Mike W. Barr
Encyclopedia
Mike W. Barr is an American writer of comic book
s, and mystery, and science fiction
novels.
' Detective Comics
#444 (Dec. 1974-Jan. 1975), for which he wrote an 8-page back-up mystery feature starring the Elongated Man
. Another Elongated Man story followed in Detective Comics #453 (November 1975). He wrote text articles and editorial replies in letter columns for the next few years. By mid-1980 he was writing regularly for both DC and Marvel, including stories for Marvel Team-Up
, Mystery in Space
, Green Lantern
, and various Batman
titles.
Legion of Super-Heroes
#277 (July 1981) saw him take on editorial duties at DC, while writing issues of DC's Star Trek
comic, for whom he created the native American character Ensign Bearclaw and a pacifist Klingon
named Konom. In December 1982, he and artist Brian Bolland
began Camelot 3000
, a 12 issue limited series that was one of DC Comics' first direct market
projects. When the long running The Brave and the Bold
series came to its conclusion with issue #200 (July 1983), it featured a preview
of a new Batman series, Batman and the Outsiders
by Barr and artist Jim Aparo
, which would be described by DC Comics writer and executive Paul Levitz
as being "a team series more fashionable to 1980s audiences." Barr wrote every issue of the original series, and its Baxter
paper spinoff, The Outsiders.
His other comics work includes Mantra and Maze Agency
as well as the 1987 OGN
hardcover book Batman: Son of the Demon
(with art by Jerry Bingham
), proceeds from which reputedly "restored DC Comics to first place in sales after fifteen years." This title, and Barr's work on Batman with artist Alan Davis
have been cited by Grant Morrison
as key inspirations for his recent (2006) run on the Batman
title.
In 2007, he wrote a two-part story for the pages of DC's JLA: Classified (#47-48, Jan-Feb 2008), returned to the Outsiders with Outsiders: Five of a Kind—Katana/Shazam #1 (Oct 2007), contributed to Tokyopop
's Star Trek: The Manga, and relaunched Maze Agency
at IDW Publishing
.
He has also scripted many of Bongo Comics' Simpsons titles, including a Christmas story for 2010.
In May 2010, the Invisible College Press published Barr's science fiction/fantasy novel, Majician/51, about the discoveries of a scientist working at Area 51.
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...
s, and mystery, and science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels.
Biography
Barr's debut as a comics professional came in 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...
' Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective 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...
#444 (Dec. 1974-Jan. 1975), for which he wrote an 8-page back-up mystery feature starring the Elongated Man
Elongated Man
The Elongated Man is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. He is a reserve member of the Justice League. His first appearance was in The Flash vol. 1, #112...
. Another Elongated Man story followed in Detective Comics #453 (November 1975). He wrote text articles and editorial replies in letter columns for the next few years. By mid-1980 he was writing regularly for both DC and Marvel, including stories for Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up is the name of several American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story...
, Mystery in Space
Mystery in Space
Mystery in Space is the name of two science fiction comic book series published in the United States by DC Comics, then known as National Comics. The first series ran for 110 issues from 1951 - 1966, with a further 7 issues continuing the numbering during a 1980s revival of the title...
, Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
, and various Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
titles.
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....
#277 (July 1981) saw him take on editorial duties at DC, while writing issues of DC's Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
comic, for whom he created the native American character Ensign Bearclaw and a pacifist Klingon
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
named Konom. In December 1982, he and artist Brian Bolland
Brian Bolland
Brian Bolland is a British comics artist, known for his meticulous, detailed linework and eye-catching compositions. Best known in the UK as one of the definitive Judge Dredd artists for British comics anthology 2000 AD, he spearheaded the 'British Invasion' of the American comics industry, and in...
began Camelot 3000
Camelot 3000
Camelot 3000 is an American twelve-issue comic book limited series written by Mike W. Barr and penciled by Brian Bolland. It was published by DC Comics from 1982 to 1985 as one of its first direct market projects, and as its first maxi-series.-Plot:...
