Paris Cullins
Encyclopedia
Paris Cullins is an African-American comic-book artist best known for his work on DC Comics
' Blue Devil
and Blue Beetle
, and Marvel Comics
' Hyperkind
.
samples of his fledgling comics art since 1976, finally meeting with art director
Dick Giordano
in the last week of 1979. Cullins recalled in 2007 that,
Cullins' first known credited comics work was as penciler-inker
of the six-page story "Mystic Murder", by writer
Steve Skeates
, in the DC Comics
supernatural
anthology
Secrets of Haunted House
#42 (Nov. 1981). Cullins went on to pencil stories in such similar DC titles as House of Mystery
, Ghosts, The Unexpected and Weird War Tales
through the early 1980s, and made his superhero
debut penciling an eight-page "Tales of the Green Lantern Corps
" backup feature in Green Lantern
#154 (July 1982). As well, artist Ernie Colón
, whom Cullins met at DC and who drew Richie Rich and other children's titles for Harvey Comics
, "offered me a job doing some extra work for Harvey Comics. For several months I drew Richie Rich and Hot Stuff.
After co-penciling Justice League of America #212 (March 1983) with Rich Buckler
, and making his cover debut with The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl
#7, Cullins penciled his first full-length comic, Blue Devil
#1 (June 1984), starring a superhero
he had co-created with writers Gary Cohn and Dan Mishkin
earlier that month for a backup feature
in The Fury of Firestorm
#24 (June 1984).
Blue Devil ran 31 issues, through cover-date December 1986, with Cullins penciling the first six and Blue Devil Annual #1 (1985), and covers through the end of the run. Cullins additionally drew dozens of DC covers and occasional stories through the decade, and numerous character pages for Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe. Cullins and writer Len Wein
helped introduce the Ted Kord Blue Beetle
to DC, which had acquired that character from the defunct Charlton Comics
, teaming on the 1986 Blue Beetle
series. Cullins penciled issues #1-9, 11-14, and 17-18 (collectively, June 1986 - Nov. 1987).
Cullins broke into Marvel Comics
penciling two six-page High Evolutionary
backup stories, one each in the 1988 X-Factor Annual
#3 and Silver Surfer Annual
#1. He was still freelancing primarily for DC. collaborating there with writer J.M. DeMatteis on a six-issue miniseries
revival (Feb.-July 1988) of Jack Kirby
's The Forever People, penciling the stories and covers. With writer Mark Evanier
, primarily, Cullins co-plotted and penciled issues #1-9, 11-12, and 15-18 (collectively, Feb. 1989 - July 1990) of a revival of Kirby's The New Gods.
In the 1990s, Cullins, while keeping DC as his home base, branched out to draw additional occasional comics for Marvel, and for publishers including Acclaim Comics, Massive Comics Group, Penthouse International
(Penthouse Comix
), and Crusade Comics. Teamed with writer Fred Burke, Cullins penciled stories and covers for all nine issues of the superhero-team comic Hyperkind
, for Marvel's Clive Barker
-created Razorline
imprint.
Largely absent from comics from 1996, when he did pencil-breakdowns for DC's Life, The Universe and Everything #1, to 2001, when he penciled the cover of DC/Onstar
's Onstar Batman Special Edition #1, Cullins contributed a one-page Blazing Glory pinup to Atomeka Press
' A1 Sketchbook (Nov. 2004), his last known comics work as of 2007.
At some point, Cullins did book-cover art and "worked for advertisement agencies
, and did storyboard
s for[ video] games and TV commercials, Activision
in particular, and full-color storyboards and designs for a game called Terror in the Bermuda Triangle".
In December 2006, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
-based Maximum Overtime Media announced the first-quarter 2007 planned premiere of Gritz n' Gravy, "a quarterly illustrated adult urban fantasy and popular-culture national magazine", with Cullins, a company co-founder, announced as publisher.
In May 2011, DC Comics announced he would be the artist, paired with writer William Messner-Loebs
, on Wonder Woman
- The '90s, a one-shot in DC's nostalgic DC Retroactive
series. However, the book would be drawn by Lee Moder and Dan Green rather than Cullins.
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...
' Blue Devil
Blue Devil
Blue Devil is a superhero featured in material published by DC Comics. He first appeared in a special insert published in Fury of Firestorm #24 . That story led directly into Blue Devil #1, also cover dated June 1984...
and Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939.-Publication history:...
