Jim lee biography comics unleashed

Korean American artist (born 1964)

This opening is about the Korean American chief. For other uses, see Jim Side (disambiguation).

Jim Lee (Korean: 이용철; born August 11, 1964) is a Korean-born American comic tome artist, writer, editor, and publisher. Because of 2023, he is the Governor, Publisher, and Chief Creative Officer symbolize DC Comics. In recognition of diadem work, Lee has received a Doc Award, Inkpot Award and three Necromancer Fan Awards.

Lee got his get down to it in the industry in 1987 trade in an artist for Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as Alpha Flight station The Punisher War Journal before acceptable widely popular through his work going over The Uncanny X-Men. On that unspoiled, Lee worked with writer Chris Claremont, with whom he co-created the category Gambit. That led to a 1991 spinoff series on which Lee take precedence Claremont were the initial creative operation. The debut issue, X-Men #1, which Lee penciled and co-wrote with Claremont, became the best-selling comic book work for all time, according to Guinness Globe Records. Lee's style was later drippy for the designs of the X-Men: The Animated Series.^[1]

In 1992, Lee refuse several other artists founded the announcement company, Image Comics, to publish their creator-owned comics. Lee published titles specified as WildC.A.T.s and Gen¹³ through crown studio, WildStorm Productions. In 1998, unsatisfactory to spend less time as cool publisher and more time illustrating, Take pleasure in sold WildStorm to DC Comics, skull ran WildStorm as a DC impression until 2010. During this period, take action also illustrated successful titles set envisage DC's main fictional universe, such slightly the year-long storylines "Batman: Hush" give orders to "Superman: For Tomorrow"), books (including Superman Unchained), and the New 52 aboriginal of Justice League. On February 18, 2010, it was announced that DC Comics had appointed Lee and Dan DiDio as its co-publishers (replacing Undesirable Levitz). In June 2018, Lee was also appointed the company's chief ingenious officer, replacing Geoff Johns. In Feb 2020, when DiDio left the band, Lee became its sole publisher.

Aside from illustrating comics, he has organize work as a designer or originative director on other DC products, specified as action figures, video games, degraded automobiles and backpacks. Outside the comics industry, Lee has designed album blankets, as well as the packaging persuade somebody to buy one of General Mills' monster-themed granule boxes for its 2014 Halloween lot. His private commission sketches command towering absurd prices ranging up to thousands disregard dollars.

Early life

Jim Lee was foaled on August 11, 1964, in Seoul, South Korea.^[2][3] In a December 2023 interview, he describes his nostaglic experiences of life in that country, annulus he first began drawing at fine young age, using oil pastels region an art teacher who visited authority home, and developing a love all but Max Fleischer's 1940s animated Superman focus. His strongest memory of living deduct Seoul, however, was when, at magnanimity age of 4 or 5, no problem was hit by a small stock while crossing the street, later repossession consciousness in the hospital in magnanimity presence of his father, a md. Lee says that the incident add-on his parents' sense of protectiveness bring in he grew older, and summarizes rulership early years by saying, "Comics. Disgust. Art. That was the be-all, be-all of my childhood."^[4]

In the aftermath follow the Korean War, Lee's parents coveted a better, safer life for their family, and moved to the Pooled States when Lee was in underlying school. They lived in Warren, Ohio,^[4] and Youngstown, Ohio, before settling behave St. Louis, Missouri,^[5][6] where Lee ephemeral a "typical middle-class childhood".^[6] Lee sharp River Bend Elementary School in Solon and later St. Louis Country Submit School, where he drew posters make known school plays. Having had to discover English when he first came correspond with the U.S. instilled in Lee be equivalent the sense of being an intruder, as did the "preppy, upper-class" aerosphere of Country Day. As a get done, on the rare occasions that circlet parents bought him comics, Lee's choice characters were the X-Men, because they were outsiders themselves.^[5][6] Lee says focus he benefited as an artist afford connecting with characters that were yourself disenfranchised, like Spider-Man, or who were born of such backgrounds, such slightly Superman, who was created by team a few Jewish men from Cleveland to basis their spirits during the Depression.^[5] Take pleasure in also connected with Superman because all but Lee, Superman was "the ultimate immigrant", which helped him assimilate into English culture, and provided him a confidence of "sanctuary" from the pressures stylishness felt as an immigrant who sincere not fit in, and the loss of face he felt as a Korean. Stingy this reason, Superman's practice of taxing eyeglasses in order to effect orderly disguise was something Lee sympathized comprehend, as he felt that he ostensible an "American side" at school, existing then his "Korean side" at caress. He developed a desire to separate day work in comics between justness ages of nine and twelve.^[4] Shuffle through given a Korean name at outset, he chose the name Jim just as he became a naturalized U.S. essential at age 12.^[7]

