Bob Layton
Encyclopedia
Bob Layton is an American
comic book
artist
, writer, and editor, who has worked for Marvel Comics
, Valiant Comics
, DC Comics
, Future Comics
, and other publishers.
featuring The Challengers of the Unknown
.)"
After leaving high school, Layton began "playing comics dealer . . . selling them out of his apartment in Indianapolis
," through which (in 1973) he met Roger Stern
, while the latter was working for a radio station in Indianapolis.
called CPL (Contemporary Pictorial Literature) out of Layton's apartment.
Stern recalls that, "CPL started out as Bob's sale catalog. Bob was drawing the covers and including little reviews written by some of his customers. By issue #5, it turned into a small 'zine with a catalog insert, and I started writing short articles for it. I eventually became an editor of sorts."
CPL rapidly became a popular fan publication, and led to the two forming an alliance with Charlton Comics
to produce and publish "the now-famous Charlton Bullseye
magazine." During the mid-1970s, both Marvel and DC were publishing in-house "fan" publications (F.O.O.M. and The Amazing World of DC Comics respectively), and Charlton wished to make inroads into the superhero market, as well as "establish a fan presence", leading to the alliance with CPL to produce the Charlton Bullseye. This led to Charlton giving Layton and Stern "access to unpublished material from their vaults by the likes of Steve Ditko
, Jeff Jones
and a host of others." This association with Charlton (and Bill Pearson, production manager) in turn led to Layton becoming acquainted with the legendary Wally Wood
, with whom he apprenticed. This apprenticeship led to work for Charlton (on anthology titles, but not working from the Charlton offices), Marvel
and DC
, while still publishing fanzines.
's apprentice included him occasionally delivering artwork to "NYC from Connecticut." Layton recalls that:
Layton's reaction was one of panic, and his search for help to meet the deadline led him to Dick Giordano
and Neal Adams
' Continuity Associates
where his "fledgling contemporaries," the Crusty Bunkers
("Terry Austin
, Bob Wiacek
, Joe Rubinstein
, Bob McLeod, Joe Brosowski, Carl Potts
and a host of others") were able to lend a hand and help him finish the book.
A month later, Layton received a package containing "an entire issue of pencils on the Champions
", and discovered that he was "the new regular inker on the book." He worked for Marvel "for about a year, then signed an exclusive one-year contract with DC — after they made me 'an offer I couldn't refuse'."
Layton began work for DC Comics
in Spring/Summer 1977, taking up regular inking duties on All Star Comics
, as well as inking multiple issues of Secret Society of Super-Villains, DC Super Stars
and DC Special
, among others. In Nov/Dec 1977, he inked the first issue of David Michelinie
's Star Hunters, and after a number of other shorter inking jobs, moved back to Marvel in late 1978, to ultimately take up one of his best remembered roles.
In 1978, Layton reunited with Star Hunters writer David Michelinie
, to co-write a re-imagined Iron Man
. The two would become regular creative partners, and began their collaboration on Iron Man with #119 (November 1978). The two collaborated on the title until #154 and then returned for a second run from #215 (Feb. 1987) to #250 (Dec 1989).
Layton continued to ink and work on covers for titles such as The Incredible Hulk, Captain America
, Power Man and Iron Fist
, and, later, Micronauts
(among others), but Iron Man was his primary concern. In September 1982, however, he launched one of the Marvel's first miniseries
, writing, penciling and inking the four-issue Hercules: Prince of Power. Its success spawned a four-issue sequel in 1984 and a 1988 graphic novel (#37 in the "Marvel Graphic Novel" series) - Full Circle. Around this time, he also designed the highly successful Marvel Secret Wars toy line for Mattel
, which formed the impetus behind the 1984 Secret Wars
event.
Layton continued to work on various issues of a number of titles, before, in February 1986, reviving the original X-Men
characters in the series X-Factor
, which he wrote and co-inked (first issue only), with artwork by Jackson Guice
. Layton wrote the first five issues, before handing over the series to Louise Simonson
. After Michelinie and Layton finished their second Iron Man run with issue #250, Layton returned to the title briefly to write and draw #254 and write #256 before leaving Marvel. A year later, he returned to the comics industry to ink Jim Shooter
's Magnus, Robot Fighter
#1, from Valiant Comics
.
