Tony DiPreta passes at age 88

Tony Dipreta who drew Joe Palooka and Rex Morgan, M.D. died last week at the age of 88.

Eventually, DiPreta made his way to New York City, where he met legendary comic book writer and editor Stan Lee, who gave him “Porky Pig” to ink. From 1945 to 1955, DiPreta also worked on the popular “Mickey Finn,” his first syndicated newspaper comic strip, and countless others.

In 1959, DiPreta took over the comic strip “Joe Palooka,” about a heavyweight boxer. DiPreta was the third and last artist to work on the strip, which ended in 1984. A decade later, he took over drawing “Rex Morgan, M.D.,” retiring in 2000. The strip still runs today in hundreds of newspapers across the country and overseas.

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