Artist Tom Moore, the man responsible for bringing the world of Archie, Jughead, and the rest of the town of Riverdale to life has passed away from Lung cancer in his hometown of El Paso, Texas. He was 86 years old.
Moore worked on the iconic comic from 1953 to 1988 and is credited with defining its signature look and art style. His obituary in the El Paso Times reads:
Moore, an Austin High School graduate, got his start as a cartoonist while serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He had drawn a cartoon of his captain for fun, then was called into his office. He expected to get in trouble, but was instead reassigned to be a staff cartoonist.
After his service in the Military, Moore attended Cartoonist and Illustrator school in New York. A year after that, he was given his big break when he got the opportunity to draw for Archie, 'America's typical teenager.'
The obituary is full of praise for Moore and his body of work. All Star Comics & Games Owner Brad Wilson said of him:
"He's a legend, in El Paso and, really, around the United StatesA lot of people don't realize how much he influenced comic book art."
In 2008, Moore told the paper:
"It's important to create characters that can adapt to anything, but whose personalities are consistent, establish that, and don't deviate. Betty doesn't act like Veronica, and Charlie Brown doesn't act like Lucy."
Despite retiring from illustration in the 1980's Moore would follow Archie and the gang's exploits well into the present day. He was vocal about the decision to kill off the character last year and reboot the series. He told the paper last year:
"I think it is kind of sad that the idealistic world of Riverdale is turning so dark with violence, death and murder," said Moore, who wrote and drew Archie for more than 35 years. "It's a cynical way to get the press to pay attention and get free publicity."