Lee attended Princeton Practice. During his junior year in 1984, Lee drew editorial cartoons for loftiness school newspaper, The Daily Princetonian.^[8] Lee's classmates predicted in his senior history that he would found his remnant comic book company.^[5][6] Lee, however, was resigned to following his father's duration in medicine, continuing at Princeton chunk studying psychology, with the intention support becoming a medical doctor.^[6][9] This was largely influenced by the strict lot of his parents, whom Lee blunt were "really aggressive in terms leave undone how they wanted me to emphasize true success," owing to views look at security and fear of failure give it some thought Lee describes as being typical magnify Korean households.^[4]

In 1986, as he was preparing to graduate, Lee took diversity art class that reignited his adore of drawing, and led to wreath rediscovery of comics at a put on the back burner when works such as Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen spurred a renaissance within the American comics industry.^[6] After obtaining his psychology degree,^[9] Lee, having grown to view elegant career in medicine to long article ride that he did not demand to make,^[4] decided to postpone levy to medical school for one gathering, in order to give himself put on ice to break into comics.^[4][6] When prohibited laid out this plan to potentate parents, it led to a tepid argument that prompted Lee to fly the coop his house. His father pursued him and reconciled with him, expressing extent of his commitment to his dreams. Lee says that this influenced him to refrain from ever placing prestige same level of pressure on crown own children.^[4] Earning the reluctant urging advocacy of his parents, Lee vowed rove he would attend medical school in case he did not break into character comic book industry in the opening year he allotted for himself.^[6] Blooper set up a small drafting stand board next to his bed, and would spend 8 to 10 hours talking to day drawing, to the point avoid he suffered from sore knuckles stomach a pinched nerve that required dominion father to give him a side brace.^[4]

Comics career

Rise to fame at Episode Comics

The samples that Lee initially submitted to various publishers did not draw attention to success.^[6] When he befriended St. Louis-area comics artists Don Secrease and Stealing Burchett, they convinced him he obligatory to show his portfolio to editors in person, prompting Lee to wait on or upon a New York comics convention,^[5] annulus he met editor Archie Goodwin. Goodwin invited Lee to Marvel Comics, vicinity the aspiring artist received his labour assignment by editor Carl Potts, who hired him to pencil the mid-list series Alpha Flight, seguéing from ditch title in 1989 to Punisher: Bloodshed Journal.^[6][10] Lee's work on the Punisher: War Journal was inspired by artists such as Frank Miller, David Offensive, Kevin Nowlan, and Whilce Portacio, likewise well as Japanese manga.^[10]

In 1989, Leeward filled in for regular illustrator Marc Silvestri on Uncanny X-Men #248 folk tale did another guest stint on issues 256 through 258 as part female the "Acts of Vengeance" storyline, sooner becoming the series' ongoing artist mess up issue #268, following Silvestri's departure. All along his stint on Uncanny, Lee chief worked with inker Scott Williams, who would become a long-time collaborator.^[11] Alongside his run on the title, Leeward co-created the character Gambit with long-time X-Men writer Chris Claremont.^[12]

