Win Mortimer
Encyclopedia
James Winslow "Win" Mortimer (May 1, 1919 – January 11, 1998) was a comic book
and comic strip
artist best known as one of the major illustrators of the DC Comics
superhero
Superman
. He additionally drew for Marvel Comics
, Gold Key
, and other publishers.
He was a 2006 inductee into Canadian comics' creators Joe Shuster Hall of Fame.
, Ontario
, Canada
. Trained as an artist by his father, who worked for a lithography
company, and at the Art Students League of New York
, Mortimer found work as an illustrator after a short stint in the Canadian Army during World War II
. Discharged in 1943, Mortimer found work designing posters.
and Batman
. His first known comics work is as the penciler and inker
of the 12-page lead Batman story, "The Batman Goes Broke"m by writer Don Cameron, in Detective Comics
#105 (Nov. 1945); contractually credited to Bob Kane
, it is also signed "Mortimer."
He succeeded Wayne Boring
on the Superman newspaper strip
in 1949, leaving it in 1956 to create the adventure strip David Crane
for the Prentice-Hall Syndicate. Following his run on that series, Mortimer produced the Larry Bannon strip for the Toronto Star
beginning 1960,
During the same period, Mortimer returned to DC and worked on a large variety of comics, ranging from humor (Stanley and His Monster
, Scooter, Fat Albert) to superhero (features starring The Legion of Super-Heroes and Supergirl
).
, starring Spider-Man
, for its entire, 57-issue run (Oct. 1974 - March 1982); and Gold Key (Boris Karloff
Tales of Mystery, The Twilight Zone
). He left comics in 1983 to do advertising
and commercial art for Neal Adams
' studio, Continuity Associates
.
Mortimer's last superhero art was the four-issue DC miniseries
World of Metropolis (Aug.-Nov. 1988), plus some character drawings for the reference Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #7 (Nov. 1988). His final comics work was pencil layout for Triad Comics' The Honeymooners
#11 (June 1989). He had previously drawn issues #3-9 (late-1987 to July 1988) of that series based on the 1950s TV comedy.
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...
and comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
artist best known as one of the major illustrators of the 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...
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 —...
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...
. He additionally drew 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...
, Gold Key
Gold Key Comics
Gold Key Comics was an imprint of Western Publishing created for comic books distributed to newsstands. Also known as Whitman Comics, Gold Key operated from 1962 to 1984.-History:...
, and other publishers.
He was a 2006 inductee into Canadian comics' creators Joe Shuster Hall of Fame.
Early life and career
Win Mortimer was born in HamiltonHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Trained as an artist by his father, who worked for a lithography
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
company, and at the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
, Mortimer found work as an illustrator after a short stint in the Canadian Army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Discharged in 1943, Mortimer found work designing posters.
Superman
Mortimer began working for DC Comics in 1945, and quickly became a cover artist for comics featuring Superman, SuperboySuperboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....
and 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...
. His first known comics work is as the 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...
of the 12-page lead Batman story, "The Batman Goes Broke"m by writer Don Cameron, 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...
#105 (Nov. 1945); contractually credited to Bob Kane
Bob Kane
Bob Kane was an American comic book artist and writer, credited as the creator of the DC Comics superhero Batman...
, it is also signed "Mortimer."
He succeeded Wayne Boring
Wayne Boring
Wayne Boring was an American comic book artist best known for his work on Superman from the late 1940s to 1950s. He occasionally used the pseudonym Jack Harmon....
on the Superman newspaper strip
Superman (comic strip)
Superman was a daily newspaper comic strip which began on January 16, 1939, and a separate Sunday strip was added on November 5, 1939. These strips ran continuously until May 1966. In 1941, the McClure Syndicate had placed the strip in hundreds of newspapers...
in 1949, leaving it in 1956 to create the adventure strip David Crane
David Crane
David Crane may refer to:* David Crane , former Chief Prosecutor for the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal for Sierra Leone* David Crane , video game designer, programmer and co-founder of Activision...
for the Prentice-Hall Syndicate. Following his run on that series, Mortimer produced the Larry Bannon strip for the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
beginning 1960,
During the same period, Mortimer returned to DC and worked on a large variety of comics, ranging from humor (Stanley and His Monster
Stanley and His Monster
Stanley and His Monster was an American comic-book humor feature and later series from DC Comics, about a boy who has a monster as his companion instead of a dog. Created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Winslow Mortimer as a backup feature the funny-animal comic The Fox and the Crow #95 Stanley...
