Marie Severin

Marie Severin
Born:	August 21, 1929
Died:	August 19, 2018
Country:	United States
Area(s):	Artist, Colorist
Notable Work:	EC Comics, Doctor Strange, Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Not Brand Ecch!
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Marie Severin (August 21, 1929 - August 29, 2018) is an American comic book artist and colorist best known for her work for Marvel Comics and the 1950s' EC Comics.

Early life and career

Marie Severin grew up in an artistic household where her father, a World War I veteran, eventually became a designer for the fashion company Elizabeth Arden during the 1930s. In her teens, Severin took "a couple of months" of cartooning and illustration classes, and attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York "for one day and said, 'This is a college', and I wanted to draw and make money".

Severin was working on Wall Street when her comics-artist brother, John Severin, needed a colorist for his work at EC Comics. Marie Severin's earliest recorded comic-book work is coloring EC Comics' A Moon, a Girl...Romance #9 (Oct. 1949). She would contribute across the company's line, including its war comics and its celebrated but notoriously graphic horror comics, for which she sometimes gave especially gruesome panels a single color in order to tone down otherwise graphic scenes of gore.

At EC, Severin worked on the comics' production end, as well as "doing little touch ups and stuff" on the art. When EC ceased publication in the wake of the U.S. Senate hearings on the effects of comic books on children and the establishment of the Comics Code, Severin worked briefly for Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics, until an industry downturn circa 1957 prompted her to seek work with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. She recalled in 2001, "I did a little bit of everything for them — I did television graphics on economics [and] I did a lot of drawing. I did a[n educational] comic book that my brother did the finished art on ... about checks".

Silver Age

In 1959, when the industry had picked up again to during the period fans and historians call the Silver Age of comic books, Severin again worked for Marvel Comics in production. Severin recalled in 2001 that when Esquire magazine requested an artist to illustrate a story "on the college drug culture", Marvel production manager Sol Brodsky offered Severin rather than one of the regular artists, all on deadline. Her illustration for the magazine led to Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee assigning her to succeed character co-creator Steve Ditko on the feature "Doctor Strange" in Strange Tales.

Severin continued to expand from colorist to do penciling and inking, and occasionally also lettering, on various titles. She drew stories of the Sub-Mariner and the Hulk, and the covers or interiors of titles including The Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man, Conan the Barbarian, Kull the Conqueror, The Cat, and Daredevil. Additionally, she worked on Marvel's satiric humor magazine Crazy, as well as the company's self-lampooning comic book, Not Brand Echh.

Later life and career

In the 1980s, Severin was assigned to Marvel's Special Projects division, which handled non-comic book licensing such as from toy maquettes, film and television tie-ins, and the short-lived children's book imprint, Marvel Books.

During the 1990s, Severin penciled the "Impossible Tale" of the "Li'l Soulsearchers" in issue #31 (Aug. 1998) of Claypool Comics' superhero-humor comic Soulsearchers and Company, inked by fellow Silver Age veteran Jim Mooney; and she inked Dave Cockrum's penciling in issue #43 (July 2000). She also inked Richard Howell's pencils on the story "Favor of the Month" in Elvira #144 (April 2005).

Severin retired sometime afterward, but continued into the mid-2000s to make occasional contributions, such as recoloring many of the comics stories reprinted in the EC-era retrospective books B. Krigstein and B. Krigstein Comics. The former won both the Harvey and Eisner comic-industry awards in 2003.

On October 11, 2007, Severin suffered a stroke, and was taken to Huntington Hospital in Huntington, New York, on Long Island, to recover and recuperate.

Awards and honors

At San Diego Comic-Con, 2001

Severin won the Best Penciller (Humor Division) Shazam Award in 1974. The following year, she was nominated for both Best Inker (Humor Division) and Best Colorist.

Severin spoke at a 1974 New York Comic Art Convention panel on the role of women in comics, alongside Flo Steinberg, Jean Thomas (sometime-collaborator with husband Roy Thomas), Linda Fite (writer of "The Claws of the Cat" and a few other Marvel titles) and fan representative Irene Vartanoff.

Severin won an Inkpot Award at the San Diego Comic Con in 1988.

She was inducted into the Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame in 2001.

She also participated in the Women of Comics Symposium at the 2006 Paradise Comics Toronto Comicon.

Severin's work was among that included in the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art exhibition of women comic-book artists, "She Draws Comics", July to November 2006.

