Steve Lightle

Steve Lightle
Born(1959-11-19)November 19, 1959
Kansas, U.S.
DiedJanuary 8, 2021(2021-01-08) (aged 61)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S
Area(s)Penciller
Notable works
Doom Patrol
Legion of Super-Heroes
Classic X-Men

Steve Lightle (November 19, 1959 – January 8, 2021)[1][2][3] was an American comics artist who worked primarily as a penciller. He was best known as the artist of DC Comics' Legion of Super-Heroes and Doom Patrol titles.

Biography

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Steve Lightle attended the Johnson County Community College in the Kansas City metropolitan area.[4] His first professional comic book work was a five-page story in Black Diamond #4 (Feb. 1984) published by AC Comics.[citation needed] He followed this with his debut at DC Comics, drawing a 10-page story in New Talent Showcase #4 (April 1984),[5] a series intended to provide work for up-and-coming artists who did not have a regular assignment.[6]

In 1984, Lightle followed Keith Giffen as the penciller of Legion of Super-Heroes.[7] Lightle described it as being a "dream assignment" to work on the title.[8] One of Lightle's issues featured the death of the longtime Legion member the Karate Kid.[9] Although Lightle's tenure as interior artist was brief, he continued as the cover artist until 1988.[5] Lightle co-created two Legionnaires, Tellus and Quislet,[10] whose unusual appearances contrasted with the humanoid appearances of the other Legionnaires.

In 1986, Lightle was one of the contributors to the DC Challenge limited series[11] and drew part of Batman #400 (Oct. 1986).[12] The following year, he was the original penciller of the revival of Doom Patrol,[13] but he left after the first five-issue story arc due to creative differences.[14] Much of Lightle's work after that was as cover artist, typically inking his own penciled artwork. In 1989 and 1990, Lightle was the regular cover artist for Classic X-Men[5] (later retitled X-Men Classic). He produced new covers and frontispieces to accompany the reprinted stories.

Death

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On January 8, 2021, Lightle's wife Marianne and son Matthew announced through social media that he had suddenly died from a cardiac arrest brought on by COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Missouri. He was 61 years old.[15][16][17]

Bibliography

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AC Comics

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  • Black Diamond #4 (1984)

DC Comics

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Marvel Comics

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References

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  1. ^ "Comic book artist's sudden death a shock: 'We had no idea he had Covid'". NBC News. January 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "Steve Lightle, DC Comics' Legion of Super-Heroes Artist, Dies at 61".
  3. ^ Miller, John Jackson (June 10, 2005). "Industry Birthdays". Comics Buyer's Guide. Iola, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on February 18, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  4. ^ Bails, Jerry (n.d.). "Lightle, Steve". Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999. Archived from the original on May 11, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c Steve Lightle at the Grand Comics Database
  6. ^ Greenberger, Robert (April 2014). "New Talent and Bonus Babies". Back Issue! (71). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 67.
  7. ^ Schweier, Philip (October 2013). "Back to the Future: The Legion in the 1980s". Back Issue! (68). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 57–61.
  8. ^ Vollmar, Rob (June 14, 2007). "Conversation With A Craftsman: Steve Lightle Talks With Rob Vollmar". Silver Bullet Comics. Archived from the original on June 14, 2007. Retrieved March 30, 2012. I was made to feel very welcome on Legion, and since the characters had been favorites of mine consistently since childhood, it was a dream assignment. I can't say enough good about Paul Levitz, who encouraged me to be involved in every aspect of the book and its characters.
  9. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah (2010). "1980s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 209. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. In a story written by Paul Levitz, with art by Keith Giffen and Steve Lightle...the Karate Kid gave his life heroically while battling Nemesis Kid.
  10. ^ Signh, Arune (October 30, 2002). "Because You Demanded It, A Legionnaire Returns: Steve Lightle Talks Legion". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2012. I hold the distinction of having suggested the first non-humanoid Legionnaires in the long history of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Tellus and Quislet were the first nonhuman members of the Legion, and I'm very happy that Paul Levitz and I broke that barrier by creating them.
  11. ^ Greenberger, Robert (August 2017). "It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time: A Look at the DC Challenge!". Back Issue! (98). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 43.
  12. ^ Trumbull, John (December 2013). "A New Beginning...And a Probable End Batman #300 and #400". Back Issue! (69). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 51.
  13. ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 229: "October [1987] saw a new Doom Patrol series, by writer Paul Kupperberg and artist Steve Lightle."
  14. ^ Browning, Michael (July 2013). "The Doom Patrol Interviews: Steve Lightle". Back Issue! (65). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 51. I'd decided that it wasn't going in the direction I wanted and the promises I had been made hadn't even been anywhere near fulfilled.
  15. ^ Arrant, Chris (January 8, 2021). "Iconic Legion of Super-Heroes artist Steve Lightle dies at age 61". GamesRadar+. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  16. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  17. ^ DCPlanet
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Preceded by Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 3 artist
1984–1985 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
n/a
 Doom Patrol vol. 2 artist
1987–1988 		Succeeded by
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