Wayne Boring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wayne Boring |
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Wayne Boring by Michael Netzer
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| Born | June 5, 1905 Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | February 20, 1987 (aged 81) Pompano Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Penciller, Inker |
| Pseudonym(s) | Jack Harmon |
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Notable works
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Action Comics Superman |
| Awards | Will Eisner Hall of Fame 2007 |
Wayne Boring (born June 5, 1905 – died February 20, 1987) was an American comic book artist. He is best known for his amazing work on the Superman comics. He drew Superman from the late 1940s through the 1950s. Sometimes, he used a different name, a pseudonym called Jack Harmon.
Contents
About Wayne Boring
His Early Life and Start in Comics
Wayne Boring studied art at the Minnesota School of Art and the Chicago Art Institute. In 1937, he started drawing for other artists without getting credit. This is called "ghosting." He drew for comics like Slam Bradley and Doctor Occult. These comics were from the studio of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
In 1938, Siegel and Shuster's famous character, Superman, first appeared. This was in Action Comics #1. Wayne Boring soon began ghosting for the Superman newspaper comic strip. Later, he became the official artist for the strip.
Drawing Superman Comics
In 1942, the company that made Superman, National Comics, hired Boring as a staff artist. The next year, he began working with Stan Kaye, who was an inker. An inker adds ink lines over the penciled drawings. Boring was the penciler, meaning he drew the main lines with a pencil. They worked together for almost 20 years. This time is known as the Golden Age of comic books, a very popular time for comics.
In 1948, Siegel and Shuster left the company. Mort Weisinger, the editor for Superman, brought in Boring, Al Plastino, and Curt Swan. During the mid-1940s, Boring also drew for another company, Novelty Press. He signed his work for their Blue Bolt Comics as Jack Harmon.
Wayne Boring drew the cover for Action Comics #101 (October 1946). It showed Superman with an atomic bomb test. This was an early example of nuclear weapons in popular culture in comics. Boring also helped create a more detailed origin story for Superman. This was in Superman #53 (July 1948). It celebrated the character's tenth birthday.
Boring helped create some important parts of the Superman world. He co-created the Fortress of Solitude in Action Comics #241 (June 1958). He also helped create Bizarro World in Action Comics #263 (April 1960).
Boring was the main artist for Superman comics throughout the 1950s. Another artist, Curt Swan, took over in the 1960s. But Boring still returned to draw Superman sometimes. People say Boring's art helped define Superman. His drawings made Superman look very strong and heroic.
In 1967, Boring left DC Comics. He then drew backgrounds for Hal Foster's Prince Valiant comic strip. He also took over the art for the Davy Jones comic strip. After that, Boring drew for Marvel Comics' Captain Marvel. He then worked as a bank security guard. However, he kept drawing for fans who asked him. He briefly returned to DC Comics in the mid-1980s.
Wayne Boring passed away in 1987 from a heart attack. His last work was for All-Star Squadron #64 (December 1986).
Awards and Recognition
In 1985, DC Comics honored Wayne Boring. They named him one of the people who made DC great in their 50th anniversary book.
After he passed away, he was added to the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2007. This is a very special honor for comic artists.
