The latest issue of TwoMorrows Publishing’s ongoing magazine Comic Book Creator (Issue 32) leads with an interview with American fantasy artist William “Bill” Stout. Specialising in paleontological art, Stout’s many career highlights since age 17 include work for underground comix, early issues of Heavy Metal, and rock magazine Bomp!.
Stout has worked on over thirty feature films, doing everything from storyboard art to production design, designed theme parks and has worked in radio with the Firesign Theatre. His paintings have been shown in over seventy exhibitions, including at least twelve one-man shows, such as “Fossil Mysteries” at the San Diego Natural History Museum.
His fascination with palaeontology began in 1952, when his parents took him to see his first movie, a revival showing of the 1933 King Kong. Soon after, he saw Fantasia‘s “Rite of Spring” sequence and there was no turning back. When Bill’s fifth grade teacher, Elliot Wittenberg, caught him drawing dinosaurs in class, instead of punishing him for not paying attention, he instead encouraged young Bill to draw anatomical models for the class. Bill later dedicated one of his books to Mr. Wittenberg.
Edited by Jon B. Cooke, in Comic Book Creator William Stout discusses his diverse career, including bootleg album art beginnings, underground comix, movie poster masterworks (including Wizards and Rock ’n’ Roll High School), film production (Raider of the Lost Ark, etc.), passionate environmental advocacy, and, of course, his landmark work with the late, great Byron Preiss, The Dinosaurs, and much more.
The “flip-side” features a massive tribute to Preiss, the visionary packager/publisher who helped bring comics to a whole new level and collaborated with many greats, including Harvey Kurtzman, Jim Steranko, Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Joe Kubert, Howard Chaykin, Gray Morrow, and many others. It includes Byron’s only comprehensive career-spanning interview and an exhaustive historical retrospective with insight from dozens who knew him, including Paul Levitz, Danny Fingeroth, Alex Jay, Marv Wolfman, and many more.
Plus, Greg Biga talks with artist Mike Deodato, and CBC presents Part Two of our look at cartoonist Frank Borth!
• Comic Book Creator #32 is available direct from TwoMorrows Publishing, or your Local Comic Shop. Diamond Comic Distributors Order Code: JUN232169 | Buy it from Forbidden Planet (Affiliate Link)
• Subscribe to Comic Book Creator here
• William “Bill” Stout is online at williamstout.com
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Art and Illustration, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Magazines, Other Worlds, US Comics
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