, Scooter, Fat Albert) to superhero (features starring The Legion of Super-Heroes and Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
).
Later life and career
By the early 1970s, Mortimer was also freelancing for other publishers, including Marvel, for which he drew virtually every story in the TV tie-in children's comic Spidey Super StoriesSpidey Super Stories
"Spidey Super Stories" was a live-action, recurring skit on the PBS children's television series The Electric Company. Episodes featured the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, provided to the Children's Television Workshop free of charge, and was played by puppeteer Danny Seagren...
, starring 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...
, for its entire, 57-issue run (Oct. 1974 - March 1982); and Gold Key (Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
Tales of Mystery, The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
). He left comics in 1983 to do advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
and commercial art for Neal Adams
Neal Adams
Neal Adams is an American comic book and commercial artist known for helping to create some of the definitive modern imagery of the DC Comics characters Superman, Batman, and Green Arrow; as the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates; and as a creators-rights advocate who...
' studio, Continuity Associates
Continuity Associates
Continuity Studios is a New York City- and Los Angeles-based art and illustration studio formed by cartoonists Neal Adams and Dick Giordano...
.
Mortimer's last superhero art was the four-issue DC miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
World of Metropolis (Aug.-Nov. 1988), plus some character drawings for the reference Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #7 (Nov. 1988). His final comics work was pencil layout for Triad Comics' The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners is an American situation comedy television show, based on a recurring 1951–'55 sketch of the same name. It originally aired on the DuMont network's Cavalcade of Stars and subsequently on the CBS network's The Jackie Gleason Show hosted by Jackie Gleason, and filmed before a live...
#11 (June 1989). He had previously drawn issues #3-9 (late-1987 to July 1988) of that series based on the 1950s TV comedy.
Awards and honors
Mortimer is a 2006 inductee into Canadian comics' creators Joe Shuster Hall of Fame.DC
- Action ComicsAction ComicsAction Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
(SupermanSupermanSuperman 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...
) #101, 113, 117, 119, 129 (1946-49); (Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super-HeroesThe Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
) #381-387, 389-392 (1969-70); (Lori LemarisLori LemarisLori Lemaris is a fictional character in DC Comics' Superman comic books. Lori is a mermaid from Tritonis, a city in the undersea lost continent of Atlantis.-Silver Age:...
) #475 (1977) - Adventure ComicsAdventure ComicsAdventure 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...
(SuperboySuperboy (Kal-El)The original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. The name of Superman as a boy, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...
) #119 (1947); (Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super-HeroesThe Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
) #373-380; (SupergirlSupergirl (Kara Zor-El)Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created...
) #381, 383-389, 391-396, 415; (Merry the Girl) #416; (ZatannaZatannaZatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
) #421 (1968-72) - Brave and the Bold #64, 69 (1966-67)
- Detective ComicsDetective ComicsDetective 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...
(BatmanBatmanBatman 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...
) #105, 107, 109-112, 114-116, 120 (1945-47) - Forbidden Tales of Dark MansionForbidden Tales of Dark MansionForbidden Tales of Dark Mansion was a horror-suspense-romance anthology comic book series published by DC Comics from 1971–1974, a companion to Secrets of Sinister House.-Publication history:...
#7, 11 (1972-73) - GhostsGhosts (DC Comics)Ghosts is a comic book series published by DC Comics for 112 issues from September-October 1971 to May 1982. Its tagline was "True Tales of the Weird and Supernatural" , changed to "New Tales of the Weird and Supernatural," as of #75 , and dropped after #104...
#89, 91, 94 (1980) - House of MysteryHouse of MysteryThe House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series. It had a companion series, House of Secrets.-Genesis:...
