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Dennis Janke

{{short description|American comic book artist (born 1950)}}

{{Infobox comics creator

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date ={{Birth date and age|1950|04|13}}

| birth_place = Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.

| cartoonist =

| area =

| write =

| pencil =

| ink = y

| color =

| letter =

| alias = Z. CapistanceWitzend #12 (Wonderful Publishing Company, 1982).

| collaborators = Jon Bogdanove
Jerry Ordway

| notable works = Superman: The Man of Steel
The Adventures of Superman
Superman

| awards =

}}

Dennis Janke (born April 13,[http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/happy_66th_birthday_dennis_janke "Happy 66th Birthday, Dennis Janke!"], The Comics Reporter (April 13, 2016). 1950[http://www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=JANKE%2c+DENNIS Janke entry], Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Accessed July 15, 2016. in Cleveland, Ohio)"witzend Contributors, Part 2," witzend, Volume 1 (Fantagraphics Books, 2014), p. 306. is an American comic book artist who was active in the industry from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s, primarily as an inker. He is most well known for his work on the DC Comics character Superman, particularly his nine-year run as inker on Superman: The Man of Steel.

A freelancer, Janke worked for both DC and Marvel Comics during his career, penciling covers and stories here and there, but mostly focusing on "finish inking" over other artists' pencils. Janke has worked extensively with pencilers Jon Bogdanove and Jerry Ordway, and is a co-creator (with artist Ordway) of Bertron (who created Doomsday), and Mr. Z (best known from the Superman story "Time and Time Again"). With Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary, Janke co-created Armadillo.

In his career, Janke has also worked on dozens of independent comic books and underground comix, including his own self-published series, Flaming Baloney (published with James R. Blevins c. 1975)."witzend Contributors, Part I," witzend, Volume 1 (Fantagraphics Books, 2014), p. 293.

Biography

= Education =

Janke earned his BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art.

= Career =

Janke's first published work was a 1974 illustration in DC Comics' House of Mystery,{{Cite web|title=Dennis Janke - The Fan of Steel|url=http://www.thefanofsteel.com/home/steel-profile/dennis-janke|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919220247/http://www.thefanofsteel.com/home/steel-profile/dennis-janke|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 19, 2020|access-date=2021-05-28|website=www.thefanofsteel.com}} but his professional career took off a decade later when he was hired to ink Paul Neary on Marvel's Captain America, which he did for two years.

Moving over to DC Comics in 1987, Janke inked the final nine issues of Electric Warrior over Jim Baikie's pencils. Next, he inked the four-issue mini-series The Phantom, pencilled by Joe Orlando and written by Peter David. Around the same time he became the regular inker on The Adventures of Superman and Superman, mostly inking Jerry Ordway's pencils. He then spent nine years as the inker of Superman: The Man of Steel, mostly over Jon Bogdanove. (Bogdanove and Janke also illustrated many covers for the Steel solo title during this period.) As inker on Superman: The Man of Steel, Janke contributed to, and benefited from the success of, the best-selling 1992-1993 "The Death of Superman" story arc.

Janke's final major run as an inker was for The Spectre in 2002–2003 (over Norm Breyfogle's pencils). Since 2003, Janke's published comics credits have been rare.

Janke is currently at work on a graphic novel.

Personal life

Janke is an amateur poet.[http://www.inspirationforthespirit.com/poetry/guest-poets/dennis-janke/ Janke bio], Inspiration for the Spirit website. Accessed July 15, 2016. He lives in Maine, in a house he was able to pay for with royalties from his work on "The Death of Superman."

Bibliography

= As writer =

= As penciler =

  • Adventures of Superman #496 (DC Comics, Nov. 1992) — also co-plot and inks
  • "Gangbuster of Suicide Slum," The Legacy of Superman #1 (DC Comics, Mar. 1993)
  • "Prologue: Communion," Doomsday Annual #1 (DC Comics, 1995) — also inks
  • "Epilogue: Requiem," Doomsday Annual #1 (DC Comics, 1995) — also inks

= As inker =

Further reading

  • Thompson, Don & Maggie. Comic-Book Superstars: Who is Who Among Comics Creators (Iola, Wis.: Krause Publications, 1993), p. 102.

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{Comicbookdb|type=creator|id= 503}}
  • [http://www.inspirationforthespirit.com/poetry/guest-poets/dennis-janke/ Janke page at Inspiration for the Spirit]

{{S-start}}

{{Succession box | title=Captain America inker | before=Roy Richardson | after=John Beatty | years=1984–1986}}

{{Succession box | title=Electric Warrior inker | before=Pablo Marcos | after= N/A (series ended) | years=1987}}

{{Succession box | title=The Adventures of Superman inker | before=John Beatty | after=Art Thibert | years=1988–1989}}

{{Succession box | title=Superman inker | before=Brett Breeding| after=Brett Breeding| years=1989–1991}}

{{Succession box | title=Superman: The Man of Steel inker | before= N/A | after=Tom Nguyen| years=1991–1999}}

{{Succession box | title=The Spectre inker | before= Jim Royal | after= N/A (series ended) | years=2002–2003}}

{{S-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Janke, Dennis}}

Category:Comics inkers

Category:American comics artists

Category:1950 births

Category:Living people

Category:Cleveland Institute of Art alumni

Category:Artists from Maine

Category:Artists from Cleveland

Category:DC Comics people