Dick Ayers

Early life

Richard Bache Ayers was born April 28, 1924, in Ossining, New York, the son of John Bache Ayers and Gladys Minnerly Ayers. He had a sister who was 10 years older. The siblings were in the 13th generation, he said, of the Ayers family that had settled in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1635. At 18, during World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, and was stationed in Florida, where after failing radar training he was sent for a month's art training at McTomb University and began working as an artist in the Air Corps' Operations division. He published his first comic strip, Radio Ray, in the military newspaper Radio Post in 1942.

Career

Ayers entered the comics industry with unpublished work done for Western Publishing's Dell Comics imprint. "I approached them," Ayers said in a 1996 interview. "I had a story written and drawn. They wanted to wrap a book around it.... I got into it, but Dell decided to scrap the project. ... It was an adventure thing, boy and girl; the boy wanted to be a trumpet player. The girl kept feeding the jukebox and he'd played along to Harry James or whatever sort of thing. ... It didn't make it, but it got me started where I wanted to be in the business."

Magazine Enterprises

Following this, in 1947, Ayers studied under Burne Hogarth in the first class of Hogarth's new institution, New York City's Cartoonists and Illustrators School (renamed the School of Visual Arts in 1956). Joe Shuster, co-creator of Superman, would visit the class, and Ayers eventually ventured to his nearby studio. "Next thing I knew," Ayers said in the same interview, "I was penciling a bit here and there." There, Sullivan "let me try the Jimmy Durante [humor] strip. I submitted my work and got the job."

Ayers went on to pencil and ink Western stories in the late 1940s for Magazine Enterprises' A-1 Comics and Trail Colt, and for Prize Comics' Prize Comics Western. With writer Ray Krank, Ayers created the horror-themed Western character Ghost Rider in Tim Holt #11 (1949). The character appeared in stories through the run of Tim Holt, Red Mask, A-1 Comics, Bobby Benson's B-Bar-B Riders, and the 14-issue solo series The Ghost Rider (1950–1954), up through the introduction of the Comics Code Authority. The character's genesis came, Ayers recalled in 2003, when Sullivan "describe[d] what he wanted in the Ghost Rider" and told Ayers to see the 1949 Disney animated feature The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, one segment of which adapted Washington Irving's story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", featuring the Headless Horseman. "[A]nd then he told me to play the Vaughn Monroe record "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky". And then he started talking about what he wanted the guy wearing."

After the trademark to the character's name and motif lapsed, Marvel Comics debuted its own near-identical, non-horror version of the character in Ghost Rider #1 (Feb. 1967), by writers Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich and original Ghost Rider artist Ayers.

Ayers' hands appear onscreen as those of a cartoonist played by actor Don Briggs in "The Comic Strip Murders", a 1949 episode of the CBS television series Suspense.

Atlas Comics

In 1952, while continuing to freelance for Magazine Enterprises, Ayers began a long freelance run at Atlas Comics, the 1950s forerunner of Marvel Comics. He drew horror stories in such titles as Adventures into Terror, Astonishing, Journey into Mystery, Journey into Unknown Worlds, Menace, Mystery Tales, Mystic, Strange Tales, and Uncanny Tales. As well, he drew the brief revival of the 1940s Golden Age of Comics superhero the Human Torch, from Marvel's 1940s predecessor Timely Comics, in Young Men # 21–24 (June 1953 – Feb. 1954). An additional, unpublished Human Torch story drawn by Ayers belatedly appeared in Marvel Super-Heroes #16 (Sept. 1968).

During the 1950s, Ayers also drew freelance for Charlton Comics, including for the horror comic The Thing and the satirical series Eh!.

