Frank Cummings
Frank Edward Cummings (born September 17, 1959 in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela; died July 1, 2014 in Birmingham) was a cartoonist and commercial artist, best known for drawing the daily "Blondie" newspaper comic from 2004 until his death.
Frank, the son of Jack and Elizabeth Cummings, graduated from Tates Creek High School in Lexington, Kentucky in 1978. He began his career selling advertising for the Picayune Item, and later worked as a political cartoonist at the Natchez Democrat. He then moved to Alabaster and opened the Cummings Design Group, doing commercial illustrations, including the cover for the 1995-1996 Birmingham Bulls hockey program and several promotional maps.
In 1992 he, Tim Spinosi and Coyote J. Calhoun launched Jab magazine, which he published. After that magazine folded in 1995 he was hired to illustrate fitness guru Richard Simmons' monthly newsletter and also designed packaging for his product line, as well as for a line of dolls marketed by Marie Osmond.
Cummings, who lived in Alabaster, also contributed cartoon film parodies published in Cracked magazine. In 2004 he was hired by King Features Syndicate and Dean Young to assist John Marshall by drawing the Monday-Friday panels for "Blondie". He also developed his own strip, "Brain Squirts," which he submitted for syndication.
Cummings died in July 2014 of pancreatic cancer. He was survived by his mother and his wife, Barbara. He is buried at the Amherst Fairlawn Cemetery in Amherst, Texas.
References
- "Picayune's Blondie connection: Frank Cummings." (September 12, 2010) Picayune Item
- "Frank Edward Cummings" obituary (October 7, 2014) Picayune Item
External links
- Frank Cummings at the Salty 'Ham Cartooneestas