DICK SPENCER
I am inspired by Dick Spencer’s old school Herky by the way they are drawn with quality and thick black lines. As a kid, I was mesmerized by 1950’s Batman comic books and the thick black lines. I often find the rich ink lines of Dick Spencer’s Herky and Bob Kane’s Batman make their way into my paintings with color and richness of character.
Dick Spencer, creator of Herky The Hawk, grew up in a time when comic strip creators of Krazy Kat, Walt & Skeezix, and Popeye were like pop star celebrities of today. Every kid wanted to be a comic strip creator and Dick Spencer had the talent.
In addition to the art talent, Dick also had the spirit of the Hawkeyes in him as well. As a UI cheerleader, Dick Spencer often found himself on top of the pyramid cheers. After college, Dick joined the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the US Army to fight in World War II. It was then that we see a design with a bird come to life as he creates the insignia for the battling buzzards of the 517th . [1]
A few years later, Dick returns to The University of Iowa as a journalism professor teaching cartooning for newspaper comic strips. During this time, he is asked by Frank Havlicek of the UI Athletics to come up with a character that embodies a Hawkeye. In interviews, Dick often recalls coming up with Herky while drawing hawkeyes from observation at the Macbride Natural History Museum at the University. Here we see the characteristic bird of Dick Spencer come to life in his creation of Herky The Hawk. [2]
A couple years later, Dick Spencer moves to Colorado Springs to become the editor and publisher of the Western Horseman magazine. He continues to draw Herky occasionally, and during the Korean War we see a Herky look-a-like show up as Dick creates the insignia for the 124th fighter squadron. [3] Many years pass and we see the familiar bird drawings pop up every once in a while. In Vivian Spencer’s book Holy Cow!, A collection of cartoons and cowboy poetry by Dick Spencer, we see a final bird cartoon reference done to cheer up a sick friend in January 1984 who resembles that old school Herky look. [4] Shortly after this drawing, Dick Spencer past away from cancer in 1989. His talent will live on forever in the hearts of all Hawkeye fans in the form of Herky The Hawk.
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