Stuart Immonen
Encyclopedia
Stuart Immonen is a Canadian
comic book artist
. He is best known for his work on Nextwave
, Ultimate X-Men
, The New Avengers (comics) and Ultimate Spider-Man
. His pencils are usually inked by Wade Von Grawbadger
.
's York University
, pursuing a career in art.
In 1988, he self-published a series called Playground; it was his first published work. He worked at several smaller comic book
companies before being hired by DC Comics
and Marvel Comics
in 1993. Since then, Immonen has drawn such high-profile characters as Superman
, Hulk
, the Legion of Super Heroes, and the X-Men
. His recent work includes stints on the titles Ultimate Fantastic Four
and Ultimate X-Men
with writers Warren Ellis
and Brian K. Vaughan
, as well as a 12-issue run pencilling Nextwave
, which again paired him with Warren Ellis.
Stuart Immonen has also done work for Top Cow and Image Comics
.
In 2005, Immonen published 50 Reasons to Stop Sketching at Conventions, a series of fifty comics that detail why he no longer does sketches for fans. Besides self-publishing, Immonen also maintains a webcomic called Never as Bad as You Think which is co-authored by his wife, Kathryn.
On October 23, 2006, Immonen was confirmed as the new artist on Marvel Comics
Ultimate Spider-Man
starting with issue #111. After USM #133, he will depart from that series and begin work on New Avengers, starting with issue #55 and ending with issue #64. He continued to be the series artist when New Avengers relaunched under the Heroic Age, but it was announced that he would be leaving the title as of issue #7 and would be working on an as-yet unknown new project.
2010 sees the release of Moving Pictures - a webcomic co-authored by Kathryn Immonen - as a graphic novel published by Top Shelf Productions
.
In 2011 Immonen illustrated Marvel's Fear Itself
miniseries, which formed the core of a company-wide crossover storyline of the same name.
miniseries for Comic Book Resources
, praised Immonen's art. He consistently singled out Immonen for his simple but detailed storytelling, and his ability to render varied subject matter, from Nazis to sea monsters. Zawisza called his art "incredible" and "gorgeous", and Immonen a "modern master" whose ability to convey a large amount of story in a small portion of a page Zawisza compared to that of George Pérez
. Though Zawisza was not reluctant to note the occasional error, he praised specific visuals, including Immonen and Laura Martin
's depiction of Yggdrasil
in issue #1, as well as numerous scenes in issue #4, such as the scenes of global chaos, the Odin-Serpent framing sequence and the shots of British Columbia
, which he called "chilling". Jennifer Margret Smith, reviewing the first issue for Newsarama
, while praising the entire creative team, commented, "but it's Immonen who really shines", in reference to Immonen's storytelling and skill at crowd scenes. Similar reactions was garnered among reviewers at Comics Bulletin
, with Danny Djeljosevic echoing Zawisza's comments regarding Immonen's ability to effectively render different subjects, such as sleepy seaside Canadian towns from superheroe battles, saying, "Immonen is easily the most versatile artist in comics, who will surely go down as one of the greats with his striking layouts and dynamic, varied panel to panel storytelling. Immonen reminds me of the old-school Marvel Comics artists, who were capable of delivering strong, consistent work every month with little need for fill-ins." Alex Evans and Dean Stell of Weekly Comic Book Review
thought the art and colors were vibrant and detailed, and Immonen the perfect choice for the series, though Stell thought it looked a bit rushed in issue #6, and not up to Immonen's usual standards in issue #7.
People of Canada
Canadians are the people who are identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be genetic, residential, legal, historical, cultural or ethnic...
comic book artist
Comic Book Artist
Comic Book Artist was an American magazine founded by Jon B. Cooke devoted to anecdotal histories of American comic books, with emphasis on comics published since the 1960s...
. He is best known for his work on Nextwave
Nextwave
Nextwave is a comic book series by Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen, published by Marvel Comics between 2006 and 2007.-Concept:The series was written exclusively in two-issue story arcs, a choice deliberately bucking the trend in modern American comics toward decompression...
