Stephen Erwin (January 16, 1960 – October 25, 2023) was an American comics artist best known as the co-creator of Checkmate and Gunfire for DC Comics.

Steve Erwin
BornStephen Erwin
(1960-01-16)January 16, 1960
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.[1]
DiedOctober 25, 2023(2023-10-25) (aged 63)
Area(s)Penciller
Notable works
Deathstroke the Terminator
Checkmate!
Batman Returns movie adaptation

Biography

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Steve Erwin was born on January 16, 1960.[2] He studied commercial art at Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee.[1] He credited Neal Adams' Batman stories and Gene Colan's and Tom Palmer's work on Daredevil as having "won my heart in junior high to aspiring (dreaming) to be a comic book artist."[3] Erwin's first published comic book work appeared in Grimjack #18 (January 1986),[4] published by First Comics. During the 1980s and 1990s, he worked primarily for DC Comics, his first story for that publisher appearing in The Vigilante #48 (December 1987).[4] After that title's cancellation, Erwin co-created the title Checkmate! with writer Paul Kupperberg.[5] In August 1991, Erwin and Marv Wolfman launched the Deathstroke the Terminator title,[6] a series that Erwin would draw from 1991 to 1994.[4] The Gunfire character was created by Len Wein and Erwin in Deathstroke the Terminator Annual #3 (October 1993).[7] Erwin drew the comics adaptation of Batman Returns as well as Star Trek: The Next Generation Shadowheart, the graphic novel adaptation of The Ashes of Eden, and the Mike Danger series published by Tekno Comix.[4]

In 2007, Erwin was inducted into the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, located in the Toy and Action Figure Museum.[1]

Erwin died on October 25, 2023, at the age of 63.[8]

Bibliography

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DC Comics

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First Comics

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Malibu Comics

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Marvel Comics

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Steve Erwin Cartoonist, Tulsa" (PDF). Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 13, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  2. ^ Miller, John Jackson (June 10, 2005). "Comics Industry Birthdays". Comics Buyer's Guide. Iola, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on February 18, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  3. ^ Francia, Reggie (November 27, 2016). "Reggie Francia interviews Steve Erwin". DC in the 80s. Archived from the original on December 4, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d Steve Erwin at the Grand Comics Database
  5. ^ Manning, Matthew K. (2010). "1980s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 235. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The clandestine government operation Checkmate began its monthly adventures in April [1988] in its self-titled ongoing series by writer Paul Kupperberg and artist Steve Erwin.
  6. ^ Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 250: "Slade Wilson began his impressive sixty-issue run with the help of writer Marv Wolfman and artist Steve Erwin."
  7. ^ Jimenez, Phil (2008). "Gunfire". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1.
  8. ^ "Steve Erwin, Deathstroke the Terminator Artist and Checkmate Co-Creator, Passes Away at 63". CBR. October 27, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
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Preceded by Shatter artist
1986–1987
Succeeded by
Paul Abrams
Preceded by
n/a
Deathstroke, the Terminator artist
1991–1994
Succeeded by
Lauchland Pelle