From lambiek.net:
T[homas] E. Powers was an early American newspaper comic artist, and apparently the first American to draw a newspaper color comic strip. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he moved to Kansas City, where he was educated in public schools and got his start working for a lithographer. Powers later worked for the Chicago Herald and in 1894 was offered a job in New York with the Evening World. By 1896 he and his colleague Arthur Brisbane found employment with the New York Evening World of tycoon William Randolph Hearst.
Powers was one of Hearst's favorite artists, and also President Theodore Roosevelt's favourite cartoonist (according to his obituary). He drew 'Our Moving Pictures' around 1910, and later created 'Mike and Mike' and 'Mr. Nobody Holme' (1915). On 31 January 1916 the International Film Service released a short animated silent film entitled 'Mr. Nobody Holme Buys a Jitney'. Powers is additionally credited as the writer of more than a dozen short films.
He also drew a comment on fellow artist George Herriman, speculating on how he invented the famous 'Krazy Kat' comic. T.E. Powers also did political illustrations for the Political Round-Up column in Hearst's Magazine, July - Dec 1913. His political cartoons had a wide following and two elf-like characters, Joy and Gloom, became one of the trademarks of his work. Among his other cartoon series are 'Mrs. Trubble', 'Never Again', 'The Down-and-Out Club', 'Sam the Drummer', 'Married Life From the Inside' and 'Charlie and George'. He passed away in Long Beach, Long Island, NY at the age of 69.With all the cartooning talent Hearst collected, it's hard to understand why Powers' mediocre work was his favorite.
Link to the book:
Joys & Glooms
