Alter Ego #62 by TwoMorrows Publishing

Roy Roy T Thomas homas ’’ Muck-Mired Muck-Mired Comics Comics F Fanzine anzine

6.95

In the the USA USA In

No. 62 October 2006

HAPPY

HALLOWEEN FROM

82658 27763

MIKE PLOOG, AL WILLIAMSON, DICK BRIEFER, RUDY PALAIS, & ACG HORROR!

PLUS: PLUS:

Vol. 3, No. 62 / October 2006

™

Editor Roy Thomas

Associate Editors Bill Schelly Jim Amash

Design & Layout Christopher Day

Consulting Editor John Morrow

FCA Editor P.C. Hamerlinck

Comic Crypt Editor

Contents

Michael T. Gilbert

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

Writer/Editorial: Happy Horror-Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 “Marvel Was Doing Practically Nothing But Super-Heroes” . . . . . . . . . 3

Production Assistant

Artist Michael Ploog on his early-1970s work on Marvel’s supernatural stalwarts.

Eric Nolen-Weathington

ACG Horror And Fantasy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Circulation Director

Barry Forshaw looks fondly back at the first publisher of ongoing horror comics.

Bob Brodsky, Seastone Marketing Group

Cover Artist

Michael Vance’s interview with artist great Al Williamson about his work for ACG.

Michael Ploog

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Cover Colorist

Michael Vance’s appendices re the Sangor Shop and the American Comics Group.

Tom Ziuko

And Special Thanks to: Heidi Amash Bob Bailey Dave Bennett John Benson Bill Black Dominic Bongo Robert Boucher Chris Brown Mark Cannon Mike Catron Craig Delich Al Dellinges Michael Dewally John Dixon Rex Ferrell Bill Field Shane Foley Barry Forshaw Ron Frantz Jeff Gelb Janet Gilbert Howard Hallis Jennifer Hamerlinck John Haufe, Jr. Heritage Comics Chris Irving Larry Ivie Jonathan G. Jensen R.A. Jones Larry Kashdan Jeffrey Kipper Denis Kitchen Henry Kujawa Keith Lee

“If You Can Bring Richard Hughes Back, He’d Be My Favorite Editor”. . 18

Jim Ludwig Bruce Mason Arthur Mather Raymond Miller Brian K. Morris Frank Motler Edwin Murray Will Murray Peter Normanton Owen O’Leary Kevin Patrick Michael Ploog Steven Rowe Bob Rozakis Steve Rude Al Russell Lew Sayre Schwartz Marie Severin Joe Sinnott David Studham Dr. Jon Suter Marc Swayze Greg Theakston Dann Thomas Anthony Tollin Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. Michael Vance Dr. Michael J. Vassallo Mike Vosburg Delmo Walters Jr. Hames Ware Al Williamson

This issue is dedicated to the memory of

George Kashdan & Mickey Spillane

“I Was So Busy, I Never Read The Stories”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Unique artist Rudy Palais interviewed by Jim Amash about life and comics.

Frankenstein’s Final Funnies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 The (sob!) last of Dick Briefer’s comic strips about his colorful creature.

The Shadow: Masked And Unmasked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Anthony Tollin celebrates the 75th anniversary of Street & Smith’s grim hero.

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt! Twice-Told Strange Tales . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Michael T. Gilbert unveils still more Ditko “covers” of non-Ditko covers.

Tributes To Mickey Spillane & George Kashdan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 re: [comments, corrections, and correspondence] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) #121 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 P.C. Hamerlinck presents Steve Rude, Marc Swayze, & Fawcett 1943. About Our Cover: Once Michael Ploog sent us a copy of his beautiful black-&-white art for this illustration of Marvel’s Man-Thing and Werewolf by Night, it was inevitable that it wind up as the cover on an issue of Alter Ego. The story of how Ye Editor co-created those two series in the early 1970s and turned them over to Mike to draw (and to Gerry Conway to script) was told in the TwoMorrows run of Comic Book Artist, and will doubtless be related again one of these days. Meanwhile, enjoy a pocketful of Ploog! [Man-Thing & Werewolf by Night TM & ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.] Above: C’mon in! The horror art at ACG was as good as it got. You don’t believe us? How about this panel by Golden Age greats Al Williamson and Wally Wood from “Skull of the Sorcerer” in Forbidden Worlds #3 (Nov.-Dec. 1951), ACG’s second horror title!? Scan by Michael Vance. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.] 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. ISSN: 1932-6890 FIRST PRINTING.

Title writer/editorial

Happy Horror-Days W

ith that opening line, which has probably been lodged for years in my mental molars like some popcorn kernel of prose out of Forry Ackerman’s Famous Monsters of Filmland, I welcome you to the fourth annual Halloween issue of Alter Ego.

This time around, we’re shining the light of the Great Pumpkin on modern Marvel master Mike Ploog and gothic Golden-Ager Rudy Palais—on the inspired Frankensteinian foolishness of Dick Briefer and the Silver Age strangeness of Steve Ditko—and on the evil that lurks in the hearts of men, as observed by The Shadow for the past threequarters of a century.

and an article by Barry Forshaw on ACG horror and fantasy, as well as its “3-D effect” comics. We’re sorry that Bill Schelly’s report on the 1966 NYC Kaler Con got crowded out—but you’ll see it next issue, promise! Bestest,

Last issue, we presented Michael Vance’s 1996 book Forbidden Adventures: The History of the American Comics Group. It related the story of how ACG grew out of the B.W. Sangor art shop, which in the 1940s also provided art and story to other companies, especially Standard/Nedor. We didn’t have room in #62 to print the book’s appendices, so we’re doing it this time—and illustrating them just as lavishly as we did the main text.

P.S.: As I write these words in August, a horrendous 8-to-10-month workload has finally lifted as I complete the text for The All-Star Companion, Vol. 2, due out from TwoMorrows in November (delayed a couple of weeks by layout man Chris Day’s change of day jobs and locales—from Chicago to Providence, RI). In addition, two of the three hardcover books I’ve written during this period—Stan Lee’s Amazing Marvel Universe, for Sterling Publishing, and featuring audio recordings by The Man himself; and DK Publishing’s Conan: The Ultimate Guide to the World’s Most Savage Barbarian—should be on sale even as we speak. See ads on pp. 16 & 41.

We also have two other ACG-related treats: the personal interview Michael conducted with Al Williamson in the mid-1990s re that artist’s work for ACG (first in the early 1950s, then again at decade’s end)…

P.P.S.: Oh, and for those who’ve asked—Anthem #4, the latest issue of my comics series about the heroes of an alternate World War II, goes on sale at the turn of the year after an unavoidable delay. (See p. 80.)

And then, of course, there’s ACG… again.

GOING MONTHLY AGAIN IN DECEMBER!

REMEMBERING COMICS LEGEND ALEX TOTH!

Tribute To A Titan!

• ALEX TOTH does the JSA—first time in fifty years! A fabulous full-color cover! • Special salutes to Toth by JOE KUBERT • IRWIN HASEN • SY BARRY • TERRY AUSTIN • LEW SAYRE SCHWARTZ • MIKE ALLRED • MARK LEWIS • JOHN WORKMAN • JACK MENDEHLSON • SPARKY MOORE • JIM AMASH & others! • Never-before-seen Toth interview by MICHAEL VANCE! • Ever wonder what artists Alex Toth admired? Read his own paeans of praise for CANIFF • SICKLES • CHRISTMAN • COLE • KELLY • BECK • ROBINSON • OKSNER • MAYER • FLESSEL • MESKIN • TUSKA • GUARDINEER • THORNE • WHITNEY • RAY • CRANE, etc.—and see the reasons why! • Our annual Christmas/New Year’s card collection! Season’s greetings from MOLDOFF • MAROTO • BENDER • LEIALOHA • WRIGHT • RIO, et al.! • Plus FCA with TOTH, SWAYZE, & “Freddy Freeman’s Christmas”— MICHAEL T. GILBERT—BILL SCHELLY on the 1966 Kaler Con—& MORE!! Edited by ROY THOMAS DC Comics.] [All characters TM & ©2006

SUBSCRIBE NOW! Twelve Issues in the US: $72 Standard, $108 First Class (Canada: $132, Elsewhere: $144 Surface, $192 Airmail). NOTE: IF YOU PREFER A SIX-ISSUE SUB, JUST CUT THE PRICE IN HALF!

TwoMorrows. Bringing New Life To Comics Fandom.

TwoMorrows • 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA • 919-449-0344 • FAX: 919-449-0327 • E-mail: twomorrow@aol.com • www.twomorrows.com

“Marvel Was Doing Practically Nothing But Super-Heroes” MICHAEL PLOOG On His Work On The Marvel Supernatural Characters Interview & Transcribed by Chris Irving

ike Ploog was one of the emerging comic book stars of the early 1970s. His work made readers sit up and take notice the same way the art of Bernie Wrightson, Frank Brunner, Michael Kaluta, and a handful of other young artists was doing. A fuller interview with Mike about his Marvel-era monsters saw print in The Comic Book Artist (first series) Vol. 1, #3, which is unfortunately out of print. In roughly the first half of the 1970s, he drew first for Warren Publications, then for Marvel on such titles as Werewolf by Night, Frankenstein, Man-Thing, and Ghost Rider. I have variant remembrances from Mike on a couple of points he expresses herein—but I’ll save those for the captions that accompany the interview. After all, difference of opinion is what makes horse-racing… and maybe Ghost Rider motorcycleracing, as well. —Roy.

CI: “Tin Star” was your idea? PLOOG: I did it up as a sample of my storytelling. I didn’t think, at any time, that they were going to publish it; it was just a sample. At that time, I was into Westerns with a twist of the occult, suspense, and horror... as opposed to cowboys out on the range. CI: What was Roy’s involvement, or was it just you? PLOOG: I’d never met Roy until I showed up at Marvel, and that’s when I met him.

It’s a Man Thing– And Mike’s The Man! Mike Ploog at the 2005 Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC—juxtaposed with his re-creation of the cover of Man-Thing #5 (May 1974). Thanks to Bob Bailey for the scan. Photographer uncertain, alas. [Man-Thing TM & ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

CHRIS IRVING: What was your comics experience, prior to going over to Marvel? MIKE PLOOG: It wasn’t much, because I had done work for Jim Warren on Creepy and Eerie. Before that, I was working with Will Eisner. CI: How would you describe working with Will as opposed to working with Jim Warren? PLOOG: [laughs] Jim Warren was and is one of—I don’t think there’s anybody quite like Jim. He’s a regular hustler and knew how to run a business, and could be successful on bare bones. He attracted an enormous amount of talent, mostly because of the publications he had, which was interesting work and unlike anything else on the market. CI: Why did you leave Warren to go to Marvel? PLOOG: Jim was the cheapest man in the business. [laughter] I think starvation drove me to it. Jim didn’t pay great page rates; the stories he gave you to work on were interesting, but a person had to make more money. I took a chance and just went over to Marvel. I took over a story I’d worked up, a Western, oddly enough, and I don’t know why I chose to do that. I knew at the time Marvel was doing practically nothing but super-heroes. I took them over a Western called “Tin Star.” Roy keeps reminding me of it, because he remembers it and would love to do that story. Westerns have made their way back into popularity.

CI: So it was a matter of you bringing it in and Roy’s wanting to do something with it. PLOOG: Roy didn’t want to do anything with it for years. It wasn’t until twenty years later that he even mentioned it to me. [laughs] As if I remember it. A lot of comics and artwork has gone across the drawing board since then. I don’t remember the story well. I was more or less turned down because my work was very Eisner-ish and on the cartoon side. They didn’t feel like I was getting into their “look.” Marvel and DC both had a look and I just didn’t quite fit into it. CI: What do you remember about the twist for “Tin Star”? PLOOG: Not a lot, to be absolutely honest with you. I know I was getting into Native American Indian superstitions and stuff like that. That’s all I ever really remember about it; I don’t even know where the artwork is, I think it’s long gone. I had done it for an 8- to 10-page sample.

Michael Ploog On The Marvel Supernatural Characters movies. The flaming skull was the most obvious part of the design. There’s only so much you can do with a flaming skull. [laughs]

CI: Roy remembers a cowboy who has a tin star with a bullethole in it, and he can’t remember... PLOOG: Yeah, and it had a revenge twist.

The bike was the most difficult part, since I’d wanted it to be a chopper, but I wanted it to look a little special. I tried several of them and ended up keeping it as simple as possible. I had a helluva time drawing motorcycles, and hated drawing them. I had to come up with a bike that I could reproduce easily, but still keep it looking like a chopper, but not have it be more of a character than Ghost Rider himself. I did one design and showed it to the boys at Marvel, and they said, “‘Great, roll with it.” I didn’t spend months figuring out what he would look like.

CI: What was your first work at Marvel, after you’d brought “Tin Star” in and it was rejected? PLOOG: My first work was “Werewolf by Night.” About a week after I brought those pages in, and was more or less turned down and scouting for work, they gave me a call and asked if I was interested in doing a werewolf book, which was the kind of stuff I’d been doing for Warren. I said yes, that I’d love to. That’s when I hooked up with “Werewolf by Night.”

CI: You sat down and pretty much cranked it out.

CI: Then “Ghost Rider” came along, in 1972? This was before your seven-issue run on Man-Thing with Steve Gerber, or your runs on Frankenstein and Werewolf by Night? PLOOG: “Ghost Rider” was further down the line. I did Werewolf, and then Frankenstein. With Frankenstein, they decided to do crossovers and bring Frankenstein to modern times [laughter], into New York City, and have him battling people like Spider-Man. I couldn’t handle that. I thought, “‘No, that isn’t down my line and my kind of material.” I left Frankenstein, and “Ghost Rider” just came up. It was more or less something to do. When I first heard of “Ghost Rider,” I thought it was a Western, going back to the Frazetta-drawn Ghost Rider riding around on the white horse. I hadn’t seen it in years, just once fleetingly, and thought it was pretty cool.

PLOOG: It was more in an afternoon than anything else.

One Kind Of Outlaw Or Another Conan the Barbarian #57 (Dec. 1975) was outside the scope of this interview, but since it was illustrated by Mike Ploog and written & edited by Roy Thomas, this might be the place for A/E’s editor to horn in with his own amiable amendment to Mike’s recollection re the “Tin Star” pages he brought in to the Marvel offices the day he met first associate editor Roy, then Stan Lee himself, then employment by Marvel. Roy says: “I vividly recall Mike showing me his ‘Tin Star’ samples, and my being intrigued with the concept. When Mike says I had no interest in it ‘for years’—well, perhaps he’s forgotten (or never knew) that I tried to talk Stan Lee into doing it as a feature. That’s the main reason I remember it, even today. Well, actually, all I strictly recall is the image and idea that the amnesiac hero has a sheriff’s or marshal’s star in his pocket—with a bullethole in it—and he doesn’t know how it got there, or who he is. Is he the lawman who was shot—the outlaw who pulled the trigger—or someone else entirely? If I didn’t mention it again to Mike for years—well, the subject just never came up!” Conan art repro’d from the 1990s black-&-white mag Conan Saga #50. [©2006 Paradox Entertainment/Conan Properties, Inc.]

CI: Why do you think Marvel decided to do a new version of Ghost Rider? PLOOG: That is a great name, but I’m really not quite sure why. Who did the [original] Ghost Rider series? CI: That was by Magazine Enterprises in the 1950s, with publisher Vin Sullivan. A lot of the stories were drawn by Dick Ayers, [written] by Gardner Fox. I have a theory Marvel just wanted the trademark on the name. What do you remember about designing the Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider? PLOOG: After the shock that it wasn’t a Western [laughs] and that he was riding around on a motorcycle, I think my first reference point was Evel Knievel, who was popular at that time. I went through some magazines and did a little bit of research, but not a whole lot. What I saw about Knievel wouldn’t work for someone who just sold part of his soul to the devil. I more or less went back to a Western look. The costume I put on him was that panel-type shirt from the ’50s Western

CI: Was Roy around, or did you consult anyone on it? PLOOG: No, once I got a brief on it, I went home and sat at the drawing board. I went through a few biker magazines and sat down and drew it. CI: What do you think about the movie coming out?

PLOOG: It’s going to be interesting, because it’s not an easy story to make a film out of. It’ll be interesting to see how they treat it. There was a period of time when Ghost Rider was one of those characters who was almost as bad as the villains he was fighting. It was like going back to a World War II mentality: in order to defeat this horrible enemy, you have to be more horrible than he is. It was a neat twist on the idea of becoming a hero, a real anti-hero. I thought it was interesting and something I could live with working on.

CI: I think that’s one of the reasons why he did really well when they brought him back in the early ’90s, the era of the anti-hero. Do you know if you’ll get any creator credit on the movie? PLOOG: I wouldn’t get any credit on that, I don’t think. CI: Doesn’t seem to be an issue for you. PLOOG: Not really. I see it as a job. That’s really the way I look at the comics I did at that time. It was a job I enjoyed. In many ways, I was grateful to have it. I’m not someone who is credit-crazy. It’s fun to see your name up on the silver screen, but I have worked on over fifty movies, so the thrill of seeing my name is pretty gone. CI: You’ve worked on some pretty pivotal genre pieces, like Labyrinth.

“Marvel Was Doing Practically Nothing But Super-Heroes”

“Become A Wolf When The Wolfbane Blooms” Mike’s first work for Marvel—or for color comics, period. The opening page of the “Werewolf by Night” origin in Marvel Spotlight #2 (Feb. 1972). Roy and his first wife Jean co-plotted that first story from Roy’s general concept for a series he’d wanted to call “I, Werewolf”—but Stan nixed that title. All Roy cared about was that the series be related in first person—and Gerry Conway took care of that when he became the feature’s first scripter. And Mike really made the series his own! [©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

PLOOG: I did storyboards on that, and some designs on Dark Crystal. CI: How would you compare designing films and doing storyboards to working in comics? PLOOG: There’s not a whole lot of difference, just that you have to pay attention to the staging and the actual editing of things. You have to know where to put the camera so that you have things going left to right, and not “over the line,” which is a strange term that they liked to always use. Nowadays, I’ve noticed the cameraman going over the line all the time. It’s like any other rule, you put it there to figure out how to break it. CI: I think that’s probably why all rules are put there. You’d mentioned working on Bryan Singer’s X-Men. How was it to work on a super-hero movie? PLOOG: Super-hero movies are very difficult to put together, because its an effects situation. Many times, you’re not only working around effects, but also around budgets; that means your story is changing continuously. A lot of times, they don’t start out with a real story, but more or less a concept that they build the story around. It’s a very strange process, a building process more than with your normal live-action film process. It’s more like animation, where you do a lot of story adjusting and development in storyboards. The effects have to be in there, or you’d end up with

something like Supergirl. I worked on it, too, and fought like cats and dogs with the director, telling him “This can’t be a love story, you’ve got to put your tongue in your cheek and make a comic book out of it.” But he was adamant that it had to be a love story, because he saw this great idea of someone coming from outer space and falling in love with the worst actor in the history of film. CI: And [the character] was like a groundsman or something?

The King Is Dead! But Then—So Is Ghost Rider! Ulp! Since Roy’s been telling all and sundry his own version of the designing of Ghost Rider’s costume for three decades now, he’d best have the courage of his convictions and repeat it here. It isn’t really all that much at variance with Mike’s rendition. As Roy recalls it: “My old friend and fellow Marvel writer Gary Friedrich had the original notion of a motorcycle-riding Ghost Rider villain, for Daredevil—but, as associate ed, I felt such a character should be a hero with his own mag—and Stan agreed. Along the way, he became supernatural, which he wouldn’t have been, had he debuted in DD. The day Mike came in to work with Gary and me on what Ghost Rider would look like, Gary had called in sick. I don’t recall Gary and me ever talking about the ‘look’ of the character before—though we may have—and I told Mike I’d like him to have a skull for a head, and wear a black leather outfit modeled after Elvis Presley’s in his 1968 TV ‘Comeback Special’—Gary and I are huge Elvis fans, always have been. Of course, that’s not to deny that Mike, either before or after this meeting, might’ve had his idea of a ‘panel-type shirt from the ’50s Western movies’—or an Evel Knievel outfit, come to that. To Gary and me, though—and I think to the readers—that outfit was always black leather. And that was directly because of Elvis, but also harking back to the ultimate source of Elvis’ gear: Marlon Brando in The Wild One. I remember Mike starting to sketch fire around the Rider’s skull, and I asked why. He said he just thought it looked better that way—and he was right.” At left is Mike’s cover for Marvel Spotlight #5 (Aug. 1972)—above, Elvis on TV, 1968, in the outfit Roy wanted used as the basis of Ghost Rider’s garb. [Ghost Rider art ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.; Elvis photo ©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Michael Ploog On The Marvel Supernatural Characters

PLOOG: Or a mechanic? I can’t quite remember. CI: I’m trying not to, actually. PLOOG: I tell you, it was a happy experience, because that’s where I met my wife, who was then the assistant to the producer. It was just a great experience. It’s like being in the military, where you’ve got a focal point: you hate what you’re doing, and who is making you do it, so everyone joins in and you have a great time. CI: Back to X-Men—how was working with Singer? PLOOG: A bit scattered, to be honest with you. He was using more or less a shotgun technique of having you come up with a good idea that everyone in the room likes (and you’re not quite sure who they are, but they’re also pitching in their ideas) and your idea gets changed around and around. Then they say, “Go back and work on that,” and you go back to your office. You sit down and think, “What the hell just happened in that meeting?” [laughs] So, you sit down and do more storyboards and, then at the end, I think it’s resilience, because you keep going back until they say, “Great, love it!” and you go back and work on another sequence. It’s under determination that you end up with something that they go for. Bryan is obviously a good director. There are all kinds of different kinds of directors; there’s directors who live with their movie, and there are those who steer it. I think he steers the film, and depends on his crew a great deal. Like I say, he does have a certain shotgun technique to his work. He wasn’t the easiest man to work with, there are no two ways about it. CI: Would you work with him again? PLOOG: Yeah, I probably would, but I don’t think I’m going to be doing any movies anytime soon. Movies and I have pretty much run our gamut. I loved working on film that has a multilayered story and film that has problems that they need someone to figure out a solution for, in a way that’s a little bit different. I love that, because you’re continuously experimenting, talking with the writer and effects people, and you’re going back and putting all of these ideas and

Just Two Of Those Things! Inked sketch by Mike Ploog of the Man-Thing and the ever-lovin', blue-eyed Benjamin J. Grimm from Fantastic Four, previously printed only in the 2005 program book for the Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC. [Thing and Man-Thing TM & ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

So Who’s Left For Frankenstein To Meet Tonight? Mike’s re-creation of the cross-over cover of Werewolf by Night #15 (March 1974), the issue in which Dracula met Jack Russell, Terrier—er, we mean Werewolf—by Night. [Werewolf by Night & this version of Dracula TM & ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

plans together. I like that kind of a process. Nowadays, the films that need storyboard work more than anything else have a lot of effects and CG work. You can do almost anything because of computer generation. It takes the mystery out of everything for me. If you can do anything, there’s no real problem: the problem is just budget. Where is the creativity, because years ago you had to figure ways to make it look like it was working, and you had to use cuts and angles. You were working closely with the editors sometimes, telling you if you needed more long shots or close-ups. Then it was more fun, but now you can do anything, and it has to be bigger than the last thing you saw on the screen. CI: So, what are you working on now? PLOOG: I’m doing a book called Abadazad, published by Hyperion Books. It started as a comic book with CrossGen, one of the last books they picked up before they went bankrupt. We only did three issues with them and, when they went bankrupt, J.M. DeMatteis and I, in owning a percentage of the rights, realized we’d have to fight to keep the book for ourselves. Then, Disney entered the picture and wanted Abadazad, and decided they would buy the entire company and get Abadazad. At the time, they weren’t quite aware that Abadazad wasn’t entirely owned by CrossGen. So J.M. and I are now dealing with Disney, and decided we needed a serious agent. Disney is like dealing with an 800-pound gorilla. It’s a great series, and we’re signed up to do eight books, but can go up to twelve. It’s a new concept that we all put our heads together and came up with. It’s prose, illustrations, and comic books, kind-of a hybrid. I’m rather proud of it; it’s a rather good-looking book. Hyperion has done a knock-out job of packaging it. The first two books are on the market right now, and doing quite well. I’m now working on the third. We’ll see how it works out.

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ACG Horror And Fantasy A Fond Look Back At The First Horror Comic Book Publisher— The American Comics Group by Barry Forshaw

arry Forshaw is the editor of the British magazine Crime Time; this piece appeared in the excellent British horror comics magazine, From the Tomb. It has been edited only slightly for its printing in Alter Ego, including substituting a few American spellings and combining its three parts into one. Our thanks to Peter Normanton, editor/publisher of From the Tomb, as well as to Barry F., for their blessing to print it here. —Roy.

Remembering ACG Do you need to be able to talk knowledgeably about ACG? Are you embarrassed at parties when the conversation turns to the very first continuous horror comic, Adventures into the Unknown? Or to Ogden Whitney’s covers featuring his trademark contrasts of scale— say, a tiny mermaid being shaken by a large hand out of a shell? If so, then this section of Alter Ego’s Halloween issue is for you! You’ll be gently guided to the arcane secrets that will distinguish you from those who remember ACG for two things only: the rather slight Herbie series, and some of the very worst super-hero characters ever created (as ACG slid reluctantly into oblivion in the Marvel Age). And the analysis of those secrets will not be limited to praise only; like editor/writer emeritus Richard Hughes in his famously self-lacerating letter columns, no punches will be pulled about ACG disasters (e.g., “Magicman” and “Nemesis”). But before I talk about what makes this “minnow” among comics publishers a whale in terms of achievement, I should sound a personal note. As a schoolboy in Northern England, I saw my first ACG in the form of a British bumper-sized reprint, as I looked through the window of a closed Liverpool newsagent late on a Sunday night in the early ’60s.

It was Adventures into the Unknown #5—actually a 68-page British reprint. The cover sent chills through my adolescent soul. Although the kind of horror the comic had once traded in had (unbeknownst to me) already passed into history, it was creepily promising enough: a massive close-up of a sinister hypnotist with a bright scarlet visage, gesturing at a young man sitting slack-jawed— while a ghostly, bewhiskered face seemed to issue from his head. I had to wait impatiently for Monday morning, when I could shell out my shilling for this “unmissable” item. In the shop, I was momentarily detained by the airbrushed pubic regions of the nudist magazine Health and Efficiency, but I made the right choice—a future-defining moment every bit as powerful as reading a black-&-white reprint of “Superman’s New Face” from Action Comics. Like all post-Comics Code ACGs, this was gentle, poetic fantasy—with intelligently handled supernatural elements. The illustration on the cover, for the series “Annals of the Occult” (a generic series title for the company), was less eerie in the Kurt Schaffenberger tale it illustrated, but the plotting was highly involving.

Really Big Adventures Into The Unknown Although the 68-page British edition of Adventures into the Unknown had begun four issues earlier, the first issue Barry Forshaw stumbled across was #5. Both covers by Ogden Whitney. Thanks to Frank Motler for the scans. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

ACG Horror And Fantasy

Unknown Hughes Of Black-&-White Richard Hughes, editor and chief writer for the American Comics Group—juxtaposed with a 1948 house ad for the very first issue of the very first ongoing horror comic: Adventures into the Unknown #1. Thanks to John Haufe, Jr. We ran the photo of Hughes sent by Michael Vance last issue, of course—but since only two pics of him are known to exist, we thought we'd best run it again! [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

However, the real find was a tale called “Pie in the Sky,” in which I noticed the signature of the artist who had so memorably drawn the cover: Ogden Whitney. The science-fiction revolved around an investigator uncovering the strange secret behind a job agency that appears to be abducting lonely, alienated people. I was as much struck by the care in the characterization as by the beautifully rendered art. The hero actually underwent a personality change, from cynicism, to bitter disillusion, to a qualified hopefulness: this was a novel concept for comics in the late ’50s/early ’60s, where clever plotting was far more valued than characterization. Even the great DC sf titles (Mystery in Space and Strange Adventures) opted for plots of great ingenuity enacted by largely undifferentiated scientists and astronauts. Because the British edition of Adventures into the Unknown eliminated both the ACG logo and all publishing information, I (along with every other British reader) had no way of knowing that Richard Hughes was the editor (and often writer) of this superior fare. There was a chatty letter column—a rarity in those days—but the unidentified editor was railing against the cliché excesses of horror comics. When readers pleaded for zombies, werewolves, and vampires of the kind ACG had once apparently produced (a familiar leitmotiv of ACG letter columns, as I was to learn), Hughes would assume a “school marm” tone and say, “Such themes have been done to death, not least by this company—we’ll be giving our readers the very best in imaginative illustrated fiction.” This was undoubtedly true. ACG’s gentle, eerie tales often seemed infinitely better than the sometimes shop-worn horror tales of Stan Lee’s Atlas line (simultaneously being reprinted in the UK in 68-page editions such as Spellbound). But his tongue-clucking ignored three singular facts: (1) Readers were capable of enjoying EC’s first-rate gruesome tales

alongside ACG’s more restrained stories (some horror comics still sporadically surfaced in the UK, as mentioned in the last paragraph, even though EC was dead)—one could enjoy both horror and fantasy. (2) The real reason Hughes was not publishing horror tales was because of something called the Comics Code... a thing we were dimly aware of in Britain. We’d experienced our own hysterical mini-witchhunt against horror titles which cited another bumper-sized black-&-while reprint, Tales from the Crypt. (3) Most ironically of all, the English reader (who’d come to Adventures into the Unknown via these post-Code British reprints) had no idea he was reading the very first regularly published horror comic, albeit in a “de-fanged” version. Still, a lifetime of love for these exquisite supernatural fantasies beckoned from beautifully crafted pages. Forbidden Worlds would soon follow in a black-&-white Brit edition—and adult enthusiasms for such writers as H.G. Wells would never dim the frisson of opening a well-drawn and -written comic for this reader. And I hadn’t even seen the US color originals that lucky Americans took for granted. Many US collectors are now interested in the curious byways of British reprints, so for those fact-oriented types, I should say that the first British ACG reprint was published by Thorpe & Porter as Adventures into the Unknown #1, and reprinted as AITU #88. The cover featured a menacing, Neanderthal brute in a tale called “The Booster Shots.” Twenty issues were published; the last reprinting being AITU #107, featuring a battle between a witch and a spaceman, one of Hughes’ beloved bizarre sciencefiction/supernatural juxtapositions, in a tale called “A Bridegroom for Jenny.” The British edition of Forbidden Worlds ran a mere eight issues.

The statement “BIG 68 PAGES—DON’T TAKE LESS” added to UK editions meant that the “cover issues” were supplemented by other random ACG reprints, and, surprisingly, even DC sf fare. Subsequently, the Alan Class company reprinted much inferior editions of later ACG material on paper of an appallingly low quality (I pity later generations whose introduction to this great material was via this toilet-paper era).

Hughes Of A Brighter Color But what had happened to the man behind these remarkable titles, Richard Hughes? The sad and tragic final years of many of the great comic book creators is a subject mused over by many a fan. The sorry fate of “Superman” creators Siegel and Shuster has been often re-told, although Neal Adams and Jerry Robinson managed to claw something back for them after the rough treatment they’d had from the heartless DC upper echelons in the 1940s. And the great Wallace Wood, taking his own life after his own uncompromising personality and total abuse of his body (cancer via his non-stop chain smoking, alcoholism, etc.) evaporated his talent. Harry Harrison, a Wood collaborator in his EC days (before Harrison’s success as an sf novelist), once told me that

The First Horror Comic Book Publisher

“And For This We Passed Up A Room At The Bates Motel?”

Wood always had this deathwatch beetle in his soul).

We’ve reproduced p. 1, part of p. 2, and the final page of “Lair of the Vampire” from the US edition of Forbidden Worlds #3 (Nov.-Dec. 1951) so you can compare it with Barry Forshaw’s analysis. The art has been credited by ACG mainstay Emil Gershwin; scripter unknown, though of course Richard Hughes was the editor. Thanks to Bill Field for the scans. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

But it’s less well known that one of the Siegel and Shuster protégés, Wayne Boring, also enjoyed little respect in his twilight years. The definitive “Superman” artist of the Silver Age ended his days as a night watchman, after his summary dismissal by the talented but appalling editor Mort Weisinger. And then there was ACG’s Richard Hughes. It’s sobering to think that one of the finest writing and editing talents the industry ever produced finished his life replying to letters of complaint for the New York department store, Gimbels. A career that had embraced humor, horror, adventure, romance, science-fiction, fantasy, and super-heroes (the latter, however, hardly his finest hour) ended up in a job of drudgery. Right from the start, Hughes’ exceptional writing skills were flourishing, even if they were only burnished to their brightest hue in the Silver Age.

whose inn they unwisely stay), the ridiculous elements of the piece start to stack up pretty quickly. The first panel is both striking and inaccurate. It depicts the hero about to impale the “undead” predator swooping down on his wife with the speared top of an axe! Then, examining panel four, it’s hard to suppress the chuckles. The couple blithely rent a room from an innkeeper whose pointed ears and deathwhite skin seem to give them no pause for concern at all. And when the vampiric innkeeper delivers the nudging line about a nearby castle (“I flit back and forth quite frequently!”), the reader suspects that this isn’t in a class with Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, wherein Anthony Perkins hints that “Mother isn’t quite herself tonight.”

And, of course, he edited and partly wrote the first continuing horror comics of the pre-Code era. In that regard, consider the third issue of Forbidden Worlds (Nov.-Dec. 1951). This is a highly interesting and very collectable issue for many reasons, but to the real ACG cognoscenti, it’s most intriguing for Hughes’ contribution. Ironically so, for the man behind the first regularly published horror comic, Hughes was never really at home with the genre. Feldstein and Gaines’ contemporaneous efforts at EC were similarly rough-edged and overwritten—the latter a fault Hughes eradicated only when the introduction of the Comics Code forced an inauguration of his finest period.

But, however little the rather dim couple deserve to survive their ordeal, Hughes (or another writer under him) manages to build up quite a head of steam in the ensuing battle, with the development of genuine suspense. The climax may be ridiculous (the hero offering himself as bait by climbing up a flagpole, and dispatching the monster by the unlikely expedient of simply ducking out of the way and letting “flagpole impalement” ensue), the concept is still fun. And Hughes even plays fair with his readers by showing a then-unexplained glittering object on the castle in an early panel. The object ultimately turns out to be the silver lightning-conductor tip of the flagpole on which the vampire dies. There’s also the nice concept of the castle, tottering on a spindly crag from which all roads have fallen away, and the pillow the hero secretes about himself before his climb to the monster’s lair—and then uses ingeniously. Forgetting the sillier elements, it’s a lively and crisp early-’50s horror tale that has a real page-tuning quality.

But Hughes, more quickly than his competitors at EC, began to find the quirkiness and invention that became his hallmark. While his two horror titles were rapidly outshone by the team at Entertaining Comics, his early efforts amply demonstrate this teeming imagination. The first story from FW #3, “Lair of the Vampire,” is actually pretty ludicrous when examined closely; it works primarily because its writer, subtly out of tune with the horror genre, tries to fashion several new “wrinkles” to liven up his narrative. A conventional tale of a young couple marooned in central Europe (and menaced by a vampire at

Things take a definite turn for the better, however, in the second story, drawn by ACG’s greatest artist, the much-underrated Ogden Whitney. It’s hard to think of another illustrator so closely associated with a particular company; even Curt Swan in his glory days at DC wasn’t as definitive a cover artist for that company as Whitney became for ACG. And although this Forbidden Worlds tale doesn’t quite show the final refinement of his clean, ordered style (the antithesis of Graham Ingels and Jack Davis at EC), there’s a real pleasure to be had from these measured panels.

ACG Horror And Fantasy The splash suggests a horror tale... an axe-wielding man staggers back from the blue spectre of a woman emerging from a wine cask… but the reason this is far more successful is the fact that it’s essentially a short story (Hughes’ forte). The violent death at the end could easily have been accommodated to the Code had the story been published six years later. Not that I’m advocating censorship; it’s just that Hughes (unlike Feldstein and Gaines) positively thrived under the restrictions of the Code. In fact, he was finally able to produce the kind of nonviolent fantasy and supernatural narratives that were clearly closer to his heart. In “The Vengeful Spirit” we have the kind of off-the-wall premise that Hughes could so often come up with. A young couple (again) enjoy a bottle of Château Mariveaux 1941 in a Parisian restaurant, only to be confronted with the seductive apparition of a woman that emerges when the cork is pulled. After several draughts of the wine, she passionately kisses the hero. Whispering “Go… go to the Chateaux Mariveaux... there you will find me!” This theme of a beautiful ghost appearing to a living man long after her death was to become a staple Hughes theme in the post-Code era. It was always handled post-Code with a romantic (rather than erotic) freshness. Here the ghost’s appeals are frankly sexual, when it transpires that she’s been promising bliss to all who will visit the chateaux at her call. “Your... your lips... I.. I can’t resist you,’” murmurs the hero. If there’s a “hook” on which Hughes built the story, it’s clearly the idea of a spirit in the “spirit” (i.e., alcohol).

And it’s all the more sad that this protean talent finished his life replying to complaints about faulty toasters.

3-D Or Not 3-D—That Is The Question For many reasons, there never was another comics group quite like the American Comics Group. Those of us who worship at this particular altar can always find reasons for extolling the virtues of the company (it’s taken as read that the two basic tenets of the best work in the medium are securely in place—intelligent and inventive writing married to individual and creative art). Actually, with ACG, even some of their slightly botched concepts are a cause for nostalgic pleasure among cognoscenti; I’ve even heard defenses mounted for the appalling super-hero era the company stooped to—although you won’t hear any such special pleading for Magicman from this writer. TrueVision, however... that’s another story. Let’s take a broad view here. ACG’s brief flirtation with an ersatz form of 3-D comics produced some very quirky and unusual work. Always somehow misconceived, but likeable for all that. And largely visually interesting due to the man who brought the concept to editor Richard Hughes—long-time ACG artist Harry Lazarus. Lazarus was a curious figure. Individual, and not obviously indebted to any of his peers in the comics industry, he had a curious grasp (or rather, lack of a grasp) of human anatomy, so that limbs were often elongated or

It’s novel enough, but is given extra impetus by an early example of Hughes’ marvelous character-defining flashbacks or preludes. Here, the ghost woman is revealed in a lengthy flashback to have been a fighter in the French Resistance, murdered by her ruthless brother for the Nazis. (This “texturing” of a story made all ACG readers feel they were really getting their money’s worth.) Whitney’s depiction of her revenge killing of her brother is a reminder of the non-ACG horror work he was to do—usually in a more heavily cross-hatched style than he used for his principal employers. After the letter column (with none of the famous lecturing of the readers that was to follow—mainly because they were actually getting the werewolves and vampires whose post-Code demise they were to lament), we find “The Domain of the Doomed,” illustrated by a mainstay of ACG’s early years, Kenneth Landau (no, not the brother of the actor Martin Landau, let alone Martin himself). Hughes was clearly a fan of science-fiction, but, like Ray Bradbury, he was more interested in its dramatic or poetic possibilities than in any hard science credibility; Larry Niven or Gregory Benford this ain’t. In fact, the premise—a hot air balloon that makes a hazardous interplanetary trip—more than strains the credulity of the reader. But it’s energetic fun, even if Landau’s art, as always, veers alarmingly between being strikingly composed and crudely drawn. No such problems with the next tale, illustrated by two of the greatest talents in the history of the field: EC’s Al Williamson and Wally Wood. Williamson did some customarily powerful work for the company through both its horror and post-Code periods, and with Wood’s beautiful inks over Williamson’s elegant pencil work, a conventional tale called “Skull of the Sorcerer” is elevated into the realm of the memorable (a muddy, monocolor version of this tale appeared in a reprint tribute to Williamson). [NOTE: See pp. 22-23 for art from this story.] The final story in FW #3, “The Witch’s Apprentice,” is a dud. But, with the exception of the DC sf comics, the 52-pagers of the era often carried dead weight. Looked at from the 21st century, it’s clear that Richard Hughes and the company for which he was the prime mover had great things ahead.

The First Horror Comic Book Publisher Eminent “Domain” Another splash from FW #3. Barry Forshaw attributes the art in “The Domain of the Doomed” to Kenneth Landau—the Grand Comic Book Data Base, to King Ward. Nobody has any idea who wrote the darn thing. The splash of the Williamson/Wood story from that issue, “The Skull of the Sorcerer,” can be seen on p. 22—and all thanks to Bill Field. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

a generous use of BenDay (the sheets of gray tone so beloved of EC’s Wallace Wood). The former accentuated the extrusion of elements of the artwork—arms, walls, dinosaur heads—that moved from the panels into the black border. The BenDay added texture and depth to the art within the panels. A total con, of course, and there probably wasn’t a single reader in the ’50s taken in by the concept (which was heavily promoted by Hughes in the letter columns). But such was the fervor of the 3-D craze—fueled by indifferent films such as Bwana Devil, and better ones such as House of Wax and It Came from Outer Space—that readers were happy to go along with the premise, at least until it ran out of steam. Hughes was right in saying that the general run of 3-D comics was difficult to read, and there was parental concern about the use of the glasses—it was an era of excessive parental concern, after all. But comics like EC’s few entries, however muddy, were definitely three-dimensional. Enjoyment of ACG’s efforts depended on really forgetting that this was supposed to be a 3-D magazine, and simply enjoying an eccentric and unusual piece of artwork. Lazarus worked for Avon in the early ’50s, and was to finish the decade drawing for Marvel, but his finest work (such as it was!) was conjured up for Hughes. Like Schwartz, Gaines, and Feldstein, ACG’s editor usually had this inspirational effect on his illustrators. The first story in Adventures into the Unknown #31, “Nightmare,” was a striking debut feature for the TrueVision process—albeit one that had the reader thinking there wasn’t very far the process could go. However, Lazarus remained the principal proponent of the idea for the distorted in a fashion that was always absolutely intended in the work of Jack Kirby, but gave the impression with Lazarus of a striving for some ideal he could never quite achieve. But this very quality gave his work a very personal character and charm, and his slow fade from the ACG scene in the post-Code era would have been a cause for regret—had he not been replaced by a phalanx of talented illustrators. However, one thing Lazarus didn’t lack was imagination—and spotting the success of the 3-D craze in everything from movies to comics, he presented to Hughes a totally synthetic form of 3-D that nevertheless dispensed with the more costly and time-consuming method pioneered by Joe Kubert in Tor and Simon & Kirby in the imaginative Captain 3-D. Lazarus’ TrueVision—which debuted in Adventures into the Unknown #51 (Jan. 1954)—dispensed with the customary red-and-green paper glasses by the simple expedient of utilizing black-bordered sheets with

To Thine Own Self Be TrueVision We showed you Harry Lazarus’ “TrueVision” pseudo-3-D cover for Adventures into the Unknown #53 last issue. Here are the ones for #51 (with its white rather than black background) and #58, reproduced from From the Tomb #17. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

ACG Horror And Fantasy

Two More In TrueVision company. His “Haunted Hunchback” for AIU #51 (Jan. 1954) was one of Hughes’ love stories, considerably enlivened by the artists’ skills in his self-created medium. Of course, the most memorable TrueVision image is undoubtedly the cover for Adventures into the Unknown #58 (also 1954), with its snarling, rampaging robot—although die-hard ACG fans will draw comparisons with the company’s definitive robot artist, Ogden Whitney. Whitney’s metal men were quaint, and (even for the ’50s) hardly state-of-the-art, but their charming design left its mark on all who grew up with them. Other artists contributed stories in TrueVision for the humor titles “Cookie” and The Kilroys, and reasonably accomplished versions of the idea also featured in Commander Battle and the Atomic Submarine. It’s hard to see why Hughes thought the process might appeal to the readers of the romance titles, but he nevertheless commissioned entries for Romantic Adventures and Confessions of the Lovelorn. None of these efforts covered the company in any glory. The process was abandoned by Adventures into the Unknown #61. Ironically, the TrueVision issues are considered more collectible than most of the finest ACG issues—the immediately post-Code numbers. Proof, if proof were needed, that ACG collecting remains for most a haphazard pursuit, not based on quality so much as identifiable trends. However, if the legend “3-D Effect! TrueVision - Life & Color without Glasses” has a nostalgic appeal for you, don’t hesitate to pursue these issues—although you may find it increasingly hard to come by them at reasonable prices. Conversely, English dealers still shun them.

The TrueVision covers of Romantic Adventures #46 (June 1954) and Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub #1 (July-Aug. 1954). The former has a unique use for “3-D”: the hero and heroine walking away from the reader. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Ventures Into The Unknown However, turning at random to a later issue of Adventures into the Unknown, shortly after this trend had bitten the dust, demonstrates how much better Hughes’ efforts were when he wasn’t forced to rely on gimmicks, so much as the solid narrative skills he was honing. By the time of issue #70 (1955), Hughes was well on the way to mastery of the genre, although, ironically, his finest artist, Ogden Whitney, was still struggling to find his feet in the post-Code era, having produced some memorable horror covers. The cover for issue #70 is probably his worst effort for the company, and classic ammunition for those who believe the comics industry was emasculated by the Code. Even before the hysterical reaction to the medium had destroyed the genre, the clutching hand had become a commonplace of the covers—usually a blackened, shriveled claw or skeletal talon reaching menacingly towards its human prey, But by January 1955, all Hughes and Whitney were permitted to menace their sailor hero with was a limp, pink human hand (looking more as if it were about to tap the hero apologetically on the shoulder than to rend him limb from limb). The sailor is clutching jewels aboard a galleon marooned in the Sargasso Sea. and his hands are as indifferently rendered as the menacing appendage—doubly surprising, when it’s considered that Whitney brought the use of hands on comic book covers to heights no other artist ever achieved.

The cover story “Forgotten Ocean” is drawn by the solidly talented John Rosenberger (or “John R.,” as he was known to ACG enthusiasts), and was an early bitter-sweet example of Hughes’ tales of lovers sundered, After a splash panel of the modern-day sailor and his scarletdressed sixteenth century lover reaching to each other across the Sargasso’s expanse of dead ships, Hughes begins to tentatively stretch narrative skills in a tale of a young man who fulfills his father’s lack of faith in him by losing a fortune over a duplicitous woman, and there’s evidence of one of Hughes’ favorite tropes—the steady building of character in his protagonist (a device found nowhere else in pre-superhero tales—not even EC). Roger Jones fails not because of his own

The First Horror Comic Book Publisher other work in the issue, it’s a pleasing foretaste of glories to come.

weakness, but because of the pre-conceptions of all around him, and the seafaring career that follows—finally landing him in a bizarre community living out of time in the ships that clog the Sargasso Sea—is a prelude to Jones’ betrayal of the girl he falls in love with here. But Jones destroys his happiness, because he’s still a victim of the expectations of others. “Forgotten Ocean” is more interesting when viewed retrospectively as a dry run for themes Hughes would develop more fully later—something that is also true of the second tale, “Mystery of the Marne,” a confidently handled tale of a Gl’s uncanny familiarity with a region of France he’s never visited when menaced by Nazis in World War II. The denouement may be telegraphed some way into the piece, but Hughes is already learning how to circumvent the restrictions of the Code by moving into gentler supernatural territory. And as someone who loved every decaying Graham Ingels corpse that haunted The Vault of Horror, I’d remind you that the weird tale is a house of many rooms. The letter column is a hoot, when bearing in mind that editor Hughes wrote virtually all the stories. “We work mostly through freelance writers,” he lies in his pre-Stan Lee promotional fashion. “Men who aren’t bogged down by the cares and responsibilities of editing, and can concentrate on turning out good stories.” Wish fulfillment indeed! The rest of the column strives to suggest a massive team of writers conferring, rejecting, and honing acres of material—but those of us who love Hughes can forgive him this grandiloquent stuff, in light of what he actually achieved almost alone. The third and final tale is Rosenberger (“John R.”) again—no Whitney interior work in this issue. “Miracle of the Ice” has an unimpressive splash panel of a man drawn by a team of dogs from a fabulous glass-domed city, and tells of an Alaskan expedition to a lost city. Actually, the piece is a riff on James Hilton’s Shangri-La in Lost Horizon, but it’s difficult not to mentally “recast” the artwork for Al Williamson— another ACG alumnus. His fabulous lost city with its super-scientific wonders would no doubt have been drawn by Roy G. Krenkel—who handled all such panels for Williamson—and would have been far more awe-inspiring than John R’s unimaginative and pedestrian city. Still. Hughes comes up with a nice twist for the climax of the tale, and like all the

Weird Science-Fiction In his tenure as the editor (and chief writer) for the legendary American Comics Group, the brilliant comics workhorse Richard Hughes turned out an incredible amount of work. From the early pre-Code horror material (mostly, some of the more restrained work in genre) to the dire last gasps of the company in its woeful superhero period, Hughes’ work could be relied upon to produce highly imaginative writing and characterization, displaying a subtlety not found elsewhere in the field.

But even Hughes’ most devoted admirers (such as this columnist) are forced to admit the faults that complement (and frequently sink) these virtues. His sciencefiction tales, for instance, while charming and inventive, often boasted howling errors of science fact (such as astronauts climbing out of their spacecraft to effect repairs without their helmets); but Hughes disarmed critics in his often self-lacerating letter columns with his unblushing acceptance of such blots. Most of the time, his work was excellent—but much of it (it has to be said) was truly appalling. Let’s take a look at an example of each. By the time of the 100th issue of Adventures into the Unknown, ACG’s flagship title, Richard Hughes had perfected the sophisticated plotting that helped the company survive the disastrous implosion of the horror genre after the Kefauver hearings, with supernatural and sf tales stripped of the blood-bolstered trappings of the ’50s but crammed full of delicate fantasy. This 100th issue (bearing a proud flash celebrating its longevity) has a typically evocative cover by ACG’s premiere illustrator, Ogden Whitney.

Ever Think A “Horror” Comic Would Reach 100 Issues? The lead splash of Adventures into the Unknown #100. Art by Ogden Whitney; script probably by Richard Hughes… as seen in From the Tomb #18. Thanks to Michael Vance and Peter Normanton. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

A dazed-looking, bearded man wearing a tattered cape and crown strolls across a ruined landscape on an alien planet, surrounded by the rusting remains of robots around which vines have begun to creep. “Nobody on this planet but me! I—I’m the head man!” he intones. The robots are hardly hightech: they have a lovely ’40s/’50s design based largely on a series of boxes. Whitney frequently used variations on this quaint design for his robots. He also illustrates this title story, in which mobster Ed Wilson escapes from the police on a rocket ship (stocked with food and water, as all unmanned rockets always are in comics) and ends up as the

ACG Horror And Fantasy

ruler of the planet of metal men. Spearheading a revenge invasion of Earth, his conscience is pricked by the memory of a child: the daughter of a woman Wilson nearly married. While the sciencefiction trappings here are grippingly handled, as usual, it’s the plotting and characterization that lift the piece above the rut. We are shown Wilson’s steady seduction into a life of crime from his youth, and (as so often with Hughes) the possibility for redemption is held out. The opening pages are intriguing, before we know what’s going on: a group of astronauts explore a planet littered with rusting robots, and find a throne on which the corpse of an old man slumps. The latter panel, which Hughes and Whitney ran without dialogue, is a classic example of the artist’s impeccable draftsmanship; few artists of the period rendered the human figure with such grace. The rest of the issue is hardly Hughes’ best work, given the celebratory nature of the issue, but is more than acceptable fare, with such artists as Paul Reinman and John Forte turning in acceptable if uninspired jobs. Greater glories were ahead for the company, both in AITU and its sister title Forbidden Worlds (not to mention in various other supernatural/sf anthologies ACG produced); but as the superhero era began to banish such anthologies from the stands, Hughes half-heartedly fought back with his own brand of costumed characters, trying to maintain the supernatural overtones of his best work. The results were lamentable, and an example of just how ill-suited to this kind of material may be found in Forbidden Worlds #136 (published in 1966; cover printed last issue). This is the perfect exemplar of the company’s half-hearted attempts at a super-hero ethos. Featuring a clash between the company’s two woeful super-heroes, Magicman and Nemesis, the sky-borne fistfight drawn for the cover by ACG mainstay Kurt Schaffenberger is the only half-distinguishing feature of the issue, and it’s hard to imagine that the poorly-plotted, crassly-written cover story within is actually by the great Richard Hughes (under his ludicrous pen name of “Zev Zimmer”), so uninspired is it. In the company’s glory years, when the Code forced Hughes to write really imaginative fantasies, his replies in the letter columns were full of his dislike of the company’s horrorheavy pots of the past. Perhaps he grew to hate those early tales of zombies and werewolves that marked ACG’s past, but there is no question that Hughes really loathed the whole concept of super-heroes, and did them only under the dead hand of commercial imperatives; falling sales had shown that the market for sharply-written anthologystyle tales was shrinking rapidly. Hughes’ terrible script here is matched by uninspired art from Pete Costanza, clearly showing that he, too, preferred the fantasy and sf tales he had previously worked on for the company. If the reputation of ACG is ever to be rehabilitated, it will only come about through comics readers going beyond the most readily available titles, which are the super-hero and “Herbie” numbers (the latter of which sported an over-extended idea that was good for one or

He Drew The Unknown More Whitney wonderment. The cover and a splash from AITU #101, lateraled over from From the Tomb #18. The crystal clarity and realism and familiarity of Ogden’s art drew the reader in—made him/her think this was something that could really be happening…! [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

two appearances at the most). For the best that the company had to offer, collectors should seek out such comics as the very next issue of Adventures into the Unknown, which followed the centenary edition discussed above. Admittedly, the cover of #101, though drawn with Ogden Whitney’s customary skill, will put off as many readers as it intrigues: a nurse and doctor stare in amazement into a hospital bedroom, where a child (clad in red pajamas with witchcraft motifs and wearing a crooked witch’s hat) levitates herself and a set of building blocks. But the accompanying tale is anything but cute: the initially selfish hero, Ben Talbot, encounters a witch hazel tree in the forest covered with strange markings, and, lighting a fire, is knocked over by an exploding seed from the tree. Regaining consciousness, he sees a naked baby by the fire, which he rushes to a nearby hospital. The child of the tree (which he calls, unsurprisingly, Hazel) soon demonstrates the kind of telekinetic power shown on the cover, and Ben spirits her away with a view to exploiting her powers. But now Hughes’ secondary plotting kicks in: Hazel is growing older at 80 times the normal rate, and Talbot is soon proposing to the attractive 18-year-old she has become. But rejection—and physical damage—await him, as Hazel’s destiny will follow a strange path. The character development here is in both Talbot and the luckless Hazel, who grows from whimsical baby to altruistic young adult to withered crone, her personality changing as her life rushes past. How many comics of the 1950s offered such development? John Forte turns in a reasonable tale next, but Whitney is back for

Another Whitney Sampler Three fine Whitney Adventures into the Unknown covers reprinted on the English reprints, from US issues #7, #17, & #19. Note the use of the photographed hand on #17—and the utter credibility of the undersea scene on #19, due largely to his drawing of the schoolgirl walking so naturalistically. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

the grand finale, “He Pierced the Unknown.” The supernaturally gifted hero was a standard house plot device for ACG, but Hughes always incorporated new wrinkles. With this tale of a boy whose surrealistic dreams foretell great disasters, the show was really Ogden Whitney’s. Apart from the protagonist’s ethnic name (Albert Huraki: Richard Hughes often went in for such non Anglo-Saxon names), the hero isn’t strongly characterized. But, boy, are his dreams brilliantly realized! Whitney uses a fractured, nightmarish style (with single-color overlays) to depict these nocturnal visions: Albert is walking the streets of an

Oriental city, when a plant shoot cracks its way through the pavement, blooming into a gigantic mushroom (next day, of course, Hiroshima is bombed). Other panels, too, are brilliantly realized by the artist—a train wreck, and the fogbound ship on which Albert has a fateful assignation. Forget the ACG super-heroes, forget Herbie—start looking for those late-’50s/early-’60s issues of Adventures into the Unknown and Forbidden Worlds right now!

COMING IN NOVEMBER: ROY THOMAS’

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E TWO VOLUM

“If You Can Bring Richard Hughes Back, He’d Be My Favorite Editor” An Interview With Artist Great AL WILLIAMSON About His Work For ACG Interview Conducted 8-29-95 by Michael Vance

Transcribed by Brian K. Morris

ast issue’s presentation of Michael’s book about the American Comics Group featured quotations from a number of interviews the author had done in preparation for writing the volume. Here is one of those interviews in something closer to its full form, though edited slighty for reasons of space—and it just happens to be with one of the great talents of EC Comics, to boot! Al Williamson is fondly remembered for his work on the comic strips Secret Agent Corrigan and Star Wars—even more so for his breathtaking illustrations in EC’s Weird Science and Weird Fantasy and other titles—but he has a soft spot in his heart for ACG and its enigmatic editor, Richard Hughes! —Roy.

there was something nice about the books and I thought I’d just go up there. I think they were on 43rd Street, or—

MV: 45th. WILLIAMSON: 45th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue. I didn’t show any printed work. I think I just took originals that I’d done, and I remember waiting. The receptionist was a nice young lady, very, very, very pleasant. And I said, “I’m here to see whoever, the editor,” looking for work. She said, “Oh, just a minute,” and she let him know. So I sat down. I waited about two minutes and she said, “Mr. Hughes will see you,” and took me in. It was a little office. It was a small outfit, a small office, and it had several little rooms.

MICHAEL VANCE: I should tell you that I am recording you. Is that all right, sir? AL WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I guess it’s all right. I have nothing to hide. MV: Well, they won’t be tough questions, Mr. Williamson. I wanted to start by telling you that I am an enormous fan of yours. I’m not exactly a young guy, so I’ve been around for a while and you’ve always been one of my favorites. WILLIAMSON: How long have you been around? MV: Forty-five years. WILLIAMSON: Oh, that’s nothing. [Michael laughs] I’ve been around 64. MV: Well, just a couple of questions. First off, how did you get hooked up with Mr. Hughes and ACG? WILLIAMSON: Well, let’s see. You know, I remember buying the books and there were some nice artists that I liked very much. They never signed the work, so I didn’t know who they were, but

Taking The EC Way—From ACG (Above:) Al Williamson, as caricatured by Marie Severin in the 1950s when both were working for EC—but Al was also doing a bit of work for ACG, at least till EC asked him to cut it out. [©2006 Marie Severin.] (Right:) A page from “Demon of Destruction,” the lead story in ACG’s Forbidden Worlds #1 (July-Aug. 1951). Frank Frazetta worked with Williamson on this memorable tale, whose splash page was seen last issue. Thanks to Bill Field for the art scan. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

“If You Can Bring Richard Hughes Back, He’d Be My Favorite Editor”

MV: Was this about1949?

MV: Oh, yeah.

WILLIAMSON: No, no, this was—let’s see, I think I started with EC in ’52, so this was ’51. This was around the spring, because I remember the weather being nice. So I went there and he liked the stuff, and he gave me a script. I don’t know who wrote the script. He did have some guys working there. I know a couple of times I delivered work and he was not there; he was on vacation. Somebody else picked up the job and gave me a script. And one of the guys that gave me a script said he just wrote it. I don’t remember his name, though.

WILLIAMSON: Well, the only reason I don’t think there was is because, after EC, I went back to work for Mr. Hughes back in ’56, ’57, I think. And there was no, absolutely no animosity or— MV: Oh, no, no, no, no. It actually came from Sangor, whom you never met and who owned the company [shop]. Mr. Sangor was the one that kept riding the gang at ACG all the time to live up to your standards at EC. WILLIAMSON: Oh. Well, it’s kind of a pity that—in a way, I have mixed emotions about working for EC. But of course, you’re young and 21, you’re working with all these great people, and you figure this is big and all that. And they paid better than ACG. And they were very nice people.

MV: You don’t remember seeing anybody at the offices during your trips that you remember? WILLIAMSON: Well, there were people there, but I had no idea what they were doing. I’d do the job, bring it in. In fact, the first job I did for them, Frank Frazetta worked on it, too, and they loved it. They thought it was very nice. They gave me another one and I think I did about four or five jobs for them.

That Mr. Hughes was exceptional. He was a very sweet man. I think he was a very honest man. I understand he wrote some of the stories himself.

MV: Yes. He was extremely prolific and he used dozens of pen names. In fact, “Richard Another page from the Williamson/Frazetta offering in Forbidden Worlds #1; Hughes” is not his name. I found thanks again to Bill Field. That’s what we call starting off with a bang! this out, too, about six months WILLIAMSON: I don’t think I [©2006 the respective copyright holders.] ago while I was writing the book. did a romance, because I would His name was actually Leo Rosenbaum. have been scared to do anything [unintelligible] stuff like that.

MV: That’s right. You may even have done a romance job for them.

We’ve All Got Our Demons

MV: Did Frank Frazetta mention anything to you about Hughes, because he had worked for them when they were the Sangor Shop, doing some funny animal stuff that was printed by the Nedor gang—Ned Pines and his wife? WILLIAMSON: I don’t even know who they are. No, I can’t remember Frank mentioning anything. MV: There’s a long-standing myth that has grown up that EC created horror comics, and, of course, they didn’t. Richard Hughes did. WILLIAMSON: Oh, yeah, that’s true. Even in the old days, when we were working for EC, we said, well, EC didn’t really start them. It was Hughes. He started the horror titles. That’s, I think, one of the reasons that EC did it. They won’t own up to it. [mutual laughter] MV: I couldn’t get William [Gaines] to own up to that, either, when I was talking to him. But [EC editor Al] Feldstein actually drew— and maybe wrote—a story in the third issue of Adventures into the Unknown, three years before the first EC horror. I found that interesting because I also know from the standpoint of ACG that after EC really caught on, there was a real jealousy. WILLIAMSON: This I don’t know. I don’t remember. I don’t think so.

WILLIAMSON: For heaven’s sakes. Well, he was an absolute sweetheart. I think of all the people—well, they were all very nice. Steve Douglas was a real sweet guy. He was the first guy to give me work in comics. He was with Famous Funnies and he was a very nice guy to know—and Richard Hughes, you know, and Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein. But the editor that I think I liked the best, and this is not putting down the EC boys at all, but the one that I really feel I should have done more work for, and I should have been a better artist for him, is Richard Hughes. MV: Why do you feel that way? Did you like their material or just the way—? WILLIAMSON: No, no, I thought the material was great, but I was young and stupid. MV: Well, why did you decide not to work for him at that time? WILLIAMSON: Well, I wanted to work for EC, and they asked me just to work for them, not to do any work for anybody else. MV: Did ACG try to change your mind? WILLIAMSON: No. I remember calling Mr. Hughes or—no, I must have taken the job in, because I was working on something. I took the job in and I said, “Well, I guess this will be my last job because I’m

Al Williamson About His Work For ACG

going to be working for EC now.” Now, for some reason, I have a feeling he was on the phone, because I may have called him. This is kind-of confusing. He may have called to give me a job and I told him on the phone I couldn’t do it, but it doesn’t seem likely. Anyway, I told him, and he said, “Oh, I’m really very, very sorry you are.” But he wished me success and he was very, very, very, very sweet. Of course I felt like a s***. [Michael laughs] I really did, because this guy was—I think he was an angel. He was just a wonderful man. I can’t have enough praise for him. Of all the people in the business, I think, if I had to pick what editor would you like to work for the next 50 years, I’d say, “Well, if you can bring Richard Hughes back, he’d be my favorite editor.” This is not putting down the other guys. There was something very sweet and gentle and kind about this man. MV: You’re not alone in that feeling. In fact, it’s quite amazing how many people share that opinion. WILLIAMSON: Again, I feel like an idiot and like a jerk, because I should have done more work and I should have been better. I hacked out a lot of stuff. I’d think, “Aah, they’re not paying me enough.” But he never gave me a hard time, never asked me to change anything. Very sweet, very sweet guy. Anyway, I told him I couldn’t do any more work then.

MV: Right. Then you went back in about ’56, because the EC stuff was drying up. WILLIAMSON: They crapped out around ’55, so I think I started in ’57 working for ACG again. I know I was also working for a time at Marvel, small jobs between titles. MV: Well, now that you said that, I’m almost entirely certain you did some romance work for Hughes, because I was surprised to find it. WILLIAMSON: Well, if you find them, Xerox them and let me know, because I don’t want to take credit for something I didn’t do. A lot of people have written down “work by Al Williamson,” and they’ll say I’ve done something and I’ll look at it and it’s not mine. And I’d feel bad if the guy who did it says, “Damn Williamson, he’s taking credit for my work.” MV: [laughs] R.A. Jones is assisting me on this book, and he told me that, at the convention, you mentioned that Richard had sort of an unusual accent? WILLIAMSON: Well, I think he—God, you know, this is years ago, ’40s—he seemed to have a speech impediment… a slight one, but nevertheless, an impediment. But you know, I mean that didn’t subtract at all from the kind of a nice person he was. I mean the inner man was just such a nice man that, like I said, if I had a chance to work with him again, I would. MV: I was going to ask you if you remembered any incident that sticks in your mind about him on a personal level—an anecdote. Let me give you an example. Do you know Hy Eisman? WILLIAMSON: Yeah. MV: Hy was, of course, very young, too, when he started doing work for ACG. He started after the horror bust, which would have been about ’56. And then he worked for them for a long time. And the story is that he walked in off of the street, not thinking he would get any work because it was so scarce at the time, and he got a three-page story, and he ran back and drew it, and was real excited about it. But he was disappointed because he felt like there were too many words in the script. WILLIAMSON: Oh, yeah. MV: So when he delivered the job, he said, “Hey, you know I really appreciate the work. I want more, but these sure are wordy.” And then he was given another story, I think it was by “Kurato Osaki.” He did that and came back and said, “Listen, this guy is even worse.” And each time he did this, Richard would not say a word and he would just take a blue pencil and he’d blue pencil out a lot of words in the script and let him draw it. Well, he had gone through about four or five different names before he found out that Richard was every one of those people. [mutual laughter] Richard never said a word to him. They were all his pen names. He never criticized him, never said a single word. Do you have any anecdotes or anything like that that you can remember? WILLIAMSON: Oh, I wish I did, but I can’t — you know, he was just a nice man. MV: Yeah. Did you ever happen to run into Ogden Whitney while you were — ?

Out Of The Unknown—Into The Unknown When Al did a second round of work for ACG, he was assisted by Angelo Torres on the story “Out of the Unknown!” for Adventures into the Unknown #116 (April 1960). Scan by Mark Cannon. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

WILLIAMSON: No, I wanted to meet him very badly, even back in the ’40s, before I even got into comics. I loved his “Skyman” [for the Columbia group]. When he came back from the war and started doing it again, he had an adventure story going on in it and it was eight pages every month.

“If You Can Bring Richard Hughes Back, He’d Be My Favorite Editor” MV: Yeah, he’s probably the single most remembered artist for ACG, did a tremendous amount of work for them. WILLIAMSON: There’s another artist who worked for them—I think his last name was “Gershwin.” He was wonderful! Absolutely wonderful. MV: Emil Gershwin. Almost forgotten now, because he never signed his work. WILLIAMSON: He never did. Now I think he’s the same artist that back in 1942 did a whole book for Fawcett of Spy Smasher. I think it’s issue #5 or #7—I always get it mixed up—but the cover is not by him, but it had a black-&-white photograph in the lower right-hand corner, a picture of Kane Richmond as Spy Smasher from the movie [serial]. But the inside was all done by Gershwin, and it even had a double-page spread of a dragon. Beautifully drawn, and I understand this is the same artist who ghosted a Tarzan daily back in 1948, I think.

He Had Faces Then Last issue, thanks to Michael Vance, we printed “portraits” from ACG stories of several “writers”—who were actually pseudonyms (and pseudo-faces) for editor Richard Hughes. Here’s one we left out: that gentleman of letters, Kurato Osaki. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

MV: For ACG, he was extremely prolific; he drew literally, I would bet, close to a hundred stories for them and signed only one. He did a lot of work in the strips as well as comic books, but he is almost forgotten now and I agree with you. A very distinctive style, very clean. WILLIAMSON: Very nice, very well drawn, the guy was absolutely wonderful and nobody knows. Both Ogden Whitney and Gershwin, I think, are the best kind that ACG had. Beautiful work. MV: Yes, they did. And John Rosenberger, who is a favorite of mine, did a lot of work for them.

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright Williamson Causes A Flap Williamson penciled this splash page for “The Flapping Head” from Forbidden Worlds #6 (May-June 1952); it was reportedly inked by Larry Woromay and King Ward. Reprinted from an Australian black-&-white mag, Haunted Tales #3 (c. 1974), with thanks to Mark Cannon. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

A page by Williamson, aided by Roy G. Krenkel, from “The Lost Lives of Laura Hastings” in Adventures into the Unknown #27 (Jan. 1952). Last issue, we accidentally ID’d the splash of this story as being printed in Forbidden Worlds #6—not sure how we managed that. Thanks to Bill Field. Also, we weren't clear in A/E #61 concerning the above photo of Williamson and Krenkel. That's Roy G. on the left, and Al on the right. Photo dug up by Michael Vance. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Al Williamson About His Work For ACG

WILLIAMSON: Do you know who else worked for him? Leonard Starr. You know, Leonard would be a guy who might have some stories. Well, I’ll tell you a story, now that it comes back. I remember when they moved, 45th Street; when I went up again in ’56 or ’57, they were down by either Madison Avenue somewhere, or Lexington Avenue or Fifth Avenue. They went downtown. I think it was in the 30s or the 20s where they were; but they were on the Avenue, but what avenue, I forget. I suspect it was Madison. And I was doing some work for him, and usually you’d come in and you’d chat a little bit. You just didn’t deliver the job and then just leave, you sat down and chatted a little bit, and he’d go through the job, we talked. And it came up — now what was the story? It had to do with Leonard Starr and that he’d given Leonard some work.

WILLIAMSON: There was only one little bad thing about this. It was my fault, and I might as well tell it. What the hell? Last job I did for him, I didn’t do. I had a friend pencil it for me, but I inked it and it was fairly good. But I was going through some very negative things at that time—I think this was ’57 or ’58—and I delivered. He wasn’t there. Later, he called me up and he said, “Al, I know sometimes you rush these things. It’s okay, but this is pretty obvious it’s not all your work.” And he was very sweet about it, and I kind-of had to agree. And I sort-of said, “Well, there’s nothing I can do about it,” you know, blah, blah, kindof left in a bad way. You know, I was the bad guy and I’m thinking, “Oh, s***. How can I be so stupid? You haven’t got a job and here you screw up the last job you had.” I’m my own worst enemy. So I wrote him a letter. I wrote him a letter and I apologized and said, “Listen, it wasn’t you,” and I thought of doing the job over, but then probably it might be worse. But I was just going through a very bad time. You know how when you’re 26, 27, and you don’t think you’ve done anything. I’m not making excuses, I’m just telling you what it was, what I was going through. But I did write him

I don’t remember what Leonard was doing. But anyway, he said, “I have this artist, Leonard Starr, and he did a lot of work for me. And now he’s doing the Mary Perkins Sunday page.” I think Leonard wanted to What If Flash Gordon Wandered Into An ACG Horror Comic…? write some stories or do A Williamson-penciled splash page from Forbidden Worlds #3 something, create something for (Nov.-Dec. 1951), inked by Wally Wood. Beautiful stuff! With thanks Richard Hughes. My memory is to Bill Field. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.] so bad on this. And like Richard Hughes said, “And now you and I hope he got the letter. know I’m kind-of sorry I didn’t give him the chance, because now, MV: You know, one of the biggest mysteries, and I’m sad to say it’s look what he’s doing. [Michael laughs] He’s doing this wonderful strip.” It was like that kind of a story. “He wanted to do something for about the only thing that I have not been able to solve for this us, and we wouldn’t let him, and now he’s doing the strip and we whole book, is that nobody on Earth knows what happened to realize, my God, the guy was great. We should have let him do it.” I Ogden Whitney. mean, no sour grapes or anything like that. It was like it was a nice WILLIAMSON: Can you get hold of Vince Sullivan? story and in good feeling, he was telling it. I don’t think that man had an angry bone in his body. [Michael chuckles] MV: Yes, and he wouldn’t tell me. I have had two reports—and they MV: Well, I know he loved art. In fact, he had a very large art collection. I wish, someday, I would get to see it. He was married, but they did not have children. He was married to a lady who I had extensive conversations with who died two years ago. Her name was Annabel. She was a real sweet lady, too. However, she donated his art collection, which I’m told was very substantial, and this was—I hate to use the word “fine art”—but he apparently was into modern art a lot. He donated that and all of Hughes’ diaries and notebooks—which were, I’m told, enormously extensive—to Farley Dickinson University. So his entire collection is there, which is in Madison, New Jersey. I’ve never seen it, but I’m told it’s a very, very large collection. And your name’s probably in it, somewhere. He kept names and phone numbers.

are second-hand reports, so I can’t use them; I mean, this is a history book—of what did happen to Ogden. And if they are true, it is a terrible story. Ogden had a drinking problem, which is not uncommon in this industry. And he was apparently enormously devoted to his wife. And I’m only guessing at dates now, but I’m told about 1971 his wife died very suddenly and very unexpectedly. And the source that told me this is really reliable, but I still can’t use it [in the book] because it’s second-hand. They told me that he pretty much locked himself up in his apartment and almost drank himself to death—that when they broke into the apartment because he hadn’t paid his bill in a long time, it was a pig sty and he was out of his mind, and they had to pull him out of the place, screaming, and that he ended up in a mental institution and he died there, about 1972.

“If You Can Bring Richard Hughes Back, He’d Be My Favorite Editor”

WILLIAMSON: [whispers] Oh, s***. MV: So if Vince knew that, I can see why he didn’t tell me. And since I don’t know that for certain, either, I’m not going to use it. Still, I would have used that, but I would have liked to have known at least a date—I mean the year of his death—because he was an incredible artist. He even wrote a bunch of “Skyman.” WILLIAMSON: Yeah. Well, he wasn’t very young when he passed away. In his fifties, maybe? I had a dear friend, too, in Bill Everett… [unitelligiable] Well, I’m glad you’re doing it [the book], because it’s nice to have at least a book that has something on Richard Hughes. MV: Yeah, a lot of people in this book have been pretty much forgotten, so I’m pleased by that too. It’ll be out next year. It’s being published by Greenwood Press. They are—at least they tell me—the largest publisher in the world of books sold to universities and libraries and colleges all over the world. WILLIAMSON: Are there pictures of Richard Hughes you can use? MV: I have two and that’s all… and that’s probably all I ever will have. WILLIAMSON: Oh, that’s great, that’s great. And I’m looking forward to seeing the pictures of Richard Hughes, because the last time I saw him was in 1958 or something like that. MV: Yeah, he wore little black glasses, had a pipe almost all the time. He had a little mustache, black hair. WILLIAMSON: Yeah, a nice man, nice man.

e devoted most of our previous issue to Michael Vance’s 1996 book Forbidden Adventures: The History of the American Comics Group—and we still had to leave the appendices for printing this time around. As Michael wrote, the Sangor Shop of the early 1940s grew into the American Comics Group in all but name by 1943, and officially by 1947-48. At the same time, the Sangor Shop supplied comics to several other companies, including especially Ned Pines’ Standard/Nedor/ Thrilling group. Richard Hughes, well-remembered as the editor and a chief writer of the ACG, had also been active at Pines, through Sangor, co-creating such heroes as The Black Terror and The Fighting Yank, that company’s two super-hero mainstays. Now, let’s plunge right into those lists—with a thank-you to Brian K. Morris for a retyping assist. —Roy.

Sangor’s Startling Stories As detailed last issue, the B.W. Sangor Shop churned out art and story throughout the 1940s for Nedor/Standard/Pines, as well as for ACG and to some extent for National/DC and others. This contents page appeared in Nedor’s Startling Comics #43 (Jan. 1947), at a time when two Richard Hughes co-creations, “The Fighting Yank” and “Pyroman,” were still riding high; the latter was cover-featured on this issue. The “Yank” drawing is my Edvard Mortiz (probably in collaboration with Ken Battefield), while the “Pyroman” is “unquestionably” the work of Battefield. Thanks to Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr., and Hames Ware for the IDs on this issue. “Forbidden Adventures” logo by Al Dellinges. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Appendix A: Sangor Shop and American Comics Group Personnel Compiled from The Who’s Who of American Comic Books, ©1994, Jerry G. Bails; used by permission. Corrections and additions are encouraged and should be sent to Dr. Bails c/o this magazine or at JerryBails@aol.com. JGB's new online version (see p. 33) contains information updated since the mid-'90s, and should be accessed for the most accurate information, but a handful of additions and corrections have been made herein, mostly thanks to Jim Amash. An asterisk [*] denotes continuing work for ACG.

