Laura Martin
Encyclopedia
Laura DePuy is an award-winning colorist who has produced work for several of the major comics companies, including DC Comics
, Marvel Comics
and CrossGen
.
program at the University of Central Florida
, and, while "work[ing] the night shift at Kinko's... met [comics/Jim Lee
fan] Ian Hannin, who... got me hooked on comics, and started me thinking about a possible career." Hannin later went on to work for Lee's WildStorm
Studios, so when DePuy graduated, she
"...went to visit him, and took my portfolio (now filled with comic-related coloring and artwork)... [and was] hired on several months later."
Studios, then an integral part of Image Comics
. Among her earliest works was the collaboratively-colored Marvel/Image
(WildStorm
) two-issue mini-series Backlash/Spider-Man (Jul-Oct 1996), after which she co-colored issues of Divine Right and StormWatch.
and John Cassaday
's Planetary
series, as well as Ellis and Bryan Hitch
's Authority. Much of her work since then has involved coloring the artwork of both Cassaday and Hitch, who rarely work with other colorists.
DePuy colored the JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel by Grant Morrison
and Frank Quitely
in 1999, before, in late 2000, she also began coloring Dougie Braithwaite
's art on the Alex Ross
/Jim Krueger
Marvel series Universe X, and in November joined Bryan Hitch on Mark Waid
's JLA
, coloring issues #47 - 58, following in tone the oversize volume JLA: Heaven's Ladder.
#1, Martin worked on a handful of non-CrossGen comics (occasional issues of Planetary) until summer 2004. In addition to Ruse, she also colored Edge as well as occasional issues of Meridian
, Negation
and Sojourn
, before the companies ultimate collapse.
Martin summarizes this time philosophically, writing:
Between 2001 and 2003, DePuy/Martin worked as "Assistant art director and Colorist" for CrossGen comics, ultimately moving to the companies base in Florida. During 2001, while coloring issues of CrossGen Chronicles
, she was able to continue to color issues of Universe X, Planetary, JLA and Ellis & Chris Weston
's Ministry of Space (Image), as well as working on sections of the Oni Press
Color Special 2001 and Dark Horse Maverick 2001
, before the CrossGen exclusivity began, and she worked for Mark Alessi alone throughout the entirety of 2002 and 2003.
Post-CrossGen, Martin again worked with Cassaday on the English language version of his and Fabien Nury's Humanoids Publishing title I Am Legion, before moving (with Cassaday and Hitch) to work primarily for Marvel Comics.
In July 2004, she colored the first issue of Joss Whedon
& Cassaday's acclaimed version of the X-Men, Astonishing X-Men
, and in February 2005 she worked with Bryan Hitch on Mark Millar
's Ultimates 2 #1. In July of the same year, she worked on the Whedon/Brett Matthews
& Will Conrad comics version of Whedon's Serenity
, the Dark Horse
-released Serenity: Those Left Behind
.
She has worked on a number of odd issues and covers for comics released by a plethora of companies, including covers for the Infinite Crisis
lead-in limited series
Villains United
, for which she colored the art of J G Jones. In the summer of 2006, she colored the main parts of Paul Jenkins
' Civil War: Front Line
for Marvel's "Civil War
" event, and in September 2007 began work on Joseph Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel
's Thor
.
She is also Art Director for the comics website Sequential Tart a "webzine published by an eclectic band of women." To produce her work, she utilizes PhotoShop and a "Wacom
Intuos."
In December 2007, she helped color the first issue of Virgin Comics' Tall Tales of Vishnu Sharma: Panchatantra, while continuing to work on Thor and Astonishing X-Men. May 2008 saw her join Garth Ennis
and Howard Chaykin
on the Marvel MAX series War Is Hell
: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle
, while June 2008 saw her debut on the main feature of a Marvel Comics event, coloring the artwork of Leinil Francis Yu
on the Brian Michael Bendis
-written Secret Invasion
limited series.
She continued as colorist on Secret Invasion and War is Hell, having relinquished duties on Astonishing X-Men to new artist Simone Bianchi
(with new writer Warren Ellis).
At the 2009 San Diego Comic Con it was announced that she had signed an exclusive contract with Marvel. In 2010, she became the regular colorist on the second ongoing volume of New Avengers.
In June 2008, at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC, it was announced that she had become a member of Gaijin Studios
.
At the 2010 Baltimore Comic Con she created and donated "The Wrong Frog" to auction to benefit the Hero Initiative.
(1999) and (2000) as well as winning two Eisner Award
s for Best Colorist (2000) and (2002), and the Harvey Award
between the Eisners in 2001.
