| John Severin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | John Powers Severin (1921-12-26)December 26, 1921[1] Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | February 12, 2012(2012-02-12) (aged 90) Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Area(s) | Penciler, Inker |
Notable works | Frontline Combat Two-Fisted Tales Cracked Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Two-Gun Kid |
| Awards | Alley Award, 1967, 1968 Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame, 2003 Inkwell Awards SASRA, 2022 |
John Powers Severin[2] (/ˈsɛvərɪn/; December 26, 1921 – February 12, 2012)[3][4] was an Americancomics artist noted for his distinctive work withEC Comics, primarily on thewar comicsTwo-Fisted Tales andFrontline Combat; forMarvel Comics, especially its war andWestern comics; and for his 45-year stint with thesatiric magazineCracked. He was one of the founding cartoonists ofMad in 1952.
Severin was inducted into theWill Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2003.
John Severin was born inJersey City, New Jersey, of Norwegian and Irish descent. He was a teenager inBay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York City, when he began drawing professionally. While attending high school, he contributed cartoons toThe Hobo News, receiving payment of one dollar per cartoon. Severin recalled in 1999:
I was sometimes selling 19 or 20 of them a week. Not every week, naturally. But I didn't have to get a regular job to carry me through high school. It was almost every week—not every week—but almost every week. I didn't have to get a job. I hated to work, I'll tell you. I didn't have to get a job then, because I was in high school.[5]
He attended theHigh School of Music & Art in New York City, together with futureEC Comics andMad artistsHarvey Kurtzman,Will Elder,Al Jaffee andAl Feldstein.[6] After graduating from the school in 1940, he worked as an apprentice machinist and then enlisted in theArmy, serving in thePacific during World War II.[7]
In a 1980 interview, Severin recalled his start as a professional artist:
I had decided to exhibit some paintings of mine in a High School of Music and Art exhibition for the alumni. Charlie Stern was in charge of it, so I went to see him at his studio. He was the "Charles" of the Charles William Harvey Studio, the other two being William Elder and Harvey Kurtzman. They asked me if I'd like to rent space with them there. I did, and started working with them. When Charlie left ... I became the third man, but they didn't want to change it to John William Harvey Studio, so they left the name ... Harvey was doing comics, Willie and Charlie were doing advertising stuff, and I just joined in ... [I did] design work, logos for toy boxes, logos for candy boxes, cards to be included in the candy boxes.[8]
Inspired by the quick money Kurtzman would make in between advertising assignments with one-page "Hey Look!" gags for editorStan Lee atTimely Comics, Severin worked up comics samples inked by Elder. In late 1947, he recalled, the writer-artist-editor team ofJoe Simon andJack Kirby atCrestwood Publications "gave us our first job."[8]
Since it was not standard practice to credit comics creators during this era, a comprehensive list of his early work is difficult to compile. Author and historian Jim Vadeboncoeur Jr., based on Severin's description of "a crime story about a boy and a girl who killed somebody ... I think it was their stepfather. They lived on a farm, or out in the suburbs," believes that first Severin/Elder story was the eight-page "The Clue of the Horoscope" inHeadline Comics #32 (cover-dated Nov. 1948), from the Crestwood-affiliatedPrize Comics.[8] The standard referenceGrand Comics Database has no credits for that story,[9] and lists Severin's first confirmed work in comics as two stories published the same month: the ten-pageBoy Commandos adventure "The Triumph of William Tell" inDC Comics'Boy Commandos #30; and the eight-pageWestern story "Grinning Hole in the Wall" in Prize Comics'Prize Comics Western vol. 7, #5 (each Dec. 1948), both of which hepenciled and the latter of which he alsoinked.[10]
Through 1955, Severin drew a large number of stories for the latter title and other Western series from Prize, and as penciler, he co-created with an unknown writer the long-runningNative American feature "American Eagle" inPrize Comics Western vol. 9, #6 (Jan. 1951), inked by his high-school classmate turned fellow pro Will Elder.[11]
Around this time, Severin did his first confirmed work for two publishers with whom he would long be associated,Marvel Comics andEC Comics. For the future Marvel Comics, he penciled the seven-pageromance comic story "My Heart Had No Faith" inTimely Comics'Actual Romances #1 (Oct. 1949).
For EC Comics, he debuted with the seven-page "War Story" inTwo-Fisted Tales #19 (Feb. 1951), continuing to work in tandem with his friend Elder as his inker, notably on science fiction and war stories.[10] Severin drew stories for bothTwo-Fisted Tales andFrontline Combat. When Kurtzman dropped the war comics to devote more time toMad, Severin became sole artist onTwo-Fisted Tales for four issues and scripted some stories. He also illustrated stories written by his friendColin Dawkins and futureMad art directorJohn Putnam. Severin and Dawkins were the uncredited co-editors ofTwo-Fisted Tales #36–39.[12]
Severin and Elder eventually split as a team at EC. They both were in the group of the five original artists who launched editorHarvey Kurtzman's landmarksatiric comic bookMad, along with Kurtzman,Wally Wood andJack Davis.[13] Severin appeared in nine ofMad's first ten issues, drawing ten pieces between 1952 and 1954.[14] According to accounts by both Severin and Kurtzman, the two had a falling out over art criticisms Kurtzman made during this period. It was Kurtzman who suggested that Severin ink with a pen as opposed to brush inking. Though Severin eventually took this advice in his later work, he was annoyed at Kurtzman at the time, for this and other remarks, and refused further work with him. Kurtzman insisted on doing the layouts for all the artists, which some resented, including Severin.