Sangor Shop Personnel 1941-1949 Writers Andrew Albert, co-owner of Creston, c. 1943-5 Gerald Albert, co-owner of Creston, c. 194345; pen names: Greg Adams [?], Alvin Gerald, Gary Anderson, Ryan Dahl, Gerald Devers, Alvin W. Gerald, Jay Harvey [?], Randall Kern [?], Jay Randall, Uncle Jerry Robert Anto, pen name, perhaps of Tony Loeb, 1946 Leon Baron, pen name [?], 1945 Tom Baron, 1945-46 Cecil Beard*, 1944-50 Justin Blazer, pen name, 1946-47 Burl Board, pen name [?], 1945 Frank Bourgholtzer, 1942-43 - later NBC newsman

Irwin Brower, pen name [?], 1944 Victor Brown, pen name [?], 1945 Oliver Buchanan, 1944 Stephen Caroll, pen name [?], 1945 Franklin Carr, pen name [?], 1945 Georgia Cherr, 1946 Patt Cherr*, 1944-52 Frank Coleton, 1945-46 Sam Cooper, pen name [?], 1946-47 Jack Cosgriff, 1945-47 Betty Cummings*, 1948-50 Joe Cunningham, 1943 Henry Dale, pen name [?] Barry L. Denton, pen name [?], 1946 Hobart Donavan, 1940s John Easterly, pen name, 1945 Harvey Eisenberg [?], 1942 Henry W. Ellington, pen name [?], 1944 John S. Endicott, pen name [?], 1944 Helen Ennis, pen name [?], 1946

Warren Foster*, 1945-47 Dean Garland, pen name [?], 1946 Hortense Gildersleeve, pen name, 1949 Joseph Greene*, 1940-50 Martin Grupsmith, business manager, 194546; pen names: Marcus Goldsmith, Martin W. Smith, Martin W. Grupsmith, Uncle Marcus, 1943-46 Henry Hale, 1941-44 R. W. Haring, pen name [?], 1943 Edward Hasset, pen name, 1947 Patricia Highsmith, 1942-46 Donald B. Hobart, pen name, perhaps of Lee Donovan Holliwell Hobart [?], 1945 Helen Houghton, 1940s Richard Hughes*, business manager, 1944; managing editor, 1945; editor, 1946-67; editor/writer, 1942-67 Martha Hultgren, 1944 L. Irving, pen name [?], 1943

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages

M. Moon, pen name [?], 1944 Steven Montooney, pen name [?], 1944 Jay Morton, writer and Florida agent, 1942 Homer Newmark, pen name [?], 1943 L. E. Norr (Eleanor?), pen name, 1944 Annabel Nubbe, pen name [?], 1944 Peter O'Crotty, pen name [?], 1946 Cheryl Padraic, pen name [?], 1944-46 F. O. Peters, pen name [?], 1943 William V. Pollack, pen name [?], 1944 Paul Purdy, 1943 Pamela Ravielli, 1940s

Leo Rifkin Frank Roslyn, 1948 S. E., pen name of Erich Schrenk Alexander Samalman, 1944-47 M. W. Sanders, 1944 Lilly K. Scott, 1946-48 Jerry Smythe, pen name [?], 1945 G. H. Spoon, pen name [?], 1946 Bob Stanwood, pen name, 1945 Elizabeth Starr*, 1948-49 Lewis Stetson, pen name [?] Charles S. Strong, pen names: Uncle Stanley, Chas. Stanley, Chuck Stanley, 1943-47 Uncle Andy*, pen name, 1948-49 Charles Verral, 1940s Wally Walworth, 1943-44 Mark Wellman, 1944 Carl O. Wessler*, 1943-46; 1950-51

Postwar Pyrotechnics Nedor’s heroes fought World War II even longer than Timely’s! The (probably rewritten) caption on this splash from Startling #43 (probably taken from inventory) reveals the story is set in pre-Hiroshima 1945… but the issue would’ve gone on sale in late ’46. Art by Ken Battefield. “Pyroman” cocreator Richard Hughes may not have been scripting his adventures at this relatively late date. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Leo Isaacs, 1946 Lloyd James, pen name [?], 1943 R. Jamieson, pen name [?], 1943 Johnny Jill, pen name [?], 1944-46 Bob Karp, Syndicate work (wlayouts) “Donald Duck” (1938+), “Merry Menagerie” (1946-58), “The Middles” (1946-’50s), Flintstones, movie and TV playwright; (w) Disney Big Little Books; TV producer, Anyone Can Paint, 1945-47 Hubie Karp, 1944-47 Marshall Kent [?], 1946-47 Gary Lainey, pen name [?], 1944 Roy Lawson, pen name [?], 1944 A. Leason, pen name, 1945 Ken Leeds, pen name [?], 1944 Allison Leslie, 1947 Glen Lloyd, pen name [?], 1943

Frank Belknap Long*, 1946-51 Isaac Long [?], 1946 Herbert Madenson, pen name [?], 1944 Fred Madison [?], 1943 Iago Mainwaring, pen name [?], 1944-15 Michael Maltese, 1944-48 Mickey Marks, pen name [?], 1946-50 Ronald Markham, pen name [?], 1943 Leon Mars, pen name [?], 1945 Gary Martin, pen name [?], 1944 George Martin, pen name [?], 1943-15 Lloyd Martin, 1944 Hugh McHugh, pen name [?] Kerry McRoberts, pen name [?], 1946-47 T. [Tarpe?] Mills, 1947

Burning Down The House The storytelling on this page from Startling #43 (Jan. 1947), which was probably drawn by Edvard Moritz (quite possibly with Ken Battefield), is a bit shaky. The top 2/3 seems vaguely connected to a hero-less title splash printed opposite it. Still, for most of the ’40s, “The Fighting Yank” was second only to “The Black Terror” as a super-hero headliner at Nedor. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Appendices Re The Sangor Shop, Standard/Nedor, And The American Comics Group

Henry T. West, 1945 Pamela Wexler, pen name [?], 1947 Paul Wexler, 1947 Whitey [?], 1944-45 Mark Whitfield, pen name [?], 1943 Dick Whittington, Volney White [?], 1944 Joanna Williams, 1945 Spencer Winters, pen name [?], 1943 Willmott [?], 1946 M. W. Winters, 1944 Lou Wren, pen name [?], 1944 Artists Don Arr, pen name for Don Christensen, 1947-48 Els Barthen, 1943 Blanche Batho, colorist, 1943

Ken Battlefield, 1944-46 Alkan G. Benedict, 1946-47 John Bentilella, 1944 Ted Berman, 1943 Big Shorty, pen name, 1944 Jon L. Blummer, 1941 Jack Bradbury*, 1944-52 Collub Bonno, 1944 Robert Brice, 1946-48 Herman C. Browner, 1944 Roy Burke, 1944 Orestes Calpini, 1945 Rose Cerny, letterer John Chappin, 1945 Ellis Chambers Ken Champin, 1944-46, 1954 A. N. Christie, letterer Matt Curzon, 1943 D. P., 1943 Jim Davis*, West Coast ACG agent, 1943-49

Turn Left At The Okefenokee Artist “Fritz” (a.k.a. young Frank Frazetta) appears to have been perusing Walt Kelly’s work—either in Dell’s late Animal Comics, or in the spanking-new Pogo comic strip. Al (short for Albert?) Alligator? Mit a cigar, yet? Already, however, Frazetta was doing skillful work in Nedor/Standard’s Coo Coo #47 (Sept. 1949), as reprinted in the 1991 collection Small Wonders: The Funny Animal Art of Frank Frazetta. [Retouched art ©2006 Kitchen Sink Press, Inc., & Pure Imagination, Inc.]

“Is It A Duck?” “Is It A Dodo?” “Naw! That’s SUPERMOUSE!” The above word balloons appear on the splash of this tale from Coo Coo Comics #37 (Jan. 1948), credited to Richard Hughes (writer) and Jack Bradbury (artist). Supermouse was so powerful that it’s said he’s the reason the animated movie character changed his name to Mighty Mouse after just a few cartoons! He started off with a tiny triangle on his chest (it sometimes contained a “?”), later switched to a large square “S.” Reprinted in ACE Comics Presents #2 (July 1987), by Ron Frantz. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Phil De Lara, 1943 S. Delbourgo, letterer Di Mattia, 1947 Irving Dressier, 1943-45 Ed Dunn*, 1944-49 Max Elkan, 1947 F.E.F.E., 1943 Vince Fago*, 1948-49 Nelle Farnham, 1944 Louis Ferstadt, pen names: Looey/Looie [?], 1943-46 Herb Field, letterer, 1946 Filmonro (Phil Montre) Harry Fish, 1946 Owen Fitsgerald*, 1944-55 Homer Fleming [?], 1946-47 Frank Frazetta*, syndicated work: Johnny Comet, asst. on Li’l Abner; publicity art for movies; cover paintings: Conan pocketbooks; oil paintings; comic books work: Baily, Pines, ME, Fawcett, National, Eastern Color and EC. ACG: 1947-52 Art Gates, 1942-48 Camillo Gaudioso, colorist

Woody Gelman, 1943 Ilse Girona, letterer Tom Golden, 1943 Dan Gordon*, Fleischer animation [late ’30s, early ’40s]; wrote Fleischer's feature Cartoon Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1942). 1944-54 George Gordon, 1940s Dan Gormley Bob Grant Rube Grossman*, 1942-52 Frank Grundeen, 1947 Fred Guardineer*, 1947-48 Centaur, National/DC [Zatara, Speed Saunders], covers: Action, Adventure, Quality, Marvel, Hillman, etc. ACG: 1947-48 Don Gunn, 1946 Maurice Gutwirth, 1941-45 Clark Haas*, 1948-49 Thurston Harper*, 1943-52 Ed Harris, 1944-45 Charles Hastings, 1945 Gordie Heiman, 1944 Gus Herman, pen name, 1944

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages

Horror 101 Two typical ACG horror pages. (Left:) Art by George Wilhelms from the awkwardly-titled Skeleton Hand in Secrets of the Supernatural #5 (May-June 1953); scripter unknown. (Right:) Edvard Moritz drew this splash for Adventures into the Unknown #24 (Oct. 1951), just as he had the cover of #1 in 1948. Writer unknown. Thanks to Mark Cannon for both scans, from Australian b&w Haunted Tales #9 & 11 (1953). [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

W. Heusuts/Hewitt [sp?], 1944 Arnold Hicks, 1946 Norman Hildreth, 1946 Harry Holt, 1944 AJ Hubbard*, 1944-51 Teddie Hudson, inker, 1943-45 Ken Hultgren*, worked on Disney’s Bambi and Sleeping Beauty animated features; comic book work: Pines, National/DC (Leave It to Binky), ACG (“The Duke and the Dope”), 1944-54 Wm. Humphries, paste-ups/letterer Graham Ingels, Fiction House, Eastern Color, Pines, ME, EC, Gilberton and Pflaum. ACG: 1946-47 Harper E. Johnson Dick Kamen, letterer Jack Katz [?], 1946-48 Henry Kiefer [?], 1942-18 Everett Raymond Kinstler, book jackets; paperback covers; pulp covers/illus. Shadow, Doc Savage, etc. Pines, MLJ, Farrell, Fawcett, National/DC (Hawkman), Avon, Ziff-Davis, Marvel. ACG: 1943-45 Frank Koste, inking Robert Lander, letterer Rudy Lapick, 1943-45 Rusty Lehman Ben Levin, 1943-44 Irv Levine, 1943 Kenny Loeb, 1943-45 Jim Logan, pen name: J.F.L., 1942-44, 1946

Pauline Loth, 1942 Luchetti Studios, colorists Louglin, 1944 Fred Madison, 1943 Alex Mann, letterer Bill Martin, 1943 Alan Maver, 1944 Ralph Mayo, 1947-48 Gene McGregor, 1943-44 Frank McSavage, 1944 Charles Menges, 1946 Evelyn Mesnik, colorist

27 Melvin Miller, letterer, 1940s Helen Mohler, letterer, 1946 Red Mohler, 1946 Sheldon Moldoff, storyboards for TV cartoons; ghosted Batman (1953-68), National/DC (Flash, Green Lantern, Sea Devils, Superboy, Legion of Super-Heroes, 1940s-60s); Quality (Kid Eternity); Fawcett (Capt. Midnight); EC, Pines, Marvel. ACG: 1943-48 Phil Monroe, 1946-47 Jim Mooney, 1942 Norma Morales, letterer Ed Moritz, 1942-48 Ed Murphy, 1946 T. A. Murphy, 1942 Evelyn Murray, colorist Naish, 1943 Ben Oda, letterer Bob Oskner (also art director), 1944-46 Ralph Owen Pallette Color Service Ray Patin, 1945 E. D. Patt, 1944 William Pattengill, 1944 Manuel Perez, 1944-45 Curt Perkins, 1946 Sidney Fillet, 1943 Max Plaisted, 1944 Hawley Pratt, 1944-47 Al Pross, 1943-44 Charles Quinlan [?], 1942-48 Louis Ravielli, 1948 Larry Riley, 1943-44 Pete Riss [?], 1946 Sam Rosen, letterer, 1941 Peggy Rosenberger, colorist Leon Rosenfeld, colorist Will Rowland, 1941-43 Murray Sendac, paste-up, fill-in Erich Schenck, 1943-44 Gustav Schrotter [?], 1942-46

Appendices Re The Sangor Shop, Standard/Nedor, And The American Comics Group

Harry Schwalb, 1943 Bob Schwartz Rob Scribner, 1946 Gordon Sheehan, 1943 Robert Siegel, letterer Abe Simon, letterer Sam Singer, 1944 W. B. Smith [Webb?], 1943-51 E. Smith, 1943-44 Milton Snapinsky, letterer Ben Soloman, 1943-44 Paul Sommer, 1946-47 Irv Spector, 1943 Jim V. Stater, 1946 Milton Stein, 1943-48 Harris Steinbrook*, 1944-48 W. D. Stiles, 1944 Lin Streeter*, 1944-48 Howard Swift, 1945-46 Jimmy Talcott, 1943-44 Al Taliaferro, 1945-46 Martin Tarras, 1943 David Tendlar, 1943-44 Ralph Tiller*, 1942-52 Frank Tipper, 1946 Jim Tyer, 1943-44 John Ushler, 1943 Veronica Vickers, pen name [?], 1946 G.F.W. [Whittier?], 1945

W. M. [Myron Waldman?], 1944 John C. Walworth, 1943-44 Sam Weismann, 1944 Bob Wickersham*, 1945-53 George Wilhelms, 1943,1946 Rod Wilkerson, pen name: Wilky, 1944 Norman Williams, 1944 Ralph Wolfe*, 1949 Karran Wright, 1943-44 Leo Wurtzel, letterer Harry Wylic, 1943-45 Writer/Artist Tom Barton, 1946-48 Ben Batsford, 1942 Preston Blair, 1946 Kay Blitz, 1942-43 Bloss [?] Don Christenson*, 1944-49 Jack Davis, contributed to Mad, Trump, Help, Sick. Movie ads/posters; book illus.; record jackets; (i) The Saint; Little Annie Fanny, Beauregard; Topps gum cards; Sesame Street; ads for Life, TV Guide; EC Picto-Fiction; Warren, EC, Marvel. ACG: 1942-43 Ben Farish, 1943-44

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Otto Feuer, 1943-44 Milt Gross*, Count Screwloose from Toulouse, Banana Oil, Dave’s Delicatessen, That’s My Pop, Grossly Xaggerated, Nize Baby comic strips. ACG: 1947-48 Thurston Harper, 1943-16 Al Hartley, 1947-48 Gordy Heiman, 1944 Helen Houghton Bill Hudson, 1943-45 Inez Karma, 1945 Lynn Karp, The Middles (artist, syndicated, 1940s), Disney animator, Pinocchio, Fantasia; created “Witch Hazel” (ACG); landscape artist and teacher (1944-52); Cookie, The Kilroys, 1944-49 Lit-Win

Tony Loeb, 1943-46 Dick Mann, 1943-44 Bob Naylor, 1942-43 A. W. Nugent, 1946-47 Joe Oriolo, 1942-43 Ray Patin, 1944-48 Victor Pazmino, 1944-46 Ken Platt, 1942-43 Bud Sagendorf, 1943 Harry J. Schwald, 1943 Gordon Sheehan, 1943-46 Steve (Muffati?), 1943 Gil Turner*, 1944-49 John C. Walworth, 1943 Don Williams, 1943 Charles A. Winter, 1944 Office Personnel Jeanette Taub, secretary

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages

Big John At Little ACG Years before he became the artist of The Silver Surfer, Thor, The Avengers, et al., John Buscema honed his craft at ACG. Add these two pages to those seen last issue from “The Pipes of Pan” in AITU #110 (Aug. 1959) and “Through the Time Warp” in #165 (June-July 1966). Thanks to Mark Cannon and Owen O’Leary. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

American Comics Group Personnel 1948-1967 Writers Adam Barr, pen name [?], 1967 E. Nelson Bridwell, 1949 Lorna Case, 1960s Robert Cline, 1950s Leo Dorfman, 1950s Ken Fitch, 1950s Richard French, 1950s Norman Fruman, assistant editor who wrote many romance, adventure, and supernatural scripts for ACG, 1951-57 Lee Goldsmith, 1950s Han Hennesey, 1950s Cal Howard, 1950s Leon Lazarus, early to mid-’40s D. L. McKinney, 1950s John C. Mitchell, 1950s Lin Norton Leo Rifkin, 1950s

Seymour Schneid, 1950s Robert Schuman, 1950s Hal Seeger, 1950s I.J. Seligsohn, staff, 1950s Irwin Shapiro, 1950s James R. Thompson, 1951-57 Al Vorspan, 1950s Art Wallace, 1950s George Waller, 1950s Manly Wade Wellman, 1949-50 Artists Jack Abel, inker, 1956 Howard Alexander, 1954,1957-58 Ed Ashe, 1961-67 Dick Ayers Ken Bald, comic strips: Dark Shadows, Dr. Kildare; comic book work: Fawcett (Captain Marvel, Mr. Scarlet, Bulletman), Pines (Fighting

Yank, Doc Strange), Marvel. ACG: 1949-60 Valerie (Violet) Barclay, 1952-54 Richard Beck, 1952-67 John Belfi, 1949-50 John L. Blummer, 1949-55 Robert Brice, 1950 Ben Brown, 1952-53 John Buscema, Marvel (Incredible Hulk, Silver Surfer, Avengers, Sub-Mariner, Amazing Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Thor, Fantastic Four, Conan), Orbit, Western, Charlton, ACG: 1958-59 Lou Cameron, 1951-52 Alfred Cammarata, 1950-55 Frank Carin, 1950s Bernard Case, 1951 Richard Case, 1950-51 Tony Cataldo, 1953

John Celardo, 1949-52 Sam Citron, 1952-67 L. B. Cole [?], 1951 Paul Cooper, 1951-57 Sam Cooper, 1948-55 Pete Costanza, co-owner BeckCostanza Shop (c. 1943-47), Fawcett (Golden Arrow, Ibis the Invincible, Captain Marvel), Gilberton, National/DC (Jimmy Olsen, Superman family of characters). ACG: 1955-67 Johnny Craig, editor EC Vault of Horror, Extra. Comic book work: Fox, ME, Gleason, EC (writer, artist), National (Batman, Hawkman), Marvel (Iron Man, Sub-Mariner, Daredevil), ACG: 1964-66 John Daly, 1950s

Appendices Re The Sangor Shop, Standard/Nedor, And The American Comics Group

David Davoren, 1953 Steve Ditko, comic book work: Farrell, Prize, Charlton (Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, The Question, Gorgo, Konga), Marvel (Amazing Spider-Man [co-creator], Dr. Strange [co-creator], National/DC (Creeper, Hawk and Dove [creator of both], ACG: 1966 Mort Drucker, comic book work: National [Bob Hope, Martin and Lewis, Johnny Thunder] Mad Magazine, Marvel, ACG: 1951 Hy Eisman, comic strips: Kerry Drake, Bringing Up Father, Little Iodine, Popeye. Comic book work: Western [Nancy & Sluggo, Ministers], Harvey [Blondie], ACG: 1965-66 Bill Ely, 1950-51 Al Feldstein, Editor, Mad magazine, principal editor and writer at EC Comics. ACG: 1949-51 Bill Fix, 1955-57 Bob Forgione, 1953-55 John Forte, comic book work: Marvel, National/DC (Superman, Bizarro, Legion of Super-Heroes, Supergirl, Wonder Woman). ACG: 1957-66 David Gabrielson, 1950s Paul Gattuso, 1949-55 Emil Gershwin, comic strips: Flash Gordon, Tarzan; comic book work: Fox, Quality,

Costanza’s Creepers And Capes (Left:) A post-Comics Code story, featuring the likenesses of Pete Costanza (once an artist with C.C. Beck on “Captain Marvel”)—and “Shane O’Shea,” one of the myriad pseudonyms of editor/writer Richard Hughes. Thanks to Mark Cannon. (Right:) When super-heroes beckoned to ACG, Costanza became the major “Magicman” artist, as per this cover for Forbidden Worlds #134 (March-April 1966). [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Fawcett (Spy Smasher, Captain Marvel Jr.). ACG: 1949-58 Joe Giella, 1952 Robert Louis Golden, 194950 Edmond Good, comic strips, Scorchy Smith, Casey Ruggles, Red Ryder comic books: western and horror (ACG), Tomahawk (DC), Phantom Detective [Pines]: Dagar (Fox). 1944-58 Al Gordon, 1952 Dan Gormley, 1948-49 Jerry Grandenetti, 1951 Bob Grant, 1954 George Gregg, 1951 Fred Guardineer, 1948-52 Don Gunn, 1949 Paul Gustavson, 1953-55 Clark Haas, 1949 Ed Hamilton, letterer, 196162 W. G. Harris, 1951 Tom Hickey, 1955-67

Cal Howard, 1950s Maurice Kashuba, 1950s Kenneth Landau, 1953-55, 1957 Rudy Lapick, 1945-47 Howard Larsen, 1950 Sidney Lazarus, 1964 Harold LeDoux, 1952 Bob Lubbers, 1949-50 Mo Marcus, 1952 Rocco Mastroserio, 1952 Jay McArdle, 1954 Gerald McCann, 1960s Bob McCarthy, 1953-56 Sheldon Moldoff, 1954-55 Ed Moline (no dates) Bill Molno, 1951 Ruben Moreria, 1957 Leo Morey, 1948-61 Edvard Moritz, 1948-53, 1967 Charles Nicholas, 1952-54 Nicholson, 1953 Norman J. Nodel, 1951 Joe Orlando, 1956 Ralph Owen, 1951-53 Frank Paiker, 1948 Rudolph Palais, 1962

Cat Got Your Tongue? An artist who’d recently left Marvel: Steve Ditko penciled “It Keeps On Happening!” for Unknown Worlds #50 (Sept. 1966); inks by Sal Trapani, script by “Bob Standish” (Richard Hughes). With thanks to Dominic Bongo for retrieving this page from the Heritage Comics Archives. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages

Lazarus Rising Oops! Last issue, we repro’d the drawing at left of “Leon Lazarus” from an ACG comic as one of the many images of “freelance writers” who were actually just pseudonyms of editor Richard Hughes. A/E associate ed Jim Amash, however, informs us that there was indeed a Leon Lazarus, who at one time wrote for ACG, and whom Jim’s interviewed for a near-future issue! So why our confusion? Because not only did a 1989 issue of Comic Buyer’s Guide print the phrase “Richard Hughes pseudonym” under that illo—but, though there’s a Sidney Lazarus listed as an ACG artist in 1964, and Harry Lazarus is down as a writer and artist circa 1952, there’s no listing for Leon—the third Lazarus brother! So we added his info on the previous page. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Eric Peters, 1948 Jay Scott Pike, 1956 Robert Pious, 1949-52 Charles M. Quinlan, 1952-54 Paul Reinman, comic strips: Tarzan, daily; comic book work: Cracked, Archie (Hangman, Captain Commando, Wizard, Scarlet Avenger, Steel Sterling, Shield, Web, Black Hood, Crusaders, Fly-Man), Marvel (Whizzer, Avengers, Thor, Silver Surfer, Giant-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, Thing, Spider-Man layouts), National/DC (Green Lantern, Starman, Atom, Flash, Hawkman), Tower (Undersea Agents, NoMan, Dynamo). ACG: 1948-67 Gaspano Ricca, 1949-52 Pierce Rice, 1950s Marion Richardson, 1940s Pete Riss, 1949-57 Mario Rizzi, 1958 Ed Robbins, 1951 Hy Rosen, 1951 Joe Rosen, 1953 John Rosenberger, paperback covers, comic strips: The Phantom, Flash Gordon. Comic Book work: Marvel, Fawcett (Tom Mix), Archie (Fly, Jaguar, Archie,

Shadow), National/DC (Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Superman, Bizarro World), Tower (Menthor, NoMan, Weed, Undersea Agents). ACG: 1951-67 Marguerite Rosenberger, colorist George Roussos, 1952-53 Bernard Sachs, 1952-53 Robert Q. Sale, 1954 Christopher Schaare, 1951-52 Kurt Schaffenberger, comic book work: Prize, St. & Smith, Fawcett (Bulletman, Captain Marvel, Golden Arrow, Ibis, Mr. Scarlet, Spy Smasher), National (Lois Lane, Superman, Wonder Woman, Jimmy Olsen, Superman-Batman teamups, Supergirl). ACG: 195567 Gustav Schrotter, 1950s Frank R. Sieminsky, 1951-53

Acts Of Piracy Sheldon Moldoff had originated “The Black Pirate” in DC’s Sensation Comics #1 (Jan. 1942)—and was tapped to draw “Captain Crossbones” in ACG’s Soldiers of Fortune #1 (Feb-March 1951). Thanks to Bill Field. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

They Might Be Giants Paul Reinman, in between drawing the Golden Age “Green Lantern” for DC and inking early X-Men, et al., for Marvel, drew such tales as “The Phantom of the Seas” in from Adventures into the Unknown #2 (Dec. 1948-Jan. 1949). Thanks to Mark Cannon. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Joe Sinnott, 1962 Jack Sparling, 1960-61 Irving Spector, 1954 Leonard Starr, comic strips, On Stage (won Reuben in 1965), Little Orphan Annie. Comic books: western, spy (ACG); National/DC (various); Human Torch (backgrounds, Marvel); Heap (Hillman), crime books (EC). 1949-52 Marvin Stein, 1959 Leonard Steinman, 1950s Chic Stone, contributor, Esquire, Mechanics Illustrated, Modern Teen. Comic book work: Fawcett (Captain Marvel), Marvel (Sub-Mariner, Captain America, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Iron Man, Avengers, Thor, Sgt. Fury, Silver Surfer, Inhumans, Ghost Rider), Quality (Doll Man), Tower (Lightning, Dynamo), National/DC (Superman, Batman), ACG: 1964-66 Lin Streeter, 1950-54 Michael Suchorsky, 1946-48, 1955-56 Charles Sultan, 1949-57 Irving Tirman, 1950s Charles Tomsey, 1952 Angelo Torres, 1957-60 Sal Trapani, 1966-67

Appendices Re The Sangor Shop, Standard/Nedor, And The American Comics Group

Etched In Stone Chic Stone wrote (and illustrated) this missive about writer/editor Richard Hughes to Michael Vance when the latter was writing his Forbidden Adventures tome in the 1990s. [Main art ©2006 Estate of Chic Stone; The Thing TM & ©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

Robert Turner, 1948-51 Allen Ulmer, 1948 Leon N. Wald, 1952 Morris Waldinger, 1959-64 William Walsh, 1949-52, 1960-62 Bill Ward, 1948-53 King Ward (k.d.?) 1948-53 William Weltman, inker, 1953 Maurice Whitman, 1950s Ogden Whitney, 1950-67 Carl Wilhelms, 1950s George Wilhems, 1951-67 Bill Williams, 1951-52 Al Williamson, comic strip: assistant, Tarzan, Flash Gordon, Rip Kirby, Big Ben Bolt, Dan Flagg; artist, Secret Agent Corrigan. Winner Alley and NCS Awards (1966). Comic book: Eastern Color, Pines, Hillman, ME, Toby, ACG, EC, Marvel, Prize, etc. 1951-52, 1956-60

Wally Wood, Mad magazine. Comic strips: The Spirit, Sky Masters, Flash Gordon, Terry & the Pirates, comic book work: EC (Vault of Horror, etc.), Avon, Fox, Marvel (Human Torch, Daredevil, Dr. Doom, Captain America), Charlton, Harvey, National/DC (Challengers of the Unknown, Teen Titans, Superboy, Anthro, Angel & the Ape, Hercules, All-Star Super Squad, Sandman, Green Lantern), Tower (NoMan, Dynamo, THUNDER Agents, covers], King (Flash Gordon, Phantom). ACG: 1951 Larry Woromay, 1952 Writer and Artist Art Gates, 1950-55 Harry Harrison, 1952 Harry Lazarus, 1953-64 Beatrice Lewi, 1955

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages

33 Comics/Sangor Shop), 4-page movie “trailers” giveaway: first issue for Fleischer’s Mr. Bug Goes to Town appears (ends in 1943).

March

1941

TNT (Cinema Comics). A prose humor magazine published by Sangor and written and edited by Richard Hughes appears.

September

1941

*Startling Comics #1 (Nedor); “Fighting Yank” begins (Richard Hughes’ first creation); in #18, “Pyroman” begins (Hughes creation).

February

1942

*America’s Best Comics #1, (Nedor); “Black Terror” begins (written/created by Richard Hughes); “Fighting Eagle” in #2 (Hughes creation); #3 “Pyroman” (Hughes creation); #27 “Commando Cubs” (Hughes creation).

September

1942

*Fighting Yank #1, begins own title; #5, “The Grim Reaper” begins (created/written by Richard Hughes).

1942

*Exciting Comics #9 (Nedor), origin of “Black Terror,” Nedor’s most popular superhero; # 22, “American Eagle” (written/created by Richard Hughes) starts.

October

1942

*Coo Coo Comics #1 (Nedor) origin/first appearance of "Super Mouse" (created/written by Richard Hughes), the first funny animal super-hero series.

January

1943

*Black Terror #1 (Nedor), written/created by Richard Hughes through the Sangor Shop.

Available Again—At Last! You May Kiss The Bride Art Gates drew this honeymoon horror in Out of the Night #10 (Sept. 1953); scanned by Mark Cannon from the Australian b&w reprint Haunted Tales #10 (c. 1975). [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Appendix B: ACG Chronology and Important Related Titles and Events Non-ACG events or comic book titles are preceded by an asterisk. 1933

*Funnies On Parade (Eastern Color), the first comic book, appears in print.

June

1938

*Action Comics #1 (National/DC Comics) featuring Superman, starts a boom in sales.

November

1939

*Best #1 (Pines/Nedor) expands to include such titles as Sniffy The Pup, Funny Funnies, Spunky, Coo Coo Comics, Real Funnies, Dizzy Duck, and others, supplied with art and story by the Sangor Shop.

October

1940

*Walt Disney Comics & Stories #1 (Dell), first funny animal comic book appears.

1941

Sangor Shop opens (also known as Cinema Comics and Editorial Art Syndicate).

1941

Cinema Comics Herald #1 (Cinema

The WHO’S WHO of American Comic Books (1928-1999) FREE – online searchable database – FREE http://www.bailsprojects.com No password required

A quarter of a million records, covering the careers of people who have contributed to original comic books in the US. “It’s really a very nifty site.” —Dr. Jerry G. Bails. “You can say that again!” —Roy Thomas. Splash of Black Terror #11 (Aug. 1945). Art by Ken Battefield? Thanks to Mike Catron. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Appendices Re The Sangor Shop, Standard/Nedor, And The American Comics Group Other Nedor titles supplied by Sangor include Kathy, Starlet O’Hara, Barnyard Comics. 1943

Jim Davis moves to California, becomes Sangor’s agent.

October

1943

Ha Ha Comics #1, first Creston title (with Giggle Comics) that evolved into ACG; Ken Hultgren art (possibly) begins in #4, 5, or 6; #8 (May 1944) includes first “Izzy & Dizzy”; #9 (June 1944) first “Robespiere”; #41 (May 1947) first “Teepee Tim.” Giggle Comics #1 (Creston); #6 (March 1944) first “Duke and the Dope’; issue (June 1944) first “Superkatt.” “Spencer Spook” begins in #21 (Hubie Karp, writer, Ken Champin, artist; ends in #101). In #100 & 101, Spencer Spook replaces Giggle as title.

April

1945

Topsy-Turvey (Leffingwell) has half its material from Sangor Shop and includes first appearance of “Cookie.”

April

1946

“Cookie” #1, third “Creston” humor title appears; first human humor title; “Starlet O’Hara” stories in #24 (first ACG appearance), 25, 27, 35, & 36.

1947

Frederick Iger becomes business manager and co-owner of the B&I portion of Creston/ACG.

January

1947

*Eerie #1 (Avon), first single-issue horror, comic, appears.

June-July

1947

Kilroys #1, second human humor title; Milt Gross art in issues 5-15; #48 & 49 employ TrueVision; (Kilroys is done for Marvel as “The Kelleys” in 1950 by same writer-artistletterer team with some faces changed.) #8 (May 1948) features first “Moronica.”

July-August

1947

Hi-Jinx #1, 4th humor title and 3rd funny animal title; Milt Gross art appears in #4-7.

August

1947

Milt Gross Funnies #1, first comic strip reprint title, 3rd human humor title appears; possibly only packaged by Sangor Shop.

We Have Always Lived In The Castle Adventures into the Unknown #1 (Fall 1948) was reportedly scripted wholly by Frank Belknap Long, one of H.P. Lovecraft’s circle of horror-writing colleagues back in the 1930s. The cover and other splashes from this groundbreaking issue were seen last issue. The art for this adaptation of Hugh Walpole’s 1754 Gothic novel The Castle of Otranto is credited to Allen Ulmer. Scan by Michael Vance. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

March-April 1949

Romantic Adventures #1, first ACG romance title appears; #46-48 employ TrueVision, while #50 presents classic cover/story “Love of a Lunatic.”

December

1947-48 Moon Mullins Comics #1, 2nd comic strip reprint title, 4th human humor title appears; Sangor Shop closes.

April-May

1949

AITU #4, first ACG letters column appears.

Fall

1948

Aug.-Sept.

1949

Lovelorn #1, 2nd ACG romance title appears; #18 includes Mort Drucker art; #21 has prostitution story; # 49 & 51 employ TrueVision.

Aug.-Sept.

1949

Spy & Counterspy #1; first spy title, 2nd adventure title appears, with first appearance of “Jonathan Kent, Counterspy”; war stories begin in #21.

Fall

February

1948

1949

Adventures into the Unknown #1 (henceforth, AITU), first regularly published horror comic book, appears; it includes Guardineer art and adaptation of Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole. Blazing West #1, first western/first adventure title, appears; origin/introduction of “Injun Jones,” “Tenderfoot,” and “Buffalo Belle”; “Texas Tim” and “Ranger” begin; #4 introduces “Little Lolo” by Leonard Starr; #14 marks first appearance of “Hooded Horseman.”

Sept.-Oct. 1949

Dec.-Jan.

1949-50 Spy-Hunters (formerly Spy and Counterspy).

Reprints begin appearing regularly in ACG funny animal titles.

Feb.-March

1950

Funny Films #1; 4th (and last) funny animal title; “Blunderbunny,” “Puss an’ Boots,” and “Great Who-doodit” begin.

Search For Love #1; 3rd romance title appears.

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages

Back In A Flash In The Hooded Horseman #20 (March-April 1952), even the masked cowboy’s dog had his own solo feature. Art by Ogden Whitney. Thanks to Bill Field for the scan. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

April-May

1950

Oct.-Nov. 1950

Nov.-Dec.

1950

*Crypt of Terror #17, first horror issue title from EC Comics (often misrepresented as the first horror comic book in a continuing series and the start of horror “boom” in sales). Operation Peril #1; ACG’s third adventure title; “Time Travelers” “Danny Danger” (by Leonard Starr), and “Typhoon Tyler” (by Ogden Whitney) begins; #13-16 employ a war format. Hooded Horseman makes first appearance in Blazing West #14.

Feb.-March

1952

Young Heroes replaces FW for two issues.

Feb.-March

1952

Out of the Night #1, ACG’s 3rd horror title appears; #17, a story swipes material from EC Comics/Wally Wood.

Sept.-Oct.

1952

Dizzy Dames #1, 8th humor title, appears.

Sept.-Oct.

1952

Skeleton Hand #1, ACG’s 4th horror title, appears.

Oct.-Nov.

1952

*Mad #1, first issue of the most popular humor comic book ever created (by Harvey Kurtzman) in America, published by EC Comics.

1953

B.W. Sangor dies of a heart attack.

December

1953

FW #24.

January

1954

AITU #51, uses TrueVision 3-D effect; only white cover; #52-59, TrueVision; #52, swipes from EC (from Haunt of Fear #14); new logo appears in #59.

March

1954

FW #27, “Thing with the Golden Hair”; cover story; art, Shelly Moldoff.

July-Aug.

1954

The Clutching Hand #1, 5th horror title, runs only one issue.

July-Aug.

1954

Commander Battle and the Atomic Submarine #1, 5th adventure title; TrueVision is used in #1 & 4; Moldoff covers for #2,4-7.

August

1954

Confessions of the Lovelorn #52 (formerly Lovelorn); first issue #52; 54, TrueVision; #56, anti-Communism story, last pre-Code issue.

Oct.-Nov.

1954

FW #34, last issue before Comics Code.

January

1955

AITU #61, last pre-Code issue; “The World That Was”; cover story; art by Ken Landau (reprinted, censored, as “Interplanetary Episode” in FW #86).

1955

Harry Donenfeld & Frederick Iger buy ACG from widow Frances Sangor.

September 1955

FW #36, “Pussycat on the Dog Star”; cover story; art by John Rosenberger.

October

1955

AITU #67, “The Many Lives of Mark Martin”; art by Ogden Whitney.

December

1955

FW #39, “The Davy Crockett Mystery”; cover story; art by Kurt Schaffenberger.

April

1956

FW #42, “Mr. Miggs from Mercury” story.

March

1951

AITU #17 presents a story similar to the movie The Thing.

August

1956

My Romantic Adventures #68 (formerly Romantic Adventures).

April

1951

Soldier Of Fortune #1, ACG’s 4th adventure title; “Captain Crossbones” by Shelly, “Ace Carter” & “Lance Larson” begin; #6 has bondage cover; #11-13 have war format.

September

1956

AITU #76, “Professor Kincaid’s Theory”; cover story; art by Kurt Schaffenberger.

Sept.-Oct.

1956

*Showcase #4, first appearance of revamped Flash (DC); marks the beginning of the Silver Age of Comics and a redominance of superheroes.

September

1957

AITU #88, “The Strangeness of Mr. McGillicuddy”; art by Kurt Schaffenberger.

July-Aug.

1951

Forbidden Worlds (hereafter FW) #1, 2nd horror title, appears.

Jan.-Feb.

1952

Hooded Horseman #21, first issue; #26 introduces “Cowboy Sahib” by Leonard Starr.

Appendices Re The Sangor Shop, Standard/Nedor, And The American Comics Group

October

1957

AITU #89, “Ship Without a Helmsman” story.

February

1959

FW #75 and AITU #105 mark first time artist and writer credits appear on all stories.

January

1958

AITU #92, “Pie in the Sky”; by Ogden Whitney.

October

1959

Confessions of the Lovelorn #111, last issue.

February

1958

ATTU #93, “Pipe Dream”; by Kurt Schaffenberger; 2-page letters columns begin.

March

1958

AITU #94, “The Endless Chain” story.

April

1958

FW #65, “There’s a New Moon Tonight” story, listed in #114 as holding first record fan mail response.

September

1958

AITU #100, “The Head Man”; cover story; art by Ogden Whitney.

December

1958

FW #73, "Herbie’s Quiet Saturday Afternoon”; first “Herbie” story, with words by Richard Hughes and art by Ogden Whitney. FW #74, “A Highly Localized Snowfall”; art by John Forte.

January

1959

AITU #104, “The Strange Old Camera”; cover story; art by Ogden Whitney.

FW #83, reprints begin of science-fiction and supernatural comic titles. February

1960

AITU #114, “Delinquent In Outer Space”; cover story, art by Ogden Whitney.

March-April 1960

FW #86, “Interplanetary Episode”; art by Ken Landau.

June-July

1960

AITU #117, “The Spencer Special”; cover story; art by Ogden Whitney.

August

1960

Unknown Worlds #1 (hereafter UW) #1; “The Train from Beyond”; cover story; art by Paul Reinman.

Nov.-Dec.

1960

FW #92, “The Minus-Zero Lens”; cover story; art by Paul Reinman.

Jan.-Feb.

1961

Midnight Mystery #1.

February

1961

AITU #122, “Return to Karonia” (sequel to “Delinquent in Outer Space,” AITU #114); art by Ogden Whitney.

March-April 1961

FW #94, “Herbie and the Spirits”; words: Richard Hughes, art: Ogden Whitney. Midnight Mysteries #2 (henceforth MM) “Spacemen against the Supernatural”; art by Ogden Whitney.

May-June

1961

FW#95, “Soapbox on Wheels”; cover story; art by Paul Reinman.

June-July

1961

AITU #125, “Come Back, Cynthia”; art by Ogden Whitney.

