Michael Zulli (December 20, 1952 – July 8, 2024) was an American artist known for his work as an animal and wildlife illustrator and as a comic book illustrator. Best known for his work on the Sandman.

Career

Michael Zulli's career in the comics industry began in October 1986 with ''

The Puma Blues ''The Puma Blues'' is a comic book written by Stephen Murphy (comics), Stephen Murphy and drawn by Michael Zulli. It ran from June 1986 in comics, 1986 to early 1989 in comics, 1989, stretching over 23 regular issues and a single "half-issue" minic ...

'', on which he collaborated with writer Stephen Murphy. The monthly title was published by

Dave Sim Dave Sim (born 17 May 1956) is a Canadian cartoonist and publisher, known for his comic book ''Cerebus the Aardvark, Cerebus'', his artistic experimentation, his advocacy of self-publishing and creators' rights, and his controversial political an ...

's Aardvark One International and later by

Mirage Studios Mirage Studios was an American comic book company founded in 1983 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in Dover, New Hampshire. The company was best known for the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (''TMNT'') comic book series and the subsequent fra ...

. Zulli illustrated the characters, wildlife and natural landscapes in the polluted post-industrial environment of the story's not-too-distant future. The ecological warnings of the series put forward an argument for natural conservation and against the abuse and pollution of the natural environment. The series was published for 23 issues and a mini-comic half issue, ending in 1989. Between 1990 and 1991, Zulli created three issues of the ''

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (''TMNT'') is an American media franchise created by comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Leonardo, Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), D ...

:'' #31 ("Soul's Winter") #35 ("Soul's Withering"), and #36 ("Soul's End"). His dark and uniquely realistic interpretation of the TMNT entitled the "Soul's Trilogy" was a polarizing one among fans of the series. Zulli wrote, drew, and painted the covers for the 3 issues. The work has been viewed as a classic series in hindsight and collected by IDW as "Soul's Winter." He drew a never-published issue of

DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...

' '' Swamp Thing'' in which the title character meets

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

. In the 1990s another unfinished and unpublished story, ''

Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial '' The String of Pearls'' (1846–1847). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London legend. A barber from Fleet St ...

'', written by

Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman (; born Neil Richard Gaiman; 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, audio theatre, and screenplays. His works include the comic series ''The Sandman (comic book), The Sandma ...

and illustrated by Zulli for Stephen R. Bissette's publication ''

Taboo A taboo is a social group's ban, prohibition or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred or allowed only for certain people.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

'' was stopped when the anthology itself was discontinued. By this time, Zulli had received the attention of many writers, editors and artists in the comics industry. In 1990 he guest pencilled issue #13 of DC Comics' nascent

Vertigo Vertigo is a condition in which a person has the sensation that they are moving, or that objects around them are moving, when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. It may be associated with nausea, vomiting, perspira ...

series '' The Sandman'' written by Gaiman. This story introduced the Hob Gadling character. Zulli would illustrate seven ''Sandman'' issues including the final Sandman story arc " The Wake". Zulli and Gaiman collaborated on a comics adaptation of

Alice Cooper Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...

's '' The Last Temptation'' in 1994. After ''The Sandman'' series ended, he had a gallery show called "Visions of the Wake" in New York City. He also began illustrating for several newer Vertigo imprint titles including '' Winter's Edge'', '' Witchcraft: La Terreur'' and '' Sandman Presents: Love Street''. He was one of the artists on the ''

Shade Shade, Shades or Shading may refer to: * Shade (color), a mixture of a color with black (often generalized as any variety of a color) * Shade (shadow), the blocking of sunlight * Shades or sunglasses * Shading, a process used in art and graphic ...

'' limited series which spun off from the '' Starman'' series.

Death

Zulli died on July 8, 2024, at the age of 71.

Comics bibliography

*1986–1988: ''

'' #1–19 – penciller/inker ( Aardvark One International) *1988–1989: ''The Puma Blues'' #20–23, mini-comic - penciller/inker (

) *1988: ''

'' #31, 35–36 - writer/penciller/inker (Mirage Studios) *1989: ''

'' #2 – writer/penciller/inker ( Spiderbaby Grafix) *1990: '' The Sandman'' #13 – penciller (

) *1990: ''Taboo'' #4 – penciller/inker (Spiderbaby Grafix) *1991: ''Taboo'' #5 – writer/penciller (Spiderbaby Grafix) *1991: ''Tundra Sketchbook Series'' #3 – penciller (

Tundra Publishing Tundra Publishing was a Northampton, Massachusetts-based comic book publisher founded by Kevin Eastman in 1990. The company was founded to provide a venue for adventurous, creator-owned work by talented cartoonists and illustrators. Its publica ...

