Joe Staton (/sttən/ born January 19, 1948[1]) is an American comics artist and writer. He co-created the Bronze Age Huntress (Helena Wayne), as well as the third Huntress (Helena Bertinelli), Kilowog and the Omega Men for DC Comics. He was the artist of the Dick Tracy comic strip from 2011 to October 2021.

Joe Staton
Staton at the 2008 New York Comic Con
Born (1948-01-19) January 19, 1948 (age 76)
North Carolina, U.S.
Area(s)Writer, Penciller, Inker
Notable works
Dick Tracy
E-Man
Green Lantern Corps
Guy Gardner
Huntress
AwardsInkpot Award 1983
Eisner Award 1998
Harvey Award 2013, 2014, 2015

Early life

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Joe Staton grew up in Tennessee and graduated from Murray State University in 1970.[2]

Career

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Staton started his comics career at Charlton Comics in 1971 and gained notability as the artist of the super-hero series E-Man. Staton produced art for various comics published by Charlton, Marvel Comics, and Warren Publishing during the 1970s.[2]

Hired initially by Roy Thomas to work for Marvel, Staton was then recruited by Paul Levitz to work on DC Comics' revival of the Justice Society of America in All Star Comics and later Adventure Comics. In these titles he illustrated stories including the origin of the JSA in DC Special #29[3] and the death of the Earth-Two Batman.[4] Staton also illustrated the solo adventures of two female JSA members created during the JSA revival – drawing Power Girl in Showcase and the Huntress.[5] During that time, Staton additionally drew Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, the 1970s revival of the Doom Patrol in Showcase,[6] and the Metal Men. In 1979, Staton began a two-and-a-half-year run on Green Lantern, during which he co-created the Omega Men with writer Marv Wolfman.[7]

 
Staton sketching at the 2011 New York Comic Con

Staton served as art director for First Comics for three years in the 1980s. He returned to DC Comics afterwards for a second run on Green Lantern and with writer Steve Englehart, oversaw the title's name change to Green Lantern Corps.[8] Staton and Englehart also created the DC weekly crossover series Millennium (Jan.–Feb. 1988).[9] Staton was one of the contributors to the DC Challenge limited series in 1986.[10] In addition, he illustrated Guy Gardner, The Huntress,[11] The New Guardians, and Superman & Bugs Bunny.[12]

In the early 1990s, Staton provided the artwork on the Mike Danger Sunday comic strip, written by Max Allan Collins. From the late 90s to the late 2000s, Staton drew DC's Scooby-Doo title for younger readers, as well as the more mature-themed Femme Noir for Ape Entertainment. On January 19, 2011, Tribune Media Services announced that Staton and writer Mike Curtis would replace Dick Locher as the creative team of the Dick Tracy comic strip.[13] The new creative team has worked together on Scooby-Doo, Richie Rich, and Casper the Friendly Ghost and started on March 14, 2011.[14] He pencilled DC Retroactive: Green Lantern – The '80s #1, written by Len Wein, published the same year. Staton also illustrated Charles Santino's graphic novel adaptation of Ayn Rand's Anthem (2011).[15]

Awards

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Joe Staton received an Inkpot Award in 1983.[16]

Staton and writer Mike Curtis received the Best Syndicated Strip Harvey Award for Dick Tracy in 2013,[17] 2014,[18] and 2015.[19]

Bibliography

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AC Comics

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Alpha Productions

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  • The Detectives #1 (Michael Mauser, Private Eye) (1993)
  • E-Man #1 (1993)
  • E-Man Returns #1 (1994)

Ape Entertainment

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  • Ape Entertainment's Cartoonapalooza #2 (Femme Noir) (2009)
  • Femme Noir: The Dark City Diaries #1–4 (2008)

Apple Press

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Archie Comics

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Bill Spicer

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  • Fantasy Illustrated #2 (1964)

Caliber Press

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  • Dominique: Protect and Serve #1 (1995)
  • Negative Burn #18, 20, 33, 49 (1995–1997)

Century Comics For Action Hero

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  • Actor Comics Presents #1 (2006)

CFD Productions

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  • Noir #2 (Michael Mauser, Private Eye) (1995)

Charlton Comics

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Charlton Neo

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Comico

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CPL/GANG Publications

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  • The Charlton Bullseye #4 (E-Man) (1976)

CrossGen

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  • Crossovers #7–9 (2003)

Dark Horse

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DC Comics

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Digital Webbing

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  • E-Man Recharged #1 (2006)
  • E-Man: Course of the Idol oneshot (2009)
  • E-Man: Dolly #1 (2007)
  • Digital Webbing Jam 2007 oneshot (E-Man) (2007)

Disney

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  • Mad #340 (1995)

