Azzarello's other work for Verigo includes a run on Hellblazer, the 2005 western series Loveless with artist Marcelo Frusin and an original graphic novel Filthy Rich, one of the two titles that launched the Vertigo Crime line in 2009. The series ran for one hundred issues, from 1999 to 2009, and was noted for Azzarello's use of regional and local accents, as well as the frequent use of slang and oblique, metaphorical language in his characters' dialogue. In August 1999, Azzarello and Risso launched 100 Bullets, a hardboiled noir series for Vertigo.

He contributed short stories to a number of Vertigo's anthology titles and penned Jonny Double, a 4-issue limited series which marked his first collaboration with Argentine artist Eduardo Risso. During this period, Azzarello's wife Jill Thompson introduced him to Lou Stathis, an editor at DC Comics' Vertigo who wanted to move away from the light fantasy stories the imprint was known for at the time, and Azzarello was eventually hired as a writer. He was soon promoted to managing editor, before becoming Editor-in-Chief-or, as he was often credited, 'line editor'-the position he held from 1993 until the company's demise in 1997. Career Īzzarello began working in comics in 1992, joining Comico as the production coordinator. He also met his future wife Jill Thompson, a comic book artist who was working for DC Comics's imprint Vertigo. In 1989, after several years of working various blue-collar jobs, Azzarello moved to Chicago, where he became interested in the work of Black Lizard Press, a small publishing house which reprinted hardboiled detective and noir fiction. He attended the Cleveland Institute of Art, studying painting and printmaking. As a child, he read monster and war comic books, but avoided the superhero genre. Azzarello is best known for his numerous collaborations with artists Eduardo Risso ( 100 Bullets, Batman: Broken City, Spaceman, Moonshine) and Lee Bermejo ( Batman/Deathblow, Luthor, Joker, Batman: Damned), his contributions to the Watchmen prequel project Before Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns sequel series DK III: The Master Race, as well as for his stints on the long-running Vertigo series Hellblazer and The New 52 relaunch of the Wonder Woman title.Īzzarello grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where his mother managed a restaurant and his father was a salesman.

Brian Azzarello (born Augin Cleveland, Ohio) is an American comic book writer and screenwriter who first came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo.

Batman deluxe joker brian azzarello