Bibliography

Writer Spider-Man and the Dallas Cowboys (1983) Sunday Supplement Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988) "The Adventures of Sara Noiya"

Penciller 2099 Unlimited (1993) #6 9-11 (2002) vol. 2 The A-Team (1984) #1 Aardwolf (1995) #2 ACBA Sketchbook (1973) #3 Action Force (1987) #15 Amazing Adventures (1970) #16 The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) Annual 05, 15 Astonishing (1951) #54 Astonishing Tales (1970) #20 Batman: Black and White (1996) vol. 2 Big Apple Comix (1975) #1 Big Book of... (1994) #9, 11-14, 17 The Cat (1972) #1-2 Chamber of Darkness (1969) #2 Conan the Barbarian (1970) #10 Crazy (1973) #1, 3 Crazy Magazine (1973) #2-7 Creatures on the Loose! (1971) #14 Crime SuspenStories (1950) #17-20, 22-27 Day Of The Defenders (2001) #1 The Defenders (1972) #127 Dignifying Science (1999) "Marie Sklodovska"/"Marie Curie" Doc Savage (1975) #4 Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988) #78-79 Dragonslayer (1981) #1-2 Epic Illustrated (1980) #8 Fallen Angels (1987) #3 Fanboy (1999) #4 Fraggle Rock (1985) #1-8 G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1982) #28 Giant-Size Chillers (1975) #3 Giant-Size Hulk (1975) #1 Haunt of Horror (1974) #2 Howard the Duck (1979)v#9 The Incredible Hulk (1968) #102-106, 393, Special 1, 4 Iron Man (1968) #82, 85, 160 - 'A Cry of Beasts' Ka-Zar the Savage (1981) #32 Kull and the Barbarians (1975) #1 Kull The Conqueror (1971) #2-10 Kull The Conqueror (1983) #7 Kull The Destroyer (1973) #17 Looney Tunes (1994) #100 Marvel Holiday Special (1993) Marvel Super Special (1977) 'Dragonslayer' Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #47-50, 53-57, 59 Marvel Super-Heroes (1990) #12 Melvin the Monster (1956) #3-5 Midnight Sons Unlimited (1993) #6 Monsters on the Prowl (1971) #16 Moon Knight Special (1992) #1 Muppet Babies (1985) #1-10, 12-20, 22-23, 26 Not Brand Echh (1967) #2, 4-8, 12-13 Power Man (1974) #35 Power Man and Iron Fist (1978) #60 Rough Stuff (2006) #12 The Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #1, 41, Annual 1 Shock SuspenStories (1952) #6. 9-14, 18 The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #45, 47-48, 51, 54, Annual 03, 11 Spider-Man and the Dallas Cowboys (1983) Sunday Supplement Spider-Man Magazine (1994) #2 Spoof (1970) #1-4 Strange Tales (1951) #153-160 Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988) "The Adventures of Sara Noiya" The Sub-Mariner (1968) #9, 12-19, 21-23, 44-45 Supernatural Thrillers (1972) #1 Tales of Justice (1955) #66 Tales to Astonish (1959) #92-101 Tales to Astonish (1979) #9, 12-14 - 'Burn, Namor … Burn!' Thor (1966) #207, 296, 306, 308 - 'The Snow Giant' Toxic Crusaders (1992) #7 The Ultimate Spider-Man 100 Project (2007) Uncanny Tales (1952) #54 What If? (1977) #34 What The--?! (1988) #16, 18, 21, 25 Wonder Woman (1987) #50 X-Men (1993) #1-2

Inker 2099 Unlimited (1993) #6 Aardwolf (1995) #2 ALF (1988) #1-50, Annual 1-3 ALF Spring Special (1989) #1-2 Astonishing (1951) #54 The Avengers (1963) #218 Batman: Black and White (1996) vol. 02 Big Book of... (1994) #9, 11-14, 17 Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) #1 Bill & Ted's Excellent Comic Book (1991) #4-9, 11-12 Bizarro Comics (2001) OGN Captain America (1968) #440 Conan the King (1984) #20 Coneheads (1994) #1-4 Crazy (1973) #3 Crime SuspenStories (1950) #17-20, 22-27 Damage Control (1989) #4 Daredevil (1964) #340 The Defenders (1972) #127 Epic Illustrated (1980) #9, 11-13 Ewoks (1985) #1 Fanboy (1999) #4 Fantastic Four (1961) Annual 12 Fraggle Rock (1985) #1-8 Francis, Brother of the Universe (1982) #1 Giant-Size Chillers (1975) #3 Haunt of Horror (1974) #2 Howard the Duck (1979) #9 The Incredible Hulk (1968) #190, 354, 358-367 Iron Man (1968) #83, 85, 159-160 Ka-Zar the Savage (1981) #32 King Arthur and the Knights of Justice (1993) #1-3 - 'Crescendo' Kull The Conqueror (1983) #7, 10 Kull The Destroyer (1973) #17 Looney Tunes (1994) #100 Marvel Holiday Special (1993) Marvel Team-Up (1972) #74 Melvin the Monster (1956) #3-5 Midnight Sons Unlimited (1993) #6-7 Mighty Mouse (1990)#1-10 Moon Knight Special (1992) #1 Muppet Babies (1985) #1-10, 12-13, 15-17, 26 The New Warriors (1990) Annual 01 Not Brand Echh (1967) #2, 4, 6, 13 Power Man and Iron Fist (1978) #60 Psi-Force (1986) #3 Red Sonja (1983) #8 The Ren & Stimpy Show (1992) #9 The Savage Sword of Conan (1974) #1 Shock SuspenStories (1952) #6, 9-14, 18 The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) Annual 03, 11 Spider-Man Magazine (1994) #2 Star Trek (1980) #13 Star Wars: Droids (1986) #6 Strange Tales (1951) #153-156 Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988) "The Adventures of Sara Noiya" The Sub-Mariner (1968) #12, 40 Tales of Justice (1955) #66 Tales to Astonish (1979) #12 Thor (1966) #296, 306, 308 Toxic Crusaders (1992) #1, 3, 6-7 Transformers: Generation 2 (1993) #1-4 Uncanny Tales (1952) #54 What If? (1977) #32, 34 - What If...? (1989) #17 What The--?! (1988) #16, 18, 21, 25-26 X-Men (1993) #1-2

