Alter Ego #87 by TwoMorrows Publishing

Roy Thomas’ Miraculous Comics Fanzine $

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No.87 July 2009

MICK ANGLO’S (AND ENGLAND’S)

MARVELMAN! THE HERO WHO FLEW WHERE CAPTAIN MARVEL DARED NOT TREAD —

82658 27763

—AND CAME OUT THE OTHER SIDE AS MIRACLEMAN!

PLUS:

THE

BATCAVE C O M P A N I O N NOW SHIPPING! Batman. Is he the campy Caped Crusader? Or the grim Gotham Guardian? Both, as The Batcave Companion reveals. On the brink of cancellation in 1963, Batman was rescued by DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz, who, abetted by several talented writers and artists, gave the hero a much-needed “New Look” which soon catapulted Batman to multimedia stardom. In the next decade, when Batman required another fresh start, Schwartz once again led a team of creators that returned the hero to his “creature of the night” roots. Writers Michael Eury (The Krypton Companion, The Justice League Companion) and Michael Kronenberg (Spies, Vixens, and Masters of Kung Fu: The Art of Paul Gulacy) unearth the stories behind the stories of both Batman’s “New Look” and Bronze Age (1970s) comic-book eras through incisive essays, invaluable issue-by-issue indexes, and insightful commentary from many of the visionaries responsible for and inspired by Batman’s 1960s and 1970s adventures: Neal Adams, Michael Allred, Terry Austin, Mike W. Barr, Steve Englehart, Mike Friedrich, Mike Grell, Carmine Infantino, Joe Giella, Adam Hughes, Sheldon Moldoff, Will Murray, Dennis O’Neil, Bob Rozakis, Mark Waid, Len Wein, and Bernie Wrightson. Featuring 240 art- and info-packed pages, The Batcave Companion is a must-have examination of two of the most influential periods in Batman’s 70-year history.

Written by Back Issue’s

MICHAEL EURY & MICHAEL KRONENBERG ISBN 978-1-893905-78-8 $26.95 in the U.S. plus shipping Batman, Robin, and all related characters and indicia are TM & © DC Comics. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.

TwoMorrows. Celebrating The Art & History Of Comics. TwoMorrows • 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA • 919-449-0344 • FAX: 919-449-0327 • E-mail: twomorrow@aol.com • www.twomorrows.com

Vol. 3, No. 87 / July 2009 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 Michael T. Gilbert

Editorial Honor Roll Jerry G. Bails (founder) Ronn Foss, Biljo White Mike Friedrich

Circulation Director Bob Brodsky, Cookiesoup Productions

Cover Artist Rick Veitch

Cover Colorist Tom Ziuko

With Special Thanks to: Wendy Hunt Heidi Amash Jim Kealy Mick Anglo Jay Kinney Frank Bolle Bruce Mason Lee Boyette Harry Mendryk Anthony DeMarias John G. Pierce Michaël Dewally Bob Rozakis Roger Dicken Dr. Peter Schilder Michael Dunne Anthony Snyder Earl Evans Marc Swayze Mark Evanier Dann Thomas Jon R. Evans Jean-Michel Ferragatti Dr. Michael J. Vassallo Hames Ware Todd Franklin Brett Weiss Shane Foley Derek Wilson Janet Gilbert Jim Ludwig Walt Grogan James Zanotto Lawrence P. Guidry Jennifer Hamerlinck

Contents Writer/Editorial: I Smell the Blood of an English Super-Hero . 3 From SHAZAM! to KIMOTA! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Derek Wilson’s overview of England’s Marvelman—the hero who became Miracleman.

Off to Meet the Wizard! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mick Anglo, creator of Marvelman, talks to Roger Dicken about his long and colorful career.

Centaur Spread – Part II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Lee Boyette continues the scintillating saga of the amazing, mysterious Centaur Comics Group.

"I'm Just Glad to Have Been an Artist" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Frank Bolle tells Jim Amash about working for Gleason, Timely, Western, and a zillion newspaper strips.

The Secret History of All-American Comics, Inc. – “The End of the Beginning!” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Bob Rozakis’ account of a lost era—when Green Lantern was Super-Hero #1.

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt! Dr. Lauretta Bender: Comics’ Anti-Wertham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Michael T. Gilbert begins the fascinating tale of the head of DC’s 1940s Editorial Advisory Board.

In Memoriam: Jack Kamen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Comic Fandom Archive: The OAF 40th Anniversary Reunion . 76 Bill Schelly, Brett Weiss, and members of the long-lived Oklahoma Alliance of Fandom.

FCA [Fawcett Collectors of America] #146 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Marc Swayze—plus P.C. Hamerlinck & John G. Pierce on Captain Marvel & Marvelman. On Our Cover: Rick Veitch, one of the most celebrated artists of the Eclipse’s 1980s Miracleman series, recently drew this commission illo of the hero—who of course is England’s 1954-63 Marvelman under a necessarily new name. Besides being a fine piece of art in its own right, it can be appreciated as an homage to Wayne Boring’s oft-reprinted cover for Superman #32 (Jan.-Feb. 1945), seen at left. Hmm… from Man of Steel to Marvelman to Miracleman—not an unfamiliar segue, wot? With thanks to Rick Veitch & collector Derek Wilson. [Marvelman TM & ©2009 the respective copyright holders; Superman cover ©2009 DC Comics.] Above: This illustration of the UK’s successor to Captain Marvel Jr., drawn by Don Lawrence, appeared on the title page of the 1957 Young Marvelman Annual, published by L. Miller & Son Ltd. With thanks to Jim Kealy. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

This issue is dedicated to the memory of

Jack Kamen

Alter EgoTM is published 8 times a year 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 US ($11.00 Canada, $16 elsewhere). Twelve-issue subscriptions: $88 US, $140 Canada, $210 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.

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writer/editorial

I Smell The Blood Of An English Super-Hero C

anada. Mexico. France. Australia.

The comic book super-heroes of these four nations during the era of US comics’ Golden and Silver Ages have been chronicled in earlier editions of Alter Ego, and deservingly so… yet, oddly, it’s taken us 87 issues to get around to featuring the heirs and competitors to Superman who filled the foggy-day skies of Londontown and the rest of England and the United Kingdom.

Oh, we touched on a number of British high-fliers in John G. Pierce’s article “The Over-extended Marvel Family” back in A/E V3#8… and even this issue’s lead articles are concerned mostly with Marvelman and his cosmic-powered kinsmen, who sprang into existence in early 1954 when Fawcett Publications could no longer supply its UK client L. Miller & Son Ltd. with stories of Captain Marvel and company to reprint. We hope that one of these days someone will submit a really good in-depth article about the other super- (and science-fictional) heroes of Britain; but in the meantime, we’re delighted to publish Derek Wilson’s overview of the Marvelman Universe (1954-1963)… as well as my pal Roger Dicken’s recent and never-before-published in-depth interview with MM’s creator, artist/writer Mick Anglo.

Because we were also committed to finishing up Jim Amash’s conversation with Golden/Silver Age artist Frank Bolle from last issue, and the main text of Lee Boyette’s coverage of the 1930s/40s Centaur Comics Group begun two issues back, our letters page sadly got crowded out— just one issue after we actually doubled up on a “re:” section. But P.C. Hamerlinck’s FCA, Michael T. Gilbert’s “Comic Crypt,” Bill Schelly’s account of an Oklahoma comics fan reunion, and the final A/E chapter of Bob Rozakis’ alternate-world history of All-American Publications all made the cut, somehow. What’s more, two of the three pieces in FCA serve as bookends to the issue’s lead articles, dealing as they do with Marvelman and his Merry Olde ilk. All of which should make this serving of Alter Ego, like most others, a bargain in these financially tricky times. Where else, these days, can you get a magazine devoted to the Golden and Silver Ages of Comics? And where can we get readers as supportive as most of you guys out there? Nowhere, that’s where! Bestest,

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From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA! The Sensational Story Of England’s MARVELMAN – The Hero Who Would Become MIRACLEMAN by Derek Wilson

Larue, Monte Hale, Rocky Lane, Rod Cameron, SixGun Heroes, Tom Mix, Tex Ritter, Spy Smasher, and Captain Midnight, as well as the various Captain Marvel-related series—Adventures of Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., The Marvel Family, and Mary Marvel, which were their best sellers—and being just as successful in the UK as in the United States in attracting a large young audience for two weeklies (CM & CMJ) and one monthly comic (MF). Mary Marvel didn’t survive beyond a few Photogravure issues. In an earlier series, Master, Whiz, and Wow were also being reprinted.

arvelman was born of necessity on 3rd February 1954, after Captain Marvel lost his 12-year battle with Superman.

National Comics Publications (now DC Comics) took out a lawsuit against Fawcett Comics in 1941, claiming that the latter’s costumed hero Captain Marvel was an infringement of copyrights and a direct copy of DC’s Superman, despite the obvious differences in the characters. (E.g., Superman was an alien from another planet whose secret identity was merely a change of clothes with his adventures occurring in the “real” world, while Captain Marvel’s alter ego was magical, since he Slipping You A Mick changed back and forth from being a young boy, and Mick Anglo circa 1952—i.e., not long before The largest-circulation periodical in the his storylines were more in the realm of fable and the creation of Marvelman. We’ve avoided, Miller library could not be allowed to die—at fantasy.) The fact that Captain Marvel Adventures so far as possible, repeating images that was outselling Superman for some time in the midleast not without a successor—so writer/artist appeared in the 2001 (but long out of print) 1940s is most likely the real reason the lawsuit refused Mick Anglo was recruited and given the job of TwoMorrows volume Kimota! The Miracleman Companion, by George Khoury; but a few to die, but sales made no difference to the eventual creating an alternative character because the repeats, such as this photo, were outcome, and Fawcett “Captain Marvel” material was unavoidable. Actually, this version of the was forced to hang up running out fast. Anglo’s photo was sent to us from the UK by Roger the cape of the previous work had been with Dicken, whose interview with Anglo begins World’s Mightiest Arnold Miller’s Arnold Book on p. 17, but we preferred to feature it earlier Mortal in 1953 after Company, producing covers rather than later in the issue (though we an expensive struggle for the Len Miller’s “L. will be repeating it later—to show you what that had lasted a Miller & Son” comics. he’s smiling at!). dozen Arnold’s were years. publishing comic titles such as Capt. Valiant, Space Commando, Ace It’s interesting to note Malloy, and Space Commander that even Mad comics Kerry. were giving the The injunction obtained in the lawsuit attention at US had no jurisdiction over here that time, by having in the UK, but of course the their spoof character supply of “Captain Marvel” stories Superduperman defeat would run out before long. The Captain Marbles, who first name change suggested— had given up fighting and most obvious one—was crime to become a finally adopted, with Captain criminal. Marvel becoming Marvelman, In Britain, L. Miller although other names were & Son were reprinting seriously considered, including the Fawcett titles such as Bill Miracleman and Capt. Miracle, Boyd, Bob Steele, Hopalong which were registered as possibilities; Cassidy, Ken Maynard, Lash and Captain Marvel Jr. became Young

Two Of A Kind Fawcett’s original Captain Marvel (drawn by C.C. Beck) and L. Miller’s Marvelman (drawn by Don Lawrence)—side by side. With thanks to Derek Wilson for the images. But then, he informs us that from the entire original Marvelman-and-Family run of 770 comics and 24 annuals, he is missing only two Marvelman issues. We “Americanized” a few English spellings in his article, since the majority of our audience is in the USA. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics; Marvelman TM & ©2009 the respective trademark & copyright holders.]

From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA!

Marvelman rather than Marvelman Junior. [NOTE: Captain Miracle eventually made it into his own title in 1960 under Mick Anglo’s guidance after he had left Miller’s and the Marvelman titles were on the decline; but Captain Miracle consisted primarily of “Marvelman” stories reprinted with subtle changes made to the artwork to eliminate his blond hair and the MM logo. It ran for only 9 issues.] The story came full circle in 1985 when the US company Eclipse Comics renamed “Marvelman” as “Miracleman” when they began reprinting and continuing the brilliant new “Marvelman” series written by Alan Moore, which had originally begun appearing in Dez Skinn’s Quality Comics Warrior magazine in 1982, with superb artwork by Garry Leach and Alan Davis. The name change to Miracleman was to avoid the petty muscle-flexing from Marvel Comics regarding having the word ‘marvel’ on the cover.

The Costumes The uniform change was relatively easy. Captain Marvel’s red suit became Marvelman’s blue one—while Captain Marvel Junior’s blue suit became red for Young Marvelman. The capes disappeared, (which made the artwork easier), and the dark hair became blond. [continued on p. 8]

Color Me Marvelous! (Clockwise from below left:) One of the archetypal covers of the British series: Marvelman, Vol. 2, #138, in his trademark mostly-blue costume—the red-garbed Young Marvelman, Vol. 1, #44 (“for week ending June 19th 1954”)—and Marvelman Family, Vol. 1, #1 (Oct. 1956), which adds Kid Marvelman, who could’ve been nicknamed “The Yellow Kid.” The YM cover is from Ye Editor’s own tiny collection of English comics; the other two were provided by Roger Dicken. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

The Sensational Story Of England’s Marvelman

It’s A Miracle, Man! When Marvelman was revived in the British comics magazine Warrior in the 1980s, then was transmogrified into Miracleman in answer to legal objections from Marvel Comics, he was blessed not only by Alan Moore’s writing but by some of the best of the young artists. (Left to right on this and facing page:) Garry Leach—John Totleben—Alan Davis—Rick Veitch— & Alex Ross. Thanks to Derek Wilson for samples of art from his own collection. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA!

The Sensational Story Of England’s Marvelman

Gag Order Look familiar? Young Micky Moran rips free of his gag on a shard of broken glass—says his magic (we mean, atomic) word—and becomes Marvelman, just in time to survive an explosion. From Marvelman, Vol. 1, #31. Writer & artist uncertain. Dicky Dauntless and Johnny Bates, in turn, spoke Marvelman’s name to become Young Marvelman and Kid Marvelman. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

[continued from p. 5] Mary Marvel suffered a sex change, when her character was replaced in issue #102 by Kid Marvelman, who was given a yellow costume.

Alter Egos The names of the heroes’ secret identities were changed, but they retained the familiar double initial: Billy Batson became Micky Moran… Freddy Freeman became Dicky Dauntless… and Mary Batson became Johnny Bates.

change to Miracleman where, under writer Alan Moore’s guidance, he proved to be the most dangerous opponent that Marvelman could ever imagine. Nor was the dark side of Shazamic history forgotten. Black Adam was transformed into Young Nastyman; he retained his black costume and battled with the Marvelman Family on several occasion. The only characters not to give birth to counterparts were Tawny the Tiger and Mr. Mind, the World’s Wickedest Worm; but that did not prevent other fantastic creatures and villains from appearing on occasion.

The WHIZ radio station where Billy worked became the Daily Bugle newspaper where Micky worked. Attention now came to the magical character old Shazam, who gave Captain Marvel his powers (when Billy shouted his name, of course). The ancient wizard “became” Guntag Barghelt, a “recluse scientist” who had discovered the Keyword to the Universe: KIMOTA! (“Atomic” backwards, with creative license on the spelling). “An Atomic name for an Atomic hero,” they boasted: “Guntag Barghelt, whilst seeking a young lad of Honesty and Integrity to use his Powers only against Evil, is saved from thugs by crew-cut Micky Moran, copy-boy for the Daily Bugle. After treatment in an Atomic machine, Micky only has to shout ‘KIMOTA!’, and at the magic keyword, Atomic Power crashes down and Micky immediately becomes ‘MARVELMAN’, Mightiest Man in the Universe.” The change was nearly complete.

The Villains The main enemies of The Marvel Family had been Dr. Sivana and Sivana Jr. Mick Anglo’s brother came up with the name Gargunza; it sounded right and was accepted. “Dr. Emil Gargunza” and “Young Gargunza” had arrived, to appear in Marvelman and Young Marvelman comics respectively. Dr. Emil Gargunza remained with Marvelman right through to the

Bring On The Bad Guys! Dr. Emil Gargunza (shown on left) took over where Dr. Thaddeus Bodog Sivana left off—while Young Nastyman (on right) was the UK answer to Black Adam. Thanks to Derek Wilson. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA!

The Long Goodbye (Top:) The early L. Miller Captain Marvel Jr. issues had no “Marvelman” connection. (Bottom:) The final issue of Captain Marvel Jr. featured the topline “The Young Marvelman” treated as part of the mag’s title, in order to prepare readers for what, with the next issue, would be the first edition of Young Marvelman. Thanks to Derek Wilson. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

The Change-Over The build-up to the change-over was quite blatant: the last series of Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. were approaching issue #19, so an announcement was made on the Club Page in that issue, dated 23rd Dec 1953, that Billy Batson and Freddy Freeman now wanted to lead normal lives and were giving their powers back to old Shazam, but two splendid chaps had been found to replace them. [A/E EDITOR'S NOTE: See more on pp. 88 ff.] Issues #23 & 24 had the cover titles The Marvelman Capt. Marvel and The Young Marvelman Captain Marvel Jr.; and on February 3rd 1954 the 25th issues of both were the first Marvelman and Young Marvelman titles to hit the stands. The change was a complete success, the format and the price remained the same, 6d, (sixpence), and sales actually increased.

Britain had its first super-hero.

Membership Club The popular Captain Marvel Club and Captain Marvel Junior Club were adapted, with existing members automatically transferred to the new clubs; the membership badge was changed to portray the latest hero, and new readers were encouraged to join. The “Secret Code Message” was retained so that special announcements could be made, to be deciphered only by the initiated members. Later, the decision was made to send members birthday cards from Marvelman and Young Marvelman. I had one when I was a child, but I do not have it now. It would be interesting to know if any of these birthday cards have survived to today.

Extra Title

The Code War The Captain Marvel Club segued over into The Marvelman Club, secret code messages and all! More about the club (and the transfer) in this issue’s FCA section, of all places! Thanks to Derek Wilson. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics; Marvelman art & text ©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Due to popular demand, in October 1956 a new title was released as a monthly alongside the other two weeklies. It was called The Marvelman Family and portrayed adventures of all three members, including Kid Marvelman, who had made his debut in Marvelman #102 on 30th July 1955. Although designated as a monthly, the comic actually ran as 10 issues a year (with no issues for Dec. or Jan.), with a final run of 30 issues in 37 months. The last issue was for October 1959, and was a month late.

The Sensational Story Of England’s Marvelman

Original Sin (As In, “Scintillating”) Writer Derek Wilson has quite a collection of original art from the various vintage “Marvelman” series—as witness these pages by three of their major artists. (Clockwise, from above:) a 1954 “Gladiators” cover by Mick Anglo himself—an action page by Don Lawrence featuring all three of the Marvelman Family—and a 1956 cover (“Hadrian’s Wall”) by Norman Light. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

The Artists Artists on all the titles included Norman Light, Charles Baker, James Bleach, John Whitlock, Stanley White, Denis Gifford, George Parlett, Frank Daniels, Maurice Saporito, and Ron Embleton. There were also Don Lawrence, Roy Parker, and Leo Rawlings, who provided most of the artwork for the Marvelman Family title, which, in my opinion, has the best art of all. (Maybe the reason was that it was monthly?) Mick Anglo himself provided most of the cover artwork.

Merchandise Special “Magic” Painting Books were produced (two Marvelman and two Young Marvelman); only water and a paintbrush were needed to color the pictures, as the paper was impregnated with dried water-color. It is surprising that marketing of associated merchandise was not exploited better, especially with the successful “Eagle” and “Dan Dare” toys in the stores during the same time period. Captain Marvel had been marketed very well here in the UK with

From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA!

Game Over It may be several decades since this “Marvelman Swoops and Rockets” game was merchandised, based on the old Chutes & Ladders… but we appreciate a full-size copy of it being sent by Londoner Jim Kealy. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

sweatshirts, jigsaws, coloring books, toy lead figures, and games, and even better in the USA, with a wonderland of toys and variety of merchandise, including a 12-episode movie serial starring Tom Tyler as Captain Marvel. Even the late, great British comedian/magician Tommy Cooper was a fan of Marvelman comics, as can be seen in his autobiography Just Like That!, which includes an illustration of the splash page of Marvelman #267, wherein MM has been transformed into “Cooperman.”*

The Annuals Following on from the Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. Annuals released by L. Miller’s in 1952, the first Marvelman and Young Marvelman Annuals were released for Christmas 1954. The 1954 and 1955 Annuals were of a larger format than normal, being 10½ inches high x 8 inches wide, with soft card covers and printed spines; 100 pages, price 4/- (four shillings ). Those for 1956, ’57, ’58, ’59 and ’60 were 10 inches high x 7¼ inches wide and were hardbound books with printed spines; 96 pages, price 6/(six shillings ). 1959 was the first Annual on whose cover the year was printed. 1961, ’62, and ’63 were 10 inches high x 7 inches wide, much thinner with hard carded covers with a taped spine; 64 pages. These last ones were * Just Like That! by Tommy Cooper. Published by Jupiter Books (London) Ltd. - 1975

very fragile and would lose pages if opened too far. Two Annuals were released each year from 1954 to 1963, making a total of 20 Annuals, but there was some confusion evident after Mick Anglo left in 1960, because the 1961 Annuals had Marvelman and Young Marvelman on their respective covers, but they had been drawn wearing Capt. Marvel’s and Capt. Marvel Junior’s capes! There were no Annuals dated 1962, but the last four were dated 1963. It is unlikely that all four were issued at the same time, and most probable that they printed the “Xmas 1962” one as a ’63 Annual, which is normal today. So the 1962 Annuals were Marvelman and Young Marvelman, as usual, and the final two for 1963 were Marvelman Family and Marvelman Jr. (Showing that, even at the end, there was still some confusion over the characters’ names without Mick Anglo at the helm.) The Annuals, incidentally, were the only time that the interior stories were printed in color.

Foreign Shores Marvelman comics sold well abroad. All the titles were exported to from the UK to the English-speaking shores of Australia and New Zealand; but in Australia, MM and YM were also being reprinted by Young’s Merchandising Co., Sydney, using cheaper

The Sensational Story Of England’s Marvelman

And All In Color For Six Shillings (Above left:) The cover of the 1957 Marvelman Annual, with art by Don Lawrence. (Right:) A page of original art by “H. Stanley White,” as Derek fully identifies him, from the 1956 Young Marvelman Annual. The Annuals, unlike the regular issues, had interior color. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

stock paper and different artwork for the covers. No numbers known, but issues were recognizable by the 8d (8 pence) cover price. All English issues were 6d. Interesting to note here that throughout the 9-year run the cover price never increased. Other countries were translating the comics into their own languages. In Italy, Marvelman sold well under his own name, and the issues were huge in comparison to the UK comics, nearly a full A3 [11¾” x 16½”] in size, making the artwork very detailed and pleasant to see. (Look at the picture: I have put a UK comic alongside for comparison.) There were only eight Italian issues, but they were 48 pages long and 100% “Marvelman”; no filler stories. There were also two Italian Annuals, again nearly A3 in size, 96 pages and all “Marvelman.” In Brazil, “Marvelman” was published as Marvel Magazine, and he was renamed “Jack Marvel,” with the “MM” logo removed from his chest. There was a mix in each issue of “Capitao Marvel” (+ Jr) and “Jack Marvel” (+ Jr, not Young). I’m not sure how many issues this ran, but issue #61 is dated 1964, so it outlasted the UK run, which finished in 1963.

From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA!

Return I Will—To Old Brazil They’ve got an awful lot of good stuff there—as this montage of Brazilian Marvel covers featuring “Jack Marvel” clearly demonstrates! Thanks, Derek! [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

The End? By the time comic issue #335 was published, sales were on the decline, and at issue #336 (3rd Feb 1960) both titles were changed from weekly to monthly. This was about the same time Mick Anglo left Miller’s, and the reprinting of earlier strips began. Both titles continued as monthlies until #370, which was the final issue, dated February 1963, meaning that the titles ran for 9 years, practically to the day. Total runs were: Marvelman – 346 issues Young Marvelman – 346 issues Marvelman Family – 30 issues 722 comics in all

Captain Marvel Issues (L. Miller) Gift Annual #1 – 1951 - card [cardboard] cover Gift Annual #2 – 1952 – card cover Captain Marvel #1 – 19th Aug. 1953 to #24 – 27th Jan. 1954 Captain Marvel Jr. #1 – 19th Aug. 1953 to #24 – 27th Jan. 1954 Captain Marvel Annual – 1953 – soft cover, spiral bound Captain Marvel Jr. Annual – 1953 – soft cover, spiral bound

Marvelman Bibliography Captain Marvel #19 – 23rd Dec. 1953 First mention of Marvelman

The Sensational Story Of England’s Marvelman

White Pages Here, from Derek Wilson’s extensive collection, are some rough pencils (“prelims”) for a page by Stanley White which features the Statue of Liberty, since many “Marvelman” stories were set in the United States—plus a finished page by the same artist, repro’d from a scan of the original art. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Captain Marvel #24 – 27th Jan. 1954

1956 (hardback) - yellow cover 1957 (hardback) - pink cover

Title change to The Marvelman Captain Marvel

1958 (hardback) - red cover

Marvelman

1960 (hardback) - yellow cover (racing car)

#25 – 3rd Feb. 1954 - first issue, weekly

1959 (hardback) - orange cover

1961 (card cover) - with cape

#102 – 30th July 1955 – first “Kid Marvelman”

1962 (card cover) – printed as 1963

#336 – 3rd Feb. 1960 - title goes monthly

Marvelman Family Annual

#370 – Feb. 1963 - last issue

1963 (card cover) - only issue

Marvelman Family

Marvelman Annual 1954 (soft cover) - Marvelman standing.

#1 – Oct. 1956 – first issue #30 – Oct. 1959 - last issue

1955 (soft cover) - Marvelman flying.

From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA!

Magic Painting Books Marvelman – “Magician” Marvelman – “Giant Flower” Young Marvelman – “Reindeer” Young Marvelman – “In Space”

Captain Marvel Jr. #19 – 23rd Dec. 1953 First mention of Young Marvelman

Captain Marvel Jr. #24 27th Jan. 1954 Title change to The Young Marvelman Captain Marvel Jr.

Young Marvelman #25 – 3rd Feb. 1954 - first issue, weekly #37 – 21st April 1954 - first MM/YM team-up #336 – 3rd Feb. 1960 - title goes monthly #370 – Feb. 1963 - last issue

Young Marvelman Annual

The Golf War We close this overview with a scene of Marvelman on the golf course—a cover quite possibly drawn by Mick Anglo—and, since our two-part Marvelman coverage has crowded out this issue’s letters section, this is likewise where we decided to feature our Australian buddy Shane Foley’s artful homage to same, in which our magnificent “maskot” Captain Ego plays a few super-powered holes—with his young buddy Alter caddying, naturally. [Marvelman art ©2009 the respective copyright holders; Alter & Captain Ego TM & ©2009 Roy Thomas & Bill Schelly; other art in illo ©2009 Shane Foley.]

1954 (soft cover) - YM with alien 1955 (soft cover) - YM with dagger 1956 (hardback) - black cover 1957 (hardback) - blue cover 1958 (hardback) - yellow cover 1959 (hardback) - blue cover (aeroplane) 1960 (hardback) - white cover 1961 (card cover) - with cape. 1963 (card cover) - printed as 1963

Marvelman Junior Annual 1963 (card cover) - only issue

Warrior Magazine #1 – March 1982 – monthly #21 – Nov. 1983 – last issue

Marvelman Holiday Special May 1984 – only issue Derek Wilson has been an avid collector of British and American comics, comic artwork, and toy memorabilia since he Derek Wilson was a child. He has had articles printed in British magazines about similar subjects. He lives in the South of England with two children, a mad Saluki, and a long-suffering and understanding wife.

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Off To Meet The Wizard! A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With MICK ANGLO, Creator Of Marvelman Interview Conducted by Roger Dicken

Transcribed with the aid of Wendy Hunt

INTERVIEWER’S INTRODUCTION

arly one morning in August 2008 I set out on a journey from the historic town of Windsor in Berkshire, where I was staying with friends, having travelled there by train from my home in Wales. I passed the famous royal castle, shrouded in damp February mist, and it was with some trepidation I soon entered the yawning motorway (freeway) entrance signposted for London. The reason for this is, quite simply, I was driving an unfamiliar hired car, and I am the worst navigator in the world!

Marvel-Men Mick Anglo (on left) with fellow artists Don Lawrence (center) and Ron Embleton at a 1970s comics convention held at the Mountview Hotel near Harrow, Mick’s stomping grounds—flanked by (a) an Anglo-drawn 1954 splash panel (“Big Rock Candy Mountain”); (b) “The Black Magic of Benjamin Pip” by Don Lawrence; & (c) the strangely-spelled “Litening” from 1948’s Big Flame Wonder Comic [sic]. Photo courtesy of Mick Anglo. P.S.: All art & photos accompanying this interview have been provided by Roger Dicken (with special help from Wendy Hunt), unless otherwise stated. [Pages ©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

My destination was the county of Middlesex, where I had arranged to visit an absolute legend from the 1950s English comic book and publishing world, one Mick Anglo. He was responsible for entertaining myself and millions of other kids with his imaginative talent in story and art at a time when television did not, as now, dominate our homes or young minds. Although his best-remembered character is Marvelman (the English successor to the original Captain Marvel), during his career he has been responsible for a colossal output of not only comic artistry, but magazines and books of every conceivable kind. Prior to and during the austere post-World War II period in England, reading comics was an absolutely huge entertainment factor for many kids (if publishers could obtain the paper to produce ’em) all the way up from tots to teens. “Swoppin’” them (trading) was a heap big pastime for us juveniles, and this medium of artistic escapism, in which I had been totally immersed in my formative years, was undoubtedly an enormous factor in influencing my own eventual career creating sfx [special effects] for the television and movie industry. I first made contact with Mr. Anglo via the telephone, after luckily obtaining his number, whereupon I had the good fortune to strike up an enjoyable acquaintanceship with this somewhat reclusive man; but up to this time it had only been conducted via the wires and pigeon post. For some while I had been promising our ed., my good friend Roy Boy Thomas, that if I ever got together with this multi-talented ex-dynamo, I would endeavor to obtain his story for Alter Ego. Now, very much looking forward to the occasion, I was at last on my way to actually meet “The Wizard,” Unfortunately, having resided in the wilds and serenity of North Wales for 24 years, my unease, as mentioned, re “freeway” driving, soon proved well founded, and although in my past profession I had been proficient in handling the likes of prehistoric monsters, Dracula, alien creatures, etc., it was not long before I was totally frazzled. With thundering Brontosaurussized continental delivery trucks, multiple junctions, unfamiliar mindblowing signs pointing north, south, east, west, right, left, up, down, and around, I was soon mumbling to myself, “Beam me up, Scotty!” Finally, with the irate wail of a car horn behind me, yours truly lurched into a wrong exit. In the words of the White Rabbit’s song in the classic Disney Alice in Wonderland, I was now cursing, “I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date!”

cap of this extremely versatile entrepreneur of yesteryear. During the interview, I soon discovered that, unlike in the States, due to the way the medium was given little acclaim by the British “Establishment,” Michael was actually not too enamored with his past input into the world of comics and seemed somewhat less than enthusiastic about his contribution. I hastened to inform him that he was probably the only fellow to helm a small viable private studio of artists specializing in this kind of work at that time. He created the British equivalent of the 10¢ US-style publication longed for by thousands of postwar kids here, myself included (albeit they had black-&-white interiors only), who wanted American-style comics as opposed to the British larger format “funnies.” He was also basically responsible for producing an immense number of the Miller family’s comic empire products and thus competed successfully with the mainstream publishing houses. This is evident by the extensive runs of the likes of Marvelman and countless other characters, original and otherwise, that poured forth from his fertile imagination at his first, not too salubrious, premises in the 1950s. Before long the “Wiz” started to pull out some items to show me from a solitary, somewhat disorganized box of paper treats appertaining to his career. Much to my pleasure I perused a number of M.A. loose war comic pages, a set of copies of his color covers for a series of pocket war comic stories, a faded order from a publisher for four books, each of x thousand words, some reprint 1950s Miller Co. Marvelman, and US Six-Gun Hero sixpenny comics. Next, a rare gem, an M.A. original wartime cartoon he drew for the 1945 services magazine S.E.A.C., together with a 1956 Miller Co. pocket Can-Can photo pin-up magazine #1, a series of which he had been editor. This contained four fine girly toons signed with two of his non-de-plumes of which I was unaware. Further, there was a Miller Co. Flix pocket film magazine he had edited and a Classics Illustrated M.A. “comical” version of a Baron Munchhausen comic (with which he presented me) that was published by another company, Thorpe and Porter Ltd., London, price one shilling! Also other interesting miscellanea from his past. Since he has been retired for many years, and though he produced an extraordinary amount of artistry, sadly, Michael does not possess very

Eventually, after a nail-biting detour and with the dashboard clock confirming my folly, I found myself ringing a bell at a very smart complex of apartments, hoping he hadn’t given up and gone out. To my relief the door opened and I was greeted by the “Wiz” himself, a diminutive figure with a warm smile. As I made my apologies, Michael welcomed me with a firm handshake to his spacious and well-laid-out pad with its impressive picture window flooding the room with light. I was soon unwinding and quenching my parched throat with a tall glass of cool orange crush— perfect! At this, my very first meeting with Michael (a man of some 92 summers), whilst chatting away I was reminded that, sadly, today he lives alone, as his wife Minnie now resides in a nursing home. As we discussed this and that appertaining to his work, I was interested to see a large wellstacked bookcase along one wall, stuffed with numerous non-comics publications, many with the spines bearing the author’s name. On top of this, prominently displayed, was a large American resin model of Miracleman (a.k.a. the 1980s US version of Marvelman), plus various photos of his family and of Michael as a young wartime soldier. Along with a few pinup pics by other artists, there was a large 1950s colored “good girl” artwork of Michael’s depicting a truly luscious babe. This was the last remaining original of a number of covers he had drawn for a series of US-style detective yarns he also wrote. Yet another feather in the

The Real MickCoy A photo of Mick Anglo taken by Roger Dicken, February 2008.

Off To See The Wizard!

much of his prolific lifetime’s work. I was extremely sorry to hear him relate the old, old horror story that one day some time ago when moving house, a massive clear-out of original Mick Anglo treasure trove art was lost forever when—wait for it—it was dumped, to end up compressed under tons of refuse in a landfill site……… Amazingly, at such an advanced age and after so much “eye work” over his lifetime, Michael can still read small print without spectacles! Unfortunately, he can no longer draw, and frustratingly he could recount vividly concerning many aspects of his career but on others drew a total blank. However, anything he could and did relate was totally interesting and gratefully appreciated. The following interview is a compilation, encompassing stories related to me during my actual meeting with “the Wiz” on the 11th February 2008, interspersed with information acquired during numerous telephone conversations both before and after, as we have kept in regular contact. I trust readers will accept that I cannot confirm the date order of many of his recollections.

“Keep Your Fingers Crossed!” ROGER DICKEN: So, Michael, we meet at last, and I must say it’s a great pleasure. MICK ANGLO: The feeling is mutual, but I expected to see you with a beard. RD: A beard? Why would you think I’d have that? [chuckle] ANGLO: Well, I thought that anyone who’d been around long enough to know what I got up to all those years ago would surely have one. I’m 92, you know! RD: I admit I have a few years under my belt, but no, I’ve never had a beard and I’m not ready for one yet. Yes, I know you are 92, but I always say you are as young as you feel. ANGLO: Sometimes I feel a hundred and two. Perhaps I should have a beard! [mutual laughter]. RD: At least you are still here, Michael, and in this very pleasant apartment you have. It’s so bright. ANGLO: Yes, but I get very lonely now since my wife Minnie went into a care home at the beginning of the year. We were together for 67 years, and I visit her every day if I can. Anyway, one must soldier on, but it’s difficult. I have a son Brian, but he lives in Spain. However, I’m lucky to have a fine lady called Roseanne who comes in every day to help here; she’s very good. Okay, fire away, but keep your fingers crossed. RD: What for? ANGLO: That I can remember what you want to know! [mutual laughter] RD: Okay. Firstly, where were you born? ANGLO: In Bow, London, registered as the 19th June 1916, but in actual fact it was the 14th, as my father was late in registering my birth. He was a bespoke tailor who served in the First World War in the Royal Army Medical Corps, stationed in Silencia, between Greece and Bulgaria. His specialty was producing outfits for visiting American show biz artists. RD: So you grew up in London? ANGLO: Mostly, but at one period, early on, the family left “The Smoke” and moved to a large flat on Castle Street, Brighton, because my father’s sister lived there with her big family, and he continued in his business by commuting to London. When we moved in, the flat had a lot of curios in

Can Do! Anglo’s career covered a lot more than comics. Here’s an ad for the second issue of L. Miller’s pin-up mag Can-Can, which he edited at one time. Thanks to Mick Anglo. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

it—stuffed snakes, etc., that had been left behind by the previous tenant, who had presumably moved out in a hurry, and I was fascinated by all this stuff… but my mother hated it and threw it out! RD: So how did your education go? ANGLO: First I went to a Catholic Infants school there, St. Margarets, and my teacher was a Miss Elphinstone. Later I was well up in my class, and I recollect that around eight years of age I was given a picture of a man on a horse to copy. I did so, and this was probably my first real drawing, though I recall I didn’t seem to want to do my best, in case they wanted me to do more. [mutual laughter] I suppose even then it was my anti-authority attitude clicking in. When I was around ten, we moved back to London and lived in a house near Aldgate Station. RD: You were something of a rebel, it seems. What about brothers and sisters? ANGLO: Yes, I was the youngest of five boys, and I was always called Sonny. I’ve only two brothers left now—Andrew, who became a book reviewer and lives around the corner, and Sidney, who was a Professor of Ideas and lives near Brighton. Stanley, who had a china and glass company, and Richard, who was in the Air Force, have both gone. RD: Were you always artistic and imaginative?

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

ANGLO: In various ways I suppose, yes. As a kid I had an Erector construction set, like Meccano. I used to build these big models, all metal strips and nuts and bolts, but never got them working. An avid reader, I loved books and was reading the classics at ten. My favorites as a child were a set of Arthur Mees children’s encyclopedias which were full of wonderful pictures, stories, and poetry, etc. I like poetry, as did my mother. RD: That is amazing, I actually have a set of those old books myself, and I agree the artistry is absolutely superb. ANGLO: Yes, and they had beautiful color plates. I learned a lot from them, but when I went into the Army they got ruined by damp mold stored in a cupboard and my mother gave them away for salvage drive. RD: Oh, that was a big shame. I’d hate to lose mine—so it seems you certainly were an imaginative boy. ANGLO: On this point, would you believe that before the war I actually had a couple of flying lessons? An older cousin who worked at an airfield in Shoreham, near Brighton, took me up in a twin-seater AVRO “K” Trainer, and I imagined we were shooting down German Zeppelins out of the wild blue yonder! In fact, I also recall a Zeppelin was shot down and landed at Cuffley [the outskirts of London]. RD: Wow! Some experience for a youngster! What else from your childhood regarding imagination comes to mind? ANGLO: Well, I do recall that when I was at Brighton we had a patch of

garden and, always being interested in history and old times, I started digging, hoping to find some relics. I found some animal bones and, thinking they were perhaps prehistoric, trotted along to the local museum with them, only to be told they were from a cat! [mutual laughter].

