NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Basil Wolverton

Basil Wolverton (July 9, 1909 – December 31, 1978) was an American cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, illustrator and professed "Producer of Preposterous Pictures of Peculiar People who Prowl this Perplexing Planet",^[1] whose many publishers included Marvel Comics and Mad Magazine. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (695x1015, 1185 KB)Mad Magazine #11, May 1954. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (695x1015, 1185 KB)Mad Magazine #11, May 1954. ... Harvey Kurtzmans cover for the first issue of the comic book Mad Mad is an American humor magazine founded by publisher William Gaines and editor Harvey Kurtzman in 1952. ... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Cartoonist Jack Elrod at work. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... A writer is anyone who creates a written work, although the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of activities to do with creating art, practising the arts and/or demonstrating an art. ... An illustrator is a graphic artist who specializes in enhancing written text by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text. ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. ...

His unique, humorously grotesque drawings have elicited a wide range of reactions. Cartoonist Will Elder said he finds Wolverton's technique "outrageously inventive, defying every conventional standard yet upholding a very unusual sense of humor. He was a refreshing original", while Jules Feiffer has said, "I don't like his work. I think it's ugly".^[2] Will Elder self-portrait William Elder (aka Bill Elder) (born September 22, 1921 in the Bronx, New York) is an American illustrator and comic book artist who worked in numerous areas of commercial art yet is best known for a zany cartoon s tyle that helped launch Harvey Kurtzmans... Jules Feiffer (1958) Jules Feiffer (born January 26, 1929) is an American syndicated comic-strip cartoonist and author. ...

Biography

Early life and career

Born in Central Point, Oregon, he later moved to Vancouver, Washington, and worked as a vaudeville performer and a cartoonist and reporter for the Portland News. At age 16 he sold his first nationally published work and began pitching comic strips to newspaper syndicates. His comic strip, Marco of Mars, was accepted by the Independent Syndicate of New York in 1929 but never distributed because it was deemed too similar to Buck Rogers, which debuted that year. Central Point is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area Ranked 9th - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 kmÂ²) - Width 260 miles (420 km) - Length 360 miles (580 km) - % water 2. ... Nickname: Motto: A colorful past, a bright future Location in Washington Coordinates: , Country United States State Washington County Clark County Founded 1825 Incorporated 1857 Government - Mayor Royce Pollard Area - City 46. ... This article deals with the U.S. state. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the comic strip, the sequential art form as published in newspapers and on the Internet. ... Buck Rogers is a fictional pulp character who first appeared in 1928 as Anthony Rogers, the hero of two novellas by Philip Francis Nowlan published in the magazine Amazing Stories. ...

Disk-Eyes the Detective and Spacehawks were published in 1938 in Circus comics. In 1940, Spacehawk (a different and improved feature) made its debut in Target Comics, running for 30 episodes (262 pages) until 1942.

Powerhouse Pepper and Lena Hyena

Wolverton's humor feature "Powerhouse Pepper", about a superstrong if none-too-bright boxer, appeared in various comic books published by Timely Comics, the 1930s and '40s precursor of Marvel Comics, from 1942 through 1952 (76 episodes, 539 pages^{[citation needed]}). Admirers consider that series a high watermark of humorous comics, with its alliterative, rhyming dialogue, screwball comedy, and throwaway gags in background signs. Wolverton drew an estimated^{[citation needed]} total of 1,300 comic book pages. Image File history File links Powerhouse_Pepper_3. ... Image File history File links Powerhouse_Pepper_3. ... Look up Humour in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Professional boxing bout featuring Ricardo DomÃnguez (left, throwing a left uppercut) versus Rafael Ortiz Boxing, also referred to as pugilism is a combat sport in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their fists in a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds. ... Timely Comics is the 1940s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ...

