Kevin VanHook
Encyclopedia
Kevin VanHook is an American filmmaker who began his career in storytelling as a comic book
artist and writer. He was born in Indianapolis
, Indiana
.
from Valiant Comics
. He also wrote the Flash Gordon
comic strip
in the 1990s.
In 1996, he made his first short film, Drifter. In 1998, he began filming Frost: Portrait of a Vampire while founding a visual effects company, VanHook Studios. Frost was completed in 2001 and released on DVD in 2003, where it became the 18th highest grossing DVD premiere that year.
In 2002, VanHook Studios merged with Film Roman
, the animation company best known for animating The Simpsons
TV series. During his stint as a visual effects artist and supervisor, VanHook has worked on such films as Miss Congeniality, Hart's War
, Daredevil
, I, Robot
and many others.
Film Roman
was acquired by IDT Corporation, an international telephone company expanding into entertainment in 2003. After IDT acquired Anchor Bay Entertainment
, a leading DVD distributor, VanHook created a new film for IDT, The Fallen Ones
starring Casper Van Dien
and Robert Wagner
. This was followed by Voodoo Moon
an action-horror film packed with genre stars like Eric Mabius
, Charisma Carpenter
, Jeffrey Combs
and Dee Wallace.
Summer of 2006 saw IDT Entertainment being acquired by Starz Media, a division of Liberty.
, VanHook, along with producing partner Karen Bailey, created a series of films designed for Sci Fi Channel
. Recent films by Kevin include, "Slayer" and, "Death Row," AKA "Haunted Prison." These films are available on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment
.
VanHook's 2008 documentary, "Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX" includes a who's who of the American horror and make-up world. Working closely with Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger from K.N.B. EFX Group, VanHook interviewed Quentin Tarantino
, Robert Rodriguez
, John Landis
and Joe Dante
, John Carpenter
, George A. Romero
, Tom Savini
and make-up legends Rob Bottin
and Dick Smith among many others.
VanHook also returned to comics in 2008 to write Superman and Batman vs. Vampires and Werewolves at DC Comics
, as well as the Oracle mini-series that forms a part of the Battle for the Cowl storyline which deals with the aftermath of Batman R.I.P.
.
During Spring of 2011, Kevin joined Visual Effects Supervisor Wes C. Caefer at Worldwide Effects in Shreveport, Louisiana to Produce the visual effects for TRESPASS, a Joel Schumacher film starring Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman.
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 and writer. He was born in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
Biography
In comics, VanHook is best known for his work on BloodshotBloodshot (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...
from 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...
. He also wrote the Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
in the 1990s.
In 1996, he made his first short film, Drifter. In 1998, he began filming Frost: Portrait of a Vampire while founding a visual effects company, VanHook Studios. Frost was completed in 2001 and released on DVD in 2003, where it became the 18th highest grossing DVD premiere that year.
In 2002, VanHook Studios merged with Film Roman
Film Roman
Film Roman is an animation studio founded by Phil Roman, best known for producing the animation for The Simpsons, King of the Hill for 20th Century Fox, as well as the Garfield and Peanuts animated TV specials....
, the animation company best known for animating The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
TV series. During his stint as a visual effects artist and supervisor, VanHook has worked on such films as Miss Congeniality, Hart's War
Hart's War
Hart's War is a 2002 film about a World War II prisoner of war based on the novel by John Katzenbach starring Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard and Marcel Iureş...
, Daredevil
Daredevil (film)
Daredevil is a 2003 American superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the film stars Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights for justice in the courtroom and out of the courtroom as the masked vigilante Daredevil...
, I, Robot
I, Robot (film)
I, Robot is a 2004 science-fiction action film directed by Alex Proyas. The screenplay was written by Jeff Vintar, Akiva Goldsman and Hillary Seitz, and is very loosely based on Isaac Asimov's short-story collection of the same name. Will Smith stars in the lead role of the film as Detective Del...
and many others.
Film Roman
Film Roman
Film Roman is an animation studio founded by Phil Roman, best known for producing the animation for The Simpsons, King of the Hill for 20th Century Fox, as well as the Garfield and Peanuts animated TV specials....
was acquired by IDT Corporation, an international telephone company expanding into entertainment in 2003. After IDT acquired Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is a U.S. based home entertainment and production company and is a division of Starz Media, which is a unit of Starz, LLC. It was previously owned by IDT Entertainment until 2006 when IDT was purchased by Starz Media. Anchor Bay markets and sells feature films, series,...
, a leading DVD distributor, VanHook created a new film for IDT, The Fallen Ones
The Fallen Ones
The Fallen Ones is a Sci Fi Channel original movie from 2005.-Plot:The story involves an archaeologist uncovering, and ultimately fighting, one of the Nephilim. This creature is the offspring of a "fallen angel", named Ammon, that is trying to destroy the world by reviving its son after having him...
starring Casper Van Dien
Casper Van Dien
-Early life:Van Dien was born and grew up in Milton, Florida, the son of Diane , a retired nursery school teacher, and Casper Robert Van Dien, Sr., a retired U.S. Navy Commander and fighter pilot. There is a long military tradition in Van Dien's family. Aside from his father, his grandfather was a...
and Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
. This was followed by Voodoo Moon
Voodoo Moon
Voodoo Moon is a 2005 horror film written and directed by comic book artist and writer Kevin VanHook. It aired as a Sunday night movie on the Sci-Fi channel on June 4th, 2006. -Plot synopsis:...
an action-horror film packed with genre stars like Eric Mabius
Eric Mabius
Eric Harry Timothy Mabius is an American actor known for his work as Daniel Meade on the ABC television series Ugly Betty. He also worked on the Showtime series The L Word and in the films Resident Evil and Cruel Intentions....
