Rafael Albuquerque
Encyclopedia
Rafael Albuquerque is a Brazilian comic book creator
primarily for his artwork on books such as DC Comics
' Blue Beetle and American Vampire
. Though primarily a penciler and inker of interior comic art, he has also done work as a cover artist, colorist and writer.
.
In 2005, with the writer Felipe Ferreira, Albuquerque published the creator-owned graphic novel crime story Rumble in la Rambla. It would later be published in the United States
in 2007 by Image Comics
under the title Crimeland. In 2006 Albuquerque collaborated with writers Keith Giffen
and Alan Grant by illustrating issues 4 and 5 Jeremiah Harm and the first issue of Pirate Tales for Boom! Studios
. In 2006 and 2007 he illustrated the first three issues of the Boom! series Savage Brothers.
In 2007 he illustrated Wonderlost #2 by writer C.B. Cebulski, and "Oil for Blood", a story in volume 2 of 24Seven, both published by Image Comics
. The latter was nominated for the 2008 Eisner Award
for Best Anthology.
Albuquerque first gained the notice of American comics readers with his work as the regular penciler on the DC Comics
monthly series Blue Beetle, which he drew from issues #10 (February 2007) to 34 (February 2009). The series proved to be a challenge to Albuquerque, however, who thought the mainstream superhero
book was not well-suited to his darker style, and approached the book by employing less heavy blacks and ink splats, and a more "cartoony" storytelling style. His other DC work has included cover work of numerous books, as well as interior work on books such as issues 52 and 53 of Superman/Batman
in 2008.
In 2008 Albuquerque illustrated writer Ivan Brandon
's story, "Wild Goose", which appeared in the Dark Horse Comics
anthology Tales of the Fear Agent. In 2009 he illustrated and issues 3 and 4 of Strange Adventures
, which were written by Jim Starlin
. That same year he illustrated the covers to Marvel Comics
' four-issue miniseries Nomad: Girl Without a World.
In January 2010, Newsarama
named Albuquerque one of ten creators to watch for the coming year. That year, Albuquerque, along with Eduardo Medeiros and Mateus Santolouco, wrote Mondo Urbano (Urban World), a graphic novel published by Oni Press
. That same year Albuquerque began illustrating American Vampire
, a vampire
series by Vertigo Comics, the first five issues of which consisted of two separate stories, one by Scott Snyder
and one by Stephen King
, marking King's first original work for comics. Albuquerque illustrated the two stories with different styles, representative of both the personalities of the characters and the eras in which they were set, explaining that he utilized high-contrast blacks and whites for the 1920s story featuring Pearl in order to evoke the films of that era, and a "dirtier, sketchier technique" involving traditional inking, ink wash and pencils for the 1880s story featuring bank robber Skinner, in order to evoke that story's "rough and violent" setting. The first hardcover collection landed on the New York Times Bestseller List, and the series won IGN
's Best of 2010 Award for Best New Series.
As of January 2011, Albuquerque's website indicates that he is an exclusive artist for DC Comics.
Albuquerque has stated that his favorite writer is Brian Azzarello
.
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...
primarily for his artwork on books such as 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...
' Blue Beetle and American Vampire
American Vampire
American Vampire is an Eisner Award-winning comic book series created by writer Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque.The series imagines vampires as a population made up of many different secret species, and charts moments of vampire evolution and inter-species conflict throughout history...
. Though primarily a penciler and inker of interior comic art, he has also done work as a cover artist, colorist and writer.
Career
Albuquerque begun his professional career working in advertising, doing work for local companies. He began his comic book career in 2002, after posting his portfolio on the Internet, doing work for the Egyptian publishing company AK Comics, which published books for the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
In 2005, with the writer Felipe Ferreira, Albuquerque published the creator-owned graphic novel crime story Rumble in la Rambla. It would later be published in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2007 by Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
under the title Crimeland. In 2006 Albuquerque collaborated with writers Keith Giffen
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
and Alan Grant by illustrating issues 4 and 5 Jeremiah Harm and the first issue of Pirate Tales for Boom! Studios
Boom! Studios
BOOM! Studios is an American comic book company headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. The "BOOM!" in BOOM! Studios is always capitalized by the company.-History:BOOM! was founded June 22, 2005 with Zombie Tales #1....
. In 2006 and 2007 he illustrated the first three issues of the Boom! series Savage Brothers.
In 2007 he illustrated Wonderlost #2 by writer C.B. Cebulski, and "Oil for Blood", a story in volume 2 of 24Seven, both published by Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
. The latter was nominated for the 2008 Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for Best Anthology.
Albuquerque first gained the notice of American comics readers with his work as the regular penciler on 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...
monthly series Blue Beetle, which he drew from issues #10 (February 2007) to 34 (February 2009). The series proved to be a challenge to Albuquerque, however, who thought the mainstream 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 —...
book was not well-suited to his darker style, and approached the book by employing less heavy blacks and ink splats, and a more "cartoony" storytelling style. His other DC work has included cover work of numerous books, as well as interior work on books such as issues 52 and 53 of Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...
in 2008.
In 2008 Albuquerque illustrated writer Ivan Brandon
Ivan Brandon
Ivan Brandon is a writer/editor known for his work on titles such as DC Comics' Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape and Kobra and Marvel Comics' Secret Invasion...
's story, "Wild Goose", which appeared in the Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
anthology Tales of the Fear Agent. In 2009 he illustrated and issues 3 and 4 of Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures was the title of several American comic books published by DC Comics, most notably a long-running science fiction anthology that began in 1950.-Original series:...
, which were written by Jim Starlin
Jim Starlin
James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters...
. That same year he illustrated the covers to 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...
' four-issue miniseries Nomad: Girl Without a World.
In January 2010, Newsarama
Newsarama
Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
named Albuquerque one of ten creators to watch for the coming year. That year, Albuquerque, along with Eduardo Medeiros and Mateus Santolouco, wrote Mondo Urbano (Urban World), a graphic novel published by Oni Press
Oni Press
Oni Press is an American independent comic book publisher based in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1997 by Bob Schreck and Joe Nozemack with the goal of publishing the kinds of comics and graphic novels they themselves would want to read...
. That same year Albuquerque began illustrating American Vampire
American Vampire
American Vampire is an Eisner Award-winning comic book series created by writer Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque.The series imagines vampires as a population made up of many different secret species, and charts moments of vampire evolution and inter-species conflict throughout history...
, a vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
series by Vertigo Comics, the first five issues of which consisted of two separate stories, one by Scott Snyder
Scott Snyder
Scott Snyder is an American writer best known for his 2006 short story collection Voodoo Heart, and his work in comic books, including American Vampire, Detective Comics, Batman, Batman: Gates of Gotham and Swamp Thing.-Career:...
and one by Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, marking King's first original work for comics. Albuquerque illustrated the two stories with different styles, representative of both the personalities of the characters and the eras in which they were set, explaining that he utilized high-contrast blacks and whites for the 1920s story featuring Pearl in order to evoke the films of that era, and a "dirtier, sketchier technique" involving traditional inking, ink wash and pencils for the 1880s story featuring bank robber Skinner, in order to evoke that story's "rough and violent" setting. The first hardcover collection landed on the New York Times Bestseller List, and the series won IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Best of 2010 Award for Best New Series.
As of January 2011, Albuquerque's website indicates that he is an exclusive artist for DC Comics.
Albuquerque has stated that his favorite writer is Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello is an American comic book writer. He came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo.-Career:...
.
Personal life
Albuquerque lives in Porto Alegre, Brazil with his wife, comic colorist Cris Peter.Won
- IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
Best of 2010 Award for Best New Series (for American VampireAmerican VampireAmerican Vampire is an Eisner Award-winning comic book series created by writer Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque.The series imagines vampires as a population made up of many different secret species, and charts moments of vampire evolution and inter-species conflict throughout history...
, with Scott SnyderScott SnyderScott Snyder is an American writer best known for his 2006 short story collection Voodoo Heart, and his work in comic books, including American Vampire, Detective Comics, Batman, Batman: Gates of Gotham and Swamp Thing.-Career:...
)
Nominations
- 2008 Eisner AwardEisner AwardThe Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for Best Anthology (nominated for 24Seven, shared with various other creators)
External links
- Official site
- Rafael Albuquerque at the Grand Comics Database