Born Stanley Robert Pawlowski on October 6, 1916, Bob Powell was a prolific American comic book artist whose career was rooted in the Golden Age of the 1930s and 1940s. He legally adopted the name S. Robert Powell in 1943, though he remained widely known by his professional pen name throughout his career.
Romantic Secrets #7 (1950)
Powell found his footing in the industry during one of its most formative periods, contributing to a remarkable range of titles. He is perhaps best remembered for his work on the features "Sheena, Queen of the Jungle" and "Mr. Mystic," and his credits span more than 500 issues across titles including *The Spirit*, *Shadow Comics*, *Jumbo Comics*, and *First Love Illustrated*. In 1999, he received a long-overdue recognition for co-writing the debut of "Blackhawk," a popular feature whose origins had gone uncredited for decades. Beyond traditional comic books, Powell also produced the pencil artwork for the Mars Attacks bubble gum trading card series, work that would take on a cultural life of its own in later years.
Romantic Secrets #20 (1951)
Powell worked steadily across genres — adventure, mystery, romance — demonstrating considerable versatility throughout his active years from 1938 onward. He died on October 1, 1967, just days before his fifty-first birthday. His posthumous credit on "Blackhawk" stands as a meaningful, if belated, acknowledgment of his contributions to the medium.
