Birth Date: Sep 1, 1926 Birthplace: Bronx, NY Wife: Adrienne Influences: Syd Shores, Coulton Waugh, Milton Caniff Favorite movie: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Favorite director: Martin Scorcese

Gene grew up in New York & graduated from George Washington High School (a one-of-a-kind public school majoring in gifted students in the visual arts). Gene also studied at the Art Students League of New York under renowned illustrator Frank Riley and the famous surrealistic, modern Japanese painter Kuniashi. During World War II, a two year ticket with Special Services in the Army Air Corps found Corporal Colan in the Philippines where his artwork brightened the pages of the Manila Times and won him numerous awards.

Back in the States, Gene Colan's official career in comics began in 1944 at Fiction House drawing Wings Comics. Gene then settled down to the task of finding a permanent niche in the comic industry, showing work to both National (DC) and Timely (Marvel) Comics. Stan Lee at Timely Comics was impressed enough to hire Gene for around sixty odd dollars a week. Since that time, Gene has been associated with both companies from 1946 to the present day. In addition, Gene has also freelanced for numerous independent publishers over the years as well.

Gene's work at Marvel included Menace, Mystic, and Journey into Mystery before heading over to DC for a while to do Sea Devils and Hopalong Cassidy. Returning to Marvel Comics in the 60s, Gene worked on Silver Surfer, Iron Man, Sub-Mariner, Captain America and Dr. Strange. Especially notable were his long runs on Tomb of Dracula (with Marv Wolfman) and Daredevil and his incredible collaboration with Steve Gerber on Howard the Duck. In the 80s, Gene did some more work over at DC including Night Force (again with Marv Wolfman) and the notable series Nathaniel Dusk. Nathaniel Dusk is notable as Gene has always enjoyed the detective genre, and it was one of the first times a book went to press with colors done directly over the pencils (no inking involved). Recently, Gene returned to Daredevil for a short stint and did the art for the Curse of Dracula mini-series (with Wolfman) over at Dark Horse. He also did the art chores on graphic novels to accompany the motion pictures Aliens & Predator. Gene is currently (as of 2001) working on an adaptation of the old pulp fiction character "The Spider" which is slated for film in the near future. Gene's also returned to drawing special project Batman stories for DC comics

Gene's also been busy outside the comics genre as well. While spending most of his life in New York City, Gene moved to Vermont a few years ago where he is a member of the Bennington Museum, the Southern Vermont Art Center (Manchester, VT), and a Friend of the Clark Art Institute (Williamstown, MA). He's also enjoyed membership in the Salmagundi Club (New York, Chicago, and Paris). Gene has taught at both the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan and the Fashion Institute of Technology. Gene has enjoyed showings at the prestigious Bess Cutler Gallery in Soho, New York City and Manchester's Elm Street Arts Gallery where he lectured on Comics, Cinema, and Continuity Art.

Gene has made a lasting impression in comics that will last for many years to come. Not only is he closely associated with popular characters like Daredevil, Batman, Captain America, Dracula, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Howard the Duck, Wonder Woman, Sub-Mariner and many others, he's also worked just about every genre comics have ever touched on: Romance, War, Crime/Detective, Western, Sci-Fi, Horror, Humor, and of course Superheroes. Within each of these genres, Gene has gathered a very devoted following. His artwork is original & unique, copied from nowhere but his own fertile imagination. His style is immediately recognizable for its dramatic & sweeping cinematic form, mastery of light and shadow, expression and characterization, and unusual eye-catching layouts. Gene's also responsible for the innovative use of "finished pencils" as artwork. He's the only artist today whose work is often published directly from his pencils.