Geof Darrow
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Geof "Geofrey" Darrow (October 21, 1955) is a comic artist and designer born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA. His distinctive style is meticulously detailed, embodying many elements of Japanese culture (giant fire-breathing lizards feature heavily), blended with the chrome clad style of 1950's Americana.
He was a student at Hanna-Barbera cartoon studios after studying at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago. In the early 80s he worked in character design for the Super Friends, Richie Rich, and Pac-Man television series.
In 1982, he met renowned French comic book writer and artist Moebius during the making of the film Tron. Two years later, the two collaborated on a portfolio of prints named La Cité Feu, later reprinted for the English speaking market as City of Fire.
In 1990, he collaborated with writer and artist Frank Miller on the comic book Hard Boiled, a 3 part graphic novel. Loosely based on Philip K. Dick's short story The Electric Ant, the book is a many-layered exploration of the mind and world of its protagonist Nixon. Nixon is a typical Philip K. Dick hero - a normal guy, with a normal job (tax collector) and normal family. As the work unfolds, Nixon becomes increasingly uncertain of his identity, as do we. The work is a showcase for Darrow's talent - a retro sci-fi design fest, awash with paranoia and ultra-violence.
In 1993 and 1994, Darrow provided art for the role-playing game line Underground, published by Mayfair Games. Inc.
Darrow and Miller worked together again on Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot in 1996, a far more family-oriented work, in which the protagonists save Tokyo from destruction by a giant lizard. The story was later developed into an animated series by Sony entertainment, first aired in 1999.
Darrow was credited as 'Conceptual Designer' on all three Matrix movies. His visual style is most prominent in the scene of Neo's awakening from his biomechanical sleep. The insect-like machine that attacks Neo is a classic Darrow mechanoid made up of tubes, viewscreens and riveted joints. He has also contributed to both volumes of The Matrix comics, a series of short Matrix-inspired comic stories.
Darrow has also contributed covers to a number of other comics, including Concrete, Transmetropolitan and Andrew Vachss' Cross.
Currently (Beginning in 2005), Darrow is working on his self-penned series, Shaolin Cowboy (published by Burlyman Entertainment), featuring Darrow's trademark ultra-violence, irony and meticulous level of detail. In 2006, Darrow won an Eisner Award in the Writer/Artist category for the Shaolin Cowboy title. This marked his third Eisner Award (the first coming in 1991, shared with Frank Miller, for Hard Boiled, and the second coming in 1996 for 'Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot).
Darrow is also the co-creator of the series Doc Frankenstein, written by the Wachowski Brothers, with art by Steve Skroce, also published by Burlyman Entertainment.
Outside of comic books and film, Darrow has also done some artwork for the Magic: The Gathering trading card series.
Darrow also serves on the national advisory board of PROTECT: The National Association to Protect Children.
[edit] Select Bibliography
- La Cité Feu (1984) with Moebius. Reproduced as 'City of Fire'.
- Bourbon Thret (1986), a (french) limited edition comes with the "Darrow magazine, 25 pages of "overwhelming testimonies" : mostly illustrated private jokes from French comic artists.
- Hard Boiled with Frank Miller (1990).
- Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (1996)
- Doc Frankenstein (2004)
- Shaolin Cowboy (2005)
[edit] Select Artwork
- Andrew Vachss' CROSS cover gallery (1995-1996)
- Another Chance To Get It Right covers/illustrations (1993/2003)
- Hard Looks cover/illustrations (2002)
- Metamorphosis original artwork (animation)
- The Zero original artwork (flash movie)
- Honey's Butterfly original artwork (2005)
[edit] External links
- Publishers of Shaolin Cowboy and the Matrix comics
- Unofficial fan site with good examples of artwork
- Page devoted to Darrow, on writer Andrew Vachss site.
- Entertainment Weekly article on Geof Darrow, 24 September 1999
- Geof Darrow at the Internet Movie Database