In 1946 Wolverton won a contest to depict "Lena Hyena", the world's ugliest woman, a running gag in Al Capp's Li'l Abner newspaper strip where Lena remained unseen beneath an editorial note stating her face had been covered to protect readers. Capp, responding to popular demand, announced a contest for artists to submit their interpretations to be judged by Boris Karloff, Frank Sinatra and Salvador Dali. Out of 500,000 entries, Wolverton's was the winner; it appeared in a Li'l Abner daily and Life magazine. Wolverton's fame briefly lead to Life and Pageant printing his caricatures. The Lena portrait typified the unique "spaghetti and meatballs" style he employed regularly thereafter. Lena Hyena was a one-off character featured in the 1988 film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, shown as an unsightly man-chaser. ... I do Lil Abner!!, a self-portrait by Al Capp, excerpted from the April 16-17 1951 Lil Abner strips. ... Lil Abner was a comic strip in United States newspapers, featuring a fictional clan of hillbillies in the town of Dogpatch. ... A cover of Life Magazine from 1911 Life has been the name of two notable magazines published in the United States. ... Donna Reed on the October 1946 issue Pageant was a 20th-century monthly magazine, first published in the United States by Hillman Periodicals in November 1944. ...

In the 1950s, Wolverton produced what some regard^{[citation needed]} as his best work — 17 comic-book horror and science-fiction stories for Marvel and other comic-book publishers, including one story by author Daniel Keyes. Wolverton also contributed to Mad from the 1950s through the 1970s. Horror fiction is, broadly, fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle, or horrify the reader. ... Science Fiction redirects here. ... Daniel F. Keyes (born August 9, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York) is an American author best known for his award-winning short story Flowers for Algernon, a classic frequently assigned in English literature classes, and the subsequent, same-name novel. ... Harvey Kurtzmans cover for the first issue of the comic book Mad Mad is an American humor magazine founded by publisher William Gaines and editor Harvey Kurtzman in 1952. ...

In 1956 Wolverton illustrated Herbert Armstrong's apocalyptic booklet 1975 in Prophecy, and later, The Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last, offered free on Armstrong's radio show The World Tomorrow. In 1958, Wolverton began writing and illustrating The Bible Story, also titled The Story of Man, covering the entire history of the Old Testament, and serialized in The Plain Truth and later published in six volumes. Image File history File links Lenahyena. ... Image File history File links Lenahyena. ... Lena Hyena was a one-off character featured in the 1988 film, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, shown as an unsightly man-chaser. ... The World Tomorrow is a now-defunct radio and television half-hour program which had been sponsored by the Radio Church of God (later renamed Worldwide Church of God while under the direction of Herbert W. Armstrong. ... The Plain Truth is a U.S.-based magazine founded by Herbert W. Armstrong who also founded the Radio Church of God (later renamed the Worldwide Church of God), Ambassador College and The World Tomorrow radio and television programs. ...

Later career

In 1968 Wolverton did a series of posters for Topps, displaying his trademark twisted headshots, and in 1973 he returned to mainstream comics, illustrating several covers for Joe Orlando's satiric Plop! at DC Comics. His return was cut short by a stroke in 1974. He died in Vancouver, Washington, four years later. The Topps Company, Inc. ... Joe Orlando was an illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist who was born April 4, 1927, in Bari, Italy, and died December 23, 1998, in Manhattan. ... Plop! - The New Magazine of Weird Humor! was a comic book published by DC Comics in the mid 1970s. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... A stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is suddenly interrupted by occlusion (an ischemic stroke- approximately 90% of strokes), by hemorrhage (a hemorrhagic stroke - less than 10% of strokes) or other causes. ...

