Bernard Baily

Bernard Baily (April 5, 1916 – January 19, 1996)
at the Lambiek Comiclopedia
Archived
from the original on November 23, 2009. was an American comic book artist best known as co-creator of the DC Comics characters the Spectre and Hourman, and a comics publisher, writer, and editor.

Biography

Early life and career

Bernard Baily began his comics career under S. M. "Jerry" Iger, editor of ''Wow - What a Magazine!'', one of the seminal American comic books. The title ran four issues (cover-dated July-Sept. & Nov. 1936). Like many other creators during the late-1930s and 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books, Baily transitioned to the newly formed studio Eisner & Iger, a prominent comic book "packager" that produced comics on demand for publishers entering the new medium. There through the late 1930s, Baily worked on such fillers as the one-page movie-star biographies "Star Snapshots" for publisher Quality Comics' ''Smash Comics'', as well as on a syndicated comic strip, ''Phyllis''.

For DC Comics precursor National Comics, Baily co-created and drew the adventure feature "Tex Thomson" in ''Action Comics'' #1 (June 1938), the landmark comic book that introduced Superman. The Thomson feature ran through ''Action Comics'' #32 (Jan. 1941), after which the character adopted the superhero identities Mister America (''Action Comics'' #33-52) and the Americommando (''Action Comics'' #53-74, reaching to cover-date July 1944). Baily also wrote and drew the pirate-adventure feature "Buccaneer" in National's ''More Fun Comics'' #32-51 (June 1938 - Jan. 1940).Bernard Baily
at the Grand Comics Database

In ''More Fun Comics'' #52 (Feb. 1940), Baily and writer Jerry Siegel, Superman's co-creator, introduced DC's violent spirit of vengeance, the Spectre. The afterlife alter ego of murdered police detective Jim Corrigan, the character would become one of the longest-enduring comic-book creations, revived during the mid-1950s to 1960s Silver Age of Comic Books and continuing into the 21st century. One compilation of the top hundred American comics artists writes that, "Baily crafted a mood of menace and suspense, using bravura layouts featuring the Spectre's otherworldly powers and size. He was also a fabulous cover artist who contributed reams of great images."

Baily co-created the frequently revived DC superhero Hourman (dubbed Hour-Man in his earliest appearances), with writer Ken Fitch, in ''Adventure Comics'' #48 (April 1940).

The Golden Age Spectre's feature ran through ''More Fun'' #101 (Feb. 1945), with the Spectre also appearing as part of the superhero team the Justice Society of America in ''All Star Comics'' #1-23 (Summer 1940 - Winter 1944/45), from All-American Publications, one of the early companies that merged with National to form the modern-day DC. Hourman ran through ''Adventure Comics'' #83 (Feb. 1943).

Baily also drew the short-lived syndicated comic strips ''Vic Jordan'' (which ran from 1944-45 in the New York City newspaper '' PM'') and ''Stories of the Opera'' (running from 1949–50).

Later career

In 1943, Baily founded the publishing company Baily Publications and, with artist Mac Raboy, the comics packager Bernard Baily Studio. The latter concern, which lasted through 1946, was the outsource producer of such comics as Cambridge House Publishers' single-issue ''Star Studded Comics'' and ''Gold Medal Comics'' (both 1945). Other publishers for whom his studio created comics included the Rural Home Publishing imprint Croyden; Jay Burtis; Narrative; Lindsay Baird; Feature Comics; Neal Publications; the Spotlight Comics imprint Novack '45; R.B. Leffingwell; and Holyoke Publications.Bails, Ware
Bernard Baily StudioWebCitation archive
Among the fledgling artists gaining a foothold in the industry at Baily's studio were Gil Kane, Carmine Infantino, and Frank Frazetta, who at 16 assisted the established artist John Giunta there.Frazetta quoted at Other personnel included Dan Barry, Dick Briefer