Michael William Kaluta
Encyclopedia
Michael William Kaluta, sometimes credited as Mike Kaluta or Michael Wm. Kaluta (born August 25, 1947), is an American comic book
artist and writer.
to U.S. citizens, Kaluta studied at the Richmond Professional Institute (now Virginia Commonwealth University
).
, issue #6 and an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs
's Venus novels for DC
. Kaluta's influences and style are drawn from pulp illustrations of the 1930's and the turn of the century poster work of Alphonse Mucha - his signature motif is elaborate decorative panel designs - rather than the silver age comics of the 1960s. Kaluta has worked rarely with the superhero genre. Associated during the 1970's with Bernie Wrightson
and Jeffrey Jones he also contributed illustrations to Ted White
's Fantastic
and Amazing. He is known for his work on the series Starstruck and The Shadow
. He co-created Eve, the horror host turned The Sandman supporting character.
Kaluta was one of the four comic book artists/fine illustrator/painters who formed the artists' commune The Studio in a loft in Manhattan
's Chelsea district from 1975 to 1979. His Studio colleagues were Barry Windsor-Smith
, Jeffrey Jones, and Bernie Wrightson
. Aside from many comic books and covers Kaluta has done a wide variety of book illustrations.
In 1984 he not only drew the illustrations for but directed the music video
of The Alan Parsons Project
song "Don't Answer Me," which became one of the most requested videos of the year on cable video channel MTV
in America
.
Among music fans, Kaluta is known as the artist for the cover of Glenn Danzig
's instrumental album Black Aria
and for the interior illustration of Danzig
's fourth album
, the latter of which appeared in 1994 and 1995 as a pendant sold at Danzig concerts, and on Danzig T-shirts and sweaters produced in the same period. Kaluta also created the CD covers and interior booklet illustrations for Nativity in Black
I and II, tribute albums to the music of Black Sabbath
.
Kaluta has also worked for role-playing game companies such as White Wolf
. He has done artwork for collectible card game
s companies, including a comic book for Wizards of the Coast
's Magic: The Gathering
and illustrating cards on Last Unicorn Games
' Heresy: Kingdom Come
.
His work has won him a good deal of recognition, including the Shazam Award for Outstanding New Talent in 1971 and the 2003 Spectrum Grandmaster Award.
In the early 1990s, he was active in Compuserve's Macintosh Gaming Forum, in the flight simulator enthusiast group which called itself VFA-13 Shadow Riders. He contributed a number of designs for airplane nose art and flight suit unit patches.
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 writer.
Early life
Born in GuatemalaGuatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
to U.S. citizens, Kaluta studied at the Richmond Professional Institute (now Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
).
Career
Kaluta's early work included a 3-page adventure story, "The Battle of Shiraz", in Charlton Comics Flash GordonFlash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
, issue #6 and an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar 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:...
's Venus novels for DC
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...
. Kaluta's influences and style are drawn from pulp illustrations of the 1930's and the turn of the century poster work of Alphonse Mucha - his signature motif is elaborate decorative panel designs - rather than the silver age comics of the 1960s. Kaluta has worked rarely with the superhero genre. Associated during the 1970's with Bernie Wrightson
Bernie Wrightson
Bernie "Berni" Wrightson is an American artist known for his horror illustrations and comic books.-Biography:...
and Jeffrey Jones he also contributed illustrations to Ted White
Ted White (author)
Ted White is a Hugo Award-winning American writer, known as a science fiction author and editor and fan, as well as a music critic...
's Fantastic
Fantastic (magazine)
Fantastic was an American digest-size fantasy and science fiction magazine, published from 1952 to 1980. It was founded by Ziff-Davis as a fantasy companion to Amazing Stories. Early sales were good, and Ziff-Davis quickly decided to switch Amazing from pulp format to digest, and to cease...
and Amazing. He is known for his work on the series Starstruck and The Shadow
The Shadow
The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
. He co-created Eve, the horror host turned The Sandman supporting character.
