Alex Lukeman

Wallace Allan Wood (1927–1981) was a highly influential American comic book artist, writer, and publisher, celebrated for his extensive work across numerous genres and companies. He gained significant recognition for his contributions to EC Comics, including titles like Weird Science and Weird Fantasy, and was a foundational artist for MAD Magazine from its inception. Wood also created memorable artwork for Warren Publishing's Creepy and Tower Comics' T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and even contributed to early issues of Marvel's Daredevil, establishing the character's iconic costume.

Beyond his comic book contributions, Wood was a versatile illustrator, undertaking projects for magazines, advertising, book covers, posters, and trading cards, notably the Mars Attacks set. He also wrote and self-published parts of his ambitious graphic novel series, The Wizard King. Despite facing personal struggles, Wood's artistic brilliance was widely acknowledged, leading to his posthumous induction into both the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame and the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame.

Born in Minnesota in 1927, Wallace Wood displayed an early passion for drawing comics, influenced by the styles of Alex Raymond, Milton Caniff, Hal Foster, Will Eisner, and Roy Crane. After serving in the U.S. Merchant Marine and Army, Wood moved to New York City, pursuing art education and networking within the industry. He began his professional career in 1948, initially lettering and then drawing romance comics for Fox Features Syndicate. His early work also included backgrounds for Will Eisner's The Spirit and assisting George Wunder on the Terry and the Pirates strip. By 1950, Wood was producing science-fiction and other genre artwork for EC Comics and Avon, collaborating with artists like Joe Orlando.

Wood played a crucial role in EC Comics' success, particularly in their science-fiction line, convincing publisher William Gaines to launch Weird Science and Weird Fantasy. He contributed dozens of science-fiction stories to these titles, as well as to war and horror comics like Two-Fisted Tales and Tales from the Crypt. Wood was also a key artist for Harvey Kurtzman's satirical humor work, contributing to the early issues of MAD Magazine from its 1952 debut until 1964. His art for EC often explored themes of societal commentary and fantastical scenarios, reflecting the era's burgeoning interest in speculative fiction and satire.

Throughout his career, Wood's artistic output was remarkably diverse. He illustrated for numerous comic book companies, including Marvel, DC, and Warren Publishing, contributing to titles like Creepy and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. His work extended beyond comics to illustrating for magazines such as Galaxy Science Fiction, creating gag cartoons, and designing book covers and advertising materials. Wood also developed original characters and owned intellectual property, such as Sally Forth and Cannon. He created and self-published portions of his ambitious graphic novel series, The Wizard King, before his death by suicide in 1981. His legacy is cemented by his induction into multiple comic industry halls of fame.

“Wally may have been our most troubled artist ... I'm not suggesting any connection, but he may have been our most brilliant”

“The first professional job was lettering for Fox romance comics in 1948. This lasted about a year. I also started doing backgrounds, then inking. Most of it was the romance stuff. For complete pages, it was $5 a page ... Twice a week, I would ink ten pages in one day”

“about $30 a week for lettering and backgrounds on The Spirit. Sometimes he paid $40 when I did the drawings, too”