DeZuniga, Tony

DeZuniga began his comics career at the age of 16, as a letterer for Liwayway, a Filipino weekly magazine whose contributors included comic book artists Alfredo Alcala and Nestor Redondo, who would later become his mentors. He eventually received a Bachelor of Science degree in commercial art from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. In 1962, he came to the United States to study graphic design in New York City. He returned to his native country to work in advertising and to freelance for Filipino comics When he returned to New York City in the late 1960s, DeZuniga broke into the American comic books market under the editor, Joe Orlando, at DC Comics, inking pencil art by Ric Estrada on a romance comics tale for Girl's Love Stories #153. DeZuniga's American-comics debut as a penciler came with a self-inked horror story for House of Mystery #188 (Sept./Oct. 1970). DeZuniga went on to become a regular contributor at DC. With writer John Albano, he co-created the long-running western character Jonah Hex, nd with Sheldon Mayer the first Black Orchid. DeZuniga also served as an introduction to what would be a 1970s influx of Filipino artists to American comics, prompting Orlando and DC publisher Carmine Infantino to visit the Philippines in 1971 to scout talent. Among the artists found there who would soon become mainstays of both DC and Marvel Comics were Alfredo Alcala, Alex Niño, Nestor Redondo, and Gerry Talaoc. DeZuniga relocated back to New York from the Philippines in 1977. He worked for industry leaders Marvel and DC for 18 years, drawing such prominent Marvel characters as the X-Men and Spider-Man.