The Resume

(April 11, 1897-March 17, 1973)
Born in Baranovitch, Russian Federation
In 1941, began publishing what was to become known as 'Classics Illustrated,' a line of comic books that gave literary classics such as 'War of the Worlds (pictured) the comic book treatment
Also began publishing 'Classics Illustrated Junior' giving fairy tales the comic book treatment for small children in 1953
169 total issues including the first issue, 'The Three Musketeers'
Other titles included; Ivanhoe, Oliver Twist, Mysterious Island, The Deerslayer, Don Quixote, Moby Dick, Hamlet, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and Gulliver's Travels

Why he might be annoying:

Classics Illustrated versions of some books were used as Cliff Notes style cheat sheets.
Some of the treatments were bowdlerized to the point of giving the original versions a disservice.
He was a high school dropout.
Some of the titles were less than classics such as Jules Verne's obscure 'Off on a Comet' and some weren't literary classics at all, such as the original to Classics Illustrated, 'World War II.'
He didn't actually do any of the writing or artwork.
His titles suffered an inexplicable drop in popularity (television perhaps?) in the late sixties and his company folded shortly after he sold it in the early seventies.

Why he might not be annoying:

The Great Depression destroyed his real estate business.
He introduced millions of children to works of classic literature that they probably would never have experienced otherwise.
Classics Illustrated was one of the biggest success stories in the history of comics, by 1960 they were selling over 262,000 copies a MONTH!
He didn't allow advertising in any of his comics.
He took a lot of heat off the comic book industry that had developed a poor reputation by the fifties.
He looked a little like Walt Disney.
He developed an appointment book for doctors and dentists and invented both a fully operational toy telegraph set and a working toy crystal radio set.
He had a wide variety of leisure interests including; fishing, baseball, reading and the theater and gave extensively to philanthropy, especially Jewish charities.
Both Classics Illustrated and Classics Illustrated Junior were so popular and so well done that they were actually used in schools as textbooks.
The art in his books was across the board fantastic.
Being remembered as a philanthropist who helped introduce children to science and great literature is about a good a way to be remembered as is possible.

Credit: tom_jeffords

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Children's Book Authors
• Comb Overs
• Don't Look at Me, I'm Hiding
• Don't Look at Me, I'm Not in My Profile Picture
• I Did Not Graduate High School [J-M]
• I Died in 1973 (Ranked: 75)
• Inventors
• Look at Me, I'm a Helmet Head
• Look at Me, I'm Armed
• Look at Me, I'm in a Field or Meadow
• Look at Me, I'm Wearing Military Garb
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• Look at My Ass
• Look at My Tentacles
• Mustaches
• Profiles 33251-33500 (Ranked: 33284)
• Stand Up Men
• Tom Jefford's Profiles [Series 07]
• Toy Makers

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 198 Votes: 52.53% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 30 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 18.18% Annoying