, Ultimate X-Men
Ultimate X-Men
Ultimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2001 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running X-Men comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
, The New Avengers (comics) and Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
. His pencils are usually inked by Wade Von Grawbadger
Wade Von Grawbadger
Wade von Grawbadger is a comic book artist who is known mostly for his inking work for Marvel and DC comics.-DC Comics:* Alpha Centurion Special #1* Birds of Prey: Manhunt #1, 3, 4* Showcase '95 #1, 2...
.
Career
Immonen studied at TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, pursuing a career in art.
In 1988, he self-published a series called Playground; it was his first published work. He worked at several smaller 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...
companies before being hired by 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 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...
in 1993. Since then, Immonen has drawn such high-profile characters as Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, 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 ....
, the Legion of Super Heroes, and 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...
. His recent work includes stints on the titles Ultimate Fantastic Four
Ultimate Fantastic Four
Ultimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
and Ultimate X-Men
Ultimate X-Men
Ultimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2001 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running X-Men comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
with writers Warren Ellis
Warren 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 Brian K. Vaughan
Brian K. Vaughan
Brian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
, as well as a 12-issue run pencilling Nextwave
Nextwave
Nextwave is a comic book series by Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen, published by Marvel Comics between 2006 and 2007.-Concept:The series was written exclusively in two-issue story arcs, a choice deliberately bucking the trend in modern American comics toward decompression...
, which again paired him with Warren Ellis.
Stuart Immonen has also done work for Top Cow and 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...
.
In 2005, Immonen published 50 Reasons to Stop Sketching at Conventions, a series of fifty comics that detail why he no longer does sketches for fans. Besides self-publishing, Immonen also maintains a webcomic called Never as Bad as You Think which is co-authored by his wife, Kathryn.
On October 23, 2006, Immonen was confirmed as the new artist on 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...
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
starting with issue #111. After USM #133, he will depart from that series and begin work on New Avengers, starting with issue #55 and ending with issue #64. He continued to be the series artist when New Avengers relaunched under the Heroic Age, but it was announced that he would be leaving the title as of issue #7 and would be working on an as-yet unknown new project.
2010 sees the release of Moving Pictures - a webcomic co-authored by Kathryn Immonen - as a graphic novel published by Top Shelf Productions
Top Shelf Productions
Top Shelf Productions is an American publishing company founded in 1997, owned and operated by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock and a small staff. The company is based in Marietta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and New York City, New York....
.
In 2011 Immonen illustrated Marvel's Fear Itself
Fear Itself (comics)
"Fear Itself" is a 2011 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a seven-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Laura Martin, a prologue book by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scott Eaton, and...
miniseries, which formed the core of a company-wide crossover storyline of the same name.
Reception
Doug Zawisza, reviewing the 2011 Fear ItselfFear Itself (comics)
"Fear Itself" is a 2011 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a seven-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Laura Martin, a prologue book by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scott Eaton, and...
miniseries for Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
, praised Immonen's art. He consistently singled out Immonen for his simple but detailed storytelling, and his ability to render varied subject matter, from Nazis to sea monsters. Zawisza called his art "incredible" and "gorgeous", and Immonen a "modern master" whose ability to convey a large amount of story in a small portion of a page Zawisza compared to that of George Pérez
George Pérez
George Pérez is a Puerto Rican-American writer and illustrator of comic books, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.-Biography:...
. Though Zawisza was not reluctant to note the occasional error, he praised specific visuals, including Immonen and Laura Martin
Laura Martin
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.-Career:...
's depiction of Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil
In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is an immense tree that is central in Norse cosmology. It was said to be the world tree around which the nine worlds existed...
in issue #1, as well as numerous scenes in issue #4, such as the scenes of global chaos, the Odin-Serpent framing sequence and the shots of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, which he called "chilling". Jennifer Margret Smith, reviewing the first issue for Newsarama
Newsarama
Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
, while praising the entire creative team, commented, "but it's Immonen who really shines", in reference to Immonen's storytelling and skill at crowd scenes. Similar reactions was garnered among reviewers at Comics Bulletin
Comics Bulletin
Comics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...
