John Severin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Severin |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | John Powers Severin December 26, 1921 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | February 12, 2012 (aged 90) Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Penciler, Inker |
|
Notable works
|
Frontline Combat Two-Fisted Tales Cracked Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Two-Gun Kid |
| Awards | Alley Award, 1967, 1968 Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame, 2003 Inkwell Awards SASRA, 2022 |
John Powers Severin (December 26, 1921 – February 12, 2012) was a talented American comics artist. He was known for his unique drawings in many comic books and magazines. He worked a lot on war comics like Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat for EC Comics. He also drew for Marvel Comics, especially their war and Western comics. For 45 years, he was a main artist for the funny magazine Cracked. John Severin was also one of the first artists who helped start Mad magazine in 1952.
In 2003, John Severin was honored by being added to the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame. This is a special award for people who have made a big impact on comics.
Contents
Early Life and Art Beginnings
John Severin was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. His family had roots in Norway and Ireland. He started drawing professionally when he was a teenager in New York City.
While still in high school, he drew cartoons for a newspaper called The Hobo News. He earned one dollar for each drawing he sold. He once said that he sold many cartoons each week. This helped him earn money and avoid getting a regular job while he was in high school.
He went to the High School of Music & Art in New York City. Many future famous comic artists were his classmates there. These included Harvey Kurtzman, Will Elder, Al Jaffee, and Al Feldstein. After finishing school in 1940, he worked for a short time. Then, he joined the Army and served in the Pacific during World War II.
Severin's Amazing Career
Starting Out as a Professional Artist
After the war, John Severin decided to become a professional artist. He joined a studio with his friends Will Elder and Harvey Kurtzman. They worked on different art projects, including designs for toy and candy boxes.
Soon, he started drawing for comic books. His first confirmed work was in late 1948. He drew stories for comics like Boy Commandos and Prize Comics Western. He became well-known for his Western comics. He even helped create a Native American character called "American Eagle" in 1951.
Around this time, he also started working for two big comic publishers. These were Timely Comics (which later became Marvel Comics) and EC Comics.
Drawing for EC Comics
John Severin's first work for EC Comics was in 1951. He drew a war story for Two-Fisted Tales. He often worked with his friend Will Elder, who would ink his drawings. They created many science fiction and war stories together.
Severin drew for both Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat. He even wrote some of the stories himself. He was also one of the first five artists to work on Mad magazine when it started in 1952. He drew for nine of the first ten issues of Mad.
Other artists really admired John Severin's skills. He was great at drawing people from different countries. He also paid close attention to small details, making his drawings very realistic. Famous artist Jack Kirby once said that Severin's drawings were so accurate, you could use them like real photos to research costumes or weapons.
Working with Marvel Comics and Other Publishers
After many comic books were canceled in the mid-1950s, Severin started working for Atlas Comics. This company later became Marvel Comics. He drew a comic called Sergeant Barney Barker.
When Atlas became Marvel Comics in the 1960s, Severin continued to draw. He worked on popular series like The Incredible Hulk and Conan the Barbarian. He also inked (added ink lines to) the drawings for the World War II series Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos. Later, he worked with his sister, Marie Severin, on Marvel's King Kull series.
For almost 40 years, John Severin was the main artist for the funny magazine Cracked. He drew many parodies of TV shows and movies, and most of the magazine's covers.
He also drew for other publishers. In the 1960s, he worked on black-and-white comic magazines like Blazing Combat and Creepy. He even drew pictures for Topps bubble gum trading cards. In the 1980s, his work for Marvel included The 'Nam and What The--?!.
Around the year 2000, Severin wanted to draw more comics. He drew for DC Comics' Western miniseries Desperadoes: Quiet of The Grave. He also contributed to Marvel's The Punisher and DC Comics' Suicide Squad. He drew for Dark Horse Comics' Conan as well.
Family and Later Life
John Severin came from a family of artists and people in publishing. His sister, Marie Severin, was also a famous comic book artist. His son, John Severin, Jr., runs a publishing company. His daughter, Ruth Larenas, is a producer for that company. His grandson, John Severin III, is a music producer.
John Severin passed away at his home in Denver, Colorado, on February 12, 2012. He was 90 years old. He was survived by his wife, Michelina, his six children, and his sister Marie.
Awards and Special Recognitions
John Severin received many awards for his amazing work:
- He won an Inkpot Award in 1998.
- He was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2003.
- His inking work on Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos helped the comic win the Alley Award for Best War Title in both 1967 and 1968.
- In 2001, he received the Sparky Award from the Cartoon Art Museum.
- In 2022, he was given the Inkwell Awards Stacey Aragon Special Achievement Award for his lifetime of great inking.
His artwork was also shown in three exhibits at the Words & Pictures Museum in Massachusetts. These shows highlighted his classic comic art and war-themed drawings.
