José Villarrubia

José Antonio Villarrubia Jiménez-Momediano was born on 17 November 1961 in Spain and has built a remarkably varied career as a colorist, artist, photographer, and educator working across both fine art and comics. He entered the American comics scene in the mid-1990s and has remained consistently active through the present day, accumulating credits as colorist, inker, and artist on more than 560 issues over three decades.

Villarrubia is perhaps best recognized for his coloring work, which tends toward painterly, atmospherically rich palettes that complement character-driven storytelling. Among his most frequent collaborations are extended runs on titles such as Sweet Tooth, R.E.B.E.L.S., Crossing Midnight, Captain Atom, Conan the Cimmerian, and Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. He has also worked closely with high-profile writers including Alan Moore, Paul Pope, and Jeff Lemire.

Beyond comics, his fine art photography has entered the permanent collections of institutions such as the Baltimore Museum of Art, reflecting a practice that runs parallel to his commercial work. From 2010 to 2015 he served as chair of the Illustration Department at Maryland Institute College of Art, contributing meaningfully to arts education. His coloring has earned multiple Eisner Award nominations and the Harvey Award for Best Colorist in 2011, recognition that speaks to a sustained and distinctive contribution to the craft.