Ray Billingsley
Encyclopedia
Ray Billingsley created the American comic strip
Curtis
, which is distributed by King Features Syndicate
and printed in more than 250 newspapers nationwide.
, and raised there in his earliest years. Later, his family moved to Harlem
, in New York City
.
He credits sibling rivalry
with sparking his initial fascination with cartooning. As a young boy, he learned to draw in order to emulate his older brother, who studied fine arts.
, a magazine "by kids for kids" published in Cambridge, Massachusetts
and then in New York City
from 1970 to 1975 under the co-editorship of Jenette Kahn
, future president and editor-in-chief of MAD Magazine and DC Comics
. Those intricately detailed drawings already showed a cartoonist in the making.
After graduating from the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan, he attended the School of Visual Arts
on a four-year scholarship. After graduating, he began an internship at Walt Disney Studios
in 1979.
Billingsley drew a nationally syndicated strip called Lookin' Fine from 1979 to 1982.
By 1988, he was free-lancing in advertising and public relations; doing television commercials, posters and animation; and working for magazines such as Ebony
. In October of that year, King Features Syndicate introduced Curtis
.
Billingsley acknowledges that Wee Pals creator Morrie Turner, the first black cartoonist in national syndication, opened the door for Curtis and other strips. He also credits Will Eisner
, creator of The Spirit
, for encouraging Billingsley to stretch out artistically. "He always told me to reach out and do more than I thought I could. I continually draw strength when I relive his teachings," said Billingsley.
in 2000, during the conference between the American Lung Association
and the Canadian Lung Association
in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Billingsley received the Humanitarian Award from the American Lung Association of Southeast Florida in 1999.
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Curtis
Curtis (comic strip)
Curtis is a nationally syndicated comic strip written and illustrated by Ray Billingsley. It began on October 3, 1988 and is syndicated by King Features....
, which is distributed by King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
and printed in more than 250 newspapers nationwide.
Early life
Billingsley was born in Wake Forest, North CarolinaWake Forest, North Carolina
Wake Forest is a town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake County in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is located just north of the state capital, Raleigh. The population was 12,588 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the estimated population was 27,915...
, and raised there in his earliest years. Later, his family moved to Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
He credits sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among children, blood-related or not.Siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality,...
with sparking his initial fascination with cartooning. As a young boy, he learned to draw in order to emulate his older brother, who studied fine arts.
Career
Billingsley contributed early cartoons to KidsKids (1970s magazine)
Kids was a children's magazine published in Cambridge, Massachusetts and later New York City from 1970 to 1975. Its aim was to create a magazine which was, as much as possible, created and edited by children themselves, with minimal adult supervision.Its founding editors were Jenette Kahn and Jim...
, a magazine "by kids for kids" published in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
and then in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1970 to 1975 under the co-editorship of Jenette Kahn
Jenette Kahn
Jenette Kahn is an American comic book editor and executive. She joined DC Comics in 1976 as publisher, and five years later was promoted to President. In 1989, she stepped down as publisher and assumed the title of Editor-in-Chief while retaining the office of president...
, future president and editor-in-chief of MAD Magazine and DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. Those intricately detailed drawings already showed a cartoonist in the making.
After graduating from the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan, he attended the School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
on a four-year scholarship. After graduating, he began an internship at Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
in 1979.
Billingsley drew a nationally syndicated strip called Lookin' Fine from 1979 to 1982.
By 1988, he was free-lancing in advertising and public relations; doing television commercials, posters and animation; and working for magazines such as Ebony
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
. In October of that year, King Features Syndicate introduced Curtis
Curtis (comic strip)
Curtis is a nationally syndicated comic strip written and illustrated by Ray Billingsley. It began on October 3, 1988 and is syndicated by King Features....
.
Billingsley acknowledges that Wee Pals creator Morrie Turner, the first black cartoonist in national syndication, opened the door for Curtis and other strips. He also credits Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
, creator of The Spirit
The 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...
, for encouraging Billingsley to stretch out artistically. "He always told me to reach out and do more than I thought I could. I continually draw strength when I relive his teachings," said Billingsley.
Awards
Billingsley has received several awards, including the President's AwardPresident's Award
The President's Award may refer to:*Gaisce, The President's Award, Republic of Ireland*NAACP Image Award - President's Award, United States*Rashtrapati Award - Award given by the President of India*the highest rank of the Kiribati Scout Association...
in 2000, during the conference between the American Lung Association
American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is a voluntary health organization whose mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.-History:...
and the Canadian Lung Association
Canadian Lung Association
The Canadian Lung Association is a national organization and volunteer-based health charity, The Lung Association depends on donations from the public to support lung health research, education, prevention and advocacy[1]....
in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Billingsley received the Humanitarian Award from the American Lung Association of Southeast Florida in 1999.