Paul Reinman

Infobox Comics creator

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imagesize = 150
caption =
birthname =
birthdate = 2 September 1910
location = Germany
deathdate = 27 September 1988
deathplace =
nationality = Naturalized American
(immigrated German)
area = Inker
alias =


notable works =
awards =

Paul Reinman (2 September 1910, Germany—27 September 1988) was an American comic book artist best known as one of industry legend's Jack Kirby's frequent inkers during what comics fans and historians call the Silver Age of comic books. This included such landmarks as the first issues of "The Incredible Hulk" and "The X-Men".

Biography

Early career

Reinman entered the field in the 1940s at All-American Comics, one of the companies that later merged into DC Comics, working on such characters as the Golden Age Green Lantern and Wildcat before succeeding series creators Ben Flinton and Jon Kozlak on The Atom from 1947 to 1949. Other Golden Age characters he drew include Starman and Wonder Woman.

Reinman also worked for MLJ, the company that would become Archie Comics, on characters including the Black Hood, the Hangman and the Wizard. His Golden Age work for Timely Comics, the 1940s predecessor of Marvel, included Human Torch and Sub-Mariner stories in "Captain America Comics" and elsewhere.

He went on to pencil horror, science fiction, Bible stories, war fiction and other genres for Marvel's 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics.

The Silver Age

With the late-1950s return of comics legend Jack Kirby to Atlas/Marvel, Reinman became a frequent inker of Kirby's work in such "pre-superhero Marvel" science-fiction/fantasy anthologies as "Strange Tales" and "Journey into Mystery", as well as on the espionage series "Yellow Claw".

Reinman would eventually ink Kirby on numerous landmark Marvel books, including "The Incredible Hulk" #1 (May 1962), "The X-Men" #1-5 (Sept. 1963 - May 1964) and "The Avengers" #2, 3 & 5 (Nov. 1963, Jan. & May 1964), giving a dark, scratchy moodiness distinct from the full, fleshy inks of Dick Ayers, the bold, blocky thickness of George Roussos, or the arid, tapestry-like flatness of Vince Colletta, three other Kirby inkers of the era.

In 1965, Reinman and Jerry Siegel created The Mighty Crusaders for Archie Comics' short-lived superhero line. Reinman also worked with Siegel on that company's version of The Shadow, based on the 1930s radio and pulp magazine character.

The prolific Reinman's other work includes numerous issues of "Adventures into the Unknown" and "Forbidden Worlds" for the small American Comics Group (AGC) in the 1950s and 1960s. He and writer-editor Richard E. Hughes co-created the spy character John Force in ACG's "Magic Agent" #1 (Feb. 1962).

Reinman remained active through at least the mid-1970s, penciling "Ka-Zar" #1 (Jan. 1974) and assisting John Romita on the pencils of "The Amazing Spider-Man" #132 (May 1974).

Other work

Outside comics, Reinman drew the "Tarzan" syndicated comic strip in 1949 and 1950.

References

* [http://lambiek.net/artists/r/reinman_paul.htm Lambiek Comiclopedia: Paul Reinman]
* [http://www.askart.com/askart/r/paul_reinman/paul_reinman.aspx Ask Art: The American Artists Bluebook - Paul Reinman]
* [http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/ The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators]
* [http://www.comics.org/ The Grand Comic-Book Database]
* [http://www.kirbymuseum.org/catalogue/index.jkm Jack Kirby Museum search page]
* [http://www.comicartville.com/esotericatlas.htm "Esoteric Atlas: "Bible Tales for Young Folk" by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo]
* [http://www.geocities.com/hillmans26/erbz691.html "ERBzin-e" #621: "Bob Hyde's Odyssey of a Tarzan Fanatic, Chapter XIV"]
* "Alter-Ego" #42, Nov. 2004