R.I.P. Wayne Howard

[Sir Tim Drake]

Mark Andrew reports (http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/12/10/aw-man-wayne-howard-died/) that Wayne Howard, the Charlton artist and pupil of Wally Wood, passed away at only 59. Very sad news.

[Lone Ranger]

Very sad news, Aaron.

I really enjoyed Howard's work and from all acounts, he was a very nice person.

I've always been most familiar with his work at Charlton in the 70s but recently have spotted his name elsewhere. He did a really nice job inking Ross Andru for 'Farewell to the Master' in Worlds Unknown #3. I know of one job he did for Skywald's Nightmare mag - quite nice.

Seeing as he was a Wally Wood disciple, I was always a bit surprised that Stan Lee didn't throw more work his way as Stan obviously had great love for Woody's work.

I would have loved to see him try other genres - would have been an interesting choice on something like Scalphunter or Unknown Soldier or even a sci-fi adaptation such as Star Trek.

He had the talent to become a big name in funnybooks. I'm sure there's a story as to why it never worked out for him.

RIP Mr. Howard, thanks for the memories.

[Captain Jim]

In truth, I had forgotten all about him. But as soon as you mentioned his name, it all came back. He did some very nice work.

[benday-dot]

To me as well he was a most familiar name of the Charlton family. If a book had a Ditko story it was a good thing thing indeed. If it was also lucky enough to contain either a Morisi or a Boyette I would add a star or two to its gleam. And if... if it happened to be rounded out by a Wayne Howard tale well then it was like hitting the Charlton jackpot with me.

He was up there with the greats in my estimation. Boyette and Joe Gill have recently passed on and now too we have lost Howard. Its tough being a Classic comics fans as these times of ours go by.

[dan bailey]

Really, really sorry to hear this. (I'm responding only now because I was back home in Arkansas for a pre-Xmas visit through last night.) His Midnight Tales was almost certainly the first non-Big-Two title I made a point of nailing down a complete run of when I got back into comics a few years ago.

Man, 59 is just criminally young.

[MichikoS]

Very sad news. Aside from being one of the very few African-American comic book artist in the '60s, he was one of the handful of acknowledged proteges of Wallace Wood. MIDNIGHT TALES is indeed worth collecting for some charming art and writing. Prof. Coffin Lives!

Michi

[MartinRedmond]

Can anyone add a tribute by posting more of his art please?

[Red Oak Kid]

It was at the zenith of my comic collecting frenzy when I saw Midnight Tales 1 on the spinner rack. My original motivation for buying it was simply because it was a first issue, which those of us in know, knew, would be worth a fortune in the FUTURE.

Are we in the FUTURE yet?

But I actually liked Howard's art and stories and the concept of the mag. So I kept buying it for most of it's run. I really enjoyed those highly detailed covers.

But I never found out any information about the guy behind this book.

And here it is 30+ years later and I don't know any more about Howard now, than I did then.

[Captain Jim]

Very sad news. Aside from being one of the very few African-American comic book artist in the '60s, he was one of the handful of acknowledged proteges of Wallace Wood.

There was definitely a resemblance between his work and Wood's, but I never realized he was African American.

[MichikoS]

Here's a pic of Wayne Howard from Bill Schelly's wonderful book, THE GOLDEN AGE OF COMIC FANDOM. He must have been 16 or 17 when this was taken.

Michi

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i221/elbert_coalwell/420e71a8.jpg

[Laughing Mask]

so it goes.