Phil Jimenez

Phil Jimenez (born July 12, 1970) is an American comics artist and writer known for his work as writer/artist on Wonder Woman from 2000 to 2003, as one of the five pencilers of the 2005–2006 miniseries Infinite Crisis, his collaborations with writer Grant Morrison on New X-Men and The Invisibles, and his artistry for his 2021 critically acclaimed partnership with writer Kelly Sue DeConnick on Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons.
Early life
Phil Jimenez was born and raised southern California. He attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, New York, where he majored in cartooning. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1991.
Career
After graduating from SVA, Jimenez was hired by DC Comics Creative Director Neal Pozner at age 21, with his first published work illustrating four pages in the 1991 miniseries War of the Gods. Pozner was HIV-positive when he and Jimenez started dating, and was hesitant about dating someone younger and HIV-negative. Nonetheless, Jimenez became both Pozner's partner and caretaker, saying:
Following Neal Pozner's death in 1994, Jimenez wrote and illustrated the 1996 DC miniseries, Tempest, based on a character from Pozner's late-1980s Aquaman series. In the last issue, Jimenez dedicated the miniseries to Pozner, and wrote an editorial page in which he came out publicly for the first time. "It got over 150 letters," he says, "including the classic letter from the kid in Iowa: 'I didn't know there was anyone else like me.' That's what counts. It meant a lot to people."
Much of Jimenez's work is related to works by George Pérez, whose art strongly influenced Jimenez. Jimenez has worked on several Teen Titans-related series (some issues of the ongoing series New Titans and Team Titans, and the miniseries JLA/Titans, The Return of Donna Troy and Tempest), was the main artist of Infinite Crisis, a sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths, and did a long run as writer/artist of Wonder Woman beginning with issue #164 (Jan. 2001). Pérez had worked on the series in the late 1980s to early 1990s. Pérez and Jimenez would also co-write a two–part story together in Wonder Woman (vol. 2) issues #168–169 in 2001. Jimenez would leave as series writer/artist with issue #188 in March 2003. Jimenez and Pérez also have worked together in 2005–2006 in the miniseries Infinite Crisis (where Jimenez was the main penciller, and Pérez drew some sequences and covers for the series) and DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy (written by Jimenez and inked by Pérez).
Jimenez is also known for his work on various titles for DC Entertainment's "mature readers" imprint, Vertigo, including Swamp Thing, The Invisibles with writer Grant Morrison, and his own creator-owned series, the sci-fi/fantasy mashup Otherworld. In 2003, Jimenez drew several story arcs of Morrison's New X-Men run.
It was announced at the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con that Jimenez had signed an exclusive contract with Marvel Comics. He was one of the four artists working on Marvel's flagship title, The Amazing Spider-Man, the company's sole Spider-Man title, in which Marvel upped its frequency of publication to three issues monthly, and inaugurated the series with the "back to basics" story arc "Brand New Day" at the beginning of 2008. His first work on Spider-Man was in the Free Comic Book Day 2007: Spider-Man #1 (June 2007) comic book, with writer Dan Slott, which served as a prelude to "Brand New Day". Jimenez and writer Bob Gale co-created the Freak in The Amazing Spider-Man #552 (March 2008). Ana Kravinoff, the daughter of Kraven the Hunter, was introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #565 (September 2008) by Jimenez and Marc Guggenheim. During his run, Jimenez drew the cover for The Amazing Spider-Man #583, featuring Barack Obama.
In 2009, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada announced that Jimenez would become the artist of Astonishing X-Men beginning with issue #31. Jimenez co-wrote the book The Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia with John Wells for Del Rey Books in 2010 and updated through Random House in 2015. He later returned to DC Comics, illustrating a brief stint on Adventure Comics featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, and Fairest, a spin-off of Bill Willingham's series Fables.
He appeared at the White House for the National Design Awards to present original art to First Lady Michelle Obama.
