Artie Simek
Encyclopedia
Arthur "Artie" Simek, sometimes credited as Art Simek (January 6, 1916 - February 20 1975), was an American
calligrapher best known as a letterer
for Marvel Comics
during the period fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comic Books
. Along with letterer Sam Rosen
, Simek lettered and helped design logo
s for virtually all Marvel Comics published during the 1960s. Simek's work included such landmarks as The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961) and Spider-Man
's debut in Amazing Fantasy
#15 (Aug. 1962).
Joe Giella
, who for two years beginning circa 1946 worked on staff at Marvel Comics
1940s predecessor, Timely Comics
, recalled "Artie Simek was on staff on Timely. He lives in Queens and he also used to work out of his bedroom; he had a little drawing table in there. I used to drive to his home and pick up the jobs he'd lettered, then take them home and work on them. Fred Eng lettered there, too".
Simek's first confirmed credits are the 12-page lead story "The Three Super-Sleepers", a Batman
-Superman
team-up in DC Comics
' in World's Finest Comics
#91 (Dec. 1957), and, for the same company, the eight-page backup story "Batman's Roman Holiday", in Batman
#112 (Dec. 1957). He went on to letter issues of such other DC titles as Showcase
and House of Secrets.
Beginning with his first confirmed Marvel Comics credits, three Kid Colt
stories totaling 18 pages in the Western
Kid Colt, Outlaw #83 (March 1959), Simek became, with Sam Rosen
, one of Marvel's two primary letterers, hand-drawing the word balloons and sound effects for virtually every comic produced by the company, with Simek lettering most early issues of the flagship series, Fantastic Four
.
Simek's final work was lettering pages 2–8 and 10 of the 32-page superhero
story "Eelar Moves in Mysterious Ways" in Giant-Size Defenders
#5 (July 1975), which an editorial note on the letters page describes as the last Simek completed before his death while working on the issue.
, a Marvel mainstay from 1946 on, described Simek as "a real Norman Rockwell
character. Artie Simek could play the spoons. He'd have two spoons in his hand, and he would flip them around, they would bop up against each other, and before you knew it, there was a melody there. He was wonderful".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
calligrapher best known as a letterer
Letterer
A letterer is a member of a team of comic book creators responsible for drawing the comic book's text. The letterer's use of typefaces, calligraphy, letter size, and layout all contribute to the impact of the comic. The letterer crafts the comic's "display lettering": the story title lettering and...
for 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...
during the period fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comic Books
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
. Along with letterer Sam Rosen
Sam Rosen (comics)
Sam Rosen , often credited as S. Rosen, is an American calligrapher best known as a letterer for Marvel Comics during the period fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comic Books...
, Simek lettered and helped design logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
s for virtually all Marvel Comics published during the 1960s. Simek's work included such landmarks as The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961) and Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
's debut in Amazing Fantasy
Amazing Fantasy
Amazing Fantasy is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics from 1961 through 1962, and revived in 1995 and in the 2000s. It is best known as the title that introduced the popular superhero character Spider-Man in 1962...
#15 (Aug. 1962).
Biography
Artie Simek began his comics career in the 1940s, although credits are hard to determine, as comic-book letterers did not begin to routinely receive published credit until the early 1960s. InkerInker
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...
Joe Giella
Joe Giella
Joe Giella is an American comic book artist best known as a DC Comics inker during the late 1950s and 1960s period historians and fans call the Silver Age of comic books.-Early life and career:...
, who for two years beginning circa 1946 worked on staff at 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...
1940s predecessor, Timely Comics
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....
, recalled "Artie Simek was on staff on Timely. He lives in Queens and he also used to work out of his bedroom; he had a little drawing table in there. I used to drive to his home and pick up the jobs he'd lettered, then take them home and work on them. Fred Eng lettered there, too".
Simek's first confirmed credits are the 12-page lead story "The Three Super-Sleepers", a 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...
-Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
team-up in 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 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...
#91 (Dec. 1957), and, for the same company, the eight-page backup story "Batman's Roman Holiday", 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...
#112 (Dec. 1957). He went on to letter issues of such other DC titles as Showcase
Showcase (comics)
Showcase has been the title of several comic anthology series published by DC Comics. The general theme of these series has been to feature new and minor characters as a way to gauge reader interest in them, without the difficulty and risk of featuring "untested" characters in their own ongoing...
and House of Secrets.
Beginning with his first confirmed Marvel Comics credits, three Kid Colt
Kid Colt
Kid Colt is the name of two fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first is a cowboy whose adventures have taken place in numerous western themed comic book series published by Marvel...
stories totaling 18 pages in the Western
Western comics
Western comics is a comics genre usually depicting the American Old West frontier and typically set during the late nineteenth century...
Kid Colt, Outlaw #83 (March 1959), Simek became, with Sam Rosen
Sam Rosen (comics)
Sam Rosen , often credited as S. Rosen, is an American calligrapher best known as a letterer for Marvel Comics during the period fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comic Books...
, one of Marvel's two primary letterers, hand-drawing the word balloons and sound effects for virtually every comic produced by the company, with Simek lettering most early issues of the flagship series, Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
.
Simek's final work was lettering pages 2–8 and 10 of the 32-page 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 —...
story "Eelar Moves in Mysterious Ways" in Giant-Size Defenders
Defenders (comics)
The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...
#5 (July 1975), which an editorial note on the letters page describes as the last Simek completed before his death while working on the issue.
Personal
Future Comic Book Hall of Famer Gene ColanGene Colan
Eugene Jules "Gene" Colan was an American comic book artist best known for his work for Marvel Comics, where his signature titles include the superhero series, Daredevil, the cult-hit satiric series Howard the Duck, and The Tomb of Dracula, considered one of comics' classic horror series...
, a Marvel mainstay from 1946 on, described Simek as "a real Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator. His works enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for The Saturday Evening...
character. Artie Simek could play the spoons. He'd have two spoons in his hand, and he would flip them around, they would bop up against each other, and before you knew it, there was a melody there. He was wonderful".