Born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1956, Steve Rude’s career began in 1981 with his and co-creator Mike Baron’s groundbreaking “Nexus” comic series. This space saga catapulted Rude into the field of comics, where he became highly sought after by major publishers. During his first few years in the industry, Rude’s efforts led to numerous awards, such as the 1984 Russ Manning Newcomer Award, the Kirby Award for best artist in 1986, and numerous Eisner’s for artistic achievement. For over two decades, Rude has drawn hundreds of comic’s greatest iconic heroes, and has galvanized the art world as a comic magazine artist and illustrator.

Steve considers himself an art student. The desire to better his craft with each new project shows an expressive and caring approach. He holds deep appreciation for the illustrators who have come before. By studying the works of such masters as Andrew Loomis, John Gannam, Harry Anderson, and Jack Kirby, Rude continues to perfect his talent. The result is an artist with the discipline and training of the grand illustrators from the 1930s to 1950s. Rude applies this knowledge to his true passion of modern comic books. Currently, Rude’s focus is on fine art paintings.