The relative anonymity of Dan Gormley is a mystery. His work for Dell’s Four Color, as this story exemplifies, was stunning – very round and bouncy. "The Isle of Mechanical Men" comes from Four Color No. 280, June 1950.
Gormley worked for Dell through the 1940’s and 50’s, often drawing Walter Lantz characters. He drew many Disney covers and worked with John Stanley on the Nancy comics. After the age of Eisenhower, he went off the radar. His whereabouts, whether living or shed of this mortal coil, is unknown. There exits one photograph of Gormley – a short man with a thinning, high widow’s peak and a strong, roman nose; wearing short-sleeves and tie (held in place by a tie clip). He is smiling in the photo, hands on hips, looking down and off camera. Is this not the foundation of legend?
