Jack Burnley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cover of World's Fair Comics #2, illustrated by Jack Burnley

Jack Burnley (1911 - December 19, 2006) was the pen name of Hardin Burnley, an American comic book artist and illustrator. Burnley was the first artist, after co-creator Joe Shuster, to draw Superman.

Burnley began his career in newspapers, providing cartoons for the sports section (including work for Damon Runyon) and illustrations for advertising. In 1940 Burnley was hired by DC Comics to provide the cover illustration for World's Fair Comics #2; the cover portrayed Superman with Batman and Robin, the first time the trio had ever appeared together in print.^[1] Burnely went on to provide uncredited artwork for Action Comics until 1947. The version of Superman he created was noted for its carefully drawn musculature, which set the style of superheroes for years to come.

Burnley, with writer Gardner Fox, created Starman, which first appeared in Adventure Comics (April 1941). For a brief time in 1944, Burnley was the uncredited penciler on both the Batman and Superman Sunday comic strips.^[2]. Burnley left the comic book field in 1947 and returned to newspapers. He worked for the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph for four years, then for the San Francisco News until his retirement in 1976.

Burnley and his wife, former cabaret dancer Delores Ferris relocated to Charlottesville, Virginia in 1981. Delores died at Heritage Hall in 2003 after surgery following a fall that broke her hip. Burnley died on December 19, 2006 at the Heritage Hall senior facility in Charlottesville, following a fall that broke his hip.