Alfredo Alcala
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Larry Alcala
Larry Alcala
Lauro Zarate Alcala , also known as Larry Alcala, was a well-known editorial cartoonist and illustrator in the Philippines.He was born on August 18, 1926 to Ernesto Alcala and Elpidia Zarate in Daraga, Albay...

.

Alfredo P. Alcala (August 23, 1925 – April 8, 2000) was a Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 comic book artist
Comic Book Artist
Comic Book Artist was an American magazine founded by Jon B. Cooke devoted to anecdotal histories of American comic books, with emphasis on comics published since the 1960s...

, born in Talisay, Negros Occidental in the Philippines. Alcala was an established illustrator whose works appeared in the Alcala Komix Magazine. His 1963 creation Voltar
Voltar (comics)
Voltar was a comic strip title and comic book character created, written, and illustrated by Filipino illustrator Alfredo Alcala in 1963. A story about Vikings, Voltar was first published in the Philippines by CRAF Publications, a comic book company established by Alcala himself, together with...

introduced him to an international audience, particularly in the United States. Alcala garnered awards in science-fiction during the early part of the 1970s.

Biography

Alcala was born with a creative interest in designing. He was hooked on comic books in his early childhood, and his interest continued throughout his life. He was so compelled with art that he would start drawing pictures and begin posting them in his school's hallways. Alcala was so determined to pursue his career in art that he dropped out of school as a young teenager to do so. He first received his break by doing various commercials and painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...

 signs. Later, he began working in an ironworker's shop, designing household materials like lamps, household furniture, and showed his excellence in craftsmanship by designing a church pulpit.

The biggest honor of his childhood came when he started drawing cartoons during the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese occupation in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. He acted as a spy for the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 forces not even having intentions on doing so. Alcala would draw pictures and give them to the leader of the American unit which would help them in the war.

Alcala admired many different comic book artists during his time. He was so inspired by Lou Fine
Lou Fine
Louis Kenneth Fine was an American comic book artist known for his work during the 1940s Golden Age of comic books, where his quality draftsmanship became an influential model to a generation of fellow comics artists....

's works that he started working in the world of comic books in October 1948, starting with an illustration in one of the local comic magazines called Bituin Komiks. At the end of the year, he would find himself doing many works for Ace Publications, which was the biggest publishing company in the Philippines.

At that time, Ace Publications was the publisher of four comic books (Filipino Komiks, Tagalog Klassiks, Espesial Komiks and Hiwaga Komiks), with each featuring some of Alcala's work. Working with the company helped him develop many opportunities and expand his career. He took the challenge and made a good living by doing so. Alcala never used assistants to complete his work. He said, "I somehow felt that the minute you let someone else have a hand in your work no matter what, it's not you anymore. Its like riding a bicycle built for two."

Alcala became a star of the Filipino comics scene. He was so famous that a comic magazine was named after him, the Alcala Komix Magazine. Alcala introduced himself to the American comic universe when he created the comic book Voltar in 1963, which was a major success. Alcala won numerous awards and became a worldwide attraction, which led him to work for DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...

 in the early 1970s, doing horror and fantasy titles. He also helped recruit up-and-coming Filipino artists such as Alex Niño
Alex Niño
Alex Niño is a Filipino comic book artist best known for his work for the American publishers DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Warren Publishing, and in Heavy Metal magazine.-Early life and career:...

. With his newfound success in the United States came a plethora of assignments; he moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 in 1976.

Alcala joined Warren Publishing
Warren Publishing
Warren Publishing was an American magazine company founded by James Warren, who published his first magazines in 1957 and continued in the business for decades...

 in 1977 and would draw 39 stories for Warren from 1977 through 1981. His series Voltar would be reprinted in issues 2 through 9 of the magazine The Rook
The Rook
The Rook is a fictional, time-traveling comic book character whose adventures were chronicled in 1970s issues of Warren Publishing's Eerie magazine and then in his own 1980s title, The Rook Magazine...

.

In the early 1980s, he moved on to take part in the art more suitable for his creative niche. Alcala went on to pencil popular comic books such as Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...

and Conan the Barbarian
Conan (comics)
Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard was first adapted into comics published Marvel Comics beginning with the series Conan the Barbarian in 1970...

. He also inked Don Newton
Don Newton
Don Newton was an American comic book artist. During his career, he worked for a number of comic book publishers, including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Charlton Comics. He is best known for his work on The Phantom, Aquaman, and Batman...

