Roger Cruz
Encyclopedia
Roger Cruz is a Brazil
ian comic book artist
.
for Editora Abril
, the Brazilian publishing house, for whom he lettered many Portuguese translations of American comics; then worked as a writer and art assistant for Mil Perigos, a short-lived black and white comics magazine.
When Art & Comics Studio first introduced Brazilian artists to the American comic book market, he was given the opportunity to work as an artist for Marvel Comics
on the titles Ghost Rider
, Hulk
, Uncanny X-Men
, X-Men Alpha, X-Patrol, Generation X
, X-Calibre, X-Factor
, X-Man
, Avengers: Timeslide
and Silver Surfer
. He also worked for DC Comics
, where he provided art for one issue of the comic book Batman Chronicles
.
At the end 1990s Cruz took a break from working on comic books and returned to Brazil, where he became one of the founders and partners of an art studio/school in Brazil called Fábrica de Quadrinhos ("Comic Book Factory"). Cruz also worked as a storyboard designer for advertising agencies, a character designer for TV shows, and an art teacher, and gave a two-year course of lectures and workshops in universities..
Still being a Fábrica de Quadrinhos partner, he returned to work for the American market, contributing to Marvel titles such as Darkness
, Ascension, X-Men
, Wolverine
, and Magneto: Dark Seduction.
In 1999 Cruz gave up his projects in Fábrica de Quadrinhos and turned back to work exclusively with comics. In 2002, negotiated by Art & Comics Studio, he illustrated issues of Wonder Woman
. Since 2004, he has been working for Marvel once again, as the artist on Amazing Fantasy
.
Cruz is currently penciling Marvel's X-Men: First Class
series.
. Primarily, Cruz's work was placed beside the previously printed work of Joe Madureira, but also Jim Lee
. Cruz has acknowledged on his (now defunct) website that he learned to draw primarily by copying from other pencillers.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian comic book artist
Comic book creator
A comic book creator is someone who creates a comic book or graphic novel.The production of a comic book by one of the major comic book companies in the U.S...
.
Biography
Cruz started his professional career as a lettererLetterer
A letterer is a member of a team of comic book creators responsible for drawing the comic book's text. The letterer's use of typefaces, calligraphy, letter size, and layout all contribute to the impact of the comic. The letterer crafts the comic's "display lettering": the story title lettering and...
for Editora Abril
Editora Abril
Editora Abril is a major Brazilian publisher and printing company and one of the biggest media holdings in Southern America. The company was founded in 1950 by Victor Civita in São Paulo and is now part of Grupo Abril....
, the Brazilian publishing house, for whom he lettered many Portuguese translations of American comics; then worked as a writer and art assistant for Mil Perigos, a short-lived black and white comics magazine.
When Art & Comics Studio first introduced Brazilian artists to the American comic book market, he was given the opportunity to work as an artist 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...
on the titles 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...
, Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
, X-Men Alpha, X-Patrol, Generation X
Generation X (comics)
Generation X is a fictional comic book superhero team, a spin-off of the X-Men franchise published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, the team formed during the 1994 "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994...
, X-Calibre, X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
, X-Man
X-man
X-Man is a fictional character and superhero in the Marvel Universe.X-Man may also refer to:*X-Man , a South Korean game show*Xavier Carter, nicknamed X-Man, American track and field athlete...
, Avengers: Timeslide
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...
and Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
. He also worked for 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...
, where he provided art for one issue of the comic book Batman Chronicles
Batman Chronicles
The Batman Chronicles is a series of comics published by DC Comics from 1995 to 2001, which lasted 23 quarterly issues and a series of collections.-Publication history:...
.
At the end 1990s Cruz took a break from working on comic books and returned to Brazil, where he became one of the founders and partners of an art studio/school in Brazil called Fábrica de Quadrinhos ("Comic Book Factory"). Cruz also worked as a storyboard designer for advertising agencies, a character designer for TV shows, and an art teacher, and gave a two-year course of lectures and workshops in universities..
Still being a Fábrica de Quadrinhos partner, he returned to work for the American market, contributing to Marvel titles such as Darkness
Darkness
Darkness, in contrast with brightness, is a relative absence of visible light. It is the appearance of black in a color space. When light is not present, rod and cone cells within the eye are not stimulated. This lack of stimulation means photoreceptor cells are unable to distinguish color...
, Ascension, 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...
, Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, and Magneto: Dark Seduction.
In 1999 Cruz gave up his projects in Fábrica de Quadrinhos and turned back to work exclusively with comics. In 2002, negotiated by Art & Comics Studio, he illustrated 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....
. Since 2004, he has been working for Marvel once again, as the artist on Amazing Fantasy
Amazing Fantasy
Amazing Fantasy is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics from 1961 through 1962, and revived in 1995 and in the 2000s. It is best known as the title that introduced the popular superhero character Spider-Man in 1962...
.
Cruz is currently penciling Marvel's X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics starring the X-Men.-Publication history:The original series was an eight-issue limited series. It began in September 2006 and ended in April 2007. It was written by Jeff Parker and penciled by Roger Cruz...
series.
Controversy
Cruz was a regular on the (now defunct) Genesis Comics "Swipe Of The Week" website around 1999. The site placed two pieces of published work by two different artists side by side, and allowed the users to vote whether they were seeing an homage, a coincidence, or a direct copySwipe (comics)
Swipe is a comics term that refers to the intentional copying of a cover, panel, or page from an earlier comic book or graphic novel without crediting the original artist....
. Primarily, Cruz's work was placed beside the previously printed work of Joe Madureira, but also 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...
. Cruz has acknowledged on his (now defunct) website that he learned to draw primarily by copying from other pencillers.
Partial bibliography
- Uncanny X-Men #315, 318, 320, 324, 327, 376, 473, 474
- X-Factor #106
- Wolverine #89, #147-148
- X-Men #180-181
- Generation X #7-8
- X-Man #21-25, 27-30, 32-35, 41-44, -1
- X-Calibre #2
- X-Men: Alpha/X-Men: Omega
- Incredible Hulk #419
- Brigade #16-17
- Silver Surfer Vol. 2 #138-139