Stan Drake | |
|---|---|
 Stan Drake inking a strip | |
| Born | (1921-11-09)November 9, 1921[1] Brooklyn, New York, New York |
| Died | March 10, 1997(1997-03-10) (aged 75) |
| Occupation | Cartoonist |
Stanley Albert Drake (November 9, 1921 – March 10, 1997) was an Americancartoonist best known as the founding artist of thecomic stripThe Heart of Juliet Jones.
Born inBrooklyn, Drake worked in the back of a Dugan's Donut truck for a dollar-a-day salary while he was in high school. At the age of 17, he contributed art toPopular Detective,Popular Sports and other pulps. Entering the comic book field as artist, letterer and writer, he became friends with cartoonistBob Lubbers, who later suggested he draw newspaper comics.[2]
He studied for two years at New York'sArt Students League. In the Pacific theater duringWorld War II, he did public relations work forStars and Stripes. Returning to civilian life, he went into advertising, eventually heading a studio of 12 illustrators.[2]
Juliet Jones, created in 1953 by Drake and writerElliot Caplin, was a dramatic comic drawn by Drake in anaturalistic style. Drake, whose assistants includedTex Blaisdell andFrank McLaughlin, stayed on the strip until 1989, when he was succeeded byFrank Bolle.[3][4][5] Comic strip artistLarry Lieber has said Drake was the biggest influence on his work.[6]
In 1984, Drake replacedMike Gersher as the artist onBlondie (written byDean Young), and he continued drawing the strip until his death.[7] His assistant onBlondie wasDenis Lebrun.
He was a prolific painter and created portraits of more than 40 cartoonists, work displayed at the Comic Artist's Museum inSarasota, Florida.
Drake drew comic books forMarvel Comics such asThe Pitt. Internationally, he is known for the artwork on theKelly Green series of graphic novels about a young widow who fights crime in the manner of anaction hero. This series was written byLeonard Starr. It was serialized inPilote magazine in black and white before being collected in color albums by the French firm Dargaud International Publishing. An avid golfer, Drake created illustrations forGolf Digest and the bookThe Touch System for Better Golf.
He was recognized by theNational Cartoonists Society with their Story Comic Strip Award (1969, 1970, 1972) forThe Heart of Juliet Jones, and was awarded theInkpot Award in 1984.[8]
Drake was a passenger during the September 1956 automobile accident that killed his fellow cartoonistAlex Raymond, and was badly injured, with a broken shoulder which stopped him from cartooning during his recovery, and both his ears having been ripped off and needing to be surgically reattached.[9] As well, Drake had a congenital condition such that the bones of hisskull did not properly fuse in infancy.[9]