Jimenez appeared in a panel discussion on diversity in sci-fi/fantasy fandom in the March 19, 2015 episode of the Comedy Central humor and commentary program The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, along with Marvel Comics' director of content and character Sana Amanat, hip-hop artist Jean Grae and comedian Mike Lawrence. During the discussion, Jimenez commented, "It feels strange to me that we would partition race, gender and nerd as if they were distinct things...All human beings are this combination of experiences and ideologies...Everybody's get some nerd in them. But the idea that, somehow, being a nerd is separate from one’s religious or moral or political beliefs is strange to me. We all bring everything to our decision-making on a daily basis."
As part of the DC Rebirth relaunch of DC's titles, Jimenez was the writer and artist of the Superwoman series from 2016 to 2017. He got involved with Rebirth when he was originally assigned to be the artist of Superman but after DC changed their publishing plan, he was asked to work on Superwoman. Jimenez uses his own experiences and emotions and projects them onto the characters in his work. He uses the anxiety he experienced with his mother's death to relate to how Lana Lang deals with her losses. In addition, Jimenez wanted to create a female villain who was not sexually charged, and was motivated by something other than baby-making.
Other work
A diorama enthusiast, Jimenez teaches a life drawing course as part of the undergraduate cartooning program at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, where he himself once studied. He has held figure drawing classes outside of SVA, at places such as the LGBT Center in the West Village.
Jimenez provided sketches seen in the 2002 superhero film Spider-Man. In scenes in which Peter Parker, played by Tobey Maguire, is seen creating sketches of his costume, the close-ups of his hands are actually those of Jimenez.
Jimenez created art for the first permanent AIDS awareness exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. His art has appeared on album covers and in editorial magazines. His artwork has been featured in mainstream publications such as TV Guide, and he himself has been profiled or recognized in Entertainment Weekly, The Advocate, Instinct magazine and Out magazine.
Awards and recognition
One of Instinct magazine's 2006 Men of the Year
Listed as one of Entertainment Weeklys "101 Gay Movers and Shakers
2010 Inkpot Award
September 2011 Inkwell Awards Ambassador (September 2011 – present)
2022 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award – Best Single Issue with writer Kelly Sue DeConnick for Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #1
2022 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award – Best Penciller/Inker for Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #1
Personal life
Jimenez came out as gay in 1992, and his first public relationship was with Neal Pozner, who hired him at DC that same year.
Bibliography
As artist unless otherwise noted.
DC ComicsInterior art Action Comics #836 (2006)
Adventure Comics (Legion of Super-Heroes) #523–525 (2011)
Aquaman Annual #1 (among other artists) (1995)
DC Countdown #1 (2005)
DC Rebirth #1 (2016)
DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy #1–4 (writer only) (2005)
Deathstroke, the Terminator Annual #1 (with Gabriel Morissette) (1992)
Fanboy #6 (1999)
52 #24 (full art); #25, 35, 38 (among other artists) (2006–2007)
Green Lantern, vol. 5, #17 (2013)
Guy Gardner: Warrior #24, 29, 35, 44, Annual #1–2 (1994–1996)
Infinite Crisis, miniseries, #1–7 (among other artists) (2005–2006)
JLA #50 (among other artists) (2001)
JLA/Titans, miniseries, #1–3 (co-plot & pencils) (1998–1999)
Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant #1 (Teen Titans) (1998)
