Editing Bernie Wrightson (section)

==Career==
In 1966, Wrightson began working for ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' newspaper as an illustrator. The following year, after meeting artist [[Frank Frazetta]] at a [[comic-book convention]] in New York City, he was inspired to produce his own stories. In 1968, he showed copies of his [[sequential art]] to [[DC Comics]] editor [[Dick Giordano]] and was given a freelance assignment.<ref name="cooke-cba-5">{{cite journal |last=Cooke |first=Jon B. |title=Like a Bat Out of Hell Chatting with Bernie Wrightson, DC's Monster Maker |journal=Comic Book Artist |issue=5 |publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]] |date=Summer 1999 |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |url=http://www.twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/05wrightson.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100218025041/http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/05wrightson.html |archive-date=February 18, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> Wrightson began spelling his name "Berni" in his professional work to distinguish himself from an Olympic [[Diving (sport)|diver]] named [[Bernard Wrightson|Bernie Wrightson]],<ref name="McAvennie">{{cite book|last=McAvennie|first= Michael|editor-last=Dolan|editor-first=Hannah|chapter= 1960s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 132|quote = 'The Man Who Murdered Himself' in ''House of Mystery'' was...the first DC story illustrated by Berni Wrightson (who left the "e" off his first name to distinguish himself from a famous diver.}}</ref> but later restored the final "e" to his name.

In 1968, he drew his first professional comic book story, "The Man Who Murdered Himself", which appeared in ''[[House of Mystery]]'' #179 ([[cover-dated]] March–April 1969).<ref name="McAvennie" /> He continued to work on a variety of mystery and anthology titles for both DC and, a few years later, its principal rival, [[Marvel Comics]]. It was for Marvel's ''[[Chamber of Darkness]]'' and ''[[Tower of Shadows]]'' titles where he was first encouraged to slightly simplify his intricate pen-and-ink drawing, and where his lush brushwork, a hallmark of his comics inking in the 1970s, was first evidenced.<ref name="lambiek">{{cite web |url= https://www.lambiek.net/artists/w/wrightson.htm|title= Bernie Wrightson|date= March 19, 2017|publisher= [[Lambiek|Lambiek Comiclopedia]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170320145515/https://www.lambiek.net/artists/w/wrightson.htm|archive-date= March 20, 2017|url-status= live}}</ref>

Like many artists in the 1970s and 1980s, Wrightson moved to New York in hopes of finding work with comics publishers. At one point Wrightson lived in the same Queens apartment building as artists [[Allen Milgrom]], [[Howard Chaykin]] and [[Walter Simonson]]. Simonson recalls, "We'd get together at 3 a.m. They'd come up and we'd have popcorn and sit around and talk about whatever a 26, 27 and 20-year-old guys talk about. Our art, TV, you name it. I pretty much knew at the time, 'These are the good ole days.'"<ref name=LATimes/>

===Swamp Thing===
[[Image:Swampthingart.jpg|right|thumb|''Swamp Thing'' #1 panel, original ink art by Wrightson]]
With writer [[Len Wein]], Wrightson co-created the muck creature [[Swamp Thing]] in ''[[House of Secrets (DC Comics)|House of Secrets]]'' #92 (July 1971) in a standalone horror story set in the Victorian era.<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 146: "'Swamp Thing' was the name of Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson's turn-of-the-century tale, and its popularity with readers led a modernized version of the character into his own series a year later."</ref> Wein later recounted how Wrightson became involved with the story: "Bernie Wrightson had just broken up with a girlfriend, and we were sitting in my car just talking about life – all the important things to do when you're 19 and 20 years old. [''Laughs''] And I said, 'You know, I just wrote a story that actually kind of feels like the way you feel now.' I told him about Swamp Thing, and he said, 'I gotta draw that.'"<ref name=WeinDaddy>{{cite journal|last1= Ho|first1= Richard|date=November 2004|title= Who's Your Daddy??|journal= [[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]|issue= 140|pages= 68–74}}</ref>