, a 12 issue limited series that was one of DC Comics' first direct market
Direct market
The direct market is the dominant distribution and retail network for North American comic books. It consists of one dominant distributor and the majority of comics specialty stores, as well as other retailers of comic books and related merchandise...
projects. When the long running The Brave and the Bold
The Brave and the Bold
The Brave and the Bold is the title shared by many comic book series published by DC Comics. The first of these was published as an ongoing series from 1955 to 1983...
series came to its conclusion with issue #200 (July 1983), it featured a preview
DC Comics insert previews
DC Comics insert previews were 16-page comic book stories inserted into issues of existing DC Comics series to promote new series usually debuting the next month. Running from 1980 to 1985, they consisted of a front cover, 14 pages of story, and a back cover that depicted the cover of the actual...
of a new Batman series, Batman and the Outsiders
Outsiders (comics)
The Outsiders are a fictional DC Comics superhero team. As its name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who allegedly do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League....
by Barr and artist Jim Aparo
Jim Aparo
James N. "Jim" Aparo was an American comic book artist best known for his 1960s and 1970s DC Comics work, including on the characters Batman, Aquaman and the Spectre....
, which would be described by DC Comics writer and executive Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz
Paul Levitz is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he has worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles...
as being "a team series more fashionable to 1980s audiences." Barr wrote every issue of the original series, and its Baxter
Baxter
Baxter originated from the Northern English and Scottish occupational surname meaning "baker," from the early Middle English bakstere and the Old English bæcere. The form Bakster was originally feminine, with Baker as the masculine equivalent...
paper spinoff, The Outsiders.
His other comics work includes Mantra and Maze Agency
Maze Agency
The Maze Agency is an American mystery comic book series created by Mike W. Barr and first published in 1988. It revolves around a pair of detectives and their adventures solving puzzling murders...
as well as the 1987 OGN
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
hardcover book Batman: Son of the Demon
Batman: Son of the Demon
Batman: Son of the Demon is a graphic novel by Mike W. Barr and Jerry Bingham, published in 1987 by DC Comics. It was released in both hardcover and softcover formats....
(with art by Jerry Bingham
Jerry Bingham
Jerry Bingham is an American artist who has worked in the fields of comic books, commercial illustration, and design...
), proceeds from which reputedly "restored DC Comics to first place in sales after fifteen years." This title, and Barr's work on Batman with artist Alan Davis
Alan Davis
Alan Davis is an English writer and artist of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail.-UK work:...
have been cited by 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 key inspirations for his recent (2006) run on the Batman
Batman (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...
title.
In 2007, he wrote a two-part story for the pages of DC's JLA: Classified (#47-48, Jan-Feb 2008), returned to the Outsiders with Outsiders: Five of a Kind—Katana/Shazam #1 (Oct 2007), contributed to 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...
's Star Trek: The Manga, and relaunched Maze Agency
Maze Agency
The Maze Agency is an American mystery comic book series created by Mike W. Barr and first published in 1988. It revolves around a pair of detectives and their adventures solving puzzling murders...
at IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
.
He has also scripted many of Bongo Comics' Simpsons titles, including a Christmas story for 2010.
In May 2010, the Invisible College Press published Barr's science fiction/fantasy novel, Majician/51, about the discoveries of a scientist working at Area 51.
Non-comics
FantasticFiction notes that:"Mike W. Barr has written [for] every one of the first four incarnations of Star Trek: Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, Star Trek: Deep Space NineStar Trek: Deep Space NineStar Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
and Star Trek: VoyagerStar Trek: VoyagerStar Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
-- in either comic book or other formats."
It is also pointed out that Barr's Batman stories and scripts have been adapted into several mediums, including for episodes of Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
.
External links
- http://www.comics.org/search/advanced/process/?target=sequence&method=icontains&logic=False&order1=date&order2=series&order3=&title=&feature=&job_number=&pages=&script=Mike+Barr&pencils=&inks=&colors=&letters=&story_editing=&genre=&characters=&synopsis=&reprint_notes=¬es=&start_date=&end_date=&pub_name=&country=us&pub_notes=&series=&series_notes=&tracking_notes=&publication_notes=&language=en&issues=&volume=&issue_date=&brand=&indicia_publisher=&price=&issue_pages=&format=&issue_editing=&issue_notes=&is_indexed=NoneMike Barr] and http://www.comics.org/search/advanced/process/?target=sequence&method=icontains&logic=False&order1=date&order2=series&order3=&title=&feature=&job_number=&pages=&script=Mike+W.+Barr&pencils=&inks=&colors=&letters=&story_editing=&genre=&characters=&synopsis=&reprint_notes=¬es=&start_date=&end_date=&pub_name=&country=us&pub_notes=&series=&series_notes=&tracking_notes=&publication_notes=&language=en&issues=&volume=&issue_date=&brand=&indicia_publisher=&price=&issue_pages=&format=&issue_editing=&issue_notes=&is_indexed=NoneMike W. Barr] at the Grand Comics Database