Alex Kotzky
Encyclopedia
Alex Kotzky was a cartoonist best known for his three decades of work on the comic strip Apartment 3-G
, distributed by Publishers-Hall Syndicate
.
Born in New York City, Kotzky studied at Pratt Institute
and attended the Art Students League on a 1941 scholarship. While still a student, he answered a newspaper ad for a comic book artist and worked in 1940 with Chad Grothkopf on features for National/DC Comics, including such characters as Johnny Quick, Sandman, Three Aces and Detective Chimp.
. He worked on Plastic Man, Doll Man, Kid Eternity and Manhunter for Quality Comics from 1946 to 1951. He drew horror, Western and war comics for Ziff-Davis.
Freelancing in 1954, he did illustrations for medical magazines and the Johnstone and Cushing ad agency. With Allen Saunders
, he did a Philip Morris
comic strip advertisement series, Duke Handy (beginning March 30, 1958), while also ghosting for newspaper strips (Steve Canyon
, The Heart of Juliet Jones
, Big Ben Bolt
).
After a struggle with kidney disease, Kotzky died in 1996. The strip was continued by Kotzky's son, Brian, with writer Lisa Trusiani. Frank Bolle
took over the strip in 2000 with scripting by Margaret Shulock
.
Story Comic Strip Award for 1968 for his work on Apartment 3-G.
Apartment 3-G
Apartment 3-G is an American newspaper comic strip about a trio of career women who share Apartment 3-G in Manhattan. Created by Nicholas P...
, distributed by Publishers-Hall Syndicate
Publishers-Hall Syndicate
Publishers-Hall Syndicate was a newspaper syndicate founded in 1944 by Robert M. Hall, the company's president and general manager.Hall had worked for The Providence Journal during high school, followed by three years at Northeastern Law School and four years at Brown University...
.
Born in New York City, Kotzky studied at Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
and attended the Art Students League on a 1941 scholarship. While still a student, he answered a newspaper ad for a comic book artist and worked in 1940 with Chad Grothkopf on features for National/DC Comics, including such characters as Johnny Quick, Sandman, Three Aces and Detective Chimp.
Comic books
While working on Blackhawk and Espionage, he drew backgrounds for Will Eisner's The SpiritThe Spirit
The Spirit is a crime-fighting fictional character created by writer-artist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940 in "The Spirit Section", the colloquial name given to a 16-page Sunday supplement, distributed to 20 newspapers by the Register and Tribune Syndicate and reaching five million...
. He worked on Plastic Man, Doll Man, Kid Eternity and Manhunter for Quality Comics from 1946 to 1951. He drew horror, Western and war comics for Ziff-Davis.
Freelancing in 1954, he did illustrations for medical magazines and the Johnstone and Cushing ad agency. With Allen Saunders
Allen Saunders
Allen Saunders was an American writer, journalist and cartoonist who wrote the comic strips Steve Roper and Mike Nomad, Mary Worth and Kerry Drake...
, he did a Philip Morris
Philip Morris USA
Philip Morris USA is the United States tobacco division of Altria Group, Inc. Philip Morris USA brands include Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Benson and Hedges, Merit, Parliament, Alpine, Basic, Cambridge, Bucks, Dave's, Chesterfield, Collector's Choice, Commander, English Ovals, Lark, L&M, Players and...
comic strip advertisement series, Duke Handy (beginning March 30, 1958), while also ghosting for newspaper strips (Steve Canyon
Steve Canyon
Steve Canyon was a long-running American adventure comic strip by writer-artist Milton Caniff. Launched shortly after Caniff retired from his previous strip, Terry and the Pirates, Steve Canyon ran from January 13, 1947 until June 4, 1988, shortly after Caniff's death...
, The Heart of Juliet Jones
The Heart of Juliet Jones
The Heart of Juliet Jones was a comic strip created by Stan Drake in 1953.The strip was a soap opera, following the prototype set by Mary Worth but elevated by Drake's exceptional artwork...
, Big Ben Bolt
Big Ben Bolt
Big Ben Bolt was a comic strip drawn by John Cullen Murphy, written by Elliot Caplin and distributed by King Features Syndicate.Illustrator Murphy entered the Army in 1940, joining the 7th Regiment. He spent several years in the Pacific, beginning in Australia and ending in Tokyo...
).
After a struggle with kidney disease, Kotzky died in 1996. The strip was continued by Kotzky's son, Brian, with writer Lisa Trusiani. Frank Bolle
Frank Bolle
Frank Bolle is an American comic strip artist, comic book artist and illustrator.-Career:-Children's books:...
took over the strip in 2000 with scripting by Margaret Shulock
Margaret Shulock
Margaret Shulock is an American cartoonist who works as a writer-artist on several features.Born in Canastota, New York, she lived in Franklinville, New York and Buffalo, New York. She currently resides in Friendship, New York. She began sending weekly, hand-drawn postcards to her parents, often in...
.
Awards
Kotzky received the National Cartoonists SocietyNational Cartoonists Society
The National Cartoonists Society is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the troops...
Story Comic Strip Award for 1968 for his work on Apartment 3-G.