Norm Breyfogle

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Norm Breyfogle

Norman Keith "Norm" Breyfogle (born February 27, 1960 in Iowa City , † September 24, 2018 in Houghton , Michigan ) was an American comic artist .

Life and work

Early career, training and career beginnings

Breyfogle had a brother named Kevin. Breyfogle began successfully participating in various drawing competitions as a teenager in the 1970s before deciding to study painting and illustration at Northern Michigan University .

After doing small jobs for a campus magazine and a professional drawing agency while studying, he illustrated the book Buyan: Lore's Loggin 'Hero in 1980, which was published by Book Concern.

After graduating from college in 1982, Breyfogle moved to California, where he designed a training manual for a shuttle program as a technical illustrator for United Space Boosters.

In 1984 Breyfogle was signed by Mike Friedrich, the owner of an agency for the placement of visual artists, who gave him contracts as a draftsman in the comic industry for the next seventeen years.

After minor work for the series American Flagg, published by First Comics, and the horror anthology Tales of Terror , published by Eclipse Comics , Breyfogle was hired to draw a story about the patriotic superhero Captain America for an issue of the Marvel Fanfare series . He then got a one-year job as a draftsman for the Whisper series published by First Comics,

Breakthrough as a cartoonist for the Batman comics

In 1987, Breyfogle was hired by the long-established publisher DC Comics as a permanent draftsman for the monthly series Detective Comics , one of the two main series that told the adventures of the superhero and crime fighter Batman . Breyfogle then drew Batman stories for various series for almost six years, until 1993. Together with Jim Aparo , he was one of the two regular draftsmen who routinely supervised the series about Batman during these years.

Breyfogle's most important artistic partner during his years as a Batman draftsman was the Scottish author Alan Grant : from 1988 to 1992, the two formed a permanent team, with Breyfogle visually realizing the Batman stories written by Grant, which were published one after the other in changing series. One after the other, the stories of the Grant / Breysequence team appeared in the series Detective Comics (1988–1990), Batman (1990–1992) and Batman. Shadow of the Bat (1992). In addition, Breyfogle also made a number of Batman stories by other authors, such as Mike W. Barr , Doug Moench and Chuck Dixon , for various Batman series. In addition, there were occasional special editions with which Breyfogle was commissioned, such as the visual design of the graphic novel Birth of the Demon by Dennis O'Neil or Alan Grant's Batman One-Shot Holy Terror .

Breyfogle's activity as Batman's regular cartoonist began in “Batmania” in 1989/1990, a great wave of enthusiasm for Batman and his world, triggered by the fiftieth anniversary of the Batman character and, in particular, by the release of the movie Batman by Tim Burton spread in western countries during the years mentioned. A consequence of the phenomenon was a significant increase in sales of the Batman comics. Since Breyfogle drew this at the time, his visual interpretation of the Batman character shaped the perception of an entire generation of new readers of the Batman comics who stepped into it in the later 1980s and early 1990s. Characteristic of Breyfogle's drawing style is a dynamic and flowing representation of the figures.

During his time as a Batman draftsman, Breyfogle designed the visuals for numerous new characters - mostly created by Alant Grant - who were introduced to the Batman universe during this time. The most important of these characters, whose appearance Breyfogle designed, was the bizarre couple of underworld boss Arnold Wesker and his ventriloquist dummy, Scarface . Wesker is an apparently meek and harmless-looking man, behind whose staid facade a split personality lurks, which he lives out as a hobby ventriloquist with the help of his doll. This doll, Scarface, is dressed like a classic gang boss from the 1920s to 1940s: He wears a pinstripe suit and a fedora hat, has a large facial scar (a reference to “Scarface” Al Capone ) and “smokes” cigars. The doll (English. Dummy ) is bizarre way the dominant part in the team Wesker-Scarface, which u. a. This is reflected in the fact that the Wesker doll is constantly pushing around and verbally disparaging (this is what Scarface usually calls Wesker dummy , which in English can be used both as a term for a ventriloquist doll, but also as a disparaging title in the sense of “idiot” or “booby”). Scarface's bossy, aggressive and assertive manner contrasts with the insecure and docile nature of Wesker. In most of the stories Wesker is apparently not even aware that Scarface is not an independent living being, but part of his, Wesker's, own personality, but treats him as an independent being, which he mostly humbly and shyly as "Mr. Scarface ”. Wesker's Wesker personality and his Scarface personality exist and develop parallel to one another in his psyche (in a sense in two separate compartments of the same), without Wesker being aware of it, so that his two inner personalities interact with one another on an external level that is visible to everyone two separate people. Accordingly, Scarface orders Wesker around all the time and compresses him at every opportunity, just like he has "the say" in the Scarface gang, while the intimidated Wesker carries him around as an intimidated servant and speaks little. Since Wesker has not mastered ventriloquism to perfection, his doll cannot pronounce the letter "B" correctly, so Scarface always pronounces the letter "B" as "G". The figure of the personality-split gang leader and ventriloquist Wesker, who is bullied and ordered around by his ventriloquist dummy (without being aware that the aggressive gnome who constantly turns him into a snail, is not another living being, but a part of himself) developed within In a few years he became one of the most popular Batman adversaries and soon became an integral part of the villain's gallery of the most important opponents superheroes. Since the 1980s, the ventriloquist has not only appeared in dozens of stories in Batman comics, but has also become. a. also adapted as an antagonist in several episodes of the Batman cartoon series of the 1990s and in various computer / console games.

