Comics: Joe Letterese, Letterer

Photograph of Joe Letterese at DC by José Luis García-López; courtesy of Todd Klein

Joseph F. “Joe” Letterese was born on June 14, 1917, in the Bronx, New York. His birth date is from the Social Security Death Index and the birthplace is based on census records.

In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Letterese was the oldest of two sons born to Pasquale and Katie (Catherine Devirgiles), both Italian emigrants. Letterese’s father was employed as a hatter. The family resided in the Bronx at 4547 Park Avenue. 

According to the 1925 New York state census, the address was the same and included two more children, Frances and Marie. 

The 1930 census said the Letterese family’s address was 1926 Yates Avenue in the Bronx. 

Letterese was the subject of “DC Profiles Number 50” which appeared in DC comic books dated November 1979. The profile said he graduated from the School of Industrial Art in the late 1930s and “started as a commercial artist”.

However, in the 1940 census, Letterese was a helper in the milk industry. He lived with his parents and four siblings in the Bronx at 1921 Melrose Avenue. 

During World War II Letterese was drafted and enlisted in the army on July 8, 1942. His occupation was stock clerk. The DC profile said he served “in England, fighting Hitler’s bombers as an aircraft identification expert, injured during the bombing of London, Joe returned to the U.S.…” Letterese’s veterans Beneficiary Identification Records Locater Subsystem file said he was discharged October 6, 1943. Letterese received the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal in 2001. 

The profile said: 

After a brief stint doing art and lettering for Parents Magazine, Joe moved to the production department of Atlas (later Marvel) Comics where he worked on covers, designed logos (several of which are still being used today) and served as Stan Lee’s assistant.”

When Atlas shut down and nearly went out of business in the late 1950s, Joe approached DC for some freelance work. Then-Assistant Editor Murray Boltinoff and Editor Mort Weisinger admired Joe's abilities and gave him the assignments that ultimately led to his being hired as a full-time Corrections Artist in DC’s Production Department….

In John Romita and All That Jazz! (2007), Romita was interviewed by Jim Amash who mentioned Letterese. Romita said, “Oh, yes, I knew Joe Letterese from my DC years. He worked at Marvel in the ’40s, before I knew him. But in the ’50s, whenever I delivered a story to DC and had to do corrections, I’d go into the Bullpen, so I got to know Joe Letterese, Stan Starkman, Eddie Eisenberg, and Sol Harrison. I got to know a lot of guys in the Bullpen….”

Some of Letterese’s credits are at the Grand Comics Database and Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1922–1999. 

The DC logos mentioned in the above profile may not have been for the covers but for interior pages, advertising or merchandising.

Ridgewood, New Jersey city directories for 1954, 1956 and 1960 listed Letterese as a letterer in New York. His wife was Katherine and their address was 10-03 Canger in Fair Lawn.

Letterese passed away June 3, 1991. The Record (Hackensack, New Jersey), June 5, 1991, said:

Joseph F. Letterese Sr., 73, of Wyckoff, formerly of Fair Lawn, died Monday. Before retiring in 1981, he was a commercial artist for DC Comics/Warner Communications, New York City.

He was an Army veteran of World War II.

Surviving are his wife, Katherine Kondogianis Letterese, and a son, Joseph Jr. of Wyckoff.

Letterese was laid to rest at George Washington Memorial Park.

Further Reading and Viewing

Todd’s Blog

Logo Study: Batman part 2

Logo Study: WORLD’S FINEST Part 3

Visiting DC Comics in the 1960s Part 1

Visiting DC Comics in the 1960s Part 2

DC Comics’ Production Dept., 1979 Part 1

DC Comics’ Production Dept., 1979 Part 2

The Beat

Fascinating photos of DC in 1979

Related Posts

Vivian Berg
Danny Crespi

Martin DeMuth

Marty Epp
Howard Ferguson

Albert and Charlotte Jetter
Abe Kanegson

Gary Keller

Morrie Kuramoto
Bob Laughlin

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Joe and Sam Rosen
Ira Schnapp

Artie Simek

Zoltan and Terry Szenics

Irv Watanabe

(Next post on Monday: The Rising Son)

Comics: Selma Meyers Gleit, Forgotten Artist

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Selma Meyers was born April 15, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York. The birth date is based on information at Tributes.com and Dignity Memorial.

In the 1930 U.S Federal Census, Selma was the second and youngest child of Louis, a baker, and Cecilia, who were Polish emigrants. Selma’s older brother was “Abie” [Abraham]. The family resided in Brooklyn at 1456 44th Street

The 1940 census recorded the Meyers’ new address in Brooklyn, 114 Manjer Street, and two additional children, Harriet and Melvin.

Selma graduated from New York City’s School of Industrial Art in 1945. On page 14 of the yearbook was Meyers’ name, specialty and achievements: “Silk Screen. Valedictorian; General Excellence Award; Designed commencement program cover.” The Class of 1945 included Rocco Mastroserio, Joe Orlando, Peter Pandolfi, Gaspar Saladino, and August Scotto. 

The Northport Journal, (New York), June 23, 1949, covered Selma’s marriage.

Gleit–Meyers

The wedding of Miss Selma Meyers and Bernard Gleit took place last Sunday evening, June 12, in the Temple Auditorium in Brooklyn. Immediately following the ceremony, a reception was held in the Auditorium for friends and family of the bride and groom, the guests numbering two hundred. Mr. and Mrs. Gleit left later for their honeymoon trip to Schroon Lake, a resort in the Adirondacks, where they stayed until their return on Sunday, June 19.

Mrs. Gleit a popular Huntington Station resident is a graduate of the Industrial School of Arts Class of 1945, of New York City, and also attended Pratt Institute in that city. She is presently an artist for the National Comics Publications in New York. Mr. Gleit is connected with the Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company.

The young couple are making their home on Jacobson Avenue in Huntington Station, where they are already well known and well liked Mrs. Gleit is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Meyers of that community, and Bernard is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Gleit of Broadway in Greenlawn.

Selma is not listed in Who’s Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. It’s not known what her role was at National and what titles she worked on.

The Northport Journal, August 9, 1961, reported the birth of a son.

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Gleit are the proud parents of a boy born in the Huntington Hospital last Thursday. Mr. B. Gleit is the son of Herman Gleit of the Broadway stationery store.

There were two sons, David and Stephen.

Selma’s husband passed away July 25, 1995 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Selma’s passing was on April 4, 2012 in West Palm Beach.

The Selma Gleit Memorial Scholarship for Women in STEM was established by a granddaughter, Naomi Gleit, in 2015.


(Next post on Monday: Searching for Sid Check)

Letterer: Vivian Berg

Vivian Berg was born Vivian Lipman on January 4, 1923, in New Rochelle, New York.

In the 1930 U.S. Federal Census, the Lipman family resided in New Rochelle, New York, at 43-45 North Avenue. Vivian was the youngest of four children born to Benjamin, a grocery store proprietor, and Mary, both Russian emigrants who arrived in the United States in 1905. Vivian’s siblings were born in Connecticut.

The Daily Argus (Mount Vernon, New York), September 19, 1939, published this item:

Tau Alpha Meeting
Tau Alpha will hold a meeting tonight at the home of Miss Vivian Lipman, 22 Burling Lane, at 9 o’clock.

According to the 1940 census, the Lipmans remained in New Rochelle but at a different address, 22 Burling Lane.

Women in Comics said Vivian studied at Cooper Union, where she met her future husband Dave Berg.

Women in Comics also said Vivian worked for MLJ (Archie) and Classics Illustrated in the 1940s. Women and the Comics (1985) mentioned Vivian twice. About the publisher MLJ, Women and the Comics said “Vivian Lipman Berg (who edited Archie and inked the art, wrote puzzle pages and text pieces for the company and scripted and drew ‘Three Monkey Teers‘).” Regarding Timely Comics, the book said “Vivian Lipman Berg wrote text pieces for the company in 1942”.