Colorist 2001: A Space Odyssey - Marvel Treasury Special (1976) 2099 Unlimited (1993) #1, 3, 6 The A-Team (1984) #1 Aces High (1955) #1-5 The Adventures of Kool-Aid Man (1983) #2 ALF (1988) #1-39, 47, Annual 1-3 ALF Spring Special (1989) #1-2 Amazing High Adventure (1984) #1, 3-4 The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #186 Annie (1982) #1-2 Anything Goes! (1986) #4 Astonishing Tales (1970) #20 Battlestar Galactica (1979) #3 Bizarro Comics (2001) OGN Blade Runner (1982) #1-2 Captain Britain (1976) #1-2, 4-7, 10, 16 The Cat (1972) #1-2 Conan the Barbarian (1970) #25, 69, 72 Creatures on the Loose! (1971) #10 Crime SuspenStories (1950) #1-27 Day Of The Defenders (2001) #1 The Defenders (1972) #53 Doctor Strange (1974) #20, 31 Dragonslayer (1981) #1-2 Epic Battles of the Civil War (1998) #4 Epic Illustrated (1980) #15-20 Ewoks (1985) #1-2 Fantastic Four (1961) #177 Fiction Illustrated (1976) Vol. 01 - 'Schlomo Raven, Public Detective' Vol. 02 - 'Starfawn: To The Nearest Quasar! - Destiny Encounter, Book One' Fraggle Rock (1985) #1-8 Francis, Brother of the Universe (1982) #1 Giant-Size Ms. Marvel (2006) #1 Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up (1975) #1 Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor Quarterly (1996) #1 The Haunt of Fear (1950) #15-17 The Haunt Of Fear (1991) #1 Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men (1985) #1 Howard the Duck (1976) #7 Hugga Bunch (1986) #2 Impact (1955) #1-5 Incredible Science Fiction (1955) #30-33 The Invaders (1975) #14 Iron Fist (1975) #13 Iron Man (1968) #85, 108 Kull The Conqueror (1971) #3, 7-8 Kull The Conqueror (1982) #1 Kull The Conqueror (1983) #7, 9 - 'The Sword of Gonra!' Kull The Destroyer (1973) #18, 20-21 Last of the Dragons (1991) TPB The Life Of Pope John Paul II (1982) #1 Logan's Run (1977) #1, 3 Marvel Comics Illustrated/Marvel Illustrated Books (1970) "Dragonslayer" "Four new adventures in FULL COLOR!"" "Blade Runner" Marvel Graphic Novel (1982) #28 Marvel Illustrated Books (1981) Spider-Man: His Greatest Team-Up Battles A Marvel Movie Special: The Deep (1977) #1 Marvel Premiere (1972) #50 Marvel Special Edition: Star Wars (1977) #1, 3 Marvel Spotlight (1971) #12 Marvel Super Special (1977) #1-3, 9, 15, 20, 22-23 Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #82 Marvel Team-Up (1972) #74, 78 Midnight Sons Unlimited (1993) #6 Misty (1985) #2 Moon Knight Special (1992) #1 A Moon, a Girl...Romance (1949) #9 Ms. Marvel (1977) #1 Muppet Babies (1985) #1-10, 13, 15-17, 19-20, 26 Nova (1976) #6, 11 The Original Ghost Rider (1992) #10 Piracy (1954) #1-7 Power Man and Iron Fist (1978) #60 Psi-Force (1986) #3 The Punisher 2099 (1993) #7-8, 12 Rawhide Kid (1985) #1 Royal Roy (1985) #1 Shock SuspenStories (1952) #1-18 The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #4, 8 Spider-Man Magazine (1994) #2 Star Team (1977) "Raiders of the Black Nebula!" Star Trek (1980) #1-3 Star Wars (1977) #1, 17 Star Wars: Droids (1986) #1, 6 Strange Tales (1951) #153, 155 The Sub-Mariner (1968) #14-19, 21-23 Supergirl Plus (1997) #1 Superman Adventures (1996) #1-12, 14, 22-66 Tales From The Crypt (1990) #1-3, 6 Tales of Suspense (1959) #73 Tales to Astonish (1979) #9-10, 12-14 Tales to Offend (1997) #1 Tarzan (1977) #1-2 Thor (1966) #253, 287 The Tomb of Dracula (1972) #51, 58, 60 Toxic Crusaders (1992) #7 Uncanny X-Men At the State Fair of Texas (1983) #1 Valor (1955) #2-3 The Vault of Horror (1950) #16, 34 Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse (1986) #219 Web of Spider-Man (1985) #27 Weird Fantasy (1951) #6-12, 15-16 Weird Fantasy (1992) #21 Weird Science (1990) #1-3 What The--?! (1988) #18, 21, 25-26 X-Men (1993) #1-2

