Gil Kane in the 1960s was a well-established comic-book artist who had co-created the modern versions of the DC Comics superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom. He was additionally an early and outspoken advocate of creators' rights in an industry that at the time did not offer character ownership or royalties. Circa 1963, Kane set up a studio on East 63rd Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York, and for five years worked sporadically on both "His Name Is... Savage" and a project that would become the paperback comics novel "Blackmark". Kane in 1996 said the actual drawing of "Savage" "was done, from beginning to end, in 30 days. That last page was inked at the printer while they were getting the book ready".