Comics: Norman Steinberg, Artist

Norman Steinberg was born on August 14, 1923, in New York, New York. The birth date is from his grave marker. His birthplace was determined from the census.

In the 1925 New York state census, Steinberg and his parents, Irving and Henrietta, resided in the Bronx at 1696 Bathgate Avenue. Steinberg’s father was a Russian emigrant and salesman.

The 1930 U.S. Federal Census recorded Steinberg, his parents and sister, Charlotte, as Bronx residents at 1729 Fulton Avenue. Steinberg’s father was a manager at “Sheffield”, possibly the milk company.

Brooklyn was the home of the Steinberg family that included another daughter, Edna. They lived at 210 Roebling Street. Steinberg’s father was a retail candy salesman.

Steinberg was eighteen years old when he enlisted in the Army. He was attached to Company C, 2638th Quartermaster Truck Battalion of the Quartermaster Corps according to his military interment record. Steinberg was discharged September 22, 1943.

Joe Sinnott was interviewed in Alter Ego #26, July 2003. Sinnott, a student at the Cartoonists and Illustrators School (School of Visuals Arts), said

…There was an another fellow at the school, Norman Steinberg, who drew horses extremely well. We started doing a lot of the movie western stories for Tom [Gill], who was doing this work for Dell Publications. Tom drew and inked the heads, so it’d look like his work.

Tom was paying us very well, and I was on the G.I. Bill, so I’d been living on a shoestring before I started with him. Working for Tom was great because I was gaining experience. I was still attending school and worked for Tom at nights and weekends. Norman and I went over to Tom’s house on the weekends and worked….

Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Steinberg was associated with the Tom Gill’s studio and was a partner in a studio with Syd Shores and Mort Lawrence. Steinberg’s comic books credits began in 1951.

Steinberg took his life on December 30, 1952. His suicide was reported in the Nassau Review-Star (Freeport, New York), December 31, 1952.

Father Loses Race To Save Son’s Life
A Seaford father lost a race against death yesterday when a Meadowbrook Hospital doctor pronounced his son “dead on arrival.”

Norman Steinberg, 29-year-old comic book artist, died of carbon monoxide poisoning, the physician said.

According to First Precinct, Police, Steinberg’s father, Irving, with whom he lived, discovered his son slumped over the wheel of his car parked in front of their home at 268 Wells [sic] Court at 7 A.M.

Police say the father found a vacuum cleaner hose attached to pipe fumes from the exhaust pipe into the car. He raced to Meadowbrook, steering with his left hand and pumping his son’s arm with his right hand. He had hoped this motion would pump air into his son’s lungs until he got to the hospital.

Police said the artist was broken-hearted over marriage difficulties.

The name of Steinberg’s wife is not known. Steinberg was laid to rest at Long Island National Cemetery.


(Next post on Monday: Al Avison, Artist)