CREATOR PROFILE: JIM STERANKO
James F. Steranko burst onto the comic scene in 1966 in the pages of Harvey Comics' SPYMAN series. The funny-animal publisher was trying to cash in on the superhero craze of the 1960s, and Steranko was tasked with creating a new line for them. Around the same time, he reached out to Stan Lee at Marvel Comics. Initially, Lee was too busy to see him and tried to brush him off via Sol Brodsky. However, when Brodsky saw Steranko's work, he immediately recognized its potential. As a result, Steranko left Marvel’s offices with his first assignment: Strange Tales #151, working over Jack Kirby’s layouts.
Steranko transitioned to comics from the lucrative advertising field, where he felt creatively unfulfilled. He had also performed magic on stage, was a member of several magician guilds, and eventually worked as an escape artist. Meanwhile, he formed a band called The Lancers and performed in numerous venues before committing to comics full-time.
It was in the pages of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. that Steranko’s work truly took off—setting the industry on fire and proving that the Kirby house style could evolve into something even more artistic. He introduced elements from the burgeoning pop art movement, which was gaining prominence in New York art circles and galleries worldwide. Incorporating influences from Salvador Dalí, psychedelia, and experimental film techniques, Steranko helped elevate comics beyond their reputation as lowbrow entertainment.
However, Steranko sometimes clashed with Marvel’s editorial team, who occasionally altered his work. His philosophy was uncompromising: "You get it my way, or you don’t get it at all." One notable example was his cover for Incredible Hulk Annual #1—an expertly designed composition brimming with power and color. Yet, for reasons unknown, Marie Severin was tasked with re-drawing the Hulk’s face, only later discovering that editors felt Steranko’s original design was "too brutal."
Despite his status as one of Marvel’s highest-paid artists—on par with legends like Jack Kirby and John Buscema—Steranko still took a pay cut from his advertising career, leading him to work in both industries simultaneously. He was also given the title of Editor when Marvel launched FOOM Magazine (Friends of Ol’ Marvel), the company’s first official fan club. The magazine became a hit, providing fans with insider looks into the comics industry during the 1970s.
A lifelong fan of pulp magazines, Steranko took up painting in the mid-1970s when he had the opportunity to provide new covers for Shadow reprints from Pyramid Books. He later returned to Marvel to work on Doc Savage before launching his own publishing company. When DC Comics acquired the rights to The Shadow, Steranko was their first choice to illustrate the series, but the assignment ultimately went to Mike Kaluta after DC decided Steranko’s samples didn’t quite fit their vision.
Beyond comics, Steranko made significant contributions to film, working on design and pre-production for Raiders of the Lost Ark and Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula. He later lent his talents to Warner Bros.' animated series Justice League Unlimited.
Steranko remains a formidable presence in the industry. Jack Kirby himself credited him as the inspiration for Mister Miracle, and Steranko has spoken of his troubled upbringing, which included extensive bullying by local gangs. To defend himself, he studied boxing for years—a fighting spirit that undoubtedly shaped his resilience and artistic drive.
