(Next post on Monday: Nathan Machtey, Illustrator and Art Director)
Monday, September 15, 2025
Lettering: Industrial-Arts Magazine, 1922
(Next post on Monday: Nathan Machtey, Illustrator and Art Director)
Monday, September 8, 2025
Monday, September 1, 2025
Comics: John Bulthuis, Letterer and Artist
John Carl Bulthuis was born on January 8, 1919 in the Bronx, New York according to his World War II draft card. His parents were Ludwig Bulthuis and Auguste Albine Holland, both German immigrants, who married in Manhattan on April 25, 1917.
The 1920 United States Census counted Bulthuis (line 56), his parents, older sister, Minnie, and his father’s brother-in-law in the Bronx at 1872 Bathgate Avenue. Bulthuis’ father was a bartender. Bulthuis’ first name was Jochum which was the name of his paternal grandfather; see above marriage certificate.
Bulthuis’ mother took three-year-old Bulthuis and his sister on a trip to Europe. The passport application said they were to visit Germany, France and Holland, and see Bulthuis’ maternal grandmother. Their ship was scheduled to leave on May 8, 1922.
The trio was aboard the ship Hansa when it departed Hamburg on August 12, 1922. They arrived in New York on August 22, 1922. The passenger list recorded Bulthuis’ first name as Joachim.
In the 1930 census, the Bulthuis family (lines 68 to 71) were Bronx residents at 1872 Bathgate Avenue. Bulthuis’ father was a mechanic.
In the 1930 census, the Bulthuis family (lines 68 to 71) were Bronx residents at 1872 Bathgate Avenue. Bulthuis’ father was a mechanic.
According to the 1940 census, Bulthuis (line 67) was an artist who worked for a magazine company. He lived with his parents in the Bronx at 601 East 178th Street. His father was a bartender. Bulthuis had four years of high school and earned $1,404 in 1939.
Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Bulthuis began as a letterer at MLJ. The Grand Comics Database said Bulthuis drew the character Gypsy Johnson who appeared in five issues of Blue Ribbon Comics. He signed his name as Johann Bulthuis in issue number five.
On October 16, 1940, Bulthuis signed his draft card. His Bronx address was 3153 Decatur Avenue. After the war, it was updated to 13 Allen Street in Lynbrook, New York. Bulthuis was described as five feet eight inches, 130 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair.
On October 16, 1940, Bulthuis signed his draft card. His Bronx address was 3153 Decatur Avenue. After the war, it was updated to 13 Allen Street in Lynbrook, New York. Bulthuis was described as five feet eight inches, 130 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair.
Bulthuis enlisted in the Navy on December 27, 1940. He served overseas in the European Theater.
Bulthuis’ engagement to Dorothy Blaum, of Lynbrook, New York, was announced in the Brooklyn Eagle, January 2, 1944, and Newsday, January 5, 1944. They married on April 7, 1946.
The 1950 census said Bulthuis (line 12), his wife and daughter, Deborah, lived with his in-laws in Lynbrook at 13 Allen Street. His father-in-law was a carpenter. Bulthuis’ occupation was not recorded.
Bulthuis said he worked on Classics Illustrated #86, August 1951, “Under Two Flags”. The other artist was Maurice Del Bourgo. Bulthuis drew stories for Weird Tales of the Future #1, March 1952, “The Time Has Come”, and Mister Mystery #7, September 1952, “The Killer!”.
At some point, Bulthuis moved to New Jersey. He was listed in the 1960 Paterson city directory at 37 2nd Avenue. His home address was in the Spot Illustration category of Who’s Who in Commercial Art and Photography (1964).
Bulthuis passed away on February 14, 2019. An obituary was posted at Higgins Home for Funerals.
John Carl Bulthuis, artist, storyteller, and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his family on the evening of February 14, 2019. Born January 8, 1919 in the Bronx, John lived to be 100 years old, because, as he said, “I think that it would please me.”Bulthuis’ wife, Dorothy passed away on January 20, 2021. An obituary was posted at Tribute Archive.
John looked at the world through the eyes of an artist, seeing beauty in rundown buildings, sunsets, and the ordinary people he’d sketch at the grocery store. His legacy lies, at least in part, in the drawings that fill his countless sketchbooks. He studied at The Art Students League of New York. His career as an illustrator began at McGraw Hill Publishing Company. He next drew for the Journal of Medical Economics and later for West Essex Graphics.
