Ed Winiarski
Encyclopedia
Ed Winiarski who sometimes signed his work "Win" or "Winny" and sometimes used the pseudonym
Fran Miller, is an American
comic book
writer
-artist
known for both adventure stories and funny-animal cartooning in the late-1930s and 1940s Golden Age of comic books
.
A former animator
, Winiarski was one of the first generation of comic-book professionals, contributing in the mid-1930s to National Allied Publications, one of the companies that would evolve into DC Comics
. He later worked for Timely
and Atlas
— the 1940s and 1950s forerunners, respectively, of Marvel Comics
— as well as for Hillman Periodicals
and Prize Comics.
#14-16 (March, May–June 1937) and More Fun Comics #22 (July 1937), published by the company National Comics, the future DC Comics
. Winiarski additionally drew and probably wrote the "Charlie Chan
"-like Asian
private eye
feature "Mr. Chang" in Detective Comics
#2 (April 1937). These were among the first of 100 story credits he would compile for the future DC. By 1941, Winiarski was also drawing for the companies Quality Comics
and Hillman Periodicals
.
was art for the two-page text filler "All Winners" — a story that was also one of future Marvel legend Stan Lee
's first comic works — in All-Winners Comics #1 (Summer 1941). This was reprinted in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age All-Winners Comics, Volume 1 (Marvel, 2006; ISBN 0-7851-1884-5).
As both writer and artist, he created the early superhero
-humor feature "The Vagabond" in U.S.A. Comics
#2 (Nov. 1941) — continuing it in the next two issues and in Young Allies Comics #4 and Comedy Comics #11 — as well as the single-appearance crusading-journalist
feature "Powers of the Press", starring reporter Tom Powers (U.S.A. Comics #3). Also for Timely, Winiarski also wrote and drew such humor features as "The Creeper and Homer" (in Krazy Komics), "Oscar Pig" (in Terrytoons
Comics), Millie the Model
, and Hedy De Vine Comics.
For Timely's 1950s successor, Atlas Comics
, he drew numerous horror
and suspense stories for anthologies including Strange Tales
and Journey into Mystery
, while also penciling, inking
and probably writing the antics of trouble-prone "Buck Duck" in that funny animal's namesake comic and its predecessor, It's a Duck's Life.
In 1958, Winiarski did some work for Major Magazines' Mad
-like satiric
magazine Cracked. His last recorded credits are as penciler and inker of two four-page stories published the same month: "He Wore a Black Beard", in Strange Tales #66, and "He Stole 50 Years", in World of Fantasy
#15 (both Dec. 1958).
Nearly a dozen Winiarski stories were reprinted in 1970s Bronze Age
comics published by Marvel Comics
.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Fran Miller, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
-artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
known for both adventure stories and funny-animal cartooning in the late-1930s and 1940s Golden Age of comic books
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
.
A former animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, Winiarski was one of the first generation of comic-book professionals, contributing in the mid-1930s to National Allied Publications, one of the companies that would evolve into 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...
. He later worked for Timely
Timely Comics
Timely Comics, an imprint of Timely Publications, was the earliest comic book arm of American publisher Martin Goodman, and the entity that would evolve by the 1960s to become Marvel Comics....
and Atlas
Atlas Comics (1950s)
Atlas Comics is the term used to describe the 1950s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. Magazine and paperback novel publisher Martin Goodman, whose business strategy involved having a multitude of corporate entities, used Atlas as the umbrella name for his comic...
— the 1940s and 1950s forerunners, respectively, of Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
— as well as for Hillman Periodicals
Hillman Periodicals
Hillman Periodicals, Inc. was an American magazine and comic book publishing company founded in 1938 by Alex L. Hillman, a former New York City book publisher...
and Prize Comics.
Early life and career
Winiarski's earliest known feature is the four-part story "Jungle Fever", which he wrote and drew across New Adventure ComicsAdventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#14-16 (March, May–June 1937) and More Fun Comics #22 (July 1937), published by the company National Comics, the future 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...
. Winiarski additionally drew and probably wrote the "Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1919. Loosely based on Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes, such as villains like Fu Manchu...
"-like Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
private eye
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
feature "Mr. Chang" in 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...