, along with Jim Shooter
, Barry Windsor-Smith
, Steven J. Massarsky, and Jon Hartz. He co-created a number of the core characters including X-O Manowar
, and later became Editor-in-Chief and Senior Vice President, during which time he controlled the company during its most profitable period.
His first Valiant work appeared in Magnus, Robot Fighter #1 (May, 1991), in which he inked Art Nichols
' artwork from Jim Shooter's script. He would continue with Magnus for five issues (and produce covers to issue #9), while also inking the inaugural issues of Solar, Man of the Atom, which he also edited. In February, 1992, he co-created (with Shooter and Steve Englehart
) and penciled the first issue of X-O Manowar
, (after which he handed over the core art duties to Sal Velluto, but provided inks for #2). The following month he drew the cover to David Michelinie's Rai
In August, 1992, he co-wrote, edited and inked Archer & Armstrong
#1, edited and provided pencilwork on Eternal Warrior #1, and inked Barry Windsor-Smith
on Unity #0. Starting in November, 1992, he co-edited with Dark Horse
publisher Mike Richardson
the Predator/Magnus, Robot Fighter two-issue crossover, and in December was again inking (and editing) a Michelinie-written comic: H.A.R.D. Corps
. Layton also edited Turok, Dinosaur Hunter, Deathmate and Secret Weapons before (in November, 1993) writing the first of thirteen issues of The Second Life of Doctor Mirage. He was also editing a vast array of titles during this time, for which he won the Editor of the Year award (1993), as voted by the readers of the then-new comics magazine, Wizard.
His workload decreased greatly towards the end of 1994, in large part due to the sale of Valiant (Voyager Communications, Inc.) to video game giant Acclaim Entertainment
for $65,000,000.00 USD, a deal in which Layton played an instrumental part. His story concepts and design work on Turok, Dinosaur Hunter was also utilized to great effect by Acclaim when the video game became the largest selling title in Acclaim’s history, with over 1.5 million units sold. He continued to work editorially, however, largely for the new Acclaim imprint Armada Comics, for which he edited a number of Magic: The Gathering comics during 1995-6. He also edited Bob Hall
's four-issue Armed & Dangerous (Apr-Jul 1996), and returned to X-O Manowar for which he wrote the final three issues.
After a several-year association with Valiant/Acclaim, Layton moved to Florida
for a short retirement. (Although he found time to write the first eleven (of twelve) issues of Acclaim's Doctor Tomorrow between 1997 and 1998, also inking a couple of issues, notably #6 which was drawn by Dick Giordano
, who also resided in Florida and was something of a mentor to Layton.)
Secret Files and Origins, before collabotaring with his fellow Floridian and artistic friend/mentor Dick Giordano
on several projects. The two-issue prestige format
Elseworlds
tale Batman: Dark Knight of the Round Table was co-drawn and co-inked by the both of them, from a script by Layton and debuted a month after their six-issue mini-series The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons)
, which ran from September 1999 to February 2000, with script and inks by Layton, and full pencils by Giordano. The two also wrote a second Batman Elseworlds tale, Batman: Hollywood Knight a three-issue mini-series which told the story of a Serials-actor who became convinced he was The Batman. It was written by Layton with pencils and inks by Giordano.
Between Elseworlds, Layton worked with Marvel Comics on an Iron Man reunion, which saw him produce the four-part limited series Iron Man: Bad Blood with his long-term Iron Man collaborator David Michelinie. The comic ran from September to December, 2000, with art by Layton and, as previously, the plot was a joint effort, and the final script by Michelinie. Layton then stayed at Marvel for a short time, teaming up with Dan Jurgens
as inker on Captain America (#38-50), as well as inking a short run on The Avengers (#44-47). He also inked the Dan Jurgens-drawn The Power Company: Manhunter and part of Just Imagine Stan Lee... Secret Files and Origins for DC in March 2002.