Other recurring characters from the Batman comics, the appearance of which Breyfogle designed, are the private detective Joe Potatoe , the idealistic cop Stan Kitch, the cannibalistic serial killer Cornelius Stirk, the youthful rebel Anarky , the sadistic criminal Mortimer Kadaver , the gigantic and superhumanly strong psychiatric inmate Amygdda Jeremiah Arkham , the director of the Gotham City Mental Asylum (which houses many of Batman's opponents after their capture) and the "Pied Piper" who lives in the Gotham City sewers.

Later career

In 1993 Breyfogle left DC Comics to pursue independent projects as an independent artist. Due to the steadily collapsing market for comic artists without a publisher connection in the mid-1990s, he took on numerous orders as a draftsman for large publishers such as DC but also Marvel Comics .

After creating a four-part miniseries for the character in 1996, Breyfogle took on the task of drawing the short-lived series Anarky in 1999 , which is about the solo adventures of the Batman supporting character Anarky - a gifted young anarchist - created by him and Grant .

From 2001 to 2002, Breyfogle drew the series The Specter for DC , which tells stories about an almost omnipotent spirit being who believes himself to be God's personified vengeance on evildoers. In 2003, Breyfogle oversaw the Black Tide series , published by Angel Gate Press.

In 2004 Breyfogle entered into a professional relationship with the Society of St. John Monastery, for which he occasionally illustrated children's books until his death.

In 2005 he drew the series Bitter Souls for Relative Comics. In 2006 Breyfogle entered into a professional relationship with the London art agency Debut Art . At the end of his life he worked on the series The Danger Dozen , which he intended to create in cooperation with his brother from 2008.

In 2014, Breyfogle suffered a major stroke and died in September 2018.

bibliography

DC Comics

Continuous series and series

  • Anarky # 1-8 (1999)
  • Batman # 455-466 (1990-1991), 470-476 (1992), 492-493 (1993), 556 (1998)
  • Batman Annual # 11-12
  • Batman: Shadow of the Bat # 1-5 (1992), 13 (1993), 50 (1996), 65-67 (1997), 75 (1998)
  • Batman Beyond Unlimited # 1–13, 15 (2012–2013)
  • Catwoman # 45 (1997)
  • Detective Comics # 79 (1987), 582-594 (1988-1989), 601-621 (1990-1991), 627 (1991), 659 (1993)
  • Legion of Super-Heroes # 24 (1986)
  • Lobo # 51 (1998)
  • Specter # 15-23, 25-27 (2002-2003)
  • Superman # 130, 1,000.0000 (1997–1998)
  • Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger # 18-20 (2014)
  • Wonder Woman Annual # 5 (1996)


Miniseries

  • Anarky # 1-4 (1997)
  • Flashpoint # 1-3 (1999-2000)


