Frank Thorne
Frank Thorne | |
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Playboy editorial Award |
Benjamin Franklin Thorne (June 16, 1930 – March 7, 2021
Comics
Thorne began his comics career in 1948, penciling romance comics for
Originally drawn by
Thorne subsequently created a number of
Publishing company Hermes Press has reprinted Lann, Ribit! and Ghita of Alizarr; the latter being reprinted as an archival, nearly full-sized reproduction of the original art.
Controversy
Prosecutors in the Planet Comics and Science Fiction Store obscenity case in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1995–1996 confiscated Thorne's The Devil's Angel, among other creators' works, as alleged child pornography.[4][5]
Other media
Thorne wrote and produced the documentary Two Lords and a Lady, about Elizabeth Lee “Aunt Betty” Frazee and The Battle of the Short Hills.[citation needed] He wrote the books The Barrington Hall Sketchbook, Drawing Sexy Women, The Crystal Ballroom, and The Alizarrian Trilogy: Nymph, all published by Fantagraphics Books., also Frank Thorne's Battling Beauties (with Howard Leroy Davis as co-writer and which includes Sylph from The Alizarrian Trilogy), Frank Thorne's Ribit, Frank Thornre's Lann, all published by Hermes Press. His work as a writer-illustrator has appeared in Playboy, Hustler, Golden Magazine, High Times, and Vanity Fair.
Awards
Thorne's awards include a 1963
Personal life
Thorne was known during the 1970s for attending comic book conventions in his persona as The Wizard judging Red Sonja Lookalike Contests.[7] He was born in Rahway, New Jersey, and as of 2010 lived in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.[8]
Thorne wanted to be known as a master in all aspects of cartooning and illustration. This lifetime pursuit was completed with his humorous Moonshine McJuggs cartoons published in Playboy. He acknowledged that he could not have done all that he had done without the support of Marilyn, his wife of sixty-nine years. Despite the controversial nature of some of his material her support was unwavering. This enabled Thorne to work in every area of cartooning and illustration from Sunday School pamphlets to pornography.[9]
He and Marilyn died on the same day: March 7, 2021.[10][11]
References
- Lambiek Comiclopedia
- ^ "Frank Thorne – RIP". March 8, 2021.
- ^ Thorne entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Accessed Dec. 4, 2017.
- ^ "Newswatch: Planet Comics Prepares for Hearing, Police Raid Retailer's Home". The Comics Journal. No. 183. Fantagraphics. February 1996. pp. 15–16.
- ^ Ronan, John F. (February 1996). "Newswatch: Planet Comics Closes, Case Continues". The Comics Journal. No. 184. Fantagraphics. pp. 7–10.
- ^ "Division Awards Comic Books". National Cartoonists Society. 2013. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
- ^ Thompson, Steven (June 16, 2009). "Frank Thorne, Wendy Pini and Me". Booksteve's Library. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
- ^ "Union County Historical Society to present a book discussion featuring Illustrator Frank Thorne". NJ.com: "Suburban News". January 11, 2010. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
Frank Thorne was born in Rahway in 1930 and currently resides in Scotch Plains.
- ISBN 978-1613451038..
- ^ DOMINGUEZ, NOAH (March 8, 2021). "Frank Thorne, Legendary Red Sonja Artist, Dies at 90". CBR. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
- ^ Gordon, Ian (March 8, 2021). "Marvel Comics Artist and Longtime Scotch Plains Resident Frank Thorne Dies at Age 90; Best Known for Red Sonja Character". TAPinto Scotch Plains/Fanwood.
External links
- Frank Thorne at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original) Accessed March 20, 2008.
- "Frank Thorne Interview". The Comics Journal. No. 280. Online excerpts from print interview. Archived from the original on February 21, 2007.
- Mike Karsnak (October 13, 2005). "At 75, Scotch Plains cartoonist still a major draw". The Star-Ledger Union Edition, In the Towns. p. 1.
- Frank Thorne at Library of Congress, with 3 library catalog records