, with Dick Giordano
, Allen Berrebbi, and David Michelinie
. Layton acted as editor-in-chief, Berrebbi was CFO and director of marketing, Michelinie was head writer, Giordano was art director, and Skip Farrell was the publisher. Between 2000 and 2002, they prepared to revolutionize the direct market
system by bypassing distributors and selling direct to customers and shops through the Internet.
In August, 2002, Freemind #0 was released. Edited and inked by Layton, written by Layton and Michelinie, and with pencils by Giordano, it was followed by another title, Metallix, before the company bowed to pressure and signed with distributor Diamond in an attempt to maximize sales while maintaining their independent approach. Ultimately, after three titles (the third was Deathmask), and seventeen total issues, the company was not making enough money to survive, and it folded, with one announced title — Peacekeeper — unpublished.
Layton's work continues to be collected in multiple trade paperback collections. In 2006, he produced a number of variant covers to issues of Superverse Comics' Zoom Suit
, written by John Taddeo, and in 2007 his work was featured in issues of Marvel's encyclopedic All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update. Layton is currently working for Marvel as a freelance artist and writer on several projects including the miniseries Iron Man: Legacy of Doom and Iron Man: The End.
He continues to enjoy "doing commission work," writing:
He's been quoted as sayins that he "miss[es] telling stories," and to that end has showcased unpublished issues of Future Comics properties on his website, where he also presents his "new, serialized comic" Colony, with art by Giordano, and which "is a project that [Layton has] been developing for [over] 10 years and is currently making the rounds in Hollywood." Other potential film deals for the Future Comics characters are also reportedly semi-ongoing.
Bob recently moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in film and television. In the past, Bob has worked on various projects with Howard Stern, Tracy Torme’ (Star Trek, Sliders, Odyssey 5), Scott Winant (Huff, My So-Called Life, True Blood), John Turman (FF2: Rise of the Sliver Surfer), Patrick Massett and Jon Zinman, (Caprica, Tomb Raider, Deep Blue Sea), Anne Marie Gillen ( Fried Green Tomatoes) David Nutter (Smallville, X-Files, Sarah Conner Chronicles), John Harrison (Dune, Children of Dune, Book of Blood), Matt Maiellaro (Aqua Teen Hunger Force) and George Romero (Night of the Living Dead).
Bob has now turned his attention to developing new properties for motion pictures and television as a screenwriter, including “The Helix” motion picture screenplay (Olmos Productions/Fuzeinc), the screen adaptation of his sci-fi epic, “Colony” (based on Bob's highly-successful web comic series and upcoming graphic novel), a new comedy/horror film, “Shambler“ (Gillen Group) and “Deathmask” (based on the Future Comics series) which are all currently in development.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, writer, and editor, who has worked for Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is a comic book imprint published by various publishers since its inception with Voyager Communications, Inc. in 1989, later Acclaim Comics, Inc. Its assets were purchased from the bankruptcy of the Acclaim Entertaintment by Valiant Entertainment, Inc. in 2007.-Voyager...
, DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, Future Comics
Future Comics
Future Comics is a now-defunct comic book publishing company founded by industry all-rounder Bob Layton, and his creative partners — Layton's mentor, artist/editor Dick Giordano and his frequent writing-partner David Michelinie, CFO Allen Berrebbi — and publisher Skip Farrell.-Pre-Formation:Having...
, and other publishers.
Early life
Bob Layton learned to read comics from the age of four, explaining that his "older sister Sue became bored with reading the same comic to me about fifty times. (It was a ShowcaseShowcase (comics)
Showcase has been the title of several comic anthology series published by DC Comics. The general theme of these series has been to feature new and minor characters as a way to gauge reader interest in them, without the difficulty and risk of featuring "untested" characters in their own ongoing...
featuring The Challengers of the Unknown
Challengers of the Unknown
The Challengers of the Unknown is a group of fictional characters in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, or co-created with Dave Wood , this quartet of adventurers explored science fictional and apparent paranormal occurrences and faced fantastic menaces.Scripts for the first...
.)"
After leaving high school, Layton began "playing comics dealer . . . selling them out of his apartment in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
," through which (in 1973) he met Roger Stern
Roger Stern
Roger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.-Early career:In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine CPL , one of the first platforms for the work of John Byrne...