#2 (April 1937). These were among the first of 100 story credits he would compile for the future DC. By 1941, Winiarski was also drawing for the companies Quality Comics
Quality Comics
Quality Comics was an American comic book publishing company that operated from 1939 to 1956 and was an influential creative force in what historians and fans call the Golden Age of comic books....
and Hillman Periodicals
Hillman Periodicals
Hillman Periodicals, Inc. was an American magazine and comic book publishing company founded in 1938 by Alex L. Hillman, a former New York City book publisher...
.
Timely and Atlas
His first known credit for Timely ComicsTimely Comics
Timely Comics, an imprint of Timely Publications, was the earliest comic book arm of American publisher Martin Goodman, and the entity that would evolve by the 1960s to become Marvel Comics....
was art for the two-page text filler "All Winners" — a story that was also one of future Marvel legend Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
's first comic works — in All-Winners Comics #1 (Summer 1941). This was reprinted in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age All-Winners Comics, Volume 1 (Marvel, 2006; ISBN 0-7851-1884-5).
As both writer and artist, he created the early superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
-humor feature "The Vagabond" in U.S.A. Comics
U.S.A. Comics
U.S.A. Comics was an American comic-book series published by Marvel Comics' 1930-1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books....
#2 (Nov. 1941) — continuing it in the next two issues and in Young Allies Comics #4 and Comedy Comics #11 — as well as the single-appearance crusading-journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
feature "Powers of the Press", starring reporter Tom Powers (U.S.A. Comics #3). Also for Timely, Winiarski also wrote and drew such humor features as "The Creeper and Homer" (in Krazy Komics), "Oscar Pig" (in Terrytoons
Terrytoons
Terrytoons was an animation studio founded by Paul Terry. The studio, located in suburban New Rochelle, New York, operated from 1929 to 1968. Its most popular characters included Mighty Mouse, Gandy Goose, Sourpuss, Dinky Duck, Deputy Dawg, Luno and Heckle and Jeckle; these cartoons and all of its...
Comics), Millie the Model
Millie the Model
Millie the Model was Marvel Comics' longest-running humor title, first published by the company's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and continuing through its 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics, to 1970s Marvel.-Publication history:...
, and Hedy De Vine Comics.
For Timely's 1950s successor, Atlas Comics
Atlas Comics (1950s)
Atlas Comics is the term used to describe the 1950s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. Magazine and paperback novel publisher Martin Goodman, whose business strategy involved having a multitude of corporate entities, used Atlas as the umbrella name for his comic...
, he drew numerous 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 suspense stories for anthologies including Strange Tales
Strange Tales
Strange Tales is the name of several comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It introduced the features "Doctor Strange" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and was a showcase for the science fiction/suspense stories of artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and for the...
and Journey into Mystery
Journey into Mystery
Journey into Mystery was an American comic book series published by Atlas Comics, and later its successor Marvel Comics. It featured horror, monster, and science fiction stories...
, while also penciling, inking
Inker
The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book or graphic novel. After a pencilled drawing is given to the inker, the inker uses black ink to produce refined outlines over the pencil lines...
and probably writing the antics of trouble-prone "Buck Duck" in that funny animal's namesake comic and its predecessor, It's a Duck's Life.
In 1958, Winiarski did some work for Major Magazines' Mad
Mad (magazine)
Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Launched as a comic book before it became a magazine, it was widely imitated and influential, impacting not only satirical media but the entire cultural landscape of the 20th century.The last...
-like satiric
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
magazine Cracked. His last recorded credits are as penciler and inker of two four-page stories published the same month: "He Wore a Black Beard", in Strange Tales #66, and "He Stole 50 Years", in World of Fantasy
World of Fantasy
World of Fantasy was a science fiction/fantasy comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor company, Atlas Comics. Lasting from 1956 to 1959, it included the work of several notable comics artists, including industry legends Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and Bill Everett.The...
#15 (both Dec. 1958).
Nearly a dozen Winiarski stories were reprinted in 1970s Bronze Age
Bronze Age of Comic Books
The Bronze Age of Comic Books is an informal name for a period in the history of mainstream American comic books usually said to run from 1970 to 1985. It follows the Silver Age of Comic Books....
comics published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
.
External links
- Vassallo, Michael J. "A Timely Talk with Allen Bellman", Comicartville.com, 2005. WebCitation archive. (includes photo of Winiarski)