Joe Phillips
Encyclopedia
Joe Phillips is an American artist, known for his mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....

 comic book art and for his work depicting his views of gay life. He currently lives in San Diego, California.

Early Years and Comic Work

Phillips was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1969. He attended Northside School of the Arts where he learned skills such as set design and designing costumes. Upon graduation he travelled to Europe where he furthered his artistic skills, taking part in various projects such as guerrilla street art
Street art
Street art is any art developed in public spaces — that is, "in the streets" — though the term usually refers to unsanctioned art, as opposed to government sponsored initiatives...

. Upon his return to the United States, he worked on the comic book title Southern Knights
Southern Knights
Southern Knights was a comic book created by Henry Vogel and published by Guild Comics, then published through its last issue by Comics Interview. It chronicled the adventures of a superhero team based in Atlanta, Georgia...

.

His first major comic book job was working on the comic book"Speed Racer" for seven issues. His first cover art was in August 1989 for "Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle
Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...

" number 7, He continued to work on Miracle until its end in 1991. From then onwards, he produced artwork for titles including "Justice League of America", "Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....

", "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...

", "Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....

", "The Incredible Hulk" and "Lobo". In 1991 he worked under George Pérez
George Pérez
George Pérez is a Puerto Rican-American writer and illustrator of comic books, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.-Biography:...

 as a penciller
Penciller
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 Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....

 for two issues.

Phillips was one of the founding members of Gai-Jin Studios
Gaijin Studios
Gaijin Studios was a group of American comic book artists formed in Atlanta, Georgia. It was one of the longest-running collectives of freelance comic book artists in the United States, having been in continuous operation for nineteen years, from 1991 to 2010...

, a comic book studio whose past members include artists such as Adam Hughes
Adam Hughes
Adam Hughes is an American comic book artist who has worked for companies such as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros...

 and Brian Stelfreeze
Brian Stelfreeze
Brian Stelfreeze is an American comic book artist. Stelfreeze, an accomplished painter, penciller, inker and colorist, has worked for nearly every major American comic book publisher and is one of the original members of Atlanta's Gaijin Studios, a prominent breeding ground for some of comics' most...

. In late 1992 he began work on the revival of "Timber Wolf
Timber Wolf
Timber Wolf, Timberwolf, Timber Wolves or Timberwolves might refer to:-Animals:* Any subspecies of Canis lupus, the Gray wolf, which inhabits forested areas...

" where he worked as both a penciller and as the cover art
Cover art
Cover art is the illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book , magazine, comic book, video game , DVD, CD, videotape, or music album. The art has a primarily commercial function, i.e...

ist, this run lasted for an entire story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...

. In 1996 he created a new comic book character, "The Heretic", of which he was both a writer and artist. The title was released by Dark Horse Comics
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...

. Other later work included "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...

", "Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...

", "Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...

" and "Superboy
Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....

". In 2008 he worked on the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...

 comic book. Phillips has worked for various comic book companies including 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...

, 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...

 and Dark Horse comics.

Gay work

It was while Phillips was working on a Superboy
Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....

 comic entitled "Superboy & Risk: Double Shot" that he first sexualized his artwork and dropped hints about homosexuality. Some readers picked up on this, one such person was art director of XY Magazine, Eriq Chang. Chang quickly offered Phillips a slot in the gay publication drawing a comic strip that would later become known as "Joe Boy". In September 1999 Phillips co- founded Xodus USA, which sold clothing and gay-themed accessories. Online clothing retailer International Male carried Xodus USA's first line of clothing, most of which was designed by Phillips. The Xodus USA partnership was dissolved in August 2000, after which Phillips went on to produce calendars and other printed materials for 10% Productions. It was during this period that Phillips was engaged by Ska Killers, Toasters, USA.

Phillips was approached by the hardcore porn
Hardcore pornography
Hardcore pornography is a form of pornography that features explicit sexual acts. The term was coined in the second half of the 20th century to distinguish it from softcore pornography. It usually takes the form of photographs, often displayed in magazines or on the Internet, or films. It can also...

 website Karas Adult Playground to produce adult animation, his first – Cumquest – was a spoof on the popular sci-fi series Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...

