Friday, March 06, 2026

A biography of inker Vince Colletta

Apollo Magazine (archive link) spoke about a new biography for the late inker Vince Colletta:
The first comic strip with a recurring character appeared in 19th-century London: Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday (1884), a then-unusual combination of words and images. Yet while comic books were traditionally dismissed as a debased form of entertainment for American and Japanese adolescent boys (as well as the sources for a multi-billion-dollar film empire), a new book shows how they come with their own traditions and virtuosos. Drawn to Beauty: The Life and Art of Vince Colletta (Black Spring Press) explores the work of an illustrator best known for his work ‘inking’ Jack Kirby’s drawings in Marvel’s Thor and Fantastic Four comics. Colletta (1923–91) is regarded as one of the finest inkers – the artists who translate the sketches into the image that is printed on the page. He was renowned for his delicacy and for giving the final shape to some of Marvel’s most popular characters, before leaving to eventually become the art director of rival company DC. But it’s what he did in between the two roles that might have become most influential.
Kirby may be one famous figure who's never gotten enough wide recognition, but Colletta's another who could use some more too. So it's great to know he's also received a biography of his work, long after he passed away. And there's plenty more figures from better eras who could use some biographies too, and hopefully will see them in time.

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