| Mike Zeck | |
|---|---|
 2023 portrait of Mike Zeck | |
| Born | (1949-09-06)September 6, 1949 (age 76) Greenville, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Area | Artist |
Notable works | Captain America Kraven's Last Hunt Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars Master of Kung-Fu The Punisher |
| mikezeck | |
Michael J. Zeck (born September 6, 1949)[1] is an Americancomics artist. He is best known for his work forMarvel Comics on such series asCaptain America,Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars,Master of Kung-Fu, andThe Punisher as well as the "Kraven's Last Hunt" storyline in theSpider-Man titles.
Mike Zeck was born inGreenville, Pennsylvania in 1949.[1] He attended theRingling School of Art in 1967,[1] and after graduation worked at the Migrant Education Center inFort Lauderdale, Florida.[1] He is ofSerbian ancestry.
Zeck began his comics career in 1974, doing illustration assignments for the text stories inCharlton Comics' animated line of comics, which led to work on their horror titles.[1] During this period he lived briefly in theDerby, Connecticut, area where Charlton was headquartered.
In 1977, Zeck started working forMarvel Comics onMaster of Kung Fu with writerDoug Moench. In 2010,Comics Bulletin ranked Moench and Zeck's work onMaster of Kung-Fu sixth on its list of the "Top 10 1970s Marvels".[2] Zeck later worked onCaptain America and drew covers forG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.
Zeck illustrated theMarvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars limited series in 1984.[3] For this series, he designed a new black-and-white costume temporarily worn by Spider-Man.[4][5] The plot that developed as a result of Spider-Man's acquisition of the costume led to the creation of the Spider-Man villainVenom.[6]
In 1986, Zeck collaborated with writerSteven Grant on aPunisher miniseries, which was later collected asThe Punisher: Circle Of Blood[7] and an original hardcover graphic novel of the character three years later.[8]
Zeck illustrated the 1987Spider-Man storyline "Kraven's Last Hunt",[9] written by his formerCaptain America collaboratorJ. M. DeMatteis, which is considered to be one of the quintessential stories in Spider-Man's history, as well as the definitiveKraven the Hunter storyline.[10][11][12]
DeMatteis remarked, "Because Mike nailed the plot elements so perfectly in his pencils—every action, every emotion, was there, clear as a bell — I didn't have to worry about belaboring those elements in the captions or dialogue. I was free to do those interior monologues that were so important to the story. If any other artist had drawn “Kraven's Last Hunt” ... it wouldn't have been the same story."[13]
In 2004, Zeck's cover ofWeb of Spider-Man #32, which depicts Spider-Man escaping the grave into which he has been interred by Kraven, was recreated as a 12-inch-tall resin diorama statue byDynamic Forces.[14]
Zeck has worked for DC Comics as well. He contributed toWho's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe in the mid-1980s.[15] Zeck drew the covers for the "Ten Nights of the Beast" storyline inBatman #417–420 (March–June 1988)[16] and these covers were later collected in a portfolio.[17] His other credits for the publisher includeBatman: Legends of the Dark Knight,Legends of the DC Universe, and covers forDeathstroke, The Terminator. In 1999, he collaborated with writerMark Waid onThe Kingdom (illustrating issue #2, withAriel Olivetti illustrating issue #1), a sequel toKingdom Come.[18]
Zeck moved to thePhilippines in 2022 and now lives in the city ofMakati.[19][20]
An exhibition of Zeck's art is on display atIndiana University Bloomington from April 2025 to February 2026.[21][22] The art belongs to a private collector whose home was destroyed in thePalisades Fire in January 2025.[23]
In 1983 Zeck held the world record for double creditOmega Race, with a score of 2,538,250.[24]
According to Jim Shooter...Mike Zeck did the actual design. Ron Frenz was the first penciler to actually render it in the comics.
Batman became the subject of several artist portfolios released by DC Comics in the 1980s, including a set of plates by Mike Zeck.
I'm in the heart of Makati, surrounded byeverything.
This exhibition celebrates Zeck's impressive 50-year career, showcasing original artworks, props, and costumes from the collection of IU alumnus Charles Costas, alongside Zeck-illustrated comic books from IU's Ray Bradbury Center.
the University Collections opened its newest exhibit April 11 featuring comic artist Mike Zeck's contributions to Marvel comics. The exhibition, "The Comic Art of Mike Zeck: The Marvel Years," is in the McCalla School and features Zeck's original artwork, props and costumes, which were adapted by Marvel in its movie productions.
A collection of rare comic book history is now on display at Indiana University. It all would have likely been destroyed in the Palisades Fire if not for this exhibit.
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| Preceded by Jim Craig | Master of Kung Fu penciller 1977–1981 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Captain America penciller 1981–1984 | Succeeded by |
