Comic Book Creator #31 by TwoMorrows Publishing

™

No. 31, Summer 2023

82658 00511

Batman, Robin TM & © DC Comics.

A TwoMorrows Publication

Cover art by Graham Nolan

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MAD’s maddest artist, SERGIO ARAGONÉS, is profiled! Plus: TV’s Route 66 and an interview with star GEORGE MAHARIS, MOE HOWARD’s final years, singer B. J. THOMAS in one of his final interviews, LONE RANGER cartoons, G.I. JOE, and more! Featuring columns by ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, and MARK VOGER! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

Meet JULIE NEWMAR, the purr-fect Catwoman! Plus: ASTRO BOY, TARZAN Saturday morning cartoons, the true history of PEBBLES CEREAL, TV’s THE UNTOUCHABLES and SEARCH, the MONKEEMOBILE, SOVIET EXPO ’77, and more fun, fab features! Featuring columns by ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, and MARK VOGER! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

Surf’s up as SIXTIES BEACH MOVIES make a RetroFan splash! Plus: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, ZORRO’s Saturday morning cartoon, TV’s THE WILD, WILD WEST, CARtoons and other drag-mags, VALSPEAK, and more fun, fab features! Like, totally! Featuring columns by ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, and MARK VOGER! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

Meet the stars behind the Black Lagoon: RICOU BROWNING, BEN CHAPMAN, JULIE ADAMS, and LORI NELSON! Plus SHADOW CHASERS, featuring show creator KENNETH JOHNSON. Also: THE BEATLES’ YELLOW SUBMARINE, FLASH GORDON cartoons, TV’s cult classic THE PRISONER and kid’s show ZOOM, COLORFORMS, M&Ms, and more fun, fab features! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

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Interviews with Lost in Space’s ANGELA CARTWRIGHT and BILL MUMY, and Land of the Lost’s WESLEY EURE! Revisit Leave It to Beaver with JERRY MATHERS, TONY DOW, and KEN OSMOND! Plus: UNDERDOG, Rankin-Bass’ stop-motion classic THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY, Christmas gifts you didn’t want, the CABBAGE PATCH KIDS fad, and more! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

Meet Mission: Impossible’s LYNDA DAY GEORGE in an exclusive interview! Celebrate Rambo’s 50th birthday with his creator, novelist DAVID MORRELL! Plus: TV faves WKRP IN CINCINNATI and SPACE: 1999, Fleisher’s and Filmation’s SUPERMAN cartoons, commercial jingles, JERRY LEWIS and BOB HOPE comic books, and more fun, fab features! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

The saga of Saturday morning’s Super Friends, Part One! Plus: A history of MR. T, TV’s AVENGERS (Steed and Mrs. Peel), Daktari’s CHERYL MILLER, Mexican movie monsters, John and Yoko’s nation of Nutopia, ELIZABETH SHEPHERD (the actress who almost played Emma Peel), and more! With ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, MARK VOGER, & MICHAEL EURY.

Interview with Captain Kangaroo BOB KEESHAN, The ROCKFORD FILES, teen monster movies, the Kung Fu and BRUCE LEE crazes, JACK KIRBY’s comedy comics, DON DRYSDALE’s TV drop-ins, outrageous toys, Challenge of the Super Friends, and more fun, fab features! Featuring columns by ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, and MARK VOGER! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

The BRITISH INVASION of the Sixties, interview with Bond Girl TRINA PARKS, The Mighty Hercules, Horror Hostess MOONA LISA, World’s Greatest Super Friends, TV Guide Fall Previews, the Frito Bandito, a Popeye Super Collector, and more fun, fab features! Featuring columns by ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, and MARK VOGER! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

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The story behind BOB CLAMPETT’s Beany & Cecil, western queen DALE EVANS, an interview with Mr. Ed’s ALAN YOUNG, Miami Vice, The Sixties’ Wackiest Robots, Muscle-Maker CHARLES ATLAS, Super Powers Team—Galactic Guardians, and more fun, fab features! Featuring columns by ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, and MARK VOGER! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

The Brady Bunch’s FLORENCE HENDERSON, the UNKNOWN COMIC revealed, Hanna-Barbera’s Top Cat, a Barbie history, RANKIN/BASS’ Frosty the Snowman, Dell Comics’ Monster SuperHeroes, Slushy Drinks, and more fun, fab features! Featuring columns by ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, and MARK VOGER! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

Magic memories of ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY for the 60th Anniversary of TV’s Bewitched! Plus: The ’70s thriller Time After Time (with NICHOLAS MEYER, MALCOLM McDOWELL, and DAVID WARNER), The Alvin Show, BUFFALO BOB SMITH and Howdy Doody, Peter Gunn, Saturday morning’s Run Joe Run and Big John Little John, a trip to Camp Crystal Lake, and more fun, fab features!

Featuring a profile of The Partridge Family’s heartthrob DAVID CASSIDY, THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN, LEGO blocks, Who Created Mighty Mouse?, BUCKAROO BANZAI turns forty, Planet Patrol, Big Little Books, Disco Fever, and more! Featuring columns by ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, and MARK VOGER. Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

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Summer 2023 • The Graham Nolan Issue • Number 31

T A

GRAHAM NOLAN Portrait by KEN MEYER, JR.

Ye Ed’s Rant: Sometimes it takes decades for Ye Ed’s projects to reach fruition!................. 2

About Our Cover

COMICS CHATTER Up Front: Marvel Invades Carnegie. An in-depth examination of the fellow who bought the license to the Marvel Universe for $2,500 in 1971 and his two subsequent endeavors, the calamitous Carnegie Hall show and the totally rad Spidey Rockomic!.... 3

Cover art by GRAHAM NOLAN Colors by GREG WRIGHT

Industrial Artifact: Vintage 1974 trade journal piece on DC’s production department... 17 The Borth Files: Part one of our three-part look at the best cartoonist you never heard of, Frank Borth, on his Golden Age start and friendship with the great Reed Crandall....... 26

Batman, Robin, Detective Comics TM & © DC Comics.

Once Upon Long Ago: Everything’s coming up Archie with Our Man from C.B.C.!.......... 35 Ten Questions: Darrick Patrick gets the lowdown from big talent Rodney Barnes........... 36 Comics in the Library: Richard Arndt gets stirred up by that saucy Bandette!................ 37 Incoming: Readers on Dauntless Don McGregor getting his due in the pages of CBC..... 38 Cooke’s Column: Three notable books received worth mentioning by Ye Ed................... 39 Old Friends, New Horizons: Greg Biga talks to Dan DiDio about Frank Miller Presents.40 Above: Graham Nolan, our man of the ish, recreated — and vastly improved — his grand cover art for Detective Comics #0 [Oct. 1994] (seen at left) with the awesomely sublime assist of colorist Greg Wright. Graham, of course, drew a significant run of Batman tales in the ’90s.

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THE MAIN EVENT Graham Nolan: Charting His Own Course The co-creator of Batman’s back-breaking villain, Bane, talks about his life in comics, long stint as newspaper comic strip artist, and reinvention as publisher of his own imprint, Compass Comics. The career-spanning conversation covers his Kubert School start, participation in the “Knightfall” saga, frequent teaming and friendship with writer Chuck Dixon, and decision to quit the “Big Two” and set out on his own direction and achieve creative independence (and make money while doing it!)........ 50 BACK MATTER Creators at the Con: Kendall Whitehouse’s pix of folks working Baltimore Con 2022.... 78 Coming Attractions: A double-header with William Stout and the late Byron Preiss...... 79 A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words: Tom Ziuko’s gritty hues on the Sandman........ 80 Right: A detail of a Bane versus Batman commission piece by Graham Nolan

Comic Book Artist Vol. 1 & 2 are available as digital downloads from twomorrows.com Comic Book Creator ™ is published quarterly (more or less) by TwoMorrows Publishing, 10407 Bedfordtown Dr., Raleigh, NC 27614 USA. Phone: (919) 449-0344. Jon B. Cooke, editor. John Morrow, publisher. Comic Book Creator editorial offices: P.O. Box 601, West Kingston, RI 02892 USA. E-mail: jonbcooke@aol.com. Send subscription funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial offices. Four-issue subscriptions: $53 US, $78 International, $19 Digital. All characters are © their respective copyright owners. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter ©2023 Jon B. Cooke/TwoMorrows. Comic Book Creator is a TM of Jon B. Cooke/TwoMorrows. ISSN 2330-2437. Printed in China. FIRST PRINTING.

Bane, Batman TM & © DC Comics.

COMIC BOOK CREATOR is a proud joint production of Jon B. Cooke/TwoMorrows

Hembeck’s Dateline: Forget the Emissaries of Evil! Here’s the Midgard Mob!............... 47

This issue is dedicated to the memories of CAROL STEVENSON, JACK BENDER, CHRIS BROWNE, and DAVID SUTHERLAND ™

Dreaming Metal JON B. COOKE

Editor & Designer

JOHN MORROW

Publisher & Consulting Editor

GREG BIGA

Associate Editor

GRAHAM NOLAN Cover Artist

GREG WRIGHT Cover Colorist

RICHARD J. ARNDT TOM ZIUKO STEVEN THOMPSON MICHAEL AUSHENKER Contributing Editors

J.D. KING

CBC Cartoonist Emeritus

TOM ZIUKO

CBC Colorist Supreme

RONN SUTTON

CBC Illustrator

KEN MEYER, JR.

CBC Color Portrait Artist

ROB SMENTEK CBC Proofreader

GREG PRESTON

CBC Contributing Photographer CBC Convention Photographer

RICHARD ARNDT FRED HEMBECK DARRICK PATRICK STEVEN THOMPSON TOM ZIUKO CBC Columnists

To contact CBC, please email jonbcooke@aol.com or snail-mail Comic Book Creator c /o Jon B. Cooke, P.O. Box 601 West Kingston, RI 02892 2

Here’s the secret: have a lot of projects Steady as she goes at Casa going at the same time, in various Cooke, thus far in 2023. If The stages, and you’ll keep active and feel Charlton Companion is nominated useful, though ya gotta stay committed for an Eisner Award, I’ll probably to finishing the furshlugginer things! attend the Comic-Con International: Maybe one or two of my myriad San Diego this year and the missus ventures won’t ever make it to the finish and I are planning on a visit to line (unless you know someone willing Raleigh to spend time with John to publish respective histories of Dell/ and Pam Morrow. Allan Rosenberg Gold Key Comics and Treasure Chest!), invited yours truly to attend the next but the constant refining of the various Big Apple Con as a guest at the end books I simultaneously work on keep of March, so my brother Andy and I things lively and engaging. will get an all-too infrequent chance But I will be honest and confess to hang out together. And, while Beth that some of the books were previously and I will take one more road trip in one-time stalled endeavors — such as the late fall to visit friends in sunny Swampmen, The Book of Weirdo, and Florida, otherwise it’s work, glorious The Charlton Companion — where I had work for Ye Ed.! previously dropped the ball to varying I just received the edited trandegrees and, years later with a change of script to a truly spectacular interview attitude, I finally worked up the energy to I conducted with writer Mary Skrenes resurrect and finish them. way, way back on Super Bowl Sunday, Maybe my oldest unfinished tome in 2005. Mary was a frequent colwas initially called Heavy Metallurgy, laborator with brilliant comics writer something I started with my French Steve Gerber — they created Omega historian-cohort, Jean Depelley, around the Unknown together and she was 2001. It was to be a deep look at the deeply involved with the Howard the “Adult Illustrated Fantasy Magazine” Duck series, where she helped develop started by the folks at National Lampoon the Beverly Switzler character. Mary Graham Nolan in 1977, and a publication that’s been on the started out in the comics industry under by Ronn Sutton stands ever since. From the start, we planned to the mentorship of editor Dick Giordano, include HM’s inspiration and the one that started it all, Métal during his first tenure at DC Comics, where she used the panHurlant. At some point, Kevin Eastman, then publisher of name Virgil North! Anyhoo, look for her interview in our Steve HM, was sponsoring my project, but, consumed with family Gerber tribute issue, that also includes a chat with (and cover matters and a deep ennui, I let Heavy Metallurgy fall by the by) Val Mayerik, co-creator of the fearless fowl himself, in CBC wayside after lots of false starts. #33, coming at the end of this year! Now, during the varied bouts of energy when I’d delve I am very saddened to hear that Carol Stevenson, Ron yet again into the history, I’d accumulate troves of material, Turner’s wife and mother of their two children, Colin and interviews and artifacts shared by participants, and with deep Claire, passed away on the last day of February, after a 22-year dives into newspapers and other archival matter. Anyhoo, the battle with ovarian cancer. The Turner family is important to study has morphed quite a bit and is now titled Forging Metal, me and I am indebted to Ron and Colin not only for publishand it casts a wide net on HM and MH, and also the many, ing The Book of Weirdo and Slow Death Zero, but for their many magazines they inspired in Europe and South America, constant encouragement and faith in me. I had the pleasure as well as the U.S. and Canada. We’re limiting the scope to of chatting with Carol at the Columbia University TBOW event 1975–1985 (though lots of attention is paid to the pre-history that took place in Oct. 2019, and my wife had a chance to sit of SF/fantasy comics mags), and the deeper I dig, the more with her and Ron through the event. Love and peace to the profound I perceive the influence of both MH and HM and Turners and Godspeed to Carol. how they expanded the notion of what comics could be. Hope you dig this ish. I authored two in-depth pieces Of course, I’m fitting this book (which has no publisher herein, one starting on the page opposite and the other the as of yet, but Jean and I will make the final production too beginning of a three-part look at the wonderful yet forgotten irresistible!) in among my other commitments, but I promise comic book artist Frank Borth. I’ll be writing a lot more in the it’ll be an outstanding history of a little-covered subject. issues to come, so keep ye eyes peeled! — Ye Crusading Editor jonbcooke@aol.com

cbc contributors

M. Beauchamp Alex Bennett Frank Borth Steven Borth

Tom Brevoort Gerry Conway Craig Dawson Linda Fite

Ian Gittler Gary Groth Roger Hill Sean Howe

Paul Levitz M. Klickstein Graham Nolan Caroline Pintoff

Peter Sanderson Cory Sedlmaier Skinner Roy Thomas

Michael Uslan B. Wechtenhiser Glenn Whitmore Greg Wright

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

KENDALL WHITEHOUSE

The French revolution of 1975 was just the beginning for comics

up front

Marvel’s Folly of 1972

The chaotic “Marvel-ous” night Stan Lee and the Bullpen stumbled on stage at Carnegie Hall