) *1992: '' Legends of Arzach'' #2 – penciller (Tundra Publishing, Ltd.) *1992: ''Taboo'' #6 – penciller (Spiderbaby Grafix) *1992: ''Taboo'' #7 – penciller/inker (Spiderbaby Grafix) *1993: '' Angels and Visitations'' – penciller/inker (

) *1993: '' Guest of Honor'' – penciller (no publisher) *1994: '' A Death Gallery'' #1 – penciller/inker (Vertigo) *1994: ''The Sandman'' #50 – pinup (Vertigo) *1994: '' Roarin' Rick's Rarebit Friends'' #8–9 – penciller/inker ( King Hell) *1994: '' Alice Cooper: The Last Temptation'' #1–3 – penciller/inker (

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

/ Marvel Music) *1994: '' The Staros Report'' #2 – penciller ( Star House) *1994: ''

Witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

'' #4 – penciller/inker (Vertigo) *1994: '' Turtle Soup'' #4 – penciller/inker (Mirage Studios) *1995: ''The Sandman'' #53 – partial penciller (Vertigo) *1996: '' The Dreaming'' #8 – penciller/inker (Vertigo) *1996: ''The Sandman'' #70–72 – penciller (issues were not inked) (Vertigo) *1996: '' Seekers into the Mystery'' #6–9 – penciller/inker (Vertigo) *1997: '' Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold'' #1 – penciller/inker (Vertigo) *1997: '' The Shade'' #4 – penciller/inker (DC Comics) *1998: '' Vertigo: Winter's Edge'' #3 – partial penciller/inker (short story) (Vertigo) *1998: '' Witchcraft: La Terreur'' #1–3 – penciller/inker (Vertigo) *1998: '' Longshot: Fools'' – penciller (

) *1999: '' Batman: No Man's Land'' #1 – penciller (DC Comics) *1999: '' Star Wars Tales'' #13 – penciller/inker (

Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, manga and Artist's book, art book publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon, by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, O ...

) *1999: '' Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man'' #1–3 – penciller/inker (

) *2000: '' The Quotable Sandman'' – penciller (Vertigo) *2000: '' The Sandman Presents: Love Street'' #1–3 – penciller (Vertigo) *2000: '' Vertigo Secret Files and Origins: Swamp Thing'' #1 – penciller/inker (Vertigo) *2000–2001: '' Legends of the DC Universe'' #33–36 – penciller (DC Comics) *2001: '' Witchblade #47'' – penciller/inker (Image Comics/ Top Cow Productions) *2001: '' Delicate Creatures'' – penciller/inker (Image Comics/ Top Cow Productions) *2002: '' 9-11: The World's Finest Comic Book Writers & Artists Tell Stories to Remember, Volume Two'' – penciller/inker (DC Comics) *2002: '' Grendel: Red, White and Black'' #4 - penciller (Dark Horse Comics) *2004: ''

Creatures of the Night ''Creatures of the Night'' is the tenth studio album by American rock band Kiss, released in 1982. It was the band's last for Casablanca Records, the only label for which Kiss had recorded up to that point. The album was dedicated to the memor ...

'' – penciller/inker/painter (Dark Horse Comics) *2007: '' The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch'' – penciller/inker/painter (Dark Horse Comics) *2011: '' The Fracture of the Universal Boy'' – writer/penciller/inker *2015: ''The Puma Blues: The Complete Saga in One Volume'' collects ''The Puma Blues'' #1–23 with a new 40-page conclusion – penciller/inker (

Dover Publications Dover Publications, also known as Dover Books, is an American book publisher founded in 1941 by Hayward and Blanche Cirker. It primarily reissues books that are out of print from their original publishers. These are often, but not always, book ...

)

Awards and nominations

Eisner Award The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are awards for creative achievement in American comic books. They are regarded as the most prestigious and significant awards in the comic industry and often referred ...

**1996 Nominated for Best Serialized Story (with Neil Gaiman for " The Wake", in ''The Sandman'' #70–72) ** 1996 Nominated for Best Best Penciller/Inker (for "The Wake") ** 1996 Nominated for Best Comics-Related Item (for ''Sandman: The Wake'' poster)

References

External links

* *
Michael Zulli
at Mike's Amazing World of Comics

at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zulli, Michael 1952 births 2024 deaths American comics artists American comics writers 20th-century American illustrators 21st-century American illustrators American people of Italian descent Comics inkers DC Comics people Marvel Comics people Mirage Studios