Jack Sparling

Infobox Comics creator


imagesize =
caption =
birthname = John Edmond Sparling
birthdate = birth date|1916|6|21|mf=y
location = Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
deathdate = death date|1997|2|15|mf=y
deathplace =
nationality = Naturalized American
(immigrated Canadian)
area = Artist
alias =
notable works = Hap Hopper, Claire Voyant, Tiger Girl
awards =

John Edmond "Jack" Sparling (June 21 1916 - February 15 1997) was a Canadian - American comics artist.

Sparling was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but moved to the United States as a child. He received his early arts training at the Arts and Crafts Club in New Orleans, and later attended the Corcoran School of Art. He worked briefly as a gag cartoonist for the "New Orleans Item-Tribune".

In 1941 Sparling, along with writers Drew Pearson and Robert S. Allen, created the comic strip "Hap Hopper, Washington Correspondent". The strip premiered in 1939; Sparling drew the strip until 1943, when he was succeeded by Al Plastino.

Sparling's next comic strip was "Claire Voyant", which premiered May 10, 1943, in the New York "PM." The strip ran until 1948.

During the 1950s, '60s, and '70s Sparling provided art for a variety of publishers, including Harvey Comics (the Pirana), Charlton Comics (adaptations of "The Six Million Dollar Man" and "The Bionic Woman"), DC Comics ("Challengers of the Unknown", "Secret Six", "Eclipso") and Marvel Comics ("Captain America"). Sparling also worked for "Classics Illustrated", drawing adaptations of "Robin Hood" and Mark Twain's "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court".

Sparling was still active in the 1980s, working primarily on titles for Western Publishing. For Western's Gold Key Comics, Sparling illustrated comic book adaptations of the television series "Family Affair" and "The Outer Limits." He also created, with Jerry Siegel, the superhero "Tiger Girl".

External links

* [http://lambiek.net/artists/s/sparling_jack.htm Jack Sparling at Lambiek.net]