Al Feldstein facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Al Feldstein |
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Al Feldstein by Michael Netzer
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| Born | October 24, 1925 Brooklyn, New York |
| Died | April 29, 2014 (aged 88) near Livingston, Montana |
| Area(s) | Writer, Artist, Editor |
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Notable works
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Albert Bernard Feldstein (October 24, 1925 – April 29, 2014) was an American writer, editor, and artist. He is famous for his work at EC Comics and for being the editor of Mad magazine from 1956 to 1985. After leaving Mad, Feldstein became a painter, focusing on Western wildlife.
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Early Life and Art School
Al Feldstein was born on October 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Max, made dental molds. Al showed artistic talent early on. He won an award in a poster contest for the 1939 New York World's Fair. This made him decide to pursue a career in art.
He studied at the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Forces within the United States. After high school, he also attended the Art Students League of New York.
Starting His Career in Comics
While still in high school, Al Feldstein started working for Jerry Iger. This studio created comic book stories for different publishers. His first background art was for a comic called Sheena, Queen of the Jungle.
Later, Feldstein worked as a freelance artist for various comic book companies. He wrote and drew complete comic books like Junior and Sunny for Fox Comics. He also created a comic book version of Meet Corliss Archer.
Working at EC Comics
In 1948, Feldstein joined EC Comics. He started as an artist but soon began writing stories too. Eventually, he became the editor for most of EC's comic books. He wrote and drew many stories and covers. Later, he focused mainly on editing and writing.
As an editor, Feldstein made EC Comics known for its smart and exciting stories. He created tales in different genres, like science fiction, horror, and crime. He also published the first work of famous writer Harlan Ellison.
EC Comics was known for its amazing artists. Feldstein encouraged these artists to keep their own unique drawing styles. This made EC comics easy to spot on newsstands. These popular comics were part of EC's "New Trend" series. They included titles like Weird Science, Weird Fantasy, Tales from the Crypt, and The Vault of Horror.
Leading Mad Magazine
After many of EC's comic books stopped publishing, Al Feldstein briefly left the company. But in 1956, the original editor of Mad magazine, Harvey Kurtzman, left. Bill Gaines, the owner of EC Comics, asked Feldstein to take over.
Feldstein led Mad magazine for the next 29 years. Under his leadership, Mad became one of the most popular and important magazines in the country. When he started, Mad's circulation was around 325,000 to 750,000 copies. By the 1960s, it sold over a million copies. In the 1970s, it reached two million.
The magazine's sales grew more than eight times during Feldstein's time as editor. It reached its highest point in 1974, selling 2.85 million copies of one issue. Feldstein is often given credit for giving Mad its funny, smart, and rebellious personality.
He brought in many new cartoonists and writers to the magazine. Some famous artists who started working at Mad during his time include Don Martin, Norman Mingo, Mort Drucker, George Woodbridge, and Al Jaffee. These talented people helped make Mad a huge success for many years.
Retirement and Painting
Al Feldstein retired from Mad magazine in 1985. After retiring, he started painting again. His son, Mark, gave him his first oil paint set since before his Mad days. He moved from Connecticut to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. There, he spent three years painting the Teton Range and its wildlife. Two of his paintings were chosen for the "Top 100 of Arts for the Parks" competition.
In 1992, Feldstein moved to Paradise Valley, Montana. He found new ways to show the Western way of life in his acrylic paintings. In 1999, he received an honorary doctorate degree in Arts from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana. That same year, he was again in the "Top 100 of the Arts for the Parks" competition. He continued to paint Western scenes, wildlife, and landscapes at his ranch in Montana.
In 2003, he was added to the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame. This is a very high honor in the comic book world. In 2011, he received the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement for his horror writing.
Al Feldstein passed away on April 29, 2014, at his home in Montana.
Images for kids
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Al Feldstein by Michael Netzer
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Feldstein, center, at the 2008 Heroes Con
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Mother's Pride by Al Feldstein
