Joe Rosen (December 25, 1920 – October 12, 2009) was an American

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

artist, primarily known for his work as a

letterer A letterer is a member of a team of comic book creators responsible for drawing the comic book's text. The letterer's use of typefaces, calligraphy, letter size, and layout all contribute to the impact of the comic. The letterer crafts the com ...

. Over the course of his career with

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...

and

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...

, Rosen lettered such titles as ''The Fantastic Four'', ''Captain America'', ''Daredevil'', ''Spider-Man'', ''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'', ''The Incredible Hulk'', ''The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones'', and ''X-Factor''. He also lettered the DC/Marvel intercompany crossover book ''

Superman and Spider-Man ''Superman and Spider-Man'' is an intercompany comic book jointly published by DC Comics and Marvel Comics in July 1981. Number 28 (and final) in the ''Marvel Treasury Edition'' series, it is a "sequel" to 1976's '' Superman vs. the Amazing Spider ...

''.

Biography

Rosen started his career in the production department of

Fawcett Comics Fawcett Comics, a division of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the Golden Age of Comic Books in the 1940s. Its most popular character was Captain Marvel (DC Comics), Captain Marvel, the alter ego of ...

, where he worked from 1940 to 1943. He then joined

' production department, lettering at that publisher until the mid-1950s.Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999.
/ref> By then he had established a prolific freelance career, including with

Harvey Comics Harvey Comics (also known as Harvey World Famous Comics, Harvey Publications, Harvey Comics Entertainment, Harvey Hits, Harvey Illustrated Humor, and Harvey Picture Magazines) was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by A ...

, where he was known as speedy, professional, and a "quiet fellow." Rosen lettered almost exclusively for Harvey throughout the rest of the 1950s. In the 1960s and early 1970s, Rosen created pencil artwork for the

romance title ''

Girls' Love Stories ''Girls' Love Stories'' was an American romance comic book magazine published by DC Comics in the United States. Started in 1949 as DC's first romance title, it ran for 180 issues, ending with the Nov-Dec 1973 issue. The stories covered such topic ...

''. From 1969 to 1971 he also drew stories for DC's ''Secret Hearts''. In the 1960s, while continuing to letter for DC and Harvey, Rosen also lettered for Marvel Comics, occasionally in 1968–69, and regularly from 1974 onward. Beginning in the 1980s, and throughout the rest of his career, Rosen worked almost exclusively for Marvel. In 1975 he began lettering ''

Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...

''. Rosen would work on 127 issues of the comic over 16 years. His brother was Sam Rosen, also a long-time Marvel Comics letterer.Klein, Todd
"Joe Rosen Passes,"
Todd's Blog: Todd Klein on Lettering, Life, Literature, and More (October 12, 2009). Joe Rosen died October 12, 2009.

Tributes

Tom Spurgeon Thomas Martin Spurgeon (December 16, 1968 – November 13, 2019) was an American writer, historian, critic, and editor in the field of comics, notable for his five-year run as editor of ''The Comics Journal'' and his blog ''The Comics Reporter''. ...

, the Comics Reporter: Rick Parker, long-time letterer:

Notes

References

* Kraft, David Anthony. ''Comics Interview'' #7 (Jan. 1984). * * Golden Age comics creators Silver Age comics creators 1920 births 2009 deaths Comic book letterers Marvel Comics people {{US-comics-artist-stub