Kaluta was one of the four comic book artists/fine illustrator/painters who formed the artists' commune The Studio in a loft in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Chelsea district from 1975 to 1979. His Studio colleagues were Barry Windsor-Smith
Barry Windsor-Smith
Barry Windsor-Smith, born Barry Smith is a British comic book illustrator and painter whose best known work has been produced in the United States....
, Jeffrey Jones, and Bernie Wrightson
Bernie Wrightson
Bernie "Berni" Wrightson is an American artist known for his horror illustrations and comic books.-Biography:...
. Aside from many comic books and covers Kaluta has done a wide variety of book illustrations.
In 1984 he not only drew the illustrations for but directed the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
of The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project was a British progressive rock band, active between 1975 and 1990, consisting of singer Eric Woolfson and keyboardist Alan Parsons surrounded by a varying number of session musicians....
song "Don't Answer Me," which became one of the most requested videos of the year on cable video channel MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Among music fans, Kaluta is known as the artist for the cover of Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
's instrumental album Black Aria
Black Aria
Black Aria is an instrumental album composed by Glenn Danzig, the vocalist/songwriter for Danzig and previously of Samhain and the Misfits. Released in 1992, the album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard classical chart. This original release was on Danzig's old Misfits-era label, Plan 9 Records,...
and for the interior illustration of Danzig
Danzig (band)
Danzig is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey. The band serves as a musical outlet for the singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig. Danzig can be seen as the third stage in Glenn Danzig's musical career, preceded by the horror punk bands The Misfits and Samhain...
's fourth album
Danzig 4
Danzig 4p is the fourth studio album by Danzig. It was released in 1994 on American Recordings following 1993's highly successful Thrall: Demonsweatlive EP and singer Glenn Danzig's 1992 instrumental solo effort, Black Aria.-Background:...
, the latter of which appeared in 1994 and 1995 as a pendant sold at Danzig concerts, and on Danzig T-shirts and sweaters produced in the same period. Kaluta also created the CD covers and interior booklet illustrations for Nativity in Black
Nativity in Black
Nativity in Black is the name of two Black Sabbath tribute albums that came out in the 1990s and 2000s. The albums were recorded with various heavy metal bands paying tribute to Black Sabbath for their influence on the heavy metal genre of rock music....
I and II, tribute albums to the music of Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
.
Kaluta has also worked for role-playing game companies such as White Wolf
White Wolf
White Wolf is a publisher of role-playing games, notably the World of Darkness.White Wolf may also refer to:*White Wolf , a location in Yosemite National Park*White Wolf , a Canadian heavy metal band...
. He has done artwork for collectible card game
Collectible card game
thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...
s companies, including a comic book for Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
's Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
and illustrating cards on Last Unicorn Games
Last Unicorn Games
Last Unicorn Games was a games publisher that was eventually absorbed by Wizards of the Coast.Last Unicorn developed the collectible card games Dune and Heresy: Kingdom Come as well as the 2000 role-playing game Dune: Chronicles of the Imperium...
' Heresy: Kingdom Come
Heresy: Kingdom Come
Heresy: Kingdom Come was a collectible card game developed and published by Last Unicorn Games in 1995. The game was based around religion-themed fantasy in a cyberpunk setting.-Publication history:...
.
His work has won him a good deal of recognition, including the Shazam Award for Outstanding New Talent in 1971 and the 2003 Spectrum Grandmaster Award.
In the early 1990s, he was active in Compuserve's Macintosh Gaming Forum, in the flight simulator enthusiast group which called itself VFA-13 Shadow Riders. He contributed a number of designs for airplane nose art and flight suit unit patches.
Dark Horse
- ConanConan (Dark Horse Comics)Conan, the sword-and-sorcery character created by Robert E. Howard, is the protagonist of four major comic series published by Dark Horse Comics...
#22 (2005) - Starstruck #1-4 (miniseries) (1990)
- ShadowThe ShadowThe Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
(interiors): #1-2; (covers): Shadow: In the Coils of Leviathan #1-4 (1993–94)
DC
- Action ComicsAction ComicsAction Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
(cover) #613 (1988) - Adventure ComicsAdventure ComicsAdventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
(cover) #425 (1972) - AquamanAquamanAquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
, vol. 3 (covers) #63-75 (2000–01) - AquamanAquamanAquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
, vol. 4 (covers) #51 (2007) - BatmanBatman (comic book)Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
(covers) #242, 248, 253 (1972–73); Annual #12, 24 (1988–2000) - Batman ChroniclesBatman ChroniclesThe Batman Chronicles is a series of comics published by DC Comics from 1995 to 2001, which lasted 23 quarterly issues and a series of collections.-Publication history:...
(cover) #6 (1996) - Batman FamilyBatman FamilyThe Batman Family was a DC Comics comic book series which ran from 1975 to 1978, primarily featuring stories starring supporting characters in the Batman comics...
(covers) #17, 19 (1978) - Batman: Gotham KnightsBatman: Gotham KnightsBatman: Gotham Knights was a monthly, fictional comic book series published by DC Comics. The original intent of this book was to feature the exploits of Batman and his extended family - Alfred Pennyworth, Batgirl, Nightwing, Robin, Oracle, Catwoman, etc...
(Batman Black and White) #32 (2002) - Books of Magic (covers) #22, 27-40, 42-65, 67-75 (1996–2000)
- Brave and the Bold (cover) #176 (1981)
- Brave and the Bold, vol. 2 (cover) #26 (2009)
- Detective ComicsDetective ComicsDetective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
(covers) #423-424, 426-429, 431, 434, 438 (1972–74); #572 (1987) - Doorway to Nightmare (covers) #2-5 (1978)
- Forbidden Tales of Dark MansionForbidden Tales of Dark MansionForbidden Tales of Dark Mansion was a horror-suspense-romance anthology comic book series published by DC Comics from 1971–1974, a companion to Secrets of Sinister House.-Publication history:...
(covers) #7-8, 13 (1972–73) - Ghosts (covers) #7, 93, 101 (1972–81)
- House of MysteryHouse of MysteryThe House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series. It had a companion series, House of Secrets.-Genesis:...
(interiors): #195, 200; (covers): #201-202, 210, 212, 233, 260-261, 263, 265, 267-268, 273, 276, 284, 287-288, 293-295, 300, 302, 304-305, 309-321 (1971–83) - House of Secrets (interiors): #87, 98; (covers): #101-102, 149, 151, 154 (1970–78)
- Just ImagineJust Imagine...Just Imagine Stan Lee is a comic book published by DC Comics. It was the first work by Stan Lee, co-creator of numerous popular Marvel Comics characters, for DC Comics, in which he reimagined several DC superheroes including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and The...
Stan LeeStan LeeStan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
with Joe KubertJoe KubertJoe Kubert is an American comic book artist who went on to found The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman...
creating Batman (4-pages only) (2001) - Justice League of America (cover) #154 (1978)
- Korak, son of TarzanKorakKorak [long "O"] is the ape name of John 'Jack' Clayton, the son of Tarzan and Jane.-History:Jack first appeared in the original Tarzan novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. He was introduced as an infant in the non-Tarzan novel The Eternal Lover , in which the Ape Man and his family played supporting...
#46-53 (Carson of VenusVenus seriesThe Venus Series by Edgar Rice Burroughs is a science fiction series consisting of four novels and one novelette. Most of the stories were first serialized in Argosy, an American pulp magazine. It is sometimes known as the Carson Napier of Venus Series, after their fictional main character, Carson...
series) (1972–74) - Madame XanaduMadame XanaduMadame Xanadu is a fictional character, a comic book mystic published by DC Comics. The character is identified with Nimue, the sorceress from Arthurian mythology made popular by Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur.-Publication history:...
(cover) #1 (1981) - Madame Xanadu, vol. 2 #11-15 (2008–09)
- Phantom StrangerPhantom StrangerThe Phantom Stranger is a fictional character of unspecified paranormal origins who battles mysterious and occult forces in various titles published by DC Comics, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint.-Publication history:...
, vol. 2 (Spawn of Frankenstein) #23-25; (cover) #26 (1973) - Secrets of Haunted HouseSecrets of Haunted HouseSecrets of Haunted House was a horror-suspense anthology comic book series published by DC Comics from 1975 to 1982.-Publication history:...
