Paul Ryan (cartoonist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Paul Ryan |
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| Born | September 23, 1949 Somerville, Massachusetts |
| Died | March 7, 2016 (aged 66) |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Artist |
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Notable works
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D.P. 7 Fantastic Four The Amazing Spider-Man The Phantom |
Paul Ryan (born September 23, 1949 – died March 7, 2016) was an American artist who drew comic books. He worked a lot for famous companies like Marvel Comics and DC Comics. He drew many superhero comic books.
Paul Ryan is most famous for drawing the Fantastic Four comic book series from 1991 to 1996. This was his longest time working on one comic series. From 2005 until he passed away in 2016, Ryan also drew and inked The Phantom newspaper comic strip.
Contents
Paul Ryan's Life Story
Growing Up and Early Jobs
Paul Ryan was born in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1949. He went to school in Somerville and graduated from high school in 1967. He then studied at the Massachusetts College of Art. He earned a degree in Graphic Design in 1971.
After college, Ryan joined the United States National Guard. He also studied karate and fencing when he was younger. He even tried archery and weight training. For 11 years, Ryan worked in the Graphics Department at an engineering company in Boston.
Starting in Comics
Paul Ryan loved comics from a young age. He watched the Adventures of Superman TV show. He started drawing his own one-page comic stories in grade school. He was inspired by artists like Wayne Boring and Curt Swan who drew Superman.
In 1961, when he was 11, Ryan became a big fan of the Fantastic Four. This comic was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. He also admired the work of artists like Hal Foster and Dan Barry.
In 1983, Ryan decided to try making a full comic story. He called it "BREED." He sent it to Charlton Comics. They liked his story and encouraged him to keep going. "BREED" was later published in Starmasters #1 in 1984.
This helped him get noticed by comic stores in Boston. When Marvel artist Bob Layton moved to Boston, he needed an assistant. Paul Ryan was recommended to him. Ryan worked for Layton for a year, drawing backgrounds. This helped him meet editors at Marvel Comics.
Training and First Steps
Ryan said his only formal training in comics came from working with Bob Layton. He also prepared his own drawing samples for Marvel. By this time, Ryan was in his mid-30s. He had taken a long path to become a comic artist.
Working at Marvel Comics
Soon, Paul Ryan started getting his own drawing jobs at Marvel. He began by inking The Thing #27 in 1985. Then he moved on to drawing Iron Man, Squadron Supreme, and The Eternals.
In 1986, Ryan worked with writer Mark Gruenwald to create D.P. 7. This series was part of Marvel's New Universe. It showed a realistic look at what could happen if people had superpowers. Ryan said his favorite creative moment was designing the look for D.P. 7 with Gruenwald.
In 1987, Ryan drew The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21. This comic featured the wedding of Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and Mary Jane Watson. Ryan felt nervous but excited about drawing such an important story.
More Marvel Adventures
Ryan drew the first six issues of Quasar in 1989–90. He also worked on many issues of The Avengers. His drawing style fit well with the art of other famous artists on these comics.
He also drew for Avengers West Coast and Ravage 2099. He even helped create Ravage 2099 with Stan Lee. In 1992, Ryan started drawing The Amazing Spider-Man Sunday comic strip. Stan Lee wrote this strip, and Joe Sinnott inked it. Ryan drew this popular strip for over three years.
The Fantastic Four
Paul Ryan is most known for his long time drawing the Fantastic Four. He first said no to the job because he didn't want to leave The Avengers. But he later realized he couldn't turn down drawing his favorite Marvel comic.
He worked with writer Tom DeFalco. His first issue was #356 in September 1991, and his last was #414 in July 1996. Only Jack Kirby and John Byrne drew more Fantastic Four issues than Ryan. His time on Fantastic Four ended when Marvel started the Heroes Reborn event.
Working at DC Comics
After leaving Marvel, Paul Ryan went to DC Comics. He became the artist for Superman: The Man of Tomorrow and The Flash. In 1996, he helped draw Superman: The Wedding Album. This comic showed Superman marrying Lois Lane.
Ryan also drew parts of the Superman Red/Superman Blue story. He worked on a Superman Annual and several Batman comics. With writers Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, Ryan helped create the character Jakeem Thunder in The Flash in 1998.
Paul Ryan and writer David Michelinie are the only comic creators to have worked on the wedding comics for both Spider-Man and Superman. Ryan said drawing Superman was one of his greatest thrills. He called Superman "the first, best hero."