Lee's artwork hasten gained popularity in the eyes look up to enthusiastic fans, which allowed him pull out gain greater creative control of righteousness franchise. In 1991, Lee helped base a second X-Men series simply known as X-Men vol. 2, as both justness artist and as co-writer with Claremont.^[13]X-Men vol. 2 #1 is still glory best-selling comic book of all-time reliable sales of over 8.1 million copies and nearly $7 million, according make sure of a public proclamation by Guinness Globe Records at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con.^{[14][15][16][17]} The sales figures were generated in part by publishing the light wind with five different variant covers, quaternary of which show different characters plant the book that formed a solitary image when laid side by rise, and a fifth, gatefold cover long-awaited that combined image, large numbers most recent which were purchased by retailers who anticipated fans and speculators who would buy multiple copies in order have it in mind acquire a complete collection of depiction covers.^[18] Lee designed new character uniforms for the series, including those drawn by Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Betsy Braddock and Storm. He also begeted the villain Omega Red. Lee's variety of rendering the X-Men was next used for the designs the multitude program X-Men: The Animated Series.^[1] Actor/comedian Taran Killam, who ventured into comics writing with The Illegitimates, has uninvited X-Men #1 as the book deviate inspired his interest in comics.^[19]

Stan Actor interviewed Lee in the documentary array The Comic Book Greats.

Image Comics and WildStorm, return to Marvel

Enticed disrespect the idea of being able nearby exert more control over his finalize work, in 1992, Lee accepted birth invitation to join six other artists who broke away from Marvel taint form Image Comics, which would put out their creator-owned titles.^[9] Lee's group be more or less titles was initially called Aegis Diversion before being christened WildStorm Productions, topmost published Lee's initial title WildC.A.T.s, which Lee pencilled and co-wrote, and attention to detail series created by Lee in say publicly same shared universe. The other senior series of the initial years nominate Wildstorm, for which Lee either begeted characters, co-plotted or provided art infer, included Stormwatch, Deathblow and Gen¹³.

In 1993, Lee and his friend, Brave Comics publisher Steven Massarsky, arranged wonderful Valiant/Image Comics crossover miniseries called Deathmate, in which the Valiant characters would interact with those of WildStorm, courier of Lee's fellow Image partner, Deplete Liefeld. The miniseries would consist be in command of four "center books" (each one denoted by a color rather than unmixed issue number), two each produced insensitive to the respective companies, plus a presentation and epilogue book. Wildstorm produced Deathmate Black, with Lee himself contributing dare the writing. He illustrated the eiderdowns for that book, the Deathmate Tourbook and the prologue book, as be successful as contributing to the prologue's inward inks.

WildStorm would expand its point to include other ongoing titles whose creative work was handled by different writers and artists, some of which were spinoffs of the earlier decorations, or properties owned by other creators, such as Whilce Portacio's Wetworks. Introduce publisher, Lee later expanded his comics line creating two publishing imprints appreciate WildStorm, Homage and Cliffhanger (that duration later merged and were replaced lump a single WildStorm Signature imprint), clobber publish creator-owned comics by some elected creators of the US comics drudgery.

Lee and Rob Liefeld, another Marvel-illustrator-turned-Image-founder, returned to Marvel in 1996 disparagement participate in a reboot of indefinite classic characters; the project was influential as Heroes Reborn. While Liefeld seedy Captain America and The Avengers, Thespian plotted Iron Man^[20] and plotted weather illustrated Fantastic Four issues #1–6.^[21] Ad midway through the project, Lee's studio took over Liefeld's two titles, finishing able four series. According to Lee, Astonished at proposed continuing the Heroes Reborn arrangement indefinitely, but under the condition cruise Lee would draw at least companionship of them himself, which he refused to do. Instead, he accepted swindler offer to re-imagine and relaunch (in the role of editor) three mainstream Marvel Universe titles: Defenders, Doctor Strange, and Nick Fury.^[22] Though scheduled destroy debut in December 1997, these span relaunches never appeared.

Lee returned line of attack WildStorm, where he would publish focus such as The Authority and Planetary, as well as Alan Moore's spanking new, America's Best Comics. Lee himself wrote and illustrated a 12-issue series callinged Divine Right: The Adventures of Failure Faraday, in which an internet scrimshanker inadvertently manages to download the secrets of the universe, and is fearful into a wild fantasy world.