, with Danny Djeljosevic echoing Zawisza's comments regarding Immonen's ability to effectively render different subjects, such as sleepy seaside Canadian towns from superheroe battles, saying, "Immonen is easily the most versatile artist in comics, who will surely go down as one of the greats with his striking layouts and dynamic, varied panel to panel storytelling. Immonen reminds me of the old-school Marvel Comics artists, who were capable of delivering strong, consistent work every month with little need for fill-ins." Alex Evans and Dean Stell of Weekly Comic Book Review
Weekly comic book review
Weekly Comic Book Review, is an American blog founded by Jason Montes featuring various comic book reviews.The blog is valuable to comic book fans, providing current and upcoming comic book reviews so readers can get a critics perspective before deciding to purchase...
thought the art and colors were vibrant and detailed, and Immonen the perfect choice for the series, though Stell thought it looked a bit rushed in issue #6, and not up to Immonen's usual standards in issue #7.
DC
- Action ComicsAction ComicsAction Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#738-743, 746-748, 750-754, 758 (1997–99) - Adventures of Superman #520-525, 527-535, 537-538, 541, 543-544, 546-550, 576-577 (1995–2000)
- Final NightFinal Night"The Final Night" was a 1996 comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self titled limited series and most of the comics published by DC Comics with a cover date of November 1996. It featured the main heroes of the DC Universe. At the end of each issue is an in-story text piece written by...
, miniseries, #1-4 (1998) - H-E-R-OH.E.R.O. (comics)H.E.R.O. is an American comic book series published by DC Comics that started in 2003 and ran for 22 issues. The series was written by Will Pfeifer. Artists included Kano, Leonard Kirk and Dale Eaglesham....
#10 (2004) - InfernoInferno (DC Comics)Inferno was also the name of the "SW6" version of the Legionnaire Sun Boy.Inferno is a fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Comics universe...
, miniseries, #1-4 (1997) - Legends of the DC UniverseDC UniverseThe DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
80-Page Giant (Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super-HeroesThe Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
) #2 (2000) - Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super-HeroesThe Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
, vol. 3, #39-50, 52-56, 58-94, Annual #6 (full art); #94, Annual #4-5 (among other artists) (1993–97) - LegionnairesLegionnairesLegionnaires may refer to:*Spanish Legion*French Foreign Legion*Legionnaires' Movement in Romania, see: Iron Guard*Legionnaires' disease*Legion of Christ*Charlemagne's Legionnaires*Legion of Super-Heroes*Legionnaire...
#10 (among other artists) (1994) - Showcase '93Showcase (comics)Showcase has been the title of several comic anthology series published by DC Comics. The general theme of these series has been to feature new and minor characters as a way to gauge reader interest in them, without the difficulty and risk of featuring "untested" characters in their own ongoing...
(Martian ManhunterMartian ManhunterThe Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
) #10 (1993) - Showcase '95 (Supergirl) #1-2 (1995)
- Showcase '96 (King FaradayKing FaradayKing Faraday is a fictional secret agent featured in DC Comics. Faraday first appeared in Danger Trail #1 , and was created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino.-Fictional character biography:...
) #12 (1996) - Starman, vol. 2, #14 (among other artists) (1995)
- SupermanSuperman (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...
, vol. 2, #87-88 (1994) - Superman: End of the Century (2000)
- Superman: Secret IdentitySuperman: Secret IdentitySuperman: Secret Identity is a four-issue mini-series of 48 pages each in prestige format, written by Kurt Busiek and illustrated by Stuart Immonen. The first issue was published in January 2004, and the limited series ran until April 2004. A re-release of the first two issues will become available...
, miniseries, #1-4 (2000) - Superman: The Wedding AlbumSuperman: The Wedding AlbumSuperman: The Wedding Album was a comic book published in 1996 by DC Comics. It is notable in that it features the long-awaited in-continuity wedding of Lois Lane to Clark Kent/Superman—an event that was nearly 60 years in the making. Previous weddings involving the characters had all been hoaxes,...
(among other artists) (1996) - Superman/ToymanToymanThe Toyman is the name of three comic book supervillains and one adolescent superhero in the DC Comics universe. They mostly appear in Superman stories. The first Toyman appeared in Action Comics #64 . His real name is Winslow Schott.The Toyman uses toy-based or toy-themed devices and gimmicks in...
