Jose Gonzalez (artist)
Encyclopedia
José "Pepe" Gonzalez was a Spanish
comic book artist
.
in 1971. Jim Warren described his reaction to seeing Gonzalez's art in 'The Warren Companion':
Starting with issue 12 in 1971, Gonzalez became the primary artist for the character Vampirella
. Comics historian David Roach discusses the reaction to Gonzalez's art on Vampirella in 'The Warren Companion':
Gonzalez received immediate acclaim for his work on Vampirella, and his first story won the Warren Award for best art in a story in 1971. Gonzalez drew the Vampirella story for every issue from issue 12 through issue 34. He won another Warren Award in 1974 for best art on a story for his work in issue 33.
By mid-1974, Gonzalez's output for Vampirella reduced and multiple fill in artists including Jose Ortiz
and Leopold Sanchez
contributed Vampirella stories. Gonzalez would remain as the primary artist for Vampirella for the next few years, but by 1977 he shared duties with artist Gonzalo Mayo. Warren would also reprint the three part series "Herma", which had been originally drawn in 1974 in issues 8-10 of 1984
. After issue 82 of Vampirella in 1979, Gonzalez ceased drawing for Warren, except for one page pin-up contributions (which had started appearing with issue 39 in 1975) which were printed on the Contents page. Gonzalez would return to Warren in 1982 and would draw stories for Vampirella in the final 6 non-reprint issues of the title until Warren's bankruptcy. From 1971 through 1983, Gonzalez drew 58 stories for Warren Publishing, putting him in the top 10 most prolific artists at the company. He drew 53 total strips of Vampirella, making him that title's most prolific artist.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
comic book artist
Comic book creator
A comic book creator is someone who creates a comic book or graphic novel.The production of a comic book by one of the major comic book companies in the U.S...
.
Early career
José Gonzalez started his career at the age of 17 working on Rosas Blancas and Brigitte for the company Editorial Toray. He joined the agency Selecciones Illustrada in 1960 and drew romance comics for Fleetway. Gonzalez also worked as a pin-up artist during this time for the international market.Vampirella
Due to his connections with S.I., Gonzalez started working for Warren PublishingWarren Publishing
Warren Publishing was an American magazine company founded by James Warren, who published his first magazines in 1957 and continued in the business for decades...
in 1971. Jim Warren described his reaction to seeing Gonzalez's art in 'The Warren Companion':
- The minute I took one look at Pepe Gonzalez's artwork, I knew we had it! We survived 12 issues but there it was. This is what I wanted for the first issue but couldn't put together.
Starting with issue 12 in 1971, Gonzalez became the primary artist for the character 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...
. Comics historian David Roach discusses the reaction to Gonzalez's art on Vampirella in 'The Warren Companion':
- His first "Vampirella" strip appeared one year later in Vampirella #12 and caused an immediate sensation. Here was the same glamour and sophistication that had worked so well in Britain applied to a character of enormous potential but hitherto little direction. The cover of #19 featured Gonzalez's memorable full figure painting of Vampirella, a bat balanced on her outstretched hand, which came to symbolize the character on everything from posters to books to stickers and pillows. It was an icon, as a pin-up for adolescents (of all ages) that his vision of her worked best since her strips, particularly in the early day, failed to live up to their potential.
Gonzalez received immediate acclaim for his work on Vampirella, and his first story won the Warren Award for best art in a story in 1971. Gonzalez drew the Vampirella story for every issue from issue 12 through issue 34. He won another Warren Award in 1974 for best art on a story for his work in issue 33.
By mid-1974, Gonzalez's output for Vampirella reduced and multiple fill in artists including Jose Ortiz
José Ortiz (comics)
José Ortiz Moya is a Spanish comics artist, best known for several collaborations with Antonio Segura, such as the series Hombre.-Biography:...
and Leopold Sanchez
Leopold Sánchez
-Career:Sánchez was born in 1948 in Spain. Sánchez started his career in the comic book industry at the age of 14, as an assistant for the artist Gines Garcia. Throughout the 1960s he assisted the artists José Ortiz and Leopold Ortiz. He eventually started working on his own in Britain and France...
contributed Vampirella stories. Gonzalez would remain as the primary artist for Vampirella for the next few years, but by 1977 he shared duties with artist Gonzalo Mayo. Warren would also reprint the three part series "Herma", which had been originally drawn in 1974 in issues 8-10 of 1984
1984 (magazine)
1984 was a black and white science-fiction comic magazine published by Warren Publishing from 1978 to 1983. 1984 was edited by Bill Dubay. The title of the magazine was changed to 1994 starting with issue 11 in February, 1980 based on a request by the estate of George Orwell...
. After issue 82 of Vampirella in 1979, Gonzalez ceased drawing for Warren, except for one page pin-up contributions (which had started appearing with issue 39 in 1975) which were printed on the Contents page. Gonzalez would return to Warren in 1982 and would draw stories for Vampirella in the final 6 non-reprint issues of the title until Warren's bankruptcy. From 1971 through 1983, Gonzalez drew 58 stories for Warren Publishing, putting him in the top 10 most prolific artists at the company. He drew 53 total strips of Vampirella, making him that title's most prolific artist.
Warren
- VampirellaVampirellaVampirella 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...
#12-15, 17-25, 27-34, 37-38, 42-44, 50, 53, 56-62, 65-68, 71-72, 74-76, 82, 106, 108, Annual 1972
External links
- Jose Gonzalez biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia