Sandu Florea
Encyclopedia
Sandu Florea (ˈsandu ˈflore̯a; born 1946) is a Romanian-American
comic book
and comic strip
creator
, also known as an inker
and book illustrator
. A trained architect and a presence on the science fiction
scene during the 1970s, he became a professional in the comics
genre with albums such as Galbar, and was allegedly the only artist to have obtained a steady income in this way during the communist period
. A prolific contributor to Romanian children's magazines, Florea had his activity curbed by communist censorship
when he first publicized his intention of emigrating to the United States. He eventually left the country shortly after the 1989 Revolution
, and soon after began collaborating with Marvel
, DC Comics
and other leading enterprises in the field of comic book publishing. He became especially noted for his activities as an inker, with contributions on series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Executioner, X-Men: The End
, Batman R.I.P.
and Batman: Battle for the Cowl
.
Florea has maintained enduring contacts with his native country, and has taken an initiative in popularizing the American comic book
style in Romania. He has been described as one of the most successful among his colleagues, and claimed to be one of the most recognizable Romanians in his field.
, Hunedoara County
, Sandu Florea first became interested in comics while in fifth grade, his first contact with the medium being through a copy of the French
youth magazine Pif Vaillant
. This encounter, he recalled in a 2004 interview, left him with "an impression that cannot be erased", and "the wish that I myself could draw such appealing and interesting characters."
Sandu Florea published his first comic strip in 1968, with Luminiţa children's magazine. It was a series centered on the anecdotal hero classic Păcală
. In 1971, Florea graduated from Bucharest
's Architectural College
, and subsequently worked for a building design institute in his adoptive city of Timişoara
. Before graduation, he had also published his first work in the comics genre, inspired by the folkloric tale
of Păcală
, and featured in a 1968 issue of Luminiţa magazine.
After moving to Timişoara, he became a noted presence among the local science fiction
fan base, joining the H. G. Wells
Literary Club founded by writer Ovidiu Şurianu. Their collaboration produced the 1973 Galbar, reportedly the first Romanian science fiction comic book. In 1975, he and Timişoara native Marcel Luca published what is though to be the first-ever Romanian coloring book
with a science fiction subject, Vreau să fiu cosmonaut ("I Want to be a Cosmonaut"), which reputedly sold 45,000 copies. By then, having received offers of collaboration from two publishing houses (Editura Ion Creangă
and Editura Facla), Florea settled back in Bucharest and focused exclusively on his work in comics and illustration. Said to have been the most prolific comic book author active during the communist period, he had his work featured in almost all of the children's periodicals in print at the time.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was creating and publishing comic books dedicated to popular legends, such as a retake on Ion Creangă
's fantasy story
Harap Alb
, or recounting episodes in Romanian history (involving Dacia
n rulers Burebista
and Decebalus
, Roman Emperor
Trajan
, and Wallachia
n Prince Michael the Brave). Several single-issue albums in this category were based on texts by historical fiction
author Radu Theodoru, forming part of the series Strămoşii ("The Ancestors"). The full list includes: Cavalerul alb ("The White Knight"; Editura Facla, 1976), Călugăreni (referencing the Battle of Călugăreni
; Editura Ion Creangă, 1977), Misiune de sacrificiu ("Suicidal Mission"; Editura Ion Creangă, 1979), În lumea lui Harap Alb ("Inside Harap Alb's World"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1979), Burebista, regele dacilor ("Burebista, King of the Dacians"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1980), ("Decebalus and Trajan"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1981), ("Carousel"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1982), Sarmizegetusa eroică ("Heroic Sarmizegetusa"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1983). Florea was also involved in creating Romania's own Western comics
, adapted from stories by Nicolae Frînculescu.
These works received critical attention, both in Romania and abroad. În lumea lui Harap Alb earned him the a Eurocon
award (1980). This, literary critic Michael Hăulică notes, made Florea one in a final wave of Romanian Eurocon laureates to have emerged under communism (also including writers Vladimir Colin
, Ion Hobana
and Gheorghe Săsărman).
Florea also received attention from celebrated poet Nichita Stănescu
, who discovered in an unclassifiable and imaginative work. The writer argued: "[Florea] introduces mystery where we usually had happy-endings, imagination where there was lyricism and an indecisive epic where there was nothing. The book he calls [...] is without precedent, in Romania and everywhere else." In 1982, Stănescu began working with him on the album Semne şi desemne ("Signs and Designs"). Florea printed the lithographs
to go with the poems, but the project was cut short when Stănescu died (December 1983).
lifted his right to publish, prompting him to contribute several comic strips under various pseudonyms. He returned to public attention after the 1989 Revolution
, when he was briefly editor in chief of the new children's magazine . With Frînculescu, he also founded another such publication, called Proteus.
