{{Short description|American comics artist (1960–2023)|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Distinguish|text=the "Crocodile Hunter", Steve Irwin}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox comics creator
| image = | imagesize = | caption = | birth_name = Stephen Erwin | birth_date = {{birth date|1960|01|16}} | birth_place = Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.<ref name="Hall" /> | death_date = {{death date and age|2023|10|25|1960|01|16}} | death_place = | area = Penciller | signature = | notable works = ''Deathstroke the Terminator''<br/>''Checkmate!''<br/>''Batman Returns'' movie adaptation | awards = }}
'''Stephen Erwin''' (January 16, 1960 – October 25, 2023) was an American comics artist best known as the co-creator of ''Checkmate!'' and ''Gunfire'' for DC Comics.
==Biography== Steve Erwin was born on January 16, 1960.<ref>{{cite web|authorlink=John Jackson Miller|last=Miller|first=John Jackson|url=http://cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays|title=Comics Industry Birthdays|work=Comics Buyer's Guide|date=June 10, 2005|location=Iola, Wisconsin|access-date=December 12, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218031356/http://cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays|archive-date=February 18, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> He studied commercial art at Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee.<ref name="Hall" /> He credited Neal Adams' Batman stories and Gene Colan's and Tom Palmer's work on ''Daredevil'' as having "won my heart in junior high to aspiring (dreaming) to be a comic book artist."<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.dcinthe80s.com/2016/11/reggie-francia-interviews-steve-erwin.html|title= Reggie Francia interviews Steve Erwin|first= Reggie|last= Francia|date= November 27, 2016|publisher= DC in the 80s|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171204093731/http://www.dcinthe80s.com/2016/11/reggie-francia-interviews-steve-erwin.html|archive-date= December 4, 2017|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref> Erwin's first published comic book work appeared in ''Grimjack'' #18 (January 1986),<ref name="GCD">{{gcdb|type=credit|search= Steve+Erwin|title= Steve Erwin}}</ref> published by First Comics. During the 1980s and 1990s, he worked primarily for DC Comics, his first story for that publisher appearing in ''The Vigilante'' #48 (December 1987).<ref name="GCD" /> After that title's cancellation, Erwin co-created the title ''Checkmate!'' with writer Paul Kupperberg.<ref>{{cite book|last=Manning|first= Matthew K.|editor-last= Dolan|editor-first= Hannah|chapter= 1980s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 235 |quote = The clandestine government operation Checkmate began its monthly adventures in April [1988] in its self-titled ongoing series by writer Paul Kupperberg and artist Steve Erwin.}}</ref> In August 1991, Erwin and Marv Wolfman launched the ''Deathstroke the Terminator'' title,<ref>Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 250: "Slade Wilson began his impressive sixty-issue run with the help of writer Marv Wolfman and artist Steve Erwin."</ref> a series that Erwin would draw from 1991 to 1994.<ref name="GCD" /> The Gunfire character was created by Len Wein and Erwin in ''Deathstroke the Terminator Annual'' #3 (October 1993).<ref>{{cite book|last= Jimenez|first= Phil|author-link= Phil Jimenez|contribution= Gunfire|editor-last= Dougall|editor-first= Alastair|title= The DC Comics Encyclopedia|pages= 151|publisher= Dorling Kindersley|year= 2008|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-4119-1}}</ref> Erwin drew the comics adaptation of ''Batman Returns'' as well as ''Star Trek: The Next Generation Shadowheart'', the graphic novel adaptation of ''The Ashes of Eden'', and the ''Mike Danger'' series published by Tekno Comix.<ref name="GCD" />
In 2007, Erwin was inducted into the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, located in the Toy and Action Figure Museum.<ref name="Hall">{{cite web|url= http://www.actionfiguremuseum.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Steve-Erwin-bio.pdf|title= Steve Erwin Cartoonist, Tulsa|year= 2007|publisher= Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110213171401/http://www.actionfiguremuseum.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Steve-Erwin-bio.pdf|archive-date= February 13, 2011|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all|access-date= March 29, 2012}}</ref>
Erwin died on October 25, 2023, at the age of 63.<ref>{{cite news|date= October 27, 2023 |title= Steve Erwin, Deathstroke the Terminator Artist and Checkmate Co-Creator, Passes Away at 63|first=Brian |last= Cronin|publisher=CBR.com|url=https://www.cbr.com/steve-erwin-deathstroke-the-terminator-checkmate-obituary/|archiveurl= https://archive.today/20250715020326/https://www.cbr.com/steve-erwin-deathstroke-the-terminator-checkmate-obituary/|archivedate= July 15, 2025|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref>
==Bibliography== ===DC Comics=== {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''Batman Returns: The Official Comic Adaptation of the Warner Bros. Motion Picture'' #1 (1992) * ''Checkmate!'' #1–8, 11–13, 15, 17–25, 30 (1988–1990) * ''Deathstroke the Terminator'' #1–9, 13, 17–21, 26–27, 29–34, ''Annual'' #2 (1991–1994) * ''Gunfire'' #1–5 (1994) * ''Hawk and Dove'' vol. 3 #21–22 (1991) * ''New Gods'' vol. 3 #23–25 (1991) * ''The New Titans'' #68–70 (1990) * ''Showcase '96'' #5 (1996) * ''Star Trek'' #79, ''Special'' #3 (1995–1996) * ''Star Trek: The Next Generation Shadowheart'' #1–4 (1994–1995) * ''Star Trek: The Next Generation Special'' #2 (1994) * ''Superboy'' vol. 3 #23 (1996) * ''Superman: The Man of Steel'' #38 (1994) * ''Titans Sell-Out Special'' #1 (1993) * ''Vigilante'' #48–50 (1987–1988) * ''Who's Who in the DC Universe'' #6–7 (1991) * ''Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe'' #16 (1986) * ''Who's Who Update '88'' #1, 4 (1988) {{div col end}}
===First Comics=== * ''Grimjack'' #18–20 (1986) * ''Shatter'' #3–7 (1986–1987)
===Malibu Comics=== * ''The Ferret'' #5–6 (1993) * ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Worf Special'' #0 (1995) * ''Ultraforce'' #7 (1995)
===Marvel Comics=== * ''ID4: Independence Day'' #0, 2 (1996) * ''Star Trek: Operation Assimilation'' #1 (1997)
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{comicbookdb|type=creator|id= 1030|title= Steve Erwin}} * [http://lambiek.net/artists/e/erwin_steve.htm Steve Erwin] at the Lambiek Comiclopedia * [https://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/creator.php?creatorid=1397 Steve Erwin] at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
{{S-start}} {{Succession box | title = ''Shatter'' artist | before = Mike Saenz | after = Paul Abrams | years = 1986–1987 }} {{Succession box | title = ''Deathstroke, the Terminator'' artist | before = n/a | after = Lauchland Pelle | years = 1991–1994 }} {{Succession box | title = ''Gunfire'' artist | before = n/a | after = Ed Benes | years = 1994 }} {{end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Erwin, Steve}} Category:1960 births Category:2023 deaths Category:20th-century American artists Category:21st-century American artists Category:American comics artists Category:Artists from Tulsa, Oklahoma Category:DC Comics people Category:Marvel Comics people Category:Oklahoma State University alumni