“I Was A Fellow Who Did Not Like To Be Tied Down To Anything” RD: I don’t think there ever were any baby sabertooth tigers around Brighton, Michael! Getting back to artistry, do you recall any comics art that inspired you? ANGLO: I remember I liked the Rip Kirby comic strip, and I was also fond of Disney and Felix the Cat cartoons. Possibly why later in life I had an affinity for cats, having had a number as pets, and one was even called Felix. Another inspiration was Western films. I loved Tom Mix, and I used to watch his films at the Academy Cinema in Brighton. It was strange I would get to handle comics in that genre later on. RD: I presume you are talking about the Miller Co. reprints of the American Fawcett Western lines you worked on? ANGLO: Yes, that’s right. Around ten or eleven, I went to school at Dulwich Junior Counties Elementary; and, regarding art, I think I started sketching seriously there. I then went to the Central Foundation Grammar School at Cowper Street in London, and from there won a scholarship to the Sir John Cass Art School in Aldgate, London. I guess I was a fellow who did not like to be tied down to anything, because possibly I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I often played hookey and went to the docks in Surrey to watch the workings, etc., sometimes swiping apples or oranges from the cargoes when the chance arose. RD: Do you think the books and movies you liked registered in any way re your future artistry? ANGLO: Yes, I suppose along with everything else they did. Although I had artistic ability, I didn’t have a lot of direction at that time, it seems. For example, I also engaged in boxing and was quite involved with it. RD: Boxing! That’s a strange contradiction for one of artistic bent. Weren’t you worried about injuring your hands? ANGLO: No, I never gave it any thought. Although I must say my father disapproved of it. I boxed as a flyweight and really enjoyed the sport. My favorite hero was Jack Dempsey. I left school at 18, but there was very little work about and I was actually on the dole for quite a time. I recall I did eventually utilize my artistic skills as through my own endeavors I secured some freelance work drawing clothing designs, which I used to sell to a London fashion house at 2 shillings and sixpence each, [17.5p in today’s money], usually a dozen at a time. I learned later that some of my designs went to Vienna, France, and Budapest. By now, girls were on the scene, and I dated one at the fashion house. RD: Ah-hah. Nature’s inevitable “distraction” had arrived! [mutual laughter] ANGLO: Yes, that’s right… and I must confess I spent all my money taking her “Up West” in London. She was a very lovely girl. RD: Good for you. You’re only young once. So what other artistic work did you do around then?

ANGLO: You know, this is going a long way back for me to remember. I have all these memories, but these days they are all scrambled up together. I recall I also produced a very nice poster for the Balsom Shoe Co. in those days, now defunct. It was a picture of a big shiny boot with appropriate text, etc. I think it went into various magazines. I was also still

Off To See The Wizard!

boxing, by the way, and enjoying myself. RD: Did you ever get knocked out? ANGLO: No, never. I was a hard fellow to hit. Since there was little work around, creative or otherwise, I tried to join the Palestine Police, of all things, but didn’t have the requisite £15.00 to do so. If that had come off, then goodness knows where I would have ended up. I then tried to join the Rhodesia Defence Corps [now Zimbabwe], but I couldn’t ride a horse, so that was a no-no, too. RD: Did you eventually ride horses? ANGLO: Yes, in my dreams—they were all nightmares. [mutual laughter] Around 23, I enlisted in the Army at Oxford. I joined up practically the day war broke out and was in it until the end. RD: What section were you in? ANGLO: The Royal Welsh Fusiliers, as an Infantryman. I trained for a year and a half in the DYRMS [Duke of York’s Royal Military School]. I was a good soldier, but I must confess at times I would get a bit restless and go AWOL for a couple of days, whereupon on my return I usually talked my way out of a stiff punishment.

“A Touch Of Bad Luck” RD: I understand the Great War and the Second World War, in which you were actually involved, have both had an enduring influence on your life? ANGLO: Yes, something of a passion of mine, such dramatic periods in our history, and I have many books on the subject, as you can see on my shelves. I have to say that now I find it hard to believe that once, as a young soldier, I was kicking burning incendiary bombs into Tilbury Docks during the Blitz. I actually got married in 1940. I had special leave and went to Brighton for my honeymoon, where it was quieter. RD: Hence your huge output in the war genre in comics years later. ANGLO: Yes, I produced an awful lot of art on the many aspects of it, for sure. In fact, here’s a page from a Fleetway comic The Adventures of the S.A.S. Fighting Regiments of Special Units of WWII. RD: That’s very nice, Michael… great characters. I believe you did a series of cartoons for some papers in wartime, also? ANGLO: Yes, quite a number, as I

Soccer To Me! Anglo may have been a boxer in his youth, but later wrote and drew Marvelman indulging in various sports. In this 1956 cover the Mightiest Man in the Universe takes part in a soccer game. Anybody want to bet the score tallies weren’t a bit higher than usual? With thanks to Derek Wilson. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

thought they would entertain and give personnel a lift during that stressful time. RD: It seems a pencil was never out of your hand, come what may, and despite those dark days you came through unscathed yourself. ANGLO: No, not exactly. Due to a touch of bad luck—though mild compared to some—I didn’t. I’ll tell you what happened, but first I must say that due to it the artistic side of my character came to the fore and I gained from the situation. I was sent to Dunkirk in the Commandos, to be stationed at Bechan in Normandy, but as it transpired the troops were being lifted off the beaches and sent back, and I was returned with them to Dover. Though having said that, I can say today I did actually serve at Dunkirk! RD: How was that, then? ANGLO: Well, after my return I served at various camps all around Britain, and once I was actually stationed at a place near Canterbury which was called, would you believe, Dunkirk! We were all at a bit of a loose end at times then, and I went AWOL again on occasion. RD: So how about that bad luck?

War Hero In the 1950s, Marvelman’s adventures were backdated to World War II in a special series titled Marvelman at War. The numbering, however, was apparently integrated with that of the regular series. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

ANGLO: I was stationed at Arundel in Sussex, and it was a bitterly cold winter. Whilst sleeping alongside a Bren Gun carrier I woke up with ice all over my great coat, and it transpired I had frostbite in my toes. I had to have my boots literally cut off me. The upshot was, my toes were in a pretty bad state, but luckily a friendly officer, realizing the implications of this, arranged for me to be transferred to the Far East for the rest of my service time, where the climate would be better for my feet. RD: How are they today? ANGLO: They have played me up somewhat all my life, and they are not so good at present. Recently I have had to have antibiotics for a flare-up. It’s one of those things, but I don’t let it get to me. RD: So we are at the stage when Anglo’s still in the war but in the warm!

produced a cartoon using colored pencils of Mountbatten which was reproduced in black-&-white for the paper, and although he was known never to sign anything, he autographed the original of it for me. Unfortunately, the process white paint base I used eventually flaked off, so along with it went his signature! RD: That was rather unfortunate—what’s known as sod’s law, I suppose. But how did you find Mountbatten himself? ANGLO: Oh, so-so. I didn’t really have much to do with him personally, you understand. I must still have the cartoon, but unfortunately it’s buried somewhere. On one occasion the SEAC paper actually had eight of my cartoons in a double-page spread in the middle of it. I don’t know what happened to that, but here’s one that did survive from 1945, all yellow with age.

ANGLO: Though somewhat curtailed from then on. I served in Singapore, Ceylon, India, Sri Lanka, and Burma. All over the place, though I can’t remember half the things that happened, as you will appreciate. I do recall I met the American actor Jackie Coogan somewhere, How these things pop out.

RD: That’s really neat, Michael. Could I please take a copy of it?

RD: And I hope they keep poppin’. [mutual laughter] Coogan was the kid from the Charlie Chaplin films.

RD: So, now we’ll skip along to after the war. Regarding this Frank Owen and future employment, what transpired?

ANGLO: That’s right. Such memories. I also went about with the American “Ranger Commando Group,” and one day we saw a black panther sitting cleaning itself. I found it fascinating to study its form in real life, seeing as I like cats. I was also with the SBS (Special Boat Section Commandos) in Group No. 5, and I was on reconnaissance trips in canoes in Burma.

ANGLO: Oh, nothing came of it, but that’s life. People meet, promises are made, and then they are gone, especially in wartime—but from the experience with him ideas were certainly forming in my head, and I had to knuckle down to earn a living, as I was married. I started to draw

ANGLO: Yes, of course you can.

“I Had To Knuckle Down To Earn A Living”

RD: Your memory is better than you realize, Michael. Now, wasn’t it around here you did those cartoons for the papers? ANGLO: Yes. You’re ahead of me now, because this is what I was referring to when I mentioned gaining from my misfortune. Due to the frostbite leading to my necessary transfer abroad, one day I found myself stationed in Sri Lanka as a cartographer at Earl Mountbatten’s headquarters in his topographical outfit. I was making important overlays of maps for the invasion of Malaya… and if anyone’s interested, historically, we used a clear product called Kodatrace, which could prove a pain, as we discovered it would stretch one way and shrink the other, which was not conducive to getting perfect scale. RD: So the Mick Anglo artistic flair was being well utilized. ANGLO: Yes, I had been drawing some fun cartoons of fellows and this and that on the side as you do, and I met a fellow called Frank Owen who had worked for the Daily Mail in Fleet Street in editorial capacity before the war. He was involved with the Army newspaper SEAC (South East Asia Command), and through him I got the opportunity to do some regular cartoons for SEAC. At the time he even hinted that possibly postwar he might find me a job with the Daily Mail. I even

A Postwar Panel A photo of Mick in uniform that sits in his home today (Roger apologizes for the reflection glare)—and a 1945 cartoon done for the British armed services newspaper for its South East Asia Command. With thanks to Mick Anglo; photo of photo taken by Roger Dicken. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Off To See The Wizard!

And This Was Just The Living Room! A vintage photo of the late British comics historian Denis Gifford with a tiny fraction of his legendary collection.

cartoons on various subjects in earnest and experimenting with comic strips, etc., and the first company I approached was a little independent outfit run by a fellow named Gerald Swan. RD: I am a very big fan of his publications and have quite a collection of his annuals.

ANGLO: Yes, Denis was a walking encyclopedia on the subject of comics. He collected anything and everything. He married a Greek girl, I recall, and had a daughter, but the marriage was a disaster. He was good at cartooning and funnies but not so hot on the realistic side of things, though he did do work for me on T.V. Features comic, among others. RD: And what came next, Michael? ANGLO: I think then I worked for a chap, Leon Rudolph, at Bishopsgate. All his comics were prefixed Happy Times, Jolly Times, Merry Times, etc. All humorous stuff. I was then employed by the Martin Reid Company. It’s strange that I remember the outfits but not all the products. Another company I drew for early on was Paget Publications. The boss, a very nice man called Max Usher, had a partner by the name of Maggs. I actually worked in a big room on the ground floor in Max’s own house in Chiswick. Each day he would have a fire burning in the grate and a pot of tea on for me. Max was another odd bod. He was always taking me away from the work to go out for a drink, etc. On one occasion we visited some exhibition or other, but all this broke my chain of thought. I drew a lot of cartoon books for him, essentially one-offs. The “Paget this” and the “Paget that,” etc. I also drew a Wonderman comic; he was a super-hero type, I recall. I recall that the character wore a cloak! RD: How long a run did you do?

RD: So I believe—today, and tediously so, a lot of his stuff is considered definitely not p.c. [politically correct]. Do you remember what you did for him?

ANGLO: Four or five issues only, I think. Wonderman was in two colors, red and blue, and he was on the front and back cover of the comic, that I do remember. Inside, I drew “Nip McGee, Detective” and a Western strip on famous Canadian cowboy Norman Harper and his horse Starlight as they toured here. I met him on a number of occasions. Eventually, though, I fell out with old Max, as he wanted me to draw exclusively for him, which I declined to do.

ANGLO: Absolutely not, I did a few pages of something-or-other, who knows! But strangely, what I do remember is that Swan was something of a keep-fit nutter and was actually out jogging the day I turned up for my interview, so I had to wait for him!

RD: I seem to recall reading that around 1949 Paget Publications reduced their comics to concentrate on novels and girly mags, eventually taking a crack at the soft-porn variety of magazine, and finally wound up [ceased publication] in the early 1960s.

RD: Well, he may have been a quirky publisher, but when he retired he was driving an old Roller [Rolls Royce], I understand.

ANGLO: Is that so? I had no idea. Where do you get your information?

ANGLO: Yes, he would take almost anything you produced if it was half reasonable, and he paid cash in the hand.

ANGLO: Was he? Well, my pages must have contributed to that luxury. [mutual laughter] RD: But, as with yourself, he gave a start to a lot of artists who went on to better things. One, for example, was the late Ron Embleton. ANGLO: I met up with Ron at a comic convention some years back, along with one of my ex-Marvelman artists, Don Lawrence. I was on the panel, having been cajoled into attending by yet another of my ex- artists, the late Denis Gifford. Ron, by the way, had his glamorous model Wanda with him. [A/E EDITOR’S NOTE: See photo on first page of this interview— but sadly, minus Wanda.] RD: She must have been the inspiration for his Wicked Wanda girly magazine strip [in Penthouse magazine] in later years. I’ve actually got the spin-off book that was published on her. Did you know that Don Lawrence was gone, also? He died December 2003, aged 75. ANGLO: No, I wasn’t aware of that. Although it’s to be expected in view of the passing years, and in any event I lost contact with all of them. RD: Regarding Denis Gifford, I met him when he was on holiday in Burbank, California, by chance, back in the 1980s. He became Britain’s top comic historian and wrote a number of books on the genre. I have some of them. Did you know that when he died they removed his collection by, unbelievably, three truckloads, and these were sold off in around three separate auctions? His whole house was crammed from floor to ceiling.

RD: I’ll do a Mick Anglo—I don’t remember! [mutual laughter] Speaking of cowboys, did you meet Tex Ritter when he came over? ANGLO: Yes, I really liked that fellow. He starred in a Western Spectacle at Haringay Arena, and ultimately there were comics, books, etc., and the proverbial cowboy suit produced for merchandising. RD: Fascinating stuff. Anyway, what was your next move? ANGLO: I must tell you I also diversified into other things at one time. A fellow I knew had set up a small toy company, and I modeled some Punch and Judy heads in plasticine to enable him to have molds made for reproduction. I think it was also around then I went back to work for the Martin Reid Co. who gave me a better cash offer. That wasn’t the fellow’s real name, by the way; it just sounded good. I did a comic called Happy Yank, and while working for them the next thing I know Max Usher knocked on my door wanting me to go back with him, but again I declined. RD: I think Martin & Reid put out a lot of paperbacks, didn’t they? ANGLO: Yes, they did. I was employed as editor on a lot of their products, and whilst there I also actually wrote some Westerns and 13 pseudo-American detective-style paperback novels about a private eye called Johnny Dekker. The first book was entitled The Siamese Cat. It sold like hotcakes in Woolworth’s at sixpence each, and I did two or three a month. Also, as the publishers at the onset wanted a cover for the first one, I drew it and then ended up doing all 13 of them. RD: Not an unlucky number for you at the time.

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

Heroes By (And For) The Pound Three Mick Anglo warm-ups for Marvelman—namely, Paget Publications’ Wonderman (1948) and Martin & Reid Ltd.’s Captain Zenith (1950), as pictured in Denis Gifford’s 1992 book Super Duper Supermen!, from Ye Ed’s own collection—plus a photo of the proof (“test card”) of Mick’s cover for The Hollywood Horrors, one of the baker’s dozen “Johnny Dekker” private eye novels which Mick wrote for Reid. Photo by Roger Dicken. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

ANGLO: It would seem so. RD: Did you retain any of the original cover art? ANGLO: Only that unfinished test card on the bookshelf there, entitled The Hollywood Horrors. RD: Wow, that’s a very curvy girl you drew, Michael. ANGLO: I had fun drawing those. They were one and half times size up. I wish I could still draw, but I can’t anymore. RD: What was your next project? ANGLO: Well, I’d had a lot of experience by then, both in art, writing and the publishing business in general and so decided to set up working for myself with three other artists in a place between Fleet Street and Charterhouse Street off Smithfield in London, just supplying our art to various publishers. I must have been in my early thirties. One artist named Bailey was also an acrobat; the other, Jack Potter, was a brilliant letterist, and the third, by the name of Sheuster, was great at air-brushing. Later down the line I employed him at times when producing Marvelman at Gower. RD: And what were you drawing?

Off To See The Wizard!

ANGLO: We worked on a cartoon comic series something like the American Katzenjammer Kids and, oh yes, also a comic native item or something. It’s all so long ago. I do recall we were raked over the coals by the wretched Tax Office for some misdemeanor or other during that enterprise, but I talked them out of it. Anyway, that folded, and later on I did some comic work for a small publisher named Peters who was ex-RAF. He had a set-up under the old railway arches at Bethnal Green, London. During the war he was coming out of an Air Force canteen when a lone German fighter on its way back to base from a raid strafed the air field, and in the explosion he lost an eye—real bad luck. Anyway, I worked on some reprint USA Tarzan comics for him around 1951.

“L. Miller & Son” RD: So now, Michael, I’d like to discover how Fate chose you to helm a studio of artists to create. numerous original space comics, etc., together with your most widely known character, Marvelman, for the Miller Publishing Co.? ANGLO: I thought you’d get round to that. [mutual laughter] RD: For sure! Let’s face it, Miller’s was a unique family-run outfit. They sold a vast array of publications, including the Fawcett range of titles from the States, the Charlton brand, and a whole gamut of other publications. Yours was probably the only little independent company competing successfully with the mainstream publishers in Britain. Can you cast your mind back and tell me how your legendary set-up came about? ANGLO: Well, firstly, there is a strange coincidence. You see, Len Miller, the boss, started out literally as a street trader by selling various smalltime British publications and American import titles brought over as ballast on ships. He sold these from two humble canvas-topped stalls situated on the corner of Cambridge Road in White Chapel, London, in the 1920s. RD: White Chapel! The haunt of our notorious Victorian “slasher,” Jack the Ripper!

The House Of M—Marvelman, That Is! A 1960s photo of the warehouse-style building on Hackney Road, London, that housed L. Miller & Son Ltd.—and which we assume was also home to the publisher in the ‘50s. Thanks to Mick Anglo & Roger Dicken.

ANGLO: That’s right, never to be forgotten! Well, as a schoolboy, on Saturdays I used to buy from Len small serialized Western comics from the USA at 1d each [that’s an old English penny], little realizing that years later I would be actually working for him and ultimately assisting in the creation of the publishing empire he developed, selling what I produced at the Gower Studios, including, of course, Marvelman comics, etc. I loved reading those old yarns and would go home, sit on my bed, and devour them! RD: So how did your working association start with the Millers? ANGLO: As I recall, it was a still drab postwar Britain, and I’d been doing this, that, and the other to keep body and soul together. One day in the early 1950s, my next-door neighbor showed me a couple of bright American-style comics bearing the distinctive triangular logo L. Miller & Son, an English company, with a 6d price on them, and he suggested I check them out for some further artistic work. I duly visited their warehouse headquarters in Hackney Road, London, and was fortunate to meet the son, one Arnold Miller, who, it turned out, had formed his own branch of the company to publish original British space comics, as the bulk of the lines up until then were American reprints, such as Captain Video. Anyway, he was raring to do a series under his own banner “ABC” (Arnold Book Co.), and I was very interested, as you can imagine. RD: So you turned up at the right place at the right time—very fortuitous! ANGLO: Well, I showed him some of my work I’d brought along, though what it was escapes me, and he was suitably impressed. It was then, during discussions, to my surprise I discovered that the boss, Arnold’s father Len, was in fact the same man who once sold me comics as a kid! There was also Len’s wife Florence and his daughter, though her name escapes me. RD: Just uncanny. I believe in life we are sometimes led by unseen hands. It seems you were, that day!

Gower Of Power Movie-making Hollywood had its “Gower Gulch”—and in the early ‘50s Mick Anglo had his Gower Street Studios. Seen here in a photo taken there in 1954 are Roshan Kanga, “letterist,” and Mick’s artist assistant Margaret Paton (seated). Note the male pin-up (or is it artistic reference?) in the background. Thanks to Mick Anglo.

ANGLO: Well, maybe, but after some in-depth discussions re could I create such-and-such and find other artists, etc., things started to buzz, and very soon I formed Mick Anglo, Limited, and found myself searching for suitable premises for a studio. Eventually I located some rooms at the top of a rickety flight of stairs in an old building at 164 Gower Street, London NW1, long since demolished, which became the Gower Street Studios. RD: You were now going up in the world! [mutual laughter]

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

ANGLO: I had four rooms, and I engaged a secretary, one Margaret Paton, a Canadian girl from Ontario who was very prim and proper, very bright, and also an artist. A lot of Fawcett’s original Western comic plates were arriving at Millers minus the cover, so we had to literally create new ones. I’d pick a lead frame from one of the comics and blow this up, work on it, add a title and lettering and, of course, the Miller “triangle” logo. Margaret did fine work in coloring and making acetate overlays on those covers, but eventually she returned to Canada. The variety of Western comics was huge: Tom Mix, Hopalong Cassidy, Rex Allen, Gabby Hayes, Ken Maynard, Tex Ritter, Lash Larue, Rod Cameron, Monte Hale, Rocky Lane, etc., etc. RD: So, from Wild West to Outer Space—tell me how you kick-started Arnold’s English sci-fi comics genre. ANGLO: I had set to in earnest to find and recruit freelance artists. We advertised, some were recommended, others actually turned up at the door, so some sort of word had got round. I gave many individuals their start in the business on these and ultimately others. The first title was Space Captain Valiant [Ace] of the Interplanetary Police Patrol (Captain Victor of I.P.P.). These were priced at 6d [sixpence] and contained 28 pages. They had colored covers and black-&white interiors. Valiant was drawn by an ex-soldier, Roy Parker, who had served in Paiforce in Iraq. His art was a little cartoony, I recall, and I think he also did Space Commander Kerry, the second Arnold comic. Another artist, Colin Page, followed him and drew most of that series from then on. Such was the popularity of the Valiant comics that very soon toy companies, in association with Miller, were manufacturing everything from our ray guns to space suits. My little son Brian enjoyed wearing his, I recall. One popular strip was the “Insecto” serial, where giant insects attack Earth. Colin rode a motorbike in those days, and he carried his artwork in a metal tube strapped to his back.

pound [£1.00] per page of art? ANGLO: No, as I recall it was £2.00 a page in those days. RD: What subject do you consider you were personally best at drawing? I.e., animal, vegetable, or mineral—or variations thereof? ANGLO: Anything. I would adapt to anything that was required. I used to specialize in reproducing various artists’ styles—in fact, I would have made a good forger! [mutual laughter]. RD: Did you have any particular preference for art materials in those days? ANGLO: Our pencils were the usual, HB – B grade. We used mainly Winsor & Newton brand ink and often mixed egg white and water color for gouache. Our drawings were one and a half times up the size of comic page. Another product we had was little pads of various colored paper like sheets. You could tear one off, soak it in water, and you had instant color to paint with. RD: I know you produced subjects like Robin Hood, Pirates, and Dick Turpin. Did you ever cover any horror comic art? ANGLO: No, I never tackled that subject. RD: My two favorite horror comics from Miller’s were the reprints of the

RD: Giant insects became very popular in movies, of course. Didn’t that “Insecto” strip also run in the ABC Cinema chain’s monthly Film Review magazine? Now I think of it, perhaps that was also produced by the Arnold Book Company? ANGLO: I’ve no idea. Regardless, Colin also drew Space Pilot Rafe Marlow and the fourth comic, Ace Maloy—MIG fighters in Korea and all that stuff. Ace had a postal kids club with badges and merchandise, etc., run by Miller’s. Another character was Captain Universe. RD: What became of Colin Page? ANGLO: Eventually he left and bought a place near Brighton and set up in some sort of gift business, but that’s all I remember of him. RD: Who do you consider was your best artist? ANGLO: My best artist was one George Parlett. He had a great sense of humor, was quick, and could draw anything. I had two girls and often three or four artists working there at times, and I think in all we had around ten freelance artists in our heyday. RD: George had an artist brother, Reg, of course. ANGLO: Yes, but he didn’t work for me.

“Do Not Forsake Me…”

RD: What did artists earn in those days, Michael? I’m led to believe it was a

Mick’s work with the English reprinting of Fawcett’s Western comics led to his meeting Tex Ritter when the movie and recording star came to Londontown in 1952, ten-gallon hat and all. Thanks to Mick Anglo. Above is a page from Tex Ritter Western, Vol. 2, #12 (Aug. 1952), which was probably re-issued by L. Miller. Artist & writer uncertain. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Off To See The Wizard!

thus Miller’s, in turn, wouldn’t receive further supplies of the comic plates to print Captain Marvel. They held the license to reprint the comics in Britain, and he was one of their very lucrative lines. This created big problems! RD: Obviously a giant spanner in the works. I understand they had been putting out British reprints of Captain Marvel comics since 1949 and they had various Marvel postal fan clubs running for all the kids. ANGLO: Absolutely right, and this would mean those clubs would have to fold also, creating a further problem with regard to all the kids that had paid to join. So boss Len needed a substitute real fast and could I come up with something? I went back to Gower and, although I was very busy with all sorts of other stuff, I gave it very considerable thought and eventually came up with

This Space For Sale! Two of Anglo’s science-fiction heroes pre-Marvelman were Captain Valiant (from Arnold Book Co.) and Miller’s Space Commander Kerry. Both heroes seem to be adapting Wayne Boring Superman poses of the era. Incidentally, the last name of the “Arnold” of the Arnold Book Company was… Miller! Repro’d from Denis Gifford’s 1992 Space Aces! A book of 30 Postcards. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

US Prize Comics Frankenstein, with art by Dick Briefer, and also their Black Magic reprints; these are still very collectible. How did a typical working day start at Gower? ANGLO: We had quite a loose set-up there in those days. No fixed rules. Some artists would write their own stories. We’d sit around a table and pitch a few ideas, sometimes with a glass of wine or two, and get going. It would take a week with various artists to produce a complete issue of a comic which would include, say, the secondary Western story plus fillers, etc., and the color cover. I would write some of the stories and often produce the covers, which were colored by my assistant Margaret. On occasion I would work all night in order to get the job done, but only at home, as things could get very hectic at times. RD: I presume you also employed writers? ANGLO: No, we never did. RD: What did it cost to produce a comic in those days? ANGLO: With my overheads and Miller’s expenses, etc., I think each issue cost around £75.00-£100.00 to produce before printing. Miller’s used a number of printers; they even had stuff done in France.

“Come Over, Mick—Urgent—Very Urgent!” RD: Okay, now—it’s time to ask how did mighty Marvelman and Co. arrive and become an integral part of British comic history? ANGLO: Well, one day in late 1953, I think, the Millers rang me to say, “Come over, Mick—urgent—very urgent!” I went to the warehouse premises, and much consternation! Len was in a right old mood. It seemed that in the USA Fawcett had lost a court fight with Superman comics, etc., and could no longer market their Captain Marvel character;

Parlett Games Mick’s favorite among the numerous artists who worked on comics with/for him over the years, as he says on p. 26, was George Parlett. Seen here is a “Young Marvelman” splash page by Parlett. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

RD: And it was one Dicky Dauntless of the Transatlantic Messenger Service who would shout “Marvelman!” to become Young Marvelman, and a boy Johnny Bates who would become Kid Marvelman by also shouting “Marvelman!” ANGLO: That’s how it was. RD: On the subject of artists, what was your opinion of the original Fawcett’s American art of Captain Marvel and company, as drawn by C. C. Beck and Marc Swayze? ANGLO: Superior artistry and very consistent work! We couldn’t match it, but we produced Marvelman to the best of our ability, and as history shows, our comics were very popular in their own right. Children embraced him, confirmed by the very long runs of what we would produce; but, as you said, there were the postal fan clubs, and Miller’s had to wind down the Captain Marvel and [CM] Junior Clubs and turn all existing members over into a new Marvelman Club, plus drum up new members along the way for him. But it all seemed to go smoothly. RD: I understand that both the Captain Marvel and Junior Clubs ceased and become Marvelman and Young Marvelman Clubs around January 1954, and there were some 6,000 members registered. For sure, Marvelman was very popular,

The Hero That Dare Not Speak His Name Messenger boy Dicky Dauntless says his own atomic word, “Marvelman,” to become Young Marvelman. Just like his precursor, Captain Marvel Jr., he was a hero who couldn’t say his own name without changing personas! From Young Marvelman, Vol. 1, #44 (June 19, 1954). Artist unknown. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

the idea of a Brit clone. I worked out a storyline, and so it was that Micky Moran, a teenage copy boy at The Daily Bugle, becomes Marvelman by shouting the all-power-producing word “KIMOTA” which of course is ATOMIC spelt backwards, using K for a stronger sound. RD: I think that word was a stroke of genius, Michael—just fabulous— and equal, if not superior to, Captain Marvel’s “Shazam!” The atomic connotation for his superhuman power, besides the reversal novelty value, is brilliant, and dare I suspect, it’s also more than a coincidence that the boy’s name was Micky! [mutual laughter]. ANGLO: You can suspect what you like! [more laughter] Do you know that countless individuals didn’t twig the hidden meaning? They would evidently write in to ask, what does “Kimota” mean?! RD: You know, I really can’t recall if I had ever twigged that when I got to read some of the comics. Of course, then you had the other family members to create. ANGLO: That’s right. Marvelman and Young Marvelman were weekly comics and Marvelman Family were monthly and we had the Annuals to produce alongside. So with all these new characters we needed more artists, and that was a further task on my back. In fact, my brother Andy would also write stories for us.

It’s A Bird… It’s A Plane… It’s Marvelman! The cover—drawn by Don Lawrence—of the 1958 Marvelman Annual, with inset panels featuring the hero in combat with his nemesis Dr. Gargunza and saving a trapped woman. Repro’d from Denis Gifford’s Super Duper Supermen! [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Off To See The Wizard!

named by many as the first English super-hero and clocking up some 370 issues as it did. ANGLO: I don’t remember any of that or the exact dates and everything, but I think I worked on Marvelman for about nine years. Anyway, after a while things got extremely busy at Gower, and besides being somewhat cramped up there, with so many irons in the fire, I moved to better premises in 1955. RD: That would be 50 Hampstead Road NW1, I guess. ANGLO: Yes, and again I was on the top floor of the building. On the floor below me was a young friend, Douglas Endersby, who had a publicity set-up and shared it with a couple of scriptwriters. I had known him for a few years, and he was in fact often in and out up at Gower Street getting me to do various little jobs for him. I had met him when I did some work on The King Of The Cowboys Sheriff, which he was the editor of, for Screen Stories of Barrett Mick (center) flanked by Roy Rogers (he’s the one in the hat) and Mick’s own pal, Street. Douglas had run the Roy Rogers cowboy fan club in publicity man Douglas Endersby. Photo taken in 1952, and provided by Mick Anglo. Britain and published a club magazine The Roy Rogers Review, and it was through him I met Roy in 1952. On the next floor originally a journalist who worked for Fleetway Publications. He wrote in down was a very busy photographic studio, and on the ground floor was a a somewhat old-fashioned style, I recall, and his sub-editor was one, photographic shop. coincidentally, Tony Miller who was no relation of the Miller family. Endersby eventually went into the property business and became a millionaire and as I recall drove a white Rolls Royce! But as with so many I lost contact with him. However, I did work with Douglas producing the Flix film magazine. We utilized the services of the photographic studio below for that, and later when I became editor of Miller’s pocket pin-up mags, Can-Can and such, engaged their glamour models for photo shoots. I think the fee was around a guinea an hour in those days (one pound one shilling or £1.05p in today’s money!) RD: Oh ho!—So your work wasn’t all comic super-heroes! [mutual laughter]

RD: I thought the Annual was beautifully produced, very vibrant colors inside and a good mix of features, etc., throughout with a fine space game in the centre. It had a lot of charm. ANGLO: I’m glad you think so. RD: Charm is an ingredient sadly lacking in so many comics today. It’s a big shame that Marvelman comics were not in full color, as this would add to the enjoyment when perusing them. ANGLO: It was purely a matter of cost.

“There Were Many Other Artists”

ANGLO: Far from it. In actual fact here’s a copy of Can-Can I dug out from somewhere. There was also a lot of show biz people and celebs coming and going from film and TV, such as our famous actress Diana Dors and busty TV star Sabrina.

RD: Let’s talk about artists a bit more. Two of your early guys were Bob Monkhouse and his chum Dennis Goodwin. As we know, Bob went on to become a famous comedian/film star and eventually hosted TV game shows before his demise a few years back. What can you tell me about him?

RD: Oh, Sabrina! Yes, she married an American surgeon, I recall. Legend has it that her assets were once insured for £100,000! [mutual laughter]. As I flick through this Can-Can I see there are some “good girl” cartoon fillers. Who drew these?

ANGLO: Yes, Bob Monkhouse came to me for a drawing job back at the end of the 1940s, and later I took him on at Gower. He was a good artist with a very quick mind. Later, Dennis did work for us, also. They both went to Dulwich College, and a funny thing I remember is that they both hated their fathers! As you say, Bob went on and had great success in other fields. Early on Dennis tried to follow him but couldn’t cut it—even as a stand-up comedian—and sadly the chap committed suicide.

ANGLO: I did, under various pseudonyms. It’s a trick used in publishing. By crediting various names to art and features, it makes a company look more substantial than they actually are. RD: They are neat girls you’ve drawn. Anyway, we digressed…. Earlier you mentioned the Marvelman Annuals. I have a 1958 edition, one of ten, I think, that were printed, and I’ve seen a name W. T. Knott listed as editor. What of him? ANGLO: Well, we were still producing Marvelman and co., and he was William T. Knott out at Miller’s offices and edited the original Arnold space comics and other items. He handled the Space Fan Club also, and later the Marvelman Club. He was

RD: I didn’t know that. ANGLO: There were many other artists. The trouble is remembering the names.

RD: Well, Michael, I have here a list of names you mentioned in a 1970s book you

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

wrote, Spotlight on the 50’s. ANGLO: Oh I remember that book. RD: In your book you mention that Don Lawrence was the very first Marvelman artist. ANGLO: Yes. Don drew long-legged style heroes. I gave him his start straight out of art school. I used to visit him at his house in Pinner and recall his wife bathing his baby son one time when collecting some artwork. He eventually left us and went to work at Fleetway Publishing and did a lot of Westerns for them. RD: What a coincidence. I once lived at near Pinner at Ruislip and never knew he was there. Don became very famous; he illustrated numerous full-color, long-running sci-fi adventure strips, including The Trigon Empire, and his fully painted Storm strip albums which have sold two million worldwide, and he had a very big fan following. He also did some color girly strips Carrie for the Mayfair men’s magazines but sadly he lost sight in his right eye and eventually died of emphysema. ANGLO: I’m very sorry to hear that, though regarding his emphysema I do recall he liked his cigarettes. RD: It seems you gave a start to an exceedingly clever and dedicated artist, Michael. ANGLO: Who was your favorite of all of my artists then? RD: Oh, it just has to be George Parlett. I liked everything he did in any publication, and in fact he drew another flying super-hero character, “Thunderbolt Jackson,” a Greek God type who was in the Knockout comics if I remember rightly. ANGLO: George Parlett was an ex-Squadron Leader and had a “diehard” British Empire attitude and an intolerance of anyone who was not pukka English! A superb artist whose work always showed interesting detail and amazing authenticity, but he found it extremely difficult to meet deadlines. He was also drawing for Fleetway Publishing at the same time as us.

Maurice Saporito only drew one or two sets of Marvelman. Very competent drawings, but he left us and went over to IPC Magazines. He once worked for the David Hand Animation Studios. RD: Oh, the David Hand Studios. I have a collection of stuff on them, including a number of their Animaland cartoons on tape. He was Disney’s right-hand man, wasn’t he, who set up here in an old Manor House in Cookham Berkshire in the late 1940’s? I think he was financed by our J. Arthur Rank film organization. It’s amazing to hear Maurice worked there. What he could have told me! ANGLO: That’s all I know of him. [INTERVIEWER’S NOTE: For this section, because of Mick’s age and the drain on his memory and time, I have related some of his statements below in abbreviated fashion. They deal with the artists who worked on his comics. These comments are as actually gleaned during my interview and other conversations with Mick. Obviously some artists from the space comics may also have been involved with Marvelman and co.] Roy Parker’s Marvelman [figures] had bulging muscles and a lantern jaw. John Whitlock’s style was reminiscent of the American artist Milton Caniff and he drew a stockily built Marvelman with a barrel chest. His work was bold and dramatic. He was a charter pilot and would put his plane on automatic and get some of his sketching done! Norman Light also drew a barrel-chested Marvelman, but somewhat asymmetrical, crooked characters. He had a pub in Ilford, I think. A very well-spoken fellow. Frank Daniels’ art was a bit spidery and sketchy. He left and became a manager for an advertising agency in Australia. Roy Castle was accurate in general but produced somewhat stiff figures. However, he actually wrote some unusual stories. Kurt [last name uncertain] was not too hot but he managed to produce strips we could use. Peter Ford was another; he was of Maori origin and used to draw

Off To See The Wizard!

at school! [mutual laughter]

adventure strips, featuring a lot of airplanes, but sadly died of cancer.

ANGLO: Possibly so—he certainly received a fair number of them. My son was also the model for a kid’s cowboy suit I designed when Western products were merchandised in the same way as the space suits. And another thing, he had boxes of freebie lead cowboy and Indian figures from the manufacturers that I modeled the originals for—but don’t ask me when this was. But little boys grow up, and much later when my wife and I went on holiday it would be Brian who would go up to my studio to pay the artists, etc.

Charles Baker was another Young Marvelman artist, very competent, a middleaged, mild-mannered bachelor. He also drew Annie Oakley Western comics. He left London and went to live in Norwich with relatives and, sadly, took his own life. Leo Rawlins was an ex-artillery man who had been a prisoner of war of the Japanese; hence he was always doing stories revolving around fighting that race. He was a very quick artist. Stanley White was an ageless perky character. Competent work—he was an “old school” artist who once drew for the Mickey Mouse comic, somewhat Victorian in style. His space ship interiors were often shown with early wireless sets, complete with loudspeaker horns. He went to Borneo, working for a Government Ministry, I recall.

RD: Did your son Brian follow you in your footsteps? ANGLO: No, he didn’t. Today he has two professions, those of a psychologist and an interpreter. He lives with his wife in Barcelona, rings me every week, and often visits, when he brings me superb cigars which I enjoy.

[INTERVIEWER’S NOTE: Now back to regular conversation mode:]

RD: As the creator of comics, did you ever keep any of the thousands you produced yourself?

RD: I must say here, Michael, legend has it that you once threw Stanley White down the stairs. Is that true? [mutual laughter]

ANGLO: Yes, I have to admit I had a terrific amount of the old stuff, and way back I once sold a hundred at £1.00 each to a young London croupier who wanted them. He also talked me into selling him a large heavy cardboard colored publicity cutout drawing I produced in detail of Marvelman for a fiver (£5.00).