In summer 1972, Wrightson published ''Badtime Stories'', a horror/science fiction comics anthology featuring his own scripts and artwork (from the period 1970–1971), each story being drawn in a different medium, including ink wash, tonal pencil drawings, duoshade paper, and screen tones, along with traditional pen-and-ink and brushwork.<ref name="tcj-interview">{{cite web |url=https://www.tcj.com/the-berni-wrightson-interview/ |title=The Berni Wrightson Interview |last=Groth |first=Gary |date=March 22, 2017 |website=[[The Comics Journal]] |access-date=March 22, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323053407/https://www.tcj.com/the-berni-wrightson-interview/ |archive-date=March 23, 2017}}</ref> He and writer [[Marv Wolfman]] co-created [[Destiny (DC Comics)|Destiny]] in ''[[Weird Mystery Tales]]'' #1 (July–Aug. 1972), a character which would later be used in the work of [[Neil Gaiman]].<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p.152 "The host that was first presented in a framing sequence by scribe Marv Wolfman and artist Bernie Wrightson received further, imaginative development in Neil Gaiman's ''The Sandman'' series decades later."</ref>

In the fall of 1972, the Swamp Thing returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in the general DC continuity.<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 153: "Following his debut in ''House of Secrets'' #92 in 1971, the Swamp Thing grew into his own series, albeit with a reimagining of his origins by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson."</ref> Wrightson drew the first ten issues of the series.<ref name=WeinDaddy/> [[Abby Holland|Abigail Arcane]], a major supporting character in the Swamp Thing mythos was introduced by Wrightson and Wein in issue #3 (Feb.-March 1973).<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 154: "Scribe Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson left Swamp Thing some company...the woman who would become Swamp Thing's soul mate, Abigail Arcane."</ref>

Wrightson had originally been asked by DC to handle the art for its revival of [[The Shadow]], but he left the project early on when he realized he could not produce the necessary minimum number of pages on time, along with his work on ''Swamp Thing''.<ref name="cooke-cba-5" /> [[Michael Kaluta]] illustrated the series, but Wrightson did contribute much to the third issue in both pencils and inks, as well as inking the splash page of issue #4.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tcj.com/bernie-wrightson-1948-2017/ |title=Bernie Wrightson, 1948-2017 |last=Ringgenberg |first=Steven |date=March 21, 2017 |website=The Comics Journal |access-date=March 21, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321141104/https://www.tcj.com/bernie-wrightson-1948-2017/ |archive-date=March 21, 2017}}</ref>

===Warren and The Studio===
In the summer of 1973, Wrightson saw the [[Tod Browning]] [[horror film]] ''[[Freaks (1932 film)|Freaks]]'' for the first time; in the years immediately afterward, the film influenced much of Wrightson's creative output.<ref>{{cite web|first=Joel|last=Pollack|title=Our History|website=Big Planet Comics|url=https://www.bigplanetcomics.com/big-planet-a-history|access-date=March 1, 2023|quote=I helped with the third [[Metro Con]] in 1973... For the con,... my friend Warren Bernard... was able to secure a rare (for the time) showing of the film ''[[Freaks (1932 film)|Freaks]]''. Attending the convention that year was Bernie Wrightson. It was the first time he had seen the movie and it proved to be a major influence on his work over the next few years.}}</ref>

In January 1974, Wrightson left DC to work at [[Warren Publishing]],<ref name="Gustines" /> for whose black-and-white [[horror fiction|horror]]-comics magazines he produced a series of original work as well as short story adaptations. As with ''BadTime Stories'', Wrightson experimented with different media in these black-and-white tales: [[Edgar Allan Poe]]'s "[[The Black Cat (short story)|The Black Cat]]" featured intricate pen-and-ink work which stood in direct contrast with his brush-dominated ''Swamp Thing'' panels. "Jenifer", scripted by [[Bruce Jones (comics)|Bruce Jones]], was atmospherically rendered with gray markers. "The Pepper Lake Monster" was a synthesis of brush and pen-and-ink, whereas [[H.P. Lovecraft]]'s "[[Cool Air]]" was a foray into duotone paper. "Nightfall" was an exercise in ink wash. "Clarice" was also drawn in pen, brush, and ink, and with ink wash.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Cooke |first=Jon B. |date=Spring 1999 |title=Wrightson's Warren Days |url=https://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/04wrightson.html |journal=Comic Book Artist |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |issue=4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220130510/https://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/04wrightson.html |archive-date=December 20, 2016}}</ref>

