Monday, March 31, 2025

Comics: Zena Brody, Assistant Editor and Editor

1948
 
Zena Brody was born Zina Carol Friedland on March 10, 1928 in Brooklyn, New York. The birth information is from the New York, New York Birth Index at Ancestry.com. Her middle name was printed in university publications. In this profile she will be referred to as Brody.

The 1930 United States Census counted Brody (line 67) as the only child of Sam Friedland, a fur salesman, and Betty Rosen who married on April 2, 1927 in Manhattan, New York City. Both were Russian immigrants. The family lived in Brooklyn at 3094 Darby Street.


In the 1940 census, Brody (line 56), her parents and sister, Gloria, were Brooklyn residents at 219 Brightwater Court. Brody was a student at David A Boody Junior High School in Brooklyn. The school’s yearbook, The Beacon, June 1940, said “Zina Friedland” was an honor roll student with perfect attendance. The name of Brody’s high school is not known.


Brody attended the University of Michigan starting in 1945. Her first name changed from Zina to Zena. The 1947 Ensian yearbook published a photograph of her in the Dance Club. Brody graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Brody returned to New York City and enrolled at Columbia University where, in 1949, she wrote her masters’ essay, “Social Protest in the Poetry of Archibald MacLeish”.

According to the 1950 census, Brody (line 8) lived with her parents at the same place in Brooklyn. Her occupation was assistant magazine editor. In 1949 she earned $1,650 working 26 weeks. Evidently Brody started, in mid-1949, at DC Comics and assisted Whitney Ellsworth who was editor of the romance titles.


In Alter Ego #26, July 2003, Irwin Donenfeld and Julius Schwartz were interviewed by Mark Evanier and Robert Beerbohm. On the subject of romance comics, Schwartz recalled DC’s first romance title, Romance Trail, whose first issue was cover dated July-August 1949. It sold well. Donenfeld said he hired Brody to develop more romance titles. The next three were Girls’ Love Stories #1, August-September 1949; Secret Hearts #1, September-October 1949; and Girls’ Romances #1, February-March 1950. These titles listed Whitney Ellsworth as the editor in the indicia. Brody eventually became editor.

Brody’s engagement was announced in The Michigan Alumnus, May 12, 1951.
Zena Friedland, ’48, an editor for National Publications in New York, is engaged to Eugene Brody, ’47, A.M. ’48, who is studying at Long Island University Medical School. They plan to be married in June.
Eugene Albert Brody was born on April 19, 1927 in Brooklyn. The couple obtained a marriage license in Manhattan on June 19, 1951. The wedding was on June 24, 1951.

The 1956 Manhattan voter register listed Brody, a housewife, as a Democrat at 19 East 98th Street. In the previous year, according to the register, she was a housewife in Brooklyn at 100 Lefferts Avenue. On his blog, Todd Klein said Brody gave birth to her first child in 1955. Her children were Robert, Ellen and Paul. In 2013 The New York Times, published a story about Robert by his wife Karen.
 
Brody may have resigned from DC in 1954 or 1955. Before leaving she may have started Falling in Love (first issue dated September-October 1955) which would have been her fourth title. Her position was filled by other women.

In 1964 Brody and Ruth Lembeck wrote and copyrighted their musical comedy, Call Me Mother. Four years later Lembeck thanked Brody in 380 Part-Time Jobs for Women. In her 1973 book, Job Ideas for Today’s Woman, Lembeck wrote
To the Memory of Zena Brody who was with me this time around, too.
Brody passed away on July 12, 1971 according to the New York State Death Index at Ancestry.com. The same date was published in The Michigan Alumnus, April 1973. I believe Find a Grave had the wrong month, June 12, 1971. Brody was laid to rest at Mount Lebanon Cemetery. 
 
Brody’s father passed away on September 28, 1983; her mother on November 19, 1996; and her husband on June 27, 2012.
 
 
Further Reading
TwoMorrows, in Alter Ego, John Romita mentioned working with Zena Brody

 
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Monday, March 24, 2025

Comics: A Few Details About Phyllis Muchow, Writer and Artist

March is Women’s History Month.

Phyllis Lillian Muchow was born on September 22, 1918 in Evanston, Illinois according to a family tree at Ancestry.com.

The 1920 United States Census counted Muchow, her parents, William and Lillian, and older brother, William, in Evanston at 1011 Grove Street. Her father was a dentist.

In the 1930 census the Muchows resided in Evanston at 1316 Davis Street. Muchow had two younger brothers, Gordon and John. Her father was a president in the mining industry. Muchow was mentioned in Uncle Mame: The Life of Patrick Dennis (2000). Patrick Dennis, a friend of Gordon, nicknamed her Cindy for Cinderella.

