Editing Alex Toth (section)

==Biography==

===Early life and career===
Alex Toth was born in 1928 to immigrants from Hungary. His father was Sandor Toth, a coal miner, and also musician of [[Calvinism|Calvinist]] religion who hailed from [[Bodroghalász]],<ref name="alexandertórhbirthregister">{{Cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6V1T-1JBL|title=familysearch.org - Hungary - civilian registers - Zemplén county - Bodroghalász - Birth of Sándor (Alexander) Tóth - son of Sámuel Tóth and Erzsébet Menyhért - 1902. july 19th|website=[[FamilySearch]] }}</ref> Hungary, and his mother was the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] Mary Elizabeth Hufnagel, who hailed from [[Budapest]].<ref name="alextóthchristineschabermarriage">{{Cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93W-RQ4?i=2579&cc=1804002&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AK8X8-FN7|title=familysearch.org - California, County Marriages, 1850-1953 - The marriage of Alex Tóth and Christine Schaber - Los Angeles - 1956. december 27th|website=[[FamilySearch]] }}</ref><ref name="hufnagelerzsébetbirth">{{Cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP79-1D6M|title=familysearch.org - civilian registers - Budapest VII district - births registers - Hufnagel Erzsébet - daughter of Hufganel József and Kroppa Mária - 1905. november 7th|website=[[FamilySearch]] }}</ref> His parents Alexander Tóth and Mary Hufnagel married in [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]], [[Ontario]] on October 27, 1924, and after that they moved to Manhattan where Alex Toth was born. His paternal grandparents were Sámuel Tóth, a wine and grape farmer in Bodroghalász, and Erzsébet Menyhért; his maternal grandparents were József Hufnagel a farmer from [[Torontál County]] and Mária Kroppa.<ref name="sándoetóth andmaryhufnagelmarriage">{{Cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKM5-5GBX|title=familysearch - Hamilton, Ontario - marriages - marriage Alexander Tóth and Mary Elisabeth Hufnagel - 1924. October 27th|website=[[FamilySearch]] }}</ref><ref name="SocialSecurityaletoth">{{Cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KM1-9KRC|title=United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 - Alexander Toth, born in 25 Jun 1928, Manhattan, son of Sandor Toth and Mary Elisabeth Hufnagel|website=[[FamilySearch]] }}</ref>

Toth's talent was noticed early, and a teacher from his poster class in junior high school urged him to devote himself to art. Enrolling in the [[School of Industrial Art]],<ref name="NYT">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/06/arts/design/06toth.html?_r=0 |title=Alex Toth, 77, Comic Book Artist and ''Space Ghost'' Animator, Dies |first=Dennis |last=Hevesi |date=June 6, 2006 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620011913/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/06/arts/design/06toth.html?_r=1& |archive-date=June 20, 2014 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Toth studied illustration. He began his career when he sold his first freelance art at the age of 15, subsequently illustrating true stories for ''Heroic'' magazine through a [[comic book packager]] named Steve Douglas.<ref name="Lambiek" /> Although he initially aimed to do newspaper [[comic strip|strips]] ("It was my dream to do what [[Milt Caniff|Caniff]], [[Alex Raymond|Raymond]], and [[Hal Foster|Foster]] had done"),<ref name="CBA">{{cite journal|title = A Talk With Alex Toth|journal = [[Comic Book Artist]]|issue = 11|publisher = [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date = January 2001|location= Raleigh, North Carolina|url = http://www.twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/11toth.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140330234359/http://www.twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/11toth.html|archive-date= March 30, 2014|url-status= live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> he found the industry "dying" and instead moved into comic books.

