Thorne began his comics career in 1948, penciling romance comics for Standard Comics. After graduation, he drew the Perry Masonnewspaper strip for King Features, which was followed by more comic book work for Dell Comics. He turned out a multitude of stories for Flash Gordon, Jungle Jim, The Green Hornet, Tom CorbettSpace Cadet, Tomahawk, Mighty Samson, Enemy Ace and numerous others. Thorne drew the syndicated comic stripDr. Guy Bennett / Dr. Duncan from 1957–1963 for LaFave Newspaper Features. Originally drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith for Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja was transposed from a minor Robert E. Howard 16th-century gunslinger character to a mainstay of the sword and sorcery Conan canon by Roy Thomas. After the character was spun off into a solo feature, Thorne succeeded pencilerDick Giordano in drawing her for Marvel Feature #2, continuing through most of her 1977-79 solo series, Red Sonja. Thorne subsequently created a number of erotic fantasy comics and characters, alongside other works. His works include creating, writing and drawing the features "Moonshine McJugs" for Playboy, "Lann" in Heavy Metal, and "Danger Rangerette" in National Lampoon, and the miniseries Ribit for, as well as the Fantagraphics Booksgraphic novelsGhita of Alizarr, The Iron Devil, The Devil’s Angel, and The Illustrated History of Union County. Publishing companyHermes Press has reprinted Lann, Ribit! and Ghita of Alizzarr; the latter being reprinted as an archival, nearly full sized reproduction of the original art.
Other media
Thorne wrote and produced the documentary Two Lords and a Lady, about Elizabeth Lee “Aunt Betty” Frazee and The Battle of the Short Hills. He wrote the books The Barrington Hall Sketchbook, Drawing Sexy Women, The Crystal Ballroom, and The Alizarrian Trilogy: Nymph, Sprite, Sylph, all published by Fantagraphics Books. His work as a writer-illustrator has appeared in Playboy, Hustler, Golden Magazine, High Times, and Vanity Fair.
Awards
Thorne's awards includes a 1963 National Cartoonists Society award in the Comic Book Division, the 1978 San DiegoInkpot Award, the Playboy editorial award for best comic for Moonshine McJugs, Warren Magazine's Best Comic for Ghita of Alizarr, NJ Art Director’s Club.