Characters TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc. Color by Glenn Whitmore.

by JON B. COOKE Gerry Conway, who had joined the ranks of Marvel Comics after selling his first script to the publisher in 1970, was recently telling a story about his now ex-wife. “Carla was Stan’s secretary, and she had a legal background of her own, growing up with lawyers,” he said. “And Stan asked her to go through some paperwork that he inherited when he became publisher, and one of the papers was this contract. She said, ‘Y’know, Stan, there’s no performance guarantee in this contract. [The licensor] has these rights for five years, whether he does anything with them or not!’ Stan blew up! By this point, he was in charge of the company, the publisher, the guy who was supposed to make money for the company. And he was ham-strung for any possibility for selling these characters to TV for cartoons… songs… nothing! It was all controlled by this one guy.”1 The only projects to come out of the agreement was a “Rockomic” record album and “A Marvel-ous Evening with Stan Lee,” a multi-media event held on Jan. 5,1972, at a prestigious Manhattan setting. A live show devoted to Lee wasn’t a bad idea, Conway said. “On its face, it made kind of sense, because Stan, at that point, was becoming a pop culture figure. He wasn’t yet the Stan Lee of the [Marvel Cinematic Universe] days, but he had been written up in a number of articles and was well-known by college students.”2 In fact, only months prior, Marvel made it onto the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, proof that Lee’s company was hip and charting high in the zeitgeist of American youth. “And there was a big Marvel fan base, and the idea of some kind of live performance made perfect sense, and doing it at Carnegie Hall was a natural to feed Stan’s ego. And it would have been great if there had actually been anyone involved who had any theatrical or producer experience, and if there had been any way to actually create a cohesive whole out of a bunch of random things that got thrown together. Like a lot of Stan’s work, he needed strong collaborators, for someone to give shape to the material to the ideas that Stan had. And there was no one, as far as I am aware, who had, even remotely, a part of that.”3 Actually, the shaggy-maned 28-year-old who signed with Marvel was a seasoned producer by the time he put on the Carnegie show. In fact, he had learned on the job as concert promoter for national acts playing Madison Square Garden, including The Doors, Janis Joplin, and The Band, and as onetime stage manager of fabled rock venue Fillmore East. The dude could also boast a long association with theatre, albeit mostly of the amateur variety. His name: Stephen Howard Lemberg.

An issue of Cash Box relayed a different version of the tale: “He got the idea for the whole Marvel project while browsing in a San Francisco book shop. ‘I saw these comics while I was just hanging out there and I bought a few, and then it came to me.’”5 The initial notion was for him to license Marvel characters for radio serials only. In their book, Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book [2003], Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon described the negotiations between Lemberg and Charles “Chip” Goodman, who was representing Marvel while his father, publisher Martin Goodman, was out of town:

“MORE IN THEM THAN MEETS THE EYE” The origin story of “A Marvel-ous Night…” is a little hazy, either starting in a buddy’s pad or at a bookstore. One 1971 newspaper article shared about Steve Lemberg: A friend of his is a comic book freak. He spends some time at his friend’s apartment reading comic books. “I realized there is more in them than meets the eye,” he says. “I decided they would make really good theater.”4 COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

In 1971, rock promoter Steve Lemberg sat down with Chip to negotiate for the radio rights to several Marvel characters. Lemberg was only interested in radio serials, but then a strange thing happened. “I just kept asking for more rights,” Lemberg recalls. “Every time I asked for something, they gave it to me. I’d say, ‘Does anyone have the rights to do movies?’ They’d say, ‘No,’ because at the time no one really wanted to do movies. And I’d say, ‘Okay, I’ll give you a few hundred dollars… for

Below: The Man himself in 2012, posing with the Carnegie Hall show poster.

Top: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Go to 881 Seventh Avenue in midtown N.Y.C., between West 56th and 57th Streets! Above: Ad in The New York Times and The Village Voice, in December 1971. Our own Glenn Whitmore added colors at Ye Ed’s request.. 3

those rights, too.’” Lemberg says he walked away with an exclusive option to license the majority of the company’s heroes — including Spider-Man, the Hulk, and the Fantastic Four — for motion pictures, television, and radio. The total price: $2,500, plus an annual fee to renew his option.6

was derived from a mention in a New York Daily News article.

* As for choosing the Kirby-Lee version of the Norse mythological god of thunder, Lemberg told Broadcasting magazine, “I chose Thor for the first series for a couple of reasons. First of all, Thor is the prettiest of all the Marvel characters. And there is a lot of love interest that runs through the comic. The language in the strip also lends itself well to dramatization. And, because it all takes place in space, that lends itself to the use of electronic music and the like for backgrounds.”13

ENTER THE METALLIC MAMA Ten years older than Lemberg, Barbara Gittler preferred to think of herself as the “Jewish Mother” of the Manhattan society of specialized agencies that found work for advertising professionals — Madison Avenue “mad men” headhunters, if you will. “But not only is Barbara a Jewish mother,” New York Magazine explained in 1968, “she is a Jewish mother who understands pot.”16 She also was a member of the “Metallic Mamas,” which New York described as “a group of hungry ladies who look like you could be their lunch.”17 By the time Gittler, the mother of three young kids, met Lemberg, she’d already established Barbara Gittler Associates, which then signed to handle National Copacetic’s dealings involving radio, television, theater, and records. The newlyformed professional team immediately became entwined personally, as well, and together they started work on Copacetic’s inaugural Marvel gig: “A Marvel-ous Evening with Stan Lee.”

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

The Hulk TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc. God Woke TM & © the estate of Stan Lee.

Lemberg utilized his company, National Copacetic, Ltd., for the licensing deal, and, in later years, he told Sean Howe, “I owned more rights to Marvel than Marvel had. The only decision that Chip ever made was to give me all the rights to his comic books. They gave me a 20-page contract with interlocking rights and options; I could do anything I wanted. I could make movies, records, anything. It was really a trip.”7 Above: The Man himself in (In comparison, since Iron Man was released in 2008, the 2012, posing with the Carnegie MCU films have (as of June 2022) thus far generated $26.6 Hall show poster before it was billion in box office receipts, making it the highest grossing auctioned. Below: At the Carnegie movie franchise of all time. This does not include the books, the Hall show, Stan and his wife and toys, the clothing, and all of the myriad licensing revenue, as daughter recited stanzas from well as the original source from whence all of this intellectual his epic poem, God Woke, which property sprang, the Marvel Comics Group.) was eventually published with In late 1971, Lemberg told a reporter that he had spent illustrations by Mariano Nicieza in eight months pursuing the licensing arrangement with Marvel a limited edition book. Published and its corporate owner, Perfect Film and Chemical. “He borby William Shatner’s imprint, God rows on everything he owns, sells stock, accepts help from his Woke was adapted as a graphic parents. It has cost him $80,000 so far,” related an article.8 novel in 2016, with the assist of Lemberg’s plans were wildly grandiose, to say the least. writer Fabian Nicieza. Inset bot- One was to conquer the radio airwaves, both AM and FM, by tom right: From the “Best Bets” embracing the logic of “Youngsters are geared to listening to section of New York Magazine, Jan. three-minute [vinyl] records,” he told The Daily News. “That’s 3, 1972, plugging the event. Com- why I’m using five-minute serials.”9 With a target date of late ment on the magician’s monkey February to start, he was planning a radio series starring Thor,*

four five-minute episodes a day, five days a week, to be broadcast on as many as 400 commercial and college stations. For the Thor series, Lemberg projected 65 episodes to start and estimated the overall investment at more than $100,000 (costing $1,500–2,000 per episode). Plans were to follow Thor with a series starring T’Challa, the Black Panther. “Because T’Challa is Black and lives in Harlem,” Lemberg told media trade magazine Broadcasting, “that will give me a chance to use some R&B for the music.”10 Aiming for the early months of 1973, Lemberg was forecasting an investment of $2.5 million into an arena show that would tour the country, “a combination circus, light show, and rock ’n’ roll concert spotlighting comic characters,”11 described as presenting a storyline “about the end of the universe.”12 Also set for ’73, the young producer envisioned a fulllength feature film, The Silver Surfer, to star Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson (who had, at that point, a single movie role to his credit). Also in the planning stages were individual movies to feature Spider-Man, the Hulk, and the thunder god. Additionally, Lemberg spoke of plans for a giant trade paperback, as large as The Whole Earth Catalog (11" x 14") that will “stretch [the] comic form to its limits,” which he planned to sell for less than $10. Estimated release date: Christmas 1972.14 And there also was a proposed TV special featuring French film director Alain Resnais, as well as a line of half-music, half-dramatic record albums, the first to star Spider-Man. The cocky, self-assured Lemberg, described as “a fellow with long, curly black hair and a black, bushy moustache,” boasted to a journalist, “I figure within the next five years, my company should make — and it’s a conservative estimate —some $50 million.”15 But, to accomplish this stratospheric goal ($361 million in 2023 dollars), the confident young man needed promotional help. Apparently, devising global conquest by way of the Marvel universe was too big a job for just one person.

The pair realized they also needed a press agent for the show and enlisted the services of Abby Hirsch, who shared about her experiences with the two in a 1974 memoir, The Great Carmen Miranda Look-alike Contest and Other Bold-Faced Lies. Hirsch described the “couple of hustlers”18 thusly: Still in his twenties, a one-time production manager for Fillmore East, Steve combined the qualities of a friendly St. Bernard and a snake-oil salesman. His girlfriend/partner Barbara was a Jules Feiffer creation come to life, a gaunt woman with stick-straight salt-and-pepper hair. Even at the time, she was a bit long in tooth to qualify for the Pepsi generation.19

Hirsch, the onetime “publicity girl” of Valley of the Dolls author Jacqueline Susann, confessed, “When I worked on ‘A Marvel-ous Evening with Stan Lee,’ shame dogged my every step. In between blushes, however, there were a lot of laughs.”20 The publicist’s first challenge, Lemberg explained to her, was to hype the Carnegie Hall event, which he described as “an evening of light entertainment with audience participation.” Then Gittler chimed in on the discussion: “This is very heavy,” Barbara told me, lighting one of an unending chain of cigarettes and taking a deep drag. “Stan Lee’s creations are human beings, throbbing with life, aching with pain. Iron Man has a heart condition. Spider-Man has a junkie roommate. Ben Grimm is an outsider because of his bad skin. Thor, in his mortal state, is very vulnerable.” “That’s just part of the story,” Steve added. “Stan Lee might be the Homer of this generation. His Silver Surfer is the new Messiah sent by a far-reaching cosmic power with the potential to solve modern man’s dilemma: yet he is rejected by those whom he would save. Stan Lee is defining our culture. He is a Maker of Myths.”21

Thor, Marvel Bullpen Bulletins TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

(Meanwhile, over on the West Coast, Lee’s ex-myth-making partner, Jack Kirby, now creating legends for Marvel’s rival, had skewered “Stan the Man” in a savage caricature named “Funky Flashman,” within the pages of Mister Miracle #6. That had gone on sale November 11, less than a week after Lee posed with Lemberg examining a copy of Thor for a Newsday photographer. Lee biographer Abraham Reisman described the brutal portrayal: “Funky loves himself even more than he hates doing real work, and he tries to get [Mister Miracle] on his side by showering him with insincere, alliterative compliments, while repeatedly showing cowardice in the face of battle.”22 Reportedly, Stan was “kind of hurt” after seeing the comic book.)23

the nine-foot, eight-inch man, will improvise poetry dedicated to his Marvel heroes and in the lobby the audience will be surrounded by 128 huge panels, an exhibit created by Stan Lee to show the evolution of the comic book.”24 Lee, who hit it off on a personal level with fellow self-promoter Lemberg, had signed on as creative consultant for the many National Copacetic plans, and he likely suggested certain people to participate in the show. Among them was probably Federico Fellini, the avant-garde Italian film director, who had visited the offices of Magazine Management for an hour in late 1965. Lee had thereafter professed that Fellini was a fan of Marvel Comics and so, among a breath-taking list of celebrities tied to the show that Lemberg and Gittler rattled off to their PR person, there was the director’s name. But, when Hirsch by chance encountered the revered filmmaker at Sardi’s restaurant a day after she had sent out a press release announcing his participation, Fellini hadn’t the foggiest idea what she was talking about when she casually mentioned the upcoming show. She soon realized, “Most of the people they had mentioned hadn’t been signed. A lot of them hadn’t been approached. And a good many of those who hadn’t yet been approached hadn’t even bothered to respond to invitations….”25 Still, there were a couple of impressive names among those who did sign up, including noted “new journalism” author Tom Wolfe and French film director Alain Resnais, both actual real-life fans of Marvel Comics, as well as funnyman Chuck McCann and actor René Auberjonois (who would later achieve a measure of fame playing the alien, Odo, on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). Two other featured performers have their own fascinating backstories worth examining here.

