Alter Ego #60 by TwoMorrows Publishing

Roy Thomas ’ Flashy Comics Fanzine

CELEBRATING

SCHWARTZ • KANIGHER INFANTINO • KUBERT BROOME & 1956’s

SHOWCASE #4!

6.95

In the USA

No. 60 July 2006

Twin BONUS!

PLUS:

FIFTY YEARS HAVE GONE BY IN A FLASH!

Vol. 3, No. 60 / July 2006 Editor Roy Thomas

Associate Editors

™

Special Issue CELEBRATING SHOWCASE #4

Bill Schelly Jim Amash

Design & Layout Christopher Day

Consulting Editor John Morrow

FCA Editor P.C. Hamerlinck

Comic Crypt Editor Michael T. Gilbert

Editors Emeritus Jerry Bails (founder) Ronn Foss, Biljo White, Mike Friedrich

Production Assistant Eric Nolen-Weathington

Cover Artist

Writer/Editorial: Fifty Years Have Gone By In A Flash! . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Life From A Flash Of Lightning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Christopher Irving on the significance of Showcase #4 (Oct. 1956)!

Julius Schwartz & Carmine Infantino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 A ten-years-after interview with Showcase #4’s editor and artist, by Shel Dorf.

Carmine Infantino

And Special Thanks to: Deane Aikins Heidi Amash Murphy Anderson Manuel Auad Mike W. Barr John Benson Daniel Best Dominic Bongo Ray Bottorff, Jr. Peggy Broome Mark Cannon R. Dewey Cassell Bob Cherry Jim Cleary Ernie Colón Ray A. Cuthbert Al Dellinges Michael Dewally Roger Dicken & Wendy Hunt Tony & Frances DiPreta Shel Dorf Don Ensign Mark Evanier Michael Feldman Patricia Floss Ron Frantz Keif Fromm Bob Fujitani Carl Gafford Earl Geier John Gentil Frank Giella Joe Giella Janet Gilbert Glen David Gold Matt Gore Ron Goulart Arnie Grieves Jennifer Hamerlinck Irwin Hasen Fred Hembeck Heritage Comics Carmine Infantino

CONTENTS

Christopher Irving Larry Ivie Gene Kehoe Robert Klein Jim Kingman Bob Koppany Joe Kubert Richard Kyle Ron Lim Mark Luebker Russ Maheras Dennis Mallonee Joe & Nadia Mannarino Maureen McTigue Sheldon Moldoff Matt Moring Brian K. Morris Edwin & Terry Murray Jim Murtaugh Marie O’Brien Denny O’Neil Andy Patterson Joe Petrilak John G. Pierce Craig Popplewells Ed Quinby Dan Raspler Linda Lessman Reinhold Alex Ross Marie Severin Keif Simon Robin Snyder Marc Swayze Tony Tallarico Dann Thomas Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. Mark Waid Ted White Marv Wolfman Rodrigo M. Zeidan Michael Zeno

This issue is dedicated to the memory of

Alex Toth & Dick Rockwell

“Written Off 9/30/49” – Part VII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Art from a never-published, Infantino-drawn “Flash” story from the Golden Age.

“I’m Responsible For The Silver Age” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Robert Kanigher on many subjects—including (briefly) Showcase #4.

Now You Don’t See Him—Now You Do! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 The Flash-y disappearance and reappearance of Joe Kubert, 1947, viewed by Al Dellinges.

“I Think I Was A Natural-Born Comic Writer” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 John Broome in San Diego, 1998—with Evanier, Schwartz, Anderson, & Barr.

“We Were A Very Happy Group” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Artist Tony DiPreta to Jim Amash about comic books, comic strips, & the people behind them.

Tributes To Alex Toth & Dick Rockwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!: Twice-Told Gilbert!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Michael T. Gilbert presents more scenes that have been depicted twice—or even thrice!

The Fabulous ’40s – The First Full Decade Of Comic Books. . . . . . . 69 A 1966 panel featuring Golden Age artist Klaus Nordling at the one comicon he ever attended.

re: [comments, correspondence, & corrections]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 FCA (Fawcett Collectors Of America) #119 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 P.C. Hamerlinck presents Marc Swayze and Alex Ross.

About Our Cover: Quite frankly, we’re unsure precisely how this issue’s cover illo came to us, though we’ve had it sitting around for a while now. That it’s a probably-unpublished, full-color Flash drawing at least penciled (and signed) by Golden/Silver Age great Carmine Infantino, the man who drew Showcase #4 and the first decade of The Flash, we have no doubt… but as to who inked it, or colored it, we’re less certain. Carmine opines as how he might have inked it, though it doesn’t strongly resemble his other work… and he probably didn’t color it… but that’s the way it came, so that’s the way we printed it. The pluperfect cover to a book celebrating the 50th anniversary of Showcase #4! And thanks to those listed below for caricatures of the 5 creators. [Flash TM & ©2006 DC Comics; caricatures [l. to r.] ©2006 Estate of Gil Kane; Ernie Colón; the respective copyright holders; Estate of Norman Maurer; Shane Foley.] Above: Just for kicks, here’s a wide-angle panel from Carmine’s triumphal return to The Flash: issue #306 (Feb. 1982), to be exact. Inking by Bob Smith, script by Dan Miskin & Gary Cohn. Repro’d from a photocopy of the original art, with thanks to Michael Zeno. [©2006 DC Comics.] Alter EgoTM is published monthly, except Jan., April., Sept., and Nov. by TwoMorrows, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614, USA. Phone: (919) 449-0344. Roy Thomas, Editor. John Morrow, Publisher. Alter Ego Editorial Offices: 32 Bluebird Trail, St. Matthews, SC 29135, USA. Fax: (803) 826-6501; e-mail: roydann@ntinet.com. Send subscription funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial offices. Single issues: $9 ($11.00 outside the US). Twelve-issue subscriptions:$72 US, $132 Canada, $144 elsewhere. All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter © Roy Thomas. Alter Ego is a TM of Roy & Dann Thomas. FCA is a TM of P.C. Hamerlinck. Printed in Canada. FIRST PRINTING.

Title writer/editorial

50 Years Have Gone By In A Flash! I

t was July 4th, 1956.

This comic was new—and it was old—all at the same time!

Or maybe—just maybe, mind you—it was the day before July 4th, 1956.

And it was wonderful. Purely, completely, utterly wonderful.

What is certain is that I was on my 15-year-old way to buy fireworks at Fulenweider’s Drug Store, on Main Street, Smalltown, USA. Well, actually, it was Main Street in Jackson, Missouri (1950 census population, 3694). Same thing. I don’t recall precisely what fireworks I intended to buy. But it couldn’t have been anything more dangerous than a few strings of firecrackers. Maybe a couple of cherry bombs, now that I was a bit older, but at most only a couple, because my parents knew those things were dangerous, bless ’em. But it doesn’t matter what fireworks I was going to buy, because the only pyrotechnics that counted that day were the ones that erupted from the comic book rack. Because that was the day I first laid eyes on Showcase #4.

I probably bought the fireworks I’d come in for—but all that was really on my mind as I raced the half dozen or so blocks home was reading this exciting new comic book. Before it could fall by the wayside, like the revived Human Torch, Captain America, and SubMariner had at Atlas… or Blue Beetle at Charlton… or Stuntman at Harvey... or The Flame, Phantom Lady, & company at Ajax… or last year’s Fighting American, or The Avenger, or even Captain Flash.... I was young. I lived for the moment. The Flash had returned! He’d been a member of my beloved Justice Society of America, so if he was back, even in new garb, maybe one day they would be, too! Maybe… Naw! It was too much to hope for. That was the future, and the future’s a million years away when you’re 15 and a color comic book still gets your pulse racing every bit as much as a good action movie or an exciting program on that grainy new thing called TV or… or that cute blonde you’d ask out if you were old enough to drive and thought there was a chance in hell she wouldn’t laugh at you. Probably better to stick to movies and TV and comics…for now, anyway.

That was the day that gave new life to an old favorite— The Flash. He of Mercury’s hat and sandals and the tucked-in red shirt and no mask. Now he had a streamlined costume that really looked like it was built for speed. Lots of hot crimson—with golden lightning bolts emblazoning it here and there. And what’s That July 4th? I’m sure it faster than a lightning bolt? It was a good one. reminded me, the instant I saw But I’d already had my it, of Captain Marvel’s outfit, only with hood instead of fireworks. A doubly-classic panel from Showcase #4. [©2006 DC Comics.] cape—but I’d loved Captain And those colored lights Marvel, and anyway he’d been have been exploding ever since. gone from the comics shelves for three years now, and it didn’t look like he was ever coming back. So I didn’t mind this new guy borrowing one of his old suits and customizing it a bit. Years later, given my dual interest in comic books and history, I’d wonder how Showcase #4 came about. After three lackluster issues of I’m sure I flipped through the comic right then and there and was firemen, animals, and detectives, DC had finally gotten it right. Fully thrilled to see Barry Allen reading an old issue of Flash Comics—same aware of how so many great super-heroes had bitten the dust over the as I had done eight or nine years earlier!—and there was the old Flash, past decade, I dared hope there were lots of other people like me who’d as well. The guys who put this comic book out knew what they were just been waiting for the heroes to come back. doing. They knew what I wanted—even before I did. I remember being amazed to see falling objects floating in mid-air before Barry’s eyes in If I had heard, at that time, that the folks who put out comic books that diner… the way a man with super-speed would see them. The first believed that their audience “turned over” every five years, so that Flash had certainly seen them that way, too, but we’d never have virtually nobody reading comics in 1956 had been reading them in known it from reading his adventures. And there was even a Turtle 1951, when All-Star Comics (the first Flash’s last venue) had been Man—a new version of The Turtle whom I recalled fighting the canceled, I’d have been incredulous. I’d been reading comics ever since original Flash. 1945, at the age of four going on five, and I wasn’t tired of them. Too old for comics? No more than I was too old to enjoy the few recycled

writer/editorial movie serials… or The Adventures of Superman on TV, on those rare occasions I saw it at a neighbor’s house (our local channel was a CBS station, and to see Superman on ABC you had to have a good antenna—which cost money). I’m sure I was disappointed, two months later, when Showcase #5 featured not The Flash but The Challengers of the Unknown. Even if the art and story looked and read like that Simon & Kirby team I liked so much, I’d have preferred to see the Scarlet Speedster whizzing off another cover straight at me. I kept looking, and hoping, for the eight months until Showcase #8 came out, and The Flash had returned—for one more audition. He was coming back awfully slow for a guy with super-speed… but at least I had hope. If I had been able to gaze into a crystal ball and see what lay in store for me—the whole glorious Silver Age, first at DC, then at the company that would eventually call itself Marvel again—let alone my own breathless part in same—I’d have thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I guess I could’ve used this space—since it isn’t covered in depth in the pages that follow—to hash over yet again the creative process which led to The Flash’s return in 1956. I could’ve recounted the tale that has become a legend, in which editors Julius Schwartz and Robert Kanigher and others are at a DC meeting and someone suggests bringing back The Flash—RK suddenly seemed to remember, late in life, that it was he, but I’m not sure about that, and anyway it’s enough that he wrote that first story and did it very well.

But that tale’s been told, endless times—by the late great Julie Schwartz alone! Robin Snyder pieced events together nicely in his article “Who Created the Silver Age Flash?” that appeared in A/E V3#10, along with an interview with artist Carmine Infantino. It’s still available from TwoMorrows, so we don’t need to go over it again. This issue is a celebration. For it was fifty years ago this month— this month—that The Flash came back. And, whoever wears his costume these days, he’s never really been away since. And as long as The Flash is around—somewhere, it’s still the Silver Age of Comics. Bestest,

P.S.: Our apologies to Mike W. Barr, and to Patricia Floss (who had given us her blessing to run an article by the late Rich Morrissey). Both their pieces about John Broome will see print in a near-future issue. P.P.S.: And while we’re at it, we want to acknowledge the generosity of Carmine Infantino, who donated his fee for this issue’s Flash cover to ACTOR, the organization—often noted in A/E—created to give a financial helping hand to longtime comics pros who could use one. For more information, try www.ACTORComicFund.org

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Celebrating SHOWCASE #4, 1956! part one

Life From A Flash Of Lightning The Significance of Showcase #4 by Christopher Irving

hen the revived Flash made his first appearance in Showcase #4 in July of 1956, he was a bolt of lightning that energized the struggling comics medium into a Silver Age. Fifty years after, one can still wonder what formula made the Barry Allen Flash the harbinger of new life where other heroes had failed. Sure, there’d been speedsters in the Golden Age: the original DC Comics Flash and Johnny Quick, Quality’s Quicksilver, Comic House’s Silver Streak, Timely’s Whizzer (with his unfortunate costume, as if he were a Yellow Streak) and Hurricane… there was nothing new about running fast, not really.

The Dawn Of The Silver Age You’ve probably seen ’em before, but we couldn’t do a celebration of Showcase #4 (cover-dated Oct. 1956 but on sale in early July) without showing the cover and both splashes from that legendary landmark issue. It’s fitting that the first splash had the hero rocketing out of an old issue of Flash Comics, ’cause in a sense that’s just what he was doing. Art by Carmine Infantino (pencils) & Joe Kubert (inks), and scripts by Robert Kanigher and John Broome, respectively, under the strong editorial aegis of Julius Schwartz. [©2006 DC Comics.]

So what was it that made this second Flash work? It may not have been the power alone, but the approach given the new Flash: one more sophisticated and non-political than many of the other super-heroes making comebacks and debuts in the 1950s.... Comic books had been dominated by funny animals, teenagers, cowboys, soldiers, ghouls, and spacemen for the early part of the 1950s, amid what eventually became a disastrous slump for the struggling industry. After 1953, when Fawcett threw in Captain Marvel’s towel and Quality’s Doll Man was discontinued, the only super-heroes still in print were the (dying) latter company’s Plastic Man and DC’s Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Arrow, and, ironically, through 1954, Johnny Quick. When The Adventures of Superman television show starring George Reeves became a commercial success in the early ’50s, a few companies had either dusted off their old heroes, or invented new ones, trying to cash in its success. In some instances, the “Commies” were the new formulaic villains,

succeeding the Nazi and “Jap” antagonists of the ’40s, while atomic power proved itself (in comic books, film, and television) either the cause of mass destruction, a mutating horror, or the source of great power.

Atlas (earlier known as Timely, and destined one day to become Marvel) was the first to try to revive the super-hero, bringing back Captain America, The Human Torch, and The Sub-Mariner in December 1953’s Young Men #24. The Carl Burgos-drawn cover heralded a very short-lived return for the characters, in their new roles as “Commie-smashers” (a term plastered across each issue of a soon-

The Significance Of Showcase #4

tales of Communists and aliens. Sub-Mariner lasted for ten issues of his own book, primarily because of eventually failed negotiations with a producer for a liveaction television version of Namor. Sub-Mariner #33 was dated April 1954, while #42 wrapped up his return in October of the next year.

Sunrise of Steel It was doubtless the success of The Adventures of Superman on TV in the early 1950s, which meant increased sales on the Man of Steel’s various comics titles, that led to attempts by Timely/Marvel, Simon & Kirby, and others to “revive” the super-hero… but oddly, DC itself made no attempt to bring back its own Golden Age stars during this time, contenting itself with stories like this one from Superman #78 (Sept.-Oct. 1952), as scripted by Edmond Hamilton and penciled and inked by Al Plastino. Thanks to Ray Bottorff, Jr., & the GCD. [Superman, et al., TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

following Captain America comic). The run of appearances of all three in Young Men would be over with by #28, eight months later; the trio had also shared billing during this period in two issues of Men’s Adventures. In the lead story, The Human Torch comes back from the dead and avenges himself by using his now atomically-powered flame to free his sidekick Toro from Communist brainwashing. An interesting detail thought up by the writer established that in 1945 the Torch had killed Hitler (who would return as The Hate-Monger a decade later in the pages of Fantastic Four). Russ Heath drew that first adventure, with subsequent “Torch” stories done by Burgos, Dick Ayers, and one still-unidentified artist. The Torch lasted through only three issues of his own revived book, 1954’s #36 to #38, which had picked up the numbering from where it had ended in 1949. Steve Rogers was now (as he had been in the late ’40s) a teacher at Lee School, teaching Bucky and his classmates about Captain America, his flag-wearing alter ego from World War II. As luck happens, Cap and Bucky are forced to suit up and go into action once again as The Red Skull strikes at the United Nations. It seems the Skull’s allegiance to the Nazi party is a thing of the past—he’s now a (surprise!) stinkin’ Red! Cap continued through three issues of his own series: #76 was cover-dated May 1954, the last issue, #78, September ’54. Much of the art was provided by John Romita, who in the 1960s would draw The Amazing Spider-Man. Last but certainly not least, Prince Namor returned in the capable hands of creator Bill Everett, who produced slick and beautiful “Sub-Mariner”

It’s very likely that Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the team that had created Captain America in 1941, came up with Fighting American in 1954 in response to Cap’s revival: the red-white-blue-and-gold-clad enemy of Communism was an increasingly satirical look at their earlier creation. When patriotic newscaster Johnny Flagg is brutally beaten by Commie agents, his physically frail brother Nelson’s mind is transferred into Johnny’s wellbuilt, revitalized body. Continuing Johnny Flagg’s life, Nelson dons the Fighting American costume and, with sidekick Speedboy (who bears an amazing resemblance to Bucky and Sandy, the Golden Boy, both of which Simon & Kirby had developed in the ’40s), fights the Red Menace. Jack Cole’s lingering Plastic Man of

Back From The Dead—But Not For Long As detailed in Alter Ego #35, Martin Goodman, Stan Lee, and Timely/Atlas brought back The Human Torch, Captain America, and Sub-Mariner with Young Men #24 (Dec. 1953), but the revival didn’t last long. Neither did Simon & Kirby’s Fighting American, though happily the entire seven issues plus were beautifully reprinted in the 1990s by Marvel in a deluxe hardcover edition that belongs on any comics fan’s bookshelf. Charlton also briefly revived the 1940s Fox hero, The Blue Beetle. [Young Men cover ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.; Fighting American ©2006 Joe Simon & Estate of Jack Kirby.]

Life From A Flash Of Lightning

7 Through his four-issue sojourn, the Captain encountered such villains as The Mirror Man, a reptilian alien who traveled through mirrors (much like the later Mirror Master of Flash fame); The Black Knight, a crazed scientist who stole a missile guidance system to sell to Communist nations; and The Actor, a master of disguise who tried to smuggle radium out to the black market. There were also some out-of-space aliens whose modus operandi uncannily precursored the theme of the later shortlived TV series The Invaders.

Two Flashes of Silver? It’s ironic that some would credit the Silver Age as beginning with the debut, at the start of 1955, of Sterling Comics’ Captain Flash. Pencils for all three issues’ worth of “Captain Flash” tales were by Mike Sekowsky, later the original artist of Justice League of America, a feature would would owe its life to a different super-hero with the word “Flash” in his name. However, certainly neither Captain Flash nor Magazine Enterprises’ short-lived Avenger (drawn above by Bob Powell) made a strong enough impact to inaugurate the Silver Age. Charlton likewise launched its new Nature Boy at the turn of 1956, still in advance of Showcase #4—but it was the DC comic that finally made things happen! [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

the 1940s was the only straight man in a world of oddball criminals; the same can be said of Fighting American and his rogues’ gallery: Hotski Trotski, Poison Ivan, Commissar Yutz, and Count Yuscha Liffso, to name a few. Although it only lasted seven issues, Fighting American was the one Cold War comic that took the global contest between the “Free World” and the “Iron Curtain” countries lightly. While the Atlas experiment failed, it didn’t keep other companies from taking a stab at their own Commie-crushing or atomicallypowered heroes. A small company by the name of Sterling Comics, which lasted only a couple of years, became one of the first to hop on the nuclear bandwagon, and created what some consider the first original Silver Age hero: Captain Flash. Captain Flash was actually Professor Keith Spencer, of Atom City, who gained atomic powers when he was forced to shield an atomic isotope with his body. (There are enough “atomic” references in his origin to amount to an entire nuclear stockpile!) When Spencer clapped his hands, he was transformed into the blue-and-red-garbed Captain Flash; he had to clap his hands periodically to recharge the superpowers which enabled him to do everything from causing an avalanche (via hand-clapping, what else?) to encompassing his body in atomic fire. A young boy named Ricky was his partner, wearing a Bucky-like costume, and, like his forebear, still going by his real name. Captain Flash lasted a mere four issues, from November 1954 to May of 1955, ending when Standard itself folded. Although uncredited, all of the artwork was penciled by Mike Sekowsky, who half a decade later would draw Justice League of America for DC. Sekowsky’s artwork, though it often appeared rushed, had a quirky and kinetic quality.

Another Cold War hero who made his debut at roughly the same time was The Avenger. The red-clad enemy of Communism premiered in the first issue of his own title in 1954. Published by Magazine Enterprises, a company known primarily for Western comics (the original Ghost Rider, Tim Holt/Redmask, Straight Arrow, and Durango Kid), The Avenger was its only conventional super-hero… though ME also had Strong Man, who fought crime wearing a leopard skin.

When his brother is killed by Russian spies, millionaire scientist Roger Wright becomes The Avenger. With the help of his aide Claire Farrow, and armed with a Dissolver ray gun, he travels around the globe in his Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft, the Starjet. The first issue of The Avenger was drawn by Dick Ayers, with the origin written by Paul S. Newman. The other writer on the series was Gardner Fox, who had cut his eyeteeth co-creating such Golden Age features as “The Flash,” “Hawkman,” and “The Justice Society of America” for All-American/DC. By the second issue, artist Bob Powell reportedly undercut Ayers’ page rate and took over the art chores for the remaining three issues. The Avenger was as steeped in Commie-smashing as the Atlas Captain America, yet was much more intelligently done. While he did fight the occasional criminal like The Player (a sports prodigy), or a runaway robot, he primarily took the Starjet behind the Iron Curtain or fought Red spies aiming to destroy American freedom from the inside. Where the benefits of atomic power were the focus in Captain Flash, its destructive abilities were the focus of many “Avenger” stories, as a purple ray beam cut a swath of destruction in “The Metal Menace,” or a warhead threatened to detonate in “The Three Faces of Death.” The Avenger, for all its Red-baiting, was a fine comic that may have been ahead of its time. Gardner Fox would contribute to National/DC’s impending Silver Age— —which brings us to Showcase #4. The Silver Age of Comics officially started (not that the term was coined by fans of the medium till a few years later) when Showcase #4 (Sept.-Oct. 1956) introduced the new Flash, just a month before

The Significance Of Showcase #4 Broome’s script features what would become an earmark of the Barry Allen “Flash” stories: a healthy dose of scientific theory. (“By traveling fast enough, close to the speed of light, I can set up vibrations that will project our bodies into the future!” Flash says as he propels both himself and Mazdan into a later century.)

Quality and Plastic Man both bit the dust, leaving DC as the only company still publishing any comics starring costumed heroes—the more so since DC took over Quality’s Blackhawk at that time. The Silver Age Flash was a retooling of his Golden Age predecessor, and foreshadowed the return of the super-hero as a formidable genre in comic books. Barry Allen, the new Flash, was linked to his Golden Age predecessor, Jay Garrick, only through his knowing Jay as a comic book character. When Barry is hit by lightning and doused by chemicals, he gains the superspeed of his childhood hero. The debut story, “The Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt,” was written by Robert Kanigher (who had worked for DC, MLJ, and Fox Comics in the ’40s) and was penciled by Carmine Infantino, a DC regular. Both men, as well as the magazine’s editor, Julius Schwartz, had worked on the Golden Age Flash, so one would expect this one would be more of the same... right?

All Carmine, All The Time! For a special “All-Infantino” issue of DC Special in 1968, Carmine’s cover showed him surrounded by the DC heroes with which he was most associated. And, while Batman (a character the artist has said he never particularly enjoyed drawing) was placed front-and-center, prominence was also given to the Silver Age Flash, easily the creation on which Carmine had the greatest impact. With thanks to Raymond A. Cuthbert. [©2006 DC Comics.]

Infantino’s art had improved in leaps and bounds over the seven-year stretch between his stint on the two Flashes. While he had earlier been a Milt Caniff clone (particularly in his work on the super-heroine “Black Canary”), his work had grown more cinematic, utilizing close-ups and “widescreen” panels. Added to the visual equation was the embellishing by Joe Kubert, whose ink line lent Infantino’s pencils a grounding weight. The heavy Caniff-inspired blacks gave the artwork a more real-world feel… the folds in the characters’ clothes had a weight that added to the visual believability. Kanigher’s writing brought a new level to super-speed. Kanigher focused on that ability from the hero’s perspective: it was all relative. Barry Allen’s first burst of super-speed (manifested when he tries to catch a fleeing taxi), is less shocking than the scene a page or so later, in which he perceives falling dishes at a diner... hanging in mid-air as if falling in super-slow motion. Sure, speedsters had always moved quickly and caught bullets with their hands, etc. But Barry Allen was perhaps the first speedster who explored his super-speed with the reader. Rather than leaving it a gimmicky super-power, Kanigher made super-speed a way of life: Barry Allen didn’t just run fast, he saw things at an equally accelerated rate. The villain in that first story was the Turtle Man, not one who would go down in the ranks of the Flash’s distinctive Rogues’ Gallery, but an amusing start. The focus of Barry’s conflict with Turtle Man was reflective of Barry’s learning his new powers: while Barry thought in terms of super-speed, the Turtle Man thought in terms of being superslow, creating a conflict of wits. But, the story of the Tortoise and the Hare to the contrary, it was a decidedly unequal battle. The second story in Showcase #4, “The Man Who Broke the Time Barrier,” written by John Broome, placed The Flash against a slightly more conventional super-villain—Mazdan, a criminal from the future.

For a time the “Flash” stories would be alternately written by Kanigher and Broome, with Gardner Fox being added later. Bits of science thrown into stories would eventually come to be known as “Flash Facts.” While many of the prior super-heroes introduced (or, in many cases, reintroduced) in the 1950s leaned toward the political (the aforementioned Commie-smashers) or the fantastic (mirror dimensions, as per Captain Flash), “The Flash” kept the fantastic grounded in real science... or at least in reasonably believable psuedoscience. As a result, the adventures of Barry Allen felt more real and sophisticated, standing out from the pack.

“The Flash” would start the ball rolling on future Golden Age revivals, edited by Julius Schwartz, particularly “Green Lantern,” “Hawkman,” and “The Atom,” culminating in the formation of the “Justice League of America” (which actually pre-dated the latter two returns). Justice League of America, DC’s Silver Age answer to the Golden Age “Justice Society of America,” would enjoy sufficient success to spur Martin Goodman’s Timely Comics (or what was left of it) to launch The Fantastic Four... and that Stan Lee & Jack Kirby creation would, in turn, jumpstart the once and future Marvel’s position as contender and lead to the debut of Spider-Man and other Marvel mainstays. The Flash became the linchpin for the DC Universe, the character from whom new things would spring. While Superman and Batman had been a team in World’s Finest Comics since 1952, the more occasional team-ups of the new Flash and Green Lantern (originally in the former’s mag) became a special event. The introduction of EarthTwo, the parallel world where the Justice Society (including the Golden Age Flash) lived, would also occur in the pages of The Flash (#123, Sept. 1961). The JSA itself would return in The Flash #137 (June 1963), which would lead immediately into Justice League of America #21, initiating the first of many annual crossovers between the JLA and their Golden Age predecessors. In Graeco-Roman mythology, one of the tasks of Hermes (a.k.a. Mercury), the speedy messenger god, was to spirit the departing to the Underworld. His super-hero counterpart—the Barry Allen Flash— served as a harbinger for other heroes to return from limbo, and for the comic book industry to be reborn. And he was a harbinger announced by a sonic boom called Showcase #4.

Celebrating SHOWCASE #4, 1956! part two

JULIUS SCHWARTZ & CARMINE INFANTINO

Ten Years After Showcase #4, Two Of The Creators Of The Silver Age Flash Just Happened To Be In The Same Room… Interview Conducted by Shel Dorf

Transcribed by Brian K. Morris

his previously-unpublished interview took place on April 26, 1966, in the office of National Periodical Publications (now DC Comics) editor Julius Schwartz, then the overseer of The Flash, Green Lantern, Justice League of America, Batman, Detective Comics, and several other comic magazines. Also present from the outset, in addition to Schwartz and interviewer Shel Dorf, was DC production man Ed Eisenberg. While the interview was in progress, they were joined by “Flash” artist—and, as it happened, near-future editorial director and publisher—Carmine Infantino. —Roy. SHEL DORF: And when did you first become a member of the Communist Party? JULIUS SCHWARTZ: Next question. SD: How did you get into comics? SCHWARTZ: I’ve told the story a hundred times. I don’t see why I have to repeat it. SD: On tape…? SCHWARTZ: [sighs] Very briefly, I was a literary agent. One of my clients was a guy named Alfred Bester, a well-known science-fiction writer. He was writing “Green Lantern” at the time, and he was working for Shelly Moldoff, who was the editor of the All-American Comics group. SD: Sheldon Mayer. SCHWARTZ: Oh, did I say Shelly Moldoff? I’ve got Shelly Moldoff on my mind. I mean Shelly Mayer. His [story] editor left, and he desperately needed an editor, and Bester recommended me, and I went down. I was interviewed by Mayer in 1944, and two days later I was an editor up at All-American Comics. My God, I’m actually an editor more than 22 years. Next question. ED EISENBERG: What is your favorite type of magazine? SCHWARTZ: Playboy. EISENBERG: We’re talking, now, about comics magazines. SCHWARTZ: Playboy comics. [laughs]

Got A House That’s A Showcase… At the All Time Classic New York Comic Book Convention held in June 2000 in White Plains, NY, both artists and the editor of Showcase #4 were on hand: (left to right:) Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert, and Julius Schwartz. There were panels on the 60th anniversaries of the original Flash and Green Lantern, but this particular occasion was a panel just about that immortal issue of Showcase—ending with a surprise 75th birthday cake for Carmine. Photos courtesy of the con’s host: “Where have you gone, Joe Petrilak?” Above, John Broome, writer of the 2nd “Flash” story in that issue, gets the first of his many chances to really show what he can do with the concept of super-speed. Art by Infantino & Kubert. [©2006 DC Comics.]

Two Of The Creators Of The Silver Age Flash

SD: “Little Annie Fanny,” right? EISENBERG: Which kind of magazine would you prefer to put out, if you had a choice? The detective type, or science-fiction? SCHWARTZ: I like all types. Whatever I’m doing at the moment is my favorite. Science-fiction, mystery, supercharacters. Even Westerns, which I abhor, I enjoyed doing while I was editor of a Western magazine. SD: Why have you taken the mystery out of “Batman”? SCHWARTZ: Well, the mystery was only temporarily taken out. It’s now back in full force, if you’ll be patient and read the magazines as they come out. They’re full of mystery. SD: And why are these beautiful covers full of garbage? SCHWARTZ: What do you mean by “garbage”? SD: It’s a fantastic cover, but we open it up and we’re disappointed in the contents. Now, “Batman,” in the early days—it had a sense of mystery and intrigue. He scared the **** out of me when he put on that outfit. I don’t have that feeling any more.

“Ed Eisenberg— The Quiet One” Yeah, yeah, we know we printed the full version of this panel from Strange Adventures #140 (May 1962), “The Strange Adventure That Really Happened!,” only three issues ago. But this art is the only source we have at present for an image of production sub-chief Ed Eisenberg. Dig us up an actual photo of Eisenberg, and you darn well know we’ll print it! [©2006 DC Comics.]

SCHWARTZ: Well, you’ve grown up now, and things that intrigued you and sounded mysterious before no longer intrigue you, and don’t sound as mysterious. But if you’ll be patient, and read the forthcoming issues of Batman, you’ll see they’re full of the “Batman” stories in the

grand old tradition. As for the interior artwork, you’d be surprised how many readers think the interior artwork is great. They say, “Bob Kane is the greatest,” and “Nothing compares to him,” and why did we have anyone else do a “Batman” when only Bob Kane can draw “Batman”? And he’s the greatest writer of “Batman.” Didn’t you know Bob Kane writes Batman, too? It says so on page one: “Bob Kane.” You don’t want to disillusion the little kids. You must believe everything you see in print that says “Bob Kane” on page one. I believe it. EISENBERG: That doesn’t imply that he writes it. SCHWARTZ: No, but the readers say, “Why don’t you have Bob Kane write the stories the way he used to, in the old days?” I’m saying he’s writing as much now as he did then, and that’s the answer. But it is amazing. I receive so many letters from kids that think Bob Kane is the greatest of artists. SD: He never reached his potential. SCHWARTZ: Well, that’s another story. You’ll have to ask Bob Kane.

