The famous cartoonist, Tom Moore who was responsible for adding life to the world famous animated comic characters like Archie from the fictional city of Riverdale, passed away in hospice care at his native of El Paso, Texas on early Monday morning. Tom Moore (86), was diagnosed with throat cancer in the earlier week.
Archie Comics’ editor in chief, Victor Gorelick, who has worked at the company for more than 50 years, said Moore “was a cartoonist’s cartoonist.” “Tom was very funny and had a knack for putting together really great, hilarious gags and special pages when he worked at Archie,” said Gorelick. “He was probably best known here for inking our Jughead relaunch decades ago. We’re all sad to hear this news and wish his family the very best during this time.”
Archie Comic created by Maurice Coyne, Louis Silberkleit and John L. Goldwater is known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Cooper, Veronica, Reggie Mantle, and Jughead Jones set in a small town of Riverdale.
Moore drew Archie Andrews and his friends on and off from 1953 until he retired in the late 1980s. Moore, who studied under the supreme guidance of the Tarzan comic strip illustrator Bume Hogarth, had initially used the GI bill funding to study at a school for cartoonists in New York. Soon after, Moore signed up with the Archie comic which he took over in 1953 after Bob Montana created Archie in 1941.
He and his family moved from Long Island, New York, back to his native El Paso in 1961, and he later took a break from comics and worked in public relations.
After retiring, Moore kept tabs on Archie and strongly disagreed when the comic book company decided to kill off the character. The El Paso Museum of Art displayed some of Moore’s work and his vast comic collection about 20 years ago.”I have enjoyed what I’ve done and I am pleased that others liked it, too. I think it’s such a kick that my stuff is going to be hanging at the museum. Who knew Archie would have such universal appeal?” Moore said at that time.
Moore is now survived by Ruth (63) his wife, son Lito Bujanda-Moore and also a daughter, Holly Mathew.