, while the latter was working for a radio station in Indianapolis.
CPL
Ultimately, Layton and Stern began publishing a fanzineFanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
called CPL (Contemporary Pictorial Literature) out of Layton's apartment.
Stern recalls that, "CPL started out as Bob's sale catalog. Bob was drawing the covers and including little reviews written by some of his customers. By issue #5, it turned into a small 'zine with a catalog insert, and I started writing short articles for it. I eventually became an editor of sorts."
CPL rapidly became a popular fan publication, and led to the two forming an alliance with Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
to produce and publish "the now-famous Charlton Bullseye
Charlton Bullseye (fanzine)
Charton Bullseye was a fanzine published from 1975-76 by the CPL Gang highlighting Charlton Comics. It was a large format publication, with color covers on card stock and black & white interiors...
magazine." During the mid-1970s, both Marvel and DC were publishing in-house "fan" publications (F.O.O.M. and The Amazing World of DC Comics respectively), and Charlton wished to make inroads into the superhero market, as well as "establish a fan presence", leading to the alliance with CPL to produce the Charlton Bullseye. This led to Charlton giving Layton and Stern "access to unpublished material from their vaults by the likes of Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
, Jeff Jones
Jeff Jones (artist)
Jeffrey Catherine Jones was an American artist whose work is best known from the late 1960s through 2000s. Jones provided over 150 covers for many different types of books through 1976, as well as venturing into fine art during and after this time...
and a host of others." This association with Charlton (and Bill Pearson, production manager) in turn led to Layton becoming acquainted with the legendary Wally Wood
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
, with whom he apprenticed. This apprenticeship led to work for Charlton (on anthology titles, but not working from the Charlton offices), Marvel
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
and DC
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, while still publishing fanzines.
Marvel Comics and DC Comics
Part of Layton's role as Wally WoodWally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
's apprentice included him occasionally delivering artwork to "NYC from Connecticut." Layton recalls that:
Layton's reaction was one of panic, and his search for help to meet the deadline led him to Dick Giordano
Dick Giordano
Richard Joseph "Dick" Giordano was an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes, and serving as executive editor of then–industry leader DC Comics...
and Neal Adams
Neal Adams
Neal Adams is an American comic book and commercial artist known for helping to create some of the definitive modern imagery of the DC Comics characters Superman, Batman, and Green Arrow; as the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates; and as a creators-rights advocate who...
' Continuity Associates
Continuity Associates
Continuity Studios is a New York City- and Los Angeles-based art and illustration studio formed by cartoonists Neal Adams and Dick Giordano...
where his "fledgling contemporaries," the Crusty Bunkers
Crusty Bunkers
Crusty Bunker, or the Crusty Bunkers, was the collective pseudonym of group of comic book inkers clustered around Neal Adams' and Dick Giordano's New York City-based art and design agency Continuity Studios from 1972-1977. The group was also occasionally credited as Ilya Hunch, Chuck Bunker, or The...
("Terry Austin
Terry Austin (comics)
Terry Austin is an American comic book artist, working primarily as an inker. He is best known for his work embellishing John Byrne's pencils on The Uncanny X-Men from 1977–1981.-Early life and career:...
, Bob Wiacek
Bob Wiacek
Bob Wiacek is an American comic book artist and writer, working primarily as an inker.-Career:Wiacek got his start in the mid-1970s as a member of the "Crusty Bunkers" inking collective. For a short time in 1975–1976 he inked backgrounds on Superman for DC Comics...
, Joe Rubinstein
Josef Rubinstein
Josef "Joe" Rubinstein is a comic book artist and inker, most associated with inking Marvel Comics' The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.-Career:...
, Bob McLeod, Joe Brosowski, Carl Potts
Carl Potts
Carl Potts is an American comic-book writer, artist, and editor best known for creating the series Alien Legion for the Marvel Comics imprint Epic Comics.-Early life:...
and a host of others") were able to lend a hand and help him finish the book.
A month later, Layton received a package containing "an entire issue of pencils on the Champions
Champions (comics)
The Champions are a team of superheroes that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appears in The Champions #1 The Champions are a team of superheroes that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appears in The Champions #1 The Champions are a...
", and discovered that he was "the new regular inker on the book." He worked for Marvel "for about a year, then signed an exclusive one-year contract with DC — after they made me 'an offer I couldn't refuse'."
Layton began work for DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
in Spring/Summer 1977, taking up regular inking duties on All Star Comics
All Star Comics
All Star Comics is a 1940s comic book series from All-American Publications, one of the early companies that merged with National Periodical Publications to form the modern-day DC Comics. With the exception of the first two issues, All Star Comics primarily told stories about the adventures of the...
, as well as inking multiple issues of Secret Society of Super-Villains, DC Super Stars
DC Super Stars
DC Super Stars was a comic book anthology series published by DC Comics from March 1976 to February 1978. Starting off as a reprint title, it finished its run with original stories...
and DC Special
DC Special
DC Special was a comic book anthology series published by DC Comics originally from 1968 to 1971; it resumed publication from 1975 to 1977...
, among others. In Nov/Dec 1977, he inked the first issue of David Michelinie
David Michelinie
-Biography:Some of his earliest work is for DC Comics's House of Secrets and a run on Swamp Thing , following Len Wein and preceding Gerry Conway, illustrated by Nestor Redondo. Michelinie did a run on Aquaman in Adventure Comics which led to the revival of the Sea King's own title in 1977...
's Star Hunters, and after a number of other shorter inking jobs, moved back to Marvel in late 1978, to ultimately take up one of his best remembered roles.
In 1978, Layton reunited with Star Hunters writer David Michelinie
David Michelinie
-Biography:Some of his earliest work is for DC Comics's House of Secrets and a run on Swamp Thing , following Len Wein and preceding Gerry Conway, illustrated by Nestor Redondo. Michelinie did a run on Aquaman in Adventure Comics which led to the revival of the Sea King's own title in 1977...
, to co-write a re-imagined Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
. The two would become regular creative partners, and began their collaboration on Iron Man with #119 (November 1978). The two collaborated on the title until #154 and then returned for a second run from #215 (Feb. 1987) to #250 (Dec 1989).
Layton continued to ink and work on covers for titles such as The Incredible Hulk, Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Power Man and Iron Fist
Power Man and Iron Fist
Power Man and Iron Fist was a Marvel comic book featuring the superheroes Power Man and Iron Fist.-Hero For Hire/Power Man:...
, and, later, Micronauts
Micronauts
The Micronauts comic books feature a group of characters based on the Micronauts toyline. The title was published by Marvel Comics, Image Comics, and Devil's Due Publishing. Their first comic appearance was in Micronauts #1 with characterizations created by Bill Mantlo and Michael Golden...
(among others), but Iron Man was his primary concern. In September 1982, however, he launched one of the Marvel's first miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
, writing, penciling and inking the four-issue Hercules: Prince of Power. Its success spawned a four-issue sequel in 1984 and a 1988 graphic novel (#37 in the "Marvel Graphic Novel" series) - Full Circle. Around this time, he also designed the highly successful Marvel Secret Wars toy line for Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
, which formed the impetus behind the 1984 Secret Wars
Secret Wars
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is a twelve-issue comic book crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton...
event.
Layton continued to work on various issues of a number of titles, before, in February 1986, reviving the original X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
characters in the series X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
, which he wrote and co-inked (first issue only), with artwork by Jackson Guice
Jackson Guice
Jackson "Butch" Guice , is an American comic book artist who has worked steadily in the mainstream comics industry since the early 1980s.-Biography:...
. Layton wrote the first five issues, before handing over the series to Louise Simonson
Louise Simonson
Louise Simonson, born Mary Louise Alexander , is an American comic book writer and editor. She is best known for her work on comic book titles such as Power Pack, X-Factor, New Mutants, Superman: The Man of Steel, and Steel...
