Leonard "Leo" Nowak (December 24, 1907 in Elizabeth, New Jersey – January 6, 2001 in Inyokern, California)[1] was an American illustrator known for his work on Superman during the Golden Age of Comic Books, when he was one of Joe Shuster's assistants.[2] In this role, he was the first (in both the comic strip and the comic book) to portray Lex Luthor as bald; in Luthor's earlier appearances, he had red hair.[3]
Prior to joining Shuster, Nowak had studied art with Frank N. Wilcox[4] and Henry Keller,[5] but instead worked as a musician.[6] One day, during his time off, Nowak painted a mural in a nightclub where he played regularly; a salesman who admired the work told Nowak that Siegel and Shuster were looking for artistic assistance.[7] Nowak visited their studio and was hired immediately.[7]
In 1942, Nowak co-created (with Jerry Siegel) the first character to be known as Robotman.[8]
In 1943, Nowak was drafted into the United States Army, and left comics.[2]
In the 1970s, Nowak moved to Inyokern, where he became a political cartoonist.[9]