Marvel Comics

Ayers first teamed with the highly influential and historically important artist Jack Kirby at Atlas shortly before Atlas transitioned to become Marvel Comics. As Kirby's second regular Marvel inker, following Christopher Rule, Ayers would ink countless covers and stories, including on such landmark comics as most early issues of The Fantastic Four, in addition to a slew of Western and "pre-superhero Marvel" monster stories in Amazing Adventures, Journey into Mystery, Strange Tales, Tales of Suspense, and Tales to Astonish. Ayers revealed in 1996, however:

Ayers went on to ink scores of Kirby Western and monster stories, including such much-reprinted tales as "I Created the Colossus!" (Tales of Suspense #14, Feb. 1961), "Goom! The Thing from Planet X!" (Tales of Suspense #15, March 1961), and "Fin Fang Foom!" (Strange Tales #89, Oct. 1961). As Marvel introduced its superheroes in the early 1960s, Ayers inked Kirby on the first appearances of Ant-Man (Tales to Astonish #27 & 35, Jan. & Sept. 1962), Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos (issues #1-3, May-Sept. 1963), and the revamped Rawhide Kid (beginning with The Rawhide Kid #17, Aug. 1960); on the second and several subsequent early appearances of Thor (Journey into Mystery #84-89, Sept. 1962 - Feb. 1963); on Fantastic Four #6-20 (Sept. 1962 - Nov. 1963), and the spin-off Human Torch solo series in Strange Tales (starting with its debut in issue #101); and The Incredible Hulk #3-5 (Sept. 1962 - Jan. 1963), among other series.

Additionally, Ayers took over from Kirby as Sgt. Fury penciler with issue #8 (July 1964), beginning a 10-year run that — except for #13 (which he inked over Kirby's pencils), and five issues by other pencilers — continued virtually unbroken through #120 (with the series running Ayers reprints every-other-issue through most but not all from #79 on). Writer Gary Friedrich's story for issue #72 (Nov. 1969) was heavily rewritten and partially redrawn due to concerns about possible copyright infringement of the film Casablanca.

Ayers and Friedrich collaborated on the Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders series for Marvel as well.

Ayers drew a comics adaptation of Killdozer, a made for TV science-fiction horror film, in Worlds Unknown #6 (April 1974).{{cite web|url= https://13thdimension.com/the-slow-and-the-furious-dig-this-inside-look-at-1974s-killdozer/|title= The Slow and the Furious: Dig This Inside Look at 1974's Killdozer|first= Rob|last= Kelly|date= June 10, 2023 |website= 13thdimension.com|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20250731115854/https://13thdimension.com/the-slow-and-the-furious-dig-this-inside-look-at-1974s-killdozer/|archivedate= July 31, 2025|url-status= live|df= mdy-all|quote= Marvel Comics adapted "Killdozer" in the sixth issue of Worlds Unknown, written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Dick Ayers.}} The film itself was adapted from a 1944 novella of the same name by Theodore Sturgeon.

DC Comics

In 1976, Ayers began working for DC Comics. He and writer Bob Haney oversaw the renaming of Star Spangled War Stories to a self-titled series for the Unknown Soldier. Michael Fleisher and Ayers launched Scalphunter, a new lead feature for Weird Western Tales as of issue #39 (March–April 1977). Other series which Ayers drew included Jonah Hex, Kamandi, and the "Gravedigger" feature in Men of War.

Gerry Conway and Ayers created a series called The Deserter in 1978 but the project was never published due to DC cutting back its publishing output.

Later career

In the 1980s, Ayers, inked by Chic Stone, drew four editions of the promotional, annual comic-book series initially cover-titled TRS-80 Computer Whiz Kids and, thereafter, Tandy Computer Whiz Kids, published by Archie Comics for Radio Shack: The Computer Trap (March 1984), The Computers That Said No to Drugs (March 1985), The Answer to a Riddle (March 1987), and Fit to Win (March 1988). He also drew approximately 30 sports-star biographies for Revolutionary Comics between 1990 and 1994.

Ayers' work continued into the 2000s. He contributed a pinup page to the 2001 comic The Song of Mykal, published privately by the comics shop Atlantis Fantasyworld, did inking on "Doris Danger" stories in the magazine Tabloia #572-576, and drew a pinup page in the comic Doris Danger's Greatest All-Out Army Battles!

He wrote and drew the eight-page "Chips Wilde" Western story in the benefit comic Actor Comics Presents #1 (Fall 2006), provided a sketch for the benefit comic The 3-Minute Sketchbook (2007), and contributed to the tribute comic The Uncanny Dave Cockrum (2007). In 2009, he drew a half-page biographical illustration of a 1940s character in the reference guide Marvel Mystery Handbook 70th Anniversary Special.