According to Who’s Who in Writers, Editors & Poets, United States & Canada (1995), Vivian and Berg married on March 3, 1949.

The Orangetown Telegram (Pearl River, New York), December 8, 1950, reported the South Main P.T.A. enrollment drive and said: “The kindergarten, registering 113%, had a separate party in the Parish House of St. Paul's Episcopal Church under the direction of the teacher, Miss Vivian Lipman.”

In the 1960s, Vivian was a letterer for DC Comics. Two titles she worked on were Doom Patrol #117 (below) and Superboy #118.

Dave Berg was profiled in the Daily News (Tarrytown, New York), on April 17, 1977. Berg was asked where he got his ideas for his long-running MAD feature “The Lighter Side”.

Everywhere, he answers, saying his wife, Vivian, loves to read so she helps with the research. For example, for a “lighter side of modern technology,” she read the book “Future Shock” for ideas. Discussion and the comic followed.

MAD’s Greatest Artists: Dave Berg: Five Decades of “The Lighter Side Of…” (2013) has a sample of Vivian and Dave in “The Lighter Side of…Teenage Phases” from MAD #248, July 1984.

At some point, Vivian and her family moved to Marina Del Rey, California.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Vivian was a magazine writer and illustrator according to Who’s Who of American Comics Books 1928–1999.

Vivian’s husband died in 2002. Vivian passed away December 21, 2014, in California.



Related Posts
Ben Oda
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Ira Schnapp and here
Martin DeMuth

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Zoltan and Terry Szenics
Joe and Sam Rosen
Vivian Berg
Bob Laughlin

Gary Keller
Howard Ferguson
Albert and Charlotte Jetter

Danny Crespi
Abe Kanegson

Joe Letterese

(Next post on Monday: Stat Store Publishing)

Comics: ...Green Lantern’s light!

A design worth repeating.

 November 1928

Fall 1941

February 1962

October 1969

July 1970

November 1982

May 1984

July 2002

Further Reading
Martin Nodell, Creator of Green Lantern
Green Lantern Oaths
Rejected Green Lantern Logo
The Green Lantern Corps Logo

(Next post on Monday: Standard Oil Bulletin Artists, Part 2)

Comics: George Klein, Artist

Courtesy of Diane Boden

GEORGE DUNSFORD KLEIN

1915, Shreveport, Louisiana – May 10, 1969, New York, New York

1920 United States Federal Census
Name: George Kline [sic]
Age: 4
Birthplace: Louisiana
Address: 600 East 11th, Cheyenne, Laramie, Wyoming
Relation to Head of House: Son
Marital Status: Single
Father's name: George Kline [sic]
Father's Birthplace: Missouri
Mother's name: Matilda Kline [sic]
Mother's Birthplace: Missouri
Household Members:
Name / Age
George Kline, 36
Matilda Kline, 30 [maiden name was Dunsford]
Elna Kline, 6
George Kline, 4

Wyoming State Tribune
(Cheyenne, Wyoming)
October 30, 1921
Honor Roll Local Schools for First Six Weeks’ Period
Names of Students Who Made Good Marks in Studies at All the School Buildings.
The honor roll of the Chetenne schools for the first six weeks’ period, which ended October 14, was made public to day by Superintendent A. S. Jessup. It follows: 

Johnson
First grade A—First honors: …George Klein...

1930 United States Federal Census
Name: George D Klein
Age: 14
Birthplace: Louisiana
Address: 3615 House Avenue, Cheyenne, Laramie, Wyoming
Household Members:
Name / Age
George Klein, 46 (Rate Expert/Public Service Commission)
Matilda Klein, 40
Edna L Klein, 17
George D Klein, 14

American Forests and Forest Life
Volume 37, 1931
page 363: A letter from George D. Klein, of Wyoming, came too late to use, but it was so fine in sentiment and form of expression that recognition of some kind should be made. So we are sending him a cruiser's stick. George's favorite tree is the Rocky Mountain white pine. Its botanical name is Pirius flexilis. He likes it because it will grow at the timberline, on the wind slopes where other trees cannot survive the severe climate. Around the timberline it grows into grotesque shapes, but in the lowlands it is a tall and beautiful tree. George has shown good judgment in selecting so versatile a tree. There is a specimen on the campus at the University of Wisconsin, and I went out and renewed its acquaintance after getting George's letter. Needles are still retained on the stem five whorls back, which shows that its needles are deciduous every five or six years….

