Wendell Roger Williams (August 18, 1954 - September 4, 2025) was better known worldwide as graffiti writer/artist Super Kool 223. Many know of his alias as the first subway "piece" on an IRT train circa 1971/72. It was his discovery that by switching out the spray paint can nozzle, such as one found on an oven cleaner, it would provide a wider spray area.
These new "fat cap" spray nozzles allowed his creations to have bigger, bolder lines and were quicker to fill in. He would decorate the interior of the letters with colors, shadows, highlights, backgrounds and figurative designs such as polka dots, arrows, and stars.
According to Wildstyle pioneer graffiti artist Phase2 (d.2019), Super Kool was also the first to paint a "top to bottom" piece which eventually lead to the "masterpiece," providing future writers with more creative opportunities to separate themselves from their peers. In a 2025 interview, King of Graffiti Blade, recounted that the first masterpiece he ever saw was painted by Super Kool. It was Red Devil black with a flame orange outline, and Blade lively recalled how every kid in class would run to the window, thirty kids at the same time, to see this "Super Kool train" as the term masterpiece wasn't in anyone's vocabulary yet.
It's unknown (at least to me) when Wendell's graffiti career began (1970?) or ended, but here's a short bio on the man himself.
A Bronx native, Wendell Williams attended Samuel Gompers Industrial High School and later at Lehman College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He initially worked for the city as a bus operator, but in 1979, Wendell joined the New York City Fire Department and served for the next 40 years.
He was first assigned to the FDNY Engine Company 63 in the Bronx, but in 1986 was promoted to Fire Marshall and relocated to Queens. In 1995, Wendell was appointed Supervising Fire Marshall at NYFD's Bureau of Fire Investigation (BFI), which is the law enforcement branch responsible for determining the cause, origin, and circumstances of fires.
Wendell retired on 8/15/19 and passed away about a month after his 71st birthday. At his funeral, a relative commented on his passions for photography, Cadillacs, his Lionel train collection, and tropical fish tanks. He was survived by his wife, Sandra, two brothers, and many relatives and friends. He was laid to rest at Mount Hope Cemetery in Hastings-On-Hudson, NY.
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Terrence J. Brady
aka Teako170
Author of The Crazy 5 screenplayWhat's your passion?
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