August

1961

UW #9, “My Friend Jenks”; cover story; art by Ogden Whitney. AITU #126, “Heavenly Heavyweight,” cover story; art by Ogden Whitney.

1961

MM, “So Long, Fellas”; cover story; art by Ogden Whitney. Last issue is #7.

Oct.-Nov.

1961

AITU #128, “Born to be a Grocer”; art by Pete Costanza.

November

1961

*The Fantastic Four #1, beginning of the Marvel Comics “boom” in sales.

Nov.-Dec.

1961

FW #100, “That’s the Way the Ball Bounces”; art by Beck/Hamilton.

Jan.-Feb.

1962

John Force, Magic Agent #1; runs only three issues.

March

1962

AITU #131, “Judas Goat”; art by Ogden Whitney.

April-May

1962

UW #15, “Bravest Man in the World”; art by Ogden Whitney.

May-June

1962

FW #103, “Ghost of a Chance”; cover story; art by Ogden Whitney.

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages

Heroes On Parade A house ad for mid-1960s ACG super-heroes Magicman and Nemesis—and the splash page of perhaps the final appearance of “John Force, Magic Agent,” from Adventures into the Unknown #157 (June-July 1965). This tale and the one in AITU #153 were doubtless inventory left over from his own short-lived title. Nemesis art by Chic Stone, Magicman by Pete Costanza, John Force by Paul Reinman. Thanks to Jeff Gelb & Michael Vance, respectively. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

August

1962

UW #17, “All American Ghost”; art by Pete Costanza.

October

1963

FW #115, “Joey’s a Real Pal”; art by Ogden Whitney.

September

1962

UW #18, “Witch Hunter of Salem”; cover story; art by Chic Stone.

Nov.-Dec.

1963

FW #116, “Herbie Goes to the Devil”; words by Richard Hughes, art by Ogden Whitney.

Dec.-Jan.

1962-63 UW #20, “1,000 Years Ago … in 1962”; art by Ogden Whitney; includes a Herbie cameo.

Dec.-Jan.

1963-64 UW #28, “The Planet That Admired the Earth”; cover story, art by Pete Costanza.

Jan.-Feb.

1963

FW #109, “You’ll Make a Million Bucks Up There”; art by Chic Stone.

Jan.-Feb.

1964

FW #117, “Target Planet Dead Ahead . . . Open Fire”; cover story, art by Chic Stone

February

1963

AITU #138, “The Machine Named Spotty”; art by Ogden Whitney.

February

1964

My Romantic Adventures #137, last issue.

March

1964

March

1963

UW #22, “My Brother Charlie”; cover story; art by Ogden Whitney.

AITU #147, “It’s Going to Happen Tomorrow”; art by Ogden Whitney.

March-April 1963

FW #110, “Herbie and the Sneddigers’ Salad Oil”; words by Richard Hughes and art by Ogden Whitney.

March-April 1964

FW #118, “The Space Pirates”; cover story; art by Chic Stone.

April-May

1964

Herbie #1.

June-July

1963

UW #24, “Builder of Destruction”; cover story; art by Ogden Whitney.

June-July

1964

AITU #149, “Medal of Honor”; cover story; art by Chic Stone.

July

1963

FW #112, “This Man Is Dangerous”; art by Gerald McCann.

August

1964

FW #121, “The Man without a Mind”; cover story; art by Chic Stone.

September

1963

FW #114, “A Fat Little Nothing Named Herbie”; cover story, words by Richard Hughes, art by Ogden Whitney; contains list of editor’s top 20 ACG stories.

Oct.-Nov.

1964

AITU #152, “The Gravy Train”; art by Johnny Craig.

AITU #143, “Old Ya-hoo”; art by Chic Stone.

Nov.-Dec.

1964

Dec.-Jan.

1964-65 UW #36, “The People Vs. Hendricks”; cover story; art by Johnny Craig; voted most popular story among all ACG titles by readers.

UW #26, “Afterlife of Albert Ames”; cover story; art by Pete Costanza.

UW #35, “A Leprechaun Can Come In Handy” cover story; art by Edd Ashe. FW #124, “Magic Agent” appearance.

Appendices Re The Sangor Shop, Standard/Nedor, And The American Comics Group UW #36, “Whom Are You Going to Get to Play Me?”; art by Pete Costanza.

August

1967

AITU #174, FW #145, UW #57, and Gasp! #4: The American Comics Group ends.

AITU #153, “Hero . . . First Class”; art by Pete Costanza.

November

1970

*Shock #4 (Stanley Publications) reprints FW #6 story.

February

1971

*Chilling Tales of Horror #2 (Stanley Publications) reprints ACG story; also #4 reprints ACG story.

Jan-Feb.

1965

FW #125, first “Magicman” appearance.

February

1965

AITU #154, first “Nemesis” appearance.

June-July

1965

AITU #157, “Magic Agent” appearance.

1971

Oct.-Nov.

1965

UW #43, “The Hundred Year Witch”; cover story, art by Chic Stone.

*Ghost Tales #5 (Stanley Publications) reprints an ACG horror story.

1977

Last Custom (or Culver) comic published.

February

1966

UW #45, “Goodbye, Johnny”; cover story; art by Hy Eisman.

1989-91 *Adventures of Spencer Spook #1 (Ace Comics); ACG reprints in #1-6.

July

1966

FW #136, Nemesis appears in “Magicman.”

1990

August

1966

UW #49, “To My Pal, Joey”; art by Steve Ditko & Sal Trapani.

*Hot and Cold Heroes #2 (A+ Comics) reprints one story each of Magicman, Nemesis, and John Force.

Jan.-Feb.

1967

FW #141, last appearance of “Magicman.”

1990

*Adventures into the Unknown #1-4 (A+ Comics) reprints ACG story.

February

1967

AITU #170, last appearance of “Nemesis.”

1991

*Herbie #1 (A+ Comics), new cover by Trina Robbins; six issues reprinted ACG stories.

1991

*Magicman #1 (A+ Comics), three Magicman reprints.

1992

*Herbie #1 (Dark Horse Comics), new cover and first new Herbie story in 25 years, by John Byrne.

October

1994

*Deep Dimension Horror #1 (Horror House Pub.), reprints three AITU TrueVision stories.

October

1994

*Flaming Carrot Comics #31 (Dark Horse); second appearance of Herbie in 27 years, and first with a completely non-ACG character.

Herbie #23, last ACG “Herbie.” March

1967

Gasp! #1, last horror title and last new ACG title.

Appendix C: American Comics Group Titles This list was compiled alphabetically from copies of the comic books, and with additional information from the 24th edition of the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, 1994, by Robert M. Overstreet. Cover dates are used because actual newsstand release dates are unknown. Titles or comic books featuring reprinted ACG stories are followed by an asterisk (*), indicating that they were published by companies other than ACG and after its publishing history ended. Adventures into the Unknown (Fall 1948-Aug. 1967): #1-33, 52 pages. The first ongoing horror series in comic books. Three issues of reprints were published by A+ Comics in 1990 Adventures of Spencer Spook* (Oct. 1986-87): #1-6, reprints of “Spencer Spook” stories released by Ace Comics Blazing West (Fall 1948 to March-April 1952): Retitled The Hooded Horseman in 1952 The Clutching Hand (July-Aug. 1954)

Where’s D’Artagnan When You Really Need Him? In Herbie #14 (Dec. 1965-Jan. 1966), The Fat Fury teamed up with Magicman and Nemesis. Script by Richard Hughes, art by Ogden Whitney. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Commander Battle and the Atomic Submarine (July-Aug. 1951 to Feb.-March 1953): One issue reprinting Commander Battle #1 was published by 3-D Zone in a standard 3-D process in 1990. The forward was written by Michael Vance. Confessions of the Lovelorn (Aug. 1954 to June-July 1960) The renamed version of ACG’s Lovelorn.

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages “Cookie” (April 1946 to Aug.-Sept. 1955)

Lovelorn (Aug.-Sept. 1949 to July 1954): #2-26, 52 pages. This title became Confessions of the Lovelorn in 1954.

Deep Dimension Horror * (1994): Reprints three Adventures into the Unknown TrueVision stories; released by Horror House Publications.

Midnight Mystery (Jan.-Feb. 1961 to Oct. 1961) Milt Gross Funnies (Aug. 1947-Sept. 1947)

Dizzy Dames (Sept-Oct. 1952 to JulyAug. 1953)

Moon Mullins (Dec.-Jan. 1947-48, 1949): 52 pages.

Flaming Carrot Comics * (1994): The second “Herbie” appearance in 27 years, and the first crossover with a completely non-ACG character, was published in #31 by Dark Horse Comics.

My Romantic Adventures (Aug. 1956-Dec. 1956; July 1961-March 1964): The retitled version of Romantic Adventures.

Forbidden Worlds (July-Aug. 1951 to Oct.-Nov. 1954): ACG's second horror title.

Operation Peril (Oct.-Nov. 1950 to April-May 1953): #2-5, 52 pages.

Funny Films (Sept.-Oct. 1949 to MayJune 1954): #1-4, 52 pages.

Out of the Night (Feb.-March 1952 to Oct.-Nov. 1954) Propaganda Comics* (1990) Reprints from funny animal stories, published by A+ Comics.

Gasp! (March 1967-Aug. 1967) Ghost Tales* (1971) The 5th issue reprints an ACG horror story, released by Stanley Publications. Giggle Comics (Oct. 1943 to Jan.-Feb. 1955): Creston #1-63; American Comics Group #64 on. Retitled Spencer Spook with #100-101.

The Bald Truth For the first half of the 1950s, Ken Bald drew the majority of the ACG covers, including this one for Adventures into the Unknown #21 (July 1951). Great cover—but shouldn’t the editor have known that a vampire casts no reflection—so that young lady shouldn’t even know he’s there? Thanks to Bill Field. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Ha Ha Comics (Oct. 1943-Jan. 1955): Creston #1-63; American Comics Group #64 on. Retitled Teepee Tim with #100- 101.

Romantic Adventures (March-April 1949 to July 1956): Became My Romantic Adventures in 1956. Search for Love (Feb.-March 1950 to April-May 1950): 52 pages.

Shock Magazine* (1970) Reprint from Forbidden Worlds #6, published by Stanley Publications.

Skeleton Hand (Sept.-Oct. 1952 to July-Aug. 1953)

Herbie (April-May 1964-Feb. 1967): Six issues of Herbie reprints were published in 1990 by A+ Comics. Two issues of reprinted ACG material under with title were published by Dark Horse Comics in 1992; artist John Byrne supplied the first new “Herbie” story in 27 years in the first issue. Covers were announced in the 1994 Overstreet Price Guide for two additional issues that were never printed. They were to be by artists Bob Burden and Art Adams.

Soldiers of Fortune (March-April 1951 to Feb.-March 1953)

Hi-Jinx (July-Aug. 1947 to July-Aug. 1948)

Young Heroes (Feb.-March 1955 to June-July 1955): Briefly replaced Forbidden Worlds in 1955.

The Hooded Horseman (Jan. 1952 to Jan.-Feb. 1953; Dec. 1954; Jan. 1955; June-July 1956): Replaced Blazing West in 1952. Hot and Cold Heroes* (1990): Various reprinted stories from a variety of publishers, including reprinted “Nemesis” stories, published by A+ Comics. John Force, Magic Agent (Jan.-Feb. 1962 to May-June 1962) The Kilroys (June-July 1947 to June-July 1955): Became an ACG publication with #20. Some altered stories were reprinted by Marvel Comics.

Spy and Counterspy (Aug.-Sept. 1949 to Oct.-Nov. 1949): 52 pages; it became Spy Hunters with its 3rd issue. Spy-Hunters (Dec.-Jan. 1949-50 to June-June 1953): #3-14, 52 pages. Unknown Worlds (Aug. 1960-Aug. 1967)

Creston and ACG Ownership To protect themselves from bankrupting an entire company due to the failure of one or two titles, publishers frequently formed subcompanies. On occasion, parts of the subcompanies would even be owned by different individuals while controlling interest was maintained by a single individual or group of individuals. This was the policy at Creston and ACG. The following is a list of their subcompanies and the people who owned them in part or in whole. Creston (1945-53) Owners: Gerald Albert 1944, Andrew Albert 1944, B.W. Sangor 1944-

Appendices Re The Sangor Shop, Standard/Nedor, And The American Comics Group

51. Titles: Giggle (#1-92, Oct. 1943 to Nov.-Dec 1953); Ha Ha (#1-92, Oct. 1943 to Oct-Nov. 1953) Soldiers of Fortune; Out of the Night (1952). Michel Publications, Inc. (1946-1953) Owners: B.W. Sangor 1947-1951. Titles: “Cookie” (#1-43, April 1946 to June-July 1953); Moon Muffins (#1-6, Dec.-Jan. 1947 to Oct.-Nov. 1948); Funny Films (35 or 67-25, 1950 to Sept.-Oct. 1953); Blazing West (1951); Hooded Horseman (#27, 1952 to Jan-Feb. 1953); Lovelorn; Operation Peril. B&I (1945-51) Owners: B W. Sangor 1947-51, Fredrick Iger 1947-51. Titles: Romantic Adventures; The Kilroys (#1-33+, June-July 1947 to Dec.-Jan. 1951); Hi-Jinx (1947-48); Blazing West (#1-5, Fall 1948); Adventures into the Unknown (1951). Best Syndicated Features, Inc. (1949-55; 1957-67/all titles) Owners: B. W. Sangor 1949-52, Francis Sangor 1954; F. Iger (1949-52?). Titles: Funny Films (#1-5, Sept.-Oct. 1949 to May-June 1950); Spy Hunters (#4-24, Feb.-March 1950 to June-July 1953); The Kilroys (#35-55, April-May 1952 to June-July 1955); Romantic Adventures (#18+, Jan.-Feb. 1952 to June-July 1956); Confessions of the Lovelorn; Hooded Horseman (#21, May-June 1955).

No Relation To Martin Landau Ken Landau is the reputed artist of “The Terror of the Labyrinth” in Out of the Night #17 (Nov. 1954)—the last issue before the comic metamorphosed into The Hooded Horseman. Thanks to Bill Field. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

B&M (1952-53) Owners: (?) Titles: Dizzy Dames (#1-6, Sept.-Oct. 1952 to July-Aug. 1953); Skeleton Hand (1952-53). Regis (1953-55) Owners: F. Iger 1953, Frances Sangor 1953. Titles: “Cookie” (#44-55, Aug-Sept. 1953 to Aug-Sept. 1955); Lovelorn (#48-51, April 1954 to July 1954); Confessions of the Lovelorn (#52, Aug. 1954-). Titan (1953-55) Owners: (?) Titles: Fully Films (#26-29, Nov.-Dec. 1953-54); Young Heroes (1955); Commander Battle (1954); Forbidden Worlds (Feb. 1954). Scope Magazines, Inc. (1953-55) Owners: F. Iger 1954, F. Sangor 1954. Titles: Giggle (#93-99, Jan-Feb. 1954 to Jan-Feb. 1955); Ha Ha (#93-99, Dec.-Jan. 1953 to Dec.-Jan. 1954); Spencer Spook (#100, May-April 1955); Teepee Tim (#100, MayApril 1955); Out of the Night (1954).

ACG Circulation Figures Circulation figures became available when Federal law mandated that they be printed in an issue of a series at least once a year. No figures are available for issues before that time. The first figure listed is

Forbidden Adventures: The Back Pages

the average paid circulation. The second number is the percentage of sales of each total number of copies actually printed. Figures for Herbie are not available. Year

Unknown Worlds

Adventures Into The Unknown

Forbidden Worlds

1961

192,000

192,500

187,200

1962

159,000

165,200

178,600

1963

159,500

165,200

178,600

1964

143,468

47.8%

153,283

51.0%

169,603

52.10%

1965

1 74,028

53.5%

172,819

52.6%

179,330

55.1%

1966

168,330

50.3%

163,049

48.7%

172,270

51.5%

1967

162,684

51.2%

155,102

48.7%

160,520

49.6%

In comparison, in 1967, Batman (DC) averaged 898,470 (76.8%); Superman (DC) 719,976 (65.9%); Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel) 340,155 (65.8%); and Fantastic Four (Marvel) 329,379 (61.2%). In 1977, Batman averaged 178,000 (42.8%); Superman 273,000 (43.0%); Amazing Spider-Man 282,159 (50.7%); and Fantastic Four 199,734 (46.2%).

When The Haunts Go Marching In Since Adventures into the Unknown was instrumental in launching the horror comics boom, this Ken Bald cover for #27 (Jan. 1952) seems an appropriate one to go out on: vampire, skeleton, and ghoul (or is that a zombie? it’s so hard to tell those guys apart!). Thanks to Bill Field. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Michael Vance was first published in The Professor’s Story Hour chapbook at age 11 and became a professional freelance writer in 1977. CDs or cassettes featuring readings of his stories about a fictional town called Light’s End, recorded by actor William Windom for $10 apiece, or for $20 @ signed by Windom and Vance, at 1427 S. Delaware Av., Tulsa, OK 74104 or www.starbase21OK.com.) He is currently communications director of a nonprofit agency, the Tulsa Boys’ Home, in Tulsa, OK. He is a Christian.

“I Was So Busy, I Never Read The Stories” Unique Artist RUDY PALAIS On Living And Drawing Comics Interview Conducted by Jim Amash

his interview was twelve years in the making. I first interviewed Rudy Palais in the summer of 1992 for CFA-APA, a small-circulation publication, but I quit that “apa” (amateur press alliance) before the piece saw print. When I started interviewing for Alter Ego, I decided to work on it again. Rudy approved this interview, though he had talked about adding a couple of his childhood adventures to our tale. Sadly, he never got around to doing that before his passing in 2004. In real life, Rudy was nothing like the gargoyles and sweaty criminals he was famous for depicting in his crime and horror stories (and which I teased him about). I’m sorry Rudy’s not here today to see our interview finally make it into print. He had an interesting life and art career, and I’m glad I had a chance to chronicle a bit of that. —Jim.

Palais Draws Two Guys With Magnetism

“[My Brother] Walter ... Got Me Into Comics” JIM AMASH: Where and when were you born? RUDY PALAIS: The 21st of March, 1912, in Hoboken, New Jersey. Just like Sinatra. My father was an artist who had studied art in Vienna. He was a draftsman who did mechanical drawings, like blue prints for buildings. My brother Walter was also an artist and did comic books for a while. He worked for Simon and Kirby for a time. My sister-in-law Rita also had some art talent, and she did backgrounds for me. She did that for a year or so. I needed someone to babysit my daughter, and when Rita came over, I’d show her what I needed done and she did it. She developed a technique this way. I didn’t let her work on the important stories. She wasn’t great, but her work was acceptable. JA: Did you work with your brother Walter, too? [NOTE: Rudy’s brother Walter Palais, who is still living, was also a noted comic book artist.] PALAIS: No. Artistically, we went our separate ways after my Iger shop days. Later, Walter went into the service. We did work together on a comic story for Classics Illustrated: Rob Roy. Things were a little difficult for him at that time, and I was over-burdened with work. I had already done half the story and I laid out the rest of the story for him, which he penciled and inked. JA: Did you use other assistants? PALAIS: For a while, there was a young kid named Schofield who went to Boston Art School. I was living in Deep River at the time. He

loved to do Westerns, so I let him work with me on things like Kit Carson for Classics Illustrated. This kid would draw a million and one Indians running around.

Rudy Palais illustrated costumed characters of all sorts. In the photo above, taken in his Connecticut home in 1993, Palais (pronounced “pal’-lee”) posed with an Elvis Presley painting he’d done—while the cover of Super-Mystery Comics, Vol. 5, #3 (Dec. 1945) is a moody minor masterpiece featuring Magno the Magnetic Man. No, that’s not an “I” on his chest; as other art spots in this piece will show, it started out as a sort of electro-magnetic sign of some sort, and along the way somebody lost the road map. Cover scan courtesy of Jonathan G. Jensen. [Photo ©2006 Charlie Roberts; comic art ©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

JA: What were some of your influences? PALAIS: My father read The Katzenjammer Kids and Mutt and Jeff to me. I was also influenced by Leyendecker’s Saturday Evening Post covers... Norman Rockwell’s, too. I started drawing in kindergarten, and people helped point me towards an art career because I was talented. Everybody encouraged me, because there was no denying what I was going to do for a living. Even now, when I come across a piece of art that I’m really impressed with, I’ll make a copy of it. That way, I’ll get a feel of what the artist felt and how he thought. I have one I did recently. It’s a copy of a J.C. Leyendecker cover for The Saturday Evening Post, originally done by him in 1930. It looks exactly like it. I also did one of Norman Rockwell’s, too. And I love to do gargoyles in clay. I have one I’m working on now. JA: You’re ten years older than your brother Walter. Did he have the same kind of influences?

“I Was So Busy, I Never Read The Stories”

PALAIS: He may have. We never discussed it. He started his career as a letterer at the Iger shop and was soon drawing features. Walter was the one who got me into comics. He was studying for the priesthood in Princeton, New Jersey, and used to visit me at Columbia Pictures where I was doing movie posters. He told me he wanted something to do for the summertime. I told him to take his artwork and show it around. A week later, he came back to me and said he couldn’t find a job. I thought about it for a minute and asked, “In your rounds,were there some people who showed more interest in your work than others?” He said there were and I said, “Go back to those people and see what takes place.” The next day, he got a job at Iger’s. Walter told them about me, and they asked him to tell me to drop in sometime. Which I did. I became so interested in the work these young men were doing that I decided to jump into the comics game. It opened up a new horizon of all kinds of things that I could be drawing. Westerns, crime, and so forth. It was different than doing movie posters, which was something you constantly did from photographs. That didn’t do a whole lot of for your imagination other than making new layouts.

“I Was A Young Man With Money In My Pocket” JA: Where did your art career start? PALAIS: I started in a display shop, which was an art studio that designed both movie theatre fronts and commercial business fronts. That required designing work and so forth. The company I worked for had Warner Bros. for a client, and we did layouts and designs for them. That’s what I started out doing. I was about 17 or 18. I could have spent a number of years in art schools, but commercially it wouldn’t have helped me any. I was looking for a buck and I got busy making money. The Great Depression started when my career started. The theatres had about five display changes a month, so that required working at 8 a.m. until about 11 p.m. on Friday night. That was the routine and I was a strong, young man. We also had a union, and that meant good bucks for salaries. That were the days when professors were selling apples on the street corner. And I was a young man with money in my pocket. I remember getting my art teacher a job where I worked because he had been let go from teaching during the Depression. He started working with us and was very happy because he was making a living. Originally, he was teaching art at Stuyvesant High School and was also freelancing, doing Bond Bread posters. If you remember those posters, they had advertised on horse-drawn wagons. I did a lot of displays for Warner Bros., including painting posters in the old, hard style. After that, I worked for them in their advertising and poster department. Charlie Einfeld was head of publicity for Warners at the time. His office was next to the art department and the actors would visit Charlie Einfeld. If the actors were inclined to shake hands with the artist, they did so. Walter Hood, the senior artist, did a great painting of Bette Davis. Einfeld thought so much of it that he put it on an easel in his office to surprise Miss Davis. Sure enough, in came Miss Davis. She took a look at that painting, studied it for a minute, and said to Charlie, “You and I know we all have wrinkles, but do we have to show them?” Back to art department went that beautiful painting to be modified by Walter Hood. I met a lot of the actors and actresses, like Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, Jean Muir, Hugh Herbert, and many others. That was great. Here I was in my early twenties and I’m meeting these God-like people off the screen. One time, another artist and I did a 12-foot

Lawbreakers Always Lose—And Here’s Why Perhaps Palais’ 1930s encounters with the likes of Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney served him in good stead when he drew this story for Timely/Marvel’s Lawbreakers Always Lose circa 1949. Precise issue number and date uncertain. Thanks to Jerry G. Bails. [©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

painting while working in the display business, which was separate from the art department. The painting was a 12-foot-high head of Edward G. Robinson. When they put the head up on the theatre marquee, someone got the bright idea of having steam smoke come out of the pipe in Robinson’s mouth. But this was in the dead of winter and when the steam came out, it froze into icicles on the pipe. [laughs] Someone took this idea and started making billboards to advertise cigarettes, but they used a smoke machine so they wouldn’t have the problem that we did. Warners had a strike, and that was the end of my time there. During that summer, I pitched semi-pro baseball. I had a try-out with the Brooklyn Dodgers when I was a kid. But it didn’t work out, and a coach said, “Why don’t you go to Newark?” I didn’t want to go to Newark. Anyway, Carl Noble introduced me to C.E. Lane, who was a sports writer. I did a cover for Baseball magazine. We only used two colors in those days: black and red. Norman Rockwell’s work was also in black and red until they got to the point where they could use more color. I didn’t get a job for the team in Newark because it was the Depression and they were instructed not to hire any kids without professional experience behind them. I was told, if I had $200, I should go down to the ballpark at their training camp in Florida. The coach

Unique Artist Rudy Palais

said, “I’ll farm you out to any of the clubs you want to go to.” But I didn’t have $200 and my father had passed away, so I had to support my family. I missed that opportunity. If I hadn’t stayed and helped my family, it wouldn’t have spoken well for my character, would it? JA: You’re right. This is why I like doing interviews. It’s amazing how people’s lives change because of personal circumstances. PALAIS: Yes. Not only in this instance, but my art teacher at public school, Mrs. Simon, thought so much of my art that she wanted to send me to Europe to study art. I had to turn that one down, even though my way would have been paid. I asked her, “If you send me to Europe, are you going to take care of my mother, sisters, and brothers?” I had to decline that offer. Getting back to baseball, I want to tell you about a great experience I had. I was a pitcher for a ball team when I was in public school. I was about 13 or 14 years old and we were champions of the league. As a reward, our team was taken to Yankee Stadium. And who do we get introduced to but Babe Ruth himself? The Lord God of Baseball! We were quite awed at his presence as he tipped his cap to us. He was the king of New York City and all the boroughs like Queens, Brooklyn, etc.

“I Did Three Posters A Week” JA: What did you do, job-wise, after Warners? PALAIS: After I left Warners, I did a job for Medal Gold Ice Cream Company, which was located at 777 Kent Avenue in Brooklyn. I worked in their display department, doing artwork and lettering for their signs and menu cards. This was just a fill-in job. The advertising agency up the block closed down one day, and my boss came to me and said, “We need something in a hurry.” He asked me to letter the word “Popsicle” for him. I lettered it for him in upper and lower block letters and he said, “There’s a big fat $20 in it for you.” And that letter job is still being used today. It may be used in various colors, but it’s mine. And I got a big fat 20 bucks for it, kiddo. In those days, 20 bucks for 20 minutes work was a lot of money. That was almost 70 years ago. In fact, Medal Gold Ice Cream Company invented the popsicle. My boss said, “Don’t eat too many of those damn popsicles because you’ll lose your taste for food.” I didn’t believe him, but I had several popsicles during the week and dammit, I lost the taste for food. He said, “It serves you right. I told you. Now you’ll have to lay off, and your taste for food will come back gradually.” So you see, there may have been something in the chemistry there. Who knows? If I had knocked on their doors, looking for work, I’d have probably been refused. But I was the last guy on the totem pole before I went home on that Saturday afternoon, so I got that job. I got the 20 bucks and no royalties. JA: Imagine how much money you’d have gotten from royalties! PALAIS: Life’s that way, you know. You hit things that didn’t mean beans to you then. Look at the people who collect comics. When I was in the business, who’d have ever thought of holding on to an original comic page? Nobody. And now, it‘s a collector’s dream. JA: Where did you work after Medal Gold Ice Cream Company? PALAIS: I went to work for to Columbia Pictures and spent five years there painting full-color posters for their movies. JA: When you did these movie posters, did you lay out a concept for approval and, after that, paint the posters? PALAIS: That’s the way it worked. We had a huge movie still department. When I got the assignment for a particular movie, I went to the still department and got pictures of the actors who’d be in the movie. Then I’d design the poster and submit it. The art director would usually okay it with maybe a small change or two, and then I painted the poster. I did 750 posters for grade-B movies. I didn’t do the posters for the big movies because I was a junior artist. All the big movie posters were done by the senior artists or freelancers. When Columbia produced the movie Lost Horizon, they got James Montgomery Flagg to paint the poster. JA: Was the original art for the posters the same size as the printed versions?

Original Art Blues “When I was in the [comic book] business, who’d have ever thought of holding on to an original comic page? Nobody. And now it’s a collector’s dream.” Here’s Rudy’s splash page for a story in Black Cat Mystery #37 (July 1952), repro’d from a photocopy of the original art, sent by collector Chris Brown. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

PALAIS: Oh, yes. These were lithographed posters. Foolishly, when I was working there, it never occurred to me to go to the print shop and get a few full-sized reproductions. My art director said, “I can’t get you any posters, but I can get you 8 by 10 black-&-white reproductions.” If I would have had a little more expertise, I’d have gone down there and got posters. But that’s hindsight now. I had to paint three posters a week: a one-sheet, a three-sheet, and a six-sheet. That’s how they were designated. The six-sheet was square, the three-sheet was vertical, and the one-sheet was 20 by 30 inches. I

“I Was So Busy, I Never Read The Stories”

could really grind them out. I didn’t mention this before, but before I ever heard of comic books, I worked for a political cartoonist who worked for the now-defunct New York Herald. His name was Carl Noble, but his family name was Logerquist. He also had an art agency. The newspaper was planning a trip around the world in a two-masted schooner. It was owned by Count Van Luchner, who was a submarine commander in the First World War. It was all set up and ready to go. The night before we were to leave, the schooner burnt right down to the waterline, and that was the end of that. I don’t know whether it was sabotaged or what. But Count Van Luchner’s claim to fame was that he gave most of the people whose boats he was going to torpedo ample warning, so they could get the hell off the vessel first. When Hitler came to power, Van Luchner hastily beat it towards the United States, and he died several years ago in this country. I was supposed to be cabin boy on that schooner with Van Luchner and a couple of others. We were going to sail around the world. It sounds way off beat, but there it was! One time, I was looking for reference so I could draw ship riggings on Clipper Ships. I went down to the New York library and sure enough, what do you think I found? Color photographs of Count Van Luchner in all of his uniforms and medals! Getting back to Carl Noble, he told me he was quitting the agency and was going to buy a horse farm out on Long Island and teach kids to ride horses. That was his attitude. I forgot to mention this, but John Barrymore did a newspaper strip for the New York Herald. I was surprised to learn this, thinking, “That actor drew pictures?” Same thing with Gary Cooper. He was a commercial artist before he became an actor.

“I Penciled A Lot Of Stuff For Other Artists” JA: Who hired you at Eisner and Iger? PALAIS: I never met Eisner. Jerry Iger was the man who hired me. Eisner had The Spirit going and never showed up. I didn’t have much to do with Iger, but he gave me a lot of work. I penciled a lot of stuff for other artists. I also did some breakdowns for Reed Crandall. Crandall said, “Don’t do all the drawing for me. I can do that. Just break it down for me and I’ll do the rest.” JA: I always thought Crandall was a terrific illustrator, but not a storyteller in the classic sense. PALAIS: Well, he wasn’t. He never was. Even when he did that nice stuff for Eerie magazine, with all that nice pen-and-ink technique, there was no panel-to-panel storytelling. No thinking or a story viewpoint. It was just illustration after illustration. The storytelling didn’t hang together, and he had that failing right from the very beginning. But Crandall was a tremendous draftsman with a fantastic knowledge of human anatomy. He was the greatest there was. I remember when he was working for Jim Warren in the 1960s. Warren owed Crandall money. And Crandall was drinking and then suffered a stroke. He passed away sometime later in an old folks’ home. JA: Were Crandall’s pencils very tight? PALAIS: He put in what was needed. Then he’d draw it in ink. He didn’t have to be that detailed in his pencils when he was inking his own work.

Oo-ee, Baby, Let Me Take You On A Sea Cruise Maybe it’s just as well that Rudy didn’t get a chance to go on Count Van Luchner’s “trip around the world in a two-masted schooner.” That ship might’ve ended up like the HMS Bounty—whose decadent crew he would later draw in an adaptation of Pitcairn’s Island (Classics Illustrated #109, July 1953), one of the sequels to Nordhoff and Hall’s Mutiny on the Bounty. William B. Jones, Jr., reports, in his excellent hardcover volume Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History, with Illustrations (McFarland, 2002), that “the violence depicted in the third Bounty adaptation” led Gilberton, CI’s publisher, to drop that issue from its back-lists within two years. [©2006 Frawley Corporation and its exclusive licenesse First Classics, Inc., a subsidiary of Classics International Entertainment, Inc.]

JA: Who else do you remember from the Iger shop? PALAIS: Al Bryant, Max Elkan, and few other guys whom I don’t remember now. We didn’t socialize much either at work or afterwards. I was working 10 to 15 hours a day, all the time. The only time I had a vacation was when I worked at home and had to drive to New York City to deal with the companies. I was married to the drawing board. JA: What was Al Bryant like? PALAIS: He was a hard worker who wanted to be another Reed Crandall, but he just didn’t have it. Bryant told me that he had been a coal miner from Pennsylvania. He was a quiet person who kept things to himself, which may have accounted for his nervous breakdown later on. After I left Eisner and Iger, some of us, like Crandall and Bryant, went over and worked on staff for Busy Arnold at Quality. After a while, Arnold let the staff go and we all worked as freelancers. He saved rent money this way.

Unique Artist Rudy Palais I remember Max called me when Babe Ruth died. He suggested we go view the body at Yankee Stadium, which we did. It was a very awesome situation to be in; here was a great giant of baseball who passed away and we’re going to review his remains? It was a fantastic thing, really.

“I Spent A Few Months [At Quality]” JA: How long did you work for Iger? And for Quality? PALAIS: I was at Iger’s for about 8 or 9 months. Then I went to work at Quality. I spent a few months there. JA: Do you remember any of the writers? PALAIS: Not really. Their names were on the stories, but I didn’t memorize any of them. The only writer I remember was a chap by the name of William Woolfolk. He could write three or four stories a day. He was inducted into the service and I never saw him again. There’s one physical factor about Woolfolk that you may not know. He’d had an operation and he slept with one eye open. How he came about that particular failing, I don’t recall, but that’s what he told me. Then, everyone thought I was going to be inducted into the service, and they started taking my paintings off the wall. I told Woolfolk, “Leave the paintings on the wall. When the time comes, I’ll let you know.” He said, “I’ll take good care of them.” Well, as it turned out, he went into the service and I didn’t.

It Was A Dark And Stormy Foster We think this page of “Stormy Foster” [a.k.a., “The Defender”] from a circa-1943 issue of Quality’s Hit Comics is by Rudy Palais. After all, as comic art researcher Hames Ware always says, “Nobody ever drew quite like Rudy Palais.” Thanks to Jerry G. Bails. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

I’ll never forget how devastated Jack Cole was when they told him they weren’t going to publish Plastic Man anymore. Of course, Cole went to Playboy and later killed himself. I don’t know why he did that. [NOTE: Actually, Cole left Quality Comics around 1952, and Plastic Man continued publication until 1956, so Rudy’s memory was in error here. Roy Thomas tells me, however, that he’s heard stories of Cole being very upset when told he wouldn’t be involved with a lot of the “Plastic Man” stories anymore…perhaps as they moved to being written and drawn with a more “serious” approach, so perhaps that’s what Rudy was thinking of. —Jim] JA: Did you know Cole that well? PALAIS: Sometimes he’d come in with a job, and we’d go out and have some coffee. We’d talk a bit, but I didn’t get to know him. Cole didn’t work at the studio. He was a happy-go-lucky type of a fellow. Very creative. He carried the Superman idea to an extreme. JA: So you didn’t get close to any of your co-workers? PALAIS: I was more of a loner than a mixer, which is why I don’t recall a lot of the people I worked with. The only guy I got friendly with was Max Elkan. He started with me at Eisner and Iger and inked a couple of my “Doll Man” stories. We also worked at Fiction House for a while. Then Max was inducted into the service. and he may have done a little work in conjunction with another artist when he got out. But that was only a few jobs, from what I was told. I lost track of Max, but according to what I had heard, he quit comics and went into the drug business. One of his relatives was a pharmacist.

Stand Up And Fight! Fiction House, another company that published Palais’ work done through Jerry Iger’s shop, wasn’t big on super-heroes, but did have a “Captain Fight” in early issues of Fight Comics—as evidenced by this Palais splash from Fight #16 (Dec. 1941). Thanks to Bruce Mason. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

“I Was So Busy, I Never Read The Stories”

47 Charles Schulz came up to Quality looking for work. He was a tall, quiet sort of a fellow. We didn’t say much to each other in the half an hour he was at the office. Busy Arnold interviewed him and turned down his request for work. His cartoon work was too light for Quality compared to the other cartoonists who were working there. Of course he made a very successful career for himself later on when he did the Peanuts strip. JA: What was Busy Arnold like as an employer? PALAIS: He was a reasonable man to work for. He didn’t deal with the artists much. He gave you work and he paid well and that was the story there.

Captains Outrageous Ace Periodicals published Palais’ work on “Captain Courageous”—a title no doubt taken from Rudyard Kipling’s famous novel. Michael T. Gilbert, who forwarded these scans he received from Robert Boucher, says they should’ve called him “Starfish” instead. Captain Nippo was one of the racially-caricatured Japanese villains of the day; his skin was colored bright yellow. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

JA: Did you know Lou Fine? There’s a question about a couple of “Ray” stories, in that you might

In those war years, we didn’t realize that anyone involved in doing comics was considered “semi-essential.” That wasn’t common knowledge. I only found it out when I went to my draft board and a chap named Bailey, who ran a syndicate for newspaper strips, said, “Mention the fact that you do comic books and you’ll get an extension. “So, that’s exactly what happened. I got the deferment, and then we dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, so they never drafted me. They were after younger men, who were in their teens. I was in my 30s, so that ended that. JA: Who else was in the studio at Quality? PALAIS: Crandall, Al Bryant, Al Stahl, Max Elkan, and a few others I didn’t know. Crandall was Arnold’s fair-haired boy because of his “Blackhawk” work. There was nothing too good for Reed Crandall in Arnold’s mind. I remember a time when

Persons Unknown In Quality’s National Comics #34 (Aug. 1943), “The Unknown” takes on Mars, god of War—who also had a 1940s gig over in Fiction House’s Planet Comics. You’d think this hero would’ve been christened “The Unknown Soldier”—and he did indeed debut in 1942 two months before Ace Periodicals’ “Unknown Soldier” in Our Flag Comics #1. Even more strangely, starting in 1946, long after the Quality series had bitten the dust, the title of the Ace feature was changed to—“The Unknown”! Go figure! Palais drew both heroes. Oh, and thanks to Bruce Mason for the scan. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Unique Artist Rudy Palais

have worked with Fine on some of them.

tions for Biro when he did Confessions magazine.

PALAIS: I never had any dealings with Lou. Gill Fox was the one who was close to Lou Fine. I did about four or five “Ray” stories, but I penciled and inked those. Lou Fine had a distinct style and he did superb work. I also did “Stormy Foster,” “Doll Man,” “Black Condor,” and “Phantom Lady.” I also penciled a story or two for Crandall, but not on “Blackhawk.”

JA: Several people have told me that Biro didn’t like a lot of solid black areas in the art. Did you have this restriction?

