Frank Springer (born December 6, 1929) is an American comic book and comic strip artist best known for Marvel Comics' Dazzler and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.; and, with writer Michael O'Donoghue, for one of the first adult-oriented comics features in the U.S., "The Adventures of Phoebe Zeit-Geist", in the magazine Evergreen Review. December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... This article is about the comic strip, the sequential art form as published in newspapers and on the Internet. ... Look up Artist in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that Felicia (pseudonym) be merged into this article or section. ... Dazzler (Alison Blaire) is a Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. ... Nicholas Joseph Nick Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day superspy in the Marvel Comics universe Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Fury first appeared in #1 (May 1963), a combat series that portrayed the cigar-chomping Fury as leader of an elite U... The term writer can apply to anyone who creates a written work, but the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... Michael ODonoghue (January 5, 1940 – November 8, 1994) was a 20th century writer and performer noted for his dark and destructive style of comedy. ... Evergreen Review was a literary magazine published by Grove Press in the late 1950s and 1960s. ...

Biography

Early life and career

Secret Six #1 (May 1968), art by Springer. Unusually, the story begins on the cover.

Springer graduated from Malverne High School in Malverne, Long Island, New York, in 1948, and from Syracuse University with an art degree in 1952. He then served with the U.S. Army through 1954, and the following year became assistant to cartoonist George Wunder on the comic strip Terry and the Pirates, on which Wunder had succeeded famed creator Milt Caniff. Leaving in 1960 to freelance, Springer broke into comic books two years later with Dell Comics' Brain Boy, starring a telepathic government agent created by Herb Castle and Gil Kane in Four Color Comics #1330 (June 1962). Springer drew the spin-off series' five-issue run of #2-6 (Sept. 1962 - Nov. 1963). Malverne is a village located in Nassau County, New York, United States. ... Mercator projection of Long Island Long Island is an island in New York, USA. At 1,377 square miles (3567 km²) and 7. ... Syracuse University (SU) is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... A cartoonist at work. ... George Wunder, (1912-1987) was a cartoonist who continued Terry and the Pirates after Milton Caniff left it in 1946. ... Terry and the Pirates is the title of: a comic strip created by Milton Caniff; see: Terry and the Pirates (comic strip) a radio serial, based on the comic strip; see: Terry and the Pirates (radio serial) a television series, also based on the comic strip; see: Terry and the... Milton Arthur Paul Caniff (February 28, 1907-May 3, 1988) was an American cartoonist most famous for Terry and the Pirates. ... Dell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publications, which got its start in pulp magazines. ... Eli Katz (April 6, 1926–January 31, 2000), who worked under the name Gil Kane and in a few instances Scott Edwards, was a comic book illustrator whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s. ...

Silver Age comics

During the remainder of the 1960s early '70s Silver Age of comic books, Springer became a prolific penciler-inker across much of Dell's line, drawing issues of Ghost Stories, Movie Classic, Tales from the Tomb, Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery, Toka: Jungle King, and the movie/TV tie-in series The Big Valley, Charlie Chan, Iron Horse and The New People, among other comics. He debuted at DC penciling Batman #197 and both penciling and inking the lead feature, "Dial H for Hero", in House of Mystery #171 (both Dec. 1967). Springer went on to draw an issue each of Detective Comics and Our Army At War, an anthological story in another House of Mystery, and the and the first two issues of Secret Six — the initial one perhaps uniquely beginning its story on the cover rather than on the inside page one — After that smattering, however, he found more regular work at rival Marvel Comics. Showcase #4 (Oct. ... In producing a comic book, the penciller (or penciler) draws the comic based on the script created by the writer. ... The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book, or graphic novel. ... Boris Karloff Boris Karloff (November 23, 1887 – February 2, 1969), born William Henry Pratt, was an actor best known for his roles in horror films. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of... See TV (disambiguation) for other uses and Television (band) for the rock band European networks National In much of Europe television broadcasting has historically been state dominated, rather than commercially organised, although commercial stations have grown in number recently. ... The Big Valley was a television Western which ran on ABC from 1965 through 1969. ... 1938 titlecard Number One Sons with the seat of his pants on fire (in the film) Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-Hawaiian detective created by Earl Derr Biggers, reportedly in part under inspiration from the career of Chang Apana. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-man, and still sometimes as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional character and superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... Dial H for Hero is a comic book feature published by DC Comics about a magical dial that enables an ordinary person to become a superhero for one hour. ... House of Mystery was a horror anthology comic book series published by DC Comics from 1951 to 1983. ... Categories: Comics stubs | Batman | DC Comics titles ... An anthology, literally a garland or collection of flowers, is a collection of literary works, originally of poems, but in recent years its usage has broadened to be applied to collections of short stories and comic strips. ... Secret Six is the name of three distinct DC Comics fictional teams (plus a noncanonical fourth team). ...