Personal

Wolverton was baptised into Herbert W. Armstrong's Radio Church of God in 1941, was ordained as an elder in 1943. A board member of that church, he was one of the six people, including Armstrong and his wife, who re-incorporated the church in 1946 when it moved its original headquarters from Oregon to California. Herbert W. Armstrong (31 July 1892 â€“ 16 January 1986) was the founder of the Worldwide Church of God and an early pioneer of radio evangelism, taking to the airwaves in the 1930s from Eugene, Oregon. ... The Radio Church of God began as a religious radio program during 1934 on station KORE in Eugene, Oregon presented by Herbert W. Armstrong and supported by an unincorporated voluntary association of members meeting as the Church of God. ... Ordination is the process in which clergy become authorized by their religious denomination and/or seminary to perform religious rituals and ceremonies. ... A religious elder (in Greek, Ï€ÏÎµÏƒÎ²Ï…Ï„ÎµÏÎ¿Ï‚ [presbyteros]) is valued for his or her wisdom, in part for their age, on the grounds that the older one is then the more one is likely to know. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area Ranked 3rd - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 kmÂ²) - Width 250 miles (400 km) - Length 770 miles (1,240 km) - % water 4. ...

Wolverton's son, editorial cartoonist Monte Wolverton, can draw in a style almost indistinguishable from his father's, and like his father, he has worked for The Plain Truth and contributed to Mad. Monte Wolverton is an editorial cartoonist who is best known for his satiric pages in Mad, his Weekly Wolvertoon website and his contributions as the managing editor of The Plain Truth. ...

Trivia

Some of Wolverton's humor features were collected in Wolvertoons (Fantagraphics, 1990), edited by Dick Voll with graphic design by Bhob Stewart. The book received an endorsement on a television documentary about horror/fantasy writer-director Clive Barker. In one sequence, Barker. running through a Los Angeles bookstore, stopped to pull a copy of Wolvertoons off the shelf. Holding it up to the camera, he said, "Grotesqueries!", and then continued running through the store. Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, underground comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, and graphic novels located in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bhob Stewart is an American writer, editor and artist who has written for a variety of publications over a span of five decades. ... Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to document reality. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Clive Barker (born October 5, 1952) is an English author, film director and visual artist. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area City 1,290. ... A bookstore. ...

Footnotes

Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint. ...

References

Books

Categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since April 2007 | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | Comic strip cartoonists | American comics artists | American cartoonists | 1909 births | 1978 deaths | Li'l Abner | Vaudeville performers Editing may also refer to audio editing or film editing. ... Jerry DeFuccio (1925 - 2001) was an American comic book writer and editor, known primarily for his work on Mad Magazine, for which he was an associate editor for 25 years. ... Al Feldstein (born October 24, 1925) is an American painter of Western wildlife and an influential author-editor who wrote, drew and edited for EC Comics and MAD Magazine. ... John Ficarra has been on the editorial staff of MAD Magazine for almost 25 years. ... Harvey Kurtzman (October 3, 1924 - February 21, 1993) was a U.S. cartoonist and magazine editor. ... Nick Meglin was on the editorial staff of MAD Magazine for almost half a century. ... A writer is anyone who creates a written work, although the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... Anthony (Tony) Barbieri is an American comedy writer whose work has appeared on television programs such as Crank Yankers and the Jimmy Kimmel Live show. ... Dick DeBartolo (morphing into Alfred E. Neuman) Dick DeBartolo is one of the most prolific writers of satire for Mad Magazine. ... Desmond Devlin is a comedy writer who has worked for such publications as Mad Magazine. ... Stan Hart is an Emmy-winning comedy writer with many television credits. ... Frank Jacobs is MAD Magazines longest-tenured writer, having appeared in its pages for 50 years. ... Tom Koch was one of MAD Magazines mainstay writers from the 1950s through the 1980s. ... Arnie Kogen is a longtime writer for MAD Magazine and has also done extensive work for television series such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Newhart, and Empty Nest. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Barry Leibmann is a comedy writer whose work has frequently appeared in the pages of MAD Magazine, and has also worked for Looney Tunes comics. ... Jay Lynch, born January 7, 1945 in Orange, New Jersey, is an American cartoonist who played a key role in the underground comix movement with his Bijou Funnies and other titles. ... Andrew J. Schwartzberg is one of MAD Magazines writers and was a member of the magazines editorial staff from 1990 to 1995. ... Larry Siegel is an Emmy-winning comedy writer whose work also appeared for years in MAD Magazine. ... Lou Silverstone is a comedy writer whose articles appeared for many years in MAD Magazine. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of activities to do with creating art, practising the arts and/or demonstrating an art. ... Sergio self-portrait from Groo the Wanderer comic Issue #84 Sergio AragonÃ©s Domenech (born 1937) is a cartoonist and writer probably best-known for his contributions to Mad Magazine. ... Dave Berg (Brooklyn, June 12, 1920 – May 17, 2002) was a cartoonist, most noted for his work in MAD Magazine. ... John Caldwell is a cartoonist whose work has appeared in many places including the National Lampoon and MAD Magazine. ... Don Edwing is a gag cartoonist whose work has appeared for years in MAD Magazine. ... Al Jaffee (born March 13, 1921) is a cartoonist, best known for his work in MAD Magazine. ... Don Martin (May 18, 1931 â€“ January 6, 2000) was a popular American cartoon artist whose best-known work appeared in MAD magazine from 1956 to 1988. ... Paul Peter Porges is a cartoonist who has appeared in many places, including The New Yorker and MAD Magazine. ... Antonio ProhÃas (January 17, 1921 - February 24, 1998), born in Cuba, was a cartoonist most famous for creating the comic strip Spy vs. ... Tom Bunk is a cartoonist known for adding multiple extraneous details in his art. ... Bob Clarke was an illustrator whose elegant line appeared in innumerable advertisements as well as MAD Magazine. ... Paul Coker, Jr. ... A 1956 Jack Davis page for ECs Picto-Fiction Jack Davis (born December 2, 1924) is an American cartoonist and illustrator. ... Mort Drucker is a cartoonist and caricaturist from Brooklyn, New York. ... Will Elder self-portrait William Elder (aka Bill Elder) (born September 22, 1921 in the Bronx, New York) is an American illustrator and comic book artist who worked in numerous areas of commercial art yet is best known for a zany cartoon s tyle that helped launch Harvey Kurtzmans... Drew Friedman is a cartoonist known for his stippling-like style of caricature. ... Bernard Krigstein, or B. Krigstein, (1919â€“1990) was an American artist and illustrator best known for his groundbreaking work in comic books. ... Peter Kuper (b. ... Hermann Mejia is a Venezuelan illustrator, living in New York City, whose caricature-driven work frequently appears in MAD Magazine. ... Norman Mingo (1896-1980) was a commercial artist and illustrator. ... Tom Richmond (born 1966) is a freelance humorous illustrator, cartoonist and caricaturist whos work has appeared in many national and international publications since 1990. ... Jack Rickard was an illustrator who worked in many media, including a lengthy stint at MAD Magazine. ... John Powers Severin (born December 21, 1921, Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American comic book artist noted for his distinctive artwork with EC Comics, primarily on the war comics Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat, and for Marvel Comics, primarily on its war and Western comics. ... Angelo Torres is a cartoonist and caricaturist who appeared in many comic books, as well as a long-running regular slot at MAD Magazine. ... Rick Tulka is an illustrator and caricaturist who has appeared in MAD Magazine since the mid-1980s. ... Cover to MAD #223 (June 1980), Vivianoâ€™s first cover work. ... Monte Wolverton is an editorial cartoonist who is best known for his satiric pages in Mad, his Weekly Wolvertoon website and his contributions as the managing editor of The Plain Truth. ... Wallace Wally Wood (born June 17, 1927, Menahga, Minnesota, United States; died November 2, 1981), was an American writer-artist best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. ... George Woodbridges drawing of a Bacons Rebellion soldier in 1675 George Woodbridge (1930-January 19, 2004) was an American illustrator known for his exhaustive research and historical accuracy. ... Bill Wray is a cartoonist who has worked on animated TV series. ... This is a list of notable photographers in the art, documentary and fashion traditions. ... Irving Schild is a commercial photographer who has worked extensively for agencies and clients. ... Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. ... William Maxwell Gaines (March 1, 1922 â€“ June 3, 1992) (more frequently referred to as Bill Gaines), was the publisher and co-editor of EC Comics, and publisher of Mad for over 40 years. ...

Contents

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