Letterer Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988) "The Adventures of Sara Noiya" What The--?! (1988) #25

Editor Kickers, Inc. (1986) #2 Marvel Illustrated Books (1981) Captain America - 'Battles Baron Blood!' Spider-Man 2 - 'Together with Thor, Havok and the Man-Thing!' The Fantastic Four - 'Featuring the Peerless Power of the Silver Surfer' The Incredible Hulk - 'Featuring a Classic Tale by Harlan Ellison' The X-Men

Cover Artist The A-Team (1984) #1 ALF (1988) #1-2 Amazing Adventures (1970) #1 Amazing Heroes (1981) #141 The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #82 Astonishing Tales (1970) #1, 3, 8 The Avengers (1963) #73, 205 Captain America (1968) #115, 124-125, 127-128, 130-131, 133-134, 256, Annual 1 Captain Marvel (1968) #10-15 Chamber of Darkness (1969) #4, 6 Coneheads (1994) #1-4 Creatures on the Loose! (1971) #10 Daredevil (1964) #65-67 Dead of Night (1973) #3 Dragonslayer (1981) #2 FOOM Magazine (1973) #16 Fraggle Rock (1985) #1-8 The Human Torch (1974) #4 The Incredible Hulk (1968) #102-108, 208, Special 1 Iron Man (1968) #16, 24-25, 27-30, 32, 37, Annual 01 Ka-Zar (1970) #1-3 Kull The Conqueror (1971) #1, 4, 7, 10 Kull The Destroyer (1973) #19 The Life Of Pope John Paul II (1982) #1 Marvel Comics Illustrated/Marvel Illustrated Books (1970) "Return of the Jedi" Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #28, 48 Marvel Tales (1964) #26 Marvel Team-Up (1972) #74, 112 Micronauts (1979) #28 Monsters on the Prowl (1971) #10-13, 15 Muppet Babies (1985) #1-5, 7-10, 13, 15-17, 19-20, 22-23, 26 Not Brand Echh (1967) #2, 6, 8-9, 11, 13 Power Man (1974) #35 Power Man and Iron Fist (1978) #60 ROM Spaceknight (1979) #41 The Savage She-Hulk (1980) #7 Silver Surfer (1968) #5, 13, 15, 17 Spider-Woman (1978) #21-23 Spoof (1970) #4 Strange Tales (1951) #139, 154, 156, 158 The Sub-Mariner (1968) #9, 13-19, 21-23, 25, 38-39 Super-Villain Team-Up (1975) #8 Superman Adventures (1996) #41 Supernatural Law (1999) #29 Tales to Astonish (1959) #93, 95, 97, 99-101 Tales to Astonish (1979) #9, 12-14 Tales to Offend (1997) #1 Thor (1966) #143-144, 175, 179-181, 187, 189, 193, 195-196, 202, 208, 211, 215, 229, 233, 237 The Tomb of Dracula (1972) #1 Tower of Shadows (1969) #6 Uncanny X-Men (1963) #52, 65-67, 88, 96 Weird Wonder Tales (1973) #3 What The--?! (1988) #16 Where Monsters Dwell (1970) #3

Sources

View Marie Severin's memorial at Find-A-Grave.