Sam Grainger

Sam Grainger (March 18, 1924 - October 1986) was an American comic book artist best known as a Marvel Comics inker during the 1960s and 1970s periods fans and historians call, respectively, the Silver Age and the Bronze Age of Comic Books. Series on which he worked include "The Avengers", "The Incredible Hulk" and "X-Men".

Biography

Early career

Sam Grainger's first known credited comic book work was at Charlton Comics, a small, Derby, Connecticut-based publisher. His seven-page backup story, " Behold...The Sentinels" , which he both penciled and inker in "Peter Cannon... Thunderbolt" #54 (Oct. 1966), also marked the first superhero story by prominent 1960s comic-book writer Gary Friedrich. Grainger continued on the feature through issue #59 (Sept. 1967).

Afterward, he drew the cover and writer Howard Keltner's eight-page story "The Adder", starring superhero Astral Man, in the fanzine "Star-Studded Comics" #14 (Dec. 1968). Another issue's adaptation of the Gardner Fox novel "Warrior of Llarn" by writer Roy Thomas and artist Grainger was reprinted in the book "The Best of Star-Studded Comics" (Hamster Press, 2004) published . [ [http://www.billschelly.com/pages/books.html BillSchelly.com: Books] ] Grainger additionally drew and colored some covers for 1969 issues of the Edgar Rice Burroughs fanzine "ERB-dom", [ [http://www.erbzine.com/mag1/0117a.html ERBzine.com: "ERB-dom Index II: Issues 26-50", compiled by Bill Hillman] ] , and interior art beginning 1965. [ [http://www.erbzine.com/mag1/0117.html "ERB-dom Index I: The First 25 Issues", compiled by Bill Hillman] ]

Marvel Comics

Grainger made his Marvel Comics debut with a backup story in "X-Men" #55 (April 1969), over penciler Werner Roth. He went on to ink further "X-Men" backups as well as covers and interior stories in "The Avengers" (over John Buscema, Sal Buscema, and Gene Colan), the satirical comic "Not Brand Echh", "The Incredible Hullk" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." (both over Herb Trimpe), and the feature "Ka-Zar" in "Astonishing Tales", over industry legend Jack Kirby.

Among his considerable amount of 1970s work, Grainger inked penciler Dave Cockrum on several issues of "X-Men", a title whose mid-1970s revival led to its becoming one of comics' most popular series.

Later career

In the 1970s, Grainger inked for both Marvel and DC Comics, including on the latter's "Ghosts" "Unknown Soldier" and "House of Mystery". He also inked two issues of the independent comics series "Southern Knights", from publisher The Guild, and various issues of and backup stories in "Grimjack" and "Dreadstar", from First Comics.

Grainger later moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he freelanced for the role-playing games company TSR, Inc.; his work there includes interior art for the "Endless Quest" series of gamebooks, including the Dungeons & Dragons book "Under Dragon's Wing" (Feb. 1984), the Hyborian Age book "Conan and the Prophecy" (June 1984)the Star Frontiers book "Captive Planet" (July 1984), and, with Jim Holloway, the Dungeons & Dragons book "Knight of Illusion" (June 1986).

Grainger in his dotage made guest appearances at the Charlotte comic book convention Heroes Convention. After he succumbed to diabetes-related medical issues, Heroes Con in 1987 held a posthumous benefit auction for his medical expenses. [ [http://www.heroesonline.com/con-history.htm Heroes Online: History] ] Grainger's last known work was the posthumously published, 26-page Dreadstar story "... His Finest Moment", inking Angel Medina, in "Dreadstar" #39 (Nov. 1988).

Quotes

Fantasy artist Clyde Caldwell: "My dad was a printer and worked for a company called Radiator Specialty in Charlotte [, North Carolina] . Sam Grainger, an artist who did comics work for Marvel Comics, was employed by the same company. When I was a kid, I used to do drawings of superheroes and send them over to Sam for critiquing. After I graduated from college and decided that I wanted to become an illustrator, I did a little freelance work for Sam, who at that point in time had his own commercial animation studio in Charlotte. Later on, when I was working at TSR, Sam did some work for us on a freelance basis. He was a great guy. I learned a lot from him". [ [http://www.robingoodfellow.com/article_042005.htm "Thoughts from the Land of Frost", by Alexander Ness (April 2005)] ]

Footnotes

References

* [http://www.comics.org/search.lasso?query=sam+grainger&type=credit&sort=chrono&Submit=Search Grand Comics Database: Sam Grainger]
* [http://www.heroesonline.com/Photos/history/pages/sam-grainger.htm Heroes Online; Sam Grainger] (includes photo)
* [http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/ Social Security Death Index]