. After Michelinie and Layton finished their second Iron Man run with issue #250, Layton returned to the title briefly to write and draw #254 and write #256 before leaving Marvel. A year later, he returned to the comics industry to ink Jim Shooter
Jim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
's Magnus, Robot Fighter
Magnus, Robot Fighter
Magnus, Robot Fighter is a fictional comic book superhero created by writer/artist Russ Manning in 1963, based primarily on Tarzan. Magnus first appeared in Magnus Robot Fighter 4000 A.D. #1, published by Gold Key Comics in February 1963...
#1, from Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is a comic book imprint published by various publishers since its inception with Voyager Communications, Inc. in 1989, later Acclaim Comics, Inc. Its assets were purchased from the bankruptcy of the Acclaim Entertaintment by Valiant Entertainment, Inc. in 2007.-Voyager...
.
Valiant Comics
Bob Layton was one of the chief architects of the Valiant UniverseValiant Comics
Valiant Comics is a comic book imprint published by various publishers since its inception with Voyager Communications, Inc. in 1989, later Acclaim Comics, Inc. Its assets were purchased from the bankruptcy of the Acclaim Entertaintment by Valiant Entertainment, Inc. in 2007.-Voyager...
, along with Jim Shooter
Jim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
, Barry Windsor-Smith
Barry Windsor-Smith
Barry Windsor-Smith, born Barry Smith is a British comic book illustrator and painter whose best known work has been produced in the United States....
, Steven J. Massarsky, and Jon Hartz. He co-created a number of the core characters including X-O Manowar
X-O Manowar
X-O Manowar is a fictional superhero co-created by writer and former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, artist Bob Layton, and Jon Hartz. Current Marvel Comics Chief Creative Officier Joe Quesada was a key creator in the origin of X-O Manowar as seen in X-O Manowar #0...
, and later became Editor-in-Chief and Senior Vice President, during which time he controlled the company during its most profitable period.
His first Valiant work appeared in Magnus, Robot Fighter #1 (May, 1991), in which he inked Art Nichols
Art Nichols
Arthur Francis Nichols was a catcher in Major League Baseball.-Sources:...
' artwork from Jim Shooter's script. He would continue with Magnus for five issues (and produce covers to issue #9), while also inking the inaugural issues of Solar, Man of the Atom, which he also edited. In February, 1992, he co-created (with Shooter and Steve Englehart
Steve Englehart
Steve Englehart is an American novelist. In his earlier career he was a comic book writer best known for his work at Marvel Comics and DC Comics, particularly in the 1970s...
) and penciled the first issue of X-O Manowar
X-O Manowar
X-O Manowar is a fictional superhero co-created by writer and former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, artist Bob Layton, and Jon Hartz. Current Marvel Comics Chief Creative Officier Joe Quesada was a key creator in the origin of X-O Manowar as seen in X-O Manowar #0...
, (after which he handed over the core art duties to Sal Velluto, but provided inks for #2). The following month he drew the cover to David Michelinie's Rai
In August, 1992, he co-wrote, edited and inked Archer & Armstrong
Archer & Armstrong
Archer & Armstrong are the title characters of the popular comic book series published by Valiant Comics. Among the most commercially and critically acclaimed buddy comedies in comics, Archer & Armstrong features writing and art by comic legend Barry Windsor-Smith...
#1, edited and provided pencilwork on Eternal Warrior #1, and inked Barry Windsor-Smith
Barry Windsor-Smith
Barry Windsor-Smith, born Barry Smith is a British comic book illustrator and painter whose best known work has been produced in the United States....
on Unity #0. Starting in November, 1992, he co-edited with Dark Horse
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
publisher Mike Richardson
Mike Richardson (publisher)
Mike Richardson is an American writer, film producer and the founder of Dark Horse Comics, a comic book publication company based in Milwaukie, Oregon.-Career:...
the Predator/Magnus, Robot Fighter two-issue crossover, and in December was again inking (and editing) a Michelinie-written comic: H.A.R.D. Corps
H.A.R.D. Corps
H.A.R.D. Corps was a Valiant Comics title which ran from 1992 - 1996. The acronym stands for Harbinger Active Resistance Division. The title's focus was a corporate strike team dealing with Toyo Harada, a character from the Harbinger title, and his goal of controlling all Harbingers...
