José Ortiz

José Ortiz Moya (1 September 1932 – 23 December 2013) was a Spanish comics artist, best known for several collaborations with Antonio Segura, such as the series Hombre.

José Ortiz was born in Cartagena, in the Region of Murcia.

His career began at an early age, winning an artistic tournament held by the Spanish magazine Chicos in 1948. After a period of making pocket sized comics, he created the series Sigur el Vikingo and Johnny Fogata in 1959, and Carolynn Baker for the English newspaper Daily Express in 1962.

Ortiz joined Warren Publishing in 1974 due to his connections with the Valencia studio of Selecciones Ilustradas. He would remain with Warren until 1983 and drew more stories for that company (approximately 120) than any other artist. His work included the series Apocalypse, Night of the Jackass and Coffin in Eerie, as well as Pantha in Vampirella and numerous stand alone stories. Ortiz would also draw Vampirella herself in issues 35 and 36 that title. He won the award for 'Best All Around Artist' at Warren in 1974.

Following this period in the U.S. comics industry making horror comics, he returned to Spain and formed a lasting and fertile working partnership with Antonio Segura in 1981, initiated by the serial publication of Hombre, a post-apocalyptic saga, in the magazine Cimoc.

By 1983, Ortiz and Segura joined with several other artists including Leopold Sánchez, Manfred Sommer and Jordi Bernet, to form the short-lived publishing house Metropol with the artists' interest in mind, responsible for three comics magazines, Metropol, Mocambo and KO cómics.

During the 1980s Ortiz also produced work for a number of British publications including The Tower King and The House of Daemon for Eagle and The Thirteenth Floor for Scream!. He then moved over to 2000 AD in 1984 where he contributed to a number of stories, mostly on Rogue Trooper.

In addition to the continued run of Hombre, Ortiz and Segura created Ives and Las Mil Caras de Jack el Destripador (The Thousand Faces of Jack the Ripper) the following years, later renaming Ives to Morgan. In 1987, they began the humorous science fiction series Burton & Cyb, followed in 1990 by the series Juan el Largo.

From 1993, Ortiz focused on the Italian comics market, illustrating stories for Tex Willer, Ken Parker and Magico Vento.

He died at Valencia on 23 December 2013.