's pencil artwork in Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

.

By 1990s, his booming career and popularity led him to different projects, including drawing animations for films. Alcala also illustrated the novel Daddy Cool written by the late Donald Goines
Donald Goines
Donald Goines was an African American writer of urban fiction. His novels were deeply influenced by the work of Iceberg Slim.-Life:...

. He also worked on Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...

for DC, which marked his return to the comics business. His contributions spanned several genres, including superheroes, horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...

, and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

.

On April 8, 2000, Alcala died from cancer in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...

. He was survived by his wife, Lita and two sons, Christian Voltar and Alfred Jr.

DC

  • All-Star Squadron
    All-Star Squadron
    The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...

    (inks over other artists pencils) #52, 54, 57 (1985–86)
  • America vs. Justice Society
    Justice Society of America
    The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....

    (inks) #1-4 (1985)
  • Arak, Son of Thunder
    Arak (comics)
    Arak is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in a special insert in Warlord #48 and was created by Roy Thomas and Ernie Colón.-Publication history:...

    (full art): #13-15; (inks): #10-12, 16-25, Annual #1 (1981–84)
  • DC Comics Presents
    DC Comics Presents
    DC Comics Presents was a comic book published by DC Comics from 1978 to 1986 featuring team-ups between Superman and a wide variety of other characters of the DC Universe...

    (inks) #48 (1982)
  • Detective Comics
    Detective Comics
    Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...

    (inks) #520, 526, 531, 534, 543-544, 576, 577 (1982–87)
  • Forbidden Tales of Dark Mansion #10-11, 13 (1973)
  • Ghosts
    Ghosts (DC Comics)
    Ghosts is a comic book series published by DC Comics for 112 issues from September-October 1971 to May 1982. Its tagline was "True Tales of the Weird and Supernatural" , changed to "New Tales of the Weird and Supernatural," as of #75 , and dropped after #104...

    #9, 15, 17-19, 21, 24-25, 28, 33-34, 52 (1972–77)
  • Hellblazer
    Hellblazer
    Hellblazer is a contemporary horror comic book series, originally published by DC Comics, and subsequently by the Vertigo imprint since March 1993, the month the imprint was introduced, where it remains to this day...

    (inks) #8-9, 18-22 (1988–89)
  • House of Mystery
    House of Mystery
    The House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series. It had a companion series, House of Secrets.-Genesis:...

    #209, 217, 219-220, 222, 224-228, 251-252, 254, 256 (1972–78)
  • House of Secrets #100, 104-107, 109, 115, 117, 119-120, 122, 125 (1972–74)
  • Infinity Inc (inks) #10, 43, Annual #1 (1985–87)
  • Kamandi
    Kamandi
    Kamandi is an American comic book character, created by artist Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics. The bulk of Kamandi's appearances occurred in the comic series Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth, which ran from 1972 to 1978....

    (inks) #47, 49-50 (1976–77)
  • Kong the Untamed
    Kong the Untamed
    Kong the Untamed is a comic book series published by DC Comics that ran for five issues. It was created in 1975 by writer Jack Oleck and artist Alfredo Alcala....

    #1-3 (1975)
  • Masters of the Universe
    Masters of the Universe
    Masters of the Universe is a media franchise created by Mattel....

    (inks) #1-2 (1982–83)
  • Our Army at War
    Our Army at War
    Our Army at War was the title for a comic book published by DC Comics that featured war themed stories and was the first appearance for popular heroes such like Sgt. Rock and Enemy Ace. The series started in August 1952 and ended in February 1977....

    #251 (1972)
  • Plop!
    Plop!
    Plop!, "The New Magazine of Weird Humor!", was a comic book anthology published by DC Comics in the mid 1970s. It falls into the horror / humor genre. There were 24 issues in all and the series ran from Sept./Oct. 1973 to Nov./Dec. 1976.-Contents:...

    #1-3 (1973–74)
  • Secrets of Sinister House
    Secrets of Sinister House
    Secrets of Sinister House was a horror-suspense anthology comic book series published by DC Comics from 1972–1974, a companion to Forbidden Tales of Dark Mansion.-Publication history:...

    #6, 10, 12-14 (1972–73)
  • Shadow
    The Shadow
    The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...

    (vol. 2) (inks) Annual #1 (1987)
  • Swamp Thing
    Swamp Thing
    Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...

    (vol. 2) (inks) #30, 41, 45, 49, 51-52, 54-59, 61-85, 90-93, 95-101 (1984–90)
  • Shadow War of the Hawkman
    Hawkman
    Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....

    (inks) #1-4 (miniseries, 1985)
  • Unexpected
    Tales of the Unexpected (comics)
    Tales of the Unexpected was a science fiction comic book published by DC Comics from 1956 to 1968 for 104 issues. It was later renamed The Unexpected although the numbering continued and it ended at issue 222, in 1982...

    #138, 140, 144, 150, 151-153, 156-157, 168-169, 177, 191 (1972–79)
  • Vigilante
    Vigilante (comics)
    Vigilante is the name used by several fictional characters appearing in DC Comics. The original character was one of the first DC Comics characters adapted for live-action film, beating Superman by one year.-Greg Saunders:...

    (inks) #24-25 (1985–86)
  • Weird Mystery Tales
    Weird Mystery Tales
    Weird Mystery Tales was a mystery anthology from DC Comics, which ran from July/Aug. 1972-November 1975. Like its sister books House of Mystery and The Witching Hour, it was known for its "monstrous stories" with shock endings....

    #5, 10, 13-14 (1973–74)
  • Weird War Tales
    Weird War Tales
    Weird War Tales was a war comic book title with supernatural overtones published by DC Comics which ran from September 1971 to June 1983.-Background:...

    #9, 11, 15-16, 20, 23, 25-29, 35, 42-44, 72, 74 (1972–79)
  • Weird Western Tales
    Weird Western Tales
    Weird Western Tales is a Western genre comic book title published by DC Comics which ran from June-July 1972 to August 1980. It is perhaps best known for featuring the adventures of Jonah Hex until #38 when the character was promoted to his own eponymous series...

    (El Diablo
    El Diablo (comics)
    El Diablo is a name shared by several fictional characters published by DC Comics. Lazarus Lane the first El Diablo debuted in All-Star Western #2 , and was created by Robert Kanigher and Gray Morrow.-Publication history:...

    ) #16-17 (1973)
  • Witching Hour
    The Witching Hour (DC Comics)
    The Witching Hour was a DC comic book horror anthology that ran from 1969 to 1978. Its tagline was "It's 12 o'clock... The Witching Hour!"...

    #24, 27, 33, 41, 43 (1972–74)
  • World of Smallville (inks) #1-4 (miniseries, 1988)
  • World's Finest Comics
    World's Finest Comics
    World's Finest Comics was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1941 to 1986. The series was initially titled World's Best Comics for its first issue; issue #2 switched to the more familiar name...

    (inks) #309, 312-314, 318-321, 323 (1984–86)
  • Young All-Stars
    Young All-Stars
    The Young All-Stars are a team of fictional DC Comics superheroes. They were created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Michael Bair, and introduced in Young All-Stars #1, dated June 1987.-Publication history:...

    (inks) #5 (1987)

Marvel

  • Conan the Barbarian (full art): #137, 225; (inks over other artists pencils): #209-219, 223 (1982–89)
  • Captain Marvel
    Mar-Vell
    Captain Marvel is a fictional character owned by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and designed by artist Gene Colan and first appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) is a fictional character owned by Marvel Comics. The character was created...

    #35 (1974)
  • Chillers Giant-Size #1 (1975)
  • Doctor Strange
    Doctor Strange
    Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....

    (vol. 2) #19 (1976)
  • Dracula Lives (inks) #9 (1974)
  • Freddy Krueger
    Freddy Krueger
    Frederick Charles "Freddy" Krueger is a fictional, horrifying character from the Nightmare on Elm Street series of horror films. He first appears in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street as a disfigured dream stalker who uses a glove armed with razors to kill his victims in their dreams,...

    's a Nightmare on Elm Street
    (inks) #1-2 (1989)
  • Howard the Duck
    Howard the Duck
    Howard the Duck is a comic book character in the Marvel Comics universe created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Val Mayerik. The character first appeared in Adventure into Fear #19 and several subsequent series have chronicled the misadventures of the ill-tempered, anthropomorphic, "funny...

    (inks) #7 (1980)
  • Incredible Hulk
    Hulk (comics)
    The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....

    (inks) Annual #8 (1979)
  • Iron Man
    Iron Man
    Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...

    (inks) #112 (1978)
  • Ka-Zar
    Ka-Zar
    Ka-Zar is the name of two jungle-dwelling comics fictional characters published in the United States. The first appeared in pulp magazines of the 1930s, and was adapted for his second iteration, as a comic book character for Timely Comics, the 1930s and 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics...

