Mark Bagley

Mark Bagley (born August 7, 1957) is an American comic book artist. He has worked for Marvel Comics and DC Comics on such titles as The Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, New Warriors, and Ultimate Spider-Man.

Biography

Early life and career

Mark Bagley was born to a military family in Frankfurt, Germany. He had always wanted to break into the comic book business.^{[citation needed]} At age 18, he joined the military so that he could qualify for the GI Bill and go to art school.^{[citation needed]}

After his work in the military and art school (at Ringling College of Art and Design), Bagley continued trying to break into the comic industry but ended up working for Lockheed Martin making technical drawings.

Marvel Comics

Marvel Try-out contest

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 27 years old, while living in Marietta, Georgia,^[1] Bagley entered the contest and won first place for penciling, beating out thousands of other hopefuls.^[1] This led to a series of low-profile penciling jobs, including Visionaries, a comic book based on a 1980s toy line, books in New Universe line, and backup stories in Captain America. A majority of Bagley's work during this time was for the first series of Marvel Universe trading cards.

The New Warriors

In 1990, Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz created a team of teenage superheroes called the New Warriors. Given the positive fan reaction, Marvel created a new series based on these heroes and assigned Bagley and Fabian Nicieza to the title.^{[citation needed]}

The Amazing Spider-Man

A couple of years into the New Warriors run, New Warriors editor Danny Fingeroth became responsible for the Spider-Man line of titles. At the same time, Erik Larsen vacated his spot as penciler on Spider-Man’s flagship title The Amazing Spider-Man. Fingeroth decided to take a chance on Bagley, who was a relatively inexperienced artist to be assigned to what was arguably Marvel’s flagship title. After a rough start, Bagley hit his stride on The Amazing Spider-Man and eventually grew to be considered the definitive Spider-Man artist of the mid-1990s — his artwork was used extensively for licensed material, appearing on everything from plates and cups to credit cards.

Bagley also holds the distinction of being the artist on Marvel’s first web-based comic book, featuring Spider-Man, which appeared on Marvel’s official website.

Bagley's cover for Thunderbolts #4.

Thunderbolts

After working on Spider-Man for several years, Bagley began to feel burnt out.^{[citation needed]} Needing a change, he next collaborated with writer Kurt Busiek on a new team of superheroes, the Thunderbolts. The title enjoyed modest success and though its sales declined over time, the decline was so slow — and the fan base was so dedicated — that the title continued to be published even after Bagley left the title in 2001 (with issue #50).

Ultimate Spider-Man

Bagley's cover for Ultimate Spider-Man #65. Bagley's run on the book with Brian Bendis is the longest in the history of Marvel Comics.

Bill Jemas, publisher at Marvel in the year 2000, was looking to relaunch Marvel’s primary franchises in a way that would make them accessible to younger readers. Designed as a six-issue mini series, Ultimate Spider-Man would be a title that began the Spider-Man mythos from the beginning set in modern times. Marvel wanted Bagley on the title from the beginning, but, still being burnt out from his earlier run, he resisted.

Eventually though, he (reluctantly) agreed and was assigned Ultimate Spider-Man with writer Brian Michael Bendis. The title was an instant hit and soon turned from a limited series to an ongoing series by Bendis and Bagley. They went on to enjoy the longest continuous run of any creative team on a mainstream Marvel superhero comic, beating the record set by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby with Ultimate Spider-Man #103 (published in December 2006). Bagley eventually left the title after issue #111 was published in July 2007.

Bagley collaborated again with Bendis on the latter's second story arc of Mighty Avengers. That was his last work for Marvel before he became exclusive to DC Comics.

DC Comics

Trinity

In 2008, Bagley signed an exclusive contract with DC Comics.^[2] His first assignment as a DC exclusive, the weekly comic Trinity written by Kurt Busiek, completed in mid-2009 and was, as Bagley described it, one of the most exhausting assignments he has ever undertaken.^[3]

Batman

His first assignment at DC post-Trinity will be four issues of Batman, written by Judd Winick.^[3] This will be in the post-Battle for the Cowl world, with Dick Grayson having taken over as the Dark Knight. He will only be working on the title for four issues and will be succeeded by former Batman artist Tony Daniel.^[4]

Justice League of America

Following Batman he will next be paired with writer James Robinson on Justice League of America as the new ongoing team following the departure of Dwayne McDuffie.^[5]

Personal life

Bagley and his wife Pattie^[6] have a daughter, Angie^[6]. He also has two grandchildren.

Selected works

• The New Warriors(1990) #1-25
• The Amazing Spider-Man #345-415
• New Mutants Annual #5
• Thunderbolts #1-50
• Ultimate Spider-Man #1-111

Notes

References

• Mark Bagley at the Comic Book DB

External links

• The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
• Mark Bagley's Resources at Howtomakecomics.net
• Mark Bagley Interview at Newsarama
• Mark Bagley credits on Spider-Man
• Mark Bagley on Marvel.com
• Mark Bagley Image Gallery at Comic Art Community
• Mark Bagley interview on Straight Talk
• Interview on Comic Geek Speak Podcast (October 2006)