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presents
Volume 3801
MEET JOHN CELARDO
(December 27, 1918 – January 6, 2012)
PART ONE
 John Celardo is remembered for his very long run on both the daily and Sunday TARZAN strips
beginning in 1954 and ending in 1968, eventually drawing a total of 4350 daily strips and 724 Sunday strips.
More at the ERB Artist Encyclopedia
.JOHN CELARDO TARZAN CONTENTS IN ERBzine
PART 1
http://www.erbzine.com/mag38/3801.html
PART 2
http://www.erbzine.com/mag43/4301.html
PART 3
http://www.erbzine.com/mag44/4401.html
PART 4
http://www.erbzine.com/mag46/4601.html


JOHN CELARDO
(December 27, 1918 – January 6, 2012)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — John Celardo, 93, of Graniteville, a talented and skilled artist, cartoonist and comics editor whose syndicated comic strip, “Tarzan,” became popular worldwide, died January 6, 2012 in Clove Lakes Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Castleton Corners.

The lifelong Staten Islander grew up in Mariners Harbor and graduated from Port Richmond High School. He attended the New York Industrial Arts School, Federal Arts School and New York School of Visual Arts. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, seeing duty in the European theater and attaining the rank of captain. After his military service, he lived in Castleton Corners, then eventually settled in Graniteville.

He began working as an artist in the late 1930s drawing animals at the Staten Island Zoo for the National Youth Administration, which help prepare him for his subsequent career as a cartoonist. The Advance once photographed Mr. Celardo in the alligator pit at the zoo in West Brighton, a setting he admitted felt slightly uncomfortable.

He first illustrated, then took over the “Tarzan” comic strip, a task he worked at for 15 years, keeping the material fresh by adding relevant social themes like race relations and modern living. He also inserted current events affecting Africa, where the comic strip was set, such as socialism, Peace Corps efforts on the continent and the spread of new religions. President Eisenhower once wrote him, saying “I find your work.... almost too perceptive,” in regard of Mr. Celardo’s themes.

In the 1950s Mr. Celardo produced the Tarzan comic strip for United Features Syndicate, and it appeared in 225 daily and Sunday newspapers in 12 different countries at the height of its popularity. Before and after World War II, he also worked as an assistant art director for Fiction House, and from 1973 to the mid-1990s he was a comics editor for King Features Syndicate, a division of the Hearst Corporation. He also illustrated comics on packages of Topps Chewing Gum.

Throughout his career, Mr. Celardo spoke to many local organizations about his work, illustration and art. “He was quite a talent,” said his son, John J. “He spent most of his time at the drawing board.” Mr. Celardo was a member of the Staten Island Kiwanis Club, National Cartoonists Society and the Artists and Writers organization in New York. In addition to drawing, he loved golf.

He was a parishioner of Our Lady of Pity R.C. Church, Bulls Head. Surviving, along with his son, John J., are his wife of 65 years the former Julia Esposito; his daughter, Donna DeForest; three brothers Joe, Frank and Edward, and three grandchildren. 

JAN. 18 EVENTS: JOHN CELARDO'S TARZAN DAILIES & SUNDAYS
https://www.erbzine.com/mag63/6313.html#JANUARY18
*** Artist John Celardo's first Tarzan daily strip appeared in newspapers on Jan. 18, 1954. This was followed by his first Sunday strip, Feb. 28 of that year.
According to ERBzine, "He probably had been inking Bob Lubber's Tarzan strips for quite some time before these dates. This early work was very similar to Lubbers' but he gradually developed a more simple, less complicated and perhaps 'lazier' style. He produced a total of 4,350 daily strips (#4507-#8856) and 724 Sunday strips (#1199-#1922) - an output second only to Rex Maxon."

    He first illustrated, then took over the “Tarzan” comic strip, a task he worked at for 15 years, keeping the material fresh by adding relevant social themes like race relations and modern living. He also inserted current events affecting Africa, where the comic strip was set, such as socialism, Peace Corps efforts on the continent and the spread of new religions. President Eisenhower once wrote him, saying “I find your work.... almost too perceptive,” in regard of Mr. Celardo’s themes.

    In the 1950s Mr. Celardo produced the Tarzan comic strip for United Features Syndicate, and it appeared in 225 daily and Sunday newspapers in 12 different countries at the height of its popularity. Before and after World War II, he also worked as an assistant art director for Fiction House, and from 1973 to the mid-1990s he was a comics editor for King Features Syndicate, a division of the Hearst Corporation. He also illustrated comics on packages of Topps Chewing Gum.     January is significant in the life of Mr. Celardo for another reason. He passed away on Jan. 6, 2012.

