Ron Frenz

Ronald Wade "Ron" Frenz (born February 1, 1960) is an American comics artist known for his work for Marvel Comics. He is well known for his 1980s work on ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', particularly introducing the hero's black costume, and later for his work on ''Spider-Girl'' and ''Thor'', for which he respectively co-created the characters of Mayday Parker and the New Warriors with writer Tom DeFalco.

Career

Frenz began working for Marvel Comics in the early 1980s. Frenz's early work includes such titles as '' Ka-Zar the Savage'', ''Star Wars'', '' The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones'', and '' Marvel Saga''. His first credited story for Marvel was published in ''Ka-Zar the Savage'' #16 (July 1982).

Frenz has a history of working on comic book series in which the characters were not in their original costumes/identities. Spider-Man wore his black costume, Thor took on a new secret identity and look, and Superman changed costumes and powers while Frenz was the regular artist on their titles.

Frenz became the regular artist on ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' in 1984 and the stories he pencilled included " The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" in issue #248 (Jan. 1984) and the first appearance of Spider-Man's black costume in issue #252 (May 1984). Among the new characters introduced during his run were the Puma in issue #256 (Sept. 1984) and Silver Sable in #265 (June 1985). Frenz and Tom DeFalco revealed that the "black suit" was an alien creature in issue #258 (Nov. 1984). Frenz drew ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #18 (1984), a story written by Stan Lee, which featured the wedding of Spider-Man supporting characters J. Jonah Jameson and Marla Madison. Frenz had originally been brought onto the series as a short-term substitute for John Romita Jr., but was retained when it became apparent that he meshed well with series writer DeFalco. Frenz recounted:

Jim Owsley, editor of the Spider-Man titles at the time, has noted that "Frenz was ''passionate'' about Spider-Man, verging on fanatical." In 1986, Frenz and DeFalco were removed from ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' by Owsley. Frenz and DeFalco became the creative team on ''Thor'' in 1987 and introduced the Eric Masterson character in ''Thor'' #391 (May 1988). Eric Masterson later became the superhero known as Thunderstrike and received his own series by DeFalco and Frenz in 1993.

In 1995, Frenz moved to DC Comics and became the artist on ''Superman''. The following year, he was one of the many creators who contributed to the '' Superman: The Wedding Album'' one-shot wherein the title character married Lois Lane. Superman received a new costume, designed by Frenz himself, and new superpowers in ''Superman'' vol. 2 #123 (May 1997). Frenz drew part of the ''Superman Red/Superman Blue'' one-shot which launched the storyline of the same name which ran through the various Superman titles.

Frenz returned to Marvel with the ''Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives'' limited series, written by Roger Stern, in 1997. DeFalco and Frenz reunited and introduced Spider-Girl in '' What If ...?'' vol. 2 #105 (Feb. 1998). ''Spider-Girl'' became an ongoing series in October 1998 and ran until issue #100 (Sept. 2006). A new series, ''The Amazing Spider-Girl'', was launched the following December, Frenz drew all 30 issues until the series' cancellation in 2009.

On June 4, 2009, Ron Frenz was the recipient of the 2009 Nemo Award for Excellence in the Cartoon Arts.

In 2017, Ron Frenz and long-time inking collaborator Sal Buscema began working on ''The Blue Baron'', written by Darin Henry and published by Sitcomics. In 2021, Frenz also started to pencil another Sitcomics title: ''The Heroes Union''.

He rejoined Tom DeFalco to co-create and pencil ''The R.I.G.H.T. Project'' for Apex Comic Group, again inked by Sal Buscema. The one-shot comicbook was crowdfunded via Indiegogo and sent to its backers in February 2022.

Bibliography

Apex Comics Group

* ''The R.I.G.H.T. Project'' #1 (2022)

Archie Comics

* '' Archie & Friends'' #153 (2011)
*'' Jughead's Double Digest'' #175–177 (2012)
* '' The Mighty Crusaders: The Lost Crusade'' oneshot (2015)

Big Bang

* ''The National Guardians'' #1, 3 (2012, 2023)

Binge Books (Sitcomics)

*''Blue Baron'' #1–3 (2017–2020)
*''Heroes Union'' #1 (2021)
*''Heroes Union: The Witch and the Warriors'' #1 (2025)

Capstone Publishers

* ''John Sutter and the California Gold Rush'' (2006)
* ''Winter at Valley Forge'' (2006)

DC Comics

* ''Action Comics'' #759 (1999)
* '' The Adventures of Superman'' #556, 572 (1998–1999)
* '' Booster Gold: Futures End'' #1 (2014)
* '' The Flash Annual'' #3 (2014)
* '' Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors'' #13 (2011)
* '' Legion Lost'' #9–12, #0 (2011–2012)
* '' The Ravagers'' #8 (2013)
* ''Superboy'' vol. 5 #15–16 (2013)
* ''Superman'' vol. 2 #106–113, 115–120, 122–128, 131–135, 149, '' Annual'' #1–2 (1987–1988, 1995–1999)
* ''Superman Beyond'' #0 (2011)
* ''Superman Red/Superman Blue'' #1 (1998)
* ''Superman: Secret Files'' #1 (1998)
* '' Superman: The Man of Steel'' #94 (1999)
* '' Superman: The Wedding Album'' #1 (1996)
* ''Team 7'' #1–2 (2012–2013)
* ''Who's Who in Star Trek'' #1–2 (1987)
* ''Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes'' #2, 5–6 (1988)
* '' Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe'' #20, 24 (1986–1987)
* ''Who's Who: Update '87'' #5 (1987)