After graduating from the School of Industrial Art in 1947, Toth was hired by [[Sheldon Mayer]] at National/[[DC Comics]]. ''[[Green Lantern (comic book)|Green Lantern]]'' #28 (Oct.–Nov. 1947) was one of the first comics he drew for the company.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Wallace|first1= Daniel|editor-last1=Dolan|editor-first1=Hannah|chapter= 1940s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 56|quote = This issue featured some of the earliest work by talented young artist Alex Toth...Alongside other newcomers such as Joe Kubert and Carmine Infantino, Toth helped bring a fresh look to the pages of DC.}}</ref> He drew four issues of ''[[All Star Comics]]''<ref>{{cite book|last= Thomas|first= Roy| author-link = Roy Thomas|chapter= "The Men (and One Woman) Behind the JSA: Its Creation and Creative Personnel|title = All-Star Companion ''Volume 1''|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|year=2000|location= Raleigh, North Carolina|isbn= 1-893905-055|pages= 34}}</ref> including issues #38 and #41 in which the [[Black Canary]] first met the [[Justice Society of America]] and then joined the team.<ref>Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 57: "In a sign of the character's growing popularity, Black Canary made her first appearance outside of ''Flash Comics'' in a feature by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Alex Toth...By the story's end, Black Canary was considered for JSA membership but wouldn't officially join until ''All Star Comics'' #41."</ref> A canine sidekick for Green Lantern named Streak was introduced in ''Green Lantern'' #30 (Feb.–March 1948) and the dog proved so popular that he became the featured character on several covers of the series starting with #34.<ref>Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 59: "The debut of Streak the Wonder Dog in a story by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Alex Toth wasn't a good sign for Green Lantern...Streak took over the cover of issue #34 in September, but he couldn't save his master's series from cancelation the following year."</ref> He worked at DC for five years, drawing the [[Golden Age of Comics|Golden Age]] versions of the [[Flash (Jay Garrick)|Flash]], [[Doctor Mid-Nite]], and the [[Atom (Al Pratt)|Atom]].<ref name="GCD">{{gcdb|type=credit|search= Alex+Toth|title= Alex Toth}}</ref> In addition to superheroes, Toth drew [[Western comics]] for DC including ''[[All-Star Western]]''.<ref>[[Alexander C. Irvine|Irvine, Alex]] "1950s" in Dolan, p. 66: "With work by artists Gil Kane, Carmine Infantino, and Alex Toth, and writer Robert Kanigher, among others, ''All-Star Western'' would run for ten years as a bimonthly title."</ref> He was assigned to the "[[Johnny Thunder#John Tane|Johnny Thunder]]" feature in ''All-Star Western'' because editor [[Julius Schwartz]] considered him to be "my best artist at the time."<ref>{{cite book|last = Daniels|first = Les|author-link = Les Daniels|chapter= Go West – Cowboys Conquer Comic Books|title = DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes|publisher = [[Little, Brown and Company|Bulfinch Press]]|year = 1995|location= New York, New York|page = 99|isbn = 0821220764}}</ref> Toth and writer [[Robert Kanigher]] co-created [[Rex the Wonder Dog]] in 1952.<ref>Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 68: "Rex the Wonder Dog leaped into comics with his own bimonthly series...written by Robert Kanigher and [drawn by] Alex Toth."</ref>

For a brief time in 1950, Toth was able to realize his dream of working on newspaper comic strips by [[Ghostwriter|ghost illustrating]] ''[[Casey Ruggles]]'' with [[Warren Tufts]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/ruggles.htm |title=Casey Ruggles |first=Don |last=Markstein |year=2010 |publisher=[[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]] |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20091016112248/http://www.toonopedia.com/ruggles.htm |archive-date=October 16, 2009 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all |access-date=June 20, 2014 }}</ref> In 1952 Toth ended his contract with DC Comics and moved to California. It is during that time that he worked on crime, war and romance comics for [[Standard Comics]]. In 1954, Toth was drafted into the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] and stationed in Tokyo, Japan. While in Japan, he wrote and drew his own weekly adventure strip, ''Jon Fury'', for the base paper, ''Depot Diary''. He served in the Army until 1956.

===Animation and later career===
[[File:Spaceghost.jpg|thumb|right|[[Space Ghost]], one of Toth's most famous designs]]
Returning to the United States in 1956, Toth settled in the Los Angeles area and worked primarily for [[Dell Comics]] until 1960. In that year, Toth became art director for the ''[[Space Angel]]'' animated science fiction show. This led to his being hired by [[Hanna-Barbera]], where he created the character [[Space Ghost]] for the [[Space Ghost (TV series)|animated series of the same name]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toonopedia.com/spacegh.htm |title=Space Ghost |first=Don |last=Markstein |year=2006 |publisher=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131105094114/http://www.toonopedia.com/spacegh.htm |archive-date=November 5, 2013 |url-status=live|df=mdy-all|quote=Space Ghost endured and is still popular today. In large part, this is due to the artistic input of comic book veteran Alex Toth...who, on staff with Hanna-Barbera as a designer and idea man, is generally credited with having created Space Ghost.}}</ref> His other creations include ''[[The Herculoids]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toonopedia.com/hercloid.htm |title=The Herculoids |first=Don |last=Markstein |year=2007 |publisher=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630115522/http://www.toonopedia.com/hercloid.htm |archive-date=June 30, 2012 |url-status=live|df=mdy-all|quote=Like the majority of Hanna-Barbera's late '60s adventure characters&nbsp;... The Herculoids were created by designer Alex Toth.}}</ref> ''[[Birdman and the Galaxy Trio]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toonopedia.com/birdman.htm |title=Birdman |first=Don |last=Markstein |year=2008 |publisher=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140620022738/http://www.toonopedia.com/birdman.htm |archive-date=June 20, 2014 |url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and ''[[Dino Boy in the Lost Valley]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toonopedia.com/dinoboy.htm |title=Dino Boy in the Lost Valley |first=Don |last=Markstein |year=2010 |publisher=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140620022133/http://www.toonopedia.com/dinoboy.htm |archive-date=June 20, 2014 |url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> He worked as a storyboard and design artist until 1968 and then again in 1973 when he was assigned to Australia for five months to produce the TV series ''[[Super Friends]]''.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