Sandu Florea, his wife and two children eventually left for the United States in 1991, moving to New York City
and afterward settling in Long Island
. Although initially discouraged by the competition among comic book artists, Florea recounts, he decided to contact Marvel recruiter
s within three months of his arrival, submitting a sample of his take on Conan the Barbarian
. According to his own statement, Conan
proved compatible with his talents: "[he was] the only Marvel character who did not fly, did not breathe fire and did not use psychic waves to defeat his enemies, being instead armed with a giant sword and axe. Since I had been drawing many historical tales back in the old country, Conan was a character whom I could depict in drawing with relative ease."
He was accepted by Marvel soon after this, specialized as an inker, and began working on several of its main releases, including, alongside Conan, The Amazing Spider-Man
and the various spin-offs of Avengers
, Blackwulf
, Elektra
, Mighty Thor
, Captain America
, Doctor Strange
, Fantastic Four
and X-Men
. He also worked with DC Comics
(on Superman Second Series
, Batman
, Justice Society of America
, Nightwing
) and Dark Horse Comics
, signing additional collaborations with Innovation Publishing
, Vivid Comics (on The Executioner) and Chaos! Comics
(Lady Death
, Undertaker). Among the significant miniseries to which he contributed as an inker are X-Men: The End
(2004–2006), Batman R.I.P.
(2008), and Batman: Battle for the Cowl
(2009). His work with Dark Horse included Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. His artistic production also touched other media: Florea created storyboard
s and other graphics for the motion picture producers Full Moon
, as well as book illustrations for The Princeton Review
.
The publication, which went out of print after only two issues due to distribution problems, included Romanian-language reprints of American comics such as Conan the Barbarian and Aliens
, alongside original collaborations between Florea and his Romanian colleagues: Două paloşe ("Two Backsword
s", with Florea as artist and György Györfi-Deák as writer), Ultima frontieră ("The Final Frontier", text by Florea, Marian Mirescu and Eddie Pandele, drawings by Daniel Rizea and Cătălin Gospodin), Toxic (text by Florea, drawings by Tudor Popa), Leviathan (written by Cristian Lăzărescu, illustrated by Florea). The magazine also featured Borderland, a comic series conceived especially for a Romanian public by writer John Warner
and illustrated by Florea, depicting the confrontation between three worlds: of the Mortals, of Magic and of the Demons. Around the same time, Sandu Florea also began contributing to various Romanian webzines, such as Pro-Scris, Imagikon and Paradox—the latter of which published his strip Fortăreaţa, based on a short story by Ovidiu Bufnilă. Several aspects related to the artist's new Romanian ventures were however criticized by Michael Hăulică. He argued that Toxic in particular was "weak and obvious", and noted that, in its featured edition, the text of Borderland evidenced its translator's poor command of the Romanian language.
These initiatives helped cement the artist's reputation in Romania. Sandu Florea claims to be "The only Romanian professional graphic artist who has managed to make a living exclusively out of his drawings, in the old country as well as [...] in America." Dodo Niţă, a historiographer of Romanian comics and Florea's colleague at , placed În lumea lui Harap Alb as fifth among an all-time chart of original Romanian works in the genre. According to a 2008 piece in the Romanian daily Evenimentul Zilei
, Florea shares the distinction of "best known Romanian comic book artist" with Mircea Arapu, the latter being known for his contribution in Francophone comics
.
An annual Romanian comic book fan convention
in Constanţa
awards the Sandu Florea Prize to artists with a long contribution in their field. In 2010, Florea was guest of honor at the European Comic Strip Salon, organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute
(ICR) at the National Theater Bucharest. He exhibited his work, including the never before seen Semne şi desemne collection, at the Bucharest "Comic Book Museum" exhibit, jointly organized by the ICR and the Belgian Comic Strip Center in 2011.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
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...
and 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....
creator
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...
