Howard Bender

Howard Nicholas Bender (born September 25, 1951)[1] is an American comic book artist best known for his work for DC Comics and Archie Comics.

Howard Bender
Born	Howard Nicholas Bender (1951-09-25) September 25, 1951 Cleveland, Ohio
Nationality	American
Area(s)	Penciller, Inker, Letterer
Notable works	Action Comics "Dial H for Hero"

Biography

Howard Bender was born in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in the Highland Park neighborhood of Pittsburgh.[2] He attended the Art Students League and was a co-founder of the Pittsburgh Comics Club in 1972.[3] After working in the production department at Marvel Comics as a letterer and artist (1974–1980), he held a similar role at DC Comics (1981–1985).[4][5] His Marvel work included adding tones to the black-and-white artwork in Marvel UK's Star Wars Weekly series.[6] At DC Comics, Bender drew one-page introduction features in various mystery titles such as Ghosts, Secrets of Haunted House, The Unexpected, and Weird War Tales.[7] He was the artist on the "Dial H for Hero" backup stories published in The New Adventures of Superboy and drew several Superman stories in Action Comics.[7] His work on a Wildfire story in Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2 #283 (Jan. 1982) was praised by fellow artist Keith Giffen.[8] Bender drew Ghostbusters for First Comics and has worked on various series for Archie Comics.[3] He and writer Craig Boldman created Mr. Fixitt in 1989.[9] Bender collaborated with Jack C. Harris on a Sherlock Holmes comic strip in the 1990s.[10] In addition to comic books, Bender also works as a caricature artist.[11]

Bibliography

AC Comics

• Femforce #7 (1987)

Apple Press

• Blood of Dracula #9 (1989)
• Mr. Fixitt #1–2 (1989–1990)

Archie Comics

• Archie & Friends Double Digest Magazine #12, 30, 33 (2012–2014)
• Archie 1000 Page Comics Jamboree #1 (2013)
• Archie Comics Digest #109, 232, 248, 263 (1991–2015)
• Archie's Funhouse Double Digest #15, 21 (2015–2016)
• Archie's Pals 'n' Gals #212 (1990)
• Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Double Digest Magazine #113, 130 (2007–2009)
• Archie's R/C Racers #2, 4–5 (1989–1990)
• Betty and Veronica Comics Digest Magazine #72 (1995)
• Betty and Veronica Double Digest Magazine #227 (2014)
• Everything's Archie #152 (1990)
• Jughead and Archie Double Digest #6, 12, 15 (2014–2015)
• Jughead with Archie Digest #111 (1992)
• Jughead's Double Digest #54 (1998)
• Life with Archie #284 (1991)
• Mighty Mutanimals #9 (1993)
• World of Archie Double Digest #15, 20, 40–41, 56 (2012–2016)

Comicfix

• The Charlton Arrow #2 (2014)

DC Comics

• Action Comics #557–558, 563–564, 566, 568–570, 572–575 (1984–1986)
• Adventure Comics #490 ("Dial H for Hero"); #497–499, 501–503 (one page each) (1982–1983)
• All-Star Squadron #43 (one page) (1985)
• America vs. the Justice Society #3–4 (1985)
• Ghosts #100–110, 112 (1981–1982)
• House of Mystery #289 (one page) (1981)
• Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2 #283, 291, 295, 300 (1982–1983)
• The New Adventures of Superboy #29–49 ("Dial H for Hero" backup stories) (1982–1984)
• The Saga of the Swamp Thing #5 (Phantom Stranger backup story) (1982)
• Secrets of Haunted House #35–36, 39–46 (1981–1982)
• The Unexpected #210–218 (1981–1982)
• Weird War Tales #99, 101 (1981)
• Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #5–6 (1988)
• Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #2, 5–7, 11–13, 17, 19–20 (1985–1986)
• Young All-Stars #7 (1987)

First Comics

• Ghostbusters #1–3 (1987)
• Grimjack #25 (1986)

Hamilton Comics

• Dread of Night #1 (1991)
• Maggots #2 (1992)

Heroic Publishing

• Mr. Fixitt vol. 2 #1 (1993)

Marvel Comics

• Crazy Magazine #69 (1980)
• Kid Colt, Outlaw #219 (one page) (1977)
• Micronauts: The New Voyages #17, 19 (1986)
• Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #10 (1986)
• Kickers, Inc. #4 (1987)
• Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #7 (1986)
• Savage Sword of Conan #101 (one page) (1984)
• SilverHawks #6 (1988)
• What The--?! #23 (1992)

Now Comics

• Slimer #8 (1989)

Triad Publications

• The Honeymooners #12 (1989)

References

1. Miller, John Jackson (June 10, 2005). "Comics Industry Birthdays". Comics Buyer's Guide. Iola, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on October 30, 2010.
2. Greenfield, Dan (April 4, 2015). "East Coast Comicon Spotlight: Howard Bender and the Batmobile". 13thdimension.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. As an infant from Cleveland, l was told I was placed in a rocket and launched out into outer space to land not far over the Pennsylvania boarder [sic] in Highland Park, Pittsburgh, PA.
3. "Howard Bender". Lambiek Comiclopedia. December 19, 2006. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012.
4. Bails, Jerry (n.d.). "Bender, Howard". Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999. Archived from the original on February 5, 2016.
5. Klein, Todd (August 3, 2016). "The DC Comics Offices 1982–1991 Part 3". Kleinletters.com. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Howard Bender, who came from the Marvel Comics production department, and who did comics art for DC in his spare time. Howard mainly worked on covers.
6. Newbold, Mark (May 13, 2016). "Star Wars in the UK : Blonde Han Solo, Kenny Baker Speaks, and More in Star Wars Weekly #8!". Starwars.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2016. Interesting to note that back in '78 when most UK comics were printed in black and white, there was no need for a colorist, but a toner, in this case Howard Bender who added the light and shade to the artwork of Howard Chaykin and Steve Leialoha.
7. Howard Bender at the Grand Comics Database
8. Cadigan, Glen (2004). "Legion Lowdown: Keith Giffen". The Best of the Legion Outpost. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 131. ISBN 978-1893905368.
9. Voger, Mark (June 25, 1989). "Comics shopping with Howard Bender". Asbury Park Press. Neptune City, New Jersey. p. 149 – via Newspapers.com. Howard Bender...is a freelance illustrator whose latest project, Mr. Fixitt, is a funny, futuristic sci-fi sendup published by Apple Comics...Mr. Fixitt is scripted by Craig Boldman, a crony of Bender's from his DC days in the mid–'80s.
10. Alexander, Antoinette (December 10, 1997). "Cartoonist draws his own reality: Toms River artist creates superheroes". Asbury Park Press. Neptune City, New Jersey. p. 97 – via Newspapers.com. Jack C. Harris, a Toms River freelance writer and owner of Harriscript proprietorship who is collaborating with Bender on a coloring book and a syndicated Sherlock Holmes comic strip that runs overseas.
11. Bender, Howard (n.d.). "Hello, I'm an artist!". Howardbenderart.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016.

External links

• Howard Bender at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
• Howard Bender at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
• Howard Bender at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators

Preceded by Curt Swan	Action Comics artist 1984–1986	Succeeded by Kurt Schaffenberger