Al Williamson
Atlas Tales
Image Needed.
- Creator Name
- Al Williamson
- Date of Birth
- March 21, 1931
- Date of Passing
- June 12, 2010
- Biography
- Al Williamson, who for over fifty years drew for both comic books and comic strips, died June 12, 2010, at age 79. In recent years he suffered from Alzheimer's disease. He is survived by his wife of thirty-two years, Cori, his daughter Valerie and his son Victor. Williamson was born in New York City in 1931, but spent his first thirteen years primarily in Bogot�, Colombia. In 1941, his mother took him to see the science fantasy movie serial Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, an experience which, combined with his love for comics storytelling, set his career course at an early age. Williamson, who first and foremost considered himself a cartoonist, excelled at illustrative science fiction, adventure and western stories, pulling inspiration from both classic comic strips and motion pictures. He is highly regarded both popularly and critically for his excellent draftsmanship and dynamic storytelling. Most notably, Williamson was extraordinarily accomplished at rendering the human figure in motion. His classically proportioned characters twist and leap with a startlingly vivid illusion of movement in part evolved from his study of motion picture action choreography. Williamson began his professional career in 1948 and achieved popular recognition in the early 1950s as the youngest and one of the most talented contributors to the legendary EC line of comics. Beyond EC, Williamson drew superior work for many comic publishers, including American Comics Group, Atlas/Marvel, Charlton, Classics Illustrated, Dark Horse, Dell, Harvey, King, Prize, Toby and Warren. From 1967 until 1980 he produced the art for the King Features Syndicate's daily Secret Agent Corrigan newspaper strip, and from 1981 to 1984 drew the daily and Sunday Star Wars newspaper strip. Beginning in the 1980s Williamson reintroduced himself to a new generation of comics readers as an inker for DC and then Marvel Comics, enjoying memorable stints finishing the work of other artists on Superman, Daredevil and Spidergirl. The single comics character, however, with whom Williamson is most identified would be Flash Gordon. The science fiction adventurer, created in 1932 by Alex Raymond for King Features, engaged the lifelong imagination of Williamson. He produced a much beloved series of stories for King Comics' Flash Gordon comic book in the 1960s. He returned to the character in 1980, drawing a comics adaptation of the contemporary Flash Gordon motion picture. In the 1990s, he produced a Flash Gordon mini-series for Marvel Comics and later contributing to the original Sunday strip. In addition to the stories, he produced countless other Flash Gordon images for uses in advertising, merchandising and the fan press. He gradually retired from the professional ranks in the early years of the new century as one of comics' most admired and influential creators. Over his career he received numerous professional awards, including multiple Harvey and Eisner Awards and the National Cartoonists Society's 1967 Award for Best Comic Book Cartoonist. Beyond his remarkable accomplishments as an artist�the works mentioned above represent only a sampling�Williamson deserves recognition as a veteran who often opened professional doors for many others starting their careers. An impressive number of comics contributors owe at least part of their success to Williamson's willingness to recommend and promote new artists and writers to his editorial contacts. Williamson was also an avid collector of comics and illustration art, valuing the beauty of original drawings produced for comic books and strips long before the physical art created by commercial artists was popularly appreciated. He will be fondly remembered by those you knew him for his generosity, his indefatigable sense of humor and his great enthusiasm in sharing his love of comics, illustration, movies and music. Al Williamson took inspiration from a legion of cartoonists, illustrators and motion pictures from the first half of the twentieth century and created works of timeless appeal�and then he passed that inspiration on to new generations of comics creators.
