On this day, December 9, 1900, Margaret (Hedda Johnson) Brundage was born in Chicago, Illinois. After studying at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, she began drawing designs for the local fashion industry. In the early 1930s Brundage began creating cover illustrations for the pulps.
On this day, December 8, 1906, illustrator Inga Marie Stephens Pratt Clark was born in Brookings, South Dakota. She studied at Académie Colarossi in Paris and at the Art Students League in New York. Inga Stephens Pratt Clark illustrated and wrote books and worked as a fashion illustrator.
On this day, December 7, 1994, pulp and comic artist Rafael Astarita died in Rochelle Park, New Jersey. Astarita had no formal art training. In 1935 he began working for comic books drawing a strip about Merlin and King Arthur. After his service during WWII, Astarita began producing illustrations for pulp magazines and continued to work
On this day, December 6, 1929, comic book and comic strip penciller and inker Frank Springer was born in Queens, New York. Springer studied art at Syracuse University and served in the U. S. Army. He began to work at Dell Comics and later at DC and Marvel. Springer penciled and inked on various comics, Captain Marvel,
On this day, December 5, 1937, illustrator and cartoonist Gustave Verbeek died in New York City. Born in Japan, Verbeek was the son of a Dutch missionary. He studied art in Paris and in 1900 moved to the U. S. where he created illustrations for popular magazines. Verbeek also produced a series of weekly comic strips,
On this day, December 4, 1884, Lawrence Sterne Stevens was born in Pontiac, Michigan. At 21 Stevens moved to Minneapolis to work as a newspaper pressman and cartoonist. While there he studied at the Minneapolis School of Fine Arts and then in Antwerp at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. After WWI Stevens worked as a
On this day, December 3, 1880, illustrator and painter Harold Mathews Brett was born in Middleboro, Massachusetts. Brett studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Art Students League in New York, and with Howard Pyle in Wilmington, Delaware. Brett worked for mainstream magazines like Harper’s Weekly and created illustrations for
On this day, December 2, 1946, author and illustrator David Macaulay was born in Lancashire, England. After studying at the Rhode Island School of Design in architecture, Macaulay began creating and illustrating children’s books focused primarily on architecture and engineering. His 1990 book Black and White was awarded a Caldecott Medal.
On this day, December 1, 1981, comic book and comic artist Russ Manning died in California. After studying at the Los Angeles County Art Institute and service in the Army, Manning illustrated newspaper comics like Tarzan and Star Wars. He also was a comic book artist who created the series Magnus and Robot Fighter.
On this day, November 30, 1952, comic book illustrator and writer Keith Ian Giffen was born in Queens, New York. Among his (co-) creations was the Justice League International series, co-wrote Freak Force, and the alien mercenary character Lobo. Giffen has also worked on storyboards for television’s The Real Ghostbusters.