a 2nd bLOG POST: JOE MANEELY, AN ICON

joe maneely, 1945

ORIGINAL COVER ART OF NAVY COMBAT #6

TODAY IS JOE MANEELY’S BIRTHDAY. HE was born into a poor family in Philadelphia on February 18, 1926. Despite his humble beginnings, he carved out an impressive legacy in the world of comics. His earliest known work was a weekly strip for his Catholic high school’s newspaper, where he also designed the school mascot. However, Maneely left school in his sophomore year and enlisted in the Navy, serving for three years as a visual aid specialist. After his discharge, he pursued advertising art at the Hussian School of Art in Philadelphia. From there, he entered the comic book industry, freelancing for Street and Smith publications in 1948.

Maneely became best known for his work at Atlas Comics (the precursor to Marvel), where he co-created characters such as The Black Knight, The Ringo Kid, and The Yellow Claw. His talent spanned multiple genres, from war and westerns—two of my personal favorites—to horror and adventure. He was an integral part of the Atlas creative team, working alongside legends like Steve Ditko, John Romita Sr., and Stan Lee.

“Joe Maneely to me would have been the next Jack Kirby. He could draw anything, and make anything look exciting, and I actually think he was even faster than Jack.”
— Stan Lee

splash page from maneely’s last published story, two-gun kid #45

Maneely was assigned projects across nearly every genre Atlas published, but he was particularly popular among fans of war, western, and horror comics. His dynamic storytelling and striking inking style made his work instantly recognizable. Marie Severin, who worked closely with him, recalled:

“His pencils were almost nonexistent. They were rough, lightly done layouts with no features on the faces… it was just ovals and sticks and stuff, and he inked from that. He did the work in the inking!”

gunsmoke western #55, maneely’s last published cover art

Interestingly, despite his prominence at Atlas, Maneely had little involvement in superhero comics. His only known superhero work for the company consisted of three Sub-Mariner covers (#37, #39, and #41) during Atlas’s brief attempt to revive Timely’s wartime hero.

By 1955, Maneely had joined Atlas Comics as a staff artist. Prior to that, he commuted from Philadelphia to New York three times a week to pick up scripts. Eventually, he relocated his family to Queens, and later, to a suburb in New Jersey.

Tragically, on June 7, 1958, just past midnight, Maneely was killed in a train accident. He had spent the evening at dinner with fellow Atlas employees—many of whom had been recently laid off—before catching a train home. Having lost his glasses the week prior, he fell between two moving train cars and was killed instantly. He was only 32 years old, leaving behind his childhood sweetheart and their three daughters.

Years later, Stan Lee reiterated what many already believed:

“Had Joe Maneely lived, he would have been another Jack Kirby. He would have been the best you could imagine.”

Maneely’s untimely death cut short what could have been an even greater legacy, but his influence on war, western, and adventure comics remains undeniable. His ability to draw anything, at lightning speed, with breathtaking energy and precision, cemented his place as one of the greats. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOE!