Fran Matera b. December 9, 1924 – a Centennial Anniversary
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Following Jack Davis and Sam Glanzman we have the centennial anniversary of Fran Matera. Unlike the other two Fran spent most of his comic career on the newspaper pages drawing a number of comic strips from 1946 to 2004.
Beginning with comic books in 1941 WWII interrupted his career. Returning to civilian life in 1946 he found employment assisting Alfred Andriola on the Kerry Drake comic strip. In 1948 he left Andriola for the opportunity to draw the Dickie Dare comic strip from 1948 to 1949.
His Dickie Dare gig was followed by drawing the Mr. Holiday strip from 1950 to 1951.
After that he helped Darrell McClure for a short stint ghosting Little Annie Rooney in 1951 (some say 1955).
He then entered a period where comic books was his source of income. He did return to the comics page in 1957 for over a month illustrating the Nero Wolfe comic strip. Weeks 1 & 2; weeks 3 & 4; weeks 5 & 6; and as a bonus Davy Crockett gives us Matera’s Sunday Nero Wolfe adventure.
In the late 1950s until the early 1970s his main comics work was with the Treasure Chest comic books.
Perhaps Fran’s strangest comic strip gig was drawing Galexo. The Ledger Syndicate was responsible for this comic strip that spun off the 1966-1972 Batman comic strip.
Fran’s other 1970s syndicated work included ghosting some continuity strips: Judge Parker, Apartment 3-G, and Rex Morgan, M.D. (1975-1978).
While continuing to submit strips to the syndicates he kept his art in newspapers by contributing Salty to the Cartoon Factory Ltd. weekly comics page from 1981 to 1982.
That was followed by his return to daily comic strips on a regular basis.
First with The Legend of Bruce Lee in 1982.
And Can You Solve The Mystery? from 1984 to 1985.
Finally Fran got a steady job when he took over the art chores on Steve Roper and Mike Nomad in 1985.
That assignment last until 20 years until Steve Roper and Fran Matera, at age 80, retired in 2004.
During the newspaper syndicate fallow years Fran never stopped submitting strips or applying to ongoing strips. From Heritage Auctions comes samples of Young Ray Bold; Hairbreadth Harry; Dolly (Parton); and Brenda Starr.
and probably many more yet uncovered.
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