He continued to work in comic books, contributing to [[Warren Publishing]]'s magazines ''[[Eerie (magazine)|Eerie]]'', ''[[Creepy (magazine)|Creepy]]'' and ''[[The Rook (comics)|The Rook]]''.<ref name="GCD" /> For DC Comics, he drew the first issue of ''[[The Witching Hour (DC Comics)|The Witching Hour]]'' (February–March 1969) and introduced the series' three witches.<ref>McAvennie, Michael "1960s" in Dolan, p. 132: "For the first issue, writer/artist Alex Toth provided a framing sequence&nbsp;... that introduced readers to cronish Mordred, motherly Mildred, and beautiful maiden Cynthia."</ref> Toth illustrated the comic book [[Brand licensing|tie-in]] to the ''[[Hot Wheels (TV series)|Hot Wheels]]'' animated series based on the [[Hot Wheels|toy line]].<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 138: "Toth's aerodynamic storytelling fueled a series that took licensed tie-ins in a bold new direction."</ref> His collaboration with writer [[Bob Haney]] on the four page story "Dirty Job" in ''[[Our Army at War]]'' #241 (Feb. 1972), has been described as a "true masterpiece".<ref>{{cite book|author-link= Paul Levitz|last=Levitz|first= Paul|chapter= The Bronze Age 1970–1984|title= 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking|publisher= [[Taschen]]|year=2010|location= Cologne, Germany|isbn= 9783836519816|page= 540|quote= It was undeniable, however, that the audacity of depicting the Prince of Peace's crucifixion in ''Our Army at War'' was attention getting. This story, arguably veteran writer Haney's most prestigious work, enriched by the magnificent [Alex] Toth art, was certainly that.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/05/22/365-reasons-to-love-comics-142/ |title=365 Reasons to Love Comics #142 |first=Bill |last=Reed |date=May 22, 2007 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002064027/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2007/05/22/365-reasons-to-love-comics-142/ |archive-date=October 2, 2012 |url-status=live|df=mdy-all|access-date=April 6, 2012}}</ref> Toth worked with writer/editor [[Archie Goodwin (comics)|Archie Goodwin]] on the story "Burma Sky" in ''[[Our Fighting Forces]]'' #146 (Dec. 1973 – Jan. 1974) and Goodwin praised Toth's art in a 1998 interview: "To me, having Alex Toth do any kind of airplane story, it's a joy for me. If I see a chance to do something like that, I will. He did a really fabulous job on it." The two men crafted a [[Batman]] story for ''[[Detective Comics]]'' #442 (Aug.–Sept. 1974) as well.<ref>{{cite journal|last = Cooke|first = Jon B.|title = Archie's Comics – Archie Goodwin talks about DC in his last interview|journal = Comic Book Artist|issue = 1|publisher = TwoMorrows Publishing|date = Spring 1998|location= Raleigh, North Carolina|url = http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/01goodwin.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120307162234/http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/01goodwin.html|archive-date= March 7, 2012|url-status= live|df=mdy-all|quote= He had always wanted to do a Batman story.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1= Manning|first1= Matthew K.|last2=Dougall|first2=Alastair, ed.|chapter= 1970s|title= Batman: A Visual History|publisher= [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year= 2014|location= London, United Kingdom|page= 117|isbn= 978-1465424563|quote= Two masters of sequential storytelling, writer Archie Goodwin and artist Alex Toth, joined forces for an unforgettable Batman lead story.}}</ref> Toth and [[E. Nelson Bridwell]] produced a framing sequence for the ''Super Friends'' feature in ''[[Limited Collectors' Edition]]'' #C-41 (Dec. 1975 – Jan. 1976).<ref>{{cite journal|last = Franklin|first = Chris|title = The Kids in the Hall (of Justice) A Whirlwind Tour with the Super Friends|journal = [[Back Issue!]]|issue = 61|pages = 24–28|publisher = TwoMorrows Publishing|date = December 2012|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> Toth's final work for DC was the cover for ''[[Batman Black and White]]'' #4 (Sept. 1996).<ref>Levitz "The Dark Age 1984–1998" p. 574: "Only fate understood the juxtaposition of having the first cover [to the series] be Jim Lee's debut as a DC contributor and the last be Alex Toth's final contribution, placing the star artist of DC's next decades against the artist's artist of its Golden and Silver ages."</ref>

===Death===
Toth died at his drawing table<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5047556.stm|title= Comic artist Alex Toth dies at 77|date= June 5, 2006|work= [[BBC News]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121104094455/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5047556.stm|archive-date= November 4, 2012|url-status= live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> on May 27, 2006,<ref name="Lambiek"/> four weeks shy of his 78th birthday.

===Personal life===
Alex Toth was the father of four children, sons Eric and Damon and daughters Dana and Carrie. His marriage to Christina Schaber Hyde ended in divorce in 1968, and his second wife, Guyla Avery, died in 1985.<ref name="NYT" />