JA: You inked your own pencils. Did you have to show your pencils for approval to anyone before you inked them? PALAIS: No, I don’t think so. I was given a script and I turned in the complete art job. JA: Did you letter your stories? PALAIS: No. I could have, but it didn’t pay well enough. JA: John Belfi told me that there were times, when deadlines were tight, that you’d stay and sleep in the office rather than go home. PALAIS: No, he got the wrong guy. Someone else said I had done that at Harry Chesler’s studio, but that’s erroneous. I only did a couple of stories for Chesler.

“I Went To Public School With Charlie [Biro]” JA: Where did you go after Quality? PALAIS: When Arnold let his art staff go, I freelanced at home and started working for other companies. I worked for Lev Gleason on Crime Does Not Pay. Charlie Biro and Bob Wood were the editors there. I did quite a number of stories for them. I also did a few illustra-

PALAIS: No. I felt that black would hold the compositions together, regardless of how badly they were colored. That’s how I felt. Charlie never had a complaint or suggestion about my work. I left the work open enough for color. I went to public school with Charlie. We lived right around the corner from him. After high school, I lost track of him for years until I got into comics. Charlie was always a big blow-hard, but was a super salesman. Biro was a braggart even back in school. He told our teacher, Mrs. Simon, that he was a better artist than me. After he said this a couple times, the teacher was annoyed at Charlie and said, “You know what? You two are going to prove something to me. Take some chalk and get up to the blackboard and let’s see what you can do.” In front of a class of thirty, that could be embarrassing. But the night before, I had spent the evening drawing a lion because I was so intrigued by that drawing. I was able to draw that lion on the blackboard line for line. Charlie stood there, without a thing in his mind, with the chalk in hand, and couldn’t draw anything. That was the end of that, and I don’t think Charlie ever got over it. He made a lot of money working for Gleason, because they had such a big hit with Crime Does Not Pay. There’s another story about Biro I remember. Charlie invited me to his house after school to draw. I sat down and started sketching something, and he’d walk into the other room. Every time he came out of that room, he’d show me something he’d drawn that I didn’t think he could do. It was beyond him in terms of his ability. I mentioned it to my father and he just laughed it off. Charlie had older brothers that may have encouraged him in certain ways. The last time I saw Charlie was at his office on 57th Street in 1970. He was advising me to invest in real estate in Staten Island. I asked why and he said, “They’re building the Verrazano Bridge, and now there’ll be people over there.” This bridge connected Staten Island with Brooklyn. JA: You weren’t close with Biro when you were working for him, were you?

If Crime Does Not Pay, Two Crimes Don’t Pay—Twice! Palais drew these stories in the Biro & Wood-edited Crime Does Not Pay #44 (March 1946) and #48 (Nov. ’46), published by Lev Gleason. “Whodunnit Mystery” was a continuing feature in which the answer was revealed in an upside-down panel on the last of several pages. Thanks to Jim Amash. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

PALAIS: No. As a matter of fact, I only dealt with him once. When I did that time, the son of a gun tried to tell me, “This is how you draw.” And he started drawing over a previously published page of mine. I thought to myself, “Charlie, you’ll never change.”

“I Was So Busy, I Never Read The Stories”

Holyoke, Cat-Man! Beginning in 1944, Palais drew for Holyoke, (a.k.a. Et Es Go, Continental, etc.). (Clockwise from top left, all ©2006 the respective copyright holders.:) His cover for Terrific Comics #4 (July 1944)—and splash for the “Boomerang” story therein. Thanks to Bruce Mason & Jonathan G. Jensen, respectively. A page from the “Little Leaders” story in Cat-Man Comics #31 (June 1946), with thanks to Bruce Mason. The Little Leaders were Cat-Man’s teenage partner Kitty and The Deacon’s sidekick Mickey. Two splashes from Captain Aero #26 (Aug. 1946)—the last issue. Thanks to Jonathan G. Jensen.

Unique Artist Rudy Palais

JA: Was he that competitive? PALAIS: I don’t think he was competitive, but he wanted to show me over the years that he’d learned how to draw since public school. It was a pile of crap, because he still couldn’t draw. JA: But he did learn how to edit a comic book. PALAIS: I think he swiped that knowledge from Harry Chesler. Chesler was kind of a sloppy sort. He looked he should have working in a grocery store instead of running an art staff. And he’d chew on his cigar, never lighting the damn thing, and the juice would drip down on his vest. Angels And Adolescents After a while, it looked Among the stories Palais turned out for Hillman Publications were the “Black Angel” tale in Air Fighters Comics #10 (July 1943) like a piece of leather. and “Boy King” for Clue Comics #8 (Fall 1944). Thanks to Bruce Mason. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.] And he was always talking, talking... he drunk and accidentally killed his girlfriend. He went to jail, and after he never shut his mouth. He was walking down the hallway one day, got out he was hit by a car and died. stepped into the elevator, and he fell down halfway through the shaft. They were repairing the elevator and moved the elevator, between the JA: Did you ever see any evidence of Wood being a violent person floors. Someone left the door open and Chesler just stepped into space. when he drank? I don’t think it hurt him that badly, but it shook him up a little. I did a PALAIS: I never saw him that drunk. He could hold his liquor, but he couple of stories for him and I was paid for them and moved on. killed that girl during a weekend tryst. He was all liquored up and JA: Getting back to Bob Wood... probably didn’t know what he did. He must have sobered up and saw that she was motionless and figured she was dead. I didn’t hobnob with PALAIS: It was Bob Wood who hired me for Biro and Wood. He had Bob, but I may have had a drink or two with his brother Dick, who me draw the Mr. Crime character throughout the stories. Wood might was a nice guy. have been the creator of that character, but I was the first to draw him. Bob Wood said, “In this story, I want you to draw a ghostly type of character for the narrator.” I asked what kind of figure did he want. Wood said, “Like Mr. Coffee Nerves.” [NOTE: Mr. Coffee Nerves JA: Do you remember working for Frank Temmerson at Holyoke? was a character that the ad agencies used to sell for Postum, drawn You did “Cat-Man,” “Captain Aero,” and a few other features. by Milton Caniff and Noel Sickles under the pen name “Paul Arthur.”] I did what he asked. From that point on, we used him in PALAIS: Oh, yes. They were on 42nd Street and the editor there was most of the stories. He became a popular character and was a nice Lenny Cole. Temmerson had a partner by the name Ray [some spell it touch. Bob’s brother Dick wrote the story. “Rae”] Herman. Later on, she opened up her own studio and I did a lot of work for her. Temmerson was strictly business. I didn’t spend JA: What was Bob Wood like when you worked for him? any time there, so I didn’t get to know them. I just took my portfolio PALAIS: He was a jovial fellow. We didn’t hobnob. I’d go in and pick to companies and showed them my work on a “take it or leave it” up the script. I remember that we’d have Christmas parties and they’d basis. They didn’t know me and I didn’t want to know them. I just give out wrist watches and we’d have a ball. They had an outer office wanted to know what the page rate was. and then an antechamber. They had a big inner office, which is where I worked for Victor Fox, too. He had a reputation for not paying we had the parties. people, but I got paid. Every time I sent in the work, I included a bill JA: John Belfi told me that Biro and Wood were very heavy with a lawyer’s letter. I got paid every single time. I guess he had plenty gamblers. of experience in this area.

“I Was Happy With Whatever I Was Doing”

PALAIS: I imagine they were, with all the money they were making. And they were very heavy drinkers, too. You know Bob Wood got

I made a deal with the editor at Fox. I can’t remember his name now, but I told him I’ve give him a buck for every story he gave me.

“I Was So Busy, I Never Read The Stories” Well, he loved that. But I had to break off the deal, because he kept handing me more stories than I could draw. Crimes by Women was one of the books I did for Fox. My sister lettered the pages, and that saved me an extra trip. She was in high school and I paid her two or three dollars a page, which wasn’t bad back then for a young girl.

work for him, and occasionally he took a penciled job of mine and gave it to someone else to ink. That would change the style of my art, and it annoyed me, because I wasn’t particularly happy with someone working over my art. JA: Then I take it you didn’t like the idea of inking someone else’s pencils.

I remember that Victor Fox owned a bank in Pennsylvania. It was a side avocation of his. I always wondered how he got a bank, because you have to go through state and federal agencies to do that.

PALAIS: It’s highly possible that I did for Cronin. Because he’d play around with the various artists, since he’d switch me around and have others ink me. Only Cronin did that.

JA: Did you ever meet Victor Fox? And were his page rates any good?

JA: You did a lot of different genres for him: Westerns, crime, etc. Did you have a preference over which subject matter you drew?

PALAIS: I never met Fox. And his page rates were very low. Nothing like what I got at Hillman, Fiction House, or Quality. He paid about $17 a page. But I cut corners. I didn’t have to be as exact as I was at other companies. I had developed a style that lent itself to doing the work quickly.

PALAIS: No. I was happy with whatever I was doing. I never asked for a particular job. If they wanted me to do a Western, I did it. Same with romance or other other type of story. I liked the action stories, of course.

JA: Were you a fast artist? PALAIS: Depended on how much money I wanted to make. Let’s assume the page rate was 35 bucks, which wasn’t bad money. It wasn’t real good, either. I guess the top page rate was around $50. I’m talking around the mid-’40s and ’50s. I could do a page or two a day, pencils and inks, if I felt the need for it. I didn’t do finished pencils on the pages. I’d take it in and they had it lettered. Then I’d tighten up the pencils a little and ink it. I didn’t have to do tight pencils because I knew where I was going with the story. I wasn’t a night-time worker, because by that time, I was really tired. I worked all day and relaxed at night.

I didn’t care to do covers because that meant making two trips to the office for 75 bucks or so. So what I tried to do was get a story to go along with it, so I would only have to make one trip. I did a number of covers for Speed Comics [published by Harvey Comics] and Four Favorites [published by Ace Comics]. Not to mention all the stories I did for those places. JA: Did you ever write your own stories?

JA: You also did a lot of work for Ed Cronin at Hillman.

PALAIS: Just once. But I begged off after that, because it took too much time to do it. We only got paid three or four dollars a page for writing. So, if it took me two days to write an 8-page story, I couldn’t make enough money. The arithmetic was off. I think the average rate was between $30-$35 a page. I was getting that. Some guy recently told me that he was working for two or three dollars a page. I couldn’t believe it.

PALAIS: That’s for sure. He was a very talkative man. I did a lot of

JA: Creig Flessel told me that in the mid-1930s, he got $5 a page for

“Not To Mention All The Stories I Did For Those Places,” Part I Ace’s Four Favorites was on the receiving end of covers and stories drawn by Rudy Palais, as witness the cover of issue #20 (Nov. 1945), flanked by “Magno and Davey” splashes from #18 (May ’45) & #22 (March ’46). Yep, that’s the same Magno, the Magnetic Man, seen on p. 42; in only his 4th story, he acquired a kid partner. Didn’t everybody, back then? Thanks to Jonathan G. Jensen. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Unique Artist Rudy Palais several other books. The editor was an old artist named Alex Blum. The old coot! He couldn’t draw very well, but he did a lot of animal stories. Then a guy named Kaplan edited. I usually had three months to do a book. I got a kick out of working for them, because while I was busy doing straight story material for other companies, I had three months to do 50 pages of Classics. It was always like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. JA: Jack Kirby told me that they were sticklers for accuracy and it drove him crazy. You ever have to deal with that?

“Not to Mention All The Stories I Did For Those Places,” Part II We don’t have any of Palais’ super-hero covers for Harvey’s Speed Comics on hand, but here are splashes and another panel he drew for the same company’s Korean war comic Warfront #7 (June 1952) and its horror title Tomb of Terror #7 (Jan. 1953). Note the sweat pouring off the bugler’s forehead in the former—though the liquid drawn on his arm might well be blood. Repro’d from full-size photocopies of the original art; thanks to Chris Brown [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

writing, penciling, inking, lettering, and color guides. PALAIS: Then you see that I wasn’t far off. [laughs] Iger paid me about $80 a week. That was a lot of money for them, but I had come from Columbia Pictures, having done movie posters. Iger was impressed with my background, so he paid me a little better than average. I was working from photographs at Columbia and was very impressed with the work I saw being done at Iger’s. I did a story once and was disappointed and said to Iger, “Look at this crap.” Iger said, “Let me tell you something. In a few months, you won’t recognize your stuff. You’ll be working 40 to 60 hours a week and it’ll change your work.” And he was right. Going from working from photographs and life to working from the pure knowledge of what I knew was foreign to me. You see, this was another step in my development. I was almost thirty when I got into comics and had put in several years as a working professional, so I had tricks up my sleeve that I could use. JA: You were already a mature artist by the time you got into comics. Your figures really had life to their movements. PALAIS: That’s right. Some of those young artists couldn’t draw their way out of a paper bag. It was no problem for me to enhance a story with long shots, close-ups, or even extreme close-ups. The young artists couldn’t think that way. But then again, I learned a lot from Reed Crandall. A lot of the young artists learned from him, too. JA: Who couldn’t? You worked for Gilberton for a while. What do you remember about working for them? PALAIS: They published the Classics Illustrated line. I did The Prairie, Crime and Punishment, The Pioneers, Rob Roy, and

PALAIS: They may have been critical a few times. For instance, when I did roughs for the characters for the Prairie story, they wanted to make sure the costumes were authentic for the time period. They would criticize those things, and I made the correction right there and then. After that, I’d draw it at home because I knew where I was going. But I got very little editorial interference. I did a fair amount of research for those books. Let’s say you did a costume story that took place in a certain time

“I Was So Busy, I Never Read The Stories”

Palais, Pioneers, And Prairie Rudy Palais did excellent work on Classics Illustrated adaptations of two James Fenimore Cooper novels: The Pioneers (#37, May 1947) and The Prairie (#58, April 1949). William B. Jones, Jr., in his study of Classics Illustrated (see p. 45), notes “the Hogarthian energy of the artist’s conception” on the former cover. “Hogarthian” could refer to either “William” or “Burne” Hogarth—or both! The 1948 photo was supplied to Jones by Palais. [Art ©2006 Frawley Corporation and its exclusive licensee First Classics, Inc., a subsidiary of Classics International Entertainment, Inc.]

period. I’d get a book and research it so the details would be accurately portrayed. You can’t be more accurate than that. They didn’t pay well. They paid about $20 a page and I’d have 50 or 60 pages to do. I took those jobs because they’d fill in the gaps, though I didn’t have a minute of my own to spare. I was also illustrating for Aetna Life Insurance in Hartford, Connecticut. They had a house publication and I did drawings for their stories. These were true-life stories of insurance people.

“I Gave Myself Room To Tell The Story” JA: You were doing work outside of comics, too? PALAIS: Of course. I contacted the Tasante Insurance Agency in Hartford. One time, I came up there and showed them something I’d picked up at a bank. It was a poorly-drawn booklet titled The Facts of Money. The man was impressed by that and said he’d do the research if I did the illustrations. So I had to do 52 illustrations for that booklet, which came out every week. They’d do features like telling where the term “Pieces of Eight “ came from. I turned in one illustration a week. They used this as a basis for contacting bank institutions, who would buy ad space. They’d have one ad a week for 52 weeks a year. It was a good form of advertising. I worked for them about two or three years. JA: Did you prefer doing comic books to ad work? PALAIS: Oh, yeah. For a while, I was art director for an agency in Bridgeport, Connecticut. I became heavily involved in color photography. But in comics, you have several pages involving the same characters. You could do something with them over the space of those pages. That’s much different than doing an illustration, because you could spend a week or so on one piece of art. After a while, you’re just polishing the apple. I liked to tell stories. JA: I’ve noticed that, in many of your stories, you experimented with page design. Particularly in the horror genre. You mentioned that Crandall was only interested in each individual panel. It seems to me that you thought of the entire page of panels as a single piece of art. PALAIS: I did. I wasn’t conscious of it at the time. I broke down the page according to what was happening in the story. I gave myself room to tell the story. If an individual panel needed more room than another, I gave it that room. I only used a rigid panel grid when it fit the subject

matter. Sometimes I used irregularly shaped panels for emphasis. But I always balanced the page out as a whole. I’d angle the backgrounds in such a way for added emphasis. When I worked for Dick Giordano at Charlton [in the mid-1960s], I did thumbnails first. I figured how many panels I needed on the page. Then I balanced out the panels and the black areas in the panels. After that, I put the drawing on a projector and blew the image up to working size. This way, I had a preconceived conception of what the whole page would look like. I’d turn the page upside down, and doing that gave me a fresh look at how the patterns on the page were balanced. That’s why my paneled pages held together as a single piece of art. It also helped me work faster. JA: You really had a feel for the horror genre. I’ve looked at your pages and seen some very wild stuff. Your stories were all told in the most expressive ways, especially at Harvey Comics. Varying camera angles, slanted rooms—and those gargoyles were very expressively rendered. PALAIS: Some of the gargoyles I designed were wild. Don Heck did the same thing. I really had fun doing that work. Horror stories lend themselves to creativity. I like crime, drama, and horror stories. I did romance stories, but there’s not as much to do in those stories. They suffer from a lack of drama. I always envisioned the characters in my head and that helped me tell the story. Sometimes I found the stories a little lacking, and I’d add things to punch up the drama. I would exaggerate things as I felt necessary to add mood to the story. JA: I’ve never seen comic book characters sweat as profusely as yours did. PALAIS: [laughs] Well, I added that to emphasize the stress that the characters were going through. JA: You never considered working for EC’s horror comics, did you? PALAIS: The way it worked for me was like a chain reaction. I showed my work and got a script and money. I was so busy with all the other places I was working for, that I didn’t go see them. JA: You never asked for your originals back, did you?

Unique Artist Rudy Palais

PALAIS: No. I didn’t think they’d give them to me. If I’d thought they would have, I’d have hounded them for it. I did have a few originals, but I sold them off long ago. JA: You didn’t work for DC Comics very much. PALAIS: I only did a couple of “Dr. Mid-Nite” stories for them. I didn’t get that work on my own. I did that for Frank Xavier Harry, who did a lot of work for that company. He lived near me in Deep River and was stuck with too much work and asked me to help him out. I think it’s a matter of “who likes whom.” If an editor liked my work, I was busy. If he didn’t, I didn’t get work. JA: It’s the same today, but sometimes it’s also a matter of “if they like you personally.” PALAIS: It was like that then. It was personal working for Leon Harvey. JA: Did you know Frank Harry that well?

kids got into trouble, and a lawyer claimed the comics were the cause of it. The story they posed for was a lovable children’s story. It had nothing to do with crime or horror. I think the judge laughed it out of court, because I never saw the inside of that courtroom. JA: I was curious as to why you came back and did a few comic book stories for Charlton in the mid-1960s. How did you get hooked up with them? PALAIS: John Santangelo and Ed Levy ran the company. You know, they met in jail and formed a partnership. Levy thought that I had attended college with him in Boston. He asked me to come down and visit Charlton Publications. He said, “What would you like to do for us? You can do magazine illustrations or comics.” I didn’t really have the time, because of all my other work, but I eventually did do a few comic stories. I was heavily involved in advertising and photography and just didn’t have the interest to continue in the comic book business.

JA: Did you listen to radio shows when you drew?

I became an art director for the Rosner and Lewis agency for about ten years. I talked my boss into letting me build a studio, and I did all the photography for their accounts. I also worked for Devega, which was a sporting goods company. Then I went to work for Mercury Press. After that, I freelanced for ad agencies and also had my own print shop. I gave that all up and retired when I developed some health problems.

PALAIS: No. I did like radio shows, especially The Shadow and The Witch’s Tale. But generally, I just listened to music when I worked. It helped me along and soothed my nerves while I drew.

I still do some drawing but not for publication. I draw what I want and there’s no pressure. It’s just for enjoyment now. The same for the painting and sculpture.

“The Comic Book Business Seemed To Be Winding Down”

JA: What do you think when you look back on your comic book career?

PALAIS: Not really. He was married and had a couple of children. He was a hard, industrious worker and a nice guy. I thought he was a good artist. He had to be good, or else DC Comics would have thrown him out. I ghosted that work for him and he paid me for it.

JA: You basically left the comic book business in the mid-1950s. Is that when you devoted most of your time to advertising? PALAIS: Yes. The comic book business seemed to be winding down, and I found another way to make a living. JA: Comic books were taking a beating in the press because Dr. Wertham and others were using them as a scapegoat for why some kids became juvenile delinquents. Do you remember those times? PALAIS: Yeah, but it was nothing, really. Every so often, you’d get some parent claiming comics distorted their son’s view of life. That’s just a plain crock. There was nothing to it. One time, I had hired my neighbor’s children for photographic reference. One of these

Tales Calculated To Keep You… Sweating According to Frank Motler and Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, Rudy seems to have drawn only one job ever for Timely/Marvel—this story from Suspense #10 (Sept. 1951). Frank, who provided this scan, pointed out those “trademark Palais sweat beads.” [©2006 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

“I Was So Busy, I Never Read The Stories”

Doctored Artwork Palais seems to have drawn four published “Dr. Mid-Nite” stories for DC. Here are the splash page from the one in All-American Comics #96 (April 1948), and the final page from #97 (May ’48). The splash of the latter was seen in Alter Ego #44, which carried our tribute to the artist at the time of his passing. Rudy’s work, as indexed by Craig Delich for the Grand Comic Book Data Base, seems also to have appeared in All-American #100 & 101—just before the mag became All-American Western with #103—so there may be another Palais tale of the medical manhunter lurking around somewhere. Odd, though, that he should say he was working for DC through Frank Harry on “Doc”—because, though Harry had been the regular artist on that series a bit earlier, no “Doc” stories with his art had appeared for about a year before Palais’ first one! [©2006 DC Comics.]

PALAIS: I was so busy, I never read the stories. I just read the description of the action. But now that I have time to look at them...I saved practically every comic I ever did, bad and indifferent...I get quite a charge out of reading the stories and I say, “Did I do that stuff?” I can’t believe it, but there it is. I was better than I realized. You get so involved in things that you don’t ask yourself, “Am I better than this guy or that guy?” You just keep on working. But I don’t think that way any more. I find that when I review my artwork, it’s very interesting. JA: Well, I always thought your work was special. PALAIS: So did a number of other guys. Some guy wrote to me once, saying that, when he was a kid, “Rob Roy was like possessing the Holy Grail.” It’s amazing the way some people have reacted to my artwork. JA: That must give you a lot of personal satisfaction. PALAIS: Yes, it does. Why not? It’s better than saying, “Hey, this guy was a louse.” [laughs] They’ll remember me for my characteristics and for the artwork I created.

Fly Like An Eagle “Golden Eagle,” the feature Rudy Palais drew in Contact Comics, was in appearance and modus vivandi a flagrant imitation of Quality’s popular “Blackhawk.” But the Aviation Press flyboy was a loner—and had a pet eagle called Liberty more than a decade before Blackie came along in the DC continuation of Blackhawk. This splash is from Contact #6 (May 1945); with thanks to Michael Dewally. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Unique Artist Rudy Palais

RUDY PALAIS Checklist [This Checklist is adapted from information appearing on Jerry G. Bails’ online Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928-99. See p. 33 for information on how to access 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. Key: (a) = full art; (p) = pencils only; (i) inks only.] Name: Rudolph Palais (1912-2005)(artist)

Skull Squad (a) 1944 (unconfirmed); Tom, Dick, and Harry (a) 1941

Family in Arts: Walter Palais (brother), comic book artist

Gilberton/Classics Illustrated: adaptations (a) 1947-54; Crime and Punishment (a); Kit Carson (a) 1953; Men against the Sea (a); The Pioneers (a); Pitcairn’s Island (a); The Prairie (a); Rob Roy (a)

Work in Print Media (Non-Comics): artist: magazines 1930s-50s; Baseball magazine 1930; pulps; Hi-Life 1958 Comic Shop/Studio Work: Iger studio (a) c. 1941-43 [NOTE: The Who’s Who also lists Palais as working for Harry “A” Chesler circa 1939-40 and in 1946, but Palais denies this in the interview.] COMIC BOOK CREDITS (Mainstream US Publishers):

Great Comics Publications: Futuro (a) 1942; Kangaroo Man (a) 1942 Harvey Comics: Black Cat (a) 1947; Black Cat Mystery (a) 1951-52; Captain Freedom (a) 1945-46; Chamber of Chills (a) 1951-53; covers (a) 1945-46; crime (a) 1951-52; filler (a) 1951-52; Tomb of Terror (a) 1952-53; Witches’ Tales (a) 195153; Your FBI (a) 1954; Zoot Suit (a) no date Harwell Publications: Horrific (a) 1952-53; Terrific (a) c. 1953; Weird Terror (a) 1953-54

Ace Periodicals: Captain Courageous (a) 1945-46; covers (a) 1948-49; crime (a) c. 1945-49; Duke Buckland (a) 1948; Mack Martin (a) 1949; Magno and Davey (a) 1945-46; Mr. Risk (a) 1945; non-fiction (a) 1946; The Unknown Soldier (a) 1946; Western (a) 1948

Hillman Periodicals: Black Angel (a) 1944; Boy King (a?, i?) 1944; crime (a) 1947-50; Earl the Rabbit (a) 1947; sports (a) no date; Western (a) 1948; Zippo (a) no date Holyoke Publications: Buck ’n’ Broncho (a) 1944; Captain Aero (a) 1945-46; Cat-Man (a) 1944; covers (a) 1944; The Deacon (a) 1945-467; Little Leaders (a) 1944-46; Mr. Nobody (a) c. 1944-46; Sky Scouts (a) 1945

American Comics Group: various features (a) 1962 Archie Publications: romance (a) 1949 Aviation Press: Golden Eagle (a) 1945-46; Johnny Mace and Co. (a)

IW Publications: Captain Courage[ous?] (a) 1964 (reprint)

Avon Comics: Chief Victorio (p) 1951; crime (a) 1951; Mike Strong (a) 1952; Rusty and Dusty (a) 1951; Western (a) 1947-50

Lev Gleason: The Claw (a) 1944 Marvel/Timely: crime (a) 1951; horror (a) 1951; Sgt. Dix (a) 1944; spy (a) 1951

Charlton Comics: Ghostly Haunts (a) 1972-74; Ghostly Tales (a) 1967; Gunmaster (p) 1965-67; Harbor Lights (p.) 1944; Haunted (a) 1983; Many Ghosts of Dr. Graves (a) 1967, 197; Outlaws of the West (a) 1967

Spotlight Comics: Ship Ahoy (a) 1944; Tailspin (a) 1944 Orbit Publications: crime (p) 1948 Parents’ Magazine Press: True Comics (a) 1943

Chesler Publications: Torpedoman (a) 1947

Quality Comics: Black Condor (a) 1943; Blackhawk (a) 1940s; Doll Ways To Skin A Cat Man (i) 1942-43, (p) 1943-44; Don Glory (a) 1941-42; Heart Throbs A striking Palais cover for Cat-Man Comics #27 (April 1945). Thanks to Bruce Mason. [©2006 the respective copyright holders.] (i) 1956; Manhunter (a) 1943; Eastern Color Printing: Sharp Merlin the Magician (a) 1941; and Flat (a) 1945 Phantom Lady (a) 1941-42; Prop Powers (a) 1941; The Ray (a) 1942-43; Rookie Rankin (a) 1941-42; Spider Widow (a) 1943; Stormy Foster (a) EC Comics: Modern Love (a) 1950; War against Crime (a) 1949 1941-44; The Unknown (a) 1943-44; Wonder Boy (a) Farrell Publications: Percy Pelican (a) c. 1944-46 DC Comics: Casebook Mystery (a) 1953; Dr. Mid-Nite (a) 1948; Yankee Doodle Doughboy (a) 1950

Fawcett Publications: Captain Marvel Jr. (a) 1953; romance (a) 1951

Rural Home: Lucky Aces (a) 1945

Feature Comics: crime (a) 1948-53, 1957; Western (a) 1947, 1949-50

St. John Publishing: Western (a) 1949-50

Fiction House Comics: Captain Fight (a) 1941; Captain Wings (a) 1942; Famous Fighters (a) 1942; Kaänga (a) 1942; Kayo Kirby (a) 194142; Lightning (a) 1940s; Lost World (a) 1942; Rangers of Freedom (a) 1942; Red Comet (a) 1942; Rip Carson (p) 1942; Rocky Hall (a) 1942;

Stanmor: Mr. Mystery (a) 1952 Star Publications: Zann (a) 1952 reprint Toby Press: Terrific Comics (a) 1954 Trojan Comics: Beware (a) 1954-55

Frankenstein’s Final Funnies The (Sob!) Last Of DICK BRIEFER’s Comic Strips About His Colorful Creature

n Halloween issues #41 & #53, A/E showcased newspaper comic strips prepared by comics writer/artist Richard Briefer (circa the late 1950s), starring his humorous rendition of the Frankenstein Monster, circa the late 1950s, which he drew in one mode or another for Prize Comics Group from the early 1940s through the mid-’50s. Our favorite of his three takes was the “Merry Monster” feature he did from the mid- to late ’40s. Fan/collector Al Dellinges carried on a correspondence with Briefer during his later years, and published the skillfully-done but unsold sample dailies in 1980; we thank Al for making them available here. The following (alas, incomplete) sequence represents, so far as we know, Briefer’s last work with Franky, excluding a few paintings. [Strips ©2006 Estate of Richard N. Briefer.] In addition, Will Murray sent the following quotes from a letter Briefer sent years ago to the late comics historian Jerry DeFuccio, as forwarded to Will by Richard Kyle: What do you think I was doing in college before I started

in on comic magazines? Yessiree—pre MED! NYU didn’t agree with me on that, so their loss was Eisner & Iger’s gain for WOW comics. I did their first cover thru a free adaptation of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” then Rex Dexter. Frankenstein, the comic Addams style version, was my favorite, and I look back into old comic mags and really marvel at most of the art and ideas and scripts I turned out. Most of the art was excellent, carefully but loosely done—then there were downright sloppy pages later on where I found drawing actual size was easier & faster! When the “big Ax” fell on comics in the early fifties, I went into advertising down here in Florida, then in ’52 shifted over to portrait painting…. It’s interesting & weird to find yourself more well known twenty years later than twenty years before when you were doing the thing you should have been well known for at the time. We most definitely concur, Dick—wherever you are! –Roy.

Frankenstein’s Final Funnies

Th-th-that’s all, folks! Want to see some of Briefer’s Golden Age Frankenstein work? Let us know, okay?

The (Sob!) Last Of Dick Briefer’s Comic Strips About His Colorful Creature 59

The Shadow: Masked And Unmasked Celebrating The 75th Anniversary Of Street & Smith’s Grim Hero The Shadow Knows!

by Anthony Tollin

uper-heroes have a natural affinity for Halloween, since disguise is a central element of their dual identity alter egos. However, none of The Shadow’s super-heroic successors has ever outdone the Master of Darkness when it comes to his multitude of alter egos. While other crime-busters are usually content with a single alter ego in addition to their heroic costumed identities, The Shadow employed nearly a dozen identities with some regularity.

While most of his crime-fighting descendants donned bizarre disguises to battle crime, The Shadow’s true identity was masked as both crime-fighter and when he assumed the guises of his various other selves: Lamont Cranston, Kent Allard, Henry Arnaud, Fritz (the police station’s slow-moving immigrant janitor), George Clarendon, Phineas and Isaac Twambly, Clifford Gage, the Count of Santurnia, Wade Hosth and Theo D. Shaw (both anagrams of The Shadow), and many more. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the many criminals impersonated by the Master of Darkness in the classic Shadow novels of the 1930s and 1940s. Even The Shadow’s principal alter ego of Lamont Cranston was in reality another mask. “Greatest of The Shadow’s secrets,” Walter Gibson wrote, “was the fact that the very character that had become part of him, that of Lamont Cranston, was in itself a disguise.” The Shadow’s creator introduced the Cranston identity in 1931 in his second novel, The Eyes of The Shadow, which the author believed “provided so many details about The Shadow that readers would be apt to think that they had learned practically all there was to know about him. This misconception was corrected in an early chapter of the third novel, The Shadow Laughs. Lamont Cranston, returning from an extended trip to South America, began to have doubts about his own sanity and even his identity. He learned that, during his absence, various persons were sure that they had seen him at his home, although he knew quite well that he had not been there.

As per usual, The Shadow plays a double—no, triple—game: showing up for Halloween… announcing new publication plans for his vintage adventures… and celebrating the 75th anniversary of the first issue of The Shadow Magazine, back in 1931! Above left is Modest Stein’s cover of the first issue of The Shadow pulp magazine, for April 1931—at right is George Rozen’s cover for the pulp “novel” The Shadow Unmasks (Aug. 1937). All art and photos accompanying this article were provided by Anthony Tollin. [©2006 Advance Magazine Publishers, Inc./The Condé Nast Publications.]

Nothing was ever what it seemed in Gibson’s Shadow novels, and the master of misdirection soon revealed that Lamont Cranston was but one of many alter egos assumed by the Master of Darkness. In a chapter aptly titled “Lamont Cranston Talks to Himself,” the wealthy world traveler and big-game hunter awakens to discover a nocturnal visitor wearing a masklike visage of his own features, who demands that the real Cranston depart immediately on an ocean voyage: “Some people call me The Shadow,” explained the man in black. “That is but one identity. I have other personalities that I assume, as easily as I don my black cloak and hat. One of my personalities is that of Lamont Cranston. In the past, I have used it while you were away. At present, I choose to use it now. It would be embarrassing for both of us to be here. So you must go.”

When the real Cranston objects, the Master of Darkness warns:

Cranston Meets Cranston Even Lamont Cranston, the Shadow’s alter ego known so well from radio and comics, was a secret identity— as per this drawing Earl Mayan from Crime over Miami, in which the two of them met. [©2006 Advance Magazine Publishers Inc./The Condé Nast Publications.]

“You have been very lax in handling the affairs of Lamont Cranston. There are many matters which you have forgotten. There are many securities, in safe-deposit vaults. You do not know the exact amounts. I do. You have some knowledge of Lamont Cranston’s family history. I doubt that you could recall the maiden names of both his grandmothers. I know them. Stay if you wish. Try to denounce me. But remember that I have established the personality of Lamont Cranston. Assuming that you are Lamont Cranston, I know more about you than you know about yourself! So use your

The Shadow: Masked And Unmasked own judgment. But I warn you in advance. If you are here when I come tomorrow, there will be but one result. You will be arrested as the impersonator of Lamont Cranston. I shall be the injured party. It will mean an inconvenience for me; but it will mean real difficulties for you.”

61 think The Shadow is this guy come back....”

In The Black Master, The Shadow adopts the identity of Clifford Gage, a reputed British spy who had reportedly died five years In his 1933 novel The Red Blot, Gibson before during a Himilayan provided an explanation for the masklike snowstorm. Later in the novel, the immobileness of the Dark Avenger’s disguises, trapped Shadow is unmasked by a revealing that faces The Shadow presented to the master villain who exclaims, “The world really were masks: secret of The Shadow. At last it is understood! The man of many Now a light appeared in the corner of the faces—with no face of his own.” At room. It revealed a small table upon which the conclusions of The Shadow’s rested various articles of make-up. The Shadow Shadow and The Black Falcon, the seated himself before the table, but only his Dark Avenger reveals his unmasked white hands appeared within the sphere of light. features to his criminal foes, both of The hands appeared with what seemed to be a The Shadow’s Ultimate Alter Ego whom collapse in shock after seeing thin mask of wire gauze, no more than a The Shadow’s true face. “That was Walter Gibson, creator and longtime original writer of skeleton framework filled with a few solid The Shadow pulp magazine, in 1937. [Photo ©2006 done primarily to shake up the patches. The object disappeared as it was raised New York World Telegram.] readers,” Gibson later explained. “I into the dark. Into the range of light came a mean, to get the reader wondering. head and a strange, weird reflection from the It accomplished this very thing. I had sort of a metaphysical answer for mirror. It was the image of a man who seemed to have no face! it—which could have been that they saw something strangely Guised with the colorless surface of the thin mask, only The gruesome, or weird, that almost hypnotized them. But I didn’t go into Shadow’s eyes were visible as they glowed through a plastic mass a lot of details about it. I just let that hang a little bit.” of grayish blur! The hands came into action. The long fingers moved here and there about the table, finding the objects that they needed. Upon the artificial base, the semblance of a human countenance was slowly forming....

In his first Shadow novel, a smalltime crook called Spotter had noticed that The Shadow’s features appeared to be obscured by gauze: “This time I looked for his face. I saw nothing but a piece of white that looked like a bandage. Maybe The Shadow ain’t got no face to speak of. Looked like the bandage hid somethin’ in back. There was a young guy once who the crooks was afraid of—he was a famous spy in the War, and they say he was wounded over in France—wounded in the face. I

Walter Gibson’s early “horror face” concept for The Shadow is remarkably similar to the later character of Maximus in Leonard Starr’s On Stage comic strip (which debuted in 1956 and ran for a number of years), and also to DC Comics’ “Unknown Soldier.” Like Gibson’s early conception of The Shadow, both of those characters’ faces had been destroyed during wartime, forcing them to become masters of makeup and disguise. “The ‘horror face’ was a planted device that could have been picked up for later reference,” Gibson explained to pulp historian Will Murray. “Allard’s own face could have been battlescarred and undergoing plastic surgery; or he could have been testing out a special mask to study the effect. Like the girasol and the fingersnap explosion, these were tests of reader’s interest. If the reader’s attention were nipped, he’d write in, intense for information.” Through the planting of such clues, the writer and editor could keep in touch with their public and gauge its reactions to possible story elements like The Shadow’s “horror face.” Gibson recalled: “That was more or less hinted at … that he had plastic surgery, and if he just took the thing away, it would look very weird, almost skeletonish. But I never went into it because I didn’t like to get too much on the gruesome side. But you remember in many of the things that would tell me how he would mold his face? Well, I frequently figured he was using a plastic type of thing with which he would mold it and he had a base that he worked on there.” The real Lamont Cranston eventually became a willing ally of The Shadow, playing major roles in a number of novels including Atoms of Death and The Hydra. Throughout the 1930s, The Shadow’s Cranston facade is often described as “masklike” and “immobile,” but by the 1940s the visage has become more naturalistic. In Crime over Miami, Gibson explains why The Shadow’s makeup now suggests Cranston’s hawklike features rather than duplicates them:

The Shadow Hails A Truck A Shadow drawing by well-known magazine and comics illustrator Everett Raymond Kinstler. The white gutter down the middle is because the two pieces of this illo appeared on facing pages in the pulp; they called this a “double truck.” [©2006 Advance Magazine Publishers Inc./The Condé Nast Publications.]

If The Shadow’s make-up had been a mirrored reflection of Cranston’s features, the thing would have been remarkable enough. As it happened, his face was not identical with Cranston’s, a fact which made the deception even better. By choosing to resemble Cranston, rather than to duplicate him, The Shadow avoided any stiffness that could have excited suspicion.

Celebrating The 75th Anniversary Of Street & Smith’s Grim Hero novels, the prolific author and his editor John Nanovic decided that the Cranston alter ego had become so established that it was time to re-establish that The Shadow only posed as the millionaire clubman. When the real Cranston is hospitalized after a well-publicized plane crash, The Shadow resurrects his true identity of Kent Allard, an internationally famous aviator (and former spy) who was supposedly lost in the Yucatan jungles when The Shadow had first begun to battle super-criminals in America. “Very early in the series, I established the fact that he was a U.S. aviator from WWI who had been shot down behind enemy lines and worked his way out. His flight to Mexico and return was based on the famous Fawcett case—the aviator-explorer who was lost in the Brazilian jungle and was perennially being found,” Gibson explained.

