Dan Adkins
Encyclopedia
Dan Adkins is an American
illustrator who worked mainly for comic books and science-fiction magazines.
, West Virginia
, where, as a child, he walked three miles to school in a remote area where creeks were crossed with wooden planks on top of rocks. He lived in West Hamlin, West Virginia
, and then moved to East Liverpool, Ohio
. In 1948, when he was 11 years old, Adkins had a bout with rheumatic fever that left him paralyzed from the waist down for six months, and he began to spend time paging through such comic books as Curley Kayo and Red Ryder
. Reading EC Comics
a few years later, he closely studied stories illustrated by Reed Crandall
, Jack Davis
, George Evans, Al Williamson
and Wally Wood
.
Serving in the Air Force
in the mid-1950s, Adkins was a draftsman, later describing the job:
Launched in 1956, that publication was Sata, filled with fantasy
illustrations and reproduced on a ditto machine. In Phoenix
, Arizona
, Adkins met artist-writer Bill Pearson who signed on as Satas co-editor. In 1959, Pearson became the sole editor of Sata, ending the 13-issue run with several photo-offset issues. Adkins contributed to numerous other fan publications, including Amra, Vega and Xero
.
When Adkins moved to New York City
, he freelanced illustrations for several science-fiction magazines while working for several commercial studios, including Kram and Chartmaker's. At age 24, he was an art director for Hearst's American Druggist and New Medical Material, as he recalled:
In 1964, during the period comic-book fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comics, Adkins joined the Wally Wood
Studio as Wood's assistant. Wood and Adkins collaborated on a series of stories for Warren Publishing
's black-and-white horror
-comics magazines Creepy
and Eerie
. Adkins was among the original artists of Wood's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
, for Tower Comics
, drawing many Dynamo stories during his 16 months in the Wood Studio.
His work as a penciler and inker
appeared in 816 comic books, and he inked over 70 artists in the comics industry. He drew 132 covers for Marvel Comics
, in addition to his many pages for Doctor Strange and other Marvel titles. Adkins has worked for a variety of comics publishers, including Charlton Comics
, DC Comics
(Aquaman, Batman), Dell Comics
/Western Publishing
, Eclipse Comics
, Harvey Comics
, Marvel, and Pacific Comics
.
In addition to penciling and inking, Adkins has also done cover paintings, including Amazing Stories, Eerie (issue 12) and Famous Monsters of Filmland (issues 42, 44). His magazine illustrations have been published in Argosy (with Wood), Amazing Stories, Fantastic, Galaxy Science Fiction, Infinity, Monster Parade, Science-Fiction Adventures, Spectrum, Worlds of If and other magazines.
products, and his artwork for Xero was reprinted in the hardback The Best of Xero (Tachyon, 2004).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
illustrator who worked mainly for comic books and science-fiction magazines.
Early life and career
Dan Adkins was born in MidkiffMidkiff
Midkiff may refer to:*Midkiff, Texas*Midkiff, West Virginia*Hawaii Housing Authority v. Midkiff...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, where, as a child, he walked three miles to school in a remote area where creeks were crossed with wooden planks on top of rocks. He lived in West Hamlin, West Virginia
West Hamlin, West Virginia
West Hamlin is a town in Lincoln County, West Virginia, United States, along the Guyandotte River. The population was 696 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Hamlin is located at ....
, and then moved to East Liverpool, Ohio
East Liverpool, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,089 people, 5,261 households, and 3,424 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,010.3 people per square mile . There were 5,743 housing units at an average density of 1,320.8 per square mile...
. In 1948, when he was 11 years old, Adkins had a bout with rheumatic fever that left him paralyzed from the waist down for six months, and he began to spend time paging through such comic books as Curley Kayo and Red Ryder
Red Ryder
Red Ryder was a popular long-running Western comic strip created by Stephen Slesinger and artist Fred Harman. Beginning Sunday, November 6, 1938, Red Ryder was syndicated by Newspaper Enterprise Association, expanding over the following decade to 750 newspapers, translations into ten languages and...
