Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997)
Ploog, Mike
Tagged: Artist, Comics.
Working name of US artist and illustrator of Comic books and Animated Movies Michael Ploog (1940- ); his bold, attractive line style is heavily influenced by that of Will Eisner. In 1969 Ploog began working for Filmation, doing character designs and layouts for Batman and Superman cartoons and the series Autocat and Motormouse. He went on to work for Eisner on PS Magazine and then to provide artwork for Marvel Comics' new monster comics such as Werewolf by Night (#1-#7 1972-1973), The Monster of Frankenstein (#1-#6 1973-1974), Man Thing (#5-#11 1974), Planet of the Apes (#1-#8 and others 1974-1975) and Kull the Destroyer (#11-#15 1974). He co-created the Tolkienesque Weirdworld (in Marvel Super Action #1 and Marvel Premiere #38 1976).
Ploog has done much movie work – with Ralph Bakshi on Heavy Traffic (1973), Wizards (1977) and Lord of the Rings (1978); doing storyboards and set designs for Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983) and Supergirl (1984) (see Superman Movies); he was an assistant director on Little Shop of Horrors (1986) and a production designer on Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (1988). He also worked on Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) (see Sherlock Holmes) and The Dark Crystal (1982).
Ploog returned to comic-strip work again with an adaptation of Frank Baum's The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (graph 1991 France). His painted artwork for the card Game Guardians is due for publication in 1996. [RT]
Michael Ploog
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