Ron Frenz Explained

Birth Name:Ronald Wade Frenz
Birth Date:1 February 1960
Birth Place:Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Write:y
Pencil:y
Subcat:American

Ronald Wade Frenz (born February 1, 1960)[1] is an American comics artist known for his work for Marvel Comics. He is well known for his 1980s work on The Amazing Spider-Man, particularly introducing the hero's black costume, and later for his work on Spider-Girl whom he co-created with writer Tom DeFalco. Frenz and DeFalco had earlier co-created the New Warriors in the pages of Thor.

Career

Frenz began working for Marvel Comics in the early 1980s. Frenz's early work includes such titles as Ka-Zar the Savage, Star Wars,[2] The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones, and Marvel Saga.[3] His first credited story for Marvel was published in Ka-Zar the Savage #16 (July 1982).

Frenz has a history of working on comic book series in which the characters were not in their original costumes/identities. Spider-Man wore his black costume, Thor took on a new secret identity and look, and Superman changed costumes and powers while Frenz was the regular artist on their titles.[4]

Frenz became the regular artist on The Amazing Spider-Man in 1984 and the stories he pencilled included "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" in issue #248 (Jan. 1984)[5] [6] and the first appearance of Spider-Man's black costume in issue #252 (May 1984).[7] Among the new characters introduced during his run were the Puma in issue #256 (Sept. 1984)[8] and Silver Sable in #265 (June 1985).[9] Frenz and Tom DeFalco revealed that the "black suit" was an alien creature in issue #258 (Nov. 1984).[10] Frenz drew The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #18 (1984), a story written by Stan Lee, which featured the wedding of Spider-Man supporting characters J. Jonah Jameson and Marla Madison.[11] Frenz had originally been brought onto the series as a short-term substitute for John Romita Jr., but was retained when it became apparent that he meshed well with series writer DeFalco. Frenz recounted:

Jim Owsley, editor of the Spider-Man titles at the time, has noted that "Frenz was passionate about Spider-Man, verging on fanatical."[12] In 1986, Frenz and DeFalco were removed from The Amazing Spider-Man by Owsley. Frenz and DeFalco became the creative team on Thor in 1987 and introduced the Eric Masterson character in Thor #391 (May 1988).[13] Eric Masterson later became the superhero known as Thunderstrike and received his own series by DeFalco and Frenz in 1993.[14]

In 1995, Frenz moved to DC Comics and became the artist on Superman. The following year, he was one of the many creators who contributed to the one-shot wherein the title character married Lois Lane.[15] Superman received a new costume, designed by Frenz himself, and new superpowers in Superman vol. 2 #123 (May 1997).[16] Frenz drew part of the Superman Red/Superman Blue one-shot which launched the storyline of the same name which ran through the various Superman titles.[17]

Frenz returned to Marvel with the Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives limited series, written by Roger Stern, in 1997.[18] DeFalco and Frenz reunited and introduced Spider-Girl in What If ...? vol. 2 #105 (Feb. 1998).[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Miller. John Jackson. John Jackson Miller. Comics Industry Birthdays. Comics Buyer's Guide. June 10, 2005. Iola, Wisconsin. December 12, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110218031356/http://cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays. February 18, 2011. dead.
  2. Web site: Ron Frenz Interview. June 5, 2011. Jedinews.co.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20150927135756/http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=4534. September 27, 2015. dead. mdy-all.
  3. Web site: Ron Frenz. December 28, 2007. Lambiek Comiclopedia. https://web.archive.org/web/20120924061106/http://www.lambiek.net/artists/f/frenz_ron.htm. September 24, 2012. live.
  4. Web site: Drawing From Past to Present, Frenz Reads Comics' Future. Steven. Regina. 2011. Theswervemagazine.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20131226170732/http://www.theswervemagazine.com/Ron_Frenz.html. December 26, 2013. live. December 26, 2013. Archive requires scrolldown.
  5. Web site: The Greatest Roger Stern Stories Ever Told!. Brian. Cronin. May 10, 2010. Comic Book Resources. https://web.archive.org/web/20111026034402/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/05/22/the-greatest-roger-stern-stories-ever-told/. October 26, 2011. live. mdy-all. February 20, 2012. Stern and guest-artist Ron Frenz tell the heartfelt tale of a little boy who might be Spider-Man's biggest fan. Spidey visits the boy and has a nice talk with him (and naturally, there is a twist to the tale)..
  6. Book: Manning, Matthew K.. Gilbert. Laura, ed.. 1980s. Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. Dorling Kindersley. 2012. London, United Kingdom. 138. 978-0-7566-9236-0.
  7. Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 139: "This particular tale was produced by plotter [Roger] Stern, scripter Tom DeFalco, breakdown artist Frenz, and finisher Brett Breeding."
  8. Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 141: "Another new character to spin out of the imagination of writer DeFalco and artist Frenz would debut in this issue when the Puma went on the prowl after Spider-Man."
  9. Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 148: "In a story written by Tom DeFalco and penciled by Ron Frenz, readers met Silver Sable for the first time."
  10. Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 142
  11. Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 143: "[Stan] Lee's script was unmistakable and meshed well with drawings by Frenz and finishes by artists Bob Layton and Jackson Guice. The occasion for Stan's return was the wedding of J. Jonah Jameson to Doctor Marla Madison."
  12. Web site: Oswald: Why I Never Discuss Spider-Man. Christopher J.. Priest. May 2002. DigitalPriest.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20131227104639/http://lamerciepark.com/legacy/comics/spidey.html. December 27, 2013. live. mdy-all. April 14, 2013.
  13. Book: DeFalco, Tom. Tom DeFalco. Gilbert. Laura, ed.. 1980s. Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. Dorling Kindersley. 2008. London, United Kingdom. 237. 978-0-7566-4123-8. Eric Masterson was an architect working on a construction site in this issue by Tom Defalco and Ron Frenz..
  14. Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 264: "Distancing himself from his former identity as Thor, Eric Masterson earned his own ongoing series by Tom Defalco and Ron Frenz in Thunderstrike #1"
  15. Book: Manning, Matthew K.. Dolan. Hannah, ed.. 1990s. DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. 2010. London, United Kingdom. 978-0-7566-6742-9. 275. The behind-the-scenes talent on the monumental issue appropriately spanned several generations of the Man of Tomorrow's career. Written by Dan Jurgens, Karl Kesel, David Michelinie, Louise Simonson, and Roger Stern, the one-shot featured the pencils of John Byrne, Gil Kane, Stuart Immonen, Paul Ryan, Jon Bogdanove, Kieron Dwyer, Tom Grummett, Dick Giordano, Jim Mooney, Curt Swan, Nick Cardy, Al Plastino, Barry Kitson, Ron Frenz, and Dan Jurgens..
  16. Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 279: "In Superman #123 ... Superman debuted his new blue-and-white costume with a little help from scripter Dan Jurgens and penciller Ron Frenz."
  17. Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 283: "The special written by Dan Jurgens, Stuart Immonen, Karl Kesel, and Louise Simonson, with pencils by Stuart Immonen, Ron Frenz, Tom Grummett, Paul Ryan, and Jon Bogdanove."
  18. Cowsill, Alan "1990s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 234: "The mystery of the Hobgoblin's true identity was finally solved in this three issue miniseries by writer Roger Stern and artist Ron Frenz."
  19. Cowsill "1990s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 240: "Written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by Ron Frenz, the story focused on May Parker, Peter

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