Editing Simon Bisley

{{short description|British comic book artist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox comics creator
| image         = Simon Bisley, New York Comic Con 2022.jpg
| imagesize     = 
| caption       = Simon Bisley, New York Comic Con 2022
| birth_name    = 
| nationality   = British
| cartoonist    = 
| write         = 
| art           = y
| pencil        = y
| ink           = y
| edit          = 
| publish       = 
| letter        = 
| color         = y
| alias         = 
| signature     = 
| notable works = {{Ubl
  | ''[[ABC Warriors]]''
  | ''[[Lobo (DC Comics)|Lobo]]''
  | ''[[Sláine (comics)|Sláine]]''
  }}
| awards        = {{Ubl
  | [[Eagle Award (comics)|Eagle Award]] for "Favourite British Artist" (1990)
  | [[Eisner Award]] for "Best Artist" (1992)
  }}
| website       = {{URL|simonbisleyart.com}}
}}
'''Simon Bisley''' is a British [[comic book artist]] best known for his [[1990s in comics|1990s]] work on ''[[ABC Warriors]]'', ''[[Lobo (DC Comics)|Lobo]]'' and ''[[Sláine (comics)|Sláine]]''.

==Early life==
Simon Bisley began drawing when he was six years old. He is self-taught, with only a short one-year stay at an art college, saying "I found it very difficult to get any kind of feedback from the art teachers. They weren't interested at all in what I was doing, so I became kind of very introverted with regard to my artwork and yeah, I was just all self-taught."<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.comic-art.com/intervws/bisleyi1.htm|title=Comic Art & Graffix Gallery Artist Interviews - Simon Bisley|website=www.comic-art.com}}</ref>

==Career==
Bisley started his career doing magazine and album covers, his first work being a T-shirt design for heavy metal magazine ''[[Kerrang!]]''<ref name="auto"/>

Eventually, even though he had no experience in comics strip drawing at the time, he was hired by the magazine ''[[2000 AD (comics)|2000 AD]]'' after they saw his interpretations of their magazine characters. According to the Comic Book Database, "while still a student, Bisley did a painting of a robot holding a baby that he sent to the offices of 2000 AD. The image was seen by [[Pat Mills bibliography|Pat Mills]] and inspired him to relaunch the ABC Warriors strip, with Bisley as artist, in 1987".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://comicbookdb.com/creator.php?ID=140 |title=Simon Bisley Comic Book DB |author=<!--Not stated--> |year=2008 |website=comicbookdb.com }}</ref> He started with work on [[ABC Warriors]] in 1987, later moving to [[Sláine (comics)|Sláine]] and [[Judge Dredd]].<ref>{{Cite web  | first = Steve|last = Ringgenberg | title = interview with Bisley, p. 1 | website = comic-art.com |year = 1995 |publisher=Wayback Machine|url=http://www.comic-art.com/intervws/bisleyi1.htm}}</ref>

Simon Bisley significantly contributed to the visual and conceptual development of the character [[Lobo (DC Comics)]] in the comic book universe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.simonbisleyart.com/galleries/lobo/|title=Lobo - The Art of Simon Bisley}}</ref> [[Alan Grant (writer)|Alan Grant]] and [[Keith Giffen]] initially contacted Bisley to rework Lobo's appearance. Bisley added distinctive elements such as big biker boots, skull knee guards, a hook and chain around Lobo's arm, and made the character much more muscular, transforming him into an impressive space biker.

He also created Lobo's dog, “Dawg”,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/dawg/4005-75351/|title=Dawg (Character) - Comic Vine}}</ref> incorporating the character into the story despite it not being in the original script. Bisley's tendency to add more than what was written in the script sometimes led Grant to rewrite sections of the book.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegutterreview.com/an-interview-with-simon-bisley-part-one/|title=An Interview with Simon Bisley (Part One) - The Gutter Review}}</ref>

Bisley distorted and surreal artistic style, combined with garish colors and crude language, emphasized the character's violent and absurd nature.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegutterreview.com/an-interview-with-simon-bisley-part-two/|title=AN INTERVIEW WITH SIMON BISLEY (PART TWO)}}</ref> He illustrated the 1990 4 issues mini-series''Lobo: The Last Czarnian'', written by Keith Giffen and Alan Grant, where Lobo, the intergalactic bounty hunter, escorts a mysterious prisoner. Simon Bisley also illustrated the 1992 four-issue mini-series ''Lobo's Back'', where Lobo is killed and sent to both heaven and hell, only to fight his way back to life. The series is filled with dark humor, over-the-top violence, and Lobo's characteristic irreverence.

In addition to his interior artwork, Bisley also produced iconic painted covers that became closely associated with Lobo's brutal and offbeat image. 
Originally a minor character, Bisley significantly contributed to the reinvention of Lobo with an anarchic touch that left a lasting impact, making it one of his most iconic contributions to the comic book world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://comicsxf.com/2020/11/12/4-lobo-stories-to-unleash-your-inner-bastich/|title=4 Lobo Stories to Unleash Your Inner Bastich - COMICSXF}}</ref>

The original painting for'' Lobo'' #1 sold for $192,000 at auction in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://felbergallery.com/portfolio/lobo-original-cover-art-issue-1-simon-bisley-1990|title=Lobo #1: Original Cover Art - Simon Bisley, 1990 // SOLD: $192,000.00 in 2021 - Felber Gallery}}</ref>

Since 1997, Bisley has been a regular contributor to the comics magazine ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]''.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Randy|last1=Duncan|first2=Matthew J.|last2=Smith|title=Icons of the American Comic Book: From Captain America to Wonder Woman, Volume 1|year=2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2GNaoeiY51EC&pg=PA332|page=332|isbn=9780313399237}}</ref>

Bisley has done design work for several music videos, including [[Chippendales]]' "Room Service".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Simon Bisley |url=https://scifinet.net/simon-bisley/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Sci-Fi and Fantasy Art and Graphics |language=en-US}}</ref>

In the early 2000s, Bisley was commissioned to create artwork for the [[drum kit]] used by [[System of a Down]] drummer [[John Dolmayan]], an avid comic book collector and vendor. Dolmayan commissioned Bisley to illustrate the [[Hulk]] and [[Thing (comics)|Thing]] on one drum, while the art for other drums in the kit, which depicted other characters and scenes, were produced by [[Kevin Eastman]], [[Tim Vigil]], and [[Arthur Adams (comics)|Arthur Adams]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/2006/08/08/system-downs-drummer-his-art-covered-kit/|title=System of a Down's drummer on his art-covered kit|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Collis, Clark|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=August 8, 2006|access-date=May 12, 2023|archive-date=November 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120165340/https://ew.com/article/2006/08/08/system-downs-drummer-his-art-covered-kit/}}</ref>

==Influences==
Bisley's style is strongly influenced by [[Frank Frazetta]],<ref name=interview95p5>{{Cite web|first = Steve| last = Ringgenberg|title = interview with Bisley, p. 5| website = comic-art.com|publisher=[[Wayback Machine]]|year = 1995| url =http://www.comic-art.com/intervws/bisleyi5.htm}}</ref> [[Gustav Klimt]], [[Salvador Dalí]], and [[Richard Corben]], [[Bill Sienkiewicz]], and [[Egon Schiele]].<ref>[http://eastcoastcomicon.com/guests/2015/simon-bisley "Simon Bisley"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809194422/http://eastcoastcomicon.com/guests/2015/simon-bisley |date=9 August 2017 }}. [[East Coast Comiccon]]. Retrieved 6 April 2017.</ref> He also took inspiration from rock album covers and graffiti as well as traditional comics art.

Bisley's work influenced the Beast in the 2006 ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "[[The Satan Pit]]",<ref name=TickAnniversary>"Artist Biography", "The Tick's 20th Anniversary Special Edition #1", May 2007, New England Comics Press</ref> and [[Simon Pegg]]'s character graphic artist Tim Bisley on the [[Channel 4]] [[sitcom]] ''[[Spaced]]''.<ref name=Spaced>''Spaced'' Series 2 DVD Homage-o-meter (Alternative subtitles)</ref>