On June 17, 1932 Muchow graduated Nichols Intermediate School (reported in the Evanston Review, June 2, 1932). Four years later she was an Evanston Township High School graduate (below).

Senior yearbook
 
Muchow was a freshman at Northwestern University. The Daily Northwestern, May 4, 1937, published her answer to the question, What is, in your opinion, the greatest need of the University?
Phyllis Muchow, Freshman, LA—“I think Northwestern needs a campus eating-place. Three blocks is too far to go for a coke or a sandwich between classes, and it is usually then that we feel the need for new energy.”
At some point Muchow transferred to the National College of Education where she graduated in 1940. The class prophecy said “Muchow will be a veterinary.”


According to the 1940 census Muchow lived with her parents and siblings at the same address in Evanston.

In the early 1940s Muchow moved to New York City. Trina Robbins’ Pretty in Ink (2013) published a photograph of her, holding the September 1942 Esquire, at Coney Island.

Muchow was an editorial associate at Coronet magazine. Her name appeared in the staff box from December 1943 to August 1945. One of the editors was Bernard Geis. The managing editor was Arnold Gingrich who was a co-founder of Esquire magazine.

From June to December 1946 Muchow produced Taffy for Timely’s Miss America magazine. Her artwork can be viewed in the following issues: June, August (below), September, November and December. A checklist of Muchow’s Taffy is at the Grand Comics Database. Muchow’s Taffy was mentioned in Trina Robbins’ A Century of Women Cartoonists (1993).

 
Muchow returned to Evanston and was listed in the 1948 city directory. Her occupation was editor in Chicago.

Muchow was counted in her father’s household in the 1950 census. The Muchows lived at the same Evanston address. Muchow was a journalist at a publishing company.

At some point Muchow returned to New York. Her contributions to Esquire have not been cataloged.

On February 2, 1957 Muchow and Bruce Williamson married in Greenwich, Connecticut.

The following year they sailed to England and arrived on August 2, 1958. They planned to visit for twelve days.

Around 1960 Muchow’s daughter, Stephanie, was born. Stephanie wrote about her mother in the 2018 post, Supplies at Hand.

Muchow’s former husband passed away on October 6, 1998.

On June 17, 2013 Muchow passed away in Alameda, California. Her obituary appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Phyllis Williamson passed away peacefully in Alameda on June 17, 2013. She was born Phyllis Muchow in Evanston, Illinois. After graduating from Northwestern University, she worked as a writer and editor for many publications including Esquire, Time, and Forbes until her retirement at age 81. Phyllis lived in Greenwich Village from the late 1940’s until 2009. She had many fascinating stories to tell. She is survived by her daughter Stephanie (Joseph McGuire), grandsons Henry and Ethan, brothers Gordon and Johnny, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her former husband, film critic Bruce Williamson, parents William and Lillian Muchow, and brother Ralph Muchow.

Phyllis was a passionate devotee of art, history and culture, who loved collecting rocks and shells on the beaches of Montauk and Nantucket Island. A private family memorial will be held at a future date in Nantucket, MA.

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Monday, March 17, 2025

Comics: A Few Details About Ada Levy, Unknown Editorial Assistant and Writer at Timely Comics

March is Women’s History Month.


Ada Levy was born on March 19, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York, according to the New York, New York Birth Index at Ancestry.com. She was almost one-month-old in the 1930 United States Census (line 16). Her parents were Phillip and Matilda, both Russian immigrants. Also living with them were Levy’s maternal grandfather and uncle. They resided in Brooklyn at 784 Troy Avenue. 


The 1940 census counted Levy (line 8), her parents, brother Kenneth and grandfather in Brooklyn at 302 East 46 Street. Her father was a salesman of beauty supplies. 


Levy’s engagement was reported in the Brooklyn Eagle, January 9, 1949. 
Ada G. Levy Engaged to Student
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Francis Levy of 2515 Glenwood Road announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Ada G. Levy, to Marvin Ira Glauberman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Glauberman of 861 E. 24th St.

Miss Levy is a sophomore at New York University. She is a member of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority. Mr. Glauberman is a senior at the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. He is a member of Pi Lambdi Phi fraternity.
According to the 1950 census, the Levy family (lines 14–18) lived in Brooklyn at 2515 Glenwood Road. 


On January 19, 1951 Levy and her fiancé obtained Brooklyn marriage license number 1230. On February 4, 1951, the newlyweds returned from Bermuda according to a passenger list (lines 11 and 12) at Ancestry.com. 


The Bayside Times, September 20, 1951, published a short story by Levy, now Mrs. Glauberman, and said
Mrs. Ada Glauberman of 188-02 64th avenue moved here from Brooklyn eight months ago. She took her Bachelor of Arts degree in English at New York University and taught at Madison High School, Manhattan. She was an editorial assistant for the magazine Management and for Timely Comics. She has traveled in the United States and has written short stories and comic books, as well as other fiction. She has been married one year.

