Michael Bair
Encyclopedia
Michael A. Hernandez is an American
comic book
artist (who is better known as Michael Bair), best known for his work as an inker. His work includes Marvel Comics
' Alpha Flight
, and DC Comics
' Hawkman
. He is best known for inking Rags Morales
' pencils since 2002, most notably on the high-profile miniseries Identity Crisis.
/Paragon Publications in 1982. In 1983, he began working for the leading American comic book publishers, DC
and Marvel Comics
. Bair's first work for "DC was the 'Huntress
' backup in' Wonder Woman
' and then 'JSA Vs America,'" all of which work, he recalls, "was pencilling."
He also produced a range of penciled & inked covers for the company over the following ten years; for Marvel he provided brief pencil work for Moon Knight
, but focused on non-Marvel work until the mid- to late-1980s.
Between 1984 and 1985, Bair also produced work for Eclipse Comics
, producing covers and interior pencils for Aztec Ace, pencils & inks for Crimson Dawn and backup features for Sabre
.
For these few early years of his career, Bair says he "used my legal name which is Michael Hernandez. I chose to change to Bair because it's my mother's maiden name and you have to understand, there are a lot of Hernandez's in comics- I've even got chided over it [laughs]. It was simple to go with Bair — there are no other Bairs in comics — though I did get a call from Mike Barr
over it [laughs]."
. Three years penciling Infinity, Inc. gave way to some of his most notable works, co-creating the Young All-Stars
and Young Allies
in the pages of Young All-Stars with Thomas (and Thomas' wife Dann Thomas
).
His pencils graced the pages of Firestorm
, and his inks appeared in Captain Atom
in the late 1980s, during which time he also inked the Catwoman
mini-series written by Mindy Newell
. Bair also contributed work to DC's guidebook titles, including Secret Origins
and Who's Who in the DC Universe
between 1985 and 1989.
Annual, causing writer Gregory White
to remark "I don't think that story could have worked at all if it weren't for the terrific artwork of Michael Bair". Bair then pencilled Alpha Flight
for a year, and provided pencils to issues of comics featuring a veritable who's who of Marvel Comics - Nick Fury
, the X-Men
, Avengers
, Thor
and the Punisher
.
He contributed pencils and inks to the Wild Cards anthology for Epic Comics
, before - circa 1991 - switching mostly to inking duties, including on the title Sleepwalker
, and a couple of issues of What if...?. He also produced both pencils and inks in the first five issues of the Hellstorm
series in 1993.
, pencilling and inking issues and covers for X-O Manowar
, Bloodshot
and Blood and Roses, among others.
(then Marvel's Editor-in-chief), Bair recalled nearly twenty years later that Shooter "said, 'Those pencils look pretty good', and then when I showed him my inking, he said, 'But stay away from the inks'".
These comments, he says, "felt like a personal challenge, so on my own I worked on my inks and creators like Mark Texeira
, who I worked with in the past, strongly influenced how I approached inking. The more I learned about inks, the more I wanted to ink my own work — there's a reason why you don't see too many people pencilling and inking their own work — it's just too much to do on a monthly schedule". The time-consuming nature of this led Bair to largely move away from penciling in favor of inking the pencils of others.
During the mid-1990s, Bair inked David W. Mack
at Caliber Press and William Tucci
at Crusade Entertainment on their respective comics: Kabuki
and Shi
. After working for various smaller publishers, Bair penciled and inked a couple of comics for Harris Comics' Vampirella
.
, cementing his almost-exclusive switch from pencils to inks with the miniseries The Kents
(over pencils by Timothy Truman
) and half of JLA: Year One (alongside series artist Barry Kitson
). He inked most of the first two years of the new James Robinson/David Goyer-penned JSA
revival over pencils by regular-series artist Steve Sadowski. Bair ultimately signed an exclusive contract with DC.
In 2002, Bair inked covers by Tom Grummett
for The Power Company, before first teaming with penciller Rags Morales
on Geoff Johns
and James Robinson's Hawkman
relaunch. Morales said "when I saw the magic that Michael Bair added to my work, I knew I had to stick with this dude". Johns called Morales and Bair "the most underrated art team in the business... Their work is majestic, detailed and kinetic". Johns also compared his artistic collaborators to the stars of the book, saying "there are four stars to this book. Hawkman, Hawkgirl
, Rags Morales and Michael Bair... Michael Bair and Rags together make you feel every punch and smash in the series, but at the same time convey the utter beauty of Hawkgirl, who's graceful but is also very vicious."
