Artists of Sword & Sorcery: Alfred Alcala (1925-2000)

Alfred Alcala has been one of the most influential and important of inkers working in Sword & Sorcery. He started in the Philippines in 1963 with Voltar, which was not published in North America until Magic Carpet #1 (1977) then to a wider audience in Warren’s The Rook #3-9 (June 1980-June 1981). When I read it in The Rook I thought it was a shabby version of Conan. Later I learned that it was done seven years before any Conan comics existed. It was brilliant for 1963.

Also for the final years at Warren he did “Going By the Book” (Creepy #108, June 1979), “The Tempered Sword” (Creepy #125, February 1981) and “Working Class Hero” (Creepy #129, June 1981). Alfred’s work can be found throughout Conan the Barbarian, Savage Sword of Conan, and in Kull the Destroyer #17 (1976). Much of this was with John Buscema. For DC, Alfred Alcala inked Arak, Son of Thunder #9-25 (June 1982-September 1983). As a commercial artist he drew The Masters of the Universe mini-comics #1-4, #12-15, #22(1981). Alfred was instrumental in bringing artists such Tony de Zuniga, Nestor Redondo and Gerry Talaoc to the US.