| Steve Oliff | |
|---|---|
 Oliff at the 2024WonderCon | |
| Born | (1954-02-20)February 20, 1954 (age 71) |
| Nationality | American |
| Area | Writer,Colourist |
Notable works | Akira Spawn |
| Awards | "Best Colorist" Eisner Award (1992–1994) Harvey Award (1990–1992, 1994–1995) |
| http://www.olyoptics.com | |
Steve Oliff (born February 20, 1954)[1] is anAmericancomic book artist who has worked as acolorist in the comics industry since 1978.
Oliff broke into professional comics by attending comic book conventions and meeting people. At one convention he met publisherByron Preiss. Preiss gave Oliff his first major coloring job (on aShadowjack story inThe IllustratedRoger Zelazny). More work with Preiss's publications followed, including a job on aHoward Chaykin graphic novel, which in turn led to Oliff getting his first Marvel Comics' job, coloringBill Sienkiewicz's firstMoon Knight story inThe Hulk! magazine.[2] From there Oliff went on to color hundreds of titles in a variety of coloring formats.
His company, Olyoptics, was one of the first to use computers to do color separation. Although other companies at the time were experimenting with computers, Oliff and his crew were the first to blend the color guide artist with the separator[3]
In 1987, the JapanesemangaAkira was in preparation to be translated and published byMarvel Comics'sEpic Comics line. Oliff was chosen as the colorist, and he convinced Marvel that it was time to try computer color.[4] After the publication ofAkira in 1988, computer coloring became increasingly prevalent in the comics industry.[3] Oliff's work in Akira earned him anEisner Award in 1992.[5]
In addition to coloring thousands of comic pages for all sorts of companies, Oliff has written two comic books,Armature andArmature: Darkpark and Lightworld, and is currently writing the third in his series. TheArmature character first appeared in ads inSpawn andYoungblood comics, and in a back-up story in issue 14 ofThe Maxx. From 2003 to the present,Armature has been a weekly comic strip in Oliff's local newspaper, theIndependent Coast Observer.
In 2005, Oliff collaborated withCheri Carlstedt on a history of his hometown,Point Arena, California.The Early Days of Point Arena: A Pictorial History of the City and Township was published by Olyoptics. He also edits theMendocino County Historical Society newsletter.
Oliff won the "Best Colorist"Eisner Award in 1992,[6] 1993[7] and 1994[8] and the "Best Colorist"Harvey Award in 1990,[9] 1991,[10] 1992,[11] 1994[12] and 1995.[13]
He was awarded theInkpot Award in 1991.[14]
