Comic artist Adam Kubert visits RIT Thursday

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Adam Kubert ’81 (medical illustration) is currently illustrating one of Marvel’s flagship titles: Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man.

Adam Kubert may not have superhero powers, but he certainly has a talent for drawing them.

During his career as a comic artist he has worked for DC Comics and now exclusively at Marvel Comics—drawing villains and heroes of the ever-popular X-Men, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, Superman, Ghost Rider and most notably, Wolverine.

Rochester Institute of Technology alumnus Kubert ’81 (medical illustration) will discuss his career and “The Narrative Art of Comics” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, at University Gallery, Booth Hall, room 2765. The Comics Studies Lecture Series, sponsored by RIT’s School of Individualized Study, is open to the public and will be moderated by comics scholar and SOIS faculty member Daniel Worden.

“I didn’t grow up as a comic book fan, but I loved telling stories with pictures,” said Kubert, who uses a conventional drawing method with pencil, paper and ink. “My brain never stops, so even during my four years at RIT in medical illustration, I was constantly drawing things out of my head for posters or upcoming concerts on campus.”

Kubert said it generally takes him 8 to 10 hours to complete a Marvel Comics cover, but if the storyline includes eight villains versus a single superhero, it can take up to four days.

“A lot of movie producers, and even Netflix, look toward comics for content,” he said. “We are a fertile ground; we are the idea people, and what we do helps sustain the ongoing popularity of comics.”

Kubert began his career in comics at the age of 12 lettering for DC Comics. He is currently illustrating one of Marvel’s flagship titles: Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, and he teaches narrative art at The Kubert School in Dover, N.J. Kubert is the son of the late cartoonist Joe Kubert who founded the technical school in 1976.

“We’re thrilled that Adam is coming back to RIT as part of our Comics Studies Lecture & Workshop Series,” said Worden. “Adam is comics royalty, and his art captures both the emotional drama and the fast-paced action that we expect from the best superhero comic books. He has drawn and helped to define so many iconic characters, from the Hulk, Ghost Rider and Superman to Wolverine, Spider-Man and so many more.”