Frank Miller, an American art illustration director, comic book author, was born in Olney, Maryland, on January 27, 1957. Later, the family moved to Vermont, to the city of Montplier. The father of the family was a carpenter, his mother worked in a hospital as a nurse. The childhood of the future director and artist passed in an atmosphere of parental love and complete understanding.
Carier start
When Frank Miller graduated from high school, he left for New York and settled in the area under the unusual name "Infernal Cuisine". There he created one of his famous comic books "Batman. The Dark Knight". From New York, Miller moved to Los Angeles, where he began work on the next project called Sin City. Later, this comic was filmed by Roberto Rodriguez with the participation of the master Quentin Tarantino. Miller also played a small role as a priest in the film.
In the summer of 1978, Frank Miller met with the editor-in-chief of the Marvel comic magazine Jim Shooter, who did not publish the work of a talented but then little-known artist, and advised him to contact the DC Comics Publishing House. Miller was criticized there, but the experienced art director of the magazine, Vince Colette, saw in his drawings that particular style, thanks to which the artist later became famous.
"Attempt at writing"
Colette personally, at his own responsibility, instructed Frank to create a one-page comic book. The work done was highly appreciated, but was not published for a number of reasons. Nevertheless, the artist was not upset, any experience was useful.
Miller's first printed comic was "Delivered from D format," which was created in collaboration with writer Wyeth Gwion. Other early work published in DC Comics included the six-page Great History Never Been Told and the five-page comic strip The Extreme Point of History, written by Roger Mackenzie.
Permanent position
According to the results of the published work, Frank Miller, whose comics made a good impression, got a job at Marvel Publishing House. Initially, he worked as a cover artist. When Frank drew the title page for Peter Parker, which was already starting to feature Daredevil, he drew attention to the potential features of the image. Comic book sales were low at the time, and Miller decided to speak with editor Jim Shooter about his involvement in the Daredevil project. He not only agreed, but also appointed Frank as the main sketch artist.
Return to Manhattan
In the fall of 2001, Frank Miller, whose films had already gained fame by then, moved to New York again and continued work on the Batman project.
The terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, with the collapse of the twin towers located in the southern district of Manhattan, caught the artist in the studio, which was located near the site of the tragedy. A nervous shock could not but affect the work of Miller, and he fell into depression for a long time.
Genre
The artist is famous for his works in the noir style, is the creator of exclusive comics such as "300", "Daredevil", "Sin City", "Electra".
The location of Miller’s first work was the imprint of Western Publishing - The Golden Key to Comics. In 1978, he created the comic books Endless Clouds and The Royal Feast, both of which were featured on the television series Twilight Zone.
Sin City
One of Frank Miller's most notable comics is a work created in 2005 to spite the day. The plot focuses on the corrupt society of the small city of Baysin City, the heyday of prostitution, criminal organizations.
The film, consisting of five graphic short stories, tells of a peculiar transshipment point on the way of small gold miners who stayed in Beixing to have fun in the company of girls of easy virtue.
One of the urban areas is wholly owned by a community of prostitutes who have seized power and are ready to assert their rights with weapons at the ready. Not everyone likes this arbitrariness; the prostitutes begin to die under mysterious circumstances. Sin City is a vivid and memorable work by Frank Miller.
Royal feast and others
For several years, the artist created his "Dream Book", a kind of collection of graphic works presented in the form of dreams. One of the dreams was the novel "The Royal Feast".
The reader is, as it were, at the royal feast, surrounded by all sorts of temptations. His task is to resist temptations and try to ignore them. On the table or an abundance of hot dishes and snacks or there is nothing but dry crusts of bread. The scenery is arranged depending on the nature of the person who came to the feast. He may even be denied participation, and the entrance to the hall will be closed. The comic leaves a heavy residue of dissatisfaction.
"Batman, year one"
Comic storyline compilation created by Miller in 1987. The work "Batman: Year One" is based on a confrontation between honest police officers and thoroughly corrupt law enforcement officers serving in the same department. Newly arrived at the police station, James Gordon comes into conflict with corrupt sales colleagues.
At the same time, millionaire Bruce Wayne appears in the city, also obsessed with the idea of fighting corruption. He disguises his appearance and, under the guise of a tramp, goes to a public hangout at night, where he enters into a fight with one of the pimps. In addition, he gets from several prostitutes who bumped into him during the clash.
Having barely escaped, Wayne leaves for his estate and, sitting in a comfortable chair, begins to reflect on the insufficient effectiveness of his methods in confronting criminals.
Avenger 2008
The comic book hero Danny Colt intends to defeat the underworld, methodically destroying one after the other all the bandits that come in his way. His main goal is the hunt for a particularly inveterate violator of the law named Octopus. Wearing a mask, the Avenger pursues and destroys the enemy.
In his noble deed, empty-headed beauties curling around become a significant obstacle. Thief Sand Saref, carrying jewels from gullible citizens; soulless Silken Floss; not stupid but spoiled by Ellen Dolan; a dancer manipulating knives, nicknamed Parisian.
The Avenger comic - 2008 release - is an exciting action-packed detective story about the victory of good over evil. However, the film collected a lot of negative reviews, as it significantly differed from the book version and in many respects echoed the comics of the artist Will Eisner.
"Batman, Holy Terror"
Frank Miller's next work was as successful as all of his work. However, the comic was harshly criticized for the overly caricatured image of Muslim characters.
Without exception, all Arab countries and countries in the Middle East categorically refused to broadcast "Batman". Miller did not make a change, and thus, the publisher lost a significant part of its audience. However, commercial success was not affected in general.
Comic titled "300"
This graphic novel by Frank Miller was created by the author in collaboration with the colorist Lynn Warley. The comic is dedicated to the legendary historical event, the Battle of Thermopylae.
The film tells about the military campaign of the Spartan king Leonid with the goal of conquering Persia and enslaving the ruler Xerxes. Leonid's plans included blocking the enemy army in the Thermopyllian Gorge and its complete destruction.
However, the calculations did not materialize, the Persians were warned by a certain Ephialt, an ambitious freak who wanted to serve Tsar Leonid, but was rejected. Offended, he crossed over to Xerxes camp and showed him a secret workaround in the Thermopylae Gorge. The Persian army went along the indicated road and left behind the troops of Leonid. A battle ensued in which the soldiers of Xerxes utterly defeated the Spartans. To the proposal to surrender, Tsar Leonid refused and was killed. Together with him, all the Spartans died.
Before the last battle, Leonid sent his faithful assistant Dilius to Sparta with the news of the defeat. At the end of the comic, the Spartans, already led by Dilius, are preparing for a new campaign, this time for the war with the Persians at Plataeus.
The comic strip "300" was created based on the movie "Three hundred Spartans". The work was divided into five monthly issues under the title: Victory, Battle, Glory, Debt, and Honor. Then a collection was released in which all five parts came together under one cover.
The writer Alan Moore criticized Miller’s creation for historical inconsistencies and unreliability. In this he was supported by the writers Samuel Marshall and George Kovaks, who indicated that the Spartans never fought, stripping to the waist, and that they were half naked at Frank Miller. The author of the comic retorted, arguing that even on antique vases, warriors are depicted without clothes.
Electra
One of the artist’s most beloved characters was Electra, a mercenary ninja, an invincible muscular girl who even handcuffed works wonders using martial arts, karate and taekwondo, jujitsu and judo.
Electra will be killed in the 181st series by decision of the director and against the will of the author. Later she will rise in the most fantastic way. The film withstood the 191 series before the line was drawn under the endless adventures of Electra.