R.I.P. Golden Age Batman Artist Sheldon Moldoff

Last week, the comics community lost another of its foundational talents when Sheldon Moldoff passed away at 91 from kidney failure. Writer and historian Mark Evanier broke the news and offered an appraisal of the career of one of DC Comics early titans.

Born on April 19 of 1920, the artist known affectionately as Shelly found his early interest in comics and cartoons turn to professional work at a young age. Like many other up-and-coming New York City comics talents of the era, Moldoff began freelancing for DC during the Depression when at 17 he began selling one-off strips and other short works to the publisher. As Evanier notes, the artist was the last surviving creator who contributed to the landmark “Action Comics” #1 – the first appearance of Superman – with a one-page sports strip that graced the inside back cover.

Soon, Moldoff became one of the go-to cover artists for DC’s earliest days as well as an inker and production artist that saw him riding the line between freelancer and staffer in a way that drew more work with less credit than many of his contemporaries may have had. He drew the covers to both “Flash Comics” #1 and “All-American Comics” #16, which featured the debuts of the Flash and Green Lantern respectively. Soon after, All American Comics publisher Max Gaines tapped Moldoff to take over the Hawkman strip where the artist introduced Hawkgirl to the mix – one of the first of many characters whose look he would originate or whom he’d create whole cloth.

Please click here to continue reading the original article by Kiel Phegley at Comic Book Resources.