Cranston’s own face was calm, but not masklike. It had a hawkish trace, suggestive of The Shadow’s own profile. What The Shadow had done was to temper down his own visage to what could have been termed Cranston’s level. That fact accounted for the masklike contour of The Shadow’s features. Seen together, Cranston and his impersonator looked different, except when The Shadow chose to be Cranston to exactitude. Then, their faces could have been meeting in a mirror’s surface, in a fashion that made it impossible to tell which was flesh and which reflection. But they were never seen together, except by themselves. This was one of their rare get-togethers.

The real Lamont Cranston eventually became a quasi-agent of The Shadow, and his marksmanship even saved the life of the Dark Avenger in The Hydra. The borrowed Cranston identity quickly become The Shadow’s principal alter ego, though the Dark Avenger assumed a number of other visages in Gibson’s early novels. The Shadow poses as wealthy playboy George Clarendon in two early novels (“Death Tower” and “Hands in the Dark”), but the identity was quickly discarded, perhaps because it was too similar to the more useful Cranston guise.

A Shadow Of His Former Self George Rozen’s cover for The Shadow Magazine for 7-1536 features two of his major secret identities, Lamont Cranston (left) and Henry Arnaud (right). [©2006 Advance Magazine Publishers, Inc./The Condé Nast Publications.]

A frequently used alter ego proved to be that of Henry Arnaud, a businessman whose identity proved useful in the corporate world: A smile showed on the lips of Henry Arnaud as the visitor left the office. It was a smile that differed from that of Lamont Cranston. For Arnaud and Cranston were two contrasting personalities, even though both were parts played by The Shadow.... As Arnaud, he was brisker at times. More of a businessman than a leisurely gentleman of millions.... The Shadow’s disguised face showed plainly in the daylight. It carried something of the hawkish trace that marked The Shadow’s impersonation of Lamont Cranston. But the features of Henry Arnaud were thicker and heavier. Somehow, also, The Shadow appeared shorter as Arnaud than as Cranston.

The fictitious nature of the Arnaud identity allows The Shadow to take risks with the guise that he can’t with his more valuable Cranston persona. Arnaud is also not burdened with Cranston’s sterling reputation and fame. The Shadow dons Arnaud’s visage frequently during the 1930s, and makes his final appearance in the role in 1940’s Death’s Premium, in which Arnaud hires a murder-for-hire ring to end the life of his “worst enemy—Lamont Cranston.” Walter Gibson dropped numerous clues regarding The Shadow’s mysterious origins until the summer of 1937, when the Dark Avenger’s true identity was revealed in The Shadow Unmasks. The author had purposely kept The Shadow’s true identity a secret, desiring that the Dark Avenger retain an air of mystery and the unknown. However, after 130 Shadow

“Twelve years ago, his plane crashed in the jungles of Guatemala,” Commissioner Weston relates in The Shadow Unmasks. “He was crippled, helpless among a tribe of Xinca Indians; and I understand those savages are the most barbarous in Central America.

“Did Allard yield to those Xincas? No! Instead, he tamed them. He lived with them; ruled them. When he had civilized them to a state where they could govern themselves, he appointed a native as chief. A work of twelve years was ended, so Kent Allard came home.” Arriving in New York, the heroic Allard is welcomed home with a ticker-tape parade. The aviator is tall, gaunt, and bronzed, and walks with a feigned limp in his right leg, supposedly the result of setting his own broken limb after his fictitious plane crash in Guatemala. His angular features are a more intense version of Lamont Cranston’s placid visage. As befits a man worshiped as a sky god by a Central American Indian tribe, Allard’s face is “hawklike in expression, as solemn and as firm-molded as the features of an Aztec idol.” While Cranston is described as methodical and languid in his manner, the heroic Allard’s movements are described as brisk and decisive. His most pronounced difference from Cranston is his eyes: while Cranston’s eyes are frequently described as hooded or impassive, Allard’s keen eyes burn with the power and authority of The Shadow. His visage is The Shadow’s true face, fully revealed for the first time in artist George Rozen’s memorable cover for The Shadow Unmasks. The Shadow’s primary alter egos are well contrasted in The Silver Skull, published in the January 1, 1939, issue of The Shadow Magazine: It was interesting to contrast the two, Allard and Cranston. Each man seemed the other’s opposite. Looking

Kent? Isn’t That The First Name Of A Later Super-Hero We’ve Heard Of? Kent Allard. We may not recognize the face, but the nose is familiar. An illustration by Earl Mayan from an issue of The Shadow Magazine. [©2006 Advance Magazine Publishers, Inc./The Condé Nast Publications.]

The Shadow: Masked And Unmasked at Allard as he handled the controls, Geraldine saw a firm thin-featured face, with gaunt lines that might have been hewn from solid stone. He seemed possessed with an energy which he was careful to reserve for tests that were to come later. Contrarily, Cranston had shown no such indications. His manner had been a leisurely one, but behind that pose had lain tremendous endurance. His face, fuller than Allard’s, had masked his expressions as capably as his manner had concealed his strength. Of the two, Geraldine could not decide which she liked the better. She wished that she could see them together, and thereby make her choice. It never occurred to her that she was asking the impossible. Of all the skillful tactics adopted by The Shadow, none was more subtle than his method of keeping his two personalities entirely distinct. No one could ever have mistaken Kent Allard for Lamont Cranston, or vice versa.

63 registered all the venom that belonged with their snakish postures. And from each pair of lips came the selfsame snarl: “La Ombrajo! Mortigu lin!” The man who was known as Malmordo had encountered an actor whose skill was equal to his own. That actor was The Shadow. He was able to distort his features, those of Cranston, as capably as Malmordo could twist the face he used…. As they were now, there was no choice between them. How could Malmordo’s followers kill when they saw no one to be slain except Malmardo?

Just as the Master of Darkness adapted dozens of alter egos during the course of his 325 pulp novels, The Shadow was himself impersonated over the radio airwaves, first as a sinister announcer by James LaCurto and Frank Readick, and later as the crime-fighting Lamont The Shadow Blows His Cover For two years, Kent Allard would share Cranston by Carl Kroenke (in a 1935 George Rozen’s cover for The Shadow Magazine for center stage with Lamont Cranston in the syndicated serial) and over the Mutual Sept. 1, 1936. [©2006 Advance Magazine Publishers, pages of The Shadow Magazine. The network by Orson Welles and his shadowy Inc./The Condé Nast Publications.] returning hero shared many of the advansuccessors Bill Johnstone, John Archer, Bret tages of the Cranston identity, including Morrison, and Berry Kroeger. The 22-yearmembership in New York’s elite Cobalt Club and a close friendship old Welles voiced The Shadow for only a single year before departing with Commissioner Weston. Eventually, the tremendous success of the to headline in his own series, CBS’ highly-acclaimed Mercury Theatre Mutual radio series firmly established Lamont Cranston as The on the Air. In 1938, just five weeks after departing his shadowy role, Shadow’s primary identity, and yesterday’s hero Kent Allard returned Welles was cast into the national spotlight with his innovative to the shadows as a relic of the forgotten past. adaptation of H. G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. At the conclusion of his legendary “panic broadcast,” Broadway’s “boy wonder” With the departure of Allard, The Shadow is seldom seen during informed his audience that the production was just a Halloween prank, daylight hours except in the guise of Lamont Cranston. Wartime paper “the Mercury Theatre’s own radio version of dressing up in a sheet shortages would result in diminishing page counts when The Shadow and jumping out of a bush and saying Boo!…. So goodbye everybody, Magazine was converted to a digest format in 1943, resulting in and remember, please, the terrible lesson you learned tonight. That simplified plots and an increasing focus on the Cranston identity grinning, glowing, globular invader of your living room is an inhabitant promoted in the hugely-popular radio series. When The Shadow masked himself in other identities, it tended to be for the short term, as in Gibson’s 1945 story The Freak Show Murders (adapted in 1973 by Denny O’Neil and Michael Kaluta as the second issue of DC’s comic book revival), in which he assumes the role of the sideshow performer Nicco. However, The Shadow’s mastery of disguise was again showcased in Malmordo, the final novel written by Gibson (in 1946) before his 15-year run as The Shadow’s chronicler ended in a contract dispute. A throwback to the epic Shadow novels of the 1930s, Malmordo is reprinted in the second volume of Nostalgia Ventures’ new series of Shadow pulp reprints. At the conclusion of the novel, The Shadow ably demonstrates that his mastery of disguise sometimes requires neither makeup nor masks: A slouch hat scaled across the room; next, a black cloak went flapping after it, as two fighters sprawled apart, then came to hands and knees, facing each other. Somehow, The Shadow had lost his identifying garb and was now unmasked. To pick him from Malmordo would be easy, so it seemed. Ready to spring with their knives, Malmordo’s followers paused briefly, then retained their pose like statues.

“Mother Of Mercy—Is This The End of Nicco?”

Writhing from the floor were two Malmordos, each contorted and vicious. They were pointing at each other and their faces

Michael Kaluta re-created the unmasking of The Shadow’s Nicco alter ego from Walter Gibson’s The Freak Show Murders in the second issue of DC Comics’ 1973 Shadow revival. [©2006 Advance Magazine Publishers, Inc./The Condé Nast Publications.]

Celebrating The 75th Anniversary Of Street & Smith’s Grim Hero The Shadow In Four Colors—And One Of Them Is Black! The Shadow’s had several identities in the comics, as well. Besides his success both on radio and in pulp magazines, The Shadow was also the star of his own comic book from Street & Smith from 1940-49. At far left is the cover of Shadow Comics #1 (March 1940), which reprinted a pulp cover by George Rozen. [This & next drawing ©2006 Advance Magazine Publishers, Inc./The Condé Nast Publications.] (Left:) Clark meets Kent—for the first time! In a memorable comic book story, The Shadow met another S&S pulp-and-comics star, none other than Doc Savage! Art by Al Bare, from Shadow Comics, Vol. 4, #7 (Oct. 1944). [Characters TM & ©2006 Advance Magazine Publishers, Inc./The Condé Nast Publications.]

of the pumpkin patch, and if your doorbell rings and nobody’s there, that was no Martian—it’s Halloween.” Or perhaps it’s The Shadow. After all, for a Master Crime-buster who regularly adapted a myriad of faces and personalities, every day was Halloween!

Longtime comics professional ANTHONY TOLLIN co-authored The Shadow Scrapbook (Harcourt, 1979) with Walter B. Gibson, has directed numerous reunions of The Shadow radio cast, and has written several historical booklets on The Shadow for old-time-radio cassette and CD collections. He served as proofreader on DC Comics’ 1974 Shadow series and colorist of DC’s The Shadow Strikes and Doc Savage series. Tollin recently licensed the publication rights to the original Shadow and Doc Savage novels, and in partnership with Nostalgia Ventures is co-publishing the first authorized reprints in decades. See ad directly below.

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?THE SHADOW KNOWS !

THE GREATEST HEROES FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF PULPS RETURN IN NEW DOUBLE-NOVEL EDITIONS Before Superman and Batman, the Man of Bronze and the Knight of Darkness pioneered the superhero genre. Now the greatest adventure heroes of the 1930s return in classic pulp thrillers by Walter Gibson and Lester Dent. Donʼt miss these collectible volumes reprinted with the original cover art and interior illustrations! AVAILABLE NOW: THE SHADOW #1: Crime, Insured & The Golden Vulture

ON SALE IN OCTOBER: DOC SAVAGE #1: Fortress of Solitude & The Devil Genghis THE SHADOW #2: The Chinese Disks & Malmordo

ON SALE IN NOVEMBER: DOC SAVAGE #2: Resurrection Day & Repel THE SHADOW #3: The Red Blot & The Voodoo Master

Subscriptions: 6 issues for $72 (first class) or $66 (media mail) - check, m.o. or PayPal Individual issues: $12.95 + $3 postage

Anthony Tollin; P.O. Box 761474; San Antonio, TX 78245-1474 sanctumotr@earthlink.net

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Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt

“Dr. Strange began as a back-up strip in Strange Tales #110 in July 1963, with “The Human Torch” the fiery lead feature. Later, “Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” replaced the Torch. Regardless of who headlined the book, Dr. Strange never got his due. The earliest covers didn’t feature the Sorcerer Supreme at all. When they did, he rarely

warranted more than a tiny interior panel slapped on as an afterthought. You’d think that a strip written by Stan “The Man” Lee and drawn by “Sturdy” Steve Ditko would get a little more respect. But, nooooo!! It just wasn’t fair!

Twice-Told Strange Tales

Decades later, Howard Hallis (Dr. Strange fan supreme!) decided to rectify this injustice by creating a series of imaginary Strange Tales covers starring you-know-who! Using his computer to magically rework Steve Ditko’s actual interior art, Howard created new covers that

were eerily authentic. We printed a number of them last month, and we have more this issue. We’ve also included smaller versions of the originals on the right-hand side of each page for comparison.

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt

How did Howard Hallis begin this project? Here’s the story in his own words: “Early in 2004 I discovered a coverless copy of Strange Tales #110 on eBay that I picked up for about $25.00. I decided to design my own variant cover, using Ditko's interior art from that issue. I also designed the inside front and back covers, using some vintage

Mighty Marvel Pin-Ups in place of the advertisements. Once the comic came in the mail, I removed the original staples and attached my cover to the book. I would only do this to very low grade or coverless copies of Strange Tales, since I hate the thought of mutilating nice books. Still, the interiors have to be complete and free of major water damage.”

Twice-Told Strange Tales

When Howard posted his cover online, the fans loved it! Encouraged, he eventually created alternate versions of every Strange Tales comic featuring Ditko’s “Dr. Strange.” He completed his project on January 15, 2006, and posted them online at: www.howardhallis.com/drstrange/ customs/index.html. In reality, only a single Dr. Strange cover by Steve

Ditko ever appeared during his run. That image appeared on Strange Tales #146, ironically Ditko’s last work for the title. The cover was actually only a reprint of Ditko’s splash page inside, but it’s no less striking for that.

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt

Subsequent issues regularly cover-featured Dr. Strange, but it was too late to see what Ditko could have done. Or it would have been, had it not been for these Twice-Told covers! By the way, Howard’s final Strange Tales cover (at bottom left on this page) sports a Twice-Told logo appropriated from an early-’50s Atlas issue of that title. How cool is that? Till next time…

Golden Age rarities come in all shapes and sizes...

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In Memoriam

George Kashdan (1928-2006) “He Never Gave Up” by Jim Amash

eorge Kashdan, educated at the University of Chicago, got his start at DC Comics around 1947. His brother Bernard had a prominent position in the business end of the company, working directly with co-publisher Jack Liebowitz. (George said Bernie knew where all the bodies were buried, but kept silent about them until his passing in 2004.) Bernie got George a job at DC, writing for Jack Schiff and Mort Weisinger. George wasn’t certain, but he thought “Congo Bill” was one of his first, if not actually the first, series he wrote. After a few months or so, he was hired as an assistant script editor to Schiff and Murray Boltinoff, as well as Weisinger. As a staffer, George continued to write stories for “Captain Compass,” “Aquaman,” House of Mystery, House of Secrets, and Gang Busters, among others.

Editorially, George wore many hats. He was a script editor for Schiff, Boltinoff, and Weisinger, occasionally dealt with artists, edited back-up features in Action, Detective, and Adventure Comics, and was involved in plotting and editorial sessions. In 1961 George became a full-fledged editor on Aquaman, House of Mystery, House of Secrets, Blackhawk, Rip Hunter – Time Master, Bomba the Jungle Boy, Sea Devils, and several others, and continued to write for DC. He also wrote stories for animation houses such as Trans-Lux, where he scripted Mighty Hercules. In 1968 George was relieved of his editorial duties at DC, but continued to write for the company until the early 1980s. He also became a writer for Filmation Studios, scripting stories for The Superman-Aquaman Hour. His familiarity with DC’s characters served him well, as he wrote episodes of Aquaman, Superman, Justice League of America, The Teen Titans, Green Lantern, The Atom, Batman, Superboy, and Hawkman. In the 1970s—thanks to longtime friend and fellow writer Arnold Drake—George began writing for Western Publishing, scribing such series as The Twilight Zone, Flash Gordon, Boris Karloff, Star Trek, etc. He wrote juvenile books for Western’s book department, in addition to other freelance writing assignments. He continued to write through much of the 1980s, while living in Brooklyn. Personally, George suffered through several tragedies in his life. His only son was autistic and died young. George’s wife Jacqueline died a little later. George himself suffered a stroke, never fully recovering. He moved to a nursing home in California to be near his brother Larry. George’s second stroke, in the spring of 2006, caused further deterio-

They Let George Do It! This photo of George Kashdan (pictured on left) was provided by his brother Larry (right). Among the features George edited was the long-running “Aquaman” series drawn by Ramona Fradon. This story from Adventure Comics #266 (Nov. 1959) is one of some two dozen reprinted in DC’s Aquaman Archives, Vol. 1. [Aquaman page ©2006 DC Comics.]

ration of his health, and he died shortly afterward. I interviewed George in 2005. We had many sessions, eventually recording 15 hours’ worth of talk, building a friendship along the way. His memory was very good, and he had much to say about the people he worked with. Though talking for extended periods was sometimes hard for him, he understood the importance of the interview, while remaining rather humble about his part in DC Comics history. George was not a major editor on the scale of Mort Weisinger or Julie Schwartz; he knew it and it didn’t bother him. Arnold Drake said of him, “George was the last man who should have worked in comics. He was very literate, and his interests were sophisticated, far removed from comic books.” George’s personality was not as forceful as Weisinger’s or Schwartz’s, which was reflected in his comics to some extent. His books were generally written for 8-year-olds, which had positive and negative effects—positive when he had writers like Bob Haney and Arnold Drake working for him because they knew how to write stories for all ages, and negative when he employed others who were barely competent. The George Kashdan I knew was full of hope. Though repeatedly told he would never walk again (his left side was completely paralyzed), George kept saying he was going to walk again, even if he needed a cane to do so. His stubborn belief that he would improve kept him going until his last stroke, which greatly depressed him. But even then, in spite of all the odds, he never gave up. He was a open-hearted, caring, highly thoughtful, intelligent, well-read man who believed in the inherent goodness of man. Thanks to Arnold Drake, who stayed in regular contact with George, finding him lifelines such as me, George and I forged a friendship that was fun, positive, entertaining, informative, and thought-provoking. I was lucky to have known him.

In Memoriam

Mickey Spillane (1918-2006) “I Lost A Great Friend” by Roy Thomas

rank Morrison (“Mickey”) Spillane went virtually overnight from writing comic books in the early and middle 1940s to being a best-selling author of hard-boiled action novels. Born in Brooklyn and reared in New Jersey, he began his professional writing career in the mid-1930s with sales to magazines and comic books. In the latter field, he scripted primarily for Lloyd Jacquet’s Funnies, Inc., although his credits through that shop for Timely, Novelty, and other comics companies (except for oft-signed text stories) are hard to identify, as his stories are invariably unsigned and his own memory on the subject was unreliable. But then, why should he have bothered to try to remember which comic book stories he had written? After serving in the US Army Air Force during World War II, he briefly resumed his comics writing career—even coming up with a detective character “It Was Easy” named “Mike Danger.” When it was (Top:) Mickey Spillane (on our right) and Joe Sinnott flank a model of Mike Hammer during Joe’s 2005 visit to rejected, he reportedly spent about nine Spillane’s home. Courtesy of Joe Sinnott. weeks writing the first Mike Hammer (Above:) A caption and two panels from the appearance of “Captain Mickey Spillane” as a lifeguard in an novel, I, the Jury, which was published “Edison Bell” story in Novelty’s Blue Bolt, Vol. 3, #3 (Aug. 1942). Art by Harold DeLay; script by Ray Gill. in 1946. The sex and violence in this and [©2006 the respective copyright holders.] subsequent Hammer novels, along with Spillane’s straight-ahead style, made them Yesterday, July 17, I lost a great friend, Mickey Spillane. I never met best-sellers. In 1951 he became an active member of the Jehovah’s a more down-to-earth person than Mickey. Witnesses. In the 1963 film The Girl Hunters he portrayed Mike Hammer. The Great Mick got his start as a writer of comic books in the early ’40s. “The Blue Beetle” was one of his early successes. It was after the Newspaper and television have reported in detail on the bare facts war, however, that Mickey set the mystery fiction world on fire with of his life, so we invited Mickey’s longtime friend, artist Joe Sinnott, to his best-seller I, the Jury, featuring Mike Hammer. There was no write a few words about perhaps the most famous creator to emerge stopping Mickey after this initial blockbuster, as he poured out story from the comic book field, as seen in the box at right: after story involving Mike Hammer.

Monthly! The Original First-Person History!

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

The last time I saw Mickey was at his house in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, on March 17, 2005, on which occasion I fell on his porch and broke my shoulder in four places. Mickey rushed me over to the hospital and stayed with me, even though he had an important dinner engagement. He was so gracious asking me if I needed any money, etc. I practically had to insist that he go to his business luncheon, but he told me they could wait. I’ll never forget his concern. The Great Mick was considerate, compassionate, humble, and every other word that would describe a truly great human being. I can’t express my heartfelt condolences enough to his wife Jane and the rest of his family. I certainly will miss Mickey, as will the legion of fans and friends who knew this great man. —Joe Sinnott

76 Look! It’s--

e’ve begun several recent letters sections with drawings by Australian artist and collector Shane Foley of our mag’s “maskots” in the style of some noted artist. This time, we’ve combined a drawing of Alter & Captain Ego (Shane says he “didn’t swipe anybody for this one!”) with his illo in the style of Dick Briefer, whose humorous Frankenstein strips are reprinted on pp. 57-59. Our own way of saying “Happy Halloween!” to one and all. Halloween, of course, is the natural #1 holiday of all super-hero fans, since it involves costumes and masquerades. [Art ©2006 Shane Foley; Alter & Capt. Ego TM & ©2006 Roy Thomas & Bill Schelly.] Since the letters section got squeezed out by all our ACG coverage last issue, we’d hoped to cover missives to both A/E #51 & #52 this time around, but had to content ourselves with the former… starting with this note from reader Rex Ferrell: Dear Roy and Co.: Thank you, thank you, for the interview with Lew Sayre Schwartz! Although Dick Sprang is my favorite of the Kane “ghosts,” I’ve always enjoyed the work of “the other good Batman artist”! Unlike Jerry Robinson, who I feel tried to make the series too realistic (three panels to show Batman executing a simple judo toss?), Schwartz, like Sprang, tried to emulate the sense of fun that Kane originated. I am grateful for his professionalism and the class he demonstrated in this interview. He should also be thanked for giving us a little more insight into Batman’s creator. Bob Kane could have saved himself a lot of flak in his later years if he had told DC to scribble the word “Studios” under his name on all the reprints of those Golden Age stories. But, having said that, I feel [interviewer] Jon B. Cooke seemed to go out of his way to launch cheap shots at Bob Kane’s memory. I still enjoy Kane’s work very much, even more so than some of his more talented ghosts! Whenever Kane was inked by Robinson or Charles Paris, he showed that, though he may not have had the power of a Jack Kirby or the polish of a Will Eisner, his clunky “comic noir” still gave the series an atmosphere of gothic hysteria that many others have tried to emulate to this day. So lay off the anti-Kane digs, awreddy! Rex Ferrell Box 961193 Boston, MA 02196 We’re not looking to bash Bob Kane’s memory, Rex, but when someone has something to say that we feel adds to the history of comics, we print it. You went on in your letter to make additional favorable comments about Kane’s early art, and we concur. But his actions in the credit arena mean that folks like Schwartz, Robinson, and Moldoff, who labored anonymously for years as “Bob Kane,” are bound to want to

weigh in on the matter. And we feel they should be heard. Next, John Benson, whose 1966 New York comicon was examined in recent issues, homes in on the commercial-art and advertising section of the Schwartz interview, and in so doing adds to our knowledge: Roy, As soon as I realized that Lew Sayre Schwartz was the Schwartz of Ferro, Mogubgub, and Schwartz, my interest in the interview perked up, and I hoped it would cover that part of his career. Thankfully, it did, quite a bit. Jon Cooke seems an excellent interviewer: good questions, knowledgeable comments. But it almost seems as though Schwartz (and Cooke) did not know that Pablo Ferro was also a comics artist. I doubt he did all that much, but he signed a couple of stories in Atlas horror comics. According to Bhob Stewart, Ferro was a friend of Wally Wood’s, and followed Woody around with a video camera all through the 1972 EC Convention. I do remember that. Wonder what happened to that footage. Apparently he had plans for a documentary on Wood. His movie credits are rather extensive, Dr. Strangelove being the first of over 80 title-design credits of mostly major movies. A mini-bio says that “Ferro sharpened his graphic sense working with Stan Lee (the future editor of Marvel Comics) at Atlas Comics where, as a penciler, he churned out a reasonable series of EC-inspired horror, scifi, and adventure stories before segueing into animation.” This bio was written by his daughter, Joy M. Moore. Maybe somebody could interview Ferro or his daughter for A/E? John Benson We’ll look into it, John—thanks! Next, a few words from Craig Delich, who spends part of his day doing freelance art-IDs for DC with regard to the work to be featured in Archives volumes: Roy, Remember back when you were readying the interview with Lew Schwartz and you sent me some black-&-white illos of his for me to try to identify as to where they came from? Remember the one that showed Batman in “frogman” gear? Well, that panel is found on page 7 of Detective Comics #132 (Feb. 1948) in the story “The Human Key.” However, the art is not by Schwartz! It is by Jim Mooney and Charlie Paris! Thought you’d be interested. Craig Delich Actually, Craig, the panel we reprinted in A/E #51 really is from 1954’s Batman #68—and Lew Schwartz himself sent us the rough layouts for that page, which we also printed. However, we checked Batman Archives, Vol. 6, where the 1948 “Batman” tale you mention was reprinted, and it does indeed contain an earlier version of that

[comments, corrections, and correspondence]

In Case You Didn’t Notice—Batman & Robin Are In This Picture, Too! Right after we’d gone to press with A/E #51, interviewee Lew Sayre Schwartz faxed us this 1952 image he’d just run across. By the way, Lew is still taking on a limited number of pre-paid assignments for commission drawings, and can be reached at 31 Courtney St., Apt. #6, Fall River, MA 02720, phone (508) 646-1869. [Batman & Robin TM & ©2006 DC Comics; other art ©2006 Lew Sayre Schwartz.]

but both Jon Cooke and Lew Schwartz wanted their exchange included, and we felt we should honor that request—which most definitely does not mean that we concur with their views… or with yours, for that matter. We’ll continue to keep such political commentary to a minimum in A/E, but it will occasionally creep in. In #51, Lew talked about his work as the first artist of the comic strip version of the famous character The Saint, and how he soon quit the strip “by sending a nasty letter to [Saint creator and strip writer Leslie] Charteris.” Delmo Walters Jr. sent additional commentary on the matter: Dear Roy, panel, drawn by Mooney. The caption and the label of the frogman outfit on the two panels six years apart are nearly identical, though the ’48 panel sports a more bat-like headgear... so it would appear the 1948 story was referenced by the writer of the Batman #68 tale, who probably had the editor give Lew a copy of the earlier story. Here’s a matched pair of comments—starting with one by veteran comics artist Mike Vosburg: Roy, Really enjoyed the interview with Lew Sayre Schwartz. Anyone who starts out an interview with a sock to GW Bush and then compares Robert Fawcett as an equal to Norman Rockwell is all right in my book. Mike Vosburg Around the same time, Mike, we received this strongly contrasting note from reader Keith Lee: Roy, I just received your latest Alter Ego magazine and find it to be another example of your editing and writing skill. I do have one problem with it, though. I notice another example of an interviewer goading an interviewee for some political commentary. Frankly, I wish this would stop. I get enough of this from the so-called talk show “experts” and journalists. I don’t need Jon B. Cooke or anyone else pushing their opinions, correct or otherwise, on me.

Here’s some info regarding Lew Sayre Schwartz’s work on The Saint comic strip. I’m quoting from The Saint: A Complete History in Print, Radio, Film and Television by Burl Barer: “The Herald-Tribune [Syndicate] was still hovering over the final contract in September of 1947 while [syndicate editor Buel] Weare and Charteris selected the strip’s first artist, Lew Schwartz. Reviewing samples of Schwartz’s style, Charteris wrote Weare on 9/26: “‘Actually, [Schwartz’s] interpretation of The Saint is the least impressive thing to me about the samples; but that doesn’t worry me. It is obvious from his other characters that he can draw people who look like people, and his work has a nice dash and an individual style which is quite distinctive. And that is what we are looking for. After all, he was working on The Saint entirely out of his own head…. I feel optimistic and very glad indeed that we are at last making progress.’ “Progress, perhaps, but not perfection. Schwartz reacted unfavorably to Charteris’ critical ‘suggestions’ regarding his art style. Schwartz, addressing Charteris as ‘Eagle-Eye,’ defended himself in a handwritten letter drafted around Christmas 1947. He stressed that there were no periods used in comics because they slowed down the reading. He would also draw hands any way he ‘god damned’ pleased unless Charteris wanted to draw them himself, at which time Schwartz would take a course in journalism in self defense. Charteris replied courteously on 12/29/47….” Delmo Walters Jr.

For example, Mr. Cooke again bashed President Bush and the war in Iraq as if he were an expert on the matter. I am not a supporter of the President or of his way of handling the war. I am just sick and tired of hearing so many narcissistic and egocentric people (of my generation, mostly) giving their opinions about subjects as if they knew more than everyone else—believe me, they don’t! Please stick to the history of comic books and other matters that the magazines are supposed to be about! Other than that, you all are doing a great job in detailing the history of comics to those of us who know very little about it. You all make the mundane very interesting. Keith Lee Hmmm… this exchange makes Ye Editor feel like Julie Schwartz in his 1960s letters columns, wherein he loved to juxtapose diametrically opposed opinions on stories in The Flash, Green Lantern, et al. In this case, we’re dealing with the interjection of political views into interviews, etc., in Alter Ego. We don’t generally do much of that ourselves,

When Schwartz Was A Saint Early character sketches that Schwartz, who worked under the name “Lew Sayre,” submitted to The Saint creator Leslie Charteris for the 1948 HeraldTribune comic strip. They appeared in Burl Barer’s book about The Saint mentioned in the letter from Delmo Walters Jr., who provided them to us. [The Saint TM & ©2006 the respective trademark & copyright holders.]

re:

Thanks, Delmo. Alas, we’ve no room to reprint Charteris’ entire letter here. Pick up Barer’s book, if interested. Suffice it to say that the creator of The Saint wrote LSS that he would have to get used to criticism, just as he himself had. Weare goes on to say that, after Schwartz was hired, a new editor for the syndicate, Harold Straubing, wrote to Charteris on 6/22/48 that he was looking for “a fair-haired boy” to take over the art on the strip. That turned out, two days later, to be Mike Roy. Naturally, our quoting of the foregoing doesn’t mean that the memories, let alone the opinions, of Charteris and/or Staubing are not open to dispute, whether by Lew Schwartz or others. After all, if Lew had written that book, his own take on the matter might have been considerably different! Still, Barer’s tome is a matter of public record. On a less contentious matter, longtime DC editor Bob Rozakis wrote to take issue with a particular date in a letter from a former fellow Junior Woodchuck, ex-comics writer/now-film producer Michael Uslan:

Doctors With Borders (Panel Borders, That Is) The caption that accompanied this stellar example of John Dixon’s work in John Ryan’s book on Australian comic art noted that “the early years of Air Hawk contained a number of stories involving nomad groups of Aborigines.” [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Hi, Roy— I enjoyed #51 as I’ve enjoyed every issue of Alter Ego, but I have to pick a small nit with my old pal Mike Uslan. He could not have been assigned to clean out “The Closet” in 1972, since DC did not move to 75 Rock [= Rockefeller Plaza] until the summer of ’73. In fact,

I doubt it was even in ’73 that he did so, because he was busy driving the Comicmobile all over New Jersey that summer (until I came and picked it up because he was headed back to Indiana University). So I suspect it wasn’t until 1974 that Sol Harrison gave him the enviable task. Of course, Mike wasn’t the only one who got a peek into “The Closet.” The rest of the Junior Woodchucks poked around in there from time to time, as well. It was, among other things, the repository for the collection of Fleischer Superman cartoons that we used to watch on our lunch hours. And, if memory serves me, there were a Superboy pilot and even the Super-Pup live-action pilot in there. Bob Rozakis

They’ve Got The Bad-Guys Outnumbered! We’re not certain whether or not the cover of Century Comics #5 is by Hart Amos, the Aussie artist mentioned in Kevin Patrick’s letter, but we love its “All-Star Squadron” look, featuring (clockwise) Hopalong Cassidy, Johnny Quick, Green Arrow, Tomahawk, Congo Bill, Superman, and Robotman, probably published in the early 1950s. Thanks to David Studham. [DC heroes TM & ©2006 DC Comics; Hopalong Cassidy TM & ©2006 the respective trademark & copyright holders.] At right, the four heroes who appeared in Giant-Size Phantom #26 (1960s) shared action only on the cover. The latter three were Oz originals. (Clockwise from left): The Phantom, Sir Falcon, The Shadow, and The Phantom Ranger. Thanks to Michael Baulderstone. [Phantom TM & ©2006 King Features Syndicate; other Australian heroes art ©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

Mike responds: “Bob’s memory is usually better than mine. I get confused between the time I worked at DC at 909 Third Avenue and 75 Rock. ‘The Closet’ was in between Carmine Infantino’s and Bill Gaines’ offices across from the secretarial desks of Carmine’s wonderful secretary, Carol, and Sol Harrison’s wonderful secretary, Midge. If Bob says that configuration was at 75 Rock and not 909 Third, I’ll absolutely go along with him on it.” Great, Mike— particularly since, in this instance, whether the year was 1972, ’73, or ’74 is not as important as it might be in some other cases. Your insights and reminiscences— like Bob’s—are always welcome, and I hope one of these days either of you finds the time to write more of them! The other major feature in A/E #51 was coverage by Michael Baulderstone of Australian comics heroes. One of Oz artists most noted therein was John Dixon, who drew many a comic book, plus eventually the comic strip Air Hawk and the Flying Doctors. When we sent him a copy of the issue, the artist, who now resides in the US, responded:

[comments, corrections, and correspondence] Dear Roy, Many thanks for the copy of Alter Ego. It sure makes great reading. Like you, I am now semi-retired, at least from comic books. Since putting Air Hawk to rest and taking up permanent residency in the US, I accepted the position of Art Director and Illustrator for Defense and Foreign Affairs magazine in Washington, DC. Following a five-year stint with the magazine, I returned to comic book work with Valiant Publications in New York. This was followed by storyboarding on various movies. You inquired about an interview. Kevin Patrick conducted one with me which appeared in the Aug.-Oct. 2001 edition of Flightpath magazine. Perhaps this will provide you with the information you require.

On a slight nit-picking note, I just wanted to correct a couple of errors that cropped up in captions accompanying illustrations: The Return of Molo the Mighty was written and drawn by the character’s creator, Syd Miller, and not by Paul Wheelahan; the issue of The Raven (on p. 39) was probably published around 1962/63, not 1952 as stated. On a related note, the original Australian-drawn series of “Catman” (published by Frew Publications in Super Yank) was illustrated by Lloyd Piper, not by Jeff Wilkinson. Anyway, congratulations to you and Michael for publishing this article. I hope it will entice a few American collectors to explore the fascinating history of Australian comics! Kevin Patrick Buzz Productions, P.O. Box 1055 Camberwell, VIC, Australia 3124

John Dixon

Thanks for all the added info, Kevin. If what you say in your third-from-last paragraph is correct, the Raven cover you refer to was misdated in John Ryan’s 1979 book Panel by Panel: An Illustrated History of Australian Comics… but the other two mis-attributions were probably all ours. Meanwhile, we hope to reprint your interview with Paul Wheelahan one of these days!

Thanks, John. Maybe we can make arrangements to run that interview in A/E one of these days. When attending comics conventions in Australia and New Zealand in September 2001, Roy was fortunate enough to meet artist Paul Wheelahan and Kevin Patrick, who was putting out a handsome reprint version of PW’s The Panther comics from the 1960s. Kevin had this to say about A/E #51:

We got in touch with yet another of the artists of Australia’s Silver Age, as well—Arthur Mather, creator and artist of the Oz hero named Captain Atom:

Hi Roy— Congratulations of publishing Michael Baulderstone’s feature story on the postwar Aussie comics industry (“Shooting Stars”). I’m sure your readers enjoyed this lively introduction to Australian’s own “Golden Age of Comics.”

Comin’ Right Atom

Dear TwoMorrows Publishing,

The 1998 volume Bonzer: Australian Comics 1900s-1990s, edited by Annette Shiell, reported that Arthur Mather’s Captain Atom (co-created by John Welle) sold 180,000 copies per issue for a time in the wartime 1940s and was one of the few super-hero hits during Australia’s Golden Age. Note that it’s “An Atlas Publication”! [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

You might be interested to know that many of the covers used on Australian reprints of Golden/Silver Age DC titles (such as Century and Super Adventure, shown in the article) were drawn by Australian artist Hart Amos, who drew the adventure strip “Devil Doone” for the Aussie men’s magazine Man Junior between 1945-1969. He was probably the first Australian artist to draw the likes of Batman and Superman! For A/E readers wanting to learn more about the history of DC reprints in Australian, I can highly recommend an excellent website (Australian DC Comics Reprint Gallery) assembled by Aussie collector James Zanotto, which can be found at: www.ausreprints.com.

Yes, The Phantom is phenomenally popular in Australia—but did you know that several Phantom comics were also drawn by Australian artists? The late Keith Chatto, whose work on Twilight Ranger and Skippy comics was profiled in Michael’s article, became the first Aussie artist to draw an original, full-length Phantom comic book, in 1990. Longtime Aussie Phantom artist Glenn Ford also drew another locally produced “Phantom” story, “The Search for Byron” (#1131, 1996). Phantom fans should visit Bryan Shedden’s Aussie Phantom site at www.deepwoods.org to learn more about his publishing history “Down Under.” Thank you for mentioning my own reprinting of Paul Wheelahan’s The Panther comic book, back in 2001-2002. Paul is still chained to the keyboard these days, pounding out six-shooting Westerns for Black Horse Westerns (UK), which are also published in the USA under the Ulverscroft imprint. Paul’s a gifted storyteller, and I can heartily recommend his Westerns as great page-turners!

Many thanks for sending me an issue of your Alter Ego magazine. It certainly brought back to life all the enjoyment and satisfaction I had from creating “Captain Atom.” Even though it was a heavy workload, as I did all the artwork myself, and from around issue 6 took on all the writing, as well. They were hectic days of racing to meet deadlines, but it was also one hell of a lot of fun. It’s strange to look back over the years and recall all the abuse we took from sections of the public who were convinced we were undermining the morals of the young, and other horrendous misdeeds. Which we all managed to ignore, and proceed on our merry way. I believe we were the ones who came out on top.

After the demise of Captain Atom, I had a long career in the advertising agency business, working as art director and creative director in some of the largest agencies in Australia. Since retirement, I have turned to writing crime novels—eight published so far, first in New York, and from there in many other countries in the world. Life, as they say, goes on. Arthur Mather And we hope to cover more of your career in a future issue of Alter Ego, as well, Arthur. Thanks for the kind words. Got more comments, corrections, criticisms, or other things beginning with a “c”? Send them to: Roy Thomas e-mail: roydann@ntinet.com 32 Bluebird Trail fax: (803) 826-6501 St. Matthews, SC 29135 And don’t miss our special Alex Toth issue—coming in December!

