Richard Dominguez
Encyclopedia
Richard Dominguez is an American
comic book artist
and freelance storyboard illustrator
. Best known for creating the popular series El Gato Negro
, Dominguez publishes his comics through his imprint and art studio, Azteca Productions
. Dominguez also is well known for influencing other artists and creators in the pursuit of their own self-publishing ventures.>
on September 22, 1960. The second of seven children, Richard grew up in a section of West Dallas known during the Great Depression
as 'The Devil's Back Porch'. Dominguez recalls his first exposure to comic books at the age of six, when he began sneaking in to his Uncle's room to read from his large comic book collections. In high school Richard enrolled in Commercial Art and later took Life Drawing classes at a community college before taking a job at a local supermarket chain to create and paint point-of-purchase displays. During the late '80s and early '90s, Richard worked as an intern for several art and design studios, later designing logos for Semi-Pro Sports teams and small companies.
. Having placed more emphasis on El Gato Negro's character development than the other members, Dominguez abandoned the Team Tejas project for a later date, as he later recalled:
Various aspects of the character's personality and visual design were directly inspired by some of Dominguez’s favorite comic book and classic pulp superheroes including The Spirit
, The Crimson Avenger
, Daredevil
, Nightwing
, The Shadow
, The Phantom
, Zorro
and most noticeably Batman
. Elements from Japanese animation, manga
, and martial arts films also aided in the development of El Gato Negro's costume design and equipment.
The example of Judge Margarito Garza's Relampago
character persuaded Dominguez pursue his creation in a self-published format, the character making his first published appearance in his own self-titled series written and illustrated by Dominguez in 1993. The debut series proved popular and has since spawned a second series entitled "El Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior
". The character's popularity has landed him guest-starring roles in several publications and other media including being featured in Mountain Dew's
"Do the Dew" Tour. Dominguez is currently in talks for a possible live-action film adaptation.
with the help of friend and writer Michael S. Moore
in 1997. Publications were put to a halt during the rise and fall of the speculative market of the late '90s, allowing Dominguez to focus on his family life. He later returned in 2004 with a second series featuring Moore as writer and pencils by artist Efren Molina. Current projects include Lucha Grande Comics featuring the exploits of the original El Gato Negro, The Acolyte, Demon Hunter.
with his wife Olga Dominguez and their two children.
, Jose Martinez, and Fernando Rodriguez in 1995. The purpose of which was to unite various cartoonists, writers, colorists, letterers and publishers in the shared goal of using networking and dialogue between themselves in order to assist their various projects in the hopes of expanding the opportunities for social growth in the comic art community. The group later expanded to over fifty members, the majority of which lived in California
, but also included international members such as Oscar Loyo and the ¡Ka-Boom! Estudio
group from Mexico
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
and freelance storyboard illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
. Best known for creating the popular series El Gato Negro
El Gato Negro (comic book)
El Gato Negro was an independent comic book series featuring the eponymous character created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions. The series began in October 1993 with critical acclaim, the first edition actually selling all 5,000 copies within two months, but was placed on a...
, Dominguez publishes his comics through his imprint and art studio, Azteca Productions
Azteca Productions
Azteca Productions is an American independent comic book publisher and imprint founded by artist-creator Richard Dominguez in 1993. The company's first publication was El Gato Negro #1 showcasing the debut of the eponymous character, in what is now considered the company's flagship series...
. Dominguez also is well known for influencing other artists and creators in the pursuit of their own self-publishing ventures.>
Early life and career
Richard Dominguez was born Eufrancio Ricardo Dominguez to Ricardo and Juanita Dominguez in Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
on September 22, 1960. The second of seven children, Richard grew up in a section of West Dallas known during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
as 'The Devil's Back Porch'. Dominguez recalls his first exposure to comic books at the age of six, when he began sneaking in to his Uncle's room to read from his large comic book collections. In high school Richard enrolled in Commercial Art and later took Life Drawing classes at a community college before taking a job at a local supermarket chain to create and paint point-of-purchase displays. During the late '80s and early '90s, Richard worked as an intern for several art and design studios, later designing logos for Semi-Pro Sports teams and small companies.
Creation of El Gato Negro
Dominguez conceived El Gato Negro sometime in the mid-to-late '80s and originally planned to debut the character in a largely Mexican-American superhero group called Team TejasTeam Tejas
Team Tejas is a fictional superhero team created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions. The group made its first appearance in Team Tejas #1, published in 1997. The comic follows the story of three super-powered mutants and their government appointed leader in their fight...
