'Mischa im Weltraum' (Fix und Foxi #291).
Becker-Kasch was a German comic artist, mostly active in the 1950s. He is known for drawing the adventures of 'Tim und Tobby' (1953-1954) in the Bambino comic book series of Panorama Verlag. He was also one of the early artists of Rolf Kauka's comics empire, drawing 'Fix und Foxi' stories and the futuristic serial 'Mischa im Weltraum'. For many years, the identity of Becker-Kasch was one of the biggest mysteries in German comic history. Unconfirmed rumors stated that it was in fact a pen name for two artists. This was confirmed in 2015 on the website Kaukapedia.com by the daughter of the artist Kasch. Becker-Kasch was the joint signature of the artist Kurt Ludwig Schmidt, pen name Kasch, and the publisher Walter Becker. One can assume that Kasch was responsible for drawing the comics, while Becker dealt with the business aspects.
Early life and career
Karl Schmidt was born in 1909. At one point he joined forces with Walter Becker, with whom he formed a printing business under the name Becker-Kasch. Their joint signature pops up in German comic books of the 1950s and early 1960s. In the early 1950s, they made several comic strips for Hausschatz, a magazine from Nürnberg, including 'Hannibal und Hannelore' (1952). In 1953 and 1954 Becker-Kasch produced five landscape format-shaped books starring an anthropomorphic bear and fox, 'Tim und Tobby'. They formed the final installments of the 'Bambino' comic book collection of the publishing house Panorama Verlag; the first issues were filled with the funny animal strip 'Tusto und Herst' by an artist called Jacobi. For the same publisher, Becker-Kasch made two comic books about the seafaring boy 'Kay' (1954).
'Der Löwe Adolar'.
Kasch also made illustrations for magazines like Diese Woche, as well as the pantomime comic strip 'Der Löwe Adolar' for Bambino magazine. In alternation with Roxy Royal (Rolf Altmann) and Helmuth Steinmann, Becker-Kasch worked on back-up features like 'Xury' and 'Joe the Kid' for Helmut Nickel's 'Robinson' series at Titanus Verlag.
'Xury'.
Kauka
Between 1955 and 1957, Kurt Schmidt was one of the early artists working for Rolf Kauka's magazines Fix und Foxi and Eulenspiegel's Kunterbunt, alongside Walter Neugebauer and Werner Hierl. He drew several of the early 'Fix und Foxi' stories, which stood out for their dynamic artwork. He returned to Kauka from 1960 until 1962, resuming his duties on 'Fix und Foxi', but also drawing stories with 'Knox' and the futuristic serial 'Mischa im Weltraum'. The latter series dealt with a young daredevil who battles space villains like Professor Diabolus, with his girlfriend Connie by his side. Becker-Kasch drew the first 19 pages of the original series in Fix und Foxi issues #291 through #293, after which Walter Neugebauer took over. Later artists of the feature were Ludwig Fischer, Studio Berck and Josep Marti.
Final years and death
By the mid-1950s, Becker-Kasch's character 'Tim und Tobby' appeared on stereo picture cards for a 3-D viewer. The duo has additionally produced a lot of artwork for the American ViewMaster company. Kurt Schmidt continued to draw 'Fix und Foxi' stories until he was already seriously ill. He passed away in November 1962, at the age of 53.
Fix und Foxi - 'Der Schatz des Piraten!' (Eulenspiegel's Kunterbunt #8, 1955).