Bernard Albert Wrightson was an American comic book artist known for Swamp Thing and art for a novel about Frankenstein. He had many other credits to his name, though mostly horror hence his nickname "Master of the Macabre." His terrifying treatment of the genre is a great enjoyment even today with all the fancy variant covers, and hip photoshop artwork. He was known for his intricate detail, to know Bernie Wrightson you have got to see his ink, it was and is extraordinary.
Bernie's Work
Bernie "began working at the Baltimore Sun Newspaper as an illustrator. After meeting artist Frank Frazetta at a comic-book convention in New York City he was inspired to produce his own stories. His first comic book assignment was as a freelance for DC Comics, editor Dick Giordano gave him freelance work after seeing his sequential art"(Wiki). Later that year (1968) he did the art for House of Mystery #179, his first professional comic book.
He worked for DC Comics on House of Mystery and then Marvel on Chamber of Darkness and Tower of Shadows titles where he adapted his art. With encouragement from Marvel, he simplified his pen-and-ink drawing down to "lush brushwork which became his hallmark." The detail in his early work is extraordinary, and part of the appeal.
History of Bernie's Swamp Thing
Back in the day Lein Wein was creating Swamp Thing and had a chat with Bernie just after a break up with his girlfriend. Lein said, "You know, I just wrote a story that actually kind of feels like the way you feel now." Lein related the story and Bernie's response, "I gotta draw that"(Wiki). He eventually left DC Comics to work at Warren Publishing whose black-and-white horror was right up his alley. Not sure of the timeline but at some point, he spent seven years drawing approximately 50 detailed pen-and-ink illustrations to accompany an edition of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein.
Bernie Signature Nuance
In the earlier years of his work he spelled his name Berni and dropped the e to differentiate himself from an Olympian with the same name. Later on, he restored the "e" to his name, but this is a telltale sign of his early work.
To own any of Bernie Wrightson's Swamp Thing comics is a nice addition to your collection. The "Master of the Macabre" died about two years ago and consequently all things Bernie have gone up in value. His comics are getting hoarded by knowledgable collectors, any of the Swamp Things #1-10 are of value today, and here is the kicker; they are profitable in any condition. Prior to his death these Swampy's could be found in the back issue bin for around $8-$10. Not anymore, their price appreciation has been drastic and immediate after Wrighton's death. Take Swamp Thing #2 below as a fair example of the kind of returns you can expect over the long haul from a Bernie.
Swamp Thing #2 Long-Term Returns:
- Grade 9.8 $800 FMV returns +38.6%
- Grade 8.0 $55 FMV returns +107.1%
- Grade 6.5 $46 FMV returns +104.1%
- Grade 5.0 $32 FMV returns +134.6%
However, the collectors who treasure Bernie are rabid fans of his artwork. When I added CGC Universal to the analysis we find some fairly hefty returns, see above. These returns are truly stupifying and speak to the value of Bernie Wrightson's work. Buy while you can; these are going up from here, to be sure. I am not a huge DC collector, but there are two characters I love and collect Batman and Swamp Thing (Bernie's only) and you should too. With these kinds of returns, Bernie could become bigger after his death then before it.
