case, The...
and The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
.
In 1989, Potts was named executive editor in charge of the Epic imprint, and about a third of the mainstream Marvel titles. Five years later, he became editor-in-chief of the "General Entertainment" and Epic Comics
Epic Comics
Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
divisions.
Later career
After 13 years at Marvel, Potts left to become Creative Director at VR-1, a massively multiplayer online gameMassively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
company. He then worked with Gary Winnick and Cirocco's Lightsource Studios before becoming senior creative director
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
of the New York City office of Agency.com. He also consults for publishing, entertainment and interactive clients including HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
, Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
, Mainframe Entertainment
Mainframe Entertainment
Rainmaker Entertainment, Inc. is a Canadian computer animation and design company based in Vancouver, British Columbia and Los Angeles, California. It produces computer animation TV series and movies. They are best known for producing the first ever CGI animated series ReBoot, as well as the...
, The Learning Company
The Learning Company
The Learning Company is an American educational software company, founded in 1980. It produced a grade-based system similar to Knowledge Adventure's JumpStart series. The products for preschoolers through second graders feature Reader Rabbit, and software for more advanced students features The...
and Funrise Toys.
In 2010, Potts' Alien Legion
Alien Legion
Alien Legion is a science-fiction comic-book series and associated titles created by Carl Potts, Alan Zelenetz, and Frank Cirocco for Marvel Comics; Epic Comics imprint in 1983...
screenplay was bought by Jerry Bruckheimer Productions/Disney.
External links
- General Eclectic (Carl Potts official blog). WebCitation archive.
- "VF / NM Industry Interview: Carl Potts", VeryFineNearMint.com, January 10, 2010. WebCitation archive.