Frenz has a history of working on comic book series in which the characters were not in their original costumes/identities. Spider-Man wore his black costume, Thor took on a new secret identity and look, and Superman changed costumes and powers while Frenz was the regular artist on their titles.[5]
Frenz became the regular artist onThe Amazing Spider-Man in 1984 and the stories he pencilled included "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" in issue #248 (Jan. 1984)[6][7] and the first appearance of Spider-Man's black costume in issue #252 (May 1984).[8] Among the new characters introduced during his run were thePuma in issue #256 (Sept. 1984)[9] andSilver Sable in #265 (June 1985).[10] Frenz andTom DeFalco revealed that the "black suit" was an alien creature in issue #258 (Nov. 1984).[11] Frenz drewThe Amazing Spider-Man Annual #18 (1984), a story written byStan Lee, which featured the wedding of Spider-Man supporting charactersJ. Jonah Jameson and Marla Madison.[12] Frenz had originally been brought onto the series as a short-term substitute forJohn Romita Jr., but was retained when it became apparent that he meshed well with series writer DeFalco. Frenz recounted:
Initially, I was hired to only do six issues, while Romita, Jr. went off to getX-Men up and running. And he was supposed to come back and do bothX-Men andThe Amazing Spider-Man. And six issues in, I found out from [editor]Danny Fingeroth that JR had come into the office and said he'd seen the stuff that Tom and I were doing, and Danny said, "Yeah, I'm really happy with what they're doing." And JR said, "You are, aren't you?" And Danny said, "Yeah, I think they're really gelling as a team." And JR said, "If you're really happy with these guys, give it to them." And the first time I met JR, I thanked him for my run onSpider-Man.[13]
Jim Owsley, editor of the Spider-Man titles at the time, has noted that "Frenz waspassionate about Spider-Man, verging on fanatical."[14] In 1986, Frenz and DeFalco were removed fromThe Amazing Spider-Man by Owsley.[13][14] Frenz and DeFalco became the creative team onThor in 1987[4] and introduced theEric Masterson character inThor #391 (May 1988).[15] Eric Masterson later became the superhero known asThunderstrike and received his own series by DeFalco and Frenz in 1993.[16]
In 1995, Frenz moved toDC Comics and became the artist onSuperman.[4] The following year, he was one of the many creators who contributed to theSuperman: The Wedding Album one-shot wherein the title character marriedLois Lane.[17] Superman received a new costume, designed by Frenz himself, and new superpowers inSuperman vol. 2 #123 (May 1997).[18] Frenz drew part of theSuperman Red/Superman Blue one-shot which launched the storyline of the same name which ran through the various Superman titles.[19]
Frenz returned to Marvel with theSpider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives limited series, written byRoger Stern, in 1997.[20] DeFalco and Frenz reunited and introducedSpider-Girl inWhat If ...? vol. 2 #105 (Feb. 1998).[21]Spider-Girl became an ongoing series in October 1998[22] and ran until issue #100 (Sept. 2006).[23] A new series,The Amazing Spider-Girl, was launched the following December,[24] Frenz drew all 30 issues until the series' cancellation in 2009.[25]
On June 4, 2009, Ron Frenz was the recipient of the 2009 Nemo Award for Excellence in the Cartoon Arts.[26]
In 2017, Ron Frenz and long-time inking collaboratorSal Buscema began working onThe Blue Baron, written byDarin Henry and published by Sitcomics.[27] In 2021, Frenz also started to pencil another Sitcomics title:The Heroes Union which was written by Roger Stern.[28]
He rejoined Tom DeFalco to co-create and pencilThe R.I.G.H.T. Project for Apex Comic Group, again inked by Sal Buscema.[29] The one-shot comic book was crowdfunded viaIndiegogo and sent to its backers in February 2022.
^Cronin, Brian (May 10, 2010)."The Greatest Roger Stern Stories Ever Told!".Comic Book Resources.Archived from the original on October 26, 2011. RetrievedFebruary 20, 2012.Stern and guest-artist Ron Frenz tell the heartfelt tale of a little boy who might be Spider-Man's biggest fan. Spidey visits the boy and has a nice talk with him (and naturally, there is a twist to the tale).
^Manning, Matthew K. (2012). "1980s". In Gilbert, Laura (ed.).Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 138.ISBN978-0-7566-9236-0.
^Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 139: "This particular tale was produced by plotter [Roger] Stern, scripter Tom DeFalco, breakdown artist Frenz, and finisher Brett Breeding."
^Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 141: "Another new character to spin out of the imagination of writer DeFalco and artist Frenz would debut in this issue when the Puma went on the prowl after Spider-Man."
^Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 148: "In a story written by Tom DeFalco and penciled by Ron Frenz, readers met Silver Sable for the first time."
^Manning "1980s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 143: "[Stan] Lee's script was unmistakable and meshed well with drawings by Frenz and finishes by artists Bob Layton and Jackson Guice. The occasion for Stan's return was the wedding of J. Jonah Jameson to Doctor Marla Madison."
^DeFalco, Tom (2008). "1980s". In Gilbert, Laura (ed.).Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 237.ISBN978-0-7566-4123-8.Eric Masterson was an architect working on a construction site in this issue by Tom Defalco and Ron Frenz.
^Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 264: "Distancing himself from his former identity as Thor, Eric Masterson earned his own ongoing series by Tom Defalco and Ron Frenz inThunderstrike #1"
^Manning, Matthew K. (2010). "1990s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.).DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 275.ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9.The behind-the-scenes talent on the monumental issue appropriately spanned several generations of the Man of Tomorrow's career. Written by Dan Jurgens, Karl Kesel, David Michelinie, Louise Simonson, and Roger Stern, the one-shot featured the pencils of John Byrne, Gil Kane, Stuart Immonen, Paul Ryan, Jon Bogdanove, Kieron Dwyer, Tom Grummett, Dick Giordano, Jim Mooney, Curt Swan, Nick Cardy, Al Plastino, Barry Kitson, Ron Frenz, and Dan Jurgens.
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 279: "InSuperman #123 ... Superman debuted his new blue-and-white costume with a little help from scripter Dan Jurgens and penciller Ron Frenz."
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 283: "The special written by Dan Jurgens, Stuart Immonen, Karl Kesel, and Louise Simonson, with pencils by Stuart Immonen, Ron Frenz, Tom Grummett, Paul Ryan, and Jon Bogdanove."
^Cowsill, Alan "1990s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 234: "The mystery of the Hobgoblin's true identity was finally solved in this three issue miniseries by writer Roger Stern and artist Ron Frenz."
^Cowsill "1990s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 240: "Written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by Ron Frenz, the story focused on May Parker, Peter {Parker] and [Mary Jane Watson's] teenage daughter."
