Mark Bagley

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox comics creator Mark Bagley (Template:IPAc-en; born August 7, 1957)<ref name="Lambiek">Template:Cite web</ref> is an American comics artist. He has worked for Marvel Comics on such titles as The Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, New Warriors, Venom and Ultimate Spider-Man and for DC Comics on Justice League of America, Batman, and Trinity. Bagley co-created Marvel Comics characters Carnage and the Thunderbolts.

Early life

Mark Bagley was born to a military family in Frankfurt, West Germany.<ref>"Mark Bagley". Comic Vine.</ref>

Career

After his work in the military and at Ringling College of Art and Design, Bagley continued trying to break into the comic industry. While working a construction job, he suffered a severe injury to his leg while using a handsaw that required 132 stitches. He eventually ended up working for Lockheed Martin making technical drawings.<ref name="Lambiek" />

Marvel Comics

In 1983, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter created the Marvel Try-out Book to draw new talent into the comic book industry. The contest involved a deconstructed comic book, which contestants could complete and submit to Marvel. The winner would be awarded a professional assignment with Marvel. At the time, Bagley was 27 years old and living in Marietta, Georgia.<ref name="BB8602" /> He had almost given up on trying to find a job in comics and was satisfied with his position at Lockheed Martin. Bagley was reluctant to enter the contest because of the cost of the Try-out Book itself. His friend, Cliff Biggers, gave him the book and persuaded Bagley to enter the contest.<ref name="cbr148">Template:Cite web</ref> Bagley won first place for penciling, finishing ahead of thousands of other hopefuls.<ref name="BB8602">Shooter, Jim "Bullpen Bulletins" Marvel Comics cover-dated February 1986</ref> After winning the contest, he did not hear from Marvel for several months. After approaching Shooter at a comic convention, Bagley was assigned to a series of low-profile penciling jobs. His comics work during this period included Visionaries, a comic book based on a 1980s toy line, various titles in the New Universe line, backup stories in Captain America,<ref name="GCD">Template:Gcdb</ref> and the first series of Marvel Universe Cards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1989, Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz created a team of teenage superheroes called the New Warriors.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The following year, Marvel launched a new series based on these heroes and assigned Bagley and writer Fabian Nicieza to the title.<ref>Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 249: "In this ongoing series, writer Fabian Nicieza with...Mark Bagley chronicled the tales of a team that not only thrived in this brave new decade [of the 1990s], but continued to make an impact in the Marvel Universe over the years."</ref> Bagley stayed on the title until #25, at which point he left to transition directly onto The Amazing Spider-Man.<ref name="cbr148" />

When Erik Larsen left The Amazing Spider-Man in 1991, Bagley was assigned to the title. He and David Michelinie introduced the Carnage character in The Amazing Spider-Man #361 (April 1992)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and produced the Venom: Lethal Protector limited series in 1993. Although not the first artist to draw either Venom or Eddie Brock, Bagley's version of both characters are widely considered to be the most popular versions of them by fans.<ref>Cowsill "1990s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 202: "In February [1993], Venom gined his own title at last! Written by David Michelinie and illustrated by Mark Bagley...Venom: Lethal Protector was set after the events of The Amazing Spider-Man #375."</ref> Bagley was one of the artists on the "Maximum Carnage"<ref>Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 263: "Artists Mark Bagley, Sal Buscema, Ron Lim, Tom Lyle, and Alex Saviuk all brought their talents to this key story line."</ref> and "Clone Saga"<ref>Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 274: "Continuing the epic 'Clone Saga', the team of artists Tom Lyle, Robert Brown, Roy Burdine, and Mark Bagley revealed the supposed final fate of the genius Jackal."</ref> storylines which ran through the Spider-Man titles. Bagley's artwork was used extensively for licensed material, appearing on everything from plates and cups to credit cards and even video games such The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes released exclusively in Japan. In 2012, Comic Book Resources ranked Bagley fourth on its list of the "50 Greatest Spider-Man Creators".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1997, Bagley collaborated with writer Kurt Busiek on a new team of superheroes, the Thunderbolts, a group of super-villains disguised as super-heroes, with the final page of the first issue of the series revealing that the Thunderbolts were actually the Masters of Evil, a surprise twist carefully guarded by Marvel.<ref>Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 283: "Busiek and company ignored the pleas from Marvel's marketing division who thought that sales would be affected by not revealing the comic's twist. They managed to conceal their comic's confidential ending until the release of the first issue, and indeed shocked their entire fanbase with their dramatic reveal."</ref>