Levy is not listed at Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 or the Grand Comics Database. Additional information about her has not been found. 


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Monday, March 10, 2025

Creator: Laura E. Foster, Illustrator and Cartoonist

March is Women’s History Month.
 
Success, December 1908

Laura Elizabeth Foster was born on April 12, 1871 in San Francisco, California according to Edan Hughes’ Artists in California, 1786–1940 and Find a Grave. However, one-year-old Foster was counted in the 1870 United States Census on line 39. Her birth year was 1869. Foster’s parents were architect Charles Henry Foster and Mary O’Brien. Jacob was the middle of George, her older brother.


The 1880 census counted Foster (line 3), her parents and three siblings, George, Kate and Charles, on Fine Street in Alameda, California. (Her father was on line 50 of the previous sheet.)


The start of Foster’s art training is not known. She studied with Hugo Wilhelm Arthur Nahl who lived in Alameda. Foster was sixteen years old when her talent was recognized at the 1885 Industrial Exhibition of the Mechanics’ Institute in San Francisco. She was represented by two pieces of art.

 
The Alameda Encinal (California), May 17, 1889, said
M. G. Armstrong, of the Alameda Market, has a life-size crayon picture of his terrier Fido, better known on Park street as “Hoodlum,” drawn by Miss Laura Foster. It is so life-like that when the original saw it he did his best to strike up an acquaintance, and finally became so demonstrative that it had to be put out of his reach.
The Alameda Encinal, September 27, 1889, said Foster’s drawing, “Marguerite in Church”, was exhibited at the Mechanics’ Fair. Also noted was her late art instructor, Arthur Nahl.

 
In the first half of 1890 Foster advertised in the Alameda Encinal. The last advertisement appeared June 20.


Husted’s Oakland, Alameda and Berkeley Directory 1892–93 listed Foster, an artist, at 2319 Santa Clara Avenue in Alameda.

Foster was a capable calligrapher as reported in the Alameda Encinal, March 10, 1894.
At the last meeting of Thompson Hose Company ex-Foreman Tom Hanson was presented with a beautifully engrossed copy of a set of resolutions setting forth in terms of praise the recipient’s services in behalf of the company while in office. The engrossing was done by Miss Laura Foster of this city.
The Alameda Encinal, September 6, 1894, said Foster was swindled.

Foster’s association with the publication, The Wasp, began in 1895. She signed her work one of four ways: LEF, L. E. Foster, Laura E. Foster, and Foster.
 
 
(mentioned in Alameda Encinal, March 9, 1895)

 

In April 1895 Foster was admitted in the Students’ Art League.

For four months Foster did not appear in The Wasp. She was probably busy producing illustrations for the Chambliss Diary or, Society as It Really Is which was published in August. Advertisements for Chambliss Diary appeared in the San Francisco Call, August 18, 1895, August 25, 1895, and September 1, 1895. 

Foster participated in the first Alameda Art League exhibition as reported in the San Francisco Call, November 20, 1896.

After a two months rest, Foster resumed work for The Wasp.
 
By 1898 Foster was employed at San Francisco Bulletin. The 1898 Crocker-Langley San Francisco Directory said she resided at 818 Powell Street. Her address in the 1899 directory was 513 Stockton Street.

Foster had the same address in 1900 census (line 67). She was the head of the household which included her mother, sister and a lodger. Foster’s occupation was newspaper artist. The census said her birth was April 1871 which was inaccurate. Foster’s parents had divorced. Her father and older brother resided in Alameda.  


Foster’s illustration was published in Camera Craft, December 1901

The San Francisco Blue Book listed newspapers. Foster was at the San Francisco Bulletin in 1902 and 1904. 

In September 1902 Foster and TAD spoke at the Alameda Press Club. Foster socialized with many artists. The San Francisco Call, December 21, 1902, said

Several local artists were the guests of Haig Patigian at an informal jinks held at his studio, 131 Post street, on Tuesday evening. All made merry until a late hour. Those present were Misses Florence Rice, Laura Foster, Donna Fulton, Kate Foster, Juanita Shepherd and Marie Feiling; Messrs. Harris Lowell, Otis Reese, T. A. Dorgan, R. O. Yardley, H. G. Peter [first Wonder Woman artist] and Haig Patgian.

The Oakland Tribune, February 16, 1903, said

Miss Laura Foster, the artist, a former resident of this city, has been ill with the grip [aka flu] at her home in San Francisco.
The San Francisco Call, July 2, 1903 and The Argonaut, July 13, 1903, reported the newspaper and magazine artists exhibition at the Palace Hotel. The show was also mentioned in California Ladies’ Magazine, August 1903. 