Bair continued to ink Morales' pencils on Identity Crisis (2004–2005), the first major Crisis
, since Crisis on Infinite Earths
, and a couple of fill-in issues of Wonder Woman
with writer Greg Rucka
.
He later inked issues in Grant Morrison
's Seven Soldiers
event, including two covers (and one interior; Serge LaPointe inked the rest) of the Bulleteer
miniseries with penciler Yanick Paquette
. In addition to his continued work with Morales (including a two-issue story in the JSA: Classified series), Bair has co-inked Dave Gibbons
' pencils in the Gibbons-penned Green Lantern Corps
series, and on the cover of the Rann-Thanagar War: Infinite Crisis Special
(Apr, 2006), in which he also provided some interior inks.
As of 2007, Bair is inking Morales' pencils on Peter Tomasi
's run on Nightwing
.
highlighted a photograph, explaining "it is a photo of myself and Mike Bair that was taken in New York in Summer 2004: that was a very important moment in my career and I owe a lot to this great artist and friend so I like having it in my studio."
(YALSA)'s 2007 recommended list of Great Graphic Novels For Teens and was nominated for the 2005 "Best Single Issue or Story" Harvey Award
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
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 (who is better known as Michael Bair), best known for his work as an inker. His work includes 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...
' Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
, and 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...
' Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
. He is best known for inking Rags Morales
Rags Morales
Ralph "Rags" Morales is an American comic book artist known for his work on DC Comics' Identity Crisis, Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Batman Confidential, and Hawkman, Turok Dinosaur Hunter for Valiant Comics and Magic the Gathering: Dakkon Blackblade #1 from Armada/Acclaim Comics.Morales is the...
' pencils since 2002, most notably on the high-profile miniseries Identity Crisis.
Biography
Bair started his career in the early 1980s, pencilling a "Stormy Tempest" story in Star*Fems #2 for ACAC Comics
AC Comics is a comic book publishing company started by Bill Black.AC Comics specializes in reprints of Golden Age comics from now-defunct companies whose properties lapsed into public domain and were not reprinted elsewhere...
/Paragon Publications in 1982. In 1983, he began working for the leading American comic book publishers, DC
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...
and 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...
. Bair's first work for "DC was the 'Huntress
Huntress (Helena Wayne)
The Bronze Age Huntress was Helena Wayne, the daughter of the Batman and Catwoman of Earth-Two, an alternate universe established in the early 1960s as the world where the Golden Age stories took place...
' backup in
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
He also produced a range of penciled & inked covers for the company over the following ten years; for Marvel he provided brief pencil work for 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...
, but focused on non-Marvel work until the mid- to late-1980s.
Between 1984 and 1985, Bair also produced work for Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market...
, producing covers and interior pencils for Aztec Ace, pencils & inks for Crimson Dawn and backup features for Sabre
Sabre (comics)
Sabre is a mutant super villain in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in X-Men #106.-History:Young and reckless, Sabre was chosen by Mystique to join her new Brotherhood of Mutants, though never actually participated in any missions. He had the mutant ability of super speed, and...
.
For these few early years of his career, Bair says he "used my legal name which is Michael Hernandez. I chose to change to Bair because it's my mother's maiden name and you have to understand, there are a lot of Hernandez's in comics- I've even got chided over it [laughs]. It was simple to go with Bair — there are no other Bairs in comics — though I did get a call from Mike Barr
Mike W. Barr
Mike W. Barr is an American writer of comic books, and mystery, and science fiction novels.-Biography:Barr's debut as a comics professional came in DC Comics' Detective Comics #444 , for which he wrote an 8-page back-up mystery feature starring the Elongated Man...
over it [laughs]."
DC Comics
Bair's major work in the 1980s, however, was providing interior pencils (and often inks) for DC Comics. In particular, he had a long run working on a number of Golden Age-connected characters with Roy ThomasRoy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
. Three years penciling Infinity, Inc. gave way to some of his most notable works, co-creating the Young All-Stars
Young All-Stars
The Young All-Stars are a team of fictional DC Comics superheroes. They were created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Michael Bair, and introduced in Young All-Stars #1, dated June 1987.-Publication history:...
and Young Allies
Young Allies (DC Comics)
The Young Allies are a team of DC Comics superheroes who operated during World War II, created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas and Michael Bair. The team and most of its members debuted in Young All-Stars #22 .-History:...
in the pages of Young All-Stars with Thomas (and Thomas' wife Dann Thomas
Dann Thomas
Danette "Dann" Thomas is a comic book writer, the wife of comic book writer and editor Roy Thomas. She has at times collaborated with Thomas on All-Star Squadron, Arak, Son of Thunder, the Crimson Avenger miniseries and Avengers West Coast.She married Roy Thomas in May 1981 and legally changed her...