ANGLO: How these things get exaggerated! As I recall, we were having a disagreement about something, and he put his fist up to me, so I shoved him out the door. I certainly never threw him down the stairs! So I don’t know who spread that rumor around. Wherever did you hear that? RD: I’ll do a “Mick Anglo”—can’t remember!

ANGLO: There was also Dennis Gifford. He had a crack at Marvelman at one time, but it wasn’t really his bag; his versions very spindly and unattractive. His forte was funnies. He did a good strip, I recall—Stupid Man which was a mickey take of Superman. There were also some Spanish artists. Ramonez Scueto and Magabi—they did some of the Western and detective art that was often incorporated in the Marvelman comics. I used to visit them in Spain. Magabi also did some soft-porn art, I recall, for other magazines. My agent for recruiting the Spanish artists was one Feraz, but unfortunately the fellow died of a heart attack.

“My Past Coming Back To Haunt Me” RD: How did you fare with the big printer’s strike of 1956, from February to March, when two hundred companies evidently closed down due to it? ANGLO: Since I don’t remember anything about it, I can’t believe it affected us very much! RD: When you helmed the studio, Michael, your son Brian was just a kid, and I presume he never went short of comics. ANGLO: Oh yes, I used to bring home a dozen or so different titles every week that I collected from the Miller’s place when I was over there. RD: You were surely every kid’s “dream dad.” Bet he had a lot of friends

RD: I wished I’d met you sooner—I’d have loved them!

ANGLO: Well, let me tell you, they became clutter as the years passed, and eventually I gave them away to various people.

RD: Well, they are all very collectible today. Now, as it happens, I have some of my own Marvelman comics with me. Do you recognize these? ANGLO: Oh! My past coming back to haunt me. [mutual laughter] I can’t say I recall any specific issue—it’s so far back—but obviously they are my Marvelman, and of course a mere fraction of what was produced. On that one the cover is badly marked, I see, with what looks like rust. RD: I’ll tell you an interesting story about that later. The next one there—# 338, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” with Marvelman fighting a dragon on the cover—is really neat. I’ve got a copy of it framed on my studio wall, as my house is called “Dragonwyck.” Could it possibly be your handiwork? ANGLO: I wouldn’t like to say. The grey cells of this old soldier don’t report for duty in an orderly fashion any more; they are a bit of a shambles these days! RD: O.K. Now what about your own and others’ original art? Did you keep any of that? ANGLO: Yes, I did, quite a collection amount, but I have to tell you that in my heyday we owned a very large four-bedroom house in Harrow, and when we moved some years ago to downsize to this apartment, I—

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

Art For Artists’ Sake We showed a sample of George Parlett’s work a couple of pages back, so on this page and the facing one are samples of the work of several more artists who worked on Marvelman and company. (Clockwise from top left on this page:) Roy Parker (“The Nuclear Skin”)—John Whitlock (probable)—Norman Light (“The Ghost of Hoboville”). [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Off To See The Wizard!

(Clockwise on this page:) Roy Castle (the WWIIset “Norway Raid,” rather than a “Marvelman” exploit)—Kurt (last name unknown, artist of “The Monster Maker”), and Stanley White (artist of the untitled/un-logo’d splash page seen here). The pages by Light and White are from the extensive collection of Derek Wilson, who owns some four dozen pieces of original art from the Miller series; the other copies were supplied by Roger Dicken. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

Bedtime For Gargunza Either Marvelman or artist Don Lawrence really had it in for Dr. Gargunza! (Above:) A double-page DL spread, done in color for the 1958 Marvelman Annual. (Right:) Lawrence’s frontispiece for the 1957 Annual. Thanks to Jim Kealy for both. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

RD: [interrupting] Don’t tell me—you trashed it!! ANGLO: Yes, I’m sorry to say I did. It all went out—the whole lot. RD: What a horror story! You surely now know you literally threw away pure pound notes! Nay—hundred-pound notes! ANGLO: So I believe, but that’s the way it was. Can’t change things and I don’t dwell on it. What’s done is done. RD: Well, sadly it seems to happen so often. Perhaps, Michael, this part of the interview is an awful dream and I’ll wake up in a moment on a fast rewind to hear you say you’ve still got it all and I could do you a favor by filling the boot [trunk] of my car with the whole lot! ANGLO: Your imagination is even greater than mine! [mutual laughter]

“Miller’s Were Selling A Million Copies A Month” RD: Now, I mustn’t forget its time I asked you about the Miller family themselves. How did you find them when working for their company? ANGLO: Well, Arnold Miller was an ex-Royal Air Force commando, a tough fellow but absolutely straight to deal with. I got on with him fine and we were good friends. I also got on O.K. with his father, Len Miller,

Off To See The Wizard!

ANGLO: Funny you should say that. They did, as it happens, just along the road from the warehouse—Britain’s two most notorious gangsters. Would you believe, I once met them! They ran all the rackets in London, you may recall. Such a lot of memories. Trouble is, I am able to remember what happened way back, but can’t always remember what happened yesterday. RD: Did you ever socialize after work with the Millers? ANGLO: At the end of the week, on Friday nights, I’d often go for a drink with Len and a fellow named Fred from the warehouse, to a pub in Shoreditch to discuss business, etc. Len would pick me up in his very large Daimler, and he would drop me home afterwards. The Millers had a big house, by the way, in Edgeware, and at one time Len wanted me to become a member of the Masons (a British secret society) but I declined. Regarding socializing proper—at times we’d meet up in one another’s houses for a meal, and also my wife Minnie and I would go to a dinner and dance with them at Bray, near Windsor, and then on to the Colony or Quo Vadis night clubs.

The Family That Krays Together… The infamous Kray brothers, of English crime infamy. Shown here from the 1950s are Reggie (at left) with his new wife Frances, and his brother Ronnie.

RD: What a coincidence. I’m very familiar with Bray village, as I once worked at the Hammer Horror Film Studios there. Now, returning to

but I can’t say I really liked him, as he was something of, shall we say, a big head. Now Arnold got married to a girl [named] Doreen, and his wedding was a lavish affair with waiters done up as old -time flunkies in velvet coats, buckled shoes, and white powdered wigs. Somehow they had obtained a vast amount of flowers that were always left behind after the famous Ascot Races event, so everything looked very grand. Unfortunately, Mrs. Miller didn’t care too much for Doreen, and Arnold became estranged from his mother for a time, though they eventually made up. RD: And how about Mrs. Miller? ANGLO: Well Florence (Florrie) was considered somewhat brusque and many didn’t like her, but I got on quite well with her. I’d have lunch with her at times when I delivered art work to their warehouse, which was in East London. RD: That would be 324 Hackney Road, wouldn’t it? ANGLO: Yes, and I remember she would say to the cashier, as regards to my payment, “Give him a ‘kite’, give him a ‘kite’ [Cockney slang for a cheque].” RD: Though not relevant Michael, I’m sure I heard that at one time the infamous Kray brothers lived somewhere in that district, didn’t they?

Club Marv L. Miller & Son sure believed in the power of advertising! (Left:) The cover of Marvelman, Vol. 1, #67 (Nov. 27, 1954), was turned into one big plug for the Marvelman Club. Did Mick draw this one? (Above:) This house ad for the Miller titles in the post-Fawcett years shows how they had branched out, adding Popeye, Mandrake, The Phantom, and even reprints of a couple of Timely/Atlas post-Code “horror” comics to the lineup. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

Miller’s. Do you remember who the artists were? ANGLO: ‘Fraid not—but I’ll tell you this, one fellow had piercing blue eyes—so vivid—and golden hair, just like a “Jesus.” Miller only published a few of those. And I do recall reading a review in a magazine once whereby they stated those comics had beautiful artwork. RD: You also had some really neat, well-drawn nature fillers in the comics entitled “Curiosities of the Insect World.” They were signed by one Marguerette Mills. Who was she? ANGLO: I simply have no idea. RD: Was your wife involved in your work in any way?

Captains Courageous (Left:) In the early days of Marvelman and his over-extended family, Mick had drawn another Captain Marvel/Marvelman type, Captain Universe the Super Marvel (1954), for the Miller-related Arnold Book Co. (Right:) In 1960, a number of “Marvelman” stories were redrawn and given new covers (in this case, by Don Lawrence) and a new identity: Captain Miracle. It ran, as Denis Gifford reports in Super Duper Supermen!, for only nine monthly issues. Kinda ironic, since, a couple of decades later, Marvelman was destined to re-emerge as—Miracleman! [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

your second studio at Hampstead Road—how was it compared to Gower? ANGLO: A crazy place at times. Gower was a holiday camp in comparison. It could get quite frenetic there at times, people in and out on all floors and a lot of creativity. I had an artist/assistant, one Dorothy Saporito, wife of artist Maurice. She was a superb color specialist and fast. She would ink the covers I drew and make colored overlays for them, plus many other things. Another assistant was a Persian girl, Roshan Kanga, who produced excellent lettering and most of the titling on my product, including Marvelman, etc., which we were still doing then; and also she created half-page picture quizzes for the kids. My secretary was one Janet Rasmawasn. A really bright girl who, at times, would also extend my vignettes and was absolutely indispensable. She still sends me Christmas cards today. My brother Andy often wrote stories and in fact created Marvelman’s adversary the evil Gargunza [Marvelman equivalent of Dr. Sivana, of course]. And my brother Sidney, now and then, would draw filler strips such as “Flip and Flop” and “The Friendly Soul,” which I created. You have to remember that at one time Miller’s were selling a million comics a month of one type or another. RD: I understand that in November 1959 import restrictions on American comics, etc. were finally lifted in Britain, and original fullcolor 10-cent American comics of Superman, Batman, and all manner of other titles started to flood back into Britain again. Evidently, this was partly responsible for the eventual demise of plain black-&-white comics with just a color cover and seriously affected the home-grown product of the Miller Empire and other companies, who actually folded.

ANGLO: Not as such, but when we were producing items such as Flix Film Magazine, Minnie would accompany my old friend Eric Linden, who handled the features, when he visited various celebrities at the studios and glean very helpful bits of information for our copy. She was very good at that. We produced articles for an English edition of [Fawcett’s] Mechanix Illustrated, also some work for a publisher called Kaplan in Oxford Street. His brother was connected with the famous Rimmel make-up company. Kaplan’s printing machine was always playing up and, oh yes, one day I noticed he was producing brochures for a small company [called] Timpo Toys, for whom, coincidentally, some years before I had actually made some figurines for them to manufacture from. RD: Now that’s connected to my childhood. Timpo—such a distinctive name. As a kid I actually bought a set of their prehistoric animals and a lead Tarzan figure which I still have stashed away somewhere. Perhaps you made some of them? ANGLO: Could be, but I can’t confirm. A further eight paperbacks, also eight Teddy Tar books which were Miller’s Teddy Bear stories for little tots and Captain Miracle, a spin off of Marvelman. An exceedingly busy time in my life. RD: From my notes, it seems Marvelman, etc., finished in 1963, and Len Miller also went bankrupt around the same time, with the company being taken into receivership. ANGLO: I am not sure about all that, but around 1963 we were all moved out of the Hampstead Road building due to plans for the Euston Road to be widened, but it hung around empty for many years. RD: You then relocated to another studio in Holborn, I believe.

ANGLO: For my part I don’t recall that happening.

ANGLO: That’s right.

RD: I understand you produced some Illustrated Bible Story comics for

RD: I believe Len Miller died around 1966. Is that correct?

Off To See The Wizard!

ANGLO: Again, I’m not sure of the dates, but I do recall attending his funeral service and his wife’s. RD: I presume you know that Arnold went into the film business? ANGLO: Oh, yes, of course. After the comics in the mid-’60s he had a tobacconist/sweet shop in a road off Regent Street in London. There he got to meet lots of show business types and met up with producers, etc. He went into producing short films, documentaries at first and then “B” cinema features. RD: So how come you didn’t get involved with him in the films? ANGLO: I did in fact visit him at times at his offices in Wardour Street, and we’d go down to the coffee shop below for a chat. He wanted me to come in with him, but for some reason I wasn’t interested. But what has come to mind here is that I did the film poster for the Tommy Steele film Half a Sixpence produced by British Lion—nothing to do with Arnold, though, and as ever with the passing of time I lost contact with him.

“So Many Good Times, Also Sad Times” RD: I must tell you, Michael, that I actually worked with Arnold Miller in the late 1960s. I got my first freelance film job with him, helming the sfx on a horror movie The Blood Beast Terror that he and partner Tony Tenser were producing; but to my regret I had no idea then he was Miller the publisher. He was talking once about getting into bigger feature films, and I loaned him a copy of a Gold Key Mighty Samson comic as a possible subject, but he never mentioned his Miller ABC connection.

after the war gave him an exceedingly good job with their company. It was Pemberton who found for me these new premises, which I have to say were extremely up-market, I even had the key to the executive washroom! World, at one time, had the license to produce comics here featuring numerous new American Western stars as screened on TV, such as The Lone Ranger, The Cisco Kid, Wyatt Earp, etc. The Wild West was very popular, indeed. Once again, I did artwork for a host of products. There was a medical journal The Miracle, and I had to produce very exacting technical illustrations for this. There were Christmas cards for the Philips Electrical Company one year and also art for the weekly magazine T.V. Times and a number of books including Man and Myth: The Story of General Custer of the West and Man Eats Man, all about cannibalism. Anyway, as ever, I was involved in all sorts of artwork. Now I think of it, I even did a set of Popeye character cards for a children’s sweet [candy] cigarette product. RD: I know you produced T.V. Tornado comic 1967/68. You did the color covers for those and, I believe, drew Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Lone Ranger, and Danger Man strips inside. ANGLO: That’s correct. RD: I must say, Michael—T.V. Tornado merged with the T.V. 21 comic, as you must be aware, which was put out by the film company that

ANGLO: Is that so? Well, I also knew Tony Tenser; he even attended the convention I mentioned, with his son. RD: The irony is that also, unbeknown to me at that time, there were down in the cellars of his old warehouse bales and bales of thousands of mixed, unsold comic lines from their heyday and an awesome amount of original artwork. ANGLO: How did you learn that? RD: Because later, in the early ’70s, presumably when their warehouse was demolished, I bought from a trader, at I think just £1.00 a gross, a large quantity of those remainders, some of which I showed you. That is why there are those heavy rust marks you noticed on one, because it was right on the on top of a bale and got marked by the old wire. The titles included Marvelman, Young Marvelman, Mandrake, Tarzan, Spirit, Edgar Wallace Stories, Captain Video, etc., etc. Today I wish I’d bought more! A lot of these also turned up for sale, strangely enough, in American horror magazines. I can’t imagine how that came about, and what happened to the art I have no idea. ANGLO: I knew their premises were eventually demolished, but just when escapes me. RD: By the way, do you remember anything about the Miller organization being prosecuted for selling reprints of American horror comics around 1970—when presumably Arnold was running it? ANGLO: I’m not aware of any of that, either, but talking like this brings a lot of other things back to me. So many good times, also sad times! RD: O.K. So, returning to the Holborn Studios, tell me how they came about?

It’s “It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again” All Over Again!

ANGLO: Through various contacts I had met one John Pemberton, who owned the publishing company World Distributors Limited with two brothers, one by the name of Alf, I recall. John was an ex-RAF Squadron Leader and a very nice man. He was once dragged from a burning plane he had crashed in by some very brave fellow; he never forgot him and

Frankly, we’re not sure who drew (let alone wrote!) this lead page from Marvelman, Vol. 1, #31—but it looked so much like the way many a “Captain Marvel” adventure started out, with Billy Batson strolling down a big-city street, that we couldn’t resist tossing it in. Even the logo lettering seems derived from that of the Big Red Cheese. Note, too, the typeset splash-panel “legend” that was reprinted in myriad splashes, to bring new readers up to speed on the hero’s backstory. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

Germans started it all, and they, as Bomber Harris said, “reaped the whirlwind,” and that is why we are free and talking now—you and I. RD: And what about Japan and the Enola Gay dropping the atomic bomb? ANGLO: Well, again, colossal loss of human life, but having served in the Far East as I did and experienced the awful conflict firsthand, I have to say again, they were the aggressors. They just had to be stopped, and they were. We all suffered from it—so pointless. Sadly, I lost my brother Richard in the war; he was a gunner in the Air Force. Also, outside the Tower of London is a memorial to Merchant Seamen, and at the top of a tragic list is the name of my cousin Albert Anglo, who was a wireless operator on the Cornish City, which was torpedoed. RD: A grim revelation from the past, Michael. And what do you think about the current mayhem in the Middle East? ANGLO: Just awful that the world is still in such a state of unrest. RD: It certainly is, in so many ways. Now, referring to my notes: in 1982 one Dez Skinn created the Warrior comic for his company Quality Communications, and presumably with your input in some capacity he re-introduced Marvelman with reprints and new work by latter day artists. ANGLO: That’s correct, and I have to say that some of that new stuff was very welldrawn.

It’s A Miracle! Maybe Marvelman never made it to America’s shores, but Miracleman sure did in the 1980s, as per the page of original painted art above by Alex Ross from the series Apocrypha – Wishing on a Star, from the collection of Derek Wilson. At right is Roger Dicken’s photo of a Miracleman model that sits today in Mick Anglo’s home. (Hey, RogerDodger—may we assume the two paintings in the background are Anglo originals?) [Art ©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

made The Thunderbirds puppet TV series, and as I was working for them, I made two monster models for the covers of that publication. ANGLO: You must have been as mad as me, working for the comics! [mutual laughter] RD: You’re probably right! Now, you produced the 64-page pocket war Commando books and The Fighting Regiments strip for Fleetway Publishing. ANGLO: Yes, I did two pages a week for The Regiments and of course many other war comics, such as Battle. Also, I produced two military books, The Service Papers of the Second World War for Jupiter Books and Flags of the World. I enjoyed doing those. RD: You even did a run of comics, Marvelman at War. I was thinking, Michael—so many years after it all, at times the media reports there are individuals here today who condemn our wartime carpet-bombing of cities such as Dresden, etc., in the ’40s. What did you think of that action? ANGLO: I know it resulted in a massive loss of civilian life, but the

RD: Then, around 1983, when a Marvelman special was published, Marvel Comics company in the States voiced some strong objections to it and the name, and to avoid legal hassle I am led to believe Skinn dropped Marvelman by issue #19 of Warrior. Marvelman was then drawn by various other artists as Miracleman, utilizing the MM logo and published by other companies. There then followed a lot of legal aggro. etc., etc., including problems as to who legally owned the copyright of the character from the day Miller Comics went into receivership. Eventually everything ground to an abysmal halt. What is your opinion on all this today? ANGLO: Well, as I often say, it’s all water under the bridge and an awfully convoluted scenario, which for my part I’d like well behind me.

“In My Mind I Never Retired!” RD: I guess I’d feel very much the same if I were you. I understand that since then you continued to produce a great number of other books on a wide variety of subjects for different publishers, and you retired about seventeen years ago? ANGLO: If you say so, but in my mind I’ve never retired! [mutual laughter] Over the years, I went all over the place. In America, for example—Las Vegas, San Francisco, Boston, and you’ve just jogged my memory that once, when on holiday in Barcelona, two thugs snatched

Off To See The Wizard!

Mopping Up With Marvelman (Left:) Another Don Lawrence special, before we run out of room: a splash from the 1958 Marvelman Annual. (Right:) Interviewer Roger Dicken says he isn’t certain who the artist of this “Marvelman” story is—maybe Lawrence, maybe another—but RD likes his work, so here it is! We kinda dig it, too! [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Minnie’s handbag and we ran after them. Minnie caught up with one first and grabbed him, and in the ensuing struggle I broke the man’s arm. His partner ran off—but we did get her bag back, which contained something of great sentimental value to her. RD: Which hat were you wearing then? That of Marvelman or a boxer? ANGLO: Well, I certainly didn’t need the word “Kimota!” [mutual laughter] RD: So are you involved in any sort of project at the moment? ANGLO: I’ve been involved with two Scottish fellows, the Campbells, who are actually in the music business. They now own my company name Mick Anglo Limited and are endeavoring to produce something on Marvelman with models and books, etc. Some pages of artwork exist, but nothing has materialized fully yet. They send me boxing DVDs from time to time, as they know I enjoy them. RD: And how do you spend your time these days? ANGLO: Well, besides visiting Minnie at the home, I chat to my brothers a lot on the phone, watch the boxing, as I said. I also enjoy programs on the war and do a great deal of reading and puff on those cigars. RD: I’m amazed to notice that you don’t need spectacles at your age. ANGLO: Yes, I am very lucky in that respect.

RD: Anything else? ANGLO: Yes, occasionally I am visited by certain individuals who, for some unexplained reason, want to ask me all about the ins and outs of my life and the crazy subject of comics! [mutual laughter] RD: I’ve never met one of them! I must say, Michael, from what you’ve told me your life has been a bit of a contradiction. From an early age you exhibited a somewhat devil-may-care attitude, seemingly resenting authority, responsibility, or having to conform to the mores of society. Yet one day you took on the huge task of helming an art studio, employing artists, with a continuous storyline requirement and the meeting of deadlines and considerable production runs with all that it entailed. How come? ANGLO: Well, perhaps the fact that I was married with a young son to support changed my attitude. Then again, it may have been because, as they say, opportunity only knocks once. RD: Fair comment, but did you at any time then have doubts, apprehensions, or fear of failure with the enterprise at Gower? ANGLO: All I can tell you is—I just did it. I was still young and full of energy, and, you must realize, had the might of the Miller Empire totally behind me. RD: O.K. Finally, with all your creativity, interests, and subject matter, I wonder why you never actually published any of your own material.

A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman

He’s A Real Marvel! (Left:) We wanted to close with another specimen of Mick Anglo art, so what better vetting than the credits printed at the bottom of this contents page from the 1958 Marvelman Annual, sent by Jim Kealy? (Above:) And, in terms of Mick himself, we’ll end with the same photo that led off this two-part section, only this time showing all of the photo that was only half-glimpsed back on p. 4—as Mick shakes hands with visiting Western movie/ recording/comic book star Tex Ritter in 1952, while a London bobby and a bunch of youngsters look on. Thanks to Mick A. for this one. [Art ©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

ANGLO: That side of the business never, ever interested me. All in all I was just tickled pink to be paid so well for what I did, and as with many others, for me the rule was always “cash on the nail.” End of story. [INTERVIEWER’S NOTE: All too soon it was time to leave and face the demonic freeway back to Windsor, only this time in the dark! As I assisted the just a little shaky Michael down the short flight of steps to the entrance hall, I couldn’t help thinking, was this the ex-boxer, the dynamically charged artist who once traveled daily up and down three flights of steps at two studios? We reached the exit door and, standing outside, we shook hands firmly.] RD: Michael, I have discovered you are even more of a “Wiz” than I thought. It’s been a privilege to meet you and a pleasure to hear your fascinating story. Thank you. ANGLO: It’s been a very enjoyable interlude, even if you have drained my brain! [mutual laughter]. RD: I am sure readers of Alter Ego magazine in America and elsewhere will enjoy reading about you, and I hope that we meet up again. ANGLO: I’ll second that. Roger Dicken is a retired English movie and TV special-effects technician, who, in his 20-year “monster-making” career, was jointly nominated for an Academy Award (with Jim Danforth) for the 1969 film When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth. He shocked audiences worldwide with his famous chest-burster sequence for the 1979 hit Alien. Full disclosure: he and his partner Wendy Hunt are longtime friends of Roy and Dann Thomas.

Wendy Hunt & Roger Dicken in a 1980s photo.

Centaur Spread Part II Continuing The Scintillating Saga Of The CENTAUR COMICS GROUP by Lee Boyette

In The Centaur Ring The above full-page house ad proclaimed 1940 “the year for Centaur”—but, as Lee Boyette points out, by year’s end nearly all the titles heralded on it had been trampled under the hooves of time—and competitors. But why the monkey mascot rather than a centaur?? [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

A/E

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION: Two issues ago, we printed the majority of Lee’s bird’s-eye (or maybe we should say, “Eye’s-eye”) view of the Centaur Comics Group and a couple of related companies—but we ran out of room. So, rather than crowd the last part and skimp on illustrations, we held it off till this time around. Actually, Lee also provided a list of Centaur’s comics publications, etc., which we’ll get to in a few months, as well… but meanwhile, here is the conclusion of the article proper, with all the illos we could squeeze in! In Part I, Lee finished up with an account of the most famous comic book associated with Centaur—Amazing-Man Comics—which, he pointed out, technically wasn’t published under the Centaur name. And now, with all art provided by Lee Boyette and his colleague Jon R. Evans, unless otherwise noted—let’s gallop along…!

Of Fantoms And Fantasies

The Amazing “Surhomme”

About the time Amazing-Man Comics got going, Star Comics and Comic Pages (formerly Funny Picture Stories) and Star Ranger Funnies were all cancelled. The latter ended with the October 1939 issue, Star with August, and CP with December. Several reprint books (of superheroes this time) saw the light of day in 1940.

As we mentioned in A/E #85, much of the Centaur material was soon reprinted in France, with the shapes of the pages altered… as per this early Bill Everettdrawn “Amazing-Man” story. Thanks to Jean-Michel Ferragatti, who will cover these French re-presentations in depth in a future issue. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

The first of these—Amazing Adventure Funnies—is one of Centaur’s best issues ever. Dated June 1940, AAF #1 reprints the first three “Fantom of the Fair” stories by Paul Gustavson—“Speed Silvers,” also by Gustavson—Bill Everett’s first “Skyrocket Steele” story—the initial

Continuing The Scintillating Saga Of The Centaur Comics Group

episode of Everett’s “Dirk the Demon”—Carl Burgos’ “Air-Sub DX”— “Stony Dawson”—and “The Arrow” by Gustavson. With #2, Amazing Adventure Funnies became Fantoman, featuring Gustavson stories starring that mysterious hero, though every issue also contained Cole’s “Little Dynamite,” “Air-Sub D-X,” “The Arrow,” and text illustrations by Everett. The cover is a blow-up of a panel inside. (Issue #3 contains an ownership statement from Star Ranger Funnies!) After Fantoman #2 was published, another issue of Amazing Adventure Funnies (Sept. 1940) came out—minus super-heroes, let alone any explanation of why or how it came to be. It contains two Western stories and two “Sand Hogs” stories by Gustavson (from Amazing Mystery Funnies), among other reprints. Some are from the Cook-Mahon days. Masked Marvel earned his own title (though his chapters are all reprints) in September 1940. In issue #2 (Oct.) there appears a new story by R.L. Golden, who had done a couple of rip-offs of Hal Foster’s newspaper Tarzan strip, complete with dinosaurs, called “Jungle Battles,” in AMC #7 & #9. The new entry, titled “Kardo the Monster Maker,” opens with Dr. Kardo receiving a package containing body parts, while he is in the process of aping Dr. Frankenstein and assembling his own monster on the premises. Wrapped in bandages and possessing a green body, the creature awakes and attacks Kardo and his associates, only to be killed at the end. If this is not the first horror story in a comic book, then another Tarpé Mills creation in the very same issue, called “The Vampire,” surely must be!

Also during 1940, a house ad appeared proudly proclaiming: “For 1940 It’s The Centaur Group” and extolling the greatness of their lineup of Funny Pages, Amazing-Man Comics, Amazing Mystery Funnies, and Keen Detective Funnies. Ironically, all of these except Amazing-Man saw cancellation during that year. FP’s final issue was dated Oct. 1940, and those of both AMF and KDF were dated September. The Arrow got his own title, with two issues in 1940 and an additional one in ’41. This is where things really get weird.

The Stars And Stripes Forever? The first issue of The Arrow (dated Oct. 1940), and #2 (Nov.) are pretty standard. But #3 features one of our favorite bizarre characters. In “The Rainbow” by Al Plastino, a guy named Jim Travers, while reading a copy of “Acme Comics,” gets the idea to become a super-hero. He goes into a costume shop and emerges as a crime-fighter wearing a red helmet topped with a green fin, a green cape, a red shirt open at the front, yellow gloves and belt, and green tights. Eddy Herron (author of the earliest Red Skull stories in Timely’s Captain America Comics) scripted this tale. Naturally, The Rainbow saves his girlfriend and her kid brother from “arch enemy” Black Rufus. A single story (although more were promised) is all that ever saw print of this fascinating premise. So, with the humorous, Western, and all other titles defunct, Hardie now made an incredible move.

Centaur Spread—Part II

…Whose Broad Stripes And Bright Scars… (Above:) An action-filled page from the “Black Panther” story in Stars and Stripes #2, with art by Paul Gustavson, who also drew “The Angel” for Timely’s Marvel Mystery Comics—and the flamboyantly patriotic cover of S&S #4 (Nov. 1941) by Lou Fine clone Myron Strauss. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

From the beginning, Amazing-Man Comics was listed as being published by “The Comic Corporation of America,” not Centaur. But, with #22 (May 1941), which sports Gustavson’s famous Nazi war-gorilla cover, the book went on hiatus. “Amazing-Man,” “The Shark,” and others were moved to a new book called Stars and Stripes Comics, which also lists The Comic Corporation of America (hereafter CCA) as the publisher. In addition, The Arrow #3 (CCA) has an ownership statement for the canceled Star Ranger Funnies. There was no #1 for Stars and Stripes; it began with issue #2 (May 1941)—the same month as Amazing-Man #22. No announcements were made as to why this was done. Issue #2, dated July ’41, contains Gustavson’s “Black Panther,” a muscular guy who went around shirtless, with a panther skin (complete with a tail) draped over his torso. Only a single story of this character ever saw print.

When There’s No Getting Over This Rainbow! (Above:) You saw The Arrow in A/E #85—but popping up all resplendent in The Arrow #3 was Al Plastino’s “The Rainbow.” Plastino, of course, would go on to a long career in comic book and strips, including many tales of “Superman.” [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Beginning with #4 (Sept.1941, actual #3) and in keeping with the patriotic theme running through comics at that time, three men formed a group called “The Stars and Stripes.” They were all former concentration camp prisoners who escaped and now battled Nazis using a tank and other wartime machinery. The cover art and stories were by Myron Strauss. (His art in Quality’s Uncle Sam #2 is incorrectly identified as that of Lou Fine by The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide.) Amazing-Man Comics picked up again with issue #23 (Aug. 1941),

Continuing The Scintillating Saga Of The Centaur Comics Group

Any Red Roses For This Blue Lady? These two pages from Frank Frollo’s “The Blue Lady” in Amazing-Man Comics #26 (Jan. 1952) show her origin—and her considerable preWonder Woman super-powers. The page at left was sent by Harry Mendryk. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

That’s Amazing, Man! Two more from Amazing-Man Comics #26. (Right:) This is also the “missing page” from the book The Best of Jack Cole. It’s missing because the art is not by Cole, but rather by Martin Filchock. We accidentally ran it in A/E #85, credited to Cole! Sorry about that! (Above:) “Meteor Martin” by the inimitable Basil Wolverton. Lee Boyette added some colored pencil shadings to this splash from Amazing-Man Comics #26. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Centaur Spread—Part II

Two Cheers For The Red, White, And Blue (Left:) Another patriotic cover—this time by Paul Gustavson for World Famous Heroes Magazine (Oct. 1941). (Right:) The cover of Liberty Scouts #2 (June 1942). [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

with “The Shark,” Mini-Midget,” and “Iron Skull” staying in Stars and Stripes Comics. Various short-lived heroes paraded through the next few issues—especially #26. There, artist Frank Frollo’s “The Blue Lady,” wearing a colorful costume, fights a real-estate crook trying to cheat an elderly lady out of her radium ore-rich land. She imbibes something called “Blue Mist,” enabling her to grow extremely tall and strong, then bashes the thieves. This is shortly before Wonder Woman burst upon the scene in All-Star Comics #8. Also in that issue, Martin Filchock’s “The Electric Ray” was subtitled “The Saboteur Eliminator.” In his only story, a terrible accident leaves him charged with electricity, and he teaches the aforementioned enemy agents working in his plant an electrifying lesson. The final gem from Amazing-Man #26 is a two-page story titled “Igloo Iggy” by Martin Filchock. A recent publication printed only page 2, and referred to it as a feature called “Eskimo”—by Jack Cole. In Amazing-Man #25 & 26, Basil Wolverton’s “Meteor Martin,” a science-fiction adventure, appears. This is probably his best work from that period. However, it remains incomplete. At the end of #26, another chapter is promised for “the next issue of Stars and Stripes”—an issue which never saw publication. October 1941 saw World Famous Heroes Magazine debut as one of the last new titles from CCA. Four issues, ending in April 1942, featured profiles of David Crockett, Lou Gehrig, Wild Bill Hickok, and Marlene

Dietrich. Other patriotic books like Liberty Scouts and Man of War came and went at this time, with more flag-waving. Chesler published patriotic titles of his own during mid-to-late 1941 and early 1942. Dynamic Comics, Yankee Comics, Punch Comics, and Scoop Comics were the titles. Charles Sultan did covers and served as art director. The Centaur line ended with the cancellation of Funny Pages, Keen Detective Stories, and Amazing Mystery Funnies in the fall of 1940. All 1941 and 1942 comics issued with similar contents are actually Comic Corporation of America issues. Chicago Mail Order Comics, also CCA, was Hardie’s last gasp, although these issues contain no mention of him. Leftover Centaur heroes including “The Invisible Terror,” Filchock’s “Super Ann,” and “Plymo the Rubber Man” appear in Hardie’s last book. Hardie, as “Uncle Joe,” was continually begging his readers to buy, read and tell others about his books. He had numerous contests offering free issues (and sometimes a dollar) for readers who would write him about which features they liked best. He used the best artists, the worst artists, and all in between. He offered the most bizarre heroes, warlords, drugs, torture, human sacrifice, bondage, and other things most kids failed to embrace. Some of the concepts and the themes published in the CookMahon and Centaur comic books were, simply put, ahead of their time, and suited more to the modern age than to the late 1930s and early 1940s. In his 1970s volume The Golden Age of Comic Books, Richard O’Brien

Continuing The Scintillating Saga Of The Centaur Comics Group

says, “The Centaur books suffered from poor distribution, and even worse—[lack of] reader identification.” Joseph J. Hardie’s 175odd (pun intended) issues ran the gamut from humor, to sciencefiction, to super-heroes, to Western and true historical figures. His legacy is undeniably an Amazing Mystery with Funnies in black-&-white and in color.

Acknowledgments Hames Ware Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. Martin Filchock Fred Schwab

Will And Bill We couldn’t close without fulfilling a few of our readers’ expectations concerning promised art by greats Will Eisner and Bill Everett. (Above:) A signed one-panel gag from Star Ranger #4 (June 1937). Of course, no less than three Eisner splashes for Centaur were seen in A/E #85. (Right:) Everett’s cover for Amazing Mystery Funnies #2 (Sept. 1938). Not only a bondage cover featuring one of Skyrocket Steele’s arch-enemies, but if we recall mischievous Wild Bill a-right, the placement of the villain’s left hand was no artistic accident. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #38, published by Robert M. Overstreet (2008) Who’s Who of American Comic Books (1970s printed version) by Jerry G. Bails & Hames Ware Collector’s Guide: The First Heroic Age by Jerry G. Bails (1969) Ernst & Mary Gerber’s Photo-Journal Guide to Comic Books, Vol. 1 & 2 (1989) Comic Book Marketplace #4 (1991) – “Amazing Funny Mystery of Centaur Comics” by Steve Carey Jerry G. Bails (posthumously) The Golden Age of Comic Books 1937-1947 by Richard O’Brien (1977) Jon R. Evans – editor Earl Evans – web master Full listings by Lee Boyette of Centaur and related comics, etc., will appear in near-future issues. A/E EDITOR’S POSTSCRIPT: Here’s a first! Lee Boyette and Jon R. Evans managed to rush us a few additions and corrections to Part I, only two months ago—so here they are: P. 25: “Dr. Mystic” appears in The Comic Magazine – Funny Pages #1.

P. 26: Detective Picture Stories has a cover date of April 1937, not April ’38. P. 35: The cover and panel shown from Fantoman #2 (actually #1) are both by Paul Gustavson. P. 35: The cover to Amazing Mystery Funnies #12 is by Malcolm Kildare, not by Paul Gustavson. And Amazing Mystery Funnies #14’s cover is not by Gustavson, but is signed by Leo Morey, a pulp artist—his only known comics cover. P. 40: “Cat Man” appears in Amazing-Man Comics #5 & #8 (actually #1 & #4). P. 41: The cover date of Amazing-Man Comics #6 (actual #2) is Oct. ’39, and not Nov. ’39—the same month as the first edition of Marvel Comics #1. Any brief questions or additions can be sent to Lee and Jon at the latter’s e-mail address raptor1957@sbcglobal.net

“I’m Just Glad To Have Been An Artist” FRANK BOLLE On His Years In Comic Books And Strips – Part II

Interview Conducted by Jim Amash

NTRODUCTION: Last issue, Frank related tales of his years in the Army during World War II, of his initial comics partnership with Leonard Starr (later creator of the comic strip On Stage), and

The Story So Far! Frank Bolle (seen here in a pic taken some years back) surrounded by specimens of his early work: “The Heap” from Hillman’s Airboy Comics, Vol. 5, #2 (March 1948)—“Robotman” from DC’s Detective Comics #167 (Jan. 1951)—“Tim Holt” (a.k.a. Redmask) in an unspecified 1950s issue of Magazine Enterprises’ Tim Holt. With thanks respectively to Michaël Dewally, Michael T. Gilbert, and James Zanotto for the art scans—and to Frank for the photo. [Robotman page ©2009 DC Comics; other art ©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Transcribed by Brian K. Morris his early work in comic books for Hillman (“The Heap”), DC (“Robotman”), et al.—particularly Magazine Enterprises (Tim Holt/Redmask, Black Phantom). Here he moves on to his later career.