SD: Of course, you have to understand the person as a whole, and know what he’s gone through in life. This is an area that we’re trying to correct. Jerry Bails lost his father and his mother, and in the last six months, he withdrew [from most fandom activities]. And the kids are writing in fanzines a lot of nasty things about Bails, because he was interested in comic fandom, and then he’s withdrawn, that he’s aloof, and all these things. “He didn’t answer my phone calls, so he’s—”

SCHWARTZ: Well, let me tell you something. These kids who are now writing in and are disillusioned that he quit on comics will be the very kids that will no longer be with comics four or five years from now. These are the kids who write in, “I’ll be a comic book reader forever and ever.” But two or three years later, you’re never going to hear—you don’t get another letter from them, these Paul Gambaccinis, and so on, that were so enthusiastic, wrote letter after letter, [that] you’d think they were going to make a career out of comics. They disappeared. SD: Well, it’s a stage. SCHWARTZ: Those who are writing in now, I won’t hear from four or five years from now. So these people who are bawling out there without knowing the story, I should be—

Four On The Floor In this interview, knowledgeable readers will notice that Julie Schwartz is being coy and ironic when he says that in 1966 Bob Kane was “writing as much now as he did [in the old days]”—i.e., he wasn’t writing at all, since Batman’s artistic creator never wrote a single “Batman” story. At this time, Sheldon Moldoff had been ghosting Kane’s art since 1953, though he now had to produce art more in the vein of what Carmine Infantino was doing for the “New Look” Batman Julie had inaugurated. But why, on p. 9, would Julie say he had “Shelly Moldoff on my mind”— unless he was aware that Shelly was ghosting Bob Kane’s “Batman” stories—supposedly a deep, dark secret? Anyway, it seems serendipitous that collector Arnie Grieves recently sent us this (color) page of four sketches by Golden Age artists done for him on the floor of a comics convention: “Shelly” doing his early-60s “Bob Kane look” Batman next to a profile of the Silver Age Flash by Carmine! And, for good measure, above it are illos of the original Flash by his artistic co-creator, the late Harry Lampert… and of the Batman-influenced Wildcat, drawn by his original artist and co-creator, Irwin Hasen! Your cup runneth over, Arnie—and thanks for letting us share in the bounty, at least a little. [Flashes, Batman, & Wildcat TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

Julius Schwartz & Carmine Infantino

The Golden Age Of Comic Fandom—In The Flesh Great of Julie to defend Jerry G. Bails in this 1966 tape, at a time when modern comics fandom’s virtual founder was being criticized in some unenlightened circles for abandoning fanzines he had launched, such as Comicollector, The Comic Reader—and Alter Ego—and largely withdrawing from fan-related activity. But JGB let it roll like water off Aquaman’s back, and has never forgotten his roots… as witness the monumental Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999 (see p. 61 for website address). Here, seen at the Fandom Reunion Luncheon hosted in Chicago by Bill Schelly and others in 1997, Jerry (on right) converses with fellow oldtime fans Mike Touhey (who’d helped him with the cover of A/E V1#3 back in ’61) and Joe Sarno (the latter with his back to us). It was a combination of memories of the Golden Age, and the then-current Silver Age—what Jerry preferred to call “The Second Heroic Age”—that had begun with Showcase #4 that had led him to do all the things he did. Photo courtesy of Russ Maheras.

SD: Yeah, but they’re putting it in print, which hurts even more. It’s a low blow. But Jerry doesn’t retaliate. SCHWARTZ: Well, he shouldn’t retaliate. He should ignore them, because we won’t even know those names three, four years from now. SD: I went over to the kid that publishes a couple of these fanzines and I told him, “Cut this stuff out.” SCHWARTZ: I don’t think Bails has to make any excuses. I think he should be complimented, because I think, without Bails, this comic fandom would never have arisen in the first place. SD: But these kids forget. SCHWARTZ: I think the whole comic fandom started when he came up here—how many years ago was it? I don’t know, maybe eight, nine years ago, ten years, whatever it was. [NOTE: Actually, it had only been five. —Roy.] And he became so enthusiastic that he started Alter-Ego, and he practically organized fandom single-handed. So he more than did his share, and even if he left the organization two years later, his name should be immortalized in comic fandom. These kids don’t understand it, that’s all.

thoughts of their own, they just quote someone else, and I get letter after letter where they make a comments about, say, Batman or Bob Kane. The way they’re being difficult was something I read in a fanzine. And the pity is they probably didn’t even read the issue they commented about. SD: And they want to see their name in print. SCHWARTZ: Well, that’s all right. EISENBERG: May I interrupt for one moment? We would like those kids who are so concerned about fanzines to know that we don’t publish our magazines for the limited amount of exuberant fans out there. SCHWARTZ: Well, I’ve said that time after time again. I’ve even given the maximum number of fans that you can imagine, say, 5000. And when you consider that a magazine can have a circulation of 500,000—I don’t know, it comes out to one out of a hundred or something. EISENBERG: You have to consider all the readers, not just those who write in letters. And we can’t be involved in their petty squabbles, even though we have an opinion of who is right.

SD: Wally Wood was infuriated by some of the things that the fans wrote about him, because they are not professionals; they don’t realize the working schedules, and the pressures on the cartoonists. And some kid wrote a nasty letter saying that he knows Wood’s style, and that on the cover on this particular comic Wood only did the faces, and yet it’s signed “Wally Wood,” and that this is wrong, and so on. And Wood got very angry. SCHWARTZ: Well, the kid must be just as mad whenever President Johnson makes a speech. He doesn’t believe that President Johnson writes them, does he? Does he believe that Senator [Robert] Kennedy writes all his speeches? SD: Well, I know what’s wrong with fanzines. There’s too much infighting. There’s too much misinformation. They sit at home and they can pick up a comic and analyze it, and rip it apart, and write a nasty letter. SCHWARTZ: Not only that, but when they analyze it, they automatically analyze it in the manner in which they read an article in another magazine. And they quote verbatim things about a magazine or a story or an artist or a writer, something they happen to read in another magazine. They’re very unoriginal; they have no

“I Don’t Do Sketches” Keif Simon (center), who’s teamed up with Jim Murtaugh to take numerous photos for once and future issues of A/E, is sandwiched here between Carmine Infantino (seated) and Dondi/GL/JSA artist Irwin Hasen at a New York comicon in 2006. Keif writes: “I met Carmine for the first time at the first Wizard World East [con] in Philly. I was getting my Archives signed, and was chatting with him about his work, when a gentleman came up and asked him for a sketch. He looks up at the man and says, ‘I don’t do sketches.’ As he is saying this, I notice him doing a head sketch of The Flash in my Archives [above]. I was astonished. He hands me the book and says to me, ‘If you show anybody this at the show, I’ll kill ya.’ We both laughed. Carmine has done a few drawings for me since then, but that first one holds a special place, for not only did I meet one of my idols but made a new friend.” Great story, Jim—and thanks for sending us a copy of that page, and of a later one! Thanks, too, to Carmine, for giving you his blessing to relate that anecdote. [Flash TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

Two Of The Creators Of The Silver Age Flash EISENBERG: Who? Who am I?

SCHWARTZ: And the kids also can’t understand why they like something when they’re 8 to 12, and somehow it seems different when they’re 16 to 20. As I said, they grow up. But unfortunately, they don’t realize that comics are not aimed at them, any more than you expect a 16- to 20-yearold to sit down and watch a Superman cartoon show or a Mickey Mouse. They loved it when they were 8 or 10 years old, but they wouldn’t come close to it at 20. Why should they read comics at 20? If they can read comics, they must read them with the understanding that the magazine is not designed to interest them. If they get enjoyment out of it, it must be for another reason. They can’t get the same kicks out of it they did when they were eight or twelve. I’ve said this for 20 years, or more. I don’t see why I have to keep repeating it. SD: As an afterthought, this incident with Wally Wood was credited to Richard Buckler, who wrote him a letter. Rich publishes a super-hero fanzine, and said that the article he was given to edit was the one panning Wally Wood. He wasn’t aware of the repercussions it would have, and he put this in the letter to Wood, and Wood didn’t realize the kid was 18. And so they’ve patched up their differences, but this was enough, and Wood just completely disassociated himself from fandom, and this is what’s happening with a lot of pros. And these kids all just bring it all upon themselves. Yet, I do believe that fans and pros can help each other.

INFANTINO: Ed Eisenberg. That’s four plugs you got. How many do you want? [laughs] But this is true. This is the guy EISENBERG: I also brought your little friend into the business. INFANTINO: Frank Giacoia. That’s right. And this is some 20-odd years ago, and neither one has forgiven him yet. [chuckles] There isn’t much I can tell you. Hard school and hard work, I guess.

“A Golden Man For A Silver Age” Julie Schwartz may or may not not have been the precise DC staffer who, in an editorial meeting in early 1956, suggested bringing back The Flash after a halfdecade absence—but he became the editor who ramrodded Showcase #4 and decided the new Flash should look considerably different from the 1940s hero. And later, after The Flash was a hit, he presided over new versions of Green Lantern, The Atom, and Hawkman—the return of The Spectre—and the debut of the Justice League of America. Even if we discount Adam Strange, The Atomic Knights, the “New Look” Batman, and his later contributions to Superman, that definitely earned Julie the title emblazoned on the cover of Jim Kingman’s 2004 fanzine Comic Effect #39! Thanks to Jim and to artist Ed Quinby. [Julie caricature ©2006 by Ed Quinby; comic characters TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

SCHWARTZ: Speaking of a pro, one of them just walked into the office. I’m going to turn the mike over to him and bow out of here because I have work to do. Ladies and gentlemen of Detroit, Detroit Con, on the Con Detroit, I present Carmine Infantino. SD: Oh, boy. EISENBERG: Now, how about that, Shel Dorf? SD: Mr. Infantino. CARMINE INFANTINO: My pleasure. EISENBERG: You look absolutely gorgeous today there, Carmine, boy. Beautiful suntan. SD: How many fish did you catch?

SD: Well, this tape is going to be heard by a lot of young cartoonists who are coming from underprivileged families, and are under pressure from their parents to put away their comics and get to the textbooks. And yet, they still have such a deep love of comic art, that it’s in their blood, and probably always will be, and they need encouragement at this point. I think you, of course, are idolized among the fans as being one of the greatest draftsmen of all time. INFANTINO: Well, thank you, thank you. SD: And I thought, maybe you could have some words of encouragement for these kids. You can think back to some of the turning points in your life where you had to make certain decisions— SCHWARTZ: But you’d be leaving out the part about all the hard work. INFANTINO: Oh, I don’t know. SCHWARTZ: It’s work, right?

SD: Let’s not rush. There’s plenty of tape there. If you have a couple of minutes, just think it over. INFANTINO: I came from the same kind of situation and background, I think, that these kids did—the Depression days, when I was born—so I know the feeling, the attitudes of the parents. But if the will is there, no matter what the attitudes, you’re going to make it. I don’t think you can even help yourself. It’s hard work. It’s still hard work to Eddie. Eddie can testify to that. Do you agree? EISENBERG: I most certainly do. I think I explained this whole part of development from an aspiring young artist into a professional on the tape before. But unless you really want to do it, you’re not going to do it.

INFANTINO: Just a sailfish, that’s about it.

INFANTINO: It’s still hard work, and becomes harder and harder. And the hours get longer.

SD: How did you get into the business? Can you give us a short biography?

SD: They seem longer. [chuckles]

INFANTINO: I really don’t know. This man here, Ed Eisenberg, was the one who brought my work in to National Periodicals. He brought the work in, and sold me.

INFANTINO: You keep getting tired, but you do it, and you keep at it. If it’s instinct, I don’t know what the hell it is. I’m becoming at a loss for words.

EISENBERG: Who?

EISENBERG: Actually, what you have to do is keep up with the times.

INFANTINO: You did.

INFANTINO: Yeah.

Julius Schwartz & Carmine Infantino

EISENBERG: You see, one of the reasons you have been as successful as you are is that you’ve been able to adapt to different styles. No, seriously. You’ve been able to adapt to different styles, and roll with the punches, so to speak. If a strip goes great, fine. If it’s on a down—take “Johnny Thunder.” You did “Johnny Thunder.”

successfully?

INFANTINO: In the end, I did.

INFANTINO: We were told to build it up, and we worked very hard. I don’t know if we built it up, whether we did it, or the radio show did it. “The radio show”—listen to me; TV. But it’s coming back, ever so slowly. And this is not a one-man operation. It starts with one, and everybody up in this office has something to do with it. These production people work harder than any of us, because their job is to see that we’re at our best, to make sure we do our best, and to get it out. And this is the most difficult job of all. They’re the unheralded and unsung heroes of this business.

EISENBERG: For a while, and then you did that “Pow-Wow Smith” thing. Great, fine. So what happened when they didn’t sell any more? INFANTINO: We switched to something else. EISENBERG: Right. Science-fiction. INFANTINO: You’ve got to gamble.

INFANTINO: Not too many people. EISENBERG: Very few people. You took over “Batman” after so many years, right? And then what happened?

EISENBERG: And how many people can really do this and do it

Addendum: CARMINE INFANTINO On The Creation Of The Silver Age Flash

he following is a brief excerpt from an extended interview with the artistic co-creator of the 1956 Flash, conducted by Jim Amash. It will be printed in its entirety in a future issue of Alter Ego, but we felt this portion of it deserved airing here, with Carmine’s permission:

JIM AMASH: Why did you change The Elongated Man’s costume? CARMINE INFANTINO: Because I didn’t like the first one I designed. I asked Julie if I could change the costume and he said I could. The old one had that drab purple color, and purple was never one of my favorite colors. As a villain, which The Elongated Man originally was, the costume was okay. But now that he was a hero and had his own feature series, I thought it was time to brighten up The Elongated Man.

feature in the 1980s, you beefed him up. INFANTINO: I gave The Flash a slim build because he was a runner. Runners are usually slim and trim, not very muscular. That was the point I emphasized. I did make him stockier in the 1980s. I hadn’t drawn the character for a long time, and I had seen what other artists had done with him, so I tried to draw him as he had been developed. JA: I’ve noticed that when you’ve drawn The Flash in your retirement years for commissions, you’ve kept the bulkier look. INFANTINO: Yes, because he’s the character [DC] has ended up with, so that’s the way I draw him now.

JA: In the 1980’s, you returned to DC and started drawing The Flash again. How did it feel to draw that character again after all those years?

INFANTINO: He was about 22 to 25 years old. I wanted him to be boyish looking; that was important. I gave him a bow tie, which was his trademark, and a sports jacket. I gave him a crewcut because guys coming out of college then wore crewcuts. I didn’t base his features on any particular person, though.

INFANTINO: I felt like everything fell back in place again, like I had never stopped drawing him. JA: When you drew the Golden Age Flash in the 1960s, you changed him just a little.

JA: How old did you imagine The Elongated Man and Adam Strange to be?

INFANTINO: Yes, because he was older now. He had a little more weight on his body and I made his hair grey at the temples. If you notice, I also tilted the angle of his helmet, like he had a little more bravado. JA: In the 1940s, you drew The Flash, more or less, in the style of the previous “Flash” artist, E.E. Hibbard. Were you told to do that? INFANTINO: No. I drew him that way because I didn’t feel like I could change the look of the character. I adapted my style to suit the style of the feature, for continuity’s sake. JA: When you originally drew the Barry Allen Flash, you drew him as a slim man. When you returned to the

JA: When you first drew Barry Allen, how old did you imagine him to be?

INFANTINO: The Elongated Man, Ralph Dibny, was about 30 years old. His wife Sue was a little younger. I enjoyed drawing that series. As for Adam Strange, I had to do a take-off on Gil Kane’s original cover. I’d say Adam Strange was about 30 years old.

Flash Of Two Ages After the early issues of Showcase and The Flash, Infantino’s most important work was perhaps “Flash of Two Worlds” in The Flash #123 (Sept. 1961). That justly-famed cover has been reproduced ad infinitum. Here, repro’d from a photocopy of the (autographed) original art, is the Carmine Infantino/Murphy Anderson cover for Flash #137 (June 1963), the third two-Flashes story, with villain Vandal Savage… the one that brought the Golden Age Justice Society of America into Silver Age comic books with a bang that still reverberates! Thanks to Bob Koppany. [©2006 DC Comics.]

JA: When you drew super-heroes, did you usually consider them to be in their twenties or maybe 30 at the oldest? INFANTINO: Not in their 30s... almost always in their 20s. The human figure is basically at its physical peak between 20 and 30, so that’s why I drew heroes at that age.

Celebrating SHOWCASE #4, 1956! part three

Art From A Never-Published, InfantinoDrawn “Flash” Story From The Golden Age

Part VII

e won’t go on yet again in detail about how, in the late 1960s, DC “intern” Marv Wolfman saved hundreds of pages’ worth of Golden and Silver Age art from being destroyed by DC Comics years after it had been “written off” for tax purposes in 1949—that story is told most completely in the new trade paperback The Alter Ego Collection, Vol. 1 (see TwoMorrows ad block on pp. 90-96). Among the work thus preserved for posterity was a considerable portion of two circa-1948 “Flash” stories penciled by Carmine Infantino; the inker is uncertain. One of these is a riff on Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.

Notes by Roy Thomas

The other tale, featuring the recurring foe The Thinker, was once scheduled to be in Flash Comics #112, but was left unpublished when that mag was discontinued with #104 at the turn of 1949. Other art from this tale has appeared in A/E V3#5, et. al. Here’s a bit more, all courtesy of Heritage Comics’ archives, as retrieved for us by the hardworking Dominic Bongo. The following three pages illustrate how Infantino was drawing the Golden Age Flash, less than a decade before he helped revitalize the speedy super-hero in Showcase #4….

In this grouping of four panels—two “tiers”—which may or may not have remained together when Marv was forced to slice pages into pieces so he wouldn’t be taking home complete pages, The Flash has somehow been outwitted by The Thinker. Well, that’s why they called him “The Thinker,” right?

Written Off 9-30-49 –– Part VII There seem to be a number of “exceptions proving the rule” with regard to this salvaged “Flash” tale! Here’s an entire page—the 5th, following right after the quartet of panels printed on the preceding page. Judging from those pale lines between tiers, it may have been cut apart at one time, and later re-pasted together.

No need to comment, since Chris Irving did so earlier, on the Caniff influence then apparent in Carmine’s work (as in that of so many comic book—and comic strip—artists of the Golden Age). But, in the last two or three years of Golden Age “Flash” stories, the art on the feature suddenly took a more realistic and illustrative turn, as first Joe Kubert, then Lee Elias, then Carmine, were given the series by editor Sheldon Mayer. (For more on this, see pp. 26-29 in this very issue.)

Art From A Never-Published Infantino-Drawn “Flash” Story From The Golden Age Comic book stories in the 1940s tended to be highly formulized. Here, after a coin saved a man’s life back on p. 5, another gent tells The Flash how a tiny flashlight, given him by a “little old man” (the same guy who’d earlier given the Scarlet Speedster a book) prevented him from being killed:

And below, in a tier from the final (probably 12th) page of the story, we see that “little old man” who handed out the bell, book, and candle—whoops, we mean the coin, book, and flashlight—demolishing his “time machine” after The Flash has mopped up The Thinker’s gang.

Clearly, the senior-citizen type invented some substance that, perhaps by coating those three objects, saved the lives of two other men—and probably, at some point, The Flash’s, as well. Now, what those objects had to do with the so-called “time machine” of the old man’s which The Thinker discovers on p. 5—and which he’s apparently destroying in the panels above— Well, like they used to say in all those old Universal horror flicks: “There are some things that man was not meant to understand!” Nice art, though, huh? And Carmine only got better and better…!

Celebrating SHOWCASE #4, 1956! part four

“I’m Responsible For The Silver Age” ROBERT KANIGHER On Many Subjects—Including (Very Briefly) Showcase #4 Interview Conducted & Transcribed by Christopher Irving

Canary (Canary sings the birds out of the trees). Anyways, they changed the names of an entire frontline company!

obert Kanigher, the writer of The Flash’s origin story in Showcase #4, passed away in 2002. Chris Irving interviewed him in 1999, ostensibly on the subject of the Fox hero The Blue Beetle, for his upcoming book on that super-hero for TwoMorrows… not that that proved to be exactly RK’s favorite topic…! —Roy.

CI: That’s something else. That has got to be pretty flattering. KANIGHER: It’s unbelievable. I just found out that, all of a sudden, I seem to be getting Internet messages: I seem to be in the Internet!

CHRISTOPHER IRVING: I wanted to see if you had any insights that you could offer me. ROBERT KANIGHER: I wrote 100 pages a week. The Bouncer was the first character I created. After that, I created the rest for DC, probably 100 characters, from Sgt. Rock to Metal Men, Black Canary, Rose and Thorn. The Fiddler was a villain. Lee Elias complained; he played the fiddle and said, “I can’t use the fiddle like a bow and arrow.” Every time he did the strip, he kept complaining about it. I also created Poison Ivy, who became a movie star. CI: Yeah, Uma Thurman. KANIGHER: Yes, that single character made her a movie star. She went from there to other pictures. Schwarzenegger bought the movie rights to “Sgt. Rock and Easy Company.” CI: Do you know if he’s doing anything with it? KANIGHER: I destroyed it. I did about 420 stories about Rock and Easy. They were so realistic that I received mail from servicemen who claimed to have served with Rock. I received a letter from Vietnam; the sergeant said he was calling himself Sgt. Rock, they had renamed themselves Easy Company, and the other men were taking the names of the characters that I created: Little Sureshot, Loudman, Bulldozer,

“FLASH TAB RTLEM” R. Kanigher and daughter Jan, in a photo taken some years ago in a restaurant in Paris—juxtaposed with two “Flash” images. (Left:) The final four panels of his justly-famed origin story for Showcase #4. Always wondered about that newspaper headline in the last panel: “FLASH TAB”— with a word ending “RTLEM” which reads like someone starting to write “Turtle Man” and running out of room. Art by Carmine Infantino & Joe Kubert. (Right:) The splash of the Kanigher-scripted story “To the Nth Degree” from The Flash #197 (May 1970). Pencils by Gil Kane; inks by Vince Colletta. Thanks to Bob Cherry for the scan. [Photo ©2006 Estate of Robert Kanigher; pages ©2006 DC Comics.]

“I’m Responsible For The Silver Age”

I don’t know who did it. I don’t bother to seek those sources... I like it, because it ranges from somebody from Montana to [Robin] Snyder: “I understand that you received a letter of recommendation for Kanigher’s story…do you like it?” “Like it? I’m rabid about it! I have a friend who is even more so!” Another one came that said: “Kanigher should be stood up against a wall and shot for writing Blitzkrieg and ‘Enemy Ace’ and ‘Panzer.’” I wrote those from the German point of view. “Enemy Ace” is considered (I’m quoting and not making it up) “a worldwide achievement. There is nothing like it in Europe or anywhere in the world.” I made a sympathetic character who kills French, British, Americans. Neal Adams told me that, in Europe, they consider him the most psychological, complex character in all of American comics. CI: You said that you wrote some “Blue Beetle” stories.… KANIGHER: [This magazine] is called The Comic World, Vol. 1, #18; bimonthly by Robert Jennings, RFD 2, Whiting Rd., Dudley MA. 01570. This is [the issue for] September 1978.

All’s Not Quiet On The DC Front RK reveals that he received hate mail, as well as plaudits, for both “Enemy Ace” and his Blitzkrieg series, which were “written from the German POV.” The series itself has a “by Kubert & Kanigher” byline—and indeed Kubert was the editor at this time—while the art on this double-page splash from Blitzkrieg #3 (May-June 1976) is by Ric Estrada. [©2006 DC Comics.]

Victor Fox was the publisher [of Blue Beetle]. CI: I’ve heard he was a former accountant at DC. KANIGHER: Fox had nothing to do with DC. An accountant!? Jack Liebowitz was an accountant for Harry Donenfeld, who was a certified alcoholic. There are so many things that they get wrong that it’s unbelievable. CI: Did you write the first “Blue Beetle” story? KANIGHER: [quoting] “Kanigher may never have written for comics before”—it’s true; I never wrote comics, I never read comics, I never looked at comics—“but he was a natural-born storyteller with an ability to build fast-moving plots and intricate subplots into the framework of a short comics story. Once he ironed out his weak points, he began to turn out stories by the hundreds. He sold work to the MLJ titles, and then some to DC. He sold so many to DC, and they were of such consistently high quality, that he eventually landed a job as editor there in 1945.” I didn’t land a job—they called me up and invited me as a writer/editor. [Co-publisher Jack] Liebowitz and [DC/AA editor] Shelly Mayer invited me as an editor. I said, “I can make more money without even getting out of my pajamas at home.” They said, “We want you to be a writer and an editor; to be a staff editor and to be a freelance writer.” Anyway, Jennings writes: “Mixed in with the bad or foolish were occasional episodes that really stand out. Episodes that were so good, it seems incredible that any Fox character, even The Blue Beetle, should be entitled to that. One such adventure involved a scientist with a substance called ‘homodesiline,’ which has the ability to clone double cells of animals and humans. In other words, rapid cloning process.” I was the first for many things. There are some things that Jenette

Kahn killed. I could have been with the first female astronauts. [NOTE: Too bad RK didn’t elaborate on this point. —Roy.] This is why I left. I was the sole editor and writer of Wonder Woman for 22 years. Remember, I never read or saw a comic book. Even after I began writing them, I never looked at them. Once I proofed a book of mine, I never looked at it. Or anything that anybody else was doing while I was there as an editor/writer… or at Marvel. I was visiting Marvel. Joe [Kubert] told me to come over. When [Marvel editor-in-chief Jim] Shooter heard my page rate was $50 a page—[DC managing editor Dick] Giordano didn’t want to give me more; Carmine [Infantino] said that they wired up the sales; war books were very high sellers consistently—anyway, Jim says “$50 a page for you? You’re getting $65—my rate, retroactively.” I don’t know why you’d want to write about “The Blue Beetle.” CI: I’m doing a comprehensive story because nobody has before. There’s been an issue recently as to which artist created the character.… KANIGHER: I’m a painter, and when I say painter—there are no artists in the field. They are illustrators. They illustrate the written or verbal word. I am a writer and an artist. I’m an artist because I start with a blank canvas. I promised Ross Andru the wedding present of an oil painting. This story is legendary. So, I brought along paints, pigments, a brush, a pallete knife, and a stretched canvas. It was after work and people gathered around. I got down on my hands and knees (that’s the way I do oils, on the floor). One person said, “Where’s your sketch?” I said, “No sketch.” “What’s your subject matter?”

Robert Kanigher On Many Subjects–––Including (Very Briefly) Showcase # 4 been first. Anyway, that’s it. Is there anything more? CI: No, I don’t think so, since you can’t recall who [Charles] Nicholas was. KANIGHER: Oh, God. CI: Would you happen to know who Chuck Cuidera was? KANIGHER: No. Let me put it this way: my work is in comics, but I would never read comics. I never ate with, drank with, gossiped with the comic people. Their world is comics. That’s why comics is a bunch of crap. They know nothing of the outside world. They know nothing of art, of music. Everything I learned from Raphael (you name it)... I put in my stories. Not pedantically, but inside they give me levels which [other comics writers] can know nothing about, because all they do are rewriting comics. The illustrators (or, as you would call them: artists) copy from each other and, if you go back long enough, you get some intelligent ones that copy from Beardsley or DaVinci, but they don’t know that. Mort Meskin is the guy that said, “If I painted like that, it would kill me.”

Demonology is spread about me, which is untrue. A lot of people think I fired Alex Toth. I would never fire talent— number one. Number two—Alex Toth was drawing my “Johnny Thunder,” the Western “Johnny Thunder.” I also created “The “I Don’t Know Why You’d Want To Write About‘The Blue Beetle’” Trigger Twins.” Anyway, Julie Schwartz was the editor. I That was one of several subject-changing comments by RK on the official topic of couldn’t have fired Alex if I wanted to (and I wouldn’t have), Chris Irving’s interview—but the intrepid Chris stuck at it, and we’re glad he did. because I wasn’t the editor. Julie fired him for this unbelievable It’s very unlikely that Kanigher wrote this story from Fox’s Blue Beetle #28 (March reason. We shared an office together. I had nothing against him. 1944)—but we thought we should at least show you the character about whom Chris Whenever he got into a jam, he asked me for a script. What I did is prepping his book. Artist uncertain. [Blue Beetle TM & ©2006 DC Comics.] was, since our offices were ass to ass, I built a tiny wall of books “No subject matter.” between us so I didn’t have to see his face. He was very methodical: he always ate in, and he would play cards with Milty Snappin. Alex used “What are you going to paint?” to come in at noontime for work he’d already done. His check was in Julie’s desk, in the top drawer. All he had to do was open it and give it I said, “The painting will tell me what to do.” I always start with a to him. wet canvas. In less than an hour and a half, I had a painting. He said, “If I painted like that, it would kill me.” He’s very famous, and he became the head of an Oregon advertising agency. He said, “Kanigher eats artists for breakfast and spits them out for lunch,” which is ridiculous! I say I’m a writer because I start with a blank page. No plot. That’s why Fox hired me. I know nothing. I answered an ad (things were very bad at our house, economically) and walked into an office about a mile long. At the end of it is a desk about the size of a football field. Behind it is a bald head. The bald head tells me, “Tell me a story.” Without breaking stride, I said, “A skeleton is driving an open convertible in Times Square (not someone in a costume, but a real skeleton), and people are running in sheer panic.” He said, “I like a man who thinks on his feet.” C.W. Scott was my editor. That was it. When I started “Rock and Easy Company” thirty years ago, as I was writing, I realized what I had and said, “Look, Joe, I’m going to write a novel of Rock and Easy—a novel for Random House, or Putnam, and you’ll illustrate it. It has never been done before, and the movies would grab it because it’s all down there. My captions and dialogue and your illustrations are all the same; it’s what Hitchcock is like, scene by scene.” But, he was building his house. We could have

How long would that take? Five seconds. He refused to give it to him because he “dared to enter the office of an editor at lunchtime.” Alex started to yell, Julie started to yell, and Julie fired him. Julie didn’t have the guts to say that he fired him, not me. But people thought I did, since I created “Johnny Thunder” (which Alex drew) and I created “The Trigger Twins,” and I designed all the covers. (I always designed the covers of any books that I edited and any feature stories that I always did; I happened to have the gift for that.) When Joe Kubert left to do The Green Beret, I took one look at the strip and said, “It’s a still-life, it’s not as good as any of the ‘Easy Company’ work he did. There is no passion, there is no emotion, there is no movement.” Despite all of the publicity, and John Wayne posing for Joe, it bombed. Who did I have to do “Rock” and “Haunted Tank”? Russ Heath, who had been in Chicago doing [Little] Annie Fanny. I sent him scripts, and when he said he started it, I knew he hadn’t started it. When he said he was halfway through, I knew he had started it. When he said he’d mailed it, I knew he hadn’t finished it yet. I described the covers (this is over the phone), and, as Joe said, I speak in pictures. He said he could draw, without having ever been there, something I described. The covers came back from Russ: perfect covers, over the phone, while he had been in Chicago. That’s never been done before. Have you ever heard of it? CI: No. But I have to say that your skeleton driving put a pretty vivid picture in my head.

