Nick Cardy - BAT LASH

Welcome back to Shemp's Gallery. It's Birthday month here at the Gallery. Not my birthday. I will try to celebrate a new artist every week whose birthday is in October.

Happy Birthday to Nick Cardy! Born October 20 1920. Nick Cardy was a tremendous artist. He gained fame doing the art for Aquaman and Teen Titans. In the 1970's he became DC's premier cover artist. He did covers for Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Justice League. He also did some did some beautiful horror covers for Ghosts, House of Mystery, House of Secrets, Secrets of Sinister House and The Witching Hour.

In 1968–69 Cardy drew the fondly remembered but short-lived, quirky Western series Bat Lash. Bat Lash was a self-professed pacifist, self-professed ladies' man, and gambler.

I love westerns... movies, books and comic books. I devoured Louis L'amour books in my early teens. The Outlaw Josey Wales is one of my favorite movies, as is Once Upon a Time in the West. Jonah Hex is one of my favorite characters. Bat Lash is one of my favorite short lived series. I already have a beautiful Bat Lash page by Cardy but I wanted more. I found this sketch, it's all pencil, even the lettering, and it's beautiful. It looks like it could be a movie poster. I love it.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Cardy one year at SDCC. He was sitting at a table with no one around him. I introduced myself, thanked him for all the work he had done and told him Bat Lash was one of my favorite series. He was a very nice man.

So Happy Birthday Nick Cardy! Thank you for all the joy and entertainment you provided.

BAT LASH "Will He Save the West or Ruin it?" by Nick Cardy