Other Projects
Ryan briefly returned to Marvel in 1999 to work on Fantastic Five. He also worked with other comic companies like Wildstorm and Crossgen.
His work on The Phantom began in 2001. A fan contacted him and asked if he would draw for a company outside the U.S. This led him to Egmont Publishing in Sweden, which publishes The Phantom comic called Fantomen. Ryan became a regular artist for Fantomen for five years.
The Phantom Comic Strip
The Phantom comic strip started in newspapers in 1936. It was first written by its creator, Lee Falk. After Falk passed away in 1999, Tony DePaul took over writing. Paul Ryan became one of the artists who drew the Phantom's adventures.
In 2005, the artist George Olesen retired. Jay Kennedy, the editor at King Features Syndicate, chose Ryan to draw the daily strips. Ryan had drawn the Amazing Spider-Man strip for King Features a decade earlier.
In 2006, the Sunday strip artist Graham Nolan left. Ryan agreed to draw the Sunday strip too, starting in April 2007. Later, Ryan wanted to reduce his workload. Eduardo Barreto took over the Sunday strip in 2011. After Barreto's sudden death, Ryan briefly returned until Terry Beatty became the new artist.
Memorable Stories
One of Ryan's most famous Phantom stories was "The Death of Diana Palmer Walker." This long story ran from August 2009 to May 2011. It featured a villain named Chatu, who wanted revenge on the Phantom.
Writer Tony DePaul said Ryan also suggested the idea for another story called "The Challenge." This story explored what would happen if someone challenged Guran to be chief of the Bandar tribe.
Rich Johnston praised Ryan's artwork on The Phantom. He said Ryan's style became "richer and more luxurious" on the strip. Ryan's last Phantom strip was released on May 28, 2016.
How Paul Ryan Worked
Paul Ryan described his drawing process. He would read the story and imagine how it should look. Then he would make a small sketch in his mind before drawing it full size. Even though he was known for his pencil art, Ryan preferred to ink his own drawings. He felt that when he inked his own work, readers could see his full artistic ability.
For The Phantom, Ryan both penciled and inked. He estimated it took him about four hours to pencil a strip and three hours to ink it. He would first use a brush to create shadows and dark areas. Then he would add details and textures with a finer brush or pen.
Ryan's art was known for its strong storytelling. He paid close attention to design, perspective, and human anatomy. He used reference books but also relied on observing the world around him. He would try to memorize faces, rooms, and shadows.
He often drew real people from his life, like family and friends, into his comics. He especially liked drawing older faces because they showed so much history. Ryan also felt a strong connection to the characters he drew. He said he would feel like he was "in the story" as he drew them.
Paul Ryan's Legacy
Paul Ryan continued to draw The Phantom daily comic strips until he passed away. He died unexpectedly on March 7, 2016, at his home in Hudson, Massachusetts. He was 66 years old.
Tony DePaul, who wrote The Phantom, worked with Ryan for twelve years. DePaul praised Ryan's strong professionalism. He said Ryan felt it was a privilege to work on a classic character like the Phantom. DePaul also mentioned Ryan's love for horses, which might be why he was so good at drawing Hero, the Phantom’s horse.
Fans and other artists remembered Paul Ryan fondly. The administrator of The Phantom fan site Chronicle Chamber met Ryan in Australia. He remembered Ryan as a "great bloke" who was kind and generous.
Writer Larry Hama, who worked with Ryan at Marvel and DC, called him an "impeccable draftsman" and a "really, really nice guy." Hama said Ryan always drew with great attention to detail and improved the stories.
Mark Evanier, another writer, said Ryan was a smart and careful artist. Ken Carson, a comic shop manager, remembered Ryan's friendly humor. Brendan Burford from King Features said Ryan's work on The Phantom placed him among the "other greats."
King Features also shared details about Ryan's personal life. He loved storytelling and being a cowboy. His greatest passion was his wife, Linda, and their 28 years together.
After Ryan's death, Frew Publications made The Phantom issue #1748 a "Paul Ryan Tribute" issue. It included his artwork and photos from his visit to Australia. In this issue, Ryan was quoted saying he never believed he would one day be the Phantom strip artist.
Mike Manley took over drawing The Phantom strip starting May 30, 2016. Ryan had drawn several weeks of strips before he passed away. Manley noted that he and Ryan are among a small group of artists who have drawn both Batman and The Phantom.
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