“I’m Responsible For The Silver Age” KANIGHER: “Metal Men.” There is a legend about “Metal Men.” [NOTE: At this point RK tells the story of his creation of the concept for “Metal Men.” Since this was already related, in his own words, in A/E #53, it is omitted here in the interests of space.] Do you know how many characters there are in “Metal Men”? CI: Five of them, right? Lead, Mercury, Gold, Tin, and—I want to say Aluminum, but I know it’s not right. KANIGHER: Tina—Platinum! Dr. Magnus, and the villain was Chemo! Anyway, I did the 23 pages on Saturday. My wife typed it up on Sunday. I had called Ross [Andru] to come in Monday morning. He came in Monday morning. I gave him page one of the script, and I gave him a single page of blank typing paper. I said, “Go into production. No matter how many panels I may have, I want you to get it all on one page. When you’re finished, come back to me. You can give me a vertical line for a figure, horizontal for horizon, a circle for a head. I don’t give a damn what, just do it.” I was then conducting my editorial business. He came back to me, and I told him I wanted it rough, so I was able to make one panel across out of three or four, or three or four across out of one. I was able to make a vertical out of a horizontal, or a horizontal out of a vertical. I was able to tell him, “I want you to make this panel one inch shorter or one inch less than the regular size, so that you’ll be able to have an action break through the panel.”

really tough to find any first-person accounts. Unfortunately, not too many writers or artists are easy to find or even around anymore— KANIGHER: They’re all dead, Goddammit! It’s shocking—out of all nine editors at DC, two are left. It’s a tragedy, and people like you are trying to get the so-called Golden Age. You know that I’m responsible for the Silver Age? CI: Are we talking about the Barry Allen “Flash” in Showcase #4? KANIGHER: Correct. Not only that, but I designed the legendary cover. CI: The filmstrip with The Flash bursting out of it. KANIGHER: That’s right. Julius told everyone that Carmine did it. Carmine denied it twice in a great big interview. The editor called me up, and I said “no” before he asked me what he wanted to. He questioned Carmine twice about “The Flash,” and Carmine said, “Kanigher all the way.” [NOTE: For Carmine Infantino’s take on this matter, see a future issue of A/E. —Roy.] Not only that, but he gave me a rough of the cover that everybody credits me with. You see, there’s a lot of things going on comics because of stupidity, lack of integrity. If I were to tell you the truth.…

I read Mark Evanier’s column. He said that he interviewed Ross, and knew that Ross was unhappy with the work that he did. There was always something more that he wanted to do. Ross said (I don’t have it here, so I don’t remember exactly what he said), “When Bob gave me the script to ‘The Metal Men,’ I knew that I had an impossible deadline, but I also knew that if I could get it in in the time he gave me, it could be mine. Of course, I was sure there would be a series, and [Kanigher] designed it so that there couldn’t be one! The one thing I couldn’t understand was, why did Bob create characters which engendered 7,000 complimentary letters for the first issue— why did he kill them all in the first issue!?” [laughter] I did it because I didn’t want to do another one! CI: Yet DC brought them back. KANIGHER: I didn’t have a choice. What gave me the idea? A single sentence. I never took science, I regret to say. I prefer to make up my own world of science. I read in a science book before I started. It was a battered old volume. It said, “A single strand of hair can be stretched the distance of a mile.” That told me how to handle them all. I used their characteristics, metallic characteristics for all those weird shapes. All I could remember about Mercury was that my mother stuck it in my behind when I was a kid and it went up and down. When Mercury got mad, he went up and steam came up from him and so on. He thought he should be leader. Tin, I made him with an inferiority complex. How did I show it? I gave him a stammer. That’s the way I write. It flows, and I never plot. I start from a line, and it just flows. I don’t know how they do it. CI: I know people who will toil away at something for years, and keep writing and writing with the belief that if they keep plotting it will make it a good story. But it’ll be crap if you don’t start out with a good idea. KANIGHER: I feel that there is some force inside me, using me as a conduit. There is no hesitation that just flows. I write poetry. I look at it ten minutes later, and I don’t know how it got there. I just don’t know. I can’t tell you anything more about “The Blue Beetle.” CI: I do appreciate everything you’ve told me, Mr. Kanigher. It’s

A Prince Of A Fellow Robert Kanigher as writer (and often editor) and Joe Kubert as artist was a longtime team supreme at DC, particularly on “Sgt. Rock.” One of their earlier and also well-remembered collaborations was on the “Viking Prince” series that ran for several years in the 1950s in The Brave and the Bold. In this page from issue #10 (Feb-March 1957), the amnesiac Jon accidentally discovers America. [©2006 DC Comics.]

Robert Kanigher On Many Subjects–––Including (Very Briefly) Showcase # 4

I took the place of an editor who died. At breakfast I came in. Naturally, I called switchboard and said, “Reroute all my appointments and calls to his office. I’m setting up HQ here.” I looked to see what inventory he had. I found out that he’d kept every carbon of mine for the past several years, and drawn a line through my title. He also got kickbacks from DC: $76,000. You’d never know it; no one would know that. CI: My God!

KANIGHER: I saw it first. I picked up twelve scripts of mine. I said “I’m not gonna tell anyone, I don’t want to embarrass the family. I’ll write one script a month with his title, because the inventory people won’t have a script. They only have the ones that I did. All right, that’s not bad, I’ll do one a month.” Then, 12 became 20, became 30, became 50. I called Mort [Weisinger] and Jay [Emmett] and said “For God’s sake, come in here.” They said, “You ought to speak to Jack [Liebowitz].” “I can’t do it.” They said, “You’ve gotta do it.” Did you know that? Nobody knows that; it was kept secret.

Monthly! The Original First-Person History!

Write to: Robin Snyder, 3745 Canterbury Lane #81, Bellingham, WA 98225-1186

Fred’s Flash Since Carmine Infantino’s monumentally important (and eye-catching) cover was seen on p. 5, here’s a somewhat stylized version by cartoonist/commentator Fred Hembeck. Of the importance of this book to him personally, Fred writes that, at age eight: “I began buying DC Comics on my own in the late spring of 1971. With absolutely serendipitous timing, along came the perfect primer for this novice comics reader: DC’s first giant-sized Secret Origins edition! Yeah, I realize the topic here is Showcase #4, but consider this—without Showcase #4, there is no Secret Origins collection! More than half the book was made up of stories drawn directly from DC’s tryout title (‘Green Lantern,’ ‘Challengers of the Unknown,’ ‘Adam Strange,’ and of course ‘The Flash’ himself). And of all the stories in that issue, the one that made the biggest impression on me, the one that still resonates with me most to this day, was the ‘Flash’ debut yarn. Okay, sure, The Turtle Man was hardly a foe worthy of The Flash’s latter-day Rogues’ Gallery, but there are so many other iconic images in that first story that, well, who really cares if the bad guy was so badly contrived? Was there ever to be found, for instance, such a memorable depiction of frank and beans nestled between the glossy covers of a comic book as there was in this, with Barry Allen’s stunned eyes popping unforgettably as the dislodged food seemed to hang eerily still in mid-air? Brother, that was all it took. Carmine Infantino immediately became my favorite Silver Age artist, The Flash my favorite DC character who wasn’t from Krypton, and Barry Allen far and away my favorite busboy of all time! That earlier landmark comic [Showcase #4] provided a foundation for all that followed!” [Flash TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

“I’m Responsible For The Silver Age”

Golden Age “Flash” Stories Scripted by Robert Kanigher: [Listing by Robin Snyder; number at end of each entry is pages in story. A “?” notation behind the story title means Robin isn’t certain if that story was, indeed, written by RK. If not, it is most likely the work of John Broome. Anyone out there have any additional information?]

1946: All-Flash #24 (Aug.-Sept.) – “Appointment with Destiny” – 13 “Fourth Dimensional Follies” – 13 All-Flash #25 (Oct.-Nov.) – “The Flash Cuts a Rug” – 12 “The Mermaid and the Dopes” (?) – 13 “The Man Who Led Two Lives” - 13

1947: All-Flash #26 (Dec.-Jan.) – “Secrets of the Criminal Cake” – 12 “The Man Who Talked Too Much” (?) – 13 “Mrs. Bramley’s Boarding House” (?) – 13 All-Flash #27 (Feb.-March) – “The Thinker Cooks with Gas” – 13 “Fighting over Fish” – 13 “A Boat Can Be Bad Business” – 13 All-Flash #28 (April-May) – “That’s Right, You’re Wrong” – 13 “The Disappearing Diamonds” (?) – 10 All-Flash #29 (June-July) – “The Thousand-Year-Old Terror” – 12 “Accidents by Appointment” – 10

“The Secret in the Chest” – 13 All-Flash #30 (Aug.-Sept.) – “The Vanishing Snowman” – 12 “The Land beyond the Picture” (?) – 12 All-Flash #31 (Oct.-Nov.) – “The Secret City” – 12 “Twisted Destinies” – 12 “The Planet of Sport” – 13 Comic Cavalcade #20 (April-May) – “Turnabout Is Foul Play” (?) – 12 Comic Cavalcade #22 (Aug.-Sept.) – “Beware the Ice Age” – 13 Flash Comics #81 (March) – “The Flash Plays Football” (?) – 12 Flash Comics #82 (April) – “Who Is Walter Jordan?” – 12 Flash Comics #83 (May) – “Twelve Jurors on Trial” – 12 Flash Comics #84 (June) – “The Changeling” – 12 Flash Comics #85 (July) – “Impressario of Crime” – 13 Flash Comics #86 (Aug.) – “The Stone Age Menace” – 13 Flash Comics #87 (Sept.) – “The Phantom Bell of the Bayous” (?) - 13 Flash Comics #88 (Oct.) – “The Case of the Vanished Year” - 13 Flash Comics #89 (Nov.) – “Introducing The Thorn, The Flash’s Newest Opponent” – 12 Flash Comics #90 (Dec.) – “Nine Empty Uniforms” – 12

1948: All-Flash #32 (Dec.-Jan.) – “The Amazing Star Sapphire” – 12 “Duet of Danger” – 13 Comic Cavalcade #24 (Dec.-Jan.) – “The Slow-Motion Crimes” – 12 Comic Cavalcade #25 (Feb-March) – “The Return of Kiua” (?) – 12 Comic Cavalcade #26 (April-May) – “Crime Has Many Faces” – 13 Comic Cavalcade #27 (June-July) – “The Trees of Terror” – 12 Comic Cavalcade #28 (Aug.-Sept.) – “The Flash Concerto” – 12 Comic Cavalcade #29 (Oct.-Nov.) – “The Last Man Alive” – 12 Flash Comics #93 (March) – “Violin of Villainy” – 12 Flash Comics #94 (April) – “Images of Doom” – 12 Flash Comics #96 (June) – “The Flash and the Thorn Stalk” – 12 Flash Comics #97 (July) – “The Dream That Didn’t Happen” – 12 [NOTE: Robin says the above list is probably incomplete; RK may have written both earlier “Flash” stories, and other adventures between Flash Comics #97 and #104, the series’ final issue. In DC’s hardcover Flash Archives, Vol. 1, RK is given credit for the last “Flash” solo tale printed in the Golden Age, in Flash Comics #104 (Feb. 1949), but Robin feels that story was not his. —Roy.]

1970: The Flash #201 (Nov.) – “Finale for a Fiddler” – 7 (first publication of a new story of G.A. Flash)

1971: The Flash #205 (April) – “Journey into Danger” (?) – 12 (first publication of a previously unprinted story of G.A. Flash)

1995: A Flash Of Gold… A Kanigher-scripted, Kubert-drawn “Flash” page from Flash Comics #88 (Oct. 1947), with thanks to Al Dellinges. See pp. 26-30 for more KanigherKubert “Flash” art! Thanks to Al Dellinges. [©2006 DC Comics.]

The Comics! #10 (Oct.) – “Strange Interlude” (written in 1948; previously unpublished except for two pages, which appeared in color in Lois Lane #113 (Sept.-Oct. 1971; see p. 27 for details.) [Continued on next page]

Robert Kanigher On Many Subjects–––Including (Very Briefly) Showcase # 4

Silver Age “Flash” Stories Scripted by Robert Kanigher (list may not be quite complete): Showcase #4 (Oct. 1956) – “Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt!” – 12 Showcase #8 (June 1957) – “The Secret of the Empty Box” – 12 Showcase #13 (April 1958) – “Around the World in 80 Minutes” – 14 Showcase #14 (June 1958) – “Giants of the Time World” – 13 The Flash #161 (May 1966) – “The Case of the Curious Costume” – 14 The Flash #192 (Nov. 1969) – “The Day The Flash Failed” – 23 The Flash #195 (March 1970) – “Fugitive from Blind Justice” – 16 The Flash #197 (May 1970) – “To the Nth Degree” – 7 The Flash #198 (June 1970) – “No Sad Songs for the Scarlet Speedster” – 14

The Flash #199 (Aug. 1970) – “Flash? Death Calling” – 16 “The Explosive Heart of America” – 8 The Flash #200 (Sept. 1970) – “Count 200—and Die” – 23 The Flash #201 (Nov. 1970) – “Million Dollar Dream” – 15 The Flash #202 (Dec. 1970) – “The Satan Circle” – 15 The Flash #203 (Feb. 1971) – “The Flash’s Wife Is a Two-Timer” – 22 The Flash #204 (March 1971) – “The Great Secret Identity Exposé” – 15 The Flash #206 (May 1971) – “24 Hours of Immortality” – 15 The Flash #208 (Aug. 1971) – “A Kind of Miracle in Central City” – 14

2006: Script excerpt from unpublished RK “Flash” story “Flash—Are You Listening?” published in Robin Snyder’s The Comics! – May issue. [NOTE: Of the story “To the Nth Degree,” Robin Snyder, who then worked on staff at DC, writes: “I remember everybody and his brother was raving about it at the time. [Gil] Kane was the illustrator, and he was still excited about it over lunch in the 1980s. Rightly so. An exceptional story.”]

…And Two More Of Silver! (Above:) An action page from The Flash #192 story “To the Nth Degree,” art by Kane & Colletta, script by RK. Thanks again to Bob Cherry. [©2006 DC Comics.] (Right:) A script page from Kanigher’s unpublished final “Flash” script, “Flash—Are You Listening?” Courtesy of Robin Snyder, who informs us it was written for then-editor Ernie Colón in 1982 and intended to be drawn by Carmine Infantino. Hey, DC—Carmine’s still around and draws when he feels like it! Why not get this story done, even at this late date? A/E readers should check out the ad for Robin’s publication The Comics! on p. 22 to see more of this script. [©2006 DC Comics.]

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Celebrating SHOWCASE #4, 1956! part five

Now You Don’t See Him—Now You Do! The FLASH-y Disappearance And Reappearance of JOE KUBERT, 1947

by Al Dellinges

oe Kubert has gone on record more than once as saying that he wound up inking the two “Flash” stories in Showcase #4 in 1956 merely because he happened to be around at the right moment. And true it is that, when the character next appeared eight months later, he was too busy with other assignments to continue the on-again/off-again series. So we opted instead to spotlight Kubert’s nearly-as-small body of work on the Golden Age “Flash,” done circa 1947. And who better to put it in context for us than Kubert fan supreme Al Dellinges? —Roy.

Many questions still remain unanswered about the sudden departure of DC’s latter-1940s “Hawkman” artist, Joe Kubert—who, at the peak of his game, disappeared like Houdini performing a magic trick. Even the powers of the great Sherlock Holmes would have been challenged

Sgt. Rock Jumped For Cover When He Saw Hawkman Coming (Above:) Several years ago, Joe Kubert drew a wonderful cover for a limitededition volume by Al Dellinges. We printed Joe’s illustration in A/E V3#4; here is a version which Al has altered somewhat by replacing the Sgt. Rock figure on the original with his own tracing of a 1946 Kubert Hawkman. Joe seldom did even a spot illo of the Silver Age Flash; even here, he depicted only the 1940s version.[Art ©2006 Joe Kubert; DC heroes TM & ©2006 DC Comics.] (Left:) Well, at least the post-1956 Crimson Comet makes a (minuscule) appearance on this cover Joe did some years back for a kids’ Super Dictionary! [Heroes TM & ©2006 DC Comics; portrait ©2006 Joe Kubert.]

by the lack of evidence associated with this case. I believe it’s fair to say that Kubert probably took the Golden Age Hawkman character as far as it could possibly go, perfecting it with his gorgeous illustration during his tenure. His work on the Winged Wonder appeared in 15 consecutive issues of Flash Comics (#62-76) and in 12 issues of All-Star Comics (#24-30) during the time period 1944-46. But his “Hawkman” story in Flash Comics #76 was the last work of his that would appear in a DC mag for nearly a year, except for the Hawkman cover of #83, which looks as if drawn somewhat earlier. His next published artwork for DC was the “Hawkman” tale in Flash Comics #85 (July 1947)—in my view, not his best work, but he was back! Precisely what Joe was drawing, and for which companies, during much of the preceding year seems a bit vague. Joe maintains he has no memory that there was ever a period of a year or more when he didn’t work for DC after doing his first art for the company in early 1944 (a “Dr. Fate” chapter in All-Star Comics #21)—although, during this time, he did turn out some superb art jobs for Avon Publishing Company: two Western stories for Cow Puncher Comics and an adventure story for Eerie Comics.

Now You Don’t See Him–––Now You Do!

But that changed a bit when Joe Kubert became involved with the character in Flash Comics #86. Surprisingly, for that issue, Kubert illustrated both “The Flash” and “Hawkman” stories, as well as the cover, which in this case featured the Scarlet Speedster. (Flash and Hawkman generally appeared on alternating Flash covers.) Up to this point, the “Flash” feature had always had a kind of “cartoony” look, while both Moldoff’s and Kubert’s versions of Hawkman were more accurately proportioned, anatomically, as well as infinitely more dramatically posed. In addition, both always interjected a sense of realism into the feature. After Kubert, while stories drawn by Hibbard and Naydel continued to appear from time to time (probably from inventory), “The Flash” was drawn mostly by a new breed of artist, represented by Lee Elias and, prophetically, Carmine Infantino. Although none of Kubert’s “Flash” forays was signed as many of his “Hawkman” tales were, Joe drew five “Flash” stories in the 1947-48 period; all of these, later analysis indicates, were scripted by Robert Kanigher. Four were published in Flash Comics, two of them featuring the dual menace of Rose and The Thorn. Their fifth “Flash” tale together, a third Rose and Thorn encounter, was shelved when the magazine was canceled. It only turned up decades years later in Robin Snyder’s newsletter History of the Comics (now The Comics!). But the question remains unanswered: Why did Joe Kubert leave DC for more than a year’s worth of issues—where did he go— And why did he draw not only “Hawkman” but also nearly half a dozen “Flash” stories when he abruptly returned? Well, whatever the ultimate answer, at least Joe got in a bit of practice on the Fastest Man Alive—practice which served him in good stead, when he was tapped in 1956 to ink Carmine Infantino’s pencils on the first two tales of the Silver Age “Flash” in Showcase #4!

If This Is A “Stone Age Menace,” Then Where’s Tor? Kubert’s debut on “The Flash” appeared in Flash Comics #86 (Aug. 1947), with the above splash page doing double duty as the cover—only “flopped,” so that on the latter the Scarlet Speedster is rushing in from the left. (The lightning bolt symbol on his chest was reversed, as well.) Joe has said editors liked to have the hero placed on the left on covers, since comics were often stuck on newsstand shelves with only their left sides visible. Notice that, according to its “job number” at lower right (“AF 32 A”), this tale was originally scheduled to appear as the lead story in All-Flash #32, the mag devoted entirely to his adventures. We figured we’d also show you how the hero defeated the (robot) dinosaur on the story’s final page, seen at right. [©2006 DC Comics.]

During Kubert’s absence, “Hawkman” was mostly illustrated in Flash Comics by Chester Kozlak, with one story each as well by Paul Reinman, Everett Raymond Kinstler, and Bob Oksner. Kozlak also drew the only two non-Kubert “Hawkman” segments in the “Justice Society” stories in All-Star Comics (#31-32) that were done after Kubert replaced Sheldon Moldoff as artist in 1944. (That’s a lapse of only four to six months, not a year, in All-Star; but then, we now know that numerous issues of the JSA’s quarterly/bimonthly magazine were published out of order, and that #30 in particular had sat on the shelf for a year and a half before being used, thus eating up some of that slack time.) The Golden Age “Flash” series, from its inception, had evolved a style all its own. In my mind, most of the artists who worked on the feature pretty much retained the original look, almost as if the same artist were doing all the stories, when in fact there were a number of different artists who worked on the Fastest Man Alive during the period 1940-46. The most notable of these were co-creator Harry Lampert, longtime regular E.E. Hibbard, Hal Sharp, Martin Naydel, and (only once, in a Wheaties giveaway) Irwin Hasen.

NOTE: More Golden Age “Flash” art by Kubert follows on the next two pages....

The Flash-y Disappearance And Reappearance Of Joe Kubert, 1947

It Was A Very Good Year (Above:) Once again, for Flash Comics #88 (Oct. 1947), Kubert’s splash was also used as the cover; but this time, since the hero was already racing in from the left, the art wasn’t “flopped” there. On p. 8, Jay Garrick discovers he’s “gone backwards a whole year in my life”—to 1946! Hey, maybe he could’ve found out what Joe K. was drawing all those months he wasn’t doing anything for National/DC! [©2006 DC Comics.]

A Rose By Any Other Name With super-heroes’ sales in decline, or at least stagnating, editor Shelly Mayer once again used a Kubert splash as the cover in Flash Comics #89 (Nov. 1947). It was probably a costsaving measure. At story’s end, it was clear to the readers, if not to the hero, that The Thorn had survived, since she was actually an alternate persona of her “sister” Rose. It was rare, in the Golden Age, for a villain to “escape” at the end of a tale. [©2006 DC Comics.]

Now You Don’t See Him–––Now You Do!

“The Flash And The Thorn-Stalk!” Since we ran the splash for this second Thorn foray back in A/E V3#4, above, at right, and below are 2+ action pages therefrom. Reportedly, co-publisher Jack Liebowitz decided her costume in her previous outing had been “too sexy.” So Joe had to give her a more sedate one in Flash Comics #96 (June 1948), complete with jodhpurs. Barbara Stanwyck or Joan Crawford would’ve made a perfect Thorn! [©2006 DC Comics.]

The fifth and final Kubert-and-Kanigher “Flash” (see panel directly above) was never printed by DC, and was probably destroyed in the late 1960s along with other art that had been “written off” for tax purposes on Sept. 30, 1949, some months after Flash Comics was canceled. But, happily, E. Nelson Bridwell, then editor of Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane, saved photocopies of the entire story and printed its two final pages in LL #113 (Sept.-Oct. 1971), after launching a new version of “Rose and The Thorn” written by Kanigher and drawn by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. Thanks to Robin Snyder for the above information. See Alter Ego, Vol. 3, #4, and other early issues for more art from that final Kubert “Flash” adventure.

Celebrating SHOWCASE #4, 1956! part six

“I Think I Was A NaturalBorn Comic Writer” JOHN BROOME In San Diego, 1998—With MARK EVANIER, JULIUS SCHWARTZ, MURPHY ANDERSON, & MIKE W. BARR

A/E

Recorded, Transcribed, & Photographed by Don Ensign

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following panel took place at the San Diego Comic-Con on Aug. 14, 1998, to (ahem!) showcase writer John Broome, who was making his first appearance ever at a comics convention. Mark Evanier, writer for TV and comics, was the moderator. Also on the podium were Julius Schwartz, original editor of the Silver Age “Flash” and “Green Lantern” features, among others—artist Murphy Anderson, who often inked Flash and Green Lantern material, and also drew the Broomescripted “Captain Comet” and “Atomic Knights” features—and later comics writer & editor Mike W. Barr. Don Ensign’s transcript of this panel first A New-Flash Broome Sweeps Clean! appeared in full in Gene Kehoe’s It’s a John Broome on the panel in his honor at the 1998 Fanzine #48 (Winter 1998-99). Another San Diego Comic-Con—juxtaposed with a superversion of the panel appeared in The speed action sequence from his very first “New Flash” story, in Showcase #4. Art by Carmine Comics Buyer’s Guide. Our thanks to Infantino & Joe Kubert, who else? [Photo ©2006 Brian K. Morris for retyping the Don Ensign; page ©2006 DC Comics.] manuscript. We’d have loved to append a “John Broome Checklist,” and hope to print one in the near future; but there just wasn’t room this time around. For more info about Gene Kehoe’s It’s a Fanzine, contact him at fangene@aol.com. We thank him and Don for their blessing in reprinting this landmark interview.

‘I Wasn’t Good Enough To Be A Real Top-Notch Science-Fiction Writer” MARK EVANIER: You have an enormous number of fans out here. We have all loved your work for many years, and I can’t tell you how much I have stolen from you over the years. [laughs] I want to go back to the earliest part of your career. I believe the first comics you wrote were for Fawcett. What was the first? JOHN BROOME: I remember the very first one—I don’t remember much after that. [laughs] If I’m correct, and I might not be entirely correct, because that has been a long, long time ago, the first one wasn’t a super-hero at all, but was an ordinary guy in the South Seas called Lance O’Casey. It was just an adventure story, just like you might read in the South Seas magazine.

JULIUS SCHWARTZ: [South Seas magazine] was edited by Ray Palmer—who was the real Atom. [NOTE: In 1961 editor Schwartz named the Silver Age Atom’s secret identity after a real-life sciencefiction writer who was quite short. “Lance O’Casey” was a regular feature in Fawcett’s Whiz Comics. –Roy.] EVANIER: At that time you wanted to write professionally and write comics. BROOME: I think I realized that I wasn’t good enough to be a real top-notch science-fiction writer. You know, these things happen. You just want to be something and you don’t get to be it. Your wishes are completely disregarded by somebody who regulates these things. [audience laughs] And so when I found out that I could make money in comics, I became a comics writer. SCHWARTZ: I must interrupt, Mr. Broome. I was your agent for a while and I sold at least 12 sciencefiction stories. That’s not too bad! BROOME: Not too bad. But they weren’t very good. SCHWARTZ: I sold them—they must have been

John Broome In San Diego, 1998–––With Evanier, Schwartz, Anderson, & Barr

great. [audience laughs] BROOME: You were one salesman! EVANIER: What were your influences as a writer? What did you read that excited you?

Dais Ex Machina

the conclusion that it was a good friend of John’s—I think he went to Brooklyn College with you—named David Levine at that time. Then he changed his name to David Vern and wrote science-fiction and many comics under the name of David V. Reed. Also, David knew [DC editor] Mort Weisinger, and he came up and did some comics and he brought John along. This is about as close as we can get.

We don’t have any photos of the entire grouping from the actual 1998 panel, so we’ll show you its peerless personnel in palpitating pieces. (Left to right:) Mark Evanier from an earlier con… Murphy Anderson and Julie Schwartz, on the 1998 one… and John Broome and Mike W. Barr, in a photo taken later that day. (Mike didn’t speak on the panel, but later recorded his own interview with Broome, which was printed in Comic Book Artist #5.) Anderson-Schwartz photo by Don Ensign, Broome-Barr photo by Maureen McTigue; with thanks to Mike.

BROOME: I read everything. I read everything. I was a reader. I wasn’t a writer, I was a reader! I loved reading. I loved them all. All the great writers—H.G. Wells, Bernard Shaw, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky. All of them. I read them all. That had nothing to do with my comics career. Comics is a very special field. And somehow, it suited me. That was what made me realize that somehow I was being cared over by something, somebody, somewhere. Somebody was taking care of me! I realized that all of a sudden—later on, it became more obvious. But at that time it was the first inkling that I wasn’t going to have to go out and hold out a tin cup in order to make my dinner. I could make my money writing comics. That was the big event of my life!

“I Heard That Fawcett Was Publishing Comic Books” EVANIER: What was your first page rate? BROOME: A dollar a page. [audience laughs] Julie, is that right? SCHWARTZ: Not at DC—I beg your pardon. [laughs] EVANIER: You worked for Fawcett. How did you get into Fawcett? BROOME: That’s a good question. I think I heard that Fawcett was publishing comic books. SCHWARTZ: Was it through Otto Binder? BROOME: No, I’m quite sure it wasn’t. I knew Rod Reed. Maybe Rod Reed told me. SCHWARTZ: Rod Reed was the editor-in-chief over at Fawcett at the time. BROOME: Then there was someone named Wendell Crowley who was editor at Fawcett, and somehow I got the chance to try out. To write a story and have it looked at. From then on it went like that. EVANIER: Was this before or after you sold the science-fiction stories? BROOME: I think it was right in the middle of it. SCHWARTZ: Yeah, right. I think he was doing both. BROOME: Julie and I were trying to figure out when we first met. SCHWARTZ: Not just when, but who first introduced us. We came to

BROOME: This is so long ago it is very hard to come up with details from that period. Especially when we were so young, we just didn’t think about things like we do now. EVANIER: Did you do any super-hero stuff at Fawcett? BROOME: Yeah, I did “Captain Marvel.” I know I did “Captain Marvel.” Captain Marvel was a good character. He wasn’t up to Superman or Batman, but he was a good character.

“I Immediately Put John On ‘Green Lantern’” EVANIER: How did you get from Fawcett to DC? BROOME: Julie, whom I was getting to know fairly well. Then the Army intervened. I was in the army for 2H years. After I came out, Julie was already established as an editor at DC, so all I did was to go up to Julie and start writing. SCHWARTZ: That’s not quite right. [audience laughs] When Alfred Bester, who got me my job at DC—or All-American, in that case— when Alfred Bester left, and he was writing “Green Lantern,” I persuaded a science-fiction writer named Henry Kuttner to do some “Green Lantern.” Which he did for a while, and then he decided to move on. I was doing fairly well with John on science-fiction. I said, “How about trying some comics?” That is about the most reasonable explanation I can think of. BROOME: Do you remember some editor of Amazing Stories, I think, or Astounding, [who,] when he read one of my stories, said, “This guy’s science is terrible!” Remember that? SCHWARTZ: No. BROOME: You sent him the stories and he told you, “This guy’s science is terrible.” Well, I never claimed to be a great scientist! [audience laughs] SCHWARTZ: But I bet I sold the story anyway! So, I think, I immediately put John on “Green Lantern” because I needed someone. And eventually he did some occasional “Flashes,” but the main thing he did, as far as I was concerned—he took over the stories that were appearing

“I Think I Was A Natural-Born Comic Writer”

in All-Star Comics that dealt with “The Justice Society of America.” He wrote many of the later stories before the magazine was discontinued. I hope there is an expert in here. I said to John, I think you did a backup story in All-Star Comics about a girl in the future called “Astra.” Does anyone know anything about that?... Oh, Mark Waid… oh, okay. [audience laughs] Tell us about it. [audience laughs, as comics writer Mark Waid comes up to the platform] MARK WAID: That was actually in Sensation Comics. SCHWARTZ: Oh, really?! WAID: Yeah. [Panelists look at a copy of an issue of Sensation Comics with “Astra” provided by Mark Waid.] SCHWARTZ: That was a forgotten gem. EVANIER: Now, since you started working for DC, did you work for any other comic book companies in that time?

A Best(er)-Selling Author Alfred Bester, later the acclaimed author of the science-fiction masterworks The Demolished Man and The Stars, My Destination, wrote numerous “Green Lantern” stories in the mid-1940s… including the one in All-American Comics #61 (Oct. 1944) that introduced the monstrous Solomon Grundy. The photo of Bester appeared in James Gunn’s excellent 1975 book Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History of Science Fiction. [©2006 DC Comics.]

BROOME: Any other comic book companies? SCHWARTZ: The answer is no. No, you worked exclusively with DC once you got started. BROOME: I wanted to make sure my answer was true. I don’t know. I don’t think so. Julie? SCHWARTZ: You may have written an occasional story for Mort Weisinger or Jack Schiff. Once he got started at DC, he was treated very well. He got a fairly good rate, as high as any in the field, and he was—that was it. EVANIER: Now, John, in the 1950s you wrote the Nero Wolfe comic strip, right? BROOME: That’s right. Is anyone going to ask me about the first [comic book] union that ever existed?

Astra Projection Julie Schwartz credited John Broome with writing (probably from the start in #99) the “Astra” feature in late issues of Sensation Comics, when she and other female headliners replaced the other features backing up “Wonder Woman.” This splash from #106 (Nov.-Dec. 1951), apparently penciled by Gil Kane, is from a scan sent by Michael Feldman. With #107, the comic was briefly given over to vaguely supernatural stories and became Sensation Mystery before being canceled outright. [©2006 DC Comics.]

