Sterling Gates
Encyclopedia
Sterling Gates is an American
comic book writer currently working for DC Comics
.
, and remembered that, "We had a garage full of comics for as long as I could remember and I would sit and read them for hours, then sneak them under the covers and read them in bed." When he started college, he also worked part-time in a local comic shop.
Gates attended the University of Oklahoma
and earned a degree in Fine Arts with a specialization in film and television production. His professors used to get annoyed due to his desire to relate all of his schoolwork to comics in some way, shape, or form. His capstone thesis was about sequential art theory and relating time theory in comics to training in film and television. He went on to say that he, "must've referenced Scott McCloud
's Understanding Comics
a hundred times in that paper!" After moving out to Los Angeles, California
to "do something with his life," he and a friend attended WonderCon
in San Francisco
where he met writer Geoff Johns
.
When Gates' friend, who was a rabid Johns fan, was not making the best first impression, Gates paid for Johns' and Wacker's meal as an apology. Gates hoped the meal would make up for his friend's behavior and after the generous act, Johns asked Gates directly, "Do you want a job?" Gates then interviewed with the writing staff for Blade: The Series
on Johns' recommendation and was hired. After the series' cancellation, Gates discussed his history of writing comics with Johns, which was previously unbeknownst to him. Johns asked to read Gates' early comics work. Johns was impressed, and after Gates submitted outlines to Johns inspired by the Sinestro Corps War
, Gates was interviewed by editor Eddie Berganza
and was hired by DC Comics
.
Gates told a back-up story about Sinestro Corps
member Kryb with artist Jerry Ordway
in Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman Prime. He went on to write a two-part story about Alpha Lantern Boodikka
in Green Lantern Corps #21-22. He then took over full writing duties of the current Supergirl
title featuring Kara Zor-El
, starting with issue #34, in October 2008. Gates' involvement in that title places him as a writer for the Superman: New Krypton
story arc.
Other projects include the "Prometheus
" Faces of Evil
one-shot with artist Federico Dallocchio.
Gates is the co writer of the "War of the Supermen" storyline alongside Superman
writer James Robinson.
, where he is good friends with fellow writers and collaborators James Robinson
and Geoff Johns
.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
comic book writer currently working 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...
.
Early life
Sterling Gates was a comic fan from a young age. His father owned a comic book store in Tulsa, OklahomaTulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, and remembered that, "We had a garage full of comics for as long as I could remember and I would sit and read them for hours, then sneak them under the covers and read them in bed." When he started college, he also worked part-time in a local comic shop.
Gates attended the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
and earned a degree in Fine Arts with a specialization in film and television production. His professors used to get annoyed due to his desire to relate all of his schoolwork to comics in some way, shape, or form. His capstone thesis was about sequential art theory and relating time theory in comics to training in film and television. He went on to say that he, "must've referenced Scott McCloud
Scott McCloud
Scott McCloud is an American cartoonist and theorist on comics as a distinct literary and artistic medium...
's Understanding Comics
Understanding Comics
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art is a 215-page non-fiction comic book, written and drawn by Scott McCloud and originally published in 1993. It explores the definition of comics, the historical development of the medium, its fundamental vocabulary, and various ways in which these elements...
a hundred times in that paper!" After moving out to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to "do something with his life," he and a friend attended WonderCon
WonderCon
WonderCon is an annual comic book, science fiction, and motion picture convention, held in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1987.The convention was conceived by retailer John Barrett and originally held in the Oakland Convention Center, where it remained until 2003, when it moved to San...
in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
where he met writer Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
.
Career
One night in San Francisco, Gates and a friend went out to dinner and then to a bar. Afterwards, upon returning to their hotel, Gates and his friend spotted Johns and editor Steve Wacker in the lobby. After going to a nearby diner, Johns and Wacker had arrived there as well. After striking up a conversation, Gates, "...told them about how I just moved to L.A., and it turned out that Geoff and I shopped at the same comics shop, DJ's Universal, so we talked about that. We said our 'good-byes' and our 'nice-to-meet-you's' and then the host sat them, and then came back and sat us at the table literally right next to theirs. A table maybe five inches from their table. And we kind of all looked at each other and I thought, 'Can this get more awkward? I doubt it.'"When Gates' friend, who was a rabid Johns fan, was not making the best first impression, Gates paid for Johns' and Wacker's meal as an apology. Gates hoped the meal would make up for his friend's behavior and after the generous act, Johns asked Gates directly, "Do you want a job?" Gates then interviewed with the writing staff for Blade: The Series
Blade: The Series
Blade: The Series is a 2006 American live-action television program based on the Marvel Comics character and film series. It premiered on Spike on June 28, 2006...