. Another animation job followed for the gay porn website Absolutely Male for which Phillips created the animation The House of Morecock
The House of Morecock
The House of Morecock is a gay pornographic adult cartoon created though computer-generated animation. It was the first ever American made gay adult animation. It was created by Joe Phillips, a comic book artist and freelance illustrator who has created art for companies such as DC Comics, Dark...

, a story about Jonas Morecock, a gay paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...

 investigator. Morecock proved to be very popular and a set of 10 episodes was released on DVD by 10% Productions in 2001. In 2002 Morecock was nominated for a GayVN
GayVN Awards
The GAYVN Awards are presented annually to honor work done in the gay pornography industry. The awards are sponsored by AVN Magazine, the parent publication of GAYVN Magazine, and continue the recognition for gay pornography which was part of the AVN Awards from 1986–1998.The award recipients...

 award in the category "Best Alternative Release"; it subsequently won in its category. A series of comic strip books followed alongside sets of postcard books. TLA Video lists Morecock as one of their all-time bestselling titles.

In 2001 Phillips released "Boys Will Be Boys" - a calendar featuring original gay-themed art. In 2003 a book of the same title was released; it featured the art from the 2002 and 2003 calendars and incorporated some new original pieces. Boys was the first gay-themed comic book that publisher Bruno Gmunder released. Due to its success, in 2007 the book was re-released as an “Extended Edition” containing nearly double the amount of art. The calendar continues to be released annually.

In 2003 Phillips helped launch Xodus Magazine, with former Xodus USA co-founder and current publisher Nicholas Reedy. The magazine was created for the gay community and featured covers, a cartoon series and spot illustration by Phillips as well as a wrap up column at the end of each issue. The magazine featured an advice column
Advice column
An advice column is a column in a magazine or newspaper written by an advice columnist . The image presented was originally of an older woman providing comforting advice and maternal wisdom, hence the name "aunt"...

 from Mothers of gay people. After three years of successful distribution, the magazine ended publication after a long legal battle eventually drained the magazines recourses. Other clients who commissioned Phillips for gay work include ID Lube
ID Lubricants
ID Lubricants is a brand of personal lubricants by Westridge Laboratories, Inc. The company, located in Orange County, California, USA, started producing personal lubricants in 1993.-Products:...

, Elbow Grease, Inside Pride, Jocko Underwear, Odyssey Magazine, Gloss Magazine, Gay and Lesbian Times San Diego
Gay and Lesbian Times
Gay and Lesbian Times was a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender newspaper in the San Diego, California area. The Times was a member of the National Gay Newspaper Guild....

, Freshmen
Freshmen (magazine)
Freshmen is an American pornographic magazine published monthly by Specialty Publications, a division of LPI Media, and founded in 1991. The magazine is geared toward gay men, and features nude photos of men, 18–25 years old. Freshmen has featured young college-aged males since its inception in 1992...

, All Boy, Cyber Socket, and Prism Comics
Prism Comics
Prism Comics is a non-profit organization that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender creators, stories, characters, and readers in the comics industry....

 plus singers Ari Gold, Justus Boys, Alan Gnuo and Levi Kreis
Levi Kreis
Levi Kreis is an American recording artist and actor from Oliver Springs, Tennessee.-Music career:His debut album was released on November 17, 2005, accompanied by an appearance on a special XM radio edition of NBC's The Apprentice. Four hopefuls were chosen from thousands of submissions...

. He also created the art for the comic book character "Rage", which featured in the second season of the Showtime series Queer as Folk
Queer as Folk (US TV series)
Queer as Folk is an American and Canadian television series co-production, produced by Showtime and Temple Street Productions, which was based on the British series of the same name, created by Russell T Davies...

.
In 2004 he was the Artist Guest of Honor at Gaylaxicon
Gaylaxicon
Gaylaxicon is an annual science fiction, fantasy and horror convention that focuses on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender topics. It takes place in various locations in the United States and occasionally Canada, often on the east coast....

, the annual national LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...

 science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

, 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...

, comics
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...

 and gaming
Gaming
Gaming is the act of playing a game.Gaming may also refer to:* A synonym for Gambling; playing games of chance for money.* Playing a role-playing game, in which players assume fictional roles....

 convention.

In 2006 with Adult Visual Animation
Adult Visual Animation
Adult Visual Animation is an adult animation film studio that was founded by Joe Phillips, his brother Lex Wolfcraft, and close friend Ron McFee in 2001. The studio has created two DVD films, The House of Morecock and Stonewall & Riot: The Ultimate Orgasm . AVA also created the flash animation...

, Phillips released his second adult-themed animated movie entitled Stonewall & Riot: The Ultimate Orgasm
Stonewall & Riot: The Ultimate Orgasm
Stonewall & Riot: The Ultimate Orgasm is an unrated superhero-pornographic 3D animated film created by Joe Phillips, which was released in 2006. It was nominated for a GayVN Award...

. The movie was a cross-over of the two genres Phillips was known for - Superheroes and work for the gay community. The movie was created entirely in 3D graphics
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...

. As with his previous movie, "Stonewall & Riot" was nominated for a GayVN award.

Other Work and Recently

Phillips worked for Bud Light, for which he created unique art for a nationwide 12 month ad campaign featuring his signature "Joe Boys". He also created the artwork for the front cover of multiple "Masterbeat" compilation CD's by DJ Brett Hendricson. He was one of four finalists for a MySpace competition in which Dashboard Confessional
Dashboard Confessional
Dashboard Confessional is an American rock band from Boca Raton, Florida, led by singer-songwriter Chris Carrabba. The name of the band is derived from the song "The Sharp Hint of New Tears" from the debut album The Swiss Army Romance....

 searched for their next music video and he was also a finalist in a nationwide advertising campaign by Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...

. A music video for singer Ari Gold which he directed and animated won LOGOs
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...

 "Music Video of The Year 2007". In late 2008 his comic book creation The Heretic was re-released in 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...

 format. He has also worked with gay porn producer Chi Chi LaRue
Chi Chi LaRue
Larry David Paciotti is an American film director of gay, bisexual and straight pornography. He is best known in his drag persona as Chi Chi LaRue and has also directed under the names Lawrence David and Taylor Hudson.- Career :...

 to create promotional art for Channel 1 Releasing. Current projects underway include a sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...

 to "The House of Morecock", a music video for Levi Kreis
Levi Kreis
Levi Kreis is an American recording artist and actor from Oliver Springs, Tennessee.-Music career:His debut album was released on November 17, 2005, accompanied by an appearance on a special XM radio edition of NBC's The Apprentice. Four hopefuls were chosen from thousands of submissions...

 and several new books, including comics for Dark Horse and TokyoPop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...

. In June 2009 Phillips won a Nicky award for "Outstanding Community Artist".

Movies

  • The House of Morecock 2: Morecock (TBA 2011)
  • Stonewall & Riot: The Ultimate Orgasm
    Stonewall & Riot: The Ultimate Orgasm
    Stonewall & Riot: The Ultimate Orgasm is an unrated superhero-pornographic 3D animated film created by Joe Phillips, which was released in 2006. It was nominated for a GayVN Award...

    (October 2006)
  • The House of Morecock
    The House of Morecock
    The House of Morecock is a gay pornographic adult cartoon created though computer-generated animation. It was the first ever American made gay adult animation. It was created by Joe Phillips, a comic book artist and freelance illustrator who has created art for companies such as DC Comics, Dark...