“I Went For The Money… But I Did The Best I Could” EVANIER: We’ll get to that. [audience laughs] Let’s discuss the way you worked with Julie. Tell us first how many pages did you write a week? BROOME: I think I did enough to make a living. As I said, I wrote for money. I don’t want to disguise it. I wasn’t working to try and make a

John Broome In San Diego, 1998–––With Evanier, Schwartz, Anderson, & Barr

lot of friends. I seem to have a lot of friends—I didn’t work for that. I went for the money. But I did the best I could. And Julie and I turned out to be a good team. We complemented each other, we supplemented each other, and I could always rely on him to have a good reaction to any ideas that I would bring up. People would often ask me, “Where do you get the ideas?” Well, I don’t think any comic writer can ever tell you where ideas come from. If you are a comics writer you get ideas— that’s your business, to get ideas. I remember I got the idea for the Guardians of the Universe. That was an idea. I knew that they didn’t exist. As far as I know they didn’t exist. [audience laughs] That didn’t keep me from writing about them. That was a kind of an idea. That is what the stories were based on—ideas. SCHWARTZ: That originated in a science-fiction story, I believe, that appeared in either Strange Adventures or Mystery in Space. It was called “Guardians of the Clockwork Universe”... the first one... and that eventually led into the Guardians that appeared in the Green Lantern series. Incidentally, why do aliens have to look different from the way we do? Maybe in this particular universe all the aliens looked alike, and the Guardians of the Universe were all based on one character, the prime minister of Israel, Abin Sur. MARK WAID: No, not Abin Sur—Ben Gurion. SCHWARTZ: Oh, right! [audience laughs] EVANIER: Abin Sur was the first Green Lantern, Julie. [to Broome] Would you describe for us what it was like to work with Julie in the typical session? You would come in in the morning and he would tell you what he needed? SCHWARTZ: He would probably say, “What are you going to have for lunch!” [audience laughs] BROOME: He would say what he needed. For example, he would say, “I need a 12-page story—“Flash” or “Green Lantern.” We always knew the number of pages ahead of time. That was very important. And an idea for a story had to be bigger for 12 pages than for 6 or 8. You had to get the right kind of idea for the length of the story. And that came with practice. With practice you were able to do that.

“I Think Sometimes I Was Inventing A Film” SCHWARTZ: Well, of course, we came up with the idea of having the cover first. We had a provocative cover, and it was a challenge to us to look at the cover and figure out how a thing like that happened. A typical example was the Flash cover in which there was a red background in which The Flash was holding up a big hand toward the reader and the copy read, “Stop! Don’t pass up this magazine! My life depends on it!” [audience laughs] We worked it out and it became a beautiful story. Another reason, incidentally, why we had the cover done first: after the artwork was done, there might not be a decent cover scene in it. So it was much better to get the cover beforehand. It was in our interest to work out ideas based on a provocative cover. Poor Murphy, poor Gil Kane, poor Carmine Infantino, poor Mike Sekowsky would pace up and down trying to think up an original cover idea. Sometime nothing came out and sometime you’d get three or four. And every once in a while I’d present the cover to John: “OK, let’s solve it.” And it was a lot of fun. We had a great time doing it. BROOME: That’s right, the cover sometimes provided the story in a sketchy kind of way. Then I’d work out some kind of understanding or explanation of the cover. The cover usually presented some kind of mystery. Something was happening, someone was getting poisoned or frozen or killed or something like that. I think sometimes I was inventing a film. SCHWARTZ: Yes, right, in color.

Must Be Accompanied By A Parent Or Guardian John Broome (writer), Murphy Anderson (artist), and Julie Schwartz (editor) were the ongoing team on the “Captain Comet” feature. In issue #22 (July 1952), they introduced “The Guardians of the Clockwork Universe” in a story of that name. On this page, Comet—a mutant born 100,000 years ahead of his time—is taken to meet that group. Note that the word “Clockwork” has been dropped in the actual story, making their name identical to the one Broome would use a decade later in the Silver Age “Green Lantern” series. [©2006 DC Comics.]

BROOME: That was almost my specialty. I didn’t invent any of the main characters. I didn’t invent Batman. Of course, I didn’t invent Superman. Everybody knows who invented Superman. But I did invent many villains. SCHWARTZ: Exactly. In fact it was John who suggested—now when I think about it—when we started The Flash on a regular basis, he told me, “I want villains. I’m going to create a Rogues’ Gallery.” Remember that? We had crazy ones like The Top... the guy would spin like a top and things would happen. We had Mirror Master; he would go into the mirror world. We had Captain Boomerang, who would throw those things around. We had a lot of fun. There would be good action in the story, because of these colorful villains. John did them all. He did them all! [audience applause] EVANIER: Julie would tell you he needed a 12-page “Flash” and then you would start throwing ideas around, back and forth. You would come up with ideas, and then he would come up with ideas. BROOME: Yeah. I would usually have a day or two, because he would contact me by telephone or some way like that and give me a little time. And in a day or two, I would come in with some ideas for a story.

“I Think I Was A Natural-Born Comic Writer” were coming in on time or the artwork also—the check was waiting in my drawer. And that is why most preferred to work for me. [audience laughs and claps] MURPHY ANDERSON: Not true. [audience laughs] That was a factor, but that was not the big thing. SCHWARTZ: Is that all you say?! [audience laughs]

“I Would Admire My Own Work!” EVANIER: Julie, how often did you want rewrites on these scripts? SCHWARTZ: When the rewriting had to be done, I did it. Yes, I would say, “John, I didn’t like this.” I would rewrite it myself. John— very little rewriting. Gardner Fox—quite a bit. It would be easier for me to do it than try to explain. A terrible example of that was Gardner Fox. He brought in [one] story we had plotted and I said, “Oh, my God, there’s a hole in the story,” and Gardner said, “I know it.” I said. “Why did you write it that way?” And he said, “That’s the way we plotted it!” [audience laughs] When Gardner left, I made him [indicates John Broome] sit in the bullpen there and write out the plot and I would check it over. John always brought it in on time and with very little rewriting. ANDERSON: I can attest to that. I’d get John’s scripts and there would hardly be any editing at all. But with Gardner it sometimes took quite a bit of figuring out. SCHWARTZ: With all the scrawls. EVANIER: Did you read the comics? Study them at all? BROOME: I think I did in the beginning. Yeah, I used to read all the writers. Find out what they were doing and maybe learn from them.

Two-Way Two-Lane Blacktop One super-speed “gimmick” Schwartz and/or Broome dreamed up involved the hero’s heating a blacktop road to ensnare a criminal—then freezing his feet fast in that same substance. From The Flash #146 (Aug. 1964). Repro’d from a photocopy of the original art, courtesy of Edwin & Terry Murray. [©2006 DC Comics.]

I might have several ideas, and he would pick one of them. He’d say, “Let’s do this,” or “I think this might work.” Something like that. He knew what was good and what wasn’t. So in that way we could get started. Then we began the most intricate or interesting part of our meeting, which was the plot.

EVANIER: Do you like the way your strips were illustrated? BROOME: Yes, I think so. I found that DC had good artists and they did a good job of illustrating the story. I think so. As I said, this is all long, long ago. SCHWARTZ: I never thought to ask. After the story appeared in print, did you look at it? Did you re-read it after it had been in print?

SCHWARTZ: John never took any notes.

BROOME: Sometimes I would re-read it. I would admire my own work! [audience laughs] I worked on a kind of philosophy of comics. I said that “The essential of comics is a gimmick that works. A gimmick!” And Shelly Mayer, who was my editor sometime before Julie at DC... Shelly Mayer said about me... I’m boasting a little now, because I don’t have much chance to boast, but this is one chance [audience laughs]... he said he never came across a writer who, when he hit it—that is, when the gimmick was operating—when he hit it, he never came across a writer who hit it as hard as I did. [audience applauds] I would work up a kind of a curve of [an] idea. It would start off low and finally, all of a sudden, pow! That is what I prided myself on when writing the story.

EVANIER: He would go home and write the script in a couple of days.

AUDIENCE QUESTION: Were you familiar with “Batman” before you wrote him in 1964?

BROOME: Maybe two or three, maybe a week.

BROOME: Sure, sure. I wrote “Batman” for Mort Weisinger. [NOTE: Does Broome mean Jack Shiff? —Roy.]

SCHWARTZ: Oh, no—where are we going to have lunch!!? [audience laughs] BROOME: Where are we going to have lunch? [laughs] EVANIER: After you settle lunch... you’d talk through the plot, you’d take notes?

SCHWARTZ: No, let me interrupt again. John would say, “When do you want the story?” I’d say, “Wednesday,” for example. He’d come in Wednesday and have the story done, and the beautiful part was, I had the check ready for him. In Mort Weisinger’s case and Jack Schiff, you ordered the story and he said, “OK, we’ll bounce a check,” and make you wait a few days to a week. But my writers—when I knew they

EVANIER: When was that? BROOME: That was before Julie took over. SCHWARTZ: How well John knew “Batman” and how well I didn’t know it became apparent in the first story that appeared. I was looking

John Broome In San Diego, 1998–––With Evanier, Schwartz, Anderson, & Barr

Going To The Dogs—Among Other Species Two oddball features that Broome wrote were “Rex the Wonder Dog” and “Detective Chimp,” both of which appeared in the former’s title. Gil Kane penciled most “Rex” stories after the early ones by Alex Toth—and Carmine Infantino, who says “Chimp” was his favorite feature to draw, got to both pencil and ink that series. Both these pages are from Rex the Wonder Dog #43 (Jan.-Feb. 1959); the splash of the “Rex” story was seen in A/E #32. John Broome’s favorite feature to script, though, was Hopalong Cassidy. [©2006 DC Comics.]

over it with you today, or with someone, and we pointed out the error, the first error: Batman was on the hunt for the villain during the daytime. The second horrible thing was when Batman caught up with the villain and overcame him. He pulled a gun on him and held him at bay. Neither one realized that Batman didn’t use a gun. But we learned quickly. I introduced what was called the “New Look” Batman. I put a yellow circle around the Batman [emblem]. We introduced things, a new Batmobile, new way to get down to the Batcave, and so on. And we had a great time doing it. I brought back the villains that Jack Schiff had neglected to put in. Thankfully, it worked out to where we brought back The Joker, The Riddler, and Penguin, and those were the stories that prompted Bill Dozier at 20th Century-Fox to do the Batman television series. EVANIER: Rich, have you figured out which stories John wrote for “Batman”? [Audience participation here is difficult to understand.] That was Rich Morrissey, who was responsible for getting John here this year. [audience applauds] All right now, you wrote Westerns, science-fiction stories, super-heroes. What was your favorite? Did you have a favorite? Favorite genre—Rex the Wonder Dog? [laughs] BROOME: “Detective Chimp.” Rex the Wonder Dog was an important character. I remember being in someplace like St. Tropez and writing “Rex the Wonder Dog” or “Detective Chimp,” and it seemed a

little odd that I should be writing things like that in such a setting. But that was OK. I did the best I could, anyway. EVANIER: No preference for any type of story? BROOME: Yes, I think I prefer “Hopalong Cassidy.” EVANIER: Did you prefer to write stories with continuing characters, or the one-shot science-fiction stories? BROOME: I liked writing “Hopalong Cassidy,” because I could work a more human kind of story into these. I can remember telling Dave Berg, who I spoke with a few minutes ago—giving him some advice about breaking into comic books. Start with the character, I told him, start with the character. So when I was writing “Hopalong Cassidy,” I would think of some doctor who has a problem, some lawyer who has a problem—something simple. And work out from there. That is the way I enjoyed doing it.

“The Atomic Knights” EVANIER: Let’s talk about some specific strips. Let’s start with “The Atomic Knights.” What do you remember about how that strip came to be? How did it start, how was it created? BROOME: I think Julie and I talked it over. We wanted to make a new

“I Think I Was A Natural-Born Comic Writer”

comic series of stories, and one of us... SCHWARTZ: I think we anticipated what would happen after the next world war. World War III. What would happen. And then we dealt with the radiation, and one of us came up with the idea—maybe wearing armor would shield them. John [or I] had the wonderful idea of them going from city to city trying to find survivors and having a different adventure—the highlight of which took place in New Orleans. John and I were both crazy-wild about New Orleans jazz. We worked out the whole sequence and Murphy—tell them want happened—well, I’ll explain. [audience laughs] He’ll tell you the sequence. After the story appeared, I got a letter from the New Orleans Jazz Museum, who loved the artwork. Could they possibly have it to display in the New Orleans Jazz Museum? Of course, we sent it to them. And when Murphy and Helen [Murphy’s wife] went down... ANDERSON: Anyhow, she went down with my daughter to a beauty convention. Helen had a little time on her hands, so I said to her, “If you have time, why don’t you see if you can find the museum and see if they actually have the artwork in [it].” And after some trial... I think the museum had moved or something and she finally tracked them down... and when she walked into the vestibule, or whatever you call it, of the museum... lo and behold! On a case, there was an “Atomic Knights” story. It’s still there, as far as I know.

EVANIER: What do you remember about drawing “The Atomic Knights”? BROOME: I remember, in the beginning, we both got the feeling that it had something to do with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. We thought, if we could make a modern version of the spirit and the feeling of the Knights of the Round Table, that would be a new kind of comic that hadn’t been done. And [we] would enjoy doing it. So we worked out a Third World War where everything was destroyed, where life was almost destroyed and crime was dangerous and rife all over. And The Atomic Knights stand for justice and faith and all that. So that is the way the story began. EVANIER: Murphy, do you remember starting out on “The Atomic Knights”? Was it one of your favorite assignments? ANDERSON: Oh, yes, I remember. Yes, that is something I really enjoyed doing. Except it was a backbreaker, and I was thankful it only appeared every three months. EVANIER: Julie, what was the thought behind rotating the strips in Strange Adventures—“Space Museum,” “Star Hawkins,” “Star Rovers”—rotating them? SCHWARTZ: All I can say is, when I read science-fiction with a series of stories about one character, the same character, I always looked forward to reading it. AUDIENCE QUESTION: While we are on the topic of The Atomic Knights, I just have to know this. Where did you get the idea for the giant Dalmatians? [audience laughs] BROOME: That was one of the stories?? [audience laughs] That’s been long ago! Sorry.

“Flash Was A Good Character For A Writer To Write” EVANIER: Let’s start on the book [The] Flash. You did an awful lot of “Flash” stories. You took it over after Robert Kanigher, and one day Julie called you in and said, “I want you to write ‘The Flash.’” Special assignment. Did you like this? BROOME: Sure. SCHWARTZ: Now, wait a second, I think you may have it wrong. I think the first story was written by Kanigher, but the backup story was written by John Broome. So John immediately started writing for “The Flash.” When Kanigher was no longer available, or whatever, I said “John, you are doing all the ‘Flash’ stories.” BROOME: Flash was a good character for a writer to write, because he had a wonderful talent—his ability to go at express-train speeds. SCHWARTZ: What do you mean? Fast as light! We thought of scientific things to do. Whirling around and stopping storms. He could walk on water, vibrate through walls. That was the fun of doing it. BROOME: Yes, there [were] many different aspects of his speed that could be turned into different ways of using his speed. That made it more interesting for a writer than one simple ability. Green Lantern— he only had the ring—he couldn’t do anything else. [audience laughs]

There Weren’t A Thousand And One Atomic Knights, But… This first “Atomic Knights” story, by Broome and Anderson, appeared in Strange Adventures #117 (June 1960). The series has had a cult following ever since. This origin was reprinted in the Mike Uslan-edited trade paperback Mysteries in Space from Simon & Schuster in 1980. Strange to say, there are two totally different tp’s with that same title—each containing science-fiction stories published by DC! [©2006 DC Comics.]

SCHWARTZ: I beg your pardon?! EVANIER: Do you remember any ‘Flash’ stories that stand out— that you were especially proud of? SCHWARTZ: John, I would have a question, I don’t recall the details. We were thinking about coming up with a new character, and one of us came up with the idea of a super type of a person who would be born

John Broome In San Diego, 1998–––With Evanier, Schwartz, Anderson, & Barr

EVANIER: How about the villains? Favorite villains? BROOME: Oh, yeah. I’m afraid I’ll get it mixed up with “Green Lantern.” Captain Cold. SCHWARTZ: And, of course, Heatwave. If you have cold, you have to have heat. The craziest villain—and I don’t know how I okayed it; it could be me who thought of it—and it was great—was The Top. And they would spin a top and strange things would happen. Wild idea. We were desperate at that point! [audience laughs] EVANIER: What do you remember about The Elongated Man? BROOME: Everything he did, he could elongate himself, that’s all I can remember. SCHWARTZ: We came up with a thing called Gingrich. [audience laughs] [A/E NOTE: The actual name of the substance was “Gingold.”] We liked the idea that Ralph Dibny, The Elongated Man, was a braggart. He entered the country from Canada and he said he was Ralph Dibny and they said they didn’t know who he was. “I’m The Elongated Man.” So one day, they decided to get married and announced it to the world that The Elongated Man married... whatever her name was.

Destination Down Under A “Captain Comet” splash reprinted from an Australian b&w reprint, with thanks to Shane Foley. In fact, this story must have been reprinted from a US reprint, since Broome’s and Anderson’s names were never on the original 1950s versions. Many of the early stories did sport the fictitious byline “Edgar Ray Merritt”—but they were all written by Broome. [©2006 DC Comics.]

100,000 years ahead of his time. Do you remember that one? I said, “How would he get his powers?” And “I” could be John or me. What would happen if a comet went through the sky at that point, and what would happen and would give him strange powers [so he] would be called a man born 100,000 years ahead of his own time? And that was the origin of Captain Comet. BROOME: It could be. Sounds right. [audience laughs] SCHWARTZ: We shot ideas back and forth. AUDIENCE COMMENT: Murphy drew that one, too. SCHWARTZ: Yes, that’s true. He was the first mutant. Incidentally, we called him the man born 100,000 years ahead his time. He was the first mutant, so we scooped Marvel on that, too. [audience laughs and applauds] [NOTE: Carmine Infantino penciled the first two “Captain Comet” stories in Strange Adventures #9-10 (June & July 1951); Anderson and others drew him later. —Roy.] EVANIER: Do you remember any ‘Flash’ stories that stand out that you liked? BROOME: No, I can’t say that I do.

Rogues’ Gallery In The Art Gallery In 1998 Carmine Infantino drew this (full-color) re-creation of his classic cover for The Flash #174 (Nov. 1967), which depicted several of the villains of the Rogues’ Gallery which he and John Broome had created for the mag with Julie Schwartz’s input. It was sold via All Star Auctions (see p. 25 for their display ad.) At the time the piece was estimated to sell in the $2500$3500 range; it’s probably worth a wee bit more nowadays. Thanks to Joe & Nadia Mannarino. [Characters TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

“I Think I Was A Natural-Born Comic Writer”

“Green Lantern Was Personally More My Character” EVANIER: Sue. What do you remember about Green Lantern? BROOME: Green Lantern was personally more my character. I never really felt that way about The Flash. But I felt that way about Green Lantern. That’s it. I wrote most of the main stories about Green Lantern, so I felt he was my character. And... sorry, once again it is very hard to remember individual stories. SCHWARTZ: We had a thing about origins about this wonderful Power Ring. You, I’m sure, came up with the idea of one of the Green Lantern Corps crash-landing on Earth and desperately trying to find someone born without fear [to] whom he can pass the ring, and he latched on to Hal Jordan. And that’s how the ring was passed to Hal Jordan. From Abin Sur to Hal Jordan. At that point, we knew nothing about the Guardians of the Universe—that came in later. The terrible flaw was, why would Abin Sur, who was a Green Lantern, be hampered by the radiation of the sun?

Lantern and could fly through space without any problem? Whether we ever had an explanation for that later on, I didn’t know? AUDIENCE [DON ENSIGN]: Yes, you did—GL #16 [October 1962]. EVANIER: The original Green Lantern, whom you also wrote, was more of a supernatural character. That was deliberate, I assume, to make him more of a... SCHWARTZ: I had nothing to do with the origin of the Golden Age Green Lantern. EVANIER: Right, but you decided to go with the science-fiction emphasis in the 1960s. SCHWARTZ: Oh, yes, everything I did was based on my reading and knowledge of science-fiction—including Adam Strange, which was strictly a science-fiction character.

EVANIER: Why was he in the spaceship?

BROOME: What were the creatures of the Golden Universe called again?

SCHWARTZ: Yes, why was he in the spaceship when he was a Green

SCHWARTZ: You talking about Qward? AUDIENCE MEMBER: [Maybe you are talking about] a story called “Secret of the Golden Universe”? This was a “Justice Society” story back in the 1940s where the universe was gold and the aliens came from that and they fought the Justice Society. [NOTE: Or maybe “Land of Golden Giants” in The Flash #120 (May 1961)? —Roy.] EVANIER: Do you remember other stories about Green Lantern or any villains that you especially liked? SCHWARTZ: Maybe if you gave me a clue? [audience laughs] Did you create a villain that was quite unique called Hector Hammond, the immortal villain? Did you create that, John? Everything was created through the brain. [This is followed by some audience discussion.] BROOME: Could you tell me a little more about it? [audience laughs] EVANIER: In Green Lantern, you did a villain called Black Hand. And he spoke in clichés. Do you remember Black Hand, Julie? SCHWARTZ: Of course! I’ll tell you who Black Hand really was! Black Hand was Bill Finger, who created Batman. Literally created him—and [the Golden Age] Green Lantern. Bill Finger would always carry around a notebook and make notes, and Black Hand is really Bill Finger. AUDIENCE: The character’s name was William Hand. SCHWARTZ: Of course. [audience laughs and groans]

“Boys, I’ll Give You A $2 Raise” EVANIER: Let’s talk about Batman now. Were there any favorite Batman villains? BROOME: I didn’t invent villains for Batman. He always had his own—

“He Only Had The Ring—He Couldn’t Do Anything Else” So says John Broome at one point about the Silver Age GL he had co-created. Somehow, though, the Emerald Gladiator always squeaked by. This page from Green Lantern #24 (Oct. 1963), penciled by Gil Kane and inked by Joe Giella, is repro’d from a photocopy of the original art, courtesy of Edwin & Terry Murray. [©2006 DC Comics.]

SCHWARTZ: Wait a second, John. You may have come up with the idea—I’ll give you credit for it. You decided to do a story about famous villains. We did a takeoff on Charlie Chaplin—yes, a Joker story. Who were the other comedians that we used? Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle, too. BROOME: That was one story that we did.

John Broome In San Diego, 1998–––With Evanier, Schwartz, Anderson, & Barr EVANIER: Let’s talk about—toward the end of your career at DC, there was an attempt to form a writers’ union.

all. He knew I was a danger to him. I was going to cost him money! [audience laughs] So he didn’t like me, but he really couldn’t get rid of me too easily. EVANIER: So that was sometime in the ’60s. The story we’ve had for years is that some of the writers tried to unionize or organize for health benefits and other things, and [that] eventually a lot of them got fired from DC. You didn’t work for DC much longer than that.

BROOME: Oh, yeah. That was kind-of a memorable period of my career at DC. I developed a fixed idea that DC should pay us for reprint material. In other words, if we wrote a story and Murphy Anderson drew the pictures and so on— when DC paid for it, and then six months later or a year later, reprinted the whole story without paying us, that was a kind of stealing of our abilities. It was stealing something away from us. I felt when I wrote a story, it somehow belonged to me even if they paid for it. It couldn’t be taken entirely away from me. I admit it is hard to justify in a court of law, but I wasn’t operating by courts of law and I was not a lawyer and kept telling everybody what they were doing was a kind of crime in not paying us. And I knew that in movies and television and ASCAP, they paid royalties. So I thought comics should pay royalties.

BROOME: Not much longer. EVANIER: How did that come about? BROOME: You mean my going? I wasn’t fired or anything like that. I just lost momentum. I lost steam, I just couldn’t keep going. And so I went into the business of teaching English and went out of comics. And that was the end of it. EVANIER: Julie, was that why he went out of comics?

SCHWARTZ: All I know is that John and I were I thought to talk to the other writers. I didn’t talk to bridge partners. He was more concerned with being a the artists—they were above me, anyway. We were good bridge partner than a writer at that point. But I low-level employees, especially in that period. But can’t recall. there were about five or six writers—there was Eddie Herron, [Bob] Haney, Otto Binder, Gardner Fox—anyway, I think it took six months or eight months or something like that until one day I got There’s Always A Joker In The Pack them all together and in the same room and all This Joker drawing was done by Carmine ready to do what they had to do, which was Infantino especially for Arnie Grieves. But the march into Liebowitz’s office—Liebowitz was EVANIER: Any questions from the floor? problems the DC writers had in trying to the boss, the millionaire boss—and demand a form a union or guild at various times were AUDIENCE: [Question about how Broome raise in salary or reprints. No, we didn’t ask for a no laughing matter. [©2006 DC Comics.] wrote “JSA” stories] raise in salary. We asked for reprint rights. Liebowitz (who I understand is still alive)—it BROOME: It was a real challenge. You have to make a story that shows he is a smart cookie. He’s about 95 or something... could be 26 pages long or more, and it had to be a big story. You couldn’t write it about some little event. So each time I did an All-Star, SCHWARTZ: Or more! it was an achievement. I felt that I had achieved something in the AllBROOME: He didn’t waste any time. He said, “Boys, I’ll give you a Star. I can remember feeling that—I can’t remember the stories. I’m $2 raise,” and immediately my union afraid I’m disappointing everybody, but collapsed! [audience laughs] That is the I can’t help it. end of the first union at DC. [From the audience, Roy Thomas asks EVANIER: Can you give us a year on Broome if he recalls where the name of that? the villain “Per Degaton” came from in All-Star #35, John’s first “JSA” BROOME: What year it was... maybe story.] Julie knows. BROOME: That was All-Star? Yes, SCHWARTZ: No. now I remember that. Yes, Per Degaton—yes, that was a good question. EVANIER: About ’68 or so? [audience laughs] Was it somehow indiBROOME: By ’68 I was already cashing cated in the story? What was his power? out of the picture. That would be earlier, He stole someone else’s time machine, maybe ’65 would be about right. yes.

“Your Stories Are Cold… Mine Are Warm”

EVANIER: Now, were there other grievances besides the reprints? Didn’t some of the guys want health insurance?

The Bat And The Bolt

BROOME: Maybe. Maybe. I think maybe they had other demands, but that’s the only part I recall. Liebowitz was afraid of me. He didn’t like me at

Another Infantino sketch done for fan/photog Keif Simon—of Batman, this time—drawn on an inside page in a Flash Archives volume. Seemed appropriate to feature this illo here, since John Broome scripted both heroes in the 1960s… and of course Carmine drew both! [Batman TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

AUDIENCE: John, I was wondering if there was any sense of competition between you and Gardner Fox. I always felt that you guys were the two giants of DC writers. Did you ever feel competitive with him? BROOME: I’m afraid when it came to comics writing I never recognized that I

On A Picnic Morning… (Left to right:) Julie Schwartz, Peggy Broome, & John Broome on an idyllic day in 1946. From the Julius Schwartz collection, with thanks to Bob Greenberger.

“I Think I Was A Natural-Born Comic Writer” had any competition. [audience laughs and applauds] We were good friends. Friends like two comics writers, not like two real friends, but we were friends. [audience laughs] He was an honest man and never did anything that in any way could hurt me—like somebody might have done. I had a very enviable position. I remember Eddie Herron—some of you may remember—a giant of a man. He said to me, “Your stories are cold... mine are warm.” He was trying to make up for the fact that I had this great in with Julie. So I could travel around the world and he was jealous of me. As I am afraid other people have been. ANDERSON: I have a question for John. Maybe he was angry because he had a bottle? [audience laughs]

I really worked it up. And that’s why I was successful in comics, because I had this feeling about the gimmick. The gimmick was the important thing.

“Tragedy Struck And Fate Intervened” AUDIENCE: John, when did you start living overseas? Was that during your comics career or was it after? BROOME: My wife can tell you better that I can. Why don’t you stand up and tell them about our life overseas? [audience applauds] MRS. BROOME: [mostly inaudible] We lived in France. Our daughter was there and went to school there, and in the meantime John was writing comics... BROOME: Tell them how long we’ve been married. MRS. BROOME: Do I have to!? [audience laughs] Well, our next anniversary will be our fifty-first. [audience applause] EVANIER: I thought you were going to say five years. [audience laughs] Another question—you had this big fight with DC about

EVANIER: I am curious about something. How many people in this audience, just by a show of hands, have written comics professionally? [Lots of hands in the audience go up.] SCHWARTZ: Wow! EVANIER: There are a lot of people here. MARV WOLFMAN: [from audience] Julie’s books and comics back in the ’50s and ’60s for a long time never had credits. However, there’re always stories that somehow resonated a lot more than a lot of the other comic stories we’ve read. Later on, when I became a professional or had access to DC office files and such and checked out all the stories from my childhood that I liked, there were so many, so many that you wrote that I want to thank you from my childhood and probably [from] any one else, also. [audience applauds] EVANIER: [to Broome] He’s basically saying we all stole all our ideas [from you]. [audience laughs] AUDIENCE: Mr. Broome, I had a question regarding the current direction of Green Lantern. How do you feel about DC taking your baby and Hal Jordan and turning him into a mass murderer? SCHWARTZ: He knows nothing about that. EVANIER: DC has done a story line where Hal Jordan has become a mass murderer and gone crazy... BROOME: I would never write that story! [audience applause and shouts of approval] EVANIER: You loved traveling. Did your traveling impact your work? Did it change the way you wrote? BROOME: I don’t know, I suppose it had some effect. It is very hard to say what effect. I think I was a natural-born comics writer, because I never really felt that I was doing exactly what I could do best until I came to comics. I wrote, as Julie said, 12 science-fiction stories, but I never felt that I was a paramount science-fiction writer. But in comics I felt just at home! I was just right. I got this gimmick, you see. I loved gimmicks, and I would get one and all of a sudden it would explode—blam!! And when it hit like that, it made Shelly Mayer say that “No one ever hit it as hard as you did.” And I felt the same way.

It’s a Looonnnng Story… Here’s a Flash/Elongated Man page from The Flash #138 (Aug. 1963). It was autographed by Julie Schwartz, Carmine Infantino, and Joe Giella for the latter’s son Frank, who kindly sent us a copy. [Page ©2006 DC Comics.]

