For aficionados of vintage comic art from the 1960s, the name Bill Ward (1919-1998) is likely to ring familiar bells. Renowned for his distinctive style, Ward, whose last name intriguingly spells ‘draw’ when read backward, stands out as a prominent figure in the realm of Good Girl Art. This unique art movement, as defined by Richard A. Lupoff, revolves around the portrayal of attractive young women, often adorned in revealing attire, crafted for the purpose of erotic stimulation rather than moral implications.
In the tapestry of Ward’s creations, one finds the endearing character Torchy Todd, an ingenue enveloped in a world of insatiable desire and surrounded by lascivious men. As we delve into the artistic realm of Bill Ward, we uncover not just a mere artist but a maestro of capturing the alluring essence of a bygone era.”
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 ɱaп#15 (1948 Quality Comics
Again, a great tip from Jeff Faerber who drew my attention to the well-drawn erotic comic strip I Roved Out in Search of Truth and Love (2018) by Alexis Flower, who is responsible for both text and artwork…
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Fig. 4. Spanking (etsy.com)
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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
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Fig. 10. Torchy #6 cover re-creation (1982) (twitter.com)
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The Beginning Of The Career
After graduation in 1941, Ward worked at the ɱaпhattan 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 Bulletɱaп #3 a year later. Besides, the artist succeeded the artists who were drafted into the army, e. g. Reed Crandall with his Military
In the catalogue of the British Museum this image has been aptly described as ‘Buggering the Russian’. Both protagonists are infantry soldiers (the Russian has a rifle with a bayonet) of respectively the..
Comics.
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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 boɱbshell who would evolve into Torchy Todd. The latter debuted in Quality Comics’ Doll ɱaп #8 (Spring 1946) and existed until 1950.
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