Al Williamson: Comics Illustrator by Alex Grand
Alfonso ‘Al’ Williamson, a legendary figure in comic book illustration, left an unforgettable mark on the industry, shaping the landscape for generations of artists. Born in Colombia, Williamson grew up surrounded by vibrant scenery, but it was the world of comics that truly captured his imagination. His artistic journey began at a young age, and by the time he moved to New York City at 12, he had already fallen under the spell of visual storytelling.
It was the 1940 serial Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe that lit the fire of inspiration, sparking a passion that would define his career. At just 17, Williamson had already made his mark with a strikingly realistic depiction of Flash Gordon in 1948, a style that would become his signature throughout his career.
At just 17, Williamson had already made his mark with a strikingly realistic depiction of Flash Gordon in 1948, a style that would become his signature throughout his career.
Williamson’s ascent in the comic art world was swift, thanks in part to his deep admiration for past masters. His work, as he once shared in The Comics Journal, draws subtle yet powerful influence from architectural visions, particularly those of Franklin Booth. This foundation, combined with his own vivid creativity, propelled Williamson to stand out during the 1950s.
One of his earliest noteworthy projects was Jann of the Jungle, a collaboration with Ralph Mayo for Atlas Comics. It was a perfect reflection of the Tarzan-mania of the era.
Yet, it was Williamson’s love for space fantasy that truly set him apart. His preliminary cover for Weird Fantasy 13 in 1953, although unused, hinted at the artistic brilliance that would later flourish in his famed Flash Gordon work.
The 1950s saw him mingling with other giants of the comic world, such as Marie Severin, who would later rise to fame as a Marvel artist. While EC Comics shocked readers with its horror, Williamson gravitated more toward science fiction, a genre that aligned with his visual imagination.
While EC Comics shocked readers with its horror, Williamson gravitated more toward science fiction, a genre that aligned with his visual imagination.
His contribution to Tales of Suspense 1 in 1959 marked an early exploration of space narratives, complete with starships and space dragons. This story was a precursor to the iconic work he would later produce in the Flash Gordon universe.
By the mid-1960s, Williamson was poised for a pivotal moment in his career.
By the mid-1960s, Williamson was poised for a pivotal moment in his career. In 1966, King Comics Flash Gordon 1 allowed him to not only pay homage to the sleek heroism of Alex Raymond’s original character but also to modernize it with contemporary sci-fi elements.
Williamson maintained the continuity from Raymond’s time on the strip as opposed to Mac Raboy who worked on the Sunday strip from 1946 until his death in 1967.
Williamson’s adaptation received immediate acclaim, with Flash Gordon 4 being featured in a Colombian newspaper when he was just 36.
He meticulously penciled three extraordinary issues of Flash Gordon for King Comics in 1966, extending the Alex Raymond narratives with the collaboration of Archie Goodwin.
In the case of Flash Gordon 4 from 1967, he captured a self-portrait, before drafting and inking the final image that would be used in the issue.
His rendition of Flash Gordon was rapidly gaining cultural significance, a status cemented by its use in promotional materials for Union Carbide Plastics in 1970. This period saw Williamson’s vision of Flash Gordon evolve into a cultural touchstone.
His next professional assignment in 1967, Williamson’s artistic evolution continued with his work on Secret Agent Corrigan, originally created by Alex Raymond. Here, he brought a cinematic quality to the spy genre, collaborating again with writer Archie Goodwin. .
His early panels paid tribute to Raymond’s style, but as the series progressed, he infused the character with his own flair, even modeling Corrigan after himself by the early 1970s.
One of the highlights of this period was the 1969 storyline involving the kidnapping of Corrigan’s wife, a tense, action-packed narrative that foreshadowed the kind of edge-of-your-seat storytelling that would later be popularized by films like Taken. Williamson’s ability to blend suspense, action, and intrigue set a new standard for visual storytelling.
Throughout the 1970s, Williamson’s versatility as an artist continued to shine. He pushed the boundaries of the spy genre, blending James Bond-like thrills with science fiction elements in Secret Agent Corrigan. These strips ventured into diverse themes,
and so did his affiliations as he mingled with illustrative cartoonists around the world like that seen here at the 1973 Lucca Comics & Games festival.
