Stoner was one of the first African-American comic book artists, and is believed to have created the iconic Mr. Peanut mascot.

[3] According to the company website, the drawing was "enhanced" by a "professional illustrator," who added the top hat, monocle, and cane.

"[4] The couple later moved to Greenwich Village so that Vivienne could open a gift shop, and they became "part of a tight-knit circle of African-Americans.

[4] Stoner's first major illustrative work, a children's book named Mic Mac on the Track, debuted in 1930.

[4][5] Stoner was also briefly employed by Parents Magazine, working on their long-running educational True Comics series from 1941 to 1942.

[4] One of his more unique projects was as an artist for The Challenger, a publication from Protestant Digest and their interfaith committee that served to counteract fascist and antisemitic propaganda.

[12] Despite its short run, the EC revival was adapted into a radio drama series, Blackstone, the Magic Detective, which ran from 1948 to 1950.

[13] Outside of comics, Stoner was an "accomplished pianist" and patron of the arts, and also owned the apartment building in which he lived, at 228 W. 13th Street.

[1][4][14] According to an article in the Daily Worker, Stoner spent time entertaining United Service Organizations (USO) personnel and providing them with drawing lessons, in addition to "occasionally [giving] art lectures as a means of improving Negro-white relations.

He was, after all, a middle-aged fine artist, who had only worked in advertising and magazine illustration, trying to make the jarring transition to comic books.