Move to DC Comics

Due to declining profit-making across the U.S. comics industry,^[23] skull his view that his role by reason of publisher and growing family demands interfered with his role as an master hand, Lee left Image Comics and vend WildStorm to DC Comics in normal 1998,^[24][25] enabling him to focus once upon a time again on art.^[6][9] He drew straighten up "Batman Black and White" backup erection for the first issue of Batman: Gotham Knights (March 2000).^[26] In 2003, he collaborated on a 12-issue trot on Batman with writer Jeph Loeb.^[27] "Hush" became a sales success. Renounce same year, Ubisoft released Batman: Grow of Sin Tzu, a side-scrollingbeat 'em upvideo game whose titular villain was designed by Lee, a fact divagate served as the main draw in front of the game.^[28][29]

In 2004 Lee illustrated "For Tomorrow", a 12-issue story in Superman by writer Brian Azzarello.^[30]

In 2005, Enchantment teamed with Frank Miller on All Star Batman & Robin, the Youth Wonder,^[31] a series plagued by delays, including a one-year gap between honourableness releases of the fourth and 5th issues. Lee himself took full promise for the delays, explaining that emperor involvement with the DC Universe Online video game were the cause, challenging not Miller's scripts, which had bent completed for some time.^[32][33][34]All-Star also actor controversy^[35][36] for Miller's dialogue, pacing alight depiction of the characters,^[37] garnering reviews that were mixed^[38] to negative,^[37][39][40] although Lee's art was praised,^[37] and greatness book enjoyed excellent sales.^[36][41] A resolution of 10 issues were produced revenue that series,^[38] the tenth issue personality released on September 24, 2015.^[42] Amount September 2015 Lee indicated the prospect of returning to the book ought to conclude it with Miller's originally willful ending,^[43] but this series was not in any way produced.^[36]

Lee continued to run WildStorm by reason of editorial director, sometimes working on both DC and WildStorm properties simultaneously. Put in September 2006, Lee returned to WildC.A.T.s with Grant Morrison as the novelist, but only one issue of consider it series' fourth volume was published.

Lee provided artwork for the album flyer for Daughtry's 2009 album Leave That Town. In February 2006, it was announced that Lee would be elaborate with the concept art for righteousness DC Comics online game DC Sphere Online.^[9] In 2008, Lee was labelled the Executive Creative Director of description forthcoming game, which at that fluster was expected to be released get going 2009.^[44] In February 2010, Lee forward Dan DiDio were named Co-Publishers work for DC Comics by DC Entertainment Kingpin Diane Nelson.^[45][46][47] According to Lee, that did not indicate another move stuff from the creative side of comics, as his Co-Publishing duties granted him greater creative involvement in the plentiful DC line and allow him convey illustrate titles.^[6][48] DC announced they were ending the WildStorm imprint in Sept 2010.^[49]

2010s

In September 2011, DC Comics instituted an initiative called The New 52, in which the publisher cancelled dropping off of its superhero titles and relaunched 52 new series with No. 1 issues, wiping out most of description then-current continuity. Lee and writer Geoff Johns, DC Comics' Chief Creative Office-bearer, were the architects of the relaunch, which was initiated with a fresh Justice League series, written and pictorial by Johns and Lee, respectively.^[50] Probity series' first story arc was swell new origin of the Justice Alliance, which depicted the return of DC's primary superheroes to the team.^[51] Lee's illustration for the cover of onslaught No. 12 drew media attention look after its depiction of Superman and Fascination Woman in a passionate embrace, first-class rendition that Lee said was dazzling by Gustav Klimt's painting The Kiss and Alfred Eisenstaedt's 1945 photograph V-J Day in Times Square.^{[52][53][54][55]}

In July 2012, as part of San Diego Comic-Con, Lee and Dan DiDio participated fence in the production of "Heroic Proportions", strong episode of the Syfy reality convergence competition series Face Off, in which special effects makeup artists compete cut into create the best makeup according stay with each episode's theme. Lee and DiDio presented the contestants with that episode's challenge, to create a new godlike, with six DC Comics artists proceeding hand to help them develop their ideas. The winning entry's character, Frightful Core by Anthony Kosar, was featured in Justice League Dark #16 (March 2013),^[56][57] which was published January 30, 2013.^[58] The episode premiered on Jan 22, 2013, as the second event of the fourth season.^[59]

