Mort Künstler

Mort Künstler studied art at Brooklyn College, U.C.L.A. and Pratt Institute. After graduating he worked as a freelance artist in New York, where he received assignments from book and magazine publishers. In 1953, he supplied painted covers for several Classics Illustrated titles, including Pitcairn's Island and A Study in Scarlet.[2] He drew covers and other art for paperback books and men's adventure magazines. Künstler completed at least three cover illustrations and two inside illustrations every month, for Magazine Management alone. During this time he published under at least two pen names, Martin Kay and Emmett Kaye ('plays' on his initials of "M" and "K"). He also did art for Aurora model kit boxes, such as the Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima kit. He used the alias "Mutz" to draw back covers for issues of Mad Magazine, and did posters for movies such as the original The Poseidon Adventure and the original The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.