Tony DeZuniga

Tony DeZuniga

DeZuniga in June 2011
Born 1941 (age 70–71)
The Philippines
Nationality Filipino
Area(s) Penciller, Inker
Notable works Adventure Comics (Black Orchid)
Arak, Son of Thunder
Jonah Hex
Weird Western Tales (Jonah Hex)

Tony DeZuniga (born 1941) is a Filipino comic-book artist best known for his work for DC Comics, where he co-created the characters Jonah Hex and Black Orchid.

Contents

Biography

Early life and career

Tony DeZuniga began his comics career at the age of 16, as a letterer for a weekly magazine whose contributors included comic-book artists Alfredo Alcala and Nestor Redondo, who became mentors. DeZuniga received a Bachelor of Science degree in commercial art from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and in 1962 came to the United States to study graphic design in New York City. He returned to his native country to work in advertising and to freelance for Filipino comics.

Returning to New York City in the late 1960s, DeZuniga broke into American comic books under editor Joe Orlando at DC Comics, inking pencil art by Ric Estrada on a romance comics tale for Girl's Love Stories #153. DeZuniga's American-comics debut as a penciler came with a self-inked horror story for House of Mystery #188 (Sept./Oct. 1970).

DC and Marvel Comics

DeZuniga went on to become a regular contributor at DC, co-creating with writer John Albano the long-running Western character Jonah Hex, and with Sheldon Mayer the first Black Orchid.[1] DeZuniga also served as an introduction to what would be a 1970s influx of Filipino artists to American comics, prompting Orlando and DC publisher Carmine Infantino to visit the Philippines in 1971 to scout talent.[2] Among the artists found there who would soon become mainstays of both DC and Marvel Comics were Alfredo Alcala, Alex Niño, Nestor Redondo, and Gerry Talaoc.[2]

DeZuniga relocated back to New York from the Philippines in 1977.[3] He worked for industry leaders Marvel and DC for 18 years, drawing such prominent Marvel characters as the X-Men and Spider-Man.

Later career

DeZuniga later became a video game conceptual designer, spending a decade with the U.S. and Japan divisions of Sega. He has also done freelance work for McGraw Hill and the Scholastic Corporation, and for TSR's Dungeons & Dragons game on books such as In Search of Dragons.[4]

Upon retirement, DeZuniga began to do commissioned paintings and to teach art. His work has been the subject of at least one gallery exhibition.[5]

He also returned to Jonah Hex with Jonah Hex: No Way Back a graphic novel released to coincide with the Jonah Hex film.[6]

Awards

Bibliography

Comics work (interior pencil art) includes:

DC

Marvel

Notes

  1. ^ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. "Very little was known about the Black Orchid, even after writer Sheldon Mayer and artist Tony DeZuniga presented her so-called "origin issue" in Adventure Comics." 
  2. ^ a b Duncan, Randy and Smith, Matthew J. "Filipino Artists," The Power of Comics: History, Form & Culture (Continuum, 2009).
  3. ^ "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel Two-in-One #35 (Jan. 1978).
  4. ^ Tony DeZuniga :: Pen & Paper RPG Database
  5. ^ The Komkero Live Video Channel: Tony DeZuniga Art Exhibit Opening (Jan. 27, 2007)
  6. ^ Mahadeo, Kevin (June 17, 2010). "DeZuniga Rides With Jonah Hex". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26753. Retrieved June 18, 2010. 

References

External links