Johnny Craig was a comic illustrator and writer whose work appeared in
many comics, but is most closely associated with the classic EC horror
comics. Craig had no formal training, but managed to get a job working
as an assistant for M.C. Gaines, publisher of All-American Comics, and
later Eduational Comics (EC). Over the course of several years, he
gradually learned the craft of drawing comics. Never a very fast
drawer, he was nevertheless respected by his peers for his
craftsmanship and care. When William Gaines took over EC Comics after
the death of his father, he deciced to focus on the more popular horror
and science fiction comics.
Craig became the editor of "The Vault of Horror", writing and drawing
many stories for that line, as well as designing the "host", the Vault
Keeper. Craig and EC became the center of controversy in the 50s after
the publication of Dr. Wertham's "Seduction of the Innocents" and the
subsequent Congressional hearings investing the link between juvenile
deliquency and comics. Ironically, while Craig's work was generally
staid compared to other EC artists, it was his cover to "Crime
SuspenStories #22" that was diplayed in the Senate as an example of the
depravity of horror comics.
After the collapse of EC's horror comics line, Craig temporarily left
comics and worked in the advertising industry. He found this
unsatisfying, though, as it left him with little time for drawing. In
the 1960s, he returned to comic illustrating, first unsuccessfully in
the super-hero line, but later finding his niche in the 1970s revivals
of the horror comics. After retiring from comics in the 80s, he
suplimented his income by drawing recreations of his famous 1950s EC
covers and characters for comic art collectors.
