Paul Gustavson(néKarl Paul Gustafson;August 16, 1916 – April 29, 1977) was a Finnish-Americancomic-bookwriter and artist. His most notable creations during theGolden Age of Comic BookswereThe Human BombforQuality Comics,andthe Angel,who debuted inMarvel Comics#1 (Oct. 1939), the first publication ofMarvel ComicsforerunnerTimely Comics.[1]The Angel would star in more than 100 stories in the 1940s. The Human Bomb would later be acquired byDC Comicsand make sporadic appearances as late as 2005.
| Paul Gustavson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Karl Paul Gustafson August 16, 1916 Åland,Finland |
| Died | April 29, 1977 |
| Area(s) | Writer, Penciller, Inker |
Early life and career
edit
Gustavson was born inÅland,Finland.
Emigrating to the U.S. with his family at age five, Gustavson (who modified his name when he entered comics) graduated from Quentin High School in New York City, and studied civil engineering atManhattan'sCooper Union.Seguing to art at about age 17, he spent two to three yearsapprenticingundercartoonistFrank Owen,the husband of one of Gustavson's childhood friends in Finland. Gustavson assisted on Owen'sCollier's Magazinehumor spot, "Filbert".
Gustavson began working in the studio of the quirkily namedHarry "A" Chesler,a "packager"of comic books for publishers testing the waters of the emergingmedium."I started at $12 a week", he told historianJim Steranko,who interviewed him in the early 1970s. "It wasn't much but in those days it was enough for me. I stayed with Chesler for about two years and, during that time, worked with people likeJack Cole,Mort Meskin,Gill Fox,Fred Guardineer,Charlie Biro,andBob Wood"1.
Creating characters
editAfter getting married and beginning a family, Gustavson began working for anothercomics packager,Funnies, Inc.,which supplied publisherMartin Goodmanwith the contents ofMarvel Comics#1. The packager also suppliedCentaur Publications,for which Gustavson created theArrow,Fantom of the Fair,and Man of War. Other notable work includes humor features in five early issues of DC'sAction Comics,starting with issue #5 (Oct. 1938), and the two-page humor piece "Major Bigsbee an' Botts" in the oft-reprintedBatman#1 (Spring 1940).
He later joined Quality Comics, one of DC's predecessors, where publisher"Busy" Arnoldoffered $25 a page. There Gustavson created the Human Bomb (premiering inPolice Comics#1, Aug. 1941), signing the earliest episodes with the pseudonym 'Paul Carroll.Hewroteand drew the feature through September 1946. Gustavson also wrote/drew characters includingMagno the Magnetic Man(premiering inSmash Comics#13, 1940); the Spider (premiering inCrack Comics#1, 1940); the Jester (inSmash Comics); and Rusty Ryan.
Gustavson, whose delicate, fine-line art resembles that of fellow Golden Age cartoonistLou Fine,also worked onBlackhawk,Kid Eternity,Uncle Samand other characters.
From 1942 to 1945, Gustavson did hisWorld War IImilitary servicein the Air Tech Training Command, concurrently studyingaerodynamicsatRutgers University.He returned to work for Quality afterward, and in early 1950s for theAmerican Comics Group(AGC), doing humor features. Later that decade, he left the field to become asurveyorand civil engineer forNew York State.
His brother Nils collaborated with him on Centaur's Man of War.[citation needed]
Footnotes
edit- ^1The Steranko History of Comics 2by Jim Steranko (Supergraphics, 1972), p. 99
References
edit- ^Koolman, Mike; Amash, Jim (2011).The Quality Companion.TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 74–75.ISBN978-1605490373.