Captain Savage #4

by Beau Smith

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko. Those are the three names of fame that most people mention when the media, global as well as direct market, speak of Marvel Comics and how it made comic book history in the 1960’s. Sometimes when the reporter has really done their homework, they add Don Heck, John Romita, Sr., Gene Colan, The Buscema brothers, and Dick Ayers. Personally, I am very pleased when they mention the true group of artistic creators that took Marvel Comics out of the shadow of all other mainstream publishers and made superhero comics the best of the new with the respect to what had come before.

As comic book creators and readers, we’re very lucky to still have some of the above mentioned artists with us today. They may not work as much as they did during their physical peak, but they should always be remembered and thanked for the all of the hard work that they did to make comics what they are today, as well as enabling bums like me to work in this business.

Dick Ayers is a wonderful example of a craftsman and comic book workhorse. Dick’s long career shines with his steely ability to always meet monthly deadlines, enhance story telling, and to always be a professional as well as a gentleman.

Two-Gun Kid #84

I always enjoyed Dick’s work with Jack Kirby on so many Marvel Comics through the 1960’s. I found them to be a wonderful team and they played off each other very well. What really made me a fan of Dick’s was his manly work on Sgt. Fury And His Howling Commandos. Dick had an uncanny knack and feel for the various personalities of the large cast. His knowledge of movement and ability to throw the characters from very dramatic moments to humorous ones was nothing short of amazing. Being a World War II vet, Dick was able to bring a realistic style to so many of the stories. Something others struggled to do.

It was Dick’s work on Sgt. Fury that got me as an adult to search out his work on the Atlas/Marvel comics of the 1950’s. There I was able to really enjoy Dick’s wide range on not only superhero comics, but westerns, war, fantasy, sci-fi, and even romance comics. His style was always changing and progressing. He was never stale and always seemed to bring something new to each book and genre that he tackled.

Dick was the artist on a few of my all-time favorite comic book covers. He added his special magic to such covers as Captain Savage And His Leatherneck Raiders #4, Two-Gun Kid #84 and the classic Ghost Rider #1. These are just a small sample that show Dick’s incredible ability to explain a character and a story with solid line work that never confused the reader, yet always managed to staple their eyes to the image. This is an art that is close to being lost today.

Ghost Rider #1

I was lucky enough this year to be a guest of the Mid-Ohio Con in Columbus , Ohio. Dick Ayers was also a guest there. Needless to say, his lines were long and he spent a lot of time talking to his fans, young and old. Everyone that was lucky enough to spend some time with Dick at the show found him to be a warehouse of knowledge about how to create comic books. His stories of his long career were worth their weight in gold. I cannot urge you enough to take the time to meet Dick Ayers if he is at a convention that you are attending. You will walk away from it a better comic book reader. If you’re a comic book creator, then Dick is a perfect example of how you should carry yourself as a professional. I think you’ll find that you don’t have to fling out a bunch of four letter cuss words and be sarcastic like so many creators tend to be in their online blogs, tweets, and Facebook updates today. I think you’ll find that you can be a man when you act like a man… a man like Dick Ayers.

Your amigo,

Beau Smith
The Flying Fist Ranch

Purchase some work by Dick Ayers

Marvel Masterworks: Sgt. Fury Vol. 2 HC

Marvel Masterworks: Ant-Man/Giant-Man Vol. 2 HC

Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Heroes Vol. 2 HC

Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Heroes Vol. 3 HC

Marvel Masterworks: Human Torch Vol. 2 HC

Marvel Masterworks: Rawhide Kid Vol. 2 HC

Invaders Classic Vol. 1 SC