Dærick Gröss Sr. (January 28, 1947 – December 8, 2023) was an American illustrator, writer, editor, and art director. Gröss worked at comic book companies Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Chaos! Comics, Image Comics, and Innovation Publishing, primarily in the 1990s, and afterwards at his own company, Studio G,[1] with his son, Dærick Gröss.[1] He was the visual editor at inDELible Comics, and the art director at ACP Comics Archived 2021-04-20 at the Wayback Machine.[2]
| Dærick Gröss Sr. | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | January 28, 1947 Kettering, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | December 8, 2023 (aged 76) |
| Area(s) | Artist |
Notable works | The Guide to Getting it On |
| Children | Dærick Gröss Jr. |
Early life and education
editGröss was born in the Dayton suburb of Kettering, Ohio, on January 27, 1947, and was a comic book fan from childhood.[2] He later attended Ohio University from 1965 to 1967 studying art and theatre. He was a member of the fraternity, Phi Kappa Theta.[2] Dissatisfied with the art instruction at the university, he went to the Central Academy of Commercial Art in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1969.[2]
Career
editEarly career
editAfter graduation, Gröss worked at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio as a live set designer and created art for on-camera graphics for 3 years.[2] Gröss joined the Cincinnati Post as a staff artist and cartoonist, eventually becoming the Art Director as illustrator and page designer.[2]
Murciélaga She-Bat
editGröss answered a CFW Magazine ad which started his career in comics. In 1988, he created the Latina mutant Murciélaga She-Bat, part of the REIKI team in Robo Warriors.[3] In the early 1990s, two issues of Murciélaga She-Bat were published by Heroic Publishing, and issue #3 by Revolutionary Comics.[4] In 2000, two comics featuring Murciélaga were released as a bilingual flipbook in both Spanish and English. Heroic Publishing later reprinted the original eight issues of the series.[5]
Innovation Comics
editDærick Gröss painted interior art for 12 issues of an adaptation of the Anne Rice Vampire Lestat Series published by Innovation Comics. He won Comicon's Russ Manning award for most promising newcomer.[6]
In 1992, Gröss also painted cover art for Forbidden Planet issues #1-4, also published by Innovation.[7]
Marvel and DC
editGröss pencilled issues #84 and #88 of Excalibur for Marvel Comics in 1995.[8] He pencilled part 7 of the short-lived CyberComics initiative from Marvel featuring Spiderman in 1996. He also penciled a portion of X Force/Cable Annual #1 in 1995, and X-Men: Domino issue #1 in 1997.[9]
At DC Comics, Gröss penciled Batman: Two-Face Strikes Twice issues #1 and #2 in 1993.[10]
Other work
editGröss made caricatures of celebrities starring in shows for the Kenley Players from the 60s to the 80s, which appeared on the front covers of the programs.
At adult comic book publisher Carnal Comics, Gröss drew several projects in the 90s.[11]
Gröss illustrated The Guide to Getting it On, an educational sexual manual written by psychoanalyst and author Paul Joannides. It was published in 1996 by Goofy Foot Press[12] and won a 1997 Firecracker Alternative Book Award.[13]
As penciler and inker he also worked on Gay Comics issue #24 (1997).[14]
Gröss contributed to the Marvel trading card game OverPower[15] and Game of Thrones cards for Fantasy Flight Games.
His production company Dærick Gröss Studios, was founded in 1989, then renamed Studio G in 1990. His son Dærick Gröss worked with him. In 2001, a fire destroyed most of his studio.