).
His pencils graced the pages of Firestorm
Firestorm (comics)
Firestorm is the name of several comic book superheroes published by DC Comics. Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein, the first Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm, the Nuclear Man #1 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom. Martin Stein, by himself as Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm the Nuclear...
, and his inks appeared in Captain Atom
Captain Atom
Captain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero that has existed in three basic incarnations. Created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Space Adventures #33 . Captain Atom was created for Charlton Comics but was later acquired by DC Comics and revised for...
in the late 1980s, during which time he also inked the Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
mini-series written by Mindy Newell
Mindy Newell
Mindy Newell is an American comic book writer and editor.-Biography:A longtime fan of comics, particularly of Marvel's Spider-Man, Mindy Newell sent submissions to DC Comics in 1983 at a time when the company was actively looking for new talent...
. Bair also contributed work to DC's guidebook titles, including Secret Origins
Secret Origins
Secret Origins is the title of three American comic book series published by DC Comics.The title began in 1961 and for one issue, all reprints. The title Secret Origins of Super Heroes went onto a second series, also reprints, which ran for seven issues from 1973-1974...
and Who's Who in the DC Universe
Who's Who in the DC Universe
Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe is the umbrella title for a number of comic book series which DC Comics published to catalogue the wide variety of fictional characters in their imaginary universe, the DC Universe.-History:Who's Who was the creation of Len Wein, Marv...
between 1985 and 1989.
Marvel Comics
Between 1987 and 1995, Bair also produced a number of covers for Marvel Comics, pencilling, inking and occasionally painting several. Producing most of his Marvel work during the early 1990s, Bair provided the art for a story in the 1990 DaredevilDaredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
Annual, causing writer Gregory White
Gregory White
Gregory White is a rugby union and rugby league utility named in the 2011 to play England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in October 2011. He currently plays for Toulouse Olympique XIII in SW France. Toulouse Olympique play in the Co-operative Championship, the second tier competition below the...
to remark "I don't think that story could have worked at all if it weren't for the terrific artwork of Michael Bair". Bair then pencilled Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
for a year, and provided pencils to issues of comics featuring a veritable who's who of Marvel Comics - Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
, the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
, Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
, 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....
and the Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
.
He contributed pencils and inks to the Wild Cards anthology for Epic Comics
Epic Comics
Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
, before - circa 1991 - switching mostly to inking duties, including on the title Sleepwalker
Sleepwalker (comics)
Sleepwalker is a Marvel Comics character created by Bob Budiansky. He is named after his race, and is the star of a self-titled comic book which ran for 33 issues from June 1991 to February 1994, with one Holiday Special. All but two of the issues were written by Budiansky, with Tom Brevoort and...
, and a couple of issues of What if...?. He also produced both pencils and inks in the first five issues of the Hellstorm
Daimon Hellstrom
Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:He first appeared in Ghost Rider Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics...
series in 1993.
Other
Around 1994, Bair ceased his association with the 'big two,' in favor of upstart company Valiant/AcclaimValiant 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...
, pencilling and inking issues and covers for X-O Manowar
X-O Manowar
X-O Manowar is a fictional superhero co-created by writer and former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, artist Bob Layton, and Jon Hartz. Current Marvel Comics Chief Creative Officier Joe Quesada was a key creator in the origin of X-O Manowar as seen in X-O Manowar #0...
, 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...
and Blood and Roses, among others.
Inks
Bair recalled in 2004 that, "[t]he first ten years of my career was all pencilling — I didn't know how to ink". Having, early in his career, shown samples to Jim ShooterJim 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...
(then Marvel's Editor-in-chief), Bair recalled nearly twenty years later that Shooter "said, 'Those pencils look pretty good', and then when I showed him my inking, he said, 'But stay away from the inks'".
These comments, he says, "felt like a personal challenge, so on my own I worked on my inks and creators like Mark Texeira
Mark Texeira
Mark Texeira is an American comic book artist. Classically trained as a painter, Texeira broke into the comics field in the early 1980s.-Career:Mark Texeira was born and raised in New York City...
, who I worked with in the past, strongly influenced how I approached inking. The more I learned about inks, the more I wanted to ink my own work — there's a reason why you don't see too many people pencilling and inking their own work — it's just too much to do on a monthly schedule". The time-consuming nature of this led Bair to largely move away from penciling in favor of inking the pencils of others.
During the mid-1990s, Bair inked David W. Mack
David W. Mack
David W. Mack is an American comic book artist and writer, best known for his creator-owned series Kabuki. Mack is known for his unique painted and collage-like work...
at Caliber Press and William Tucci
William Tucci
William Tucci is an illustrator, writer and filmmaker best known among American comic book audiences for his creator-owned title and character, Shi.-Career:...
at Crusade Entertainment on their respective comics: Kabuki
Kabuki (comics)
Kabuki is a comic book series created by artist and writer David Mack, first published in 1994 by Caliber Press and later by Image Comics. It is a story of an assassin who struggles with her identity in near-future Japan. The most recent miniseries, Kabuki: The Alchemy, was published by Marvel...
and Shi
Shi (comics)
Shi is a fictional comic book character created by writer/illustrator William Tucci. She first appeared in Razor Annual #1 , and has since appeared in books by a variety of publishers, most notably, Tucci's company, Crusade Comics...
. After working for various smaller publishers, Bair penciled and inked a couple of comics for Harris Comics' Vampirella
Vampirella
Vampirella is a fictional character, a comic book vampire heroine created by Forrest J Ackerman and costume designer Trina Robbins in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror comics magazine Vampirella #1 . Writer-editor Archie Goodwin later developed the character from horror-story hostess, in...
.
Back to DC
In mid-1997, Bair began producing new work for DC ComicsDC 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...
, cementing his almost-exclusive switch from pencils to inks with the miniseries The Kents
The Kents
The Kents is the title of a twelve-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics, from August 1997 to July 1998. The story concerns a troubled generation of ancestors to Jonathan "Pa" Kent . Set in the mid to late 19th century, the two main characters are brothers Nathaniel and Jebediah....
(over pencils by Timothy Truman
Timothy Truman
Timothy Truman is an American writer, artist and musician. He is best known for his stories and Wild West-style comic book art, and in particular, for his work on Grimjack , Scout, and the reinvention of Jonah Hex, with Joe R. Lansdale...
) and half of JLA: Year One (alongside series artist Barry Kitson
Barry Kitson
Barry Kitson is a British comics artist best known as a penciler of major superhero comic books published by Marvel and DC.-Biography:Kitson's first professional work was Spider-Man for Marvel UK...
). He inked most of the first two years of the new James Robinson/David Goyer-penned JSA
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
revival over pencils by regular-series artist Steve Sadowski. Bair ultimately signed an exclusive contract with DC.
In 2002, Bair inked covers by Tom Grummett
Tom Grummett
Thomas "Tom" Grummett is a Canadian comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work as penciller on titles such as The New Titans, The Adventures of Superman, Superboy, Power Company, Robin, New Thunderbolts and Heroes.During his run on The Adventures of Superman, Grummett and...
for The Power Company, before first teaming with penciller Rags Morales
Rags Morales
Ralph "Rags" Morales is an American comic book artist known for his work on DC Comics' Identity Crisis, Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Batman Confidential, and Hawkman, Turok Dinosaur Hunter for Valiant Comics and Magic the Gathering: Dakkon Blackblade #1 from Armada/Acclaim Comics.Morales is the...
on Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and James Robinson's Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
relaunch. Morales said "when I saw the magic that Michael Bair added to my work, I knew I had to stick with this dude". Johns called Morales and Bair "the most underrated art team in the business... Their work is majestic, detailed and kinetic". Johns also compared his artistic collaborators to the stars of the book, saying "there are four stars to this book. Hawkman, Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
, Rags Morales and Michael Bair... Michael Bair and Rags together make you feel every punch and smash in the series, but at the same time convey the utter beauty of Hawkgirl, who's graceful but is also very vicious."
Bair continued to ink Morales' pencils on Identity Crisis (2004–2005), the first major Crisis
Crisis (DC Comics)
A crisis in the DC Universe is an event with potentially great consequences, often involving multiple universes and sometimes even threatening their existence....