Above: Stan Lee (left) and producer-promoter Steve Lemberg, who told the authors of Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book [2003], “If you’re going to produce things, you want them to be right. You’d have to be nuts not to utilize Stan, because he’s the brains behind Marvel… I thought he was wonderful.” Below: News item appearing in the June 1972 cover-dated Marvel comics mentioning the event.

MIRACLE MONGER EXTRAORDINAIRE Besides Stan Lee, perhaps the one person to appear more frequently on stage in the final production was Australian Geoff Crozier, STAGING THE MARVEL UNIVERSE who had been twice named “Top Magician “Kirby-esque” might be a perfect description for Steve Lemberg’s of the Year” back in his home country. After vision of the one-nighter scheduled for 8:00 p.m., Wednesday arriving in the United States in September night, January 5th. “The center of the Carnegie stage will be a 1971, he practiced in a tiny shed on Staten giant Mylar throne,” Lemberg disclosed to Cash Box, a music Island, a New York City borough, where he biz trade magazine, “around which will weave the weird and worked out some spectacular tricks for his wonderful works of Peter Nevard, who will create a cacophony onstage debut at Carnegie Hall. of Asgardian effects with film, slides, and lighting. Magician The eccentric 24-year-old, who would Crozier has devised some never-before-seen illusions for the go on to make a name for himself as a show, which will be the most elaborate production ever staged flamboyant performer in New York City’s at Carnegie Hall. Two Marvel artists, John Bessman [sic] and rock scene, was discovered by The Daily Herb Trimbe [sic], who originated the Fantastic Four and the News to be living in a 10-foot square shack Hulk, will animate a fight sequence on the spot. Eddie Carmel, with “a friendly mutt named Schroeder, an COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

orphaned black cat named Quaysar, which has difficulty maintaining its balance, and a white dove named Tweedledee.”26 His squirrel monkey, improbably named Sarcophagus Mayhem, had already fled Crozier’s “Magik Manor,” an escape duly noted in New York magazine.27 Rob Greaves, his keyboard player back home, called Crozier, “A great man, a great performer; maybe not such a great singer — but a great storyteller, and a maniac on stage… He really did walk on the edge constantly.”28 Many found the oddball unforgettable and all agreed that, if only he had a tolerable singing voice, the world would have been his for the taking. Aussie music writer Duncan Fry, who early on played in a band with Crozier, referred to him as, “The Mad Magician, High Priest of Magick,”29 and a “sh*t hot magician and very well-respected by his peers in the magic biz,”30 though Above: Australian magician Geoff people thought he was also “mad as a cut snake.”31 During his association with National Copacetic, there were Crozier in a pic appearing in The Daily News on Jan. 2, 1972. plans for the illusionist to perform on a TV special starring MarBelow: At left is photo of Eddie vel heroes. (Spoiler alert: Crozier’s various routines, including Carmel and his parents taken in startling acts involving fire, would earn the highest praise of all the living room of the Bronx apart- in the Carnegie Hall show.) Crozier was deemed “a legend amongst New York City’s ment. Poster for the 1962 horror movie, The Brain That Wouldn’t underground rock cognoscenti circa 1975–78,”31 and a website Die, and a posed pic taken on said, “To think of him as merely an Aussie Alice Cooper (or the set of that flick of Carmel in Arthur Brown, for that matter) is to entirely miss the point of the make-up as the monster and Adele truly impressive chaos this guy was able (and quite willing) to Lamont as bikined Doris Powell. orchestrate as a performer.”32

A club review by Steve Mecca in The Aquarian gushed, “The main man, Geofrey Crozier, was like no being I’ve ever seen. A cross between Rasputin, the mad monk, Doctor Doom, and Fu Manchu, this guy made Gene Simmons’ fire-eating look like a kid playing with matches. He made Alice Cooper look like a trick-or-treat ragamuffin in a Ben Cooper Halloween costume, and his wardrobe made Peter Gabriel’s outfits look like goodwill mission rejects by comparison.”33 The reviewer called Crozier’s Little Hippodrome show of Sept. 12, 1975, “undoubtedly the most exciting performance since Altamont.”34 After performing in his various rock bands for an extended period in N.Y.C., Crozier — dubbed a “Miracle Monger Extraordinaire”35 — returned to his native land, where, in 1980, he was voted by peers to be Australia’s “Top Stage Magician” at the 12th Australian Convention of Magicians. The following year, he died — apparently by his own hand — at the age of 33.

ON WITH THE SHOW The lead-up to “A Marvel-ous Evening…” must have been frantic. Dennis Wilson, member of the popular rock group, The Beach Boys, had been booked to appear in a Silver Surfer sequence, but was a no-show, as was actor Peter Boyle (later the monster in Young Frankenstein). The playbill had New York radio DJ Zacherle (also a legendary TV horror Chiller Theatre host 6

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The Brain That Wouldn’t Die TM & © the respective copyright holder.

THE JEWISH GIANT Eddie Carmel, the Bronx man crowned the “World’s Tallest Man” by The Guinness Book of World Records, was included in the proceedings because the show’s producer had simply been asked by the goliath. Lemberg told Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon, “So I put him in the show. He was like eight feet tall, he was crippled, and he had this bag of candy bars to keep feeding. He stood there and read something, and he cried. He was so moved by the fact that he was actually in Carnegie Hall. His whole life, he wanted to play Carnegie Hall.”36 To tell the truth, in 1936, Eddie Carmel was born a average-sized baby, in Tel Aviv, Israel, and came to the U.S. with his parents at the age of two, when they settled to New York City. His maternal aunt, Dorothy Carchman, shared, “At his bar mitzvah, he was perfectly normal, he was a beautiful little boy.”37 Carmel fell ill at 15 and doctors found a tumor on his pituitary gland, which inflicted the teen with acromegaly, defined by the U.K. National Health Service as “a rare condition where the body produces too much growth hormone, causing body tissues and bones to grow more quickly.”38 Though his life was short — Carmel would die at the age of 36, a mere eight months after appearing on the Carnegie stage — he could claim a fascinating and diverse existence. He had a rock ’n’ roll band, Frankenstein and the Brain Surgeons; he worked for fabled talk show host Joe Franklin; was a committed New York Giants fan (how could he be otherwise?); found employment with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (though only when they came to town); recorded two novelty 45 r.p.m. singles, “The Happy Giant” and “The Good Monster”; and most famously appeared as the monster in the 1962 grade B horror flick, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.39 His gargantuan stature was notably captured by famed picture-taker Diane Arbus and included in her popular book of photographs. Carmel was also a voiceover actor in television commercials and he was said to adore Marvel Comics. In actuality, Carmel, whose shoe size was 35 or so, was probably seven-foot, seven-inches tall, considerably less than the nine feet reported by The Guinness Book. Those who knew Eddie Carmel called the man witty, smart, sensitive, and kind.

Marvel characters, Marvel Bullpen Bulletins TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

of the ’50s and ’60s) as featured in a Doctor Doom episode, but was replaced at the eleventh hour by WPLJ FM radio colleague, Alex Bennett. (The one-sheet programs handed out that night not only included an embarrassing misspelling — referring to “Superman”40 instead of “Spider-Man” in a listing — but they also were folded into paper airplanes by bored audience members and flung about the auditorium). In the backstage chaos, press agent Ann Hirsch saw Marvel secretaries hastily recruited, dressed in leotards, and “nervously rehearsing a dance routine that had been improvised in a last-minute attempt to get some cheesecake in the show.” She also saw producer Barbara Gittler yelling at her kids, “Do you want to f*ck up your mother’s big night?” And she told one of her offspring to “go sell some tickets to the show.”41 Roy Thomas performed triple-duty for the production. “Besides the band and the several minutes when I ran down/ through the aisles of Carnegie Hall as Spidey,” he said, “I had a third role in the show: writing short essays that were read onstage by our celebrities, including Tom Wolfe (Captain America), René Auberjonois (Spider-Man), and Chuck McCann (The Hulk), the actor then noted for a [deodorant] commercial in which he played a guy who’s there when another actor, about to shave, opens up his medicine cabinet mirror [and says, ‘Hi, guy!’].”42 A fourth celeb was likely Alex Bennett, for the Doom segment. Herb Trimpe had two roles in the show, on-stage drawing that was projected on a screen for the Hulk episode and playing in a band. He told Dewey Cassell, “A promoter convinced Stan to do a show in Carnegie Hall, which we did… I thought it was pretty good. It was kind of fun.”43 Asked if he was compensated, Trimpe chuckled and said, “No, unless there was food there.”44 When the curtain rose, one theater-goer was unimpressed, describing the stage as “decked out like some high school auditorium for Our Town. Stage right, an assortment of plywood tiers upon which sat Chico Hamilton and his rock players, with their instruments. Stage center, a little podium for the speaker, and stage left, a big baffle screen that seemed there simply to fill up empty space. The whole thing bathed in muted light, seeking evidently a ‘spooky’ effect.”45 Los Angeles-based “cool jazz” drummer Chico Hamilton and his combo provided opening music, and magician Crozier

“dashed around like a maniac,”46 ending his routine with Stan Lee emerging from a wardrobe-type box to roaring applause. The Marvel editor-in-chief spoke with typical hyperbole about the magnificence of his comics line. Jake Jenkins related that he and his companion, “We just sat back laughing. Laughing how closely Stan Lee resembled Funky Flashman.”47 Then came the “Hulk episode,” with Lee, Trimpe (who enters and exits through a trapdoor from under the stage, as do other Bullpen artists in subsequent bits), and comedian McCann, who speaks cruelly of the Hulk while Trimpe draws, citing ol’ Greenskin’s “incredibly bad breath, body odor, and fangs that would/can give an orthodontist nightmares.”48 The portion featuring “Happy Giant” Eddie Carmel follows — again with Lee— with the show headliner asking inane questions of the guest, who answered, “No, Stanley, I’m going to recite a poem about my kid brother, the Hulk!”49 The recitation was called touching and folks noted Carmel wept in gratitude during his time on stage. Next was comedy writer and oftMAD magazine contributor Earle Doud (best known for his Grammy-winning 1962 comedy album ribbing President John F. Kennedy, The First Family) joined by artist John Buscema ascending from the floor’s secret portal, for a segment on Thor, succeeded by a skit starring Daredevil, John Romita, and J. Jonah Jameson, who has a mock argument with Lee.

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Inset left: The front steps at Carnegie Hall, Jan. 5, 1972. Above: Marvel Bullpen Bulletins page, July ’72.

Above: Posters of the first and second installments of the wildly successful South Korean animated film franchise, Robot Taekwon V. The initial release made an impact on young Michael Cho and was dubbed and renamed Voltar the Invincible when it hit screens in the United States. Below: Michael Cho and his older sister as babies, photographed with their mother in pix taken before the family’s move from their native South Korea to Canada.

Above: Show review by Dean Latimer appearing in The Monster Times #3 [Mar. 1, 1972]. Below: Opening spread of the Comic Fandom Monthly show review by Jake Jenkins, from #6 [Feb. 1972].

King of Fuh,” notorious for its refrain, “Fuh King,” played keyboard and kept it clean as he sang on the virtues of the Marvel Age of Comics. Then arrived the evening’s highlight, at least in terms of those appreciating literary sophistication, as great American writer Tom Wolfe, resplendent in his white suit and sporting an Uncle Sam top hat, regaled the crowd about the glory of Captain America in an essay scribed by Thomas. (The brilliant founder of New Journalism and future bestselling novelist was quite a catch for the event, and, after receiving the okay from Stan Lee, it was Thomas who invited the bon vivant to the event.)* As for the reception of the author’s recital, the Women’s Wear Daily critic opined, ”Tom Wolfe made one of his more boring public appearances. He read a rambling essay… that was meant to get a few laughs but didn’t.”50 (The WWD reviewer was so underwhelmed with the show, he left before the curtain rose for Act II.) The same star-spangled hero was the subject of the next episode, as Stan “spoke of Steve Rogers as scenes of one of the greatest characters ever was flashed on the screen. The item that made us laugh was that none were Jack Kirby renditions.”51 And, after more magic from the Aussie conjurer, radio personality Alex Bennett hit the stage. ”There is not much I recall,” he says today, “except that I played Doctor Doom, which basically was a reading. My biggest thrill was that I was playing Carnegie Hall and called my mother in California from backstage to tell her.” The then-WPLJ morning host added, “Stan personally asked me to do it, although I wasn’t at the time a big Marvel fan. He did my show a lot and that is how I got to know him. I later went on to announce a Spider-Man radio pilot.”52 After yet another stellar magic routine, there was a short intermission, and Crozier then opened Act II with a blazing sorcery performance that left the audience stunned: “his last but most startling act… [where] he imposed upon his girl assistant to sit motionless on a chair while he set her hair on fire, and Auberjonois impressed the crowd with his oration about the her face, too… After allowing her to burn for a few minutes, origin of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, while Ditko art he gave her a kiss and put out the fire. Instead of the expected was shown large on the screen. After that, the manic magician charred face we had seen only moments before, the girl stood returned for another routine, as he would three more times, up without a mark on her.”53 each bit capped with raucous clapping from the audience. But after Crozier’s epic illusion, things started to precipiSteve Friedland, a.k.a. Brute Force and composer of “The tously careen downhill for the event. Peter Sanderson, then a Columbia University student in the audience, shared, “I remember the voice of Resnais, reading part of a Silver Surfer

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All © the respective copyright holders.