John Broome In San Diego, 1998–––With Evanier, Schwartz, Anderson, & Barr

not paying reprint fees. One day, years later, they started sending you reprint checks. BROOME: That’s right. EVANIER: Those hardcover books of The Flash. You must have gotten some pretty nice checks. How’d you feel the first time you got a reprint check? BROOME: I loved it! [audience laughs and applause] I feel that I had it coming to me. For some reason, I felt they would be very generous. The new management, Jenette [Kahn] and a couple of others, seem to me to be a new breed, different from the old breed hanging on to their money. SCHWARTZ: To show you an instance—when The Flash went on television, I received a check, Robert Kanigher received a check, Carmine received a check—they sent you a check for how much? [to Broome] BROOME: It was $5,000. [audience applauds] SCHWARTZ: They didn’t have to do it. AUDIENCE: I would like to know if you are doing any kind of writing at all. BROOME: Yes, as a matter of fact, I spent the last 15 years writing what I call an offbeat autobio. It’s been published and two people in the audience got a copy. EVANIER: And the rest want to know where to go to get one. [audience laughs] BROOME: But you know—I could only bring a tiny amount and I can’t offer—I brought only four copies and I’ve given away two and there’s only two left. If you want to make a lottery... EVANIER: There’ve got to be more copies somewhere else. How many people here want copies of this book? We need to make arrangements. BROOME: All right, if you make arrangements, I’ll cooperate. EVANIER: Watch my column and I’ll tell you how to get them. [audience applause; then, repeating question from audience] Why do you feel that the artists were more important than the writers? What was the status of the writer? BROOME: First, the artist pay rate was about twice our pay rate. That’s the beginning—they simply got more money. That made me feel that they were more valuable. But not only that. I mean, deep down, I got the feeling that those who appreciated comics... [A short period is lost here as a tape ended.] ANDERSON: [picking up in mid-sentence on new tape] —the artist is responsible, but nothing could be further from the truth. The story is the thing. Without the story, the most beautiful artwork means nothing. [audience applauds] DAN RASPLER: [from audience] I’m an editor at DC Comics. I would just like to cordially offer you the opportunity—if you have any interest in writing a story for DC Comics, we would always be interested in talking with you. [audience applauds] AUDIENCE MEMBER: [different person?] First off, I should like to point out that it should be a story with Murphy Anderson art. [audience applauds] I wonder if you recall any of your favorite

As Crime Goes By John Broome retroactively admires a page of original art from The Flash #142 (Feb. 1964), signed by editor Julius Schwartz, penciler Carmine Infantino, and inker Joe Giella—again autographed for Joe’s son Frank. John, of course, had scripted—and obeyed DC’s then-dictate that super-heroes didn’t break the law, even in a far-flung future. Thanks to Joe & Frank for the photocopy. [Page ©2006 DC Comics; photo ©2006 Don Ensign.]

gimmicks that you came up with? BROOME: That’s a good question! As I’ve said, I think that is the key to good successful comic. It’s very hard to say what a successful gimmick is. A gimmick could be something like a banana peel. A typical example: in newspaper comics in the old days they used to show a guy walking along and he would slip on a banana peel and land on his head and that was considered very funny. But if you put a banana peel down on a villain who starts running away from Green Lantern or Flash and you want him caught, because he is an evil person—well, he slips on that banana at the right moment and the reader feels great. The reader feels fate overtook him. It’s that what you used to say, Julie—“Tragedy struck and fate intervened!” That was the slogan. We would joke and say, at this point, “Tragedy struck and fate intervened!” [audience laughs] EVANIER: I have to call a halt to this because we are out of time. But let me first thank Julie Schwartz, Murphy Anderson, my friend, and writer Mike Barr, and Mr. John Broome. [standing ovation]

“We Were A Very Happy Group” Artist TONY DiPRETA On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them Interview Conducted & Transcribed by Jim Amash Maulers & Monsters Tony DiPreta in the 1960s, at work on the Joe Palooka newspaper comic strip—flanked by a daily whose original art he generously inscribed to A/E editor Roy Thomas, and the splash page to a DiPreta-drawn story from Journey into Mystery #15 (April 1954). The horror art, too, is repro’d from a photocopy of the original art. [Joe Palooka TM & ©2006 McNaught Syndicate, Inc., or its successors in interest; Timely page ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.; photo ©2006 Tony DiPreta.]

ony DiPreta is the perfect example of a young man who climbed the ladder of success step by step. He started out at McCalls Photo Engraving as a colorist for Busy Arnold’s Quality Comics line, then became a staff letterer for Arnold. Before long, he became an inker, and worked his way up to doing complete art on his stories. Tony spent a long time in comic books, working for publishers Hillman, Lev Gleason, Timely, among others. He got a toehold early on in newspaper strips as a letterer on Tim Tyler’s Luck and later became Lank Leonard’s assistant on Mickey Finn. He eventually did full art on strips such as Joe Palooka and Rex Morgan, M.D. Tony looks back with fondness on those times, and helps us see comic book talents like Charlie Biro, Bob Fujitani, Fred Kida, Ed Cronin, Gill Fox, and a host of other fantasy makers in their element. Special thanks to my friend Bob Fujitani (not a bad artist himself) for putting me in touch with Tony. Except where otherwise noted, all photos & art are courtesy of Tony D. —Jim.

“Boy, We Were Millionaires, I’m Telling You!” JIM AMASH: I’d like to get a little background info first. When and where were you born? TONY DiPRETA: Stamford, Connecticut, July 9, 1921. I was the first of three boys, and the only artist. My brother Joe was just as good an artist as I was in high school, but he went in another direction, which was electronics. I took art in high school and decided to become an artist in junior high school. I was a fan of the newspaper strip artists. The paper we read was The Advocate, which only carried four strips: Salesman Sam, Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy, Freckles and His Friends, and Boots and Her Buddies. I also took life drawing classes at the Silvermine Guild, as did a lot of guys—including Elmer “Red” Wexler and Bob Fujitani—who were both very good. I took these classes after high school, and took them for years. It was one of the few places where I could draw from models.

Tony DiPreta On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them

JA: You also took some writing classes at Columbia University and at the University of Connecticut. DiPRETA: They were two different situations. One of them was in the early 1950s, when I was working for Lank Leonard on Mickey Finn. Someone told us Al Capp had taken a writing course at Columbia University, and I thought, “That’s a good idea.” I went down to Columbia and enrolled. The teacher was a writer of Westerns and he taught me a lot. When he found out I did comics, he was so fascinated that all his teaching became about writing for comics. That course helped me in my own writing, which I did on Joe Palooka. A couple of times when I went to McNaught Syndicate, Frank Markey wanted me to write the strip, and I said I didn’t know if I could do it. He said, “Of course you can do it. You’ve been doing comics for so many years now—how come you can’t write a story?!” [laughs] JA: Bob Fujitani told me you two met at McCalls Photo Engraving. DiPRETA: Right. I read an ad in the paper and applied for the job. That was in 1939. When I was in high school, my art teacher sort-of got me a job at an advertising agency. Let me explain what I mean by “sort-of.” They used to put out sales bulletins with comic art on them. I went to work for this company while still in high school. Now, you must remember this was 1938 and the Depression was still going on. This job paid me $8.20 a week—if I worked a full week—which was about 21¢ an hour. My boss was a guy named Mr. Spears. One time, I was working down in the basement and he came down there, with a cigarette butt hanging out of his mouth—almost like Busy Arnold—and said, “How are you doing?” I said, “You know, Mr. Spears, there’s an article in the paper yesterday that the minimum wage is 25¢ an hour.” [laughter] He just looked at me, turned around, and went upstairs. I was worried about what was going to happen to me, but that raise was in my next check. I worked there for less than a year when my father saw this ad for McCalls in the paper that said, “Artist wanted.” I went there, and there was a mob of people wanting an artist’s job. I got that job, which paid $15 a week, and I thought things were beginning to hop. Then my dad got a job as a defense worker, and that was for $25 a week. Boy, we were millionaires, I’m telling you! JA: What did you do at McCalls? DiPRETA: This is where Bob comes in. We all sat around there, waiting for work to come in. One of the photo engravers was a very good artist. Photo engraving was very big in those days and they had a strong union. This guy, Tony DeCamillo—and Bob Fujitani—were the two best friends I had in my whole life. We were all up there in a big, long room in the factory, sitting at art benches. Tony sat behind me; there were two people in each row, and of course Bob was there, too, along with Chris Hansen. There were four of us in that group. One time, somebody said that someone was half-Japanese—he was speaking about Bob. I looked at Tony and I looked at Bob. I thought that guy was talking about Tony, but he was talking about Bob. Shows you how much attention I paid!

Portraits Of The Artists As Young Men Tony D. (on left) and Bob Fujitani. The note on this photo reads: “Tony DiPreta – Bob Fujitani – April 1, 1941 – venture into NYC, in search of freelance work. We found it—first time around.” Above is a page from Fujitani’s “Shock Gibson” story for Speed Comics #38 (May 1945), repro’d from a photocopy of the original art, courtesy of Ethan Roberts. More pages from this story can be seen with Fujitani’s own indepth interview, in A/E #23… see TwoMorrows ad bloc at end of this issue. [Art ©Harvey Comics or successors in interest; photo ©2006 Tony DiPreta.]

Anyway, we heard that Quality Comics was going to have their comics colored by our firm. There were four black-&-white pages on a flat, and our job was not to color the comics, but to mask out the colors. As an artist, you know what I mean: you masked out everything that didn’t have yellow in it. You masked out everything with red, and everything with blue. Boy, was that a boring job! JA: Who decided what colors were going to be used? DiPRETA: We did. Tony DeCamillo said he wanted me to color, and not to mask. I said, “No, no, I can’t do that.” I was dying to do it! But I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Thank God he didn’t take me at my word. All four of us colored. Chris Hansen was a very creative, funny comic artist. He had a sense of humor, and I thought he would be the first of us to get a syndicated comic strip. Chris and Bob had a fellowship to one of the New York schools, and they went back to school. But he got married soon after, and that was the end of his comic book days. He went into advertising art and was more of an art director than an artist. And Bob only worked there for that summer. I worked there for about a year.

“We Were A Very Happy Group”

A Cole Hard Look Three photos of writer/artist Jack Cole taken by Tony D. at the Quality Comics bullpen in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1941. The bottom one, Tony notes, shows “Jack Cole mimicking FDR, or was it Eleanor?” These are juxtaposed with the two pages of original “Dan Tootin” art by Cole (as “Ralph Johns”) from Hit Comics, which DiPreta owns—and a splash featuring Cole’s greatest creation, Plastic Man. The latter, on which Cole gave himself an unaccustomed byline, is from Police Comics #69 (Aug. 1947), recently reprinted in Plastic Man Archives, Vol. 6. Keep goin’ till the last 1956 issue, DC! [Dan Tootin art ©2006 the respective copyright holders; Plastic Man page ©2006 DC Comics; photos ©2006 Tony DiPreta.]

Tony DiPreta On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them

I saw all the books that Quality printed, including Lou Fine’s work. I was inspired to try my hand at drawing comics. I put together a portfolio, which included these pages and samples of my lettering— which I did on [Lyman Young’s newspaper strip] Tim Tyler’s Luck, though that’s another story. I went up to Quality on my lunch hour, since they were only half a mile away from us. I showed my stuff to publisher Busy Arnold and, being no fool, figured that if I was good enough to letter Tim Tyler’s Luck, then I was good enough to letter his comic books. He gave me a staff job right on the spot: 25 bucks a week. I thought I was really moving up the ladder now. Ed Cronin was there, and so was Gill Fox. Ed was the editor and Gill was his assistant. In fact, Ed was editor the entire time I was there, which was about one year. I remember that on April 1, 1941, Bob and I went to New York with our portfolios.

“Jack and Dorothy [Cole] Used To Come Up To The House”

DiPRETA: I can’t remember how I ended up with these two gag pages. Did Jack give them to me? I can’t say after all this time. JA: What do you remember about Jack and Dorothy’s relationship? DiPRETA: They were in love! They didn’t have any children. I kindof think they couldn’t have any, and they would have loved to have had children. At least, I know that they were married long enough by the time I met them that they could have had children. Now, Jack came from hard times, too, and he was making money now, so he could afford to support a wife and children. Dorothy had a sister Janice, who was recently divorced. She came to Stamford, and the four of us used to go out together. A couple times, Janice and I took the ferry boat from Stamford to Rye Beach, New York, which was sort-of like Coney Island. I dated Janice for just a short time. JA: Did you ever see the Coles have any martial difficulties?

JA: Besides Busy Arnold, Ed Cronin, and Gill Fox, who worked in the Quality offices?

DiPRETA: Never! Never! Dorothy was one of the most understanding women I ever knew. She was great to me, and so was Jack.

DiPRETA: Nobody else worked there at that time, except for the secretary, Miss McKenzie, and me. Then, others, like Jack Cole, started floating in to work in the offices. Jack Cole was a tall man, who was a little bit heavy. He was married to Dorothy, a warm and gracious lady. They were very friendly people. Jack had a great sense of humor and he was a very hard worker. You know, we all came from the Depression and, boy, we were all so happy to make a buck.

JA: Was she a strong-willed woman or was she the type to defer to Jack?

You know Alex Kotzky? He worked in the offices a few times. One time, Alex and I were having a big, long talk and it turned out that— well, he had it worse than I did. His father died when he was a kid and the family had to work to make ends meet. Alex was married to a lovely woman. Anyway, most of us were happy to have a job and we were going to bust our tails to do the best that we could. JA: Did you spend much time with Jack and Dorothy Cole? DiPRETA: Outside of the office? Yes. Jack and Dorothy used to come up to the house. My mother was so in love with them that you couldn’t believe it. You know Italian mothers: they have to cook, cook, cook for whomever they liked. She was always putting out a spread. Now, by this time, Jack had finally bought a house. Before he bought this particular house, Jack and Dorothy lived in an apartment, which was why he worked in the offices. At least, that’s what I thought, unless Busy Arnold wanted him to work in the office. By the way, I have a couple of Jack’s originals, signed “Ralph Johns.” JA: Boy, we’d love to have copies of those! You know, it’s a shame none of Jack’s “Plastic Man” originals seem to have survived. DiPRETA: That’s a real shame. I wish I had been greedy and taken more originals. But we never thought much about things like that. I’ve asked myself why I never took any “Plastic Man” pages, because I was crazy about that comic. I guess Jack took them all. Did Gill save any? JA: No, he didn’t, though in retrospect, he wished he had. But Gill told me that most of the original art was destroyed by Busy Arnold. We have no idea if Cole saved any pages.

DiPRETA: She was not a domineering wife. Now, one time, when we were walking around my yard, near my studio... well, I was buying plants in those days. Before that, plants and flowers were things you got from your neighbors. But now, I was starting to make money, and I was looking through all these catalogs for plants to buy. I bought a plant called a Red Weigela and stuck it in the window outside of my studio. I was so proud of that plant! So Jack, Dorothy, and I were walking around the yard and I said, “Jack, look at that plant I bought. It’s a Red Weigela,”

“We Were A Very Happy Group” and told him what I read in the catalog about it. Jack said, “Awwwww, that is not a recommended plant.” He was reading books on plants, too, because he’d just bought that house—which, by the way, is now a condo in a condo complex. Jack said, “It grows into a terrible shape and gets lopsided. It’s not recommended by the book I’m reading.” Then Dorothy said, “Jack! How can you say that? He loves that plant and you are disparaging it!” [laughter] That’s the only time I ever them argue. Incidentally, the bush still grows. JA: Then she was a very social person? DiPRETA: Well, she was a little shy. Friendly, but shy. She got along with my mother, though my mother was very easy to get along with. Dorothy was still a young woman. JA: Right. Well, you know, I’m just trying to fill in details about the Coles, and of course, you know what happened to Jack... [NOTE: At the height of his success in 1958, as a popular cartoonist for Playboy and having just launched a newspaper comic strip, Betsy and Me, Jack Cole committed suicide.]

DiPRETA: It was a total, total shock that that could ever happen to Jack—that he would be unhappy about life! To me, he had the world by the tail. He was creative: as far as I’m concerned. Everything he touched, worked. JA: Did you ever see him in a bad mood? DiPRETA: Yes, but I’m a little embarrassed about it. At my young age, I thought it funny to take a rubber band between my fingers and use it like a slingshot. Then I’d take a little wad of paper and shoot it. This time, I shot Jack in the rear end. [laughter] Jack turned around— mad—and looked at me and said, “Don’t you ever do that again.” I could have crawled under a rock. I just loved the guy and never wanted to do anything to upset him. Ordinarily, he was very, very friendly. He liked everybody and everybody liked him. We were a very happy group. JA: How long were you personally associated with him? DiPRETA: Jack moved into that house that I told you about, but for some reason, he later moved into a great big house in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He was still working for Arnold, but I moved to New York and never saw Jack again. JA: Did you ever work on any of Jack’s stuff? DiPRETA: No. I don’t even think I lettered any of it.

“[Lou Fine] Never Took Short Cuts” JA: Tell me about working with Lou Fine. DiPRETA: Lou Fine was so meticulous in his work that I figured he had to be slow. His work was so fussy because he never took short cuts. He’d draw an arm outside of the panel, just to make sure he had it at the right angle and proportion. Then he’d erase what wasn’t going to show in the panel. I worked with Lou in New York for two weeks. But that’s as misleading a statement as I’ll ever make. I didn’t work with Lou Fine; I went down there and hung around. What happened was that I’d just got the job with Quality. Now, Busy Arnold and Gill Fox were going on separate vacations. Arnold said to me, “I’m going to send you to New York to Lou Fine’s studio, and you can learn from him.” Boy, that was the happiest thing in my life. I never even made a mark on his work. I went down there and it was great! Now, he had a guy who worked with him. He was very technical, almost like an engineer. I can’t remember his name right now. JA: Do you remember Bob Fujitani breaking down stories for Lou?

A Fine Bunch Of Photos Tony sent us a virtual treasure trove of photos (see facing page) of the very fine Lou Fine, which abut the original art for a “Black Condor” page from Smash Comics #19 (Dec. 1941)—and, as a bonus, even a pencil sketch done by Fine on the back of that page of original art. As for the photos—from lower left:

DiPRETA: I remember Bob breaking down for Lou, and I remember Tony DiPreta breaking down for Lou. I did it while I was working in the offices of Quality Comics. What happened was that Mr. Arnold came in from New York one unpleasant afternoon, with the startling news that Lou couldn’t “break down”—meaning he couldn’t make a story interesting with breakdowns. “We have to find someone to break down for Lou.” He turned to Bob Fujitani and said, “Bob, do you want to break down a story for Lou?” Well, who’s going to say “no” to Busy Arnold? So, Bob broke down a story for Lou. And Arnold wanted me to break down a story for Lou, which I did. The “Hack O’Hara” story you printed in Alter Ego [#17] was broken down by Bob.

(1) “Lou Fine - Quality Comics – Stamford, CT 1941.” Photo by Tony DiPreta. (2) “Tony DiPreta – Lou Fine – Stamford Square – original offices of Quality Comics 1941.” That’s Tony next to the parking meter. The latter photo may have been taken by Gill Fox. (3) “Lou Fine – Stamford RR station 1941.” [Black Condor TM & ©2006 DC Comics; photos ©2006 Tony DiPreta.]

JA: What story did you break down for Lou? DiPRETA: It was an “Uncle Sam” story. If I ever see it, I’ll remember it. JA: Did Lou Fine complain?

Tony DiPreta On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them

JA: I wish I had been able to do that, too. Getting back to the Quality offices, was letterer Martin DeMuth there?

DiPRETA: Oh, I think he was devastated. Can you imagine this crap that was coming down, and he had to ink it? I’m sure that everything he got from us was repenciled by Fine and that was that.

DiPRETA: I’ve never heard of him. I know Gill Fox did some lettering, as did I, of course.

JA: What do you remember about him on a personal level? DiPRETA: He was a little guy, you know. He was as mild as a man could possibly be. A gentle, gentle soul is what he was. He wasn’t talkative, but he was a friendly talker and would talk with you. He wasn’t a recluse and wouldn’t hold anything back. He was lame, you know. Oh, he used to work in the Quality offices at times, too.

Busy Is As Busy Does Photos of Quality publisher Everett “Busy” Arnold are rare indeed—but Tony DiPreta managed to take two of them in the bullpen at the Gurley Building in Stamford, CT, in 1941! Here they’re juxtaposed with an original-art page of “The Ray” drawn by the great Reed Crandall for Smash Comics #27 (Oct.1941). Crandall had inherited that feature from its original artist, Lou Fine. The story was done on left-over Eisner & Iger paper. [Photos ©2006 Tony DiPreta; Ray page ©2006 DC Comics.]

He was a very nice man. I went up to his apartment a number of times. His wife Mary was a very nice woman. I remember he had a model boat, very meticulously made. I think it was a tiny junk. Lou loved beautiful things—especially handmade stuff. I remember one time when I was at the Fines’ house for dinner. There was something about the meat—I think it was Kosher. Another time, Lou was invited over to my house for dinner. I said, “Lou, we don’t know anything about Kosher.” He said, “Don’t worry about it.” So my mother made a regular Italian feast. I don’t think Lou was particularly religious. I never heard him talk about religion in any context. JA: I’ve heard that Arnold gave Fine his own office and paid the rent on it, too. DiPRETA: Oh, he must have! That was in Tudor City, which was where I went when Arnold sent me to see Lou. Eisner had a studio in Tudor City, too, but I never went to his studio. I never got involved with Will Eisner. I’m sure Arnold paid for Lou’s office and also paid Lou’s background man. One of the guys who worked there was Paul Gustavson. He drew “Alias The Spider,” and was a marvelous artist. He came up to the office once, but I didn’t have a chance to talk to him. I wish someone had interviewed him before he died.

JA: Speaking of letterers, do you remember Zoltan Szenics? You probably knew him as “Zully.” DiPRETA: Holy cow! I haven’t though about him in over 50 years! Well, he was a cheerful guy who always smiled. He was always a very happy, pleasant man.

“Busy Arnold Was The Best Tipper At The Golf Course” JA: What did you think of Busy Arnold? DiPRETA: I’m going to backtrack on him. He belonged to the old Greenwich golf course. These were the days of poverty, before I started working and all that. My brother Joe used to caddy down there. Chic Young of Blondie used to play there. Lyman Young, who did Tim Tyler’s Luck, used to play there, and my brother was once lucky enough to caddy for Lyman Young. He told Lyman Young that I wanted to be a cartoonist and Young said, “Well, bring him down.” That was a wonderful thing for him to offer. I went to see him and he said, “Why don’t you letter my strip?” But this wasn’t a permanent job. He’d call me on a Saturday afternoon— when he wanted to play golf—and I’d come over and letter his strips. That was great! Joe never made any contacts with Chic Young, though. Busy Arnold was the best tipper at the golf course. Joe got to caddy for him once, and told him about me. This was before Arnold got into publishing. He was a printing press salesman and made money, I guess. When I went into his office to look for a job, I knew who Busy Arnold was—he was the big tipper at the golf course. I told him that I was lettering for Lyman, and I’m sure they must have known each other, since they played golf at the same club.

“We Were A Very Happy Group” Arnold was a great guy and very nice to me. When I told him I was leaving and going to New York to work, he was a little bit upset, but he didn’t resent me or anything like that. Right after that, Arnold ran into Lank Leonard on a train, and Leonard said he was going to lose his assistant to military service. He asked if Arnold knew anybody and he said, “Yeah, Tony DiPreta. He’s a very nice guy. Give him a call.” So Leonard sent me a telegram—I didn’t have a telephone. And I started to work for Lank. I think everybody liked working for Busy Arnold. He always had a cigarette hanging off the bottom of his lip. It must have just stuck there! He was generous and he didn’t have to give me $25 a week when I started. He was very finicky about the artwork. He used to take the pages and go around whiting out marks and smudges. If he didn’t like the tail on a word balloon, he’d correct it. [laughter] He had a big barrel in the studio where he trashed the original art when it was returned. All that great artwork destroyed! Some of us did take a few pages out when he wasn’t looking, though. Now, when Eisner was doing The Spirit, those pages didn’t come to the office— they went straight to Eisner. You couldn’t sneak a page of that stuff out. You know, those pages went to the engraver and they didn’t come back to the artists. Anyway, Arnold used to have the pages stacked up—he had that barrel in front of him and the cigarette dangling from his mouth, and he took the pages and ripped them in half. This included Lou Fine, Jack Cole—everybody’s work! Oh, it was just unbelievable to see that. I don’t know who was the first to ask him for originals. One time, I said, “Mr. Arnold, can I have a few pages of that artwork?” And he let me have some. I know I got some, Gill Fox got some, but I don’t think Ed Cronin took any. I guess he was too old and sophisticated to take that stuff. [laughs]

word misspelt. Sometimes he’d see something I wouldn’t and say, “You missed one.” [laughs] That’s how he read the books so fast. I mean, there were a lot of books to read, and he had other chores to do. I was very friendly with his wife and two daughters. He had a very nice family. I remember Ed told me that he had worked for Ham Fisher at one point. They were both from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He also knew Phil Boyle, who had been penciling Joe Palooka for Ham. You couldn’t tell his work from Ham Fisher’s. There were other people, like Al Capp, who worked for Fisher down through the years, but Phil and Ed were there very early on. But Ed left, went to New York, and how he got to Busy Arnold’s place is something I never knew. JA: What do you remember about Gill Fox from that time? DiPRETA: He was another wonderful person. He showed me all kinds of things about comics. He was the first guy to show me how to use an Ames guide for lettering. He taught me how to make my work look more professional. He also taught me what brush to use for inking: a Winsor & Newton Series Seven number three. But I’ll always remember one thing he told me about the brush: “You know, dried ink accumulates around the ferrule and gets hard as a rock here. What you want to do is to wash the brush with soap and water. Lay the brush flat on a bar of soap and then roll it—don’t jab it or you’ll ruin the brush hair. That’ll keep the cake off.” Then he said, “Whatever you do, don’t do it in the bathroom or leave the black ink on the soap because your wife will kill you.” [laughter] He must have had experience with that,

JA: Do you know anyone else who took art? DiPRETA: No, I don’t know if anyone else took any art work. Most of the artists weren’t there to take them. Gill got a lot of covers—he was into that. JA: So Arnold wouldn’t have cared if you took pages. DiPRETA: Arnold would have let you take all the pages that were there, if you wanted them. I’m sure of that. You could have carried them all home; it was as simple as that. He just got rid of the stuff because it was always piling up and piling up, and he needed the space. How about the syndicates? You know, I couldn’t find one page on my Joe Palooka strips. I searched and searched those offices, but I couldn’t find any. They didn’t even bother to return the work to artists. They just threw everything out.

“All These Guys Were Wonderful” JA: What a shame! Well, let me ask you what you remember about Ed Cronin. DiPRETA: You know, I keep saying all these guys were wonderful— and to me, they were. You must remember that I was 20, 21 years old and I was in paradise. It was a dream come true. I had barely been out of high school, dreaming of being a cartoonist, and all of a sudden, the doors magically opened and here I was. Ed Cronin was another saint, as far as I was concerned, but boy, he was meticulous. We had to proofread the stories, and I sure learned a lot about spelling from him. He’d say, “Okay Tony, we’re going to read this together. I think we’ll proofread this stuff faster if we read it together.” I’d start reading aloud first, and then Ed would do the same right behind me. Every so often, we’d notice a comma missing or a

The Quality Of Military Is Not Strained Another artist who did good work for Quality was Alden McWilliams, who drew this page for an early-’40s issue of Military Comics. Repro’d from a photocopy of the original art, courtesy of Tony DiPreta. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Tony DiPreta On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them

and I have never washed a brush without thinking about Gill. Of course, Gill talked about comics and cartoonists all the time. In fact, even as an old man, Gill did that. And he was a good cartoonist. In fact, I have one of his sports pages here. I wish I had one of his “Poison Ivy” pages. One time, I built a small boat and I named it Poison Ivy. JA: Even though Bob Fujitani didn’t work in the offices, let’s talk a little more about him. You two hit it off pretty early, didn’t you? DiPRETA: Right from the beginning. He went to Greenwich High and I went to Stamford High. I was the best artist at Stamford High School, and then I met Bob. I not only met my match, but I also met my master. [laughter] I have to say I have a grudge against my high school because they never told us that art scholarships were available. Greenwich High School not only mentioned it to their students, but they encouraged them to go to art school. Chris Hansen went to art school on a scholarship, and so did Bob. So did Fred Kida. I told you we both went to New York looking for work on April Fool’s Day in 1941. We went to MLJ and they were not interested in my work at all, but they sure liked Bob. He got to do “The Hangman” and a bunch of other features. And Bob used to write some of that stuff. I think editor Harry Shorten just gave a few sentences of plot, and Bob’d go home and write and draw the story. Funny, but Biro did that once in a while. There was a story about Lucky Luciano, and it was the worst script I ever saw. Biro said, “Well, why don’t you write the script yourself? There’s a bunch of books about crime in the library, and there’s crime magazines at the store. Read them and change the script around a bit if you want. You can fill up 7 pages, so go write the story your way.” I did exactly that and it wasn’t hard at all. That’s when I got interested in writing. Getting back to Bob... he was the quarterback of his high school team. He was the best artist by far that you’d ever see. He was the president of his senior class. Everywhere he went, people treated him as well as they could. Everybody loved Bob. I used to go and visit him at his house. He was renting a nice Tudor style house with a front porch, and we worked there.

Bob got married very early to fellow art student Ruth, who is best friends with my wife. Many, many years ago, they bought a choice house on Long Island Sound. He went from being the young man on the block to being the old man on the block. [laughter] JA: Bob told me that his house is just a couple of houses away from where Busy Arnold used to live. DiPRETA: Exactly! One day, Ruth said they were building a new house a couple of houses away and we went to check it out. Turns out that they tore down Busy Arnold’s old house and put a new one up in its place. That’s not uncommon, though. JA: I’m afraid that’s true. Well, on the day that you and Bob went looking for work, you were already an inker, weren’t you? DiPRETA: Oh yes. I was lettering for Arnold and making that $25 a week. I did some inking samples. I had a cousin who was a little older than me who worked in a plumbing supply house. He went to work there as a kid, and when he was 70 years old, he was still doing the same thing he did when he was 14 years old. He never became the manager or the owner of the place. I wasn’t going to go work someplace and give myself to that business and leave at the same position I started at. So I decided to become a full-blown cartoonist. JA: This was in 1941, right? DiPRETA: Right. I went to New York on a Saturday and the first place I went to was Timely Comics. They were in a new building on 42nd Street—the McGraw-Hill Building. I met this young guy there, sitting at a table stacked with a lot of pages, and flipping through them. I said, “Would you like to see my samples?” He said, “Why, sure,” and he did. He asked me if I’d like to ink a feature called “Ziggy Pig.” I agreed and was paid either 7 bucks a page or 8 bucks a page. The story was 7 or 8 pages long. However it all worked out, I was going to get a $57 for this job. I took the pages home and set up a little studio in what had been my mother’s sewing room. I was inking away and my mother and grandfather came in to see what I was doing. I told them I was doing this on the side from Quality Comics. I told them how much I was going to

We’d also go fishing out in the sound nearby. We learned about striped bass, and Bob was quite a smart guy. He figured out how to catch the big ones. He became the legendary catcher of big bass in this town. Bob figured out that everyone who caught bass caught ones that weighed about five pounds or so. Somebody caught one that was 21 pounds, and that was the record for years. And through observation, Bob figured out how to catch big fish. He noticed that big bass went after herring, so he tried using that for bait, instead of sandworms, which was the most commonly used bait. The live herring was on the hook and swimming around in the water and the next thing you know, a 35-pound bass went for it. That was the dawn of a new era. He ought to tell you the story of how the secret got out and everyone was catching 30-pound bass. Bob’s brother was at a tavern, bragging about Bob’s catching 30-pound bass. Nobody believed him, and they bet on it. So Bob went fishing and caught a 30-pound bass. He took it to the tavern, plopped it down on a bar, and said, “There it is, boys. Pay your money.” As I said, it was the dawn of a new age! And now, they have a restriction on what size bass you can catch, and what you can take in, because catching all that big bass devastated the bass population. Eventually, the striped bass recovered.

The Clock Strikes One… George Brenner, besides being an editor at Quality for a time, created the series “The Clock,” featuring one of the first masked heroes in comics. The character started out at Centaur, then jumped to Quality’s Feature Funnies/Comics and then to Smash Comics. These panels, repro’d from an English boys’ annual of some years back, looks to be one of the earlier Quality entries. Thanks to Roger Dicken & Wendy Hunt. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

“We Were A Very Happy Group”

get paid, and my grandfather tapped me on the arm and said, “Good boy. Good boy.” [mutual laughter] JA: Hey, $57 was good money back then. DiPRETA: Oh, yeah! And this was besides what I was making from Busy Arnold. And two years before, I was making $8.20 a week! Anyhow, everyone around me was making a lot less. I want to say one thing, and this has a little sarcasm in it: what they pay cartoonists today isn’t worth beans. In those days, we got 15 bucks a page and we did one page a day. People were working for $15 a week, so if you did 5 or 6 pages a week, and some people were real pushers; I’m sure they did more than that in a week. That was a lot of money to bring in. Anyhow, it didn’t occur to me that people didn’t work in the office on Saturday. And the guy working there at the desk that day was Stan Lee. I brought the story back the next week and Stan liked it. I thought, “Hey, $25 a week from Arnold is pretty good, but $57 a week is better.” I decided to go freelance, so when Bob and I went to New York that April Fool’s Day, we got it! I’ve freelanced ever since.

