As part of our Black History Month features, we're unveiling notable Black comic artists and creators. There are so many creators that we want to highlight, so every Tuesday for the rest of Black History Month, we'll feature even more amazing and notable Black creators. For our first article, we're going back in time to look at some of the creators who paved the way for future generations: Leslie Rogers, Jackie Ormes, Matt Baker, and Wayne Howard.

Leslie Rogers and the Bungleton Green

Leslie Rogers launched the Bungleton Green comic in 1920, a series that persisted until the 1960s. With that long of a run, it earned the distinction of being the longest-running Black comic strip in U.S. history and took contributions from many various comic artists of the time. When a stroke affected Rogers' ability to continue, Henry Brown took over to sustain the strip's run.

Throughout its run, Bungleton Green saw the hands of seven different artists. Another notable artist was Jay Jackson, whose 1940s rendition propelled Bungleton Green on a time-traveling escapade, journeying back to 1778 where he narrowly escaped peril as a rebel slave, and forward to 2044, a future where societal roles were dramatically reversed. Bungleton Green himself as a character was a needle-nosed man, who found himself amidst a series of amusing misadventures and situations throughout the strip's storyline.

Zelda "Jackie" Ormes

Jackie Ormes broke barriers as the first African-American woman in her field. Renowned for creating the iconic Torchy Brown comic strip and the Patty-Jo 'n' Ginger panel, Ormes's legacy is celebrated for her artistic talent and cultural significance. Her biographical account by Nancy Goldstien, Jackie Ormes: The First African American Woman Cartoonist, sheds light on her remarkable life and contributions, spanning from 1937 to 1956. Through characters like Torchy Brown, Candy, Patty-Jo, and Ginger, Ormes's work challenged stereotypes, portraying empowered, elegantly dressed figures that defied mainstream prejudices present at that time.

Torchy Brown, a comic strip that ran from 1937 to 1938, stood out for multiple reasons. Firstly, it was created by Zelda Jackson “Jackie” Ormes, likely making it the first strip both written and drawn by an African American woman. Secondly, its publication in every edition of the Pittsburgh Courier, a prominent Black-owned newspaper, provided a level of exposure akin to syndication, a significant achievement for an African American comic strip during that era.

Image from Jackie Ormes' Wikipedia page

Ormes's creative repertoire ranged from lighthearted commentary on fashion and modern life to poignant reflections on racial injustice and social issues. Her work addressed a wide array of topics, including political matters, educational equality, and environmental concerns, resonating with audiences then and now. Despite facing scrutiny from authorities due to her leftist political views, Ormes's artistic legacy endures, her Patty-Jo doll becoming a cherished collector's item, symbolizing her lasting impact on American culture and beyond.

Matt Baker

Matt Baker was a significant figure in the world of comic books, particularly known for his work in the 1940s and 1950s as one of the first prominent African American comic book artists. His work helped pave the way for greater diversity in the industry. Starting his career in the 1930's, his distinctive art style and ability to draw very glamorous women, known as "Good Girl Art", or very voluptuous or sensual women. His pencil work was so popular that he worked for many publishers including, but not limited to: Quality Comics, Fox Comics, St. John Publications, Charlton Comics, and Atlas Comics, known now as Marvel Comics.

Throughout his career, he also worked under many pseudonyms, contributing to many comics, like Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, Sky Girl, It Rhymes with Lust, and more. It's a truly staggering amount of work really, and one of his most notable contributions would be that of Phantom Lady, which he started contributing to in 1947, with Phantom Lady #13 and continued to until Issue #23, almost a two-year run. Bakers version of Phantom Lady would also appear later in another series, All Top Comics #9-16, which spanned almost a year and a half.

Image from Matt Baker's Wikipedia page

Baker continued working on comics, focusing on Atlas Comics and then Marvel Comics into the 1950's and 1960's, working on titles like Wild Western, Western Outlaws, Quick Trigger Action. He wasn't just limited to westerns though, working on romance and supernatural titles as well. In the later 1950's, he moved on from pencilling into more illustrative work completing work for General Motors, Maco Magazine Company, and pulp digests.

He passed away in August of 1959 at the age of 37 due to a heart attack, and it took another 50 years before he was finally inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame. With a career like that, it was long overdue. A truly amazing artist.

George Herriman

George Herriman, a pioneering African American cartoonist, began his career sketching cartoons and ads at the Los Angeles Herald before moving to New York City in 1900. In New York, he worked as a billboard painter while experimenting with cartoon strips in Judge magazine, eventually finding success with Major Ozone’s Fresh Air Crusade. Despite temporary stints at other newspapers, he returned to California in 1906, securing a lifelong contract with King Features Syndicate through the Los Angeles Examiner. It wasn't until the creation of Krazy Kat in 1913 that Herriman achieved his greatest success, with the strip running until 1944 and garnering acclaim for its surrealism and deeper philosophical themes.

Throughout his career, Herriman navigated the racial climate of his time by concealing his African heritage and presenting himself as white, despite being designated as "colored" on his birth certificate. He obscured his racial identity through various means, including wearing hats to hide his hair and suggesting diverse European origins to colleagues. Despite these efforts, his work often included black characters, though he did not have African American friends or associates. Herriman's siblings also passed as white, reflecting the complexities of racial identity in early 20th-century America.

Image from George Herriman's Wikipedia page

Wayne Howard

Wayne Wright Howard, an African-American comic book artist, gained recognition primarily for his contributions to Charlton Comics during the 1970s. Notably, he also achieved a significant milestone as the first known cover-credited series creator in American comic books. He honed his craft at Wesleyan University before venturing into amateur comic magazines in the mid-1960s. Joining Wallace Wood's studios in Long Island around 1969, Howard's talents were soon recognized, leading to work with DC titles such as 'House of Mystery' and 'Dark Mansion'.

Transitioning to Charlton Comics from 1972 to the mid-1980s marked a significant period in Howard's career, collaborating extensively with writer and editor Nicola Cuti. Together, they produced a plethora of ghost and horror titles, including 'Ghost Manor' and 'The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves'. Notably, Howard created the horror anthology series 'Midnight Tales' and its memorable characters, establishing his legacy in the genre.

Image from Wayne Howard's Wikipedia page

His contributions extended beyond Charlton, encompassing inking assignments for Marvel, drawing for Gold Key's 'Ripley's Believe it or Not', and Warren magazines like Creepy and Eerie. Despite his eventual departure from the comic scene, Howard's impact endured, solidifying his status as a notable figure in the world of horror illustration until his passing in 2007.

If you'd like to read more articles and the history of Black Creators, here are some links for you:

• The Radical History of Black Cartoonists
• Black Comics Pioneers
• Torchy, Patty-Jo, and the Indispensable Jackie Ormes
• The Subtle Radicalism of Cartoonist Jackie Ormes
• Jackie Ormes: The First African American Woman Cartoonist
• George Joseph Herriman

• George Herriman’s “Krazy Kat”: First Appearances