'Supermouse' #4.
Milton Stein was an animator and comic book artist from New York. During the 1950s and 1960s he made several funny animal comics, making himself most noticed with the feature 'Supermouse'.
Early life
Milt Stein was born in 1921 in New York. He ranked George Herriman, Cliff Sterrett and Harvey Eisenberg among his main graphic influences.
Animation career
In the 1930s Stein worked for the Fleischer Studios, after which he joined Terrytoons until 1943.
'Daffy', from Smash Comics #57.
Funny animal comics
Stein's career as a 'funny animal' cartoonist took off at Timely Comics, where he worked for Vincent Fago. He drew many features for the Better Publications line of Standard Comics, most notably 'Supermouse'. Other artists who worked with this character were Al Hubbard, Jack Bradbury and Gene Fawcette, but Stein gave his stories the most ambiance. His other credits include 'Bonny Bunny', 'Coo Coo', 'Goofy Comics', 'Phineas the Parrot' and 'Tommy Turtle'. He also did a lot of work for Quality Comics, such as 'Flatfoot Burns', 'Poison Ivy' and 'Inkie'. Other companies he worked for were Victory Comics ('Jing Pals'), Trojan Comics ('Jingle Dingle'), Fawcett ('Snortville Sneeze'), ACG ('Buddy Bear', 'Pat the Potato Bug') and Ace Periodicals ('Marmaduke Monk').
'Supermouse'.
Final years and death
In the 1960s Stein returned to animation, working on the TV series 'Batfink' for Hal Seeger and 'Return to Oz' for Rankin-Bass. Suffering from bad health, Milt Stein commited suicide in 1977. He is known to have had an older brother who suffered from a mental disease and of whom he also had to take care.
Milt Stein was an influence on John Kricfalusi.
Cover illustrations for Real Funnies and Coo Coo Comics.