Tom Floyd (born 28 Jun 1951, USA) is a comics artist whose career began in the 1980s.

He created “The Epsilon Wave” (Elite Comics, 1985–1986), with occasional writing help from Robert Buckley. He also drew the back-up feature, ‘Seadragon’, and its 1986 mini-series.

More recently, he has worked at Moonstone. He created a story for “Moonstone’s Holiday Super Spectacular” (2007) and lettered “The Phantom Unmasked” (2010).

In the GCD — http://ow.ly/a31M30cXwRz

(Floyd created the cover of “The Epsilon Wave” #2, December 1985)

Philippe Druillet (born 28 June 1944, France) is a popular and influential comics creator, painter, sculptor, and designer.

His first comics creation was the science fiction feature ‘Lone Sloane’, who appeared in “Le Mystère des Abîmes” (Losfeld, 1966). It ran in “Pilote” in the early 1970s and then in “Métal Hurlant” from 1975.

‘Lone Sloane’ grew more baroque in style and more broad in story as Druillet developed it. The stories have appeared in English in “Cheval Noir” (Dark Horse, 1989–1990) and collected by NBM.

In 1975, Druillet joined Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Bernard Farkas, and Moebius (Jean Giraud) to found the publisher Les Humanoïdes Associés and begin the magazine “Métal Hurlant”.

There, he continued ‘Lone Sloane’ and ‘Vuzz’ (which had begun in “Phénix”) and began ‘Salammbô’ (1977), an adaptation of the Gustave Flaubert novel.

He drew the pain of his wife’s death in ‘La Nuit’ (in “Rock and Folk”, 1975–1976) and published short stories in “Pilote”, “Métal Hurlant”, and “Rock and Folk” through the early 1980s. He also collaborated as writer with artists such as Moebius, Gotlib (Marcel Gottlieb), and Didier Eberoni.

Since the early 1980s, he continues to work in multiple media, from animation, sculpture, and photography to designing the renovation of a Paris subway station.
Druillet received the European Science Fiction Society (ESFS) award for Comics at the first Eurocon (Trieste, 1972) and was inducted into their Hall of Fame at the 1990 Eurocon (Fayence).

He received the Grand Prix de la Science Fiction Française in 1976 and the Grand Prix National des Arts Graphiques in 1996.

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/d/druillet.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_Druillet
In the GCD — http://ow.ly/NuNz301HdFX

(Druillet created the cover art on “Cimoc” #7, 1981, illustrating a ‘Lone Sloane’ reprint from “Pilote”)

Warren Kremer (26 June 1921 – 24 July 2003, USA) was a comics creator who was active at Ace Magazines in the 1940s, had a 35-year career at Harvey Comics (1948–1982), and contributed to Marvel’s Star Comics imprint in the 1980s.

From about 1941, he published in Ace series such as “Super-Mystery Comics”, “Science Comics”, and “Four Favorites”.

In 1948, he began working at Harvey Comics. Publisher Sid Jacobson wanted better-designed comics to compete with the compelling designs of animated cartoons.

As art director, Kremer modified the layouts of pages and panels, improving visual depth and ‘reality’ as well as story flow. He designed characters with more and more-consistent mass.

He created ‘Richie Rich’, ‘Hot Stuff the Little Devil’, and ‘Stumbo the Giant’ and worked on the designs of ‘Joe Palooka’, ‘Little Audrey’, and others.

In addition to the bold style of his best-known art, he also excelled at realistic styles for Harvey’s romance, war, and horror titles.

Harvey Comics ceased publication in 1982. Beginning with the first issues dated April 1985, Kremer worked on nearly every title in the new Marvel Comics imprint for young readers, Star Comics.

From “Heathcliff” to “The Ewoks” and from “Planet Terry” to “Royal Roy”, he published there through 1989. His stories were often colored by his son Peter Kremer and lettered by his wife Grace Kremer.

In 1989, he suffered a stroke that left him unable to continue working.

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/k/kremer_warren.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Kremer
In the GCD — http://ow.ly/Ou9k301Dx3q

(Kremer created the cover of “Scream Comics” #13, March 1947)

Rose O’Neill (25 June 1874 – 6 April 1944, USA) was the first female professional cartoonist in the USA.

By age 15, she was providing illustrations to magazines and newspapers in her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. In 1893, her father arranged for her to live in a convent in New York City in order to pursue her career.

The 19 September 1896 issue of “True” carried her first professional art sale. She published her first novel in 1904, which she also illustrated.

Her major work was the creation of ‘Kewpies’, cherubic, Cupid-like characters “whose one idea is to teach people to be merry and kind at the same time”, in her words.

