Prentice, John Franklin, 1920-

John Franklin Prentice (1920-1999) was an American illustrator and comic strip artist.

Born Oct 17, 1920 in Whitney, Texas, John Prentice enlisted and served with the U.S. Navy for six years, including at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After his military service, Prentice attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and moved to New York City where he did freelance work in the form of advertising art, magazine covers, comic books and editorial illustrations. Prentice’s comic book work included penciling and inking for Hillman, DC and Features Comics.

In 1956, Rip Kirby comic strip creator Alex Raymond died suddenly following a car accident. Prentice joined King Features Syndicate as Raymond’s replacement while the strip continued to be written by Fred Dickenson. In the 1980s, Prentice took over writing duties for Rip Kirby as well, continuing the strip until its conclusion in the 1990s.

Prentice drew the strip for 43 years, receiving the National Cartoonist Society's (NCS) Story Newspaper Strip Award in 1966, 1967, and 1986. He was a member of the Society of Illustratiors and NCS.

John Prentice died on May 23, 1999 in Connecticut.

From the guide to the John Prentice Cartoons, 1956-1968, 1956-1965, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)