The Los Angeles Times, October 21, 1903, said

Laura Foster, a San Francisco newspaper artist, exhibited a pen-and-ink sketch in the collection of portraits by newspaper artists which was lately on display in San Francisco, that attracted very general attention. It was entitled “On the Crest of the Sunset Sea,” and was a sketch of a woman’s nude body buffeted by the waves.

Town Talk, October 17, 1903, reviewed the Newspaper Artists exhibition and said

Laura Foster shows the touch of genius in her pen-and-ink sketch, “On the Crest of the Sunset Sea,” a woman’s nude body buffeted by the waves.

Camera Craft, November 1903, said

Laura E. Foster, of the Bulletin, showed thirty pictures. The best of these were the dainty pen and ink drawings. “At the Governor’s Inaugural Ball” was a splendid piece of drawing. “A Belle from the Coast” showed a strong grasp of character.

Foster contributed to Sunset magazine here and here.

Foster was in the 1904 exhibition.

The Alameda Encinal, August 26, 1905, reported Foster’s upcoming trip to the East Coast. 

Miss Laura Foster, sister of Geo. J. Foster, of this city, and well known as an artist on the Bulletin, is to depart soon for an extended trip to the eastern states. She will go to New York, Boston and other cities, and later visit her father’s relatives in Deleware [sic].

Foster’s home was damaged in the April 1906 earthquake and fire. Her dealing with the insurance company was reported in the San Francisco Call, July 24, 1906. 

Forces Sixty-Cent Payment.
Miss Laura Foster, the artist, who carried a policy on household property in the German Freeport Company, says that she was forced to accept sixty cents on the dollar, and in order to obtain this settlement was required to sign a statement to the effect that she had been paid in full and was satisfied with what she received. While the German Freeport has been paying its policy-holders but sixty cents and less on the dollar in this city the corporation has been advertising throughout the South and East that it is settling its San Francisco liabilities in full and paying dollar for dollar.

 Foster’s plan to go east was reported in Town Talk, February 23, 1907.

... The other two artists who are to abandon the local field are Miss Laura Foster and Miss Donna Fulton. These two clever women left the Bulletin when the Sunday Supp was dropped recently and immediately began laying plans for an advance on the artistic center of America. They will leave on the first of April with a sheaf of letters calculated to open the mystic sancta of the big magazine editors. ...
The Oakland Tribune, April 26, 1907, said
Miss Laura Foster, a prominent newspaper artist, is to leave the first of next month for New York.
The Oakland Tribune, June 20, 1907, said
Miss Laura Foster, the well-known newspaper artist, is now in New York. She writes of her arrival and states that she has found congenial employment on one of the papers.
Western Woman, July 20, 1907, said
Laura Foster, who used to do some clever work on the Bulletin, is now working for Munsey’s, drawing down a fine salary, and mightily pleased with herself and the whole happy world.
The Wasp, October 12, 1907, reported the San Francisco artists and writers in New York.
... The most recent arrivals are Miss Laura Foster and Miss Fulton, both formerly of the Bulletin staff. They have taken a joint studio in the Brynn Mawr apartments and are swamped with orders for drawings. Miss Foster has accepted a staff position with Munsey and is a contributor to several publications. She has just completed a set of illustrations for the October number of the Scrap Book. Miss Fulton is doing fashions for both The Delineator and The Ladies’ Home Journal.
The San Francisco Chronicle, November 16, 1907, said
Californians Gather at Table in New York
New York, November 11.—At the dinner at the Everett House last Friday night, which was arranged by the California Promotion Committee’s New York bureau, more than fifty Californians were present….

… Miss Laura E. Foster of San Francisco is one of the numerous magazine and newspaper illustrators from California now domiciled in New York.
The San Francisco Call, March 6, 1908, said
Girl Artists Do Well in New York
Miss Laura Foster, who was well known here as an illustrator, writes to a friend that she is doing extremely well in New York, where she shares a studio with Miss Donna Fulton, who also was a San Francisco newspaper artist, and who is now on a New York fashion magazine. Miss Foster writes that she is getting plenty of work on the illustrated papers and magazines, and was offered a permanent position recently with one of the latter. The salary was tempting, but the independent life of the free lance was more tempting, especially where just as much money can be made. She tells of a visit she made to a well known New York weekly.

