José Antonio Muñoz

Infobox Comics creator
name = Muñoz


imagesize =
caption =
birthname = José Antonio Muñoz
birthdate = Birth date and age|1942|7|10|mf=y
location = Buenos Aires, Argentina
deathdate =
deathplace =
nationality = Argentine
area = artist
alias =
notable works = "Alack Sinner"
awards = full list

José Antonio Muñoz or simply Muñoz (born October 7, 1942 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine artist. He is most notable for his influential black-and-white artwork. His hardboiled graphic novels series "Alack Sinner" (with writer Carlos Sampayo) is a noted source for Frank Miller's "Sin City".

Overview

Muñoz studied at the Pan-American School of Art under Hugo Pratt and Alberto Breccia, and worked as an assistant to Francisco Solano López.

In 1972 he moved to Spain and then to Italy and began a collaboration with Argentine writer Carlos Sampayo which produced , among others, the detective series "Alack Sinner" (sometimes misspelled "Allack Sinner" ) and its spin-offs "Joe's Bar" and "Sophie", as well as a comics biography of Billie Holiday.

His style is characterised by a sharp line, heavy chiaroscuro, and exaggerated, sometimes grotesque, faces and figures. His work has had a strong influence on Argentine Alberto Breccia, his teacher. Also British artists Dave McKean and Warren Pleece, and US artists Frank Miller (for part of his "Sin City" style [ [http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/archives/199807/0360.html Miskatonic site] ] ) and Keith Giffen.

Awards

* 1978: Best Foreign Realistic Work at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, France
* 1983: Best Comic Book at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
* 1994: Harvey Award for Best American Edition of Foreign Material [ [http://www.harveyawards.org/awards_1994nom.html Harvey Awards site] ]
* 2002: Special Prize for outstanding life’s work at the Max & Moritz Prizes, Germany
* 2007: Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, France

References

External links

* [http://www.lambiek.net/artists/m/munoz.htm José Muñoz profile] on Lambiek Comiclopedia
* [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6384/eurocom4.html "European Hard-Boiled Comics: Alack Sinner, PI from the Darkest Noir"] - Illustrated overview of the series
* [http://www.thrillingdetective.com/sinner.html Short bibliography of the "Alack Sinner" series] (French and English editions)
* [http://www.bulledair.com/index.php?rubrique=auteur&auteur=Muñoz%20José Large Muñoz illustrated bibliography] (but sorted by last-reprint dates instead of original years) fr_icon
* [http://www.oc-tv.net/en/jose-munoz.htm Video Report ] José Muñoz 2008 on OC-TV.net

; Career-wide selected art samples (French editions)(Years from artist's signature or original publication, not later reprints)

* [http://www.bulledair.com/index.php?rubrique=planche&album=sudor_sudaca 1983 page from "Sudor Sudaca"]
* [http://www.bulledair.com/index.php?rubrique=planche&album=bar_joe2 1987 page from "Joe's Bar: Friendly Stories"]
* [http://www.bulledair.com/index.php?rubrique=planche&album=alack_sinner4 1988 page from "Alack Sinner: Nicaragua"]
* [http://www.bulledair.com/index.php?rubrique=planche&album=jeu_lumiere 1988 page from "Play of Lights"]
* [http://www.bulledair.com/index.php?rubrique=planche&album=billie_holiday 1991 page from "Billie Holiday"]
* [http://www.bulledair.com/index.php?rubrique=planche&album=panna_maria 1999 page from "Panna Maria"]
* [http://www.bulledair.com/index.php?rubrique=planche&album=retour_flammes 2003 page from "Backfires"]
* [http://www.bulledair.com/index.php?rubrique=planche&album=le_livre 2004 page from "The Book"]