- Links
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Wikipedia Bio
Contributors:
Jerry Bails: Creator Information
Ray Cuthbert: Creator Information
Cori Williamson: Creator Information
Jerry Bails: Creator Information
Ray Cuthbert: Creator Information
Cori Williamson: Creator Information
| Appearance Type |
AppearanceInformation | Issue | Cover Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| story |
G-469 The Hunted! 5pg art pencils and inks signed |
Two-Gun Kid 25 | September 1955 | |
| story |
G-580 The Tin Star 6pg art pencils and inks signed |
Western Outlaws 11 | October 1955 | |
| cover |
Wanted! Gunsmoke! pencils and inks unsigned |
Kid Colt Outlaw 54 | November 1955 | |
|
story |
G-753 No Turning Back 5pg art inks attributed |
The Outlaw Kid 8 | November 1955 |
| story |
H-28 The Man Who Lost His Nerve 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Wyatt Earp 2 | January 1956 | |
|
story |
H-282 The Man Who Wears the Star! 4pg art pencils signed |
Annie Oakley 9 | February 1956 |
| story |
H-344 The Silver Star! 5pg art pencils and inks signed |
Gunsmoke Western 33 | February 1956 | |
| story |
H-280 Stranger in Town! 4pg art pencils signed |
Ringo Kid 10 | February 1956 | |
| story |
H-433 Outnumbered! 4pg art pencils signed |
Kid Colt Outlaw 57 | February 1956 | |
| story |
H-433 Outnumbered! 4pg art inks attributed |
Kid Colt Outlaw 57 | February 1956 | |
| cover |
The Jackal's Lair! pencils signed |
Jann of the Jungle 10 | March 1956 | |
| cover |
Challenge of Aku! The Scarlet Menace Strikes! pencils signed |
Lorna, the Jungle Girl 18 | March 1956 | |
| story |
H-775 Gambling House! 4pg art pencils signed |
Kid Colt Outlaw 58 | March 1956 | |
| story |
H-430 The Tough Hombre! 4pg art pencils signed |
Wild Western 48 | March 1956 | |
| story |
H-665 The Man-Hunter! 4pg art pencils signed |
Cowboy Action 11 | March 1956 | |
| story |
H-890 The City that Time Forgot! 3pg art pencils signed |
Marvel Tales 144 | March 1956 | |
| story |
H-436 The Mob! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Billy Buckskin 3 | March 1956 | |
| story |
H-437 The Coward 4pg art pencils signed |
Rawhide Kid 7 | March 1956 | |
| story |
H-665 The Man-Hunter! 4pg art inks attributed |
Cowboy Action 11 | March 1956 | |
| story |
H-432 The Protector! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
The Outlaw Kid 10 | March 1956 | |
| story |
H-714 A Stranger in Tombstone! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Western Kid 9 | April 1956 | |
| story |
H-849 The Strange Crew Of The Pegasus 3pg art pencils signed |
Strange Stories of Suspense 8 | April 1956 | |
| story |
H-850 The Man Who Had No Friends! 3pg art pencils signed |
Journey Into Mystery 33 | April 1956 | |
| story |
H-770 No Place To Turn 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Frontier Western 2 | April 1956 | |
| story |
Afraid of No Man! 4pg art pencils signed |
Two-Gun Kid 30 | April 1956 | |
| story |
J-7 Inside the Cave! 4pg art pencils signed |
Kid Colt Outlaw 59 | April 1956 | |
| story |
H-672 The Invaders! 4pg art pencils unsigned |
Strange Tales of the Unusual 3 | April 1956 | |
| story |
J-53 The Man Who Caught the Raven 6pg art pencils signed |
Western Outlaws 14 | April 1956 | |
| story |
J-7 Inside the Cave! 4pg art inks attributed |
Kid Colt Outlaw 59 | April 1956 | |
| story |
J-444 When Kelly Came to Town! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Matt Slade, Gunfighter 1 | May 1956 | |
| story |