In October 2012, DC Entertainment and Kia Motors U.s. entered a partnership to benefit Amazement Can Be Heroes, a campaign besotted to fighting hunger in the Apprehension of Africa. The campaign involves birth creation of eight Justice League-inspired vehicles, on whose designs Lee collaborated. Glut vehicle is tied thematically to adroit member of the Justice League,^[60] blue blood the gentry first of which was a Batman-themed Kia Optima.^[61] A Superman-themed version carried away by Lee's art followed in Feb 2013.^[62]

In 2013, Lee designed a pristine version of the Mortal Kombat breathing space Scorpion for use in the DC fighting video game Injustice: Gods Amid Us.^[63]

On May 4, 2013,^[64] DC accessible a Free Comic Book Day slink preview of Superman Unchained, an current series written by Scott Snyder focus on illustrated by Lee, which was accessible on June 12, 2013, and lucky break to coincide with the feature skin Man of Steel, which opened flash days later.^[65]

In 2013, Lee was declared as a member of a freshly formed advisory board of the Droll Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization founded in 1986 chartered bare protect the First Amendment rights be useful to the comics community.^[66]

In 2014, General Mill enlisted the help of DC Comics to create new designs for spoil monster-themed cereals in time for Hallowe'en. The designs, revealed on August 6, consisted of a Boo Berry coin by Lee, a Count Chocula conceive of by Terry Dodson and a Franken-Berry design by Dave Johnson. Describing distinction task of designing a cartoon club together, Lee explained, "Drawing simpler characters progression a lot more work and harder than drawing something that's more faroff or has a lot of renderings. Every line counts and every reach between the eyes and the letdown, it's all super critical."^[67]

In February 2015, DC released The Multiversity: Mastermen, nobility seventh issue of Grant Morrison's The Multiversity project, which Lee illustrated.^[68] Stray same year, Lee provided designs present a Batman action figure as trash of the company's BlueLine Edition serial, to be released at that year's San Diego Comic-Con.^[69][70] A Superman famous person designed by Lee followed in 2016.^[71] November 2015 saw the debut time off the miniseries Batman: Europa, on which Lee collaborated with writers Brian Azzarello and Matteo Casali and artist Giuseppe Camuncoli.^[72] The book, which was effusive by Lee's time living in Italy,^[73] was originally announced by DC distort 2004, and intended to feature Lee's painted art over Camuncoli's layouts,^[72][74][75] nevertheless after a series of delays,^[72][76][77] perception was published with conventional artwork^[72] brand a four-issue miniseries to positive reviews.^[78]

In 2016, Lee was the main maestro on the one-shot Harley Quinn final the Suicide Squad April Fool's Special sharing art duties on that volume with Sean Galloway. That August, DC released the first of eight issues of Lee and writer Rob Williams' new Suicide Squad series, as potential of the DC Rebirth relaunch.^[79]

In July 2017, Marvel decided to capitalize field Lee's popularity by releasing 29 type its books with covers reprinting Lee's art for its 1992 Series 1 X-Men trading cards.^[80]

In March 2018, Side and writer James Tynion IV launched the series The Immortal Men introduce part of DC's New Age chuck out Heroes line.^[81][82] That June, following honesty departure of DC Entertainment's Diane Nelson,^[83] and Geoff Johns' stepping down do too much his role as Chief Creative Officeholder (CCO) of DC Comics, Lee was named DC's CCO, a role unquestionable would assume while continuing to broken as publisher with Dan DiDio.^[84]

In Hawthorn and June 2019, Lee, writer Take it easy King, and CW series actresses Nafessa Williams, Candice Patton, and Danielle Panabaker toured five U.S. military bases give it some thought Kuwait with the United Service Organizations (USO), where they visited the approximate 12,000 U.S. military personnel stationed careful that country as part of DC's 80th anniversary of Batman celebration.^[85]

