Comics: A Few Details About Syd Shores, Artist, Inker and Art Director

Syd Shores was born Sydney Lawrence Schwartz according to his daughter, Nancy Shores Karlebach, in an interview published in Alter Ego #167, January 2021. The name change was noted on his World War II draft card that said he was born on September 4, 1913, in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

The 1915 New York state census recorded Shores, his parents, Louis and Anna, and older sister, Retha, in Brooklyn at 452 Williams Avenue, apartment 13 (lines 8–11). His father, a Russian immigrant, was a fur operator. 

In the 1920 United States Census, the family of five had moved across the street to number 461 (lines 56–60). 

Shores was a student at James Madison High School in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 24, 1929, said 

51 H.S. Students to Receive Prizes from Art League

Fifty-one Brooklyn and Queens high school students will receive medals and awards from the School Art League tomorrow afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, having won distinction in art work in their respective schools. 

Those who receive the arts-in-trades medal for work in design are: … Sidney [sic] Schwartz, James Madison …

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 28, 1929, covered the graduation at James Madison High School. 

1929 Log yearbook

According to the 1930 census, Shores had three sisters. The family continued to reside in Brooklyn at 351 Barrett Street (lines 79–84).

During the 1930s, Shores attended evening classes at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. He studied pictorial illustration and graduated in 1936. Shores also met his future wife, Selma Hirschhorn, who studied advertising design and graduated in 1935. 

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 19, 1936

The 1940 census counted Shores, his parents and siblings at 1586 East 22nd Street in Brooklyn. He was a “whiskey rectifier” in the “liquor distilling” industry (lines 9–13). 

Later in 1940, Shores and Selma Hirschhorn married in New Jersey. 

On October 16, 1940, Shores signed his World War II draft card. His address was updated three times. His description was five feet eleven inches, 168 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Shores was self-employed.

In 1941, Joe Simon hired Shores. 

Shores enlisted in the Army on March 16, 1944. Shores was a commercial artist. His veteran’s file said he was discharged on January 19, 1946.

Shores and his family were counted twice in the 1950 census. In Brooklyn they lived at 135 Caton Avenue (lines 29 and 30; his daughters were on the next sheet). In Randolph, New Jersey, Shores was in his father-in-law’s household (lines 22–29). 

Timely-Atlas-Comics posted a photograph of Shores and his wife. 

Shores passed away on June 3, 1973 in New York. His wife passed away on October 25, 1976. 

Further Reading

Writer’s Digest, November 1947

Men, November 1957

Editor and Publisher, September 19, 1970

Secrets Behind the Comics (1947)

The Great Women Superheroes (1996)

Marvel Comics: The Untold Story (2012)

Heroes of the Comics (2014)

A Tribute to Syd Shores by Gene Colan

Interviewed by Alan Hewetson

Fantastic Fanzine #12, 1970 interview

Grand Comics Database

Lambiek Comiclopedia

Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999

Hirschhorn Family Chart

(Next post on Monday: Art Direction 1961)

Comics: Bernie Zuber, Artist, Writer, Letterer, Editor, Publisher and Fan

Bernard Anthony “Bernie” Zuber was born on March 4, 1933, in Asnières, Seine, France, according to an American Consular Service report at Ancestry.com and the National Archives. His parents were Anthony F. Zuber, of Brooklyn, New York, and Marie Josephine Giulio Tonolo of Chambery, France. Zuber’s father was a clerk at the American Embassy, Office of Commercial Attaché.

On May 22, 1942, the family sailed aboard the steamship Drottningholm from Lisbon, Portugal. They arrived in the port of New York City on June 1, 1942. Their destination was 62 Hemlock Street in Brooklyn. Presumably Zuber’s education was in Brooklyn. 

Seven years later on August 5, 1949, Zuber and his father departed on the steamship Queen Elizabeth from New York bound to Cherbourg, France. 

Two years later Zuber and his father sailed on September 24, 1951 from Le Havre, France. The steamship America arrived in New York City on October 1, 1951. Their final destination was 62 Hemlock Street in Brooklyn.

A little less than four months had gone by when they were aboard the same steamship headed for Le Havre, France

On March 26, 1953, Zuber was a Pan American flight from Paris to New York. 

It’s not known where Zuber served during the Korean War and the dates of his enlistment and discharge. On March 4, 1954, Private Zuber, serial number 51237501, was on a flight from Chicopee, Massachusetts to Frankfurt, Germany.

Twenty-two days later, Zuber was on a TWA flight for New York.

The Social Security Death Index said Zuber obtained his number in 1955 in Maryland. His employer is unknown. 

The California Voter Registration at Ancestry.com said Zuber, in 1956, was a democrat who lived at 1776 North Las Palmas Street in Los Angeles, California. 

Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 estimated Zuber’s comics career from 1950 to around 1981. He started work at Western Publishing. Hey Kids Comics Wiki said “... Bernie Zuber was an editorial artist, a position similar to that of a production artist, from 1957 until 1982.” Information about his art training has not been found. Three of his lettering credits are Wonderworld #9, August 1973, Bernard Prince; Yogi Bear #4, May 1978; and The Flintstones #5, June 1978. 

Samples of Zuber’s fan artwork are here, here, and here (see April). 

On May 27, 1972, Zuber and Ida C. Rule married in Los Angeles, according to the California Marriage Index at Ancestry.com. 

Mark Evanier wrote about Zuber’s personal struggles. 

Zuber passed away on October 14, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. He was laid to rest at Riverside National Cemetery. 

Further Reading

Tolkien Gateway, Bernie Zuber

Internet Science Fiction Database, Chronological Bibliography: Bernie Zuber

Fancyclopedia 3

The Internet Archive has many publications that mentioned Zuber here, here and here. 

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Comics: Irving Settel, Editor, Writer, Letterer, Advertising Marketer, College Teacher, and Columnist

Irving J. Settel was born on November 21, 1916, in Brooklyn, New York. According to the New York, New York Birth Index at Ancestry.com. His parents were Joseph Settel and Dora Rosenberg.

In the 1920 United States Census, Settel (line 21) was the youngest of three brothers. His father was an Englishman and wholesale salesman. The family resided on Young Street in Monticello Village, New York.

The 1925 New York state census recorded Settel (line 3), his parents and brothers in Brooklyn at 24 Crosby Avenue. His father was an insurance salesman. 

The Standard Union (Brooklyn, New York), April 25, 1929, said Settel was a new member of its Rainbow Club

Settel’s address was the same in the 1930 census. He is on line 95.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (New York), January 27, 1930, said Settel attended Public School 76 where he received a service award. 

The Daily Eagle, April 1, 1933, said Settel was an assistant editor on the Liberty Bell newspaper of Thomas Jefferson High School. He was also on the Embers yearbook staff. Settel graduated in 1933.

Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Settel was a writer, artist and letterer in the comic book industry during the 1930s. Apparently Settel was at the Harry “A” Chesler comic book shop when Fred Schwab was there from 1936 to 1938. Settel and Schwab would collaborate twenty years later. 

The 1940 census counted Settel (line 1) and his parents at the same address. He had two years of college and was unemployed.

On October 16, 1940, Settel signed his World War II draft card. He was employed at the Gay Apparel Corporation in Manhattan. His description was five feet six inches, 155 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.

On August 23, 1941, Settel and Gertrude Schulman obtained, in Brooklyn, marriage license number 18837. They married on September 19, 1941. 

Settel enlisted on September 29, 1942. His occupation was advertising agent. His assignment is not known. 

Beginning in 1946, Settel was on the faculty of Pace College in New York City. 

1966 Legend yearbook

1967 Legend yearbook

1969 Legend yearbook

1976 Legend yearbook

The 1949 Manhattan city directory listed Settel at 523 East 14th Street.

The 1950 census said Settel (line 12), his wife and three-year-old son, Kenneth, were Manhattan residents at 523 East 14th Street. Settel was an advertising manager at a men’s clothing store chain.

In 1951 Settel obtained a B.A. from Brooklyn College. He earned an M.S. at New York University in 1955.

Settel wrote or edited several books including Effective Retail Advertising (1951), Transportation Advertising (1951), Television Advertising and Production Handbook (1953), Top TV Shows of the Year (1955), Best TV Humor of of the Year (1956), Best TV Humor of 1957 (1957), A Pictorial History of Radio (1960), A Pictorial History of Television (with William Laas, 1967), and A Pictorial History of Television, Second Edition (1983). 

Fred Schwab illustrated Settel and Bill Adler’s Congratulations, It’s Your Birthday!, Congratulations, You’re Married!, and Congratulations, You’re a Grandparent!, all published by Citadel Press in 1959

The Book Buyer’s Guide, June 1959

When Settel resided in Bayside, he contributed, in 1961, to the neighborhood newspaper, Bayside Times.

July 6, 1961

August 10, 1961

September 14, 1961

The Bayside Times, July 11, 1963, reported his long distance lectures. 

Settel retired to Florida. A directory at Ancestry.com listed his home in Boynton Beach, Florida.

Settel passed away on February 19, 2002, in Canton, Massachusetts, according to the Massachusetts Death Index at Ancestry.com. His wife passed away on March 21, 2013 in Brookline, Massachusetts. 

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Jon D’Agostino, James Daleo, Martin DeMuth, Shel Dorf, Marty Epp, Howard Ferguson, Herb Field, 

Gerda Gattel, Selma Meyers Gleit, Louis L. Goldklang, Angelo Grasso, Anita Greene, Al Grenet, Ed Hamilton, Delores Heilman, 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, 

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(Next post on Monday: George W. Jones, Printer)