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Leonard Nowak
Tourists — vintage drawing, original 'Superman' artist

c. 1940s

About the Item

Leonard Nowak, 'Tourists', conté crayon and India ink, c. 1940s. Signed in ink, lower left. Original cartoon drawing, on textured, off-white wove drawing paper, the full sheet with scalloped edge cut by the artist, in excellent condition. Image size 9 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches; sheet size 9 3/4 x 7 3/4 inches. Matted to museums standards, unframed. ABOUT THE ARTIST Leonard "Leo" Nowak (1907-2001) was an American illustrator best known for his work on the original Superman comic book series during its 'Golden Age'. Nowak was assistant and ghost illustrator to Joe Shuster, who co-created with writer Jerry Siegel the DC Comics character Superman which first appeared in Action Comics #1, 1938. Superman became one of the most iconic comics characters of all time, spawning an entirely new and quintessentially American genre—superhero comics. Before joining Shuster, Nowak, who had studied art with esteemed teachers Frank N. Wilcox and Henry Keller, made his livelihood as a musician. During his time off, Nowak painted a mural in a nightclub where he played regularly; a salesman who admired the work told Nowak that Siegel and Shuster were looking for an illustrator. Nowak visited their studio and was hired immediately. Nowak was the first, in both the comic strip and the comic book, to portray Lex Luthor as bald (in Luthor's earlier appearances, he had red hair). In 1942, Nowak co-created with Jerry Siegel, the first character to be known as Robotman. Nowak was drafted into the United States Army, in 1943, ending his comic book illustration career. In the 1970s, Nowak moved to Inyokern, California, where he worked as a political cartoonist.
  • Creator:
    Leonard Nowak (1907 - 2001)
  • Creation Year:
    c. 1940s
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 9.5 in (24.13 cm)Width: 7.5 in (19.05 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Myrtle Beach, SC
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 988471stDibs: LU53237021922
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