She has also received Squiddy Awards between 1999 and 2003, and the Comics Buyer's Guide
Favorite Colorist Award in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.
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...
, 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...
and CrossGen
CrossGen
Cross Generation Entertainment, or CrossGen, was an American comic book publisher that operated from 1998 to 2004.CrossGen Comics, Inc. was founded in 1998, by Tampa, Florida-based entrepreneur Mark Alessi who sought to create a comic book universe that was uniquely varied but also connected by a...
.
Career
A sometimes comics reader as a child, she attended a graphic designGraphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
program at the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
, and, while "work[ing] the night shift at Kinko's... met [comics/Jim Lee
Jim Lee
Jim Lee is a Korean-American comic book artist, writer, editor and publisher. He first broke into the industry in 1987 as an artist for Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as Alpha Flight and Punisher War Journal, before gaining a great deal of popularity on The Uncanny X-Men...
fan] Ian Hannin, who... got me hooked on comics, and started me thinking about a possible career." Hannin later went on to work for Lee's WildStorm
WildStorm
WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, published American comic books. Originally an independent company established by Jim Lee and further expanded upon in subsequent years by other creators, WildStorm became a publishing imprint of DC Comics in 1999...
Studios, so when DePuy graduated, she
"...went to visit him, and took my portfolio (now filled with comic-related coloring and artwork)... [and was] hired on several months later."
WildStorm (Image)
DePuy/Martin has worked in comics professionally since 1995, and after being hired in 1995, served for five years as a "staff colorist and assistant supervisor," and "[o]ccasional designer" for Jim Lee's WildStormWildStorm
WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, published American comic books. Originally an independent company established by Jim Lee and further expanded upon in subsequent years by other creators, WildStorm became a publishing imprint of DC Comics in 1999...
Studios, then an integral part of Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
. Among her earliest works was the collaboratively-colored Marvel/Image
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
(WildStorm
WildStorm
WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, published American comic books. Originally an independent company established by Jim Lee and further expanded upon in subsequent years by other creators, WildStorm became a publishing imprint of DC Comics in 1999...
) two-issue mini-series Backlash/Spider-Man (Jul-Oct 1996), after which she co-colored issues of Divine Right and StormWatch.
WildStorm (DC), DC and Marvel
In 1999, after the sale of WildStorm to DC Comics, DePuy became sole colorist on Warren EllisWarren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
and John Cassaday
John Cassaday
John Cassaday is an American comic book artist and writer, born in Fort Worth, Texas and currently residing in New York City. He is known for having a high level of precision and realism in his work....
's Planetary
Planetary (comics)
Planetary is an American comic book limited series created by writer Warren Ellis and artist John Cassaday published by the Wildstorm imprint of DC Comics...
series, as well as Ellis and Bryan Hitch
Bryan Hitch
Bryan Hitch is a British comic book artist. Hitch began his career in the United Kingdom for Marvel UK, working on titles such as Action Force and Death's Head, before gaining prominence on American titles such as Wildstorm's Stormwatch and The Authority, DC Comics titles such as JLA, and Marvel...
's Authority. Much of her work since then has involved coloring the artwork of both Cassaday and Hitch, who rarely work with other colorists.
DePuy colored the JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel by Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and Frank Quitely
Frank Quitely
Vincent Deighan, better known by the pen name Frank Quitely, is a Scottish comic book artist. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with Grant Morrison on titles such as New X-Men, We3, All-Star Superman, and Batman and Robin, as well as his work with Mark Millar on The...
in 1999, before, in late 2000, she also began coloring Dougie Braithwaite
Doug Braithwaite
-Career:Braithwaite started out working on British comics, like 2000 AD and A1, but is best known for his Marvel Comics work on the Earth X sequels, Universe X and Paradise X , as well as for The Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe and Punisher: MAX #13-18, with Garth Ennis...
's art on the Alex Ross
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross is an American comic book painter, illustrator, and plotter. He is praised for his realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. Since the 1990s he has done work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an...
/Jim Krueger
Jim Krueger
Jim Krueger is an American comic book writer, novelist, and filmmaker.- Filmmaking :Kreuger's first short film, They Might Be Dragons, which he wrote, directed, and produced, won "Best In Class" at New York University , a "Best Short Film" award from the New York Independent Film Festival, and a...
Marvel series Universe X, and in November joined Bryan Hitch on Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
's JLA
JLA (comic book)
JLA was a monthly comic book published by DC Comics from January 1997 to April 2006 featuring the Justice League.-Publication history:The low sales of the various Justice League spinoff books by the mid-1990s prompted DC to revamp the League as a single team on a single title...
