Joe Jusko
Encyclopedia
Joe Jusko is an American
artist
known for his realistic, highly detailed painted fantasy
, pin-up, and cover illustration
s, mainly in the comic book
industry. Jusko painted the 1992 Marvel Masterpieces
trading cards, the popularity of which has been credited with initiating the painted trading card boom of the 1990s.
, where his instructors included Bernard Krigstein
. He graduated in 1977 with the DC Comics
Award of Excellence in Cartooning. Upon graduation, Jusko worked as an assistant for five months for Howard Chaykin
, which led to Jusko selling his first cover for Heavy Metal
magazine at the age of 18. Forgoing college, Jusko went straight into the commercial illustration world.
has created, most notably the Hulk
and the Punisher
.
Jusko has also produced covers and interior art for many other comics companies and characters, including DC Comics
, Crusade Comics, Innovation Comics, Harris Comics, Wildstorm Comics, Top Cow Productions
, and Byron Preiss Visual Publications.
trading cards. His work is featured in the 1996 card set Fleer's Ultra X-Men Wolverine Cards, as well as Conan the Barbarian
and Vampirella
trading card sets.
Jusko has also produced storyboards for ad agencies, for such notable clients as the World Wrestling Federation
.
Jusko is currently working on The Art of Joe Jusko (Desperado Publishing
), as well as a graphic novel adaptation of Steve Niles
's supernatural detective Cal MacDonald.
: The Greatest Treasure of All won a Certificate of Merit from the Society of Illustrators
(which accepted Jusko as a member in 2007).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
known for his realistic, highly detailed painted fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, pin-up, and cover illustration
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
s, mainly in the 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...
industry. Jusko painted the 1992 Marvel Masterpieces
Marvel Masterpieces
Marvel Masterpieces is the name of several subsequent sets of trading cards, printed during 1992-2008, depicting characters and events from Marvel Comics...
trading cards, the popularity of which has been credited with initiating the painted trading card boom of the 1990s.
Education and early career
Growing up in New York, Jusko attended the High School of Art and DesignHigh School of Art and Design
The High School of Art and Design is a Career and Technical Education high school located at 1075 Second Avenue, between 56th and 57th Streets in Manhattan, New York City, New York.It is operated by the New York City Department of Education...
, where his instructors included Bernard Krigstein
Bernard Krigstein
Bernard Krigstein , was an American illustrator and gallery artist who received acclaim for his innovative and influential approach to comic book art, notably in EC Comics. He was known as Bernie Krigstein, and his artwork usually displayed the signature B...
. He graduated in 1977 with 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...
Award of Excellence in Cartooning. Upon graduation, Jusko worked as an assistant for five months for Howard Chaykin
Howard Chaykin
Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his innovative storytelling and sometimes controversial material...
, which led to Jusko selling his first cover for Heavy Metal
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...
magazine at the age of 18. Forgoing college, Jusko went straight into the commercial illustration world.
Comics
Over his career, Jusko has worked for almost every major comic book publisher, producing hundreds of images for both covers and interiors. In addition to his long stint as one of the main cover artists for The Savage Sword of Conan, Jusko has painted every major character that Marvel ComicsMarvel 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...
has created, most notably the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
and 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,...
.
Jusko has also produced covers and interior art for many other comics companies and characters, including 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...
, Crusade Comics, Innovation Comics, Harris Comics, Wildstorm Comics, Top Cow Productions
Top Cow Productions
Top Cow Productions is an American comics publisher, a partner studio of Image Comics founded by Marc Silvestri in 1992.-History:...
, and Byron Preiss Visual Publications.
Trading cards
Besides the 1992 Marvel Masterpieces trading card set, Jusko painted the 1995 Art of Edgar Rice BurroughsEdgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.-Biography:...
trading cards. His work is featured in the 1996 card set Fleer's Ultra X-Men Wolverine Cards, as well as Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
and Vampirella
Vampirella
Vampirella is a fictional character, a comic book vampire heroine created by Forrest J Ackerman and costume designer Trina Robbins in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror comics magazine Vampirella #1 . Writer-editor Archie Goodwin later developed the character from horror-story hostess, in...
trading card sets.
Jusko has also produced storyboards for ad agencies, for such notable clients as the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
.
Jusko is currently working on The Art of Joe Jusko (Desperado Publishing
Desperado Publishing
Desperado Publishing is an American independent comic book publisher, established in 2004. Located in Norcross, Georgia, Desperado's president is Joe Pruett, its creative director is Stephan Nilson, and its director of business development is former Caliber Press publisher Gary Reed.-Overview:With...
), as well as a graphic novel adaptation of Steve Niles
Steve Niles
Steve Niles is an American comic book author and novelist, known for works such as 30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre, Simon Dark, Mystery Society and Batman: Gotham County Line....
's supernatural detective Cal MacDonald.
New York City police officer
At one point in his career, Jusko became "disillusioned with the lack of work . . . and became a [New York City] police officer. After several years I realized art was my main passion and went back to it full time. Luckily, the second time was a charm and my career took off." After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Jusko created the Police and Firefighter Heroes of September 11 lithograph, all proceeds of which went to the New York City Police and Fire Department Widows' and Orphans' Fund.Awards
Jusko won the Comic Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Painter in 1992 and 1993, and the Wizard Fan Award for Favorite Painter in 1993 and 1994. His fully painted graphic novel Tomb RaiderTomb Raider
Tomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn, with MS-DOS and PlayStation versions following shortly thereafter...
: The Greatest Treasure of All won a Certificate of Merit from the Society of Illustrators
Society of Illustrators
The Society of Illustrators is a professional society based in New York City. Founded in 1901, the mission of the Society is to promote the art and appreciation of illustration, as well as its history...
(which accepted Jusko as a member in 2007).