==Bibliography==
===Comics===
====DC====
*''[[The Authority (comics)|The Authority/Lobo]]'' (with co-writers [[Keith Giffen]] and [[Alan Grant (writer)|Alan Grant]]):
**''Jingle Hell'' (2004)
**''Spring Break Massacre'' (2005)
*''[[Batman: Black & White]]'', miniseries, #2 (with [[Neil Gaiman]], 1996)
*''[[Batman]]/[[Judge Dredd]]: [[Judgement on Gotham]]'' (with John Wagner and Alan Grant, 1991) {{ISBN|1-56389-022-4}}
*''[[Batman/Lobo]]'' One-Shot (April 2000)
*''[[Global Frequency]]'' #7 (with [[Warren Ellis]], 2003)
*''[[Hellblazer]]'' #259-260, 265–266, 282 (full art); #271-274 (along with Giuseppe Camuncoli) (2009–11)
*''[[Lobo (DC Comics)|Lobo]]'':
** ''The Last Czarnian'' (with co-writers Keith Giffen and Alan Grant, 96 pages, 1992) {{ISBN|0-930289-99-4}}
** ''Lobo's Back'' (with Keith Giffen, 96 pages, 1993) {{ISBN|1-56389-103-4}}
** ''Paramilitary Christmas Special'' (with Keith Giffen and Alan Grant, 1991)

====Fleetway====
*''[[2000 AD (comics)|2000 AD]]'' ([[ABC Warriors]]): ##555-558, 563–568, 577-581 (1988); ([[Sláine (comics)|Sláine]]): #626-635, 650–656, 662–664, 688-698 (1989–90); ([[Judge Dredd]]) #1068 (1997)
*''[[Judge Dredd Megazine]]'' #1.14, 1.16, 1.17, 1.19, 2.61, 2.62, 3.15, 3.17 (1991–96)

====Full Circle====
*''Full Cirkle'', vol. 1 (with Simon Reed, 2003)
*''Full Cirkle'', vol. 2 (with Simon Reed, 2007)
*''Thicker Than Blood'' (colours, with Simon Reed and art by [[Mike Ploog]], 2007)

====Marvel====
*''[[X-Men Unlimited]]'' #46 (with [[Ian Edginton]], 2003)
*''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]'', (with [[Lee Hammock]], 2006)
*''[[Hulk|Incredible Hulk]]'' #620 (with Brandon Montclare, 2011)

====Verotik====
* ''Verotika'' #1 (with [[Glenn Danzig]] (w), 1994)
* ''Verotika'' #2 (cover, 1995)
* [[Death Dealer (painting)|''Death Dealer'']] #1 (with Glenn Danzig (w) and [[Frank Frazetta]] (cover), 1995)
* ''Satanika'' (Vol 1) #0 (with Glenn Danzig (w) and Frank Frazetta (cover), 1995)
* ''Satanika'' (Vol 1) #1-2 (covers, 1995)
* ''Jaguar God'' #0 (with Glenn Danzig (w), 1996)
* ''Verotik Illustrated'' (with Bill Oakley, 1997)
* ''Ge Rouge'' #1/2 (with Glenn Danzig (w), 1998)
* ''Dalkiel'' The Prophecy (with Glenn Danzig (w), 1998)
* ''The Darker Horror of Morella (with Glenn Danzig (w), 2001)
* ''Inquisitor'' (cover, 2002)
* ''Hidden Lyrics of the Left Hand '' (with Glenn Danzig (w), 2010)
* ''Jaguar God'' Snake Brothers Revenge (with Glenn Danzig (w), 2012)
* ''Satanika'' 18th Anniversary Issue (with Glenn Danzig (w), 2013)
* ''Verotika Returns'' (Vol 1) #2-3 (with Glenn Danzig (w), 2014)
* ''The Infernals'' (with Glenn Danzig (w), 2017)
* ''Lyrics of the Left Hand, Volume II'' (with Glenn Danzig (w), 2018)
* ''Satanika Versus Morella's Demon'' #1-2 (with Glenn Danzig (w), 2019
* ''Verotika Revenge'' (with Glenn Danzig (w), 2021)