Gröss produced T-shirt designs, prints, and other products featuring his work.[16]
Gröss turned to political cartooning in 2019 with the satirical comic Trumpy.[17]
Personal life and death
editFrom 2008 until his death, he lived in Simi Valley, California.[2] He died on December 8, 2023, at the age of 76.[18]
Awards
edit- 1991 Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award[19]
- 1997 (with author Paul Joannides) Firecracker Alternative Book Award for Sex for The Guide to Getting it On
Bibliography
editContributions
edit- Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat issues #1-12 (1990–91)
- Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire issue #2 (1991)
- Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned issue #2 (1991)
- The Vampire Companion issues #1-2 (1991)
- Forbidden Planet issues #1-4 (1992)
- Forbidden Planet: The Saga of the Krell issue #1 (1993)
- Hero Alliance issue #17 (1991)
- The Colour of Magic issues #1-4 (1991)
- The Shadow of the Torturer issues #2-3 (1991)
- Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown vol.1 (1992)
Heroic Publishing
edit- Murciélaga: She-Bat issues #1-5 #8-16 (1993-2017)
- Reiki Warriors Special issue #1 (2013)
- Tigress issue #3 (1992)
- Lady Arcane issues #1-2 (1992)
- League of Champions issue #9 (1990)
- Champions Classics issue #4 (1992)
- The Adventures of Chrissie Claus issue #3 (1991)
- Sparkplug issue #1 (1993)
- Flare issues #1 #5 #11 #30 #34 (2004–06)
- Flare Adventures issues #3 #6 (1992–93)
- Flare: The New Adventures vol. 6 issue #1 (2006)
- Liberty Girl issue #0 (2006)
- Liberty Girl: The Return issue #1 (2007)
- Tales Of The Champions Presents: Tigress issue #3 (2006)
- WitchGirls Inc. issue #10 (2011)
- The Infinites issue #1 (2011)
- Bloodwulf issues #1-4 (1995)
- Excalibur issue #84 #88 (1994–95)
- Excalibur Annual issue #2 (1994)
- Excalibur Visionaries: Warren Ellis issue #1 (2010)
- Midnight Sons issue #7 (1994)
- Captain Marvel issue #5 (1996)
- Cable issue #10 (1996)
- X-Force / Cable '95 issue #5 (1995)
- Cosmic Powers Unlimited issue #3 (1995)
- X-Men: Domino issue #1 (2018)
- Cable & X-Force: Onslaught Rising (2018)
- Neuroscope issues #1-5 (1992–93)
- Solution issue #16 (1995)
- Evil Ernie: The Resurrection issue #1 (1994)
- Purgatori issue #1 (1998)
- Purgatori vs. Vampirella issue #1 (2000)
- Lady Death: Last Rites issue #2 (2001)
- Lady Death: Retribution issue #1 (1998)
- Lady Death vs. Vampirella II issue #1 (2000)
- Lady Death/Bedlam issue #1 (2002)
- Jade: Redemption issue #2 (2002)
- The Undead issue #1 (2002)
- Batman: Two-Face Strikes Twice issues #1.2 #2.2 (1993)
- Shred Comics issues #1-2 #8 (1989)
- Jalia issues #1-3 (2006)
Sicilian Dragon Publishing
edit- Anne Rice's Tale of the Body Thief issues #1-4 (1999)
Revolutionary Publishing
edit- Heavy Metal Monsters issues #1-3 (1992–93)
CFW Enterprises
edit- Tales of the Kung-Fu Warriors issue #12 (1989)
- Robo Warriors issues #2 #4-8 (1988)
- Rebecca Bardoux issue #1 (1994)
- Brittany O'Connell issue #1 (1996)
- Porn Star Fantasies issue #6 (1996)
- Sahara Sands issue #1 (1997)
- Women of Porn: A Cartoon History issue #1 (1999)
Kitchen Sink Press
edit- Gay Comix issue #24 (1996)
Sky Comics
edit- Blood & Roses: Search for the Time Stone issue #1 (1994)
Bishop Press
edit- Rose 'n' Gunn issue #2-3 (1995)
Knight Press
edit- Blood & Roses Adventures issue #1 (1995)
Marz Publishing
edit- Jinn Warriors issue #1 (2012)
inDELLible Comics
edit- InDELLiprose issue #1 (2018)
References
edit- ^ a b "Studio G - Art and Illustration of Daerick Gross Sr and DW Gross". www.studiogart.net. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Comic book Biography: DÆRICK GRÖSS SR. – First Comics News". www.firstcomicsnews.com. 2 December 2017. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- ^ "Murcielaga, She-Bat - Past Appearances in Comics - Studio G". www.studiogart.net. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- ^ "Murcielaga, the She-Bat - America's Foremost Latin Superheroine - Studio G". www.studiogart.net. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ "Murciélaga She-Bat (Volume)".
- ^ "Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat (Volume)". Comic Vine. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
- ^ "Forbidden Planet (Volume)". Comic Vine. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ "Excalibur #84 - Dark Adapted Eye (Soul Sword Trilogy Part 2) (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ "X-Men: Domino #1 - TPB (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ "Batman: Two-Face Strikes Twice (Volume)". Comic Vine. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ "Porn Star Fantasies #6 - Surfer Safari; Roman Rendezvous II (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ "About". Guide To Getting It On. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ "Firecracker Alternative Book Awards". ReadersRead.com. Archived from the original on Mar 4, 2009.
- ^ "Gay Comix (Gay Comics) (1980) #24 - Comic Book DB". www.comicbookdb.com. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ Toad, Troll and. "Marvel Overpower Base Set Booster Box [36 Packs] (Marvel)". TrollAndToad. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ Threadless. "The G-Spot Studio |". thegspotstudio.threadless.com. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
- ^ "Trumpy – First Comics News". www.firstcomicsnews.com. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
- ^ "Dærick Gröss Sr Has Passes Away". 2023-12-09. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
- ^ "Comic Book Awards Almanac". Hahn Library. Archived from the original on 2009-11-19. Retrieved 2019-10-31.