One-shots and graphic novels

  • Aquamn Secret Files and Origins 2ß3 # 1 (2003)
  • Batman: The Abduction # 1 (1998)
  • Batman: Birth of the Demonc (1993)
  • Batman: Brotherhood of the Bat # 1 (1995)
  • Batman: Dreamland # 1 (2000)
  • Batman: Holy Terror # 1 (1991)
  • DC Comics Presents. Green Lantern # 1 (2004)
  • DC One Million 80-Page Giant # 1 (2004)
  • DC Retroactive: Batman - The '90s # 1 (2011)
  • DCU Heroes Secret Files # 1 (1999)
  • The Flash 80-Page Giant # 2 (1999)
  • Green Lantern. Circle of Fire # 1 (2000)
  • Silver Age Secret Files ä1 (2000)
  • Sins of Youth Secret Files # 1 (2000)
  • Superman 80-Oage Giant # 1 (1998) (partially)
  • Superman Forever # 1 (1998) (partially)
  • Supermen of America # 1 (1999)

Eclipse Comics

  • Tales of Terror # 6, 8 (1986)

First comics

  • American Flagg! # 33, 35-38 (1986-1987)
  • Whisper # 3-11 (1986-1988)

Malibu Comics

  • Firearm # 5 (1994)
  • Hardcase # 1 (1993)
  • Prime # 1-12 (1993-1994)
  • Prime: Gross and Disgusting # 1 (1994)

Marvel Comics

  • The Avengers Annual 2000 # 1 (2000)
  • Black Panther # 30 (2001)
  • Hellcat # 1-3 (2000)
  • Marc Spector: Moon Knight # 42 (1992)
  • Marvel Fanfare # 29 (Captain America); # 37 (Fantastic Four) (1986–1988)
  • Open Space # 3 (1990)
  • Prime # 9-10 (1996)
  • Prime / Captain America # 1 (1996)
  • Thunderbolts 2000 # 1 (2000)
  • Within Our Reach # 1 (1992)

Valiant Comics

  • Bloodshot # 30-31, 34-35 (1995)

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Norman Keith Breyfogle: Biography. In: Normbreyfogle.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010 ; accessed on September 29, 2018 (English).
  2. ^ A b John Ruch: Batman Artist Norm Breyfogle Recovers From a Stroke With a Little Help From His Fans. In: pastemagazine.com. February 2, 2015, accessed September 27, 2018 .
  3. ^ Dan Greenfield: Batman's Hot-Line: Norm Breyfogle. In: 13th Dimension. October 3, 2013, archived from the original on August 11, 2018 ; Retrieved September 29, 2018 (English): "One of the sketches was by a guy named Norm Breyfogle of Houghton, Michigan, printed in # 13 of the late, lamented Batman Family title."
  4. ^ Robert Greenberger: New Talent and Bonus Babies . In: Back Issue! 71, April 2014, pp. 65-71.
  5. ^ Norm Breyfogle. In: Grand Comics Database. Retrieved September 29, 2018 .
  6. ↑ Michael Eury: Norm Breyfogle's Batman / Captain America Makeover . In: Back Issue! 96, June 2017, p. 51.
  7. ↑ Stephan Friedt: The Whisper. Interview: Whisper in the Hands of Steven Grant and Norm Breyfogle . In: Back Issue! 94, February 2017, pp. 74-78.
  8. ↑ Matthew K. Manning, Hannah Dolan (Eds.): DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle , Chapter "1980s". Dorling Kindersley , London, 2010, ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9 , p. 235: “In February [1988], the Batman crossed paths with Scarface and the Ventriloquist in Detective Comics # 583 by writer John Wagner and Alan Grant and artist Norm Breyfogle. "
  9. ↑ Kevin Melrose: Fundraiser launches to help Norm Breyfogle following stroke. In: Comic Book Resources. December 23, 2014, archived from the original on September 7, 2015 ; Retrieved on September 29, 2018 (English): "A fundraiser has been established online to help cover the medical expenses of veteran Batman artist Norm Breyfogle, who suffered a stroke last week, leaving the left-handed illustrator paralyzed on his left side."
  10. ^ Umberto Gonzalez: Norm Breyfogle, Renowned 'Batman' Comic Book Artist, Dies at 58. In: TheWrap. September 26, 2018, accessed September 28, 2018 . David Betancourt: Norm Breyfogle, one of DC Comics' most beloved Batman artists, dies at 58. In: The Washington Post . September 27, 2018, accessed on September 28, 2018 .
personal data
SURNAME Breyfogle, Norm
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Breyfogle, Norman Keith (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American comic artist
DATE OF BIRTH February 27, 1960
PLACE OF BIRTH Iowa City
DATE OF DEATH September 24, 2018
Place of death Houghton , Michigan