(covers) #8, 10-11, 14, 16, 29 (1977–80) - ShadowThe ShadowThe Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
(interiors): #1-4, 6; (covers): #10-12 (1973–75) - Spectre, vol. 3 (covers) #1-3, 10, 44 (1992–96)
- SpiritThe SpiritThe Spirit is a crime-fighting fictional character created by writer-artist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940 in "The Spirit Section", the colloquial name given to a 16-page Sunday supplement, distributed to 20 newspapers by the Register and Tribune Syndicate and reaching five million...
, vol. 2, #5 (2010) - SupermanSuperman (comic book)Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
(Fabulous World of KryptonKrypton (comics)Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
) #240 (1972); (Superman) #400 (6-pages among other artists, 1984) - TarzanTarzan (comics)Tarzan, a fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first appeared in the 1912 novel Tarzan of the Apes, and then in 23 sequels. The character proved immensely popular and quickly made the jump to other media, including comics.-Comic strips:...
#230 (Carson of VenusVenus seriesThe Venus Series by Edgar Rice Burroughs is a science fiction series consisting of four novels and one novelette. Most of the stories were first serialized in Argosy, an American pulp magazine. It is sometimes known as the Carson Napier of Venus Series, after their fictional main character, Carson...
series) (1974) - Weird Mystery TalesWeird Mystery TalesWeird Mystery Tales was a mystery anthology from DC Comics, which ran from July/Aug. 1972-November 1975. Like its sister books House of Mystery and The Witching Hour, it was known for its "monstrous stories" with shock endings....
#24 (1975) - Weird WorldsWeird Worlds (comics)Weird Worlds was a short-lived science fiction anthology title from DC Comics that was published between 1972 and 1974. It lasted 10 issues.At first, Weird Worlds published series from Edgar Rice Burroughs that DC had the rights to...
(interiors): #4; (covers): #5-6, 10 (1972–74) - Wonder WomanWonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
(cover) #297 (1982)
Marvel
- Chaos WarChaos WarThe Chaos War, also known as the Second Cataclysm, is a fictional war in the Dragonlance setting. The war was massive, drawing in nearly all the people of Ansalon, as well as the gods themselves...
: Chaos King (2010) - Conan the BarbarianConan the Barbarian (comics)Conan the Barbarian was a Marvel Comics title starring the sword-and-sorcery character created by Robert E. Howard. It debuted in Oct. 1970 and ran for 275 issues until Dec...
(cover) #167 (1985) - Conan the King, then King Conan (covers) #20-27, 31 (1984–85)
- Fearsome Four, miniseries, #1- (among other artists) (2011)
- Epic IllustratedEpic IllustratedEpic Illustrated was a comics anthology in magazine format published in the United States by Marvel Comics. The series lasted for 34 issues, from Spring 1980 to February 1986....
#17, 21, 24, 25-26, 28 (1983–85) - ShadowThe ShadowThe Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
: 1941 Hitler's Astrologer, graphic novel (1991) - ThorThor (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....
, vol. 2 #57 (2-pages only, among other artists) (2003)
Other publishers
- ConanConan (Dark Horse Comics)Conan, the sword-and-sorcery character created by Robert E. Howard, is the protagonist of four major comic series published by Dark Horse Comics...
#22 (along with Cary NordCary NordCary Nord is an artist noted for his work in comic books. He started his career with a letter and some original artwork sent into the editors of Marvel Comics's Marvel Comics Presents. They were so impressed, he was awarded with a professional job penciling a Shang Chi serial. He eventually became...
) (2005) (Dark Horse) - Rocketeer Adventure Magazine #1-2 (1988) (Comico)
- Tom Strong's Terrific Tales #9 (America's Best Comics)
Books and compilations
- Michael Wm. Kaluta Sketchbook (Kitchen Sink)
- ECHOES: The Drawings of Michael Wm. Kaluta (Vanguard)
- Wings of Twilight: Art of Michael Kaluta (NBM)