Frank Bolle—Part II

“I’ll Open [An Old Comic Book] And I Don’t Even Remember Illustrating It” JIM AMASH: During the time you worked for Magazine Enterprises, you also did some work for Lev Gleason Publications. Charlie Biro and Bob Wood were the editors. I have you doing romance comics in ’51 and ’52, and also “The Little Wise Guys” in 1955. FRANK BOLLE: Yeah, I do remember doing them, but I don’t remember anything else about it. [chuckles] Biro and Wood were two guys who you didn’t want to be friends with. I’d go in there sometimes and Bob Wood would look like he was beaten up in an alley. From what I understood, he was a heavy drinker and would get into fights with people. Charlie Biro was the one I usually dealt with. He was a wheeler-dealer, a very shifty character. In fact, I think he still owes me money. I think I did probably a whole book that he never paid me for. JA: Was it because they closed up and Gleason Publications didn’t finish paying? BOLLE: Right. I’m sure other guys were in the same situation. JA: How’d you find out they’d closed up? BOLLE: I went there. [chuckles] Nobody was there, and I was told the company had closed down. And the next thing I heard, Charlie Biro got a job with NBC-TV. I knew a guy who was one of the producers there. He

told me that Biro was always coming over and saying to him, “Look, if you need anything special done, you can always count on me. And if you need anything else that you can’t get in the open market….” [chuckles] So I said, “Oh, okay.” [Jim chuckles] So Charlie hadn’t changed. JA: For Biro, Wood, and Gleason you did some Crime and Punishment and some Crime Does Not Pay stories and some “Crimebuster.” There was a time on “Crimebuster” when Biro wouldn’t let the people draw the main character’s head. He insisted on drawing that head himself, and I was wondering if that happened to you. BOLLE: No, that didn’t happen to me. I think I heard about that, but I don’t know the details. He never criticized my work at all. I don’t remember ever anyone telling me how to lay out a page. So I always followed the script and I would do it my way and it seemed that I was always doing it the right way. Once I stopped dealing with them, I was on to other things. And even while I was working with Magazine Enterprises, that was sort-of towards the end of my comic book days. I’d already started working on syndicated newspaper stuff. JA: In the ’50s, you started working for Timely Comics, and I have quite a list of things that you did for them. Caught!, G.I. Tales, Battle, Gunsmoke Western, Journey into Mystery, Journey into Unknown Worlds, Marvel Tales, Mystery Tales, Mystical Tales, it goes on, doesn’t it? Mystic, Spellbound, these were filler stories. You did some Westerns, Two-Gun Westerns, Tales of Justice, Uncanny Tales, War Comics, Western Outlaws, Western Trails, Wild Western. What do you remember about working for that company? BOLLE: I remember that I never really dealt with Stan Lee. I always used to say hello to him when I walked past him in his office, but I worked with one of his editors. I can’t remember her name now. JA: There were a couple of women who edited: Bonnie Hano and Jo Ellen Murdock. That’s interesting that you didn’t deal with Stan. BOLLE: Well, he always looked at the stuff, but I didn’t really sit down and discuss anything with him. He was always busy with something else. But he still recognizes me, and we talk every time I see him at a big convention or a cartoonists dinner. JA: How did you feel about the Senate investigations and Dr. Wertham and the Comics Code? How aware were you of that? BOLLE: I was aware of it, but it didn’t bother me at all because none of the stuff I did was sexually explicit or bloody, gory, or anything like that. JA: Would you have done such material if it’d been handed to you? BOLLE: Possibly, but with good taste. JA: I know that Timely quit publishing for a brief while in ’57, and I’m assuming that’s why you stopped working for them. Do you remember that period? BOLLE: I sort-of remember it, but not really. I already was into newspaper comic strips. I was working on more than one. JA: I also have you doing a couple of stories for EC’s War against Crime.

Crime After Crime An “FWB”-signed splash from Lev Gleason Pub.’s Crime and Punishment #43 (Oct. 1951), companion title of its trend-setting Crime Does Not Pay. Thanks to Bruce Mason—also to Jim Ludwig & Jay Kinney. We appreciate their help! [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

BOLLE: I remember Al Feldstein was editing there, but nothing else. I’ll tell you what: sometimes I’m dusting in my old studio and I’ll find a comic book or a novel or something, and I’ll open it up and I don’t even remember illustrating it. I’ve illustrated so many things, from children’s books to comic books to novels to magazines, that I said, “What? This looks great!” And I did it! [Jim laughs] I won’t remember when or how or where was I when I did it. But I recognize my work and I’m always proud of it. [mutual laughter]

“I’m Just Glad To Have Been An Artist”

Just In Timely A trio of dynamic splashes by Bolle from Timely mags, all from 1957, not long before Martin Goodman’s comics company just about went under for the third time: Journey into Unknown Worlds #56 (April)—Spellbound #34 (June)— Gunsmoke Western #42 (Aug.). With thanks to Dr. Michael J. Vassallo. [©2009 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

JA: During the time you worked in comics, did you have any assistants? BOLLE: Never. I always did everything myself.

“I Worked For [Dell &/Or Western] For Probably Ten Or Fifteen Years” JA: In 1961, I have you doing the On Stage comic for Dell Publications. It was a comic book version of [Leonard Starr’s] On Stage newspaper strip. I have you doing Mysterious Island in 1964 and doing some Big Valley, which was an adaptation of the television show. Do you remember who your editor was at Dell? Could it have been Matt Murphy? BOLLE: It might have been him or Wally Green. I worked with both of them. I used to see Wally Green at conventions. Matt Murphy’s still around, but he’s retired and been gone from comics for a long time. He’s not interested in those days now, from what I hear. Talking about comics would make him cranky. JA: In the ’60s, I have you doing some Flash Gordon for King Comics, ’66 and ’67. And in ’66 you did some stuff for Tower Comics: Fight the Enemy and Undersea Agent. Why did you do those comics? Were you looking for some extra money around that time?

Frank Bolle—Part II

BOLLE: No, probably someone called me to do something and they had a problem—they were stuck with a deadline problem or something. I wouldn’t want to let anybody down. That’s why I did a lot of stuff for people, because I wouldn’t want them to have a problem. But I always worked on more than one thing at a time. I was just so full of energy that it didn’t bother me if I had to work a little later at night. I did everything that came along because I just couldn’t refuse people. I always helped people when I could. JA: You worked for Warren Publications. Tell me about Jim Warren? BOLLE: He wasn’t the pleasantest person, as I remember. In fact, I saw him a few years ago at a convention in Madison Square Garden. He was at a table and was showing some of his stuff. He spotted me as I was walking by, looking at stuff because I was taking a break from where I was supposed to be, and he said, “Hey, Frank! I want to talk to you. I got something.” I never went back, [mutual laughter] because he just was never the friendliest type of person. I did a couple of things for him, but not a lot. I did like the work I did for him, though. JA: I’ve got you listed, off and on from like ’68 to ’72, doing a lot of work for Western Publishing. We mentioned Dell, but there’s also Western Publishing— or Gold Key. BOLLE: Yeah, I did a lot for them. I worked for them for probably ten or fifteen years. JA: I have you as doing Believe It or Not, Boris Karloff Tales of

A Boris Of A Different Color (Like, Black-&-White!) Splash panel done for Western’s Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery #72 (Dec. 1976). Repro’d from a photocopy of the original art, courtesy of Frank Bolle. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Mystery, Buck Rogers, Condorman—a Disney movie I don’t remember ever seeing. That was in ’81 and ’82. You did covers for them. Some you inked, some you painted. Of course, Doctor Solar you took over from Bob Fujitani. Did you ever meet Bob? BOLLE: Not that I can remember. I remember he did a few issues and then quit or something, after doing a few pages of a story, so they called me up and asked me to do it. That was the first time I did anything for them. Everything that came along, they gave me; from Boris Karloff to Believe It or Not, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers. They just loved everything that I did. Matt Murphy originally hired me. He was very easy to work with. I don’t know how he was with other people, but he just loved my stuff. After he saw the first few pages that I did that Fujitani didn’t finish, and penciled a few more pages, he sort-of gave me a tryout. He said, “Do these four pages” or something, and when they came back, he said, “Do the whole book.” From then on, I did all the Doctor Solar books.

I liked that character because he wasn’t just a muscled superman. He was just a scientist who suddenly got this power. I didn’t make him as bulky as some of the other super-heroes. I made him more normal because he would be in his lab coat in one scene, and when he wore a costume, I drew him a little more muscular. When he was in his regular form, he was pretty normal, just a nicely built guy. Paul Newman wrote most of the stories. I think I only met him once, because when I went to deliver stuff, he’d usually wasn’t there.

“I’m Just Glad To Have Been An Artist”

the subway and be there in 20 minutes. JA: What were the offices like? BOLLE: Let’s see, that building was on 34th Street and they were on the 18th floor. They had half of one of the floors. They had their own reception room right near the elevators, and that whole half was theirs, I think. They had a lot of window space and they had a pretty nice office. There was one area where they had some people who colored, and there were some people who probably did production work. I would only pass them from the hallway and see them, so I never knew anybody in that room. JA: Because their comics were so squeaky clean, I always got the feeling that their offices were that way, too. Maybe a little cleaner than most others, perhaps. BOLLE: Yeah, they were. Most publishers’ offices were pretty clean, but that was a nice place to go. While I was working for them, I was also doing my syndicated stuff. So part of the week, I worked on my newspaper stuff, and part of the week I worked on comic books. I was working for the McNaught Syndicate, but I was also working for Universal Syndicate anytime somebody got sick, like when I did Tarzan for a month. They just called me out of the blue, but they knew my reputation. They said, “You’ve got to get somebody to fill in and make it look like Russ Manning is still doing it,” because it’s his strip.

Solar Power Frank’s distinguished run on Western’s Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom is currently on view in the first three volumes of the hardcover series from Dark Horse Archives, but here’s something that isn’t: a (color) drawing commissioned a few years ago by collector Michael Dunne. Thanks to both gents! [Dr. Solar TM & ©2009 Random House, Inc.]

JA: You did some Lone Ranger and some Grimm’s Ghost Stories and Magnus, Robot Fighter books. Russ Manning had drawn Magnus before you did, and your work didn’t look like his. I’m assuming they didn’t ask you to follow in his style, but if they had, would you have done it? BOLLE: I probably could have if I had to. JA: Would you have wanted to? BOLLE: Only if his stuff was good. [mutual chuckling] JA: I ask because most people want to be their own man. They don’t want to be somebody else. I have you doing a lot of Twilight Zone and UFO in Outer Space. Did you like the stories for Western generally? BOLLE: Yeah, they were very good. They had good editors there; whether it was Wally Green or the lady editor, Denise Van Leer, Paul Kuhn, and Bill Harris. That was one of the nice groups that I worked for, outside of Magazine Enterprises. And they paid pretty well. As for covers, we sort-of just picked out verbally what scene we wanted to do, and they trusted me to deliver it. JA: And again, you turned in the pencils and it would be lettered and you would ink it, right? BOLLE: Yeah, they would letter it and then I would ink it. It was one of those things, again, where I would like come in every Tuesday and I would drop off pencils and pick up stuff that was lettered. Then the next week, I’d bring in finished stuff and they’d give me the stuff that was lettered. I went in personally because I lived in Queens then, and I’d take

Robot Fight Club Frank was tapped to draw “Magnus, Robot Fighter” in Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #29 (1981). With thanks to Jim Ludwig.

Frank Bolle—Part II

The Phantom And The Family Man (Left:) This color print of an original drawing of The Phantom has been sold by Frank at comics conventions and elsewhere; courtesy of the artist and Jerry K. Boyd. (Below:) Frank and his wife in a self-portrait of sorts. [Phantom TM & ©2009 King Features Syndicate, Inc.; self-portrait ©2009 Frank Bolle.]

comics. And you did some horror—well, what passed for horror comics in the ’70s—Haunted Love, Haunted, and I Love You. [laughs] Charlton, though, paid very poorly. BOLLE: Yeah, they didn’t pay great, but there again, I was helping someone. One of the guys called me up and said they could use some help, so I said okay. I don’t remember who it was, but I just went up there, and the thing is they weren’t that far away. They were in Derby, Connecticut, and it took me 20 minutes to get there. George Wildman was such a nice guy that I said, “Sure.” You know, they gave me carte blanche. I could do whatever I wanted. They just gave me the script and left me alone. JA: It’s certainly a great incentive when you know you’re going to be left alone. By the way, Bill Black has reprinted a fair amount of your stuff for AC Comics. Did that surprise you to start seeing your old work being reprinted? BOLLE: Yeah, it was a surprise. JA: How did it make you feel? Were you happy to see it back in print? BOLLE: Oh, it didn’t make me feel anything, really. I knew that someone had taken old stuff and was printing it; that was it. JA: I take it you didn’t get a reprint check or anything, did you? JA: Did you find that challenging? BOLLE: I can draw almost anything. Don’t tell anyone. [mutual laughter] I can draw and I paint, I do portraits. Did you see my website? You’ve got to look at my website. It’s www.frankbollestudio.com, and it’s got a lot of things that I’ve done. For eighteen years, I did seven features in Boys’ Life magazine.

“[The Editors] Loved Everything I Did” JA: In the ’70s, you came back to Marvel and did some inking on The Defenders, Ant-Man, The Avengers, Man-Thing, and Marvel TeamUp. Also, you inked some Sub-Mariner and Werewolf by Night. Do you remember doing that work in the ’70s? BOLLE: Just vaguely. I was more interested in what other stuff I was doing. JA: Why only inking, as opposed to maybe penciling? BOLLE: Well, because it wasn’t one of my regular accounts and they needed someone to ink, I guess. At that time, I was doing newspaper strips, so it was just something extra. I would always help out. I’ve worked for about six different guys, like Stan Drake and others, who were ill or in the hospital. I’m the guy they always called. I would do their stuff for a month, sometimes two months, saying, “Go to the hospital, relax, do what the doctor tells you, and don’t worry about the strip.” I did their strips for months, and no one knew that there was a change. JA: Okay, I have one more comic company to ask you about, and that’s Charlton Comics. I have you working for Charlton from 1973 until 1978. BOLLE: Oh, was it that long? George Wildman was the editor. A very nice guy; he loved everything I did. I did The Phantom and some detective stories. JA: You also did something called Vengeance Squad and romance

BOLLE: No, nothing at all.

“All The Other Stuff I Did” JA: Okay. Let’s discuss your syndication work. It looks to me—and you can correct me if I’m wrong—as if the first thing you did in syndication was helping Leonard with On Stage. BOLLE: Yes. Tex [Blaisdell] did some backgrounds, too. JA: Right. I have you as doing dailies and Sundays and doing backgrounds from 1957 to 1961. BOLLE: That sounds right. I penciled the figures. JA: Now this was the first time that you had worked with Leonard since the ‘40s. How did you work together on On Stage? BOLLE: He gave me the script, and I laid out and sketched in the figures. Then we had someone who would do the backgrounds, and then Leonard would go over it, and then ink it. After it was lettered, the background guy would ink the backgrounds after the figures were done. So all Leonard had to do was ink the figures. Tex may have done some of them, but then after a while, a different guy did it because Tex,

“I’m Just Glad To Have Been An Artist”

Boy, What A Life! A miraculous montage of several (but far from all!) of the features Bolle drew regularly for Boys’ Life, the Boy Scouts magazine, between 1966 and 1984, displaying his considerable versatility. (Clockwise from top left:) Bible Stories—Pee Wee Harris—Scouts in Action—The Tracy Twins—and the fantasy series The White Mountain, in which, among other things, Bolle drew his own sequel to H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. Thanks to Frank for photocopies of his original art. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Frank Bolle—Part II

probably, was doing something else. JA: Why did you stop working on On Stage? BOLLE: I think because my schedule changed and I was doing my own strip, plus I think I was still doing stuff for Western Publishing. And then I was also doing Boys’ Life magazine, which I did from 1968 until about 1996. They didn’t let us sign the stories, but I did Boy Scouts in Action, Bible Stories, The Pedro Patrol, Pee Wee Harris, The Tracy Twins, and the science-fiction serials that they had, plus Green Bar Bill. So I did like seven features, and they not only paid well, but I really enjoyed it because it was just good stuff. I colored and lettered all my work for them. JA: Who wrote the features? BOLLE: They had writers, but I never met them. They would just send me the scripts. I was doing seven features, and sometimes, there would be a special. They paid better than anyone else that I worked for. But even at that time, I was still doing Winnie Winkle in the funny papers, dailies and Sundays. JA: I have you doing around 1961 to around 1969, a feature called Children’s Tales, Sundays only. And according to this, you wrote and drew it. BOLLE: I wrote some of them and drew some of them. Some of them were classics that I re-adapted, some were original stories, and some the syndicate bought like little children’s books that were already illustrated and painted, and they bought the rights to reuse them. But of course, they couldn’t use pictures that were painted in the newspapers so they had to be redrawn. I would redraw them in line, exactly the way they had been done before, and then color it. They would print it, and then when it came out, some of the publishers got them and they looked at them and said, “How did they do this? [laughter] It’s the same illustrations in the book, but it’s in line and it’s in color.” And they called the editor, he told them, “I can’t tell you because it’s a secret process that we have.” So he said

In Space No One Can Hear You Stream In 1976 Whitman/Western published four issues of Starstream: Adventures in Science Fiction, and Frank seems to have done stories for each of them. This splash page for a story by Anne McCaffrey, as adapted by writer Dan Weiss, appeared in #3. Thanks to FWB for a photocopy of the original art. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

to me, “Frank, you’re also known as ‘a secret process.’” JA: From 1966 to ’69, you also did Debbie Deere. BOLLE: Yeah, that was the first newspaper strip I did for the McNaught Syndicate. It was about a lonely-hearts editor in a newspaper who’d get personally involved with some of the letters. Someone would come to see her and she would give them advice, so she got involved in some adventures. It was kind-of a nice story, but it just didn’t last that long. JA: In ’64 and ’65, you did Quick Quiz. BOLLE: I wrote and drew it myself. Then there was like a choice of how something originated, or who wrote a particular book, or who was on a certain ship and what was the name of his ship. The answers were written upside down. It was either A, B, or C or something like that. After a couple of years, I started doing another syndicated feature, and I didn’t have time to do it, so I just gave it to someone else to do. From 1970 to 1971, I did the Alexander Gate strip. He was an astrologer who met different people by reading their stars. He would be able to work things out with astrology. For the first few months or so, it really sold. But once you got past New Jersey, [Jim chuckles] the editors didn’t believe in astrology and didn’t want any part of it, so it just fizzled out. JA: I also have you doing, in 1977, Best Seller Showcase, Sunday and daily.

Flash Gordon On The Planet Gold Key Frank speaks of ghosting various newspaper strips—and of course it’s often hard to round up and identify copies of that work. In the Gold Key comic book Flash Gordon #22 (March 1979), of course, Frank was to some extent acknowledging—but not imitating—the classic 1930s-40s work of Alex Raymond on the newspaper strip he had created. Thanks to Frank for a photocopy of the original art. [©2009 King Features Syndicate, Inc.]

BOLLE: That was a pretty good strip. I did that for Universal. What they did was, they took a novel, and broke it down into like six or eight weeks. I illustrated the dailies and Sunday. It was like the Reader’s Digest, taking a big novel and shortening it, like Raise the Titanic, and there were a couple of good murder mysteries by some very famous writers. So I did that maybe for a couple of years. JA: I have you ghosting on Rip Kirby. I just have a blanket date. It says

“I’m Just Glad To Have Been An Artist”

A Winkle And A Nod A daily from the Winnie Winkle comic strip which was one of Frank Bolle’s longest-running assignments. Scripter unidentified. [©2009 Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate, Inc., or successors in interest.]

1977 to ’94. Did you ghost it the whole time or just times in between? BOLLE: No, I did it almost regularly. Almost like once a month, I would have to do a week because John Prentice was a very slow worker. He had only one speed: he was always in first gear, and so at the end of almost every month, he was like a week late. So for all those years, besides all the other stuff I did, I would either pencil and ink a whole week, or just pencil it and he would ink it. And then, of course, when he was sick in the hospital, I did it all myself. After he died, I had to finish off two more months for him, and even signed his name because he was such a nice guy. I had a lot of respect for him. He was easygoing, very funny. He almost never lost his Texas accent, even though he lived in New York for 30, 40 years. And he was just a hell of a nice guy. JA: Of course, he was also good friends with Leonard. Did it bother you to be a ghost? You don’t seem like the sort of guy who had a big enough ego that he worried whether or not he had his name on the stuff. BOLLE: No, it didn’t bother me because I had so much of my own good stuff that I was signing, and I always got pleasure out of what I did. JA: So for you, it was basically about doing the work—and of course, getting paid—rather than seeing your name up in lights.

the answer would be printed upside down so whatever clues were in there were there all week. JA: He was so different from his brother, wasn’t he? Did you like his brother, Al Capp? BOLLE: Yeah, he was okay. I didn’t know him as well as I knew Elliot, but I could imitate his walk. You know he had a wooden leg. I used to imitate him, the way he would use his hands and tell stories, but it was nothing mean. JA: Yeah, I know what you mean. Just having fun. BOLLE: Some college students accused him of going after one of the girls who was interviewing him, because they knew he was kind-of conservative, and they wanted to give him a bad name. So when I retold the story about this girl saying he chased her around the room when she was interviewing, I did the walk that he did. [Jim laughs] And if someone couldn’t get away from someone that limped as badly as he did, because his leg was wooden—in other words, every step he took, he had to, with his knee, swing his foot to take the next step. But there’s no way. You’d have to be crawling to not get away from him, because he didn’t have any speed at all. [laughs]

BOLLE: It wasn’t even that, because I never did anything for the money, either, or else I wouldn’t have done some things. It was mostly just to be doing it.

JA: Right, right. Well, Leonard thought that he was set up, too.

JA: By the way, why didn’t they let you put your name on the Boys’ Life stuff?

JA: But heck, Al Capp’s social life was such that he didn’t need to be set up for anything. [laughs] Elliot was a very gifted writer. He wrote a lot of stuff.

BOLLE: I don’t know. It was just their policy. I think maybe, towards the end, they put some people’s names down, they might even have put my name down on it, but in very tiny, itsy-bitsy printing on the side of the picture, outside of the panels or something they did. It didn’t really bother me because I had my name on other things, but I did enjoy the stuff. The stuff I did for them was great fun. I did the Bible stories, which people just loved. I used to get letters and even from religious people, saying that they should put it all in a book.

BOLLE: Oh, yes! One time he told me all the stuff that he wrote; there were some famous writers that never wrote that much, and he had probably more people read what he wrote than read some of the most famous writers, because he was in everything. He wrote in so many different comic strips, and different books and short stories and things like that. He was a good writer.

JA: In 1979, 1980, you drew the Encyclopedia Brown strip. BOLLE: Elliot Caplin wrote them . He was very nice, with a good sense of humor. The thing is he always smoked a pipe, but not when I was there. [chuckles] We got along great. He loved my stuff. He just was always so happy when I brought my illustrations in. He would condense the stories and then there’d be a mystery at the end of every week. I think on Sunday,

BOLLE: Most likely.

“Penciling Was The Work, Inking Was The Pleasure” JA: Annie [formerly Little Orphan Annie]. I have you doing lettering and some ghost art. BOLLE: Yes, Leonard lost a letterer, so I lettered Annie for the last ten years that he drew it. And then there were a couple of times where I don’t

Frank Bolle—Part II

We’re Looking For People Who Like To Draw Frank and a few of his artistic colleagues. (Left, from l. to r.:) Frank McLaughlin (who, like Bolle, worked on the sports strip Gil Thorp for a time)… Archie artist Orlando Busino (known especially for his work on Bats), and Frank, at the latter’s birthday party in 2007. (Right, from l. to r.:) psychologist and Big Little Books collector Walt Needham, artist Stephen Shoff, and FWB. With thanks for both photos to Michaël Dewally.

know what his problem was—he wasn’t feeling well or something—where I would draw the whole strip for him for maybe one or two weeks, or maybe I just penciled it—I don’t remember. There was a few times when I just probably penciled it and he inked it, I’m not sure. I did so many things that I don’t remember all the details. JA: You were a workaholic, weren’t you? BOLLE: I think so. The thing is I was fast and I was good and precise, and I did pencils where other people said, “I’d rather ink your pencils than anyone else’s,” because my pencils were firm and clear. There was no guessing. JA: When you drew a scene, did you see the scene in your head before you drew it?

JA: In 1982, you started doing Winnie Winkle, and I have you doing art and lettering from ’82 to ’96. How did you get that job? BOLLE: What happened is, the last person who did it before me got ill and didn’t say anything to anyone, and just let time fly by until they were almost too late for the papers to receive it. So Elliot recommended me to the syndicate, or maybe Leonard Starr might have mentioned that they needed someone. I showed them what I’d been doing, and they gave me the script right away and said, “This is late.” So I looked at it and I said, “Well, you really need the Sunday. I’ll give you two Sundays by Monday.” And they said, [nervously] “You will?” [chuckles] I said, “Yes, I’ll bring it in myself.” That was like a Thursday or a Friday and I went home, read the script, and

BOLLE: Pretty much, yes. JA: When you penciled for yourself and knew you were going to be the inker, would you leave some details for the inking stage? BOLLE: No, I penciled pretty much what I was going to ink. JA: Your pencils were always complete, whether you or someone else inked them. BOLLE: Yeah, right. You see, penciling was the work, inking was the pleasure.

Winnie, Place, And Show Frank Bolle teaching, a few years back, in a photo sent by both Anthony DeMaria and Michaël Dewally—and a Bolle 1993 Sunday page of Winnie Winkle, which the esteemed artist counts as the favorite of his many commercial gigs. Thanks to FWB for the photocopy. [Art ©2009 Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate, Inc., or successors in interest.]

“I’m Just Glad To Have Been An Artist”

An Apartment With A Lonnnng Lease A 2002 daily of Apartment 3-G, the newspaper strip drawn since 1999 by Frank Bolle—accompanied by a self-caricature. Thanks to Michaël Dewally. [©2009 North America Syndicate.]

drew it up, inked it, and made copies, colored it, and brought it in Monday, because they were already late on schedule. So right off, they had leeway because they had this Sunday and next Sunday. Sundays take the most time because of the color. Then I did the dailies to catch up.

JA: Did you care?

Within a couple of weeks, I had everything up to schedule, and then I did the strip for the next 20 years. That was one of my favorites because it was fun drawing Winnie Winkle and all the characters that were in the story. And people still remember it. Unfortunately, the syndicate ended it. Some of the newspapers were folding, and they didn’t get enough money from it.

BOLLE: Well, I started caring. [mutual chuckling] In the beginning I didn’t, because I figured that was the way the business was done. But later on, when I saw that people were interested in originals, I thought, “Oh, gee, I’d like to have them back.” Then I got a lot of stuff back from Western Publishing, but I never got any of the Dr. Solar back, not a single one. I got a lot of Boris Karloff, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not, and some

did. I only started getting stuff back in the ’60s and even then, I didn’t always get a lot of the stuff back.

JA: That’s a shame, because that strip had a long life to it. BOLLE: True, but before it ended, King Features called me to do The Heart of Juliet Jones. Juliet Jones was just a daily strip. Elliot Caplin wrote it for a while, and his daughter finished it when he became ill. She wrote it for the last two or three years that I worked on it. JA: And of course, you’ve ghosted Gil Thorp more than once. BOLLE: I did Gil Thorp when Jack Berill was ill. I thought I was going to do it for a few weeks, but it turned out to be nine months. But I was also doing Juliet Jones, and something else at the same time, and I didn’t expect to be doing it that long. But I did it until he got better, and then he did it for a little while longer and gave it to Ray Burns, who at one time was his assistant. Then Ray Burns got ill and had to go to the hospital, so he called me up and I said, “Well, go ahead and go to the hospital and do what the doctor tells you. Don’t worry about the strip. I’ll get it in for you.” So I did that, I think, until the very end. Frank McLaughlin took it when Ray Burns died, and then I did it for the first couple of months so he could get used to it. I just penciled it because he didn’t know the characters at first. Then last summer [2005], he had to have two knee operations or something. He called me up and I did it for another few weeks for him while he was in the hospital.

“I Did A Lot Of Stuff… That You Don’t Even Know About” JA: What was your favorite strip to work on? BOLLE: Winnie Winkle, because there were so many interesting characters. JA: And you got the originals back. You didn’t get back your comic book pages in the old days, right? BOLLE: I got some of them back, but not all of them. The early ones, I didn’t get back. I didn’t get any of the Western stuff, none of the Tim Holts or Redmask. I didn’t get any of those or the romance stories that I

If You Can’t Stand The Heap… …stay out of the swamp! The final page from the Bolle-penciled “Heap” episode in Airboy Comics, Vol. 5, #2 (March 1948). Thanks to Michaël Dewally. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Frank Bolle—Part II

of the other stuff, like Twilight Zone.

Shulock writes it, and I do the rest.

JA: If you had asked Ray Krank for any of your originals back, do you think he’d have given them to you?

JA: We didn’t talk about your illustration, and I don’t think it’s fair to leave that out. You did books like Lassie and the Lost Explorer, The Lone Ranger and the Talking Pony; you did some illustrations for Stag magazine, in addition to a lot of paperback covers.

BOLLE: Oh, probably, but I think when they shipped this stuff out to Racine, Wisconsin, to be printed, the printers just threw them away. They didn’t return them, because even later on when they were supposed to, there were cigarette burns on them, coffee stains, fingerprints, people writing telephone numbers on the side with big Magic Markers, which you had to white out. For the printers, this was just a job. They would get the stuff, put it into the machine, print it, and then throw the stuff away. There was such priceless stuff that was just discarded without a second thought. And I heard one story where it was raining so some guys didn’t want the floor to get wet, so they were throwing Prince Valiant originals on the floor. Those are the kind of stories that really hurt. [laughs] JA: No kidding! By the way, was “Frank Leonard Bolle” a name you used when you worked with Leonard Starr? BOLLE: No, we were going to do a character in the funny papers. We were going to name him “Frank Leonard.” He was an artist, a Cary Grant type of character, but he would have models and stuff like that. He would get involved in mysteries, all kinds of adventures, because he was an artist. But that never came to fruition. JA: How did you get the Apartment 3-G job? BOLLE: Jay Kennedy at King Features called me and told me they were going to end Juliet Jones, and would I take over Apartment 3-G? So the week after I stopped Juliet Jones, I started Apartment 3-G. Margaret

BOLLE: Yeah, I illustrated some novels of Sherlock Holmes stories, a couple of adventure novels, I illustrated Rocky Graziano’s boxing book; I did a lot of stuff like that that you don’t even know about. JA: What did you prefer doing? If you could have only done one thing, what would that have been? BOLLE: I really don’t know, because I also paint. I do watercolor portraits. I guess I just wanted to be a real artist. JA: Well, you’ve done everything! The only thing I haven’t seen you do is advertising. BOLLE: I’ve even done some of that. JA: But you don’t have a favorite. BOLLE: No, as long as it’s art I’m doing, and can do something good. I did some advertisements for Burger King. I did a whole page on a character… a super-hero type. And I’ve done a whole bunch of other things that I illustrated. I can’t think of all of them. It was years ago, and I don’t remember about that. I’m just glad to have been an artist. Check out Frank’s website at www.frankbollestudio.com

FRANK BOLLE Checklist [NOTE: The following Checklist is primarily adapted from information contained in the online Who’s Who of American Comic Books (19281999), established by Jerry G. Bails; see website’s ad on the following page. Names of features which appeared both in magazines with that title and in other publications, as well, are generally not italicized below. Some information has been added by Frank Bolle, via Jim Amash. Key: (a) = full art; (p) = pencils only; (i) = inks only; (w) = writer; (S) = Sunday newspaper comic strip; (d) = Mon. to Sat. daily comic strip.]

Name: Frank W. Bolle (b. 1924) (artist, writer) Pen Names: FWB, F.L. Blake Education: High School of Industrial Arts, New York City; Pratt Institute Influences: comic strips Member: Comic Council; National Cartoonists Society Print Media (non-comics): artist: 1970 Golden Magazine; dustjacket of 1963 Picture Parade of Jewish History (under name “F.L. Blake”); juvenile books such Gene Autry and Champion (1956), Lassie and the Lost Explorer (1958), The Lone Ranger and the Talking Pony; Wagon Train; Stag magazine (1961-62); Boys’ Life (1977-84); paperback covers, nonfiction (1965-75); paperback Super-Computer (1984); Baton Twirling; Invitation to Skin and Scuba Diving; Scuba, Spear & Snorkal; Soccer; Boxing Syndication: Alexander Gate (d & S) )(a) 1970-71; Annie (d & S), lettering and some ghost (a) 1980s-99 for Tribune Media Services; Apartment 3-G (d & S) (a) 1999+ for North America Syndicate; Best Seller Showcase (d & S) (a) 1977 Universal Press Syndicate (plus S in 1978); Children’s Tales (S) (w)(a) McNaught Syndicate 1960s; Debbie Deere (d & S) (a) MS 1966-69; Encyclopedia Brown (d & S) (a) UPS 1978-80; Gil Thorp (d) ghost (a) TMS 1996; The Heart of Juliet Jones (d & S) (a) & lettering, King Features Syndicate, 1989-2000; On Stage (d & S) (assist on bkgd.) Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate 1957-61;

Frank-ly Marvel-ous Spider-Man and Iron Man discover the captured Avengers—and Frank Bolle got to ink them all (over Ross Andru pencils). Script by Gerry Conway, for Marvel Team-Up #9 (May 1973). [©2009 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

“I’m Just Glad To Have Been An Artist”

Quick Quiz (w)(a) 1964-65; Rip Kirby (d) ghost (a) KFS 1977-94; Tarzan (S) ghost (a) United Feature Syndicate (dates uncertain); Winnie Winkle (d & S) (a) & lettering, CT-NYNS 1982-96 Comics in Other Media: (the following all in Boys’ Life magazine) Bible Stories (a) 1981; Green Bar Grill (a) (dates uncertain); The Pedro Patrol (a) 1981; Pee Wee Harris, Pool of Fire, Scouts in America, Space Adventures, The Tracy Twins (a) c. 1966-84; White Mountain (a) 1981 Comics Shops/Studios: Funnies, Inc. (backgrounds) 1943 COMIC BOOK CREDITS

McCombs: Bart Stewart (plot)(p) 1947-49; covers (a) 1947-48; Dot and Dash (plot)(a) 1948; Laura Ames (plot)(a) 1949; Vic Cutter (plot)(p) 1947-48, collaboration with Leonard Starr; Voodah (plot)(p) 1947-48 (collaboration with L. Starr) Rural Home: Secret Assignment (i) 1945; Secret Seven (i) 1945 Skywald Publishing Co.: Redmask (a) 1971, reprint St. John Publishing: Adventures (a) 1949-50; romance (a) c. 1950 Story Comics: Masked Ranger covers (a) 1954

(Mainstream US Publishers):

Toby Press: John Wayne (a) c. 1951

Ace Periodicals: Curly (a) 1947

Warren Publications: Creepy (a) 1972; Dracula (a) 1972, reprint; Eerie (a) 1968-71; October Weir (a) 1970-71; Vampirella back-up feature (a) 1970

Better/Nedor/Pines/Standard: Real Life Comics (p) 1948; Tara (p) 1947 Charlton Comics: backup feature in The Phantom (a) 1975; covers (a) 1973-79; Haunted Love (a) 1973; Haunted (a) 1976, 1981-82; I Love You (a) 1976; Jonnie Love (a) 1973; lettering 1973-76; The Phantom (a) 1975; Sweethearts (a) 1973; Vengeance Squad (a) 1975 DS Publishing: Outlaws (p) 1949; Underworld (a) 1948 Dark Horse Comics: Cheval Noir (w)(a) 1988-91 DC Comics: Batman (a) 1988 in Killing Joke graphic album; Girls’ Love Stories (a) 1964-67; Heart Throbs (a) 1966-67; House of Secrets (a) 1973; illustration (a) in Batman Gallery; Robotman (a) 1950-52; Secret Hearts (a) 1965; Young Love (a) 1965; Young Romance (a) 1965

Western Publishing: Believe It or Not (a) 1965-78; Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery (a) c. 1963-80; Buck Rogers (a) 1979; Condorman (a) 1981-82; covers (i & paint) 1978-82; Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom (i) 1963 (over Bob Fujitani pencils in #5, 2nd story); Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom (a) 1963-67; fillers (a) 1966-67; Flash Gordon (a) 1979; 1979; Grimm’s Ghost Stories (a) 1973-79; lettering 1970s (imprint Gold Key); The Lone Ranger (a) (dates uncertain); Magnus, Robot Fighter (a) 1981-82; Starstream (a) 1976 (imprint: Whitman); The Twilight Zone (a) 1965-82; UFO and Outer Space (a) 1974-80

EC Comics: War against Crime (p) 1948 Fawcett Publications: Freshman Freddy (a) 1949-51 (work done for the writer, name unknown); Lance O’Casey (a) (not recalled by Bolle); Pistol Packin’ Patty (a) c. 1948-53 (work done for the writer, name unknown) Feature Comics: various features (a) 1948 Hillman Periodicals: The Heap (p) 1948; Ultra Violet (p) 1948 IW Publications: Dream of Love (a) 1958; Foxhole (a) 1965; Redmask (a) 1958; Robin Hood (a) 1958, 1963-64; Sir Gallant (a) 1958, 1963-64; Tim Holt (a) 1958; all IW stories are reprint. King Comics: Flash Gordon (a) 1966-67 Kirby Comics: various features (a) c. 1949 Lev Gleason Publications: Crime and Punishment (a) 1951; Crime Does Not Pay (a) 1952; Crimebuster (a) 1953; Little Wise Guys (a) 1955; romance (a) 1951-52 Magazine Enterprises: Badmen of the West (a) 1953-54; Best of the West (a) early 1950s; Black Phantom (a) 1953-57; covers (a) 1951-57; Redmask (a) 1952-57; robin Hood (a) 1955-57; Sir Gallant (a) 1955-57; Tim Hold (a) 1948-54 Marvel/Timely: Alice in Wonderland (p) 1978; Ant-Man (i) 1973; The Avengers (i) 1973; Battle (a) 1957; Captain Marvel (i) 1989; Caught (a) 1957; The Defenders (i) 1973; Fear (i) 1973; G.I. Tales (a) 1957; Gunsmoke Western (a) 1957; Journey into Mystery (a) 1957; Journey into Unknown Worlds (a) 1956-57; Man-Thing (i) 1973; Marvel Tales (a) 1956-57; Mystic (p) 1956-57; Mystical Tales (a) 1957; Spellbound (a) 1957; Spider-Man & Iron Man (i) 1973; Strange Tales (a) 1956; Strange Tales of the Unusual (a) 1957; Sub-Mariner (i) 1973; Tales of Justice (a) 1957; Two-Gun Western (a) 1957; Uncanny Tales (a) 1957; various features (backgrounds) 1946; War Comics (a) 1957; Werewolf by Night (i) 1973; Western Outlaws (a) 1957; Western Trails (a) 1957; Wild Western (a) 1957

The WHO’S WHO of American Comic Books (1928-1999) Created by Jerry G. Bails FREE – online searchable database – FREE 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.

hat if, instead of selling his share of All-American Publications to National/DC co-publishers Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz in 1945, as happened in The World We Know, AA co-publisher Max Charles Gaines had instead bought DC from them?

being cancelled) the AA characters Green Lantern, The Flash, and Wonder Woman had become instead the surviving Golden Age superheroes—stars of comic books, radio, movies, and TV? (Even so, in Our World, all art on the next 6 pages features characters trademarked and copyrighted 2009 by DC Comics.)

Just imagine…a comic book industry in which (due to legal problems with Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Bob Kane which resulted in there being two competing versions each of Superman and Batman on the national newsstands in the late 1940s, with both renditions eventually

Not a dream (precisely)…not a hoax (because we tell you about it up front)…just an imaginary tale of an alternate universe we call Earth-22, and of…

The Secret History Of All-American Comics, Inc. by Bob Rozakis

Book One – Chapter 8: “The End Of The Beginning!” [NOTE: This chapter’s interview with Ted Skimmer, longtime AA production man, has never before been printed.] BOB ROZAKIS: A couple of major things happened in 1969 and 1970. That was the beginning of the turnover. TED SKIMMER: Yes, it was, and it started because of bad weather. Charlie was living in a big house out on the north shore of Long Island and he had a driver named Gavin, who would bring him back and forth every day. It was a really nice place, off this long winding road through the hilly woods. Well, in mid-February, there was a blizzard… BR: Oh, I remember that storm. It was my senior year of high school. Everything was closed for a week. It took days for them to plow even the major roads. My friends and I went sledding on the Cross Island Parkway! TS: I don’t know how Gavin got to Charlie’s house, but he told Charlie the roads were already really bad. The way I heard the story from Billy, his father insisted they could make it to the city despite Gavin’s misgivings. So off they went. Maybe a mile from Charlie’s house, they skidded and got stuck in a snow bank. Gavin tried everything he could, but he could not move the car. And since it was a relatively undeveloped area, there was no other traffic… and no other houses nearby… and, of course, this was way before cell phones, so no way they could call anyone. They had no choice but to get out and walk back to Charlie’s house. Uphill. In a blizzard. It took them hours. By the time they got there, both of them were covered in snow and ice. Charlie ended up with bronchitis and was sick for two weeks. Gavin got pneumonia and was in the hospital for I don’t know how long. Anyway, Charlie decided he’d had enough. He was moving to Florida. He called up Billy and said, “I’m done. You’re in charge now.” BR: Just like that? TS: [laughs] As soon as they reopened the airport, Charlie was on the first plane out. He said he’d had enough of snow and cold weather and winter. Of course, he still owned the company, so it wasn’t like he was giving up anything except coming to the office. BR: How did Bill react? TS: I think he wished it had happened a couple of weeks sooner. At the

Putting Their (Post)Cards On The Table This type of art-splashed postcard, featuring Green Lantern, Stretch Bando, Wonder Woman, The Flash, the revived Superman, and Metamorpho, was sent out in the late 1960s to those who wrote letters to DC mags. Layout by Neal Adams. From the joint collection of Lawrence P. Guidry & Shane Foley.

“The End Of The Beginning”!

The AA Universe In The Latter Days Of Weisinger (Left:) The cover of Julie Schwartz’s All-Flash #171 (Dec. 1966) reflected the popularity—fabulous, if fleeting—of The Flash TV show, which had debuted at the turn of the year. Art by Carmine Infantino & Joe Giella. (Right:) Meanwhile, Mort Weisinger chugged right along with the Legion of Lantern Pets in Sensation Comics #311 (Jan. 1968). Art by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye. With special thanks to Lawrence P. Guidry & Shane Foley for supplying both covers from their cacophonous joint collection.

beginning of the year, the industry was faced with having to raise the cover price from 12¢, and the logical step was to 15c. Charlie wanted to keep the 32-page package, maybe replace a couple of house ads with story pages. Billy wanted to go back to 48 pages and jump the price to 20c. His argument was that they could use reprints in the extra pages, and the readers would feel they were getting more for their money. There was a lot of shouting behind closed doors, but ultimately Charlie prevailed. AA, and the rest of the companies, raised the price with the books that came out in April. Whenever Billy and I used to talk about it, he used to shake his head and say, “I wish that blizzard had been in January.” BR: After Charlie moved to Florida, the next big thing was Mort Weisinger’s retirement? TS: Mort was always threatening to retire. I think he started doing it around 1960, about the time Bill took over as managing editor from Shelly Mayer. Mort would go in to a meeting with Charlie and Billy and say, “I’m tired of doing this. I want to retire and write some TV shows and screenplays, maybe a novel.” Didn’t matter that Mort no longer had any connections in Hollywood. He would name people he’d met while he was out there in the early days of the Green Lantern TV show in the ’50s and that would be enough. Or he’d just lie and say he’d gotten an offer from Sam Goldwyn!

And every time he did it, he pushed Charlie into panic mode. How could Mort dream of giving up Green Lantern? Surely more money would entice him to stay. And, of course, it would. And that was how Mort kept getting big raises every year. Julie used to say that when Mort died, his gravestone would read, “Here lies Mort Weisinger… as usual.” BR: [laughs] I’ve heard Julie say that. TS: So it’s December ’69 or maybe early 1970 and Mort sits down with Billy for yet another round of “I’m going to retire,” but this is the first time he’s doing it with Billy alone. Well, sales on the Lantern books were down a bit, though they were still the best-selling in the company. Mort took great delight, by the way, in pointing out how the Lantern books started outselling Julie’s books again once the Flash TV show went off the air in ’68. Anyway, maybe Billy was tired of the ploy or maybe Mort really did want to retire. Or it may just have been that Billy did not like Mort from the time Mort tried to co-opt the horror comics idea back in ’49. In any case, when they came out of that meeting it was announced that Mort would be leaving the company at the end of his current contract. All of a sudden, there’s chaos among the editors. What is going to happen to all the Green Lantern books without Weisinger to guide them?

The Secret History Of All-American Comics, Inc.—Chapter 8

would give him all the GL books and he’d have to give up the rest of his stuff. So when he only got two of them and got to keep his other titles, it was a relief. One of the oddest things about the transition: Julie finally got control of Comic Cavalcade, which for decades featured team-ups of Green Lantern and Flash. Julie had been handling the Flash books for more than six years at this point, but Mort would never allow him any input into the team-ups. It was like they existed in their own universe. Now he has the main GL book and CC, along with the Flash books—and the first thing he does is kick GL out of the book! He had Flash teaming up with every other character in the AA line except Green Lantern. It wasn’t until he traded the book to Murray for All-American that GL came back as the costar… and now both Flash and GL were beyond Julie’s control in that book! Which was how we ended up with things like the “sons” of Green Lantern and Flash in CC. Murray and Bob Haney went their own way… but the book sold well, so Bill wasn’t going to stop them. BR: There were a lot of changes made to the Green Lantern mythos at the time. Did Bill sit the editors down and have a discussion about what they were going to do? TS: No. Julie was given the responsibility of revamping the Green Lantern universe. His first decision was to get rid of the weakness of GL’s ring to wood. “Every crook in the world can pick up a bat or a stick and knock out Green Lantern,” he told everybody in the meeting where he explained what he’d worked out. BR: I remember hearing about that and wondering how he could pull it off. Of course, since it was Julie, he and John Broome came up with a logical explanation. They cleverly tied it into the continuity of his own books by having GL meet up with Sarganna during her search for her father, Sargon the Sorcerer. The quest took them inside the Power Ring, where they defeated the “wood-beast” that lived there and eliminated the weakness. Then, in order to keep GL from becoming omnipotent, they established that he had to maintain his concentration in order for his ring-created things to work. So Alan Scott had his hands full when he was faced with a number of things to deal with simultaneously.

The Real DeCoy Though this chapter deals with later events, it’s hard to beat Murphy Anderson’s cover for Justice League of America #24 (Dec. 1963) for purveying the essence of AA’s mightiest heroes: Wonder Woman and her then-new Silver Age companions—the revamped Batman, Superman, and Aquaman. Special thanks to Lawrence P. Guidry & Shane Foley.

TS: Julie figured it would take a while for the readers to grasp this concept, so he kept having the writers explain it in every story. If GL was faced with someone trapped on the roof of a burning building, he could not create a giant fire hose to put out the flames at the same time he was creating a giant hand to lift the person to safety. In other words, he couldn’t multi-task with his ring; it required his undivided attention.

There was talk that Billy was having secret meetings with Stan Lee to bring him over to handle the books. Other names got mentioned—Dick Giordano, who was up at Charlton, Archie Goodwin over at Warren. The rumor mill was churning full speed for a week while Billy kept mum on what he was planning.

BR: I don’t know about other readers, but I found that that particular editor’s note got annoying after awhile. Did you know that there was never a story in which GL faced that particular problem?

BR: But I’ll bet you knew what he was thinking.

BR: I almost used it in the first GL story I wrote. I had him create two hands—one saved a kid on the roof while the other held a real fire hose. Nelson insisted I was breaking the rule and pretty much convinced Julie I had to change it. But I picked up a pen with one hand and started writing. While I was doing it, I used my other hand to throw a paper clip at Nelson. Then I looked at Julie and said, “If I can do that, why can’t Green Lantern?” I won the argument.

TS: [laughs] Well, yes. As you are aware now, Billy was using me as his sounding board. Billy had no plans to bring in anyone new at the time, and handing all of Mort’s books to one editor would have meant splitting up that person’s titles. So he just divided up the workload. Julie Schwartz got Green Lantern and Comic Cavalcade. Murray Boltinoff got AllAmerican Comics, Doiby Dickles, and Kid Lantern. Jack Schiff took over Girl Lantern and Sensation Comics. And Nelson Bridwell, still considered an assistant editor, would handle Cathy Crain, with Boltinoff and Schiff looking over his shoulder. BR: How did that go over? TS: Julie was the happiest with the plan. I think he expected that Billy

TS: Really?

TS: [laughs] I’ll bet! The other big thing Julie wanted to do was bring Alan Scott’s place in the world up to date. Just as Alan had gone from a radio station owner to a TV station owner when The Adventures of Green Lantern went on the air in the ’50s, his TV station now grew into a nationwide network, SBS—the Scott Broadcasting System. Alan Scott became the Ted Turner of comics. And Julie kept pace with the real world. [continued on p. 64]

“The End Of The Beginning”!

Sidebar:

The Post-Weisinger AA Editorial Lineup Julie Schwartz: All-Flash Batman Comic Cavalcade Flash Comics Green Lantern Justice League of America Sugar & Spike Superman Murray Boltinoff: All-American Comics The Brave and the Bold Challengers of the Unknown Doiby Dickles

Hawkman Hollywood Funny Folks Kid Lantern Teen Titans Tomahawk Robert Kanigher: Action Men of War All-Star Western GI Combat Our Army at War Our Fighting Forces Star Spangled War Wonder Woman

Jack Schiff: Girl Lantern Heart Throbs Sensation Comics Strange Adventures Tales from the Crypt Weird Science Witching Hour Young Love E. Nelson Bridwell: AA Special Cathy Crain Super AA Giant

Two Boltinoff Brain-Busters! (Left:) Wildcat and his sidekick Kiddycat’s tryout in Showcase #58 (Oct. 1966) didn’t win them their own mag, but they were a standout hit in Sensation. Cover art by George Papp. (Right:) The spanking-new Wonder Girl debuts in Teen Titans #23 (Sept.-Oct. 1969), with art by Nick Cardy. Special thanks for both scans to Lawrence P. Guidry & Shane Foley.

The Secret History Of All-American Comics, Inc.—Chapter 8

[continued from p. 62] SBS added an all-news channel, a sports channel, an old movies station, a cartoon channel and more. All he needed to do was have Alan grow a mustache and marry Jane Fonda, and Turner probably could have sued. BR: That part played pretty well. The wood weakness ended up coming back, though. TS: Julie found out there were some things he just could not change. Too many people who grew up watching the cartoons or the TV series expected it. And, of course, they used it in the movies in the ’70s. BR: There’s a funny story about how the weakness came back. One of the things Julie said when he took over GL was that he would never use Timberano. He said that a giant wooden gorilla was the most ridiculous thing Mort had ever come up with. So it’s a few years later and Cary Bates and Julie are plotting the story in which the wood-beast inside the ring breaks free. The story is set in the Fortress of Solitude up in the Arctic and the wood-beast needs something to inhabit in order to take on GL. Julie and Cary are looking at one of those “Inside the Fortress” pages Nelson did in a GL Annual in the ’60s, trying to find something interesting to use. Cary suggests the Timberano statue. Julie says no. Then Nelson chimes in and says that maybe the wood-beast was the spirit that inhabited Timberano all along. He even pulls out the issue in which the original story appeared and finds a panel that they could use in a flashback to show it. Now Julie’s wavering. So Cary points at the Fortress page and says, “Well, it’s Timberano or this baseball bat!”

the penciled art and then do the proofreading when the pages were finished. Mort would look at the coloring sometimes, but mostly he would tell the colorists to go over their work with Nelson. I was coloring a lot of the back-up stories in those days and when I came in with the pages, Mort would just wave me off. “Show them to the idiot,” he’d say. BR: Did Nelson think he was going to get Mort’s job? TS: I think he probably did, but he was never the sort to fight for anything. And since Mort spent so much time deriding him, the rest of us had no idea if Nelson was capable of being a full editor. Billy gave him the Cathy Crain book to edit, with Murray and Jack overseeing him. I think Murray used to okay the cover sketches, but they didn’t do much more than that. They let Nelson do what he wanted. BR: So what happened? TS: Nelson was still acting as assistant editor on all the GL books, so he knew what each of the editors was doing. He was using the “Cathy Crain” stories to try to tie all the continuity together. He’d refer to something in one of Julie’s books and try to explain how it tied to something Murray did. He lost sight of Mort’s primary rule: was the story entertaining? Unfortunately, Nelson would get so bogged down in trying to fix things that very often they were not. After about eight months, Billy was reviewing the sales of the GL

And that was that. Every time Julie told that story he would end by shaking his head and saying, “I can’t believe I actually let them use that stupid wooden gorilla.” TS: And since every book AA ever published with an ape on the cover showed a sales spike, that issue was a big hit. So, of course, Billy went to Julie and said, “The gorilla issue sold big. Do another one.” [mutual laughter] BR: Mort’s self-contained Green Lantern universe fractured when he left. The various editors all had different approaches. TS: Billy figured that none of them was going to be able to continue the line the way Mort had handled it. Nelson probably had the best handle on what was going on in all the books, but you don’t hand your top-selling books over to someone still listed as an assistant editor. Nelson had been doing a lot of the editorial work for Mort in the last few years. Mort would plot the stories with the writers—and by that I mean he would give them a premise and tell them to go write it. When the scripts came in, Nelson would read them first. BR: I’m sure he was great at pointing out the continuity errors. TS: Most of which Mort would ignore. He’d say, “Is the story entertaining the way it is?” If Nelson said yes, Mort would say, “Then leave it alone!” But the readership was getting older, staying with the books longer, and they were bothered by the contradictions. That was what was selling the Marvel books—Stan Lee had created a single universe for all the characters. They would run into each other from time to time and it would seem normal. If another hero showed up in one of Mort’s books, there was no attempt to follow the characterization in his own series. Batman or Hawkman shows up in a “Cathy Crain” story and he’s nothing like the way he is portrayed in his own book. BR: Well, the way Mort used The Flash in Comic Cavalcade, he had a different personality than in his own titles. TS: Which Nelson would regularly point out, only to be ignored. As I said, Nelson was doing a lot of the work on the books. He would check

Three Doctors—No Waiting! All-American continued to utilize Showcase and The Brave and the Bold to test concepts. In B&B #72 (June 1967), Dr. Fate, Dr. Thirteen, and Dr. Occult shared a cover—and an issue—which is fondly remembered today. If the trio had formed a permanent team, they might’ve called themselves—the American Medical Association! Pencils ascribed to Kurt Schaffenberger, inks to Murphy Anderson. Thanks to Lawrence P. Guidry & Shane Foley.

“The End Of The Beginning”!

Going Bats (Left:) Neal Adams & Dick Giordano’s 1970 cover for Batman (or, as it was informally known for a time, “Batman/Wildcat”) #87, which introduced the mysterious Brother Bat! Another fan-favorite from editor Julius Schwartz. Thanks to Lawrence P. Guidry & Shane Foley. (Right:) Some equally intriguing concepts, alas, wound up on the cutting-room floor… like this “two-Batmen” art that Julie had artist Gil Kane work up, just in case he could get the publisher to approve such an issue. He couldn’t, more’s the pity! Special thanks to Lawrence P. Guidry.

books and found they were all over the place. Julie and Murray swapped All-American and Comic Cavalcade, Murray also got Sensation, and Kanigher got Girl Lantern and Cathy Crain. Nelson was made “Reprints Editor” and pretty much stayed in that role for the rest of his career. When Doiby Dickles, Cathy Cole, and Girl Lantern were merged into Green Lantern Family, he got to pick reprints while someone else edited the new story. It was probably the best way to utilize Nelson’s unique set of skills. BR: He did seem pretty much resigned to it when we “Woodchucks” arrived on the scene. Even when some of us were promoted to editors, he became only an associate editor. But I guess the last big moves of Bill’s

first year were the arrivals of Jack Kirby and Joe Orlando. TS: And the “retirement” of Jack Schiff. But that is all a tale for another day.

END OF BOOK ONE But the story of the All-American Comics Group is far from over! Follow Bob Rozakis’ colorful history of an alternate reality from 1971 to the present in current and upcoming editions of our sister magazine Back Issue.

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Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

Introduction

Dr. Laurette Bender: Comics’ Anti-Wertham Part 1

by Michael T. Gilbert

umerous articles have been written about Dr. Fredric Wertham, the comic industry’s most notorious critic. His 1954 bestselling book Seduction of the Innocent promoted the idea that mass media, and comic books in particular, were harmful to children’s mental health. The ensuing furor led to a Congressional inquiry into the comic book industry and to the creation of the Comics Code later that same year. Comics fans know far less about Dr. Lauretta Bender, though her career parallels Wertham’s in many ways. Both were highly respected in their fields. Wertham was senior psychiatrist for the New York City Department of Hospitals from 1932 to 1952, as well as director of the mental hygiene clinics at Bellevue Hospital and Queens Hospital Center, and was in charge of the Court of General Sessions Psychiatric Clinic. He also fought racial inequities in the mental health care system and was instrumental in opening the Lafargue Psychiatric Clinic in Harlem, one of the few institutions dedicated to serving the African-American community. Bender practiced child neuropsychiatry at New York’s Bellevue Hospital from 1930 to 1956 and was an early advocate of the oftencontroversial electroshock therapy. But she’s best known for creating the Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test (a.k.a. the Bender-Gestalt Test), which has been used for decades by school and clinical psychologists to measure motor skills and development and neurological intactness. It still ranks among the top five tests for diagnosing emotional problems. Dr. Bender was also particularly proud of the work she did on Childhood Schizophrenia. Wertham was greatly influenced by Sigmund Freud, who was a contemporary of Bender’s first husband, Paul Schilder, a Viennese

psychoanalyst. The Benders married in November 1936. According to their son Peter, Dr. Schilder was “the typical absent-minded professor” who made the mistake of crossing a busy street while engrossed in a book. He died in 1940, shortly after the birth of their third child. But Lauretta Bender carried on as a single parent, raising three children (Michael, Peter, and Jane) while continuing her career. Both Dr. Bender and Dr. Wertham were experts in the field of child psychology. Both practiced at the same hospital and genuinely cared about children. There the similarities end. If Wertham was comics’ harshest critic, Bender was one of its greatest champions. She actually defended comics during the infamous 1954 Congressional Hearings, and often advocated using comics as a healing tool for children. Dr. Bender also headed DC Comics‘ Editorial Advisory Board, a job she took very seriously. Her byline doesn’t appear in any comics before July 1944, though The Who’s Who of American Comic Books states that she held that position from 1942-1954. Her stamp of approval was seen in thousands of DC comics in the ‘40s and ’50s. While Seduction of the Innocent has largely been discredited, Bender’s work holds up surprisingly well almost 70 years later. The following article was originally published in The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, XI (July 1941), and had been presented in a paper a year earlier before the National American Neuropsychiatric Association. It was written with Reginald S. Lourie, a renowned child psychiatrist and pediatrician, and is reprinted with the permission of Dr. Peter Schilder, Lauretta Bender’s son. Our thanks to Dr. Schilder, The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, and my wife Janet, who originally brought the article to my attention. We’re reprinting the piece in its entirety, keeping the original archaic spellings. We have added art where appropriate to illustrate a point. This is a fascinating article, one of the first to defend the popular new art form. You’ll find references to the contemporary super-heroes of the time, including Hour-Man, Hawkman, and The Justice Society. But be warned, there are also graphic case histories of abused children who used comic books to help them heal.

Dr. Fredric Wertham, reading the first issue of EC’s Shock Illustrated (Oct. 1955).

Dr. Laurette Bender: Comics’ Anti-Wertham—Part 1

The Effect of Comic Books on the Ideology of Children* *Presented at the 1941 meeting. From the Psychiatric Division of Bellevue Hospital, the New York University Medical School and the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Hospital

by Lauretta Bender, M.D., and Reginald S. Lourie, M.D In the last four or five years, the comic book, a new medium aimed at the pre-adolescent child, has made an appearance on the American scene and taken its place alongside the movies and radio in children’s interest. Ten to twelve million copies of about 100 different “funny” books are sold each month and the secondary circulation is even greater and includes many adults. This relatively uncensored visualized form of literature deals chiefly with adventure and mystery (spies, detectives, fifth columnists, superhuman feats, the supernatural, the pseudo-scientific, the horrible, and the gruesome). There is occasionally a conscious propaganda effort and in general a swing with sociological trends. Our present study was undertaken not only because of a growing concern on the part of parents and educators as to the role these books should be allowed to play in the child’s daily life, but also because of what seemed on the surface to be direct repercussions in the symptomatology of some of our patients following the reading of this new form of “literature.”

Most early comics, such as Dell’s Popular Comics #3 (April 1936), reprinted newspaper strips. Those that didn’t printed new features that were designed to look like newspaper strips. [©2009 Western Publishing or its successors in interest; characters TM & © the respective trademark & copyright holders.]

Tracing back the origin of comics it was found that they were started in Germany about 1880 as newspaper circulation boosters and at that time were entirely in pantomime. Probably the origins could be traced even further back to the caricature employed in puppetry which was popular through Europe in this period. From 1887, when comics were brought to this country, until the middle of the First World War, the emphasis was on straight humor, but in 1915 adventure strips were started and caught the public’s imagination. Up to this point the comics did not particularly cater to children but, with a few changes, were read and enjoyed by most age groups.

Editor Vince Sullivan drew this eye-catching cover for More Fun Comics #22 (July 1937), published by DC’s predecessor, Nicholson Publishing Co. (a.k.a. National Allied Publications). [©2009 DC Comics.]

Five years ago two of the syndicates, purely for financial reasons, started to put some of the complete adventure stories into magazine form, reprinting old plates, necessarily reducing their size, which made the early books difficult to read. These comic books caught on immediately and gradually increased in circulation until a peak of 12,000,000 copies per month was recently reported. When individual publishers sprang up in the field two years ago they introduced what has been called “adventure of an advanced nature” with material much more vivid and exciting than that formerly produced. Although most of the magazines at present use the same general themes, some try to avoid gruesomeness and horror as much as possible, while other do little more than take material from the more lurid pulp-magazines and movies, like Frankenstein, and put it into picture form. Some of the former try to “improve” the minds of their readers by using book reviews and educational articles, whose chief purpose seems to be to make logical their often fantastic stories, using

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

Little Lefty was the longest-running strip in the Socialist newspaper, The Daily Worker. Drawn by cartoonist Maurice del Bourgo, Little Lefty ran from October 8, 1934, until January 3, 1943. Here he meets his less-liberal comic strip counterparts. Watch out for Annie and Tracy, kid! [©2009 The Daily Worker or its successors in interest.]

topics such as the possibility of life existing in the atmosphere on Mars, etc. As a rule right always wins out in the stories and the hero has a Robin Hood quality. Tarzan may kill, but only to eat. Often the tendency is to pattern the general theme of the plots on current happenings, national policies, etc. So true are they sometimes to fact that a short while ago a Nazi newspaper was reported to have protested against the anti-dictator polices of Superman. The tremendous potentialities of the comics as a propaganda agent was realized to some extent by the Daily Worker whose comic-strip character “Little Lefty” indulged in activities directly counter to those which “Little Orphan Annie” was carrying on in a strike. Some of the magazines have clubs such as the Justice Society of the U.S., and Supermen of America, whose slogans are always inspiring, righteous and patriotic. One club recently held a convention which thousands attended. The reading public of the comics is not confined to any one of the social and cultural levels of society. Anyone in contact with children of school age, and particularly those working closely with children, sooner or later becomes conscious of the extent to which the constant reading of comic books has invaded their thinking, daily activities, and play. This varies from the rarer complete identification with the characters on a conscious level, to the more common patterning of play activities after those in the stories they read. The spontaneous art work of children in many instances concerns itself with the various heroes and what they have done in their more recent episodes. This specific interest of children is being capitalized on in many ways. An enterprising librarian in Baltimore, whose children’s department had fallen off considerably, asked and received permission to put up a sign, “Superman recommends these books,” whereupon circulation boomed. A large metropolitan department store found that a Christmas display featuring a comic book hero outranked even Santa Claus in the children’s interest.

bootlegging and gambling activities. Her only memories of her father were concerned with wrangling in the home or his leaving home as a traveling salesman. He committed suicide by gas as the outcome of a quarrel between the parents over her. She was present when it occurred, saw the details, and almost succumbed herself from gas poisoning. The mother, who at the time was suffering from inoperable cancer, had many paranoid ideas. She frequented spiritualists and took the child with her. The understanding grew up between them that the mother of the man whom the father had killed was pursuing our patient to kill her for revenge. In addition, Tessie was extremely distressed on seeing her mother seriously ill but continually refusing medical care. She began to fail in school and showed a number of asocial attitudes, especially in the form of antagonism to authority. Also noted were many suicidal preoccupations and threats. Observation over a period of time showed her to be constitutionally a normal child of average intelligence who presented emotional instability and neurotic features as a reaction to these traumatic experiences involving the people to whom she was most closely attached.

Our best gauge as to whether the comic book does good or harm is to evaluate the influence of the comics on the children’s experiences in actual situations and children’s verbal reaction to them. Can we actually trace the influence of comic strips as such in children’s behavior? Do they lead to anxiety? Do they lead to aggression or another forms of asocial or delinquent behavior? Do they bewilder or confuse children? Have any efforts to control the comic strips avoided any of these? Some degree of insight into children’s responses to comic books may be gained from an analysis of cases in which these “funnies” have had an active part in the reactions of the child.

Cases 1. Tessie, age 12, a Canadian Catholic girl referred from Children’s Court, was found to be a child whose entire life had been filled with the most dramatic asocial experiences involving both her parents. Her father had served a prison term before marriage for a killing growing out of his

Dick Briefer did a long-running version of Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein character for Prize Publications––but we couldn’t resist running this bizarre photoadaptation of the Universal movie Son of Frankenstein from DC’s Movie Comics #1 (April 1938). Picture Comics Inc. was the credited publisher. [Page ©2009 DC Comics; film images ©2009 Universal.]

Dr. Laurette Bender: Comics’ Anti-Wertham—Part 1

Superman creators Jerry Siegel (writer) and Joe Shuster (artist) and the Supermen of America club certificate. Both men were pictured in Look magazine for February 27, 1940. Look was a long-running competitor to the reigning US weekly picture-magazine, Life. [Text ©2009 Look magazine or its successors in interest; Superman art ©2009 DC Comics.]

Psychiatric interview revealed her to have great personal charm, sensitive to social pressures and situations (especially the insecurity of her own) and reacting at times with defiance and aggression toward authority. She suffered from strong guilt feelings, believing herself responsible for her father’s death and her mother’s illness. She realized that her mother would soon die. She felt closely connected with her father, believing that she was being forced into following in his footsteps but having his voice warn her, however, not to do so. She felt that the mother of her father’s victim would pursue her until she did follow the paternal career or else she would kill her. She felt inferior to the children in the classroom and in school felt utterly unable to succeed. In her ward activities it was noticed that the girl tended to follow the more aggressive children, being easily influenced by them. She went through one period when she changed her first name, refusing to answer to her old one. Closer examination showed that she had adopted the name Shiera, that of the

heroine in one of the comic book stories. In this particular series of comic books Shiera was the girl who always managed to get into trouble with gangsters, spies, and other unsavory characters, and was always rescued in time by the Flash. [MTG NOTE: Actually, it was Hawkman, who was also featured in Flash Comics.] One of her sleepless nights and a series of vomiting spells occurred after the reading of one of the stories in which a master villain jumped off a cliff to escape the Hawkman [sic] and almost succeeded in taking the heroine with him, saying “I’ll die my own way, never at the hands of a man.” Even in the taking of medication could be traced the effect of comic book content, with the child expecting to receive from the pill she was given the powers acquired by certain of the comic book characters, such as the Hour Man, who obtained his supernatural powers from a “miracle” pill. In addition, Tessie expressed the idea that the “funnies” did her imagining for her (a thought expressed by several other children).

This overwhelmed child was attempting to find, via the comic books, a method of clarifying her confusing personal problems. By identifying herself with the heroine who is always rescued from perilous situations, she temporarily achieved an escape (Above:) Hawkman saves Shiera from her own difficulties. Her Sanders in the nick of time. From DC’s close association with the more Flash Comics #7 (July 1940). aggressive children on the ward [©2009 DC Comics.] was probably a reflection of the same identification. From this identification arose a relationship which was therapeutic in that it tended to allay her anxiety. In this the effect of the comic book was much like that of the puppet shows given on the ward. Constant reading of comic books also had the effect of diluting her conflicts over her close ties to her father, since over and over again good fought evil in the stories and always triumphed. Thus it is seen that instead of leading to asocial behavior, these comic books acted as a form of barrier against it. Rather than confuse her, it temporarily clarified and simplified her problems by offering her release from them. The episode in the comic book which superficially was the cause of her sleeplessness and vomiting attack was easily traced in this case to the child’s fundamental fears of death and her own suicidal preoccupations. The comic book situation acted merely as a precipitating factor in the production of symptoms by fitting the details of the child’s psychic difficulties.

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

2. Milton, age 10, an American Jewish boy of average intelligence (IQ 101) was referred for stealing, disobedience, and truancy. He was born out of wedlock, but his father later married his mother under duress after his affair with her had caused his dishonorable discharge from the navy. He was brought up away from his father who showed only spasmodic interest in the family and there was no other male guiding element in his environment. In addition, the boy was blamed by his mother for her unhappy life. The delinquent activities of the child were accompanied by many evidences of anxiety. When doing “bad” things, voices in one ear told him to be good, while in the other ear he was being told to misbehave. His spare time was spent by preference in reading and rereading the exploits of his favorite comic book heroes whose good deeds and triumphs over evil were his chief topics of conversation. He was particularly fond of the stories in which boys acted as aids to the principal characters. As one of three imaginary companions he talked with at bedtime, he included Robin, the young friend of the Bat Man [sic], who is helping the enemies of crime, performing almost as well as his adult protector and earning the name of the “boy wonder.” On the ward he tried to organize a group called the “minute men,” the league of boys in the comics organized to help the Hour Man.

This boy, through his hallucinations and preoccupations, was trying to arrive at a successful ego-ideal which his parents had failed to give him. All of his conflicts over aggression, rejecting and lack of security found solution in the comics. He found in them the content he needed, placed in a setting which the ideologies of the present time provide––fifth columnists, the conquest of the air and space by man, etc. They supplied for him in pictorial form the drama of the struggle between the superego, ego and the id––a constant conflict between good and primitive “evil” instincts. Rather than fostering his delinquent drives, the comics acted as a support for his wavering super-ego, since invariably right triumphed. They formed in this case, therefore, a quite inexpensive form of therapy. 3. Helen, a Jewish girl of 11, had a markedly over-protective family who continually exerted excessive pressure on her to accomplish work

(Left:) The “Boy Wonder” made his first appearance in DC’s Detective Comics #38 (April 1940). (Right:) Robin eventually starred in his own solo series, beginning in Star Spangled Comics #65 (Feb. 1947), whose splash panel is pictured here. [©2009 DC Comics.]

Dr. Laurette Bender: Comics’ Anti-Wertham—Part 1

beyond her level. She had a congenital anomaly of her skull with flattening of the entire right side and very infrequent epileptic attacks. Psychometric studies showed she was a borderline mental defective with IQ 71, yet she had never failed in school because of constant plugging under stimulation at home. But she had already reached the top level of her scholastic ability and work was becoming impossible for her to comprehend. She was admitted to the hospital in a state of great agitation, with constant crying and wringing of hands, after a series of events with included the onset of her first menstrual period, the occurrence of one of her greatly upsetting grand mal seizures and the coming of a geography test in school which she was afraid of failing. Immediately preceding her so-called “hysterical” attack she had been reading a comic book in school and this was blamed by teachers and parents for her upset. In the story, a girl was framed into believing she had killed a man and was brought up to trial for it. The hero, who could fly through the air on wings, uncovered the plot and brought the evidences to court too late to save the girl from conviction. He then had to become invisible to free her from her jail cell, and bring the real murderer to justice.

her at a time when she was most unwilling to have him. His admission resulted from an unusually severe reaction after a homosexual experience forced on him by an adult, causing him to function on a defective level, mentally and socially, though his endowment was average. On the ward he was extremely unstable emotionally, at times overactive, and at others terrified and clinging to adults. He believed he would die in five years as a result of the assault on him because his rectum was filled with poison, and he was in constant danger of attack from the other boys on the ward and from adults. Treatment in the form of psychotherapy, sedative medication, socializing therapy, group activities, hydrotherapy, etc., evoked a very slow response. He had, however, one relatively quiet, relaxed period in the hospital during which he insisted on wearing a Superman cape. He used his special robe as an excuse for not following routines and remaining with the girls’ group. He boasted to the other patients, the nurses and doctors that he could leave the ward anytime by flying through the walls. Questioning revealed a feeling that at times he might be even better than Superman.

Examination revealed a restless, preoccupied, unhappy child whose agitated depressive state was a reaction not only to her feelings of inadequacy in face of an impending and intolerable retardation in school, but also to overpowering feelings of guilt because of a series of death wishes she had expressed against both father and mother. Her interpretation of the comic book incident in school was, “In the funnies a bad girl killed someone. I cried when I read it. I went home. I couldn’t sleep. I thought about the story and that I was going crazy and I wanted to kill my father because he hits me. I cried and I couldn’t stop. I thought like in the funnies I was in court and on trial. Like they had me before the doctors in the hospital.” In this case again it is clear that the comic book material was merely a precipitating agent in the creation of disturbed behavior in the child. The story touched sensitized foci in her emotional life which responded to the stimulus obtained from reading. In this borderline defective girl’s case there is a close parallel between her actual problems and the comic book plot––in many other cases the relationship is not as obvious. Her own unbearable situation was matched by that of the heroine who had supposedly killed a man (her father). This child had misinterpreted and distorted part of the story to fit her own phantasy life, disregarding the constructive ending of the plot because she wasn’t ready for it. In this connection it has been determined that there are often almost as many interpretations not only of stories, but even single words, as there are children reading them. An interesting side-light on this point is children’s ideas on the reality of the characters they read about in the comics. A total of 75 children were queried, ranging in age from 8 to 12, with an average IQ of 95 (81 to 105). Of the 75, 52 believed the heroes in the stories actually existed, although they were not sure of the other characters. Of the 52, 32 discriminated between heroes, saying that some were real, while others were fictitious. 4. Kenneth, age 11, came to the hospital with a background of life-long rejection, first by his unstable mother and alcoholic father who separated when he was 4, then in an unsupervised foster home and, finally, by his mother again when he was returned to

Through Superman this boy found a means of temporary release from his own fears and preoccupations. In his identification with this character who could never be harmed, he achieved a feeling of security which nothing else that was tried had succeeded in doing. In addition, he felt that the cape protected him from assault in the rear. At the same time it gave him an excuse to wear a garb which would more readily admit him to the sanctuary of the girls’ group within which he felt safer. Another feature in the comics which struck a responsive chord in Kenneth was their hypomanic tempo, matching in many respects his own hyperkinesis (1).

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

comic books he shifted his phantasies to include many of the supernatural features in the stories. It was felt that he found it easier to accept as plausible many of these supernatural feats because through his religious training he started reading the comics with the premise that the supernatural existed.

POSTSCRIPT: Our article will conclude next issue, but a few comments are in order before we sign off. Earlier, Dr. Bender referred to a comic book gathering attended A protective military cape from Novelty’s 4Most by thousands. Comic cons of that size Comics, Vol. 8, #1 (March 1949). [©2009 the wouldn’t become reality until decades later. respective copyright holders.] The good doctor may have been mistakenly The reaction of individual children to the referring to the World Science Fiction cape, which is an essential part of the costume of a majority of the comic Convention (begun in 1939) or something similar. book heroes, is another instance of the decided difference in meaning the Bender also mentions “the Nazi newspaper … reported to have same object has to different children. To one it means having the power to protested against the anti-dictator polices of Superman.” She is fly, to another it has nothing to do with flying but represents a magical referring to the story “Jerry Siegel Attacks!” that appeared in Das quality, to a third it means protection, to a fourth it is merely an Schwarze Korps, 25 April 1940, the weekly newspaper of the Nazi ornament, to a fifth it means virility “because the U.S. Marines have SS. The article was a response to a two-page “Superman” story that capes,” etc. Occasionally one finds a child who discriminates between the appeared in the February 27, 1940, issue of Look magazine, in types of capes worn, attributing to each a different function. which Superman captured both Hitler and Stalin. I’ll bet the kids Further to emphasize the range and non-specificity of children’s loved that! reaction to comic books, we might briefly mention the 9 year old, deeply Till next time… religious Porto Rican Catholic boy with a verbal and reading disability, who identified himself so completely with the Bat Man that he adopted his picture as a signature, using it instead of his name on school work, letters, art work, his bed clothes, etc. This boy also had a rich phantasy life revolving around the saints, heaven and hell. When he started to read

In Memoriam

Jack Kamen (1920-2008) “An Awful Lot Of People Were Delighted To Meet Him!” by Mark Evanier

ack Kamen, best known for his work at EC Comics, died on August 5, 2008, at the age of 88. The cause of death was reported as cancer.

A native of Brooklyn, Kamen was born May 29, 1920, and at one point in his life was heading for a career in illustration and sculpture. In 1941, he began getting work as an illustrator for pulp magazines… an endeavor that was interrupted by a draft notice. Upon his discharge, he found the pulp market in decline and so began picking up work for comic books, primarily for Fiction House, where his clean style fit in well with the preferred look of their line. He was especially good at drawing pretty women, a skill that often typed one as an artist for romance comics. That’s what he was doing when he began his career with EC. Then, as they replaced their romance comics with horror, crime, and science-fiction titles, he stuck around to work on them. Some readers called him their “unfavorite” and wondered what a guy who produced such clean, shiny drawings was doing in horror comics. But publisher William Gaines and editor Al Feldstein believed Kamen was a valuable asset, that his sexy girl drawings added to the commercial appeal of their books. Scripts were written for him with that in mind.

Kamen And EC Comics Jack Kamen (top left), in a photo taken from Mark Evanier’s website—and the two final story panels from “How Green Was My Alley” in Tales from the Crypt #36 (June-July 1953), as repro’d in Russ Cochran’s hardcover Tales from the Crypt, Vol. 4. Here, Kamen got a chance to draw both horror—and a pretty girl. [EC art ©2009 William M. Gaines Agent, Inc.]

When EC folded its main line, Kamen drew several issues of a new comic for them called Psychoanalysis, which mainly consisted of people in therapy lying on a couch describing their problems. It didn’t sell, and when EC folded its comics line, Kamen segued to advertising art, occasionally bringing a “comic book” look to assignments when desired. In 1982, he supplied the EC-like key art for the Stephen King motion picture Creepshow.