Nature Notes: The Magazine of Outdoor Information
Volume 4, Issues 1-6, 1939
page 99: Drawing by George Dunsford Klein

National Sportsman
December 1939

Cover by George Dunsford Klein

1940 United States Federal Census
Name: George Kline [sic]
Age: 24
Birthplace: Utah [sic]
Address: 23 Elton Road, Milton, Norfolk, Massachusetts
Inferred Residence in 1935: Milton, Norfolk, Massachusetts
Occupation: Truck Driver
Industry: Wool Manufacturing
Highest Grade Completed: High School, 1st year
Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 40
Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker in private work
Weeks Worked in 1939: 12
Income: 300
Household Members:
Name / Age
Matilda Kline, 50
Edna Kline, 27
George Kline, 24

Boston Herald
(Massachusetts)
April 1, 1940
New England Artists Show 136 Paintings in Jordan Exhibit
In a fine gallery equipped with special lighting on the fifth floor of the annex, Jordan Marsh Company has again invited local artists to make up their 11th annual spring exhibition of 136 paintings in oils and water colors by native New Englanders….

…Traditional painting with sound workmanship holds up well throughout the show. It is the younger men who prove to be the strict classicists, especially in the studies of pretty women by Elmer Greene, Richard Briggs and George D. Klein....

World War II Army Enlistment Record
Name: George D Klein
Birth Year: 1915
Nativity State or Country: Louisiana
State of Residence: Massachusetts
County or City: Norfolk
Enlistment Date: July 16, 1943
Enlistment State: Massachusetts
Enlistment City: Boston
Branch: No branch assignment
Grade: Private
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency
Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Education: 4 years of high school
Occupation: Commercial artists
Marital Status: Single, with dependents

Nature Notes: The Magazine of Outdoor Information
Volume 8, Number 5, May 1941
page 135: The Bushy-tailed Woodrat
Also known as Pack Rat and Trade Rat
From a drawing by George Dunsford Klein.

Heritage
Fall 2008
page 49: George Klein attended the Timely staff dinner, August 14, 1942.

Wyoming Wild Life
Wyoming, Game and Fish Department, 1942
page 137: Cover, Drawing of Female Marsh Hawk by George Dunsford Klein

Wyoming Wild Life
Volumes 7–9, 1942
page 124: Cover, Bull Moose in Mountain Lake, drawing by George Dunsford Klein

Wyoming Wild Life
1942
page 4: Cover by George Dunsford Klein

South Dakota Conservation Digest
October 1942
page 14: Gracing this month’s cover of the Conservation Digest is an artist's interpretation of Wapiti as drawn by George Dunsford Klein. The picture was furnished through the courtesy of the Wyoming Wild Life, official...

Timely-Atlas-Comics
Martin Goodman: The Crime Digest Paperbacks

Best Detective Novel of the Month / Selection of the Month / Selection
No. 7: “The Corpse Hangs High” by Edward Ronns. Copyright 1943, Select Publications’s Inc., Martin Goodman, President. George Dunsford Klein cover art. (Yes, “that” George Klein).

Crime Novel Selection
No. 4: “Murder For What?” by Kurt Steel; Copyright 1943 by Select Publications, Inc., Martin Goodman, President. George Dunsford Klein cover art.

Wyoming Wild Life
Volume 15, Issue 6, 1951
page 10: Painting by George Dunsford Klein

Wyoming Wild Life
Volume 16–17, 1952
page 16: Drawing by George Dunsford Klein

Wyoming Wildlife Magazine
Bulletin No. 7, 1954
Wyoming Fur-Bearers: Their Life Histories and Importance
page 26: Drawing by George Dunsford Klein

A Manual of Bandaging, Strapping, and Splinting
Augustus Thorndike
Lea & Febiger, 1959
page 10: Grateful appreciation is due to…his associate, George Dunsford Klein, for the drawings and illustrations.