, also known as an inker
Inker
The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book or graphic novel. After a pencilled drawing is given to the inker, the inker uses black ink to produce refined outlines over the pencil lines...
and book illustrator
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
. A trained architect and a presence on the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
scene during the 1970s, he became a professional in the comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
genre with albums such as Galbar, and was allegedly the only artist to have obtained a steady income in this way during the communist period
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
. A prolific contributor to Romanian children's magazines, Florea had his activity curbed by communist censorship
Censorship in Communist Romania
Censorship in Communist Romania was widespread and virtually every published document, be it a newspaper article or a book, had to pass the censor's approval...
when he first publicized his intention of emigrating to the United States. He eventually left the country shortly after the 1989 Revolution
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
, and soon after began collaborating with Marvel
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...
, 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...
and other leading enterprises in the field of comic book publishing. He became especially noted for his activities as an inker, with contributions on series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Executioner, X-Men: The End
X-Men: The End
X-Men: The End is a 2004-2006 trilogy of miniseries detailing the last days of the X-Men and their adventures in a noncanon future, part of their The End series...
, 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...
and Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final...
.
Florea has maintained enduring contacts with his native country, and has taken an initiative in popularizing the American comic book
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
style in Romania. He has been described as one of the most successful among his colleagues, and claimed to be one of the most recognizable Romanians in his field.
Early life and career in Romania
Born in GhelariGhelari
Ghelari is a commune in Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Ghelari, Govăjdia , Plop and Ruda.-References:...
, Hunedoara County
Hunedoara County
Hunedoara is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with its capital city at Deva.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 485,712 and the population density was 69/km².*Romanians - 92%*Hungarians - 5%*Romas - 2%*Germans under 1%....
, Sandu Florea first became interested in comics while in fifth grade, his first contact with the medium being through a copy of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
youth magazine Pif Vaillant
Pif gadget
Pif Gadget was a French comic magazine for children that ran from 1969 to 1993 and 2004 to 2009. Its audience peaked in the early 1970s.-History:Created as an outlet of the French Communist Party, it was initially entitled Le Jeune Patriote...
. This encounter, he recalled in a 2004 interview, left him with "an impression that cannot be erased", and "the wish that I myself could draw such appealing and interesting characters."
Sandu Florea published his first comic strip in 1968, with Luminiţa children's magazine. It was a series centered on the anecdotal hero classic Păcală
Păcală
Păcală is a fictional character in Romanian folklore, literature and humor. An irreverent young man, seemingly a peasant, he reserves contempt and irony for the village authorities , but often plays the fool...
. In 1971, Florea graduated from Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
's Architectural College
Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism
The Universitatea de Arhitectură şi Urbanism Ion Mincu din Bucureşti is a public university in Bucharest, Romania, founded in 1952....
, and subsequently worked for a building design institute in his adoptive city of Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
. Before graduation, he had also published his first work in the comics genre, inspired by the folkloric tale
Folklore of Romania
A feature of Romanian culture is the special relationship between folklore and the learned culture, determined by two factors. First, the rural character of the Romanian communities resulted in an exceptionally vital and creative traditional culture. Folk creations were the main literary genre...
of Păcală
Păcală
Păcală is a fictional character in Romanian folklore, literature and humor. An irreverent young man, seemingly a peasant, he reserves contempt and irony for the village authorities , but often plays the fool...
, and featured in a 1968 issue of Luminiţa magazine.
After moving to Timişoara, he became a noted presence among the local science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
fan base, joining the H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
Literary Club founded by writer Ovidiu Şurianu. Their collaboration produced the 1973 Galbar, reportedly the first Romanian science fiction comic book. In 1975, he and Timişoara native Marcel Luca published what is though to be the first-ever Romanian coloring book
Coloring book
A coloring book is a type of book containing line art for a reader to add color using crayons, colored pencils, marker pens, paint or other artistic media...
with a science fiction subject, Vreau să fiu cosmonaut ("I Want to be a Cosmonaut"), which reputedly sold 45,000 copies. By then, having received offers of collaboration from two publishing houses (Editura Ion Creangă
Editura Ion Creangă
Editura Ion Creangă was a publishing house based in Bucharest, Romania. Founded as a state-run company under communist rule and named after the 19th century writer Ion Creangă, it ranked high among Romanian publishers of children's literature, fantasy literature and science fiction...
and Editura Facla), Florea settled back in Bucharest and focused exclusively on his work in comics and illustration. Said to have been the most prolific comic book author active during the communist period, he had his work featured in almost all of the children's periodicals in print at the time.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was creating and publishing comic books dedicated to popular legends, such as a retake on Ion Creangă
Ion Creanga
Ion Creangă was a Moldavian-born Romanian writer, raconteur and schoolteacher. A main figure in 19th century Romanian literature, he is best known for his Childhood Memories volume, his novellas and short stories, and his many anecdotes...
