Chuck Patton

Chuck Patton

Patton self-portrait, inked by Mike DeCarlo, from DC Challenge #2 (Dec. 1985).
Born Francis Chuck Patton
Nationality African American
Area(s) Penciller
Notable works
 Justice League of America
Awards Emmy award, 1999

Francis Chuck Patton is an African-American comic book artist and animator. He is best known in comics circles for his work on DC Comics' Justice League of America in the 1980s, specifically for the period in which the team relocated to Detroit, Michigan, and was staffed with new, multicultural super-heroes. With writer Gerry Conway, Patton created Gypsy and Vibe, as well as redesigning Vixen and Steel: The Indestructible Man.[1]

Career

Comics

Patton's depiction of the Overmaster, from the Overmaster's Who's Who in the DC Universe entry.

A self-taught comics artist (although with a degree in art),[2] Patton's influences included José Luis García-López, John Buscema, Gil Kane, Neal Adams, and Dick Giordano. Although interested in journalism,[2] Patton was enticed into a comics career in large part thanks to Giordano[3] by then a top executive at DC. Patton broke into comics in 1983, penciling a brief run of The Creeper back-up stories in The Flash.

After fill-ins on such titles as Green Lantern, The Brave and the Bold, and Green Arrow, Patton was handed the permanent art duties on Justice League of America beginning with the August 1983 issue. (During this period, Patton's roommate was fellow comics artist Shawn McManus.)[3] Patton drew issues #217-239 of JLA, a period in the title's history when it underwent great changes — including the core characters of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman leaving the team, and the introduction of the new multicultural lineup. These changes were not well received by readers, and Patton left the title feeling as if he bore the brunt of the fans anger.[3] (During this period, in addition to Gypsy and Vibe, Patton also co-created such characters as the Cadre, Overmaster, and Paragon.)

After leaving Justice League, Patton was unsuccessful in gaining another regular penciling assignment.[3] Instead, he worked on single issues or short runs of such DC titles as The Vigilante, Omega Men, Teen Titans, Legion of Super-Heroes, Blue Beetle, Secret Origins, The Outsiders, Action Comics Weekly, and DC Challenge.

During this period, Patton did sporadic work with publishers like Eclipse and Marvel, on such titles as DNAgents, Daredevil, and X-Men. He was considered to replace the outgoing Todd McFarlane on The Incredible Hulk, but turned the offer down when he was asked to emulate McFarlane's distinctive art style.[2]

Animation

In 1988, after half a decade in the comics industry, Patton became disillusioned with comics and moved into children's television animation.[2] (He was living in Los Angeles by this time, which is where most animated series were produced.)[3] Patton's credits include Dinosaucers, G.I. Joe, Captain N, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3, Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas, and Teen Titans.

In recent years, Patton has become a highly successful animation director, helming such projects as Dead Space: Downfall, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Todd McFarlane's Spawn, for which Patton garnered an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program.

Awards

Emmy Award

Notes

  1. ↑ Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1980s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 209. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The prestigious Justice League of America got a bit easier to join, thanks to writer Gerry Conway and artist Chuck Patton. Marking the debut of camouflaging hero Gypsy, the shockwave-casting Vibe, and the second generation hero Steel, this landmark comic saw many of the more famous League members step down in order to make way for a younger roster to carry on their legacy.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Jaramillo, Janet. "ANIMATION UPDATE: One-on-One with Spawn Director Chuck Patton," Spawn.com/TMP International, Inc. (Nov. 4, 2005).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Aquaman Shrine Interview with Chuck Patton - 2009," Aquaman Shrine (April 20, 2009).
  4. ↑ "Awards for Chuck Patton," Internet Movie Database. Accessed March 30, 2011.

References

Preceded by
Don Heck		 Justice League of America penciller
1983–1985 		Succeeded by
George Tuska