H-918 Blaze Of Glory! 4pg art pencils attributed |
Battleground 11 | May 1956 | |
| story |
J-12 The World Beneath the Sea 4pg art pencils signed |
Journey Into Unknown Worlds 45 | May 1956 | |
| story |
J-381 The Promise 4pg art pencils attributed |
Kid Colt Outlaw 60 | May 1956 | |
| story |
J-468 What'll It Be, Gents? 4pg art pencils signed |
Gunsmoke Western 35 | June 1956 | |
| story |
J-471 Genius With a Gun! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Western Kid 10 | June 1956 | |
|
story |
J-338 Desperado 4pg art pencils and inks unsigned |
Frontier Western 3 | June 1956 |
|
story |
J-765 Inside the Tunnel 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
World of Fantasy 2 | July 1956 |
| story |
J-851 The Rip-Snorter 4pg art pencils signed |
Matt Slade, Gunfighter 2 | July 1956 | |
|
story |
J-608 Outlaw's Hideout 5pg art pencils and inks signed |
Quick-Trigger Western 13 | July 1956 |
| story |
J-851 The Rip-Snorter 4pg art inks attributed |
Matt Slade, Gunfighter 2 | July 1956 | |
| story |
J-910 The Green Man! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
World of Suspense 3 | August 1956 | |
| story |
J-934 Menace from the Stars! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Mystery Tales 44 | August 1956 | |
| story |
J-914 When Drago Came to Town! 4pg art pencils signed |
Gunsmoke Western 36 | August 1956 | |
| story |
J-902 Where Larrabee Rode! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Ringo Kid 13 | August 1956 | |
| story |
J-914 When Drago Came to Town! 4pg art inks attributed |
Gunsmoke Western 36 | August 1956 | |
| story |
J-999 The First Shot! 4pg art pencils signed |
Battlefront 42 | September 1956 | |
| story |
K-176 Settlers Trail 2pg text pencils unsigned |
Wild Western 51 | September 1956 | |
|
story |
J-695 Action at Sedan 4pg art pencils signed |
Battleground 13 | September 1956 |
|
story |
K-256 The Town! 4pg art inks attributed |
Kid Colt Outlaw 64 | September 1956 |
|
story |
K-26 Crag Noonan Fastest Gun in the West! 7pg art inks attributed |
Quick-Trigger Western 14 | September 1956 |
| story |
K-367 The Fake 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Mystery Tales 46 | October 1956 | |
| story |
K-417 Lawman's Point 2pg text pencils unsigned |
Frontier Western 5 | October 1956 | |
| story |
K-503 Ranch Hand's Luck 2pg text pencils and inks unsigned |
Ringo Kid 14 | October 1956 | |
| story |
Home Trail 2pg text pencils and inks attributed |
Gunsmoke Western 37 | October 1956 | |
| story |
G-863 The Search 2pg text pencils and inks unsigned |
Western Outlaws 17 | October 1956 | |
| story |
K-297 None Are So Blind! 4pg art pencils attributed |
Adventure Into Mystery 4 | November 1956 | |
| story |
K-684 The Man Who Lost the Fight 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Wyatt Earp 7 | November 1956 | |
|
story |
K-724 Fear 4pg art pencils signed |
Kid Colt Outlaw 66 | November 1956 |
|
|
story |
K-724 Fear 4pg art inks unsigned |
Kid Colt Outlaw 66 | November 1956 |
| cover |
Cry Danger! pencils guess |
Lorna, the Jungle Girl 22 | December 1956 | |
| story |
K-749 Pearl-Handled Colts! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Frontier Western 6 | December 1956 | |
| story |
K-820 They Took Me Away! 4pg art pencils and inks unsigned |
Mystery Tales 48 | December 1956 | |
| story |
K-902 One of Us Is an Outlaw! 5pg art pencils and inks signed |
Western Gunfighters 23 | December 1956 | |
| story |
G-715 Space Tune 2pg text pencils and inks unsigned |