. Reading EC Comics
EC Comics
Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books specializing in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, notably the Tales from the Crypt series...
a few years later, he closely studied stories illustrated by Reed Crandall
Reed Crandall
Reed Crandall was an American illustrator and penciller of comic books and magazines. He was best known for the Quality Comics character Blackhawk and for stories in the critically acclaimed EC Comics of the 1950s.Crandall was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.-Early...
, Jack Davis
Jack Davis (cartoonist)
Jack Davis is an American cartoonist and illustrator, known for his advertising art, magazine covers, film posters, record album art and numerous comic book stories...
, George Evans, Al Williamson
Al Williamson
Alfonso "Al" Williamson was an American cartoonist, comic book artist and illustrator specializing in adventure, Western and science-fiction/fantasy...
and Wally Wood
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
.
Serving in the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in the mid-1950s, Adkins was a draftsman, later describing the job:
Launched in 1956, that publication was Sata, filled with 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...
illustrations and reproduced on a ditto machine. In Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Adkins met artist-writer Bill Pearson who signed on as Satas co-editor. In 1959, Pearson became the sole editor of Sata, ending the 13-issue run with several photo-offset issues. Adkins contributed to numerous other fan publications, including Amra, Vega and Xero
Xero (SF fanzine)
Xero was a fanzine edited and published from 1960 to 1963 by Dick Lupoff, Pat Lupoff and Bhob Stewart. With a main focus on science fiction and comic books, Xero also featured essays, satire, articles, poetry, artwork and cartoons on a wide range of other topics.The articles and letter columns...
.
When Adkins moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, he freelanced illustrations for several science-fiction magazines while working for several commercial studios, including Kram and Chartmaker's. At age 24, he was an art director for Hearst's American Druggist and New Medical Material, as he recalled:
Silver Age of comic books
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
Studio as Wood's assistant. Wood and Adkins collaborated on a series of stories for 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...
's black-and-white 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...
-comics magazines 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...
and 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...
. Adkins was among the original artists of Wood's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents is a fictional team of superheroes that appeared in comic books originally published by Tower Comics in the 1960s. They were an arm of the United Nations and were notable for their depiction of the heroes as everyday people whose heroic careers were merely their day jobs...
, for Tower Comics
Tower Comics
Tower Comics was an American comic book publishing company best known for Wally Wood's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, a strange combination of secret agents and superheroes; and Samm Schwartz's Tippy Teen, an Archie Andrews clone...
, drawing many Dynamo stories during his 16 months in the Wood Studio.
His work as a penciler and inker
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...
appeared in 816 comic books, and he inked over 70 artists in the comics industry. He drew 132 covers 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...
, in addition to his many pages for Doctor Strange and other Marvel titles. Adkins has worked for a variety of comics publishers, including Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
, 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...
(Aquaman, Batman), Dell Comics
Dell Comics
Dell Comics was the comic book publishing arm of Dell Publishing, which got its start in pulp magazines. It published comics from 1929 to 1973. At its peak, it was the most prominent and successful American company in the medium...
/Western Publishing
Western Publishing
Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company was a Racine, Wisconsin firm responsible for publishing the Little Golden Books. Western Publishing also produced children's books and family-related entertainment products as Golden Books Family Entertainment...
, Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market...
, Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by Alfred Harvey in 1941, after buying out the small publisher Brookwood Publications. His brothers Robert B...
, Marvel, and Pacific Comics
Pacific Comics
Pacific Comics was an independent comic book publisher that flourished from 1981-1984. It was also a chain of comics shops and a distributor. It began out of a San Diego, California, comic book shop owned by brothers Bill and Steve Schanes...
.
In addition to penciling and inking, Adkins has also done cover paintings, including Amazing Stories, Eerie (issue 12) and Famous Monsters of Filmland (issues 42, 44). His magazine illustrations have been published in Argosy (with Wood), Amazing Stories, Fantastic, Galaxy Science Fiction, Infinity, Monster Parade, Science-Fiction Adventures, Spectrum, Worlds of If and other magazines.
Later life and career
In the 2000s, he illustrated Parker BrothersParker Brothers
Parker Brothers is a toy and game manufacturer and brand. Since 1883, the company has published more than 1,800 games; among their best known products are Monopoly, Cluedo , Sorry, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Ouija, Aggravation, and Probe...
products, and his artwork for Xero was reprinted in the hardback The Best of Xero (Tachyon, 2004).