    (inks) #6, 8 (1974–75)
  • Kull the Destroyer #17 (1976)
  • Man-Thing
    Man-Thing
    The Man-Thing is a fictional character, a monster in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1 , and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including...

    #14, Giant-Size #3 (1975)
  • Marvel Comics Presents
    Marvel Comics Presents
    Marvel Comics Presents was an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics originally from 1988 to 1995; it returned for a second volume in 2007-2008.-Volume 1:The first volume was released on a biweekly basis and lasted for 175 issues...

    (inks) #16, 53 (1989–90)
  • Marvel Comics Super Special
    Marvel Comics Super Special
    Marvel Comics Super Special was a 41-issue series of one-shot comic-magazines published by Marvel Comics from 1977 to 1986. They were cover-priced $1.50 to $2.50, while regular color comics were priced 30 cents to 60 cents, Beginning with issue #5, the series' title in the its postal indicia was...

    (inks) #2 (1977)
  • Marvel Two-In-One
    Marvel Two-in-One
    Marvel Two-In-One was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics that featured the Fantastic Four member, the Thing, in a different team-up each issue with a different character. The series continued from the team-up stories starring the Thing in the final two issues of Marvel...

    (inks) #42 (1978)
  • Marvel Preview
    Marvel Preview
    Marvel Preview was a magazine-sized black-and-white showcase comic book published by Curtis Magazines, an imprint of Marvel....

    #14 (1978)
  • Planet of the Apes #7-11, 17-21, 24 (1975–76)
  • Rampaging Hulk
    Rampaging Hulk
    The Rampaging Hulk is a black-and-white magazine published by Curtis Magazines from 1977–1978. With issue #10, it changed its format to color, and title to The Hulk!, and ran another 17 issues before it folded in 1981...

    (then Hulk) (inks) #1-3, 5, 8, 15, 17-20, 22-26 (1977–81)
  • Savage Sword of Conan
    Savage Sword of Conan
    The Savage Sword of Conan was a black-and-white magazine-format comic book series published beginning in 1974 by Curtis Magazines, an imprint of Marvel Comics, and then later by Marvel itself. Savage Sword of Conan starred Robert E...

    (full art): #55, 75, 80, 83, 89, 216, 223; (inks over John Buscema
    John Buscema
    John Buscema, born Giovanni Natale Buscema , was an American comic-book artist and one of the mainstays of Marvel Comics during its 1960s and 1970s ascendancy into an industry leader and its subsequent expansion to a major pop culture conglomerate...

     pencils): #2, 4, 7, 12, 15-20, 23-24, 28, 67, 76; (inks over other artists pencils): #34, 59, 69, 180, 184, 189 (1974–94)
  • Tales of the Zombie #7-9 (1974–75)
  • Tarzan
    Tarzan (comics)
    Tarzan, a fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first appeared in the 1912 novel Tarzan of the Apes, and then in 23 sequels. The character proved immensely popular and quickly made the jump to other media, including comics.-Comic strips:...

    (inks) #9, 10 (1977–78)
  • Vampire Tales
    Vampire Tales
    Vampire Tales was a black-and-white horror-comics magazine series published by Curtis Magazines in the 1970s, featuring vampires as both protagonists and antagonists....

    (full art): #6, 8; (inks): #9-10 (1974–75)

Warren

  • Creepy
    Creepy
    Creepy was an American horror-comics magazine launched by Warren Publishing in 1964. Like Mad, it was a black-and-white newsstand publication in a magazine format and thus did not require the approval or seal of the Comics Code Authority. The anthology magazine was initially published quarterly but...

    #94, 99, 101-102, 104, 108, 125, 130 (1978–81)
  • Eerie
    Eerie
    Eerie was an American magazine of horror comics introduced in 1966 by Warren Publishing. Like Mad, it was a black-and-white newsstand publication in a magazine format and thus did not require the approval or seal of the Comics Code Authority. Each issue's stories were introduced by the host...

    #96, 99-101, 104-105, 113 (1978–80)
  • Rook Magazine (full art): #2-4, 6-9; (inks): #1 (1979–81)
  • Vampirella
    Vampirella
    Vampirella is a fictional character, a comic book vampire heroine created by Forrest J Ackerman and costume designer Trina Robbins in Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror comics magazine Vampirella #1 . Writer-editor Archie Goodwin later developed the character from horror-story hostess, in...

    #90 (1980)

External links

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