Wally Wood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wally Wood |
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|---|---|
| Born | Wallace Allan Wood June 17, 1927 Menahga, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | November 2, 1981 (aged 54) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist, Writer, Penciller, Inker, Publisher |
| Pseudonym(s) | Woody |
| Awards |
List
National Cartoonists Society Comic Book Division awards, 1957, 1959, and 1965.
Alley Award, Best Pencil Artist, 1965 |
Wallace Allan Wood (June 17, 1927 – November 2, 1981) was a famous American comic book artist and writer. He also published his own comics. He was known for his amazing artwork in comics like Weird Science and Weird Fantasy. He also worked on MAD Magazine from when it started in 1952 until 1964. Other popular works include T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents and Creepy. People often called him Wally Wood or Woody.
Contents
About Wallace Wood
Early Life and Dreams
Wallace Wood was born on June 17, 1927, in Menahga, Minnesota. He loved reading and drawing comics from a young age. He was inspired by famous comic artists like Alex Raymond and Milton Caniff. He especially liked Flash Gordon and Terry and the Pirates. Wood once said that when he was six, he dreamed of finding a magic pencil. This dream, he felt, showed his future as an artist.
After finishing high school in 1944, Wood joined the United States Merchant Marine. This was near the end of World War II. Later, in 1946, he joined the U.S. Army. He was part of the 11th Airborne Division. He trained in Georgia and then went to Japan. He was stationed on the island of Hokkaidō.
Becoming a Comic Artist
In 1947, when he was 20, Wood briefly attended the Minneapolis School of Art. After leaving the army in 1948, he moved to New York City. He looked for work as an artist everywhere. He also took a few art classes but did not stay long.
In October 1948, Wood met another artist named John Severin. Severin invited Wood to his studio. There, Wood met other artists like Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder. He learned that Will Eisner was looking for an artist to help with The Spirit comic. Wood went to see Eisner and got the job right away.
Wood also helped with the Terry and the Pirates comic strip. His first solo job was drawing a series called Chief Ob-stacle in 1949. He started in the comic book field by doing lettering. He also did backgrounds and inking for other artists. He worked on many romance comics.
Famous Works and Style
Wallace Wood drew for many different comic companies. He worked on early issues of Marvel Comics' Daredevil. He even designed Daredevil's famous red costume. Wood also created his own characters, Sally Forth and Cannon. These characters became very popular.
He also wrote and drew parts of his big project, The Wizard King trilogy. This was a series of graphic novels.
Besides comic books, Wood drew for books and magazines. He also created art for advertising and product packaging. He drew gag cartoons, record album covers, and posters. He even worked on trading cards, including the well-known Mars Attacks set.
EC Comics publisher William Gaines once said that Wood was one of their most brilliant artists.
Awards and Legacy
Wallace Wood received many awards for his amazing work. He won the National Cartoonists Society Comic Book Division awards in 1957, 1959, and 1965. He also won the Alley Award for Best Pencil Artist in 1965 and Best Inking Work in 1966.
In 1978, he received the Best Foreign Cartoonist Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. He was honored with the Inkpot Award in 1980.
After his death, Wood was recognized even more. He was the first person to be put into the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1992, he was also added to Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame. In 2011, he received the Inkwell Awards Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame Award. His work continues to inspire artists today.
Personal Life
Wallace Wood was married. His first wife, Tatjana Wood, also worked in comics as a colorist.