Illustrated autobiography

Starting in 2005, Ayers "published an ambitious and unusual three-volume graphic memoir," The Dick Ayers Story: an Illustrated Autobiography, through Mecca Comics. Each volume of this autobiography is approximately 120 pages, with volume one covering his life from 1924–1951, volume two from 1951–1986, and volume three 1986–2005. Ayers wrote, drew, and lettered all three volumes.

Personal life

Ayers married Charlotte Lindy Walter on April 7, 1951.

Awards and honors

• 1967 Alley Award for Best War Title for Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
• 1968 Alley Award for Best War Title for Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
• 1985 National Cartoonists Society Award for Best Comic Book
• 1997 Inkpot Award
• 2007 inductee, Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame
• 2013 Inkwell Awards Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame

Bibliography

AC Comics

• Femforce #36, 39, 45, 48–54, 58–60, 63, 69–71, 73–74, 102–103 (1991–1997)
• She-Cat #5A (1995)

Archie Comics

• Archie Giant Series Magazine #554 (1985)
• Blue Ribbon Comics #7, 11 (1984)
• The Fly #9 (1959)
• The Fly vol. 2 (1984)
• Mantech Robot Warriors #1–4 (1984–1985)
• Mighty Crusaders vol. 2 #3–6, 8–10, 12–13 (1983–1985)
• The Original Shield #1–4 (1984)
• Steel Sterling #7 (1984)
• Tandy Computer Whiz Kids ("Fit to Win") #5 (1988)
• Tandy Computer Whiz Kids ("The Answer to a Riddle Edition") #4 (1987)
• Tandy Computer Whiz Kids ("The Computer That Said No to Drugs Edition") #2 (1985)
• TRS-80 Computer Whiz Kids #1 (1984)

Charlton Comics

• Crime and Justice #17 (1953)
• Eh #1–3, 5–7 (1954–1954)
• Sick #110 (1976)
• Strange Suspense Stories #17 (1954)
• The Thing! #12, 16–17 (1954)
• This Magazine Is Haunted #20 (1954)

DC Comics

• All-Out War #1–6 (1979–1980)
• Army at War #1 (1978)
• Cancelled Comic Cavalcade #1–2 (1978)
• DC Special Series #9, 16, 21 (1978–1980)
• DC Super Stars #14 (Doctor Light) (1977)
• Elvira's House of Mystery #5 (1986)
• Freedom Fighters #7–15 (1977–1978)
• Ghosts #75, 84, 97–98, 109 (1979–1982)
• G.I. Combat #201, 204–206, 223–243, 247–248, 250, 253, 256–257, 260, 274, 278 (1977–1985)
• House of Mystery #280, 291 (1980–1981)
• Jonah Hex #23, 25, 35–37, 40–41, 44–52, 56, 58–82 (1979–1984)
• Justice League Quarterly #16 (General Glory) (1994)
• Kamandi #48–59 (1977–1978)
• Men of War #4–26 (Gravedigger) (1978–1980)
• Secret Society of Super Villains #10 (1977)
• Secrets of Haunted House #42, 44 (1981–1982)
• Sgt. Rock #317, 323, 340, 342, 348, 411, 417, 421 (1978–1988)
• Star Spangled War Stories #204 (1977)
• Time Warp #5 (1980)
• The Unexpected #198, 214–216, 218, 221 (1980–1982)
• Unknown Soldier #205–210, 212–268 (1977–1982)
• Weird War Tales #50, 57, 70, 78, 91, 94 (1977–1980)
• Weird Western Tales #39–70 (Scalphunter) (1977–1980)
• The Witching Hour #76, 79–80 (1978)

Harvey Comics

• Alarming Adventures #1 (1962)

Magazine Enterprises

• Best of the West #5, 12 (1952–1954)
• Ghost Rider #13 (1953)
• Red Mask #42–43, 47–48 (1954–1955)
• Tim Holt #33–37 (1953)

Marvel Comics

• Adventure into Mystery #6 (1957)
• Adventures into Terror #9, 12, 14, 21, 31 (1952–1954)
• Adventures into Weird Worlds #5, 8, 26 (1952–1954)
• Amazing Adventures #1–6 (1961)
• Annie Oakley #10 (1956)
• Astonishing #14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 37, 40–41, 49, 55, 57, 59 (1952–1956)
• Astonishing Tales #21–24 (It! The Living Colossus) (1973–1974)
• The Avengers #1, 8–10, 12–13, 16–19, 24–25 (inker) (1963–1966)
• Battle #16, 18, 20, 36–37, 39–40, 44, 47, 56–57, 62–63 (1953–1959)
• Battle Action #14–18, 23 (1954–1956)
• Battlefield #10 (1953)
• Battlefront #17–19, 25, 27–28, 30, 32, 35, 39, 42, 44 (1954–1957)
• Battleground #3–4, 6, 13, 15–16 (1955–1957)
• Black Rider #27 (1955)
• Captain America #128–134 (inker) (1970–1971)
• Captain America Comics #77–78 (1954)
• Captain Marvel #11–12 (1969)
• Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders #1–11, 17–19 (1968–1970)
• Chamber of Darkness #6 (1970)
• Combat Casey #18, 32 (1954–1957)
• Combat Kelly #20 (1954)
• Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen #1–9 (1972–1973)
• Cowboy Action #8–10 (1955–1956)
• Crazy #5 (1954)
• Daredevil #21–22, 28 (inker) (1966–1967)
• Dracula Lives! #4 (1974)
• Fantastic Four #6–12, 14–20, Annual #1 (inker) (1962–1963)
• Frontier Western #1, 6, 8 (1956–19570)
• Ghost Rider #1–7 (1967)
• Giant-Size Kid Colt #2–3 (1975)
• G.I. Tales #5 (1957)
• Gunhawks #3, 6–7 (1973)
• Gunsmoke Western #38–40, 44–76 (1956–1973)
• Human Torch #36–38 (1954)
• The Incredible Hulk #3–5 (inker) (1962–1963)
• The Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #143–144, 152–153 (1971–1972)
• Iron Man #74 (inker) (1974)
• Journey into Mystery #1, 14, 25, 27, 39, 57–62, 64–73, 75–81 (science fiction and horror short stories); #84–89, 93 (Thor stories) (inker) (1952–1963)
• Journey into Unknown Worlds #10–11, 24, 40–41, 43, 52 (1952–1956)
• Jungle Tales #5 (1955)
• Justice #50 (1954)
• Ka-Zar #1 (Hercules backup story); #2–3 (Angel backup stories) (1970–1971)
• Kid Colt, Outlaw #33, 51, 62, 80, 93–96, 101–102, 106–107, 109, 122, 136–137, 201 (1954–1967, 1975)
• Marines in Action #2 (1955)
• Marines in Battle #1, 4–5, 7, 10, 20–21 (1954–1958)
• Marvel Heroes & Legends 1997 #1 (1997)
• Marvel Super-Heroes #16 (1968)
• Marvel Tales #115, 132, 134–136, 139, 141–142, 145 (1953–1956)
• Marvel Tales vol. 2 #30 (Angel backup story) (1971)
• Masters of the Universe #9 (1987)
• Matt Slade, Gunfighter #3 (1956)
• Men in Action #9 (1952)
• Men's Adventures #20, 26–28 (1953–1954)
• Mighty Marvel Western #4 (1969)
• My Love #6–9 (1970–1971)
• Mystery Tales #2, 12, 15, 18, 25–27, 30, 49, 52 (1952–1957)
• Mystic #8, 13, 21, 35, 38, 41, 45, 47, 53 (1952–1956)
