Michael Zulli


Michael Zulli was an American artist lauded for his work as an animal and wildlife illustrator. He is also known as a comic book artist and sometime writer on such series as The Puma Blues, Swamp Thing, The Sandman, as well as many well-regarded adaptations of the work of Neil Gaiman.

Career

Michael Zulli's earliest published work in comics was the October 1986 release The Puma Blues, on which he collaborated with writer Stephen Murphy. The monthly title was published by Dave Sim's Aardvark One International and later by Mirage Studios.
Zulli's detailed, realistic depictions of wildlife and landscape in a near-future, polluted, post-industrial world was a metanarrative of conservation. The series was published for 23 issues, with a mini-comic half issue published in 1989.
In 1990 and 1991, Zulli wrote, drew, and painted the covers for three issues of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: #31 #35, and #36. His dark interpretation entitled the "Soul's Trilogy" polarized fans of the series. Over time, his work came to be considered a classic contribution to the TMNT mythos, and was reissued by IDW Publishing as the graphic novel Soul's Winter.
Zulli's attention to detail and fidelity to nature garnered the admiration of many writers, editors and artists in the comics industry.
In 1993, he illustrated an issue of of DC Comics' Swamp Thing in which the title character meets Jesus Christ. It remained unpublished for almost forty years.
In the 1990s another unfinished and unpublished story, Sweeney Todd, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Zulli for Stephen R. Bissette's publication Taboo was discontinued when the anthology ceased publication.
In 1990 he guest penciled issue #13 of DC Comics' nascent Vertigo series The Sandman written by Gaiman. This story introduced the Hob Gadling character.
Zulli illustrated seven Sandman issues including the final Sandman story arc "The Wake".
Zulli and Gaiman collaborated on a comic book adaptation of Alice Cooper's The Last Temptation in 1994. It was later remastered and collected at Dynamite Comics.
After the end of The Sandman series, his work was featured in the gallery show called "Visions of the Wake" in New York City. Zulli also exhibited regularly at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra, California, and was a part of the "Endless Reflections, 20 Years of Sandman" exhibit.
Zulli illustrated several other Vertigo imprint titles including Winter's Edge, Witchcraft: La Terreur and Sandman Presents: Love Street.
He was featured artist on the Shade limited series which spun off from the popular Starman title.
In 2021, he self published The Fracture of the Universal Boy, an autobiographical, symbolist graphic novel "...that, sadly, went largely unnoticed by the audience that had so readily embraced Zulli’s mainstream comic book work."
When speaking of Zulli's struggles with corporate publishing, fellow artist and writer Steve Bissette said, "Michael dramatized such issues, metaphorically but vividly, in his single solo graphic novel, The Fracture of the Universal Boy. That was entirely Michael's baby, an enigmatic and powerfully rendered masterpiece, but it was a crowdfunded venture, rarely seen since its launch."
Thirty-six years after shelving the controversial "Jesus Christ" storyline in Swamp Thing, DC Comics announced they would be publishing the work at its adult Black Label imprint.

Personal Life

Michael Zulli was married to his long-time partner Karen Pratt-Smith Zulli in August 2019.
Michael Zulli pulled away from comic book work in the mid-2000's in hopes of establishing a career in fine art. He lived and worked with his wife in a home and studio which they created in a 19th century hotel in Browns Valley, Minnesota.
Zulli had been diagnosed with cancer over ten years prior to his death. He was treated successfully. The cancer recurred and was diagnosed the day before he passed on July 8, 2024, at the age of 71.

Comics bibliography

Awards and nominations

  • Eisner Award
  • *1996 Nominated for Best Serialized Story
  • * 1996 Nominated for Best Best Penciller/Inker
  • * 1996 Nominated for Best Comics-Related Item