| Jackson Guice | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1961-06-27)June 27, 1961 Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | May 1, 2025(2025-05-01) (aged 63) Cincinnati,Ohio, U.S. |
| Area | Penciller,Inker |
| Pseudonym | Butch Guice |
Notable works | Action Comics The Flash Micronauts Ruse Apocalypse |
| Awards | Inkpot Award (2015) |
Jackson "Butch"Guice (June 27, 1961 – May 1, 2025) was an Americancomics artist who worked in the comics industry beginning in the 1980s. He drewMicronauts,Swords of the Swashbucklers,X-Factor,The New Mutants, andIron Man forMarvel Comics. His work forDC Comics included "The Death of Superman" storyline as well as the co-creation of theResurrection Man with writersAndy Lanning andDan Abnett.
Guice was born inChattanooga, Tennessee, on June 27, 1961.[1][2] Growing up in the 1960s, Guice was fond of "the legendary stop-motion animator and filmmaker"Ray Harryhausen, whose influence can be seen in some of Guice's work, most notably theHumanoids projectOlympus.[3]
Guice began his career withfanzine work and "designing patches and emblems for a small company in North Carolina."[4] His first credited comics work was penciling and inking the independently publishedThe Crusaders #1 (November 1982), although he had previously ghosted forPat Broderick onRom Annual #1 (1982).[5] On the strength of his fanzine work, (and, Guice believes, at the behest ofRom writerBill Mantlo) Marvel editorAl Milgrom offered him a tryout on the toy-spin-off titleMicronauts. Referring toRom Annual #1 andMicronauts #48 (Dec. 1982), he remarked that "[b]oth were breaking points for me getting into comics".[4]
Guice continued pencilingMicronauts until #58 (May 1984).[6] In July 1983, "The Butch Guice Portfolio" appeared in the pages ofMarvel Fanfare #9, and Guice contributed toTheOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe,Chris Claremont and Bill Mantlo'sX-Men and the Micronauts four-issue miniseries as well as occasional issues of a number of different titles. In 1984, he drew the Marvel Comics adaptation ofIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and inkedDazzler. In 1986, he penciledX-Factor,[7] while concurrently contributing pencils toTheNew Mutants. In mid-1987, he was credited with inks to "Brian Guice" 's pencils for five issues ofAdventure Publications'Adventurers, which was written and edited by Scott Behnke. That same year, Guice collaborated on several different titles with writerMike Baron, including issues ofFirst Comics'Badger,Nexus andThe Chronicles of Corum.[5] Guice worked with Baron on projects forDC Comics. He penciledTeen Titans Spotlight #7 and #8, before gaining more popularity among DC readers with his work on the relaunched, post-Crisis on Infinite EarthsThe Flash #1.[8] This thirdFlash series featuredWally West after the demise ofBarry Allen in theCrisis on Infinite Earths series. Guice drew ten of the first eleven issues.
In 1988–89, Guice produced a series of covers for theQuality Comics/Fleetway2000 AD reprint-title2000AD Showcase, while penciling theIron Man title for Marvel. In 1989 he became the artist onDoctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme.
Guice's cover forDoctor Strange #15 (March 1990) usedChristian music singerAmy Grant's likeness without her permission,[9] leading to her management filing a complaint against Marvel Comics, saying the cover gave the appearance she was associating with witchcraft. A US District Court sealed an out-of-court settlement between Grant and Marvel in early 1991, with a consent decree that Marvel did not admit to any liability or wrongdoing.[10][11][12]
Guice and writerWalt Simonson co-created the Ahab character inFantastic Four Annual #23 (1990).[13] In 1991, Guice took over pencilingNick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., before moving back to DC. Guice drewAction Comics #676–711 (April 1992–July 1995) and worked with writersRoger Stern andDavid Michelinie. During this run, Guice and Stern (along with editorMike Carlin,Dan Jurgens,Louise Simonson and others) were the architects of "The Death of Superman" storyline, in which Superman died and was resurrected. Stern and Guice incorporated theEradicator character into the "Reign of the Supermen" story arc beginning inThe Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993).[14] Spinning out of that event, Stern and Guice collaborated on aSupergirl miniseries.[5]
While drawingAction Comics, he also worked with writerJames Robinson onDark Horse Comics'The Terminator: Endgame miniseries (September–October 1992), and withChris Claremont on the first four issues of theAliens/Predator: The Deadliest of the Species (July 1993–January 1994).
Towards the end of 1995, Guice moved toValiant Comics, becoming the regular penciller ofEternal Warrior. Guice penciled part of theSliders: Narcotica comic book, based on the TV seriesSliders and written by the show's starJerry O'Connell. Having Guice draw the series was:
"a personal treat for Jerry [O'Connell] as "Butch" Guice (as he used to be called during his successful run at Marvel Comics) was a favorite of his during his comic-reading years."[15]
Guice illustrated the four-issueDC/Marvel: All Access mini-series[16] (December 1996–February 1997) follow-up to the cross-companyDC Versus Marvel/Marvel Versus DC event. He was one of many artists to contribute to the landmark marriage of Superman andLois Lane inSuperman: The Wedding Album (December 1996). In May 1997, Guice launchedResurrection Man with writersDan Abnett andAndy Lanning,[17] pencilling all 27 issues and inking most of them including the special #1,000,000 issue for theDC One Million event. The series was cancelled in August 1999.
