James O’Barr, a comic book artist and writer, most famous for The Crow, was born on January 1st, 1960, in Detroit, Michigan.
The renowned O’Barr began his career in the late 70s, but not in the way you might be thinking. His initial work as an illustrator came when he served in the Marines and illustrated the military’s combat manuals. It was in 1981 that O’Barr began working on his first comic book, The Crow!
O’Barr worked on The Crow as a way to cope with the tragic passing of his fiance Beverly. Much like the character of Shelly Webster, Beverly’s life was taken from her; a drunk driver killed her.
After his time in the Marines, O’Barr continued working on his art and picked up random jobs when they came along. Although, it was not until 1989 that he published The Crow miniseries. Caliber Press was the original publisher of the series; it included four issues. O’Barr went on to publish 15 other series since about The Crow character.
The Crow quickly became a recognizable figure within pop-culture, especially after the 1994 film adaption. Now, since we covered the initial creation of The Crow, let us discuss the story and artwork!
The story centers around Eric Draven, a man who was murdered and brought back to life to avenge his fiance’s death. The artwork in the comic is a traditional monochromatic black and white; it helps represent the dark and sinister aspects of the story. The first film adaption of the captivating series was released in 1994.
As you may know, the star of The Crow movie, Brandon Lee, was accidentally shot and killed while filming the murder of Eric Draven scene. O’Barr was absolutely devastated by Lee’s passing, so much so that he did not return to North Carolina for the rewriting of the script.
Despite this tragedy, O’Barr has gone on to have an incredible career, producing plenty of new artwork and stories over the past four decades. Some of these include,
- Beat to a Pulp: Round 1 (Comic Book Cover Art)
- Black Feathers by The Mag Seven (Album Cover Art)
- Deadworld Archives – Book Three (Illustrator)
- Frame 137 (Writer and Illustrator)
- Sundown (Writer and Illustrator)
These are just a few of the many credits he has to his name!
James O’Barr has a gift in the art of captivating audiences. His unique art style and storytelling abilities make him a living legend. He resides in Dallas, Texas, with his daughter; currently, there are no reports of any new projects from him. What was your favorite comic from The Crow series? We are having a hard time choosing just one!