Legion of Super-Heroes, vol. 4, #94 (among other artists) (1997)
Legion of Super-Heroes, vol. 6, #6 (2010)
Lobo #20 (1995)
The New Titans #94–96, Annual #8 (1992–1993)
Nightwing, vol. 3, #38 (2018)
Nightwing Secret Files and Origins #1 (1999)
Robin #6, 11–13 (1994–1995)
Secret Files President Luthor #1 (writer only) (2001)
Showcase '93 #1–2 (Cyborg) (1993)
Showcase '94 #5–6 (Robin and Huntress) (1994)
Showcase '95 #12 (Supergirl) (1995)
Showcase '96 #1 (Tempest) (writer only) (1996)
Starman Secret Files #1 (1998)
Superman, vol. 2, #200 (among other artists) (2004)
Superman and Batman: World's Funnest #1 (among other artists) (2001)
Superman Secret Files and Origins #2 (among other artists) (1999)
Superwoman #1–8 (writer; also artist on #1–2, 5–7, 2016–2017)
Team Titans #1, 7–10, 13–14 (penciler); 17–20, Annual #2 (writer only) (1992–1994)
Teen Titans, vol. 2, #17–18 (1998)
Teen Titans/Outsiders Secret Files 2003 #1 (2003)
Tempest, miniseries, #1–4 (1996–1997)
Titans #25 (among other artists) (2001)
Titans/Legion of Super-Heroes: Universe Ablaze #1–4 (2000)
Underworld Unleashed: Abyss Hell's Sentinel #1 (1995)
War of the Gods #4 (1991)
Wonder Woman, vol. 2, #164–188 (2001–2003)
Wonder Woman: Donna Troy #1 (1998)
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #1 (2021)
Wonder Woman Secret Files and Origins #2–3 (1999–2002) (writer/artist/cover art; among other artists)
Wonder Woman: Our Worlds at War #1 (writer only) (2001)
Worlds' Finest #9 (2013)
World's Finest: Our Worlds at War (among other artists) (2001)Covers only Action Comics #760 (Dec. 1999)
Adventures of Superman #573 (Dec. 1999)
The New Teen Titans: The Terror of Trigon TPB (2003)
Infinite Crisis (2006; new cover art for dust jacket of hardcover edition)
Star Trek / Legion of Super-Heroes, miniseries, #1–6 (2011–2012)
Supergirl, vol. 4, #10 (June 1997)
Superman vol. 2 #151 (Dec. 1999)
Superman: The Man of Steel #95 (Dec. 1999)
Vertigo
The Books of Magic Annual #3 (1999)
Codename: Knockout #12 (2002)
The Dreaming #55 (2000)
Fairest #1–6, 15–17, 19–20 (2012–2013)
Flinch #7 (1999)
Ghosts vol. 2 #1 (2012)
Heartthrobs #1 (1999)
The Invisibles #17–19 (1996)
The Invisibles, vol. 2, #1–8, 10–13 (1997–1998)
Otherworld, miniseries, #1–7 (2005)
Swamp Thing, vol. 2, #156 (1995)
Transmetropolitan: I Hate It Here #1 (2000)
Vertigo Resurrected #1 (2010)
WildStorm
Planetary/Authority: Ruling the World #1 (2000)
Heroes Vol. 1 (HC) (among other artists) (2007)
Worldstorm #2 (Voodoo) (2007)
Marvel ComicsInterior art The Amazing Spider-Man #552–554, 565–567, 595 (2008–2009)
The Amazing Spider-Man: Extra!, miniseries, #3 (among other artists) (2009)
Amazing Spider-Man: Swing Shift Director's Cut #1 (2008)
Angela, Asgard's Assassin #1–6 (2015)
Astonishing X-Men #31–35 (2009–2010)
Fearless Defenders #4 AU (2013)
Free Comic Book Day 2007: Spider-Man #1 (2007)
New X-Men #132, 139–141, 146–150 (2002–2004)
Spider-Man: Origin of the Hunter #1 (2010)
Uncanny X-Men #522 (2010)
X-Men: Liberators, miniseries, #1–4 (1998–1999)Covers only'''
The Amazing Spider-Man #583 (Barack Obama cover) (2009)
Marvel's Models Inc. #1 variant cover, in which Project Runway'' star Tim Gunn dons the Iron Man armor
References
External links
Phil Jimenez on Marvel.com
Phil Jimenez interview at Flame Con 2 on ComicsVerse.com
1970 births
20th-century American artists
21st-century American artists
Album-cover and concert-poster artists
American graphic novelists
American male novelists
American art educators
DC Comics people
American gay artists
American gay writers
Inkpot Award winners
LGBT comics creators
LGBT Hispanic and Latino American people
American LGBT novelists
LGBT people from California
Living people
Marvel Comics people
Novelists from New York (state)
School of Visual Arts alumni
School of Visual Arts faculty