Ernie Chan

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Ernie Chan bigraphy, stories - Artist

Ernie Chan : biography

July 27, 1940 – May 16, 2012

Ernesto "Ernie" Chan (July 27, 1940–May 16, 2012) sometimes credited as Ernie Chua, was a Filipino-American comic book artist, known for work published by Marvel Comics and DC Comics, including many Marvel issues of series featuring Conan the Barbarian. Chan also had a long tenure on Batman and Detective Comics. Other than his work on Batman, Chan primarily focused on non-superhero characters, staying mostly in the genres of horror, war, and swords-and-sorcery.

Notes

Biography

Chan migrated to the United States in 1970, and became a citizen in 1976. For a number of years, he worked under the name "Ernie Chua", which had been incorrectly entered on his U.S. immigration documents, but he was later credited under his true surname. He studied with John Buscema, and also worked with him as the inker on Conan during the 1970s. He also inked the art of Buscema’s brother Sal on The Incredible Hulk.

Chan broke into American comics in 1972 with DC, as a penciler on horror/mystery titles like Ghosts, House of Mystery, and The Unexpected. By 1974, he was working regularly for Marvel on Conan the Barbarian. From 1975–1976, Chan worked exclusively for DC, including the artwork for Claw the Unconquered, written by David Michelinie. Under the name Chua, he was DC Comic’s primary cover artist from approximately 1975 to 1977.

Chan pencilled several issues of Conan and Doctor Strange, and worked on Kull the Destroyer in 1977 and Power Man in the 1980s. From about 1978 onward, he worked almost exclusively for Marvel, in the 1980s focusing on Conan.

In 2002, he retired except for commissioned artwork, but returned to comics to draw writer Andrew Zar’s adult-oriented webcomic The Vat #1 in 2009.

Chan was based in Oakland, California, and had three children;Lin, Sam Chu. "Asians Fulfill Fantasies As Comic Book Artists," Asian Week (17 June 1988), p. 12.

his daughter Cleo Caron Chan was born April 25, 1978."Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel Comics cover-dated November 1978. Ernie Chan died in mid-May 2012 after a yearlong battle with cancer.