, and Marvel Comics
Marvel 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...
' Hyperkind
Hyperkind
Hyperkind is a comic book series from Marvel Comics' 1993-1995 Razorline imprint, created by Clive Barker, written by Fred Burke penciled by Paris Cullins and inked by Bob Petrecca....
.
Early career
Paris Cullins had sent 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...
samples of his fledgling comics art since 1976, finally meeting with art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
Dick Giordano
Dick Giordano
Richard Joseph "Dick" Giordano was an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes, and serving as executive editor of then–industry leader DC Comics...
in the last week of 1979. Cullins recalled in 2007 that,
Cullins' first known credited comics work was as penciler-inker
Inker
The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book or graphic novel. After a pencilled drawing is given to the inker, the inker uses black ink to produce refined outlines over the pencil lines...
of the six-page story "Mystic Murder", by writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
Steve Skeates
Steve Skeates
Steve Skeates is an American comic book creator known for his work on books such as Spectre, Hawk and Dove, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Aquaman, and Namor the Sub-Mariner.-Career:...
, in 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...
supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
Secrets of Haunted House
Secrets of Haunted House
Secrets of Haunted House was a horror-suspense anthology comic book series published by DC Comics from 1975 to 1982.-Publication history:...
#42 (Nov. 1981). Cullins went on to pencil stories in such similar DC titles as House of Mystery
House of Mystery
The House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series. It had a companion series, House of Secrets.-Genesis:...
, Ghosts, The Unexpected and Weird War Tales
Weird War Tales
Weird War Tales was a war comic book title with supernatural overtones published by DC Comics which ran from September 1971 to June 1983.-Background:...
through the early 1980s, and made his superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
debut penciling an eight-page "Tales of the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
" backup feature in 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...
#154 (July 1982). As well, artist Ernie Colón
Ernie Colon
Ernie Colón is an American comics artist, born on July 13, 1931,Colón was born in Puerto Rico and began his professional career at Harvey Comics as a letterer. He later worked, uncredited, as an artist on titles including Monster in My Pocket, Richie Rich and Casper the Friendly Ghost...
, whom Cullins met at DC and who drew Richie Rich and other children's titles for Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by Alfred Harvey in 1941, after buying out the small publisher Brookwood Publications. His brothers Robert B...
, "offered me a job doing some extra work for Harvey Comics. For several months I drew Richie Rich and Hot Stuff.
"Blue" period
Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler is an American comic book artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four in the mid-1970s and, with writer Doug Moench, co-creating the character Deathlok in Astonishing Tales #25...
, and making his cover debut with The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
#7, Cullins penciled his first full-length comic, Blue Devil
Blue Devil
Blue Devil is a superhero featured in material published by DC Comics. He first appeared in a special insert published in Fury of Firestorm #24 . That story led directly into Blue Devil #1, also cover dated June 1984...
#1 (June 1984), starring a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
he had co-created with writers Gary Cohn and Dan Mishkin
Dan Mishkin
Dan Mishkin is a comic book writer, and co-creator of the DC Comics characters Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld and Blue Devil. Both series used fantasy elements in ironic and often thought-provoking ways. DC gave these series a promotional push by featuring them in free, 16-page insert previews...
earlier that month for a backup feature
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...
in The Fury of Firestorm
Firestorm (comics)
Firestorm is the name of several comic book superheroes published by DC Comics. Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein, the first Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm, the Nuclear Man #1 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom. Martin Stein, by himself as Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm the Nuclear...
#24 (June 1984).
Blue Devil ran 31 issues, through cover-date December 1986, with Cullins penciling the first six and Blue Devil Annual #1 (1985), and covers through the end of the run. Cullins additionally drew dozens of DC covers and occasional stories through the decade, and numerous character pages for Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe. Cullins and writer Len Wein
Len Wein
Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
helped introduce the Ted Kord Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle (Ted Kord)
Blue Beetle is the second Blue Beetle, a superhero who was originally published by Charlton Comics and later picked up by DC Comics...
to DC, which had acquired that character from the defunct Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
, teaming on the 1986 Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939.-Publication history:...
series. Cullins penciled issues #1-9, 11-14, and 17-18 (collectively, June 1986 - Nov. 1987).
