Electricmastro

Sam Weissman, whom I only found out was an animator at Fleischer Studios through his online obituary:

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/northjersey/obituary.aspx?n=sam-weissman&pid=87731747
http://www.ltolman.org/fein.htm
http://www.ltolman.org/sturman-50th-IDs.htm
http://www.ltolman.org/samweissman.htm
https://www.comics.org/penciller/name/Sam weissman/sort/chrono/

2 hours ago, waaaghboss said:

I think there is a market for western books cause I got outbide on that hawk book a few days ago, for what I thought was well more than a western should go for

I think it definitely depends on what westerns one chooses to focus on. Everett Kinstler’s western art for Avon was probably some of the finest western comic book art drawn at the time, and I’m sure he’d receive a lot more fanfare from those who’d happen to find out about it. His work on Geronimo #3 stood out to me for example:

Ha Ha Comics #4 (January, 1944):

Pines:

August Froehlich (Real Life Comics #2, December 1941):

Henry Kiefer (Real Life Comics #5, May 1942):

Jack Binder (Startling Comics #15, June 1942):

Ken Battefield (Mystery Comics #1, August 1944):

Bob Oksner (Mystery Comics #3, October 1944):

Everett Kinstler (Real Life Comics #25, September 1945):

Al Camy (Exciting Comics #48, June 1946):

Lin Streeter (Exciting Comics #51, September 1946):

King Ward (Real Life Comics #37, January 1947):

Edmond Good (Thrilling Comics #62, October 1947):

Gene Fawcette (Wonder Comics #16, February 1948):

Art Saaf (Thrilling Comics #68, October 1948):

Charles Quinlan (Exciting Comics #66, March 1949):

Ruben Moreira (Real Life Comics #48, April 1949):

Milt Stein (Supermouse #3, May 1949):

George Roussos (Happy Comics #32, July 1949):

Ralph Mayo (Exciting Comics #69, September 1949):

Paul Norris (Jungle Jim #14, October 1949):

Chad Grothkopf (Willie the Penguin #6, March 1952):

Alex Toth (The Unseen #5, June 1952):

Jack Katz (Lost Worlds #5, October 1952):

Mike Sekowsky (The Unseen #8, January 1953):

Ross Andru (The Unseen #9, March 1953):

Ken Landau (Exciting War #8, May 1953):

Reed Crandall (Out of the Shadows #9, July 1953):

I’ve seen a couple of gradings for this one, but never as a “Classic Cover.” A great example of an obscure gem of a comic book cover from the time if you ask me. Rudy Palais’ work should get more recognition in general.

Nice! Of all the 1934-1937 covers, this is probably my favorite one. The the scope and the charming storybook-esque style.

Pretty sure this is by Charles Coll. He tended to draw the hairstyles of women being curled like snail shells, electrical-esque energy being presented in the form of thick and jagged bars, and the noses of antagonists as big and slightly pointed.

George Rozen:

James Bama:

Clarence Doore:

Paul Freedberg:

Ed Moore:

Ann Cantor:

Pines:

August Froehlich (Real Life Comics #2, December 1941):

Henry Kiefer (Real Life Comics #5, May 1942):

Jack Binder (Startling Comics #15, June 1942):

Ken Battefield (Mystery Comics #1, August 1944):

Bob Oksner (Mystery Comics #3, October 1944):

Everett Kinstler (Real Life Comics #25, September 1945):

Al Camy (Exciting Comics #48, June 1946):

Lin Streeter (Exciting Comics #51, September 1946):

King Ward (Real Life Comics #37, January 1947):

Edmond Good (Thrilling Comics #62, October 1947):

Gene Fawcette (Wonder Comics #16, February 1948):

Art Saaf (Thrilling Comics #68, October 1948):

Charles Quinlan (Exciting Comics #66, March 1949):

Ruben Moreira (Real Life Comics #48, April 1949):

Milt Stein (Supermouse #3, May 1949):

George Roussos (Happy Comics #32, July 1949):

Ralph Mayo (Exciting Comics #69, September 1949):

Paul Norris (Jungle Jim #14, October 1949):

Chad Grothkopf (Willie the Penguin #6, March 1952):

Alex Toth (The Unseen #5, June 1952):

Jack Katz (Lost Worlds #5, October 1952):

Mike Sekowsky (The Unseen #8, January 1953):

Ross Andru (The Unseen #9, March 1953):

Ken Landau (Exciting War #8, May 1953):

Reed Crandall (Out of the Shadows #9, July 1953):

Paul Stahr:

2 minutes ago, Surfing Alien said:

My thoughts on this.