    As a Canadian prairies farm kid I faithfully followed the Tarzan Sunday pages featured on the front of every Star Weekly colour comics section -- starting with the Hogarth strips in the late '40s and all the way through the Lubbers period and then into the Celardos. I enjoyed them all and clipped out and collected many of the Celardo Sunday pages. This early influence has inspired me to collect and share thousands of strips in ERBzine.


Read John Celardo's first daily Tarzan strip:
TARZAN AND THE GHOST
January/February 1954 ~ Strips 4499-4534
Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren
MEET JOHN CELARDO: INTRODUCTION
I. ERBzine 3802
II. ERBzine 3803
III. ERBzine 3804
IV. ERBzine 3805
V. ERBzine 3806

TARZAN AND THE BLOOD RUBY
Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 4535-4598

I. ERBzine 3807
II. ERBzine 3808
III. ERBzine 3809
IV. ERBzine 3810
V. ERBzine 3811
VI. ERBzine 3812
VII. ERBzine 3813

TARZAN AND THE TEMPLE OF GOLCONDA
Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 4598-4650

I. ERBzine 3814 II. ERBzine 3815 III. ERBzine 3816 IV. ERBzine 3817 V. ERBzine 3818 VI. ERBzine 3819

TARZAN AND THE ZOMANGANI
Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 4651-4730 ~ 80 Days

I. ERBzine 3820 II. 3821 III. 3822 IV. 3823 V. 3824 VI. 3825 VII. 3826 VIII. 3827 IX. 3828

TARZAN AND THE ACTOR TWINS
Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 4731-4792

I. ERBzine 3829 II. 3830 III. 3831 IV. 3832 V. 3833

TARZAN AND THE HUNTERS
 Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 4793-4840 ~ 48 Days

I. ERBzine 3834 II. ERBzine 3835 III. ERBzine 3836 IV. ERBzine 3837

TARZAN AND THE UGAMBIS
  Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 4841-4896 ~ 56 Days

I. ERBzine 3838 II. ERBzine 3839 III. ERBzine 3840 IV. ERBzine 3841 V. ERBzine 3842

KING OF THE WITCH DOCTORS
 Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 4897-4950 ~ 54 Days

I. ERBzine 3843 II. ERBzine 3844 III. ERBzine 3845 IV. ERBzine 3846 V. ERBzine 3847

TARZAN AND THE PRESERVER
  Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 4951-5012 ~ 62 Days

I. ERBzine 3848 II. ERBzine 3849 III. ERBzine 3850 IV. ERBzine 3851 V. ERBzine 3852

TARZAN IN THE FORBIDDEN MOUNTAINS
 Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 5013-5072 ~ 60 Days

I. ERBzine 3853 II. ERBzine 3854 III. ERBzine 3855 IV. ERBzine 3856 V. ERBzine 3857
.
TARZAN IN THE JUNGLE REVOLT
  Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 5073-5148 ~ 76 Days
I. ERBzine 3858 II. ERBzine 3859 III. ERBzine 3860 IV. ERBzine 3861 V. ERBzine 3862 VI. ERBzine 3863

THE RESCUE OF BOBBY BARNES
   Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 5149-5232 ~ 84 Days

I. ERBzine 3864 II. ERBzine 3865 III. ERBzine 3866 IV. ERBzine 3867 V. ERBzine 3868 VI. ERBzine 3869 VII. ERBzine 3870
.
"CYCLOPS" and the IVORY POACHERS
  Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 5233-5287 ~ 55 Days
I. ERBzine 3871 II. ERBzine 3872 III. ERBzine 3873 IV. ERBzine 3874 V. ERBzine 3875
..
THE COBALT CLAIM
Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 5288-5354 ~ 67 days
1. ERBzine 3876 2. ERBzine 3877 3. ERBzine 3878 4. ERBzine 3879 5. ERBzine 3880 6. ERBzine 3881

TARZAN AND "THE STRONG ONE"
Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 5355-5420 ~ 66 days

1. ERBzine 3882 2. ERBzine 3883 3. ERBzine 3884 4. ERBzine 3885 5. ERBzine 3886 6. ERBzine 3887
.
TARZAN AND THE BABOON BOY
Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 5421-5480  (60 days)
1. ERBzine 3888 2. ERBzine 3889 3. ERBzine 3890 4. ERBzine 3891 5. ERBzine 3892
.
TARZAN RETURNS TO ZIMBA
Art by John Celardo ~ Continuity by Dick Van Buren ~ Strips 5481-5548  (68 days)
1. ERBzine 3893 2. ERBzine 3894 3. ERBzine 3895 4. ERBzine 3896 5. ERBzine 3897 6. ERBzine 3898

See the Guide to More Daily Strips at:
ERBzine 2293


Contents Pages for the Celardo Daily Strips
CONTENTS I ~ CONTENTS II  .CONTENTS III . CONTENTS IV

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www.ERBzine.com/comics



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