Chris Sprouse
Encyclopedia
Chris Sprouse is an American
comic book artist
.
entitled "Ber-Mander", for the school newspaper ("The Hyphen"), while attending Gar-Field Senior High School
in Dale City, Virginia
. After graduating in 1984, Sprouse attended James Madison University
where he studied graphic design.
Sprouse launched his career in mainstream comics in 1989, his first credited work being a Chemical King
story in an issue of DC Comics'
Secret Origins
. He then did a Two-Face
story for Batman Annual #14 and then moved on to the limited series
Hammerlocke
. Sprouse then took on the sci-fi series Legionnaires, featuring teenaged versions of the characters in the Legion of Super-Heroes
series, and eventually moved on to a number of one-shot and fill-in issues before illustrating a Star Wars
mini-series, Splinter of the Mind's Eye
, for Dark Horse Comics
.
He then worked for Extreme Studios as the regular penciller of New Men
, and in 1997, Sprouse drew several issues of Supreme
, scripted by Alan Moore
for the same publisher. After Supreme ended, a year later he and Moore created Tom Strong
for America's Best Comics, for which Sprouse won two Eisner Award
s in 2000, for Best Single Issue and Best Serialized Story. Sprouse was also the penciller and co-creator on the 2004 Ocean
mini-series, written by Warren Ellis
and published by DC Comics
. In 2007, Ocean was optioned for film.
In 2006, he began pencilling Wildstorm's Midnighter
ongoing series
, a spin-off of The Authority.
He has also been announced as the artist on the first issue of Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
with Grant Morrison
as writer.
Sprouse currently lives in Columbus, Ohio
with his wife, Xan.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
comic book artist
Comic Book Artist
Comic Book Artist was an American magazine founded by Jon B. Cooke devoted to anecdotal histories of American comic books, with emphasis on comics published since the 1960s...
.
Biography
Chris Sprouse was born in Charlottesville, Virginia. At the age of 3 he moved with his family to New Delhi, India where he first discovered comics as he was unable to play outside due to the dangerous amount of snakes in the house yard. When he was 6, his family returned to the United States to Dale City, Virginia, where he continued to read and draw comics. Before his debut in comics, Sprouse drew a comic stripComic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
entitled "Ber-Mander", for the school newspaper ("The Hyphen"), while attending Gar-Field Senior High School
Gar-Field Senior High School
Gar-Field Senior High School is a Senior High School in Woodbridge in unincorporated Prince William County, Virginia, USA, with students in grades 9 through 12....
in Dale City, Virginia
Dale City, Virginia
Dale City is an unincorporated community in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census designated place , the community had a total population of 63,616 according to the 2006 American Community Survey....
. After graduating in 1984, Sprouse attended James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
where he studied graphic design.
Sprouse launched his career in mainstream comics in 1989, his first credited work being a Chemical King
Chemical King
Chemical King is the name of two fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. The first was Mr. Lambert, who was murdered by Alfred Stryker in Detective Comics #27...
story in an issue of 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...
Secret Origins
Secret Origins
Secret Origins is the title of three American comic book series published by DC Comics.The title began in 1961 and for one issue, all reprints. The title Secret Origins of Super Heroes went onto a second series, also reprints, which ran for seven issues from 1973-1974...
. He then did a Two-Face
Two-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
story for Batman Annual #14 and then moved on to the limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
Hammerlocke
Hammerlocke
Hammerlocke is a nine-issue limited series by Tom Joyner, Chris Sprouse and Kez Wilson published in 1992 by DC Comics.-Plot:In the near future, a space elevator called the Olympus Starbridge becomes the battleground between the world government and a radical environmentalist group...
. Sprouse then took on the sci-fi series Legionnaires, featuring teenaged versions of the characters in the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
series, and eventually moved on to a number of one-shot and fill-in issues before illustrating a Star Wars
Star Wars (comics)
Comic books based on Star Wars have been published by Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics.-Marvel:The Marvel published a series of Star Wars comic books from 1977 to 1986, lasting 107 issues and 3 annuals....
mini-series, Splinter of the Mind's Eye
Splinter of the Mind's Eye
Splinter of the Mind's Eye is a 1978 science fiction novel written by Alan Dean Foster. It is a sequel to both Star Wars and its novelization Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker...
, for 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...
.
He then worked for Extreme Studios as the regular penciller of New Men
New Men (Image Comics)
New Men was a comic book series published in 1990's by Image Comics. It was one of the many titles co-created by Rob Liefeld, and released as part of his Extreme Studios imprint...
, and in 1997, Sprouse drew several issues of Supreme
Supreme (comics)
Supreme is a fictional superhero created by Rob Liefeld and first published by Image Comics, then Maximum Press, and later by Awesome Entertainment...
, scripted by Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
for the same publisher. After Supreme ended, a year later he and Moore created Tom Strong
Tom Strong
Tom Strong is a comic book created by writer Alan Moore and artist Chris Sprouse initially published bi-monthly by America's Best Comics, an imprint of DC Comics' Wildstorm division.-Background:Tom Strong, the title character, is a "science hero"...
for America's Best Comics, for which Sprouse won two Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
s in 2000, for Best Single Issue and Best Serialized Story. Sprouse was also the penciller and co-creator on the 2004 Ocean
Ocean (comics)
Ocean is a 2004 six-issue comic book miniseries, written by Warren Ellis with pencils by Chris Sprouse and inks by Karl Story. It was published by DC Comics under the Wildstorm imprint.- Plot :...
mini-series, written by Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
and published by 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...
. In 2007, Ocean was optioned for film.
In 2006, he began pencilling Wildstorm's Midnighter
Midnighter
Midnighter is a fictional comic book superhero, best known as a member of the rogue superhero team The Authority. Created by writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch, he first appeared in Stormwatch #4, before appearing in various Authority books and series and his own eponymous ongoing series...
ongoing series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
, a spin-off of The Authority.
He has also been announced as the artist on the first issue of Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne is a 6-issue American comic book limited series published by DC Comics beginning in May 2010 to November 2010, written by Grant Morrison and featuring a team of rotating artists starting with Chris Sprouse and Frazer Irving.The series picks up from Batman and Robin...
with Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
as writer.
Sprouse currently lives in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
with his wife, Xan.
Interviews
- Strongman of America: An Interview with Chris Sprouse, Death Cookie, July 28, 2002
- Chris Sprouse: Comics The Way He Sees It, Comics BulletinComics BulletinComics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...
, April 29, 2008