A slightly different version of this tribute appeared on Mark Evanier’s website www.newsfromme.com.

Monthly! The Original First-Person History!

In recent years, Kamen basked in the spotlight of his sons’ accomplishments. Dean Kamen invited the Segway and the IBOT Mobility System. Another son, Barton, is a doctor who is now the Chief Medical Officer of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I had the pleasure of interviewing Jack Kamen at the Comic-Con International in 2000. He was delighted by the attention that attendees gave to his work, and also at being reunited at the convention with so many of the old EC crew. And an awful lot of people were delighted to meet him!

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

Comic Fandom Archive

The OAF 40th Anniversary Reunion Members Of The Oklahoma Alliance Of Fandom Celebrated Their Proud Heritage in 2007! by Brett Weiss

INTRODUCTION: Bill Schelly, here, happy to step aside to make room for Brett’s account of a reunion every bit as momentous, in its own way, as the 1997 Fandom Reunion in Chicago. It’s easy to lavish attention on the New York comicons of the 1960s, or events in Detroit or Chicago, giving the impression that they were “where the action was” in those halcyon days. But fans in other regions of the US were just as enthusiastic, and just as active, whether they be in St. Louis, or Miami, or San Francisco—or, in this case, the Sooner State. Read on!

Back in 1966, a small group of fans based in Oklahoma City met in a two-car family garage to do a little comic book trading. According to Brown, “Hundreds of comics traded hands that day,” and thus a fan club was born. Since they knew most people would make fun of comic book fans anyway, the group indulged in a little self-deprecating humor by calling themselves “OAFs.” Prior to the formation of OAF, Brown didn’t know any other adults who collected comics. Indeed, at that first swap meet, he was a 25-five-year-old surrounded by teenagers. Yet he found it reassuring to meet with others close to his age who shared his passion for the four-color adventures of Flash, Spider-Man, Superman, and other heroes. The reason for the formation of OAF, Brown explained, was simply to “get stuff.” He claimed they “were

ccording to Webster’s, an oaf is “a clumsy, stupid person.” Robert A. Brown, a founding member of OAF (the Oklahoma Alliance of Fandom), is neither clumsy nor stupid. In fact, he is something of a visionary.

Once An OAF… (Top left:) The venerable Robert A. Brown, an original OAF if ever there was one, is master of all he surveys! (Center:) In the early days, OAF’s newsletter was printed by spirit duplicator, which had a homemade—if unsophisticated—appeal. The first issue was launched in March 1967, and the zine lasted an astonishing 63 issues! [Cover art ©2009 Larry Latham.] (Top right:) OAF ringleader Bart Bush has a smile for everyone attending the OAF 40th Anniversary Reunion in Oklahoma City. The Prozac is working! For the record, the original OAFs were: Bart, Matt Curtis, Paul McSpadden, Robert A. Brown, Bruce Shults, Larry Latham, John Wooley, Lee Whittlesey, Jim Elsey, Charles Rice, Danny Hutton, Wilt Conine, Steve Fears, and David J. Smith.

The OAF 40th Anniversary Reunion

Feeling Their OAFs Four clockwise covers: OAF Flashes #5 (Nov. 1973), from the early days: OAF #23 (March 1969), featuring Roger Hill’s EC-flavored cover—OAF #32 (Feb. 1970), with its Vaughn Bodé cover—and OAF #55 (Aug. 1996), in the decade when the zine returned in photo-offset digest-sized format. The first issue of the fanzine was launched in March 1967, and it lasted an astonishing 63 issues! [Cover art ©2009 its unidentified artist, Roger Hill, Estate of Vaughn Bodé, & the respective copyright holders, respectively.]

Comic Fandom Archive

never fanboys,” but just collectors who enjoyed sharing their hobby with those of likeminded interests. Shortly after the club was formed, OAF put together a fanzine, which was published to keep members updated on comic book news, conventions, and club meetings. Editors of OAF throughout its 63-issue run included Brown, Bart Bush, and David Smith, among others. The editorial for issue #15, in which Bush and Smith assumed editorship, asks members to “bear with us, and have faith in us, and we’ll have OAF #1 in the world!!!” In the “President’s Page” column in issue #35 (which was the first issue done in offset printing), Brown described past issues of OAF as: “crude, hard to read, messy, cost too much to mail, took too long to get up, and had little appeal for the people who paid for its publication.” Others, while appreciative and less critical of the editors’ past efforts, hailed the zine’s upgrade to a more professional appearance. Regardless of the aforementioned editorial opinions, it’s clear that those who were involved in OAF still hold a special place in their hearts for the club itself. This affection was clearly on display at the OAF 40th Anniversary Reunion, which was held Sept. 22, 2007, at the Biltmore Hotel in Oklahoma City. The invitation-only event, which was coordinated by Bush, brought together longtime fans and friends, many of whom hadn’t seen or heard from each other in decades, making it an emotionally charged affair. There was lots of reminiscing, plenty of laughter, an occasional tear, and, yes, even some comic book bartering. In addition to mingling with fellow fans, OAF members (as well as honorary OAFs, such as myself) were treated to a number of scheduled events, including a trivia contest, an awards ceremony, a show-and-tell session, and a 40th birthday party for OAF and Houstoncon. Several members razzed Bush good-naturedly about the meager party food (cupcakes and bottled water), but it was all in good fun, and everyone joined in for a spirited (or at least amusing) singing of “OAF Lang Syne” (sung to the tune of “Auld Lang Syne”). Movies were shown during the reunion, but they were used primarily for atmosphere, since fellowship was the rule of the day. One of the highlights of most any convention is the auction, and in this respect the OAF reunion did not disappoint. There weren’t any big ticket items (the most expensive thing auctioned off was a Joe Shuster Christmas card from 1960, commanding $160), but there were a number of good deals to be had, including a near-mint issue of Star-Studded Comics #7 that went for $25, a four-pack of Dime Western Magazine issues that fetched $20, and five reading copies of 10¢-era Walt Disney Comics and Stories that sold for $10. Lone Star Comics owner and Texas Trio member Buddy Saunders was the most active bidder, and he clearly seemed to be enjoying himself, calling the OAF reunion “the most fun I’ve had since my honeymoon.” One of the more fascinating guests at the convention was Larry Bigman, who, in 1966 or ’67, read a comic book fan letter written by fellow Miami native and Rocket’s Blast-Comicollector publisher G.B. Love. Bigman proceeded to write a letter to Love, and Love invited the fellow collector over to his house. Bigman was just twelve years old at the time and was startled to discover that Love suffered from cerebral palsy, which forced him to type one letter at a time by punching typewriter keys with a pencil. The oddly matched pair quickly became friends, bonding over their mutual affection for comic books. That fateful meeting between Bigman and Love led to Bigman’s first convention (the 1968 Southwesterncon), a gig writing for Rocket’s Blast (beginning in 1971), and heavy involvement with the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (published by Bob Overstreet). Writing for fanzines didn’t pay anything, of course, but surprisingly, Bigman didn’t earn a penny contributing to Overstreet, either. Not only did he put together the first chronology of comic book conventions for the book, he proofread several editions of the entire guide beginning with the second edition.

The OAF-en Gates This photo makes it clear that this gathering is for members of the Oklahome Alliance of Fandom only! Over fifty OAF members attended the mini-con, which featured 25 dealer tales with pre-1975 comics, movie posters, books, original art, pulps, et al. (Of course, anyone who attended automatically became an Honorary OAF.)

Today, Bigman’s enthusiasm for fandom remains as strong as ever, and he maintains a huge collection of fanzines, including a first printing of the original Alter-Ego #1 (edited by Jerry Bails and Roy Thomas), which features Thomas’ parody strip, “Bestest League of America.” Both con chairmen Bush and Brown shared memories of early fandom. Back in the day, both were huge fans of EC comics. Bart reminisced about buying EC comics for $1 to $3 each at conventions, while Robert recalled belonging to the EC Fan-Addict Club in the 1950s. Brown’s engaging sense of humor was in evidence as he described a column in OAF called “Fandom’s Mendacium,” in which all the stories were fakes. The column was cancelled when fans expressed outrage over discovering that there really wasn’t an unreleased King Kong serial, a cardboard Bat Cave toy from 1945, or a pre-Action Comics #1 Superman Christmas giveaway comic book. In addition to collecting EC, Bush was a True Believer. “Oh, God, I loved Marvel,” Bush said, referring to such titles as Fantastic Four and Amazing Spider-Man and such creators as Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko. “Everybody went crazy trying to get Marvel; they were exhilarating for all of us.” Bush went on to explain how Marvel comics were much different than the stuff being produced by DC in that “kids could relate so much better to the Marvel characters.” Bush even remembered buying Marvel back issues directly from the publisher. At one point during the convention (which was designed in part to

The OAF 40th Anniversary Reunion

OAF Times There Are Not Forgotten! A triptych of fannish gabfests! (From the top:) Jerry Weist, founder of the legendary EC fanzine Squa Tront (now edited & published by John Benson), expounds on the joys and obligations of OAFdom for a featurette on this historic reunion. Said film can be found at www.youtube.com under the heading “Return of the OAFs trailer.” Mark Lambert (on left) chats with John Wooley about the good old days of Texas-Oklahome fandom. Freelance writer Rick Kelsey and original OAFer Steven Fears enjoy the reunion.

recreate the feel of the early cons), OAF alumnus Steven Fears discussed his first comic book, Uncle Scrooge #11, which he bought for a dime at a 7-11 store and still owns. His first involvement with fandom resulted from reading the letter column in Fantastic Four #5, where there was information on how you could send off for an issue of Alter-Ego. Like many genre buffs of the era, Fears corresponded with other fans through addresses published in various comic book letters pages. However, Fears’ involvement with OAF was a result of working at the same drugstore as Brown’s wife. Other noteworthy OAF 40th Reunion attendees included Don Maris, John Wooley, Bob Beerbohm, Jerry Weist, and too many others to name. Prior to the end of the convention, OAF paid tribute to members who were “gone, but not forgotten,” including Larry Herndon, Phil Seuling, Jerry Bails, Bruce Hamilton, and G.B. Love. Like those pioneers of early comic book fandom, the reunion itself is now gone but not forgotten, thanks to a bunch of OAFish visionaries. Former comic book store owner Brett Weiss is the author of Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984 (McFarland, 2007).

Comic Fandom Archive

A Three-Man Comic Fandom Archive (Above:) At that 2008 event, Bill Schelly (center) finally met Scott Stewart (on left), a 1967 contributor to Bill’s erstwhile fanzine Sense of Wonder, and Buddy Saunders, formerly editor of the prominent 1960s fanzine StarStudded Comics, which spotlighted some of the best fan-artists and fancreations of the day. (Below:) At the follow-up OAFcon in 2008, beamin’ Bill Schelly was Fan Guest of Honor. Now he’s an honorary OAF—no wonder he’s smiling!

HEY YOU OLD-TIME COMIC BOOK FANS AND COLLECTORS!! Come one, come all (everyone’s invited) to the Oklahoma Classic Comic Book Convention 2009, to be held October 9th & 10th in Oklahoma City. Meet the OAFS and special guest Bill Schelly!! Check out the vintage comics, pulps, and other memorabilia from the 1970s and before! Remember the “good old days” when conventions were fun, where you could relax with fellow fans without the noise, crowds, and distractions of the modern mega-cons? Those days are back again! Join us for a time you won’t soon forget!! For details, go to: www.oafcon2009.blogspot.com and OAFCON@yahoogroups.com, or contact Bart Bush at bbush3@cox.net.

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[FCA EDITOR’S 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 stories 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 a vital part of FCA since his first column appeared in FCA #54, 1996. Last issue, Marc revealed the letter he received during the ’40s from an upset mother of a young comic strip reader. In this installment, the artist discusses the urge he had to be in front of both drawing board and the typewriter. —P.C. Hamerlinck.]

t was a long continuous story told in picture panels, just as were the funnies, but there was nothing laughable about this one. It is difficult to recall ever knowing what Terry’s last name was … or who the Pirates were. The credit name on it is remembered as Milton Caniff. The feature is remembered as one of the most popular newspaper comic strips of the 1930s and ’40s: Terry and the Pirates. The distinctive art style, judging from the number of imitators in and around the profession, must have been the ideal of many. What had peaked my attention, though, was not so much the

“Real People, Real Trouble” What had riveted Marc Swayze’s attention to artist Milton Caniff’s influential Terry and the Pirates comic strip was “not so much the art, as the writing … that seemingly endless story [of] real people … getting into … real trouble.” A Terry Sunday from Sept. 24, 1939; scan courtesy of Heritage Comic Auctions. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

FCA [Fawcett Collectors Of America]

with others. Maybe you’re familiar with that curious hankering. It’s the urge to write. But the job at hand was drawing, not writing, and there was never a thought of leaving the chosen field of endeavor. It was where I belonged … and knew it. Captain Marvel was on his way into the upper circles of the comic book super-hero world, and I was pleased to be a part of it. Still … there was this temptation gnawing away at me … to have a go at this other phase of the game. By the time I left for the armed forces I had scripted several Captain Marvel stories … all gratis. It’s hard to be specific regarding the motivation. The company’s opposition to purchasing from salaried employees was quite familiar to all. The interest in scriptwriting must have been a simple desire to be of greater benefit to the “team.”

“The Eagle Has Landed” Working from both typewriter and drawing board was the ideal arrangement for all concerned when Fawcett executives gave Swayze their blessing to produce the Phantom Eagle feature from his Louisiana home beginning in 1944–although, nine years later, when Marc was drawing romance stories, Fawcett decided to abandon the comic book field. [©2009 respective copyright holders.]

art, as the writing … that seemingly endless story … of people, real people … getting into trouble, real trouble. I wanted to do that … to take some of those characters and events that kept cropping up in the imagination, and put them into words … to share

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When Fawcett editorial director Ralph Daigh and comics executive editor William Lieberson approved of my taking the Phantom Eagle character back South with me in 1944, it was my opinion that, in working from both typewriter and drawing board, the arrangement could be made to work out well for all concerned.

And it did … until some years later the publisher decided to ease out of the game! Marc Swayze’s memories of the Golden Age of Comics will continue next issue

Holy Macaroni! Marvelman Had His Own “Rock Of Eternity”! A Secret Word Wasn’t The Only Thing MM Had In Common With Captain Marvel by John G. Pierce

Edited by P.C. Hamerlinck

n general, it could be said that, while the British Marvelman character was a direct imitation of Captain Marvel, the stories themselves were not exact duplicates of the World’s Mightiest Mortal’s Fawcett adventures. True, some covers were based on previously published Fawcett panels or covers. For instance, the cover to Marvelman #33 shows a scene obviously traced from that of page 5, panel 2, of “Captain Marvel Battles the World” in Captain Marvel Adventures #148 (Sept. 1953), later reprinted by DC Comics in the “Shazam!” Limited Collector’s Edition #C-35, May ’75). But, though the copying was blatant, it was done somewhat out of context, with no actual, organic connection to the original. However, there was at least one “Marvelman” tale which did indeed take up, if not a Fawcett concept, then at least its name, and utilize it. That story was the lead tale in Marvelman #305 (June 24, 1959), entitled “Marvelman and the Rock of Eternity.”

Before we examine that particular story, however, let’s do a quick overview of the original “Rock.” The Rock of Eternity first appeared in The Marvel Family #7 (Dec. 1946), in “The Marvel Family Reaches Eternity,” as the dwelling place of the spirit of the ancient wizard Shazam. Various subsequent adventures would utilize it as a focal point—a place from which any spot in the Universe as well as virtually any year in time (past or future) could be accessed. “The Rock” was a creation of writer Otto Binder, who based the idea on reading he had done regarding the ostensible Big Bang—a theory held by some about the creation of the Universe. The Big Bang Theory necessitated that there be a center point to the Universe, to which Binder added the concept of the Rock as a powerful visual. While it never became quite the ubiquitous presence that, say, Superman’s Fortress of Solitude would become in his stories years later, nonetheless the Rock of Eternity was there to be utilized as needed. And incidentally, in that initial outing (which was reprinted in DC Special #21, May ’76), the Rock was also used to imprison Shazam’s former foes, the Three Evils. It was later carried over into the Marvel Family’s revival at DC and, in recent years, it has been blown apart and its fragments scattered, creating some problems with the dissemination of magic in the DCU. Returning our attention to the Marvelman “Rock” story, its splash panel quickly reveals that this isn’t exactly the same rock which the Marvel Family sometimes visited. Rather, this one, while looking somewhat similar to Shazam’s Rock, was not situated out in space, but rather on Earth—growing out of the Arizona desert, in fact. (Its appearance reminds me slightly of the rock formation seen in “The Marvel Family Battles the Sneaking Doom,” from Marvel Family #59, May, 1951—reprinted in Shazam! #16, Feb. ‘75.) The opening inset panel informs readers that the story takes place in “the not-too-distant future” and begins with the crash and explosion of “one of the latest unmanned counter-gravity rockets.” The situation is serious enough that an off-panel voice issues an order to “Get

Owning Their Own Piece Of The Rock A “Marvelman” adventure which snatched yet another Captain Marvel concept—but used it quite differently. Splash page of the lead tale in Marvelman #305 (June 24, 1959): “Marvelman and the Rock of Eternity,” published by L. Miller in Great Britain. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]

Marvelman!” Apparently it is known that he can be reached through the newspaper offices of The Daily Bugle, whose editor (no, not J. Jonah Jameson, but rather a fellow who is more favorably predisposed toward super-heroes than JJJ ever has been) calls in copy-boy Micky Moran to alert him that “Marvelman is wanted at the U. S. S. P. L.” Micky recalls, “It’s only three months since he got them out of trouble.”

FCA [Fawcett Collectors Of America]

On The Rocks (Left:) The original Rock of Eternity first appeared in Fawcett’s Marvel Family #7 (Dec. 1946). Story by Otto Binder; art by C.C. Beck & Pete Costanza. Not only was the Rock of Eternity old Shazam’s eternal dwelling place, but (in this initial appearance) it was also used to imprison the ancient Egyptian wizard’s old foes, the Three Evils. [Shazam heroes TM & ©2009 DC Comics.] (Right:) Unlike the Fawcett version, Marvelman’s “Rock” was not situated out in space, but instead in the Arizona desert. While a bit different-looking from Shazam’s “Rock,” Marvelman’s is somewhat reminiscent of the tall rock formation seen in “The Marvel Family Battles the Sneaking Doom” in Marvel Family #59, May, 1951. Art by C.C. Beck. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics.]

Anyway, Micky quickly exits the office and says his magic word, “Kimota!,” changing him to Marvelman, who is off to the institution whose name he now spells out for the readers as “the U. S. Space Project Laboratories.” (Note: While Marvelman was British-produced and a handful of stories did take place in England, there were just as many whose setting was the United States ... but most stories had undisclosed locales. The creators never played the character as a “British super-hero.”) Soon, Marvelman is in the office of the chief of the organization, who together with the hero reminisces about the earlier adventure in which one of their professors, a Baron Z (you should know that you can’t trust anyone with a name like that, although in this case he is not a villain), clumsily dropped a bottle of an anti-gravity fluid. A several-panel flashback then shows Marvelman and the Professor confronting the menace of the splashed fluid, which had “degravitated the Earth” on each spot where it landed. With “no gravity to keep it down,” the Professor explained, in each spot the Earth was forced up into what appeared to be stalagmites. (The physics are kind of questionable, but he’s the professor, so let’s run with it!) Since breaking them off had been shown to lead to explosions of dangerous gases from under Earth’s crust, Marvelman solved the problem by having all the buildings in the vicinity cleared, then slicing off the entire area and flying it upward, to some unknown destination, most likely outer space. “It’s a surgical operation on the Earth.” (And, one would think, a fairly expensive one. It looks as if there are

several buildings on the piece of ground which Marvelman removes.) With the flashback over (and it’s not clear if this was an actual earlier adventure, or simply one created for the purpose of this particular story), the chief turns Marvelman’s attention to the current problem, which he says is much worse: “A rocket laden with 50,000 gallons of the fluid as fuel for a landing on Venus has crashed…. It will cause a mountain to form which, if it explodes, will blow us all to Eternity!” Not one for overstatement, Marvelman responds, “Holy mac! That is a problem!” (“Holy mac” was a shortened form of his favorite expression, “Holy macaroni!”—but it somehow lacked the punch of Captain Marvel/Billy Batson’s “Holy Moley!”) Quickly, Marvelman flies out to the scene of the crash, where he sees the peak, which he concludes must be over 10,000 feet high. Disappointingly (in purely story terms), he uses the same stunt he’d already utilized, that of excising the dangerous portion and flying it into space, where it explodes. Still, in real life (which usually has little to do with comics), wouldn’t similar problems sometimes be dealt with in similar ways? Incidentally, Captain Marvel once solved the problem of an unstoppable “atomic fire” by slicing off a piece of Earth and flying it into space, in “Captain Marvel Battles the Atomic Fire,” from Captain Marvel Adventures #122, July 1951 (reprinted in DC Special #18, Oct.-Nov. ‘75).

Holy Macaroni! Marvelman Had His Own “Rock Of Eternity”!

Rock & Roll

“Lifted” Piece

TV’s Batman once exclaimed, “Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb!” But where else would one get rid of a massive rock which is about to explode? “Rock” story page from Marvelman #305. [©2009 respective copyright holders.]

The World’s Mightiest Mortal once solved the problem of an unstoppable “atomic fire” by slicing off a piece of the Earth and lifting it into outer space in Captain Marvel Adventures #122—perhaps yet another concept later “lifted” by L. Miller and Co. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics.]

It is entirely possible that the writer of the “Marvelman” tale knew of and was inspired by this earlier sequence. In any event, the scripter does give Marvelman one final challenge— that of needing to deal with the hole left in the ground, which has “started a volcano.” (Geology was one of my worst subjects in college, so I can’t comment on whether or not this is even possible!) Searching for a “chunk of solid rock” to cap the volcano, he scoops off the top of a mountain from some unidentified place. Ramming it into the volcano, he comments: “No eruption can shift that!” One does have to wonder, though, about the fate of the unidentified mountain now shorn of its cap, and what its volcanic gases might do. So, in five pages of terse, economical writing , we’ve seen Marvelman effectively deal with three menaces. The last panel, rather cleverly done, has Micky Moran summing up (in somewhat similar Billy Batson fashion) by wondering “What would happen if the scientists didn’t have Marvelman to call on in a case like that! It would be ...” and then comes the large lettering for: “... THE END.”

“Holy Mac” And Cheese Mickey Moran reassures his readers that it would be the end for all of us if Marvelman wasn’t on the job. The final “Rock” story panels from Marvelman #305. [©2009 respective copyright holders.]

“When One Door Closes…” How Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. Said “Cheerio!” To Their British Chums—And Ushered In The Marvelmen by P.C. Hamerlinck

hen the time comes for parents to explain that immutable law of nature known as death to their young children, it can often be an arduous task. But UK publisher L. Miller & Son Ltd., London—the purveyor of “Captain Marvel” and “Captain Marvel Jr.” reprints from the US of A—simply avoided such unpleasant encounters by having their top-selling super-heroes themselves cheerfully bid the British boys and girls a fond farewell ... and soon the magic words “Shazam!” and “Captain Marvel!” became “Kimota!” and “Marvelman!”—without even a week’s break in publication.

Len Miller’s company watched its profits soar after securing the British license to reprint various Fawcett Publications’ comics material—resulting in their immensely popular, weekly-published, 32-page Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. comic books. However, a foreshadowing dark cloud of inevitable and substantial income loss loomed over the Western horizon when news of the untimely demise of Fawcett’s comic book line traveled over to the shores of Great Britain. Miller’s Fawcett black-&-white reprint titles, varying in size and length (often accompanied with newly drawn covers and filler features, courtesy of artist Mick Anglo’s Gower Street Studio), included Bulletman, Captain Midnight, Captain Video, Don Winslow of the Navy, Fawcett Movie Comic, Fawcett’s Funny Animals, Gift Comics, Golden Arrow, Hopalong Cassidy, Lance O‘Casey, Lash Larue, Life Story, Master Comics, Nyoka the Jungle Girl, Rocky Lane, Slam Bang Comics, Spy Smasher, Tom Mix, Whiz Comics, Wow Comics, and many others. But it was Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. which had quickly become Miller & Sons’ topselling comic books after their initial, simultaneous releases on Aug. 19, 1953. The two titles flew off British newsstands during each of their 24issue runs—right up until their atomic-powered facelifts. After learning about the death of Fawcett’s Mightiest Mortals—but unwilling to immediately surrender the proven money-making Marvel magic—Miller called upon the dependable services of Anglo to quickly create new super-heroes in a similar vein, to keep the devotees reading. And Anglo delivered the goods, making the new characters just enough different from the two male Marvels to avoid potential legal attacks: Marvelman and Young Marvelman (the latter, temporarily known as Marvelman Jr., had been re-named Young Marvelman by the time of his first appearance; a younger Kid Marvelman would be added later and become part of the Marvelman Family.) But how did L. Miller explain to its readers the sudden retirement of the beloved Captain Marvel and Marvel Jr. and persuade kids to inarguably accept the new Marvel-named heroes that were going to be filling their boots? It all transpired on the “Club Pages” of Miller’s Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr.—in both series’ issues #19—just two days before Christmas, 1953. It was on those pages that Miller—er, I mean, each hero—broke the big news to readers in a “personal” letter. Here was Captain Marvel’s message to his faithful fans, from L. Miller’s Captain Marvel #19: Dear Boys and Girls, I can hardly wait to tell you of the most startling and astounding

L. Miller’s Gift To You Among British publisher Len Miller’s successful line of Captain Marvel/Fawcett B&W reprints was a 1952 rendition of Fawcett’s annual-sized Gift Comics, a compilation of various Fawcett comic features, with a Britproduced new cover on thick cardstock. Like its US counterpart, each issue contained returned comics bound together, with widely varying contents. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics; all others ©2009 their respective copyright holders.]

news I’ve ever had the good fortune to announce. Seeing as how this is Christmas week, it has come at a most fitting time. Holy Moley! I can almost hear you saying, get on with it or we’ll never know what it’s all about. Sorry, chums, it’s just that I’m a bit excited—but here it is. Boys and girls, it is my great pleasure to introduce Marvelman— what, another of the Marvel family—well, yes, in a way, for you see Marvelman is going to step right into my shoes. He is to follow the Marvel tradition of finding and fighting evil wherever it exists.

“When One Door Closes...”

Now I guess you’re all wondering where I fit into this; please allow me to explain. For an awful long time I’ve been worrying about Billy Batson. Billy, as you know is a grand boy, and I feel he is not being given a break. In other words, a chance to grow up. I went along to old Shazam and told him my worries, and between us we’ve decided to give Billy the chance to settle down. In order that this might be achieved, I shall soon be returning my powers to old Shazam and changing into the character of Billy Batson for the last time. This will give this grand lad a chance to develop into the type of citizen that I know you’ll grow into. Naturally we couldn’t leave the door of the world wide open for evil — hence Marvelman of whom I feel you’re just busting to know more. What could be better than to ask him to say a few words to you. It’s all yours, Marvelman: “Well, this is great. I mean my being able to introduce myself even before my adventures are being read, and I sincerely trust that you will follow them as closely as you’ve followed Captain Marvel’s, especially as some of them take place right here in England. You can rely on me to fight evil wherever it exists. All for now, your new and true friend Marvelman.” Thank you, Marvelman. I’m certain that the boys and girls will be just itching to read your first comic which will be appearing shortly.

“… Mind How You Go With the Pudding” Captain Marvel Jr.’s “personal letter” to his young British “chums” announcing his retirement. From the inside back cover “club page” of L. Miller’s Captain Marvel Jr. #19, Dec. 23, 1953. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics.]

Well, that’s all for this week chums, except to say have a good Christmas and mind how you go with the pudding. Your sincere pal, Captain Marvel Holy Moley, indeed! If Captain Marvel’s eyebrow-raising letter wasn’t enough for his young pudding-devouring “chums” across England to digest ... over on the Club Page of Captain Marvel Jr. #19 (Dec. 23, 1953), Miller ran the exact same letter (except replacing CM’s name with Captain Marvel Jr.’s, Billy Batson’s name with Freddy Freeman’s, and Marvelman’s name with Marvelman Jr.).

Christmas Surprise The cover for L. Miller’s Captain Marvel Jr. #19, Dec. 23, 1953 (artwork traced from Fawcett’s Captain Marvel Jr. #14 cover art by Mac Raboy). This issue—with the same issue date, number, and similarly worded and shocking club page announcement as L. Miller’s Captain Marvel #19, marked the beginning of the end for the Shazamic heroes in Britain. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics.]

The next four issues of both Miller’s Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. continue to hype the upcoming replacement heroes. Miller’s issues #24 (Jan. 24, 1954) of both Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. showed further signs of the impending hero switches; the title of the former had briefly become The Captain Marvel Man and The Marvelman, Captain Marvel—and the latter briefly became The Young Marvelman, Captain Marvel Jr. On the back covers of the issues were urgent reminder ads: “Don’t forget the Marvelman/Young Marvelman Adventures start NEXT WEEK — Order your copy NOW!” Both comic books, by issue #25 (Feb. 3, 1954) were now officially titled Marvelman and Young Marvelman.

FCA [Fawcett Collectors Of America]

And Then There REALLY Were None! (Right:) The date of the British Captain Marvel/Marvel Jr. club membership transfers suspiciously coincided with the same date of the final issue of Fawcett’s The Marvel Family (#89, Jan. ’54) back in the US of A. Art by Kurt Schaffenberger. [Shazam heroes TM & ©2009 DC Comics.]

L. Miller’s Fawcett reprints of Whiz Comics and Master Comics would continue on for many more years, but without the commanding presence of their former Shazam hero cover stars. At the time of the changeover, Captain Marvel and Marvel Jr.’s respective club memberships were automatically transferred over to the Marvelman and Young Marvelman fan clubs effectively on January 31, 1954—whether the kids liked it or not. Ironically—or perhaps deliberately—the date of these club membership transfers coincided with the same date of the final issue of Fawcett’s The Marvel Family (#89) back in the States. Did Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. announcing their retirements spoil their “chums’” Christmas that year? Were the young lads so traumatized over the loss of their old heroes that they were unable to enjoy their holiday pudding? Judging by Miller’s Marvelman/Young Marvelman sales over the next nine years, they apparently got over it. As eccentric and as crudely cranked-out as they were, Marvelman and Young Marvelman comics prospered until February 1963 after a healthy, staggering run of more than 700 issues—more than all of their Fawcett counterparts’ comics combined. And all the disillusioned Marvel Family could do was sit and look down from Golden Age Comic Book Eternity as their quaint British predecessors awkwardly but valiantly carried on their legacies.

“… Another One Opens” (Leftt:) With the door closed on The Marvel Family and with “Kimota!” as the new magic word, Marvelman and family carried on “to fight evil wherever it exists.” Marvelman transformation panels as reprinted in Matt Gore’s The Origin of Marvelman fanzine, still available at: www.leylander.org/boardman/bcm0101.htm [©2009 respective copyright holders.]

TwoMorrows Publishing 2009 Update WINTER/SPRING

Supplement to the 2008 TwoMorrows Preview Catalog

ORDER AT: www.twomorrows.com

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BATCAVE COMPANION

IT’S FINALLY HERE! The writer/editor of the critically acclaimed KRYPTON COMPANION and the designer of the eye-popping SPIES, VIXENS, AND MASTERS OF KUNG FU: THE ART OF PAUL GULACY team up to explore the Silver and Bronze Ages of Batman comic books in THE BATCAVE COMPANION! Two distinct sections of this book examine the Dark Knight’s progression from his campy “New Look” of the mid-1960s to his “creature of the night” reinvention of the 1970s. Features include issue-byissue indexes, interviews with CARMINE INFANTINO, JOE GIELLA, DENNIS O’NEIL, and NEAL ADAMS, and guest essays by MIKE W. BARR and WILL MURRAY. Contributors include SHELDON MOLDOFF, LEN WEIN, STEVE ENGLEHART, and TERRY AUSTIN, with a special tribute to the late MARSHALL ROGERS. With its incisive introduction by DENNIS O’NEIL and its iconic cover painting by NEAL ADAMS, THE BATCAVE COMPANION is a must-have for every comics fan! By MICHAEL EURY and MICHAEL KRONENBERG.

WHE % N YO ORD U ONL ER INE!

(224-page trade paperback) $26.95 US • ISBN: 9781893905788 • Diamond Order Code: NOV068368 • Ships April 2009

COMIC BOOK PODCAST COMPANION Comic book podcasts have taken the Internet by storm, and now TwoMorrows offers you the chance to go behind the scenes of ten of today's top comic book podcasts via all-new interviews with the casts of AROUND COMICS, WORD BALLOON, QUIET! PANELOLOGISTS AT WORK, COMIC BOOK QUEERS, iFANBOY, THE CRANKCAST, THE COLLECTED COMICS LIBRARY, THE PIPELINE PODCAST, COMIC GEEK SPEAK, and TwoMorrows’ own TUNE-IN PODCAST! Also featured are new interviews about podcasting and comics on the Internet with creators MATT FRACTION, TIM SEELEY, and GENE COLAN. You'll also find a handy guide of what you’ll need to start your own podcast, an index of more than thirty great comic book podcasts, numerous photos of your favorite podcasters, and original art from COLAN, SEELEY, DC's MIKE NORTON, and many more! By ERIC HOUSTON, with a spectacular new cover by MIKE MANLEY. (128-page trade paperback) $15.95 • ISBN: 9781605490182 • Ships May 2009

ALL-STAR COMPANION Volume 4 The epic series of ALL-STAR COMPANIONS goes out with a bang, featuring: Colossal coverage of the Golden Age ALL-STAR COMICS! Sensational secrets of the JUNIOR JUSTICE SOCIETY! An index of the complete solo adventures of all 18 original JSAers in their own features, from 1940 to 1951! The JSA's earliest imitators (Seven Soldiers of Victory, All Winners Squad, Marvel Family, and International Crime Patrol)! INFINITY, INC. on Earth-Two and after! And the 1980s SECRET ORIGINS series! With rare art by ALEX ROSS, TODD McFARLANE, JERRY ORDWAY, CARMINE INFANTINO, JOE KUBERT, ALEX TOTH, GIL KANE, MURPHY ANDERSON, IRWIN HASEN, MORT MESKIN, GENE COLAN, WAYNE BORING, GEORGE TUSKA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT, GEORGE FREEMAN, DON NEWTON, JACK BURNLEY, MIKE MACHLAN, HOWARD CHAYKIN, DICK DILLIN, and others. Edited by ROY THOMAS.

CAPTAIN ACTION: THE ORIGINAL SUPERHERO ACTION FIGURE

(240-page trade paperback) $27.95 US • ISBN: 9781605490045 Ships June 2009

(Hardcover 2nd Edition)

CAPTAIN ACTION was introduced in 1966 in the wake of the Batman TV show craze, and later received his own DC comic book with art by WALLY WOOD and GIL KANE. Able to assume the identities of 13 famous super-heroes, his initial career was short-lived, but continuing interest in the hero has led to two different returns to toy-store shelves. Lavishly illustrated with over 200 toy photos, this FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER SECOND EDITION chronicles the history of this quick-changing champion, including photos of virtually EVERY CAPTAIN ACTION PRODUCT ever released, spotlights on his allies ACTION BOY and the SUPER QUEENS and his arch enemy DR. EVIL, an examination of his comic-book appearances, and “Action facts” that even the most diehard Captain Action fan won’t know! The original softcover edition has been sold out for years, but this revised, full-color hardcover second edition includes behind-the-scenes coverage of CAPTAIN ACTION’S TRIUMPHANT 2008 RETURN to comics shelves in his new series from Moonstone Books, and spotlights the new wave of Captain Action collectibles. Written by MICHAEL EURY. (176-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 US • ISBN: 9781605490175 • Ships July 2009

MARVEL COMICS IN THE 1960s: An Issue-By-Issue Field Guide

The comic book industry experienced an unexpected flowering in the early 1960s, compliments of Marvel Comics, and this book presents a step-by-step look at how a company that had the reputation of being one of the least creative in a generally moribund industry, emerged as one of the most dynamic, slightly irreverent and downright original contributions to an era when pop-culture emerged as the dominant force in the artistic life of America. In scores of handy, easy to reference entries, MARVEL COMICS IN THE 1960s takes the reader from the legendary company’s first fumbling beginnings as helmed by savvy editor/writer STAN LEE (aided by such artists as JACK KIRBY and STEVE DITKO), to the full maturity of its wild, colorful, offbeat grandiosity. With the history of Marvel Comics in the 1960s divided into four distinct phases, author PIERRE COMTOIS explains just how Lee, Kirby, Ditko, and others created a line of comic books that, while grounded in the traditional elements of panel-to-panel storytelling, broke through the juvenile mindset of a low brow industry and provided a tapestry of full blown pop culture icons. (224-page trade paperback) $27.95 US • ISBN: 9781605490168 • Ships July 2009

GRAILPAGES:

Original Comic Book Art And The Collectors GRAILPAGES brings to light the burgeoning hobby of collecting the original, hand-drawn art that is used to create comic books! Beginning more as a novelty, the hobby of collecting original comic art has expanded to a point where some of the seminal pages commonly run more than $10,000 each. Author STEVEN ALAN PAYNE lets you meet collectors from around the globe and hear their passion in their own words, as they detail collections ranging from a few key pages, to broad, encompassing collections of literally hundreds of pages of original comic art by such artists as JACK KIRBY, JOHN ROMITA SR., and others! Balancing out the narratives are incisive interviews with industry pros, including writers GERRY CONWAY, STEVE ENGLEHART, and ROY THOMAS, and exclusive perspectives from Silver Age artists DICK GIORDANO, BOB McLEOD, ERNIE CHAN, TONY DeZUNIGA, and the unparalleled great, GENE COLAN! Completing the book is a diverse sampling of breathtakingly beautiful original comic art, some lavishly presented in full-page spreads, including pages not seen publicly for decades. Fans of comic art, comic books, and pop culture will find in GRAILPAGES an appreciation for a uniquely American form of art! (128-page trade paperback) $15.95 US • ISBN: 9781605490151 Diamond Order Code: JAN094470 • Ships March 2009

MAGAZINES

DIEDGITIIOTANSL BL AVAILA

BRICKJOURNAL magazine is the ultimate resource for LEGO enthusiasts of all ages, spotlighting the LEGO Community with contributions and how-to articles by top builders worldwide, new product intros, and more. Edited by JOE MENO. ALTER EGO focuses on Golden and Silver Age comics and creators with articles, interviews and unseen art, plus FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America), Mr. Monster & more. Edited by ROY THOMAS.

BRICKJOURNAL #3

BRICKJOURNAL #4

BRICKJOURNAL #5

BRICKJOURNAL #6

Event Reports from BRICKWORLD, FIRST LEGO LEAGUE WORLD FESTIVAL and PIECE OF PEACE (Japan), spotlight on our cover model builder BRYCE McGLONE, and interviews with ARTHUR GUGICK and STEVEN CANVIN of LEGO MINDSTORMS to see where LEGO ROBOTICS is going! There’s also STEP-BY-STEP BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS, TECHNIQUES, & more!

