Murphy Anderson must be a liar and artist.  His birth certificate claims he was born in 1926, but that's impossible considering the incredible volume of artwork produced by this master cartoonist.

      The prolific artist is one of the giants of the "Silver Age of Comics" that began after World War II. An inker and penciller, Anderson is best known for his distinctive penciling style. Scratchy, dynamic and firmly planted in the tradition of adventure comic strips, Anderson's lanky characters were always instantly identifiable as his own. In particular, his beautiful, powerful women set the stage for the 'liberated' super heroines that followed.

      Seldom imitated but broadly influential on those who followed him, the comics artists and writers school he founded played a major role in educating the talented creators of the '80s and '90s.

      Anderson's major comic book work includes: DC--Adam Strange ('59-'64,'70), Atom ('61-'64), Atomic Knights ('60-'64), Batgirl ('69-'70), Capt. Comet ('51-'54), Clark Kent ('72-'73),Dr.Fate/Hourman('64-'65), Elongated Man ('67-'68), Flash ('60-'65, '70-'71), Green Lantern ('60-'64, '69), Hawkman ('63-'71, '78-'79), House of Mystery ('55-'71, '73-'82), Jimmy Olson ('70-'72), John Carter ('72-'73), Legion of Superheroes ('72-'78), Mystery in Space ('51-'61), Our Army at War ('54-'56, '70),Phantom Stranger('52-'53, '70), Spectre ('66-'69), Star Spangled War Stories ('54-'56), Strange Sports Stories ('63-'73), Strange Adventures ('51-'64, '70-'71), Superboy ('70, '73-'77), Supergirl ('69-'77), Superman ('69-'74, '77, '83-'84), Tales of the Unexpected ('60, '69-'70), Witching Hour ('70-'74), Young Romance ('70-'73); Fiction House--Star Pirate ('44-'47); work for Pines, Deluxe, Eclipse, Gold Key, St. John and Ziff-Davis.

      He also produced magazine and advertising art, model kit boxes, worked on the Buck Rogers ('47-'49, '58-'59), Flash Gordon ('53) and Our Changing World strips.  

      The artwork of Murphy Anderson helped to define DC Comics in the '50s and '60s, and is highly recommended.

      Some older comics are expensive or difficult to locate.  Price guides or comics dealers help. Comics shops, conventions, mail order companies and trade journals are good sources. Prices vary; shop around.

      Review by Michael Vance

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