Background
The son of Connecticut artist and WPA muralist George Avison, Al Avison was Influenced by the work of his father and of commercial illustrator Albert Dorne.
The son of Connecticut artist and WPA muralist George Avison, Al Avison was Influenced by the work of his father and of commercial illustrator Albert Dorne.
He studied art at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
Early life and career His first known comics work is co-inking Jack Kirby's lead story in Novelty Press' Blue Bolt Comics #4 (cover-dated Sept 1940). Timely Comics For Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, penciler Avison and an unknown writer co-created super-speedster the Whizzer in U.S.A. Comics #1 (Aug 1941). The character would appear in most issues of that comic, and was part of Timely/Marvel's first superhero team, the All-Winners Squad.
After Captain America creators Jack Kirby and Joe Simon moved on following Captain America Comics #10 (Jan 1942), Avison and Syd Shores became regular pencilers of the celebrated title, with one generally inking over the other. Avison had been the inker over penciler Kirby on Captain America Comics #4-6 (June-Sept 1941), and had penciled or inked that character's stories in All Winners Comics as early as issue #3 (Winter 1941-42). Shores would take over as regular penciller, inked by Vince Alascia, while Avison did his World War II military service.
Avison also worked as a penciler or, more often, as inker on characters including the Vision (in Marvel Mystery Comics). The Blonde Phantom; the Young Allies (in Amazing Comics, Kid Komics and Mystic Comics). The Black Marvel (in All Winners Comics).
And Tommy Tyme (in Mystic Comics). With Joe Simon, he was one of two inkers on the Kirby-drawn debut of Marvel Boy in Daring Mystery Comics #6 (Sept 1940). Avison's Timely work appears as late as Captain America Comics #71 (March 1949).
Other work.