Klaus JANSON

Klaus Janson

Klaus JANSON is an American comic book artist.
Born in Germany, his parents emigrated to the United States when he was only 5 years old. It was in the state of Connecticut that young Janson grew up and discovered comics, those comic books dedicated to superheroes.
He was only 20 years old when he began inking Rich Buckler's drawings for Black Panther. From then on, he became known for his expertise in inking. The artist creates the pencil drawings, and the inker then works to refine the lines, strengthening them to make them more impactful. This is particularly true in American comics, which are often in black and white (like manga).
Janson worked for Marvel, notably on The Defenders and Daredevil, until his meeting with Frank Miller. He followed Miller to DC Comics, and together they worked on Dark Knight Returns starting in 1986 (with Lynn Varley on colors). The series (4 volumes) was a great success, notable for its intrinsic quality, its dystopian nature, and for the fact that Batman eventually faces Superman.
After The Dark Knight, he returned to Daredevil, becoming the artist after Miller's departure.
Janson also teaches his craft at the prestigious School of Visual Arts in New York.