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Alex Ross is an American comic book writer and artist known for his work on Marvels (1994) and Kingdom Come (1996). The latter, a four-issue miniseries published by DC Comics, features a possible future for the DC Universe, in which Superman and other classic superheroes return from retirement to tame a new generation of brutal antiheroes. Ross co-created the original character Magog and redesigned many DC characters, including Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. Ross' artwork in Kingdom Come has been praised for its unique painted art style and grittiness, and it has been adapted into action figures and trading cards.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Alex Ross |
| Year | 1996 |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Format | Four-issue miniseries |
| Art Style | Gouache |
| Characters | Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Red Robin, Captain Marvel, Kid Flash, Magog, Flash, Armored Wonder Woman, Deadman, Red Arrow, Gog, Starman, Spectre, Norman McCay, and more |
| Merchandise | Action figures, trading cards, pins, T-shirts |
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What You'll Learn
Alex Ross' unique painted art style
Alex Ross is an American comic book writer and artist known for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. His unique painted art style is characterised by a combination of gouache and wash, with a hyper-realistic quality. Ross's artwork often features redesigned versions of classic DC and Marvel characters, as well as new characters he has co-created.
Ross's art style has been described as exhibiting a stiffness that makes the viewer too aware they are looking at a painting, which can hamper the storytelling flow. However, his decision to ink his lines and use a limited palette of flat colours without modern computer shading techniques adds grit and texture to his work. This style is particularly evident in his miniseries Kingdom Come, a four-issue comic book series published in 1996 by DC Comics. The series presents a possible future for the DC Universe, in which a new generation of heroes has lost its moral compass, becoming as violent and reckless as the villains they fight. Ross's artwork in Kingdom Come features redesigned versions of many DC characters, as well as new characters such as Magog, co-created by Ross.
In addition to his work on Kingdom Come, Ross has also provided painted interiors, covers, and character designs for various projects for both Marvel and DC Comics. His work on the 1994 miniseries Marvels, in collaboration with writer Kurt Busiek, first brought him recognition in the comic book industry. Since then, he has worked on covers and character designs for Busiek's series Astro City and various projects for Dynamite Entertainment. Ross has also lent his artistic talents to the entertainment industry, creating concept and narrative art for films like Spider-Man (2002) and Spider-Man 2 (2004), and DVD packaging art for the M. Night Shyamalan film Unbreakable (2000).
Ross's artistic influences include comic book artists such as John Romita Sr., Neal Adams, George Pérez, and Bernie Wrightson, as well as illustrators Andrew Loomis and Norman Rockwell. He also draws inspiration from artists like J. C. Leyendecker and Salvador Dalí, whose "hyper-realistic quality" Ross felt was not far removed from the style of comic book art. By combining these influences and developing his unique painted art style, Ross has made a powerful statement about the reality of the worlds he helps to build through his artwork.
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DC Comics' Kingdom Come
The story is a critique of the 1990s comics zeitgeist, featuring a struggle between the original/Golden Age heroes of DC and an imagined future lineup of reckless vigilantes. The new generation of heroes has lost its moral compass, becoming as violent and reckless as the villains they fight. This reflects the trend of extremism and violence depicted in superhero comics at the time. Ross's artwork for Kingdom Come has been widely praised, with Chris Neill of Kotaku calling it "the best-looking comic you'll see this year". DC Direct, the collectibles division of DC Comics, has produced three sets of action figures based on the comic book, and an Absolute Kingdom Come hardcover edition was released in 2006, featuring interviews, character artwork, sketches, and annotations.
The popularity of the series led Waid and Ross to plot a sequel/prequel titled The Kingdom. However, due to creative differences, Ross left the project, and it was continued by Waid in the New Year's Evil: Gog one-shot. Several other projects related to Kingdom Come have been developed, including a set of trading cards, and a potential film adaptation was discussed by the production team of Justice League: Warworld. While this idea was ultimately discarded, elements of Kingdom Come have appeared in other DC properties, such as Wonder Woman's armour in Wonder Woman 1984, and the "S" emblem on the DC Universe incarnation of Superman.
Alex Ross is an American comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first gained recognition with the 1994 miniseries Marvels, a collaboration with writer Kurt Busiek for Marvel Comics. Since then, he has worked on various projects for both Marvel and DC Comics, including covers and character designs for Busiek's series Astro City. He has also provided concept and narrative art for films such as Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, and his renditions of superheroes have been merchandised as action figures.
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Original character Magog
Alex Ross is an American comic book writer and artist known for his work on Marvel and DC Comics. In 1996, Ross worked with writer Mark Waid on the DC Comics limited series Kingdom Come, which presents a possible future for the DC Universe. The work features redesigned versions of many DC characters, as well as a new generation of characters, including the original character Magog.
Magog, also known as David Reid, is a descendant of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier. He wields a powerful energy lance and is a member of the Justice Battalion, Justice Society of America, and JSA All-Stars. In the Kingdom Come Elseworlds miniseries, Magog is introduced as a violent, modern foil for Superman. He is a destructive force in the DC Universe and is destined to become one of its greatest threats. Magog's origin story has been rebooted several times, with recent revelations bringing attention to his multiple incarnations.
In the Kingdom Come storyline, Magog is a new vigilante who publicly executes the Joker, driving a disillusioned Superman into retirement. This act sets off a chain of events that leads to a growing wave of vigilantes, with Magog at the helm. He is presented as the antithesis of Superman, representing the populace's frustration with the superhero code of not using lethal force. Magog's actions, such as a confrontation with Parasite that leaves much of the American Midwest irradiated, ultimately bring him into conflict with Superman and the Justice League.