“Quality Objected To My Working At Other Companies” JA: Before we get into that, let me stay with Quality for a second or two. Did you do any inking while on staff? DiPRETA: Yes. I did some “Doll Man,” and even have a page of it. JA: The other Quality credits I have for you are “Windy Breeze” and “Mayor Midge.” And, in 1944, I have you listed as doing “Blimpy.” DiPRETA: I remember “Mayor Midge,” which was a take-off on New York Mayor LaGuardia. I also remember “Blimpy.” The year sounds right, because I was in New York at the time. Gill Fox had taken over for Ed Cronin at Quality, and then George Brenner became the editor when Gill went into the Army. George also did “The Clock.” The other day, you asked me if anyone at Quality objected to my working at other companies. Well, I was working for Biro and Wood at Lev Gleason on Crime Does Not Pay and for Ed Cronin, who had become an editor at Hillman Publications, when I got a letter—maybe dictated by Arnold to George Brenner—and I think Brenner signed the letter. The letter said, “We understand you are doing work for Hillman Comics”—I don’t think they even honored Cronin by using his name, and said—“You should working for us exclusively, and if you’re not, you’d better.” It was that kind of letter. He signed it, “George.” I was not too happy about it because Ed Cronin was a friend. I was a friend of his family—they used to come to my mother’s house. I mean, [laughs] it sounds like everyone came to my mother’s house, but that’s the way communities worked in those days. Now, I don’t even know my two neighbors here. When I started doing artwork, I was doing all humor work. Bob was doing illustrative work. Then, it seemed like the bigfoot stuff was losing money because more and more super-hero comics were appearing on the stands. I went to see Vin Sullivan at Columbia Comics, who was somehow associated with the McNaught Newspaper Syndicate. Vin gave me a war story to draw and said, “Do you think you can handle this?” I wasn’t going to refuse, because humor work was getting scarce. I said, “Oh, I can do it.” I took the script home with me and thought, “How the hell am I going to do this thing?” I took an issue of Life magazine and used the photographs of the people in there. I wasn’t much good there, but it was good enough to pass. I did some more war stories, but I wasn’t really crazy about it. I even did a few romance stories.

The Real “Skinny” For Hillman Publications, Tony DiPreta did “Skinny McGinty”—and managed to walk away from time to time with a piece of his original art, like this one, which seems to be from 1946. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

JA: What do you remember about Vin Sullivan? DiPRETA: Another friendly guy. You know, these guys weren’t hard on me, but I guess it was the times. They needed guys to do the work. If I went out there today with the ability I had then, and the lack of knowledge—that’s the key word—I couldn’t even get a job. But even with the high quality type of work that’s out there today, I could convince myself that I could do it, too. You do an awful lot of cheating. That’s what I felt I was doing in those days. Now, Bob never copied anybody. He had such a mind that he could just draw anything—he didn’t believe in copying at all. You hear guys say, “Oh, I was influenced by Milton Caniff, “ or “I was influenced by Hal Foster on Prince Valiant.” What they’re really saying is that “I used to copy Milton Caniff or Hal Foster.” They used to just swipe the stuff! I was too stupid to be influenced by anybody. [laughter] My breakthrough was courtesy of Life magazine, though I didn’t think I was copying—I was working from photographs. Somehow, that seemed different. I penciled and inked my work for Vin Sullivan, though I don’t remember whether I lettered it or not. When someone wanted me to letter, I lettered, though I wouldn’t if I didn’t have to. JA: When you did complete story art, did you have to get the pencils approved before inking? DiPRETA: No, nobody ever asked me to do that. They were just glad to get the work in on time.

Tony DiPreta On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them JA: You started working for Hillman in 1942. Some of the features I have you listed as doing were “One Wing Spin,” “Stupid Manny,” “Zippo,” “Iron Ace,” “Boy King,” “Buttons The Rabbit,” “Captain Codfish,” “Earl The Rich Rabbit,” “Fatsy McPig,” and “Skinny McGinty.” DiPRETA: “Stupid Manny” and “Skinny McGinty “ were regular monthly features for me, and I enjoyed doing them. I remember drawing all of those features, except for “One Wing Span,” “Boy King,” and “Captain Codfish.” I wouldn’t be surprised if I did that bigfoot stuff even after I started doing adventure work. JA: Was there a difference in pay between drawing adventure stories and humor stories? DiPRETA: It was the same pay. Why do you think I preferred doing humor stories? [mutual laughter]

“Hillman... Was A Real, Legitimate Publishing Company” JA: Did you letter your Hillman stories? DiPRETA: Let me tell you about that. Recently, Bob reminded me that we used to take the pages to Ed Cronin’s house in Darien, which was the next town over from Stamford. Ed used to letter our stories. We paid him to letter for us, as we would have for any letterer. Hillman paid us to do the lettering, and we paid Ed for his work. JA: From 1943 until 1946, I have you listed as doing work in Airboy Comics [formerly Airfighters Comics]. Did you do “Airboy” stories or backup stories?

We Kida You Not A Fred Kida page from an issue of Crime Does Not Pay, repro’d from a photocopy of the original art. Was Bob Bernstein or Charlie Biro or whoever wrote this particular story having a private laugh by talking in panel 4 about “William Gaines,” the “ex-con”? At right: Kida’s sketches from the back of the page. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

JA: I’d like to back up to Timely for a minute. How many “Ziggy Pig” stories did you do? DiPRETA: Just that one, in 1941. JA: I also have you listed as doing “Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal” in 1944. DiPRETA: The thing about Timely was that I seemed to work for them “on and off.” Whenever I went there, Stan Lee gave me work. The thing was that, after I did that one story for Stan Lee, Ed Cronin started feeding me work at Hillman. So I’d do a job for Ed, and if he had another story waiting for me, I’d take it. But there would be times when Ed didn’t have something for me to do that week. Well, I wasn’t going to just sit around. I’d go back to whoever would give me work, whether it was Stan Lee or Vin Sullivan or Ray Herman. So I might have done those “Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal” stories that you mentioned. JA: You said you didn’t get a job at MLJ the day you went there with Bob Fujitani, but I have a 1943 credit for you on “The Hangman.” DiPRETA: I don’t remember doing anything for MLJ, but if I did, it was probably backgrounds for Bob Fujitani.

DiPRETA: I did back stories, though I might have done one or two “Airboy” stories. It was not my thing, though. Fred Kida did a great job on that series. JA: Did Cronin have an assistant editor? And what were the Hillman offices like? DiPRETA: Not that I remember. I don’t think he did. As for your second question, I must say that some of the places I worked at had dinky little offices. Hillman Publications was a real, legitimate publishing company and also published magazines. Some of these places had a receptionists’ area when you entered, like most real businesses do. Well, some of the other places that I’d go, I’d practically hit the editor in the rear when I opened the door. I really don’t remember much about Hillman’s offices. JA: Both Bob Fujitani and Sy Barry described Ed Cronin as a very nervous person. DiPRETA: He was. He was very conscientious. I don’t think he suffered from a lack of confidence, but I told you how he had me proofread along with him. I think maybe he just needed reassurance from someone else. Having said that, Ed would take my pages and...let’s say the name of the feature was “Stupid Manny.” Out loud, he’d say, “Stupid Manny,” go through one page and say, “One, one , one.” He’d go to the next one and say, “Two, two, two,” and continue in that fashion until he counted all the pages. That was something no one else ever did. Here’s another story about that. All of us had just come out of the Great Depression. There was a time after he worked for Ham Fisher in Wilkes-Barre, and before he went to Quality, that Ed was out of work.

“We Were A Very Happy Group” I don’t know what the situation was—whether Ed’s parents were still alive or if he had any siblings. I know he was married when I met him, and was on the way to an upper middle class life. He was very concerned when I told him that my father didn’t work during the Great Depression. My mother worked in a sweat-shop for $7 a week and had to sew the collars on 42 dresses for six cents each. She really had to work her butt off. But we were able to live on that. Ed was the type of guy who worried about finances. He said, “How did you live? How did you get by? The gas bill was a dollar a month. The electric bill was a dollar a month and we made sure we didn’t go beyond that—my parents made sure of that. I told Ed that we got by. We had our own vegetable garden and my mother canned everything in sight. If someone had an apple tree, my brother and I would pick them for people, give them half, and we took the other half home. My mother made applesauce. We got by. Ed was asking me about all this because he was worried about what he’d do if he lost his job. He was worried about how he’d support his wife and two daughters. It was a big thing to him that it was possible for the DiPretas to live on almost nothing. And it was possible. There was never a day when there wasn’t food on the table or that I went hungry. But, if you asked me what Tom Mix did in the latest movie... well, I didn’t even know what Tom Mix looked like. [laughs] We didn’t eat candy bars, but we made it through the tough times, and somehow or another, my father paid the mortgage. And Ed Cronin couldn’t get over how we made it through.

The publisher was a kindly old man; he was a little guy with a mustache, bald-headed, and always had a cigar in his hand. He came somewhere from Pennsylvania. He didn’t know a helluva lot about the comics publishing business, but he wanted to be in that business. Why, I have no idea. He walked around the office a lot, but I don’t remember what he did. I can’t remember his name, either. JA: The publisher’s name was Frank Temmerson. Does that name ring a bell? DiPRETA: No, it doesn’t. JA: Will Eisner once described Temmerson as having no teeth. DiPRETA: [laughs] Oh, well, now that I think about it, he looked like he didn’t have any teeth. Anyhow, the next thing I knew, they bought some stuff and then they slowed down on buying work. The next thing I knew, they were out of business, and they owed me some money, though they kept the offices open. It wasn’t a lot of money, but it was the only time I didn’t get paid in comic books. I was lucky. The company was working on a shoe-string the entire time. Every once in a while, I sent them a bill. And one time, I sent them a Christmas card and enclosed a bill in the envelope. And he actually sent me some money! He probably took it out of his cigar money.

“It Was The Only Time I Didn’t Get Paid” JA: While you were working for Hillman, you did “Magno” for Ace Publications. DiPRETA: I know I did something for Ace, but I don’t remember anything about it. JA: Okay. In 1944, and ’45, you worked for L.B.Cole at Holyoke Publishing Company. DiPRETA: Lenny Cole! He was a little bit stocky; I don’t think he was too tall. He was extremely friendly to me. I showed him my work and he was doing covers, which he loved doing. He’d proudly show me those covers and they were meticulous pieces of work. I did a feature about a girl named “Sherry something-orother”—I can’t remember the title. I also did “Might Mite.” Ray Herman was there, too. She was second in command. The offices were on 42nd Street in New York.

Slip Me A Mickey Finn Lank Leonard (at board), creator of the long-running newspaper strip Mickey Finn, with Tony DiPreta, then his inker, in a 1943 photo taken in Miami Shores, Florida. The Mickey Finn page above, an earlier one by Leonard, was reprinted in a Quality comic—and later in a b&w English boys’ annual, from which Roger Dicken sent it to us. The sketch at left is from the back of an image on p. 55— a page DiPreta drew for Lev Gleason Publications, as he notes: “Back of Page 1 – Uncle Phil of Mickey Finn strip – ‘Daredevil’ – copied from Lank Leonard by Tony.” [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Tony DiPreta On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them When the war started, I went for a physical and took along a note from my doctor. I didn’t want to go, and I’ll tell you that some of the guys we talked about didn’t want to go, either. So this doctor told another, older doctor, that I had a heart murmur. That doctor looked at me, took my form, and with a big rubber stamp, he labeled me “4-F. Rejected.” So my fledgling art career was not nipped in the bud! There was some sergeant there, and he must have been a redneck. All through the examination, he stared at me for some reason; he just didn’t like me. He probably didn’t like my attitude because I didn’t want to be cannon fodder. He couldn’t wait to get hold of me if I had passed that exam. He was going to show me what Army life was all about. When I got that “4-F,” I had to wait in another line and gave that sergeant one big smile, and he gave me one nasty look. That was the end of that, for a while. So I went to work for Lank Leonard, as I told you earlier. I was working, working, working, and one day, there was an article in the paper stating that anyone not doing war work was going to be drafted, no matter what their physical condition was. I wasn’t anxious to give up comics to work on a drill press in a factory. I showed the article to Lank and expressed my unhappiness. The paper listed different jobs that qualified as “war work.” One of them was “Dissemination of Public Information.” I chewed down those big words and came up with “propaganda.” I thought, “We’re doing propaganda.”

War Is Hell DiPreta did see some World War II action—in the pages of Magazine Enterprises’ American Air Forces #3 (Feb. 1945), published by Vin Sullivan. This black-&-white image was reprinted by Ron Frantz in ACE Comics’ Fantastic Adventures #3 (Oct. 1987). [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Sometime after that, I was going up to a new company in Columbus Circle and that was where Ray Herman was. I don’t remember the name of the company, but I think she owned a part of it. JA: Was the company name Orbit? DiPRETA: It could have been, but I’m not sure. Ray was a very nice person. I went there, she gave me some work to do, and I left. I remember a guy selling hot dogs at a pushcart stand. I didn’t eat too many hot dogs, but I bought one this particular time. It had sauerkraut on it and I remember Ray Herman saw me eating this hot dog. She said, “You shouldn’t be eating those things.” And... [laughs] of course, I don’t think I ever ate a hot dog from a vending stand again. JA: Describe Ray Herman to me. [NOTE: Some spell her first name “Rae,” but Mort Leav said she spelled it “Ray.”] DiPRETA: She was kind-of tall, and she was built! She was blonde and she had everything going for her. She was about 30 to 35 years old at the time.

“Dissemination Of Public Information” JA: You weren’t in the service during World War II, were you? DiPRETA: No, because I had a heart murmur. It goes beyond that, though. When I was a kid, in spite of our lack of money, my mother believed in doctors. If I had to go the doctor, I went to the doctor. The doctor told me that I had a heart murmur when I was 13 years old.

At that time, Lank was doing a story about submarines. Mickey Finn enlisted in the submarine corps up this way in New Rome, Connecticut. He showed the whole process of how they went through this, that, and the other. I thought, “This could be listed under propaganda,” so I went to my draft board in Stamford. And who was the clerk but someone I went to grammar school with—she was a lovely girl. I told her I was working on this strip, saying, “It’s for Dissemination of Public Information,” and she said she’d bring up to the board’s attention at the next meeting. And at that next meeting, they decided I was doing war work and qualified for an exemption. I was then categorized as “4-C,” and when I saw Lank, I told him that I didn’t know what that meant. Lank said, “I’ll find out about this right now.” He talked to someone, who said, “Tell Tony 4-C is on the very bottom on the pile.” And I never heard from my draft board again. I did my time with the Army when I went on at least five or more USO trips to Japan, Vietnam—while that war was going on—France, North Africa, among other places. I entertained soldiers with caricatures, and I feel I did my part. And I gave my son to the Army for ten years. Chris Hansen was in the Coast Guard for most of the war. He was on a cabin cruiser going up and down the New York City harbor. Then he’d come home on his days off—he was married. I thought that sounded good, and Bob and I went down there. I offered my services and the guy said, “You’re too short,” and dismissed me. [laughs] That was the only attempt I made. JA: Tell me about about Fred Kida. DiPRETA: Fred Kida was another very pleasant, tight-lipped guy, and a very good artist. He paints and plays musical instruments. JA: How was he tight-lipped? DiPRETA: Bob and I used to get $15 a page, and the last place I worked in comics paid $35 a page. I don’t think we were at the $35 price range yet, but whenever Bob got more money from someone, he told me. If I got more money from somebody, I told him. So that way, we were able to get a little more money. If you asked Fred Kida how much Ed Cronin was paying him, he’d never tell you. Fred subscribed to the war slogan “Keep a Tight Lip or Sink a Ship.”

“We Were A Very Happy Group”

Don’t Be A “Wise Guy” Now here’s the front of the page on whose backside Tony drew Mickey Finn’s Uncle Phil (see p. 53), plus another one: a DiPreta splash and final page from a “Little Wise Guys” story in Daredevil Comics #119 (Feb. 1955), one of the first Code-approved issues. The Wise Guys had started out as a kid gang that hung around with the original Daredevil—but in the early 1950s they had taken over the mag completely, as super-heroes fell from favor. Repro’d from photocopies of the original art. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

JA: Bob told me that both of you were a little sore at Kida when you found out that he was getting $5 a page more from Cronin than you were. DiPRETA: That’s right. The three of us were working there at the same time. But Fred worked his tail off on his art and did first class work. His sister was into fashion, and Fred always made sure that his characters were fashionably dressed.

“Charlie Biro Was The Kingpin; Bob Wood Was Sort-Of… Well, I Don’t Know” JA: Tell me about working for Charlie Biro at Lev Gleason Publications. DiPRETA: I did the “Three Wise Guys” [NOTE: actual title: “The Little Wise Guys”] in Daredevil for a time, among other things. And Bob Bernstein was doing a lot of the writing for Biro. I knew that because it was Bernstein’s name, not Biro’s, on the scripts. And Bob Bernstein was the windiest writer that you can imagine. He wrote copy that went deep into the panels. He was verbose. I always knew a Bernstein script from anybody else’s. JA: But it was Biro’s name on the printed comics, not Bernstein’s. DiPRETA: It might be that Biro gave Bernstein a plot, or he could have dictated the story to Bernstein, but I doubt that very much. I

never gave any thought to the fact that Biro’s name was on the printed comics. You know, people always talk about this being “The Golden Age of Comics.” We never thought like that. We were too concerned about getting a job and paying our bills. Actually, when you look back, there was a lot of good stuff in those old comics. Here’s how things worked. I got a script and went home to pencil it, penciling in the dialogue so I’d know how much room I’d have left to draw the panel. I turned in the penciled pages, which were then lettered by Irving Watanabe. When he finished lettering, I got the pages and inked them. One day, my mother asked if she could help me. I let her pencilletter in the dialogue, which made her very happy, so I put her on my staff. [laughs] I used to pay her, and I paid her Social Security. JA: Did you ever check out the comics when your work was printed? DiPRETA: All the time. I loved to see my work in print. JA: When you turned a story in, who did you give it to: Biro or Bob Wood? DiPRETA: I seldom ever turned in a story to Biro; it was Bob Wood— and he hardly even looked at it. He just gave the pages to Irving to letter. He had several women who worked there, who I think were proofreaders. One time, one of the women was looking at a crime story of mine. The crooks were getting out of the car and the front door opened—the hinge was towards the motor—the front part. So the door

Tony DiPreta On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them guy with blond, curly hair. I remember that he had a red convertible— either a Dodge or Plymouth—which he sold to Bob Fujitani. At that time, it was very difficult to get a car. Charlie, with his charm, got a car from a dealer and was ready to get another car. Bob was in the market for a car, so he bought Charlie’s red convertible. We went out to Long Island to pick it up and drove it back. And it was snowing like hell! We could hardly find our way back home, but we made it. You asked about them checking out our work. One time, I brought a story in and Biro looked at it. A crook was holding up a note that said something like “Give me $10,000 or you’re dead.” I wrote that on one side of the paper. The guy reading it has the writing facing him. Biro said, “What the hell is this? We don’t know what’s on the note.” I said, “Well, what should I have done? The guy’s got to read the note.” Biro said, “You could have written it on the back side, too.” [laughter] Who’s going to

Crime Doesn’t Pay, Can’t Win, And Must Lose—So There! In those days, if Gleason, Biro, & Wood had Crime Does Not Pay, Martin Goodman and Stan Lee’s Timely Comics had Crime Can’t Win. Tony D. drew for that one, too! This page from issue #11 (June 1952). Timely also had Crime Must Lose. Martin Goodman must’ve stayed awake nights thinking up those titles! Repro’d from photocopies of the original art—including TD’s sketch from the back of the page. [©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

swung out towards the reader. The hinge on the back door was next to the trunk and the door swung out towards the back of the car. She questioned me. “This is ridiculous. Car doors don’t open that way.” I said, “Oh, yes, they do.” I had a lot of photographs of old cars, because I spent time photographing them, and could prove what I said. JA: That’s what good reference is for! How big were the Lev Gleason offices? DiPRETA: They were on 32nd Street. They had a receptionist area, and on the right hand side was Irving Watanabe’s office. There was another Japanese fellow lettering, and he never said anything, but he smiled a lot. Bob Wood’s office was adjacent to theirs. There was a big room after that, and Charlie’s office was more of an official-type of office. To me, Charlie was the kingpin; Bob Wood was sort-of...well, I don’t know. JA: Biro and Wood were supposed to be partners, but you seem to think that Biro was the senior partner. DiPRETA: I’d say that he was, but I don’t know that for a fact. I always had the impression that it was Bob Wood who made the initial contact with Lev Gleason, though I don’t know that for a fact. I think Wood brought in Biro after that. Of course, Biro was a live wire. Biro was very friendly and always had a smile on his face. He was a big, hulking guy and was quite the ladies’ man. He was a handsome

Crime On Their Hands Following the post-WWII success spurt of Crime Does Not Pay, Lev Gleason’s editors Charles Biro & Bob Wood launched a second such title: Crime and Punishment. Tony kept the original art for this tale from an issue of C&P. The Biro/Wood/Gleason comics were like little B-movies made by Warner Bros. All they needed was Jimmy Cagney and Edward G. Robinson! [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

“We Were A Very Happy Group”

write a note like that on both sides of the paper? I thought that was the dumbest thing I ever heard, but I didn’t say that to Charlie. I said, “Yes sir, I’ll write it on both sides.” I was acquainted with Charlie when we were both members of the National Cartoonists Society. I was doing comic books when I joined the NCS at the end of 1946, and I dare say that I was the first comic book artist to join. I was working for Lank Leonard at the time, too. Generally, only newspaper cartoonists were members: Milton Caniff, Hal Foster, Bill Holman... people like that. Lank was anxious to go and talk to all those guys, but he wanted someone to go with him. Not that he was timid; Lank was a great diplomat and personality. Lank said, “You know, Tony, I’m going to try to get you in as a member so we can go to the meetings together.” He got me in with no trouble at all.

“[Super-hero comics] Never Did Much For Me” Russell Patterson, the great girlie Still, DiPreta had briefly drawn the costumed character “Zippo,” who appeared in Hillman’s Clue Comics #1-8 cartoonist and illustrator, was the man who between 1942-44… and in the 1980s worked with comics fan, writer, and longtime Mad associate editor sponsored Charlie Biro’s membership. Jerry DeFuccio on sketches (for a possible revival?) of the hero. This art was published in Ron Frantz’s That’s how people got in as members. Fantastic Adventures #3 in 1987. [Art ©2006 Tony DiPreta.] Charlie fit in perfectly, especially at the bar. [laughter] Then they got the idea to get the besides the crime and romance stuff. It was a commercial comic book USO to sponsor their trips. A group would consist of five cartoonists for Big Boy hamburgers. I also did one about a clown—it might have and one model. Basically, we did caricatures of soldiers. Charlie Biro been “Bozo the Clown.” That particular one was one of the rare times was one of the first guys to go on these trips, along with Russell I penciled a job for someone else to ink. We had deadlines on those, Patterson. Lank Leonard never went on those trips, so I really didn’t and Biro rented a hotel room on 57th Street and set up drawing boards go, until much later. These trips lasted about five weeks and I had to for all of us who worked on these books for him. I don’t remember have my work done before I could go. Lank Leonard was never that far who inked that job or who else was working there. ahead. I don’t know what Charlie did on those trips, but I’m sure he I was happy that I didn’t do super-hero comics; they never did was great at it! [laughs] much for me. I could do my own work and not have to worry about JA: What do you remember about Bob Wood? drawing something in someone else’s style. You know what I really liked drawing? Horror comics! Boy, I was in my glory doing those DiPRETA: He always seemed to be half out of it. Personally, I never things. I also liked doing bigfoot stuff. dealt much with Bob. I got as many scripts from Charlie as I did from Bob. I don’t know whether that was the same situation with others or not. I hate to say this about the guy, but he did practically nothing. He didn’t draw anything and I never saw him doing anything creative. I JA: You told me about working for Timely, but they didn’t really thought Bob was very sullen, and I don’t think I was one of his favorite become a big account for you until 1950. people in this world. I have no idea why, though. I always did my work as best I could and got it in on time. DiPRETA: That was a period of time when Stan Lee was handing me work right and left. I did crime stories, weird and horror stories, some JA: What do you remember about their Christmas parties? Westerns, some war—I did whatever he wanted me to. DiPRETA: I went to all of them. Charlie always wanted to give us JA: The titles your work appeared in are varied: Police Action, something special. One year, he gave us all a plaque that said, “To the Spellbound, Strange Tales, Tales of Justice, World of Fantasy, best cartoonists in the world.” It was a wooden plaque, about 8 by 10. Journey into Mystery, Menace, All True Crime, Amazing There was a big medallion in the middle, 3 or 4 inches in diameter. Adventures, Battlefront, Battleground, Crime Must Lose, Crime There was an inscription in the medallion that said something about the Can’t Win... the list goes on and on. You were everywhere! philosophy of comics and ends with the phrase, “This plaque is awarded to Tony DiPreta for excellence in comic art.” Everybody got one and DiPRETA: Stan Lee must have really liked me. [laughs] I always dealt they all said the same thing, except that the names were changed. with Stan. I know there were other editors around, but Stan was my editor. Stan was a great guy; always happy and always smiling—he I had that plaque for years, and believe me, it’s around. The last time never criticized anything I ever did. I saw it, the medallion had fallen off. Boy, that thing was beautiful! If I can find it, I’ll take a picture of it for you. But if I find it, it’ll be by I never spent any time in the offices, except for delivering and accident. I’m not the most orderly person in the world. picking up work. Once, I went to a Christmas party at his home, along with some other cartoonists. I think Dan DeCarlo was there, and even JA: Yeah, and what cartoonist is? though it wasn’t a big party, I can’t remember who else was there. DiPRETA: Right! I just remembered something else I did for Biro,

“Stan Lee Was Handing Me Work Right And Left”

Tony DiPreta On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them there without my wife. I only went there when the deadlines were tight. Otherwise, he mailed the strips to me in Connecticut and I’d work through the night to get them done, then deliver them the next morning. And boy, they liked that! If anybody wants to know the secret of success in that field—it’s that you must deliver the work on time. Mildred liked me because I delivered!

One day, I got a call from Lank Leonard’s wife. She said, “Lank is in the hospital. His appendix burst and you have to come down.” I said I’d be right down, and Miss Bella got me a flight down to Florida. The syndicate knew about Lank’s situation—that he was in the hospital and couldn’t work. Up until this time, I had never penciled Mickey Finn; all I ever did was ink the strip, “You Know What I Really Liked Drawing? Horror comics!” and I didn’t even ink the faces. That’s what Tony D. says, and we’ll take him at his word. Here are two examples of same from Timely—the one on Lank said, “Tony, you can do the left definitely pre-Code, the other most likely post-Code, and both ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.: it. Just go into the files, take a (Left:) “One Foot in the Grave” was reprinted in black-&-white, with gray tones added, in Marvel’s Monsters Unleashed! #1 Sunday strip out, and revise (1973). Editor Roy Thomas recognized DiPreta’s name from the Joe Palooka strip, and had several of his comic book efforts it.” I did just that and came up reprinted in those mags. But we wonder—was “Edward Hannigan” really the name on the tombstone in the 1950s comic, or with a new page. I sent the was that added by the young comic artist who would soon make a name for himself doing cover layouts for Marvel and DC? strip to New York and they (Right:) The considerably milder “When the Eggs Hatch!” is reprinted from the Alan Class mags published in England were delighted. Then I did the in the latter 1970s—we can tell because there’s an ad on the inside front cover for medallions featuring Spider-Man, dailies, which Lank wrote the Hulk, and Conan the Barbarian. This story popped up in Class’ Secrets of the Unknown #143. Thanks to Aussie collector and comics biographer Daniel Best. from his hospital bed. Again, the people in New York were In later years, I used to brag to my son that I knew Stan Lee. My delighted, and they knew I did them. People always wonder who does son was a collector of comic books, and once I encouraged him to what on a strip. write Stan a letter and mention my name. He did, but never got an answer. Some time later, I was at a Christmas party at King Features, At this time, the estate of Ham Fisher had the Chase National Bank and in popped Stan Lee. [laughs] I gave him hell for not giving my son as trustees. The people doing Joe Palooka were wanting a better deal; an autograph, which embarrassed him, so he gave me one for my son. their contract was coming up, and there was some bickering going on. The Syndicate called me up and asked if I was interested in doing it. I JA: You also did Beetle Bailey comics for Dell from 1957 until 1959. said I was. When the last of the strips were done by the guys doing Palooka—and it was in the middle of a story—they got a new writer DiPRETA: I didn’t do those for Dell. I did those directly for Mort and I was the new artist. I did the strip for 25 years. We had a number Walker, who lived right around the corner from me at the time. Mort of writers, but for about the last 15 years, I wrote the dailies and was a saint! He gave me all the money and didn’t keep a cent for Sundays, too. I did the strip from 1959 until November 1984. himself. He didn’t need the money and was just as happy to make sure he had a good product coming out. I left the strip because it had lost so many papers and I was tired of doing it. I decided to retire—can you imagine that? In 1984! My local paper got the news that Joe Palooka was going to end and decided to do a feature story on it. The editor put it on the press wire. No sooner JA: Why did you quit doing comic books? than the story appeared that I was blitzed by radio stations, CBS, NBC, and ABC. They all came over to my studio, one at a time, and did DiPRETA: In 1959, I got the Joe Palooka strip. Mickey Finn had been features on me doing the last of Joe Palooka. I was on Good Morning my side job; I worked two days a week for Lank Leonard on that. You America and other shows. The newspapers carried the story. I thought want to know how I got the Joe Palooka job? It’s a long story, but I’ll that, when I quit the strip, nobody would care. But they did care. tell it to you. Mildred Bella was the editor for the McNaught Syndicate. Whenever the deadline was tight on Mickey Finn, I personally The syndicate was unhappy that I was quitting because they wanted delivered the work—otherwise I’d just mail the work in after I inked it. to make a movie about Joe Palooka and it’d be a difficult sell if there was no newspaper strip. They even had Nick Nolte lined up to play the I used to go to Florida with Lank Leonard and work with him there part, just in case the movie got made. They did not want me to quit and every winter. After a while, I cut that out, because it was so lonesome

“In 1959, I Got The Joe Palooka Strip”

“We Were A Very Happy Group”

asked me to do one more story. I said I was out of ideas, but I was talked into it, so Joe Palooka had one more fight. I drew my entire family in the strip the last week, and Joe Palooka retired and went back home to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. JA: That’s what you were supposed to do, but instead, you went on to do Rex Morgan, M.D. DiPRETA: That’s right. Even before I gave up Joe Palooka, Dr. Nick Dallis, who wrote Rex Morgan, M.D., called me and said, “I got your name from Alex Kotzky and was wondering if you were interested in drawing Rex Morgan.” I told him that I just gave up Joe Palooka and was retiring. He said, “Okay,” and that was that.

Tony & Joe Tony in 1966, drawing the Ham Fisher-created Joe Palooka, in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, surrounded by daughter Janet, wife Frances, and son Edward; another son, Richard, was not yet born. In this undated daily, Joe is still the heavyweight champ, as he had been for decades—but soon, to meet changing public tastes, he’d hang up the gloves and become a golf-playing family man. Wonder if Tony played golf…! [Photo ©2006 Tony DiPreta; Joe Palooka art ©2006 McNaught Syndicate, Inc., or successors in interest.]

Then I called my wife and said, “Frances, this guy named Nick Dallis called me up and asked me to draw Rex Morgan. The money’s good.” She asked me what my answer was and I told her I wasn’t interested. So she called our daughter, who was just getting out of college and was planning on going to medical school. She said, “What is he? Crazy? Tell him to take that job, because I want to go to medical school.” [laughter] Well, I said, “Okay,” and I called Dallis back and told him I had changed my mind. Now, it was Gill Fox who told Alex Kotzky to call me. Alex was drawing Apartment 3-G, which Nick had created and was writing. I did Rex Morgan for 14 years. I put two kids through medical school with that strip. I also put another one through law school. Of all the things I’ve done in my life, that was the most important to me. I’ve had a good career, but I am most proud of my daughter and two sons. JA: I can understand that, because family is what matters most. By the way, tell me about Alex Kotzky.

DiPRETA: Alex Kotzky was a genius. Seven other people had tried out for Rex Morgan, but Dallis didn’t like their work. I guess I got the job because they ran out of people to try. [laughs] In the beginning, I would go see Alex and show him what I was doing on the strip, while I got my feet wet. When he had time, he’d critique my work. He’d say, “Don’t just have Rex stand there talking. Have him drink a cup of coffee.” He was great at things like that. Remember what I said about

how Lou Fine couldn’t break down? Well, Alex could really break down. He knew how to make everything interesting and worked very, very hard. He didn’t even know what it looked like outside of his studio. [laughs] JA: I know it’s hard to believe, but I forgot to ask you a question. Around 1973 until 1977, you worked for Charlton Comics. DiPRETA: Oh, yeah! At that point in time, I needed money because I was putting my daughters through school. Jay Roberge, Mort Walker’s assistant on Beetle Bailey, told me that Charlton Press needed artists. I went to see them and started working on The Great Gazoo and Flintstones comics. I wrote and drew and maybe even lettered them. That was a money-maker for me, because it was bigfoot stuff, which I could do very easily. My editor was George Wildman, who also did the Popeye comic books. George was an amiable guy who was very proud of his Popeye. I stopped doing those books because they canceled the titles. JA: What do you do these days? DiPRETA: I’m completely retired now, though I paint for fun. I paint mostly Hawaiian landscapes. My wife and I travel a lot and enjoy life. I tell you, it’s the greatest thing to go around the world and see what’s there. There’s a lot to see!

The Doctor Is Still “In” Ye Editor was pleased as Punch and Judy to receive this inscribed original daily of Rex Morgan, M.D. from Tony D. The self-caricature at left was done in the 1990s. [Caricature ©2006 Tony DiPreta; Rex Morgan ©2006 McNaught Syndicate or its successors in interest.]

Tony DiPreta On Comic Books, Comic Strips, & The People Behind Them

TONY DiPRETA Checklist [This Checklist is adapted from information supplied by Jerry G. Bails from his online Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928-99. See facing page for information on this invaluable website. Names of features which appeared both in comic books of that particular title and also in other comics are generally not italicized below, e.g., Silly Seal and Ziggy Pig. Reprint comics are generally not listed. Some data below was provided by Tony DiPreta, via Jim Amash. Key: (a) = full art; (p) = pencils only; (i) = inks only; (w) = writer; (let) = lettering; (d) = daily newspaper comic strip (Mon. through Sat.); (S) = Sunday newspaper comic strip.] Name: Anthony Louis DiPreta (b. 1921) (artist) Education: Silvermine Guild (art school); writing at Columbia University, NYC, and University of Connecticut Influences: Lank Leonard Member: National Cartoonists Society Print Media (non-comics): illustrator: advertising – Electrolux, Georgia Pacific, General Foods 1975-90 Fine Arts: mosaic murals for church in Stamford, CT; painter – watercolors (studied with Herb Olsen) Promotional Comics: Popeye (a) 1972/75 for King Features Syndicate – Career Awareness Program Syndicated Credits (newspaper comic strips): Joe Palooka (d)(S)(w/a) 1972-84 for McNaught Syndicate; Mickey Finn (d)(S?)(asst a) 1942-59 for McNaught Syndicate; Rex Morgan, M.D. (d)(S)(a) 1983-

99+ for Field Enterprises/News America Syndicate/North America Syndicate (name changes due to mergers/purchases); Tim Tyler’s Luck (let) for King Features Syndicate – dates unknown. COMIC BOOK CREDITS (Mainstream US Publishers): Comics Studio (Shop): L.B. Cole Studio (a) 1944-45 Ace Periodicals: Magno (a) 1945 Archie Publications: The Hangman (a) 1942-43 Aviation Press: Contact Comics (a) 1945 Charlton Comics: covers (a) 1973-77; The Flintstones (w/a/let) 1974-76; The Great Gazoo (w/a/let) 1973-77; Popeye (w/a/let) 1972 Dell Publications: Beetle Bailey (a) 1957-59 – done through Mort Walker Hillman Periodicals: Airboy (a) 1943-46; backup feature (a) 1944 in Airboy Comics; The Boy King (a) 1944; Buttons the Rabbit (a) 194445; Captain Codfish (a) 1942-46, 1948; crime (a) 1948; Earl the Rich Rabbit (a) 1947; Fatsy McPig (a) 1944-45; The Flying Dutchman (p/i) 1943, 1946; The Iron Ace (a) 1944; Private Skinny McGinty (a) 1943-47; Stupid Manny (a) 1942-44, 1946; Wun Wing Span (a) 1942 filler; Zippo (a) 1943 Holyoke Publications: Mighty Mite (a) 1945-46; Power Comics (a) 1944; Suspense Comics (a) 1944-46 [imprint: ET-ES-GO] Lev Gleason Publications: crime (a) 1954-55; Crime and Punishment (a) 1948-53; Crime Does Not Pay (a/some w) 1948-50; Dangerous Dan (a) no date; Daredevil (a) 1940s; Desperado (a) 1949; Little Wise Guys (a) 1955; romance (a) 1950-51; Western (a) 1950 Magazine Enterprises: American Air Forces c. 1943; US Marines (a) 1944-45

The Voice Of The Turtle Cries “Werewolf!” Tony and wife Frances in a 2002 photo; they’ve retired to Turtle Bay, Oahu, Hawaii…and clearly, it’s aptly named. And, just because he says he really dug drawing horror comics, here’s the final page from “Wanted: One Werewolf” from Journey into Mystery #15. [Photo ©2006 Tony DiPreta; art ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

Marvel/Timely Comics: Adventures into Terror (a) 1952-53; Adventures into Weird Worlds (a) 1952-54; All True Crime Cases (a) 1951; Amazing Detective Cases (a) 1951-52; Astonishing (a) 1952, 1954, 1957; backup features (a) for Western Kid and Billy Buckskin Western; Battlefront (a) 1956; Battleground (a) 1954; Billy Buckskin (a) 1955; Crime Can’t Win (a) 1951-52; Crime Cases Comics (a) 195152; Crime Exposed (a) 1952; filler (a) 1957; Homer the Happy Ghost (a) 1957-58; Journey into Mystery (a) 1952, 1956-57; Journey into Unknown Worlds (a) 1955, 1957; Justice Comics (a) 1952-54; Marvel Tales (p/i) 1952-54; Matt Slade (a) 1956; Menace (a) 1954; Mystery Tales (a) 1952-56; Mystic (a) 1952-56; Mystical Tales (a) 1957; Police Action (a) 1954; romance (a) 1951; Silly Seal and Ziggy Pig (a) c. 1945; Spellbound (a) 1952-54; Strange Stories of Suspense (a) 1957; Strange Tales (a) 1952-57; Strange Tales of the Unusual (a) 1957; Suspense (a) 1950, 1952; Tales of Justice (a) 1956; Two-Gun Western (a) 1957; Uncanny Tales (a) 1953-54, 1956; war (a) 1951-56; World of Fantasy (a) 1956-57; World of Suspense (a) 1956-57; Young Men (a) 1951; Ziggy Pig (a) 1941, 1944-46

In Memoriam

Alex Toth “The Artist’s Artist” (1928-2006) by Ron Goulart We’re sorry to announce that Alex Toth, the legendary artist who has been a regular contributor to Alter Ego for the past few years, passed away on May 27. Although the interview he and I had recently discussed was destined never to come to pass, our December issue (#63) will be a special tribute to this comics genius. The following piece by comics historian Ron Goulart appeared in his 1986 book The Great Comic Book Artists [Vol. 1]; it is © 1986, 2006 by RG and reprinted with his permission. —Roy.

ne of the real mavericks of comics, Alex Toth has been in the business for forty years and has yet to settle into a rut. His next job won’t be exactly like the last one, and you can be certain he won’t be drawing next year the way he was last year. He considers himself to be still learning and believes that the most important ability an artist can develop is “the ability to tell the story.” Toth’s restlessness, his need to push into new areas and try new ways of telling his stories, coupled with his willingness to speak up for his views, have kept him from settling into a comfortable niche. This has meant that the majority of comics fans, who tend to favor year-in-yearout consistency in their cartoonists, have been more perplexed than enthusiastic about his work. In the introduction to a Toth interview published in Graphic Story Magazine in 1970, Gil Kane implied that Toth—“one of the finest artists comics ever produced”—was not for the average reader and was basically an artist’s artist. Fifteen years later, The Comic Journal reprinted the interview under the title “Still the ‘Artist’s Artist.’” This may be the tag that’ll stick to Toth for the rest of his career.

Alexander Toth was born in New York City in 1928. An only child, he found himself with a lot of time to fill: “I began to doodle at age three, but couldn’t sell a thing until I was fifteen.” He attended the High School of Industrial Arts, where he rubbed shoulders with other would-be cartoonists. While still in high school, he started getting assignments from Steve Douglas at Famous Funnies, Inc. This consisted of two- and three-page stories and spot illustrations for text fillers in Heroic Comics. In 1947, after “pestering” him for several years, Toth was hired by Sheldon Mayer to work for the All-American division of DC. “He was terrific,” Toth has said of his editor. “Warm, wildly funny, unpredictable from moment to moment, and with a great flair for dramatic impact and zany antics.” The super-heroes were still thriving in those early postwar years. Toth illus-

trated the adventures of quite a few of them, including Green Lantern, Dr. Mid-Nite, The Atom, and The Justice Society of America. By this time he’d fallen under the spell of the newspaper work of Milton Caniff, Frank Robbins, and Noel Sickles, his lifelong idol. “What I gained from Noel,” he’s said, “was an appreciation for economy, clarity, line, mass, pattern, perspective, dramatic movement, subtlety, light source and drop shadow mechanics, negative and positive silhouette values, shapes and the overlapping of same, tension.” Toth’s stuff in this period is very good, but he still looks like a gifted disciple of the Caniff school. He hadn’t yet assimilated all that Sickles had to teach. His work stood out, though, and he was soon a star at DC.

Toth moved around a good deal in the 1950s, changing his style several times. He likes to quote some advice Roy Crane once gave him—“Don’t draw too much into each panel. Throw out everything you don’t need to tell the story!” He did some exceptional work for an issue of Crime and Punishment, using doubletone paper to get his depth effects. He drew romance comics for several publishers, developing a fresh, cinematic approach that other artists went on imitating for years. He ghosted the Casey Ruggles newspaper strip, spent some time in the service, and then settled in Southern California. From the middle 1950s into the 1960s, he did most of his comic book work for Dell-Western. Toth’s specialty was comic book adaptations of movies and television shows—Zorro, 77 Sunset Strip, Rio Bravo, Sea Hunt, The FBI Story, The Real McCoys, etc. He was constantly experimenting, even with the basic tools he used. He was one of the first in comics to use a Rapidograph pen and the now fairly common markers. Living in Southern California, Toth became interested in animation. He did his first work in the field in 1964 and has been in and out of it ever since, mostly as a character design man for outfits like Hanna-Barbera. He still works in comic books now and then. He did some excellent artwork for the Warren black&-whites. His major job there was “Bravo for Adventure” in The Rook, which allowed him to indulge his fondness for the 1930s, airplanes, and the movies. It’s no coincidence that Jesse Bravo, the daredevil stunt flyer, looks an awful lot like Errol Flynn. Toth has also worked for European publishers, on features like Torpedo 1936. Toward the end of that 1970 interview, he admitted, “I expected to have done a lot more with it than I have. I am my biggest disappointment.” It’s that disappointment, of course, that keeps him going and keeps him always several lengths ahead of the pack.

In Memoriam!

Dick Rockwell (1920-2006) “He Deserved More Time In The Spotlight Than He Received” by Mark Evanier

omic book/comic strip artist Richard Waring Rockwell passed away on Tuesday, April 18, at the age of 85.

Dick was a charming gentleman who lived too much of his life in the shadow of others. His name was rarely mentioned without noting that he was (a) the nephew of the great illustrator Norman Rockwell, and (b) Milton Caniff’s uncredited ghost on the Steve Canyon newspaper strip for some 35 years. Dick began his comic book career in 1948 working for Stan Lee at what was then called Timely Comics. He also drew for Lev Gleason, Dell, and several other publishers before (and occasionally after) connecting in 1952 with Caniff. The way the story is told, Rockwell applied for membership in the National Cartoonists Society, which involved submitting a sample of his work. Caniff, who was then in charge of looking over applications, saw Rockwell’s art and immediately called him to say he qualified for membership and to ask if he was available for work. Rockwell was… and he was soon drawing a lot more of Caniff’s strip than Caniff was. For much of the next 3.5 decades, Milton would write the strip, Rockwell would pencil and ink in everything but the main characters, and then the art would go to Caniff, who would finish things off and retouch wherever he deemed necessary. After Caniff passed away in 1988, Rockwell brought the strip to a proper close and then turned his attention to his other projects. All the time he’d been working on Steve Canyon, he had also been drawing editorial cartoons, illustrating books, and working intermittently as a courtroom sketch artist. Dick also taught art for over thirty years at New York University and the Parsons School of Design, and had recently been teaching at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. I was privileged to work with Dick on a few projects, including a Blackhawk story of mine that he illustrated. He was a dedicated professional who deserved more time in the spotlight than he received. [A full-scale interview with Dick Rockwell, conducted by Jim Amash a year or two ago, will see print in an early issue of Alter Ego. Our thanks to Mark Evanier for his permission to reprint this short piece, with minor editing, from his website newsfromme.com.]

From The West To The Wild Blue Yonder Dick Rockwell, and samples of both his comic book and comic strip work: a bylined splash page from Lev Gleason’s Black Diamond Western #32 (March 1952)—and a domesticated Steve Canyon daily for June 14, 1957, which no doubt he largely ghosted for Milt Caniff. Thanks to Michael Dewalley for the comic book page. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

Art by Gil Kane & Murphy Anderson

Twice-Told Gilbert! by Michael T. Gilbert We’ve seen numerous examples of comic book recycling in previous installments of the Comic Crypt. For simplicity’s sake, I call any such creative reworking a Twice-Told Tale. Sometimes cartoonists recycle older art to save time or money. Sometimes they just do it for fun. What comics fan hasn’t looked at a favorite cover and wished they could have drawn it? Or wondered how it would look if he had? Long-time fan Fred Hembeck has redrawn numerous covers over the years, and even pros like Neal Adams have been inspired to re-create favorite covers they admired from their youth. Such homages are not surprising. After all, most

Art by Fred Hembeck.

Art by Bob Kane.

Art by Neal Adams.

Twice-Told Gilbert!

65 Previous page: Cover of Green Lantern #20 (April 1963), by Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson (top left)—plus (top right) my Golden Age re-creation thereof. (Bottom left:) Fred Hembeck’s re-do. (Bottom right:) The cover of Detective Comics #31 (Sept. 1939) by Bob Kane, and Neal Adams’ stunning re-do for Batman #227 (Dec. 1970). This Page: (Bottom left:) Steve Ditko’s unused cover to Amazing Spider-Man #10 (March 1964). (Bottom right:) The published cover by Ditko and Jack Kirby. Ditko drew The Enforcers; Spidey was penciled by Kirby and perhaps inked by Ditko (or maybe, Jim Amash suggests, by Sol Bgrodsky).

cartoonists were fans long before they were pros. Such recreations are an indulgence—but a fun one! I’m as culpable as anyone when it comes to doing such tributes. Consider it my guilty pleasure. Take for example, my Twice-Told Green Lantern cover on the facing page. Earlier this year, collector Craig Popplewells commissioned me to draw a pin-up featuring the Golden Age Green Lantern and Flash. His request immediately brought to mind a series of classic Flash/Green Lantern crossovers in the early ’60s, so I suggested re-doing one of those covers, but replacing the featured Silver Age heroes with their Golden Age counterparts. I also added GL’s original 1940s logo for a more authentic look.

Twice-Told Ditko! Then there’s my piece done for Ron Lim (the fan, the not the cartoonist of the same name!). Ron requested a picture of Spider-Man battling The Enforcers for his online Spider-Man gallery. Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby first drew The Enforcers on the cover of Amazing Spider-Man #10, seen at bottom near-left. However, editor Stan Lee had previously rejected an earlier version by Ditko (bottom far-left), making the published cover a Twice-Told one. I thought it might be fun to try a Thrice-Told cover—as seen at top left.

I had a great time on that project—and why not? Steve Ditko remains one of my strongest influences. His brilliant storytelling and unpretentious drawings are truly inspiring, particularly his classic ’50s and ’60s work for Marvel and Charlton. Whenever I’m offered a chance to “channel” his art on a project, I take it. Last year my good friend and fellow Ditko-maniac Batton Lash made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. When not publishing his own Supernatural Law comic, Bat scripts the Simpsons spin-off super-hero spoof Radioactive Man for Bongo Comics. Last year, Bat wrote and penciled three short “Radioactive Man” stories, parodying some early-1960s “Captain Atom” tales originally scripted by Joe Gill and drawn by Steve Ditko for Charlton comics. When Bat asked me if I’d be interested in inking his Twice-Told Take-offs in my best pseudo-Ditko style, he didn’t have to ask twice! (See next page.) Another Twice-Told Tale also involved Steve Ditko. In 1953 Steve drew his first comic book story, “Stretching Things,” for Farrell’s Fantastic Fears #5. (It was reprinted in Mr. Monster #6.) Almost forty years later, Bruce Hamilton began a shortlived line of black-&-white comics, Hamilton Comics. Knowing Bruce was the very person who had scripted

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

“Stretching Things” in 1953, I convinced him to let me write and draw a sequel, recapping the original and then continuing it. Though Hamilton Comics folded before “Revenge of the Boneless Man!” could see print, it finally came out earlier this year in a Mr. Monster special from Atomeka.

Twice-Told Terror!

(Above:) Ditko’s splash for “Stretching Things” from Fantastic Fears #5 (Jan. 1954). The villain dissolves into a puddle of gooey flesh in the final panel. Ikk! [©2006 the respective copyright holder.]

And, of course, how could I resist doing a Twice-Told “Mr. Monster” story? In 1947, cartoonist Fred Kelly had Doc battle “The Terror of Trezma!” in Mr. Monster’s only Golden Age appearance. Decades later, I retold part of that story in my Mr. Monster: Origins graphic novel. Looking back, I still find Fred Kelly’s straightforward

Twice-Told Gilbert!

An action page from Fred Kelly’s “The Terror of Trezma!” from Super Duper Comics #3 (May 1947), and Gilbert’s re-do from Mr. Monster, Vol. 2, #1 (Feb. 1988). [Art at left ©2006 the respective copyright holders; page at right ©2006 Michael T. Gilbert.]

bullet-in-the-head approach the more powerful version. That’s it for now. I hope you enjoyed my little Twice-Told art gallery. And before anyone asks… yes, I do occasionally take art commissions like the ones you’ve just seen. These generally go in the $200-$500 range, depending on complexity. For more information, write to me at: mgilbert00@comcast.net While you’re at it, feel free to ask for a free e-mail catalogue filled with all kinds of neat “Mr. Monster” products. We still have copies of Mr. Monster #6 from 1986 (with the reprint of Ditko’s “Stretching Things!”), as well as a recently-published Mr. Monster special from Atomeka, featuring my sequel, “Revenge of the Boneless Man!” It’ll melt your bones! Next issue, we’ve conjured up some Twice-Told “Dr. Strange” covers-that-never-were. You Ditko-maniacs won’t want to miss this one! Till next time…

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

Bonus points! These aren’t exactly Twice-Told covers, but we thought you’d enjoy them! This imaginary All-Star Comics #31 cover at left, first printed in Alter Ego #14, illustrates an unpublished mid-1940s “Justice Society” story, “The Will of William Wilson.” And the imaginary More Fun Comics cover at right, a sequel to that of More Fun #56, was drawn in April 2006 for collector Deane Aikins. [JSA, Dr. Fate, Spectre, & Wotan TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

Comic Fandom Archive

The Fabulous ’40s – The First Full Decade Of Comic Books A Panel Discussion With OTTO BINDER, LARRY IVIE, TED WHITE—And, For The First And Only Time, KLAUS NORDLING Part VII of “1966: The Year Of (Nearly) Three New York Comics Conventions” Edited by Bill Schelly (with Roy Thomas)

Transcribed by Brian K. Morris either in print or in public, and there were virtually no true reference works on comic books.

Introduction

s reported in previous installments of this series (which began in issue #53), the first of three seminal comics conventions held in New York City between mid-1966 and very early 1967 was hosted by comics historian John Benson in July of ’66. Although by then certain basic facts about the history of comic books had been clearly established, it must be remembered that only a small number of comics professionals who had been active during the Golden Age had ever been interviewed,

Thus, Benson put together a panel composed of moderator Ted White (already a professional writer, though in non-comics fields such as jazz criticism and science-fiction), Larry Ivie (a knowledgeable fan artist and writer who had done scripts for Marvel and Tower and would soon publish his own pro magazine, Monsters and Heroes), Otto Binder (Golden Age scripter of Fawcett’s “Captain Marvel” and other features, who in the mid-’60s was writing

…And Four To Go! Panelists (l. to r.) Klaus Nordling… Otto Binder… Larry Ivie… and moderator Ted White—juxtaposed with: (a) a Nordling “Lady Luck” splash… (b) the first meeting of the World’s Mightiest Mortal and Oggar, the World’s Mightiest Immortal, in Captain Marvel Adventures #61 (May 24, 1946) with story by Binder, art by C.C. Beck… and (c) the climactic page from Ivie’s solo scripting foray for Marvel, from Strange Tales #132 (May 1965), with art by Bob Powell & Mike Esposito. Ted White was about to commence writing the Captain America prose novel The Great Gold Steal. [Lady Luck art ©2006 Will Eisner Studios; CMA art ©2006 DC Comics; Human Torch/ Thing art ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.; photo ©2006 Jack C. Harris.]

Klaus Nordling

for the “Superman” group of comics at DC), and artist/writer Klaus Nordling. Nordling was noted especially for his work done directly for Quality Comics in the 1940s and early ’50s, and on the feature Lady Luck, which for most of the ’40s had appeared each week in the Sunday Spirit newspaper comics supplement, which was packaged by Spirit creator Will Eisner. We take you back now to July 24th, 1966, at the Park Sheraton Hotel in midtown Manhattan, courtesy of John Benson’s audio tapes. Partly because of the poor sound quality of this particular tape, and partly because so much of the information divulged on the panel has been covered extensively elsewhere since (e.g., Otto Binder’s remarks partly duplicated those he made at David Kaler’s 1965 comicon, as transcribed in the still-available Alter Ego #20), we have concentrated on the part of the panel which featured Klaus Nordling—who had appeared at no previous convention and, to the best of our knowledge, never again appeared at a comicon before his death twenty years later. Considerable editing has been necessary, because certain words, or even sections, were unintelligible on the tape to transcriber Brian Morris, Fandom Archive editor Bill Schelly, and A/E editor Roy Thomas, all of whom went over it with a finetooth comb. Here and there, the latter will briefly interrupt the proceedings to advise (in italics) of some uncertainty. Our focus here on Nordling is not in any way meant to slight the other members of the panel. Larry Ivie gave the mostly-young, Marvel-and-DC-oriented audience an informed overview of the Golden Age of Comic Books; and Otto (Eando) Binder had some wry things to say about the Big Red Cheese. For instance, when first introduced by Ted White, Otto reminded people that he had not created the super-hero with whom he was so closely associated from 1941-53: “I didn’t make Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel made me!” Mid-point in the panel, Ted White asked Klaus Nordling to speak: KLAUS NORDLING: Dealing with the artists of that time, and the writers—it was like a big plant with a lot of camaraderie and a lot of fun and a lot of bounce and vitality. And I haven’t been in this business for, oh, 15 years, so I don’t know what it’s like today, but if it’s anything like it used to be…! One thing I thought of while listening is that the comic books in the ’40s had a much bigger impact on the social scene than they do today. That’s because there wasn’t television then…. [several unintelligible words] I don’t mean that the impact was either good or bad, but there was some squabbling about it. There was a lot of censorship that was threatening all the time. Actual censorship never did happen, except they did form a little self—what do you call it?— LARRY IVIE: Self-censorship. NORDLING: —self-censoring body for a while, at the end of the ’40s. But there were parents who were tearing up their kids’ magazines—and even some of us, ourselves, thought they weren’t worth much anyway. I threw a lot of my own stuff away that I wish I had today. IVIE: That’s why they’re all rare.

Cartoonists & Detectives Klaus Nordling, circa 1958, at a time when he was directing and acting in stage productions—and a splash he signed “Nord” for a 1940s story of “Pen Miller,” the “cartoonist-detective.” The publicity still, taken by one James F. Dugan, appeared in ACE Comics Presents… #3 (see next caption); courtesy of Ron Frantz. Thanks to Shane Foley for the art, from an Australian reprint. [Art & photo ©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

NORDLING: [Parents’ Magazine?] kept a monthly list of which comic books were taboo and which you were permitted to let the children read. Of course, they had the driest stuff—the “historical” things. Straight history, not comedy—no blood, no guts, or anything. But they were on the top of the list. But, of course, hardly any of the kids that I knew read those things. What would happen is you’d go to Grand Central and you’d find a parent buying the historical things— Bible stories for the kids to read on the train—where the kids are looking at all the other stuff, especially the ones that had a blonde on the cover. Now, as far as all the titles you mentioned, they were around all through this period. A lot of fly-by-night publishing companies came up. They’d publish maybe one or two or three months. With so many books on the stands, everybody started losing a little, and these fly-bynights would probably be out for a while. And then, a few weeks later, you’d have some more fly-by-nights. The outfit I was with, the Quality Comics Group, managed to last all through the period, up until around ’51, I think. When television came in—when did it start, really? About ’49 or something like that—that’s when TV programs started affecting the comic book sales. [NOTE: Actually, “Busy” Arnold’s Quality Comics lasted through 1956, though with decreasing circulation and distribution.] So a lot of even the old-time companies started folding, because sales just didn’t keep up. Now as far as myself, if anybody’s interested in any of the titles that

The Fabulous ’40s

And I did a series called “Bob and Swab”—[one] about a boxer, a heavyweight champion, “Kid Dixon”—“Greasemonkey Griffin,” airplane stories—“Shot and Shell,” a couple of adventurers; “Spark Stevens,” a radio Navy man; “Powder Burns,” an adventurer; “Lt. Drake,” Navy stories; “Crash, Cork, and the Baron”—that was a real clinker! That was the first thing I ever did. When I look at that stuff, I don’t recognize my [unintelligible]. “Wonder Boy” was a take-off on a young Superman; “Shorty Shortcake” was funny animals. As a matter of fact, if I read you [Larry Ivie’s earlier remarks?] correctly, my animal stories may have become musical animated features, is that right? And what else have I got here? [Unintelligible name of series]— that’s not important. [audience laughs] Then I wrote a few things. I did “Buckskin Benson” for the publisher that did Airboy… IVIE: Hillman. NORDLING: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now [all] that was a lot of work. When I look back on it, I wonder how the heck did I ever manage to produce all that stuff? But I used to think it easy, and they were a lot of fun because I had a free hand. And another thing I might bring up— most of these yarns, in that period anyway, were done sort-of serious. I don’t mean that anybody took them serious, but they were written and drawn seriously, whereas there were a few like myself—and Jules Feiffer, incidentally, did some for the Quality comic books… [unintelligible comment from Otto Binder] Yeah, I remember he [Feiffer or someone else?] never used his own name, but he did something. A few of us, and I, especially—my attack was never to take my own stuff quite seriously. But later on, I started poking fun at my own stories, a sort of tongue-in-cheek approach, and I tried to introduce an element of satire into things. I can’t keep my mind, for instance, on my cooking or counterfeiting or chewing gum or anything, and I try to play up a story around that and make a satire of

With Frantz Like These… Nordling splashes for two of his features, “Bob and Swab” and “The Barker.” Both were reprinted in black-&-white in Ron J. Frantz’s Ace Comics Presents… #3 (Oct. 1987). Ron prepared the issue as a special tribute to Nordling only a few months after the artist/writer’s fatal heart attack: “He had been shoveling snow in the throes of a harsh New England winter, and we all felt the cold.” Great book, R.F.! Contact him at magilla445@aol.com to learn how to get a copy. [©2006 ACE Comics, Inc.]

I did—I did quite a few titles. Incidentally, come to think of it, I should mention this: today, they may be done differently, but in those days, you’d have a writer, and an artist. Then you’d have a lettering man, and then you’d have a girl in a bullpen booth who did coloring. They were mostly done that way. I didn’t do mine that way. I wrote and drew my own stuff. I handlettered it, drew the boxes, and drew the whole shebang. Very seldom was anyone else involved. And I also did a thing called “Lady Luck,” which appeared every Sunday in a [newspaper] section called The Spirit Section. The Spirit was done by Will Eisner. I did the second feature, “Lady Luck,” and the third feature, which was done for a while, was by Bob Powell—called “Mr. Mystic.” Bob Powell was there about 5 or 6 years [of the period] that I’m talking about now. But Will Eisner and I stuck with this for over about ten years, I think it was, actually. And if any of these titles are familiar to you, I could go down the list. I did an awful lot of them. “The Barker” was a circus story, and later appeared as its own book. “Pen Miller” was a cartoon detective which was very popular—relatively popular with kids. Incidentally, I found that my stuff was very popular with the other artists, and they’d come up to me and tell me that they liked to read my stuff—so this probably had a bad effect on me, because I started putting a lot of inside humor into the things, which wasn’t good for the reading public.

Klaus Nordling

the [unintelligible] scene. So I had a lot of fun, but maybe that’s why it appeals to so many adults—my stuff, particularly. Now, maybe it wasn’t good for sales, because kids were the prime buyers. But anyway, I had fun and I made a little money at it.

Well, I’d go home and I’d figure out some characters and also the first story, and he [Will Eisner] would say, “Well, this is good, this is fine, but let’s change this and change that.” With others, he and whoever else he’d talked the story over with would develop the whole theme, and Will Eisner would even draw the characters to begin with, and then they would plan it with the artist together with the script. They talked with another writer, and now the writer’d be in on the deal, and they’d handed the artist the job so all he had to do was interpret the script, and he didn’t have much of the original creation. He wasn’t a midwife in any sense. Is that clear enough for you, or do you need any more clarity on that?

IVIE: Can you tell us how old you were at the time? NORDLING: Oh, I must have been about five years old. [audience laughs] When I started, let me think, I must have been about 24 or 23, something like that. I don’t quite remember the exact time. I sort-of leaped into it. Oh, one thing that Jerry DeFuccio [then associate editor of Mad magazine] has told me, and several [other] people [have, is] that my stories reminded them of plays or movie scripts. I hadn’t thought of that until it was mentioned to me, and then I realized why it was so. It’s because concurrently with all that time drawing, I read plays. And so I guess [that affected] my writing approach to these things. And, as a matter of fact, I did write a few scripts occasionally for other people. They’d be written like movie scenarios in a sense, but I might put in a twitch of an eyebrow or something. In each panel, I tried to have everything that could go into the picture. But this sometimes threw the artists completely, if they just weren’t very good artists, or [if] they just drew them. Is there anything else you can think to ask me? Now you can ask me how old I am. TED WHITE: How closely did you work with Will Eisner?

WHITE: Well, let me ask you another question. The Spirit Sunday Section was a unique thing in the history of either newspaper or comic magazine publishing. Do you have any idea how that got started, and what role both you and Eisner played?

After The Thin Man So far as Jerry Bails’ records show, Nordling’s lone job for Timely/Marvel was the origin of “Thin Man” in Mystic Comics #4 (Aug. 1940), a hero who’s appeared rather more often since Ye Editor retconned him as a member of the WWII “Liberty Legion” in the mid-1970s. Surprisingly, this one-shot hero was in several key ways a harbinger of Jack Cole’s 1941 “Plastic Man,” though the powers he gained in the “Mystic” East enabled him only to grow super-thin, not stretch or totally reshape himself. Both Nordling and Cole, of course, would later do the bulk of their comics work for Quality Comics Group, and both would be involved with Will Eisner’s Spirit section. Chances are Nordling both wrote and drew this story, springboarding from the name of the detective novel by Dashiell Hammett and the popular series of 1930s movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy . With thanks to Matt Moring, who restored the art. [©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

NORDLING: I don’t know anything of how it got started. Will was always looking for a buck wherever he could see one, and he just thought this was a great idea. He wanted to make money with it, and he just thought it out of his own head, as far as I know. And he invented The Spirit and he needed two more features for it, and he asked me if I’d handle one of them—that’s about the size of it. All I knew was that it was his idea. BINDER: He’d been in this business before.