His ability to draw people of different nationalities convincingly was highly admired by his peers, as was his eye for authentic details.[15] Upon Severin's death, writerMark Evanier remembered, "Jack Kirby used to say that when he had to research some historical costume or weapon for a story, it was just as good to use a John Severin drawing as it was to find a photo of the real thing. They don't make 'em like that anymore."[16]
Following the cancellation ofEC's comic book line in the wake of theComics Code in the mid-1950s, Severin began working forAtlas Comics, the 1950s forerunner ofMarvel Comics.Sergeant Barney Barker, drawn by Severin, was Atlas' answer toSgt. Bilko.[8]: 3 [17] Artist and coloristStan Goldberg, a company colleague, recalled in 2005,
I was in the [company's artist room known as the] Bullpen with a lot of well-known artists who worked up there at that time. We had our Bullpen up there until about 1958 or 1959. [sic; the Bullpen staff was let go in 1957] The guys ... who actually worked nine-to-five and put in a regular day, and not the freelance guys who'd come in a drop off their work ... were almost a hall-of-fame group of people. There was John Severin.Bill Everett.Carl Burgos. There was the all-time greatJoe Maneely ... We all worked together, all the colorists and correction guys, the letterers and artists ... We had a great time.[18]
After Atlas transitioned to become Marvel Comics in the 1960s, Severin did extensive work aspenciler,inker or both on such series asThe Incredible Hulk,Conan the Barbarian, andCaptain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders.Herb Trimpe, the primaryHulk penciler during this period comics fans and historians call theSilver Age of comic books, said in 2009, "I was kind of thrilled when John Severin inked me, because I liked his work for EC Comics, and he was one of my idols."[19] As inker, Severin teamed with pencilerDick Ayers on an acclaimed run of theWorld War II seriesSgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, beginning with #44 (July 1967). In the 1970s, he collaborated with his sister, artistMarie Severin, on Marvel'ssword and sorcery series,King Kull.[20]
During this time he was by far the most prolific contributor to thesatiricCracked magazine, drawing television and movie parodies along with other features, including most of the magazine's covers. Severin wasCracked's signature artist for nearly 40 years.
ForWarren Publishing in the 1960s, he drew for the black-and-white comics magazinesBlazing Combat andCreepy. Severin also contributed toTopps' line of bubble gumtrading cards.[21] He was one of the artists onJoe Kubert's self-publishedSojourn series in 1977.[22] His 1980s work for Marvel includedThe 'Nam,What The--?!, andSemper Fi.[23]
Circa 2000, writerJeff Mariotte recalled in 2002, Severin phonedScott Dunbier, a group editor atDC Comics'WildStorm imprint, "and said he was looking to do comics again" after working primarily forCracked at the time. "I happened to pass by Scott's office as he hung up the phone, and he sounded kind of awestruck as he told me that John Severin wanted to do something with us. I said something like, 'Gee, aDesperadoes story by Severin would be great,'" referring to Mariotte'sWestern miniseries for DC. "Scott agreed. We needed to hurry, before he was snapped up by someone else, so I went home and worked up a proposal overnight. We had sent him, right after that first call, copies of the originalDesperadoes books. That was followed up by the proposal, the next day. He liked what he saw and wanted to play along."[24] This led to Severin drawing the sequel miniseriesDesperadoes: Quiet of The Grave.
He illustrated the controversial 2003 Marvellimited seriesThe Rawhide Kid,[25] a lightheartedparallel universe Western that reimagined the outlaw hero as akitschy though still formidably gunslinging gay man. Severin, who had drawn the character for Atlas in the 1950s, refuted rumors that he had not known of the subject matter, saying at the time of the premiere issue's release, "The Rawhide Kid is rather effeminate in this story. It may be quite a blow to some of the old fans of Rawhide Kid. But it's a lot of fun, and he's still a toughhombre."[26] Also in the 2000s, Severin contributed to Marvel'sThe Punisher;DC Comics'Suicide Squad,American Century,Caper, andBat Lash; andDark Horse Comics'Conan,B.P.R.D. andWitchfinder.
Severin's family members working in the publishing and entertainment fields include his sisterMarie Severin, a comic book artist, who was the colorist for EC's comics; his son John Severin, Jr., the head of Bubblehead Publishing; his daughter, Ruth Larenas (d. 2023),[27] a producer for that company; and his grandson, John Severin III, a music producer and recording engineer.[28][29][30]
Severin died at his home inDenver, Colorado, on February 12, 2012, at the age of 90. His wife of 60 years, Michelina, survived him, as did his six children and comics artist sister Marie Severin.[31][32]
Severin received anInkpot Award in 1998[33] and was inducted into theWill Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2003.[34]
With writerGary Friedrich and pencilerDick Ayers, Severin's inking contributed toSgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos winning theAlley Award forBest War Title of 1967 and1968.[35][36]
He was among the winners of theCartoon Art Museum's 2001 Sparky Award.[37]
His artwork was exhibited three times at theWords & Pictures Museum inNorthampton, Massachusetts – in the grand-opening group show (October 9, 1992 – January 5, 1993), in the group exhibit "War No More" (May 18 – August 8, 1993) and in the group show "Classic Comics: A Selection of Stories from EC Comics" (December 7 – February 11, 1996).[38]
In 2022, Severin was awarded theInkwell Awards Stacey Aragon Special Achievement Award (SASRA) for his lifetime achievement in inking.[39]
Sergeant Barney Barker lasted only three installments, but featured some humorous artwork by war comics veteran John Severin.
Sojourn #1 (September 1977) featured Tor the Hunter on the front page and included work by Sergio Aragonés, John Severin, Lee Elias, Dick Giordano, and Doug Wildey. There were only two issues.
Winners of the SASRA, in alphabetical order, are Gene Day, George Pérez, John Severin, and Dave Stevens
| Preceded by | Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos inker 1967–1970 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | The Incredible Hulk inker 1970–1972 | Succeeded by |