Spellbound 31 | December 1956 | |
| story |
K-720 What Stanley Saw! 4pg art pencils and inks unsigned |
Strange Tales 53 | December 1956 | |
|
story |
K-824 The Unknown Ones! 4pg art pencils signed |
Astonishing 57 | January 1957 |
| story |
G-514 The Bronc Buster 2pg text pencils guess |
Six-Gun Western 1 | January 1957 | |
| story |
L-173 In the Dead of Night 4pg art pencils signed |
Uncanny Tales 51 | January 1957 | |
| story |
F-765 Double Trouble 2pg text pencils and inks attributed |
The Outlaw Kid 15 | January 1957 | |
| story |
K-930 The Taboo! 4pg art pencils and inks unsigned |
Mystical Tales 5 | February 1957 | |
| story |
F-902 Saving the Cattle 2pg text pencils and inks unsigned |
Gunsmoke Western 39 | February 1957 | |
| story |
L-30 The Secret of the Strange Stone 3pg art pencils signed |
Journey Into Mystery 43 | February 1957 | |
| story |
J-244 The Living Portrait 2pg text pencils unsigned |
Journey Into Mystery 43 | February 1957 | |
| story |
J-216 No Variations 2pg text pencils and inks unsigned |
Mystic 56 | February 1957 | |
| story |
L-390 Dreadnought! 5pg art pencils unsigned |
Navy Tales 2 | March 1957 | |
| story |
L-509 The Lizard 4pg art pencils signed |
Mystery Tales 51 | March 1957 | |
| story |
L-205 King of the Glacier Men 4pg art pencils unsigned |
Journey Into Unknown Worlds 55 | March 1957 | |
| story |
L-363 Where Rides the Rustler! 5pg art pencils signed |
Wild Western 54 | March 1957 | |
|
story |
L-459 Ghost Town! 4pg art pencils signed |
Six-Gun Western 2 | March 1957 |
| story |
L-159 The Menace of the Green Men 4pg art pencils signed |
Journey Into Mystery 44 | March 1957 | |
| story |
L-386 Showdown at Noon! 5pg art pencils signed |
Two-Gun Western 9 | March 1957 | |
| story |
G-973 The Debt 2pg text pencils signed |
Wild Western 54 | March 1957 | |
| story |
L-690 The Secret of the Haunted House 4pg art pencils unsigned |
World Of Mystery 6 | April 1957 | |
| story |
L-468 Beware ... a Martian 4pg art pencils unsigned |
Strange Stories of Suspense 14 | April 1957 | |
| story |
L-657 When the Creature Escapes 4pg art pencils unsigned |
World of Suspense 7 | April 1957 | |
| story |
L-528 Six-Gun Justice 4pg art pencils unsigned |
Gunsmoke Western 40 | April 1957 | |
| story |
L-440 The Monster in the Mist! 4pg art pencils signed |
Astonishing 60 | April 1957 | |
| story |
L-649 Cry Danger! 5pg art pencils unsigned |
Jann of the Jungle 16 | April 1957 | |
| story |
L-628 Jungle Vengeance! 5pg art pencils unsigned |
Jann of the Jungle 16 | April 1957 | |
| story |
L-600 Fangs of the Black Orchid! 5pg art pencils unsigned |
Jann of the Jungle 16 | April 1957 | |
|
story |
L-395 A City at Stake! 3pg art pencils signed |
Marines in Battle 17 | April 1957 |
| story |
L-860 The Gunslinger! 4pg art pencils signed |
Kid Slade, Gunfighter 7 | May 1957 | |
| story |
L-902 One of Our Deputies Is Missing! 4pg art pencils unsigned |
Six-Gun Western 3 | May 1957 | |
| story |
L-695 The Sheriff Strikes Back! 4pg art pencils unsigned |
Wild Western 55 | May 1957 | |
| story |
L-758 He Floats Thru the Air 4pg art pencils unsigned |
Strange Tales 58 | May 1957 | |
| story |
M-161 A Handful of Bullets! 4pg art pencils signed |
Wyatt Earp 12 | June 1957 | |
| story |
L-792 In the Room of Darkness 4pg art pencils unsigned |
Spellbound 34 | June 1957 | |
|
story |
M-11 The Mystery Of The Tattooed Man! 4pg art pencils unsigned |
Mystic 60 | June 1957 |
| story |
M-14 Voodoo Vengeance! 5pg art pencils unsigned |
Jann of the Jungle 17 | June 1957 | |