. Layton also edited Turok, Dinosaur Hunter, Deathmate and Secret Weapons before (in November, 1993) writing the first of thirteen issues of The Second Life of Doctor Mirage. He was also editing a vast array of titles during this time, for which he won the Editor of the Year award (1993), as voted by the readers of the then-new comics magazine, Wizard.
His workload decreased greatly towards the end of 1994, in large part due to the sale of Valiant (Voyager Communications, Inc.) to video game giant Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment was an American video game developer and publisher. It developed, published, marketed and distributed interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms, including Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Game Gear, Nintendo's NES, SNES, Nintendo...
for $65,000,000.00 USD, a deal in which Layton played an instrumental part. His story concepts and design work on Turok, Dinosaur Hunter was also utilized to great effect by Acclaim when the video game became the largest selling title in Acclaim’s history, with over 1.5 million units sold. He continued to work editorially, however, largely for the new Acclaim imprint Armada Comics, for which he edited a number of Magic: The Gathering comics during 1995-6. He also edited Bob Hall
Bob Hall (comics)
Bob Hall is an American comic book creator and theater director. He is the co-creator of the West Coast Avengers for Marvel Comics and has worked on such series as Armed and Dangerous and Shadowman, which he both drew and wrote for Valiant Comics.-DC Comics:*Batman #559 *Batman: DOA #1 *Batman:...
's four-issue Armed & Dangerous (Apr-Jul 1996), and returned to X-O Manowar for which he wrote the final three issues.
After a several-year association with Valiant/Acclaim, Layton moved to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for a short retirement. (Although he found time to write the first eleven (of twelve) issues of Acclaim's Doctor Tomorrow between 1997 and 1998, also inking a couple of issues, notably #6 which was drawn by Dick Giordano
Dick Giordano
Richard Joseph "Dick" Giordano was an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes, and serving as executive editor of then–industry leader DC Comics...
, who also resided in Florida and was something of a mentor to Layton.)
Return to DC and Marvel
In 1998, he returned to DC, re-teaming briefly with penciler Sal Velluto on a story in September 1998's The New GodsNew Gods
The New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
Secret Files and Origins, before collabotaring with his fellow Floridian and artistic friend/mentor Dick Giordano
Dick Giordano
Richard Joseph "Dick" Giordano was an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes, and serving as executive editor of then–industry leader DC Comics...
on several projects. The two-issue prestige format
Prestige format
Prestige format is a term coined by DC Comics and later came into wider use to refer to a square-bound comic book with cardstock covers. A prestige format comic book is usually longer than a normal, stapled 32-page comic...
Elseworlds
Elseworlds
Elseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others...
tale Batman: Dark Knight of the Round Table was co-drawn and co-inked by the both of them, from a script by Layton and debuted a month after their six-issue mini-series The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons)
L.A.W. (comics)
The L.A.W. was a six-issue American comic book limited series, published by DC Comics.The starring team "The L.A.W." consisted of Charlton Comics characters Blue Beetle, The Question, Judomaster, Captain Atom, The Peacemaker, Nightshade, and Sarge Steel...
, which ran from September 1999 to February 2000, with script and inks by Layton, and full pencils by Giordano. The two also wrote a second Batman Elseworlds tale, Batman: Hollywood Knight a three-issue mini-series which told the story of a Serials-actor who became convinced he was The Batman. It was written by Layton with pencils and inks by Giordano.
Between Elseworlds, Layton worked with Marvel Comics on an Iron Man reunion, which saw him produce the four-part limited series Iron Man: Bad Blood with his long-term Iron Man collaborator David Michelinie. The comic ran from September to December, 2000, with art by Layton and, as previously, the plot was a joint effort, and the final script by Michelinie. Layton then stayed at Marvel for a short time, teaming up with Dan Jurgens
Dan Jurgens
Dan Jurgens is an American comic book writer and artist. He is best known for creating the superhero Booster Gold, and for his lengthy runs on the Superman titles Adventures of Superman and Superman , particularly during The Death of Superman storyline...
as inker on Captain America (#38-50), as well as inking a short run on The Avengers (#44-47). He also inked the Dan Jurgens-drawn The Power Company: Manhunter and part of Just Imagine Stan Lee... Secret Files and Origins for DC in March 2002.