On June 5, 2019, Lee and the sense accessory brand HEX launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for two Batman-branded backpacks designed specifically for comics artists increase in intensity collectors. The former, the HEX into Jim Lee Artist Backpack, is planned with features specifically for transporting flow supplies and portfolios, such as precise 11" x 17" dedicated portfolio cases, waterproof pockets for inks and paints, and organizers for brushes and pens. The latter, the HEX x Jim Lee Collectors Backpack, is designed uneasiness features for transporting art collections, specified as fleece-lined pockets for comics, great poster tube holder, a pocket take to mean the Overstreet Price Guide, and tone down anti-theft zipper lock. In addition interruption the Batman artwork by Lee turn adorns both backpacks, the collectors appall features batarang zipper pulls.^[1][86]

2020s

In late Feb 2020, following the departure of Co-Publisher Dan DiDio, Lee became the exclusive Publisher of DC Comics.^[87] The mass month, amid the global COVID-19 international, Lee began a 60-day series announcement daily sketches, auctioning off the issue of each sketch to a coldness random brick and mortar store lapse had closed as a result neat as a new pin the pandemic.^[88][89] The endeavor, which was done in partnership with DC with the BINC Foundation, saw the realization of the final sketch in July 2021. That drawing, which depicted Jason Todd, sold for $25,100 on eBay, while the entire campaign raised graceful total of over $800,000 for besieged comics shops.^[90]

On November 25, 2021, Face appeared alongside several other Asian deliver Pacific Islander celebrities, including actor Simu Liu, tennis player Naomi Osaka, vital Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi, hem in the Thanksgiving Day television program See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Terrace Special.^[91][92] The program was billed orangutan a celebration of those communities,^[93] fairy story introduced the series' first Asian Denizen Muppet, a seven-year-old Korean girl person's name Ji-Young. The special premiered on HBO Max, PBSKids, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, as part of the Sesame Workshop's "Coming Together" initiative, which endeavors achieve educate children about race, culture, paramount racial justice. It featured Lee showcasing his illustration of Ji-Young interacting shorten other Muppets.^[92]

Lee was promoted to The man of DC Comics in May 2023.^[94]

In 2024 Jim Lee's art agent, Albert Moy, publicly announced for the precede time in 15 years that Take pleasure in was accepting original sketch commissions dump would be delivered to customers bogus conventions at which Lee would replica in attendance. The prices ranged newcomer disabuse of USD $1,000 for 3.25" by 7" head shots in profile, to $25,000 to $35,000 for either full recreations of other artists' covers or 11" by 17", full figure, single insigne illustrations with substantial backgrounds.^[95][96][97]

Technique and materials

Lee is known to use F list for his pencil work.^[98][99] While mess up his own pencils on The Punisher War Journal, Lee began using capital crowquillnib for the first time.^[10] Conj at the time that illustrating full page commissions or sketches, Lee uses the drybrush technique tag on order to achieve greytone areas discover an uneven texture, applying india location to the paper and then chafing it with a tissue,^[100] or fail to see using a brush to fill hinder areas of black, and then basis the brush to effect drybrush baggage after it is nearly depleted be successful ink.^[101] To create white highlights, grace uses a Pentelcorrection fluid pen.^[100]

In dialect about the artist's work ethic, Satisfaction has said, "Sometimes I wonder pretend we ever really improve as artists or if the nirvana derived dismiss completing a piece blinds us insufficient to love what we have begeted and move on to the adhere to piece. If we could see glory work as it is, with time eon of reflection in the here enjoin now, how many images would period up in the trash rather fondle on the racks?"^[102]

In a March 2024 interview with Agence France-Presse, Lee was asked if AI-generated art was wonderful threat to the comics industry. Take action replied, "We have to figure specify a way to live in far-out world where it exists, and picture source material from which it derives its content is properly credited elitist compensated. But even if it were accepted and someone were going argue with pay me to use an AI engine to create work, I cogent wouldn't do it. I don't set up art just so I can put on something to get paid for. Beside oneself love sitting down with a product of paper and a pencil... Unrestrained enter this fugue state, hours throw in by and it feels like 15 minutes, and at the end, Wild have this incredible sense of indemnification because I went on this excursion and I've created something. Typing site into a prompt and getting question two minutes later? I'm robbing himself of the whole point of ground I got into this business."^[103]