, coloring issues #47 - 58, following in tone the oversize volume JLA: Heaven's Ladder.
CrossGen
From November 2001's RuseRuse (comics)
Ruse was a CrossGen comic book title. It ran for twenty-six issues from November 2001 to January 2004 before it was forced to end by the bankruptcy of CrossGen...
#1, Martin worked on a handful of non-CrossGen comics (occasional issues of Planetary) until summer 2004. In addition to Ruse, she also colored Edge as well as occasional issues of Meridian
Meridian (comics)
Meridian was a comic book series published by CrossGen Comics. It was written by Barbara Kesel, and penciled by a number of artists including Joshua Middleton and Steve McNiven. Meridian ran for 44 issues, from July of 2000 to April of 2004....
, Negation
Negation (comics)
Negation was a comic book series published from CrossGen. Tony Bedard was the writer for the entire run. Paul Pelletier was the artist for most of the issues, with an occasional fill-in artist taking an issue here and there.-Overview:...
and Sojourn
Sojourn (comics)
Sojourn was a CrossGen comic book series about the adventures of Arwyn and her friend Gareth as they traveled in a fantasy world with dragons, trolls, and magic. Starting in 2001, it ran for 35 issues before it was forced to end by the bankruptcy of CrossGen in 2004...
, before the companies ultimate collapse.
Martin summarizes this time philosophically, writing:
Between 2001 and 2003, DePuy/Martin worked as "Assistant art director and Colorist" for CrossGen comics, ultimately moving to the companies base in Florida. During 2001, while coloring issues of CrossGen Chronicles
CrossGen Chronicles
CrossGen Chronicles was an American comic book published by CrossGen Entertainment from June 2000 to July 2002. Each issue told a story from one of the different worlds in the Sigilverse, usually a historical narrative of some aspect.-Issue #1:...
, she was able to continue to color issues of Universe X, Planetary, JLA and Ellis & Chris Weston
Chris Weston
Chris Weston is a British comics artist who has worked both in the US and UK comics industries.-Biography:Weston was born in January, 1969 in Rinteln, Germany, and lived in various countries as a child...
's Ministry of Space (Image), as well as working on sections of the Oni Press
Oni Press
Oni Press is an American independent comic book publisher based in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1997 by Bob Schreck and Joe Nozemack with the goal of publishing the kinds of comics and graphic novels they themselves would want to read...
Color Special 2001 and Dark Horse Maverick 2001
Maverick (Dark Horse)
Maverick is a now-defunct imprint of Dark Horse Comics, created in 1999 by editor Diana Schutz for creator-owned works, to "provid[e] a home for creator-owned properties — providing a certain identity to those creator-owned labors of love that distinguishes them from Dark Horse's licensed books."...
, before the CrossGen exclusivity began, and she worked for Mark Alessi alone throughout the entirety of 2002 and 2003.
Post-CrossGen work
In July 2004, she colored the first issue of Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
& Cassaday's acclaimed version of the X-Men, Astonishing X-Men
Astonishing X-Men
Astonishing X-Men is the name of three X-Men comic book series from Marvel Comics, the first two of which were limited series. The ongoing series began in 2004, with its first run written by Joss Whedon and art by John Cassaday. It was then written by Warren Ellis with art by Phil Jimenez. Daniel...
, and in February 2005 she worked with Bryan Hitch on Mark Millar
Mark Millar
Mark Millar is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on books such as The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, Wanted, and Kick-Ass, the latter two of which have been adapted into feature films...
's Ultimates 2 #1. In July of the same year, she worked on the Whedon/Brett Matthews
Brett Matthews
Brett Matthews is an American writer of comics and TV shows. He was assistant to Joss Whedon on TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly. He scripted the Firefly episode Heart of Gold...
& Will Conrad comics version of Whedon's Serenity
Serenity (film)
Serenity is a 2005 space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of the short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2518, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a cargo ship...
, the Dark Horse
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
-released Serenity: Those Left Behind
Serenity: Those Left Behind
Serenity: Those Left Behind is a 2005 three-issue comic book limited series published by Dark Horse Comics. It was written by Brett Matthews with Joss Whedon credited for story, illustrated by Will Conrad, and colored by Laura Martin....
.
She has worked on a number of odd issues and covers for comics released by a plethora of companies, including covers for the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
lead-in limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
Villains United
Villains United
Villains United is a six-issue comic book limited series, written by Gail Simone with art by Dale Eaglesham and Wade Von Grawbadger, published by DC Comics in 2005...