* With his permission, Tom Wolfe had famously been featured in cameos among a few Roy Thomas Marvel Comics stories, first in Doctor Strange [#180, May 1969]. Thomas later said that Wolfe “wrote me this wonderful letter after the comic was published that, for the next couple of years, the most-asked question in his college lectures was how did he ever become a character in Doctor Strange!”54 Thomas took Wolfe to the first Academy of Comic Book Arts meeting in 1970 and again had him briefly appear in a story [Incredible Hulk #142, Aug. ’71], one which itself parodies Wolfe’s satirical New York Magazine, June 8, 1970, article, “Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny’s.”

Marvel characters TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

comics script in French, being played over loudspeakers. Then Stan had Resnais, who was sitting in the audience, stand up and take a bow.” For one critic, “The only element of [the show] that was anywhere near new was Lee’s introduction of Alain Resnais, the famous French culture groupie and filmmaker… who, according to Lee, is making a flick which will incorporate elements of Marvel cartoons.”55 For whatever reason, it was decided for Chico Hamilton and the Players to provide a musical interlude, replete with a singer, but when she started her solo, “A large portion of the audience let off with hooting parrot and monkey noises.”56 At this point, Hirsch related, “Even the most devout Marvel fans quickly lost patience with the proceedings. Soon monkey, cheetah, parrot, and cat-calls rose up from the orchestra and echoed from the galleries. The theater sounded like an African rain forest.”57 Next came a strange segment when Lee’s epic poem, “God Woke,” was recited. A Marvel writer in attendance, Linda Fite said, “I remember being most embarrassed when Stan’s wife and daughter (‘little Joanie’) came out and read Stan’s poetry. So cringey! Not that it sucked… who knows? It just did not work as entertainment.”58 For many, it was the first time they realized Lee had a daughter, who would later be known as J.C. (“God Woke” was eventually adapted as a graphic novel and published in 2016 by TV star William Shatner’s imprint.)

was a decent ‘strummer’).”61 Tone Forrest — musician Milton Forrest — posted a reply on a blog about the show: “I was the bass player with the Marvel Comics band, consisting of amateur players who were cartoonists and staff at Marvel and ringers like me who hung out with artists. It was an unorganized zoo backstage… I gratefully don’t recall the set, but it was awfully embarrassing.”62 The band’s lead singer remembered some snafus. “The electronics at the show were hooked up so badly that,” Thomas said, “after not having a chance to practice at Carnegie, the verbal byplay that was supposed to be heard between the guys (up on a platform some distance away) and myself (on the JUST A SINGER IN A ROCK ’N’ ROLL BAND stage) didn’t come through. Aside from the classical musicians and jazz artists who perform- We did the best we could, and the rewritten version I sang of ed on its hallowed stage over the decades, Carnegie Hall was the venue for some of the greatest acts in the history of rock ‘Be-Bop-a-Lula’ with Marvel-related lyrics came off okay as far as music, including Bill Haley and His Comets, The Beatles, The I was concerned (and I had several years’ experience in a rock Beach Boys, Jethro Tull, and Led Zeppelin. And then there was band for pay, remember, even if there was never much money the Marvel Bullpen Band. there), but Barry had talked me into doing some non-melodic A year after the show, Barry Windsor-Smith was being inter- John Lennon song that didn’t work at all. I had known it viewed in his New York apartment, when he discussed an aniwouldn’t, but I humored Barry.”63 mation gig recently completed for an ad agency. Smith shared, The Comic Fandom Monthly reviewer, who identifies a Beat“There was to be put together [an animation] show by Steve les song, “I’m Down,” being played (a cut actually attributed to Lemberg, which probably would have been a bummer. He did Paul McCartney), caustically opined, “The music was bad and the Marvel at Carnegie Hall thing…” The artist subsequently Roy had best stick to writing. We admire his guts.”64 Still, as asked his two interviewers, “Did anybody see the Carnegie Hall Lemberg later explained to press agent Abby Hirsch, then-Marthing?” His guest countered, Did you? “Did I see it? I was in it. vel associate editor Thomas was a draw for the audience, as the On the stage, planking the guitar. That’s how memorable it was! second in command at Marvel. Yeah, with ol’ Roy doing his Elvis Presley imitation.”59 Lemberg told her, “It was a The plan, suggested by Thomas to Lee and Lemberg, was real thrill for the kids actually for an all-Marvel bullpen rock combo to play in the second to see him.“65 Hirsch wryly act, a group consisting of Smith “planking” on lead guitar, observed, “His appearance Herb Trimpe playing rhythm guitar, writer Gary Friedrich on definitely did halt the blitz of drums, and Roy Thomas, who was doubling as the costumed paper airplanes, made from Spider-Man in the show, as lead singer. Thomas explained the Marvel Comics covers, that had absence of his Missouri friend. “Gary was supposed to be the been strafing the audience all drummer that night,” he said, “but a snowstorm prevented his evening.”66 getting from Missouri to New York City in time to practice with The rock segment was acus, so Lemberg wouldn’t okay his playing, so the practice drum- companied by women dancing mer got the Carnegie gig along with myself, Herb Trimpe, and in super-hero costumes, which Barry… We did our practicing in a place Lemberg rented for us had been sewn together by a (or something) in Soho, which was then a low-rent district. We professional seamstress, suits only had one, maybe two practice sessions, tops.”60 that included the Spider-Man Linda Fite, who at the time was dating Trimpe, recalled in getup and were given to Thoman email, “I was tickled by the Marvel band — Roy, Barry (!!! as by Lee through once-Marvel wtf?!), Herb… and a ringer/pro named Milton, a way-cool dude, production manager, Sol playing bass (although some account said he played drums… Brodsky. Thomas recalled, “The that is not how I remember it). They practiced several times in other three costumes I was givthe weeks before the show — at one of those famous rehearsal/ en [aside from Spider-Man] — recording studios, I think it was in Chelsea. But they weren’t so Wasp, Medusa, and all-purpose great, and Herb says his amp wasn’t even on (unintentional; he FF — were worn at Carnegie COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

Above: This pic of Steve Lemberg holding the show poster and accompanying feature article about the promoter appeared in numerous newspapers across the country around New Year’s Day 1972. Below: By lucky happenstance (because John Romita sketched on the backside and it was auctioned by Heritage), the playbill for the Carnegie Hall show survived, which shows the order of show segments.

by my then-wife Jeanie (I think), Linda Parente (now ex-wife of one-time Warren editor and writer Bill Parente), and a model from the small modeling agency Linda ran.”67 Conway recalled it was indeed Jeanie Thomas with the band, go-go dancing as Invisible Girl of the Fantastic Four.68

Above: An enthusiastic but not uncritical review by future colorist Adrienne Roy appeared in the letters column of Sgt. Fury #100 [July 1972].

Below: Stan Lee and the Carnegie Hall show poster in a 2007 photo snapped at New York’s Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art.

A SOLEMN EXIT Many years later, Lee biographer Danny Fingeroth would offer one lesson to be learned. “The punch line of this version of the old joke setup, ‘How do you get to Carnegie Hall?,’ was clearly not to have a bunch of writers, artists, and other amateur performers try to make a compelling evening of translating printed comic book characters into razzle-dazzle showmanship.”77 Conway pinpointed a reason why he felt the show failed. “They needed an actual producer, who knew theater and knew this kind of format — a variety format — to give it some kind of shape and to give it a reason to exist, other than a money-grab, a desperate attempt by the guy who had this contract to make something of his deal…but it didn’t. There was no one.”78 But, in point of fact, the show was intended to be a loss-leader, as related by Raphael and Spurgeon: Lemberg paid approximately $25,000 for the Carnegie Hall rental and the publicity, including an ad in the Sunday New York Times… that was as much a media push for the event as an attempt to put Marvel fans in seats. Lemberg hoped that a concert would help legitimize both Stan as a celebrity and the Marvel Comics success of the last decade as an entertainment comeback story. Barbara Gittler Lemberg… says of the show, “We felt it was important to remove Stan from this hidden place he was in, where nobody in the outside world, except for people who were comic-book addicts, really knew who he was. We wanted him to be a celebrity.” Even if the promoters had only been out to make money, it would have been impossible to fill the venue. With a seating capacity at Carnegie Hall of 2,800 and ticket prices of $3.50 in advance and $4.50 at the door, a sizable loss was guaranteed. The Stan Lee team hoped for

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Marvel Bullpen Bulletins and Marvel characters TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

“MIND-PARALYZED BY DOCTOR DOOM” The Marvel Bullpen Band also figured in the production’s big finale as, while they were performing, CFM snarkily reported, “Then Stan, who was off in the background, came out being chased by Doctor Doom. He catches Lee and takes him away. We were hoping Doc Doom had finally won one. In any case, Roy hit out with another old favorite, ‘Be-bop-a-lu-op’ [sic], completely ignoring his mentor’s problem.”69 This version of the villainous Latverian leader was not played by DJ Alex Bennett, the first act’s Doom, but rather by a comics convention cosplayer, Tom Watkins, who had been recruited by Lee. Watkins pal Craig Dawson was also present as Watkins’ costume assistant. “He had premiered the costume at one of Phil Seuling’s shows,” Dawson said,” and Stan Lee approached Tom and asked him to appear as Doom at the show.”70 After arriving at Carnegie, the pair noticed pieces of the Doom costume were missing and likely littering the sidewalks leading up to Seventh Avenue concert venue. “So, Tom, and I, and Roy Thomas spent about an hour-and-a-half hunting down the pieces of the costume — this was early in the day.”71 (To escape the stressed-out pre-show backstage frenzy, Dawson said he found respite by smoking a joint in a hiding spot he discovered under the stage.)72

Heading into the production’s big finale, Watkins emerged onstage with a raygun, in Dawkins’ memory, “to menace Stan, and Stan does his usual bit, and the kids in the audience went berserk, rushed the stage, and were kicking the crap out of Watkins! And Stan, who was breaking up — everybody was breaking up with laughter, and I enjoyed watching him get kicked.“73 Lee is paraded offstage — as Conway recalled, “mind-paralyzed by Doctor Doom”74 to march into the wings like the Frankenstein monster — and, reported CFM, “Then, like a voice out of nowhere, Stan says [over the PA system] that if the entire audience starts to believe in him and Marvel, he will be saved! Then the words of ‘The Merry Marvel Marching Society’ [song] flash up on the big screen and Roy calls everybody up on stage. Then, with his hand on his heart, he leads the crowd in the song. Everybody mobs the stage and the show is over!” 75 Conway recalled, “Those of us who worked for Marvel who were in the audience — we had been told we needed to lead the singing — and, by this point, there was pandemonium, with people throwing things at the stage, kids crying, raucous laughter from jerks… just no interest in this whatsoever — and I remember seeing John Verpoorten [of Marvel’s production department], this really big guy, and we exchanged looks and [droned out the lyrics], and there were a few people joining in, but there was nothing… The Marvel creative team had to go march up on stage… It all just ended and ended horribly… it was just humiliating. I went backstage afterward, with many of the other writers and artists, and everybody there had a shellshocked look,”76 especially the headliner of the show.

