{{Short description|American comic book creator}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Infobox comics creator | image = | caption = | birth_name = Kenneth Landgraf | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1950}} | birth_place = Sheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S. | bodyclass = | area = | cartoonist = y | write = y | pencil = y | ink = y | publish = y | alias = }}
'''Ken Landgraf''' (born 1950) is an American comic book artist, storyboard illustrator, and commercial artist. He is particularly known for illustrating "At the Sign of the Lion", widely regarded as the first published solo Wolverine story.
==Early life and education== Kenneth Landgraf was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.{{Citation needed | date = February 2016}} He admired the work of comic book artists like Reed Crandall, Russ Heath, Sam Glanzman, Jim Steranko, and Wally Wood, among others. Landgraf described his early interest in comics: {{cquote|"When I was a kid, I purchased a ditto machine, a Spirit Duplicator, and started printing my own comics like ''Crimestopper Monthly'' and ''Vampire Kiss''—sold them through ''Rocket's Blast'', a fanzine. Steve Ditko, the Spider-Man artist, even drew a cover for me. I had two fan letters published in ''Spider-Man'' #11 and ''Adventure Comics''. I'd write letters to artists. Ditko and [[Joe Kubert|[Joe] Kubert]] wrote back to encourage me."<ref name="joeschmidtwrites">{{cite web|last=Schmidt|first=Joseph|title=I Want My Comic Books Back!|url=https://joeschmidtwrites.blogspot.com/2012/12/i-want-my-comic-books-back.html}}</ref>}}
Landgraf attended Holy Name Catholic School and later graduated from North Sheboygan High School.{{Citation needed | date = February 2016}} As a young man he served in the Navy in Vietnam,<ref name="lambiek">{{cite web |title=Comic creator: Ken Landgraf |url=http://www.lambiek.net/artists/l/landgraf_ken.htm |website=Lambiek Comiclopedia |date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> and upon returning from the war, joined the Navy Reserve.{{Citation needed | date = February 2016}} Landgraf settled in New York as a student attending the School of Visual Arts on the G.I. Bill.<ref>{{cite web| title=Treasurycomics.com Interview with Ken Landgraf|url= http://www.treasurycomics.com/gallery/popups/interviews.htm#landgraf}}</ref> At this time he produced his first commercial artwork for various pulp magazines. {{Citation needed | date = February 2016}} Determined to become a professional comic book artist, he studied with Will Eisner and Harvey Kurtzman.{{Citation needed | date = February 2016}} Landgraf worked as an assistant to comic book artists Howard Nostrand, Gil Kane, and Rich Buckler.
Landgraf took his early samples to DC Comics and Marvel Comics. He said: {{cquote|"I went up to Marvel around lunchtime and spotted Stan Lee coming out of Marvel’s building. I introduced myself and told him I just got out of the service and asked if I could show him my portfolio. He said he was going to lunch but that I could go up to Marvel and say that Stan said I could show my work to John Romita, the art director. I was able to go in right away to see him."<ref name="joeschmidtwrites" />}}
==Comics== Landgraf's artwork appeared in DC Comics publications from 1977 to 1981, including ''The Witching Hour'' #85; ''Ghosts'' #68, #71–76, #82, #91, and #101; ''Weird War Tales'' #89; and ''The Unexpected'' #202 and #216. He penciled "Adventures of Nightwing and Flamebird" stories<ref>{{cite book|title=Superman: Adventures of Flamebird & Nightwing|isbn=978-1401225254|last1=Siegel|first1=Jerry|last2=Shuster|first2=Joe|year=2009}}</ref> in ''The Superman Family'' #184–193 and illustrated Hawkman stories in ''World's Finest Comics'' #262, #264–266.<ref>{{cite web |title=Romitaman: World's Finest |url=http://www.romitaman.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=11247&ArtistId=1315&Details=0&From=Room |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411180034/http://www.romitaman.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=11247&ArtistId=1315&Details=0&From=Room |archive-date=2013-04-11}}</ref>
He worked for Marvel Comics as part of Tony DeZuniga’s “Tribe” studio, inking various projects from 1977–1979.<ref>[http://bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=TRIBE%2C+THE The Tribe], ''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Retrieved June 16, 2021.</ref>