One of the great honors of John’s life was serving in the United States Navy as a third class radioman during World War II. John was on duty to receive the wire informing his ship’s captain that the United States had entered the war, and he witnessed the ship’s captain informing his men, “Gentlemen, we are at war.” His beloved ship, the USS Meredith, participated in the Doolittle Raid; John recalled participating in D-Day, gifting his harmonica to a soldier as he disembarked the ship to attack on the beaches of Normandy. Before the Meredith’s final mission, John was ordered off the ship with a case of pneumonia. While he was recuperating on shore, the Meredith was attacked and sunk in ten minutes. John mourned the loss of his shipmates — many of whom are immortalized in the pages of the sketchbooks he kept during the war — for the rest of his life.
His military service was inspired by a deep love for his country which never left him. John always believed in the goodness of Americans: “Americans are kind and good people. We treated our enemies extremely well. If they were wounded, we dressed their wounds. If they were hungry, we fed them. If they were in danger, we saved them...That’s the kind of people we are.”
Eclipsing even his passion for his art and his love of country was his endless devotion to his beloved Dorothy. Married for 72 years, John and Dorothy’s story began at a USO dance in 1943 where John caught sight of a beautiful girl in a red dress, and he was “no longer weary.” Their enduring love represents the best of what marriage can be. For John and his Dorothy, there could never be enough time.
It is difficult to put into words the gift that John was to those who knew him. He was a masterful storyteller, a true gentleman, and as charismatic as they come. He will be dearly missed.
John is preceded in death by his sister, Marie Dallas. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Bulthuis of Edison, and his two daughters, Deborah Przybylowski-Raggi and her husband, John, of Green Brook, and Janette Ingraham of Lisle, NY.
He is also survived by his grandchildren, Samuel Battles; Abigail Glezen and her husband, Randy; Laura Jones and her husband, Eric; Mark Przybylowski and his wife, Kaya; Kristin Carlson and her husband, Evan; and Veronica Raggi. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren, Cayden, Noah, Juliet, Ada, Siena, Cole, and Avery.
Viewing will take place at 9:00 am on Saturday, February 23 with funeral services beginning at 10:00 am at the Church of the Holy Cross in North Plainfield. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Plainfield. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in John’s name to his home church, St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in Hawthorne, NJ.
Dorothy Mabel Bulthuis, lovingly known as Dottie, died at the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Edison, New Jersey at the age of 96. She was surrounded by the love of her family, and the Veterans Home staff.
Dorothy was born on July 23, 1924 in Lynbrook, New York. She lived in a home constructed by her father, William Blum, for his family-wife, Mabel, two sons, William and Harold and his darling daughter, Dottie.
Dorothy married the love of her life, John Carl Bulthuis, on April 7, 1946 after meeting at a USO dance where Dorothy sang during World War II. The letters they exchanged during the war shine with their devotion to each other. That love continued for 73 years and was evident to all who knew them.
After the war, the couple continued to live with Dorothy’s parents in Lynbrook so that John could continue his education. They eventually moved to Paterson, NJ with their two daughters, Deborah and Janette. They lived in their home until 2017 when health issues demanded care at the Veteran’s Home.
Dorothy possessed a keen mind, common sense, wisdom and strong organizational skills, which her family admired and appreciated. She was stronger than she knew and was the center of her family. Everyone thrived because of her belief that “one loved with an open hand.”
She loved sewing clothes for her children, creating cross stitch crewels and solving crossword puzzles, the harder the better. She played both the piano and organ and had a beautiful singing voice. She was a wonderful cook and gracious hostess. All were welcome at her table.
Helpful neighbors were rewarded with her delicious cranberry nut bread. Ever mindful of her family, she worked part time at a local business in order to be near her children.
Dorothy lived her 96 years as a loving soul, oftentimes putting the needs of others before her own. Her loving and supportive nature will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Dorothy’s beloved John passed away in February 2019.
She is survived by her two daughters, Deborah Przybylowski-Raggi and her husband John of Green Brook and Janette Ingraham of Lisle, NY. She adored her six grandchildren: Samuel Battles; Abigail Glezen and her husband, Randy; Laura Jones and her husband, Eric; Mark Przybylowski and his wife, Kaya; Kristin Carlson and her husband, Evan and Veronica Raggi. Dorothy was blessed with eight great-grandchildren: Cayden, Hadley, Noah, Juliet, Ada, Siena, Cole and Avery.
Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains on Saturday, January 23rd at 11:00 in the morning. A celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held at a later date at The Church of the Holy Cross in North Plainfield.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dorothy’s name to her home church, St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, 271 Lafayette Avenue, Hawthorne, NJ, 07506.