, Charisma Carpenter
Charisma Carpenter
Charisma Lee Carpenter is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Cordelia Chase in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, for which she was nominated for four Saturn Awards. In her most recent film she starred opposite Sylvester Stallone and Jason...
, Jeffrey Combs
Jeffrey Combs
Jeffrey Alan Combs is an American actor known for his horror film roles and his appearances playing a number of characters in the Star Trek franchise.-Early life:...
and Dee Wallace.
Summer of 2006 saw IDT Entertainment being acquired by Starz Media, a division of Liberty.
, VanHook, along with producing partner Karen Bailey, created a series of films designed for Sci Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
. Recent films by Kevin include, "Slayer" and, "Death Row," AKA "Haunted Prison." These films are available on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is a U.S. based home entertainment and production company and is a division of Starz Media, which is a unit of Starz, LLC. It was previously owned by IDT Entertainment until 2006 when IDT was purchased by Starz Media. Anchor Bay markets and sells feature films, series,...
.
VanHook's 2008 documentary, "Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX" includes a who's who of the American horror and make-up world. Working closely with Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger from K.N.B. EFX Group, VanHook interviewed Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
, Robert Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
, John Landis
John Landis
John David Landis is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He is known for his comedies, his horror films, and his music videos with singer Michael Jackson.-Early life and career:...
and Joe Dante
Joe Dante
Joseph "Joe" Dante, Jr. is an American film director and producer of films generally with humorous and science fiction content....
, John Carpenter
John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor. Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction.- Early life :Carpenter was born...
, George A. Romero
George A. Romero
George Andrew Romero is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter and editor, best known for his gruesome and satirical horror films about a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. He is nicknamed "Godfather of all Zombies." -Life and career:...
, Tom Savini
Tom Savini
Thomas Vincent "Tom" Savini is an American actor, stuntman, director, award-winning special effects and makeup artist. He is known for his work on the Living Dead films directed by George A. Romero, as well as Creepshow, The Burning, Friday the 13th, The Prowler, and Maniac. He directed the 1990...
and make-up legends Rob Bottin
Rob Bottin
-Early life:He was born in the Los Angeles suburb of El Monte, California. His father was a foreman for a van and storage company.-FX artist career:...
and Dick Smith among many others.
VanHook also returned to comics in 2008 to write Superman and Batman vs. Vampires and Werewolves at DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, as well as the Oracle mini-series that forms a part of the Battle for the Cowl storyline which deals with the aftermath of Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
.
During Spring of 2011, Kevin joined Visual Effects Supervisor Wes C. Caefer at Worldwide Effects in Shreveport, Louisiana to Produce the visual effects for TRESPASS, a Joel Schumacher film starring Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman.
Comics
Comics work includes:- BloodshotBloodshot (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...
#1-39 (writer, Valiant ComicsValiant ComicsValiant 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...
, 1993–1995) - The Visitor #1-3 (writer, with pencils by Bernard ChangBernard ChangBernard Chang is an Asian American artist/designer best known for his work in the comic book industry and entertainment design.-Career:...
, Valiant Comics, 1995) - Superman and Batman vs. Vampires and Werewolves (with Tom Mandrake, 6-issue limited series, DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, 2008–2009) - G.I. Joe: Snake-Eyes #1 (co-writer with Ray ParkRay ParkRaymond Park is a Scottish actor, stuntman and martial artist, best known for his playing the physical part of Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Toad in X-Men, Snake-Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and Edgar on Heroes.-Early life:Park was born in Glasgow, Scotland...
, with pencils by Lee Ferguson, IDWIDW PublishingIDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
, 2009) - Red TornadoRed TornadoRed Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
Six issue limited series with art by José LuísJosé LuisJosé Luis Lopes Costa e Silva , known as José Luís, is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.-Club career:...
and J.P. Mayer.
Films
Films include:- FROST: Portrait of a Vampire (2003)
- The Fallen OnesThe Fallen OnesThe Fallen Ones is a Sci Fi Channel original movie from 2005.-Plot:The story involves an archaeologist uncovering, and ultimately fighting, one of the Nephilim. This creature is the offspring of a "fallen angel", named Ammon, that is trying to destroy the world by reviving its son after having him...
(2005) - Voodoo MoonVoodoo MoonVoodoo Moon is a 2005 horror film written and directed by comic book artist and writer Kevin VanHook. It aired as a Sunday night movie on the Sci-Fi channel on June 4th, 2006. -Plot synopsis:...
(2005) - SlayerSlayer (film)Slayer, also known as Mexferatu Mexico, is a 2006 vampire themed television movie by Sci Fi Channel, directed and written by Kevin VanHook, starring Casper Van Dien and Kevin Grevioux, about an elite commando squad in South American rain forest, dealing against a deadly and bloodthirsty vampire...
(2006) - Death Row -- AKA Haunted Prison (2006)
- Sands of OblivionSands of OblivionSands of Oblivion is a 2007 Sci-Fi Channel original movie starring Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Victor Webster, George Kennedy, Richard Kind and Dan Castellaneta...
(2007) as co-writer and producer - Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX (documentary) (2008)