's fantasy story
Fantasy literature
Fantasy literature is fantasy in written form. Historically speaking, literature has composed the majority of fantasy works. Since the 1950s however, a growing segment of the fantasy genre has taken the form of films, television programs, graphic novels, video games, music, painting, and other...
Harap Alb
Harap Alb
"Harap Alb" or "Harap-Alb" , known in full as Povestea lui Harap Alb , is a Romanian-language fairy tale. Based on traditional themes found in Romanian folklore, it was recorded and reworked in 1877 by writer Ion Creangă, becoming one of his main contributions to fantasy and Romanian literature...
, or recounting episodes in Romanian history (involving Dacia
Dacia
In ancient geography, especially in Roman sources, Dacia was the land inhabited by the Dacians or Getae as they were known by the Greeks—the branch of the Thracians north of the Haemus range...
n rulers Burebista
Burebista
Burebista was a king of the Getae and Dacians, who unified for the first time their tribes and ruled them between 82 BC and 44 BC. He led plunder and conquest raids across Central and Southeastern Europe, subjugating most of the neighbouring tribes...
and Decebalus
Decebalus
Decebalus or "The Brave" was a king of Dacia and is famous for fighting three wars and negotiating two interregnums of peace without being eliminated against the Roman Empire under two emperors...
, Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
, and Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
n Prince Michael the Brave). Several single-issue albums in this category were based on texts by historical fiction
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
author Radu Theodoru, forming part of the series Strămoşii ("The Ancestors"). The full list includes: Cavalerul alb ("The White Knight"; Editura Facla, 1976), Călugăreni (referencing the Battle of Călugăreni
Battle of Calugareni
The Battle of Călugăreni was one of the most important battles in the history of medieval Romania. It took place on 23 August 1595 between the Wallachian army led by Michael the Brave and the Ottoman army led by Sinan Pasha...
; Editura Ion Creangă, 1977), Misiune de sacrificiu ("Suicidal Mission"; Editura Ion Creangă, 1979), În lumea lui Harap Alb ("Inside Harap Alb's World"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1979), Burebista, regele dacilor ("Burebista, King of the Dacians"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1980), ("Decebalus and Trajan"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1981), ("Carousel"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1982), Sarmizegetusa eroică ("Heroic Sarmizegetusa"; Editura Sport-Turism, 1983). Florea was also involved in creating Romania's own Western comics
Western comics
Western comics is a comics genre usually depicting the American Old West frontier and typically set during the late nineteenth century...
, adapted from stories by Nicolae Frînculescu.
These works received critical attention, both in Romania and abroad. În lumea lui Harap Alb earned him the a Eurocon
Eurocon
Eurocon is an annual science fiction convention held in Europe. The organising committee of each Eurocon is selected by vote of the participants of the previous event. The procedure is coordinated by the European Science Fiction Society. The first Eurocon was held in Trieste, Italy, in 1972. Unlike...
award (1980). This, literary critic Michael Hăulică notes, made Florea one in a final wave of Romanian Eurocon laureates to have emerged under communism (also including writers Vladimir Colin
Vladimir Colin
Vladimir Colin was a Romanian short story writer and novelist. One of the most important fantasy and science fiction authors in Romanian literature, whose main works are known on several continents, he was also a noted poet, essayist, translator, journalist and comic book author...
, Ion Hobana
Ion Hobana
Ion Hobana was a Romanian science fiction writer, literary critic and ufologist...
and Gheorghe Săsărman).
Florea also received attention from celebrated poet Nichita Stănescu
Nichita Stanescu
Nichita Stănescu was a Romanian poet and essayist. He is the most acclaimed contemporary Romanian language poet, loved by the public and generally held in esteem by literary critics.-Biography:...
, who discovered in an unclassifiable and imaginative work. The writer argued: "[Florea] introduces mystery where we usually had happy-endings, imagination where there was lyricism and an indecisive epic where there was nothing. The book he calls [...] is without precedent, in Romania and everywhere else." In 1982, Stănescu began working with him on the album Semne şi desemne ("Signs and Designs"). Florea printed the lithographs
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
to go with the poems, but the project was cut short when Stănescu died (December 1983).
In the United States
The 1984-1989 interval was described by Florea as "one of the most difficult periods in my life." Having unsuccessfully demanded from communist authorities the right of leaving for the United States, where two of his siblings had already settled, Florea was exposed to political persecution, and the censorship apparatusCensorship in Communist Romania
Censorship in Communist Romania was widespread and virtually every published document, be it a newspaper article or a book, had to pass the censor's approval...
lifted his right to publish, prompting him to contribute several comic strips under various pseudonyms. He returned to public attention after the 1989 Revolution
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
, when he was briefly editor in chief of the new children's magazine . With Frînculescu, he also founded another such publication, called Proteus.
Sandu Florea, his wife and two children eventually left for the United States in 1991, moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and afterward settling in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. Although initially discouraged by the competition among comic book artists, Florea recounts, he decided to contact Marvel recruiter
Recruiter
A recruiter is someone engaging in recruitment, or the solicitation of individuals to fill jobs or positions within a corporation, nonprofit organization, sports team, the military, etc. Recruiters may work within an organization's human resources department or on an outsourced basis...
s within three months of his arrival, submitting a sample of his take on Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian (comics)
Conan the Barbarian was a Marvel Comics title starring the sword-and-sorcery character created by Robert E. Howard. It debuted in Oct. 1970 and ran for 275 issues until Dec...
. According to his own statement, Conan
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
proved compatible with his talents: "[he was] the only Marvel character who did not fly, did not breathe fire and did not use psychic waves to defeat his enemies, being instead armed with a giant sword and axe. Since I had been drawing many historical tales back in the old country, Conan was a character whom I could depict in drawing with relative ease."
He was accepted by Marvel soon after this, specialized as an inker, and began working on several of its main releases, including, alongside Conan, The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
and the various spin-offs of 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...
, Blackwulf
Blackwulf
-Fictional Character Biography:Blackwulf is the fourth son born to Lord Tantalus and Queen Nirvana on Armechadon. Though all of Lord Tantalus’ children had been born considered genetically perfect, Lucian bore a birthmark which was considered his affliction of the Black Legacy...
, Elektra
Elektra (comics)
Elektra Natchios, usually referred to only by her first name Elektra, is a fictional character in publications from Marvel Comics.Elektra is a kunoichi – female ninja assassin – of Greek descent. She wields a pair of bladed sai as her trademark weapon. She is a love interest of the superhero...
, Mighty 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....
, Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
, Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
and 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...
. He also worked with 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...
(on Superman Second Series
Superman (vol. 2)
Superman was an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name. The second volume of the previous ongoing Superman title, the series was published from cover dates January 1987 to April 2006, and ran for 228 issues...
, Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
, Justice Society of America
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 ....
, 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...
) and Dark Horse Comics
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...
, signing additional collaborations with Innovation Publishing
Innovation Publishing
Innovation Publishing was an American comic book company based in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was co-founded by David Campiti in 1988 after writing a business proposal and raising US$400,000 to finance its launch...
, Vivid Comics (on The Executioner) and Chaos! Comics
Chaos! Comics
Chaos! Comics was a comic book publisher that operated from 1994 until 2002.-Overview:Their titles included Lady Death, Purgatori, Evil Ernie, Chastity, Jade, Omen, Bad Kitty, Cremator, Lady Demon, and Smiley The Psychotic Button.They also published licensed comics for the World Wrestling...
(Lady Death
Lady Death
Lady Death is a fictional character, a comic book goddess created by Brian Pulido and Steven Hughes. Lady Death first appeared in Evil Ernie #1 by Eternity Comics in December 1991. Lady Death then reappeared in the Evil Ernie: The Resurrection mini-series published by Pulido under his now defunct...
, Undertaker). Among the significant miniseries to which he contributed as an inker are X-Men: The End
X-Men: The End
X-Men: The End is a 2004-2006 trilogy of miniseries detailing the last days of the X-Men and their adventures in a noncanon future, part of their The End series...
(2004–2006), 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...
(2008), and Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final...
(2009). His work with Dark Horse included Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. His artistic production also touched other media: Florea created storyboard
Storyboard
Storyboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence....
s and other graphics for the motion picture producers Full Moon
Full Moon Features
Full Moon Features is a motion picture production and distribution company headed by B-movie veteran Charles Band. It is known for the direct-to-video series Puppet Master and Subspecies, as well as the innovative VideoZone featurette at the end of films through 1989 to 2000.-Full Moon...
