Joel Beck

Joel Beck, cartoonist and artist extraordinaire, was born in Ross, California on May 7th, 1943 and passed away in Point Richmond, California on September 4th, 1999.  His comic book, Lenny of Laredo, one of the earliest underground comic books of the 1960s, was the first underground comic book published on the West Coast.

Joel was an ill and bedridden child suffering from both spinal meningitis and tuberculosis.  He was in a full body cast for several years and during that time he honed his artistic skills by drawing endless illustrations and small comic books while confined to bed. As Joel was growing up he attended De Anza High School in El Sobrante and, although a standout in his art classes, he lived in his own fantasy world.  Joel was the main illustrator of two of De Anza’s yearbooks and his yearbooks won first place in the annual high school yearbook competition.

Joel moved to Berkeley in the mid-60s and began submitting cartoons to the U.C.  Berkeley humor magazine THE PELICAN.  The editors thought they came from one of the students and published everything he submitted.  For several years afterwards THE PELICAN became a stand out in college humor and Joel was voted the nation’s number one college cartoonist. 

During his Berkeley days he drew many fantasy drawings and created a number of paintings many of which will be on display at the Point Richmond Art Gallery. In 1965 humor magazine editors voted to choose the nation’s top college cartoonist and gave the honor to Joel. In January 1966 THE PELICAN reprinted much of his previous work and labeled him “Man of the Decade”.

Joel was an accomplished fine artist and created a number of works in both acrylics and oils, artworks now sought by international collectors when available.