Frank Miller – A Short Bio
Frank Miller is perhaps one of the most innovative writer artists in recent times. His name is synonymous with the words “genius” and “legend” or even “legendary genius.” He has an unparalleled ability to take his influences in movies and Eastern art and literature and the books (mostly thrillers) he devoured as a youth, and transform it into a gritty style that becomes uniquely, well, Miller. Movies were also a great influence. The works of Akira Kurosawa combined with Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima’s Lone Wolf and Cub influenced his critically acclaimed Ronin.
Miller was born January 27, 1957 in Olney, Maryland. He grew up in Montpelier, Vermont. Like many others in the comic and fantasy world, he was a dreamer and felt maladjusted in his early years. He once said that he stopped reading comics in his early teens and re-adjusted himself to the ‘real world’ by reading thrillers and watching movies.
Miller’s early career was pretty rocky. This is evident in his sporadic early work. A few pages here, just pencils there, an occasional inking. Miller’s first work in comic books was in Gold Key’s Twilight Zone in 1978 (AFAIK; if I’m mistaken, please contact me), for which he did the inside art. His first work at Marvel was on John Carter, Warlord of Mars #18, in 1978 and his first work at DC was on Weird War Tales #64. The work that first established Frank Miller as a comic world force to be reckoned with, respected and recognized was his work on Daredevil.
Besides being an accomplished and distinguished writer, artist and storyteller, Frank Miller is also one of a handful of creators who is known and recognized outside of the comic book industry. He is outspoken and does not hesitate to give praise to people who are putting out a good product. And as Marvel will testify, he is not afraid to speak out against people who he believes are hurting the industry.
Miller has done work for all of the major publishers in the comic industry and has won many awards for his work