Eclipse Comics

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First Comics

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  • American Flagg! #28–32, 39–40 (1986–1987)
  • Badger Goes Berserk #3 (1989)
  • Crossroads #3 (1988)
  • E-Man #1–25 (#9, 11–23 also writer) (1983–1985)
  • Gift #1 (1990)
  • Grimjack #5, 33 (1984, 1987)
  • Meta-4 #3 (inker) (1991)
  • P.I.'s: Michael Mauser and Ms. Tree #1–3 (1984–1985)
  • Warp #1 (inker) (1983)

Hamilton Comics

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  • Captain Cosmos, The Last Starveyer #0 (1997)
  • Grave Tales #1–3 (1991–1992)
  • Maggots #1, 3 (1991–1992)

Innovation Comics

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  • Maze Agency Special #1 (1990)

Kitchen Sink Press

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Malibu Comics

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Marvel Comics

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Ni-Cola Productions

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  • Captain Cosmos, The Last Starveyer #2, 4 (2001–2006)

Penguin (New American Library)

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Star*Reach

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Topps Comics

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Warren Publishing

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Wonderful Publishing Company

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Ybor City Publishers

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  • Captain Cosmos, The Last Starveyer #1 (1998)

References

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  1. ^ Miller, John Jackson (June 10, 2005). "Comics Industry Birthdays". Comics Buyer's Guide. Iola, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on February 18, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Nigro, Rocco (March 2001). "Joe Staton, Man of Energy! The prolific cartoonist on E-Man, Mauser & Charlton Comics". Comic Book Artist (12). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011.
  3. ^ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 175. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The genesis of comics' first superhero team...had been a mystery since the JSA's debut...Writer Paul Levitz and artist Joe Staton decided to present the definitive origin story. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Dougall, Alastair, ed. (2014). "1970s". Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 130. ISBN 978-1465424563. Writer Paul Levitz and artist Joe Staton forever altered the world of Earth-Two by killing off the original Batman. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 175: "DC Super-Stars #17 (December 1977) While writer Paul Levitz and artist Joe Staton introduced the Huntress to the JSA in this month's All Star Comics #69, they concurrently shaped her origin in DC Super-Stars."
  6. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 175: "Showcase #94 (Aug.–Sept. 1977) Writer Paul Kupperberg and artist Joe Staton revived DC's "try-out" series from its seven-year slumber by resurrecting the super-hero team, Doom Patrol."
  7. ^ Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 193: "DC's newest science-fiction franchise, a band of over one hundred aliens called the Omega Men...They gave Green Lantern a run for his money in this issue written by Marv Wolfman, with art by Joe Staton, and the Omega Men went on to gain their own ongoing series in 1983."
  8. ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 219: "The adventures of everyone's favorite space cops were given a new title thanks to writer Steve Englehart and artist Joe Staton. Now focusing not just on Green Lantern Hal Jordan, The Green Lantern Corps gave an equal spotlight to all the defenders of Space Sector 2814."
  9. ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 232: "Millennium an eight-part miniseries, written by Steve Englehart and drawn by Joe Staton [was] delivered in weekly installments."
  10. ^ Greenberger, Robert (August 2017). "It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time: A Look at the DC Challenge!". Back Issue! (98). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 40.
  11. ^ Manning "1980s" in Dougall, p. 177: "Writer Joey Cavalieri and artist Joe Staton reintroduced Huntress in the pages of her first ongoing series."
  12. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 280. ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
  13. ^ Rosenthal, Phil (January 19, 2011). "Dick Locher passes TMS' 'Dick Tracy' to new artist, writer". Tower Ticker. Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 25, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  14. ^ Harvey, R. C. (February 7, 2011). "Dick Locher Hangs Up His Fedora". The Comics Journal. Seattle, Washington: Fantagraphics Books. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019.
  15. ^ Randle, Robert (February 1, 2011). "Anthem: A Graphic Novel". New York Journal of Books. Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  16. ^ "Inkpot Award Winners". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012.
  17. ^ Gardner, Alan (September 9, 2013). "Harvey Award winners announced". The Daily Cartoonist. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014.
  18. ^ "Congratulations Team Tracy on 2014 Harvey Award!". Dick Tracy Depot. September 7, 2014. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016.
  19. ^ "Congratulations Team Tracy on 2015 Harvey Award!". Dick Tracy Depot. September 27, 2015. Archived from the original on May 2, 2016.

Further reading

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  • Bethke, Marlyn and Alexandre Koehn, "From E-Man to Batman: Joe Staton Interview", The Comics Journal #45 (March 1979), pp. 37–45.
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Preceded by All Star Comics penciller
1977–1978
Succeeded by
n/a
Preceded by Green Lantern penciller
1979–1982
Succeeded by
Preceded by Green Lantern/Green Lantern Corps penciller
1985–1988
Succeeded by
Gil Kane