Jack Keller (comics)
Jack R. Keller (born
June 16,
1922,
Reading,
Pennsylvania,
United States; died
January 2,
2003, St. Joe's Hospital, Reading, Pa.) is an American
comic book artist best known for his 1950s and '60s work on the
Marvel Comics Western character
Kid Colt, and for his later
hot rod and
racecar series at
Charlton Comics.
The self-taught Keller broke into comics in 1941, following his gradution the year before from West Reading High School, creating a feature called "The Whistler" (no relation to the
radio-show character) for
Dell Comics'
War Stories #5. This led to work the following year with
Quality Comics, where he worked in lesser or greater capacities on such comic-book series as
Blackhawk and such features as "Man Hunter" and "Spin Shaw". As well, Keller drew backgrounds for
Will Eisner's acclaimed, eight-page
newspaper Sunday-supplement comic
The Spirit, working with serviceman Eisner's
World War II fill-in artist,
Lou Fine, and such
Fiction House features as "Suicide Smith" in the
aviation-themed
Wings Comics.
|
Original artwork for a Jack Keller splash page: Kid Colt, Outlaw #92 (Sept. 1960) |
In 1950, Keller became a staff artist at
Atlas, publisher
Martin Goodman's '50s predecessor to
Marvel Comics. The dependable, unflashy Keller drew Western,
horror and, working with writer Carl Wessler,
crime stories.
Keller began his long association with Kid Colt in
Kid Colt, Outlaw #25 (March 1953). He stayed with the character for at least a dozen years in that signature title, as well as in such anthology series as
All Western Winners,
Two-Gun Western and
Gunsmoke Western. In 1955, Keller also began freelancing for the low-budget Charlton, based in Derby,
Connecticut, drawing Western and war stories for titles including
Billy the Kid,
Cheyenne Kid,
Battlefield Action,
Fightin' Air Force,
Fightin' Army,
Fightin' Marines and
Submarine Attack.
Following the near-demise of Atlas' comic-book line in 1957, and the accompanying cutbacks and firings, Keller supplemented his income by returning to his home town and working in a car dealership. Within two years, he would be back freelancing for Atlas / Marvel. By this time, Keller was also indulging his love of racecars and model cars by writing and drawing such Charlton comics as
Grand Prix,
Hot Rod Racers,
Hot Rods and Racing Cars,
Teenage Hotrodders,
Drag 'n' Wheels,
Surf 'n' Wheels and
World of Wheels. He stopped drawing for Marvel by 1967, when
Kid Colt, Outlaw had become mostly reprints, and for Charlton in 1973. Keller had also drawn a small number of stories for
DC Comics from 1968-71, including for the licensed toy-car comic
Hot Wheels.
Keller returned to selling cars at Marshall Chevrolet in Reading, Pa., and later was a part-time saleperson for Fun Stuff Hobbies and for Kiddie Kar Kollectibles. He also appeared as a guest at Pennsylvania comic-book shows as late as 2003. He had two sons: Richard, who helped letter his father's Charlton work, and Robert.
Keller is not the same-name poker player
Jack Keller or songwriter
Jack Keller.
Tony Isabella, Tony's Online Tips [
1]: "Jack Keller...drew more Kid Colt stories than any other artist and may hold the record for drawing the most stories of any Marvel character. Keller also drew (and sometimes wrote) hot-rod comics for Charlton. ... Keller was never the most exciting of comics artists, but he was a first-rate storyteller whose people moved naturally and whose backgrounds centered them in reality. He never distracted readers from the story; he pulled them into it."
Fred Hembeck [
2]: "Jack's art had a pleasing crispness to it, and sorta reminded me of a stripped down John Severin. It was a tiny talent pool at the Goodman ranch back in 1961 â€" Kirby, Ditko, Heck, Ayers, and maybe Reinman seemed to produce all the art, along with Jack Keller. And yet, while the others may've taken on all sorts of assignments â€" horror, war, western, superhero â€" I never saw Jack anywhere but within the pages of the Kid's comic, certainly not cavorting in the nascent Marvel Universe of gods and godlike characters. But every month, there was Jack Keller, bringing the Wild West to life one more time."
John Romita [
3] on being asked to draw a highly detailed historical scene for Stan Lee in the 1950s: "It took me forever; it took me two days just to get reference. I should have used the Jack Keller system â€" have a lot of smoke obscuring things."
*
Jack Keller Remembered*
Lambiek Comiclopedia: Jack Keller*
Toonepedia Entry on Kid Colt*
International Catalogue of Superheroes: Kid Colt*
Mark Evanier on Keller's passing*
Racingweb: "Summer, Racecars & Comic Books"*
Comic Book Artist #12 (Mar. 2001), pp. 78-83: "Jack Keller on Wheels" (offline)
*
Charlton Spotlight #3 (Winter/Spring 2004), p. 61: "Jack Keller Flags Home" (offline)
