Michele Wrightson

Michele Wrightson (1941–2015) was an American comic book artist and colorist, also known professionally as Michele Brand. Born in 1941, she began her career in the underground comix scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s. She contributed to the first all-female underground comic, *It Ain't Me, Babe*, and its successor, *Wimmen's Comix*, helping to pioneer a space for women in a male-dominated field. Wrightson later transitioned to mainstream comics, where she built a reputation as a skilled colorist. From 1982 to 2012, she colored 55 issues, with notable work on *Blood Syndicate*, *The Defenders*, *The Weird*, *Classic X-Men*, *Creepshow*, and *Freak Show*. Her palette brought depth and atmosphere to these titles, often collaborating with writers and artists who valued her subtle, evocative hues. While her underground work was raw and political, her coloring in the 1980s and 1990s showed a refined, professional touch that enhanced superhero and horror stories alike. Wrightson’s legacy is twofold: as a trailblazer in women’s comix and as a steady hand in color. She is remembered for her quiet but essential contributions to both the alternative and mainstream comic book worlds.