15 Facts About Johnny Craig

Johnny Craig sometimes used the pseudonyms Jay Taycee and FC Aljohn.

Between 1943 and 1945, Johnny Craig served in the Merchant Marines and the US Army.

Wally Wood once said Johnny Craig drew "the cleanest horror stories you ever saw".

In being a writer as well as an artist, Johnny Craig differed from the majority of EC artists.

Johnny Craig was responsible for the stories hosted by the Vault-Keeper, and he drew that horror host in the framing sequences of stories by other EC illustrators.

Johnny Craig eventually concentrated on The Vault of Horror and Crime SuspenStories, doing the lead story in each of these bimonthly titles.

Johnny Craig became the editor of The Vault of Horror early in 1954, giving up his work for Crime SuspenStories at that time.

Ironically, Johnny Craig was one of the more wholesome EC artists, frequently choosing to show the reactions of characters rather than the horrific event itself.

Johnny Craig was a meticulous craftsman and not a fast worker, but his stories are regarded as some of the best ever in comics.

Johnny Craig's art was relatively low-key and restrained, effectively staged and featured impeccable draftsmanship.

Johnny Craig returned to comics in the 1960s with art for ACG's Unknown Worlds and other titles.

Johnny Craig's resurfacing prompted Warren Publishing editor Archie Goodwin to have Craig draw for Warren's magazines from 1966 to 1968, during which time Craig used the pseudonym Jay Taycee, a phonetic pronunciation of his four initials.

Johnny Craig handed the job in weeks late, whereupon his art was deemed too subdued, even for the relatively staid DC super-hero comics of the time.

Johnny Craig's last known residences were Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, and Shiremanstown, Pennsylvania.

Johnny Craig was posthumously inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame on July 15,2005, at San Diego Comic-Con.