Ron Garney

Taken from CBR Garney first gained serious acclaim for his run on "Captain America" with Mark WaidThere are some comic book artists that achieve stardom; there are fewer artists who are universally praised by their fellow peers for their talents. Ron Garney is one of a select group who has earned both of these achievements. In a career that now spans over twenty years, this professional is a craftsman who has survived the ups and downs of the comics business by stepping up his game and raising the bar in sequential storytelling. In his illustration, he flawlessly captures the heroism and excitement of the superhero, while grounding his narrative with modern day flair and a gift for action choreography that would make even filmmaker Christopher Nolan envious. All of these attributes, in my view, place him among the upper echelon of artists working at Marvel or DC today. Artistically-inclined since childhood, a twenty-something Ron Garney did not seriously contemplate a career in comics until an awakening encounter with Marvel's "Secret Wars" in the mid-'80s. His rediscovery of the comics art form triggered a sense of purpose and enthusiasm that adrenalized him to feverishly work on his samples. As he sought constructive criticism from the veteran comics artists he befriended in his native Connecticut, Ron listened attentively to their guidance and strived to correct any flaws in his layouts. And when the time was right, Mike Zeck, an early mentor, introduced Ron Garney and his portfolio to editors at Marvel and DC Comics. At DC he was immediately tested and subsequently offered the Grant Morrison-scripted "Animal Man" title -- but the editors had a change of heart and ultimately chose another penciler. In the Marvel offices, the artist found even more offers and landed his first official job in the March 1991 cover-dated "G. I Joe" #110. Twenty-years later, a forty-something Garney has never forgotten the satisfaction of seeing his first published work. He recalled, "I remember just the thrill I got walking into the comic shop and seeing it there. It's just the coolest thing ever to see your name on something. I can't explain it. It was like seeing your name on a movie screen or something. It was just the coolest thing. And here I had achieved it. I had made the commitment to get into Marvel years and years earlier, and I didn't quit. And that was the thing is I could have quit, but I didn't. So here I was actually achieving it and starting out pretty well. But then the editors got into an argument; they had it out in a meeting, because they both wanted to offer me a regular book. So it was kind of like, 'Wow.' I went from getting turned down on the 'Marvel Tryout Book' to having editors offer me all kinds of stuff. It was the best experience of my life, and I was very honored and grateful."