Marvel Bullpen Bulletins and Marvel characters TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

some beneficial press coverage, however, the kind that could give a boost to Lemberg’s plans for the Marvel characters in other media.79

the audio visual segment a plus, along with the magic act, “There was an element of the evening, though — besides Crozier’s sporadic appearances, during which he performed To this day, Conway shakes his head in bewilderment trying such illusions as skewering girls with cutlasses an setting their heads afire — that was pretty nice, and that was to fathom what the producers were thinking. “It started off the advertised slide show. Joshua Lights, of the disastrously and went downhill from there. The audience was old Fillmore East, put it together and it was pretty a lot of kids who were not interested in any of the things they swell, kids: micro-second flashes of Marvel hewere being shown. They were there to see Marvel characters, they were there to see Stan Lee doing something… I don’t what roes and heroines, hitting you so fast and furious they actually seemed, after a while, to be in some they expected him to do, but certainly not recite poetry that he had written… It felt very abandoned to me and it was certainly kind of sequence. This is an art form that could bear more use.”87 full of lots of disappointed customers.”80 Years later, Steve Lemberg would admit the Contrary to the assessment of a number of attendees, Scott Edelman, who at the time was a teen in high school, considered affair was a debacle. “It was really pretty much the show a smashing success. He told Danny Fingeroth, “I loved a terrible show. I feel very bad about the quality of the actual event. It’s not what I would have the whole night… When people started writing [negatively] wanted it to be.”88 He added, “It was a weird about it in the fanzines… I don’t know what they were expecting… Maybe it’s not for them… It was a glorious night for me.”81 show, quite honestly. It’s very difficult to do a Edelman would go on to serve as Marvel writer and editor, Marvel evening with Stan Lee, because all the things you celebrated, except for Stan, are drawn and another future comics professional, Adrienne Roy, had a characters.”88 more nuanced experience, one she shared in a highlighted But, however disappointing the Carnegie missive in the letters page of Sgt. Fury #100 [July 1972]. “Quakaffair, Lemberg and Gittler forged ahead with ing with excitement,” sweating profusely, and with trembling their follow-up Marvel plan, this one starring the hands, 18-year-old Roy found the first portion spectacular but, publisher’s most popular character. “Act II was a perfect fizzle,” she wrote. “Perhaps it was a lack of planning — of anticipating the outcome. Chico Hamilton and the Players were good, but I think the last thing the audience wanted to hear was solos. They just didn’t match up to the ‘Marvelness’ that had been generated thus far.“82 Roy, who would go on to a long career as DC Comics colorist, continued her comments (addressed to Lee), “Maybe I am at fault for missing the point. Perhaps you were attempting to laugh at yourselves and all of us… Perhaps you meant it for the younger Marvelites (and the young at heart) in the audience. Or perhaps you had meant it as a reliving of the Golden Age when there were no such words as ‘corn’ and ‘triteness.’”83 Peter Sanderson, today a preeminent Marvel historian, recalled the funereal march out of Carnegie Hall as the MMMS fan club theme blared over the loudspeakers. “I didn’t sense any enthusiasm in the audience as we left,” he said. “As for my reactions to the event: it was a disappointment and a disaster. Stan was seemingly trying to capitalize on Marvel’s growing fame by trying to translate this into a stage show. Maybe he was inspired by the success of his public appearances at colleges, but he and his colleagues were venturing into an area in which they had no experience or talent. They were writers and artists, not stage performers, though, of course, Stan exuded charisma on stage, as he always did. They really had no idea how to turn Marvel Comics into a stage entertainment… So, as the first true Marvel multimedia event, this was a total misfire… and it is no wonder that there was never a sequel.”84 Press agent Abby Hirsch was characteristically blunt. “I haven’t seen such a static performance since my cousin appeared in a staged reading of Bambi,”85 she quipped. And the Women’s Wear Daily reviewer pinpointed what he viewed as the worst aspect of the affair: “But it was the visuals, credited in the program to Museum of the Media, that hurt the show the most. A slide projector showing panels of the characters was either ahead or behind the show most of the time — sometimes it didn’t matter and sometimes it was crucial, at least to the uninitiated.”86 In contrast, Monster Times reviewer Dean Latimer found COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

Below: In the days after the Carnegie Hall disaster, this Bullpen Bulletin item was written, and Lee and his publisher boss gave an interview to a Florida newspaper.

pennies — and tune up the ol’ turntable, ’cause the best is yet to be!”92 Alas, no audio recording of the show has emerged, and unfortunately there also was minimal photographic evidence of “A Marvel-ous Night…,” a fact Roy Thomas rightly laments. “The most idiotic thing Lemberg did was not allow the public to take photos,” he said. “But not to take much of any himself or authorize any… There’s a bit of film of a couple of the things Stan did — reading his poem with his wife and daughter, and some footage with that real-life ‘world’s tallest man,’ etc. — but I don’t think there’s even an audio recording of our band or the rest of the show... or, if there is, I don’t recall ever seeing/hearing it.”93 As for Lee, obviously disappointed with the inaugural National Copacetic/ Marvel production — and perhaps exhausted considering how much time he spent on stage — he went on a Florida vacation soon after the show. It was likely an eventful holiday, during which Lee joined Marvel publisher Martin Goodman for a seaside interview with The Palm Beach Post. In that article,94 he again griped about the cancellation of The Silver Surfer, something Lee had done during the Alain Resnais segment of the Carnegie Hall show, about how young kids didn’t seem to cotton to the character like the older readers did. Goodman chimed in to suggest young ones didn’t like surfing.95 (It’s speculated that, during this visit, Goodman informed Lee he was retiring as publisher, the catalyst for a chain of events that would ultimately lead to another great 1970s Marvel-related debacle, the short-lived Atlas/Seaboard Comics line.) By spring, Stan Lee was promoted to become Marvel Comics president and publisher. But, in a power-play intended to blunt Lee’s rise, Goodman’s second son, Chip (described by one author as a “chubby, balding hipster in rose-colored glasses”)96 was anointed Lee’s boss, while père Goodman basked in the Florida sun in his “red golf pant surrounded by huge splashes of modern art,”97 reclining in retirement with his companions, a toy poodle and a Yorkshire terrier. “CRAWL LIKE A SPIDER, LOVE LIKE A MAN” The Amazing Spider-Man: From Beyond the Grave record album debuting in Oct. 1972 was a far more successful Lemberg/Gittler production than the Carnegie Hall travesty of the prior winter. With effective story, lyrics, and music created by Steve Lemberg and with Barbara Gittler serving as producer, the “Rockomic,”* intended to be first in a series of many with each devoted to a different Marvel character, was overseen by the watchful eye of Buddah Records exec Neil Bogart (only months away from forming Casablanca and signing Kiss to a record deal). Befitting Buddah’s fame (infamy?) as the predominate bubblegum music factory, Ron Dante, lead singer of The Archies (of “Sugar, Sugar” notoriety), was the lone singer on the LP. “I did the vocals for the album all in one night at a

* Billboard described Buddah’s “Rockomic” experiment as an attempt to “combine rock music with episodic narratives featuring prominent comic book heroes.”98 12

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Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Lizard, Vulture, Green Goblin, Kingpin, and Aunt May TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

BEACH BUMMED What became of the ambitious Thor radio serial scheduled to follow the show is a tale lost to the ages, but the duo’s greatest success — both aesthetically and critically — lay ahead that same year, 1972, a project far more focused and rewarding called Spider-Man: From Beyond the Grave, for all practical purposes a compelling radio drama on vinyl interspersed with catchy pop songs. But the Lemberg-Gittler production released in the fall wasn’t the first notion they had about pressing vinyl records featuring the House of Ideas. In the Marvel Bullpen Bulletins page written at the end of January, Stan Lee wrote in his “Soapbox” column about the “thousands of angry letters”90 received from readers who wrote “to castigate us for not printing announcements of our Carnegie Hall show right here in our mags, so you could have known about it ahead of time.”91 Lee then hyped a live LP record they were considering: “But don’t lose faith, Believer! All is not lost. Luckily, a recording was made of the whole senses-shattering spectacle, and we’re gonna try to turn it into an album, which we’ll offer for sale as soon as we can work out all the dazzling details. So, if you can bear the suspense, watch this space in the months to come — save your

Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Lizard, Vulture, Green Goblin, Kingpin, and Aunt May TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

New York studio, in 1650 Broadway,” the vocalist told Bruce Wechtenhiser. “First, I did the lead vocal and then sang all the background voices. I loved the songs and enjoyed the session. I’m very proud of being a part of this album. Always loved Spider-Man comics growing up.”99 (Notably, Dante was also the original singer on the Barry Manilow composition, “You Deserve a Break Today,” the catchy McDonald’s restaurant jingle, and he subsequently became Manilow’s producer in the mid- to late 1970s for many of the piano man’s hits.) The recording of the album, which probably occurred at midtown Manhattan’s Beltone Studios (given the address Dante cited), was arranged by Tony Camillo, who would, in two years, share in a Grammy Award for “Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus,” as co-producer and arranger of Gladys Knight and the Pips’ number one hit, “Midnight Train to Georgia.” (Camillo also formed the group, Bazuka, and wrote and produced its 1975 novelty hit single, “Dynomite.”) About the “Rockomic,” Camillo told this writer, “Yes, it’s true, I was the first guy involved in the SpiderMan episodes that followed.”100 Fittingly, the session band was dubbed “The Webspinners,” but aside from Lemberg’s often quite finger-snapping tunes, the main appeal of From Beyond COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

the Grave is the fact that, as Mark McDermott noted, “The Buddah project, as a whole, played like a modern radio drama.”101 Still, in all honesty, the record’s brilliant cover and centerspread artwork by John Romita, Sr., was another huge asset. About his work for the album, Romita told this writer, “That was quite an experience. That’s the only thing I ever colored for myself… Yeah, I did the coloring on that myself and to this day I cringe every time I see my blue lines were never erased on the cover. I left the blue lines showing through.”102 The rather intricate story includes Spider-Man’s origin, the kidnapping of Peter Parker’s Aunt May, a guest appearance by Doctor Strange, and presence of the Kingpin (expertly portrayed by Thayer David, the gravelly-voiced actor who played the slippery, square-shouldered boxing promoter in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky), with the narrative woven around Lemberg’s toe-tapping songs. All three being veterans of the Carnegie show, Earle Doud and Chuck McCann both played small roles in From Beyond the Grave, and René Auberjonois, who had delivered that stage soliloquy about Spider-Man, was given the lead role as Peter Parker. “Steve Lemberg was a classmate of mine from my [Carnegie-Mellon] University days,” Auberjonois told Mark McDermott. “He asked me 13

never been to anything like this, “ Lemberg recalls. “Kids were falling down. The elevators were shut down. They trampled the department store. It was the scariest thing I’d ever encountered with any kind of celebrities.” The Spider-Man record, which featured the cuts, “Stronger the Man” and “Such a Groove to Be Free,” and was performed by the Webspinners, went on to sell 84,000 copies in its first week.104

Above: From left, Barbara Gittler, Neil Bogart, Spidey, and Steve Lemberg posing with their Spider-Man album. Previous spread: The album’s cover art by John Romita and packed crowd appearing for a signing. Below: A clipping from Cash Box [Dec. 30, 1972] that includes Stan Lee, and Ted and Ethel Kennedy, along with Neil Bogart and Steve Lemberg, and a certain webslinger from Queens.

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Spider-Man TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

From Beyond the Grave was generally well-received by reviewers (including the New York Times) and, among some of the original purchasers (including this writer), it remains a fondly-recalled, engaging, and solid effort. Columnist Mike Jahn wrote, “It is very funny and quite visual. While it’s scarcely a rock album — the rock being mainly an accoutrement — still it has an excitement far greater than most rock products.”105 The Sasakatoon Star-Phoenix declared, “Make no mistake, these have infectious rock beats and will please even others [than just kids], who might not dig the fantasy.”106 and I said yes. That’s really all I remember of that project.”103 Dan Greenfield of The 13th Dimension website called it “a After the record’s release, Buddah Records began hosting crackling 36 minutes of top-notch super-hero storytelling.”107 autograph signings in the New York City area featuring a cosThe Honolulu Star-Bulletin believed what was important about tumed Spider-Man at promotional events in record shops and the “Rockomic” was that it could start a trend as a new hybrid department stores and, during one such appearance, pandemo- entertainment. “Adolescents have enough money these days to nium broke out, as related by Raphael and Spurgeon: purchase LPs. If they maintain interest in comics as they grab on to music, the concept of ‘rockomic’ could explode into a In the fall of 1972, Spidey sparked a near-ricommercial, cultural success.”108 ot in a New York City department store during a Alas, chart-busting sales were elusive as there were to be promotional event for the release of Amazing Spino more rock albums from Lemberg and Gittler, nor any other der-Man: From Beyond the Grave, a rock album Marvel-related projects. National Copacetic would expire as masterminded by Steve Lemberg, the producer a corporation on Feb. 1, 1973, after Marvel corporate owner of Lee’s disastrous Carnegie Hall show. With an Cadence Industries wrested control of the licensing agreeactor dressed as Spiment, and Lemberg would thereafter focus on his own musical der-Man in tow, Lemprojects. In 1973, he composed a song for Porter Wagoner and berg arrived at the Dolly Parton, the American bicentennial-themed “Here Comes store to find a mob the Freedom Train,” released that same year by the American scene reminiscent of Freedom Train Foundation (with the sheet music cover art a mid-1960s Beatles drawn by one Barry Windsor-Smith). Merle Haggard and The record-signing event. Strangers covered that tune in 1976, and it peaked at #10 on Thousands of kids Billboard’s “Hot Country Singles” chart. (In the same patriotic had shown up with vein, Lemberg also composed “Lady in the Harbor,” a ballad their parents, packcelebrating the Statue of Liberty’s 1986 centennial.) ing the surrounding By 1974, Lemberg was writing scores for stage musicals, streets tight with one for Broadway produced by now-wife Barbara Gittler, and bodies. The police he wrote a play showcasing ragtime and gospel music, “Jazzbo were forced to close Brown,” performed in New York in 1980, which he had started off several blocks writing in 1976 for his father, who was terminally ill at the time. from traffic. Spidey, In 1979, Lemberg wrote a jingle for a blue jeans manufacturer. clad in red-and-blue The former rock concert promoter subsequently reinvented Lycra, had to “literhimself by finding a niche in the kids’ entertainment industry ally climb the walls” as “Singin’ Steve,” performing his own songs, including “The to make it inside to Penguin Walk.” He also wrote a children’s book, Scaredy Dog. the autograph area. He told a journalist he would happy to remain “Singin’ Steve” “I’ve done a lot of for the rest of his life. Stephen Howard Lemberg died rock ’n’ roll concerts on October 22, 2022, according to stepson Ian Gittler. and events, and I’d

