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Wayne Wright Howard (March 29, 1949 – December 9, 2007) was an American comic book artist. He is best known for his 1970s work at Charlton Comics. Although many other artists had signed their cover artwork, he became American comic books' first series creator known to be credited by the publisher on covers, with the horror fiction anthology Midnight Tales announcing "Created by Wayne Howard" on each issue — "a declaration perhaps unique in the industry at the time".
Howard made his credited comics debut as a penciler and inker with writer Marv Wolfman's three-page story "Cain's True Case Files: Grave Results" in DC Comics' House of Mystery #182 (Oct. 1969). He contributed to later issues, as well as to Major Publications' black-and-white horror-comics magazine Web of Horror #1 (Dec. 1969). Wayne Howard at the Grand Comics Database
Charlton writer-editor Cuti described Howard's credit for the horror anthology Midnight Tales being granted since "it was his idea, his concept, his everything". This ranged from horror host Professor Coffin, The Midnight Philosopher, and his niece, Arachne — who in a twist on the horror-host convention would themselves star in a story each issue — to the notion of having each issue be themed: "One time it would be blob monsters, and I wrote three stories about blob monsters, and another time it was vampires ... and that sort of thing".Nicola Cuti interview, Comic Book Artist #12 (March 2001), p. 41-42 Howard penciled and inked every cover and virtually every story, and occasionally scripted a tale. The three-issue reprint series Prof. Coffin #19-21 (Oct. 1985 – Feb. 1986) retains the "created by" credit.
The critic Mark Andrew observed of Midnight Tales,
For the industry leader Marvel Comics, he inked Rich Buckler's cover and Ross Andru's pencil art adapting Harry Bates' short story "Farewell to the Master" in the science-fiction anthology Worlds Unknown #3 (Sept. 1973); Gil Kane's Spider-Man / Namor story in Marvel Team-Up #14 (Oct. 1973); Val Mayerik's "Thongor! Warrior of Lost Lemuria" feature in Creatures on the Loose #26 (Nov. 1973); and a Syd Shores story in the black-and-white comics magazine Haunt of Horror #4 (Nov. 1974).
George Wildman, Charlton Comics' editor during the 1970s, described the artist as, "sort of shy. Easy come, easy go",George Wildman interview, Comic Book Artist #12 (March 2001), p. 24 and said Howard had married the sister of one of Wildman's early secretaries. Howard's friend and frequent collaborator Nicola Cuti said the artist, a heavy smoker, "always wore the same outfit: a white shirt, a kind of tan bush jacket, black hat, black pants and black tie. ...I was over at his apartment, and he opened up his closet, and there were 20 white shirts, 20 bush jackets, 20 black pants...." The magazine Comic Book Artist in 2001 attempted to contact Howard for an issue devoted to Charlton Comics, and reported that while he "apparently still resides in Connecticut ... a third party indicated the artist/writer had no interest in delving into the past".
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