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A. Machine and Royal Cartoon, Mario Acquaviva, Gerald Altman, Gene Barnett, Vivian Berg, Daniel Bhang, John Bulthuis, Ray Burley, Ray Burzon,
Gerda Gattel, Louis L. Goldklang, Angelo Grasso, Anita Greene, Al Grenet, Ed Hamilton, Ray Holloway, IBM Directory, Alex Jay, Albert and Charlotte Jetter,
Abe Kanegson, George Kapitan, Anna Kaufman, Gary Keller, Rick Keller, Nadine French King, Ralph Komisarow, Grace Kremer, Morrie Kuramoto, Al Kurzrok,
Bob Lander, Bob Laughlin, Bob Leatherbarrow, Shelly Leferman, Len Leone, Joe Letterese, Veda Lufkin,
Robert N. MacLeod/Leroy Lettering, Lee Maroshek, Larry Mayer, Jack Meltzer, Jim Novak, Bill Oakley, Ben Oda,
Walter Palais, Stephen Palmisano, Otto Pirkola, Fred Proctor, Jerry Robinson, Joe and Sam Rosen, George Roussos,
Georgette Sauterel, Ira Schnapp, Irving Settel, Rome Siemon, Artie Simek, Lora Sprang aka Pat Gordon, Herman Stackel, Stan Starkman, Daisy Swayze, Zoltan and Terry Szenics,
Richard Deane Taylor, Alberta Tews, Frank Vina, Irv Watanabe, Leo Wurtzel, John Yakata, Bill Yoshida, Bernie Zuber
Monday, August 25, 2025
Lettering: Lantern Slides
Camera Craft, February 1917
Camera Craft, October 1920
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(Next post on Monday: John Bulthuis, Letterer and Artist)
Monday, August 18, 2025
Comics: Artie Simek, “Inker”
Comix Book #1, October 1974, published “The Birth of Comix Book” by Denis Kitchen. Below is panel 6: “... I want you to have Crumb pencil and Artie Simek ink ...”
“The Birth of Comix Book” was reprinted in Cartoonist Profiles #97, March 1993; Comix: The Underground Revolution (2004); and The Best of Comix Book: When Marvel Went Underground (2013).
Starlog Magazine #337, August 2005, credited Simek as the inker on Fantastic Four (see top of page 67).
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(Next post on Monday: Lantern Slides)
Monday, August 11, 2025
Street Scene: The Flatiron Building, New York City
The New Metropolitan, June 1903
“A Rainy Night in Madison Square”
23rd Street at Broadway and Fifth Avenue
(Next post on Monday: Artie Simek, “Inker”)
Monday, August 4, 2025
Comics: Walter Palais, Letterer, Penciler and Inker
Walter Michael Palais was born on August 19, 1922 in New York, New York according to his World War II draft card and census records. His immigrant parents were Rudolph Palatzky and Emma Culek who obtained, in Manhattan on October 29, 1910, marriage license number 28210. They married the next day. The marriage certificate said Palais’ father, a “painter architect”, lived at 925 Jackson Avenue which was in Queens.
Rudolph Palatzky was also known as Rudolph Palace according to his Petition for Naturalization. The 1920 United States Census counted the “Palace” family—Rudolph (line 66), his wife, son and daughter, Rudolph and Emma—in Manhattan at 441 East 81st Street.
On June 25, 1925, Rudolph Palatzky filed his naturalization petition application. He became a citizen on December 28, 1925.
The 1925 New York state census counted the “Palatsky” family (lines 44 to 49) at 441 East 81st Street in Manhattan.
In the 1930 census, the “Pulaski” family of seven (lines 51 to 57) were Brooklyn residents at 53 Stanwix Street. Palais’ father was a draftsman at an auto supply business. His brother, an artist, was employed in the moving pictures industry.
Apparently the first family member to use the Palais surname, which was French for palace, was Rudolph. The Standard Union (Brooklyn, New York), June 16, 1930, said
A pitcher who has heaved against the Brooklyn Robins in practice sessions would like to connect with a strong club. Write Rudolph Palais, 53 Stanwix street, Brooklyn.Seven months after the census enumeration, Palais’ father passed away on November 10, 1930.
According to the 1940 census (enumerated April 6), the Palatzky household included seventeen-year-old Palais (line 50), his widow mother, sisters Josephine, Rita, and Emma and her husband and child, Leon and Ronald Lianides. They resided in Brooklyn at 22 Stuyvesant Avenue.
In Alter Ego #62, October 2006, Jim Amash interviewed Rudy Palais who explained how he and his brother, Walter, got into comics.
