Chuck Austen

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Chuck Austen bigraphy, stories - American comic book writer and artist

Chuck Austen : biography

Chuck Austen (born Chuck Beckum) is an American comic book writer and artist, TV writer and animator. In the comics industry, he is known for his work on War Machine, Elektra, Action Comics, and the X-Men franchise, and in television, he is known for co-creating the animated TV series Tripping the Rift.

Reception

During his Marvel/DC stint, Austen invented the expression "Seven Deadly Trolls". In Austen’s point of view, they are a small and not representative group, who use internet message boards, blogs and newsgroups to attack Austen on a professional and personal level.Markisan Naso and Tim O’Shea. . Comics Bulletin. accessed October 3, 2011. Multiple comic book critics though, have panned Austen’s Marvel and DC work.MacPherson, Don. The 4th Rail. accessed October 3, 2011.Cornwell, Jason. . Comics Bulletin. June 11, 2003 Austen admitted that he took online criticism of his work personally. On a professional level, the criticism also led to hostility between himself and certain comic book store owners.

In a 2006 interview, Austen commented sarcastically on his bad image among comic book fans, later acknowledging having had a "bad day" during that interview, and being overtly cynical.

Early life

Chuck Austen was born Chuck Beckum.. Kees Kousemaker’s Lambiek Comiclopedia. Retrieved November 14, 2011. He grew up a military brat, and after his parents divorced, he was raised by his single mother in a housing project, an upbringing that he described as a struggle.Singh, Arune (February 14, 2006). . Comic Book Resources.

Personal life

Austen is married and has two daughters.

Austen identifies himself as humanitarian and anti-racist. In Austen’s view the Republican Party discriminates against women, and he especially disliked the Bush administration.

Career

Austen’s early commercial work began in the 1980s, when he briefly illustrated Alan Moore’s superhero series Miracleman, under his birth name "Chuck Beckum", which he later abandoned out of a desire to disassociate from his father’s family name. About the same time Austen wrote and drew the semi-autobiographical black-and-white pornographic comic book series Strips, as well as Hardball. In the late 1980s, Austen drew the first five issues for the short-lived series Hero Sandwich for by Slave Labor Graphics. He also was involved in the lesser-known Dr. Radium and Lee Flea series, and slowly crossed over into DC Comics when he was assigned to Phantom Lady and Green Flame and drew Disney’s The Little Mermaid limited series.

2000s work

From 2001 on, Austen wrote several issues of War Machine.Giles, Keith. . Comic Book Resources. September 6, 2011 The mini-series was received well, but sales of the action-driven story were plagued by the fact that the series was published in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. In 2003, Austen followed up with War Machine 2.0. Using the creative liberties in the alternate universe in which the series is set, he wrote Rhodes’ boss Tony Stark as more pacifist and business-minded than his mainstream counterpart, and Rhodes himself as the proactive protector.Singh, Arune. . Comic Book Resources. March 21, 2003

In the early 2000s, Austen started working regularly for Marvel Comics, writing and illustrating U.S. War Machine, illustrating Elektra, and writing a number of series, including Uncanny X-Men, Captain America, and The Avengers. His two-year run on Uncanny X-Men was his most lengthy writing assignment to date.

In 2002 Austen took part in writing a Marvel book with Bruce Jones titled The Call of Duty 911a short-lived Marvel Comics series featuring firefighters and emergency service workers dealing with paranormal phenomena in the Marvel Universe, conceived in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks as a way to convey the heroism of New York City firemen as real life superheroes. Austen wrote Call of Duty: The Brotherhood #1–6, and Call of Duty: The Wagon #1–4, and a short run on an ongoing series in 2002–2003 that lasted four issues.