NORDLING: Oh, I worked very close with him. Will Eisner had a tremendous capacity for ideas and a terrific comedy sense. A real satire sense. With a lot of this stuff, when he was with Quality Comics at the same time I was, often what would happen is this: Will was really what you might call the editor or the prime-mover guy, the guiding genius. He’d say, “Why don’t you do a new feature for the book?”

NORDLING: Will had been in this business. I had originally done the syndicate thing way back… the Baron Munchausen strip, but that had nothing to do with it. That was before I got into comic books.

You realize he did not do this with everybody. He did it with me because we had a certain rapport. He called me into the office—he called me at home, but into the office—and say we need a new feature and he’d say, “I have an idea. I want this kind and this kind of area, a milieu. Now you dream up a set of characters, and it operates in this particular theater.” Let’s say it’s like this, say, “Pen Miller,” a cartoon detective that I did. He’d say, “I want a cartoon in the paper, do it up.” Once I did a little character who was Japanese, so he’d be foreign. I had to change him from Japan when the war started. I had to change it from Japanese to something else. It was Filipino or Chinese or whatever he was. Suddenly, I had to change his name in mid-stream [unintelligible].

DON THOMPSON: Klaus, today, you are not in comic books. When did you leave… and why? [audience laughs]

WHITE: Do we have questions from the audience? Don? Go ahead, ask your question.

NORDLING: Why? TV. In those days, TV had a real strong effect… and I left the comic books around1951, I think. And it wasn’t so much my leaving as the comic books leaving me. I did all of my work at that time for Quality comic books, and they were losing money fast all of a sudden, starting in the year of ’50 to ’51, maybe even ’49. Sales went down—they went down all over—and they began suffering. And Everett Arnold, or “Busy” Arnold as we called the publisher, kept dropping books, one after another, one after another.

The Fabulous ’40s

Luck, Be A Lady Tonight “Lady Luck,” whose back-up adventures during Nordling’s reign were allotted just 4 pages to The Spirit’s 7 or 8, wasn’t an action feature—but Nordling could handle action, as well as cheesecake, when the occasion arose. Prior to his tenure, she didn’t wear even a flimsy veil to protect her secret identity. Repro’d in the 1980 Ken Pierce book Lady Luck, Vol. 2. Hey, anybody out there got a copy of Vol. 1 they’d like to sell? Please?? [©2006 Will Eisner Studios.]

I know mine went on for a while and then suddenly, boom! And at one point, I think the only thing that he was left with—I think, maybe in ’52—was Blackhawk, and he was sticking with that. And I don’t know how long Blackhawk lasted. [NOTE: Till 1956, actually— along with a handful of other Quality titles. —Roy.] It wasn’t very long. But I did continue to make a lot of the Sunday features for a while…. [Several sentences unintelligible at this point, alas, although the audience apparently found what Nordling said hilarious. Someone asked what he was doing now.]

also do little 16-page booklets, 5-by-7 size, and all this for many organizations. I do stuff for the Army. A lot of it is promotional, some is sort-of inspirational stuff, like about giving blood to the Red Cross. This time, we finally get you to give some.

I’m doing mostly—well, it’s not exactly commercial work. I do some jobs in the comic book mold for commercial jobs. For instance, Wonder Bread or [unintelligible] and earth-shaking things like that. I

[After a few more questions from the audience, primarily about the “Superman/Captain Marvel” lawsuit, the panel ends.]

BINDER: We’d love to. NORDLING: What was I saying? Oh yeah. A lot of Army stuff, right—and then I did posters and—well, maybe twenty years from now I’ll get a little organized. [audience laughs]

KLAUS NORDLING Checklist [This Checklist is adapted from information supplied by Jerry G. Bails from his online Who’s Who of American Comic Books (1928-1999), formerly Who’s Who of 20th-Century American Comic Books. See the display announcement on p. 61. Names of features which appeared both in comic books of that title and in other comics are not generally italicized below, e.g. Lady Luck. Reprint material is generally not included below. Key: (a) = full art; (p) = pencils only; (i) = inks only; (w) = writer; (d) = daily comic strip; (S) = Sunday comic strip.] Name: Klaus F. Nordling (1915-1986) (artist, writer) Pen Names: Klaus, F.; Nord; Clyde Norris; Ed North; Fred North [at Harvey]; Ken Norton Birthplace: Finland Performing Arts: actor: stage - many productions. Director & actor: stage - little theatre.

Print Media (non-comics): artist - commercial art; communications art for Will Eisner, late 1940s Commercial Art & Design: designer – instructional materials, American Dental Association, Esso Corporation, American Trucking Assn., Continental Baking, Brazil Labor Unions, American Medical Assn., Junior Achievement; Lionel Corporation; Maryland Game and Fish; South Korean Army, Mental Health Assn., National Safety Council, National Board of Realtors; Red Cross; Snelling and Snelling

Klaus Nordling EC Comics: Mad (a) 1959

Employment Service; Society for Prevention of Blindness; Turkish Army; YMCA; US Army; US Labor Dept.

Fiction House: Captain Derek West (w/a) 194041; Greasemonkey Griffin (w/a) 1941; Powder Burns (w/a) 1940; Strut Warren (w/a) 1940

Comics in Other Media: gag cartoons & caricatures (w/a) for Americana magazine 1930s and for Golden Books; “Joe Dope” (w/a) in PS magazine

Fox Comics: Lt. Drake (w/a) 1939-41; Shorty Shortcake (w/a) 1939-40; Spark Stevens (w/a) 1939-42

Promotional Comics: advertising comics (a) for the Borden Company

Harvey Comics: Crash, Cork, and the Baron (w/a) 1939-41 Hillman Periodicals: Airboy (w); Buckskin Benson (w); The Heap (w) – all late 1940s

Syndicated Credits (Newspaper Comic Strips): Baron Munchausen (S)(w/a) c. 1939; Lady Luck (S)(w/a) 1946-46 for Register & Tribune Syndicate; Spark Stevens of the Navy (w/a) 1939-40; The Spirit (S)(bkgd) 1945-51 for Register & Tribune Syndicate – (some w) 1946

Holyoke Publications: Crack, Cork, and the Baron (w/a) 1940 Marvel/Timely Comics: The Thin Man (w/a) 1940

COMIC BOOK CREDITS (MAINSTREAM US PUBLISHERS): Comics Studio (Shop): Eisner & Iger Studio (a) 1939; Iger Studio (w/a) 1940-41 Better/Standard/Nedor/Pines: Make-Believe Mickey (w/a) 1940

Quality Comics: The Barker (w/a) 1947-48; The Blue Tracer (w/a) 1941-43; Bob and Swab (w/a) 1944-47, 1948-50; Kid Dixon (w/a) 1941; Lady Luck (w/a) 1945-48 (reprinted from Spirit newspaper section); Odd Jobs, Inc. (w/a) 1946; Pen Miller (w/a) 1940-49; Shot and Shell (w/a) 1941-43; Spudo (a) 1947; Wonder Boy (w/a) c. 1942

Exit Stage Right [Above:] Klaus Nordling in a publicity photo taken, Ron Frantz reports in ACE Comics Presents… #3, “the day before his untimely death”. Nordling was one of the good ones! [Photo ©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

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A quarter of a million records, covering the careers of people who have contributed to original comic books in the US.

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76 Giant-Size Invaders #2 and Stoker’s Dracula, two favorite Marvel projects. As is known by those who care, I was also invited to submit an idea for a limited JSA series to be drawn by my old pal Jerry Ordway, and naturally I jumped at the chance… but when it became clear to me that the editors wanted me to do their kind of story rather than my own, I basically withdrew. I still like writing comics, but I figure if I have to do any more stories in order to secure my own modest niche in the history of the field, it’s already too late for me. But again, thanks to one and all for the kind words! Now, on with the scribblings re A/E #50, starting with one from my old friend and colleague Dr. Jerry G. Bails, who in 1961 was the founding editor/publisher of the first edition of Alter Ego: Dear Roy, I just finished up reading Alter Ego #50. Great issue! Great subject! It demonstrates what I’ve always believed. It is our empathy that makes you a great writer. It shows up in your respect for your collaborators, and makes you quite exceptional as an editor. You’ve made a real significant contribution to the art form as writer, editor, and historian. I am so glad that you were also strong enough to avoid being beaten down as so many talented folks were. I truly enjoy following “my” alter ego in his career—the one I might have followed. I think you deserve a new appellation: You’re THE MAN. I’m really proud and pleased to have known you all these years. Bestest, Jerry (Sound of RT blushing.) The pleasure’s been all (well, mostly) mine, Jerry. And comics fandom would’ve sailed along quite nicely if there’d never been a Roy Thomas, but I’m far less sure where it might have been if you hadn’t been around to jumpstart it!

he cover of Showcase #4 has been reprinted more often than perhaps any other DC cover from the Silver Age. Here, our Aussie artist colleague Shane Foley has playfully put our “maskots” Alter and Captain Ego into the layout for that famous cover. Shane also drew the John Broome caricature on this issue’s cavortin’ cover. Thanks, twice over, mate! [Art ©2006 Shane Foley; Alter & Captain Ego TM & ©2006 Roy Thomas & Bill Schelly; A & CE created by Biljo White.]

Next, a most welcome missive from a most wonderful collaborator of mine in the 1960s and ’70s—none other than Mirthful Marie Severin, with whom I worked on “Dr. Strange,” Sub-Mariner, and Not Brand Echh!

Alter Ego #50 was perhaps, to use the phrase Pete Von Sholly devised for the mag in his recent TwoMorrows parody mag Comic Book Nerd, an “Ultra Ego” issue, since along with half a hundred issues of A/E, it celebrated my (Roy Thomas’) 40th anniversary in the comic book field. And while, due both to the changing vagaries of (perceived) public taste and a touch of rampant ageism, I’m no longer superactive in the field, I wish to thank up front all those well-wishers who expressed unhappiness that I’m not writing more current comic product. Still, I’m keeping busy, and not just with A/E, a few comics-related book projects for TwoMorrows and others, and the occasional text [Hulk TM & ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.] intro for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and Dynamic. Besides the current Anthem series for Heroic Publishing (which bids fair to continue), I’m currently finishing up a special issue of Red Sonja for Dynamic; also, Wonderful drawing, Marie—it’s going up on my wall right next to Marvel and I are discussing a possible limited series I can’t divulge at your cover for the color Crazy issue that showed the Fantastical Four present—and of course it was a delight in the past year or so to work on battling Stuporman! I’m only sorry Dark Horse’s Escapist comic bit the

re:

dust before we got our shot at doing more than a few panels of our parody of Michael Chabon’s hero… but at least that most recent collaboration of ours made it into print! I’ve nothing but fond memories of our work together. (And, before somebody asks—yes, we definitely do plan a Marie Severin interview for a near-future issue! Meanwhile, check out the conversation she, Ramona Fradon, and Trina Robbins had in an issue of TwoMorrows’ Comic Book Artist a few years back.)

Hi Roy,

A fellow Missourian I’m proud to have helped enter the comics industry back in the mid-1960s (along with Gary Friedrich and, a few years later, Steve Gerber) is Dennis O’Neil, who’s also a fellow member of the ACTOR board:

Well, I recognized it—the pencils for a full inked centerspread John did for Fantaco’s Chronicle Series #5, focusing on Spider-Man. This zine also featured freshly commissioned work by John Byrne, Joe Staton (front and back covers, respectively), Steve Leialoha, A/E’s very own Michael T. Gilbert, and (you guessed it) me! Not that my memory of this 1982 publication is that good—turns out I had just pulled it out the other day to look up something for my website and saw the Romita illo while paging through it. Rare is the chance for me to add anything, however minor (and yes, this is minor!) to your lovingly produced mag, but seeing my opportunity, well, I’m grabbing it! Keep up the great work!

Roy— Just checked out A/E. A deep bow to you, my brother. Great job. Your memory is amazing and the in-depth interview with you is gracious and fair. Bravo. Denny Thanks, Denny. Again, you’re someone we want to interview for A/E about his first decade of work. Meanwhile, you’re being aptly covered, we’re glad to say, in other publications, such as Back Issue. The inker of the first two stories I ever sold—what turned out to be the final issues of two Charlton series, Son of Vulcan and Blue Beetle—was Tony Tallarico, so it was great to get this note from him, which we reproduce here in its entirety:

The 50th issue of Alter Ego is just a delight to read. I’m only a few pages into the interview, when I saw something that struck me. Knowing you to be an admirable stickler for even the smallest of details, I figured the reason you didn’t identify the origin of the montage of Spider-Man characters by John Romita on page 30 was simply because you just didn’t know!

Fred Hembeck We’re on it, Fred—and thanks for the printed version of that Romita drawing, which we’ve printed on the next page. Also, on p. 22, readers can peruse your own rhapsodic rendition of the cover of Showcase #4 and your comments thereon. Reader Earl Greier had this to offer: Roy, I just read and enjoyed Alter Ego #50 (Happy Anniversary to A/E and RT). In it, you give an example of the non-communication between Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. You said you’d like to see a better one. I think I can do that. In Amazing Spider-Man #30, a story about a lone burglar called The Cat, there is a scene where The Cat’s “gang” is seen pulling a job. As a kid I was confused why The Cat’s gang was dressed the same way The Master Planner’s (Doc Ock’s) gang would dress in #31-33. Of course, the robbery, which is even shown to be of radioactive materials such as Dr. Octopus would pursue in the next issue, was actually supposed to be a prelude to the coming story. And either Mr. Ditko did not make it clear, or Mr. Lee misread, or read and forgot, the note explaining it. The problem is as mentioned in Alter Ego: writer Lee was too close to editor Lee. On one hand, one regrets that rifts drove Kirby and Ditko away. On the other hand, we should be happy the partnerships lasted as long as they did. Earl Geier Heroic Publishing head honcho Dennis Mallonee also mentioned the “Cat” thing, Earl. Methinks either example of Lee-Ditko non-communication would suffice.

Roy Thomas wrote, Bill Fraccio penciled, and Tony Tallarico inked the story in Charlton’s Son of Vulcan #50 (Jan. 1966), RT’s first script sale, made by mail from St. Louis. [Son of Vulcan TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

Glad to hear from you, Tony. And my condolences on the recent passing of your good friend (and collaborator) Bill Fraccio. Here’s a piece of welcome info from Fred Hembeck, who has spent years straddling the parallel worlds of fandom and prodom:

Recently, longtime comics and sf fan Richard Kyle seems to be becoming a virtual fixture on this letters pages, prejudiced as we are in favor of missives such as his, which always offer plentiful food for thought:

[comments, correspondence, & corrections] no Woolfolk? And what about Jack Kirby? Frank Miller is mentioned as a writer, but Kirby is not. Yet John Byrne wore himself out switching Jack Kirby stories. Shouldn’t Jack have got honorable mention as a Byrne assistant—a “with” credit, at least? Nothing for Jack Cole, either, writer of the early “Plastic Man,” among others. The poll had one value, though. It nailed exactly what has always been wrong with comics fandom. It has lived entirely in the moment. The deep historical sense that early science-fiction fandom possessed was never alive in comics. Sciencefiction fans went on to become writers, artists, publishers, critics of real stature. Comics fandom had the writers and artists, all right. But they never had a decent critic, or a good editor, or an intelligent publisher, except for Bill Spicer and you and John Morrow (and—and god I have reservations—Gary Groth).

Returning to Jack: I’ve wondered for years about that “SHIELD” story supposedly written by him [in Strange Tales #148, Sept. 1966]. There was Jazzy Johnny Romita’s cover for Fantaco’s Chronicle Series #5; with thanks to Fred Hembeck. Jack’s credit, there was Stan’s editorial comment that [©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.] Jack was writing the story—and there was the story which sounded as though it was written by Stan. Dear Roy, Turns out, it was. Well, maybe the readers wouldn’t have liked Jack’s dialogue. But… did you read it? What was it like? What was wrong A terrific issue. Maybe you should move these 40th-anniversary with it? issues up to an annual event. The Thomas interviews, editorials, articles, commentary, and asides were all immensely enjoyable. Fine “The Inhumans” [in Amazing Adventures #1-4, 1970-71] doesn’t Ordway cover! tell us much about Jack’s writing at that time. He was clearly getting ready to leave Marvel, and his art for that strip is the most knocked-out [NOTE: Wish we had room to print the mid-section of that I can remember. “SHIELD,” however, seems as though it could Richard’s letter, which has quite a bit to say about how Marvel have been another matter. might have retained its more mature audience.] Jack was a good writer when he was impelled to do his best. The [Mort] Weisinger was a caution. You wonder what kind of a guy trouble is, few seem ever to have demanded his best. Or understood Julius Schwartz was. And E. Nelson Bridwell? I’d like to know more what he was saying. Stan, on the “Him” story, threw out Jack’s whole about Bridwell. All I seem to remember reading about him was that he story because of a difference in philosophy, then wrote another in its had few social skills, and a mind like a steel trap for DC history and place, one that contradicts the drawings and tosses away what could trivia. I’ve read a few stories by him, have been one of Marvel’s greatest too, I believe. All were professionally characters. Jack once talked about executed, with a good grasp of the “Him” to me. It was a great idea. It characters. His story-judgments seemed could have been one of Marvel’s sound. Is there more to know? keystone series. You’re awfully polite about the Richard Kyle CBG [Comics Buyer’s Guide] poll. Fast responses, in order: “Favorite Editors of the Century”: As you say, where are Whit Ellsworth, (1) I didn’t know him that well Charles Biro, Al Feldstein, Bill Parker, myself, but we’d welcome a study on the Dell editors? E. Nelson Bridwell, who I feel was, in the long run, treated unkindly by an But what about Simon & Kirby? ungrateful comics industry. But see at Their editorial impact was incalculable, least the comments of his first cousin, infinitely greater than many of those on the very next page. who scored well in that poll. And what about Funnies, Inc.? Who was the editor (2) The CBG poll simply was what there? Was it Bill Everett, who’s it was, and I share your misgivings sometimes described as “managing about it… but since it both amused editor,” or who? No one cares, apparand, I’ll admit, flattered me, I appreently, although two of the greatest ciated Krause Publications’ permission characters in comics came from there— to run some of its results in A/E #50. along with other memorable strips like Still, you’re dead right about the over“Dick Cole.” emphasis on recent and thus more familiar work and creators. And “Favorite Writers”… as you Re A/E #50, Robert Klein sent this missive—whose ultimate source write, no Bill Finger, no Biro, no Binder, one or two of you may recall. [©2006 DC Comics.]

re: (3) While not as wild as you about much of Jack Kirby’s Silver and post-Silver Age writing—I always admired the art, but winced at much of the writing, on New Gods and most of Jack’s later product—I concur wholeheartedly that he was an important writer in the field, including back in the ’40s and ’50s, even though it’s often hard to know what he wrote, as opposed to Joe Simon or others, for the Simon & Kirby team. But seems to us like that topic is adequately handled in a magazine we’ve heard of called The Jack Kirby Collector…. (4) As for Jack’s “SHIELD” script in Strange Tales #148, I’m afraid I have no precise memory of it, except that Stan felt a need to rewrite much of it. Sorry. Now, this note from Andy Patternson:

79 I love all your Marvel work: Avengers, Thor, Conan, Invaders, etc. You gave us The Vision (one of my all-time favorites), Black Knight, Grim Reaper, just so many great characters and stories, including my favorite comic story, the Kree/Skrull War. I’m a big fan of Marvel, thanks to you and my grandmother. She used to work for Curtis [for some years Marvel’s distribution company] in Philly, and every weekend when we would visit my grandparents she would give me a big brown paper bag filled with everything Marvel published that week—and I do mean everything. This occurred from the early 1970s to the early ’80s, when she retired. I tell everyone Marvel taught me how to read. I would see these fantastic heroes and just had to find out what they were talking about. Jim Cleary

Roy, Roy, Roy,

Thanks for the kind words, Jim. I must say you really outdid yourself on Marie O’Brien is the first cousin of Alter Ego #50. I can’t tell you how much I E. Nelson Bridwell, who in 1964 entered pro dug all the little anecdotes about how things This 1970s cartoon depicting artist Dave Hunt (left) comics as editor Mort Weisinger’s assistant on where, when they came about, who said and Marvel artist/production manager John the “Superman” titles and who worked, with what, who created what, and who eventually Verpoorten was drawn by then-production person & increased tenuousness, in the field until his got credit for it. All that stuff is gold. colorist Linda Lessman, who for some years now has death slightly more than two decades later. been married to artist Bill Reinhold. [Art ©2006 Linda Fascinating. One throwaway sentence in a She sent this e-mail to “Comic Crypt” editor Lessman Reinhold.] story can really bring a situation to life. This Michael T. Gilbert, who forwarded it to me, was my childhood, man. And now I see some concerning an incident late in ENB’s life, when he was accosted by a of what went into making it. How lucky you are to have been part of would-be robber on a New York street and fought the guy off: that great period of history. How lucky I was to be witness to the outcome. Dear Michael, I would beg to differ on one point, though. It was stated on p. 47 that [the work of] Ross Andru (my favorite Spider-Man artist) “never quite looked as good inked as it did in pencil.” I admit I haven’t seen much of his bare pencil work, but I would argue that he never looked as good as when he was inked by Frank Giacoia and D. Hunt. (Who was D. Hunt, anyway? And why did it take two people to ink Andru?) And I would argue further that, even through all the all-star contributors that Back Issue reports happened on the Superman/Spider-Man crossover (Neal Adams, Dick Giordano, etc.), it was still never better than with Giaocia and Hunt Andy Patterson Dave Hunt did a lot of fine inking for both Marvel and DC, Andy—and even contributed an article to FCA some time back about his inking some of Kurt Schaffenberger’s Shazam! work. And the reason it took two people to ink some Ross Andru stories is that the main inker of record, Frank Giacoia, was a super-talented procrastinator of the first order, and often needed help to finish (or even begin) an assignment (see, for instance, his friend Joe Giella’s comments in A/E #52). For a caricature of Dave, who plans another article for A/E soon, see the art spot above. This from Jim Cleary: Hi Roy, Just finished reading Alter Ego #50, which I picked up on Saturday along with 12 new comics, a variant (House of M #4), and 8 back issues. I didn’t get a chance yet to read any of my comics, I was too into A/E #50, which, I think, is the best comics-related mag I have ever read! I just loved how you discussed all the early Marvel people from your point of view. I have wanted to write you (and Marvel) many times over the years, but never have. You have always been my favorite creator/writer;

I remember Mother telling me Nelson was attacked when he was living in NYC by a criminal when he was walking home. Luckily, Nelson walked with a cane and used the cane to defend himself. Mother talked to Nelson when he called, and we were all horrified, of course. Nelson, as I am sure you know, was a very gentle soul. So for Nelson to strike anyone, the attacker must have been very threatening and aggressive. I am not sure if the criminal was captured of if he got away. I do know it was truly scary for Nelson. The attacker could have severely hurt or even killed him. However, Nelson “fended him off” and we were all very thankful and proud of Nelson. Marie O’Brien Great story, Marie—wish we had more details. And, as we said above, we hope to do more about Nelson one of these days. Well, that’s it for another go-round. Send your comments and criticisms to: Roy Thomas e-mail: roydann@ntinet.com 32 Bluebird Trail Fax: (803) 826-6501 St. Matthews, SC 29135 Don’t forget—this month also sees the debut of the trade paperback Alter Ego Collection, Vol. 1, reprinting A/E V3#1-2, with the 1995 Stan Lee Roast, Thomas and Ordway on the origins of Infinity, Inc., interviews with Jack Burnley, Irwin Hasen, and Larry Lieber, and many other goodies, plus more than two dozen pages of added material—including a number of unpublished 1940s art pages of “Flash,” “Green Lantern,” etc., by the likes of Irwin Hasen, Carmine Infantino, Paul Reinman, et al.! And you’ll dig the great “JLA Jam” cover by Joe Kubert, George Pérez, Dick Giordano, Nick Cardy, Ramona Fradon, Joe Giella, and George Tuska!

Previously Unpublished Art by Frank Brunner

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83 The Superhero’s name alone, spoken with such obvious respect around the place, heightened my spirits as I made my way along the hallway to the conference room, fully confident of forthcoming praise. It didn’t work out that way. My employers, editor Ed Herron and art director Al Allard, were bent over a page of comic book art. My work. I had changed the layout art and they wanted to know why.

FCA EDITORS NOTE: From 1941-53, Marcus D. Swayze was a top artist for Fawcett Publications. The very first Mary Marvel character sketches came from Marc’s drawing table, and he illustrated her earliest adventures, including the classic origin story, “Captain Marvel Introduces Mary Marvel (Captain Marvel Adventures #18, Dec. ’42); but he was primarily hired by Fawcett Publications to illustrate Captain Marvel stories and covers for Whiz Comics and Captain Marvel Adventures. He also wrote many Captain Marvel scripts, and continued to do so while in the military. After leaving the service in 1944, he made an arrangement with Fawcett to produce art and stories for them on a freelance basis out of his Louisiana home. There he created both art and story for The Phantom Eagle in Wow Comics, in addition to drawing the Flyin’ Jenny newspaper strip for Bell Syndicate (created by his friend and mentor Russell Keaton). After the cancellation of Wow, Swayze produced artwork for Fawcett’s top-selling line of romance comics, including Sweethearts and Life Story. After the company ceased publishing comics, Marc moved over to Charlton Publications, where he ended his comics career in the mid-’50s. Marc’s ongoing professional memoirs have been FCA’s most popular feature since his first column appeared in FCA #54, 1996. Last issue Marc explored a fictional scenario of being the one to have been offered the Mary Marvel feature as a full-time assignment at Fawcett. This time he talks about “doing it all” for a company that was producing comic book artwork by collaborative means. —P.C. Hamerlinck.

The roughly sketched layout pages had been delivered to me to “finish up.” That meant do the pencil work in greater detail, then ink. In other words, ready them for production. I didn’t see myself as somebody special there, but recalling the courteous consideration shown by those two at my explanation, I wonder. I was opposing something they definitely had in mind … a system by which comic book art could be prepared combining the work of several artists to appear as one. The layout page was the first step in converting the typed script to pictures. It served as a guide … like a blueprint … a plan of action … for the succeeding phases in creating comic book art. The wellprepared layout, I told them, went beyond the typed panel descriptions and dealt with the characters and their performance and dialogue. A carelessly conceived layout, I said, would be less likely to curb the whimsical tendencies to get arty … so apt to result in needless repetition, crowded panels, inappropriate “camera” angles, and extreme, purposeless perspective. The layout page carried with it certain responsibilities, I said, and when it failed to accomplish what was expected of it, I changed it. “Would you prefer to do layouts … and leave the finishing-up for others?” I was asked. I wasn’t ready for that. Since the pre-teen days my impression was that the comic strip was the work of a solitary individual … the creator … perhaps with an assistant, but primarily a one-man-doing-it-all operation. My being on the Fawcett payroll was due to a mistake … a misun-

It has been a long time, but I can hear my brother now. He had a way of putting things in terms a fellow could understand … like baseball: “Here comes a grounder right at your feet. Your teammate over there needs the ball in a hurry to put the runner out. Don’t just scoop it up and give it a wild fling in his general direction. Make the catch easy for him! Throw him a perfect strike!” A perfect strike … meaning, right at his belly button. Now that was a reminder you could carry with you … forever. In drawing board language your teammate was your writer, who had a story to tell. Your work was needed to help that story move along … make it better. Not necessarily for the editors, or the publishers … or for other artists to maybe admire … but for the reader! So went my thoughts in 1940. And so they go today.

And so they went on a day in 1941 when I was called from my board in the art department at Fawcett Publications. I was curious. My job was drawing Captain Marvel and I had not heard one word of criticism, pro or con, in the week or so of employment with the company.

Marc Swayze

derstanding … my own failure to fully comprehend the correspondence from France E. Herron of the comics department. His letters had included the words: “as an inker.” Doubtless, to Herron the phrase had a specific meaning. But not to me. When I reported to the company it was with the misconception that I would be “doing it all,” the way I had learned the business, the way I liked to work. I told them that. I am thankful for that day … for that occasion. It was a turning point. Most of my years in comics were spent with Fawcett Publications, and never again was I expected to work any way but from “script to cameraready.”

Marc will return with more anecdotes of his days in comics next issue… and we couldn’t be happier about it!

The 1941 letter from Fawcett comics editor France (Ed) Herron to Marc Swayze that offered him employment.

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The TwoMorrows Two-Fer! Prepay for two ads in Alter Ego, DRAW!, Write Now!, Back Issue, or any combination and these discounts apply: TWO FULL-PAGE ADS: $500 ($100 savings) TWO HALF-PAGE ADS: $300 ($50 savings) TWO QUARTER-PAGE ADS: $175 ($25 savings) The above rates are for black-&-white ads, supplied on-disk (TIF, EPS, or Quark Xpress files acceptable) or as camera-ready art. Typesetting service available at 20% mark-up. Due to our already low ad rates, no agency discounts apply. Sorry, display ads are not available for the Jack Kirby Collector. Send ad copy and check/money order (US funds) payable to:

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Ross Roughs

lex Ross needs no introduction to fans of current comics—the more so if they’ve seen his beautiful Shazam! Power of Hope book a year or two back. Thus, without further ado, except to note that all art is ©2006 DC Comics—and to thank him for our FCA cover a few pages back—here’s a dip into the Alex Ross Sketch Drawer and Big Red Roughs:

CRISIS ON MULTIPLE EARTHS V.4 (a trade paperback collection reprinting Justice League of America #122-124, #135-137 and #147-148) - Ross: “The design for this cover is clearly influenced by the classic Bill Everett [& Carl Burgos] Human Torch/Sub-Mariner fight splash image, with one figure being upside down in symmetry to the other. I was hoping to try and wrestle the demon of doing my ultimate image of the Captain Marvel/Superman fight to honor the first moment in history they met. I imagine I’ll still be trying this again in the future.”

Alex Ross

DC ENCYCLOPEDIA - Ross: “Originally this was a much more shadowed piece, hiding the characters with greater drama.”

PRIME – Ross: “Hopefully this won’t be the only time I approach re-creating this classic Captain Marvel/Billy Batson pose (from the cover of Whiz Comics #22). At the time of the early ’90s, Prime was Captain Marvel’s true inheritor.”

WORLD’S GREATEST SUPER-HEROES (a hardcover book collecting all the Paul Dini-Alex Ross DC super-hero tabloid books) - Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are depicted in their classic cover poses from Superman #1, Detective Comics #27, and Wonder Woman #1; the other characters were designed to fit in around the big three. Per the editor’s suggestion, Captain Marvel’s pose was altered for the final cover.

Ross Roughs

“UPPER DECK” DC HEROES – Ross: “Captain Marvel’s pose here is actually self-referential to a cover I did for Marvel’s Captain with a new costume I designed for the series.”

JSA #73 - Ross: “This began as a more solemn pose of strength [left]; it changed (per the editor’s suggestion) into a smirking, ready-to-fight Captain Marvel [right].”

Special thanks to Alex Ross and his wife T.J.

ULTIMATE BRAZILIAN BONUS: The final two pages from the 1964 Almanaque do O Globo Juvenil. The comics of Brazil produced new stories of Captain Marvel and his family for years after Fawcett discontinued its comics line in 1953. On this page, the villainous Cobra is about to meet the fate that’s been in the cards for him for 17 pages. This 1964 art is by Rodriguez Zelis, with modern-day art reconstruction and lettering for this issue by John Gentil. With special thanks to Rodrigo M. Zeidan and Matt Gore. [Captain Marvel TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

“Captain Marvel Meets The Human Torch” (Continued) 88

It’s not the original Captain Marvel who flies in, but the original Human Torch—who in 1964 hadn’t appeared in a US comic for ten years and indeed had been supplanted by Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four three years earlier. Apparently this Brazilian firm had once reprinted tales of the first Torch, and figured it retained the right to make up new ones! What’s more, The Cobra was modeled after The Python, whom Torch and Sub-Mariner had battled in 1942’s Human Torch #8! Thanks to John G. Pierce for finding this classic, which has been translated from the Spanish by Mark Luebker. [Captain Marvel TM & ©2006 DC Comics; Human Torch TM & ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

“Captain Marvel Meets The Human Torch”

Y’know, we don’t think the Brazilians ever really did find Toro...!