In 2000, Marvel's then-publisher Bill Jemas was looking to relaunch Marvel's primary franchises in a way that would make them accessible to newer readers. Ultimate Spider-Man would be a title that began the Spider-Man mythos from the beginning set in modern times. Bagley was assigned to Ultimate Spider-Man with writer Brian Michael Bendis.<ref>Cowsill "2000s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 259: "Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Mark Bagley, the series built on the original Spidey stories but soon spun off into bold new directions."</ref> The Bendis/Bagley partnership of 111 consecutive issues made their partnership one of the longest in American comic book history, and the longest run by a Marvel creative team, beating out Stan Lee and Jack Kirby on Fantastic Four.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bagley collaborated with Bendis on The Pulse and a four-issue arc on Mighty Avengers.<ref name="GCD" />

Bagley's long and successful run on Ultimate Spider-Man earned him recognition in Wizard magazine's top ten artists of the 2000s in Wizard #219. Ranked #2 on the list, article writer Mark Allen Haverty noted of Bagley, "no other artist came close to the number of comics Bagley sold [in the 2000s], nor the number of Top 20 comics he was a part of."<ref>Wizard #219 (January 2010)</ref>

DC Comics

In 2008, Bagley signed an exclusive three-year contract with DC Comics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His first assignment as a DC exclusive, the Trinity weekly series written by Kurt Busiek featured Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bagley drew four issues of Batman, written by Judd Winick. This was in the post-Battle for the Cowl world, with Dick Grayson having taken over as the Dark Knight.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bagley then teamed with writer James Robinson on Justice League of America.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bagley drew most of issues #38–53.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Return to Marvel

In 2011, Bagley left DC and returned to Marvel and Ultimate Spider-Man. He reunited with writer Brian Michael Bendis and drew the "Death of Spider-Man" arc in issues #156–160.<ref>Cowsill "2010s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 338: "It made the news across the world - Marvel was going to kill Spider-Man. His death came in this issue [Ultimate Spider-Man #160] written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Mark Bagley."</ref> As he started the Ultimate imprint alongside Bendis, he was also called for Cataclysm, Ultimate End (which ended the imprint) and the last pages of Spider-Men II (which set up its return). Bagley and Bendis teamed for a creator-owned series, Brilliant, which was published through Marvel's Icon Comics Imprint. It has similarities to Mark Millar's own Icon comic, Kick-Ass, as it explores the idea of superheroes existing in the real world, however unlike Kick-Ass, the characters have actual super-powers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=cbr31403>Template:Cite web</ref>

Brian Michael Bendis and Bagley worked on Avengers Assemble, an Avengers title produced concurrently with Brilliant. To differentiate between other Avengers titles, Assemble consisted of the roster present in the Avengers film, but set in present Marvel continuity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As part of the Marvel NOW! initiative, Bagley and writer Matt Fraction relaunched the Fantastic Four series in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bagley and Mark Waid collaborated on a Hulk series in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In late 2017, Bagley made a return to Venom with issue #155, "Lethal Protector", written by Mike Costa. This brief return lasted only four issues.<ref name="GCD" />

Art quirks

According to Bagley, drawing crowd scenes are his "weak point", because he becomes worn out on them, and finds them difficult to render in a timely fashion. He dislikes drawing Captain America.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Personal life

Bagley and his wife Pattie have a daughter, Angie.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Bibliography

DC Comics

Marvel Comics

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References

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