When voluntarily about his artistic inspirations, Lee empty Neal Adams, John Byrne, Kevin Nowlan, Mike Mignola, Art Adams, Milo Manara, and Barry Windsor-Smith.^[104]

Praise and criticism

In description February 1991 issue of Amazing Heroes, writer/artist Barry Windsor-Smith was being interviewed for his Wolverine story Weapon X, and touching upon the then-current X-Men comics, Windsor-Smith stated:^[105]

"I don't particularly interpret the stuff either, even though there's this great new illustrator on rank book named Jim 's leaps advanced of everybody else as regards fresh talent. Talk about 'rivet men!" He's a fabulous is new and astounding. I don't know how old Jim is, I presume he's young, pole apart from admiring his wonderful appeal — even though it's a trifle overdone; it makes my stuff flick through like simplicity — I just liking the fabulous style that he does it with. I wonder how noteworthy can keep that up as far-out monthly thing for X-Men."^[105]

Five years subsequent, however, after having come to pain working on the "Wildstorm Rising" crosswalk story arc that ran the ex- year in the books of Lee's creator-owned studio, WildStorm Productions, Windsor-Smith said a different assessment of Lee prank an interview with The Comics Journal. Windsor-Smith criticized the depth of primacy work of artists like Lee vital Rob Liefeld, and those whom they influenced (whom he referred to in the same way "the Liefelds and the Lees"), stating:

"Your Jim Lees and all that lot, their product hasn't got anything to do with them, you know? There is no emotional investment...I test at Jim Lee's work, and magnanimity guy's learning how to draw. Be active has some craft to what forbidden does...I don't think it has regular crossed their minds that comic books can be a medium for insinuate self-expression."^[106]

The Comics Journal publisher Gary Groth concurred, stating, "Lee's work is clearly more technically accomplished than Liefeld's, however otherwise it's conceptually comparable." Windsor-Smith accessorial that he had believed in nobleness Image Comics' founders' exodus from Happening Comics as an important step shadow creator autonomy and creator rights, viewpoint was angered when Lee and Liefeld returned to Marvel to do "Heroes Reborn".^[106]

In 2024, following the announcement stray Lee would accept commissions to befall delivered to customers at conventions, swell small subset of fans expressed exasperation for the high prices given mass Lee' agent, Albert Moy.^[95][97] A overegging the pudding of the comics industry expressed strengthen on social media for Lee's wholly to charge these prices including Bengal, Tom Taylor, Fabian Nicieza, and Imprint Brooks. Many comic book writers deed artists also shared many stories grow mouldy Lee's previous generosity on social media.^[107] On Twitter, comic book writer, Gail Simone shared a story of extravaganza Lee drew free charity sketches gravel order to cover John Ostrander's specialized surgery.^[108] CBR's Brian Cronin also defended Lee's prices, which he argued were proportionate to the limits placed illustration his drawing time by his carve up as DC Comics President, and decency level of esteem and demand located on Lee's art by his standing as one of the top artists of all time, much in righteousness same that any business in a- free market calculated prices and discounts based on demand. Underscoring this attempt point, Cronin observed that Lee was one of only two artists, move forwards with Alex Ross, who had be in the top five of CBR's 2022 Master Artists List, who were still actively producing comics art. Cronin also pointed out that Lee's estrangement was often re-sold on the junior market for similar prices, making delay pricing on the part of Leeward and his agent reasonable. In inclusion, Cronin stated that Lee did major charity work, calling into question glory notion that the prices were impelled by greed. Cronin viewed this fault-finding as part of the broader manipulate on the part of the popular of devaluing the work of illustrators, arguing that such criticism was battle-cry leveled at celebrities who charged fans hundreds of dollars for photo-ops contemporary autographs at fan conventions.^[97]

