In August 1972, Simonson traveled to New York with his Star Slammers portfolio, and met with Gerry Boudreau, a friend who worked for DC Comics, where, as Simonson recalls, many young artists had begun working in the 1970s, in contrast to Marvel, which Simonson perceived as more stagnant. Career Star Slammers graphic novel (1983) 1970s Simonson would later revisit Star Slammers throughout his career, publishing it through various publishers over the decades. His thesis project there was the 50-page black and white book The Star Slammers, which took him two years to write, pencil, letter and ink himself, and was initially published as a series of ashcan promotional 5.5" x 8.5" b&w chapter booklets from 1971–1973 to promote the 1974 World Science Fiction Convention in Washington, D.C. Īfter graduating from Amherst with a degree in geology, Simonson took a year off, and then enrolled as an art major at the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972. In later years he would be given the opportunity to publish this story, as the writer on that title. In 1967, while in college, Simonson began writing his own epic story starring Lee and Kirby's version of the character, featuring Surtur and the Odinsword. Simonson came to be heavily influenced by the artists who worked for Marvel, such as Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and Gil Kane, as well as British artist Jim Holdaway and European artists such as Moebius, Jean-Claude Mézières, Antonio Hernandez Palacios and Sergio Toppi. From this he realized that drawing comics was more fun, and more feasible as a career than working outdoors in hot weather as a geologist or paleontologist, despite harboring a love for the latter that continued the rest of his life. Having already developed an interest in Norse mythology prior to discovering Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's take on the hammer-wielding deity, it became Simonson's favorite title, one that he read for four years. In 1964 or 1965, Simonson discovered Marvel Comics, in particular that company's version of Thor. ![]() Simonson studied geology at Amherst College, with the intent of becoming an expert on dinosaurs. Although Simonson was embarrassed to be seen by girls buying comics while in high school, he discovered Russ Manning's work on Magnus Robot Fighter right before he started college, and submitted a drawing that was printed in issue #10 in May, 1965, in the publication's fan page, "Robot Gallery." This was his first published work in comics. ![]() He also enjoyed drawing from a very young age. By the age of ten he was an avid fan of the work of Carl Barks, Little Lulu, Little Iodine, and Alex Toth's work on The Land Unknown. Simonson first read comics as a child, through the subscriptions to Walt Disney's Comics and Stories that his brother had. When his father, who worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, received a promotion at work that required him to relocate to Washington, D.C., Simonson, his younger brother and his parents moved to Maryland, where Simonson's parents still lived as of 1989. Walter Simonson was born September 2, 1946, in Knoxville, Tennessee, and lived there for two and a half years. He is married to comics writer Louise Simonson, with whom he collaborated as penciller on X-Factor from 1986 to 1989, and with whom he made a cameo appearance in the 2011 Thor feature film. Simonson has won numerous awards for his work and has influenced artists such as Arthur Adams and Todd McFarlane. He has also worked on other Marvel titles such as X-Factor and Fantastic Four, on DC Comics books including Detective Comics, Manhunter, Metal Men and Orion, and on licensed properties such as Star Wars, Alien, Battlestar Galactica and Robocop vs. He is also known for the creator-owned work Star Slammers, which he inaugurated in 1972 as a Rhode Island School of Design thesis. Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' Thor from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. Best Individual Story (Dramatic) (1974).Best Individual Short Story (Dramatic) (1974, with Archie Goodwin).Best Individual Short Story (Dramatic) (1973, with Archie Goodwin).
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