There he made an auspicious if unenviable debut on the fill-in issue Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #4 (Sept. 1968), an origin story retelling sandwiched between writer-artist Jim Steranko's final two issues of his landmark and highly influential signature series. Springer nonetheless soldiered on, succeeding the departed Steranko and drawing issues #6-11. He additionally drew Captain Marvel #13-14 (May-June 1969) and a Hercules back-up story in Ka-Zar #1 (Aug. 1970) before concentrating on his ongoing Dell work through 1973, when that company ceased publication. Nicholas Joseph Nick Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day superspy in the Marvel Comics universe Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Fury first appeared in #1 (May 1963), a combat series that portrayed the cigar-chomping Fury as leader of an elite U... In comic book terminology, the phrase origin story refers to a story or backstory revealing how a character or team gained superpowers, or the circumstances under which they became superheroes or supervillians. ... Captain America #111 (March 1969): Sterankos signature surrealism. ... A number of comic book superheroes by Marvel Comics have been called Captain Marvel. ... Hercules is an Olympian god and superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Ka-Zar (pronounced KAY-sar) is the name of two jungle-dwelling fictional characters, both published by Marvel Comics. ...

Later comic books

Springer returned to draw a handful of stories for Marvel's black-and-white horror-comics magazines in 1974 and '75, and then sprang from title to title, penciling sporadic issues of The Avengers, Captain America, The Spectacular Spider-Man, and [Spider-Woman]], among others, and also inked many Marvel and DC Comics. He then became regular penciler of Marvel's The Savage She-Hulk — drawing most issues from #10-22 (Nov. `1980 - Nov. 1981), and, for a much longer run, the female superhero series Dazzler from #4-31 & 35 (June 1981 - March 1984 & Jan. 1985), plus the Dazzler stories in What If? Vol. 1, #34 (Aug. 1982) and Marvel Graphic Novel #12 (1984). Horror fiction is, broadly, fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle or horrify the reader. ... The Avengers are a superhero team, consisting of many of Marvel Comics most popular heroes. ... Captain America, the alter ego of Steve Rogers (in some accounts Steven Grant Rogers), is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Spectacular Spider-Man is the name of several comic book and one magazine series starring Marvel Comics Spider-Man. ... She-Hulk is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine in Marvel Comics. ... Superman and Batman, two of the most recognizable and iconic superheroes. ... Dazzler (Alison Blaire) is a Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. ...

Springer's other 1980s comics include issues of Marvel's Conan the Barbarian and its toy-license titles based on the properties G.I. Joe and Transformers; and, for DC, a return to the Secret Six in Action Comics Weekly, and issues of Manhunter and Green Arrow, issue #68 (Nov. 1992) of which was Springer's last known comics work. Teddy bear A toy is something to play with, for children, adults or both, or pets. ... Classic G.I. Joe Adventure Team Image, circa 1973 Alternately see G.I. Joe the homing pigeon awarded the Dickin_Medal in 1946. ... There have been three main publishers of comic book series called Transformers, based on the toylines of the same name. ... Cover of Action Comics #1, which featured the debut of Superman. ... Secret Origins #22 outlined the history of the Manhunters, as to tie in with Millennium. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Miscellanea includes the Atlas/Seaboard series Cougar in the 1970s, and Continuity Comics' Armor in the 1990s. Atlas/Seaboard is the term that comic book historians and collectors use to refer to the short-lived line of comics published as Atlas Comics by Seaboard Periodicals, to differentiate it from Atlas Comics, a former name of Marvel Comics. ... Continuity Comics was a short-lived independent comic book company formed by Neal Adams in the 1980s. ...

Adult satire

Panels from "The Adventures of Phoebe Zeit-Geist" by Springer and writer Michael O'Donoghue.

With the dark-humor writer-provocateur Michael O'Donoghue — who a decade later would be the first head writer of NBC's groundbreaking TV comedy series Saturday Night Live — Springer from 1965-66 worked on "The Adventures of Phoebe Zeit-Geist", one of the first mature-audience comics in the U.S. Appearing in the magazine Evergreen Review, it joined such features as Playboy's "Little Annie Fanny" and Magazine Enterprises' "The Adventures of Pussycat" as sexually oriented comics features in mainstream media — variously ahead of the nascent or not-yet-existing underground comix. "Zeit-Geist", unlike its innocently bawdy contemporaries, had a darker, sometimes brutal edge, with scenes of bondage depicted as torture rather than Bettie Page playfulness. Evergreen Review publisher Grove Press collected the series as a 1968 book. Michael ODonoghue (January 5, 1940 – November 8, 1994) was a 20th century writer and performer noted for his dark and destructive style of comedy. ... Black comedy, also known as black humor, is a subgenre of comedy and satire where topics and events normally treated seriously – death, mass murder, sickness, madness, terror, drug abuse, rape, etc. ... Michael ODonoghue (January 5, 1940 – November 8, 1994) was a 20th century writer and performer noted for his dark and destructive style of comedy. ... The National Broadcasting Company or NBC is an American television broadcasting company based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... Comedy is the use of humor in the form of theater, where it simply referred to a play with a happy ending, in contrast to a tragedy. ... Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a weekly late-night 90-minute comedy-variety show based in New York City which has been broadcast by NBC nearly every Saturday night since its debut on October 11, 1975. ... Evergreen Review was a literary magazine published by Grove Press in the late 1950s and 1960s. ... Playboy is an adult entertainment magazine, founded in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, which has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc. ... Little Annie Fanny is a long running comic strip created by Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder for Playboy that parodied the comic strip, Little Orphan Annie. ... The Adventures of Pussycat one-shot (Oct. ... Mr. ... Bondage-Videos on JohnThompson. ... DVD cover for Betty Page - Bondage Queen Bettie Mae Page (born April 22, 1923), sometimes known as Betty Page, is an American model and pin-up girl, active mostly in the 1950s. ...