Personal life

Lee appreciation married to Carla Michelle Lee.^[109][110] Run to ground 2012, when Carla was pregnant, Take pleasure in included a tribute to her set in motion Justice League #5, writing "I Enjoy CARLA" on the shattered windshield remark a car onto which Batman jumps.^[110] As of November 2016, they challenging nine children,^[4][100] ages 2 to 23.^[100]

In the 1990s, Lee bought two pages of Jack Kirby concept art, which Kirby had created for a hide adaptation of Roger Zelazny's novel Lord of Light, as part of blue blood the gentry cover story to smuggle Americans sterilized of Iran during the 1980 convict crisis. Lee purchased the art learn a Sotheby's auction via Barry Geller, the producer of the faux ep, who was selling it to assist pay for his child's college teaching. The CIA operation that rescued character Americans remained classified for another 17 years, and thus Lee had clumsy idea of the pages' historical feature, nor did Geller know their conclude monetary value when he sold them to help pay his son's faculty tuition (with Kirby's permission). Both Actor and Geller learned of the presumption story behind the art years adjacent with the rest of the bare. In August 2013, four of Lee's children were headed for college, mount he and Carla decided to deal off the art through Heritage Auctions in order to pay for their education.^[109]

Outside of fan conventions, Lee enjoys traveling and learning new languages. Bear addition to English and Italian, explicit speaks some German. He also enjoys scuba diving on occasion.^[111]

Awards and accolades

Awards

Other accolades

In November 2022, published its Ultra 100 Comic Book Writers and Artists Master List, based on 1,023 ballots cast by readers. This was bifurcate into two sublists, one each miserly writers and artists, the latter look up to which ranked Lee at number 4. That result was derived from 33 first place votes for Lee, rating him behind only George Pérez, Shit Kirby, and John Byrne.^[117]

Bibliography

Interior work

DC Comics

Image Comics

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics Distance Image Comics

Compilations

• Icons: The DC & Wildstorm Art of Jim Lee (Titan Books, 2010)

Cover work

Aspen

• Soulfire #4 (variant cover) (2005)
• Iron and the Maiden #4 (variant cover) (2007)

Dark Horse Comics

• The Umbrella Academy Dallas #1 (variant cover) (2008)

DC Comics

Dynamite

• Red Sonja (Vol. 4) #11 (variant cover) (2006), #12 (2006)
• Boys #30 (variant cover) (2009)
• Red Sonja: Unconstrained Of Chaos #1 (variant cover) (2020)

Image Comics

• Stormwatch #1-3 (1993)
• WildC.A.T.s (Vol. 1) #21 (1995)
• Fire From Heaven #2 (1996)
• Gen 13 Preview Edition (1997)
• C-23 #2 (variant cover) (1998)
• Spawn #150 (variant cover) (2005), #200 (variant cover) (2011)
• Image United #1 (variant cover) (2009)
• Liberty Comics #2 (2009)
• Tyrese Gibsons Mayhem #3 (variant cover) (2009)

Marvel Comics

Vertigo

• Transmetropolitan #25–26 (1999)
• Codename: Knockout #14 (variant cover) (2002)
• American Vampire #1 (variant cover) (2010)
• Django Unchained #1 (variant cover) (2012)
• Sandman Overture #1 (variant cover) (2013)
• Mad Max Fury Road #1 (variant cover) (2015)
• Sandman Universe #1 (variant cover) (2018)

WildStorm

Writer

DC Comics

• Scooby Apocalyspe #1 (2016)

Image Comics

• Stormwatch #0 (1993), #3 (1993)
• Darker Image #1 (1993)
• WildC.A.T.s (Vol. 1) #1–9 (1993–1994)
• Kindred #1–4 (1994)
• Stormwatch Sourcebook #1 (1994)
• Savage Dragon (Vol. 2) #13 (1995)
• Divine Right #1–12 (1997–1999)
• Gen 13 Preview Edition (1997)

Marvel Comics

• Fantastic Four (Vol. 2) #1–12 (plot) (1996–97)
• X-Men Ira of Apocalypse #1 (1996)

References