Michael William Kaluta

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Michael William Kaluta, or Mike Kaluta, (born August 25, 1947) is an American comic book artist.

Born in Guatemala to U.S. citizens, Kaluta studied at the Richmond Professional Institute (now Virginia Commonwealth University). His early work included a Flash Gordon story for Charlton Comics and an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Venus novels for DC. Kaluta's influences and style is drawn more from pulp illustrations of the 1930s - his signature motiff is elaborate decorative panel designs - rather than the silver age comics of the 1960s. Kaluta has worked rarely with the superhero genre. Associated during that period with Bernie Wrightson and Jeff Jones he also contributed illustrations to Ted White's Fantastic. He is known for his work on the series Starstruck and The Shadow.

Aside from many comic books and covers he has done a wide variety of book illustrations. Among music fans, Kaluta is known as the artist for the cover of Glenn Danzig's instrumental album Black Aria and for the interior illustration of Danzig's fourth album, the latter of which appeared on Danzig T-shirts and sweaters in 1994-95.

His work has won him a good deal of recognition, including the Shazam Award for Outstanding New Talent in 1971.

[edit] Notable Comics Works

DC Comics
- The Shadow #1-4,6 (reprinted in The Private Files of the Shadow)
- "Pirates of Venus" (Carson of Venus first book) in Korak #46-53
- "Lost on Venus" in Korak #54-56, Tarzan #230
- "Spawn of Frankenstein" in Phantom Stranger #23-25
- Madame Xanadu one-shot