In March 2000, Guice became the artist onBirds of Prey for issues #15 to #34. In addition, Guice drew a "Robin and Oracle" story inBatman: Gotham City Secret Files and Origins and theUniverse X Spidey one-shot, from Marvel. After his run onBirds of Prey, Guice left DC Comics and moved toTampa, Florida to work forCrossGen. He was brought in to launchRuse with writerMark Waid, in November 2001. Effectively aVictoriansteampunkdetective story, although set on an analogue of Earth in the far-distant future, and part of CrossGen's 'Sigilverse'. Guice continued as the penciller ofRuse until its cancellation with #26 (January 2004). Guice resigned from CrossGen "just prior to the layoffs" and before the remaining staff were released from "exclusivity status".[3]
WriterGeoff Johns, "one ofHumanoids' biggest supporters from the very beginning of [their] US publishing program," pitched a story withKris Grimminger featuring "every great monster fromGreek mythology, fromMedusa to theStymphalian Birds."[3] Humanoids editor Paul Benjamin began the search "throughout the world for a great artist who would appeal to both an American and a European audience. Butch was always on our mind for the book, but he was busy drawing Ruse for CrossGen. We began talking to Butch once he became available and Olympus was a perfect fit."[3]
Guice said of Humanoids andOlympus:
"I've been interested in working with Paul Benjamin and Humanoids for several years now... [their] approach to their material, both in quality and design of product as well as the extensive worldwide market they've cultivated with a variety of genres, held enormous interest for me. After my resignation from the CrossGen staff, I contacted Paul and we started talking about possibilities. Once I read the two scripts for Olympus, I knew it was exactly the type of thing I would enjoy drawing. Having it be written by Geoff and Kris was a very pleasurable bonus."[3]
Although intended as two volumes, to date, only the first has seen print. This is likely due to the lapsing of Humanoids US-distribution deal with DC,[18] as Guice said in December 2003, while working on Volume One that that book "wraps in March [2004]", which he then "scheduled to start work on volume two almost immediately".[3]
After leaving CrossGen, Guice worked with writerWarren Ellis on a six-issue story-arc entitled "New Maps of Hell" for DC'sJLA: Classified title and then worked on the "One Year Later" revamp of Aquaman, inKurt Busiek'sAquaman: Sword of Atlantis, debuting with #40 of the previousAquaman title.[5] Guice stayed for eight issues, and Busiek said of his artist colleague:
"Aside from being a terrific artist and strong storyteller, Butch can really make you believe in the exotic fantasy worlds of theAtlantic oceanscape. And he draws a greatKing Shark -- and a creepy Dweller, to boot. And cool warriors, gorgeous women, strange creatures and more. He's the perfect guy for this book, and I've wanted to work with him for years."[19]
In 2007, Guice provided rotating art duties forThe Invincible Iron Man, with issue #19–20'sWorld War Hulk tie-in issue and became inker onCaptain America for #32–34, and then taking over full duties as of #35. Guice penciled a miniseries taking place in theUltimate Universe, entitledUltimate Origins written byBrian Michael Bendis. Bendis wrote of Guice "I've been a fan of his for years and years, and when I saw what he was doing inIron Man [with Gage]... I had to have him."[20] Guice was the penciler on the Wildstorm mini-seriesStorming Paradise, written byChuck Dixon.
Guice and his wife Julie had a daughter named Elizabeth Diane, born in 1988.[21] He died of pneumonia on May 1, 2025, at the age of 63.[22][23][24] He was a resident ofReading, Ohio, at the time of his death.[25]
Guice received anInkpot Award in 2015.[26]
Comics work (interior art) includes:
The original X-Men gathered inX-Factor #1 by Bob Layton and artist Jackson Guice.
Written by Mike Baron, with art by Jackson Guice, the Flash's new adventures began with his twentieth birthday party.
[Olympus Vol. 1] looks to be one of the final books of the DC/Humanoids partnership...
Jackson "Butch" Guice, one of the most acclaimed comic book artists of his generation, passed away on May 1, 2025, after a prolonged bout with pneumonia. He is survived by his beloved wife, Julie, and their daughter, Elizabeth Diane.
Born on June 27, 1961, in the vibrant heart of Chattanooga, Tennessee, his journey through this world was not merely lived; it was illustrated with passion and purpose. He departed from this realm on May 1, 2025, in Cincinnati, Ohio, leaving behind a legacy etched in ink and heart.
| Preceded by | Micronauts artist 1982–1984 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by n/a | X-Factor artist 1986 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | New Mutants artist 1986–1987 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by n/a | The Flash vol. 2 artist 1987–1988 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Iron Man artist 1988–1989 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Action Comics artist 1992–1995 | Succeeded by |
