The Splintering

Remembering Comic Book Creator Marshall Rogers On His Birthday, January 22

George Travlos

If you’re looking for a comic book artist that got the most out of his few years in the industry, look no further than Marshall Rogers.  Rogers was born on January 22, 1950, and died on March 24, 2007.  In those 57 years, Marshall Rogers only spent a few years working exclusively in the comic book industry, but the contributions he made are still with us to this day. 

Mister Miracle #22 (02/1978) – Although cancelled after issue #18, Mister Miracle enjoyed a resurgence thanks to his appearances in Brave and the Bold. His series resumed with issue #19 after a three year hiatus.
Detective Comics #475 (02/1978) – This issue of Detective Comics was immortalized thanks to its adaptation in a legendary episode of Batman: The Animated Series.
Detective Comics #473 (03/1978) – I don’t like putting back to back issues from the same series up, but tell me which of these two covers would you have eliminated?

Marshall Rogers was not a prototypical comic book artist.  In fact, he studied architecture in college and worked as an illustrator and designer for several magazine publishers before finally being noticed at both Marvel and DC in the late 1970s. 

Doctor Strange #49 (10/1981) – By the Eye of Agamotto, this is as classic a pose of Doctor Strange as you’ll see.
Vigilante #29 (05/1986) – Usually silhouettes in comics mean the artists were cutting corners, but in my opinion, the silhouette here really helps set the tone.

From the late 1970s until his passing in 2007, Rogers only had a handful of comic book credits to his name, but those credits really stand out. From being bestowed the artistic helm of Mister Miracle when the series resumed following its unceremonious cancellation, to his groundbreaking run on Detective Comics, to his re-launching of the Silver Surfer series at Marvel, Marshall Rogers seemed to be involved in several key moments in comics. 

Silver Surfer #1 (07/1987) – The relaunching of the Silver Surfer series in the 1980s began with Silver Surfer being freed from his exile on Earth and allowed Marshall Rogers to explore true cosmic storytelling.
G.I. Joe #77 (10/1988) – Look at the facial expression on Lady Jaye, and the damage being left to her face from this violent encounter.
Spider-Man #27 (10/1992) – Just a classic Spider-Man pose, including the underarm webbing, an underused detail that I always appreciated.

Although Marshall Rogers didn’t have a long list of creative credits to his name, what he did work on still resonates with readers. His career, and his legacy help drive home the point of “Quality over Quantity”. We welcome you to help us remember his works by posting your favorite titles and issues in the comments section below. 

Batman: Legend of the Dark Knight #135 (11/2000) – Marshall Rogers returned to work on Batman and really piled on the action on this cover.
Batman: Dark Detective #1 (07/2005) – One of his final credits, Marshall Rogers drew the Joker so distinctively. Look at all of the detail he put into the rose on his lapel.

“What I try to do, is first think of what’s been done before and then I discard that and try to approach it from a completely different angle.” – Marshall Rogers

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One response to “Remembering Comic Book Creator Marshall Rogers On His Birthday, January 22”

  1. Rusty Shackelford Avatar
    Rusty Shackelford

    That Silver Surfer #1 was a key player in getting me into comics in the late 80’s. Thanks for the article, and Happy Birthday, Marshall!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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