Joe Edwards, 85, Cartoonist Drew New ‘Archie’ Character
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Joe Edwards, an artist who worked on the 1942 debut issue of Archie comics and later created the character Li’l Jinx, died February 8 at his Central Islip home. He. was 85,
A Manhattan native, Edwards served in the Army during World War II, illustrating training manuals for the troops.
While based in Italy, he drew animated cartoons warning of minefields around Naples.
Edwards worked for Demby Studios, which produced comic book stories for a number of publishers, and then joined the former MLJ Comics, the precursor to Archie Comics.
Along with drawing the popular redheaded teenager, Archie Andrews, and his pals Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Edwards created Li’l Jinx, a precocious girl who had her own comic book for a time and still appears as a character in others, said Victor Gorelick, vice president and managing editor of Archie Comics.
