Fred Ray
| Fred Ray | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frederic E. Ray, Jr. February 4, 1920 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
| Died | January 23, 2001 (aged 80) |
| Area(s) | Penciler, Inker |
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Notable works
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Superman |
Frederic E. "Fred" Ray, Jr. (February 4, 1920 – January 23, 2001) was an American comic book artist and commercial illustrator best known as the primary Superman cover-artist of the 1940s, whose work helped shape the defining look of the iconic superhero character, and for his more than two decades as artist of the DC Comics feature "Tomahawk". His cover of Superman #14 (Feb. 1942) is one of comics' most famous.
Fred Ray was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and began his career while still in high school, influenced by the works of such artists as Howard Pyle, W. H. D. Koerner, Frederick Gruger, and N.C. Wyeth. He later studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
At 20, he broke into National Comics, the future DC Comics, with illustrations for two-page text features in Detective Comics #45 and More Fun Comics #61 (both Nov. 1940). He penciled and inked his first feature with the six-page Radio Squad story "Murder in the Street", by writer Jerry Siegel, in More Fun Comics #62 (Dec. 1940). He continued with that detective feature in most issues through #72 (Oct. 1941).
Ray debuted as the Superman cover artist with the one-shot promotional giveaway Superman's Christmas Adventure (1940). Shortly afterward, he drew Superman alongside fellow superheroes Batman and Robin on the cover of the anthology World's Best Comics #1 (undated; released early 1941), and almost simultaneously took over the cover-art duties for DC's two Superman starring titles, beginning with Superman #9 (April 1941) and Action Comics #34 (March 1941). His redesign of the "S" symbol on Superman's costume became one of the defining features of the character's look during the 1930s to 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books. Ray drew only one Superman story, the 12-page "I Sustain the Wings", in Superman #25 (Dec. 1943), written by Mort Weisinger while he and Ray were doing their World War II military service. It was reprinted as the lead feature in DC 100 Page Super Spectacular #DC-18 (July 1973). His cover of Superman #14 (Feb. 1942) is one of comics' most famous.
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