| story |
L-960 The Killers of the Swamps! 5pg art pencils unsigned |
Jann of the Jungle 17 | June 1957 | |
| story |
L-942 The Drum Beats at Midnight! 5pg art pencils unsigned |
Jann of the Jungle 17 | June 1957 | |
| story |
M-234 They Don't Come Back! 4pg art pencils signed |
Battleground 18 | July 1957 | |
| story |
The Death of Dallas Dawson 5pg art pencils and inks signed |
Two-Gun Western 11 | July 1957 | |
| story |
M-108 The Last Notch! 4pg art pencils signed |
The Outlaw Kid 18 | July 1957 | |
| story |
M-63 A Shaggy Wolf Tale! 3pg art pencils signed |
Journey Into Unknown Worlds 59 | August 1957 | |
| story |
J-899 The Tunnel 2pg text pencils and inks attributed |
Marines in Action 14 | September 1957 | |
|
story |
M-991 Helpless! 5pg art pencils signed |
Battle 55 | December 1957 |
| story |
H-57 Crackpot Chemist 2pg text pencils unsigned |
Strange Tales 60 | December 1957 | |
| story |
O-377 Icebreaker! 4pg art pencils and inks unsigned |
Navy Combat 17 | April 1958 | |
| story |
M-377 The Secret Laboratory of Dr. Domino 4pg art pencils and inks unsigned |
Strange Tales 64 | August 1958 | |
|
story |
T-100 The Strangers From Space! 5pg art pencils and inks signed |
Tales of Suspense 1 | January 1959 |
| story |
T-111 Beware the Future! 4pg art pencils and inks unsigned |
World of Fantasy 16 | February 1959 | |
|
story |
T-122 I Was the Miracle Man 5pg art pencils unsigned |
Strange Worlds 2 | February 1959 |
|
story |
T-244 I Was The Changing Man! 4pg art pencils and inks unsigned |
Strange Worlds 4 | June 1959 |
|
story |
T-275 Beware Of The Robots! pg art pencils and inks signed |
Tales of Suspense 4 | July 1959 |
| story |
T-362 My Other Face! 4pg art pencils signed |
Journey Into Mystery 54 | September 1959 | |
| story |
T-334 I Found the Nightmare Note 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Tales to Astonish 5 | September 1959 | |
| story |
T-379 And Then I Found You! 4pg art pencils attributed |
My Own Romance 71 | September 1959 | |
| story |
T-362 My Other Face! 4pg art inks unsigned |
Journey Into Mystery 54 | September 1959 | |
| story |
T-454 I Flew in the Berlin Airlift! 4pg art inks signed |
Battle 67 | December 1959 | |
| story |
T-486 The Vengeance of Spade Corbell! 5pg art pencils and inks signed |
Two-Gun Kid 51 | December 1959 | |
|
story |
T-508 Escape! 4pg art pencils and inks signed |
Kid Colt Outlaw 88 | January 1960 |
| story |
T-529 Sitting Duck! 4pg art inks guess |
Battle 68 | February 1960 | |
|
story |
T-579 Rip-Snorter! 4pg art pencils and inks unsigned |
Kid Colt Outlaw 89 | March 1960 |
The Outlaw Kid 8
November 1955
November 1955
Annie Oakley 9
February 1956
February 1956
Frontier Western 3
June 1956
June 1956
World of Fantasy 2
July 1956
July 1956
Quick-Trigger Western 13
July 1956
July 1956
Battleground 13
September 1956
September 1956
Kid Colt Outlaw 64
September 1956
September 1956
Quick-Trigger Western 14
September 1956
September 1956
Kid Colt Outlaw 66
November 1956
November 1956
Kid Colt Outlaw 66
November 1956
November 1956
Astonishing 57
January 1957
January 1957
Six-Gun Western 2
March 1957
March 1957
Marines in Battle 17
April 1957
April 1957
Mystic 60
June 1957
June 1957
Battle 55
December 1957
December 1957
Tales of Suspense 1
January 1959
January 1959
Strange Worlds 2
February 1959
February 1959
Strange Worlds 4
June 1959
June 1959
Tales of Suspense 4
July 1959
July 1959
Kid Colt Outlaw 88
January 1960
January 1960
Kid Colt Outlaw 89
March 1960
March 1960