Chuck Austen

Chuck Austen
Born	Chuck Beckum
Nationality	American
Area(s)	Writer, Artist

Chuck Austen (born Chuck Beckum) is an American comic book writer and artist, TV writer and animator. In the comics industry, he is known for his work on War Machine, Elektra, JLA, Action Comics, and the X-Men franchise, and in television, he is known for co-creating the animated TV series Tripping the Rift.

Chuck Austen was born Chuck Beckum. He grew up a military brat, and after his parents divorced, he was raised by his single mother in a housing project, an upbringing that he described as a struggle.

Austen’s early commercial work began in the 1980s, when he briefly illustrated Alan Moore's superhero series Miracleman, under his birth name "Chuck Beckum", which he later abandoned out of a desire to disassociate from his father's family name. About the same time Austen wrote and drew the semi-autobiographical black-and-white pornographic comic book series Strips (Rip Off Press), as well as Hardball (Malibu Comics). In the late 1980s, Austen drew the first five issues for the short-lived series Hero Sandwich by Slave Labor Graphics. He also was involved in the lesser-known Dr. Radium and Lee Flea series, and slowly crossed over into DC Comics when he was assigned to Phantom Lady and Green Flame and drew Disney's The Little Mermaid limited series.

From 2001 on, Austen wrote several issues of War Machine. The mini-series was received well, but sales of the action-driven story were plagued by the fact that the series was published in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. In 2003, Austen followed up with War Machine 2.0. Using the creative liberties in the alternate universe in which the series is set, he wrote Rhodes' boss Tony Stark as more pacifist and business-minded than his mainstream counterpart, and Rhodes himself as the proactive protector.

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