Ralph Newman

Ralph Geoffrey Newman was born on 3 November 1911 in Chicago, Illinois, and died on 23 July 1998. While best known to the general public as a leading Abraham Lincoln scholar and Civil War manuscript expert, Newman also contributed to comic books, primarily as a writer on Harvey Comics' *Richie Rich* line. His work appeared in titles such as *Richie Rich & Casper*, *Richie Rich Gems*, and *Richie Rich Million Dollar Digest* from 1948 through 2012. Newman’s day job was running the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago, where he hosted the monthly Civil War Round Table. He also served as an appraiser for the papers of six U.S. presidents. His life took a controversial turn when he was indicted in 1975 for preparing a false affidavit that helped Richard Nixon obtain an illegal tax break on donated papers, leading to a conviction later that year. Earlier, he had played minor league baseball as a second baseman. Newman’s comic book work, though a small part of his career, remains a footnote in the long-running *Richie Rich* universe.