JLA by Alex Ross

The Justice League of America

Alex Ross was born Jan. 22, 1970. He grew up in Lubbock, Texas. His mother was a commercial artist best known for her paper doll books. His father is a minister and one of his strongest supporters. From childhood, he wanted to work in comics. George Perez, a comic book artist, and Norman Rockwell particularly influenced him, with Salvador Dali become an influence later in life.



In 1987, Ross moved to Chicago to attend the American Academy of Art, where his mother had studied, when he was only 17. Being at the school taught him discipline, and he discovered himself as an individual artist. He also realized the way to make a name for himself: Paint comic books, instead of drawing and inking them.



Ross chooses projects because he cares about the material and subject. He's been known to refuse a project because he doesn't like where the character is going. He feels that if he can't connect with a project on some artistic level, he can't do it at all.



Now, Ross has been more and more in demand. He has done work for the Academy Awards, TV Guide and even an album cover for the band Anthrax. He works with Warner Bros. Studios to create collectors items, which have become some of their best-selling items.