. Having placed more emphasis on El Gato Negro's character development than the other members, Dominguez abandoned the Team Tejas project for a later date, as he later recalled:
Various aspects of the character's personality and visual design were directly inspired by some of Dominguez’s favorite comic book and classic pulp superheroes including The Spirit
The Spirit
The 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...
, The Crimson Avenger
Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis)
The Crimson Avenger is a masked crime fighter in the and the first to use the name "Crimson Avenger." He first appears in Detective Comics #20 and was created by Jim Chambers.-Fictional character biography:...
, Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
, Nightwing
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
, 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"...
, The Phantom
The Phantom
The Phantom is an American adventure comic strip created by Lee Falk, also creator of Mandrake the Magician. A popular feature adapted into many media, including television, film and video games, it stars a costumed crimefighter operating from the fictional African country Bengalla.The Phantom is...
, Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....
and most noticeably 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...
. Elements from Japanese animation, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, and martial arts films also aided in the development of El Gato Negro's costume design and equipment.
The example of Judge Margarito Garza's Relampago
Relampago
Relampago is a fictional character, a comic book superhero self-published by creator Judge Margarito C. Garza. The character made his first appearance in Relampago! #1 making him the first Mexican American superhero in the American comic book industry. The character's debut series only ran for...
character persuaded Dominguez pursue his creation in a self-published format, the character making his first published appearance in his own self-titled series written and illustrated by Dominguez in 1993. The debut series proved popular and has since spawned a second series entitled "El Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior
El Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior
El Gato Negro, Nocturnal Warrior is an ongoing independent comic book series featuring the adventures of the superhero, El Gato Negro. Created by Richard Dominguez and published under his own Azteca Productions imprint, the series began in November 2005...
". The character's popularity has landed him guest-starring roles in several publications and other media including being featured in Mountain Dew's
Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew is a citrus-flavored carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in the 1940s by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman and was first marketed in Marion, VA, Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. A revised formula was...
"Do the Dew" Tour. Dominguez is currently in talks for a possible live-action film adaptation.
Azteca Productions
Dominguez formed Azteca Productions in 1993, its first publication featuring the debut of El Gato Negro, in what is now considered the company's flagship title. Dominguez later debuted Team TejasTeam Tejas
Team Tejas is a fictional superhero team created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions. The group made its first appearance in Team Tejas #1, published in 1997. The comic follows the story of three super-powered mutants and their government appointed leader in their fight...
with the help of friend and writer Michael S. Moore
Michael S. Moore
Michael Stuart Moore is an American writer, director, producer, and comic book writer.-Career:Moore was born in Cookeville, Tennessee with both African-American and Brazilian ancestry. He took an early interest in writing and has read comics since he was seven-years-old...
in 1997. Publications were put to a halt during the rise and fall of the speculative market of the late '90s, allowing Dominguez to focus on his family life. He later returned in 2004 with a second series featuring Moore as writer and pencils by artist Efren Molina. Current projects include Lucha Grande Comics featuring the exploits of the original El Gato Negro, The Acolyte, Demon Hunter.
Personal life
Richard currently resides in Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
with his wife Olga Dominguez and their two children.
P.A.C.A.S.
The Professional Amigos of Comic Art Society or P.A.C.A.S. was a non-profit organization founded by comic book creators Richard Dominguez, Carlos SaldañaCarlos Saldaña
Carlos Saldaña is a Mexican comic-book creator and comedian.-Career:Carlos Saldaña's best known created works is that of Burrito: Jack-of-All-Trades published under his privately-owned imprint, Accent Comics. He has also utilized the Adobe Flash Player application to create online animations which...
, Jose Martinez, and Fernando Rodriguez in 1995. The purpose of which was to unite various cartoonists, writers, colorists, letterers and publishers in the shared goal of using networking and dialogue between themselves in order to assist their various projects in the hopes of expanding the opportunities for social growth in the comic art community. The group later expanded to over fifty members, the majority of which lived in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, but also included international members such as Oscar Loyo and the ¡Ka-Boom! Estudio
¡Ka-Boom! Estudio
¡Ka-Boom! Estudio is a Mexican comic book company and creative team formed by artists, illustrators, designers, animators and writers.Founded in 1994 by Oscar González Loyo, Oscar González Guerrero and Susana Romero.-Publications:...
group from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.