AlbertGabriele, or possibly Alfred Gabriele, better known as Al Gabriele, was an American comic book artist during the 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. He is known for his work on some of Marvel Comics' earliest Captain America and Sub-Mariner stories, and for co-creating the company's superheroesBlack Marvel, Miss America, and possibly, the Whizzer. His last name is given erroneously in at least some standard references as "Al Gabrielle", with two "L"s, though other references and the vast majority of his credits spell his name with one "L".
Biography
Early life and career
Writer and artist credits were not routinely given during the 1930s–1940s period fans and historians refer to as the Golden Age of comic books, making full bibliographies difficult for many of the medium's pioneering creators. Al Gabriele's first confirmed credit is as one of three inkers over penciler and future industry legend Jack Kirby on the lead story in Blue Bolt Comics #4, from the publisher Novelty Press. Gabriele would continue to work on that character while also freelancing for Fiction House, Harvey Comics, Prize Comics, and most notably Timely Comics, the 1930s–1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics. There Gabriele helped provide art for the hit characters Captain America and the Sub-Mariner, as well as for the popular second-tier characters the Angel and the Destroyer. Gabriele's first confirmed work for Timely was both penciling and inking the "Mantor the Magician" feature in The Human Torch #2. Circa 1941–1942, Gabriele freelanced through the Jerry Iger Studio.
Golden Age of Comics
Gabriele's other early work, some of it reprinted in the 1960s Silver Age of comic books and in the modern era, includes penciling and inking the debut of the Black Marvel, an early creation of future Marvel editor Stan Lee, in Mystic Comics #5 ; inking the caveboy character Tuk in Captain America Comics #2 ; inking another the early Stan Lee character, Father Time, in Captain America Comics #6 ; co-penciling the 40-page lead story in Sub-Mariner Comics #3 ; and inking character-creator Bill Everett in Sub-Mariner Comics #4. On Captain America, Gabriele inked pencil art by co-creator and future industry legend Jack Kirby on some stories in Captain America Comics #3–4 and All Winners Comics #1, and on the cover and in all three of the hero's stories in Captain America Comics #8. He would continue contributing to that series and to Sub-Mariner Comics through 1949 and the ends of their respective runs. Gabriele and fellow artist Al Avison, plus an unknown writer, crafted the debut of Timely's super-speedster the Whizzer in USA Comics #1, though precise creator credits for the character are difficult to confirm. The Whizzer would go to appear in most issues of USA Comics and was part of Timely/Marvel's first superhero team, the All-Winners Squad. The character returned, much older, in 1970s Marvel Comics stories, as well as in flashback stories set during World War II. With writer Otto Binder, penciler-inker Gabriele created the superheroine Miss America in Marvel Mystery Comics #49. Throughout the decade, Gabriele provided art as well to Timely's Blonde Phantom Comics, Comedy Comics, Kid Comics, and Young Allies Comics. He worked as well for Quality Comics, penciling and inking covers and stories both of the spirit-of-America character Uncle Sam in National Comics and Uncle Sam Quarterly. Gabriele also penciled and inked the character Yankee Eagle in Quality's Smash Comics.
Later career
Gabriele's last confirmed comics work is inking the eight-page Captain America story "The Man Who Wouldn't Give Up", penciled by Carl Burgos in Marvel Mystery Comics #92, the final issue of that title. The Grand Comics Database also lists a tentative Gabriele credit as the cover artist of the following month's Captain America Comics #73.
Golden Age reprints
As inker, unless otherwise specified for penciler, or for penciler & inker