All characters TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Above: The Village Voice [Sept. 19, 2013] obituary for George Delmerico, who had become a legendary art director for the New York alternative weekly, revealed, “In 1972, when Delmerico was asked to create a poster or a talk by Marvel Comics founder Stan Lee at Carnegie Hall, he visited his local comic book store and brought a bunch of issues. Then he sat down and, quite amazingly, in his own hand drew the pastiche [as seen].” The poster commands substantial money when auctioned today. COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

References

erry Conway, interview [Jan. 19, 2023]. G Ibid. 3 Ibid. 4 Mark Finston, “Super-heroes young promoter’s newest venture,” Chillicothe [Ohio] Gazette [Jan. 15, 1972], pg. 17. 5 Ed Kelleher, “New York: What Hath Roy Lichtenstein Wrought?,”Cash Box V.31, #29 [Jan. 8, ’72], pg. 16. 6 Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon, Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book [2003], pg. 190. 7 Stephen Lemberg, Marvel Comics: The Untold Story [2013], pg. 121. 8 Finston. 9 Stephen Lemberg, “Superheroes may sandwich America,” Sunday Daily News Magazine [Jan. 2, 1972], pg. 22. 10 “Comic book series slated for radio,” Broadcasting V. 82, #3 [Jan. 17, 1972], pg. 24. 11 Bob Lardine, “Superheroes may sandwich America,” Sunday Daily News Magazine [Jan. 2, 1972], pg. 22. 12 Dan Geringer, “Marvel Mania: The Hulk is Searching for a Place in the Sun,” The Palm Beach Post [Jan. 29, 1972], Poster section, pg. B-6. 13 Broadcasting. 14 Lardine, pg. 22. 15 Finston. 16 Julie Baumgold, “Up Against the (Judy) Wald,” New York Magazine V.1, #32 [Nov. 11, 1968], pg. 33. 17 Ibid. 18 Ann Hirsch, The Great Carmen Miranda Look-alike Contest and Other Bold-Faced Lies [1974], pg.186. 19 Ibid. 20 Ibid. 21 Hirsch, pg. 187. 22 Abraham Riesman, The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee [2021], pg. 175. 23 Roy Thomas, The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee [2021], pg. 175. 24 Stephen Lemberg, “New York: What Hath Roy Lichtenstein Wrought?,” Cash Box V.31, #29 [Jan. 8, 1972], pg. 16. 25 Hirsch, pg. 189. 26 “Aussie Magician to Hide His Stuff in Capt. Marvel,” The Daily News [Staten Island and New Jersey edition, Jan. 2, 1972], Section 2, pg. 1. 27 “For Hulk Heads,” Best Bets section, New York Magazine V.5, #1 [Jan. 3, 1972], pg. 49. 28 Rob Greaves, “The Moon Rock Circus,” Dunkworld website, https://www.dunkworld.com/Crozier_2.htm. 29 Duncan Fry, “The High Priest of Magik,” Dunkworld website, https://www.dunkworld.com/Crozier_story. htm. 30 Ibid. 31 Richard Metzgher, “The Magick & Madness of Geoff Crozier, Psychedelic Shaman, Trickster, Evil Court Jester,” Dangerous Minds website [Jan. 19, 2015], https://dangerousminds.net/comments/ the_magick_madness_of_geoff_crozier_psychedelic_shaman_trickster_evil_court. 32 Ibid. 33 Steve Mecca, “Moon Rock Circus,” performance review, The Aquarian [Oct. 8–22, 1975] (Jpeg of clipping available at https://www.dunkworld.com/ pix-pdfs/crozier_review1-75.jpg). 34 Ibid. 35 Bob Luliucci, “Magic: Moon Rock Circus,” performance review, Raunchy Rock [1975], pg. 20 (Jpeg of page available at https://www.dunkworld.com/ pix-pdfs/crozier_review2-75.jpg). 36 Stephen Lemberg, Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of 1 2

the American Comic Book [2003], pg. 133. Dorothy Carchman, “The Jewish Giant,” transcript, Story Corps website [Oct. 6, 1999], https://storycorps. org/stories/the-jewish-giant/. 38 “Health A to Z: Acromegaly,” National Health Service website [Oct. 12, 2020], https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acromegaly/. 39 Mention of many of these items can be found at the Escape Act: A Holocaust Memoir website, “Circus Jews” blog, Stav Meishar, “Past: Eddie Carmel” [Apr. 15, 2020], http://www.theescapeactshow.com/blog/ past-eddie-carmel. 40 The event’s playbill can be viewed at the Heritage website, “John Romita Sr. — Spider-Man Head Illustration Original Art” [1972] ,https://comics. ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/john-romita-sr-spiderman-head-illustration-original-art-c-1971-/a/12163611083.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515. 41 Hirsch, pg. 192. 42 Roy Thomas, email [Dec. 3, 2022]. 43 Herb Trimpe, “Super-Heroes are So Damned Boring,” interviewed by Dewey Cassell, Alter Ego #124 [May 2014], pg. 34. 44 Ibid. 45 Dean Latimer, “A Marvel-lous Evening with Stan Lee,” review, Monster Times #3 [Mar. 1, 1972], pg. 28. 46 Ibid. 47 Jake Jenkins, “Stan Lee at Carnegie Hall: Did Funky Live?,” Comic Fandom Monthly #6 [Feb. 1972], pg. 8. 48 Ibid. 49 Jenkins, pgs. 8–9. 50 Peter Ainslie, “57th Street’s answer to Disney World,” review, Women’s Wear Daily [Jan. 7, 1972], unknown page. 51 Jenkins, pg. 9. 52 Alex Bennett, Facebook message [Jan. 21, 2023]. 53 Jenkins, pgs. 9–10. 54 Roy Thomas, “The Heir Apparent,” interviewed by the writer, Comic Book Artist V.1 #2 [Summer 1998], pg. 32. 55 Peter Sanderson, Facebook message [Jan. 22, 2023]. 56 Jenkins, pg. 10. 57 Hirsch, pg. 193. 58 Linda Fite, email [Jan. 23, 2023]. 59 Barry Windsor-Smith, “A Conversation with a Dream-Designer,” interview, Ragnarok #3 [1973], pg. 44. 60 Thomas, email [Dec. 3, 2022]. 61 Fite. 62 Tone Forrest, “A Marvel-ous Evening with Stan Lee,” reply to blog post [Jan. 5, 2023], https://tombrevoort.com/2021/06/13/a-marvel-ous-eveningwith-stan-lee/. 63 Thomas, email [Dec. 3, 2022]. 64 Jenkins, pg. 10. 65 Hirsch, pg. 193. 66 Ibid. 67 Thomas, email [Dec. 3, 2022]. 68 Conway. 69 Jenkins, pg. 10. 70 Craig Dawson, interview [Jan. 18, 2023]. 71 Ibid. 72 Ibid. 73 Ibid. 74 Conway. 75 Jenkins, pg. 10. 76 Conway. 77 Danny Fingeroth, A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee [2019], pg. 235. 78 Conway. 79 Raphael and Spurgeon, pg. 131. 80 Conway. 81 Scott Edelman, A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story 37

of Stan Lee [2019], pg. 236. A drienne Roy, “Tell It to Fury,” letter of comment, Sgt. Fury #100 [July 1972], nn. 83 Ibid. 84 Sanderson. 85 Hirsch, pg. 193. 86 Ainslie. 87 Latimer. 88 Stephen Lemberg, Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book [2003], pg. 133. 89 Lemberg, Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall…, pg. 132. 90 Stan Lee, “Stan’s Soapbox,” Marvel Bullpen Bulletins, Captain America #151 [July 1976], nn. 91 Ibid. 92 Ibid. 93 Thomas, email [Dec. 3, 2022]. 94 “Marvel Mania: The Hulk is Searching for a Place in the Sun,” The Palm Beach Post [Jan. 29, 1972], Poster section, pg. B-6. 95 Ibid. 96 Ronin Ro, Tales to Astonish: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the American Comic Book Revolution [2004], pg. 179. 97 Geringer. 98 Sam Sutherland, “Buddah Bowing ‘Rockomic’ LP’s,” Billboard V.84 #40 [Sept. 23, 1973], pg. 1. 99 Ron Dante, email to Bruce Wechtenhiser [July 2, 2020]. 100 Tony Camillo, email [Feb. 25, 2014]. 101 Mark McDermott, “Finding the Mileu of the Spider-Man Music LPs,” Web-Spinning Heroics: Critical Essays on the History and Meaning of Spider-Man [2012], pg. 228. 102 John Romita, “John Romita on Milton Caniff,” interview, Comic Book Creator #21 [Fall 2019], pg. 26. 103 René Auberjonois, Web-Spinning Heroics…, pg. 224. 104 Raphael and Spurgeon, pg. 138. 105 Mike Jahn, “Super-hero cuts a disc,” Sounds of the Seventies review, The Baltimore Sun [Oct. 22, 1972], Family section, pg. C-10. 106 “Spiderman — scourge of evil,” review, The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix [Mar. 22, 1973], After 4 section, pg. 2. 107 Dan Greenfield, “Spider-Man: A Rockomic” Celebrates 50 Years of Being Groovy,” 13th dimension website, https://13thdimension.com/spider-man-arockomic-celebrates-50-years-of-being-groovy/. 108 Don Weller, “Comic Book Joins Rock Album,” review, Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Jan. 11, 1973], pg. C-12. 82

Above: The Asbury Park Press newspaper included a feature on “Singin’ Steve” Lemberg in its December 8, 1993, edition.

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industrial artifact

Nostalgia Age of Comics Re-presenting a 1974 rarity: a trade journal article on DC Comics’ production department by JON B. COOKE Here’s a charming, informative, and rarely-seen item that Ye Ed discovered while surfing the interweb for something entirely different: a printing industry trade journal dated July 1974 that discussed the laborious process the DC Comics production department developed to reprint their Golden Age comics. Included are some great staged pix of DC staffers, including Carmine Infantino, Sol Harrison, rarely-seen Gerda Gattel, and a kid looking over Plop! production stats — the late Alan Kupperberg! Paul Levitz, who was editor Joe Orlando’s assistant at the time, remembered Wayne Seelal, the technician extensively photographed in the piece: “Wayne was the darkroom guy, running the stat camera in a space that would probably fail any modern OSHA ventilation standard.” (The only other reference we found in regards to Wayne was his name in the production credits in an issue of the Amazing World of DC Comics prozine, as well as in the Amazing World of Superman treasury edition (which gets a shout-out in the article). He also was thanked for his photographic skills by author Michael Fleisher in the writer’s Batman Encyclopedia and Great Superman Book. Of particular interest is Ms. Gattel examining the legendary bound volumes of DC Comics’ output from over the decades. Plus there are some tidbits of trivia about a seminal 1965 super-hero reprint book, as well as a certain short-run science fiction Broadway play art directed by DC’s then-top artist! Of course, the star of the feature article was none other than production head Sol Harrison’s number two man, Jack Adler, who was well-regarded in the comics industry for his coloring

innovations and particularly his fabulous “washtone” covers of the 1950s. If you take a gander at the last page of this piece, make note of stats of the DC mystery comics covers, including Weird Mystery Tales #2 [Oct. 1972], clipped up above the assistant production manager in the photo of Jack in his office, all covers of which he worked his coloring magic onto.

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Below: Cover of the July 1974 edition of trade journal Industrail Art Method, featuring Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson’s Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder, colored swinging ’70s style! 17

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TwoMorrows 2023 www.twomorrows.com • store@twomorrows.com

THE BEST OF SIMON & KIRBY’S

MAINLINE COMICS

by JOE SIMON & JACK KIRBY Introduction by JOHN MORROW

In 1954, industry legends JOE SIMON and JACK KIRBY founded MAINLINE PUBLICATIONS to publish their own comics during that turbulent era in comics history. The four titles—BULLSEYE, FOXHOLE, POLICE TRAP, and IN LOVE—looked to build off their reputation as hit makers in the Western, War, Crime, and Romance genres, but the 1950s backlash against comics killed any chance at success, and Mainline closed its doors just two years later. For the first time, TwoMorrows Publishing is compiling the best of Simon & Kirby’s Mainline comics work, including all of the stories with S&K art, as well as key tales with contributions by MORT MESKIN and others. After the company’s dissolution, their partnership ended with Simon leaving comics for advertising, and Kirby taking unused Mainline concepts to both DC and Marvel. This collection bridges the gap between Simon & Kirby’s peak with their 1950s romance comics, and the lows that led to Kirby’s resurgence with CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN and the early MARVEL UNIVERSE. With loving art restoration by CHRIS FAMA, and an historical overview by JOHN MORROW to put it all into perspective, the BEST OF SIMON & KIRBY’S MAINLINE COMICS presents some of the final, and finest, work Joe and Jack ever produced. SHIPS AUGUST 2023! (256-page COLOR HARDCOVER) $49.95 • (Digital Edition) $15.99 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-118-9

All characters TM & © their respective owners.

