Rafael Kayanan
Rafael Kayanan
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Rafael Kayanan

Rafael Kayanan (born 1962) is a Filipino-born naturalized American comics artist and Filipino martial arts master in the Sayoc Kali system.

Rafael Kayanan stated in a 2007 interview that he "grew up with Filipino Komiks masters like Alcala, Coching, and Redondo mixed in with Kirby, Sy Barry's The Phantom, Kubert's Tarzan, and Hal Foster's Prince Valiant. From there I discovered Barry Windsor-Smith, Starlin, Adams, Wrightson, and Gulacy in the 70's [sic]. I copied and then drew my own stories on the backs of old xeroxes my mom would bring home from work."

He has illustrated for American major comic book publishers. His work includes Marvel Comics' Conan the Adventurer, Acclaim Comics' Turok, and DC Comics' Firestorm and America vs. the Justice Society. He also inked the Eisner Award-nominated series Chiaroscuro: The Life and Times of Leonardo Da Vinci for Vertigo.

Kayanan has illustrated concept designs for comic book, film and game companies. During the late 1990s, he was the creator and art director for Cross Plains Comics featuring the pulp magazine characters created by Robert E. Howard. Kayanan developed concept designs for Nintendo's Turok: Dinosaur Hunter II video game. He currently continues to do work for Topps Cards on licenses such as Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings.

Other titles he has worked on include The Amazing Spider-Man, Star Wars, Magic: The Gathering, and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight.

Kayanan's art is known for its rapid tempo, storytelling pace and layered depth. Much thought is evident in the choreography of dynamic action on every page. His slick and precise usage of shadows to define anatomy and emotion is as proficient as any of the longtime masters of the craft.

Additional comic book work can be found in Dark Horse Comics' Conan #39, Annihilation, and fantasy novelist R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt, Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons from Devil's Due Publishing.

During his collaboration with writer Gerry Conway on DC's The Fury of Firestorm series in 1984, Kayanan co-created three characters which have appeared in live-action media. The supporting character Felicity Smoak on The CW television series Arrow debuted in The Fury of Firestorm #23 (May 1984). The supervillain Slipknot first appeared in The Fury of Firestorm #28 (October 1984) and appeared in the Suicide Squad film in 2016. The supervillain Weasel first appeared in The Fury of Firestorm #35 (May 1985) and appeared in The Suicide Squad film in 2021. Kayanan co-created the third Spider-Woman, Mattie Franklin, who first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #441 (1998)

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