Media Monday: Jim Lee
March 22nd, 2010 | Published in Featured, Media Monday
Coming onto the scene with Marvel Comics in the late 80′s, Jim Lee is one of the highest profile Asian American comic artists working today. His style is one of the most easily recognizable ones among comic fans and even many non comic readers. He has won numerous awards including a Harvey Award for Best New Talent in 1990 and the Inkpot Award in 1992.
Born in Seoul, South Korea Lee’s family moved to the US where he grew up in Saint Louis, Missouri. Initially looking towards a career in medicine, Lee decided to focus on his love of comics in while attending Princeton University, attending comic conventions and lading a job with Marvel Comics working first on the title Alpha Flight and then moving towards the high profile Punisher: War Journal.
Lee became a recognizable name among comic fans when he began work on Uncanny X-Men. Becoming a long lasting artist on the series allowed for Lee to begin working as a co writer with writer Christ Claremont and creating the looks that a generation of comic fans would associate with famous characters such as Cyclops and Psylocke.
Co-creating the book X-Men, who’s first issue still stands as the top selling comic of all time, he also collaborated with writers Brandon Choi and Claremont to create the characters Gambit and Omega Red.
1992 saw Lee leave Marvel as one of six artists who would form Image Comics. Lee’s studio, Wildstorm Productions, created some of Image’s most recognizable titles such as Wild C.A.T.S, Gen 13, and Deathblow. He would later expand his studios to include imprints Homage and Cliffhanger.
When Marvel Comics began their “Heroes Reborn” storyline in 1996, Lee was brought on board with fellow Image founder Rob Liefeld to script and draw the reboots of classic Marvel heroes like The Fantastic Four and Iron Man. Lee would also end up taking over the Liefeld projects Captain America and The Avengers halfway through to bring all four titles to an end.
1998 saw Lee return to working with one of the two major publishers full time when he sold Wildstorn Productions to DC Comics and starting work on the Batman Hush story line beginning in 2003. This was followed up by high profile work on For Tomorrow, a major Superman storyline as well as All Star Batman and Robin with writer Frank Miller.
Currently, Lee has been named as the new co-publisher of DC comics, a position that was announced in February 2010.
