Frank Thorne – RIP
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It is being reported that Frank Thorne has passed away.
Benjamin Franklin (Frank) Thorne
June 16, 1930 – March 7, 2021
Social media is reporting that cartoonist Frank Thorne has died
and Marilyn, his wife of 70 years, joined him only a few hours later.
Mark Evanier relates some highlights of Frank’s career.
Frank’s big break came early in his career when, as a young man, he was assigned to take over the King Features distributed Perry Mason newspaper comic strip in late 1951.
As Mark Evanier said he spent most of the 1950’s and 1960s drawing Dell and Gold Key comic books. The middle part of that was interrupted when he returned to newspaper comics with the Dr. Guy Bennett strip, which would morph into Dr. Duncan, during the years 1957 – 1963.
Not long after Frank ghosted a week of Mandrake the Magician for Fred Fredericks in 1966 he found steady work with DC Comics.
Then he took over the art chores on Marvel’s Red Sonja comic book and his career path was set.
That direction was specializing in erotic comic book fantasy. Danger Rangerette (for National Lampoon), Ghita of Alizarr, Moonshine McJuggs (for Playboy), and others would make Frank a fan favorite and keep him busy for the rest of his life. (A hardcover Ghita collection was released this month.)
Comic Book Resources gives a fuller account of Frank’s latter comic book career.
A selection of Frank’s Perry Mason and Guy Bennett strips can be read at Ger Apeldoorn’s place. Frank’s Korak double-spread splash pages can be viewed courtesy of Ol’ Groove.
Jerry Bails’ Who’s Who lists the gigs Frank had during his 20th Century career.
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