Ernie Colon has one of the most appealing art styles I've ever come across. Distinctive, energetic and full-blooded, Ernie could draw comics in all sorts of styles and manners. He was part of the Harvey camp, drawing the light-hearted hi-jinks of Casper and his gang of mostly friendly ghosts. I first took notice of Colon when he was tapped to draw The Grim Ghost and Tiger-Man for the fledgling Atlas-Seaboard company which took a failed stab at Marvel's new-found primacy during the heyday of the Bronze Age. Atlas-Seaboard soon sputtered, floundered and failed, but Ernie kept on drawing. (The cover of Grim Ghost's debut might just be my favorite all-time cover, it's sure in the top five.) He drew for DC, Marvel and anyone who'd hire a talented fellow to give life to a comic script. In later times he drew issues of Arak Son of Thunder alongside Roy Thomas when the latter jumped to the "Distinguished Competition" and still later he drew the delightful Damage Control limited series for Marvel which showcased the little guys who clean up after all those hectic superhero slug fests.
In more recent years, Colon has teamed with fellow Harvey alumnus Sid Jacobson to offer up comic presentations of significant historical events, figures, and documents such as the 9-11 Report and many such enlightening books since. Ernie has become an important artist as well as a talented one.
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That Atlas advertising page is excellent and for me is one of the most iconic comic book pieces of art of the 1970s. Loved his work on Grim Ghost and I eould say that Colon was probably the best artist (on regular strips) at Atlas. I have to admit to not being aware of any of Ernie work at DC or Marvel.
ReplyDeleteHe was a revelation to me at Atlas, a new artist among a gaggle I knew from Marvel and elsewhere. Where had this guy been hiding? Harvey I later discovered.
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