#204 (1972) - Inferior FiveInferior FiveThe Inferior Five are a parody superhero team that premiered in the DC Comics title Showcase #62 . Created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Joe Orlando and Mike Esposito , the group was intended as a parody not only of the Fantastic Four, but of all the superhero teams whose members had such great...
#7-10 (1968) - Jimmy Olsen (Newsboy LegionNewsboy LegionThe Newsboy Legion are fictional characters, a kid gang in the DC Comics Universe. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, they appeared in their own self-titled feature which ran from Star Spangled Comics #7 to Star Spangled Comics #64 .-Pre-Crisis version:A group of orphans, living on the streets...
) #150 (1972) - Plastic ManPlastic ManPlastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
#2-7 (1967) - Star Spangled Comics #65-91 (1947-49)
- SupermanSuperman (comic book)Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
#50-52, 72 (1948-51) - Superman FamilySuperman FamilySuperman Family was a DC Comics comic book series which ran from 1974 to 1982 featuring stories starring supporting characters in the Superman comics...
(Lois LaneLois LaneLois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
) #185-188, 190-193; (Jimmy OlsenJimmy OlsenJimmy Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet. He is close friends with Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Superman and Perry White...
) #187; (SupergirlSupergirl (Kara Zor-El)Kara Zor-El is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media, created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino. As Supergirl, Kara Zor-El serves as the biological cousin and female counterpart to DC Comic's iconic superhero Superman, created...
) #199, 201-222; (Superwoman) #200 (1977-82) - UnexpectedTales of the UnexpectedTales of the Unexpected may refer to:*Tales of the Unexpected , a 1950s-1960s comic book*Tales of the Unexpected , a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl...
#212 (1981) - Witching Hour #4, 22, 27 (1969-73)
- World of MetropolisMetropolis (comics)Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
, miniseries, #1-4 (1988) - World's Finest ComicsWorld's Finest ComicsWorld'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...
#20-26, 29-30, 43-48 (1946-50)
Marvel
- Marvel Super Special #23 (1982)
- Marvel PremiereMarvel PremiereMarvel Premiere is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It ran for 61 issues from April 1972 to August 1981....
(Werewolf by NightWerewolf by NightWerewolf by Night is a fictional character, an antiheroic werewolf in the Marvel Comics universe. The Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight vol...
) #59 (1981) - Monsters UnleashedMonsters UnleashedMonsters Unleashed was a black-and-white magazine published by Curtis Magazines from 1973-1975. The focus of Monsters Unleashed was on Marvel's own monsters: Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night, and Frankenstein's monster...
#3 (1973) - Night NurseNight Nurse (comics)Night Nurse is the name of a Marvel Comics comic-book series published in the early 1970s, as well the nom de guerre of a fictional character, Linda Carter, known for her willingness to help injured superheroes...
#1-4 (1972-73) - Spidey Super StoriesSpidey Super Stories"Spidey Super Stories" was a live-action, recurring skit on the PBS children's television series The Electric Company. Episodes featured the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, provided to the Children's Television Workshop free of charge, and was played by puppeteer Danny Seagren...
(Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-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...
) #1-14, 31, 39, 42-43, 48, 50-51 (1974-81) - Tales of the Zombie #2, 4, 7 (1973-74)
- Vampire TalesVampire TalesVampire Tales was a black-and-white horror-comics magazine series published by Curtis Magazines in the 1970s, featuring vampires as both protagonists and antagonists....
#1, 5 (1973-74) - What The--?!What The--?!What The--?! was a Marvel Comics comic book series parodying the Marvel Universe, similar in vein to the 1960s series Not Brand Echh. It was billed as, "The Marvel mag of mirth and mayhem!" The series ran for 26 issues from August 1988 through Winter 1993, with issue #26 being a "Fall Special"...
#10, 14 (1991)
Other publishers
- Battle of the PlanetsBattle of the Planets (comics)The Battle of the Planets comic book series was based on a television series of the same name. It was originally published by Gold Key Comics, with Top Cow releasing a number of comics more recently.-Publication history:...
#1-5 (Gold Key, 1979-80)