Vince Colletta

Vincente Colletta (October 15, 1923 - June 3, 1991) was an American comic book artist and art director best known as one of industry legend Jack Kirby's frequent inkers during the 1950s-1960s period called the Silver Age of comic books. This included a few landmark early issues of Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, and a long, celebrated run on the character Thor in Journey into Mystery and The Mighty Thor.

Biography

Early life and career

Colletta was born in Casteldaccia, Sicily, the son of Rosa and Frank Colletta, the latter "a pretty high-level Mafioso", according to family lore saying Frank Colletta emigrated from Sicily to escape local law enforcement. He settled in Brooklyn, New York City, where his wife and child joined him 10 years later. The family then moved to New Jersey and opened an Italian market, severing any ties to the Mafia. Educated at the New Jersey Academy of Fine Arts, Colletta entered comics in 1952, freelancing first as a penciler, inking his own work, for the publisher Better Publications, on the titles Intimate Love and Out of the Shadows', and for publisher Youthful Magazines' imprint Pix-Parade, on the title Daring Love.