DESTROYER DUCK GRAPHITE EDITION

by JACK KIRBY & STEVE GERBER Introduction by MARK EVANIER

In the 1980s, writer STEVE GERBER was embroiled in a lawsuit against MARVEL COMICS over ownership of his creation HOWARD THE DUCK. To raise funds for legal fees, Gerber asked JACK KIRBY to contribute to a benefit comic titled DESTROYER DUCK. Without hesitation, Kirby (who was in his own dispute with Marvel at the time) donated his services for the first issue, and the duo took aim at their former employer in an outrageous five-issue run. With biting satire and guns blazing, Duke “Destroyer” Duck battled the thinly veiled Godcorp (whose infamous credo was “Grab it all! Own it all! Drain it all!”), its evil leader Ned Packer and the (literally) spineless Booster Cogburn, Medea (a parody of Daredevil’s Elektra), and more! Now, all five Gerber/Kirby issues are collected—but relettered and reproduced from JACK’S UNBRIDLED, UNINKED PENCIL ART! Also included are select examples of ALFREDO ALCALA’s unique inking style over Kirby on the original issues, Gerber’s script pages, an historical Introduction by MARK EVANIER (co-editor of the original 1980s issues), and an Afterword by BUZZ DIXON (who continued the series after Gerber)! Discover all the hidden jabs you missed when DESTROYER DUCK was first published, and experience page after page of Kirby’s raw pencil art! NOW SHIPPING! (128-page COLOR HARDCOVER) $31.95 • (Digital Edition) $13.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-117-2

ALTER EGO COLLECTORS’ ITEM CLASSICS

By overwhelming demand, editor ROY THOMAS has compiled all the material on the founders of the Marvel Bullpen from three SOLD-OUT ALTER EGO ISSUES—plus OVER 30 NEW PAGES OF CONTENT! There’s the STEVE DITKO ISSUE (#160 with a rare ’60s Ditko interview by RICHARD HOWELL, biographical notes by NICK CAPUTO, and Ditko tributes)! The STAN LEE ISSUE (#161 with ROY THOMAS on his 50+ year relationship with Stan, art by KIRBY, DITKO, MANEELY, EVERETT, SEVERIN, ROMITA, plus tributes from pros and fans)! And the JACK KIRBY ISSUE (#170 with WILL MURRAY on Kirby’s contributions to Iron Man’s creation, Jack’s Captain Marvel/Mr. Scarlet Fawcett work, Kirby in 1960s fanzines, plus STAN LEE and ROY THOMAS on Jack)! Whether you missed these issues, or can’t live without the extensive NEW MATERIAL on DITKO, LEE, and KIRBY, it’s sure to be an AMAZING, ASTONISHING, FANTASTIC tribute to the main men who made Marvel! NOW SHIPPING! (256-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $35.95 • (Digital Edition) $15.99 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-116-5

CLIFFHANGER!

CINEMATIC SUPERHEROES OF THE SERIALS: 1941–1952 by CHRISTOPHER IRVING

Hold on tight as historian CHRISTOPHER IRVING explores the origins of the first on-screen superheroes and the comic creators and film-makers who brought them to life. CLIFFHANGER! touches on the early days of the film serial, to its explosion as a juvenile medium of the 1930s and ‘40s. See how the creation of characters like SUPERMAN, CAPTAIN AMERICA, SPY SMASHER, and CAPTAIN MARVEL dovetailed with the early film adaptations. Along the way, you’ll meet the stuntmen, directors (SPENCER BENNETT, WILLIAM WITNEY, producer SAM KATZMAN), comic book creators (SIEGEL & SHUSTER, SIMON & KIRBY, BOB KANE, C.C. BECK, FRANK FRAZETTA, WILL EISNER), and actors (BUSTER CRABBE, GEORGE REEVES, LORNA GRAY, KANE RICHMOND, KIRK ALYN, DAVE O’BRIEN) who brought them to the silver screen—and how that resonates with today’s cinematic superhero universe. NOW SHIPPING! (160-page COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 • (Digital Edition) $15.99 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-119-6

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A look at 75 years of Archie Comics’ characters and titles, from Archie and his pals ‘n gals to the mighty MLJ heroes of yesteryear and today’s “Dark Circle”! Also: Careerspanning interviews with The Fox’s DEAN HASPIEL and Kevin Keller’s cartoonist DAN PARENT, who both jam on our exclusive cover depicting a face-off between humor and heroes. Plus our usual features, including the hilarious FRED HEMBECK!

Career-spanning discussion with STEVE “THE DUDE” RUDE, as he shares his reallife psychological struggles, the challenges of freelance subsistence, and his creative aspirations. Also: The jungle art of NEAL ADAMS, MARY FLEENER on her forthcoming graphic novel Billie the Bee and her comix career, RICH BUCKLER interview Part Three, Golden Age artist FRANK BORTH, HEMBECK and more!

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOES! Interview with JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER (CRY FOR DAWN, VAMPIRELLA), a chat with JOE SINNOTT about his Marvel years inking Jack Kirby and work at TREASURE CHEST, JOE JUSKO discusses the Marvel Age of Comics and his fabulous “Corner Box Collection,” plus the artists behind the Topps bubble gum BAZOOKA JOE comic strips, CRAIG YOE, and more!

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ERIC POWELL celebrates 20 years of THE GOON! with a career-spanning interview and a gallery of rare artwork. Plus CBC editor and author JON B. COOKE on his new retrospective THE BOOK OF WEIRDO, a new interview with R. CRUMB about his work on that legendary humor comics anthology, JOHN ROMITA SR. on his admiration for the work of MILTON CANIFF, and more!

P. CRAIG RUSSELL career-spanning interview (complete with photos and art gallery), an almost completely unknown work by FRANK QUITELY (artist on All-Star Superman and The Authority), DERF BACKDERF’s forthcoming graphic novel commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Kent State shootings, CAROL TYLER shares her prolific career, JOE SINNOTT discusses his Treasure Chest work, CRAIG YOE, and more!

WENDY PINI discusses her days as Red Sonja cosplayer, & 40+ years of ELFQUEST! Plus RICHARD PINI on their 48-year marriage and creative partnership! Plus: We have the final installment of our CRAIG YOE interview! GIL KANE’s business partner LARRY KOSTER talks about their adventures together! PABLO MARCOS on his Marvel horror work, HEMBECK, and more! Cover by WENDY PINI.

TIMOTHY TRUMAN discusses his start at the Kubert School, Grimjack with writer JOHN OSTRANDER, and current collaborations with son Benjamin. SCOTT SHAW! talks about early San Diego Comic-Cons and friendship with JACK KIRBY, Captain Carrot, and Flintstones work! Also PATRICK McDONNELL’s favorite MUTTS comic book pastiches, letterer JANICE CHIANG profiled, HEMBECK, and more! TIM TRUMAN cover.

BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH discusses his new graphic novel MONSTERS, its origin as a 1980s Hulk story, and its evolution into his 300-page magnum opus (includes a gallery of outtakes). Plus part two of our SCOTT SHAW! interview about HannaBarbera licensing material and work with ROY THOMAS on Captain Carrot, KEN MEYER, JR. looks at the great fanzines of 40 years ago, HEMBECK, and more!

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Career-spanning interview with TERRY DODSON, and Terry’s wife (and go-to inker) RACHEL DODSON! Plus 1970s/’80s portfolio producer SAL QUARTUCCIO talks about his achievements with Phase and Hot Stuf’, R. CRUMB and DENIS KITCHEN discuss the history of underground comix character Pro Junior, WILL EISNER’s Valentines to his wife, HEMBECK, and more!

Extensive PAUL GULACY retrospective by GREG BIGA that includes Paul himself, VAL MAYERIK, P. CRAIG RUSSELL, TIM TRUMAN, ROY THOMAS, and others. Plus a JOE SINNOTT MEMORIAL; BUD PLANT discusses his career as underground comix retailer, distributor, fledgling publisher of JACK KATZ’s FIRST KINGDOM, and mail-order bookseller; our regular columnists, and the latest from HEMBECK!

STEVE BISSETTE career-spanning interview, from his Joe Kubert School days, Swamp Thing stint, publisher of Taboo and Tyrant, creator rights crusader, and more. Also, Part One of our MIKE GOLD interview on his Chicago youth, start in underground comix, and arrival at DC Comics, right in time for the implosion! Plus BUD PLANT on his publishing days, comic shop owner, and start in mail order—and all the usual fun stuff!

DON McGREGOR retrospective, from early ’70s Warren Publications scripter to his breakout work at Marvel Comics on BLACK PANTHER, KILLRAVEN, SABRE, DETECTIVES INC., RAGAMUFFINS, and others. Plus ROBERT MENZIES looks at HERB TRIMPE’s mid-’70s UK visit to work on Marvel’s British comics weeklies, MIKE GOLD Part Two, and CARtoons cartoonist SHAWN KERRIE! SANDY PLUNKETT cover!

Canadian comic book artist, illustrator, and graphic novelist MICHAEL CHO in a career-spanning interview and art gallery, a 1974 look at JACK ADLER and the DC Comics production department’s process of reprinting Golden Age material, color newspaper tabloid THE FUNNY PAGES examined in depth by its editor RON BARRETT, plus CBC’s usual columns and features, including HEMBECK! Edited by JON B. COOKE.

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The forerunner to COMIC BOOK CREATOR, COMIC BOOK ARTIST is the 20002004 Eisner Award winner for BEST COMICS-RELATED MAG! Edited by COMIC BOOK CREATOR’s JON B. COOKE, it features in-depth articles, interviews, and unseen art, celebrating the lives and careers of the great comics artists from the 1970s to today.

CBA BULLPEN COLLECTING THE UNKOWN ISSUES OF COMIC BOOK ARTIST!

COMIC BOOK ARTIST BULLPEN collects all seven issues of the little-seen labor of love fanzine published in the early 2000s by JON B. COOKE (editor of today’s COMIC BOOK CREATOR magazine), just after the original CBA ended its TwoMorrows run. Featured are in-depth interviews with some of comics’ major league players, including GEORGE TUSKA, FRED HEMBECK, TERRY BEATTY, and FRANK BOLLE—and an amazing all-star tribute to Silver Age great JACK ABEL by the Marvel Comics Bullpen and others. That previously unpublished all-comics Abel appreciation (assembled by RICK PARKER) includes strips by JOE KUBERT, WALTER SIMONSON, KYLE BAKER, MARIE SEVERIN, GRAY MORROW, ALAN WEISS, SERGIO ARAGONÉS, MORT TODD, DICK AYERS, and many more! Plus a new bonus feature on JACK KIRBY’s unknown 1960s baseball card art, and a 16-page bonus full-color section, all behind a Jack Kirby cover! (176-page trade paperback with COLOR) $24.95 • (Digital Edition) $8.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-105-9 • NOW SHIPPING!

ALSO AVAILABLE: DIGITAL EDITIONS OF ALL 25 ISSUES OF COMIC BOOK ARTIST, Vol. 1! TwoMorrows also offers Digital Editions of Jon B. Cooke’s COMIC BOOK ARTIST Vol. 2 (the “Top Shelf” issues)

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NEAL ADAMS/ALEX ROSS cover and interviews with both, history of “Arcade, The Comics Revue” with underground legends CRUMB, SPIEGELMAN, and GRIFFITH, MICHAEL MOORCOCK on comic book adaptations of his work, CRAIG THOMPSON sketchbook, and more!

Exhaustive FRANK CHO interview and sketchbook gallery, ALEX ROSS sketchbook section of never-before-seen pencils, MIKE FRIEDRICH on the history of Star*Reach, plus animator J.J. SEDELMAIER on his Ambiguously Gay Duo and The X-Presidents cartoons for Saturday Night Live.

Interview with DARWYN COOKE and a gallery of rarely-seen and unpublished artwork, a chat with DC Comics art director MARK CHIARELLO, an exploration of The Adventures of Little Archie with creator BOB BOLLING and artist DEXTER TAYLOR, new JAY STEPHENS sketchbook section, and more!

ALEX NIÑO’s first ever full-length interview and huge gallery of his artwork, interview with BYRON PREISS on his career in publishing, plus the most comprehensive look ever at the great Filipino comic book artists (NESTOR REDONDO, ALFREDO ALCALA, and others), a STEVE RUDE sketchbook, and more!

HOWARD CHAYKIN interview and gallery of unpublished artwork, a look at the ’70s black-&-white mags published by Skywald, tribute to Psycho and Nightmare writer/editor ALAN HEWETSON, LEAH MOORE & JOHN REPPION on Wild Girl, a SONNY LIEW sketchbook section, and more!

Double-sized tribute to WILL EISNER! Over 200 comics luminaries celebrate his career and impact: SPIEGELMAN, FEIFFER & McCLOUD on their friendships with Eisner, testimonials by ALAN MOORE, NEIL GAIMAN, STAN LEE, RICHARD CORBEN, JOE KUBERT, DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI, JOE SIMON, and others!