World’s Finest Comics #169, Curt Swan (pencils), George Klein (inks)

The Avengers #58, John Buscema (pencils), George Klein (inks)

The Avengers #63, Gene Colan (pencils), George Klein (inks)

Thor #169, Jack Kirby (pencils), George Klein (inks)

Heritage Auctions
Original art

Mammals of the World

Volume 3
Ernest Pillsbury Walker, John L. Paradiso
Johns Hopkins Press, 1968
page 203: The Bushy-Tailed Woodrat. George Dunsford Klein. Nature Notes, Peoria, vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 133–135, pl. 1, May, 1941.

The New York Times
May 12, 1969
George D. Klein, a landscape and portrait painter, died Saturday [May 10] in St. Vincent’s Hospital after a brief illness. He was 52 years old and lived at 425 East 86th Street.

Mr. Klein was a member of the Salmagundi Club.
[According to Klein’s army enlistment record, he was born in 1915. He was about 54 when he died.]

Boston Herald
(Massachusetts)
May 13, 1969
Klein—Of New York City, a noted artist, George Dunsford Klein; husband of Patricia Klein of 425 East 86th St., died Saturday, May 10 at St. Vincent’s Hospital, following a brief illness. Survived by his mother, Mrs. Matilda L. Klein and sister Mrs. Edna Matthel of Westwood. Graveside services at Mount Wollaston Cemetery, Quincy, Wednesday at 12 noon. Relatives and friends are invited. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The National Wild Life Society.

The New York Times
May 13, 1969
Klein—George Dunsfort [sic]. The officers and directors of The Salmagundi Club mourn the loss of their esteemed member, George Dunsfort Klein.
The Salmagundi Club.

Boston Record American
(Massachusetts)
May 14, 1969
George D. Klein, Painter, at 52
Last rites for George Dunsford Klein, 52, of New York City, painter of landscapes and wildlife, will be held at noon Wednesday in Mt. Wollaston Cemetery. He died Saturday in St. Vincent’s Hospital, New York.

Klein, a native of Shrevesport [sic], La., had lived in Boston until a few years ago.

He is survived by his widow, Patricia (Perreira); his mother, Mrs. Matilda Klein, and a sister Mrs. Edna Matthol, both of Westwood.

Wikipedia
References, endnote 3: The closest “George Klein” with a 1969 death at the Social Security Death Index is Social Security Number 051-09-0859, born June 14, 1920, died September 1969, death certificate issued in New York state. [This person is at Find a Grave and was named George H. Klein.]

Grand Comics Database
Comics credits

Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999
Career overview
Studied at the New York School of Visual Arts and Kansas City Art Institute


(Next post on Monday: Uncanny Origins)

Anatomy of a Logo: Timber Wolf

On January 13, 1992, Curtis King, of DC Comics, faxed five pages of 

Timber Wolf sketches. I accepted his offer to refine and finish the logo.

Work began January 19, 1992; photocopy of fax made on the blank side of an X-Force photocopy.

Bold outline added to Wolf; red guide lines added; arrows and circles indicating adjustments

On January 20, tracing paper was placed over the above photocopy

and a tight outline rendering of the logo was made.

The outline rendering was photocopied and filled in. Questions and
suggestions were noted in the margins. This was faxed to Curtis.

Curtis’s response to my fax. 

Pieces of a Post-It Note covered the affected areas.

Photocopy with changes made to letters T, W, M, B and O. 
The T and I do not touch. I also made an alternate W.

Timber Wolf logo with version one of W.

Timber Wolf logo with version two of W.

Photocopy with additional changes to be made.

The final art measures 8.625 x 12.06 in / 21.91 x 30.63 cm.

Timber Wolf was published from November 1992 to March 1993.

(Next post on Monday: Elizabeth Colwell)