====Other publishers====
* "Once Upon A Time in the West" (with [[Alan Grant (writer)|Alan Grant]], in ''[[Toxic!]]'' #1, 1991)
* "Reapers" (with [[John Arcudi]], in ''[[Dark Horse Presents]]: [[Aliens (Dark Horse Comics publications)|Aliens]]'', [[Dark Horse Comics]], 1992, collected in ''[[Aliens Omnibus]]'' #3, 2008, {{ISBN|1-59307-872-2}})
* ''[[List of Terminator comics|The Terminator: The Enemy Within]]'' #1-4 (Dark Horse Comics, 1991–1992, covers) 
* ''Bisley's Scrapbook'' ([[Atomeka Press]], 1993)
*''[[The Melting Pot (comics)|Melting Pot]]'' (with [[Kevin Eastman]]/[[Eric Talbot]], [[Kitchen Sink Press]], 1995, {{ISBN|0-87816-362-X}})
*''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage comics)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]: Bodycount'' (with Kevin Eastman, 4-issue mini-series, tpb, [[Image Comics]], 1996, tpb, {{ISBN|1-887279-36-9}})
*''[[Mutant Chronicles#Spin-offs|Mutant Chronicles]]: Golgotha'' (illustration by Bisley, [[Valiant Comics|Acclaim Comics]], 1996)
*''[[Bad Boy (comics)|Bad Boy]]'' (with [[Frank Miller (comics)|Frank Miller]], [[one-shot (comics)|one-shot]], [[Oni Press]], [[Dynamite Entertainment]], 1997)
*''[[Fistful of Blood]]'' (with script and layouts by Kevin Eastman, in ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]'' #192-202, May 2001 - January 2003, hardcover, 64 pages, February 2003, {{ISBN|1-882931-86-6}})
* ''The Dead''  (with Alan Grant, Berserker Comics, 2008–2009)<ref>[http://www.thedeadcomic.com/issue-1/ The Dead issue #1] at Berserker Comics</ref>
* ''Church of Hell'' #1-3 (Berserker Comics, 2009, covers)<ref>[http://www.thedeadcomic.com/church-of-hell/ Church of Hell] at Berserker Comics</ref>
*''The Lost Pages'' (Zaid Comics, 2020, cover)
*''The Lost Pages 3'' (Zaid Comics, 2023, cover)
*''SOS: Onslaught'' (Chimera Comics, 2020, cover)

===Collected editions===
*''[[The Authority (comics)|The Authority/Lobo]]: Holiday Hell'' (160 pages, 2006) {{ISBN|1-4012-0992-0}}
*''Global Frequency, Volume 2: Detonation Radio'', {{ISBN|1-4012-0291-8}}
* ''[[Judge Dredd|Heavy Metal Dredd]]'' (with [[John Wagner]]/[[Alan Grant (writer)|Alan Grant]], reprinted from ''[[Rock Power]]'', collected in ''Heavy Metal Dredd'' {{ISBN|0-7493-1555-5}}):
** "A Mega-City Primer" (in ''[[Judge Dredd Megazine]]'' #1.14, 1991 and ''2000 AD'' #1068, 1997)
** "Rock On, Tommy Who?!" (in ''Judge Dredd Megazine'' #1.16, 1992)
** "Chicken Run" (in ''Judge Dredd Megazine'' #1.17, 1992)
** "The Legend of Johnny Biker" (in ''Judge Dredd Megazine'' #1.19, 1992)
** "Ironfist" (in ''Judge Dredd Megazine'' #2.61, 1994)
** "Night Before Christmas" (in ''Judge Dredd Megazine'' #2.62, 1994)
** "The Great Arsoli" (in ''Judge Dredd Megazine'' #3.15, 1996)
** "Bimba" (in ''Judge Dredd Megazine'' #3.17, 1996)

===Music album covers===
* ''Mayhemic Destruction'' (1987), by [[Mortal Sin (band)|Mortal Sin]]
* ''Created in Hate '' (1988) by Annihilated
* ''First Offence'' (1988), by First Offence
* ''Kilt by Death'' (1990), by Drunken State
* ''[[Thrall-Demonsweatlive]]'' (1993), by [[Danzig (band)|Danzig]]
* ''[[6:66 Satan's Child]]'' (1999), by Danzig
* ''Gorgeous Frankenstein'' (2007), by Gorgeous Frankenstein
* ''[[Lost Tracks of Danzig]]'' (2007), by Danzig
* ''Among Flies'' (2008), by Last House on The Left
* ''[[Black Laden Crown]]'' (2017) by Danzig
* ''[[The Blood of Gods]]'' (2017), by [[Gwar]]

===Computer game box===
* ''[[Gods (video game)|Gods]]'' (1991), by [[The Bitmap Brothers]]
* ''[[Weaponlord]]'' (1995), by [[Visual Concepts]]
* ''[[Fur Fighters]]'' (2000), by [[Bizarre Creations]] (''Viggo's Revenge'' release)
* ''[[Tekken Tag Tournament 2]]'' (2012), by [[Namco Bandai Games]] ([[Heihachi Mishima]]'s second costume.)

===Role-playing games===
* ''[[Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of]]'' (2017, [[Modiphius Entertainment]], inner pages illustrations by Simon Bisley, among others)

===Movie posters===
* ''[[Centurion (film)|Centurion]]'' (2010) (Possibly in error, also attributed to Simon Bowles and Pathe productions.)
* ''[[Black Death (film)|Black Death]]'' (2010)

===Books===
*''Biz: The Intense Art of Simon Bisley'' ([[Verotik]] Pub Inc, August 1997)
*''Fakk 2'' (80 pages, Heavy Metal Magazine, June 1999)
*''The Art of Simon Bisley Redux'' (132 pages, Heavy Metal Magazine, June 2007, {{ISBN|1-932413-79-0}})
*''Simon Bisley's Illustrations from the Bible: A Work in Progress'' (Heavy Metal Magazine, July 2007, {{ISBN|1-932413-78-2}})
*''Simon Bisley Calendar 2010'' (Heavy Metal Magazine, August 2009, {{ISBN|1-935351-06-0}})

==Awards==
* 1990: Won "Favourite Artist UK" [[Eagle Award (comics)|Eagle Award]]
* 1992:<ref>[http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisner92.php 1992 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners] at the Comic Book Awards Almanac</ref>
** Won "Best Artist" [[Eisner Award]], for ''[[Judgement on Gotham]]''
** Won "Best Artist" [[UK Comic Art Award]]<ref>"Newswatch: UK Awards Named," ''The Comics Journal'' #149 (March 1992), p. 22.</ref>
** Won "Best Original Graphic Novel" UK Comic Art Award for ''Judgment on Gotham'' (with John Wagner and Alan Grant)
** Nominated for "Best Cover Artist" Eisner Award, for ''Judgement on Gotham'' and ''Doom Patrol''
** Nominated for "Best Graphic Album: New/First US Publication" Eisner Award, for ''Judgement on Gotham'' (with Alan Grant and John Wagner)
* 1993:<ref>[http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisner93.php 1993 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners] at the Comic Book Awards Almanac</ref>
** Nominated for "Best Cover Artist" Eisner Award, for ''Grendel: War Child'', ''Terminator'', and ''Enemy Within''
** Nominated for "Best Painter (Interior)" Eisner Award, for "Lair of the Lizard Ladies" in ''[[Mr. Monster]] Attacks'' #3
** Nominated for "Best Artist" UK Comic Art Award<ref>ER. "International Miscellanea: 1993 UK Comic Art Awards," ''The Comics Journal'' #161 (August 1993), p. 40.</ref>
* 2002: Nominated for "Best Artist Ever" [[National Comics Award]]
* 2024: Inducted into the [[London Film and Comic Con]]'s Hall Of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/simon-bisley-lew-stringer-into-london-film-comic-con-hall-of-fame/|title=Simon Bisley & Lew Stringer Into London Film & Comic Con Hall Of Fame}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{gcdb|type=credit|search=Simon+Bisley}}
* {{comicbookdb|type=creator|id=140}}
* {{IMDb name|0084253|Simon Bisley}}
* [http://lambiek.net/artists/b/bisley_simon.htm Simon Bisley - Lambiek Comiclopedia]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100106060851/http://www.2000adonline.com/vault/creators/simon_bisley Simon Bisley - 2000adonline.com credits list]
* {{youTube|XAt5kNJTSTs|Intervista a Simon Bisley . Comicon Napoli 2014}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bisley, Simon}}
[[Category:British graphic novelists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Eisner Award winners for Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]