=== Contribution to ''At the Sign of the Lion'' (1979) === Landgraf is widely recognized for illustrating the Wolverine story "At the Sign of the Lion," first published in ''Marvel Comic'' #335 (UK) in March 1979. The story—written by Jo Duffy and inked by George Pérez—is regarded by historians, collectors, and multiple pricing authorities as the first solo Wolverine story, predating ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #133 (1980) and the 1982 ''Wolverine'' limited series.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cronin |first=Brian |title=What Was Wolverine’s First Solo Story? |url=https://www.cbr.com/marvel-xmen-what-was-wolverine-first-solo-story/ |website=CBR |date=April 1, 2025 |access-date=December 6, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Marvel Comic #335 (1979) |url=https://covrprice.com/issue/marvel-comic-335/ |website=CovrPrice |access-date=December 6, 2025}}</ref>
In a 2019 interview with ''The Comics Journal'', Landgraf stated that illustrating Wolverine’s first solo story is one of the accomplishments for which he most hopes to be remembered, reflecting the personal significance he places on the work.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bayer |first=Josh |title="Wood Told Me If You Can't Do It Good, Do A Lot of It": A Conversation With Ken Landgraf |url=https://www.tcj.com/if-you-cant-do-it-good-do-a-lot-of-it-a-conversation-with-ken-landgraf/ |website=The Comics Journal |date=November 12, 2019 |access-date=December 6, 2025}}</ref>
The story was later reprinted in ''Marvel Treasury Edition'' #26 (1980) and has been included in numerous Wolverine and X-Men collections, further cementing its place in the character’s publication history.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marvel Comic #335 |url=https://gocollect.com/comic/marvel-comic-335 |website=GoCollect |access-date=December 6, 2025}}</ref>
=== Additional work === Landgraf self-published ''Rock Comics'' #1 (1979) through his company Landgraphics Publications. He also created the science fiction series ''Starfighters'', which ran for five issues.{{Citation needed | date = February 2016}}
He illustrated comics for heavy metal bands Vikon and Thor Rock Warrior, provided work for Revolutionary Comics’ Pink Floyd series, and inked John Jacobs on ''Dr. Peculiar'' comics.<ref>{{cite web |website=BettyPaginated |title=Review: Doctor Peculiar #1 |url=https://bettypaginated.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-doctor-peculiar-1.html |date=April 7, 2010}}</ref>
The artwork for https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_to_England from https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manowar was done by Landgraf.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ken Landgraf |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2281422-Ken-Landgraf |access-date=2026-03-30 |website=Discogs |language=en}}</ref>
He also produced fetish comics under the pseudonym "Dancer" for legendary underground artist Eric Stanton.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Best of Dancer trade edition |url=http://www.blurb.com/b/2668511-the-best-of-dancer-trade-edition |website=Blurb |date=November 17, 2011 |access-date=June 16, 2021}}</ref>
==Other work== Landgraf created storyboard and onscreen art for television productions including ''Law & Order'', MTV, ''The Cosby Mysteries'', HBO, Showtime, and Lifetime Network, as well as animated series such as ''The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers'' and ''Avenue Amy''.<ref name="lambiek" /> {{Citation needed | date = February 2016}} He painted a large mural at the New York Film Academy. {{Citation needed | date = February 2016}}
He also produced color illustrations for Harris Publications titles including ''Tactical Knives'', ''Combat Handguns'', and ''White Tail Deer Hunter''. {{Citation needed | date = February 2016}}
In the 1980s, Landgraf taught comic book drawing and anatomy at the Parsons School of Design.<ref>{{cite web |title=Isabel Kreitz |url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/k/kreitz_isabel.htm |website=Lambiek Comiclopedia |access-date=June 16, 2021 |date=July 3, 2009}}</ref>
Landgraf has been referenced in ''Can Rock & Roll Save the World?: An Illustrated History of Music and Comics'' by Ian Shirley; ''The Weird World of Eerie Publications'' by Mike Howlett; and ''Bad Mags'' by Tom Brinkmann.{{Citation needed | date = February 2016}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Landgraf, Ken}} Category:1950 births Category:American comics artists Category:Living people Category:School of Visual Arts alumni