Jack Abel
| Jack Abel | |
|---|---|
 Jack Abel byMichael Netzer | |
| Born | July 15, 1927 |
| Died | March 6, 1996(aged 68) |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Penciller,Inker |
| Pseudonym(s) | Gary Michaels |
Notable works | Superman |
Jack Abel(July 15, 1927 – March 6, 1996)[1][2]was anAmericancomic book artistbest known as aninkerfor leading publishersDC ComicsandMarvel Comics.He was DC's primary inker on the Superman titles in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and inkedpencilerHerb Trimpe's introduction of the popularsuperheroWolverineinThe Incredible Hulk#181 (Nov. 1974). He sometimes used thepseudonymGary Michaels.
Biography
[edit]Early life and career
[edit]Abel's published work stretches to 1951, when he penciled and inkedhorrorstories for suchanthologyseries as Mr. Publications' (Mike EspositoandRoss Andru's company)[3]Mister Mystery,andAtlas Comics'—the 1950s forerunner ofMarvel Comics—Journey into Unknown Worlds,andWesterntales inPrize Comics' aptly titlePrize Comics Western.He inkedscience fiction,romanceandwar comicsfor Atlas,American Comics Group,Avon Comics,Harvey Comics,andHillman Periodicals,and later in the decade became a prolific penciler for the DC war titlesOur Fighting Forces,Our Army at War,Star Spangled War StoriesandAll-American Men of War.[4]
DC and Superman
[edit]Abel inked hundreds of DC stories, and eventually was chosen to succeed longtime "Superman family" inkerGeorge KleinasCurt Swan's embellisher on "Legion of Super-Heroes"inAdventure Comics(most issues, #369–406, June 1968–May 1971);Superman(most issues, #208–219, July 1968–Aug. 1969); "Superman" inAction Comics(#369-392, Nov. 1968–Sept. 1970), and occasional issues ofSuperboy.[4]
Later career
[edit]After a reshuffling at DC c. 1970, Abel went to Marvel. He had already inkedGene Colanthere on a long stretch ofIron Manstories beginning withTales of Suspense#73 (Jan. 1966), under the pseudonym "Gary Michaels".[4][5]As Colan recalled, "He did a lot ofIron Manwith me. He had a very slick line, which was okay onIron Man,of course. Iron Man was made of iron, so you want it to look like metal. But when it came to stone and dark corners and garbage [laughs], he wasn't the man for that ".[6]
Later, under his own name, he would embellish Colan on some issues ofDaredevilandThe Tomb of Dracula(including the introduction ofBlade,in #10); Trimpe onThe Incredible Hulk;George TuskaonIron Man;andPaul GulacyonMaster of Kung Fu,among other work. From the mid-1970s, Abel inked not only for Marvel and again DC (including itsTeen TitansandThe Flash), but for the smaller companiesGold Key(Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery,Grimm's Ghost Stories,Mighty Samson,the licensed titleThe Twilight Zone);Charlton Comics(Ghost Manor,Ghostly Haunts,Haunted,Midnight Tales);Atlas/Seaboard(IronJaw,Morlock 2001); andSkywald Publications(The Heap,and additionally the black-and-white horror comics magazinesNightmareandPsycho).[4]
Baseball-fan Abel, who in the 1970s rented studio space atNeal AdamsandDick Giordano'sContinuity Associates,[7]organized the Continuitysoftballteam that played league games inCentral Park.[8]
After suffering a serious stroke in 1981, Abel rehabilitated his paralyzed right hand to the extent that he was able to ink and draw again[9]—which he did through the rest of the 1980s, primarily for Marvel.
Comic strips
[edit]Outside comic books, Abel inkedJohn Celardofrom 1967–1969 on thesyndicatedcomic stripTales of theGreen Beret,written by authorRobin Moore.[10]
Awards
[edit]In 2016, Abel was nominated and tied for runner-up for theInkwell AwardsSpecial Recognition Award.[11]
References
[edit]- ^Jack Abelat the United StatesSocial Security Death Indexvia FamilySearch.org. Retrieved February 15, 2013.Archived2016-03-04 at theWayback Machinefrom the original on July 18, 2015.
- ^Jack Abelat theLambiek Comiclopedia.Archived2009-11-24 at theWayback MachineNovember 24, 2009.
- ^Lovece, Frank(October 25, 2010)."Long Island Comic Book Artist Mike Esposito Dead at 83".Newsday.Archivedfrom the original on October 11, 2012.RetrievedOctober 25,2010.(Requires subscription) Print version: "Mike Esposito, Comic Book Artist", p. A30
- ^abcdJack Abelat theGrand Comics Database.Archived2013-04-14 atarchive.todayOctober 24, 2011.
- ^Evanier, Mark(April 14, 2008)."Why did some artists working for Marvel in the sixties use phony names?".P.O.V. Online (column). Archived fromthe originalon November 26, 2009.RetrievedJuly 28,2008.
- ^Gene Colan interview (May 2001)."The Colan Mystique".Comic Book Artist.No. 3.Archivedfrom the original on June 28, 2009.
- ^"Bob McLeod".(interview) Adelaide Comics and Books. 2003.Archivedfrom the original on September 11, 2009.
- ^Gale, Ken.Ken Gale's Pages: The Fandom Fireballs.Archived2010-07-23 at theWayback Machine
- ^Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins," Marvel comics cover-dated June 1982.
- ^Jack Abel entry[usurped],The Comic Strip Project, "Who's Who of Comic Strip Producers", A-Part 1.WebCitation archive[usurped].
- ^Inkwell Awards 2016 Winners
External links
[edit]- Jack Abelat the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)
- The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
- Comic Art & Graffix Gallery: Murphy Anderson interview(1994). (1994).WebCite archive
- "Remembering Jack Abel",Comic Book Marketplace,vol. 2, #46 (April 1997): Reminiscences byGene Colan,Peter David,Joe Giella,Russ Heath,Joe Kubert,Alan Kupperberg,andSteve Mitchell
- Schenk, Ramon (ed.)."Charlton Personnel".Archived from the original on March 5, 2008.RetrievedJune 6,2011.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)Additional made June 15, 2010.
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