14 Facts About Joe Maneely

1.

Joseph Maneely was an American comic book artist best known for his work at Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics, where he co-created the Marvel characters the Black Knight, the Ringo Kid, the Yellow Claw, and Jimmy Woo.

2.

Joe Maneely worked at Atlas with Steve Ditko and John Romita, Sr.

3.

Joe Maneely could draw anything, make anything look exciting, and I actually think he was even faster than Jack.

4.

Joe Maneely, born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was one of at least five children born to a poor couple, Robert and Gertrude Maneely.

5.

Joe Maneely attended Ascension BVM Elementary School and Northeast Catholic High School; at the latter, he created a school mascot, the Red Falcon, that starred in a comic strip in the school newspaper.

6.

Bill, Joe Maneely trained at the Hussian School of Art in Philadelphia.

7.

Joe Maneely entered the professional realm in the advertising art department of the Philadelphia Bulletin newspaper.

8.

Joe Maneely then found work at publisher Martin Goodman's Marvel Comics predecessor, Timely Comics, as it was transitioning to its 1950s incarnation as Atlas Comics.

9.

Joe Maneely soon hit his stride at Atlas, for which he freelanced before going on staff "in about 1955".

10.

Joe Maneely continued to work with Lee on the Chicago Sun-Times-syndicated comic strip Mrs Lyons' Cubs, which debuted in newspapers February 10,1958.

11.

Joe Maneely, additionally, drew a four-page comic about Social Security for the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, "John's First Job", and another for the same agency, "A Farm and a Family".

12.

Joe Maneely did not have his glasses with him, and was killed when he accidentally fell between the cars of a moving commuter train on his way home to New Jersey.

13.

Joe Maneely [told] me that he'd been in the city the week before and had lost his glasses.

14.

In 1947, following his discharge from the US Navy, Joe Maneely married his childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth "Betty Jean" Kane.