cartoonist, comic strip artist and novelist, was born in Melbourne on 22 November 1926 and educated at Collingwood Technical School. He always wanted to be a cartoonist, his early hero and role model being David Low. Although he briefly attended art classes at night at Melbourne Technical College, he was mainly self taught. He began working with a printer at the age of fifteen and from his early teens was drawing sporting, political and gag cartoons for local newspapers and magazines. Was a labor cartoonist in Melbourne in the 1940s and ’50s (see Senyard).
In 1947, aged 21, Mather was approached by the director of Atlas Publications, the former newspaper editor Jack Bellew, to create a full-colour comic book featuring a superman type of hero. The first issue of Captain Atom sold 100,000 copies. He drew about 70 issues of Captain Atom over the next ten years, initially in a crude but fascinating style (acc. Ryan) but later much more US influenced. Also wrote and drew other strips. He moved into advertising when the comic book industry declined and spent 20 years in various agencies as art and creative director. Took early retirement and is now a political thriller writer. Most of his novels are published in New York.
- Writers:
- Kerr, Joan
- Date written:
- 1996
- Last updated:
- 2007