In 1975, Wrightson joined with fellow artists [[Jeffrey Catherine Jones|Jeff Jones]], [[Michael Kaluta]], and [[Barry Windsor-Smith]] to form [[The Studio (commune)|The Studio]], a shared loft in Manhattan where the group would pursue creative products outside the constraints of comic book commercialism.<ref name="Barney">{{cite web |url=http://www.wtv-zone.com/silverager/interviews/barney2.shtml |title=Joe Barney Interview (Pt. 2) |last=Daudt |first=Ron E. |website=The Silver Age Sage: A Tribute to the Silver Age of DC Comics |access-date=May 18, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151013001622/http://www.wtv-zone.com/silverager/interviews/barney2.shtml |archive-date=October 13, 2015}}</ref> Though he continued to produce sequential art, Wrightson at this time began producing artwork for numerous posters, prints, calendars, and even a highly detailed coloring book, ''The Monsters''.<ref name="Gustines">{{cite news |last=Gustines |first=George Gene |date=March 24, 2017 |title=Bernie Wrightson, Artist and a Creator of Swamp Thing, Dies at 68 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/arts/design/bernie-wrightson-dead-comic-book-artist.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 24, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325222942/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/arts/design/bernie-wrightson-dead-comic-book-artist.html |archive-date=March 25, 2017}}</ref> He also drew sporadic comics stories and single illustrations for ''[[National Lampoon (magazine)|National Lampoon]]'' magazine from 1973 to 1983.<ref name="lambiek" />

Wrightson spent seven years drawing approximately 50 detailed pen-and-ink illustrations to [[Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein|accompany an edition]] of [[Mary Shelley]]'s novel ''[[Frankenstein]]''. The illustrations themselves are not based upon the [[Boris Karloff]] or [[Christopher Lee]] films, but on the actual book's descriptions of characters and objects.<ref name="niles">{{Cite web |url=http://www.steveniles.net/2012/05/frankenstein-alive-alive-a-conversation-with-bernie-wrightson.html |title=Frankenstein Alive, Alive! A Conversation with Bernie Wrightson |last=Niles |first=Steve |author-link=Steve Niles| date=May 8, 2012|website=SteveNiles.net|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171014235546/http://www.steveniles.net/2012/05/frankenstein-alive-alive-a-conversation-with-bernie-wrightson.html|archive-date= October 14, 2017|url-status= live|df= mdy-all |access-date=October 14, 2017}}</ref> Wrightson also used a period style, saying "I wanted the book to look like an antique; to have the feeling of woodcuts or steel engravings, something of that era" and basing the feel on artists like [[Franklin Booth]], [[J.C. Coll]] and [[Edwin Austin Abbey]]. ''Frankenstein'' was an unpaid project, Wrightson describing it as a "labor of love" he worked on over seven years.<ref name="carey" />

===Later career===
The "[[Captain Sternn]]" segment of the animated film ''[[Heavy Metal (film)|Heavy Metal]]'' is based on a character created by Wrightson (first appearing in the June 1980 issue of ''Heavy Metal'' magazine).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/bernie-wrightson-original-captain-sternn-artwork-hits-auction/ |title=Bernie Wrightson Original Captain Sternn Artwork Hits Auction |last=Dwyer |first=Theo |date=June 14, 2021 |website=[[Bleeding Cool]] |access-date=June 14, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614133544/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/bernie-wrightson-original-captain-sternn-artwork-hits-auction/ |archive-date=June 14, 2021}}</ref> The ''Freakshow'' graphic novel, written by [[Bruce Jones (comics)|Bruce Jones]] and illustrated (via pen, brush, and ink with watercolors) by Wrightson, was published in Spain in 1982 and serialized in ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]'' magazine in the early 1980s.<ref name="tcj-interview" />