(1994) - Superman and Batman: World's FunnestSuperman and Batman: World's FunnestSuperman and Batman: World's Funnest is an American single issue prestige format comic book published in 2000 by DC Comics. It was written by Evan Dorkin and illustrated by numerous artists. The issue still takes place in New Earth, which makes it canon to the main continuity of DC Universe...
(among other artists) (2000) - Superman Metropolis Secret Files (among other artists) (2000)
- Superman Red/Superman BlueSuperman Red/Superman BlueSuperman Red/Superman Blue refers to two different DC Comics storylines featuring Superman.-"The Amazing Story of Superman-Red and Superman-Blue!":...
(among other artists) (1998) - Superman Villains Secret Files (1998)
Marvel
- AvengersAvengers (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...
, vol. 3, #26 (2000) - Captain AmericaCaptain AmericaCaptain 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...
, vol. 3, #50 - Fantastic FourFantastic FourThe 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...
, vol. 3, #42, 55-56 (2001–02) - Fear ItselfFear Itself (comics)"Fear Itself" is a 2011 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a seven-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Laura Martin, a prologue book by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scott Eaton, and...
, miniseries, #1-2 (2011) - Hero Initiative: Mike WieringoMike WieringoMichael Lance "Mike" Wieringo , who sometimes signed his work under the name Ringo, was an American comic book artist best known for his work on DC Comics' The Flash and Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four....
Book ("Fantastic Four" feature) (among other artists, 2008) - Incredible HulkHulk (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 ....
, vol. 1, Annual #20 (1994) - Incredible Hulk, vol. 2, #44-49 (2002–03)
- Marvel Comics PresentsMarvel Comics PresentsMarvel Comics Presents was an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics originally from 1988 to 1995; it returned for a second volume in 2007-2008.-Volume 1:The first volume was released on a biweekly basis and lasted for 175 issues...
, vol. 2, (HellcatHellcat- Military :* F6F Hellcat, the primary United States Navy aircraft carrier fighter in the second half of World War II* M18 Hellcat was a United States tank destroyer used in World War II...
) #1-4 (2007–08) - New Avengers, vol. 1, #55-60 (full art); #61-62 (along with Daniel AcuñaDaniel Acuña-Biography:In college, Acuña studied in painting and graduated with a degree in Fine Arts. He cites his early influences as Jack Kirby, the JohnRomitas, Will Eisner, Simon Bisley, Kevin Nowlan, Hal Foster, and his favorite, Richard Corben, along with fine artists such as Edward Hopper, Alfons...
) (2009–10) - New Avengers, vol. 2, #1-7 (2010–11)
- Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.NextwaveNextwave is a comic book series by Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen, published by Marvel Comics between 2006 and 2007.-Concept:The series was written exclusively in two-issue story arcs, a choice deliberately bucking the trend in modern American comics toward decompression...
#1-12 (2006) - Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
/Gen 13 (1996) - Spider-Man UnlimitedSpider-Man UnlimitedSpider-Man Unlimited was a short-lived animated series featuring the Marvel comic book superhero Spider-Man. The series was released in 1999, but, although it had fair ratings, was overshadowed by Pokémon, and was canceled after airing only a few episodes. Fox later resumed airing the show, airing...
#6 (2005) - ThorThor (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....
, vol. 2, #33, 38-42, 44 (2001–02) - Ultimate Fantastic FourUltimate Fantastic FourUltimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
#7-12, Annual #2 (2004–06) - Ultimate Spider-ManUltimate Spider-ManUltimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
#111-133 (2007–09) - Ultimate X-MenUltimate X-MenUltimate X-Men is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2001 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running X-Men comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
#54-57, 59-65 (2005–06) - What IfWhat If (comics)What If, sometimes rendered as What If...?, is the title of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, exploring "the road not traveled" by its various characters...
, vol. 2, (Spider-Man) #76 (1995) - Wonder ManWonder ManWonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Avengers #9 .-Publication history:Wonder Man debuted in the superhero-team title The Avengers #9 Wonder...
Annual #1 (1992) - X-Men, vol. 2, Annual #1 (among other artists) (1992)