Mark Badger, from Donald Judd to Batman and everything in between
When Mark Badger started out as a comics artist working for Marvel and DC Comics, his fine arts influences alienated his editors so much they singled him out as the very worst artist in their freelancing roster. Times have changed, though, and Badger’s continued explorations into the duality between comics and modern art makes him the perfect, final guest in the Uncomics series of artist talks!
Mark Badger is a featured artist in the Uncomics anthology, out now!
The galleries below only cover the works discussed in this artist talk. You are strongly encouraged to visit Mark’s website, where you can find links to buy his books as well as blog posts diving into his projects.
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Credits
The Uncomics podcast is edited and produced by Allan Haverholm. Music by Allan Grønvall Pedersen. All content is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license.
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Works discussed
Gargoyle (1985)
Written by Jean-Marc DeMatteis, art by Mark Badger. © 1985 Marvel Comics
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- In the early issues, Badger employs his "Wrightson chops"
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- Continued from previous
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- But soon, expressive abstraction seeps in
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- Continued from previous
Greenberg the vampire (year)
Written by Jean-Marc DeMatteis, art by Mark Badger. © 1985 Marvel Comics
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- Interior art
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- Interior art
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- Interior art
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- Interior art
Kung fu (in the Abstract Comics anthology, 2009)
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- Kung Fu (1980), pg 1
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- Kung Fu (2009), pg 1
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- Kung Fu (1980), pg 2
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- Kung Fu (2009), pg 2
Martian manhunter (1988)
Written by Jean-Marc DeMatteis, art by Mark Badger. © 1988 DC Comics
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- Cover, #1
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- Interior art, #1
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- Cover, #2
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- Interior art, #2
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- Interior art, #2
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- Cover, #3
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- Interior art, #3
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- Interior art, #3
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- Cover, #4
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- Interior art, #4
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- Interior art, #4
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- Interior art, #4
Run Riddler, run (1992)
Written by Gerard Jones, art by Mark Badger. © 1992 DC Comics
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- Cover, #1
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- Interior art, #1
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- Interior art, #2
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- Interior art, #3
Batman: Jazz (1995)
Written by Gerard Jones, art by Mark Badger. © 1995 DC Comics
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- Cover, #1
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- Batman visits a jazz club
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- Batman visits a jazz club
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- The villains of the story, inspired by Picasso
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- Cover, #2
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- "Blue bird"; Charlie Parker by any other name
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- Cover, #3
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- Jazz saves the day!
Abstract Kirby (2013-16)
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- "Abstract Kirby" 1, cover
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- "Abstract Kirby" 1, interior art
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- "Abstract Kirby" 1, interior art
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- "Abstract Kirby" 1, interior art
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- "Abstract Kirby" 2, cover
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- "Abstract Kirby" 2, interior art
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- "Abstract Kirby" 2, interior art
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- "Abstract Kirby" 2, interior art
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- "Abstract Kirby" 3, cover
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- "Abstract Kirby" 3, interior art
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- "Abstract Kirby" 3, interior art
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- "Abstract Kirby" 3, interior art
Life drawing comics (2020–)
Artistic research into a pattern language of comics.
Further reading
- The commissioned work Carabella on the run was Mark Badger’s return to comics after a creative hiatus of ten years.
- Mark Badger reviews Allan Haverholm’s When the last story is told.
- Mark’s blog post on pattern language, with some helpful links down below.
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