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[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 gave us a view inside his sketchbook”; this installment he explains why his sketches contain “a lotta lines.” —P.C. Hamerlinck.] I drew with a lotta lines. Whatever the subject, there always seemed to be so many other ways to express it. In comics the generally accepted procedure began on a clean sheet of Bristol board … and ended on the same surface. On that surface the subject, the image in the mind, first became visible, usually in pencil. There the decisions … indecisions … then more decisions … took place. In my case, one idea right on top of the other. All in pencil. Lotta lines. In the end, from among the myriad of lines a version of the subject was selected and inked. Then what? Out came the art gum and the whole business was erased. Too bad. In my opinion the first drawing of a subject was the one most likely to hold a

zest … or life … that so often disappears during later struggles with such matters as technique and style. It must have been about the time I fled the NYC scene and took to the wilds of my hometown that something about that procedure began to bug me. It was the waste … all that pencil drawing … that “creative effort,” if such may be assumed … swept away with the crumbled eraser debris … gone … forever! I was looking ahead to a career of working alone … “doing it all” … rough layout, penciling, inking. The penciling would not be done for someone else to ink. I’d be inking it myself. So why all the erasing? I would know wherein those lines was the image I wanted to ink. Now … could it be possible to do the sketching on a surface other than the Bristol board? First to come to mind was tracing paper. When a pencil drawing on tracing paper was held behind a sheet of Bristol board and the two pressed against a lighted window, the image came through with surprising clarity. “Light boards” may have been on the market, but I didn’t wait to see. I made my own … a spare drawing board, a rectangle sawed out at the center, a glass pane fitted into it for a smooth, even surface, and a light installed underneath. It being years before the advances we see today in the copier industry, there remained the need for a means of altering the size of a drawing. The answer was the opaque projector. I fashioned mine after one I’d seen in the studio of Smilin’ Jack artist Zack Moseley and another once used in the Fawcett art department … in an adjustable arrangement for A Real Super-Model enlarging and

“The pencil sketch,” Marc says, “was treated like a live model: ‘Extend that left arm. Raise the right shoulder a bit! Let’s see how that’ll work.’ From his sketchbook. [Mary Marvel TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

We Didn’t Know... It Was The Golden Age!

reducing. It wasn’t cheating. I never had a desire to copy the work of another. Nor to imitate an art style, except when that was the assignment … the styles of my friends … C.C. Beck’s, when drawing “Captain Marvel,” and Russell Keaton’s on Flyin’ Jenny. No. The switch to tracing paper for the multiple sketching, the projector for enlarging and reducing, the lightboard for transferring the image to Bristol board … all involved only my own work. But how can I refer to writing and drawing the comics as my “work”? It wasn’t work … it was fun! Sure … I drew with a lotta lines … and a lotta love! Marc will return next issue with more memories of the Golden Age of Comics.

Carrying The Torch—Aerial Style Marc again: “An instance of deliberate style imitation… Swayze art on Flyin’ Jenny… the original style having been that of creator Russell Keaton.” [©2006 the respective copyright holders.]

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Fawcett: 1943 by Raymond Miller Edited (& With A Sidebar) By P.C. Hamerlinck A thriving comic book publisher … a top-selling character … court battles … a world at war. 1943 was another busy year of constant change for Fawcett Publications. Long-time comic book aficionado Raymond Miller theorizes why certain Fawcett titles were delayed—or never published—that year, and why certain 1943 stories turned up in places where they weren’t necessarily first intended to appear. —PCH.

id-1941: the comic book industry was reaching an unprecedented all-time high. It didn’t matter if you were a big publisher or a small publisher, or if you had a dozen titles or if you had 3 or 4 titles. Many comic books during this period had good stories and good art with good costumed heroes backed by good minor heroes … all packed within 64 pages. But when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, it made for big changes in the comic book industry throughout 1942. Many of the smaller publishers found that they were either being forced out of the business or had to cut back on the number of titles due to paper rationing and the loss of artists and writers to the war. Some, like Fox, completely ceased publishing. Others like Ace Periodicals were forced to cut back on their titles. For the most part, larger publishers like DC, Timely, Quality, and Fiction House were not affected until the end of ’42, at which time even they themselves had to cut back.

But one publisher, Fawcett Publications, had big plans to expand their line of comics with many new titles. By late 1942 Fawcett was publishing Whiz Comics, Master Comics, Wow Comics, Captain Marvel Adventures, Bulletman, Spy Smasher, Captain Marvel Jr., Captain Midnight, Gene Autry, and America’s Greatest Comics, and had also just released first issues of Ibis The Invincible, Golden Arrow, and Jungle Girl (starring Nyoka). By Dec. ’42-Mar. ’43, various Fawcett titles started carrying ads for new upcoming books: Don Winslow of the Navy, Funny Animals, Hopalong Cassidy, All Hero Comics, Mary Marvel, and Commando Yank. Both Don Winslow and Funny Animals were published throughout the war years and beyond. Hopalong Cassidy #1 was published in 1943, but #2 didn’t appear until 1946. (Ironically, both Winslow and Funny Animals would actually outlast Fawcett’s comics line, as did Hopalong Cassidy.) All Hero was canceled after just one issue. Mary Marvel and Commando Yank—as well as Lance O’Casey (which was never advertised)—didn’t come out in Feb. ’43 as scheduled. In addition, Fawcett ended up canceling a number of comics in 1943. The ongoing titles Bulletman, Spy Smasher, and America’s Greatest Comics were all dropped. Both Golden Arrow and Ibis the Invincible had second issues released in ’43, but neither book returned until 1946. Gene Autry lasted until #10, Sept. ’43, then moved over to Dell with #11 (judging by Till Goodan’s cover art on Dell’s #11, the entire issue’s material was obviously intended for a Fawcett issue). If we go by cover dates, Fawcett first cancelled Bulletman with #12, dated Feb. 12, ’43 … then canceled Spy Smasher with #11, cover dated Feb. 26, ’43. But,

A Real Bell-Ringer As suggested by the enthusiasm and energy displayed in this 1942 ad for its flagship title Whiz Comics, Fawcett Publications had big plans for 1943—but they got slightly derailed by a little sideshow called the Second World War. Artist(s) unknown. [Captain Marvel TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

unlike Spy Smasher, the Flying Detective’s book would eventually appear again.

BULLETMAN As most Fawcett/Golden Age comic collectors know, the last Bulletman issue published in ’43 was #12 (Feb. 12th). The title resumed publishing in 1946 with #14, completely skipping #13. So what ever happened to Bulletman #13? The same thing that happens to the 13th floor most high-rise buildings! Most of Fawcett’s single-character titles in 1942-43 generally featured 4 stories per issue: 16, 13, 13, and 10 pages, or 16, 13, 14, and 10 pages in length. Bulletman #14 (Spring ’46) had a 13- and a 10-page story, while #15 (Summer ’46) had a 16- and a 13-page story. Bulletman #14 also had a 6-page “Richard Richard—Private Dick”; “Richard” also had 6-page stories in #10-12. Seemingly, the cover used for Bulletman #14 was originally intended for #13, as it still had the familiar black triangle containing the phrase “A Fawcett Publication” and the 10¢ price tag inside it. (Fawcett quit using the triangle insignia on its covers in 1943; #12 had 68 pages, while #14 and 15 had only 36 pages, and the artwork in both issues is obviously from the ’43 era.)

Fawcett: 1943

AGC #1-7 had “Captain Marvel” in 20-page stories (21 pages in #3); “Bulletman” ranged from 13-18 pages; “Spy Smasher” 12-18 pages; “Minute-Man” 16-20 pages (only 12 in #5); and “Mr. Scarlet” 11-15 pages. “Commando Yank” was added to the line-up with issue #5, with 12- to 15-page stories. “Spy Smasher” did not appear in #7, as he was moved over to All Hero Comics and was replaced by “Balbo, the Boy Magician,” a regular feature at the time in Master Comics.

ALL HERO COMICS There was only one issue of All Hero Comics, #1, dated May 17, 1943. Like America’s Greatest Comics, this was a 96-page comic book that sold for 15¢, and was apparently Fawcett’s answer to DC’s 15¢ Comic Cavalcade. It has been generally assumed over the years that All Hero #1 was a “one-shot”; however, that probably wasn’t what Fawcett intended it to be. Similar to America’s Greatest, All Hero also featured extra-long stories with another stellar line-up: “Spy Smasher” (“Battles Hitler’s Headsman”), “Golden Arrow,” “Ibis the Invincible” (introducing “Banshee O’Brien—Boy Enchanter”), and “Lance O’Casey”; all had 16-page stories, while “Captain Midnight” and “Captain Marvel Jr.” came in at 13 pages each.

[Continued on page 88]

SPY SMASHER Like Bulletman, Spy Smasher also had the 16-13-13-10 story page format in SS #8-11. SS #11 was the final issue, cover-dated Feb. 26th, ’43, but—unlike Bulletman—the Spy Smasher comic never resumed publication after the war. However, it’s believed Fawcett not only had one but two issues already completed and ready for publication prior to the book’s cancellation. Where are those stories? Most eventually appeared in Whiz Comics during ’43. Both Whiz #42 (May) and #43 (June ’43) had a 16-page story; prior to #42 the “Spy Smasher” stories in Whiz were only 9 pages in length. Both of those issues had “Spy Smasher” double-splash pages with art by Alex Blum, who utilized the same format in the final SS issues (#8-11). The 10-page story in Whiz #48 was drawn by Al “Camy” Cammarata, who also drew stories in SS #8-11, including a double-splash page in SS #11. Both Whiz #44 and 45 had 13-page “Spy Smasher” stories. After further investigating, I’d go out on a limb and say the “SS” stories in Whiz #42-45, 47-48 were meant for SS #12 and 13.

AMERICA’S GREATEST COMICS Fawcett’s 96-page, 15¢ anthology comic in answer to DC’s 96-page, 15¢ World’s Finest Comics was, in many ways, a better comic book. While Superman and Batman dominated WFC, the five heroes of America’s Greatest Comics all shared equal spotlight, each with their own extra-long stories.

The Shadow Of The Vulture Does Spider-Man know about this? Or, for that matter, Red Sonja? Spy Smasher in the shadow of The Vulture, from Whiz Comics #48 (Nov. 1943). [Spy Smasher TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

Raymond Miller

Living Up To Its Name: A Sidebar On America’s Greatest Comics by P.C. Hamerlinck Fawcett Publications may have been referred to as “the great imitators,” but they were also considered the great innovators, when it came to experimenting with different formats for their line of comics. Said experiments included: “midget” comic books and other giveaway comics of various sizes and quality; silver-metallic printed covers; “Big Little Book-look-alikes”; five-cent comics to accommodate kids who couldn’t spare a dime for a regular comic; attention-seeking tabloidsized comics; previously-published leftover comics skillfully glued together and repackaged into thick, phone book-sized compilations for Christmas shoppers (some even with felt covers!). However, Fawcett’s finest experiment (or apparent knock-off) was the 100-page, 15¢ America’s Greatest Comics. The title featured all new stories of Fawcett’s favorite heroes: “Captain Marvel,” “Spy Smasher,” “Bulletman,” “Minute-Man,” “Mr. Scarlet.” With a line-up like that, how could it not be the greatest comic book in America? But the greatness was short-lived, as the book lasted only eight issues. While there were several obvious factors behind its cancellation, perhaps, ultimately, it was that precious extra nickel which a wartime child had to shell out that really brought the title to its premature demise.

The Last Laugh’ll Be Captain Marvel’s A C.C. Beck panel from the “Captain Marvel” lead-off tale, “The Ghost of the Deep.” Hmm… that “Heh heh heh” laugh sounds suspiciously like Dr. Sivana’s. [©2006 DC Comics.]

Published in 1941, America’s Greatest Comics #1 was a definite high point of the Golden Age. After Mac Raboy’s cover of Fawcett’s main characters running towards you (or, as C.C. Beck once remarked about the cover art, “five chorus boys doing a tap dance on stage … with two of them out of step”), Captain Marvel leads off with “The Ghost of the Deep.” This exciting story was fully drawn by Beck, who was in his usual top form. Next, Bulletman and Bulletgirl meet The Invisible Man as the Flying Detectives figure out “The Riddle of All Ages.” In an editorial decision perhaps involving an impending deadline, Mac Raboy—to the regret of many—drew only the first two pages of the “Bulletman” story before it was handed over to another artist to complete. Next, “Minute-Man—The One-Man Army—Meets Mr. Skeleton,” a tale as thrilling as the “Captain Marvel” story. MinuteMan’s 18-page battle with Mr. Skeleton (a gigantic villain reminiscent of the Jack Cole-drawn Claw from Lev Gleason’s Daredevil) was illustrated by Phil Bard in his frantic, over-the-top, action-packed, Simon & Kirby-like art style. By the end of the story, Minute-Man had reduced Mr. Skeleton to nothing more than a smoldering pile of bones. Up next is fellow-wartime hero Spy Smasher (still donning his brown costume before it went green), battling his arch-enemy America Smasher. The issue finishes up with Mr. Scarlet and Pinky taking on seven different villains in “The Death Battalion.” AGC #2 (May ’42) was an excellent follow-up to the solid first issue. The “Captain Marvel” tale, while entertaining, isn’t quite up to par with the “Cap” story from the previous issue. It did, however, mark the first appearance of Steamboat, Billy Batson’s faithful friend (who, like Will Eisner’s Ebony character from The Spirit, was a black American stereotype that, while innocently presented, became a source of controversy for some readers). The art for this story was drawn predominantly by future Mad artist Dave Berg, a member of the Beck-supervised Captain Marvel art staff at the time, before he departed to serve in World War II. Bulletman and Bulletgirl then take on “The Black Rat,” while Minute-Man deals with “The Return of the Black Poet,” with art again by Phil Bard, who utilizes a dynamic 2-page splash to full effect. “Spy Smasher,” and then “Mr. Scarlet” (with art also by Bard), close the second issue.

AGC #3 (Aug. ’42) was another fairly strong issue. “Captain Marvel & the Magno Ray” had an impressive opening splash page, with a giant Dr. Sivana towering above, but the story suffered from uneven art by Beck’s staff. The “Mr. Scarlet” and “Minute-Man” stories were both rendered in Bard’s action-packed style. “Spy Smasher” and “Bulletman” rounded out another successful issue. AGC #4 (Nov. ’42) begins with “Captain Marvel & The BumbleBrained Bridegroom,” written by Rod Reed. This time Sivana is behind

Fawcett: 1943

AGC #7 (May ’43) brings the momentum back again. Beck and the boys are back for “Captain Marvel Visits the World of Your Tomorrow,” where writer-turned-editor-in-chief Rod Reed allowed the phrase “Is it a bird? Is it a plane?” into the script. Commando Yank follows, and then Mr. Scarlet solves “The Riddle of the Runaway Room,” featuring rare cameos by Captain Marvel, Bulletman, and Bulletgirl (with art by the Jack Binder shop). With the war still raging, Minute-Man “Makes the Dictators Buy War Bonds,” while Balbo, the Boy Magician, on loan from Master Comics, makes his first and only AGC appearance, chasing “The Missing Rabbit.” Bulletman and Bulletgirl finish up the magazine. AGC #8, the final issue, starts with a “Captain Marvel” story where the World’s Mightiest Mortal finds himself playing baseball on Mars. (Perhaps the story was inspired by all those Fawcett/Binder staff-get-together ballgames?) Captain Midnight makes his debut for a one-time AGC appearance in “The Race Around the World,” a memorable crossover tale with that other famous goggled hero, Spy Smasher. “Bulletman” and “Spy Smasher” stories follow, then “Golden Arrow” and “Captain Marvel Jr.” also make their first and only AGC appearances.

Seeing Red

While 1943 marked the end for America’s Greatest Comics, many remain in awe of the overall high quality that was packed in between those extra thick, hastily-packaged wartime comic books.

The “Mr. Scarlet” story featured a guest cameo by a certain Big Red Cheese. This art by Jack Binder’s shop was reprinted, retouched with gray tones added, in AC Comics’ Men of Mystery #16—see AC’s ad on p. xx. [Captain Marvel, Mr. Scarlet, & Pinky TM & ©2006 DC Comics.[

a phony wedding scheme involving his daughter Beautia. The story was illustrated by Fawcett’s CM art staff, but C.C. Beck had to touch things up a bit, such as redrawing all the head shots of Beautia. This story also featured cameo appearances of several Fawcett characters who happened to be present at a war relief benefit held inside the WHIZ Theatre. Billy Batson introduces on stage Spy Smasher and his date Eve Corby (his alter ego Alan Armstrong’s girlfriend), Lance O’Casey, Golden Arrow, and Ibis with Princess Taia. Their cameos didn’t contribute much to the story; they were simply a convenient way (as often in the case of cross-overs) for Fawcett to do a little selfpromotion of their other comic characters (just in case you were a reader who skipped over their house ads). Next, Spy Smasher narrates his own thrilling adventure, followed by Bulletman, Minute-Man (with another big 2-page splash), then Mr. Scarlet and Pinky head to “The Crime College.” Finally, Commando Yank makes his AGC debut and “Cheats the Nazi Executioners,” blending in well with his fellow Fawcett AGC wartime heroes. AGC #5 (Dec. ’42) begins with “Captain Marvel and the Lost Lightning,” a whimsical story with artwork that had a very different, astonishingly cheap quality to it … as if it had been delegated off to filler/production staff artists of lesser talent. Quickly making up for the inadequate “CM” art was the “Spy Smasher” story, beautifully illustrated in Alex Raymond-style by often-overlooked artist Emil Gershwin. “Bulletman” and “Minute-Man” follow with fair stories, then Mr. Scarlet meets “The Phantom of Marston Manor” (where Pinky is seen in the office of attorney Brian Butler—a.k.a. Scarlet— reading an issue of America’s Greatest Comics). Commando Yank rounds out the issue with an adventure in Paris, with outstanding art by Ralph Carlson. AGC #6 (Feb. ’43) is perhaps the weakest issue of the whole series. The “Captain Marvel” art looks like as if done by the same team of shoddy artists from the previous issue. Spy Smasher has an interesting adventure at Niagara Falls which ends up being the highlight of the issue; Mr. Scarlet, Commando Yank, Minute-Man, and Bulletman all have run-of-the-mill stories.

So Says The Bard Phil Bard’s powerful splash from America’s Greatest Comics #1. Is it any wonder Simon & Kirby snatched him up for their staff later to help produce their comics for DC? [Minute-Man TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

Raymond Miller

[Continued from page 85]

that later!). Most likely, one of the “CY” stories from Wow #13 (May) or Wow #14 (June) could be considered good candidates. The same holds true for “Balbo the Boy Magician,” as his stories were all 10 pages long. But the “Balbo” story in Master #46 (Jan. ’44) had 11 pages—so who knows!?

Whether Fawcett had actually intended to cancel America’s Greatest with #7 (May ’43) or not is anyone’s guess, but they ended up publishing one more issue of AGC, using some contents that had originally been intended for a second issue of All Hero.

Attempting to piece together the possible contents of All Hero Comics #2 is a bit easier. The “Captain Marvel Jr.,” “Golden Arrow,” and “Captain Midnight” stories in America’s Greatest #8 were most likely intended for AHC #2, along with the “Spy Smasher” tale. One can find the 16-page “Ibis” story (with Banshee O’Brien) originally slated for AHC #2 in Whiz #46 (Sept. ’43); like the “Ibis” story in AHC #1, Alex Blum also drew this one. Logic likewise dictates that the “Lance O’Casey” story in Whiz #48 (Nov. ’43) would have rounded out a second issue of AHC.

The stories that made up America’s Greatest Comics #8 (Summer 1943) were: “Captain Marvel” (19 pp.), “Bulletman” (13 pp.), “Spy Smasher” (16 pp.), “Captain Midnight” (15 pp., featuring a rare crossover with Spy Smasher), “Golden Arrow” (13 pp.), and “Captain Marvel Jr.” (12 pp). So what was originally intended to be the line-up for AGC #8? Both “Captain Marvel” and “Bulletman,” of course. But what about the other characters who appeared in #7? One only needs to check out Master Comics and Wow Comics from that period for those stories. Master #39 (June 4, ’43) had a 16-page “Minute-Man” story. Wow #14 (June ’43) had a 15-page “Mr. Scarlet & Pinky” story … but it’s difficult to determine the particular “Commando Yank” story, as they were all 13 pages in length but one, which perhaps was intended for the aborted Commando Yank #1 (more on

MARY MARVEL COMICS

During the Feb.-April ’43 issues, some Fawcett titles carried ads for Mary Marvel #1, informing readers that the first issue was Cover of All Hero Comics #1 (and, as it happened, only), for to go on sale Feb. 17th, 1943—which it never May 1943. Nice of Cap to take the kid out for a stroll. did. The book wasn’t released until late 1945. [Captain Marvel, Capt. Marvel Jr., Ibis the Invincible, & Spy Smasher TM & ©2006 DC Comics; Golden Arrow & Lance It also appears that none of MM #1’s original O’Casey TM & ©2006 the respective TM & copyright holders.] stories ever appeared in any Mary Marvel issue. Three stories that were possibly intended for MM #1 eventually did surface. DC’s E. Nelson Bridwell informed fan John Pierce in the early ’80s that he recalled seeing a few sets of proofs of “Mary Marvel” stories that Fawcett had sent over to DC after The Marvel Family’s resurrection in the ’70s. Bridwell said that two of those stories had appeared in Marvel Family #51, but had been greatly edited. Upon inspection it’s quite clear that these two stories are definitely from the 1943 era. The lead story from MF #51 is a 13-page story with its splash page sporting the familiar “Marvel Family” logo (replacing the “Mary Marvel” logo since it was originally an “MM” story). The tale involved three villains: The Black Wizard, Madame Bella Donna, and Sometimes Even A Magic Word Isn’t Quite Enough Hecter. The evil three were (Left:) Mary Marvel Comics was scheduled to premiere with a Feb. 1943 cover date, as per this Fawcett house ad from late 1942… more than Mary could but, due to wartime paper shortages and perhaps other factors, it didn’t actually come out until Dec. 1945. Art by Marc Swayze. handle, so on page 6 she (Right:) The cover of Mary Marvel Comics #1, with art by Jack Binder. [Mary Marvel & Captain Marvel TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

All Heroes—No Goats

Fawcett: 1943

Free Lance A “Lance O’Casey” splash from Whiz Comics #39 (Jan. 1943). He was mostly a seaman at liberty, since his own mag was so sporadically published. [Lance O’Casey TM & ©2006 the respective TM & copyright holders.]

In The Family Way The story that begins with this splash—originally scheduled as a “Mary Marvel” solo story for 1943, simply guest-starring Cap and Junior— was edited seven years later and transformed into a “Marvel Family” story in The Marvel Family #51 (Sept. 1950). Art by the Jack Binder shop. [The Marvel Family TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

called on Freddy Freeman for help. Freddy changed to Captain Marvel Jr. and he and Mary took on the three villains. After the encounter, Junior changed back to Freddy, only to be transformed into a small statuette by The Black Wizard. On page 10, Mary calls on her brother Billy to help Freddy out of his jam. On the last three pages, Captain Marvel and Mary defeat the villains and save Freddy. Interestingly, nowhere in this story do the three Marvels appear together except in the next-to-last panel, which was obviously inserted into the story later. In that group panel, Junior exclaimed, “We’re The Marvel Family”… but, of course, that phrase hadn’t yet been coined back in 1943.

Captain Marvel (in a circle in the lower left hand corner) is introducing her to the readers (which was more or less a Fawcett policy for the covers of their new books during late 1942 and early ’43; Cap was also present on the covers to introduce new titles such as Captain Midnight, Don Winslow of the Navy, All Hero, Hopalong Cassidy, and even Fawcett’s Funny Animals). What of the other stories originally intended for Mary Marvel #1? It’s a possibility that the 16-page “Mary Marvel” story from Wow Comics #16 (June, ’43) was originally scheduled for MM #1. Wow #20 also had a 16-page story, but the Jack Binder artwork reveals that it could have been originally intended for MM #2.

COMMANDO YANK

The “Mary Marvel” solo story for that same 51st issue of Marvel Family was “Mary Marvel Chases The Will O’ Wisp,” another tale originally from ’43. The story appears to have been originally a 10-pager that was cut down to 6 pages. Bridwell had also mentioned that the Mary Marvel #1 (1945) cover could have been the same one originally intended for the aborted 1943 debut release. On the cover, Mary is depicted as she looked in ’43, and

Yanking People’s Chains Since 1942 This late-’42 ad for Commando Yank #1 says it’ll be out on Feb. 24, 1943—but it was never published at all, and the Yank had to be content with his feature in Wow Comics. [Commando Yank TM & ©2006 DC Comics.]

Commando Yank #1 was to go on sale on Feb. 24th, 1943, but the title was canceled before it made its debut. What happened to the originallyplanned contents of the book? Possibly the 17-page “Commando Yank” story in Wow Comics # 12, dated April 7th, was one of the tales meant for Yank’s premiere issue. Both Wow # 13 and #14 had 13-page CY stories, as did issues #15 and 16. But there were no “CY” 10-page stories in Wow until #26, and that’s far too late. Interestingly enough, the “CY” story in Wow #13, drawn by Leonard Frank, reveals for the very first time Commando Yank’s true

Raymond Miller

identity as newspaper writer/war correspondent Chase Yale. It stands to reason that this tale would have been prepared for a Commando Yank first issue.

had 68 pages. All indeed did, even though most publishers at that time did not include the covers in their page counts.)

LANCE O’CASEY

PHANTOM EAGLE

Lance O’Casey #1 saw the light of One final feature which may or may day in 1946; however, it is believed that not have been scheduled for its own title the first issue was already completed and in 1943 was “The Phantom Eagle.” If the ready for the printer by early 1943. longer stories for main characters were While Fawcett had no house ads Fawcett’s policy during the 1942-43 announcing it in any of their books, period, then they may have had stories when LO #1 finally did appear in ’46 it for one—possibly two—solo Phantom actually revealed where the stories had Eagle issues completed and ready for gone, as well as sporting a cover that publication. Wow Comics had two 16was clearly assembled in 1943, with a page stories—one in #13 and one in Captain Marvel inset welcoming readers #14—followed by 13-page stories in #s to Lance’s new 68-page comic book. The 15, 18, and 19; and 14-page “PE” stories 1946 O’Casey #1 had 36 pages. Fawcett are found in Wow #16 and 17, all with hadn’t had a 68-page comic since Whiz art by Bert Whitman. Comics #50 (Jan. ’44). So where did the Alas, we can only speculate as to other “O’Casey” stories originally Fawcett’s intentions, based upon what intended for LO #1 go? LO #1 (’46) had was published and by the apparent a 16- and a 13-page story; LO #2 had a maneuvering of their comic book line 13- and a 10-page story. (To during that tumultuous year of clear up the page count, Fly Like An Eagle—Sink Like A Stone 1943. Fawcett had proudly First page of the “Phantom Eagle” story from Wow Comics #15 (July 1943). Art by proclaimed on their early-’40s Bert Whitman—one of those occasions where Fawcett printed the name of the artist a covers that their comic books the bottom of the splash. But if The Phantom Eagle was ever slated for his own mag like most of his fellow Fawcett heroes, a splash was about all it made—as it sank without a trace. [Phantom Eagle TM & ©2006 the respective TM & copyright holders.]

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AE #22: (108 pgs.) EVERETT & KUBERT interviewed by GIL KANE & NEAL ADAMS, ROY THOMAS on Sub-Mariner, COLAN, BUSCEMA, SEVERIN, WOOD, FCA, BECK & EVERETT covers, more! $9 US

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AE #24: (108 pgs.) NEW X-MEN intvs. with STAN LEE, COCKRUM, CLAREMONT, WEIN, DRAKE, SHOOTER, THOMAS, MORT MESKIN profiled, FCA, covers by COCKRUM & MESKIN! $9 US

AE #25: (108 pgs.) JACK COLE & PLASTIC MAN! Brother DICK COLE interviewed, Cole celebrated by ALEX TOTH, THOMAS on All-Star Squadron #1, JERRY BAILS tribute, FCA, cover by TOTH! $9 US

AE #26: (108 pgs.) JOE SINNOTT interview, KIRBY and BUSCEMA art, IRWIN DONENFELD, Superman art by SHUSTER, BORING, SWAN, FCA, Mr. MONSTER, covers by SINNOTT & BORING! $9 US

TIMELY/ AE #20: #27: (108 (108pgs.) pgs.) VIN MARVEL focus, INVADERS SULLIVAN intv., “Lost” KIRBY overview with KIRBY, KANE, HULK covers, the 1948 NY ROBBINS, DESCHAMPS CON, “GreatBOB Unknown” artists, intv., panel FCA, withALEX FINGER, KURTZMAN, TOTH, BINDER, FOX, & WEISINGER, MR. MONSTER, covers by FCA, rare art, more! $9 $9 US US BURNLEY & KIRBY!

AE #28: (108 pgs.) JOE MANEELY spotlight, scarce Marvel art by EVERETT, SEVERIN, DITKO, ROMITA, extra-size FCA, LEE AMES intv., covers by MANEELY & DON NEWTON! $9 US

AE #29: (108 pgs.) FRANK BRUNNER intv., EVERETT’s Venus, Classics Illustrated adapting Lovecraft, LEE/KIRBY/ DITKO prototypes, ALEX TOTH, FCA with GENE COLAN, BRUNNER cover! $9 US

AE #30: (108 pgs.) SILVER AGE JLA special, ALEX ROSS on the JLA, MIKE SEKOWSKY, DICK DILLIN, GOLDEN AGE SIMON & KIRBY scripters speak, FRENCH HEROES, ROSS & RUDE covers! $9 US

AE #31: (108 pgs.) DICK AYERS intv., HARLAN ELLISON’S Marvel work (with Bullpen artists), LEE/KIRBY/ DITKO prototypes, Christmas cards from cartoonists, AYERS & RAY covers! $9 US

AE #32: (108 pgs.) Golden Age TIMELY ARTISTS intv., MART NODELL, MIKE GOLD on the Silver Age, art by SIMON & KIRBY, SWAN, INFANTINO, KANE, GIORDANO & GIL KANE covers! $9 US

AE #33: (108 pgs.) MIKE SEKOWSKY tribute, intvs. with wife PAT SEKOWSKY and Golden Age inker VALERIE BARCLAY, art by ANDERSON, ANDRU & ESPOSITO, INFANTINO, FRENZ covers! $9 US

AE #34: (108 pgs.) QUALITY COMICS, intvs. with ALEX KOTZKY, CHUCK CUIDERA, DICK ARNOLD, TOTH, KURTZMAN, art by FINE, EISNER, COLE, CRANDALL and NICHOLAS covers! $9 US

AE #35: #20: (108 (108pgs.) pgs.)STAN TIMELY/ LEE, MARVEL focus,DICK INVADERS JOHN ROMITA, AYERS, overview with KIRBY, KANE, ROY THOMAS, & AL JAFFEE ROBBINS, BOB DESCHAMPS on the 1940s & 1950s Golden intv., FINGER, Age at panel Timely/with Marvel, FCA, BINDER, FOX, & ROMITA WEISINGER, MR. MONSTER, and $9 US FCA, rarecovers! art, more! $9 US JAFFEE

AE #36: (108 pgs.) JOE SIMON intv. & cover, GOLDEN AGE HEROES of Canada, ELMER WEXLER, MICHAEL T. GILBERT on MR. MONSTER’S ORIGINS, FCA, ALEX TOTH, and more! $9 US

AE #37: (108 pgs.) BECK & BORING covers, SY BARRY intv., Superman “K-Metal” story, FCA with C.C. BECK, MARC SWAYZE, DON NEWTON, and Shazam!/Isis!, MR. MONSTER, and more! $9 US

AE #38: (108 pgs.) JULIUS SCHWARTZ tribute & interviews, art by INFANTINO, ANDERSON, KUBERT, KANE, TOTH, SWAN, SEKOWSKY, FCA section, INFANTINO and HASEN covers, more!! $9 US

AE #39: (108 pgs.) Full issue JERRY ROBINSON spotlight, with comprehensive interview and unseen Batman art, AL FELDSTEIN on EC, GIL FOX, MESKIN, ROUSSOS, & ROBINSON covers! $9 US

AE #40: (108 pgs.) JULIUS SCHWARTZ memorial issue with tributes by pros, GIL KANE interview, comprehensive interview and unseen art by RUSS HEATH, GIL KANE and HEATH covers! $9 US

AE #41: (108 pgs.) BERNIE WRIGHTSON on FRANKENSTEIN, art by KALUTA, BAILY, MANEELY, PLOOG, KUBERT, BRUNNER, CRANDALL, FCA #100, & more! WRIGHTSON, SWAYZE covers! $9 US

ALTER EGO #42 Covers by FASTNER & LARSON and ERNIE SCHROEDER, a celebration of DON HECK, WERNER ROTH, and PAUL REINMAN, rare art by KIRBY, DITKO, AYERS, Hillman & Ziff-Davis remembered by SCHROEDER, HERB ROGOFF, and WALTER LITTMAN, FCA, ALEX TOTH, & more!

ALTER EGO #43

ALTER EGO #44

ALTER EGO #45

ALTER EGO #46

Flip covers by TUSKA and JSA/All-Star Squadron/Infinity Inc. Interviews with Golden Age The VERY BEST of the 1960s-70s STEVENS, yuletide art by SINNOTT, special! Interviews with JOE Sandman artist CREIG FLESSEL and ALTER EGO! EVERETT/SEVERIN BRUNNER, CARDY, TOTH, KUBERT, IRWIN HASEN, MURPHY 1940s creator BERT CHRISTMAN, cover, classic 1969 BILL EVERETT NODELL, and others, interviews ANDERSON, JERRY ORDWAY, MICHAEL CHABON on researching interview, art by BURGOS, with Golden Age artists TOM GILL 1940s Atom writer ARTHUR his Pulitzer-winning novel Kavalier GUSTAVSON, SIMON & KIRBY, (Lone Ranger) and MORRIS WEISS, ADLER, art by TOTH, SEKOWSKY, & Clay, art by EISNER, KANE, KIRBY, and others, 1960s gems by DITKO exploring 1960s Mexican comics, HASEN, MACHLAN, OKSNER, & AYERS, FCA, MR. MONSTER, & E. NELSON BRIDWELL, FCA, FCA, MR. MONSTER, ALEX TOTH, INFANTINO, FCA, MR. MONSTER, ALEX TOTH, & more! TOTH, & more! & more! ORDWAY cover, more! (100-page magazine) $9 US (100-page magazine) $9 US (108-page magazine) $9 US (100-page magazine) $9 US

ALTER EGO #47 MATT BAKER, Golden Age cheesecake artist of PHANTOM LADY, plus art from AL FELDSTEIN, VINCE COLLETTA, ARTHUR PEDDY, JACK KAMEN & others, FCA, BILL SCHELLY talks to BUD PLANT, MR. MONSTER, ALEX TOTH, and more! (100-page magazine) $9 US

(108-page magazine) $9 US

ALTER EGO #48

ALTER EGO #49

The late WILL EISNER discusses ’40s Quality Comics with art by FINE, CRANDALL, COLE, & CARDY! EISNER tributes by STAN LEE, GENE COLAN, & others! ’40s Quality artist VERN HENKEL interviewed, FCA, MR. MONSTER, TOTH, & more!

Interview with CARL BURGOS’ daughter! Unused 1941 cover layouts by BURGOS and other Timely titans! The 1957 Atlas Implosion, MANNY STALLMAN, and the BLUE FLAME! Also, FCA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT and MR. MONSTER and more!

(100-page magazine) $9 US

ALTER EGO #54

ALTER EGO #55

MIKE ESPOSITO on DC and Marvel, ROBERT KANIGHER on the creation of Metal Men & Sgt. Rock (with comments by JOE KUBERT & BOB HANEY), art by ANDRU, INFANTINO, KIRBY, SEVERIN, ROMITA, BUSCEMA, GIL KANE, plus FCA with SWAYZE, ALEX TOTH, & more!

ALEX ROSS cover, JACK & OTTO BINDER, KEN BALD, VIC DOWD, and BOB BOYAJIAN interviewed, FCA with MARC SWAYZE & EMILIO SQUEGLIO, Christmas Card Art from CRANDALL, SINNOTT, HEATH, MOONEY, and CARDY, 1943 superheroine Pin-Up Calendar, and more!

(100-page magazine) $9 US

ALTER EGO #50

ALTER EGO #51

ALTER EGO #52

ALTER EGO #53

Golden Age Batman artist/Bob JOE GIELLA on the Silver Age at ROY THOMAS covers his 40-YEAR career in comics, with ADAMS, Kane ghost LEW SAYRE DC, the Golden Age at Marvel, and BUSCEMA, COLAN, DITKO, GIL SCHWARTZ interviewed, the JULIE SCHWARTZ, with rare art by KANE, KIRBY, STAN LEE, ORDWAY, Golden & Silver Ages of INFANTINO, GIL KANE, PÉREZ, ROMITA, and many others! AUSTRALIAN SUPER-HEROES, SEKOWSKY, SWAN, DILLIN, Also, FCA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT Mad artist DAVE BERG interviewed, MOLDOFF, GIACOIA, SCHAFFENand MR. MONSTER and more! FCA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT on BERGER, and others, JAY SCOTT WILL EISNER, ALEX TOTH and PIKE on STAN LEE, MARTIN (100-page magazine) $9 US more! THALL, and more!

Halloween issue! GIORDANO & THOMAS on STOKER’S DRACULA, never-seen DICK BRIEFER Frankenstein strip, MIKE ESPOSITO on his work with ROSS ANDRU, art by COLAN, WRIGHTSON, MIGNOLA, BRUNNER, BISSETTE, KALUTA, HEATH, MANEELY, EVERETT, DITKO, and others!

(100-page magazine) $9 US

ALTER EGO #57

ALTER EGO #58

ALTER EGO #59

ALTER EGO #56

Issue-by-issue index of Timely/Atlas GERRY CONWAY & ROY THOMAS Batman & Superman in the Golden NEAL ADAMS cover, interviews & Silver Ages, ARTHUR SUYDAM super-hero stories by MICHELLE on their ’80s “X-Men Movie That with Superman creators SIEGEL & interview, NEAL ADAMS on NOLAN, art by SIMON & KIRBY, Never Was!” with art by ADAMS, SHUSTER, Golden/Silver Age DC 1960s/70s DC, SHELLY MOLDOFF, EVERETT, BURGOS, ROMITA, COCKRUM, BUSCEMA, BYRNE, production guru JACK ADLER, AL PLASTINO, Golden Age artist AYERS, HEATH, SEKOWSKY, KANE, KIRBY, HECK, & LIEBER, NEAL ADAMS & TV iconoclast (& FRAN (Doll Man) MATERA Atlas artist VIC CARRABOTTA comics fan) HOWARD STERN on SHORES, SCHOMBURG, MANEELY, interviewed, the first comic book Adler, art by CURT SWAN, WAYNE & SEVERIN, GENE COLAN & ALLEN interview, ALLEN BELLMAN on ’40s Thor, SIEGEL & SHUSTER, FCA, Timely, FCA, 1966 panel on EC BORING, AL PLASTINO, plus FCA, BELLMAN on 1940s Timely heroes, FCA, MR. MONSTER, & BILL Comics, & MR. MONSTER! Edited MR. MONSTER, SUYDAM cover, & MR. MONSTER, & more! Edited by more! Edited by ROY THOMAS ! SCHELLY! KIRBY & VON SHOLLY by ROY THOMAS. ROY THOMAS. cover! Edited by ROY THOMAS. (100-page magazine) $9 US (100-page magazine) $9 US (100-page magazine) $9 US (100-page magazine) $9 US

SUBSCRIBE! Twelve Issues in the US: $72 Standard, $108 First Class (Canada: $132, Elsewhere: $144 Surface, $192 Airmail). NOTE: IF YOU PREFER A SIX-ISSUE SUB, JUST CUT THE PRICE IN HALF!

