Magazine Illustration
Murphy resumed his art career upon his return from military service. During the 1940s, Murphy was a popular magazine illustrator, regularly seen in Collier's, Look, Esquire, Liberty, Sport, Holiday and Columbia, published by the Knights of Columbus.
He often specialized in sports, and it was his boxing material that unexpectedly led him into the comic strip field, something he had never previously considered. In 1950, writer Elliot Caplin (brother of cartoonist Al Capp) suggested that Murphy illustrate a boxing comic strip he had in mind, Big Ben Bolt, and he agreed. Murphy was the artist of Big Ben Bolt from 1950 to 1978.
In 1951, Murphy married Joan Byrne, also from New Rochelle, and they had eight children.
Read more about this topic: John Cullen Murphy
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