, for which she colored the art of J G Jones. In the summer of 2006, she colored the main parts of Paul Jenkins
Paul Jenkins (writer)
Paul Jenkins is a British comic book writer and Gary Gygax's stepson. He has had much success crossing over into the American comic book market. Primarily working for Marvel Comics, he has had a big part shaping the characters of the company over the past decade.-Life and career:Paul Jenkins...
' Civil War: Front Line
Civil War: Front Line
Civil War: Front Line is an 11-issue, limited series tie-in to Marvel Comics's Civil War event which started in August 2006.Part of the story is told from the perspective of two reporters embedded in the opposite camps of the war...
for Marvel's "Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
" event, and in September 2007 began work on Joseph Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel
Olivier Coipel
Olivier Coipel is a French comic book artist, known for his work on books such as House of M, Legion of Super-Heroes andThor.-Career:...
's Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
.
She is also Art Director for the comics website Sequential Tart a "webzine published by an eclectic band of women." To produce her work, she utilizes PhotoShop and a "Wacom
Wacom
in Krefeld, Germany. Wacom is a Japanese portmanteau: Wa for "harmony" or "circle", and Komu for "computer". Wacom tablets are notable for their use of a patented cordless, battery-free, and pressure-sensitive stylus or digital pen...
Intuos."
In December 2007, she helped color the first issue of Virgin Comics' Tall Tales of Vishnu Sharma: Panchatantra, while continuing to work on Thor and Astonishing X-Men. May 2008 saw her join Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis
Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series Preacher with artist Steve Dillon and his successful nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise...
and Howard Chaykin
Howard Chaykin
Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his innovative storytelling and sometimes controversial material...
on the Marvel MAX series War Is Hell
War is Hell (comics)
War Is Hell was a horror/war comic book series from Marvel Comics in 1973-1975. For its first six issues, it featured reprints of old war comics, followed by two issues of reprints of Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos...
: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle
Phantom Eagle
Phantom Eagle is the name used by three fictional comic book aviator heroes. The first was introduced during the 1930s-1940s Golden Age of comic books by Fawcett Comics...
, while June 2008 saw her debut on the main feature of a Marvel Comics event, coloring the artwork of Leinil Francis Yu
Leinil Francis Yu
Leinil Francis Yu is a Filipino comic book artist, who began working for the American market through Wildstorm Productions. In an interview published in Marvel's Daily Bugle newsletter, he described his style as "Dynamic Pseudo-Realism."-Career:Leinil Francis Yu was first recognized after winning...
on the Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis is an American comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim for his self-published, Image Comics and Marvel Comics work, and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics, with his books selling consistently highly for over a...
-written Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
limited series.
She continued as colorist on Secret Invasion and War is Hell, having relinquished duties on Astonishing X-Men to new artist Simone Bianchi
Simone Bianchi (artist)
Simone Bianchi is an Italian comic book illustrator, painter, graphic designer and art instructor, known to Italian audiences for his work in comics, CD covers, music videos, TV commercials and role-playing games, and to American comic book readers for his work on Detective Comics, Green Lantern...
(with new writer Warren Ellis).
At the 2009 San Diego Comic Con it was announced that she had signed an exclusive contract with Marvel. In 2010, she became the regular colorist on the second ongoing volume of New Avengers.
In June 2008, at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC, it was announced that she had become a member of Gaijin Studios
Gaijin Studios
Gaijin Studios was a group of American comic book artists formed in Atlanta, Georgia. It was one of the longest-running collectives of freelance comic book artists in the United States, having been in continuous operation for nineteen years, from 1991 to 2010...
.
At the 2010 Baltimore Comic Con she created and donated "The Wrong Frog" to auction to benefit the Hero Initiative.
Awards
She has been recognized for her work with two Eagle AwardsEagle Awards
The Eagle Award is a series of awards for comic book titles and creators. They are awarded by UK fan voting for work produced during the previous year. Named after the UK's Eagle comic, the awards were set up by Mike Conroy, Nick Landau, Colin Campbell, Phil Clarke and Richard Burton, and launched...
(1999) and (2000) as well as winning two Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
s for Best Colorist (2000) and (2002), and the Harvey Award
Harvey Award
The Harvey Awards, named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman and founded by Gary Groth, President of the publisher Fantagraphics, are given for achievement in comic books. The Harveys were created as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards which were discontinued after 1987.The Harvey Awards are...
between the Eisners in 2001.
She has also received Squiddy Awards between 1999 and 2003, and the Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide
Comics Buyer's Guide , established in 1971, is the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry...
Favorite Colorist Award in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.