This same year he incorporated a depiction of a Buddhist Tibetan lamasery into his work, reminiscent of the origins of iconic characters like Green Lama, Dr. Doom, and Dr. Strange.
Another 1973 strip demonstrated Williamson’s deft handling of the spy genre, as Corrigan enticed a local baroness and engaged in a deadly duel on a cliff edge, his survival hanging in the balance.
In 1974, readers were introduced to Lady Vengeance, a character whose father’s murder at the hands of mobsters spurred her transformation into a vigilante targeting criminals. Her persona resonates with that of Elektra, who would debut in 1981. Though Lady Vengeance’s aesthetic leaned towards a more “Gimp with a Gun” style rather than the typical ninja look, both characters underwent rigorous training and pursued ruthless mobsters.
As the series evolved, it explored more mature themes. For instance, a 1975 episode finds Agent Corrigan journeying through the ‘Cheap and Gaudy’ section of town.
In the same year, another storyline involved Corrigan exploring a South American Pyramid in search of an ancient totem.
Intriguingly, Williamson also incorporated extraterrestrial encounters into the narrative, as Corrigan meets an alien preserving a lost civilization in Antarctica.
The cultural fascination with cults in the 1970s is embodied in a 1975 strip where Corrigan confronts Madam Satan and her Church of Darkness, a storyline that seemingly drew inspiration from the film ‘Rosemary’s Baby.’
When the narrative took a turn towards science fiction, it was clear both Goodwin and Williamson reveled in exploring this genre, which he lampooned by comparing his work to science fiction storyteller, Wally Wood, depicted in a panel from Flo Steinberg’s Big Apple Comics, showing him at his drawing board.
By 1977, the series took a bold leap into alternate dimensions, a narrative shift that Williamson and Goodwin relished.
The late 1970s marked the end of his Secret Agent Corrigan run as the storyline focused on science fiction, predicting his next move with Goodwin, including adaptations of Star Wars and Blade Runner.
The emphasis on science fiction was echoed the same year in Steranko’s Mediascene 40, a publication in which Williamson appeared to revel in a renaissance of the genre.
During this period, Williamson also crafted the artwork for the Flash Gordon Movie Adaptation comic book.
Soon after, he embarked on adaptations of iconic films like ‘Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back’ in 1980 & ‘Blade Runner’ in 1982, both with his long-time collaborator/writer, Archie Goodwin and finisher Carlos Garzon.
Gooodwin did a great job adapting the script for comic book form and it took this team 3 months to make it among their other projects.
The story itself is of course beautiful, and points out that life is to be enjoyed and savored no matter how long or short it lasts, and that even an android can have daddy issues and cry.
His contributions to the Star Wars universe were particularly memorable, and his 1980s strips for Marvel were later reprinted in Classic Star Wars in 1992, a testament to his lasting influence.
His subsequent work on a ‘Flash Gordon’ mini-series for Marvel in 1995, where he completed two issues, illustrated his continued artistic development, even as he returned to familiar themes and characters.
The interior back cover featured the planet Mongo in the backdrop, a sword duel with Ming, and a homage to Alex Raymond’s original in the final page.
As Williamson’s career transitioned into early 2000s, he worked on two Sunday editions of the Flash Gordon newspaper strip in 1999 and 2001.
The first was a collaborative effort, while the second was entirely his own creation. At the age of approximately 70, Williamson’s talent remained undiminished.
Despite his semi-retirement, Williamson’s engagement with his craft never truly ceased. He provided inkwork for Marvel’s ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘Daredevil’ titles, demonstrating a keen eye for detail that remained sharp and effective.
In 2000, his contributions were rightfully recognized with an Eisner Award for his work on Blade of the Immortal. His passing in 2010 left a void in the comic book world, but his legacy as a storyteller lives on.
The news of Williamson’s death in 2010 from complications of alzheimers left a void in the comic industry. His seven-decade career was defined by his passion for the art form, his endless creativity, and his ability to transport readers to worlds both fantastical and familiar, demonstrated how to weave visually grand narratives that continues to inspire and enlighten future comic professionals.
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