Bill Sienkiewicz

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Bill Sienkiewicz : biography

May 3, 1958 –

Other work

In addition to his work in comics, Sienkiewicz has also worked in numerous other media, especially in the music and trading card industries. His artwork has been published in magazines including Entertainment Weekly and Spin Magazine. In 1998, he collaborated with writer Martin I. Green to produce the children’s book Santa, My Life & Times.

In 1989, Sienkiewicz painted the art for the "Friendly Dictators" card set published by Eclipse Comics which portrayed various foreign leaders such as Mobutu Sese Seko, Ferdinand Marcos, and Anastasio Somoza Debayle., funkiness.com, accessed June 30, 2011. Sienkiewicz has illustrated cards for the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game. In 2004, Sienkiewicz contributed to card art for VS System, a collectible card game published by Upper Deck Entertainment.

In 1995, Sienkiewicz illustrated the Martin I. Green biography of Jimi Hendrix, Voodoo Child: The Illustrated Legend of Jimi Hendrix. The following year he provided the artwork for the Bruce Cockburn album The Charity of Night, and went on to provide album covers for RZA’s Bobby Digital in Stereo (1998) and EPMD’s Business as Usual (1990).

In 2006, Sienkiewicz designed the layout and art for The Venture Bros. season one DVD set. He also designed the cover art for the season three DVD and Blu-ray set. Still in 2006, Sienkiewicz teamed with Neal Adams to create art for former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters. Their artwork was utilized as video projections for live performances of Waters’ "Leaving Beirut."

Early life

Sienkiewicz was born May 3, 1958, in Blakely, Pennsylvania. When he was five years old, he moved with his family to Hainesville, New Jersey, where he attended elementary and secondary school.Marvel Age No. 53 (July 1985): "The Marvel Age Interview: Bill Sienkiewicz", pp. 20–22

Sienkiewicz began drawing "when [he] was about four or five", and continued doing and learning about art throughout his childhood. His early comic-book influences include artist Curt Swan Superman comics, and artist Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four.

Sieniewicz attended the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts in Newark, New Jersey.

After art school, he showed a portfolio of his work to DC Comics’ art director Vince Colletta, which led to his breaking into the field at age 19.Shooter, Jim. "Introduction," Moon Knight Special Edition No. 1 (Nov. 1983). The artist recalled in 1985, "They didn’t have any work for me, but that didn’t bother me. I just figured that if comics didn’t work out I’d have done advertising or illustration. Vinnie called [renowned comics and advertising artist] Neal Adams, who put me in touch with [Marvel Comics editor-in-chief] Jim Shooter. Soon after that I was drawing Moon Knight, in The Hulk [black-and-white comics] magazine". His art style was heavily influenced by Neal Adams.Thomas, Michael. Comic Book Resources (July 17, 2001): "Studying Neal’s work, … I became obsessed … and became fixated on it. It was like my intention was to be Neal. … There was no one at this point saying don’t do that, you’ve got to be your own person. … When I finally got started, what got me hired was the fact that I drew like Neal. Neal in fact called up Shooter and said, ‘I’ve got this kid fresh off the street and he draws like me. Is that a problem?’"

Personal life

During the early 1980s Sienkiewicz was married to a woman named Franki, who worked on-staff at Marvel as editor-in-chief Jim Shooter’s administrative assistant, and later went on to a job as Marvel’s Administrative Manager of International Licensing.Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel comics cover-dated Jan. 1982. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1983.Sim, Dave. The Beguiling website (2003).