The “Good Girl Art” Of Bill Ward

Bill Ward (1919 – 1998), was an American cartoonist notable as a good girl artist and creator of the risqué comics character Torchy. Good girl art is found in drawings or paintings which feature a strong emphasis on attractive women no matter what the subject or the situation. Good girl art was most commonly featured in comic books, pulp magazines and crime fiction.

When cited as an art movement, it is usually capitalized as Good Girl Art. Popular culture historian Richard A. Lupoff defined it as: “A cover illustration depicting an attractive young woman, usually in skimpy or form-fitting clothing, and designed for erotic stimulation. The term does not apply to the morality of the ‘good girl’, who is often a gun moll, tough cookie or wicked temptress.”