2000s
In December 2000, Layton launched Future ComicsFuture Comics
Future Comics is a now-defunct comic book publishing company founded by industry all-rounder Bob Layton, and his creative partners — Layton's mentor, artist/editor Dick Giordano and his frequent writing-partner David Michelinie, CFO Allen Berrebbi — and publisher Skip Farrell.-Pre-Formation:Having...
, with Dick Giordano
Dick Giordano
Richard Joseph "Dick" Giordano was an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes, and serving as executive editor of then–industry leader DC Comics...
, Allen Berrebbi, and David Michelinie
David Michelinie
-Biography:Some of his earliest work is for DC Comics's House of Secrets and a run on Swamp Thing , following Len Wein and preceding Gerry Conway, illustrated by Nestor Redondo. Michelinie did a run on Aquaman in Adventure Comics which led to the revival of the Sea King's own title in 1977...
. Layton acted as editor-in-chief, Berrebbi was CFO and director of marketing, Michelinie was head writer, Giordano was art director, and Skip Farrell was the publisher. Between 2000 and 2002, they prepared to revolutionize the direct market
Direct market
The direct market is the dominant distribution and retail network for North American comic books. It consists of one dominant distributor and the majority of comics specialty stores, as well as other retailers of comic books and related merchandise...
system by bypassing distributors and selling direct to customers and shops through the Internet.
In August, 2002, Freemind #0 was released. Edited and inked by Layton, written by Layton and Michelinie, and with pencils by Giordano, it was followed by another title, Metallix, before the company bowed to pressure and signed with distributor Diamond in an attempt to maximize sales while maintaining their independent approach. Ultimately, after three titles (the third was Deathmask), and seventeen total issues, the company was not making enough money to survive, and it folded, with one announced title — Peacekeeper — unpublished.
Layton's work continues to be collected in multiple trade paperback collections. In 2006, he produced a number of variant covers to issues of Superverse Comics' Zoom Suit
Zoom Suit
Zoom Suit is a series of comic books created and written by John Taddeo, that debuted in April, 2006, a year after the animated short film won its first Best Animation at the Palm Beach Film Festival.-Overview:...
, written by John Taddeo, and in 2007 his work was featured in issues of Marvel's encyclopedic All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update. Layton is currently working for Marvel as a freelance artist and writer on several projects including the miniseries Iron Man: Legacy of Doom and Iron Man: The End.
He continues to enjoy "doing commission work," writing:
He's been quoted as sayins that he "miss[es] telling stories," and to that end has showcased unpublished issues of Future Comics properties on his website, where he also presents his "new, serialized comic" Colony, with art by Giordano, and which "is a project that [Layton has] been developing for [over] 10 years and is currently making the rounds in Hollywood." Other potential film deals for the Future Comics characters are also reportedly semi-ongoing.
Bob recently moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in film and television. In the past, Bob has worked on various projects with Howard Stern, Tracy Torme’ (Star Trek, Sliders, Odyssey 5), Scott Winant (Huff, My So-Called Life, True Blood), John Turman (FF2: Rise of the Sliver Surfer), Patrick Massett and Jon Zinman, (Caprica, Tomb Raider, Deep Blue Sea), Anne Marie Gillen ( Fried Green Tomatoes) David Nutter (Smallville, X-Files, Sarah Conner Chronicles), John Harrison (Dune, Children of Dune, Book of Blood), Matt Maiellaro (Aqua Teen Hunger Force) and George Romero (Night of the Living Dead).
Bob has now turned his attention to developing new properties for motion pictures and television as a screenwriter, including “The Helix” motion picture screenplay (Olmos Productions/Fuzeinc), the screen adaptation of his sci-fi epic, “Colony” (based on Bob's highly-successful web comic series and upcoming graphic novel), a new comedy/horror film, “Shambler“ (Gillen Group) and “Deathmask” (based on the Future Comics series) which are all currently in development.
Selected bibliography
- The ThingThing (comics)The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
(1983-86 series) #23