Joe Staton


Joe Staton is an American comics artist and writer. He co-created the Bronze Age Huntress (Helena Wayne), as well as the third Huntress (Helena Bertinelli), Kilowog and the Omega Men for DC Comics. He was the artist of the Dick Tracy comic strip from 2011 to October 2021.

Early life

Joe Staton grew up in Tennessee and graduated from Murray State University in 1970.

Career

Staton started his comics career at Charlton Comics in 1971 and gained notability as the artist of the super-hero series E-Man. Staton produced art for various comics published by Charlton, Marvel Comics, and Warren Publishing during the 1970s.
Hired initially by Roy Thomas to work for Marvel, Staton was then recruited by Paul Levitz to work on DC Comics' revival of the Justice Society of America in All Star Comics and later Adventure Comics. In these titles he illustrated stories including the origin of the JSA in DC Special #29 and the death of the Earth-Two Batman. Staton also illustrated the solo adventures of two female JSA members created during the JSA revival – drawing Power Girl in Showcase and the Huntress. During that time, Staton additionally drew Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, the 1970s revival of the Doom Patrol in Showcase, and the Metal Men. In 1979, Staton began a two-and-a-half-year run on Green Lantern, during which he co-created the Omega Men with writer Marv Wolfman.
Staton served as art director for First Comics for three years in the 1980s. He returned to DC Comics afterwards for a second run on Green Lantern and with writer Steve Englehart, oversaw the title's name change to Green Lantern Corps. Staton and Englehart also created the DC weekly crossover series Millennium. Staton was one of the contributors to the DC Challenge limited series in 1986. In addition, he illustrated Guy Gardner, The Huntress, The New Guardians, and Superman & Bugs Bunny.
In the early 1990s, Staton provided the artwork on the Mike Danger Sunday comic strip, written by Max Allan Collins. From the late 90s to the late 2000s, Staton drew DC's Scooby-Doo title for younger readers, as well as the more mature-themed Femme Noir for Ape Entertainment. On January 19, 2011, Tribune Media Services announced that Staton and writer Mike Curtis would replace Dick Locher as the creative team of the Dick Tracy comic strip. The new creative team has worked together on Scooby-Doo, Richie Rich, and Casper the Friendly Ghost and started on March 14, 2011. He pencilled DC Retroactive: Green Lantern – The '80s #1, written by Len Wein, published the same year. Staton also illustrated Charles Santino's graphic novel adaptation of Ayn Rand's Anthem.

Awards

Joe Staton received an Inkpot Award in 1983.
Staton and writer Mike Curtis received the Best Syndicated Strip Harvey Award for Dick Tracy in 2013, 2014, and 2015.

AC Comics

Femforce #121

Alpha Productions

The Detectives #1 E-Man #1 E-Man Returns #1

Ape Entertainment

Ape Entertainment's Cartoonapalooza #2

Apple Press

ElfQuest: Siege at Blue Mountain #1–5 The New Crime Files of Michael Mauser, Private Eye #1

Archie Comics

Archie & Friends Double Digest Magazine #1–5 Archie's Super Teens #1 Jughead's Double Digest #139–142

Bill Spicer

Fantasy Illustrated #2

Caliber Press

Dominique: Protect and Serve #1 Negative Burn #18, 20, 33, 49

Century Comics For Action Hero

Actor Comics Presents #1

CFD Productions

Noir #2

Charlton Comics

Charlton Bullseye #4 E-Man #1–10 Ghost Manor #5–6, 10, 13 Ghostly Haunts #28, 32, 35–36 Ghostly Tales #104, 117 Haunted #11–12, 18, 21–22, 26 Haunted Love #1–5 I Love You #91, 110 Love and Romance #6 Love Diary #79, 88 The Many Ghosts of Dr. Graves #30, 36–37, 41, 43, 47 Midnight Tales #1–11, 13–14 Monster Hunters #1 Primus #1–7 Scary Tales #1, 4 Secret Romance #21 The Six Million Dollar Man #1–6 Space 1999 #1–3, 5 Sweethearts #133 Teen-Age Love #87 Teen Confessions #78 Vengeance Squad #1–6 Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch #1, 4–5

Charlton Neo

Paul Kupperberg's Secret Romances #2 The Charlton Arrow vol. 2 #1–3

Comico

E-Man #1–3 Johnny Quest #2, #11 Maze Agency #6

CPL/GANG Publications

The Charlton Bullseye #4

CrossGen

Crossovers #7–9

Dark Horse

Michael Chabon Presents: The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist #2

DC Comics

Digital Webbing

E-Man Recharged #1 E-Man: Course of the Idol oneshot E-Man: Dolly #1 Digital Webbing Jam 2007 oneshot

Disney

Disney Adventures #4

EC

Mad #340

Eclipse Comics

Destroyer Duck #1

First Comics

American Flagg! #28–32, 39–40 Badger Goes Berserk #3 Crossroads #3 E-Man #1–25 Gift #1 Grimjack #5, 33 Meta-4 #3 P.I.'s: Michael Mauser and Ms. Tree #1–3 Warp #1

Hamilton Comics

Captain Cosmos, The Last Starveyer #0 Grave Tales #1–3 Maggots #1, 3

Innovation Comics

Maze Agency Special #1

IPC

2000 AD and Tornado #133

Kitchen Sink Press

The Spirit #30

Malibu Comics

Dinosaurs for Hire #8 Prime #21

Marvel Comics

The Amazing Spider-Man #150 Avengers #127–134 Avengers: Celestial Quest #7 The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #28, 31–32 Fallen Angels #5–6, 8 Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe #1 Incredible Hulk #187–189, 191–209 Justice #4 Marvel Comics Presents #74 Marvel Fanfare #39, 50 Silver Surfer vol. 3 #11, 13–14, Annual #1 Toxic Crusaders #2, 4 Vampire Tales #8 What The--?! #21–22

Ni-Cola Productions

Captain Cosmos, The Last Starveyer #2, 4

Penguin (New American Library)

Anthem GN

Star*Reach

Star*Reach #5–7

Topps Comics

Exosquad #0 Return to Jurassic Park #1–4

TSR Comics

Intruder Comic Module #7-8, 10

Warren Publishing

Creepy #42, 136

Wonderful Publishing Company

Witzend #10

Ybor City Publishers

Captain Cosmos, The Last Starveyer #1