In 1982 Bernie Wrightson illustrated the comic book adaptation of the [[Stephen King]]-penned horror film ''[[Creepshow]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Henriksen |first=Erik |date=May 9, 2017 |title=Stephen King and Bernie Wrightson's Creepshow Comic Is Available Again, For the First Time in Years |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/books/2017/05/09/18990997/stephen-king-and-bernie-wrightsons-creepshow-comic-is-available-again-for-the-first-time-in-years |work=[[Portland Mercury]] |access-date=May 9, 2017}}</ref> This led to several other collaborations with King, including illustrations for the novella "[[Cycle of the Werewolf]]", the restored edition of King's apocalyptic horror epic, ''[[The Stand]]'', and ''[[Wolves of the Calla]]'', the fifth installment of King's ''[[The Dark Tower (series)|Dark Tower]]'' series. He would later illustrate the cover for ''[[TV Guide]]'' magazine's April 26 – May 2, 1997, issue, illustrating the TV miniseries of King's ''[[The Shining (miniseries)|The Shining]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Beahm |first=George |author-link=George Beahm |date=2015 |title=The Stephen King Companion: Four Decades of Fear from the Master of Horror |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eWeWBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA183 |location=New York City |publisher=[[Thomas Dunne Books]] |page=183 |isbn=978-1-250-05412-8}}</ref>

During production on the 1984 film ''[[Ghostbusters]]'', Wrightson was among the artists hired by associate producer [[Michael C. Gross]] to provide [[concept art]] envisioning the ghosts and other psychic phenomena encountered by that film's characters.<ref name="carey">{{cite web|url= https://www.cbr.com/spotlight-on-bernie-wrightson/|title= Spotlight on Bernie Wrightson|first= Edward|last= Carey|date= June 16, 2008|website= [[Comic Book Resources]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171014234131/https://www.cbr.com/spotlight-on-bernie-wrightson/|archive-date= October 14, 2017|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref> The artwork he contributed included images of the "escapees" from the Ghostbusters' electrically powered ghost storage facility, which run amok after the facility's electricity is turned off.<ref>Wallace, Daniel (October 27, 2015). ''Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Visual History'', Insight Editions. [[San Rafael, California]]. pp. 21 and 86. {{ISBN|978-1608875108}}</ref>

[[File:Bernie Wrightson 2012.jpg|thumb|Wrightson in 2012]]   
[[Jim Starlin]] and Wrightson produced ''[[Heroes for Hope]]'', a 1985 one-shot designed to raise money for African famine relief and recovery. Published in the form of a "[[comic jam]]", the book featured an all-star lineup of comics creators as well as a few notable authors from outside the comic book industry, such as Stephen King, [[George R. R. Martin]], [[Harlan Ellison]], and [[Edward Bryant]].<ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/40777/ ''Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men''] at the [[Grand Comics Database]]</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = DeFalco|first = Tom|author-link = Tom DeFalco|editor-last= Gilbert|editor-first= Laura|chapter= 1980s|title = Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year = 2008|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 223|isbn =978-0756641238|quote= Horrified by the plight of starving children in Africa, writer/artist Jim Starlin and illustrator Bernie Wrightson convinced Marvel to publish ''Heroes For Hope''. It was a 'jam' book...and all of Marvel's profits were donated to famine relief in Africa.}}</ref> In 1986, Wrightson and writer Susan K. Putney collaborated on the ''[[Spider-Man]]: Hooky'' graphic novel.<ref>{{cite book|last = Manning|first = Matthew K.|editor-last= Gilbert|editor-first= Laura|chapter= 1980s|title = Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|date = 2012|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 156|isbn = 978-0756692360|quote= Writer Susan K. Putney and artist Bernie Wrightson delivered a memorable graphic novel that removed Spider-Man from his usual urban setting and placed him in a fantasy world of magic and mysticism.}}</ref> That same year saw Wrightson and Starlin produce a second benefit comic, ''[[Heroes Against Hunger]]'' featuring [[Superman]] and [[Batman]] which was published by DC and like the earlier Marvel project featured many top comics creators.<ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/40911/ ''Heroes Against Hunger''] at the Grand Comics Database</ref><ref>Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 219: "Plotted by Jim Starlin, with dramatic designs by Bernie Wrightson...''Heroes Against Hunger'' featured nearly every popular DC creator of the time."</ref> Starlin and Wrightson collaborated on two [[miniseries]] in 1988, ''[[Weird (comics)|The Weird]]''<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |page=357 |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0}}</ref> and ''[[Batman: The Cult]]'',<ref>Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 234: "Writer Jim Starlin took the Dark Knight into the depths of Gotham for the four-issue prestige format ''Batman: The Cult''...with horror artist Bernie Wrightson."</ref> as well as ''[[Marvel Graphic Novel]]'' #29 (featuring the [[Hulk]] and the [[Thing (comics)|Thing]]) and ''[[Punisher P.O.V.]]'' for Marvel.<ref>{{cite book |last=Weiner |first=Robert G. |year=2007 |title=Marvel Graphic Novels and Related Publications: An Annotated Guide to Comics, Prose Novels, Children's Books, Articles, Criticism and Reference Works, 1965-2005 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=npIsZV7grboC&q=Punisher+pov&pg=PA67 |publisher=McFarland |pages=67, 347 |isbn=978-0786425006}}</ref>