Cullins broke into Marvel Comics
Marvel 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...
penciling two six-page High Evolutionary
High Evolutionary
The High Evolutionary is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The High Evolutionary was first mentioned in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #133 , and first appears in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #134 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
backup stories, one each in the 1988 X-Factor Annual
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
#3 and Silver Surfer Annual
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
#1. He was still freelancing primarily for DC. collaborating there with writer J.M. DeMatteis on a six-issue miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
revival (Feb.-July 1988) of Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
's The Forever People, penciling the stories and covers. With writer Mark Evanier
Mark Evanier
Mark Stephen Evanier is an American comic book and television writer, particularly known for his humor work. He is also known for his columns and blogs, and for his work as a historian and biographer of the comics industry, in particular his award-winning Jack Kirby biography, Kirby: King of...
, primarily, Cullins co-plotted and penciled issues #1-9, 11-12, and 15-18 (collectively, Feb. 1989 - July 1990) of a revival of Kirby's The New Gods.
Later career
Penthouse (magazine)
Penthouse, a men's magazine founded by Bob Guccione, combines urban lifestyle articles and softcore pornographic pictorials that, in the 1990s, evolved into hardcore. Penthouse is owned by FriendFinder Network. formerly known as General Media, Inc. whose parent company was Penthouse International...
(Penthouse Comix
Penthouse Comix
Penthouse Comix was initially an American mass-market, magazine-sized comic book, published by Penthouse International from its inception in spring 1994 through July 1998, and thereafter by General Media Communications, parent company of Penthouse magazine. Initially edited by writers George...
), and Crusade Comics. Teamed with writer Fred Burke, Cullins penciled stories and covers for all nine issues of the superhero-team comic Hyperkind
Hyperkind
Hyperkind is a comic book series from Marvel Comics' 1993-1995 Razorline imprint, created by Clive Barker, written by Fred Burke penciled by Paris Cullins and inked by Bob Petrecca....
, for Marvel's Clive Barker
Clive Barker
Clive Barker is an English author, film director and visual artist best known for his work in both fantasy and horror fiction. Barker came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories which established him as a leading young horror writer...
-created Razorline
Razorline
Razorline was an imprint of American comic book company Marvel Comics that ran from 1993-1995. It was created by filmmaker and horror/fantasy novelist Clive Barker, with its characters existing in one of the many alternate universes outside the mainstream continuity known as the Marvel...
imprint.
Largely absent from comics from 1996, when he did pencil-breakdowns for DC's Life, The Universe and Everything #1, to 2001, when he penciled the cover of DC/Onstar
OnStar
OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security, hands free calling, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States, Canada and China. A similar service is known as ChevyStar in Latin...
's Onstar Batman Special Edition #1, Cullins contributed a one-page Blazing Glory pinup to Atomeka Press
Atomeka Press
Atomeka Press was a British publisher of comic books set up in 1988 by Dave Elliott and Garry Leach. Atomeka ceased publishing in 1997 and was then revived in 2004, but its future seems uncertain, as it has not published any new material since 2005.-History:...
' A1 Sketchbook (Nov. 2004), his last known comics work as of 2007.
At some point, Cullins did book-cover art and "worked for advertisement agencies
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
, and did storyboard
Storyboard
Storyboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence....
s for
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
in particular, and full-color storyboards and designs for a game called Terror in the Bermuda Triangle".
In December 2006, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
-based Maximum Overtime Media announced the first-quarter 2007 planned premiere of Gritz n' Gravy, "a quarterly illustrated adult urban fantasy and popular-culture national magazine", with Cullins, a company co-founder, announced as publisher.
In May 2011, DC Comics announced he would be the artist, paired with writer William Messner-Loebs
William Messner-Loebs
William Messner-Loebs is an American comic book writer and artist from Michigan, also known as Bill Loebs and Bill Messner-Loebs...
, on Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder 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....
- The '90s, a one-shot in DC's nostalgic DC Retroactive
DC Retroactive
DC Retroactive was a one-shot line of comic book titles launched by DC Comics. It revisited the most important periods of the company’s main characters: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Justice League and the Flash. These comics were published with cover dates of September and...
series. However, the book would be drawn by Lee Moder and Dan Green rather than Cullins.