• Mystical Tales #4–6 (1956–1957)
• Navy Action #4, 6, 15 (1955–1956)
• Navy Combat #2, 15 (1955)
• Navy Tales #1, 3 (1957)
• Original Ghost Rider #3–13, 15–20 (1992–1994)
• Our Love Story #6–9 (1970–1971)
• Outlaw Fighters #4 (1955)
• Outlaw Kid #12, 14, 17 (1956–1957)
• Outlaw Kid vol. 2 #10–16 (1972–1973)
• Police Action #4–5 (1954)
• Quick Trigger Western #15, 17 (1956–1957)
• Rawhide Kid #6–32, 34, 36–40, 59–61, 91, 96, 101 (1956–1972)
• Red Wolf #9 (1973)
• Ringo Kid #5, 14 (1955–1956)
• Rugged Action #2–4 (1955)
• Savage Tales vol. 2 #3 (1986)
• Secret Story Romances #3 (1954)
• Sergeant Barney Barker #2 (1956)
• Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1–3, 13 (inker); 8–12, 14–43, 47–79, 81, 83–84, 86, 88, 90, 94, 96–98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114–120, Annual #1–4, 6 (penciller) (1963–1974)
• Six-Gun Western #2–3 (1957)
• Spellbound #1, 4, 7–8, 18, 21, 25–26 (1952–1956)
• Strange Stories of Suspense #5, 9, 14 (1955–1957)
• Strange Stories of the Unusual #7 (1956)
• Strange Tales #10, 30, 35, 37–38, 41, 46, 48, 74–79, 81–87, 89–90, 92–100 (science fiction and horror short stories); #101–129, 131 (Human Torch stories); #135, 147 (Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. stories) (1952–1966)
• Strange Tales of the Unusual #3, 6 (1956)
• Strange Worlds #2 (1959)
• Suspense #17, 20 (1952)
• Sub-Mariner #33–35 (1954)
• Tales of Suspense #6, 8–24, 26–34, 54 (science fiction and horror short stories); #41, 48, 58, 60–63 (Iron Man stories); #69, 75, 83 (Captain America stories) (1959–1966)
• Tales to Astonish #7, 10–11, 13–26, 28–34 (science fiction and horror short stories); #27, 35–39, 51–53, 55–60 (Ant Man / Giant Man stories); #62, 65 (Hulk stories); #80–84 (Namor stories) (1960–1966)
• Two-Gun Kid #13, 17, 24, 26–27, 35, 46, 48, 54–55, 57–85, 104 (1954–1967, 1972)
• Two Gun Western #11 (1951)
• Two Gun Western vol. 2 #7, 9 (1956–1957)
• Uncanny Tales #1, 14, 22, 26, 28, 30, 37, 40–41, 44 (1952–1956)
• War Adventures #10 (1952)
• War Comics #17, 24, 28–30, 32–35, 38, 42, 44–45 (1952–1957)
• War Is Hell #9–10 (1974)
• Western Gunfighters #26 (1957)
• Western Gunfighters vol. 2 #1–7 (1970–1971)
• Western Kid #6–7 (1955)
• Western Outlaws #1, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17–18, 20 (1954–1957)
• Western Tales of Black Rider #28, 30 (1955)
• Wild #4 (1954)
• Wild Western #33, 41–44, 48, 53–54 (1954–1957)
• World of Fantasy #1, 3, 7 (1956–1957)
• World of Mystery #4–5 (1956–1957)
• Worlds Unknown #6 (Killdozer adaptation) (1974)
• Wyatt Earp #8, 10–29 (1957–1960)
• X-Men #15–27 (inker) (1965–1966)
• Young Men #21–23, 25, 27–28 (1953–1954)

