Bob Layton was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of CPL/Gang Publications, which published several fanzines throughout the 1970s, including CPL, The Charlton Bullseye, Witzend and Heroes Inc. By 1977, he joined DC Comics, doing inks on titles like 'All Star Comics', 'Secret Society of Super-Villains', 'DC Super Stars' and 'DC Special'.
From 1978 throughout the 1980s, he had several runs on Marvel's 'Iron Man' with David Michelinie. He was the co-creator of 'X-Factor' (art by Jackson Guice) for Marvel Premiere. In the 1980s he wrote, drew and inked two 'Hercules: Prince of Power' mini-series and the 1988 graphic novel 'Full Circle'. He also did the designs for the 'Marvel Secret Wars' toyline for Mattel.
He left Marvel in 1989 and co-founded Valiant Comics with Jim Shooter. He co-created a number of core characters, such as 'X-O Manowar' with Shooter and Steve Englehart, while also inking 'Magnus, Robot Fighter', 'Solar, Man of the Atom' and 'H.A.R.D. Corps', and writing 'The Second Life of Doctor Mirage'. He also edited a large number of titles. He sold Valiant to Acclaim Entertainment in 1994 and continued to do story concepts and designs on 'Turok, Dinosaur Hunter'. He also resumed his editorial activities for the Armada Comics imprint, among others on 'Magic: The Gathering' and 'Armed & Dangerous'.
In 2000, he came back to 'Iron Man' with the mini-series 'Iron Man: Bad Blood'. Layton is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Valiant Comics, and the creator of most of the publisher's popular characters. He was also present at DC, where he created 'Huntress' with Paul Levitz, the Batman mini-series 'Dark Knight of the Round Table', as well as the mini-series 'L.A.W.' with Dick Giordano, which featured many of the original Charlton characters. Additionally, he wrote the three-part 'Batman: Hollywood Knights' for Dick Giordano, and contributed to Stan Lee's "Just Imagine" series. Bob Layton launched Future Entertainment in 2002, where he developed such series as 'Deathmask', 'Metallix', 'Peacekeeper' and 'Freemind'. Between 2002 and 2004, he ran the Future Comics label with Dick Giordano and David Michelinie.
