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The enigmatic comics legend Basil Wolverton(1909-1978) is celebrated this week with the release of IDW’s Artist’s Edition Basil Wolverton’s Weird Worlds. IDW’s series of art books collects the best examples of original comics art that still exists, and reproduces that art at it’s original size(15″ by 22″ for this edition), preserving the little imperfections, and notes that might have been left on the original page. These newly printed artifacts are a perfect way to enjoy work by one of your favorite artists, and it serves as a perfect introduction to new fans.

Wolverton reached the pinnacle of his fame when he won Al Capp‘s legendary ugliest woman contest, drawing Lena the Hyena, which was featured on the cover of Life Magazine. His work was prominently featured in the early issues of Mad Magazine, and his Spacehawk & Powerhouse Pepper strips were published in various Timely comics during the 1930’s & 40’s. In the 1940’s, Basil Wolverton became a minister for Herbert W. Armstrong’s Radio Church of God, which took a literal interpretation of the apocalyptic parts of  the Bible. Some of this point of view is reflected in Wolverton’s work, and that dark side certainly trickled into many of his commercial pieces, as well.

You can read more about the history of artist Basil Wolverton, and his interest in the end times here, which includes words from his son, Monte.

For more comics related art, you can follow me on my website comicstavern.com - Andy Yates

Marlo Meekins’s observational, drawing and painting skills are exceptional. She fantastically distorts specific shapes and forms of peoples’ bodies to Basil Wolverton extremes. Her sense of humor and fearlessness in execution are equally responsible for the humorous, grotesque, appeal of her work.

She has an older blog with many oil paintings and drawings, and a more frequently updated Tumblr with more of her comics and short gag cartoons.

Live drawing as a caricature artist is a form of performance itself, so it isn’t a stretch that Marlo has expanded her artistic output to live-action videos and, more recently, Vine pieces.

Story and drawings by Mervyn Peake  Originally published in Country Life magazine 1939 Macmillian 1967 reprinted by Candlewick 2001 The Captain and his oddball crew settle in on an uncharted island where they encounter a creature the color of butter and then... do nothing?   The good Captain is a bruiser who has run through his share of crew. His ship, The Black Tiger, has lost many a men to

A Basil Wolverton Slideshow
Images from the career survey of Basil Wolverton at Barbara Gladstone Gallery in Chelsea.

Check out this collection of scans of Basil Wolverton’s The Culture Corner, a series of silly how-to comics originally published in Whiz Comics during the late 40s and early 50s. The site is offering up the scans individually, as a PDF, and as .CBZ files.