Ken Landgraf
| Ken Landgraf | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kenneth Landgraf 1950 (age 66–67) Sheboygan, Wisconsin |
| Nationality | American |
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Ken Landgraf (born 1950) is an American comic book artist and commercial illustrator.
Kenneth Landgraf was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. 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:
"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 wrote back to encourage me."
Landgraf attended Holy Name Catholic School and later graduated from North Sheboygan High School. As a young man he served in the Navy in Vietnam, and upon returning from the war, joined the Navy Reserve. Landgraf settled in New York as a student attending the School of Visual Arts on the G.I. Bill. At this time he produced his first commercial artwork for various pulp magazines. Determined to become a professional comic book artist, he studied with Will Eisner and Harvey Kurtzman. Landgraf worked as an assistant to comic book artists Howard Nostrand, Gil Kane, and Rich Buckler. Ken took his early samples to DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Landgraf said:
"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."
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