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Stephen DeStefano (born 1966) is an American comics artist, animator and storyboard artist best known as the co-creator of 'Mazing Man and Hero Hotline with writer Bob Rozakis.

Early life

DeStefano was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York and attended the High School of Art and Design.

Career

DeStefano's first credit in the comics industry was as the creator of the character Captain Electron in Adventure Comics #479 (March 1981), and then the characters Zeep and Thumbelina in the "Dial H for Hero" story in Adventure Comics #483 (July 1981). His first professionally published comics artwork was a one-page parody of the "I…Vampire" feature in House of Mystery #306 (July 1982). DeStefano wrote and drew "The Mini (Mis)Adventures of Nick O. Tyme" in New Talent Showcase #6–12 (June–December 1984). He then teamed with writer Bob Rozakis to create 'Mazing Man, a character introduced in an eponymous series beginning in January 1986. After the cancellation of that series, the Rozakis-DeStefano team created Hero Hotline in Action Comics Weekly #637 (January 1989). After a four-issue run as a back-up feature, Hero Hotline received its own six-issue limited series. In the 1990s, DeStefano was a frequent contributor to The Big Book Of series published by Paradox Press. His other comics work includes credits at Dark Horse Comics, Disney Comics, Fantagraphics Books, and Marvel Comics. As an animator, DeStefano has worked on such series as The Ren & Stimpy Show and Futurama. He inked the Cage limited series drawn by Genndy Tartakovsky in 2016–2017. In 2020, DeStefano won the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation Emmy for Character Design on the Genndy Tartakovsky series Primal.

Filmography

Television

As voice actor

Film

Bibliography

Apple Comics

• 101 Other Uses for a Condom #1 (1991)

Dark Horse Comics

• Cheval Noir #26, 44 (1992–1993)
• Hellboy, Jr. #1–2 (1999)
• Hellboy, Jr., Halloween Special #1 (1997)
• Instant Piano #1–4 (1994–1995)
• Wolf & Red #2 (1995)

DC Comics

• Action Comics Weekly #637–640 ("Hero Hotline" feature) (1989)
• Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #6 (2009)
• Bizarro Comics #1 (2001)
• Blackhawk vol. 3 #3–4 (1989)
• The Brave and the Bold #200 (one page) (1983)
• Cartoon Cartoons #16, 22–23, 32 (2003–2004)
• Cartoon Network Action Pack #7 (2007)
• Cartoon Network Block Party #3 (2005)
• Cool World #1–4 (movie adaptation) (1992)
• Dexter's Laboratory #11, 30 (2000–2002)
• Elvira's House of Mystery Special #1 (1987)
• Fast Forward #2 (1993)
• The Flash Secret Files and Origins #2 (1999)
• Flintstones and the Jetsons #4 (1997)
• Hero Hotline #1–6 (1989)
• House of Mystery #306, 311, 313–315, 321 (1982–1983)
• Just Imagine Stan Lee... Secret Files and Origins #1 (one page) (2002)
• Legion #9 (2002)
• Looney Tunes #100, 150 (2003–2007)
• Looney Tunes Magazine #6 (1991)
• 'Mazing Man #1–12 (1986)
• 'Mazing Man Special #1–3 (1987–1990)
• New Talent Showcase #6–12 (1984)
• Scooby-Doo #28–29, 45, 77, 79 (1999–2004)
• Secret Origins vol. 2 #16 ('Mazing Man), #30 (Plastic Man), #34 (G'nort) (1987–1988)
• Superman and Batman: World's Funnest #1 (2001)
• Superman Villains Secret Files and Origins #1 (1998)
• Sweatshop #1–3 (2003)
• Wednesday Comics HC (one page) (2010)
• Who's Who in the DC Universe #8 (1991)
• Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #3 (1988)
• Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #7, 13, 15–16 (1985–1986)
• Who's Who Update '88 #1 (1988)

Paradox Press

• The Big Book of Bad (1998)
• The Big Book of Little Criminals (1996)
• The Big Book of Scandal (1997)
• The Big Book of Urban Legends (1994)
• The Big Book of Vice (1999)

Disney Comics

• Disney Adventures #97–1, #97–8 (1997)
• Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Adventures #1–2, 7–11 (1990–1991)

Fantagraphics Books

• Critters #32, 38, 50 (1989–1990)
• Itchy Planet #3 (one page) (1988)

Harvey Pekar

• American Splendor #14 (1989)

Marvel Comics

• Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey #1 (movie adaptation) (1991)
• Bill & Ted's Excellent Comic Book #1–3 (1991–1992)
• Cage #1–4 (2016–2017)
• Video Jack #4, 6 (1988)

NBM Publishing

• Classics Desecrated (1995)

Oni Press

• Jingle Belle #1–2 (1999)
• Oni Double Feature #13 (1999)
• Oni Press Summer Vacation Supercolor Fun Special #1 (2000)
• Paul Dini's Jingle Belle Winter Wingding #1 (2002)
• Paul Dini's Jingle Belle's All-Star Holiday Hullabaloo #1 (2000)

Palliard Press

• XXXenophile #6 (1992)

Renegade Press

• Renegade Romance #1–2 (1987–1988)

United Plankton Pictures, Inc.

• SpongeBob Comics #4–5, 34, 43 (2011–2015)

References

1. Bails, Jerry (2006). "DeStefano, Stephen". Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999. Archived from the original on May 11, 2007. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
2. ^ "The 'Mazing Stephen DeStefano!". Channel Frederator. February 28, 2007. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019.
3. "Adventure Comics #483 (July 1981)". Grand Comics Database.
4. ^ Stephen DeStefano at the Grand Comics Database
5. Markstein, Don (2010). "'Mazing Man". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on May 27, 2024.
6. Martin, Brian (August 2017). "Where the Action is...Weekly". Back Issue! (98). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 75.
7. Markstein, Don (2010). "Hero Hotline". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on May 27, 2024.
8. "Stephen DeStefano". Lambiek Comiclopedia. April 1, 2011. Archived from the original on June 2, 2019.
9. "Our Artists: Stephen DeStefano". Fantagraphics Books. n.d. Archived from the original on June 2, 2019.
10. "Genndy Tartakovsky Brings His Cartoon Style To Cage #1[Preview]". ComicsAlliance. September 6, 2016. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016.
11. "Television Academy, Emmys, Stephen DeStefano, Awards and Nominations". Television Academy.

External links

• Stephen DeStefano at IMDb
• Stephen DeStefano at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
• Stephen DeStefano at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
• Stephen DeStefano at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
• Stephen DeStefano papers at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library

• 1966 births
• 20th-century American artists
• 21st-century American artists
• American comics artists
• American comics writers
• American male voice actors
• American storyboard artists
• American writers of Italian descent
• Animators from New York (state)
• Artists from Queens, New York
• Comics inkers
• DC Comics people
• High School of Art and Design alumni
• Living people
• Marvel Comics people
• People from Jamaica, Queens
• Primetime Emmy Award winners