“The editor,” she says, “looked over my drawings and expressed appreciation. ‘Then,’ I said, ‘I suppose you will be able to let me have a story to illustrate.’ ‘Why, my dear Miss Foster,’ he said, ‘we couldn’t think of giving out work to anybody that hadn’t a reputation.’ So I see that I’ll have to get a ‘rep’ before I will be able to get my signature into that particular weekly. It may be a good plan for the weekly, but it’s tough on poor unknown artists.”
The San Francisco Call, August 16, 1908, said

Artist Returns for Brief Visit
Justifies Friends by Work in East
Miss Laura E. Foster Finds Great Demands for Her Sketches in New York

Miss Laura E. Foster has returned here for a brief visit with her relatives before going back to New York for permanent residence. Miss Foster is one of the San Francisco newspaper artists who were “earthquaked” into the big metropolis. Before that eventful 18th of April, 1906, Miss Foster worried her friends with her comfortable, unambitious view of life. At a dinner given by Charles Victor Miller, the picturesque materialist and friend of Calve, at his Bush street home one night, in honor of the Chinese consul and his suite, Miss Foster was one of the guests. Reference was made to a splendid sketch of hers shown at the newspaper artists’ exhibition at the Palace hotel.

“Why don’t you go to New York and become famous instead of hiding your light out here in the west?” she was asked.

“But why? To what good?” queried Miss Foster. “I’m perfectly contented here. New York has no attractions for me. You see, I have a lovely home, good things to eat and payday every week.”

The upheaval having lessened San Francisco’s fascinations, however, Miss Foster followed the eastern trend, gained recognition by her illustrations for James L. Ford’s article, “The Girl Who Comes to New York,” in Success, and after that found an ever increasing quantity of work waiting for her.

But she still loves San Francisco and is glad to spend her vacation here.
On September 24, 1908 Foster and Donald Cameron Monroe obtained marriage license number 20936 in Manhattan. They were married five days later. It was his second marriage. At the time Foster resided at 420 West 121st Street.


Editor & Publisher, October 3, 1908, said
Miss Laura E. Foster, well-known magazine illustrator from California, formerly of the staff of the San Francisco Bulletin, who joined the New York artist colony some time ago, was married last Tuesday evening at St. Andrew’s church, New York, to Donald C. Monroe, well-known mining broker of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Monroe will live at 547 West 123rd street, New York.
The Daily Leader (Bluefield, West Virginia), October 6, 1908 and News-Democrat (Providence, Rhode Island), October 28, 1908, published the photograph below.


The Wasp, October 10, 1908, said
Laura Foster Married.
Miss Laura E. Foster, a former San Francisco artist, and Donald C. Monroe, a New York mining stock broker, were married in the Little Church Around the Corner recently. Miss Foster is one of the San Francisco artists that were earthquaked into New York after the disaster of April, 18, 1906. It was soon after coming to New York that Miss Foster met Mr. Monroe, who at once became a suitor. However, it was not until a few weeks ago, after her vacation spent in San Francisco, that she consented to be married. Miss Foster’s success as an artist in New York has been little short of phenomenal. She had not much more than unpacked her belongings in the metropolis until she found work to do. Her first assignment was to illustrate James L. Lord’s article, “The Girl Who Comes to New York,” in Success. This brought more orders. Miss Foster has been busy ever since. In San Francisco she was a member of the art staff of the Bulletin. Mr. Monroe is a wealthy bachelor, who has long since been considered proof against matrimony. The couple have dispensed with a wedding trip, and have taken a lovely apartment on One Hundred and Twenty-third street.
The San Francisco Call, October 14, 1908, said
California Artist Is Married in New York
Miss Laura Foster, Well Known Illustrator, Weds Mining Broker
Alameda, Oct. 13.—Cards have been received here from New York by relatives and friends announcing the marriage of Miss Laura Foster, an artist, and Donald Cameron Monroe, a mining broker of the eastern metropolis.

The wedding took place September 28 and was solemnized by Rev. Dr. Houghton in the “Little Church Around the Corner.”

Mr. and Mrs. Munroe [sic] will live in New York and the bride will continue her art work and illustrating under the name by which she is so widely known.

Mrs. Munroe visited her relatives here this summer. Mrs. Munroe was employed as an illustrator on San Francisco papers for 10 years.
The Oakland Tribune, October 15, 1908, said
Talented Alameda Girl Is the Bride of New York Broker
Alameda, Oct. 15.—Cards have been received by Alameda friends and relatives announcing the marriage of Miss Laura Elizabeth Foster of this city and Donald Cameron Monroe, a wealthy broker, in New York Tuesday, September 29. The wedding was performed. by the Rev. Dr. Houghton in Church Around the Corner.

Mrs. Monroe, who is the daughter of Charles H. Foster of 1429 Oak street, is the well-known artist and magazine illustrator who went to New York after the fire in San Francisco and has made a name for herself in the art circles of the great metropolis.

