Jan Strnad
Jan Steven Strnad is an American writer of comic books, horror, and science fiction. He is known for his many collaborations with artist Richard Corben, as well as his work in the Star Wars expanded universe, the majority of which has been published by Dark Horse Comics. He has also written for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Eclipse Comics, and Fantagraphics Books.
Biography
A native of Wichita, Kansas, of Czech descent, Strnad was influenced by such writers as Mark Twain and John Steinbeck, as well as DC and Marvel comic books.He was active in comics fandom in the 1960s and contributed to fanzines such as Rocket's Blast Comicollector, where he wrote the column "Eyeing the Egos". He also published his own zine, Anomaly, until it was taken over by Bud Plant.
Strnad's first professional comics were collaborations with Richard Corben, published in Rip Off Press's Fantagor. Other collaborations were published by Warren Publishing. In 1978–1979 he and Corben serialized "New Tales of the Arabian Nights" in Heavy Metal, and in 1982 they produced the Jeremy Brood trade paperback. In 1990, Strnad and Corben produced the five-issue limited series Son of Mutant World, published by Corben's Fantagor Press imprint. From 1996–1997, Strnad and Corben produced "Denz" stories for Penthouse Comix #15–20. Strnad and Corben worked together on the Flash animation web series Bludd for PirateNet in 2000. Dark Horse Comics published Strnad and Corben's limited series RageMoor in 2012.
Strnad has also collaborated a number of times with artist Dennis Fujitake, in Dalgoda, published by Fantagraphics from 1984–1986, followed by Flesh and Bones in 1986; and Keith Laumer's Retief, published by Mad Dog Graphics in 1987–1988. From 1981–1986, Strnad contributed articles to The Comics Journal.
Other notable titles by Strnad include the Sword of the Atom limited series, with artist Gil Kane, published by DC Comics in 1983, followed by three Specials ; Stalkers with Val Mayerik; and Starship Troopers: Dominant Species #1-4 with artist Davide Fabbri.
Strnad's Star Wars work includes story arcs in ', Star Wars: Prelude to Rebellion, and "Vow of Justice" in ', all published by Dark Horse Comics.
In the early 1990s, Strnad moved to Los Angeles to join the staff of Disney Television Animation, where he worked on Goof Troop and Aladdin. He later wrote for Sitting Ducks and Harold and the Purple Crayon.
Since 2000, he has concentrated on prose novels, three of which he self-published.
Personal life
Strnad's wife's name is Julie; he has a step-son. He and his wife live in Los Angeles.Awards
Strnad won the 1970 Goethe Award for "Favorite Fan Writer." He was nominated for the same award in 1972.Comics
Richard Corben collaborations
- "Encounter at War" in Anomaly #3 re-published in Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #4 and in color in Den |Den
#4 - "To Spear a Fair Maiden," in Fantagor #2
- "Alice in Wonderlust," in Anomaly #4
- "Kitten for Christian", in Fantagor #3
- "To Meet the Faces You Meet," in Fever Dreams
- "Bowser," in Creepy #77 ; republished in Vampirella #54, Creepy #132, Comix International #4, and The Best of Richard Corben from Creepy and Eerie
- "Ogre," in 1984 #4
- "Mutant World," in 1984 #1–8 ; collected in Mutant World
- "New Tales of the Arabian Nights," in Heavy Metal #15–28 ; collected as The Last Voyage of Sindbad
- Jeremy Brood
- "Relativity", in Epic Illustrated #15
- "Doomscult," in Heavy Metal #75
- "Such Pretty Little Toes," in Den #8
- "The Wreck of the Katerra-dan," in Den , in #9
- "Incantation," in Den #10
- "Donneman's Bluff," in Den #10
- "Turtles Take Time," Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #33
- Son of Mutant World
- "Monster Maker," in Batman Black and White #2
- "Denz" stories for Penthouse Comix #15–20
- "Full Moon Killer Strikes Again" in Spirit #7
- RageMoor limited series
Other comics writing
- The Amazing Spider-Man #228 , with artists Rick Leonardi and Dave Simons
- Marvel Two-in-One #90, with artists Alan Kupperberg and Jim Mooney
- Sword of the Atom #1–4 limited series, with artist Gil Kane
- Sword of the Atom Special #1 with artist Gil Kane
- Dalgoda #1–8, with artist Dennis Fujitake
- * "Grimwood's Daughter," in Dalgoda #2–6, with artist Kevin Nowlan; collected as Grimwood's Daughter
- "Duet" in Epic Illustrated #27 with artist Neal McPheeters
- Sword of the Atom Special #2 with artist Gil Kane
- Children of the Night Tide, with artist Dennis Fujitake
- "¿Who's Stronger?" in Anything Goes! with artist Gilbert Hernandez
- Flesh and Bones #1–4,, with artist Dennis Fujitake
- Keith Laumer's Retief #1–6, with artist Dennis Fujitake
- Dinosaur Rex #1–3, with artist Henry Mayo
- Talos of the Wilderness Sea #1 with artist Gil Kane
- Sword of the Atom Special #3 with artist Pat Broderick
- "The Secret Origin of Man-Bat" in Secret Origins vol. 2 #39 with artist Kevin Nowlan
- "The Warm Red" in Clive Barker's Hellraiser #1 with artist Bernie Wrightson
- "The Hero of the Tale" in A1 #4 with artist Kevin Nowlan
- Stalkers #1–12, with artist Val Mayerik
- "The Silent Knight" in Secret Origins vol. 2 #49 with artist John Koch
- "The Crystal Precipice" in Clive Barker's Hellraiser #3 with artist Steve Buccellato
- "To Prepare a Face" in Clive Barker's Hellraiser #4 with artist Mark Chiarello
- ' #4–8 with artist Bill Hughes
- ' #9–12, with writer Michael A. Stackpole
- "Monsters in the Closet" in Batman Black and White #4 with artist Kevin Nowlan
- #17–20, with writer Michael A. Stackpole
- Starship Troopers: Dominant Species #1–4, with artist Davide Fabbri
- Star Wars: Prelude to Rebellion #1–6
- "Private Parker Sees Thunder Lizards" in Weird War Tales #1 with artist Gabriel Hardman
Prose
- Risen
- The Summer We Lost Alice
- The Murmuring Field and Other Stories
- One Last Time
Television and film credits
Television
- TaleSpin
- Darkwing Duck
- Goof Troop
- Aladdin
- X-Men: The Animated Series
- Iron Man
- Skeleton Warriors
- Spider-Man: The Animated Series
- Hercules
- Young Hercules
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
- Jackie Chan Adventures
- Harold and the Purple Crayon
- House of Mouse
- Brandy & Mr. Whiskers
- Trollz
- Batman Black and White
Film
- The Return of Jafar
- Noah's Ark
- The Amazing Feats of Young Hercules
- To Meet the Faces You Meet