Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Dave Gantz

David “Dave” Gantz was born on December 6, 1922, in the Bronx, New York, according to an interview, conducted by Jim Amash, in Alter Ego #13, March 2002. Gantz said he started drawing when he was six years old.

In the 1925 New York state census, Gantz was youngest of two sons born to Ben, a baker, and Esther, both Russian emigrants. They resided in the Bronx at 1411 Stebbins Avenue.

According to the 1930 census, the Gantz family numbered five with the addition of another son. They remained at the same address.

Gantz said he was twelve-and-a-half when enrolled in the High School of Music and Art. Gantz finished when he was sixteen-and-a-half. He received a scholarship at the National Academy of Design but left after six months. Gantz went on to study at Iowa University where he stayed a year. His father had suffered a heart attack and Gantz had to help support the family.

The 1940 census said Gantz, his parents and siblings were Bronx residents at 30 Buchanan Place.

In 1940 Gantz said he collaborated with Al Jaffe, a freelancer, on a few projects. Gantz showed his published work at Timely Comics and got a staff job. He worked mainly on the humor and funny animal titles. Gantz said he did some work on the super-hero books.

During World War II, Gantz enlisted in the army on October 27, 1944. Gantz’s art background allowed him to stay stateside. He painted a portrait of the camp general and ran the silk screen printing shop at another camp. Gantz continued to produce work for Timely while in service. After the war, Gantz freelanced for Timely and other comics publishers into the 1950s. Some of his work is listed at the Grand Comics Database and Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999.

According to the New York City, Marriage License Indexes, at Ancestry.com, David Gantz and Doris Ezersky got a Bronx marriage license on June 26, 1945.

American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Gantz drew Dudley D. from March 5, 1961 to March 4, 1964 which was distributed first by New York Herald-Tribune then Publishers Syndicate. For the New York Times Special Features, Gantz did Don Q which debuted September 15, 1975 and ran several years.

Gantz Glances ran in Newsday. In 1998 Gantz received an National Cartoonists Society (NCS) award for Best Newspaper Panel for Gantz Glances produced in 1997. After Newsday, Gantz did editorial cartoons for the weekly New York newspaper, Courier.

Gantz’s NCS profile said he wrote and illustrated over 75 children’s books and did work for Boy’s Life, MAD, Pro Quarterback and Ziff-Davis. Gantz also did fine art sculpture and printmaking.

Gantz did Jews in America: A Cartoon History which was published in 2002.

Gantz passed away December 14, 2007. He was a resident of Floral Park, New York.


—Alex Jay