, since Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
, and a couple of fill-in issues of Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
with writer Greg Rucka
Greg Rucka
Gregory "Greg" Rucka is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.-Career:Rucka's writing career...
.
He later inked issues in 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...
's Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers is a comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated mini-series and two bookend issues. The series features a new version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting to save Earth from the Sheeda.-Publication...
event, including two covers (and one interior; Serge LaPointe inked the rest) of the Bulleteer
Bulleteer
Bulleteer is a fictional character and DC Comics superheroine, a member of the Seven Soldiers. She debuted in Seven Soldiers: The Bulleteer #1 , and was created by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette...
miniseries with penciler Yanick Paquette
Yanick Paquette
Yanick Paquette is a Canadian penciller in North American comics. He has worked for Antarctic Press, Topps, Marvel and DC Comics and since 1994.-Career:...
. In addition to his continued work with Morales (including a two-issue story in the JSA: Classified series), Bair has co-inked Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons is an English comic book artist, writer and sometime letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries Watchmen and the Superman story "For the Man Who Has Everything"...
' pencils in the Gibbons-penned Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
series, and on the cover of the Rann-Thanagar War: Infinite Crisis Special
Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War is a six-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2005. Written by Dave Gibbons, and illustrated by Ivan Reis, Marc Campos, and John Kalisz, the series concerns a war between the planets Rann and Thanagar, and features Adam Strange, the Green Lantern Corps,...
(Apr, 2006), in which he also provided some interior inks.
As of 2007, Bair is inking Morales' pencils on Peter Tomasi
Peter Tomasi
Peter J. Tomasi is an American comic book editor and writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. As an editor, he oversaw numerous books featuring the Justice League, including books starring various members of that team, such as Batman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern and the Flash...
's run on Nightwing
Nightwing
Nightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
.
Influence
In a tour of his studio, artist Simone BianchiSimone 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...
highlighted a photograph, explaining "it is a photo of myself and Mike Bair that was taken in New York in Summer 2004: that was a very important moment in my career and I owe a lot to this great artist and friend so I like having it in my studio."
Awards
Identity Crisis was selected by the Young Adult Library Services AssociationYoung Adult Library Services Association
The Young Adult Library Services Association , established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. The mission of YALSA is to advocate, promote and strengthen service to young adults as part of the continuum of total library service, and to support those who provide service to...
(YALSA)'s 2007 recommended list of Great Graphic Novels For Teens and was nominated for the 2005 "Best Single Issue or Story" 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...
.
Covers
Cover work includes:- NightmaskNightmaskNightmask is a title given to several fictional characters who appear in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original Nightmask, Keith Remsen, was created by Archie Goodwin and Tony Salmons and first appeared in Nightmask #1 , a series which was published under Marvel's New Universe...
#5, 7 (Marvel Comics, Mar/May 1987)
- JSAJustice Society of AmericaThe Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
#45-47 (pencils/inks, DC Comics, April–June 2000)
- Seven SoldiersSeven SoldiersSeven Soldiers is a comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated mini-series and two bookend issues. The series features a new version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting to save Earth from the Sheeda.-Publication...
: BulleteerBulleteerBulleteer is a fictional character and DC Comics superheroine, a member of the Seven Soldiers. She debuted in Seven Soldiers: The Bulleteer #1 , and was created by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette...
#1, 4 (inks, with pencils by Yanick PaquetteYanick PaquetteYanick Paquette is a Canadian penciller in North American comics. He has worked for Antarctic Press, Topps, Marvel and DC Comics and since 1994.-Career:...
, DC Comics, Jan/May 2006) - NightwingNightwingNightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
#140-143 (inks, with pencils by Rags MoralesRags MoralesRalph "Rags" Morales is an American comic book artist known for his work on DC Comics' Identity Crisis, Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Batman Confidential, and Hawkman, Turok Dinosaur Hunter for Valiant Comics and Magic the Gathering: Dakkon Blackblade #1 from Armada/Acclaim Comics.Morales is the...
, DC Comics, 2008)
External links
- Michael Bair at deviantArtDeviantArtdeviantART is an online community showcasing various forms of user-made artwork. It was first launched on August 7, 2000 by Scott Jarkoff, Matthew Stephens, Angelo Sotira and others. deviantArt, Inc...
- Michael Bair at Comic Art Fans
- Michael Bair at big WOW! art.com