The Good Girls Of Bill Ward, The World’s Most Prolific Artist

Probably those of our followers who love old comic art of the 1960s know the works of Bill Ward (1919-1998). This artist, whose last name, as attentive Eric Kroll mentioned, reads backward "draw," was one of the notable representatives of the so-called Good Girl Art. According to Richard A. Lupoff, the image of a good girl has nothing to do with morals and implies "an attractive young woman, usually in skimpy or form-fitting clothing, and designed for erotic stimulation." The popular Ward character Torchy Todd is an ingenue surrounded by lustful men.

Fig. 1. Bill Ward. Collection of the Ward family (taschen.com)

Fig. 2. blogspot.com

Fig.3. "Torchy" (chapter one) script and art by Bill Ward from Doll Man#15 (1948 Quality Comics) (twitter.com)

Fig. 4. Spanking (etsy.com)

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6. Spanking (twitter.com)

Fig. 7. Oh, Lord Molesby... I was beginning to think you'd never notice me!

Beer Jackets Business

William Hess Ward was born in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey. His father was an executive with the United Fruit Company specializing in trading tropical fruits grown on plantations in Latin America. Surely, he wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, but the son thought differently. At 17, he returned to Brooklyn to study art at the Pratt Institute. The first money young artist earned by illustrating "beer jackets," as the denim jackets with designs on the backs were called. Ward was paid $1 for a jacket and, by his own count, drew hundreds during the summer.

Fig. 8. vintage-erotica-forum.com

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10. Torchy #6 cover re-creation (1982) (twitter.com)

Fig. 11.

Fig. 12.

Fig. 13.

The Beginning Of The Career

After graduation in 1941, Ward worked at the Manhattan art agency, where he swept floors and ran errands for $18 a week. Accidentally cutting in half a Ford automobile illustration, Ward had to find another job and came to Jack Binder, who owned a small art studio producing content for comic book publishers. There Ward was supposed to draw background art and also was asked by Binder to attract other artists to help at the shop. Eventually, the team had 30 members. The first comic works by Ward appeared in the same year in Fawcett's Spy Smasher #2 and Bulletman #3 a year later. Besides, the artist succeeded the artists who were drafted into the army, e. g. Reed Crandall with his Military Comics.

Fig. 14.

Fig. 15.

Fig. 16. vintage-erotica-forum.com

In The Army

Then Ward enlisted into the army himself and did his military service at a naval base in Rhode Island. In that period, the artist drew propaganda comic strips in the local newspaper and also worked for Wendell Crowley from Fawcett Publications. There was born Ack-Ack-Amy, the bombshell who would evolve into Torchy Todd. The latter debuted in Quality Comics' Doll Man #8 (Spring 1946) and existed until 1950.

Fig. 17.

Fig. 18.

Fig. 19. vintage-erotica-forum.com

Become a Premium member now and discover more on Ward's work for Humorama, Underfround Comix, and the eccentric, boob-obsessed, filmmaker Russ Meyer

Click HERE for more articles on striking pin-up art.

Sources: Wikipedia.org; Kroll, Eric. "The Best Eye Candy Money Can Buy: The Life of Bill Ward, Good Girl Artist" (taschen.com)

Who is your favorite pin-up artist? Leave your reaction in the comment box below...!!