Mrs. Monroe was in California during the summer, spending part of the time of her visit with her father and brother in this city. When she left for her eastern home no definite plans had been made concerning her coming marriage, though the engagement was known by her more intimate friends.
Town Talk, October 17, 1908, said
Artist and Broker Wed
Mrs. Donald Monroe, who was Miss Laura Foster up to two weeks ago, has written her friends in this city that she is now settled in a charming apartment and is going on with her illustrating work for the Gotham papers as before her marriage with the New York stock broker. They did not go upon a honeymoon trip. Quite a few of their friends saw them married at the Little Church Around the Corner. The bride wore a brown cloth traveling suit, with hat to match, which was exceedingly becoming. Mr. Monroe is about fifty years of age and is comfortably well off, so that his bride does not need to bother about pot-boiling work for the future, but can work for art’s sake alone.
Here are links to some of Foster’s illustrations from 1907 to 1909.

Smith’s Magazine, December 1907
Success, December 1907
 
Judge’s Library, January 1908
Smith’s Magazine, February 1908
Smith’s Magazine, April 1908
Success Magazine, April 1908
Smith’s Magazine, June 1908
Smith’s Magazine, July 1908
Success, July 1908
Smith’s Magazine, August 1908
Judge’s Library, September 1908, and here
Smith’s Magazine, September 1908 and here
Success Magazine, October 1908
The Delineator, November 1908

Success, February 1909
Hampton’s Magazine, June 1909
Smith’s Magazine, June 1909
Farm and Fireside, September 10, 1909
Success, October 1909

Foster’s visit to San Francisco was reported in the San Francisco Call, September 3, 1909.

1910 census counted Foster (line 26) and her husband in Manhattan at 547 West 123 Street.

 
The Wasp, August 24, 1912, said
A Famous Woman Artist in Town
Laura Foster, the artist, who is now Mrs. Monroe of New York, is visiting her relatives and friends on both sides of the bay. She is one of the many clever Californians, who have made our city famous in New York, as a cradle of talent. Mrs. Foster Monroe’s drawings appear frequently in Life, Colliers and the leading magazines. In her peculiar line—humorous and satirical skits on the sex, and suffragettes in particular,—Laura Foster Monroe is unequalled.

Like many celebrities, Mrs. Monroe made her start on The Wasp. She drew political cartoons for this journal for two years and is the first woman in America, if not, in the world, who did political work of that class. Her cartoons were good ones, too—so clever that some of them were used in the McKinley campaign by the Republican National Committee. A quarter of a million copies of one of her cartoons in The Wasp were circulated throughout the United States by the campaign committee and helped to discredit the Free Silver craze.

When the catastrophe of 1906 left most of the artists in San Francisco without an occupation, Miss Foster left her Alameda home and cast her lot in New York. She thanks her lucky star that the fire drove her East, for she might have remained here all her days and not found the rich field she is now exploring. Other clever artists and writers, who were forced out of San Francisco in 1906, have had similar experiences. They have done remarkably well in New York and established a colony of writers and illustrators. By their success, it has come to be regarded as a recommendation that one hails from San Francisco.

Miss Foster obtained recognition very quickly in New York, though at first, she suffered by the fact that she had been employed so long on the daily newspapers and had acquired the sloppy style into which daily newspaper artists fall inevitably. Being ambitious and painstaking. Miss Foster overcame her technical disadvantage and was soon able to sell her drawings to the high-class weeklies like Life and Colliers; also to the leading magazines. Her work has greatly improved since she became a metropolitan celebrity, and she is now classed, properly, as in the front rank of American Illustrators.

Miss Foster’s marriage to Mr. Monroe took place several years ago and has been a very happy one. She and her husband occupy a pretty flat on upper Broadway, overlooking Central Park. She will return to New York in a few weeks.
Foster’s mother passed away on May 7, 1913.

Here are links to some of Foster’s illustrations from 1910 to 1914.

Smith’s Magazine, February 1910
Pearson’s Magazine, March 1910
Smith’s Magazine, April 1910
Smith’s Magazine, May 1910
Collier’s, June 25, 1910
Smith’s Magazine, August 1910
Collier’s, August 20, 1910
Smith’s Magazine, September 1910
Collier’s, October 1, 1910
Hampton’s Magazine, November 1910
Smith’s Magazine, November 1910
Collier’s, November 26, 1910
Smith’s Magazine, December 1910
Smith’s Magazine, January 1911
Smith’s Magazine, February 1911
Success Magazine, February 1911
Judge, April 15, 1911
Smith’s Magazine, May 1911
Judge, May 6, 1911
Smith’s Magazine, June 1911
Smith’s Magazine, August 1911
Judge, August 19, 1911
Smith’s Magazine, September 1911
Success Magazine, September 1911
Collier’s, September 30, 1911
Collier’s, October 7, 1911
Good Housekeeping, November 1911
 
Smith’s Magazine, January 1912
Collier’s, January 6, 1912
Smith’s Magazine, February 1912 and here
Smith’s Magazine, April 1912
Smith’s Magazine, June 1912
Smith’s Magazine, July 1912
Judge, July 6, 1912 and here
Smith’s Magazine, August 1912
Life, August 22, 1912, “Looking Backward”
Smith’s Magazine, September 1912
Judge, September 14, 1912
Smith’s Magazine, October 1912
Life, October 10, 1912, “Make Way!”
Smith’s Magazine, November 1912
Sunset, December 1912 and here
Judge, December 14, 1912
New York Tribune, December 15, 1912
Judge, December 28, 1912

Judge, January 4, 1913
Smith’s Magazine, February 1913
Smith’s Magazine, March 1913
Smith’s Magazine, April 1913
Smith’s Magazine, May 1913
Smith’s Magazine, June 1913
Smith’s Magazine, July 1913
Smith’s Magazine, August 1913
Smith’s Magazine, September 1913
Everybody’s Magazine, October 1913
Smith’s Magazine, October 1913
Smith’s Magazine, November 1913
Judge, November 1, 1913
Smith’s Magazine, December 1913

Smith’s Magazine, January 1914
Judge, January 10, 1914
Judge, January 17, 1914
Smith’s Magazine, February 1914
Smith’s Magazine, March 1914
Smith’s Magazine, October 1914
Judge, October 31, 1914
Smith’s Magazine, November 1914
Smith’s Magazine, December 1914
Judge, December 5, 1914

The 1915 New York state census listed Foster (line 18) and her husband at 549 West 123rd Street.


Foster’s father passed away on January 22, 1915.
 
The Wasp, January 1, 1916, named the artists who contributed to its pages.
... Homer Davenport was another art celebrity whose work saw light in The Wasp. So also that justly distinguished draughtsman, Harrison Fisher of New York. Joe Raphael, the great impressionist painter, began as a cartoonist for The Wasp. Laura Foster, whose work in Life is often seen and always admired, began with The Wasp, and was the only woman cartoonist in the world, I think. Donald McKee, of Life, was another Wasp artist. Theodore Langguth, of the Chronicle staff, was for several years with me after he came from his studies in Munich. Charlie Dickman, the painter, did some splendid work for The Wasp. So did Gordon Ross, now in New York, and Gordon Grant, another very clever artist.
Foster was on a list of contributing artists in Life, January 4, 1917. Her photograph was published in Judge, June 9, 1917.

“Suff” is short for suffragette.
 
Town Talk, August 9, 1919, wrote about the Californians working in New York.
Mrs. Grant Carpenter has returned east from San Francisco where she remained three months upon account of the illness of her father, former tax collector Bloch. The brilliant Grant is working away on more new plays. At the call of Bessie Beatty, formerly of the “Bulletin” and now editor of McCall’s Magazine, about forty Californians met and had dinner informally at the Old English Tea Room on West 40th street. Among those present were: Edwin Markham, the poet; Frank Bacon, who has made a sensation on Broadway in “Lightnin’”; Robert Mackay, editor of “New Success’; Laura Foster Monroe, the artist; Rose Wilder Lane, Lucille Wallenberg, Genevieve Yoell Parkhurst, Herbert Roth, the cartoonist; Sophie Treadwell, who is writing plays; Helen Barry, Eva Chapelle, Sam Lash, and Mr. and Mrs. Grant Carpenter. The most interesting announcement was the recent marriage of Elmer Hader and Berta Hoerner, the two California artists who have recently achieved success in New York. Mrs. Georgia Bordwell, club editor of the Oakland Tribune, has been in New York for about three weeks, waiting to meet her husband, Capt. Fred Bordwell, on his return from France and incidentally gathering material for letters to her paper. Capt. Bordwell cabled his wife that he would expect to meet her at the Brevoort. Mrs. Bordwell cabled her husband that she would await him at the Brevoort. Neither cable was delivered, but they met at the Brevoort by merest chance. The captain, who saw engineer service in the Philippines and was for years in charge of construction work for the Southern Pacific, distinguished himself abroad and received several citations. Ralph Renaud, formerly dramatic critic of the Chronicle and during the war serving with the Creel committee in Washington, is night city editor of the New York Tribune. Jack Waldorf, who was for a long time engrossing clerk of the U. S. senate, has resigned to accept a position upon the same paper.
Here are links to some of Foster’s illustrations from 1915 to 1919.

Smith’s Magazine, January 1915
Smith’s Magazine, February 1915
Smith’s Magazine, March 1915
Smith’s Magazine, April 1915
Smith’s Magazine, June 1915
Smith’s Magazine, July 1915
Judge, July 3, 1915
Smith’s Magazine, August 1915
Life, November 11, 1915

Smith’s Magazine, February 1916
Smith’s Magazine, March 1916
Smith’s Magazine, April 1916
Smith’s Magazine, May 1916
Smith’s Magazine, June 1916
Smith’s Magazine, July 1916
Smith’s Magazine, September 1916
Smith’s Magazine, October 1916
Smith’s Magazine, November 1916
Smith’s Magazine, December 1916

Smith’s Magazine, January 1917
Smith’s Magazine, March 1917 and here
Judge, March 3, 1917
Judge, March 24, 1917
Smith’s Magazine, April 1917
Judge, April 14, 1917
Judge, April 28, 1917
Smith’s Magazine, May 1917
Judge, May 12, 1917
Judge, May 26, 1917
Judge, June 9, 1917
Judge, June 16, 1917
Smith’s Magazine, July 1917
Judge, July 14, 1917
Smith’s Magazine, August 1917
Smith’s Magazine, December 1917

Smith’s Magazine, January 1918
Smith’s Magazine, March 1918
Smith’s Magazine, April 1918
Smith’s Magazine, May 1918
Smith’s Magazine, June 1918
Smith’s Magazine, July 1918
Smith’s Magazine, August 1918
Smith’s Magazine, September 1918
Smith’s Magazine, October 1918
Smith’s Magazine, November 1918

Smith’s Magazine, January 1919
Smith’s Magazine, February 1919
Smith’s Magazine, March 1919
Smith’s Magazine, April 1919
Judge, April 12, 1919
Smith’s Magazine, May 1919
Smith’s Magazine, June 1919
Judge, June 7, 1919
Smith’s Magazine, September 1919
Smith’s Magazine, October 1919
Judge, October 25, 1919
Smith’s Magazine, November 1919
Smith’s Magazine, December 1919
 
The 1920 census, enumerated in January, counted Foster (line 7) and her husband at 259 109th Street in Manhattan.


Here are links to some of Foster’s illustrations in 1920.

The New Success, January 1920
The New Success, February 1920 and here
The New Success, March 1920
Smith’s Magazine, March 1920
The New Success, April 1920 and here
Smith’s Magazine, April 1920
The New Success, May 1920 and here
Smith’s Magazine, May 1920
The New Success, June 1920 and here
Smith’s Magazine, June-July 1920
The New Success, July 1920 and here
The New Success, August 1920 and here
The New Success, September 1920 and here
Smith’s Magazine, September 1920
The New Success, October 1920 and here
The New Success, November 1920
Smith’s Magazine, November 1920
The New Success, December 1920 here and here

While visiting her sister Foster passed away on September 21, 1920 in San Francisco. The San Francisco Call, September 22, 1920, said
Famous Artist Dies Visiting S.F.
Mrs. Laura E. Monroe, better known as Laura E. Foster, the famous magazine artist, is dead. She was visiting her sister, Mrs. Catherine Marani, whose home is in Fifteenth avenue. Mrs. Monroe was suffering from stomach trouble and was operated on Monday night. Yesterday she suffered an attack of heart failure and died at 4:20 yesterday afternoon.

Mrs. Monroe was at one time an illustrator and cartoonist on a local newspaper. Upon going to New York she became nationally famous. Her drawings have appeared regularly in Life and other high grade journals. She was a close friend of T. A. Dorgan, the cartoonist, known as “Tad” to millions of readers.

While in New York, Laura Foster became the wife of Donald C. Monroe, a broker. She was to have returned to New York on Friday.
The San Diego Union, September 23, 1920, said
Illustrator Dies
San Francisco, Sept. 22.—Mrs. Donald C. Monroe of New York city, known as Laura E. Foster, an illustrator whose work appeared in many national publications, died here last night at the home of her sister. She failed to rally from an operation. Mrs. Monroe began her career on newspapers here and went to New York 14 years ago.
The New York Times, September 25, 1920, said
Mrs. Donald C. Monroe, a newspaper and magazine illustrator under her maiden name of Laura E. Foster, died Tuesday suddenly in San Francisco.
Editor & Publisher, October 2, 1920, said
Mrs. Donald C. Monroe, a well known newspaper illustrator who signed her drawings under her maiden name of Laura E. Foster, died suddenly September 28th [sic] at San Francisco. Mrs. Monroe started her career in San Francisco with the Wasp and San Francisco Bulletin.
The Overland Monthly, November 1920, said
Laura Foster Monroe, who passed away in San Francisco in September, was the first woman cartoonist on the Pacific Coast. She began her career on the San Francisco Wasp, when T. E. Flynn was its editor. Later she went over to the Bulletin, and later still went to New York where she did splendid work as an illustrator. She married in New York, and with her husband was on a visit to her sister in San Francisco when she died.

Further Reading and Viewing
American Political Cartoons: From 1754 to 2010 (2017)
Why Women Won the Vote
Wikimedia Commons
 
Women in Comics Posts








(Next post on Monday: A Few Details About Ada Levy, Unknown Editorial Assistant and Writer at Timely Comics)

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