, as well as book illustrations for The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is an American-based standardized test preparation and admissions consulting company. The Princeton Review operates in 41 states and 22 countries across the globe. It offers test preparation for standardized aptitude tests such as the SAT and advice regarding college...
.
2000s initiatives
Florea was selected honorary president of the Romanian Association of Comic Book Fans in 2001. Speaking in 2004, he expressed interest in relaunching the native comic book genre in his native country, and in publishing a new children's periodical with original content. In 2006, he participated in the relaunch of , in a version argued by Hăulică to have been "professional under any definition."The publication, which went out of print after only two issues due to distribution problems, included Romanian-language reprints of American comics such as Conan the Barbarian and Aliens
Aliens (comic book)
The Aliens comic books were first published by Dark Horse Comics in 1988 and set in the Alien fictional universe.Some stories often feature the company Weyland-Yutani and the United States Colonial Marines. Originally intended as a sequel to James Cameron's Aliens, the first mini-series features...
, alongside original collaborations between Florea and his Romanian colleagues: Două paloşe ("Two Backsword
Backsword
A backsword is a sword with a blade on one edge, or an "edge-and-a-quarter." The back of the sword is often the thickest part of the blade and acts to support and strengthen it....
s", with Florea as artist and György Györfi-Deák as writer), Ultima frontieră ("The Final Frontier", text by Florea, Marian Mirescu and Eddie Pandele, drawings by Daniel Rizea and Cătălin Gospodin), Toxic (text by Florea, drawings by Tudor Popa), Leviathan (written by Cristian Lăzărescu, illustrated by Florea). The magazine also featured Borderland, a comic series conceived especially for a Romanian public by writer John Warner
John Warner (comics)
John Warner is an American comic book writer and editor, known for his stories of horror and the supernatural.Warner's most prolific period in the comic book field was from 1973–1979...
and illustrated by Florea, depicting the confrontation between three worlds: of the Mortals, of Magic and of the Demons. Around the same time, Sandu Florea also began contributing to various Romanian webzines, such as Pro-Scris, Imagikon and Paradox—the latter of which published his strip Fortăreaţa, based on a short story by Ovidiu Bufnilă. Several aspects related to the artist's new Romanian ventures were however criticized by Michael Hăulică. He argued that Toxic in particular was "weak and obvious", and noted that, in its featured edition, the text of Borderland evidenced its translator's poor command of the Romanian language.
These initiatives helped cement the artist's reputation in Romania. Sandu Florea claims to be "The only Romanian professional graphic artist who has managed to make a living exclusively out of his drawings, in the old country as well as [...] in America." Dodo Niţă, a historiographer of Romanian comics and Florea's colleague at , placed În lumea lui Harap Alb as fifth among an all-time chart of original Romanian works in the genre. According to a 2008 piece in the Romanian daily Evenimentul Zilei
Evenimentul Zilei
Evenimentul Zilei is one of the leading newspapers in Romania. Based in Bucharest, the Romanian-language daily has a paid daily circulation of 110,000...
, Florea shares the distinction of "best known Romanian comic book artist" with Mircea Arapu, the latter being known for his contribution in Francophone comics
Franco-Belgian comics
Franco-Belgian comics are comics that are created in Belgium and France. These countries have a long tradition in comics and comic books, where they are known as BDs, an abbreviation of bande dessinée in French and stripverhalen in Dutch...
.
An annual Romanian comic book fan convention
Fan convention
A fan convention, or con , is an event in which fans of a particular film, television series, comic book, actor, or an entire genre of entertainment such as science fiction or anime and manga, gather to participate and hold programs and other events, and to meet experts, famous personalities, and...
in Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
awards the Sandu Florea Prize to artists with a long contribution in their field. In 2010, Florea was guest of honor at the European Comic Strip Salon, organized by the Romanian Cultural Institute
Romanian Cultural Institute
The Romanian Cultural Institute is a state-funded institution that promotes Romanian culture and civilization in Romania and abroad. The ICR was formerly set up through reorganization of the Romanian Cultural Foundation and Romanian Cultural Publishing Foundation...
(ICR) at the National Theater Bucharest. He exhibited his work, including the never before seen Semne şi desemne collection, at the Bucharest "Comic Book Museum" exhibit, jointly organized by the ICR and the Belgian Comic Strip Center in 2011.