on Johns' recommendation and was hired. After the series' cancellation, Gates discussed his history of writing comics with Johns, which was previously unbeknownst to him. Johns asked to read Gates' early comics work. Johns was impressed, and after Gates submitted outlines to Johns inspired by the Sinestro Corps War
Sinestro Corps War
"Sinestro Corps War" is an American comic book crossover event published by DC Comics in its Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps titles. Written by Geoff Johns and Dave Gibbons and drawn by Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason, and Ethan Van Sciver, the 11-part saga was originally published between June...
, Gates was interviewed by editor Eddie Berganza
Eddie Berganza
Eddie Berganza is the Executive Editor for DC Comics.Berganza was born in Guatemala and moved to New York City at seven years old. He learned to speak English by watching reruns of the Adventures of Superman television series starring George Reeves, often shouting 'Look, up in the sky!' without...
and was hired by 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...
.
Gates told a back-up story about Sinestro Corps
Sinestro Corps
The Sinestro Corps is a group of fictional characters, a villainous analogue to the Green Lantern Corps in the DC Universe. It is led by the supervillain Thaal Sinestro.-Before the Corps:...
member Kryb with artist Jerry Ordway
Jerry Ordway
Jeremiah "Jerry" Ordway is an American writer, penciller, inker and painter of comic books.He is known for his inking work on a wide variety of DC Comics titles, including the continuity-redefining classic Crisis on Infinite Earths , his long run working on the Superman titles from 1986–1993, and...
in Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman Prime. He went on to write a two-part story about Alpha Lantern Boodikka
Boodikka
Boodikka is a fictional character featured in comic books published by DC Comics. Boodikka is a tall, well-muscled humanoid alien female with pink skin and reddish black hair...
in Green Lantern Corps #21-22. He then took over full writing duties of the current Supergirl
Supergirl (comic book)
Supergirl is the name of six comic book series published by DC Comics, featuring various characters of the same name. The majority of the titles feature Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El.-Volume 1 :...
title featuring Kara Zor-El
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created...
, starting with issue #34, in October 2008. Gates' involvement in that title places him as a writer for the Superman: New Krypton
Superman: New Krypton
"New Krypton" is a Superman story arc written by Geoff Johns, James Robinson, and Sterling Gates with art by Gary Frank, Alex Ross, Renato Guedes, Jamal Igle and Pete Woods and published by DC Comics...
story arc.
Other projects include the "Prometheus
Prometheus (comics)
Prometheus is the name of three fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.The first Prometheus debuted in New Teen Titans vol. 2, #24 and was created by Marv Wolfman and Eduardo Barreto . The second version debuted in New Year's Evil: Prometheus Prometheus is the name...
" Faces of Evil
Faces of Evil
"Faces of Evil" is a DC Comics "event" in January 2009, that editor Dan DiDio described as "inspirationally tied to Final Crisis" as they aim to address the question the series raises: "What happens when evil wins?" Numerous monthly books will have villains displayed on their covers while four...
one-shot with artist Federico Dallocchio.
Gates is the co writer of the "War of the Supermen" storyline alongside Superman
Superman (comic book)
Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
writer James Robinson.
Personal life
Gates lives in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where he is good friends with fellow writers and collaborators James Robinson
James Dale Robinson
James Dale Robinson is a British writer of comic books and screenplays who is also known for his interest in vintage collectibles and memorabilia. His style is described as smart and energetic, built upon his vast knowledge of obscure continuity from the period known to fans and historians as the...
and Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
.
External links
- Animating Forces, Tulsa WorldTulsa WorldTulsa World is the daily newspaper for the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the primary newspaper for the northeastern and eastern portions of Oklahoma, and is the second-most widely circulated newspaper in the state, after The Oklahoman. It was founded in 1905 and remains an independent newspaper,...
, September 18, 2009