Despite his violent and destructive nature, Magog eventually seeks redemption for his actions. Overcome with remorse, he sides with the older generation of heroes and retires to Themyscira, where he cares for the wounded and helps to teach a new generation of heroes. Magog's journey from a bitter and deadly vigilante to a peaceful mentor reflects the theme of redemption and the potential for change within the Kingdom Come storyline.
Overall, Magog is a complex and dynamic character who plays a significant role in the Kingdom Come series, challenging the traditional superhero code and forcing the older generation of heroes to re-evaluate their methods. His multiple incarnations and ambiguous fate leave room for further exploration and development of the character within the DC Universe.
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Ross' redesigned DC characters
Alex Ross is an American comic book writer and artist known for his work on both Marvel and DC Comics projects. He first gained recognition with the 1994 miniseries Marvels, a collaboration with writer Kurt Busiek for Marvel Comics. Since then, he has worked on various projects, including character designs and covers for Busiek's Astro City series and multiple projects for Dynamite Entertainment.
One of his notable contributions to DC Comics is the 1996 miniseries Kingdom Come, which he co-wrote and painted in gouache. This series presented a possible future for the DC Universe, featuring Superman and other classic superheroes returning from retirement to confront a new generation of brutal antiheroes. Ross's unique art style and character redesigns left a powerful impression on readers and critics alike.
In Kingdom Come, Ross redesigned many classic DC characters, infusing them with a sense of realism and grit. His interpretations of iconic heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman graced the pages of the comic and were later immortalized as action figures by DC Direct, the collectibles division of DC Comics. Ross also co-created original characters for the series, such as Magog, whose appearance and costume were patterned after Cable and Shatterstar, characters created by Rob Liefeld.
Beyond Kingdom Come, Ross has left his mark on the DC Universe with his artwork and character designs. He has provided covers and lenticular artwork for significant DC titles, including Superman: Forever #1, Batman: No Man's Land #1, and Justice League specials. Additionally, Ross has designed DC merchandise, including posters, dinner plates, and statues, further showcasing his artistic interpretations of beloved DC characters.
Ross's talent for character redesign is not limited to DC Comics. He has also offered intriguing redesigns for Marvel characters, particularly the X-Men. His interpretations of Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean Grey, along with his take on unifying the X-Men's costumes, have been praised by fans and critics, sparking discussions about incorporating his designs into Marvel Comics canon.
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Ross' art revolutionised the comic book industry
Alex Ross is an American comic book writer and artist, considered one of the greatest artists in the field of comic books. His work has revolutionised the comic book industry and transcended the newsstand origins of his profession. Ross is known for his painted interiors, covers, and design work, and his realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. His unique style, which employs a combination of gouache and wash, has been described as "a Norman-Rockwell-meets-George-Pérez vibe".
Ross's first published comic book work was the 1990 five-issue miniseries, Terminator: The Burning Earth, written by Ron Fortier and published by NOW Comics. He created all the art, from pencils through colouring for the series. However, it was his work on the 1994 miniseries Marvels, a collaboration with writer Kurt Busiek for Marvel Comics, that first brought him acclaim. Marvels was a critical and commercial success, and Ross's painted interiors and covers for the series won him the 1994 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist.
Following Marvels, Ross approached DC Comics with a plan to create a similar project for them. The result was the 1996 miniseries Kingdom Come, a four-issue comic book series written by Mark Waid and painted in gouache by Ross, who also co-wrote and developed the concept from an original idea. Kingdom Come is set in an alternate future of the DC Universe, where a new generation of reckless and violent heroes has lost their moral compass. The previous regime of heroes, the Justice League, returns to battle these uncompromising protectors, setting up a conflict that will define true heroism and determine the future of the planet.
Kingdom Come was a massive success, marking the close of the "Dark Age" of comic books, characterised by pessimism, violence, and gritty stories, and ushering in the "Modern Age". The series won Ross the 1997 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist. Due to its popularity, Ross and Waid began to plot a sequel/prequel titled The Kingdom. However, creative differences led Ross to leave the project, and The Kingdom miniseries was eventually produced without his involvement.
Beyond his work in comic books, Ross has also designed covers for music albums, DVDs, and magazines, as well as promotional artwork for films and the Academy Awards. His renditions of superheroes have been merchandised as action figures, and his artwork has been featured on trading cards and in art books. Ross's impact on the comic book industry has been significant, and he continues to transform classic symbols of America's strength and optimism into fresh, realistic portrayals of hope for a new generation.
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Frequently asked questions
There are over 57 characters on the painting, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Red Robin, Captain Marvel, Kid Flash, Magog, Flash, Armored Wonder Woman, Deadman, and Red Arrow.
Alex Ross is an American comic book writer and artist known for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He has worked on projects for both Marvel and DC Comics, including the Kingdom Come miniseries.
Kingdom Come is a four-issue comic book miniseries published in 1996 by DC Comics. It is set in an alternate future where a new generation of heroes has lost its moral compass, becoming as violent and reckless as the villains they fight. The previous generation of heroes, the Justice League, returns to tame these new heroes, setting up a battle between the old and new guards.
The Kingdom Come painting is significant because it marks the end of the "Dark Age" of comic books, which was characterized by pessimism, violence, and gritty stories. It also launched Alex Ross to super-stardom within the comic book industry and helped inspire the creation of Comic Book Resources.
