Al Hartley, 81; Illustrated ‘Archie’ Comic Strips

Al Hartley, 81, who spent nearly three decades illustrating the “Archie” comic strips and also drew for Marvel Comics, died Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla. He had undergone heart surgery earlier this month.

Hartley was a native of Kearny, N.J. His father, Republican Rep. Fred Hartley, co-sponsored the Taft-Hartley Act of 1946, which allows a president to force striking or locked-out workers back to their jobs if the labor impasse is seen as endangering the national security or economy.

Al Hartley served as a B-17 bomber pilot in Europe during World War II. After the war, his first full-time comics job was drawing a character called Pickles.

At Marvel Comics, Hartley drew books, including classic heroes such as Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk. He left the company to work on the “Archie” illustration team from 1966 to 1993.

In retirement, Hartley wrote children’s books and Christian-themed comic books.