Number 2064: Hoka Hei! American Eagle by John Severin

The late John Severin (1921-2012) was such a prolific comic artist it would be a full time job just collecting his work in comics. He was also a true professional. His editors must have loved him. He did a great job with solid drawing and inking.

I had not seen Severin’s work on American Eagle for Prize Comics Western before I saw scans online. I love his collaboration with Will (then Bill) Elder. As has been noted many times about Severin, he had a love for period costuming and different eras. The Grand Comics Database doesn’t give credit for the script of “Follow the Eagle,” from Prize Comics Western #95 (1952), but it is likely written by Severin’s friend, Colin Dawkins. Dawkins’ career was in advertising. He rose to vice president with the prestigious J. Walter Thompson agency.

The villain of the story is “Black Jack Powers.” An inside joke. Severin’s full name is John Powers Severin. Did Severin draw himself as Black Jack? I’ll leave it to others who knew him, but Black Jack looks like caricatures I’ve seen of him.

A 2011 posting of mine: Severin at Atlas doing Kurtzman-style war stories. Just click on the thumbnail.

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