Frank Doyle (writer)

Frank Doyle (November 17, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York - April 3, 1996 in New Port Richey, Florida)[1] was the head writer for Archie Comics for over thirty years. He wrote over 10,000 stories featuring the Archie characters.[2] Artist Dan DeCarlo referred to Doyle as "the best".[3]

Frank Doyle
Born(1917-11-17)November 17, 1917
Brooklyn, New York
DiedApril 3, 1996(1996-04-03) (aged 78)
New Port Richey, Florida
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Writer
Notable works
Archie Comics
AwardsBill Finger Award

Doyle, one of several Archie contributors who studied art at the Pratt Institute, was originally a penciller for Fiction House comics, working on such titles as Planet Stories.[4] After he was let go from Fiction House, he decided that he was better suited to writing stories: "It was easier," he said. "My mind worked better that way." [4] In 1951 he joined Archie Comics as a writer. Though he no longer drew stories himself, he continued to write in storyboard form, using a desk that used to belong to Fiction House artist Fran Hopper.[4]

By the end of the '50s, Doyle was writing the majority of stories for such important Archie titles as Archie and Betty and Veronica;[5] DeCarlo said that when he joined Archie Comics, most of the scripts he was given were written by Doyle.[3] In the mid-'60s, he also began writing many of the stories for adventure-themed titles like Life With Archie; he wrote all the stories featuring the Archie characters' superhero alter-egoes such as Pureheart the Powerful.[6]

According to DeCarlo, Doyle did "all the writing" for the early issues of She's Josie.[7] Though he did not write the issue where the title was retooled into Josie and the Pussycats, he returned to the title soon after, writing many of the Pussycats-era stories.[5] Doyle wrote the first issue of the Archie title That Wilkin Boy,[8] and wrote the debut stories for several Archie supporting characters, including the first appearance of Cheryl Blossom.[9]

Starting in the late '80s, Doyle became less prolific, but continued to write Archie stories every month until his death. His last story, "Cry Me a River," appeared in Betty and Veronica #104 (October 1996) after his death, with art by DeCarlo.[10] Archie editor Victor Gorelick called him "just a tremendous writer" who was "responsible for so many things that people don't know about," while Kurt Busiek said that Doyle was "one of the best writers comics ever had." [10]

Doyle was the 2012 recipient of the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing.[11]

References
  1. Social Security Death Index
  2. "Lambiek.net's entry on Doyle". Lambiek.net. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  3. "Interview with DeCarlo at Finn Factory". Finnfactory.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  4. Duin, Steve and Richardson, Mike. Comics: Between the Panels. Dark Horse Comics, 1998. ISBN 1-56971-344-8, p. 137
  5. Frank Doyle at the Grand Comics Database
  6. "Dial B for Blog". Dial B for Blog. 2006-03-22. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  7. "Interview: Dan DeCarlo: Archie, Josie and Dan". The-trades.com. 2002-01-01. Archived from the original on 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  8. Smith, Mary. The Best of Betty and Veronica summer fun. Holliston, MA (185 Ashland St., Holliston 01746). M. Smith, 1991.
  9. "Credits for Betty and Veronica Issue # 320". Comics.org. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  10. <Clendening, Roger. "Archie Comic Strip Writer Dies in Pasco." St. Petersburg Times, April 5, 1996.
  11. "Frank Doyle, Steve Skeates to Receive Bill Finger Award at 2012 Eisner Awards". www.cbr.com. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
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