Mecca Comics Group

• The Dick Ayers Story: An Illustrated Autobiography Vol. 1, 2, 3 (2005)

Prize Comics

• Black Magic #42–43, 45–48, 50 (1960–1961)

Skywald Publications

• Blazing Six Guns #1–2 (1970–1971)
• Nightmare #4 (1971)
• Sundance Kid #1–3 (1971)

Tower Comics

• Dynamo #2 (1966)
• T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #2 (1966)

References

References

1. Ayers, Dick. (2005). "The Dick Ayers Story: An Illustrated Autobiography, Volume 2 - 1951-1986". Mecca.
2. "''The Dick Ayers Story'' #1".
3. "Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Volume 2". [[Marvel Comics]].
4. (January 16, 2018). "Richard Ayers".
5. Ayers, ''The Dick Ayers Story: An Illustrated Autobiography, Volume 2'', p. 120 (unnumbered).
6. Clancy, Shaun. (May 21, 2014). "A Conversation with Dick Ayers". [[Fantagraphics]].
7. Ayers, Dick. (August 2003). "Re:". Alter Ego.
8. Cassara, Dick. (December 1996). "Dick Ayers Interview". [[TwoMorrows Publishing]].
9. Novinskie, Charlie. (March 11, 2005). "Dick Ayers Unveils New Graphic Novel Autobiography". Scoop (Diamond International Galleries / [[Gemstone Publishing]] newsletter).
10. "Dick Ayers".
11. "The Ghost Rider".
12. (Autumn 2001). "Dick Ayers: A Life in the 'Gowanus' interview part 1 of 2". TwoMorrows Publishing.
13. Pearl, Barry. (December 2009). "The Yancy Street Gang Visits Dick & Lindy Ayers". TwoMorrows Publishing.
14. Jones, Jr., William B.. (2002). "Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History, with Illustrations". McFarland & Company.
15. Because creator credits were not routinely given at the time, two standard databases disagree over the duo's first published collaboration.The [[Grand Comics Database]] cites the cover of ''[[Wyatt Earp]]'' #24 (Aug. 1959), which AtlasTales.com [http://www.atlastales.com/sI/4755 lists as inked by George Klein]. Grand Comics Database [http://www.comics.org/issue/15167/#627584 tentatively lists Ayers as inker of] the Kirby cover for that same month's ''Strange Tales'' #70, for which Atlas Tales [http://www.atlastales.com/sI/3864 credits Ayers] without qualification.
16. "Dick Ayers Interview", p. 17. Reprinted ''The Collected Jack Kirby Collector Volume Three'', p. 43
17. DeFalco, Tom. (2008). "Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History". [[DK (publisher).
18. Thomas, Roy. (Autumn 2000). "Play It Again, Stan! When Nick Fury's Howling Commandos Went to Casablanca -- And Got Detoured to Marrakesh!". [[TwoMorrows Publishing]].
19. DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 129: "The comic was created by writer Gary Friedrich and artist Dick Ayers."
20. Binion, Cavett. (2015). "Killdozer!". [[The New York Times]].
21. McAvennie, Michael. (2010). "DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle". [[DK (publisher).
22. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 173: "With scarred gunslinger Jonah Hex riding off into his own series, writer Michael Fleisher and artist Dick Ayers produced a new outcast to headline ''Weird Western Tales''. Scalphunter was 'a man who lived in two worlds, but was at home in neither'".
23. Bails, Jerry. (n.d.). "Ayers, Dick".
24. Wells, John. (October 24, 1997). "'Lost' DC: The DC Implosion". [[Comics Buyer's Guide]].
25. (March 1984). "[Credits page]". Archie Comics via AtariMagazines.com.
26. (March 1985). "[Credits page]". Archie Comics via AtariMagazines.com.
27. (March 1987). "[Credits page]". Archie Comics via AtariMagazines.com.
28. (March 1988). "[Credits page]". Archie Comics via AtariMagazines.com.
29. "Tandy Computer Whiz Kids". Online Books Library, [[University of Pennsylvania]].
30. "''Baseball Legends Comics'' #14".
31. "''Baseball Legends Comics'' #16".
32. Rappaport, Adrienne. (2001). "Atlantis Fantasyworld, Santa Cruz, CA". SequentialTart.com.
33. Wisnia, Chris. (n.d.). "Contributors to ''Tabloia''".
34. (2007). "The 3-Minute Sketchbook #1". Too Old to Grow Up! (podcast site).
35. (December 6, 2006). "Clifford Meth on the Fate of The Uncanny Dave Cockrum Hardcover". [[Aardwolf Publishing]] [[press release]] via TheComicsReporter.com.
36. Lortie, Art. (May 14, 2014). "Dick Ayers, 1924 – 2014".
37. Ayers, Dick. (2005). "The Dick Ayers Story: An Illustrated Autobiography Volume 1 1924–1951". Mecca Comics Groups.
38. Ayers, Dick. (2005). "The Dick Ayers Story: An Illustrated Autobiography Volume 2 1951–1986". Mecca Comics Groups.
39. Ayers, Dick. (2005). "The Dick Ayers Story: An Illustrated Autobiography Volume 3 1986–2005". Mecca Comics Groups.
40. "''The Dick Ayers Story'' #1 (February 2005)".
41. Taylor, Alex. (May 6, 2014). "Dick Ayers, renowned comic-book artist, dead at 90". [[The Journal News]].
42. Johnston, Rich. (May 5, 2014). "Dick Ayers Dies, Just After His Ninetieth Birthday". BleedingCool.com.
43. "1967 Alley Awards".
44. "1968 Alley Awards".
45. "National Cartoonists Society".
46. (2025). "Inkpot Awards".
47. "Will Eisner Hall of Fame". [[San Diego Comic-Con International]].
48. (June 12, 2013). "Inkwell Awards 2013 Winners".