Interviews with LEGO BUILDERS including BREANN SLEDGE (BIONICLE BUILDER), Event Reports from BRICKFAIR and BRICKCON, plus reports on new MINDSTORMS PROJECTS, STEP-BY-STEP BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS and TECHNIQUES for all skill levels, NEW SET REVIEWS, and a report on constructing the Chinese Olympic Village in LEGO!

Features event reports from around the world, and the MINDSTORMS 10TH ANNIVERSARY at LEGO HEADQUARTERS! Plus an interview with the head of the LEGO GROUP’S 3D DEPARTMENT, a glimpse at the LEGO Group's past with the DIRECTOR OF LEGO'S IDEA HOUSE, instructions and spotlights on builders, and an idea section for Pirate builders!

Spotlight on CLASSIC SPACE SETS and a look at new ones with LEGO SET DESIGNERS, BRANDON GRIFFITH shows his STAR TREK MODELS, plus take a tour of the DUTCH MOONBASE with MIKE VAN LEEUWEN and MARCO BAAS. There's also coverage of BRICKFEST 2009 and FIRST LEGO LEAGUE'S WORLD FESTIVAL and photos from TOY FAIR NEW YORK!

(80-page COLOR magazine) $8.95 US Diamond Order Code: JUN084415

(80-page COLOR magazine) $8.95 US Diamond Order Code: SEP084428

(80-page COLOR magazine) $8.95 US Diamond Order Code: DEC084408 Ships March 2009

(80-page COLOR magazine) $8.95 US Ships June 2009

THE RETRO COMICS EXPERIENCE!

BACK ISSUE celebrates comic books of the 1970s, 1980s, and today through a variety of recurring (and rotating) departments, plus rare and unpublished art. Edited by MICHAEL EURY. DRAW! is the professional “How-To” magazine on cartooning and animation, featuring in-depth interviews and step-bystep demonstrations from top comics professionals. Edited by MIKE MANLEY. ROUGH STUFF features never-seen pencil pages, sketches, layouts, roughs, and unused inked pages from throughout comics history, plus columns, critiques, and more! Edited by BOB McLEOD. WRITE NOW! features writing tips from pros on both sides of the desk, interviews, sample scripts, reviews, exclusive Nuts & Bolts tutorials, and more! Edited by DANNY FINGEROTH.

ALTER EGO #81

ALTER EGO #82

ALTER EGO #83

ALTER EGO #84

New FRANK BRUNNER Man-Thing cover, a look at the late-’60s horror comic WEB OF HORROR with early work by BRUNNER, WRIGHTSON, WINDSOR-SMITH, SIMONSON, & CHAYKIN, interview with comics & fine artist EVERETT RAYMOND KINTSLER, ROY THOMAS’ 1971 origin synopsis for the FIRST MAN-THING STORY, plus FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more!

MLJ ISSUE! Golden Age MLJ index illustrated with vintage images of The Shield, Hangman, Mr. Justice, Black Hood, by IRV NOVICK, JACK COLE, CHARLES BIRO, MORT MESKIN, GIL KANE, & others—behind a marvelous MLJ-heroes cover by BOB McLEOD! Plus interviews with IRV NOVICK and JOE EDWARDS, FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more!

SWORD & SORCERY PART 2! Cover by ARTHUR SUYDAM, in-depth art-filled look at Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian, DC’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Dagar the Invincible, Ironjaw & Wulf, and Arak, Son of Thunder, plus the never-seen Valda the Iron Maiden by TODD McFARLANE! Plus JOE EDWARDS (Part 2), FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more!

Unseen JIM APARO cover, STEVE SKEATES discusses his early comics work, art & artifacts by ADKINS, APARO, ARAGONÉS, BOYETTE, DITKO, GIORDANO, KANE, KELLER, MORISI, ORLANDO, SEKOWSKY, STONE, THOMAS, WOOD, and the great WARREN SAVIN! Plus writer CHARLES SINCLAIR on his partnership with Batman co-creator BILL FINGER, FCA, and more!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 US Diamond Order Code: AUG084454

(100-page magazine) $6.95 US Diamond Order Code: OCT084483

(100-page magazine) $6.95 US Diamond Order Code: NOV084368

(100-page magazine) $6.95 US Diamond Order Code: JAN094555 Ships March 2009

C o l l e c t o r

The JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR magazine celebrates his life and career through INTERVIEWS WITH KIRBY and his contemporaries, FEATURE ARTICLES, RARE AND UNSEEN KIRBY ART, and more. Edited by JOHN MORROW.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PRINT EDITION, AND GET THE DIGITAL EDITION FREE, BEFORE THE PRINT ISSUE HITS STORES!

BACK ISSUE #29

BACK ISSUE #30

BACK ISSUE #31

BACK ISSUE #32

“Mutants” issue! CLAREMONT, BYRNE, SMITH, and ROMITA, JR.’s X-Men work, NOCENTI and ARTHUR ADAMS’ Longshot, McLEOD and SIENKIEWICZ’s New Mutants, the UK’s CAPTAIN BRITAIN series, lost Angel stories, Beast’s tenure with the Avengers, the return of the original X-Men in X-Factor, the revelation of Nightcrawler’s “original” father, a history of DC’s mutant, Captain Comet, and more! Cover by DAVE COCKRUM!

“Saturday Morning Heroes!” Interviews with TV Captain Marvels JACKSON BOSTWICK and JOHN DAVEY, MAGGIN and SAVIUK’s lost Superman/”Captain Thunder” sequel, Space Ghost interviews with GARY OWENS and STEVE RUDE, MARV WOLFMAN guest editorial, Super Friends, unproduced fourth wave Super Powers action figures, Astro Boy, ADAM HUGHES tribute to DAVE STEVENS, and a new cover by ALEX ROSS!

“STEVE GERBER Salute!” In-depth look at his Howard the Duck, Man-Thing, Omega the Unknown, Defenders, Metal Men, Mister Miracle, Thundarr the Barbarian, and more! Plus: Creators pay tribute to Steve Gerber, featuring art by and commentary from BRUNNER, BUCKLER, COLAN, GOLDEN, STAN LEE, LEVITZ, MAYERIK, MOONEY, PLOOG, SIMONSON, and others. Cover painting by FRANK BRUNNER!

“Tech, Data, and Hardware!” The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, WEIN, WOLFMAN, and GREENBERGER on DC’s Who’s Who, SAVIUK, STATON, and VAN SCIVER on Drawing Green Lantern, ED HANNIGAN Art Gallery, history of Rom: Spaceknight, story of BILL MANTLO, Dial H for Hero, Richie Rich’s Inventions, and a Spider-Mobile schematic cover by ELIOT BROWN and DUSTY ABELL!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 US Diamond Order Code: MAY084246

(100-page magazine) $6.95 US Diamond Order Code: JUL084393

(100-page magazine) $6.95 US Diamond Order Code: SEP084399

(100-page magazine) $6.95 US Diamond Order Code: NOV084369

DRAW! #17

DRAW! #18

ROUGH STUFF #10

ROUGH STUFF #11

ROUGH STUFF #12

Interview with Scott Pilgrim’s creator and artist BRYAN LEE O’MALLEY on how he creates the acclaimed series, plus learn how B.P.R.D.’s GUY DAVIS works on his series. Also, more Comic Art Bootcamp: Learning from The Great Cartoonists by BRET BLEVINS and MIKE MANLEY, reviews, and more!

Features an in-depth interview and demo by R.M. GUERA (the artist of Vertigo’s Scalped), behind-the-scenes in the Batcave with Cartoon Network’s JAMES TUCKER on the new hit show “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” plus product reviews by JAMAR NICHOLAS, and Comic Book Boot Camp’s “Anatomy: Part 2” by BRET BLEVINS and MIKE MANLEY!

Interview with RON GARNEY, with copious examples of sketchwork and comments. Also features on ANDY SMITH, MICHAEL JASON PAZ, and MATT HALEY, showing how their work evolves, excerpts from a new book on ALEX RAYMOND, secrets of teaching comic art by pro inker BOB McLEOD, new cover by GARNEY and McLEOD, newcomer critique, and more!

New cover by GREG HORN, plus interviews with HORN and TOM YEATES on how they produce their stellar work. Also features on GENE HA, JIMMY CHEUNG, and MIKE PERKINS, showing their sketchwork and commentary, tips on collecting sketches and commissions from artists, a “Rough Critique” of a newcomer’s work, and more!

Interview and cover by comic painter CHRIS MOELLER, features on New Zealand comic artist COLIN WILSON, G.I. Joe artist JEREMY DALE, and fan favorite TERRY DODSON, plus "GOOD GIRL ART" (a new article about everyone's favorite collectible art) by ROBERT PLUNKETT, a "Rough Critique" of an aspiring artist's work, and more!

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ALTER EGO #85

ALTER EGO #86

ALTER EGO #87

ALTER EGO #88

WRITE NOW! #20

Captain Marvel and Superman’s battles explored (in cosmic space, candy stories, and in court, with art by WALLY WOOD, CURT SWAN, and GIL KANE), an in-depth interview with Golden Age great LILY RENÉE, overview of CENTAUR COMICS (home of BILL EVERETT’s Amazing-Man and others), FCA, MR. MONSTER, new RICH BUCKLER cover, and more!

Spotlighting the Frantic Four-Color MAD WANNABES of 1953-55 that copied HARVEY KURTZMAN’S EC smash (see Captain Marble, Mighty Moose, Drag-ula, Prince Scallion, and more) with art by SIMON & KIRBY, KUBERT & MAURER, ANDRU & ESPOSITO, EVERETT, COLAN, and many others, plus Part 1 of a talk with Golden/ Silver Age artist FRANK BOLLE, and more!

The sensational 1954-1963 saga of Great Britain’s MARVELMAN (decades before he metamorphosed into Miracleman), plus an interview with writer/artist/co-creator MICK ANGLO, and rare Marvelman/ Miracleman work by ALAN DAVIS, ALAN MOORE, a new RICK VEITCH cover, plus FRANK BOLLE, Part 2, FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more!

First-ever in-depth look at National/DC’s founder MAJOR MALCOLM WHEELERNICHOLSON, and early editors WHITNEY ELLSWORTH, VIN SULLIVAN, and MORT WEISINGER, with rare art and artifacts by SIEGEL & SHUSTER, BOB KANE, CREIG FLESSEL, FRED GUARDINEER, GARDNER FOX, SHELDON MOLDOFF, and others, plus FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more!

Focus on THE SPIRIT movie, showing how FRANK MILLER transformed WILL EISNER’s comics into the smash-hit film, with interviews with key players behind the making of the movie, a look at what made Eisner’s comics so special, and more. Plus: an interview with COLLEEN DORAN, writer ALEX GRECIAN on how to get a pitch green lighted, script and art examples, and more!

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BACK ISSUE #33

BACK ISSUE #34

BACK ISSUE #35

KIRBY COLLECTOR #52

KIRBY COLLECTOR #53

“Teen Heroes!” Teen Titans in the 1970s & 1980s, with CARDY, GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, PÉREZ, TUSKA, and WOLFMAN, BARON and GUICE on the Flash, interviews with TV Billy Batson MICHAEL GRAY and writer STEVE SKEATES, NICIEZA and BAGLEY’s New Warriors, Legion of Super-Heroes 1970s art gallery, James Bond Jr., and… the Archies! New Teen Titans cover by GEORGE PÉREZ and colored by GENE HA!

“New World Order!” Adam Warlock examined with JIM STARLIN and ROY THOMAS, the history of Miracleman with ALAN DAVIS & GARRY LEACH, JIM SHOOTER interview, roundtable with Marvel’s post-STAN LEE editors-in-chief on the New Universe, Logan’s Run, Star Hunters, BOB WIACEK on Star Wars and Star-Lord, DICK GIORDANO revisits Crisis on Infinite Earths and “The Post-Crisis DC Universe You Didn’t See,” and a new cover by JIM STARLIN!

“Villains!” MIKE ZECK and J.M. DeMATTEIS discuss “Kraven’s Last Hunt” in a “Pro2Pro” interview, the history of the Hobgoblin is exposed, the Joker’s short-lived series, looks back at Secret Society of Super-Villains and Kobra, a Magneto biography, Luthor and Brainiac’s malevolent makeovers, interview with Secret Society artist MIKE VOSBURG, plus contributions from BYRNE, CONWAY, FRENZ, NOVICK, ROMITA JR., STERN, WOLFMAN, and a cover by MIKE ZECK!

Spotlights Kirby’s most obscure work, like an UNUSED THOR STORY, his BRUCE LEE comic, animation work, stage play, and see original unaltered versions of pages from KAMANDI, DEMON, DESTROYER DUCK, and more, including a feature examining the last page of his final issue of various series BEFORE EDITORIAL TAMPERING (with lots of surprises)! Color Kirby covers inked by DON HECK and PAUL SMITH!

Spotlights THE MAGIC OF STAN & JACK! There’s a new interview with STAN LEE, a walking tour of New York showing where Lee & Kirby lived and worked, a re-evaluation of the “Lost” FF #108 story (including a missing page that just surfaced), “What If Jack Hadn’t Left Marvel In 1970?”, plus MARK EVANIER’s regular column, a Kirby pencil art gallery, a complete Golden Age Kirby story, and more, behind a color Kirby cover inked by GEORGE PÉREZ!

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THE ULTIMATE MAGAZINE FOR LEGO ENTHUSIASTS OF ALL AGES! TM

BRICKJOURNAL magazine (edited by Joe Meno) is the ultimate resource for LEGO enthusiasts of all ages. It spotlights all aspects of the LEGO Community, showcasing events, people, and models every issue, with contributions and how-to articles by top builders worldwide, new product intros, and more. Edited by JOE MENO. Begun as a digital-only publication in 2005, the NEW PRINT VERSION (Vol. 2) of BrickJournal launched in 2008, and is available in both print and digital form. Print subscribers get the digital version FREE!

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The ultimate resource for LEGO enthusiasts of all ages, showcasing events, people, and models! FULL-COLOR #1 features an interview with set designer and LEGO Certified Professional NATHAN SAWAYA, plus step-bystep building instructions and techniques for all skill levels, new set reviews, on-the-scene reports from LEGO community events, and other surprises!

This FULL-COLOR issue spotlights blockbuster summer movies, LEGO style! Go behind the scenes for new sets for BATMAN and INDIANA JONES, and see new models, including an SR-71 SPYPLANE and a LEGO CITY, plus MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATIONS, BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS, tour the ONLINE LEGO FACTORY, and more!

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BRICKJOURNAL #3 (Vol. 2) Our third FULL-COLOR print issue has LEGO Event reports from BRICKWORLD (Chicago), FIRST LEGO LEAGUE WORLD FESTIVAL (Atlanta) and PIECE OF PEACE (Japan). There's also a spotlight on the creation of our amazing cover model, built by BRYCE McGLONE, as well as interviews with ARTHUR GUGICK and STEVEN CANVIN of LEGO MINDSTORMS, to see where LEGO robotics is going! Plus step-by-step building instructions, techniques, and more! (80-page FULL COLOR magazine) $8.95 US (Digital Edition) $3.95 (or FREE to print subscribers) • Diamond Order Code: JUN084415

FULL-COLOR issue #4 features interviews with top LEGO BUILDERS including BREANN SLEDGE (BIONICLE BUILDER), Event Reports from LEGO gatherings including BRICKFAIR (Washington, DC) and BRICKCON (Seattle, Washington), plus reports on new MINDSTORMS PROJECTS, STEP-BY-STEP BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS and TECHNIQUES for all skill levels, NEW SET REVIEWS, and a report on the recreation of the Chinese Olympic Village in LEGO! (80-page FULL COLOR magazine) $8.95 US (Digital Edition) $3.95 (or FREE to print subscribers) Diamond Order Code: DEC084408

BRICKJOURNAL #5 (Vol. 2)

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FULL-COLOR issue #5 features event reports from around the world, and the MINDSTORMS 10TH ANNIVERSARY at LEGO HEADQUARTERS! Plus an interview with the head of the LEGO GROUP’S 3D DEPARTMENT, a glimpse at the LEGO Group's past with the DIRECTOR OF LEGO'S IDEA HOUSE, instructions and spotlights on builders, and an idea section for PIRATE BUILDERS!

FULL-COLOR issue #6 goes into space, with a look at old LEGO CLASSIC SPACE SETS and a look toward the new with set designers! BRANDON GRIFFITH beams in with a look at his STAR TREK MODELS, and you'll take a tour of the DUTCH MOONBASE courtesy of MIKE VAN LEEUWEN and MARCO BAAS. There's also coverage of BRICKFEST 2009 and FIRST LEGO LEAGUE'S WORLD FESTIVAL as well as photos from TOY FAIR NEW YORK!

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NEW MODERN MASTERS VOLUMES Each book contains RARE AND UNSEEN ARTWORK direct from the artist’s files, a COMPREHENSIVE INTERVIEW, DELUXE SKETCHBOOK SECTIONS, and more!

Volume 19: MIKE PLOOG

Volume 20: KYLE BAKER

Volume 21: CHRIS SPROUSE

Volume 22: MARK BUCKINGHAM

Volume 23: DARWYN COOKE

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AGE OF TV HEROES Examines the history of the live-action television adventures of everyone’s favorite comic book heroes! FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER features the in-depth stories of the actors and behind-thescene players that made the classic super-hero television programs we all grew up with. Included are new and exclusive interviews and commentary from ADAM WEST (Batman), LYNDA CARTER (Wonder Woman), PATRICK WARBURTON (The Tick), NICHOLAS HAMMOND (Spider-Man), WILLIAM KATT (The Greatest American Hero), JACK LARSON (The Adventures of Superman), JOHN WESLEY SHIPP (The Flash), JACKSON BOSTWICK (Shazam!), and many more! Written by JASON HOFIUS and GEORGE KHOURY, with a new cover by superstar painter ALEX ROSS! (192-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 US • ISBN: 9781605490106 Diamond Order Code: SEP084302 Rescheduled for July 2009

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EXTRAORDINARY WORKS KIRBY FIVE-OH! OF ALAN MOORE: LIMITED HARDCOVER Indispensable Edition Limited to 500 copies, KIRBY FIVE-OH! The definitive biography of the co-creator of WATCHMEN and V FOR VENDETTA finally returns to print in a NEW EXPANDED AND UPDATED VERSION! Features an extensive series of interviews with MOORE about his entire career, including a new interview covering his work since the sold-out 2003 edition of this book was published. Includes RARE STRIPS, SCRIPTS, ART, and private PHOTOS of the author, plus a series of tribute comic strips by many of Moore’s closest collaborators, a COLOR SECTION featuring a RARE MOORE STORY (remastered, and starring MR. MONSTER), and more! Edited by GEORGE KHOURY, with a cover by DAVE McKEAN! (240-page trade paperback) $29.95 US ISBN: 9781605490090 Diamond Order Code: OCT084400 Limited Hardcover Signed by Alan Moore (100 hardcover copies) $49.95 US Only available from TwoMorrows!

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LIMITED HARDCOVER EDITION covers the best of everything from Jack Kirby’s 50-year career in comics, including his 50 BEST STORIES, BEST COVERS, BEST EXAMPLES OF UNUSED KIRBY ART, BEST CHARACTER DESIGNS, and profiles of, and commentary by, 50 PEOPLE INFLUENCED BY KIRBY’S WORK! Plus there’s a 50-PAGE GALLERY of Kirby’s PENCIL ART, a DELUXE COLOR SECTION, a previously unseen Kirby Superman cover inked by DARWYN COOKE, and an introduction by MARK EVANIER! Includes a full-color wrapped hardcover, and an individuallynumbered extra Kirby pencil art plate not included in the softcover edition! It’s ONLY AVAILABLE FROM TWOMORROWS, and is not sold in stores! Edited by JOHN MORROW.

Reprints JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR #27-30, with looks at Jack’s 1970s and ‘80s work, plus a two-part focus on how widespread Kirby’s influence is! Features rare interviews with KIRBY himself, plus Watchmen’s ALAN MOORE and DAVE GIBBONS, NEIL GAIMAN, Bone’s JEFF SMITH, MARK HAMILL, and others! See page after page of rare Kirby art, including a NEW SPECIAL SECTION with over 30 PIECES OF KIRBY ART NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED, and more! (288-page trade paperback) $29.95 US ISBN: 9781605490120 Diamond Order Code: DEC084286 Ships February 2009

(168-page Limited Edition Hardcover) (500 hardcover copies) $34.95 US Only available from TwoMorrows!

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COLLECTED JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR Volume 7

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TwoMorrows. Celebrating The Art & History Of Comics. (& LEGO! ) TwoMorrows • 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA • 919-449-0344 • FAX: 919-449-0327 • E-mail: twomorrow@aol.com • www.twomorrows.com

THE RETRO COMICS EXPERIENCE!

Edited by MICHAEL EURY, BACK ISSUE magazine celebrates comic books of the 1970s, 1980s, and today through recurring (and rotating) departments like “Pro2Pro” (dialogue between professionals), “BackStage Pass” (behind-the-scenes of comicsbased media), “Greatest Stories Never Told” (spotlighting unrealized comics series or stories), and more!

Go online for an ULTIMATE BUNDLE, with all the issues at HALF-PRICE! 6-ISSUE SUBS: $40 US Postpaid by Media Mail ($55 First Class, $63 Canada, $91 1st Class Intl., $112 Priority Intl.).

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“PRO2PRO” interview between GEORGE PÉREZ & 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 and BUSCEMA ART), “OFF MY CHEST” editorial by INFANTINO, and more! PÉREZ cover!

“PRO2PRO” between ADAM HUGHES and 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 and TWISTED TALES, “OFF MY CHEST” by MIKE W. BARR on the DC IMPLOSION, and more! HUGHES cover!

“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, details on two unknown PLASTIC MAN movies, Joker’s history with O’NEIL, ADAMS, ENGLEHART, ROGERS and BOLLAND, editorial by MARK EVANIER, and more! BOLLAND cover!

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

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

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

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

DENNY O’NEIL and 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), ISABELLA and TREVOR VON EEDEN on BLACK LIGHTNING, and more! KYLE BAKER cover!

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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, and more! All-new STEVE RUDE COVER!

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 PAUL SMITH, SIENKIEWICZ, SIMONSON, BOLLAND, HANNIGAN, MAZZUCCHELLI, and others! New cover by ADAMS!

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

‘70s and ‘80s character revamps with DAVE GIBBONS, ROY THOMAS and KURT BUSIEK, TOM DeFALCO and 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), and more!

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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 and interviews with GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, 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, and MOENCH on Werewolf by Night, and more! New ARTHUR ADAMS cover!

“Toy Stories!” Behind the Scenes of Marvel’s G.I. JOE™ and TRANSFORMERS with PAUL LEVITZ and GEORGE TUSKA, “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, and new ZECK sketch cover!

“Super Girls!” Supergirl retrospective with art by STELFREEZE, HAMNER, SpiderWoman, Flare, Tigra, DC’s unused Double Comics with unseen BARRETTO and INFANTINO art, WOLFMAN and JIMENEZ on Donna Troy, female comics pros, art by SEKOWSKY, OKSNER, PÉREZ, HUGHES, GIORDANO, plus a COLOR GALLERY and COVER by BRUCE TIMM!

“Big, Green Issue!” Tour of NEAL ADAMS’ studio (with interview and art gallery), DAVE GIBBONS “Rough Stuff” pencil art spotlight, interviews with MIKE GRELL (on Green Arrow), PETER DAVID (on Incredible Hulk), a “Pro2Pro” chat between GERRY CONWAY and JOHN ROMITA, SR. (on the Green Goblin), and more. New cover by NEAL ADAMS!

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“Unsung Heroes!” DON NEWTON spotlight, STEVE GERBER and GENE COLAN on Howard the Duck, MIKE CARLIN and DANNY 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, and more! NEWTON/ RUBINSTEIN cover!

“Secret Identities!” Histories of characters with unusual alter egos: Firestorm, Moon Knight, the Question, and the “real-life” Human Fly! STEVE ENGLEHART and SAL BUSCEMA on Captain America, JERRY ORDWAY interview and cover, Superman roundtable with SIENKIEWICZ, NOWLAN, MOENCH, COWAN, MAGGIN, O’NEIL, MILGROM, CONWAY, ROBBINS, SWAN, plus FREE ALTER EGO #64 PREVIEW!

“The Devil You Say!” issue! A look at Daredevil in the 1980s and 1990s with interviews and art by KLAUS JANSON, JOHN ROMITA JR., and FRANK MILLER, MIKE MIGNOLA Hellboy interview, DAN MISHKIN and GARY COHN on Blue Devil, COLLEEN DORAN’s unpublished X-Men spin-off “Fallen Angels”, Son of Satan, Stig’s Inferno, DC’s Plop!, JACK KIRBY’s Devil Dinosaur, and cover by MIKE ZECK!

“Dynamic Duos!’ “Pro2Pro” interviews with Batman’s ALAN GRANT and NORM BREYFOGLE and the Legion’s PAUL LEVITZ and KEITH GIFFEN, a “Backstage Pass” to Dark Horse Comics, Robin’s history, EASTMAN and LAIRD’s Ninja Turtles, histories of duos Robin and Batgirl, Captain America and the Falcon, and Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, “Zot!” interview with SCOTT McCLOUD, and a new BREYFOGLE cover!

“Comics Go Hollywood!” Spider-Man roundtable with STAN LEE, JOHN ROMITA, SR., JIM SHOOTER, ERIK LARSEN, and others, STAR TREK comics writers’ roundtable Part 1, Gladstone’s Disney comics line, behindthe-scenes at TV’s ISIS and THE FLASH (plus an interview with Flash’s JOHN WESLEY SHIPP), TV tie-in comics, bonus 8-page color ADAM HUGHES ART GALLERY and cover, plus a FREE WRITE NOW #16 PREVIEW!

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“Magic” issue! MICHAEL GOLDEN interview, GENE COLAN, PAUL SMITH, and FRANK BRUNNER on drawing Dr. Strange, Mystic Art Gallery with CARL POTTS & KEVIN NOWLAN, BILL WILLINGHAM’s Elementals, Zatanna history, Dr. Fate’s revival, a “Greatest Stories Never Told” look at Peter Pan, tribute to the late MARSHALL ROGERS, a new GOLDEN cover, plus a FREE ROUGH STUFF #6 PREVIEW!

“Men of Steel!’ BOB LAYTON and DAVID MICHELINIE on Iron Man, RICH BUCKLER on Deathlok, MIKE GRELL on Warlord, JOHN BYRNE on ROG 2000, Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman, Machine Man, the World’s Greatest Super-Heroes comic strip, DC’s Steel, art by KIRBY, HECK, WINDSOR-SMITH, TUSKA, LAYTON cover, and bonus “Men of Steel” art gallery! Includes a FREE DRAW! #15 PREVIEW!

“Spies and Tough Guys!’ PAUL GULACY and DOUG MOENCH in an art-packed “Pro2Pro” on Master of Kung Fu and their unrealized Shang-Chi/Nick Fury crossover, Suicide Squad spotlight, Ms. Tree, CHUCK DIXON and TIM TRUMAN’s Airboy, James Bond and Mr. T in comic books, Sgt. Rock’s oddball super-hero team-ups, Nathaniel Dusk, JOE KUBERT’s unpublished The Redeemer, and a new GULACY cover!

“Comic Book Royalty!” The ’70s/’80s careers of Aquaman and the Sub-Mariner explored, BARR and BOLLAND discuss CAMELOT 3000, comics pros tell “Why JACK KIRBY Was King,” “Dr. Doom: Monarch or Menace?” DON McGREGOR’s Black Panther; an exclusive ALAN WEISS art gallery; spotlights on ARION, LORD OF ATLANTIS; NIGHT FORCE; and more! New cover by NICK CARDY!

“Heroes Behaving Badly!” Hulk vs. Thing tirades with RON WILSON, HERB TRIMPE, and JIM SHOOTER; CARY BATES and CARMINE INFANTINO on “Trial of the Flash”; JOHN BYRNE’s heroes who cross the line; Teen Titan Terra, Kid Miracleman, Mark Shaw Manhunter, and others who went bad, featuring LAYTON, MICHELINIE, WOLFMAN, and PÉREZ, and more! New cover by DARWYN COOKE!

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TWOMORROWS BOOKS by ROY THOMAS NEW FOR 2008

ALTER EGO COLLECTION, VOL. 1 Collects ALTER EGO #1-2, plus 30 pages of new material! Behind a new JLA Jam Cover by JOE KUBERT, GEORGE PÉREZ, DICK GIORDANO, GEORGE TUSKA, NICK CARDY, RAMONA FRADON, and JOE GIELLA, there’s: GIL KANE, JULIUS SCHWARTZ, and GARDNER FOX on the creation of the Silver Age Atom! “The STAN LEE Roast” with SAL BUSCEMA, JOHN ROMITA, PETER DAVID, CHRIS CLAREMONT, JIM SHOOTER, et al.! MICHAEL T. GILBERT on WILL EISNER’s 1966 Spirit story! ROY THOMAS, JERRY ORDWAY, and MIKE MACHLAN on creating Infinity, Inc.! Interviews with LARRY LIEBER, IRWIN HASEN, & JACK BURNLEY! Wonder Woman rarities, with art by H.G. PETER! Plus FCA, new sections featuring scarce art by GIL KANE, WILL EISNER, CARMINE INFANTINO, MIKE SEKOWSKY, MURPHY ANDERSON, DICK DILLIN, plus all seven of our super-star cover artists! (192-page trade paperback) $21.95 ISBN: 9781893905597 Diamond Order Code: APR063420

ALTER EGO: THE BEST OF THE LEGENDARY COMICS FANZINE

(10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION) In 1961, JERRY BAILS and ROY THOMAS launched ALTER EGO, the first fanzine devoted to comic books and their colorful history. This volume, first published in low distribution in 1997, collects the original 11 issues (published from 1961-78) of A/E, with the creative and artistic contributions of JACK KIRBY, STEVE DITKO, WALLY WOOD, JOHN BUSCEMA, MARIE SEVERIN, BILL EVERETT, RUSS MANNING, CURT SWAN, & others—and important, illustrated interviews with GIL KANE, BILL EVERETT, & JOE KUBERT! See where a generation first learned about the Golden Age of Comics—while the Silver Age was in full flower—with major articles on the JUSTICE SOCIETY, the MARVEL FAMILY, the MLJ HEROES, and more! Edited by ROY THOMAS & BILL SCHELLY with an introduction by the late JULIUS SCHWARTZ.

JOHN ROMITA... AND ALL THAT JAZZ! “Jazzy” JOHN ROMITA talks about his life, his art, and his contemporaries! Authored by former Marvel Comics editor in chief and top writer ROY THOMAS, and noted historian JIM AMASH, it features the most definitive interview Romita’s ever given, about working with such comics legends as STAN LEE and JACK KIRBY, following Spider-Man co-creator STEVE DITKO as artist on the strip, and more! Plus, Roy Thomas shares memories of working with Romita in the 1960s-70s, and Jim Amash examines the awesome artistry of Ring-a-Ding Romita! Lavishly illustrated with Romita art—original classic art, and unseen masterpieces—as well as illos by some of Marvel’s and DC’s finest, this is at once a career overview of a comics master, and a firsthand history of the industry by one of its leading artists! Available in Softcover and Deluxe Hardcover (with 16 extra color pages, dust jacket, and custom endleaves). (192-page softcover) $24.95 ISBN: 9781893905757 • Diamond Order Code: APR074018 (208-page hardcover with COLOR) $44.95 ISBN: 9781893905764 • Diamond Order Code: APR074019

(192-page trade paperback) $21.95 ISBN: 9781893905887 Diamond Order Code: DEC073946

ALL- STAR COMPANION VOL. 2 ROY THOMAS presents still more secrets of the Justice Society of America and ALL-STAR COMICS, from 1940 through the 1980s, featuring: A fabulous wraparound cover by CARLOS PACHECO! More amazing information and speculation on the classic ALL-STAR COMICS of 1940-1951! Never-before-seen Golden Age art by IRWIN HASEN, CARMINE INFANTINO, ALEX TOTH, MART NODELL, JOE KUBERT, H.G. PETER, and others! Art from an unpublished 1940s JSA story not seen in Volume 1! Rare art from the original JLA-JSA team-ups and the 1970s ALL-STAR COMICS REVIVAL by MIKE SEKOWSKY, DICK DILLIN, JOE STATON, WALLY WOOD, KEITH GIFFEN, and RIC ESTRADA! Full coverage of the 1980s ALL-STAR SQUADRON, and a bio of every single All-Star, plus never-seen art by JERRY ORDWAY, RICH BUCKLER, ARVELL JONES, RAFAEL KAYANAN, and special JSArelated art and features by FRANK BRUNNER, ALEX ROSS, NEAL ADAMS, GIL KANE, MIKE MIGNOLA, and RAMONA FRADON—and more!

NEW FOR 2008

(240-page trade paperback) $24.95 ISBN: 9781893905375 Diamond Order Code: AUG063622

ALL- STAR COMPANION VOL. 3

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In this third volume, comics legend Roy Thomas presents still more amazing secrets behind the 1940-51 ALL-STAR COMICS and the JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA! Also, there’s an issue-by-issue survey of the JLA/JSA TEAM-UPS of 1963-85, the 1970s JSA REVIVAL, and the 1980s series THE YOUNG ALL-STARS with commentary by the artists and writers! Plus rare, often unseen art by NEAL ADAMS, DICK AYERS, MICHAEL BAIR, JOHN BUSCEMA, SEAN CHEN, DICK DILLIN, RIC ESTRADA, CREIG FLESSEL, KEITH GIFFEN, DICK GIORDANO, MIKE GRELL, TOM GRINDBERG, TOM GRUMMETT, RON HARRIS, IRWIN HASEN, DON HECK, CARMINE INFANTINO, GIL KANE, JACK KIRBY, JOE KUBERT, BOB LAYTON, SHELDON MAYER, BOB McLEOD, SHELDON MOLDOFF, BRIAN MURRAY, JERRY ORDWAY, ARTHUR PEDDY, GEORGE PÉREZ, H.G. PETER, HOWARD PURCELL, PAUL REINMAN, MIKE SEKOWSKY, HOWARD SIMPSON, JOE SINNOTT, JIM STARLIN, JOE STATON, RONN SUTTON, ALEX TOTH, JIM VALENTINO and many others! Featuring a new JLA/JSA cover by GEORGE PÉREZ! (240-page trade paperback) $26.95 ISBN: 9781893905801 • Diamond Order Code: SEP074020

Edited by ROY THOMAS The greatest ‘zine of the 1960s is back, ALL-NEW, and focusing on GOLDEN AND SILVER AGE comics and creators with ARTICLES, INTERVIEWS, UNSEEN ART, P.C. Hamerlinck’s FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America, featuring the archives of C.C. BECK and recollections by Fawcett artist MARCUS SWAYZE), Michael T. Gilbert’s MR. MONSTER, and more!

2007 EISNER AWARD WINNER Best Comics-Related Periodical

Go online for an ULTIMATE BUNDLE, with all the issues at HALF-PRICE!

DIEGDITITIOANL ONLY!

ALTER EGO #1

ALTER EGO #2

ALTER EGO #3

STAN LEE gets roasted by SCHWARTZ, CLAREMONT, DAVID, ROMITA, BUSCEMA, and SHOOTER, ORDWAY and THOMAS on INFINITY, INC., IRWIN HASEN interview, unseen H.G. PETER Wonder Woman pages, the original Captain Marvel and Human Torch teamup, FCA with MARC SWAYZE, “Mr. Monster”, plus plenty of rare and unpublished art!

Featuring a never-reprinted SPIRIT story by WILL EISNER, the genesis of the SILVER AGE ATOM (with GARDNER FOX, GIL KANE, and JULIE SCHWARTZ), interviews with LARRY LIEBER and Golden Age great JACK BURNLEY, BOB KANIGHER, a new Fawcett Collectors of America section with MARC SWAYZE, C.C. BECK, and more! GIL KANE and JACK BURNLEY flip-covers!

Unseen ALEX ROSS and JERRY ORDWAY Shazam! art, 1953 interview with OTTO BINDER, the SUPERMAN/CAPTAIN MARVEL LAWSUIT, GIL KANE on The Golden Age of TIMELY COMICS, FCA with SWAYZE, BECK, and SCHAFFENBERGER, rare art by AYERS, BERG, BURNLEY, DITKO, RICO, SCHOMBURG, MARIE SEVERIN and more! ALEX ROSS & BILL EVERETT covers!

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ALTER EGO #4

ALTER EGO #5

ALTER EGO #6

ALTER EGO #7

ALTER EGO #8

Interviews with KUBERT, SHELLY MOLDOFF, and HARRY LAMPERT, BOB KANIGHER, life and times of GARDNER FOX, ROY THOMAS remembers GIL KANE, a history of Flash Comics, MOEBIUS Silver Surfer sketches, MR. MONSTER, FCA section with SWAYZE, BECK, and SCHAFFENBERGER, and lots more! Dual color covers by JOE KUBERT!

Celebrating the JSA, with interviews with MART NODELL, SHELLY MAYER, GEORGE ROUSSOS, BILL BLACK, and GIL KANE, unpublished H.G. PETER Wonder Woman art, GARDNER FOX, an FCA section with MARC SWAYZE, C.C. BECK, WENDELL CROWLEY, and more! Wraparound cover by CARMINE INFANTINO and JERRY ORDWAY!

GENE COLAN interview, 1940s books on comics by STAN LEE and ROBERT KANIGHER, AYERS, SEVERIN, and ROY THOMAS on Sgt. Fury, ROY on All-Star Squadron’s Golden Age roots, FCA section with SWAYZE, BECK, and WILLIAM WOOLFOLK, JOE SIMON interview, a definitive look at MAC RABOY’S work, and more! Covers by COLAN and RABOY!

Companion to ALL-STAR COMPANION book, with a JULIE SCHWARTZ interview, guide to JLA-JSA TEAMUPS, origins of the ALL-STAR SQUADRON, FCA section with MARC SWAYZE, C.C. BECK (on his 1970s DC conflicts), DAVE BERG, BOB ROGERS, more on MAC RABOY from his son, MR. MONSTER, and more! RICH BUCKLER and C.C. BECK covers!

WALLY WOOD biography, DAN ADKINS & BILL PEARSON on Wood, TOR section with 1963 JOE KUBERT interview, ROY THOMAS on creating the ALL-STAR SQUADRON and its 1940s forebears, FCA section with SWAYZE & BECK, MR. MONSTER, JERRY ORDWAY on Shazam!, JERRY DeFUCCIO on the Golden Age, CHIC STONE remembered! ADKINS and KUBERT covers!

(100-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: JAN001713

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ALTER EGO #9

ALTER EGO #10

ALTER EGO #11

ALTER EGO #12

ALTER EGO #13

JOHN ROMITA interview by ROY THOMAS (with unseen art), Roy’s PROPOSED DREAM PROJECTS that never got published (with a host of great artists), MR. MONSTER on WAYNE BORING’S life after Superman, The Golden Age of Comic Fandom Panel, FCA section with GEORGE TUSKA, C.C. BECK, MARC SWAYZE, BILL MORRISON, & more! ROMITA and GIORDANO covers!