Wrightson brought back his Captain Sternn character in 1993 for the ''Captain Sternn: Running Out of Time'' miniseries, published by Kitchen Sink Press.<ref name="lambiek" /> In 1997, Wrightson and [[Ron Marz]] collaborated on ''[[Batman/Aliens]]'', a crossover between the ''[[Batman]]'' and ''[[Aliens (Dark Horse Comics line)|Aliens]]'' franchises.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://io9.com/5849075/the-10-most-deranged-alien-crossover-stories|title=The 10 most deranged Alien crossover stories|author=Cyriaque Lamar|work=io9|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013043502/http://io9.com/5849075/the-10-most-deranged-alien-crossover-stories|archive-date=October 13, 2011}}</ref> Wrightson again worked with [[Punisher]] for the ''[[The Punisher (1998 series)|Punisher: Purgatory]]'' limited series from 1998 to 1999. The series was unusual for incorporating supernatural elements in a Punisher story.<ref>{{cite book |last=Mengel |first=Bradley |year=2012 |title=Serial Vigilantes of Paperback Fiction: An Encyclopedia from Able Team to Z-Comm |url=http://www.mcfarlandbooks.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-4165-5 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |page=217 |isbn=978-0-7864-4165-5 |access-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150404123847/http://www.mcfarlandbooks.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-4165-5 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

He illustrated and contributed album covers for a number of bands and musical artists, including [[Meat Loaf]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.heavymetal.com/news/meat-loaf-fantasy-art-evangelist/ |title=Meat Loaf, Fantasy Art Evangelist |website=[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]] |access-date=January 22, 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122195130/https://www.heavymetal.com/news/meat-loaf-fantasy-art-evangelist/ |archive-date=January 22, 2022}}</ref> Wrightson did concept art for film and television, working on productions including ''[[The Faculty]]'', ''[[Galaxy Quest]]'', ''[[Spider-Man (2002 film)|Spider-Man]]'', [[The Mist (film)|''The Mist'']], ''[[Land of the Dead]]'', and ''[[Serenity (2005 film)|Serenity]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Joss+Whedon/|title= Joss Whedon|first= Daniel Robert|last= Epstein|date= September 30, 2005|publisher= [[SuicideGirls.com]]|archive-date= January 22, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160122035338/https://suicidegirls.com/girls/anderswolleck/blog/2679343/joss-whedon/|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref> In 2012, Wrightson collaborated with [[Steve Niles]] on ''[[Frankenstein Alive, Alive!]]'' published by [[IDW Publishing]],<ref>{{cite magazine|url= http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=37352|title= Byrne, Wrightson Return To IDW With New Series|date= March 5, 2012|magazine= Comic Book Resources|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120613014107/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=37352|archive-date= June 13, 2012|url-status= dead|access-date= March 5, 2012|df= mdy-all}}</ref> for which he won a [[National Cartoonists Society|National Cartoonists Society's award]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalcartoonists.com/2013/05/2013-reuben-awards-winners/ |title=2013 Reuben Awards Winners |last= |first= |date=May 25, 2013 |website=[[National Cartoonists Society]] |access-date=March 19, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007001842/https://www.nationalcartoonists.com/2013/05/2013-reuben-awards-winners/ |archive-date=October 7, 2019}}</ref>