The first ‘Kewpies’ strip appeared in “Ladies’ Home Journal” in 1909 and the feature quickly became popular, also appearing in other magazines marketed to women. In 1912, a German company created Kewpie dolls that were one of the first mass-market toys in the USA.

The Kewpie phenomenon was a potent mix of artistic, political, and financial success. At the height of the craze, O’Neill was the highest-paid woman illustrator in the world and her fortune gave her a platform to support women’s suffrage as well as women in the arts.

O’Neill spent the 1920s living in Paris, where she studied with Auguste Rodin. She had exhibitions of her paintings and sculptures in both Paris and New York City.

She returned to the USA in 1927 and by 1937 was living in Missouri. Her fortune was gone, from the fading of the ‘Kewpies’ in popular culture, from supporting her extended family and artist friends, and from the Great Depression.

In the early 1940s, she was a prominent personality in Branson, Missouri, where she donated time and art to local museums and schools and where she died in 1944.

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/o/oneill_rose.htm
At Wikipedia —https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_O'Neill‘Kewpies’ in the GCD — http://ow.ly/PUro30cREGk

(An unknown artist created the cover of “Kewpies” #1, Spring 1949)

#100Years
Bill Woolfolk ( http://ow.ly/xcbX30cRboI )

Woolworth told the anthology Contemporary Authors:
"Writing during the so-called Golden Age of comics, I soon became the best paid and most sought-after writer (there was little competition) in the field. I wrote for all the characters now so nostalgically remembered: Captain Marvel, Superman, Batman, Captain Midnight, Blackhawk, Plastic Man and many others. This work paid so well, was so easy to do, and so much fun, that my versatility might have come to an end forever. But the Golden Age passed, and I moved on."

In 2002, he was awarded the Inkpot Award at Comic-Con International. Other Inkpot recipients included Mel Blanc, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ray Bradbury and Bob Kane.

Woolfolk wrote TV tie-ins based on the Batman TV series: Batman vs. Three Villains of Doom (1966) (a novelization of the Batman movie based on the series) and Batman vs. the Fearsome Foursome.

Woolfolk died of congestive heart failure in Syracuse, New York in 2003. At the time of his death, his novels had sold over six million copies, and eight had been selected by the Book of the Month Club.

In his interview with Contemporary Authors, Woolworth summed up his writing career:

No literary monuments have ever been erected that proclaim: 'He was versatile'. No one looks forward to a new book by William Woolfolk because no one, including the author, knows what it will be.

He claimed that his comic books work outshone his other literary production.

Bil Woolfolk in the GCD: http://ow.ly/5V4P30cRbp2
William Woolfolk in the GCD: http://ow.ly/FZH830cRbpJ

#100YearsAgo
Bill Woolfolk ( http://ow.ly/gzOL30cRaSE )

William Woolfolk (25 June 1917-20 July 2003) was an American writer known for his diversity, having achieved success in the areas of comic books, novels, and television screenwriting. A graduate of New York University, Woolfolk went to work in advertising before joining the comic book industry in the 1940s.

Woolfolk worked in the comic book business, starting with MLJ Magazines, from 1941 through 1954, with time out for military service. He rose in the business to become one of the highly paid writers of comic books, earning $300 a week, ten times the average salary. He toiled for several companies, including Detective Comics (Batman and Superman); Fawcett Comics (Bulletman, Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr.); Quality Comics (Blackhawk); Police Comics (Plastic Man); and Timely Comics, the precursor to Marvel Comics (Captain America and the Sub-Mariner). He claimed he created Captain Marvel's "Holy Moley!" catchphrase. He also worked for Archie Comics, National Comics and Orbit Publications.

After military service in the Army during World War II, he became a freelance magazine writer. After a decade of working at Fawcett, Detective Comics editor Mort Weisinger hired Woolfolk for Superman, a marketplace rival of Captain Marvel, one of the titles Woolfolk worked on. At the same time of his hiring, he was also working for Orbit and Timely and freelancing articles and stories to mainstream magazines. He accepted the offer to gain security. However, he clashed with Weisinger and continued to freelance with a wide variety of publishers.

Jesse Santos (24 June 1928 – 27 April 2013, The Philippines) was an artist from an early age. As a teenager, he drew sketches of Japanese and then USA soldiers occupying his country.

His professional career began in 1946 when he created ‘Kidlat’ in “Halaklak”. He and Damy Velasquez created the famous detective feature ‘DI 13’ in the earliest issues of “Pilipino Komiks”.

He was the chief artist at “Paraluman” and also drew for Gold Star Publishing, Ace Publications, and other publishers.

He not only created comics features, he illustrated magazines and books, created movie posters and other advertising art, and painted portraits and murals.

Santos served as an officer of both the Philippine Illustrators and Cartoonists and the National Press Club.