Future Comics

* ''Freemind'' #6 (2003)

IDW Publishing

* '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' #177, 182, ''Annual 2012'' (2012)

Image Comics

* ''Randy O'Donnell is the M@n'' #1 (flipside comic ''Mr. Right'' #0) (2001)
* '' Savage Dragon'' #200 (2014)

Marvel Comics

* ''A-Next'' #1–12 (1998–1999)
* ''Amazing Spider-Girl'' #1–30 (2006–2009)
* ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #248, 251–252, 255–261, 263, 265, 268–271, 273, 275–277, 280, 283, ''Annual'' #18, ''Annual '96'' (1984–1986, 1996)
* '' The Amazing Spider-Man Family'' #1–2, 5–8 (2008–2009)
* '' The Avengers Annual'' #16 (1987)
* ''Black Knight'' oneshot (2010)
* '' Buzz'' #1–3 (2000)
* ''Captain America'' #290, 383, ''Annual'' #9 (1984–1991)
* ''Captain America'' vol. 3 #24 (1999)
* ''Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty'' #6–7 (1999)
* '' The Clone Conspiracy'' #1 (2016)
* '' D.P. 7'' #21 (1988)
* ''Darkdevil'' #1–3 (2000)
* ''Defenders'' vol. 2 #4, 8–9 (2001)
* ''Fantastic Four'' #296 (1986)
* '' Further Adventures of Indiana Jones'' #4–5 (1983)
* '' Hercules and the Heart of Chaos'' #1–3 (1997)
* ''Hulk'' #10 (2000)
* ''Hulk Smash Avengers'' #1 (2012)
* ''Iron Age'' #2 (2011)
* ''Iron Man'' #257 (1990)
* '' Ka-Zar the Savage'' #16–17, 20–22, 25–26, 29 (1982–1983)
* '' Kickers, Inc.'' #1–3 (1986–1987)
* ''King Conan'' #12 (1982)
* ''Magik'' #3 (1984)
* ''Many Loves of the Amazing Spider-Man'' #1 (2010)
*''Marvel Comics'' #1000 (2019)
* ''Marvels Comics: Captain America'' #1 (2000)
* '' Marvel Knights 4'' #21 (2005)
* '' Marvel Saga'' #1, 3 (1985–1986)
* '' Marvel Team-Up'' #134–136, 140, ''Annual'' #6 (1983–1984)
* '' The Saga of Crystar'' #3 (1983)
* ''The Sensational Spider-Man: Self-Improvement'' #1 (2019)
* ''She-Hulk'' #9 (2006)
* ''Silver Surfer'' #32 (1989)
* '' The Spectacular Spider-Man'' #80 (1983)
* '' The Spectacular Spider-Girl'' #1–4 (2010)
* ''Spider-Girl'' #½, 18, 32, 42, 47, 52, 57–70, 72–73, 75–79, 81–100 (1999–2006)
* '' Spider-Girl: The End'' #1 (2010)
* '' Spider-Island'' #1–5 (MC2 feature) (2015)
* ''Spider-Man'' #26 (1992)
* '' Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives'' #1–3 (1997)
* '' Spider-Man: Revenge of the Green Goblin'' #1–3 (2000)
* ''Spider-Verse Team-Up'' #3 (2015)
* '' Superior Spider-Man Team-Up'' #11–12 (2014)
* ''Star Wars'' #67, 71–77, 79–82, 99 (1983–1985)
* ''Thor'' vol. 1 #383–384, 386–400, 402–414, 416–430, 432–444, 447–450, 453–454, 456–459, 490, ''Annual'' #16 (1987–1995)
* ''Thor'' vol. 6 #25 (2022)
*''Thor: The Worthy'' #1 (Thunderstrike) (2020)
* '' Thunderstrike'' #1–10, 12–24 (1993–1995)
* ''Thunderstrike'' vol. 2 #1–5 (2011)
* '' Untold Tales of Spider-Man'' #9, 25 (1996–1997)
* ''Web of Spider-Man'' vol. 2 #1–7 (Spider-Girl feature) (2009–2010)
* '' Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man'' #17–18 (2000)
* '' What If...?'' #42, 46 (1983–1984)
* ''What If'' vol. 2 #105, 107 (1998)
* '' Wild Thing'' #0 (1999)

Moonstone Books

* '' Kolchak: Tales of the Night Stalker'' #3 (2003)
* ''Kolchak Tales: Ghost Stories'' #1 (2006)

References

External links

*
*

Ron Frenz
at Marvel.com

Ron Frenz
at Mike's Amazing World of Comics


at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators

Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz
interview with Super Hero Speak

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frenz, Ron
1960 births
20th-century American artists
21st-century American artists
American comics artists
Artists from Pittsburgh
DC Comics people
Living people
Marvel Comics people