Thursday, May 1, 2008

National Cartoonist Society Profile: Dick Ayers


Richard B. (Dick) Ayers is greatly respected in the field of comicdom for his dramatic storytelling techniques and prolific output as a jack-of-all-trades in all types of production. Dick was active in penciling, inking, lettering, and even as a colorist for most of the major comic publishers over his many years at the drawing board. Ayers was also the first artist in Marvels' famed star "artists bullpen", working with Jack Kirby and many other talented creators helping to shape the "The House of Ideas" most popular landmark titles. Still working today as a full time artist, could also find time to teach at the Joe Kubert School and provide a few art classes at the Guggenheim Museum. Here is his short biography from a few years ago he supplied to the National Cartoonist Society from an artist that need to be acknowledged as one of the early greats at Marvel.


Born April 28, 1924 in Ossining, New York -- in the Air Corps from 1942-1945, first comic strip "Radio Ray" in my Army newspaper in 1942. Did nose art on B-26 bombers, art schools from 1946-1948 -- illustrating comic books since - some titles: Jimmy Durante, The Ghost Rider, Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, Jonah Hex, The Human Torch - over forty thousand pages (50,000 plus now) -- inked syndicated strip "Sky Masters" -- awards National Cartoonist Society best comic book in 1986 -- Orlando Ignatz award in 1991 -- Kansas City Lifetime Achievement award in 1993 -- Blessed with a lovely wife, Charlotte Lindy, daughter Elaine, sons Stephen, Richard and Fredrick, and three granddaughters, a grandson and a step grandson - still reside in White Plains, New York.

No comments: