Black Knight #1 (May 1955). Cover art by Maneely

Joseph "Joe" Maneely (born Feb. 18, 1926, Pennsylvania, United States; died June 7, 1958)^[1] is an American comic book artist best known for his work at Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of Activities to do with creating Art, practicing the Arts and/or demonstrating Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc Atlas Comics is the 1950s Comic book Publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics.

An exquisite draftsman whose delicate yet solid, fine-line figures made his work both distinctive and well-suited to the medium, Maneely was one of the relative stars of Atlas, along with such soon-to-blossom talents as Steve Ditko and John Romita. Steve Ditko (born 2 November 1927) is an American Comic book Artist and Writer best known as the co-creator of the John Romita may refer to John Romita Sr, a comic book artist best known for his art on The Amazing Spider-Man for Marvel Comics in the 1960s Talented and well-respected, he died in a commuter-train accident shortly before Marvel's ascendancy into a commercial and pop-cultural conglomerate.

Biography

Early life and career

Trained at the Hussian School of Art in Philadelphia, Joe Maneely worked in the advertising art department of the Philadelphia Bulletin newspaper before serving in the U.S. Navy as a visual-aids specialist. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Advertising is a form of Communication that typically attempts to persuade potential Customers to Purchase or to consume more of a particular Brand The Philadelphia Bulletin was a daily evening Newspaper published from 1847 to 1982 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He joined Street & Smith Publications in 1948 as a comic-book artist, drawing such features as "Butterfingers", "Django Jinks, Ghost Chaser", "Mario Nette", "Nick Carter", "Public Defender", "Roger Kilgore", "Supersnipe", "Tao Anwar" and "Ulysses Q. Street & Smith or Street & Smith Publications Inc was a New York City publisher specializing in inexpensive paperbacks and magazines referred to as pulp fiction Wacky" in comics including The Shadow, Top Secrets, Ghost Breakers and Super Magician Comics. His earliest known credit is the company's Red Dragon #4 (Aug. 1948), for which he penciled and inked the eight-page story "Death by the Sword" and the one-page featurette "Tao's Small Sword Box", both starring the hero Tao Anwar. A penciller (or penciler) is one of a number of types of Artists working within the Comic book industry The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional Comic book, or Graphic novel.

Other nascent work includes the seven-page story "Washington's Scout" in Hillman Periodicals' Airboy Comics vol. Hillman Periodicals was an American Magazine and Comic book Publishing company founded in 1938 by Alex L Airboy is a fictional Aviator Hero of an American Comic book series initially published by Hillman Periodicals during the 6, #10 (Nov. 1949).

Ringo Kid #16 (Feb. 1957). Cover art by Maneely.

Atlas Comics

Maneely then found work at publisher Martin Goodman's Marvel Comics predecessor, Timely Comics, as it was transitioning to its 1950s incarnation as Atlas Comics. Martin Goodman (born January 18, 1908; died June 6, 1992, Palm Beach Florida) was an American Publisher of Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc Timely Comics is the 1940s Comic book Publishing company that would evolve into first Atlas Comics, and then Marvel Comics Atlas Comics is the 1950s Comic book Publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. Following his debut there with the eight-page Western story "The Kansas Massacre of 1864" in Western Outlaws And Sheriffs #60 (Dec. Western fiction is a genre of literature set in the American Old West between the years of 1860 and 1900 1949), Maneely hit his stride at the company, for which he briefly worked on staff before freelancing.

With speed to match his style, he became a favorite of editor-in-chief Stan Lee, and Maneely's work appears on covers and stories throughout virtually the entire range of Atlas comics. Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber; December 28, 1922) is an American Writer, editor, creator of comic book characters With superheroes experiencing a lull in popularity, Maneely drew Westerns, war, horror, humor, romance, science fiction, spy, crime, and even period-adventure stories — that last most notably with the medieval series Black Knight. War comics is a genre of Comic books that gained popularity in English-speaking countries following Horror fiction is broadly Fiction in any medium intended to scare unsettle or horrify the audience Humour or humor (see spelling differences) is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke Laughter and provide Amusement Romance comics are a Genre of US Comic books that were most popular during the Golden Age of Comics. The Genre of spy fiction —sometimes called political thriller or spy thriller or sometimes shortened simply to Spy-fi —arose before Crime fiction is the Genre of Fiction that deals with Crimes their detection criminals and their motives It is usually distinguished from Sir Percy of Scandia, also known as the original The Black Knight, is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. Other significant Atlas work, reprinted widely by Marvel in the 1960s and '70s, include Yellow Claw #1 (Oct. The Yellow Claw is a fictional Comic book Supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, created by EC Comics great 1956) and Ringo Kid #1-21 (Aug. The Ringo Kid is a Fictional Western hero in the Marvel Comics ' universe, whose Comic book series was originally released by the 1954 - Sept. 1957).

By the summer of 1957, Atlas was experiencing difficulties and began shedding freelancers. Shortly afterward, Martin Goodman stopped distributing his own titles and switched American News Company, which soon closed, temporarily leaving Atlas without a distributor and resulting in all staff other than Lee being fired. Martin Goodman (born January 18, 1908; died June 6, 1992, Palm Beach Florida) was an American Publisher of American News Company was a magazine distribution company which dominated the distribution market in the forties and fifties ^[2] Maneely continued to work with Lee on the Chicago Sun-Times-syndicated comic strip Mrs. The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily Newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. Print syndication is a form of syndication in which News articles columns, or Comic strips are made available to Newspapers, Magazines A comic strip is a sequence of drawings that tells a story Currently in the Western world, most comic strips are written and drawn by a Comics artist Lyons' Cubs. He also "bought a new home in [New] Jersey for his young wife and small daughters" and did a limited amount of freelancing for DC Comics (Gang Busters #62, House of Mystery #71-73, House of Secrets #9, Tales of the Unexpected #22, cover-dated from February to April 1958); Charlton Comics (Cowboy Western #67, Wyatt Earp, Frontier Marshal #20, both March 1958); and Crestwood Publications. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company For the 1942 serial see Gang Busters. For the role-playing game see Gangbusters. The House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series The House of Secrets is the name of several mystery -suspense Anthology Comic book series published by DC Comics. Tales of the Unexpected was a science fiction comic book published by DC Comics from 1956 to 1968 for 104 issues Charlton Comics was an American Comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1986 having begun under a different name in 1944 Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp ( March 19, 1848 &ndash January 13, 1929) was an American farmer Teamster, sometime buffalo Crestwood Publications, also known as Prize Comics and Feature Publications, was a Comic book publisher from the 1940s through the 1960s though most of ^[2]

Maneely also drew a four-page comic about Social Security for the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, "John's First Job" (1956). Social security primarily refers to a Social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions including poverty old ^[3]

Death

On the night of his death, Maneely had dined with fellow laid-off Atlas colleagues (including Bill Everett) in Manhattan. William Blake "Bill" Everett, also known as William Blake and Everett Blake ( May 18, 1917, Cambridge Massachusetts – He did not have his glasses with him, and was killed when he accidentally fell between the cars of a moving commuter train on his way home to New Jersey. ^[4]

His last original published story was the five-page Ringo Kid tale "One Bullet Left" in Gunsmoke Western #53 (July 1959), and his final comics work was the cover of Gunsmoke Western #55 (Nov. The Ringo Kid is a Fictional Western hero in the Marvel Comics ' universe, whose Comic book series was originally released by the 1959), featuring Kid Colt and Wyatt Earp. Kid Colt is the name of two Fictional characters in the Marvel Comics ' universe. Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp ( March 19, 1848 &ndash January 13, 1929) was an American farmer Teamster, sometime buffalo

Quotes

Yellow Claw #1 (Oct. , 1956). Cover art by Maneely

. Stan Lee: (If Maneely had lived) ". Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber; December 28, 1922) is an American Writer, editor, creator of comic book characters . . he would have been another Jack Kirby. Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg, August 28, 1917 &ndash February 6, 1994) was an American Comic book He would have been the best you could imagine". ^[2]

Atlas/Marvel artist and colorist Stan Goldberg: "I was in the Bullpen with a lot of well-known artists who worked up there at that time. Stan Goldberg aka Stan G (born 1932, in New York City) is an American Comic book Artist best known for his work as a flagship We had our Bullpen up there until about 1958 or '59. [sic; the Bullpen staff was let go in 1957] The guys . Sic is a Latin word meaning "thus" "so" "as such" or "just as that" . . 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. John Severin (born December 26, 1921, Jersey City New Jersey) is an American Comic book artist noted for his distinctive artwork Bill Everett. William Blake "Bill" Everett, also known as William Blake and Everett Blake ( May 18, 1917, Cambridge Massachusetts – Carl Burgos. Carl Burgos (né Max Finkelstein, April 18, 1916, New York City, New York; died 1984 He took a job with the Franklin Engraving Company There was the all-time great Joe Maneely, who unfortunately died at the age of 32 and who I thought was the best artist that ever drew comics. . . . Joe wasn't just a great craftsman, he worked so fast and he was one of the few artists who could go from drawing the Black Knight to drawing Petey The Pest, or a war story. He had an unbelievable knack and he was just one sweet, nice guy. "^[5]

Herb Trimpe: "The Black Knight stuff is great! Marie (Severin) said his pencils were almost nonexistent; they were like rough, lightly done layouts with no features on the faces . Herbert "Herb" Trimpe (b May 26, 1939, Peekskill New York) is an American Comic book artist and occasional writer best Sir Percy of Scandia, also known as the original The Black Knight, is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. Marie Severin (born 21 August, 1929, Oceanside New York) is an American Comic book Artist and Colorist best . . It was just like ovals and sticks and stuff, and he inked from that. He drew when he inked. That's when he did the work, in the inking!"^[6]

Fred Hembeck: "While we may've heard of the pivotal day a young Romita spent with the tragically doomed yet immensely talented artist Joe Maneely, listening to him describe it as one of the most important days of his entire life gives the familiar tale an added gravity". Fred Hembeck (b January 30, 1953 in Yaphank New York) is an American Cartoonist best known for his parodies of characters from major American ^[7]

List of Maneely reprints

Marvel Comics reprints of 1950s Atlas Comics stories. Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc Atlas Comics is the 1950s Comic book Publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. Stories starring specific characters are followed by anthological genre stories. Listed chronologically within categories, from date of earliest original publication.

The Apache Kid

Western Gunfighters #8 (April 1971): "The Comanches Strike" (Apache Kid, issue n. Western Gunfighters is the name of two American Western omnibus Comic book series published by Marvel Comics. a. )

Western Gunfighters #10 (July 1972): "The Human Sacrifice" (Apache Kid, issue n. a. )

The Black Knight

Fantasy Masterpieces #11 (Oct. Sir Percy of Scandia, also known as the original The Black Knight, is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several Comic book series and specials published by Marvel Comics. 1967): "The Menace of Modred the Evil" (Black Knight #1, May 1955)

Marvel Super-Heroes #12 (Dec. Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several Comic book series and specials published by Marvel Comics. 1967): "The Abduction of King Arthur" (Black Knight #1)

Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (March 1968) and The Golden Age of Marvel Comics (1997) ISBN 0-7851-0564-6: Untitled; first

line "From out of the north. . . " (Black Knight #2, July 1955)

Marvel Super-Heroes #14 (May 1968): "Tournament of Doom" (Black Knight #2)

Marvel Super-Heroes #15 (July 1968): "The Siege of Camelot" (Black Knight #2)

Marvel Super-Heroes #16 (Sept. 1968): "The Black Knight Unmasked!" (Black Knight #3, Sept. 1955; title per cover)

Marvel Super-Heroes #19 (March 1969): Untitled; reference sources list as "Modred and the Gypsies" a. k. a. "The Knight

and the Gypsies" (Black Knight #3)

The Crusader

Savage Tales #2 (Oct. The Black Knight is the alias of several fictional Comic-book characters that appear in the Marvel Comics universe. WikipediaNFCC#10c --> Savage Tales is the title of three American comics 1973): Untitled five-page origin story (Black Knight #1, May 1955)

Savage Tales #4 (May 1974): Untitled five-page origin story, Part Two (Black Knight #2, July 1955)

Matt Slade, Gunfighter

Western Gunfighters #8 (April 1971): Untitled; first line "For his skill with guns. . . " (Matt Slade, Gunfighter, issue n. a. )

The RIngo Kid

(information to come)

Tharn (renamed from) Lo-Zar

Jungle Action Vol. The Ringo Kid is a Fictional Western hero in the Marvel Comics ' universe, whose Comic book series was originally released by the Jungle Action is the name of two separate Comic book series published by Marvel Comics and its 1950s precursor Atlas Comics. 2, #1 (Oct. 1972): "The Trail of Sudden Death" (Jungle Action #1, Oct. 1954)

Jungle Action Vol. 2, #2 (Dec. 1972): "The River of No Return" (Jungle Action #2, Dec. 1954; original title: "Red Poison")

Jungle Action Vol. 2, #3 (Feb. 1973): "Elephant Charge" (Jungle Action #4, April 1955)

The Two-Gun Kid

Mighty Marvel Western #37 (Feb. The Two-Gun Kid is a Fictional character, a Cowboy Gunslinger in the Wild West of Marvel Comics ' Shared universe 1975): "Mystery in Mustang Mesa" (Two-Gun Kid #42, June 1958)

Mighty Marvel Western #41 (Sept. 1975): "The Gun-Fighter" (Two-Gun Kid #42, June 1958)

Mighty Marvel Western #42 (Oct. 1975): Untitled; first line "It started out as a humdrum stagecoach. . . " (Two-Gun Kid #41, April 1958)

Mighty Marvel Western #43 (Dec. 1975): "Gun-Fight in Crow Town!" (Two-Gun Kid #41, April 1958)

Mighty Marvel Western #44 (March 1976): "Origin of the Two-Gun Kid (Two-Gun Kid #41, April 1958)

Two-Gun Kid #124 (June 1976): "The Giant of Rawhide Ridge" (Two-Gun Kid #42, June 1958)

Two-Gun Kid #104 (May 1972): "Gunfight at Gila Rock" (Two-Gun Kid #43, Aug. 1958)

Clay Harder story with costume redrawn as Matt Clay's

Yellow Claw

Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu #1 (Sept. The Yellow Claw is a fictional Comic book Supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, created by EC Comics great Shang-Chi ( is a Marvel Comics character often called the "Master of Kung Fu " 1974): "The Coming of the Yellow Claw" (Yellow Claw #1, Oct. 1956)

Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu #2 (Dec. 1974): "The Yellow Claw Strikes" and "Trap For Jimmy Woo" (both Yellow Claw #1)

Horror (anthological)

Monsters on the Prowl #26 (Oct. Chamber of Darkness was a horror / Fantasy Anthology Comic book published bi-monthly by Marvel Comics that under this and 1973): "Where?" (Adventures into Weird Worlds #5, April 1952)

Chamber of Chills #15 (March 1975): "I was Locked in a . . . Haunted House" (Uncanny Tales #7, April 1953)

Beware #3 (July 1973): "Today I am a Man" (source n. a. ; year 1954 per copyright data)

Giant-Size Man-Thing #4 (May 1975): "The Man with No Past" a. The Man-Thing is a Fictional character in the, created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow k. a. "A Man with No Past" (Journey into Mystery #21, Jan. Journey into Mystery was an American Comic book series published by Atlas Comics, and later its successor Marvel Comics. 1955)

Fear #9 (Aug. Adventure into Fear (officially titled simply Fear) is an American horror Comic book published by Marvel Comics from 1972): "Dead Man's Escape!" (Adventures into Terror #11, date n. a. )

Crypt of Shadows #2 (March 1973): "Going . . . Down!" (reprinted from n. a. )

Western (anthological)

Western Gunfighters #2 (Oct. Western Gunfighters is the name of two American Western omnibus Comic book series published by Marvel Comics. 1970): "The Man from Cheyenne" (Quick-Trigger Western #13, July 1956)

Kid Colt, Outlaw #150 (Oct. Kid Colt is the name of two Fictional characters in the Marvel Comics ' universe. 1970): "A Desperado at our Door" (Kid Colt, Outlaw #68, Jan. 1957)

Kid Colt, Outlaw #142 (Jan. 1970): Cover and "Rustler" (Kid Colt, Outlaw #73, June 1957)

Kid Colt, Outlaw #144 (March 1970): Cover (Kid Colt, Outlaw #77, March 1958)

Kid Colt, Outlaw #151 (Dec. 1970): "The Coward" (Kid Colt, Outlaw #81, Nov. 1958)

Kid Colt, Outlaw #160 (July 1972): "35 Notches" (reprinted from n. a. )

Footnotes

References

• Lambiek Comiclopedia: Joe Maneely
• Grand Comics Database: Joe Maneely search results
• Atlas Tales: Joe Maneely search results
• Just Comics: "What If? - Joe Maneely: Marvel's Forgotten Star", by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo Also appears in Alter Ego #28 (Sept. 2003)

External links

• The Silver Age Marvel Comics Cover Index: Joe Maneely