... He started his career as a letterer at the Iger shop and was soon drawing features. Walter was the one who got me into comics. He was studying for the priesthood in Princeton, New Jersey, and used to visit me at Columbia Pictures where I was doing movie posters. He told me he wanted something to do for the summertime. I told him to take his artwork and show it around.A week later, he came back to me and said he couldn’t find a job. I thought about it for a minute and asked, “In your rounds, were there some people who showed more interest in your work than others?” He said there were and I said, “Go back to those people and see what takes place.” The next day, he got a job at Iger’s.Walter told them about me, and they asked him to tell me to drop in sometime. Which I did. I became so interested in the work these young men were doing that I decided to jump into the comics game. ...
An overview of Palais’ career is at Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999. A checklist of his credits is at the Grand Comics Database.
Rudy Palais married Ann DeBonis in Manhattan on May 5, 1935. When he signed his draft card on October 16, 1940, the couple lived with his mother and siblings in Brooklyn.
On June 30, 1942, Palais signed his draft card which had the same address in the 1940 census. He was described as six feet three inches, 170 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. Palais was employed at the Simon and Kirby studio.
Palais enlisted in the Army on April 8, 1943. He served in the Army Air Corps.
After the war, Palais and Elizabeth I. Simchak obtained, in Queens on April 22, 1946, marriage license number 3696.
In the 1950 census, the couple and their son, Robert, were residents in Huntington, New York. Palais (line 30) was a commercial artist in the publishing industry.
Newsday (Hempstead, New York), June 25, 1952, reported the traffic accident involving Palais, a taxi driver, and a waitress.
Hold Waitress on Tipsy Driving, Hit-RunSouth Huntington—A 46-year-old waitress was arrested here early yesterday for drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident after her car was in collision with a taxi on Jericho Turnpike at West Hills Road. Agnes M. Jones, of 66 Jackson Huntington, who said she is employed by a Cold Spring Harbor restaurant, appeared in court yesterday morning after spending several hours in jail and was released in the custody of her attorney for three weeks pending trial.She was arrested by Ptl. Voyle Anderson and John Coppins after they were called to the scene of the accident about 1:30 AM. They found Mrs. Jones car on New York Ave. and took her to the offices of a doctor who pronounced her intoxicated, they said. The driver of the taxi, Walter Palais of Hillwood Drive, Huntington Station, pressed the complaint of leaving the scene of the accident.He said he was turning into Jericho Turnpike at West Hills Road when he saw Miss Jones car bearing down on him and swung to the right. He was hit anyway, Palais said, and the other car kept on going. But he got its description. The woman told the court she was on her way to report the crash at headquarters when the radio car stopped her.
Palais’ second marriage was to Lucy C. Fusaro on February 15, 1953.
In 1980 Palais was employed at Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Photo & Graphic Arts Department.
Palais passed away on November 28, 2007 and was laid to rest at Calverton National Cemetery.
Further Reading
Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History, Third Edition
Related Posts
A. Machine and Royal Cartoon, Mario Acquaviva, Gerald Altman, Gene Barnett, Vivian Berg, Daniel Bhang, John Bulthuis, Ray Burley, Ray Burzon,
Gerda Gattel, Louis L. Goldklang, Angelo Grasso, Anita Greene, Al Grenet, Ed Hamilton, Ray Holloway, IBM Directory, Alex Jay, Albert and Charlotte Jetter,
Abe Kanegson, George Kapitan, Anna Kaufman, Gary Keller, Rick Keller, Nadine French King, Ralph Komisarow, Grace Kremer, Morrie Kuramoto, Al Kurzrok,
Bob Lander, Bob Laughlin, Bob Leatherbarrow, Shelly Leferman, Len Leone, Joe Letterese, Veda Lufkin,
Robert N. MacLeod/Leroy Lettering, Lee Maroshek, Larry Mayer, Jack Meltzer, Jim Novak, Bill Oakley, Ben Oda,
Walter Palais, Stephen Palmisano, Otto Pirkola, Fred Proctor, Jerry Robinson, Joe and Sam Rosen, George Roussos,
Georgette Sauterel, Ira Schnapp, Irving Settel, Rome Siemon, Artie Simek, Lora Sprang aka Pat Gordon, Herman Stackel, Stan Starkman, Daisy Swayze, Zoltan and Terry Szenics,
Richard Deane Taylor, Alberta Tews, Frank Vina, Irv Watanabe, Leo Wurtzel, John Yakata, Bill Yoshida, Bernie Zuber
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