D'Israeli
Encyclopedia
Matt Brooker, whose work most often appears under the pseudonym
D'Israeli (sometimes D'Israeli D'Emon D'Raughtsman), is a British
comic
artist
, colorist
, writer
and letterer
. Other pseudonyms he uses include "Molly Eyre" (a pun on Molière
), for his writing, and "Harry V. Derci"/"Digital Derci" for his lettering work.
on issues 7 to 12 of Mister X
(volume two). His early work also includes the surreal Timulo, which appeared in Deadline
magazine in 1989. Also in Deadline, he co-created Fatal Charm with Shane Oakley
. In 1991 he co-created the cyberpunk
series Lazarus Churchyard
with Warren Ellis
.
Kingdom of the Wicked
, a graphic novel
about a children's book writer who returns as an adult to the world he imagined as a child, only to find it at war, began a regular partnership with writer Ian Edginton
. The pair have also created Scarlet Traces
, a sequel of sorts to H. G. Wells
's The War of the Worlds
in graphic novel form, and Leviathan
, a steampunk
horror
series which appeared in 2000 AD
, and contributed a two-part storyline to the Batman
event No Man's Land. With Paul Cornell
, he created XTNCT
, a satirical
series involving genetically modified dinosaur
s, for the Judge Dredd Megazine
.
As a writer-artist, he has created Future Shocks
for 2000 AD, and Consequences, a one-off sequel to Timulo. He has drawn Judge Dredd
, worked as a colourist on Miracleman
and 2000 AD, and as an inker
on Neil Gaiman
's Sandman and Grant Morrison
's Kill Your Boyfriend
. Most of his recent work is created directly on computer
using Adobe Illustrator
, with 3D modelling software
used for some complex designs.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
D'Israeli (sometimes D'Israeli D'Emon D'Raughtsman), is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comic
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
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...
, colorist
Colorist
In comics, a colorist is responsible for adding color to black-and-white line art. For most of the 20th century this was done using brushes and dyes which were then used as guides to produce the printing plates...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and letterer
Letterer
A letterer is a member of a team of comic book creators responsible for drawing the comic book's text. The letterer's use of typefaces, calligraphy, letter size, and layout all contribute to the impact of the comic. The letterer crafts the comic's "display lettering": the story title lettering and...
. Other pseudonyms he uses include "Molly Eyre" (a pun on Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
), for his writing, and "Harry V. Derci"/"Digital Derci" for his lettering work.
Biography
In 1988 he worked as the pencillerPenciller
A penciller is an artist who works in the creation of comic books, graphic novels, and similar visual art forms.The penciller is the first step in rendering the story in visual form and may require several steps of feedback with the writer. These artists are concerned with layout to showcase...
on issues 7 to 12 of Mister X
Mister X (Vortex)
Mister X was a series of comic books first published in 1983–90 by Toronto-based Vortex Comics. Created by album and book cover designer Dean Motter, it was developed for a year in close collaboration with comic artist and illustrator Paul Rivoche, whose series of poster illustrations stirred up...
(volume two). His early work also includes the surreal Timulo, which appeared in Deadline
Deadline magazine
Deadline was a British comic magazine published between 1988 and 1995.Created by 2000 AD stalwarts Brett Ewins and Steve Dillon, Deadline featured a mix of comic strips and written articles targeted at older readers...
magazine in 1989. Also in Deadline, he co-created Fatal Charm with Shane Oakley
Shane Oakley
Shane Oakley is a British illustrator and comic book artist from Stoke-on-Trent, England.-Biography:He began his career contributing to the alternative comics review Deadline Magazine in the 1980s . In 1989 Shane worked as the penciller on issues 1 to 6 of Mister X volume two...
. In 1991 he co-created the cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
series Lazarus Churchyard
Lazarus Churchyard
Lazarus Churchyard is a fictional character in a British comics series, created in 1991 by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Matt Brooker under the pseudonym D'Israeli...
with Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
.
Kingdom of the Wicked
Kingdom of the Wicked
Kingdom of the Wicked is a comic book series written by Ian Edginton and illustrated by D'Israeli. It was published as a mini-series in 1996 and collected into a hardcover volume in 2004.-Publication history:...
, a graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
about a children's book writer who returns as an adult to the world he imagined as a child, only to find it at war, began a regular partnership with writer Ian Edginton
Ian Edginton
Ian Edginton is a British comic book writer.He is one of the few British comic talents to follow the reverse trajectory to the one usually taken: becoming successful in American comics before returning to work for 2000 AD.-Biography:...
. The pair have also created Scarlet Traces
Scarlet Traces
Scarlet Traces is a comic story of the Steampunk genre, written by Ian Edginton and illustrated by D'Israeli. It was original published online before being serialised in 2002. A sequel, Scarlet Traces: The Great Game, followed in 2006....
, a sequel of sorts to H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
's The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds is an 1898 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells.The War of the Worlds may also refer to:- Radio broadcasts :* The War of the Worlds , the 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles...
in graphic novel form, and Leviathan
Leviathan (comic)
Leviathan is a horror comic series created by Ian Edginton and D'Israeli and appearing in the British comic 2000 AD starting in 2003.The story is set on a massive ocean liner which has been transported to some sort of parallel world with no land or landmarks...
, a steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
series which appeared in 2000 AD
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
, and contributed a two-part storyline to the Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
event No Man's Land. With Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield....
, he created XTNCT
XTNCT
XTNCT is a comic strip set in the Far Future which involved genetically modified dinosaurs. It was created by Paul Cornell and D'Israeli and published in the Judge Dredd Megazine.-Synopsis:...
, a satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
series involving genetically modified dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s, for the Judge Dredd Megazine
Judge Dredd Megazine
Judge Dredd: The Megazine is a monthly British comic magazine, launched in October 1990. It is a sister publication to 2000 AD. Its name is a play on words, formed from "magazine" and Dredd's locale Mega-City One.-Content:...
.
As a writer-artist, he has created Future Shocks
Future Shocks
Future Shocks is the name given to a long running series of short strips in the weekly comic 2000 AD in 1977. The name originates in a book titled Future Shock, written by Alvin Toffler, published in 1970.-Publishing history:...
for 2000 AD, and Consequences, a one-off sequel to Timulo. He has drawn Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
, worked as a colourist on Miracleman
Miracleman
Marvelman, also known as Miracleman for trademark reasons in his American reprints and story continuation, is a fictional comic book superhero created in 1954 by writer-artist Mick Anglo for publisher L. Miller & Son. Originally intended as a United Kingdom home-grown substitute for the American...
and 2000 AD, and as an inker
Inker
The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book or graphic novel. After a pencilled drawing is given to the inker, the inker uses black ink to produce refined outlines over the pencil lines...
on Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's Sandman and Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's Kill Your Boyfriend
Kill Your Boyfriend
Kill Your Boyfriend is the title of a comic book one-shot written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Philip Bond and D'Israeli for DC Comics Vertigo imprint in June 1995.-Publication history:...
. Most of his recent work is created directly on computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
using Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor developed and marketed by Adobe Systems. Illustrator is similar in scope, intended market, and functionality to its competitors, CorelDraw, Xara Designer Pro and Macromedia FreeHand....
, with 3D modelling software
3D computer graphics software
3D computer graphics software refers to programs used to create 3D computer-generated imagery. This article covers only some of the software used.-Uses:...
used for some complex designs.
Awards
- 20072007 in comics-January:*January 10: Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predator released.*January 24: The Boys is canceled with issue #6.-February:*February 2: Newsarama reports that The Boys has been picked up by Dynamite Entertainment....
:- Won the Favourite Comics Artist: Inks Eagle AwardEagle AwardsThe Eagle Award is a series of awards for comic book titles and creators. They are awarded by UK fan voting for work produced during the previous year. Named after the UK's Eagle comic, the awards were set up by Mike Conroy, Nick Landau, Colin Campbell, Phil Clarke and Richard Burton, and launched...
- Nominated for the Favourite Colourist Eagle AwardEagle AwardsThe Eagle Award is a series of awards for comic book titles and creators. They are awarded by UK fan voting for work produced during the previous year. Named after the UK's Eagle comic, the awards were set up by Mike Conroy, Nick Landau, Colin Campbell, Phil Clarke and Richard Burton, and launched...
- Won the Favourite Comics Artist: Inks Eagle Award
External links
- D'Israeli's website
- D'Israeli's blog
- Sherlock Holmes gallery by D'Israeli
- Biting the Hand That Fed Me, a webcomicWebcomicWebcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
about his family