ALTER EGO #60 Celebrates 50 years since SHOWCASE #4! FLASH interviews with SCHWARTZ, KANIGHER, INFANTINO, KUBERT, & BROOME, Golden Age artist TONY DiPRETA, 1966 panel with NORDLING, BINDER, & LARRY IVIE, FCA, MR. MONSTER, never-beforepublished full-color Flash cover by CARMINE INFANTINO, and more!

(100-page magazine) $9 US

ALTER EGO #61

ALTER EGO #62

ALTER EGO #63

ALTER EGO #64

ALTER EGO #65

NICK CARDY interviewed on his Tribute to ALEX TOTH! NeverFawcett Favorites! Issue-by-issue History of the AMERICAN COMICS HAPPY HAUNTED HALLOWEEN work in the Golden & Silver Ages, before-seen interview with tons of analysis of OTTO BINDER & C.C. GROUP (1946 to 1967)—including ISSUE, featuring: MIKE PLOOG & with CARDY artwork from Quality & BECK’s 1943-45 “The Monster its roots in the Golden Age RUDY PALAIS on their horror-comics TOTH art, including sketches he sent DC—plus the work of EISNER, SANGOR ART SHOP and work! AL WILLIAMSON on his work to friends! Art by Toth’s influences: Society of Evil!” serial! Double-size CANIFF, SICKLES, COLE, KELLY, FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) ADAMS, INFANTINO, JIM APARO, STANDARD/NEDOR comics! for the American Comics Group— RAMONA FRADON, CURT SWAN, BECK, ROBINSON & others! Our section with MARC SWAYZE, Art by MESKIN, ROBINSON, plus more on ACG horror comics! JOE ORLANDO, BOB HANEY, MIKE annual 1943 pin-up calendar by EMILIO SQUEGLIO, C.C. BECK, WILLIAMSON, FRAZETTA, SCHAFRare DICK BRIEFER Frankenstein SEKOWSKY, et al.! Plus FCA with ALEX WRIGHT, with Miss America, MAC RABOY, and others! Interview FENBERGER, & BUSCEMA, ACG strips! Plus FCA, MR. MONSTER, MARC SWAYZE and others, Namora, Sun Girl, Venus, and others with MARTIN FILCHOCK, Golden writer/editor RICHARD HUGHES, BILL SCHELLY on the 1966 MICHAEL T. GILBERT and MR. as real-life ’40s starlets, FCA, MR. Age artist for Centaur Comics! Plus plus AL HARTLEY interviewed, FCA, KalerCon, a new PLOOG cover— MONSTER, a new CARDY COVER, MONSTER, and more! MR. MONSTER, an unpublished MR. MONSTER, & more! & more! and more! DON NEWTON cover, and more! GIORDANO cover! (100-page magazine) $9 US (100-page magazine) $9 US (100-page magazine) $9 US (100-page magazine) $9 US (100-page magazine) $9 US

ALL- STAR COMPANION VOL. 2

ALTER EGO COLLECTION, VOL. ONE

ROY THOMAS’ new sequel, with more secrets of the JSA and ALL-STAR COMICS, from 1940 through the 1980s, featuring: Wraparound CARLOS PACHECO cover! More amazing information, speculation, and unseen ALL-STAR COMICS art! Unpublished 1940s JSA STORY ART not printed in Volume One! Full coverage of the 1980s ALL-STAR SQUADRON, with scarce & never-published art, and more!

Collects ALTER EGO #1-2, plus 30 pages of NEW MATERIAL! New JLA Jam Cover by KUBERT, PÉREZ, GIORDANO, TUSKA, CARDY, FRADON, & GIELLA, new sections featuring scarce art by GIL KANE, WILL EISNER, CARMINE INFANTINO, MIKE SEKOWSKY, MURPHY ANDERSON, DICK DILLIN, & more! (192-page trade paperback) $26 US

(208-page Trade Paperback) $26 US

OUR NEWEST MAGAZINE! Spinning off from the pages of BACK ISSUE! magazine comes ROUGH STUFF, celebrating the ART of creating comics! Edited by famed inker BOB McLEOD, each issue spotlights NEVERBEFORE PUBLISHED penciled pages, preliminary sketches, detailed layouts, and even unused inked versions from artists throughout comics history. Included is commentary on the art, discussing what went right and wrong with it, and background information to put it all into historical perspective. Plus, before-and-after comparisons let you see firsthand how an image changes from initial concept to published version. So don’t miss this amazing new magazine, featuring galleries of NEVER-BEFORE SEEN art, from some of your favorite series of all time, and the top pros in the industry!

ROUGH STUFF #1

ROUGH STUFF #2

Our debut issue features galleries of UNSEEN ART by a who’s who of Modern Masters including:

The follow-up to our smash first issue features more galleries of UNSEEN ART by top industry professionals, including:

ALAN DAVIS GEORGE PÉREZ BRUCE TIMM KEVIN NOWLAN JOSÉ LUIS GARCÍA-LÓPEZ ARTHUR ADAMS JOHN BYRNE WALTER SIMONSON Plus a KEVIN NOWLAN interview, and a new BRUCE TIMM COVER! (116-page magazine) $9 US

BRIAN APTHORP FRANK BRUNNER PAUL GULACY JERRY ORDWAY ALEX TOTH MATT WAGNER Plus a PAUL GULACY interview, a look at oddball penciler/inker combinations, and a new GULACY “HEX” COVER! (100-page magazine) $9 US

ROUGH STUFF #3 (JAN.) This third groundbreaking issue presents still more galleries of UNSEEN ART by some of the biggest names in the comics industry, including:

MIKE ALLRED JOHN BUSCEMA YANICK PAQUETTE JOHN ROMITA JR. P. CRAIG RUSSELL LEE WEEKS Plus a JOHN ROMITA JR. interview, looks at the earliest work of some of your favorite artists, and a new ROMITA JR. COVER! (100-page magazine) $9 US

THE TWOMORROWS LIBRARY R! WINNE D R A AW EISNER

THE KRYPTON COMPANION

JUSTICE LEAGUE COMPANION VOL. 1

Unlocks the secrets of Superman’s Silver and Bronze Ages, when kryptonite came in multiple colors and super-pets flew the skies! Features all-new interviews with NEAL ADAMS, MURPHY ANDERSON, NICK CARDY, JOSÉ LUIS GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, KEITH GIFFEN, JIM MOONEY, DENNIS O’NEIL, BOB OKSNER, MARTY PASKO, BOB ROZAKIS, JIM SHOOTER, LEN WEIN, MARV WOLFMAN, and others, plus tons of rare and unseen art! By BACK ISSUE MAGAZINE’S Michael Eury!

A comprehensive examination of the Silver Age JLA by MICHAEL EURY, tracing its development, history, and more through interviews with the series’ creators, an issue-by-issue index of the JLA’s 19601972 adventures, classic and never-beforepublished artwork, and other fascinating features. Contributors include DENNY O’NEIL, MURPHY ANDERSON, JOE GIELLA, MIKE FRIEDRICH, NEAL ADAMS, ALEX ROSS, CARMINE INFANTINO, NICK CARDY, and many, many others. Plus: An exclusive interview with STAN LEE, who answers the question, “Did the JLA really inspire the creation of Marvel’s Fantastic Four?” With an all-new cover by BRUCE TIMM (TV’s Justice League Unlimited)!

(224-Page Trade Paperback) $29 US

STREETWISE

TOP ARTISTS DRAWING STORIES OF THEIR LIVES An unprecedented assembly of talent drawing NEW autobiographical stories: • Barry WINDSOR-SMITH • C.C. BECK • Sergio ARAGONÉS • Walter SIMONSON • Brent ANDERSON • Nick CARDY • Roy THOMAS & John SEVERIN • Paul CHADWICK • Rick VEITCH • Murphy ANDERSON • Joe KUBERT • Evan DORKIN • Sam GLANZMAN • Plus Art SPIEGELMAN, Jack KIRBY, more! Cover by RUDE • Foreword by EISNER (160-Page Trade Paperback) $24 US

TITANS COMPANION

(224-page trade paperback) $29 US

THE LEGION COMPANION

(156-page trade paperback) $22 US

THE

BEST OF THE LEGION OUTPOST • A history of the Legion of Super-Heroes, with DAVE COCKRUM, MIKE GRELL, JIM STARLIN, JAMES SHERMAN, PAUL LEVITZ, KEITH GIFFEN, STEVE LIGHTLE, MARK WAID, JIM SHOOTER, JIM MOONEY, AL PLASTINO, and more! • Rare and never-seen Legion art by the above, plus GEORGE PÉREZ, NEAL ADAMS, CURT SWAN, and others! • Unused Cockrum character designs and pages from an UNUSED STORY! • New cover by DAVE COCKRUM and JOE RUBINSTEIN, introduction by JIM SHOOTER, and more!

Compiles material from issues #3 and #4 of DRAW!, including tutorials by, and interviews with, ERIK LARSEN (savage penciling), DICK GIORDANO (inking techniques), BRET BLEVINS (drawing the figure in action, and figure composition), KEVIN NOWLAN (penciling and inking), MIKE MANLEY (how-to demo on Web Comics), DAVE COOPER (digital coloring tutorial), and more! Cover by KEVIN NOWLAN!

(200-page trade paperback) $26 US

(224-page trade paperback) $29 US

A comprehensive history of the NEW TEEN TITANS, with interviews and rare art by MARV WOLFMAN, GEORGE PÉREZ, JOSÉ LUIS GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, LEN WEIN, & others, a Silver Age section with NEAL ADAMS, NICK CARDY, DICK GIORDANO, & more, plus CHRIS CLAREMONT and WALTER SIMONSON on the X-MEN/ TEEN TITANS crossover, TOM GRUMMETT, PHIL JIMENEZ & TERRY DODSON on their ‘90s Titans work, a new cover by JIMENEZ, & intro by GEOFF JOHNS! Written by GLEN CADIGAN.

BEST OF DRAW! VOL. 1 BEST OF DRAW! VOL. 2 Compiles material from the first two soldout issues of DRAW!, the “How-To” magazine on comics and cartooning! Tutorials by, and interviews with: DAVE GIBBONS (layout and drawing on the computer), BRET BLEVINS (drawing lovely women, painting from life, and creating figures that “feel”), JERRY ORDWAY (detailing his working methods), KLAUS JANSON and RICARDO VILLAGRAN (inking techniques), GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY (on animation and Samurai Jack), STEVE CONLEY (creating web comics and cartoons), PHIL HESTER and ANDE PARKS (penciling and inking), and more!

Collects the best material from the hardto-find LEGION OUTPOST fanzine, including rare interviews and articles from creators such as DAVE COCKRUM, CARY BATES, and JIM SHOOTER, plus neverbefore-seen artwork by COCKRUM, MIKE GRELL, JIMMY JANES and others! It also features a previously unpublished interview with KEITH GIFFEN originally intended for the never-published LEGION OUTPOST #11, plus other new material! And it sports a rarely-seen classic 1970s cover by Legion fan favorite artist DAVE COCKRUM! (160-page trade paperback) $22 US

ALL-STAR COMPANION VOL. 1 ROY THOMAS has assembled the most thorough look ever taken at All-Star Comics: • Covers by MURPHY ANDERSON! • Issue-by-issue coverage of ALL—STAR COMICS #1—57, the original JLA—JSA teamups, & the ‘70s ALL—STAR REVIVAL! • Art from an unpublished 1945 JSA story! • Looks at FOUR “LOST” ALL—STAR issues! • Rare art by BURNLEY, DILLIN, KIRBY, INFANTINO, KANE, KUBERT, ORDWAY, ROSS, WOOD and more!!

ALL- STAR COMPANION VOL. 2 ROY THOMAS’ new sequel, with more secrets of the JSA and ALL-STAR COMICS, from 1940 through the 1980s: • Wraparound CARLOS PACHECO cover! • More amazing information, speculation, and unseen ALL-STAR COMICS art! • Unpublished 1940s JSA STORY ART not printed in Volume One! • Full coverage of the 1980s ALL-STAR SQUADRON, with scarce & neverpublished art! (208-page Trade Paperback) $29 US

(208-page Trade Paperback) $26 US

(224-page Trade Paperback) $29 US

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS COMPANION

COMIC BOOK ARTIST COLLECTION, VOL. 3 Reprinting the Eisner Award-winning COMIC BOOK ARTIST #7 and #8 (‘70s Marvel and ‘80s independents), featuring a new MICHAEL T. GILBERT cover, plus interviews with GILBERT, RUDE, GULACY, GERBER, DON SIMPSON, CHAYKIN, SCOTT McCLOUD, BUCKLER, BYRNE, DENIS KITCHEN, plus a NEW SECTION featuring over 30 pages of previouslyEach lists PUBLISHED COMICS WORK in unseen stuff! Edited by JON B. COOKE. detail, plus ILLOS, UNPUBLISHED WORK, and more. Filled with rare and unseen art! (224-page trade paperback) $29 US (68/100 Pages) $8 US EACH

WALLY WOOD & JACK KIRBY CHECKLISTS

The definitive book on WALLACE WOOD’s super-team of the 1960s, featuring interviews with Woody and other creators involved in the T-Agents over the years, plus rare and unseen art, including a rare 28-page story drawn by PAUL GULACY, UNPUBLISHED STORIES by GULACY, PARIS CULLINS, and others, and a JERRY ORDWAY cover. Edited by CBA’s JON B. COOKE. (192-page trade paperback) $29 US

Prices include US Postage. Outside the US, ADD PER ITEM: Magazines & DVDs, $2 ($7 Airmail) • Softcover books, $3 ($10 Airmail) • Hardcover books, $6 ($15 Airmail)

COMICS ABOVE GROUND SEE HOW YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS MAKE A LIVING OUTSIDE COMICS

HERO GETS GIRL!

THE LIFE & ART OF KURT SCHAFFENBERGER MARK VOGER’s biography of the artist of LOIS LANE & CAPTAIN MARVEL! • Covers KURT’S LIFE AND CAREER from the 1940s to his passing in 2002! • Features NEVER-SEEN PHOTOS & ILLUSTRATIONS from his files! • Includes recollections by ANDERSON, EISNER, INFANTINO, KUBERT, ALEX ROSS, MORT WALKER and others! (128-page Trade Paperback) $19 US

SECRETS IN THE SHADOWS: GENE COLAN The ultimate retrospective on COLAN, with rare drawings, photos, and art from his nearly 60-year career, plus a comprehensive overview of Gene’s glory days at Marvel Comics! MARV WOLFMAN, DON MCGREGOR and other writers share script samples and anecdotes of their Colan collaborations, while TOM PALMER, STEVE LEIALOHA and others show how they approached the daunting task of inking Colan’s famously nuanced penciled pages! Plus there’s a NEW PORTFOLIO of never-before-seen collaborations between Gene and such masters as JOHN BYRNE, MICHAEL KALUTA and GEORGE PÉREZ, and all-new artwork created specifically for this book by Gene! Available in Softcover and Deluxe Hardcover (limited to 1000 copies, with 16 extra black-and-white pages and 8 extra color pages)!

COMICS ABOVE GROUND features top comics pros discussing their inspirations and training, and how they apply it in “Mainstream Media,” including Conceptual Illustration, Video Game Development, Children’s Books, Novels, Design, Illustration, Fine Art, Storyboards, Animation, Movies & more! Written by DURWIN TALON (author of the top-selling PANEL DISCUSSIONS), this book features creators sharing their perspectives and their work in comics and their “other professions,” with career overviews, neverbefore-seen art, and interviews! Featuring: • BRUCE TIMM • LOUISE SIMONSON • BERNIE WRIGHTSON • DAVE DORMAN • ADAM HUGHES • GREG RUCKA & MORE! (168-page Trade Paperback) $24 US

COMIC BOOKS & OTHER NECESSITIES OF LIFE WERTHAM WAS RIGHT! SUPERHEROES IN MY PANTS! Each collects MARK EVANIER’S best essays and commentaries, plus new essays and illustrations by SERGIO ARAGONÉS! (200-page Trade Paperbacks) $17 US EACH ALL THREE BOOKS: $34 US

THE DARK AGE Documents the ‘80s and ‘90s era of comics, from THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS and WATCHMEN to the “polybagged premium” craze, the DEATH OF SUPERMAN, renegade superheroes SPAWN, PITT, BLOODSHOT, CYBERFORCE, & more! Interviews with TODD McFARLANE, DAVE GIBBONS, JIM LEE, KEVIN SMITH, ALEX ROSS, MIKE MIGNOLA, ERIK LARSEN, J. O’BARR, DAVID LAPHAM, JOE QUESADA, MIKE ALLRED and others, plus a color section! Written by MARK VOGER, with photos by KATHY VOGLESONG. (168-page trade paperback) $24 US

(168-page softcover) $26 US (192-page trade hardcover) $49 US

AGAINST THE GRAIN: MAD ARTIST

DICK GIORDANO

WALLACE WOOD

CHANGING COMICS, ONE DAY AT A TIME MICHAEL EURY’s biography of comics’ most prominent and affable personality! • Covers his career as illustrator, inker, and editor, peppered with DICK’S PERSONAL REFLECTIONS on his career milestones! • Lavishly illustrated with RARE AND NEVER SEEN comics, merchandising, and advertising art (includes a color section)! • Extensive index of his published work! • Comments & tributes by NEAL ADAMS, DENNIS O’NEIL, TERRY AUSTIN, PAUL LEVITZ, MARV WOLFMAN, JULIUS SCHWARTZ, JIM APARO & others! • With a Foreword by NEAL ADAMS and Afterword by PAUL LEVITZ! (176-pg. Paperback) $24 US

ALTER EGO COLLECTION, VOL. 1 Collects the first two issues of ALTER EGO, plus 30 pages of NEW MATERIAL! JLA Jam Cover by KUBERT, PÉREZ, GIORDANO, TUSKA, CARDY, FRADON, & GIELLA, new sections featuring scarce art by GIL KANE, WILL EISNER, CARMINE INFANTINO, MIKE SEKOWSKY, MURPHY ANDERSON, DICK DILLIN, & more!

ART OF GEORGE TUSKA

The definitive biographical memoir on Wood, 20 years in the making! Former associate BHOB STEWART traces Wood’s life and career, with contributions from many artists and writers who knew Wood personally, making this remarkable compendium of art, insights and critical commentary! From childhood drawings & early samples to nearly endless comics pages (many unpublished), this is the most stunning display of Wood art ever assembled! BILL PEARSON, executor of the Wood Estate, contributed rare drawings from Wood’s own files, while art collector ROGER HILL provides a wealth of obscure, previously unpublished Wood art.

A comprehensive look at Tuska’s personal and professional life, including early work with Eisner-Iger, crime comics of the 1950s, and his tenure with Marvel and DC Comics, as well as independent publishers. The book includes extensive coverage of his work on IRON MAN, X-MEN, HULK, JUSTICE LEAGUE, TEEN TITANS, BATMAN, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS, and many more! A gallery of commission artwork and a thorough index of his work are included, plus original artwork, photos, sketches, previously unpublished art, interviews and anecdotes from his peers and fans, plus George’s own words!

(336-Page Trade Paperback) $44 US

(128-page trade paperback) $19 US

(192-page trade paperback) $26 US

COLLECTED JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR, VOL. 1-5 See what thousands of comics fans, professionals, and historians have discovered: The King lives on in the pages of THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR! These colossal TRADE PAPERBACKS reprint the first 22 sold-out issues of the magazine for Kirby fans! • VOLUME 1: Reprints TJKC #1-9 (including the Fourth World and Fantastic Four theme issues), plus over 30 pieces of Kirby art never before published in TJKC! • (240 pages) $29 US • VOLUME 2: Reprints TJKC #10-12 (the Humor, Hollywood, and International theme issues), and includes a new special section detailing a fan’s private tour of the Kirbys’ remarkable home, showcasing more than 30 pieces of Kirby art never before published in TJKC! • (160 pages) $22 US • VOLUME 3: Reprints TJKC #13-15 (the Horror, Thor, and Sci-Fi theme issues), plus 30 new pieces of Kirby art! • (176 pages) $24 US • VOLUME 4: Reprints TJKC #16-19 (the Tough Guys, DC, Marvel, and Art theme issues), plus more than 30 pieces of Kirby art never before published in TJKC! • (240 pages) $29 US • VOLUME 5: Reprints TJKC #20-22 (the Women, Wacky, and Villains theme issues), plus more than 30 pieces of Kirby art never before published in TJKC! • (224 pages) $29 US

TRUE BRIT

CELEBRATING GREAT COMIC BOOK ARTISTS OF THE UK A celebration of the rich history of British Comics Artists and their influence on the US with in-depth interviews and art by: • BRIAN BOLLAND • ALAN DAVIS • DAVE GIBBONS • BRYAN HITCH • DAVID LLOYD

• DAVE MCKEAN • KEVIN O’NEILL • BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH and other gents!

(204-page Trade Paperback with COLOR SECTION) $26 US

HOW TO CREATE COMICS FROM SCRIPT TO PRINT

REDESIGNED and EXPANDED version of the groundbreaking WRITE NOW! #8 / DRAW! #9 crossover! DANNY FINGEROTH & MIKE MANLEY show step-by-step how to develop a new comic, from script and roughs to pencils, inks, colors, lettering— it even guides you through printing and distribution, & the finished 8-page color comic is included, so you can see their end result! PLUS: over 30 pages of ALL-NEW material, including “full” and “Marvel-style” scripts, a critique of their new character and comic from an editor’s point of view, new tips on coloring, new expanded writing lessons, and more! (108-page trade paperback) $18 US (120-minute companion DVD) $35 US

SILVER STAR: GRAPHITE JACK KIRBY’S six-issue “Visual Novel” for Pacific Comics, reproduced from his powerful, uninked pencil art! Includes Kirby’s illustrated movie screenplay, never-seen sketches, pin-ups, & more from his final series! (160 pages) $24 US

CALL, WRITE, OR E-MAIL FOR A FREE COLOR CATALOG!

MODERN MASTERS SERIES Edited by ERIC NOLEN-WEATHINGTON, these trade paperbacks are devoted to the BEST OF TODAY’S COMICS ARTISTS! Each volume contains RARE AND UNSEEN ARTWORK direct from the artist’s files, plus a COMPREHENSIVE INTERVIEW (including influences and their views on graphic storytelling), DELUXE SKETCHBOOK SECTIONS, and more!

VOL. 1: ALAN DAVIS (128-Page Trade Paperback) $17 US

V.6: ARTHUR ADAMS

(128-Page Trade Paperback) $19 US

V.2: GEORGE PÉREZ

“TwoMorrows blesses us fans with a frank, honest interview with the man himself. And it doesn’t cut any corners... If you love Pérez’s work, you’ll definitely love this.” Comics International on MODERN MASTERS VOL. 2: GEORGE PÉREZ

V.5: GARCÍA-LÓPEZ

(128-Page Trade Paperback) $17 US

(120-Page TPB with COLOR) $19 US

V.3: BRUCE TIMM

V.4: KEVIN NOWLAN (120-Page TPB with COLOR) $19 US

(120-Page TPB with COLOR) $19 US

V.7: JOHN BYRNE

V.8: WALTER SIMONSON

V.9: MIKE WIERINGO

V.10: KEVIN MAGUIRE

(128-Page Trade Paperback) $19 US

(120-Page TPB with COLOR) $19 US

MODERN MASTERS: IN THE STUDIO WITH

(128-Page Trade Paperback) $19 US

IN FEB. 2007:

GEORGE PÉREZ

This DVD companion to the Modern Masters book series gives you a personal tour of George’s studio, and lets you watch step-by-step as the fan-favorite artist illustrates a special issue of Top Cow’s Witchblade! Also, see George as he sketches for fans at conventions, and hear his peers and colleagues—including Marv Wolfman and Ron Marz—share their anecdotes and personal insights along the way! 120-MIN. STD. FORMAT DVD • $35 US Postpaid

VOL. 11: CHARLES VESS

(120-Page TPB with COLOR) $19 US

T H E U LT I M AT E C O M I C S E X P E R I E N C E !

Edited by MICHAEL EURY, BACK ISSUE celebrates comic books of the 1970s, ’80s, and today through recurring (& rotating) departments. 100 PAGES, $9 US. 6-ISSUE SUBS: $36 Standard, $54 First Class (Canada: $66, Elsewhere: $72 Surface, $96 Airmail).

#1: PÉREZ, KIRBY, BUSCEMA, INFANTINO, KUBERT!

#2: HUGHES, RUDE, WAGNER, JONES, STEVENS!

#3: EVANIER, GIFFEN, MAGUIRE, BOLLAND!

“PRO2PRO” interview between GEORGE PÉREZ and MARV WOLFMAN (with UNSEEN PÉREZ ART), “ROUGH STUFF” featuring JACK KIRBY’s PENCIL ART, “GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD” on the first JLA/AVENGERS, “BEYOND CAPES” on DC and Marvel’s TARZAN (with KUBERT & BUSCEMA ART), “OFF MY CHEST” editorial by INFANTINO, & more!

“PRO2PRO” between ADAM HUGHES & MIKE W. BARR (with UNSEEN HUGHES ART) and MATT WAGNER and DIANA SCHUTZ, “ROUGH STUFF” HUGHES PENCIL ART, STEVE RUDE’s unseen SPACE GHOST/ HERCULOIDS team-up, Bruce Jones’ ALIEN WORLDS & TWISTED TALES, an “OFF MY CHEST” editorial by MIKE W. BARR on the DC IMPLOSION, & more!

“PRO2PRO” between KEITH GIFFEN, J.M. DeMATTEIS and KEVIN MAGUIRE on their JLA WORK, “ROUGH STUFF” PENCIL ART by ARAGONÉS, HERNANDEZ BROS., MIGNOLA, BYRNE, KIRBY, HUGHES, two unknown PLASTIC MAN movies, a look at the Joker’s history with O’NEIL, ADAMS, ENGLEHART, ROGERS & BOLLAND, an editorial by MARK EVANIER, & more!

#6: WRIGHTSON, COLAN, THOMAS, GODZILLA!

#7: APARO, BYRNE, LEE, EVANIER, & MORE!

#8: ADAMS, VON EEDEN, & ’70s BLACK HEROES!

#9: RUDE, TRUMAN, GIL KANE & COSMIC HEROES!

TOMB OF DRACULA revealed with GENE COLAN and MARV WOLFMAN, LEN WEIN & BERNIE WRIGHTSON on Swamp Thing’s roots, STEVE BISSETTE and RICK VEITCH on their Swamp work, pencil art by SMITH, BRUNNER, PLOOG, BISSETTE, COLAN, & WRIGHTSON, editorial by ROY THOMAS, GODZILLA comics (with TRIMPE art), CHARLTON horror, PREZ, and more!

SWAN/ANDERSON cover, history of BRAVE AND THE BOLD, JIM APARO interview, tribute to BOB HANEY, FANTASTIC FOUR ROUNDTABLE with STAN LEE, MARK WAID, and others, EVANIER & MEUGNIOT on DNAgents, pencil art by ROSS, TOTH, COCKRUM, HECK, ROBBINS, NEWTON, and BYRNE, DENNY O’NEIL editorial, a tour of METROPOLIS, IL, & more!

DENNY O’NEIL & Justice League Unlimited voice actor PHIL LaMARR discuss GL JOHN STEWART, NEW X-MEN pencil art by NEAL ADAMS, ARTHUR ADAMS, DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI, ALAN DAVIS, JIM LEE, ADAM HUGHES, STORM’s 30-year history, animated TV’s black heroes (with TOTH art), TONY ISABELLA and TREVOR VON EEDEN on BLACK LIGHTNING, & more!

MIKE BARON and STEVE RUDE on NEXUS past and present, a colossal GIL KANE pencil art gallery, a look at Marvel’s STAR WARS comics, secrets of DC’s unseen CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS SEQUEL, TIM TRUMAN on his GRIMJACK SERIES, MIKE GOLD editorial, THANOS history, TIME WARP revisited, an allnew STEVE RUDE COVER, & more!

#12: GIBBONS, BYRNE, MILLER, FRENZ!

#13: STATON, CARDY, EISNER, ROMITA!

#15: PLOOG, COLAN, WAGNER, KUBERT!

’70s and ’80s character revamps with DAVE GIBBONS, ROY THOMAS & KURT BUSIEK, TOM DeFALCO & RON FRENZ on Spider-Man’s 1980s “black” costume change, DENNY O’NEIL on Superman’s 1970 revamp, JOHN BYRNE’s aborted SHAZAM! series detailed, pencil art gallery with FRANK MILLER, LEE WEEKS, DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI, CHARLES VESS, and more!

CARDY interview, ENGLEHART and MOENCH on kung-fu comics, “Pro2Pro” with STATON and CUTI on Charlton’s E-Man, pencil art gallery featuring MILLER, KUBERT, GIORDANO, SWAN, GIL KANE, COLAN, COCKRUM, and others, EISNER’s A Contract with God; “The Death of Romance (Comics)” (with art by ROMITA, SR. and TOTH), & more!

#14: GRELL, COCKRUM, GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, KIRBY! DAVE COCKRUM and MIKE GRELL go “Pro2Pro” on the Legion, pencil art gallery by BUSCEMA, BYRNE, MILLER, STARLIN, McFARLANE, ROMITA JR., SIENKIEWICZ, looks at Hercules Unbound, Hex, Killraven, Kamandi, MARS, Planet of the Apes, art & interviews with GARCÍALÓPEZ, KIRBY, WILLIAMSON, and more! New MIKE GRELL/BOB McLEOD cover!

“Weird Heroes” of the 1970s and ’80s!MIKE PLOOG discusses Ghost Rider, MATT WAGNER revisits The Demon, JOE KUBERT dusts off Ragman, GENE COLAN “Rough Stuff” pencil gallery, GARCÍALÓPEZ recalls Deadman, DC’s unpublished Gorilla Grodd series, PERLIN, CONWAY, & MOENCH on Werewolf by Night, & more! New ARTHUR ADAMS cover!

#4: BYRNE, CLAREMONT, CASEY, SIMONSON!

#5: ROSS, HUGHES, LYNDA CARTER, LOU FERRIGNO!

“PRO2PRO” between JOHN BYRNE and CHRIS CLAREMONT on their X-MEN WORK and WALT SIMONSON and JOE CASEY on Walter’s THOR WORK, WOLVERINE PENCIL ART by BUSCEMA, LEE, COCKRUM, BYRNE, & GIL KANE, LEN WEIN’S TEEN WOLVERINE, PUNISHER’S 30TH & SECRET WARS’ 20TH ANNIVERSARIES (with UNSEEN ZECK ART), & more!

Covers by ALEX ROSS & ADAM HUGHES, Wonder Woman TV series in-depth, LYNDA CARTER INTERVIEW, WONDER WOMAN TV ART GALLERY, Marvel’s TV Hulk, SpiderMan, Captain America, & Dr. Strange, LOU FERRIGNO INTERVIEW, super-hero cartoons you didn’t see, pencil gallery by JERRY ORDWAY, STAR TREK in comics, & JOHN ROMITA SR. editorial on Marvel’s movies!

#10: ADAMS, GRELL, KALUTA, CHAYKIN!

#11: BUSCEMA, JUSKO, BOLLAND, ARAGONÉS!

NEAL ADAMS and DENNY O’NEIL on RA’S AL GHUL’s history (with Adams art), O’Neil and MICHAEL KALUTA on THE SHADOW, MIKE GRELL on JON SABLE FREELANCE, HOWIE CHAYKIN interview, DOC SAVAGE in comics, BATMAN ART GALLERY by SIENKIEWICZ, SIMONSON, PAUL SMITH, BOLLAND, HANNIGAN, MAZZUCCHELLI, and others, and a new cover by ADAMS!

#16: ZECK, ARTHUR ADAMS, GUICE, GOLDEN, KIRBY! “Toy Stories!” Behind the Scenes of Marvel’s G.I. JOE™ and TRANSFORMERS, “Rough Stuff” MIKE ZECK pencil gallery, ARTHUR ADAMS on Gumby, HE-MAN, ROM, MICRONAUTS, SUPER POWERS, SUPER-HERO CARS, art by HAMA, SAL BUSCEMA, GUICE, GOLDEN, KIRBY, TRIMPE, & new ZECK sketch cover!

ROY THOMAS, KURT BUSIEK, and JOE JUSKO on CONAN (with art by JOHN BUSCEMA, BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH, NEAL ADAMS, JUSKO, & others), SERGIO ARAGONÉS & MARK EVANIER on GROO, DC’s never-published KING ARTHUR, pencil art gallery by KIRBY, PÉREZ, MOEBIUS, GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, BOLLAND, & others, and a new BUSCEMA/JUSKO Conan cover!

#17: TIMM, HAMNER, INFANTINO, HUGHES! “Super Girls!” Supergirl retrospective with art by STELFREEZE, HAMNER, & others, Spider-Woman, Flare, Tigra, DC’s unused Double Comics with unseen BARRETTO and INFANTINO art, WOLFMAN and JIMENEZ on Donna Troy, Female comics pros Roundtable, Animated Super Chicks, art by SEKOWSKY, OKSNER, PÉREZ, HUGHES, GIORDANO, plus an 8-page COLOR ART GALLERY and COVER by BRUCE TIMM!

COMING SOON FROM TWOMORROWS!

BACK ISSUE! #19 (NOV.)

DRAW! #13 (DEC.)

ALTER EGO #63 (DEC.)

“Unsung Heroes!” DON NEWTON spotlight, GERBER and COLAN on Howard the Duck, CARLIN and FINGEROTH on Marvel’s Assistant Editors’ Month, the unrealized Unlimited Powers TV show, TONY ISABELLA’s aborted plans for The Champions, MARK GRUENWALD tribute, art by SAL BUSCEMA, JOHN BYRNE, unused NEWTON/ RUBINSTEIN cover, and more! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

Step-by-step demo of painting methods by cover artist ALEX HORLEY (Heavy Metal, Vertigo, DC, Wizards of the Coast), plus interviews and demos by Banana Sundays’ COLLEEN COOVER, Pigtale’s OVI NEDELCU, behindthe-scenes on Adult Swim’s MINORITEAM, regular features on drawing by BRET BLEVINS, MIKE MANLEY, links, color section & more! HORLEY cover! Edited by MIKE MANLEY.

Tribute to ALEX TOTH! Neverbefore-seen interview with tons of TOTH art, including sketches he sent to friends! Art by Toth’s influences: CANIFF, SICKLES, COLE, KELLY, BECK, ROBINSON & others! Our annual 1943 pin-up calendar by ALEX WRIGHT, with Miss America, Namora, Sun Girl, Venus, and others as real-life ’40s starlets, FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more! Edited by ROY THOMAS.

(100-page magazine) $9 US

THE KRYPTON MODERN MASTERS ROUGH STUFF! #3 (JAN.) COMPANION (NOW!) VOL. 9: MIKE WIERINGO (NOV.) Galleries of NEVER-SEEN penciled Unlocks the secrets of Superman’s Features an EXTENSIVE, CAREERSPANNING INTERVIEW lavishly illustrated with rare art from Mike’s files, plus an ENORMOUS SKETCHBOOK SECTION with some of his finest work, including UNSEEN AND UNUSED ART! (120-page trade paperback with color section) $19 US

pages, sketches, layouts, and Silver and Bronze Ages, when unused inks by P. CRAIG RUSSELL, kryptonite came in multiple colors MIKE ALLRED, YANICK PAQUETTE, and super-pets flew the skies! and LEE WEEKS, who contribute Features all-new interviews with commentaries on the art, plus a ADAMS, ANDERSON, CARDY, retrospective art gallery on the late GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, GIFFEN, , JOHN BUSCEMA, a new, profusely MOONEY, O’NEIL, OKSNER, illustrated interview with JOHN PASKO, ROZAKIS, SHOOTER, ROMITA JR., a new ROMITA JR. WEIN, WOLFMAN, and others, cover, and more! Edited by BOB plus tons of rare and unseen art! McLEOD. By BACK ISSUE’S Michael Eury! (100-page magazine) $9 US (240-page trade paperback) $29 US

WRITE NOW! #14 (OCT.)

KIRBY COLLECTOR #47 (OCT.)

BRIAN BENDIS interview, STAN KIRBY’S SUPER TEAMS, with LEE, TODD McFARLANE, unseen 1960s Marvel pencil art, a STRACZYNSKI, and others on rare KIRBY interview, MARK writing Spider-Man, pencil art and EVANIER’s column, two pencil art script from MARVEL CIVIL WAR galleries, a complete never#1 by MILLAR and McNIVEN, JIM reprinted 1950s story, author STARLIN on Captain Comet and JONATHAN LETHEM on his Kirby The Weird, LEE NORDLING on influence, an interview with Comics in Hollywood, JOHN JOHN ROMITA, JR. on his work OSTRANDER, and a new ALEX with NEIL GAIMAN on the MALEEV cover! Edited by DANNY Eternals, and more! Edited by FINGEROTH. JOHN MORROW. (84-page magazine) $9 US

(84-page tabloid) $13 US

ALL-STAR COMPANION VOL. 2 (NOV.)

HOW TO CREATE COMICS, FROM SCRIPT TO PRINT TPB (NOW!)

ROY THOMAS’ new sequel, with more secrets of the JSA and ALLSTAR COMICS, from 1940 through the 1980s: Amazing information, speculation, and unseen ALL-STAR COMICS art! Unpublished 1940s JSA STORY ART not printed in Volume One! Full coverage of the 1980s ALLSTAR SQUADRON, with scarce & never-published art! Wraparound CARLOS PACHECO cover, & more! (224-page Trade Paperback) $29 US

SUBSCRIPTIONS: JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR: Four issues US: $40 Standard, $56 First Class (Canada: $64, Elsewhere: $68 Surface, $84 Airmail). BACK ISSUE!: Six issues US: $36 Standard, $54 First Class (Canada: $66, Elsewhere: $72 Surface, $96 Airmail). DRAW!, WRITE NOW!, ROUGH STUFF: Four issues US: $24 Standard, $36 First Class (Canada: $44, Elsewhere: $48 Surface, $64 Airmail). ALTER EGO: Twelve issues US: $72 Standard, $108 First Class (Canada: $132, Elsewhere: $144 Surface, $192 Airmail). FOR A SIX-ISSUE ALTER EGO SUBSCRIPTION, JUST CUT THE PRICE IN HALF!

REDESIGNED and EXPANDED version of the groundbreaking WRITE NOW! #8 / DRAW! #9 crossover! DANNY FINGEROTH & MIKE MANLEY show step-by-step how to develop a new comic, from script and roughs to pencils, inks, colors, lettering—it even guides you through printing and distribution, & the finished 8-page color comic is included, so you can see their end result! PLUS: over 30 pages of ALL-NEW material, including “full” and “Marvelstyle” scripts, a critique of their new character and comic from an editor’s point of view, new tips on coloring, new expanded writing lessons, and more! (108-page trade paperback) $18 US