In 1969, he moved his family to the USA and began working for Western Publishing on their books and their Gold Key comics.

Santos co-created “Dagar the Invincible” (1972–1976), “The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor” (1973–1977), and “Tragg and the Sky Gods” (1975–1977) with writer Don Glut.

He drew “Brothers of the Spear” in their own series (1972–1976) and appeared in the anthology title “Mystery Comics Digest”.

At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/s/santos_jesse.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Santos
In the GCD — http://ow.ly/cbIp301AssB

(Santos created the cover of “Tragg and the Sky Gods” #1, June 1975)

Frank Bolle (born 23 June 1924, USA) is an illustrator and comics creator, working in both comic books and syndicated strips.

His career began in the early 1940s, working at the Funnies, Inc. studio on work for Marvel (then Timely), U.S. Camera, Rural Home, and other publishers. After serving in World War II, he returned to work for Fawcett, DC Comics, and others.

At Magazine Enterprises, he drew ‘Tim Holt’ first in the rotating series “A-1”, then in his own title, then in “Red Mask” (1948–1954). In that series, he co-created the heroine ‘Black Phantom’ in 1951.

At DC Comics, he drew ‘Robotman’ in “Detective Comics” (1951–1952). He drew “Robin Hood” at ME (1955–1957) and placed stories in Marvel/Atlas anthology titles such as “Mystic” and “Strange Tales” through the 1950s.

Bolle assisted on the strip ‘On Stage’ (1957–1961), created his own Sunday strip ‘Children’s Tales’ (1960–1969), and created other strips throughout the 1960s.

He drew features for the Boy Scouts of America’s magazine “Boys’ Life” (1966–1981), such as ‘Bible Stories’, ‘Pee Wee Harris’, and ‘Space Adventures’.

At Western (Gold Key and Whitman), he drew “Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom” (1963–1967) and contributed to anthologies such as “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” (1969–1980) and “Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery” (1965–1979).

Bolle published in DC romance comics in the mid-1960s and various Marvel comics in the early 1970s.

At Charlton, he contributed to mystery and romance titles such as “Just Married” and “Haunted” during the 1970s.

From the 1970s, he worked on strips such as ‘Encyclopedia Brown’ (1978–1980), ‘Rip Kirby’ (1977–1994), ‘Winnie Winkle’ (1982–1996), ‘The Heart of Juliet Jones’ (1989–2000), and ‘Apartment 3-G’ (1999–2015).

Bolle received an Inkpot Award at San Diego in 2003.

At Comiclopedia —https://www.lambiek.net/artists/b/bolle_frank.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Bolle
In the GCD — http://ow.ly/8ACb300YUJ2

(Bolle created the cover of “Crown Comics” #14, August 1948)

Bill Jaaska (22 June 1961 – 9 November 2009, USA) was an artist who was active in comic books for about a decade.

His earliest work was an issue of “Airboy” (Eclipse) late in 1986. At First Comics, he worked on the “Sable” revival written by Marv Wolfman (1988–1989).

At Marvel, he drew issues of “The Uncanny X-Men”, “Shade, the Changing Man”, and other titles. He drew a “Terminator” mini-series at Dark Horse (1992).

Jaaska joined Wolfman again on “The New Titans” (DC, 1993–1994). His final work was a story in “Turok, Dinosaur Hunter” (Acclaim, 1995).

At 20th Century Danny Boy — http://ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/2010/03/what-happened-to-bill-jaaska.html
At Comiclopedia — https://www.lambiek.net/artists/j/jaaska_bill.htm
At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Jaaska
In the GCD — http://ow.ly/r7Gf301vBzl

(Jaaska created the cover of “Sable” #16, June 1989)

Gary Carlson (born 21 June 1957, USA) is a comics writer whose career began in the 1980s.

He published “Megaton” (1983–1987), an anthology comic featuring stories written by himself and others, drawn by Erik Larsen, Rob Liefeld, Sam Grainger, Jackson Guice, Gene Day, and other new and established artists.

He began writing at Image in 1993, including a “Vanguard” mini-series featuring a character he and Larsen had created in “Megaton”. He has also written for “Supreme” and other Image titles, and continues to work on “Savage Dragon”.

In 1994, Carlson published the first issue of “Big Bang Comics” at Caliber. He is the main creative force behind the Big Bang Universe, whose stories have been published in Caliber titles, then at Image, then independently, and most recently at AC Comics.

The Big Bang characters and their stories are homages to well-known mythologies from Marvel, DC Comics, and other publishers.

With Erik Larsen, Carlson briefly co-wrote “Aquaman” (DC, 1999).

At Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Carlson
In the GCD — http://ow.ly/U1en301sRzB

(Tomm Coker penciled and Jim Sinclair inked the cover of “Vanguard” #1, October 1993)