Who Created the Silver Age Flash? (with KANIGHER, INFANTINO, KUBERT, and SCHWARTZ), DICK AYERS interview (with unseen art), JOHN BROOME remembered, never-seen Golden Age Flash pages, VIN SULLIVAN Magazine Enterprises interview, FCA, interview with FRED GUARDINEER, and MR. MONSTER on WAYNE BORING! INFANTINO and AYERS covers!

Focuses on TIMELY/MARVEL (interviews and features on SYD SHORES, MICKEY SPILLANE, and VINCE FAGO), and MAGAZINE ENTERPRISES (including JOE CERTA, JOHN BELFI, FRANK BOLLE, BOB POWELL, and FRED MEAGHER), MR. MONSTER on JERRY SIEGEL, DON and MAGGIE THOMPSON interview, FCA with SWAYZE, BECK, and DON NEWTON!

DC and QUALITY COMICS focus! Quality’s GILL FOX interview, never-seen ’40s PAUL REINMAN Green Lantern story, ROY THOMAS talks to LEN WEIN and RICH BUCKLER about ALL-STAR SQUADRON, MR. MONSTER shows what made WALLY WOOD leave MAD, FCA section with BECK & SWAYZE, & ’65 NEWSWEEK ARTICLE on comics! REINMAN and BILL WARD covers!

1974 panel with JOE SIMON, STAN LEE, FRANK ROBBINS, and ROY THOMAS, ROY and JOHN BUSCEMA on Avengers, 1964 STAN LEE interview, tributes to DON HECK, JOHNNY CRAIG, and GRAY MORROW, Timely alums DAVID GANTZ and DANIEL KEYES, and FCA with BECK, SWAYZE, and MIKE MANLEY! Covers by MURPHY ANDERSON and JOE SIMON!

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ALTER EGO #17 Spotlighting LOU FINE (with an overview of his career, and interviews with family members), interview with MURPHY ANDERSON about Fine, ALEX TOTH on Fine, ARNOLD DRAKE interviewed about DEADMAN and DOOM PATROL, MR. MONSTER on the non-EC work of JACK DAVIS and GEORGE EVANS, FINE and LUIS DOMINGUEZ COVERS, FCA and more!

ALTER EGO #14

ALTER EGO #15

ALTER EGO #16

A look at the 1970s JSA revival with CONWAY, LEVITZ, ESTRADA, GIFFEN, MILGROM, and STATON, JERRY ORDWAY on All-Star Squadron, tributes to CRAIG CHASE and DAN DeCARLO, “lost” 1945 issue of All-Star, 1970 interview with LEE ELIAS, MR. MONSTER on GARDNER FOX, FCA with SWAYZE, BECK, & JAY DISBROW! MIKE NASSER & MICHAEL GILBERT covers!

JOHN BUSCEMA ISSUE! BUSCEMA interview (with UNSEEN ART), reminiscences by SAL BUSCEMA, STAN LEE, INFANTINO, KUBERT, ORDWAY, FLO STEINBERG, and HERB TRIMPE, ROY THOMAS on 35 years with BIG JOHN, FCA tribute to KURT SCHAFFENBERGER, plus C.C. BECK and MARC SWAYZE, and MR. MONSTER revisits WALLY WOOD! Two BUSCEMA covers!

MARVEL BULLPEN REUNION (BUSCEMA, COLAN, ROMITA, and SEVERIN), memories of the JOHN BUSCEMA SCHOOL, FCA with ALEX ROSS, C.C. BECK, and MARC SWAYZE, tribute to CHAD GROTHKOPF, MR. MONSTER on EC COMICS with art by KURTZMAN, DAVIS, and WOOD, and more! Covers by ALEX ROSS and MARIE SEVERIN & RAMONA FRADON!

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ALTER EGO #18

ALTER EGO #19

ALTER EGO #20

STAN GOLDBERG interview, secrets of ’40s Timely, art by KIRBY, DITKO, ROMITA, BUSCEMA, MANEELY, EVERETT, BURGOS, and DeCARLO, spotlight on sci-fi fanzine XERO with the LUPOFFS, OTTO BINDER, DON THOMPSON, ROY THOMAS, BILL SCHELLY, and ROGER EBERT, FCA, and MR. MONSTER on WALLY WOOD ghosting Flash Gordon! KIRBY and SWAYZE covers!

Spotlight on DICK SPRANG (profile and interview) with unseen art, rare Batman art by BOB KANE, CHARLES PARIS, SHELLY MOLDOFF, MAX ALLAN COLLINS, JIM MOONEY, CARMINE INFANTINO, and ALEX TOTH, JERRY ROBINSON interviewed about Tomahawk and 1940s cover artist FRED RAY, FCA, and MR. MONSTER on WALLY WOOD’s Flash Gordon, Part 2!

Timely/Marvel art by SEKOWSKY, SHORES, EVERETT, and BURGOS, secrets behind THE INVADERS with ROY THOMAS, KIRBY, GIL KANE, & ROBBINS, BOB DESCHAMPS interviewed, 1965 NY Comics Con review, panel with FINGER, BINDER, FOX and WEISINGER, MR. MONSTER, FCA with SWAYZE, BECK, RABOY, SCHAFFENBERGER, and more! MILGROM and SCHELLY covers!

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: AUG022420

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ALTER EGO #21 The IGER “SHOP” examined, with art by EISNER, FINE, ANDERSON, CRANDALL, BAKER, MESKIN, CARDY, EVANS, BOB KANE, and TUSKA, “SHEENA” section with art by DAVE STEVENS & FRANK BRUNNER, ROY THOMAS on the JSA and All-Star Squadron, more UNSEEN 1946 ALL-STAR ART, MR. MONSTER on GARDNER FOX, FCA, and more! DAVE STEVENS and IRWIN HASEN covers! (108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: DEC023029

ALTER EGO #22

ALTER EGO #23

ALTER EGO #24

ALTER EGO #25

ALTER EGO #26

BILL EVERETT and JOE KUBERT interviewed by NEAL ADAMS and GIL KANE in 1970, Timely art by BURGOS, SHORES, NODELL, and SEKOWSKY, RUDY LAPICK, ROY THOMAS on Sub-Mariner, with art by EVERETT, COLAN, ANDRU, BUSCEMAs, SEVERINs, and more, FCA, MR. MONSTER on WALLY WOOD at EC, ALEX TOTH, and CAPT. MIDNIGHT! EVERETT & BECK covers!

Unseen art from TWO “LOST” 1940s H.G. PETER WONDER WOMAN STORIES (and analysis of “CHARLES MOULTON” scripts), BOB FUJITANI and JOHN ROSENBERGER, VICTOR GORELICK discusses Archie and The Mighty Crusaders, with art by MORROW, BUCKLER, and REINMAN, FCA, and MR. MONSTER on WALLY WOOD! H.G. PETER and BOB FUJITANI covers!

X-MEN interviews with STAN LEE, DAVE COCKRUM, CHRIS CLAREMONT, ARNOLD DRAKE, JIM SHOOTER, ROY THOMAS, and LEN WEIN, MORT MESKIN profiled by his sons and ALEX TOTH, rare art by JERRY ROBINSON, FCA with BECK, SWAYZE, and WILLIAM WOOLFOLK, MR. MONSTER, and BILL SCHELLY on Comics Fandom! MESKIN and COCKRUM covers!

JACK COLE remembered by ALEX TOTH, interview with brother DICK COLE and his PLAYBOY colleagues, CHRIS CLAREMONT on the X-Men (with more never-seen art by DAVE COCKRUM), ROY THOMAS on All-Star Squadron #1 and its ’40s roots (with art by ORDWAY, BUCKLER, MESKIN and MOLDOFF), FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more! Covers by TOTH and SCHELLY!

JOE SINNOTT interview, IRWIN DONENFELD interview by EVANIER & SCHWARTZ, art by SHUSTER, INFANTINO, ANDERSON, and SWAN, MARK WAID analyzes the first Kryptonite story, JERRY SIEGEL and HARRY DONENFELD, JERRY IGER Shop update, ALEX TOTH, MR. MONSTER, and FCA with SWAYZE, BECK, and KEN BALD! Covers by SINNOTT and WAYNE BORING!

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: JAN032492

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: FEB032260

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: MAR032534

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(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: MAY032543

ALTER EGO #27

ALTER EGO #28

ALTER EGO #29

ALTER EGO #30

ALTER EGO #31

VIN SULLIVAN interview about the early DC days with art by SHUSTER, MOLDOFF, FLESSEL, GUARDINEER, and BURNLEY, MR. MONSTER’s “Lost” KIRBY HULK covers, 1948 NEW YORK COMIC CON with STAN LEE, SIMON & KIRBY, JULIUS SCHWARTZ, HARVEY KURTZMAN, and ROY THOMAS, ALEX TOTH, FCA, and more! Covers by JACK BURNLEY and JACK KIRBY!

Spotlight on JOE MANEELY, with a career overview, remembrance by his daughter and tons of art, Timely/Atlas/Marvel art by ROMITA, EVERETT, SEVERIN, SHORES, KIRBY, and DITKO, STAN LEE on Maneely, LEE AMES interview, FCA with SWAYZE, ISIS, and STEVE SKEATES, MR. MONSTER, BILL SCHELLY, and more! Covers by JOE MANEELY and DON NEWTON!

FRANK BRUNNER interview, BILL EVERETT’S Venus examined by TRINA ROBBINS, Classics Illustrated “What ifs”, LEE/KIRBY/DITKO Marvel prototypes, JOE MANEELY’s monsters, BILL FRACCIO interview, ALEX TOTH, MR. MONSTER, JOHN BENSON on EC, The Heap by ERNIE SCHROEDER, and FCA! Covers by FRANK BRUNNER and PETE VON SHOLLY!

ALEX ROSS on his love for the JLA, BLACKHAWK/JLA artist DICK DILLIN, the super-heroes of 1940s-1980s France (with art by STEVE RUDE, STEVE BISSETTE, LADRÖNN, and NEAL ADAMS), KIM AAMODT & WALTER GEIER on writing for SIMON & KIRBY, ALEX TOTH, MR. MONSTER, and FCA! Covers by ALEX ROSS and STEVE RUDE!

DICK AYERS on his 1950s and ’60s work (with tons of Marvel Bullpen art), HARLAN ELLISON’s Marvel Age work examined (with art by BUCKLER, SAL BUSCEMA, and TRIMPE), STAN LEE’S Marvel Prototypes (with art by KIRBY and DITKO), Christmas cards from comics greats, MR. MONSTER, & FCA with SWAYZE and SCHAFFENBERGER! Covers by DICK AYERS and FRED RAY!

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: JUN032614

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: JUL032570

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: AUG032604

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(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: OCT032843

ALTER EGO #32

ALTER EGO #33

ALTER EGO #34

ALTER EGO #35

ALTER EGO #36

Timely artists ALLEN BELLMAN and SAM BURLOCKOFF interviewed, MART NODELL on his Timely years, rare art by BURGOS, EVERETT, and SHORES, MIKE GOLD on the Silver Age (with art by SIMON & KIRBY, SWAN, INFANTINO, KANE, and more), FCA, ALEX TOTH, BILL SCHELLY on comics fandom, and more! Covers by DICK GIORDANO and GIL KANE!

Symposium on MIKE SEKOWSKY by MARK EVANIER, SCOTT SHAW!, et al., with art by ANDERSON, INFANTINO, and others, PAT (MRS. MIKE) SEKOWSKY and inker VALERIE BARCLAY interviewed, FCA, 1950s Captain Marvel parody by ANDRU and ESPOSITO, ALEX TOTH, BILL SCHELLY, MR. MONSTER, and more! Covers by FRENZ/SINNOTT and FRENZ/BUSCEMA!

Quality Comics interviews with ALEX KOTZKY, AL GRENET, CHUCK CUIDERA, & DICK ARNOLD (son of BUSY ARNOLD), art by COLE, EISNER, FINE, WARD, DILLIN, and KANE, MICHELLE NOLAN on Blackhawk’s jump to DC, FCA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT on HARVEY KURTZMAN, & ALEX TOTH on REED CRANDALL! Covers by REED CRANDALL & CHARLES NICHOLAS!

Covers by JOHN ROMITA and AL JAFFEE! LEE, ROMITA, AYERS, HEATH, & THOMAS on the 1953-55 Timely super-hero revival, with rare art by ROMITA, AYERS, BURGOS, HEATH, EVERETT, LAWRENCE, & POWELL, AL JAFFEE on the 1940s Timely Bullpen (and MAD), FCA, ALEX TOTH on comic art, MR. MONSTER on unpublished 1950s covers, and more!

JOE SIMON on SIMON & KIRBY, CARL BURGOS, and LLOYD JACQUET, JOHN BELL on World War II Canadian heroes, MICHAEL T. GILBERT on Canadian origins of MR. MONSTER, tributes to BOB DESCHAMPS, DON LAWRENCE, & GEORGE WOODBRIDGE, FCA, ALEX TOTH, and ELMER WEXLER interview! Covers by SIMON and GILBERT & RONN SUTTON!

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: NOV032695

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ALTER EGO #37

ALTER EGO #38

ALTER EGO #39

ALTER EGO #40

ALTER EGO #41

WILL MURRAY on the 1940 Superman “KMetal” story & PHILIP WYLIE’s GLADIATOR (with art by SHUSTER, SWAN, ADAMS, and BORING), FCA with BECK, SWAYZE, and DON NEWTON, SY BARRY interview, art by TOTH, MESKIN, INFANTINO, and ANDERSON, and MICHAEL T. GILBERT interviews AL FELDSTEIN on EC and RAY BRADBURY! Covers by C.C. BECK and WAYNE BORING!

JULIE SCHWARTZ TRIBUTE with HARLAN ELLISON, INFANTINO, ANDERSON, TOTH, KUBERT, GIELLA, GIORDANO, CARDY, LEVITZ, STAN LEE, WOLFMAN, EVANIER, & ROY THOMAS, never-seen interviews with Julie, FCA with BECK, SCHAFFENBERGER, NEWTON, COCKRUM, OKSNER, FRADON, SWAYZE, and JACKSON BOSTWICK! Covers by INFANTINO and IRWIN HASEN!

Full-issue spotlight on JERRY ROBINSON, with an interview on being BOB KANE’s Batman “ghost”, creating the JOKER and ROBIN, working on VIGILANTE, GREEN HORNET, and ATOMAN, plus never-seen art by Jerry, MESKIN, ROUSSOS, RAY, KIRBY, SPRANG, DITKO, and PARIS! Plus FCA, MR. MONSTER on AL FELDSTEIN Part 2, and more! Two JERRY ROBINSON covers!

RUSS HEATH and GIL KANE interviews (with tons of unseen art), the JULIE SCHWARTZ Memorial Service with ELLISON, MOORE, GAIMAN, HASEN, O’NEIL, and LEVITZ, art by INFANTINO, ANDERSON, TOTH, NOVICK, DILLIN, SEKOWSKY, KUBERT, GIELLA, ARAGONÉS, FCA, MR. MONSTER and AL FELDSTEIN Part 3, and more! Covers by GIL KANE & RUSS HEATH!

Halloween issue! BERNIE WRIGHTSON on his 1970s FRANKENSTEIN, DICK BRIEFER’S monster, the campy 1960s Frankie, art by KALUTA, BAILY, MANEELY, PLOOG, KUBERT, BRUNNER, BORING, OKSNER, TUSKA, CRANDALL, and SUTTON, FCA #100, EMILIO SQUEGLIO interview, ALEX TOTH, MICHAEL T. GILBERT, and more! Covers by WRIGHTSON & MARC SWAYZE!

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: APR043055

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ALTER EGO #42

ALTER EGO #43

ALTER EGO #44

ALTER EGO #45

ALTER EGO #46

A celebration of DON HECK, WERNER ROTH, and PAUL REINMAN, rare art by KIRBY, DITKO, and AYERS, Hillman and Ziff-Davis remembered by Heap artist ERNIE SCHROEDER, HERB ROGOFF, and WALTER LITTMAN, FCA with MARC SWAYZE, MR. MONSTER, BILL SCHELLY, and ALEX TOTH! Covers by FASTNER & LARSON and ERNIE SCHROEDER!

Yuletide art by WOOD, SINNOTT, CARDY, BRUNNER, TOTH, NODELL, and others, interviews with Golden Age artists TOM GILL (Lone Ranger) and MORRIS WEISS, exploring 1960s Mexican comics, FCA with MARC SWAYZE and C.C. BECK, MR. MONSTER, ALEX TOTH, BILL SCHELLY on comics fandom, and more! Flip covers by GEORGE TUSKA and DAVE STEVENS!

JSA/All-Star Squadron/Infinity Inc. special! Interviews with KUBERT, HASEN, ANDERSON, ORDWAY, BUCKLER, THOMAS, 1940s Atom writer ARTHUR ADLER, art by TOTH, SEKOWSKY, HASEN, MACHLAN, OKSNER, and INFANTINO, FCA, and MR. MONSTER’S “I Like Ike!” cartoons by BOB KANE, INFANTINO, OKSNER, and BIRO! Wraparound ORDWAY cover!

Interviews with Sandman artist CREIG FLESSEL and ’40s creator BERT CHRISTMAN, MICHAEL CHABON on researching his Pulitzer-winning novel Kavalier & Clay, art by EISNER, KANE, KIRBY, and AYERS, FCA with MARC SWAYZE and C.C. BECK, OTTO BINDER’s “lost” Jon Jarl story, MR. MONSTER, BILL SCHELLY on comics fandom, and ALEX TOTH! CREIG FLESSEL cover!

The VERY BEST of the 1960s-70s ALTER EGO! 1969 BILL EVERETT interview, art by BURGOS, GUSTAVSON, SIMON & KIRBY, and others, 1960s gems by DITKO, E. NELSON BRIDWELL, JERRY BAILS, and ROY THOMAS, LOU GLANZMAN interview, tributes to IRV NOVICK and CHRIS REEVE, MR. MONSTER, FCA, TOTH, and more! Cover by EVERETT and MARIE SEVERIN!

(108-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: SEP043043

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ALTER EGO #47

ALTER EGO #48

ALTER EGO #49

Spotlights MATT BAKER, Golden Age cheesecake artist of PHANTOM LADY! Career overview, interviews with BAKER’s half-brother and nephew, art from AL FELDSTEIN, VINCE COLLETTA, ARTHUR PEDDY, JACK KAMEN and others, FCA, BILL SCHELLY talks to comic-book-seller (and fan) BUD PLANT, MR. MONSTER on missing AL WILLIAMSON art, and ALEX TOTH!

WILL EISNER discusses Eisner & Iger’s Shop and BUSY ARNOLD’s ’40s Quality Comics, art by FINE, CRANDALL, COLE, POWELL, and CARDY, EISNER tributes by STAN LEE, GENE COLAN, & others, interviews with ’40s Quality artist VERN HENKEL and CHUCK MAZOUJIAN, FCA, MR. MONSTER on EISNER’s Wonder Man, ALEX TOTH, and more with BUD PLANT! EISNER cover!

Spotlights CARL BURGOS! Interview with daughter SUE BURGOS, art by BURGOS, BILL EVERETT, MIKE SEKOWSKY, ED ASCHE, and DICK AYERS, unused 1941 Timely cover layouts, the 1957 Atlas Implosion examined, MANNY STALLMAN, FCA, MR. MONSTER and more! New cover by MARK SPARACIO, from an unused 1941 layout by CARL BURGOS!

(100-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: FEB053220

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ALTER EGO #50 ROY THOMAS covers his 40-YEAR career in comics (AVENGERS, X-MEN, CONAN, ALL-STAR SQUADRON, INFINITY INC.), with ADAMS, BUSCEMA, COLAN, DITKO, GIL KANE, KIRBY, STAN LEE, ORDWAY, PÉREZ, ROMITA, and many others! Also FCA, & MR. MONSTER on ROY’s letters to GARDNER FOX! Flip-covers by BUSCEMA/ KIRBY/ALCALA and JERRY ORDWAY!

(100-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: MAY053172

ALTER EGO #54 ALTER EGO #51

ALTER EGO #52

ALTER EGO #53

Golden Age Batman artist/BOB KANE ghost LEW SAYRE SCHWARTZ interviewed, Batman art by JERRY ROBINSON, DICK SPRANG, SHELDON MOLDOFF, WIN MORTIMER, JIM MOONEY, and others, the Golden and Silver Ages of AUSTRALIAN SUPER-HEROES, Mad artist DAVE BERG interviewed, FCA, MR. MONSTER on WILL EISNER, BILL SCHELLY, and more!

JOE GIELLA on the Silver Age at DC, the Golden Age at Marvel, and JULIE SCHWARTZ, with rare art by INFANTINO, GIL KANE, SEKOWSKY, SWAN, DILLIN, MOLDOFF, GIACOIA, SCHAFFENBERGER, and others, JAY SCOTT PIKE on STAN LEE and CHARLES BIRO, MARTIN THALL interview, ALEX TOTH, MR. MONSTER, BILL SCHELLY, and more! GIELLA cover!

GIORDANO and 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, FCA with MARC SWAYZE, BILL SCHELLY, ALEX TOTH, and MR. MONSTER! Cover by GIORDANO!

(100-page magazine) $5.95 Diamond Order Code: JUN053345

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MIKE ESPOSITO on DC and Marvel, ROBERT KANIGHER on the creation of Metal Men and Sgt. Rock (with comments by JOE KUBERT and BOB HANEY), art by ANDRU, INFANTINO, KIRBY, SEVERIN, WINDSOR-SMITH, ROMITA, BUSCEMA, TRIMPE, GIL KANE, and others, plus FCA, ALEX TOTH, BILL SCHELLY, MR. MONSTER, and more! ESPOSITO cover!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: SEP053301

ALTER EGO #56

ALTER EGO #57

ALTER EGO #58

Interviews with Superman creators SIEGEL & SHUSTER, Golden/Silver Age DC production guru JACK ADLER interviewed, NEAL ADAMS and radio/TV iconoclast (and comics fan) HOWARD STERN on Adler and his amazing career, art by CURT SWAN, WAYNE BORING, and AL PLASTINO, plus FCA, MR. MONSTER, ALEX TOTH, and more! NEAL ADAMS cover!

Issue-by-issue index of Timely/Atlas superhero stories by MICHELLE NOLAN, art by SIMON & KIRBY, EVERETT, BURGOS, ROMITA, AYERS, HEATH, SEKOWSKY, SHORES, SCHOMBURG, MANEELY, and SEVERIN, GENE COLAN and ALLEN BELLMAN on 1940s Timely super-heroes, FCA, MR. MONSTER, and BILL SCHELLY! Cover by JACK KIRBY and PETE VON SHOLLY!

GERRY CONWAY and ROY THOMAS on their ’80s screenplay for “The X-Men Movie That Never Was!”with art by COCKRUM, ADAMS, BUSCEMA, BYRNE, GIL KANE, KIRBY, HECK, and LIEBER, Atlas artist VIC CARRABOTTA interview, ALLEN BELLMAN on 1940s Timely bullpen, FCA, 1966 panel on 1950s EC Comics, and MR. MONSTER! MARK SPARACIO/GIL KANE cover!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: DEC053401

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ALTER EGO #55 JACK and OTTO BINDER, KEN BALD, VIC DOWD, and BOB BOYAJIAN interviewed, FCA with SWAYZE and EMILIO SQUEGLIO, rare art by BECK, WARD, & SCHAFFENBERGER, Christmas Card Art from CRANDALL, SINNOTT, HEATH, MOONEY, and CARDY, 1943 Pin-Up Calendar (with ’40s movie stars as superheroines), ALEX TOTH, and more! ALEX ROSS and ALEX WRIGHT covers!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: OCT053396

ALTER EGO #59 Special issue on Batman and Superman in the Golden and Silver Ages, ARTHUR SUYDAM interview, NEAL ADAMS on 1960s/70s DC, SHELLY MOLDOFF, AL PLASTINO, Golden Age artist FRAN (Doll Man) MATERA and VIC CARRABOTTA interviewed, SIEGEL & SHUSTER, RUSS MANNING, FCA, MR. MONSTER, SUYDAM cover, and more!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: APR063474

ALTER EGO #60

ALTER EGO #61

ALTER EGO #62

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

History of the AMERICAN COMICS GROUP (1946 to 1967)—including its roots in the Golden Age SANGOR ART SHOP and STANDARD/NEDOR comics! Art by MESKIN, ROBINSON, WILLIAMSON, FRAZETTA, SCHAFFENBERGER, & BUSCEMA, ACG writer/editor RICHARD HUGHES, plus AL HARTLEY interviewed, FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more! GIORDANO cover!

HAPPY HAUNTED HALLOWEEN ISSUE, featuring: MIKE PLOOG and RUDY PALAIS on their horror-comics work! AL WILLIAMSON on his work for the American Comics Group—plus more on ACG horror comics! Rare DICK BRIEFER Frankenstein strips! Plus FCA, MR. MONSTER, BILL SCHELLY on the 1966 KalerCon, a new PLOOG cover—and more!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: MAY063496

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: JUN063522

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: AUG063690

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ALTER EGO #63

ALTER EGO #64

ALTER EGO #65

ALTER EGO #66

ALTER EGO #67

Tribute to ALEX TOTH! Never-before-seen interview with tons of TOTH art, including sketches he sent to friends! Articles about Toth by TERRY AUSTIN, JIM AMASH, SY BARRY, JOE KUBERT, LOU SAYRE SCHWARTZ, IRWIN HASEN, JOHN WORKMAN, and others! Plus illustrated Christmas cards by comics pros, FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more!

Fawcett Favorites! Issue-by-issue analysis of BINDER & BECK’s 1943-45 “The Monster Society of Evil!” serial, double-size FCA section with MARC SWAYZE, EMILIO SQUEGLIO, C.C. BECK, MAC RABOY, and others! Interview with MARTIN FILCHOCK, Golden Age artist for Centaur Comics! Plus MR. MONSTER, DON NEWTON cover, plus a FREE 1943 MARVEL CALENDAR!

NICK CARDY interviewed on his Golden & Silver Age work (with CARDY art), plus art by WILL EISNER, NEAL ADAMS, CARMINE INFANTINO, JIM APARO, RAMONA FRADON, CURT SWAN, MIKE SEKOWSKY, and others, tributes to ERNIE SCHROEDER and DAVE COCKRUM, FCA with MARC SWAYZE, MICHAEL T. GILBERT and MR. MONSTER, new CARDY COVER, and more!

Spotlight on BOB POWELL, the artist who drew Daredevil, Sub-Mariner, Sheena, The Avenger, The Hulk, Giant-Man, and others, plus art by WALLY WOOD, HOWARD NOSTRAND, DICK AYERS, SIMON & KIRBY, MARTIN GOODMAN’s Magazine Management, and others! FCA with MARC SWAYZE and C.C. BECK, MICHAEL T. GILBERT and MR. MONSTER, and more!

Interview with BOB OKSNER, artist of Supergirl, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Angel and the Ape, Leave It to Binky, Shazam!, and more, plus art and artifacts by SHELLY MAYER, IRWIN HASEN, LEE ELIAS, C.C. BECK, CARMINE INFANTINO, GIL KANE, JULIE SCHWARTZ, etc., FCA with MARC SWAYZE & C.C. BECK, MICHAEL T. GILBERT on BOB POWELL Part II, and more!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: OCT063800

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ALTER EGO #68

ALTER EGO #69

ALTER EGO #70

ALTER EGO #71

ALTER EGO #72

Tribute to JERRY BAILS—Father of Comics Fandom and founder of Alter Ego! Cover by GEORGE PÉREZ, plus art by JOE KUBERT, CARMINE INFANTINO, GIL KANE, DICK DILLIN, MIKE SEKOWSKY, JERRY ORDWAY, JOE STATON, JACK KIRBY, and others! Plus STEVE DITKO’s notes to STAN LEE for a 1965 Dr. Strange story! And ROY reveals secrets behind Marvel’s STAR WARS comic!

PAUL NORRIS drew AQUAMAN first, in 1941—and RAMONA FRADON was the hero’s ultimate Golden Age artist. But both drew other things as well, and both are interviewed in this landmark issue—along with a pocket history of Aquaman! Plus FCA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT, and more! Cover painted by JOHN WATSON, from a breathtaking illo by RAMONA FRADON!

Spotlight on ROY THOMAS’ 1970s stint as Marvel’s editor-in-chief and major writer, plus art and reminiscences of GIL KANE, BOTH BUSCEMAS, ADAMS, ROMITA, CHAYKIN, BRUNNER, PLOOG, EVERETT, WRIGHTSON, PÉREZ, ROBBINS, BARRY SMITH, STAN LEE and others, FCA, MR. MONSTER, a new GENE COLAN cover, plus an homage to artist LILY RENÉE!

Represents THE GREAT CANADIAN COMIC BOOKS, the long out-of-print 1970s book by MICHAEL HIRSH and PATRICK LOUBERT, with rare art of such heroes as Mr. Monster, Nelvana, Thunderfist, and others, plus new INVADERS art by JOHN BYRNE, MIKE GRELL, RON LIM, and more, plus a new cover by GEORGE FREEMAN, from a layout by JACK KIRBY!

SCOTT SHAW! and ROY THOMAS on the creation of Captain Carrot, art & artifacts by RICK HOBERG, STAN GOLDBERG, MIKE SEKOWSKY, JOHN COSTANZA, E. NELSON BRIDWELL, CAROL LAY, and others, interview with DICK ROCKWELL, Golden Age artist and 36-year ghost artist on MILTON CANIFF’s Steve Canyon! Plus FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: MAR073852

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ALTER EGO #76

FRANK BRUNNER on drawing Dr. Strange, interviews with CHARLES BIRO and his daughters, interview with publisher ROBERT GERSON about his 1970s horror comic Reality, art by BERNIE WRIGHTSON, GRAHAM INGELS, HOWARD CHAYKIN, MICHAEL W. KALUTA, JEFF JONES, and others FCA, MR. MONSTER, a FREE DRAW! #15! PREVIEW, and more!

FAWCETT FESTIVAL—with an ALEX ROSS cover! Double-size FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) with P.C. HAMERLINCK on the many “Captains Marvel” over the years, unseen Shazam! proposal by ALEX ROSS, C.C. BECK on “The Death of a Legend!”, MARC SWAYZE, interview with Golden Age artist MARV LEVY, MR. MONSTER, and more!

JOE SIMON SPECIAL! In-depth SIMON interview by JIM AMASH, with neverbefore-revealed secrets behind the creation of Captain America, Fighting American, Stuntman, Adventures of The Fly, Sick magazine and more, art by JACK KIRBY, BOB POWELL, AL WILLIAMSON, JERRY GRANDENETTI, GEORGE TUSKA, and others, FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: NOV073947

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STAN LEE SPECIAL in honor of his 85th birthday, with a cover by JACK KIRBY, classic (and virtually unseen) interviews with Stan, tributes, and tons of rare and unseen art by KIRBY, ROMITA, the brothers BUSCEMA, DITKO, COLAN, HECK, AYERS, MANEELY, SHORES, EVERETT, BURGOS, KANE, the SEVERIN siblings—plus FCA, MR. MONSTER, and more! (100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: OCT073927

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ALTER EGO #78 ALTER EGO #77 ST. JOHN ISSUE! Golden Age Tor cover by JOE KUBERT, KEN QUATTRO relates the full legend of St. John Publishing, art by KUBERT, NORMAN MAURER, MATT BAKER, LILY RENEE, BOB LUBBERS, RUBEN MOREIRA, RALPH MAYO, AL FAGO, special reminiscences of ARNOLD DRAKE, Golden Age artist TOM SAWYER interviewed, and more! (100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: MAR084108

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DAVE COCKRUM TRIBUTE! Great rare XMen cover, Cockrum tributes from contemporaries and colleagues, and an interview with PATY COCKRUM on Dave’s life and legacy on The Legion of Super-Heroes, The X-Men, Star-Jammers, & more! Plus an interview with 1950s Timely/Marvel artist MARION SITTON on his own incredible career and his Golden Age contemporaries! (100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: APR084249

ALTER EGO #79

ALTER EGO #80

SUPERMAN & HIS CREATORS! New cover by MICHAEL GOLDEN, exclusive and revealing interview with JOE SHUSTER’s sister, JEAN SHUSTER PEAVEY—MIKE W. BARR on Superman the detective— DWIGHT DECKER on the Man of Steel & Hitler’s Third Reich—plus art by WAYNE BORING, CURT SWAN, NEAL ADAMS, GIL KANE, and others!

SWORD-AND-SORCERY COMICS! Learn about Crom the Barbarian, Viking Prince, Nightmaster, Kull, Red Sonja, Solomon Kane, Bran Mak Morn, Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser, Beowulf, Warlord, Dagar the Invincible, and more, with art by FRAZETTA, SMITH, BUSCEMA, KANE, WRIGHTSON, PLOOG, THORNE, BRUNNER, and more! New cover by RAFAEL KAYANAN!

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: MAY084245

(100-page magazine) $6.95 Diamond Order Code: JUN084380

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ALL-STAR COMPANION Vol. 4

COMIC BOOK PODCAST COMPANION

MARVEL COMICS IN THE 1960s

Features: Colossal coverage of the Golden Age ALL-STAR COMICS! Sensational secrets of the JUNIOR JUSTICE SOCIETY! An index of the complete solo adventures of all 18 original JSAers in their own features, from 1940 to 1951! The JSA's earliest imitators (Seven Soldiers of Victory, All Winners Squad, Marvel Family, and Intl. Crime Patrol)! INFINITY, INC. on EarthTwo and after! And the 1980s SECRET ORIGINS series! With rare art by ALEX ROSS, TODD McFARLANE, JERRY ORDWAY, CARMINE INFANTINO, JOE KUBERT, ALEX TOTH, GIL KANE, MURPHY ANDERSON, IRWIN HASEN, MORT MESKIN, GENE COLAN, WAYNE BORING, GEORGE TUSKA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT, GEORGE FREEMAN, DON NEWTON, JACK BURNLEY, MIKE MACHLAN, HOWARD CHAYKIN, DICK DILLIN, and others. Edited by ROY THOMAS.

Comic book podcasts have taken the Internet by storm, so go behind the scenes of ten of today's top comic book podcasts via all-new interviews with the casts of AROUND COMICS, WORD BALLOON, QUIET! PANELOLOGISTS AT WORK, COMIC BOOK QUEERS, iFANBOY, THE CRANKCAST, THE COLLECTED COMICS LIBRARY, THE PIPELINE PODCAST, COMIC GEEK SPEAK, and TwoMorrows’ own TUNE-IN PODCAST! Also featured are new interviews about podcasting and comics on the Internet with creators MATT FRACTION, TIM SEELEY, and GENE COLAN. You'll also find a handy guide of what you’ll need to start your own podcast, an index of more than thirty great comic book podcasts, numerous photos of your favorite podcasters, and original art from COLAN, SEELEY, DC's MIKE NORTON, and many more! By ERIC HOUSTON, with a spectacular new cover by MIKE MANLEY.

This issue-by-issue field guide presents a step-by-step look at how Marvel Comics went from being one of the least creative publishers in a generally moribund industry, to its most dynamic and original in an era when pop-culture emerged as the dominant force in the artistic life of America. In scores of handy, easy to reference entries, follow the company’s first fumbling beginnings as helmed by savvy editor/writer STAN LEE (aided by such artists as JACK KIRBY and STEVE DITKO), to the full maturity of its wild, colorful, offbeat grandiosity. With the history of Marvel Comics in the 1960s divided into four distinct phases, author PIERRE COMTOIS explains just how Lee, Kirby, Ditko, and others created a line of comic books that, while grounded in the traditional elements of panel-to-panel storytelling, broke through the juvenile mindset of a low brow industry and provided a tapestry of full blown pop culture icons.

(128-page trade paperback) $15.95 Diamond Order Code: MAR094433 ISBN: 9781605490182 • Now shipping!

(224-page trade paperback) $27.95 US Diamond Order Code: MAY091042 ISBN: 9781605490168 • Ships July 2009

(240-page trade paperback) $27.95 US ISBN: 9781605490045 Diamond Order Code: APR091002 Now shipping!

Go to www.twomorrows.com for FULL-COLOR downloadable PDF versions of our magazines for only $2.95! Subscribers to the print edition get the digital edition FREE, weeks before it hits stores!

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BRICKJOURNAL #6

Spotlight on CLASSIC SPACE SETS and a look at new ones with LEGO SET DESIGNERS, BRANDON GRIFFITH shows his STAR TREK MODELS, plus take a tour of the DUTCH MOONBASE with MIKE VAN LEEUWEN and MARCO BAAS, coverage of BRICKFEST 2009 and FIRST LEGO LEAGUE'S WORLD FESTIVAL and TOY FAIR NEW YORK photos! (80-page COLOR magazine) $8.95 US • Ships July 2009

BRICKJOURNAL COMPENDIUM 3

Compiles the digital-only issues #6-7 (Vol. 1) of BRICKJOURNAL for the first time in printed form! Interviews with builders and JØRGEN VIG KNUDSTORP (CEO of the LEGO Group, features on LEGO FAN CONVENTIONS, reviews and behind the scenes reports on two LEGO sets, how to create custom minifigures, instructions and techniques, and more! (224-page FULL-COLOR trade paperback) $34.95 US • ISBN: 9781605490069 Diamond Order Code: JAN094469 • Ships July 2009

CAPTAIN ACTION: THE ORIGINAL SUPERHERO ACTION FIGURE REVISED 2nd EDITION! CAPTAIN ACTION was introduced in 1966 in the wake of the Batman TV show craze, and later received his own DC comic book with art by WALLY WOOD and GIL KANE. Able to assume the identities of 13 famous super-heroes, continuing interest in the hero has led to two different returns to toy-store shelves. Lavishly illustrated with over 200 toy photos, this FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER SECOND EDITION chronicles the history of this quick-changing champion, including photos of virtually EVERY CAPTAIN ACTION PRODUCT ever released, spotlights on his allies ACTION BOY and the SUPER QUEENS and his arch enemy DR. EVIL, an examination of his comic-book appearances, and more, including his recent return to comics shelves and the new wave of Captain Action collectibles. By MICHAEL EURY. (176-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 US • ISBN: 9781605490175 • Diamond Order Code: APR091003 Ships July 2009

VOLUME 21: CHRIS SPROUSE

(128-page trade paperback) $14.95 US ISBN: 97801605490137 Diamond Order Code: NOV084298 Now shipping!

VOLUME 22: MARK BUCKINGHAM (128-page trade paperback) $14.95 ISBN: 9781605490144 Diamond Order Code: FEB094473 Ships July 2009

Each features an extensive, career-spanning interview lavishly illustrated with rare art from the artist’s files, plus huge sketchbook section, including unseen and unused art!

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JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR (4 issues)

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ALTER EGO (12 issues) Six-issue subs are half-price!

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BRICKJOURNAL (4 issues)

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