I think it's highly unlikely that Ray Johnson the pb artist is the same as Ray Johnson the pop artist biographed in the linked wiki page. Having dug in and read most of the articles cited in the wiki page, they are either different artists or Ray Johnson the pop artist truly pulled the wool over his contemporaries eyes in his most spectacular prank.

Not a single article or memoir, some by close friends, mentions him doing paperback covers, nonetheless hundreds of them, throughout the late 40's through early 60's. Moreover, during this time frame, the articles all have him doing all abstract collages and art and hanging with De Koonings and other abstract artists. He was into Dadaism and all forms of anti commercial art, Fluxus and Correspondence art. The only mention of any graphic design was that he did some book covers for New Directions and others in the late 50's. New Directions book covers are all abstract.

Further, I don't see any mention of him ever doing any realistic art of any kind. Ray Johnson the abstract artist was fascinating and well worth reading up on. But if he was secretly pumping out hundreds of realistic pb covers for meager lucre while posing as an avant-garde, it would be a colossal farce. Perhaps the kind that Ray Johnson the performance artist would love to have performed, but I get the sense that the Ray Johnson who painted "The Metal Monster" was another man.

Although there's nothing on the internet about him, I wonder if there's any info in any of the old paperback collecting coffee table books that came out in the 80's and 90's?

Fair point indeed. Definitely warrants more research in any case.

3 hours ago, Surfing Alien said:

So I took a pretty deep dive last night and this morning and there is very little, like as in Zero biographical info on Raymond Johnson. I have always enjoyed his work but so little of it is authenticated through proof. Almost all of the attributions i've seen are on flickr and pinterest, although by admittedly well trained eyes. There are about 25 pieces of original artwork on the various artnet type sites.

If he did all the Avon covers i've seen attributed to him, he is likely the most iconic Avon painter that nobody knows. 

I doubted the sci fi covers, because although the Green Girl and Earthman on Venus appear to be the same hand, the faces are more slender than his usual, nearly zaftig, women.

Then I saw this and reconsidered:

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?Piece=1596817&GSub=170530

If he did this iconic slender faced classic, he surely could've done the rest. Sometimes you need a reminder how well these guys could paint, that they could adapt different styles for different ouvres.

Honestly, I think unless stuff is signed or mentioned on the Catalog of Copyright Entries, it’s hard to get any sort of “definitive” analysis, even when going by unsigned stuff on artnet type sites, so I think it’s ok to use a visual-based analysis, though I do think it helps to to understand the artist’s range in the first place now that you mention it.

Also, unless I’m mistaken, couldn’t he be the same Ray Johnson born in Michigan in 1927?: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Johnson

8 hours ago, Pat Calhoun said:

Hi Mastro - wishing you well. If'n I may ask: how'd you glean this and is there more on the subject? thanks and cheers - Pat

The credit was mentioned on the Flickr page https://www.flickr.com/photos/56781833@N06/5604427347/in/pool-51468240@N00 by swallace99, and after what I saw, I didn’t have a compelling reason to disagree.

Raymond Johnson was a flashy sort of artist. He tended to paint women with slightly pudgy faces, long and slightly thick eyebrows, and flowing hair that was somewhat fluffy and curled a little towards the bottom, all with distinct shading:

Ann Cantor:

Found out that Al Jaffee started working for comic books in 1942, worked on Mad Magazine for around half a century, and it was only this year that he announced that he would be retiring, at age 99. A long career indeed.

Western Adventures:

Straight Arrow:

Charles Starrett as the Durango Kid:

Tim Holt:

The Texan:

The Hawk: