The cartoonist known for penning the adventures of popular comic book character Archie Andrews died in his Texas hometown of El Paso on Monday. He was 86.

According to the El Paso Times, Tom Moore started drawing the red-haired, freckled-face Archie on and off in 1953, at times doing "one comic book a month", until he retired in the late 1980s.

"He's a legend, in El Paso and, really, around the United States," All Star Comics & Games owner Brad Wilson told the paper.

"A lot of people don't realize how much he influenced comic book art."

Annual sales of the comics in the 1960s often hit half a million copies.

Moore, who became a cartoonist while serving in the US Navy during the Korean War, was also responsible for revamping Archie's best friend Jughead in the 1980s.

Moore still followed the series after his retirement, during which he taught commercial art at El Paso Community College, and was reportedly upset at the decision to kill off Archie last year.

He leaves behind his wife of 63 years, Ruth, and two children.

A celebration of Moore's life is being scheduled in the coming weeks.