Walt Simonson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walt Simonson
Simonson at the Big Apple Summer Sizzler, June 13, 2009
Born	Walter Simonson (1946-09-02) September 2, 1946 (age 78) Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Area(s)	Writer, Artist
Notable works	Thor Fantastic Four Detective Comics (Manhunter) Metal Men Star Slammers Orion Star Wars X-Factor
Awards	Shazam Award: Outstanding New Talent (1973) Best Individual Short Story (Dramatic) (1973, with Archie Goodwin) Best Individual Short Story (Dramatic) (1974, with Archie Goodwin) Best Individual Story (Dramatic) (1974) Inkwell Awards All-in-One Award (2022)
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Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is a famous American comic book writer and artist. He is best known for his amazing work on Marvel Comics' Thor from 1983 to 1987. During this time, he created the popular character Beta Ray Bill.

Simonson also created his own comic series called Star Slammers, which he started in 1972 as a project for art school. He has worked on many other Marvel comics like X-Factor and Fantastic Four. For DC Comics, he worked on books such as Detective Comics, Manhunter, Metal Men, and Orion. He also drew comics based on movies like Star Wars, Alien, and Battlestar Galactica.

Walter Simonson has won many awards for his comics and has inspired other artists like Arthur Adams and Todd McFarlane. He is married to fellow comic book writer Louise Simonson. They worked together on the X-Factor comic series.

Early Life and Art Journey

Walter Simonson was born on September 2, 1946, in Knoxville, Tennessee. When he was young, his family moved to Maryland. He started reading comics as a child, enjoying stories like Walt Disney's Comics and Stories. By age ten, he loved the work of artists like Carl Barks. He also enjoyed drawing from a very young age.

Even though he felt a bit shy about buying comics in high school, he kept reading them. His first drawing published in a comic was in Magnus Robot Fighter in 1965.

From Dinosaurs to Drawing Comics

Simonson first studied geology in college, hoping to become an expert on dinosaurs. In the mid-1960s, he discovered Marvel Comics, especially their version of Thor. He was already interested in Norse mythology, so Thor quickly became his favorite comic.

He soon realized that drawing comics was more fun and a better career choice than working as a geologist. He was greatly influenced by Marvel artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. In college, he even started writing his own epic Thor story, which he later got to publish.

After college, Simonson went to the Rhode Island School of Design to study art. For his final project in 1972, he created a 50-page black and white comic book called The Star Slammers. He wrote, drew, and lettered the entire book himself. He would later publish Star Slammers many times throughout his career.

Comic Book Career

Starting in the 1970s

In 1972, Walter Simonson went to New York with his Star Slammers drawings. He met with editors at DC Comics and quickly got jobs from them. His first professional comic book work was for DC's Weird War Tales in 1973.

His big break came with "Manhunter", a story in DC's Detective Comics. This work made him well-known in the comic book world. He later drew other DC series like Metal Men. In 1979, Simonson worked on a comic book version of the movie Alien. This was also when he began working with letterer John Workman, who would letter most of Simonson's comics.

In 1977, Simonson also started drawing for Marvel's The Rampaging Hulk magazine. He also had his first time drawing Thor for Marvel, working with writer Len Wein.

The 1980s: Thor and X-Factor

In 1982, Simonson and writer Chris Claremont worked on a special comic book crossover. It brought together Marvel's The Uncanny X-Men and DC's The New Teen Titans.

Simonson is most famous for his time writing and drawing Marvel's Thor, starting with issue #337 in 1983. During his run, he used the epic story he first thought of in college. He even turned Thor into a frog for a few issues! He also created Beta Ray Bill, an alien warrior who was surprisingly able to lift Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. Simonson stopped drawing Thor in 1986 but continued writing it until 1987.

He then joined his wife, Louise Simonson, on the Marvel series X-Factor. They worked together to change the character Angel by giving him blue skin and metal wings, renaming him "Archangel."

The 1990s: Fantastic Four and More

Simonson became the writer for Fantastic Four in 1989, and soon started drawing it too. For a few issues, he worked with Arthur Adams and introduced a "New Fantastic Four" team. This team included popular characters like Wolverine, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, and the Hulk.

In Fantastic Four #345, Simonson drew dinosaurs with feathers. This was a new idea at the time, long before scientists widely accepted it. He was inspired by a book that suggested dinosaurs might have had feathers. Simonson left Fantastic Four in 1991. He also wrote and drew a Superman comic for DC in 1992.

In 1994, Simonson continued his Star Slammers stories as part of a new comic book company.

The 2000s: DC Comics and World of Warcraft

In the 2000s, Simonson mostly worked for DC Comics. From 2000 to 2002, he wrote and drew Orion. After that, he wrote several issues of Wonder Woman.

He also drew a four-issue series called Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer, written by the character's creator, Michael Moorcock. Simonson also wrote the Hawkgirl comic series. He wrote a Wildstorm comic series based on the online game World of Warcraft, co-writing some issues with his wife.

The 2010s: Movies and New Creations

In 2011, Simonson had a small acting part in the live-action Thor movie. He appeared as a guest at a big feast in Asgard. The sequel, Thor: The Dark World, featured his character Malekith the Accursed.

Simonson continued to draw for Marvel's The Avengers and The Indestructible Hulk. He also drew covers for Rocketeer comics. In 2012, DC Comics published The Judas Coin, a graphic novel written and drawn by Simonson. This book shows how a silver coin paid to Judas to betray Jesus affects different characters throughout history, including Batman.

In 2014, IDW Publishing released Simonson's own new series called Ragnarök. This comic tells a version of Thor's story that is different from the Marvel one. It ran for twelve issues and was followed by a mini-series in 2019.

The 2020s: Returning to Favorites

In 2021, Walter Simonson returned to his work on X-Factor by drawing covers and art for a two-issue story in X-Men Legends. His wife, Louise Simonson, wrote the story.

In 2022, Simonson contributed a Star Slammers story to a special comic book called Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds. The money from this book was donated to help Ukrainian refugees.

Awards and Recognition

Walter Simonson has received many awards for his work:

• He won Shazam Awards for "Outstanding New Talent" in 1973.
• He also won Shazam Awards for "Best Individual Short Story (Dramatic)" in 1973 and 1974 for his "Manhunter" stories in Detective Comics.
• In 1985, he received an Inkpot Award.
• At the 2010 Harvey Awards, Simonson was given the "Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award." His wife, Louise Simonson, presented it to him.
• A collection of his Thor comics won an Eisner Award and two Harvey Awards in 2012.
• An asteroid, 53237 Simonson, was named in his honor in 2018.
• In 2022, Simonson received the Inkwell Awards All-in-One Award.

Signature Style

Simonson's unique signature looks like his last name, but it's shaped like a Brontosaurus (a type of dinosaur). He explained in an interview that his mom suggested a dinosaur because he was a big fan of them.

How He Creates Comics

Simonson uses a method called the "Marvel method" to create his comics. First, he plans out his story ideas. Then, he draws small rough sketches of each page. After that, he writes a full script for the comic. Finally, he draws the full-size pages and inks them.

He used a special pen called a Hunt 102 crow quill pen to ink his drawings for most of his career. Later, he switched to a brush. Even with the change, his artwork remained powerful and detailed.

Influence on Other Artists

Many comic book creators have been inspired by Walter Simonson's art and storytelling. Some of these artists include Arthur Adams and Todd McFarlane.

Personal Life

Walter Simonson met his future wife, Louise Jones, in 1973. They started dating in 1974 and got married in 1980.

Film and TV Work

See also

In Spanish: Walter Simonson para niños