Don Perlin
Encyclopedia
Don Perlin is an American comic book
artist
and occasional writer best known for Marvel Comics
' Werewolf by Night
, The Defenders
, and Ghost Rider
. In the 1990s, he worked for Valiant Comics
, both as artist and editor.
, who taught small private classes prior to co-founding the Cartoonists and Illustrators School. In 1951, Perlin was a penciller on Will Eisner
's The Spirit
. Perlin was drafted in 1953 and served in the United States Army
.
Perlin did artwork for Harvey Comics' war and horror titles in the 1950s. The artist drew one title for Gilberton's Classics Illustrated series, No. 162, Robur the Conqueror, an adaptation of a Jules Verne novel about a power-mad genius and his "flying apparatus." The comic book was published in May 1961, the first of three printings.
In 1974 he began a long association with Marvel, where he was a full-time penciler until 1987. Perlin and writer Roger McKenzie
developed the idea of Captain America running for the office of President of the United States
. Marvel originally rejected the idea but it would be used later by Roger Stern
and John Byrne in Captain America #250 (October 1980). McKenzie and Perlin received credit for the idea on the letters page at Stern's insistence. McKenzie and Perlin would also receive credit in the followup story in What If?
#26 (April 1981). From 1980–1986, Perlin was the regular (and longest-serving) artist on Defenders. In addition to his work on The Defenders, Werewolf by Night, and Ghost Rider, Perlin penciled Transformers for two years. Perlin's Werewolf run is notable for introducing the character of Moon Knight
, who he co-created with writer Doug Moench
. In the late 1980s Perlin became a managing art director at Marvel, overseeing younger artists.
Perlin left the Marvel managing art direction position in 1991 to became a major part of Jim Shooter
's Valiant Comics
team. Besides penciling the popular series Solar, Man of the Atom and Bloodshot
, Perlin also edited (among others) titles like Shadowman
, Magnus Robot Fighter, and Solar. Shortly after Valiant's mid-1990s takeover by Acclaim Entertainment
, Perlin went into semi-retirement.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and occasional writer best known for Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night is a fictional character, an antiheroic werewolf in the Marvel Comics universe. The Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight vol...
, The Defenders
Defenders (comics)
The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...
, and Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (comics)
Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
. In the 1990s, he worked for Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is a comic book imprint published by various publishers since its inception with Voyager Communications, Inc. in 1989, later Acclaim Comics, Inc. Its assets were purchased from the bankruptcy of the Acclaim Entertaintment by Valiant Entertainment, Inc. in 2007.-Voyager...
, both as artist and editor.
Biography
At 14, Perlin began studying art under Burne HogarthBurne Hogarth
Burne Hogarth was an American cartoonist, illustrator, educator, author and theoretician, best known for his pioneering work on the Tarzan newspaper comic strip and his series of anatomy books.-Biography:...
, who taught small private classes prior to co-founding the Cartoonists and Illustrators School. In 1951, Perlin was a penciller on Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
's The Spirit
The Spirit
The Spirit is a crime-fighting fictional character created by writer-artist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940 in "The Spirit Section", the colloquial name given to a 16-page Sunday supplement, distributed to 20 newspapers by the Register and Tribune Syndicate and reaching five million...
. Perlin was drafted in 1953 and served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
Perlin did artwork for Harvey Comics' war and horror titles in the 1950s. The artist drew one title for Gilberton's Classics Illustrated series, No. 162, Robur the Conqueror, an adaptation of a Jules Verne novel about a power-mad genius and his "flying apparatus." The comic book was published in May 1961, the first of three printings.
In 1974 he began a long association with Marvel, where he was a full-time penciler until 1987. Perlin and writer Roger McKenzie
Roger McKenzie (comics)
Roger McKenzie is an American comic book writer best known for his work on Daredevil with Frank Miller.McKenzie and Miller's first collaboration was on a two-page story entitled "Slowly, painfully, you dig your way from the cold, choking debris..." published in DC Comics' Weird War Tales #68...
developed the idea of Captain America running for the office of President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Marvel originally rejected the idea but it would be used later by Roger Stern
Roger Stern
Roger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.-Early career:In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine CPL , one of the first platforms for the work of John Byrne...
and John Byrne in Captain America #250 (October 1980). McKenzie and Perlin received credit for the idea on the letters page at Stern's insistence. McKenzie and Perlin would also receive credit in the followup story in What If?
What If (comics)
What If, sometimes rendered as What If...?, is the title of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, exploring "the road not traveled" by its various characters...
#26 (April 1981). From 1980–1986, Perlin was the regular (and longest-serving) artist on Defenders. In addition to his work on The Defenders, Werewolf by Night, and Ghost Rider, Perlin penciled Transformers for two years. Perlin's Werewolf run is notable for introducing the character of Moon Knight
Moon Knight
Moon Knight is a fictional character, a mercenary-turned-superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character exists in the Marvel Universe and was created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin...
, who he co-created with writer Doug Moench
Doug Moench
Douglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
. In the late 1980s Perlin became a managing art director at Marvel, overseeing younger artists.
Perlin left the Marvel managing art direction position in 1991 to became a major part of Jim Shooter
Jim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
's Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is a comic book imprint published by various publishers since its inception with Voyager Communications, Inc. in 1989, later Acclaim Comics, Inc. Its assets were purchased from the bankruptcy of the Acclaim Entertaintment by Valiant Entertainment, Inc. in 2007.-Voyager...
team. Besides penciling the popular series Solar, Man of the Atom and Bloodshot
Bloodshot (comics)
Bloodshot is the title character of the American comic book series published by Valiant Comics.-Publication history:Bloodshot was launched in the mid 1990s on the back of a wave of popularity for the Valiant Universe. Bloodshot became an immediate hit with readers, as the first issue has sold...
, Perlin also edited (among others) titles like Shadowman
Shadowman (comics)
Shadowman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by Valiant Comics. The character debuted in Shadowman #1 , and was created by writers Jim Shooter and Steve Englehart, artist David Lapham and inker Bob Layton...
, Magnus Robot Fighter, and Solar. Shortly after Valiant's mid-1990s takeover by Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment was an American video game developer and publisher. It developed, published, marketed and distributed interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms, including Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Game Gear, Nintendo's NES, SNES, Nintendo...
, Perlin went into semi-retirement.