Today in Comics History, January 6: Happy birthday, Artie Simek!

Born on this day in 1916: legendary Marvel letterer Artie Simek, who provied the baloons and words for hundreds of Marvel Comics and became one of the great creators of the Silver Age. He lettered and helped design many logos throughout the 1950s and 1960s Marvels, including Fantastic Four, X-Men, Thor, post-#79 Strange Tales, post-#11 Tales to Astonish, and more. (He's also the father of second-generation comics letterer Jean Simek Izzo!)


L: Marvel Tales Annual #1 (Marvel, September 1964)
R: Fantastic Four Annual (1963 series) #7 (Marvel, November 1969)



He wasn't always treated as the Kalligraphy King he was by Marvel's credits!


L: from Journey into Mystery #121 (Marvel, October 1965)
R: from Tales of Suspense #58 (Marvel, October 1964)
(Admittedly, Stan poked gentle fun at everybody, including himself.)

In addition to his simply scintillatin' letterin', Artie also played the spoons! I'm not very good with those myself and I even drop 'em when I'm eating cereal, so you go, Artie!


from "Bullpen Bulletins" in Marvel Comics cover-dated October 1969
If you were a member of the Mighty Marvel Marching Society in the 1960s (and who wasn't?), you could hear the voice of Artie (with the rest o' the Bullpen) on "The Voices of Marvel," a single sent out to the fan club members.



from Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir (Simon & Schuster, January 2019), script by Peter David and Stan Lee, art by Colleen Doran


Artie passed away in 1975 and was fondly remembered by fans and in the pages of Marvel Comics.


from "Bullpen Bulletins" in Marvel Comics cover-dated September 1975
So a very happy birthday, Artie Simek. It's really not a party unless you're there, too.


from "The Wedding of Spidey-Man, Or...With This Ring, I Thee Web" in Not Brand Echh #6 (Marvel, February 1968); script by Gary Friedrich; pencils and inks (and colors?) by Marie Severin, letters by Al Kurzrok