Frank Borth

Frank Borth
BornFrank Mellors Borth III[1]
April 1, 1918[2]
Cleveland, Ohio, US
DiedAugust 9, 2009(2009-08-09) (aged 91)
Newville, Pennsylvania, US
Area(s)Writer, Penciller, Inker
Notable works
Ken Stuart
There Oughta Be a Law!
Spouse(s)Barbara Ann Stroh[3]

Frank M. Borth III (April 1, 1918 – August 9, 2009) was an American comic book artist.

Biography

Borth was born and raised in Cleveland, eventually graduating in 1940[1] from the Cleveland School of Art, where he majored in illustration.[4]

Moving to New York City, Frank Borth rose to prominence during the so-called "Golden Age of Comic Books", where he first (in 1941) worked on the feature "Pat Patriot, America's Joan of Arc," for Lev Gleason Publications' Daredevil Comics.[1] After freelance jobs with Timely Comics, Harvey Comics, and Picture Scoop,[1] Borth found a home at Quality Comics, where he was responsible for characters such as Spider Widow and (for a time) Phantom Lady.[5]

Borth served in the military during World War II, ending up in 1946 on Montauk Point, Long Island.[4] It was there that he was inspired to create the sea adventure comic strip Ken Stuart,[4] which was syndicated by the Frank J. Markey Syndicate from September 8, 1947,[6] to 1950.[7] The Markey syndicate also attempted to syndicate Borth's strip Bouford in 1949.[7] Columbia Comics published one issue of a Ken Stuart comic book in 1948.[1]

Following the demise of Ken Stuart, Borth worked on features for a few Ziff-Davis Comics titles, including "Skypilot" and "Captain Fleet."[1]

From the late 1940s onward, Borth worked extensively for the Ohio-based Catholic-oriented comic book publisher George A. Pflaum, whose most well-known title was Treasure Chest. Borth worked on such Treasure Chest features as "Chuck White," "Frumson Wooters," and many others. Beginning in 1963, and lasting until the title's cancellation in 1972, Treasure Chest also serialized a drawing course called "Draw-Along with Frank Borth."[1]

In the mid-to-late 1960s, Borth became active in the Montauk community, eventually becoming councilman on the East Hampton town board in 1968, a position which lasted until 1972.[1]

From 1970 to 1983, Borth wrote the syndicated gag panel There Oughta Be a Law!,[1] taking over from co-creator Harry Shorten.[8]

Despite retiring in 1983, Borth did occasional assignments for Cracked magazine, as well as Asimov's Science Fiction, Amazing Stories, and Monsters Attack, in the following years.[3][1]

Borth died in Newville, Pennsylvania, on August 9, 2009, aged 91.[9]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Frank Borth". lambiek.net. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  2. ^ "United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JB6Q-T44 : accessed 19 Jul 2013), Frank M Borth, 10 August 2009.
  3. ^ a b Jay, Alex. "Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Frank Borth." Stripper's Guide (Oct. 11, 2018).
  4. ^ a b c "New Sea Adventure Strip Will Appear in Times," Tampa Bay Times (Sept. 6, 1947). Archived at Stripper's Guide.
  5. ^ Koolman, Mike; Amash, Jim (2011). The Quality Companion. TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 187–188. ISBN 978-1605490373.
  6. ^ Holtz, Allan. "Obscurity of the Day: Ken Stuart," Stripper's Guide (Oct. 10, 2018).
  7. ^ a b Borth entry, Who's Who of American Comic Book Artists, 1928–1999. Accessed Jan. 5, 2018.
  8. ^ "GREEN SHEET|THROWBACK THURSDAY — COMICS EDITION: 'There Oughta Be a Law!' tapped readers for material," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (May 05, 2016).
  9. ^ Artist Frank Borth III, Of Montauk, Dies At 91

References