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HOT ARTIST SKOTTIE YOUNG SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DEAL WITH MARVEL COMICS!

Skottie Young, known for his unique and stylish art on NEW WARRIORS, HUMAN TORCH, ICEMAN, VENOM, SPIDER-MAN: LEGEND OF THE SPIDER-CLAN, and X-MEN UNLIMITED feels like he’s paid some dues with Marvel Comics…and now he’s going exclusive with the industry leader.

“I've been working with Marvel since 2001 and for them to offer me a permanent home for the next few years is exciting,” says he. “Knowing that I'm going to be doing projects with Marvel for the foreseeable future let's me put a little more energy into the creative process, and less on lining up my next project. I'm looking forward to growing as an artist!”

Above and beyond comics, he has also been artistically involved with animation, toys, trading cards, and role-playing games.

When asked why Marvel is the type of company he can commit to, Young is quick to answer, and answer confidently. “There's plenty of reasons really. There are some great characters at Marvel that I'd like to sink my teeth into, but mostly, working with (writer) Zeb Wells on a few more projects is what really hooked me in. We had such a great time on NEW WARRIORS, and I just couldn't imagine not moving onto another project or company with out him.”

“Zeb and I really put our heads together and came up with a fun approach on that title. I think the end result was exactly what we intended it to be. This was also the first project that I controlled all of the art chores, pencils, inks and colors. So, that was a fun challenge and a great learning experience.”

“And, like I said before, I've been working with Marvel for awhile already, so I feel comfortable with the crew up there.”

“The money is a nice touch, to...haha”

Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada has high praise for Young. “We’re probably overdue with showing Skottie how much he means to us at Marvel, but hey, better late than never! His work is a great example of the diversity in art styles we want to nurture here. He and it rock this House.”

Young is dreaming of future work, of course, and the vast library of Marvel characters. “First, I would give up a limb to bring back GENERATION X. I'm not even kidding. That book is the reason that I draw comics for a living. It blew my mind. Chamber, Skin, and the rest of the crew were so sick. So, if I could just convince someone up at the House to throw me the keys that car, I could die a happy man.”

“Second would be Spidey and Venom. I did a short run on Venom at the end of the last series and people seemed to like it. I enjoy villains, and Venom is just nasty. I think that is most def a character that I could try some new things on. I'd love to start a new ongoing of Venom and just tear it up. Or just get on Spidey book and flip it on its head.”

Still, for the present and immediate future, the young artist is pragmatic. “Now that the pressure of lining up new projects out in the world is gone, I can really focus on stepping up my game. NEW WARRIORS was a funny book, and the art matched that tone. After working on that kind of art, I'm ready to get a little gritty, and dark. I really want to deal with some heavier material.”

“I think that will help push me to find new places that I can take my art.”


ILLUSTRATOR OF THE FANTASTIC SCORES FANTASTIC NEW DEAL WITH MARVEL COMICS!

Well-rounded artist Tommy Lee Edwards has sketched out an exclusive deal with the House of Ideas, industry leader Marvel Comics.

Edwards lush painted graphics and detailed illustrations have not only been admired by comic fans, but have also been devoured by followers of advertising, animation, movies, children’s books, magazines, and video games. In the comics world, his art has been glimpsed in and on THE QUESTION, BATMAN: GOLDEN STREETS OF GOTHAM, STAR WARS: EMPIRE, HELLBOY: WEIRD TALES, WHAT IF: DAREDEVIL, X-MEN, and X-FACTOR.
To coin a phrase, Edwards has “seen it all and done it all”.

In comics, I guess I'd have to say that I'm pretty proud of THE QUESTION miniseries I illustrated for DC,” he notes. “Rick Veitch wrote a great story and gave me the opportunity to really push the envelope in the realm of technique and storytelling.”

“Wow!” exclaims Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada. “Tommy’s been knockin’ our socks off in so many different mediums! Seems everywhere I turn, I see his gorgeous art...now, we got ‘im here at Marvel and our characters and covers have never looked better!”

“I feel great about the kind of work I'll be doing,” says the artist himself, commenting on his new contract. “And it also feels nice that people may actually see it. I was getting tired of putting my heart and soul into a project- only to have no promotion from the publisher, and no trade paperbacks. My deal with Marvel has the potential to be just the opposite. The other cool thing for me, is that the ‘exclusivity’ factor applies only to comics. It's important that I'm still able to work as an illustrator in the realm of movies, children's books, animation, and computer games.”

“I'm painting a pile of covers for DAREDEVIL right now,” he continues. “The main project I'll be spending this first year on is a five-issue series called BULLET POINTS. It's written by J. Michael Straczynski, and involves a huge chunk of the Marvel Universe. Some of the main characters are Reed Richards, The Hulk, Iron Man, Peter Parker, Steve Rogers, and Doctor Strange.”

MARVEL COMICS AWARDS EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT TO ARTIST YANICK PAQUETTE!

Talented penciller Yanick Paquette echoes many other creators when he says that a Marvel exclusive fulfills a childhood dream.

“As a kid I always favored Marvel over DC,” notes Paquette. “But somehow, I’ve spent most of my professional life to this point at DC, greatly enjoying working on books like
TERRA OBSCURA and SEVEN SOLDIERS.”

“Still, my early days love for the X-Men was haunting me and when Marvel offered to join me in my dream and let me tackle these characters, I just couldn't resist.”

Paquette has worked for a bevy of comic book publishers, lending his unique, striking character work to such books as X-FILES, XENA, GEN 13, WONDER WOMAN, SUPERMAN, JLA, AVENGERS, and GAMBIT. He may be best known for his work on the aforementioned two volumes of TERRA OBSCURA, for ABC.

Marvel Fans looking forward to the upcoming universe-wide CIVIL WAR will find Paquette delineating CIVIL WAR: X-MEN.

Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada is happy to be part of completing on of Paquette’s professional goals. “Yanick’s a great guy, a fantastic artist, and someone who’s been toiling too quietly in the industry. He deserves to be up in the clouds with the rest of us at good ol’ Marvel…we’ll make a superstar outta him!”

The artist has previously stated that his three big art influences are Kevin Nolan, Adam Hughes, and Mike Mignola. “And many others from the old realistic school like Al Williamson and Hal Foster. I admire that old school a lot,” he adds.

Paquette is very optimistic about his new home at Marvel. “After years of drawing comics for a living, I’m going back to my childhood passion to renew my fervor and creativity for my work.”