Larry Fuller (cartoonist) facts for kids

Larry Fuller is an African-American writer, publisher, and promoter of underground comix. He helped make sure that the voices of black comic book creators were heard. This was important at a time when their artistic efforts were often overlooked. Larry Fuller was known for using humor to share his thoughts on social topics. He worked with other important figures like Richard "Grass" Green and Guy Colwell. His long-time business partner and friend was Raye Horne.

About Larry Fuller

Early Life and Military Service

In the mid-1960s, Larry Fuller served in the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed at the Strategic Air Command Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.

Creating Ebon

In his late twenties, Fuller moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. This area was a major center for underground comics. He had an idea for a new African-American superhero named Ebon. Fuller searched for an artist for over a year. When he couldn't find one, he decided to draw Ebon himself. He took art classes using help from the G.I. Bill. He sometimes used poses from famous superhero artists like Gil Kane and John Buscema.

The first Ebon comic book was published in January 1970 by Gary Arlington. The back cover of the comic promoted Arlington's comic book shop. This shop was a key place for the underground comix movement. Many people consider Ebon to be the first comic book to star a black superhero. While Marvel's Black Panther appeared earlier, he did not have his own comic title yet. However, Ebon did not become very popular. It was not a good fit for the mostly white, adult readers of underground comics.

Soon after, Fuller adapted a story called "The Ter'ble Old Man" by H.P. Lovecraft. He did this for a 1971 comic called Laugh in the Dark #1, published by Last Gasp.

Ful-Horne Productions and Other Works

In 1975, Larry Fuller teamed up with Raye Horne. They formed a company called Ful-Horne Productions, which later became Fulhorne. They published comics like ... Funnies and the groundbreaking ... Heart Throbs.

Fuller and Horne also published an anthology series called The New Funny Book. This series ran from 1975 to 1978. It featured work from many artists. Some of these artists included Danny Bulanadi, Alex Niño, Nestor Redondo, Dan O'Neill, and Ian Akin.

Later, Fuller started his own company called Fuller Inkwell. He continued to publish other comic titles.

Awards and Recognition

In 2007, Larry Fuller received a special honor. He was given the Pioneer Award at the Glyph Comics Awards. This award recognized his important contributions to comics.