    (September 2001)

Books

  • The Heretic" Artist \writer Joe Phillips Reprinted graphic novel IDW. 2008

Untitled New Joe Phillips Book
(No release date confirmed)
  • Joe Boy University (JBU) (project abandoned)
  • Boys Will Be Boys – Extended Edition (April 2007)
  • Chasing Adonis: Gay Men And the Pursuit of Perfection (Illustration Only) (January 2007)
  • Cali Boys (April 2006)
  • Ari Gold (Illustrations only) (October 2005)
  • Tales From The House Of Morecock, Vol 2 (September 2005)
  • The House Of Morecock (Postcard Book) (August 2005)
  • Tales From The House Of Morecock (June 2005)
  • The Joy Of Gay Sex (Illustrations Only) (May 2004)
  • For The Boys (Postcard Book) (April 2004)
  • For The Boys (April 2004)
  • The Adventures Of A Joe Boy! Volume One (March 2004)
  • Reeling in the Years: Gay Men's Perspectives on Age and Ageism (Illustrations only) (January 2004)
  • Boys Will Be Boys (Postcard Book) (March 2003)
  • Boys Will Be Boys (March 2003)
  • Sissyphobia: Gay Men and Effeminate Behaviour (Illustrations Only) (June 2001)

Notable Comic Book Work

  • Doctor Who
    Doctor Who
    Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...

    #1-#2 (January 2008 - February 2008) (penciller)
  • Midnighter
    Midnighter
    Midnighter is a fictional comic book superhero, best known as a member of the rogue superhero team The Authority. Created by writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch, he first appeared in Stormwatch #4, before appearing in various Authority books and series and his own eponymous ongoing series...

    #3 (March 2007) (penciller)
  • 10th Muse #13 (September 2006) (cover artist)
  • Prism Comics: Your LGBT Guide To Comics
    Prism Comics
    Prism Comics is a non-profit organization that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender creators, stories, characters, and readers in the comics industry....

    #3 (2005) (cover artist)
  • Thundercats: Reclaiming Thundera #5 (February 2003) (penciller & inker)
  • Body Doubles
    Body Doubles
    The Body Doubles are fictional characters, DC Comics villains created by Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett, and Jackson Guice. They first appeared in Resurrection Man #1...

    #4 (January 2000) (cover artist & penciller)
  • Jokers Wild #1 (September 1998) (cover Artist & penciller)
  • Superboy & Risk: Double Shot #1 (February 1998) (cover Artist & penciller)
  • The Heretic #1 - #4 (November 1996 - March 1997) (writer, cover artist & penciller)
  • Silver Surfer
    Silver Surfer
    The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....

    #97 - #100 (October 1994 - January 1995) (cover artist)
  • Aliens: Colonial Marines
    Aliens: Colonial Marines
    Aliens: Colonial Marines is an upcoming video game in development by Gearbox Software and is to be published by Sega for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, Wii U and Xbox 360...

    #4-#6, #8-#10 (April 1993 - July 1994) (cover artist)
  • Timber Wolf
    Timber Wolf
    Timber Wolf, Timberwolf, Timber Wolves or Timberwolves might refer to:-Animals:* Any subspecies of Canis lupus, the Gray wolf, which inhabits forested areas...

    #1 - #5 (November 1992 - February 1993) (cover artist & penciller)
  • Wonder Woman
    Wonder Woman
    Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....

    #56, #60 (July 1991, November 1991) (penciller)
  • Mister Miracle
    Mister Miracle
    Mister Miracle is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...

    #7 - #28 (August 1989 - July 1991) (cover artist & penciller)
  • Speed Racer #12 - #19 (August 1988 - April 1989) (penciller)

Calendars

  • Boys Will Be Boys 2009 (September 2008)
  • Boys Will Be Boys 2008 (September 2007)
  • Zodiac Calendar 2008 (September 2007)
  • Boys Will Be Boys 2007 (September 2006)
  • Boys Will Be Boys 2006 (September 2005)
  • For The Boys 2006 (September 2005)
  • Boys Will Be Boys 2005 (September 2004)
  • For The Boys 2005 (September 2004)
  • Boys Will Be Boys 2004 (September 2003)
  • Boys Will Be Boys 2003 (September 2002)
  • Girls Will Be Girls 2002 (September 2001)
  • Boys Will Be Boys 2002 (September 2001)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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