Mort Meskin facts for kids

Morton Meskin (born May 30, 1916 – died March 29, 1995) was an American comic book artist. He was famous for his work during the "Golden Age of Comic Books" in the 1940s. He also drew comics during the "Silver Age" in the late 1950s and 1960s.

Early Life of Morton Meskin

Morton Meskin was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were Max and Rose Meskin. As a child, he loved pulp magazines, especially The Shadow.

His interest in art led him to become the art editor for his high school newspaper. After high school, he studied art at the Art Students League of New York. He also went to Brooklyn's Pratt Institute, graduating in 1938.

Morton Meskin's Comic Book Work

After finishing school, Meskin started working for Eisner & Iger. This company was a "packager." Packagers created full comic books for publishers. Publishers were just starting to explore the new world of comics.

At Eisner & Iger, Meskin drew for characters like "Sheena, Queen of the Jungle" in Jumbo Comics. In late 1939, he also worked for another packager, Harry "A" Chesler. He drew characters for MLJ/Archie Comics. These included Ty-Gor son of Tiger, The Press Guardian, Bob Phantom, Mr. Satan, The Shield, Wizard, and Dick Storm. He worked on these from 1939 to 1942.

Joining National Comics

In 1941, Meskin began working at National Comics. He drew stories for popular characters like Vigilante, Wildcat, Starman, and Johnny Quick.

He once shared that movies greatly influenced his art style during this time. He said the movie Citizen Kane (1941) was a big inspiration for many artists. They talked about it a lot and used ideas from it in their work.

Johnny Quick's Unique Style

Meskin's "Johnny Quick" superhero stories appeared in More Fun Comics from September 1941 to January 1946. He had a special way of showing Johnny Quick's super-fast movements. He drew many small, snapshot-like pictures of the hero in motion, placed close together.

This was different from how other artists showed speed. For example, "The Flash" and "The Whizzer" often had blurred lines behind them. Meskin's style made Johnny Quick's speed look unique.

Working with Other Publishers

While at National Comics, Meskin also drew for other companies. These included Marvel Comics, Gleason, Nedor Comics, and Spark Publications. At Nedor, he worked on characters like the Black Terror and the Fighting Yank. He worked on the Fighting Yank with Jerry Robinson.

From 1944 to 1946, Meskin and Robinson even had their own studio. They created comics for a short-lived company called Spark Publications.

In 1949, Meskin left National Comics. He joined the Simon & Kirby studio. There, he worked on many different comic titles, such as Boys' Ranch and comics for Prize Comics.

He returned to National Comics in 1956. During this time, he created the "Mark Merlin" feature. He also worked on many war, science fiction, and horror comics.

Later Career and Retirement

In 1965, Morton Meskin left the world of comic books. He started a new career as a commercial illustrator. He also became a storyboard artist in the advertising industry. He worked at a company called BBD&O until he retired in 1982.

After retiring, he spent 13 years volunteering. He helped out at St. Josephs Nursing Home in Yonkers.

Awards and Recognition

In July 2013, Morton Meskin received a special honor. He was one of six people inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame. This award was given during the San Diego Comic-Con.

The famous Mad magazine cartoonist and Groo the Wanderer creator Sergio Aragonés presented the award. Meskin's son, Peter Meskin, accepted the award for his father, as Morton Meskin had passed away. Other artists honored that year included Lee Falk, Al Jaffee, Spain Rodriguez, Joe Sinnott, and Trina Robbins.