Springer also drew the series "Frank Fleet" for Evergreen Review from 1969-70, and from 1971-88 was a regular contributor to the satiric magazine National Lampoon, under the pseudonyms Francis Hollidge and Bob Monhegan. Satire is a literary technique of writing or art which exposes the follies of its subject (for example, individuals, organizations, or states) to ridicule, often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change. ... National Lampoon is a humor magazine that began in 1970 as an offshoot of the Harvard Lampoon. ... A pseudonym or allonym is a name (sometimes legally adopted, sometimes purely fictitious) used by an individual as an alternative to their birth name. ...

Comic strips and cartoons

After having assisted Wunder on Terry and the Pirates from 1955-60 and then moving to comic books, Springer returned to comic strips as penciler of the syndicated newspaper strip Rex Morgan, M.D. from 1979-81. He also drew the Incredible Hulk newspaper strip, starring the Marvel Comics' antihero; the romance strip The Virture of Vera Valiant, with writer Stan Lee; and The Adventures of Hedley Kase in the 1990s. Springer's cartoon art has appeared in Games Magazine, Muppets Magazine, the New York Daily News, Playboy, Sports Illustrated for Kids, and elsewhere. In the entertainment and news industries, syndication is a method of making content available to a range of outlets simultaneously. ... Rex Morgan, M.D. is a soap opera comic strip created by Nicolas P. Dallis which debuted in 1948. ... Look up Hulk in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Hulk may refer to: Hulk (comics), a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe Hulk (film), a 2003 film based on the comic book character, directed by Ang Lee Hulk (ship), a type of ships Hulk (roller coaster), a roller coaster... In literature and film, an anti-hero is a central or supporting character that has some of the personality flaws and ultimate fortune traditionally assigned to villains but nonetheless also have enough heroic qualities or intentions to gain the sympathy of readers or viewers. ... This article refers to the wide variety of writing called romantic. For literature from the European Romantic movement of the 18th and 19th centuries, see Romanticism: Art and Literature. ... Stan Lee and his most famous co-creation, Spider-Man. ... John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together The Muppets are a group of puppets and costume characters created by Jim Henson and the company he created. ... Daily News is the name of two major newspapers in the United States: Los Angeles Daily News New York Daily News This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The first issue of Sports Illustrated, August 16, 1954, showing Milwaukee Braves star Eddie Matthews at bat in Milwaukee County Stadium. ...

In the 1960s, he did unspecified work on the animated TV series Space Ghost. An animated television series or cartoon television series is a television series produced by means of animation. ... The title card from an episode of Space Ghost Space Ghost was one-half of the animated television series Space Ghost and Dino Boy created by Hanna-Barbera Productions; it first aired on September 10, 1966 on CBS. In the series, the hero, Space Ghost, battled villains in outer space. ...

Later years

Springer and wife Barbara Bunting, whom he married in 1956, moved to Maine in 1995, where the artist has since worked in the medium of oil painting. Look up media in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Mona Lisa, Oil on wood panel painting by Leonardo da Vinci La Donna Velata, painted in 1516, Oil on wood panel painting by Raphael Oil painting is done on surfaces with pigment ground into a medium of oil — especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. ...

Personal

The couple have five grown children. In 1982, just shy of his 53rd birthday, Springer ran the New York City Marathon. Late in the 2005 marathon, on Central Park West near the finish line. ...

Awards

• National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award — Comic Books (Story): 1973, 1977, 1981
• Inkpot Award: 2004

The National Cartoonists Society is an organization of professional cartoonists created in 1946. ...

Quotes

Springer at 2004 Comic-Con International [1]: "There were some raggedy times, but I always had work, raised five kids, bought some houses, bought some cars ... I've been lucky". Comic-Con International, commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, is an annual comic book convention founded in 1970. ...

References

• Lambiek Comiclopedia: Frank Springer
• National Caroonists Society mini-autobiography
• Don Markstein's Toonopedia: Brain Boy
• The Comic Strip Project Credits: Rex Morgan, M.D.
• The World Encyclopedia of Comics', edited by Maurice Horn (Philadelphia, Chelsea House, 1999), entry pp. 722-723
• The Who's Who of American Comic Books, by Jerry Bails & Hames Ware (Detroit, Mich.: J. Bails, 1973-1976), entries pp. 251, 332