Bill Everett
He plunged Marvel Comics into its first antihero with the brooding, half-human Prince Namor, shaping the very DNA of the superhero world.
1917–1973 (age 56)·American comic book artist·Birthday: May 18·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bill Everett didn't just draw comics; he conjured a moody, sub-aquatic mythology that would become a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe. Working in the nascent comic book industry of the late 1930s, his breakthrough was Namor the Sub-Mariner, a tempestuous hybrid of human and Atlantean who could as easily destroy New York as save it. Everett's art had a dynamic, almost pulpy energy, with swirling water and dramatic perspectives that made the page feel alive. Beyond Namor, his fingerprints are on key Marvel characters: he co-created Daredevil with Stan Lee, designing the original red-and-yellow costume, and later drew the haunting first zombie comic for the company, 'Tales of the Zombie'. Plagued by health issues, his output was intermittent, but his creations proved immortal, establishing a template for complex, flawed characters that would define Marvel's voice.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bill was born in 1917, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1917
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1917Born
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Started school
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1930Became a teenager
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Could drive
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1935Could vote
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Turned 21
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1947Turned 30
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 40
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 50
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1973Died at 56
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
Key Achievements
- Created Namor the Sub-Mariner in 1939, Marvel Comics' first major character and one of comics' earliest antiheroes.
- Co-created the superhero Daredevil with Stan Lee in 1964, designing the character's initial look and costume.
- Illustrated the first appearance of the Marvel zombie Simon Garth in 'Menace' #5 (1953).
- His work helped define the visual style of Timely Comics (Marvel's predecessor) in the Golden Age of comics.
Did You Know?
He was a descendant of the English poet William Blake, whose name he shared as his middle name.
Everett struggled with alcoholism for much of his life, a battle he depicted allegorically in some of his Sub-Mariner stories.
He served in the US Navy during World War II, creating training manuals and illustrations.
The Sub-Mariner's iconic winged ankles were inspired by the Roman god Mercury.
“He was a prince of two worlds, and at home in neither.”