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the borth files

The Man Called Borth

Part one of CBC’s deep look into the life and work of the best cartoonist you never heard of looking every one of his 85 years of age, wearing silver-rimmed glasses, a gray mustache, and a smile. I honestly couldn’t tell you why. Under impossibly blue skies, we greeted one another and Since the mid-1970s, a few stood, side by side, on the Borth lawn, both enjoying the gentle years after the last issue of the ocean breeze, and the cartoonist spoke about his longtime title was published, I have had attachment to the area and I asked if he got along with his a considerable fascination with decidedly more affluent neighbors. Frank confessed the only Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact complaint he had was every Saturday morning, when his neighafter stumbling upon a back bor from across the street, a fashion designer by the name of issue of the Catholic comic Ralph Lauren, would have his fabled collection of Lamborghinis book title. Maybe it was the taken out of the garage to have their engines run. The noise of kitsch factor of such earnestly multiple revving sports cars, a little-realized downside of living religious content that initially among the super-rich, could be annoying, he explained. captivated, despite viewing it Frank told me he was associated for a time with Funnies, with a somewhat cynical, then Inc., so I switched on my mini-cassette recorder and started mildly agnostic hindsight. But, peppering him with names while we were still in his yard. Joe in those days, when I was exGill? No. The Glanzman brothers, Lew or Sam Glanzman? Nope. posed to the artwork of Crumb, “How about Bill Everett, the guy who created Sub-Mariner?” I Corben, and Moebius, a big ask. He replies, “Oh, yeah, I bumped into him,” but then Frank factor was the cartooning there- corrected me. “See, I never worked for these guys,” he said. “I in of one Frank Mellors Borth didn’t have a desk there, so if I went in to deliver work, I got my which just knocked my socks paycheck… and next assignment (you would hope).” off. Maybe the artist — who, at the time, unbeknown to me, Did Frank have his art table in his apartment? “Yeah,” came had a comics career stretching back to the Golden Age — didn’t the reply. “It was just a drawing table. So there were people that necessarily possess an artistic talent equal to those giants, but I met [in comics], but when you don’t have any working relahis was certainly one which needed to be reckoned with. tionship with them, it’s hard to remember.” But one he recalled So, while I can’t recall how I got his phone number, I had a vividly was his best friend from art school, Reed Crandall. lovely conversation with the man and followed up with a letter sent to his post office box in Montauk, New York, in the final days of spring 2003. I was writing to confirm my coming visit to interview him about his nicely rendered work for Ohio-based Geo. A. Pflaum, Publisher, Inc. Frank’s positive reply, dated June 19, 2003, enthused, “I am really appreciative of the fact that you are more interested in my 23 years of publication in Treasure Chest. I know that it has a very low collector’s value interest because it was sold by subscription only to students attending Catholic schools. Ipso facto, it wasn’t a real comic book.” As the crow flies, my abode was a mere 35 miles away from the Borth homestead situated in the tony Long Island neighborhood of East Hampton. But the journey by car and ferry boat from my southern Rhode Island town was 121 miles — a whopping 250 miles if I declined to pay for the pricey Cross Sound Ferry tickets! — and Frank kindly prepared for me hand annotated maps and succinct directions to his dwelling near the beach, which he and wife Bobbie had built on land purchased in 1949 for some ridiculously small price.* Thus, on Tuesday, July 8th, a brilliant and sun-splashed summer’s day, I arrived at 6 Birch Drive, following Frank’s final instruction to “park in the double driveway and beep horn — welcome!” Out from the front door came the six-foot tall artist, by JON B. COOKE

This page: Above is Frank Borth’s splash panel from Feature Comics #57 [June 1942]. Inset right is Frank during Ye Ed’s 2003 visit holding framed Police Comics #18 [Apr. 1943] splash page. Below, Frank self-caricature from Treasure Chest Vol. 18 #20 [#346, June ’63].

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The Spider Widow, Phantom Lady TM & © the respective copyright holder.

* My not always accurate memory has Frank saying they purchased the lot in ’49 for $400, where the Borths’ modest cottage (with adjoining studio) was constructed and where, by the time of my 2003 visit, they would be surrounded by multi-millionaires’ chichi Hampton estates.

All images are courtesy of Roger Hill. Tm & © the respective copyright holder.

CRANDALL THE GREAT One year older than Frank, Indiana-born though Kansas-raised Crandall was among the truly finest artists of the Golden Age, best known for his Blackhawk work at Quality in the ’40s; exemplary art within EC Comics’ horror and crime titles of the ’50s; and, by the ’60s, his lush, illustrious story pages gracing the horror and war stories appearing in Warren Publications. During his later years, Reed also contributed to Treasure Chest, introduced to the editor by his pal Frank, returning a favor from years earlier. Through the decades, the two remained in and out of contact. Frank shared, “Actually, when he first came to New York, Reed worked for Eisner and Iger, but then they split up. He would so laid back that he didn’t care, he could sit in a room that was all kinds of chaos [at “Busy” Arnold’s Quality Comics office] and so forth… and he would just sit there and draw. He would draw with a pencil in one hand and an eraser in the other, and he was constantly molding his drawing. That’s why it was so three-dimensional. And he knew his anatomy. We did have a good instruction in anatomy, we had a whole skeleton to refer to.” COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

Then I asked how he and Reed met. “He had originally won a scholarship because his art teacher back in Wichita had sent in samples of his artwork to the Cleveland School of Art and asked if they had any [opening],” Frank said. “His father was still living at that time and Reed got the scholarship, went to the school of art in one year before I did. I didn’t go in until 1937, ’36. So he was originally in the class before me, but in the spring of the first year, he got word that his father died, so he had to leave to go home for the funeral, and it was too late to go back. So he skipped the second year. (I don’t know whether it was finances or what.) But the scholarship was still available. He had [the scholarship] for four years. So he came back and rejoined. I was in my freshman year during the year he was out, and then the next year, all of a sudden, there’s this stranger, but he knew all the upperclassmen.” With a laugh, Frank added, “They were all glad to see him.” This page: These splash pages are from (clockwise from top left) Police Comics #17 [Mar. 1943]; Police Comics #18 [Apr. 1943]; and Feature Comics #57 [June 1942]. 27

Above: Spectacular centerspread from Frank Borth’s marvelous tale in True Comics #10 [Mar. 1942]

Below: Reed Crandall painted this nude in oils during his student days at the Cleveland School of Art. The canvas was given to Frank Borth by best buddy Reed. Ye Ed’s pic taken in Frank’s studio.

What was Reed like? “Oh, he was the easiest guy to get along with and so forth, with his half-western/half-southern drawl. And everybody said they enjoyed his accent. He said, ‘What are you talking about? I don’t have an accent!’ Anyway, everybody was impressed with him, especially the other students. Except that he made them look like kindergarten kids. Like I say, he could draw anything and draw it reasonably effortlessly, even back then. I’ve got a painting back here that he did, an oil-painting, a semi-nude pose. I forget how I got a hold of it. I think he gave it to me when he was going to leave Cleveland. I’ll show it to you.” While Frank rummaged in his studio in a search for the Crandall nude, as a seasoned-enough interviewer I knew that, however interesting, this was a poor start for an interview. I had made the two-hour-plus journey by car and boat to hear — firsthand and from the start — the life saga of a tragically under-appreciated comic book artist, and as pertinent as his friendship was with Reed (as, after all, Reed got his buddy his first gig in the comics industry), I was here for the Frank Borth story.

* Despite being interviewed numerous times by others, almost nothing was ever revealed about Frank’s childhood (though there’s no indication it was eventful in any way) and when I tried to steer the conversation into his early years, Frank talked about his European-born immigrant grandparents and the talk then veered into other subjects.

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“Sabu” spread courtesy of Roger Hill.

HE CAME FROM CLEVELAND From there, the interview progressed in a more linear fashion, but our time together was limited as I did have to catch the afternoon ferry to get home. Still, we had a nice lunch of, if memory serves, tuna salad sandwiches made by Frank’s wife, Bobbie, and the artist covered a good amount of ground. But now, in retrospect, almost 14 years after Frank passed away at age 91, I’m determined to tell the complete Borth story, as best I can and with the aid of multiple sources — with the encouragement of Frank’s son, Steve, and, most of all, an assist from Crandall biographer and comic book historian Roger Hill.

In the year 1918, Frank Mellors Borth was born on a date, he would always say, “Nobody ever forgets,” April 1st —a.k.a. April Fool’s Day — in Cleveland, Ohio, the only son of auto factory foreman and sometime steelworker Frank George Borth and homemaker Mabel (née Mellors), both natives of the Buckeye State.* A biographical blurb produced by his future Treasure Chest publisher revealed, “Frank Borth’s English teacher in junior high school encouraged her students to illustrate book reports with decorative covers or drawings. Frank did this so well that he was asked to be cartoonist for the school newspaper. He majored in art and English in high school, and edited and illustrated the school newspaper. While drawing posters for school activities, he learned the difficult art of lettering.” Upon graduating the Cleveland-based high school, Frank enrolled in the Cleveland School of Art, paying for his tuition by money earned from sign painting, a side hustle he started while in 11th grade. Putting his lettering talents to use, he told Jerry DeFuccio in 1987, “I started my commercial career 50 years ago painting signs for an Italian fruit and vegetable store named Rini’s and then Rego Brothers, and a number of stores spread out over the west side of Cleveland. I painted all the price cards… ‘Sweet Juicy California Navel Oranges 29¢ a dozen,’ etc., in show-card tempera. Also [I painted] festive harvest and holiday scenes on the windows.” Due to his studies, Frank would devote afternoons and Saturday mornings to the sign painting gig, but if he wasn’t done

Illustration © the estate of Frank Borth.

by 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, he told me, “They didn’t want to pay you any more, half the day was wasted. And there was one guy run the street on this particular block, and I painted the butcher shop [signs] first, because he’s the one that hired me first. And then this guy, Mr. Gold, at this fruit stand, and he walks in there. So as soon as I come in and I’m starting to paint the butcher shop, he shouted, ‘Hey, sonny boy! Come on, hurry up!’ And I said, ‘As soon as I get finished!’ ‘No, you gotta be doing it!’ And so forth. I’d come down, and I’d have my pad. ‘Okay, what do you want me to put on it? What are we doing?’ ‘He was always, ‘What are we doing…?’ And he wouldn’t have any idea what he was gonna put in the window. I said, ‘If you had this all written out, I would be halfway through.’” As sign painter, Frank’s prices were reasonable and his skills in demand by Cleveland’s west side merchants. “I would charge them 65¢ for these five signs. I always had the windows washed for it,” he told me. “In the wintertime, when it was freezing, I used to have an old sweater that somebody knit for me, and, when I didn’t know when to stop painting, I could actually turn the sleeves down, and only my fingertips would stick out, and I would stick the brush in there and so forth. Because you got to twirl the brush as you go round the letter.” Things got so busy with the sign painting, Frank recruited fellow art school Reed Crandall to help and they became fast friends. Frank said to DeFuccio, “We’d try all sorts of eye-catching and optical illusions, like a big orange stuck in the center of O for orange. With a little highlight and shadow, it looked like the real thing from across the street. It was great fun making the rounds with Reed. You know the closely-knit Italians; there were ample brothers, cousins, nephews, paisans, [all] our age to greet us and watch us ‘illuminate’ the lettuce and eggplant. It was as though we were there to bless the place.” It was this gang of paisanos who inadvertently gifted Frank and Reed with affectionate nicknames they had for one another in their frequent correspondence over the years, “Fatchi I” and “Fatchi II.” Frank told Roger Hill, “All of our letters to each other were addressed with that salutation. The name goes back to our sign-painting days… Some of the guys were our age and so there was naturally a lot of kidding around and good-natured leg pulling. These Italian guys had always called me, ‘Fatchi de beckouzza,’ before Reed started to work with me. So, when he showed up, he got labeled ‘Fatchi de beckouzza II.’ We finally found out from another Italian store that what it meant was ‘you with the face of a back house,’ and a back house was an outhouse or privy. For some reason, Reed and I thought it was so apt that we adopted it permanently and used it as our personal name for each other. I spelled it phonetically as ‘Fatchi,’ but Reed learned to spell it correctly as ‘Facci.’”

“I wasn’t interested in the starving-garret type of thing,” Borth said. “I always wanted to be an illustrator. I was always fascinated by people who told stories with their pictures. They seemed like movie stars to me.” He admired Harold Von Schmidt and the other [Saturday Evening] Post artists and especially Hal Foster, who drew the comic strip “Prince Valiant.” Borth learned his first important lesson about being a successful illustrator while in art school. Assigned to illustrate a historical scene, he spent hours researching a dramatic standoff between a tyrannosaurus Rex and a stegosaurus. “I got books about the vegetation, the terrain, the dinosaurs… when it was done, my instructor thought it was good enough to present to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History,” Borth said. Breathless with pride, the young illustrator presented his masterpiece to an official at the museum’s paleontology department. “He studied it and complimented me on the effort, and then said, ‘Well, there’s one thing wrong. These particular dinosaurs lived about thirty million years apart.’ “I felt utterly defeated, but it gave me a lesson I’ve always cherished,” Borth said. “No matter how well I painted this, it was worthless because it wasn’t accurate.”

Above: Panel from the 10--part continuing feature in Treasure Chest Vol. 18, “Draw-Along with Frank Borth,” with this from #20 [June 6, 1963]. The artist portrays himself as a young man back in his sign-painting days of 1936–40. Below: Extraordinarily beautiful illustration of man and mermaid by Frank Borth that was included on his self-promotional ad in Cartoonist Profiles #74 [June 1987].

AN ILLUSTRATIVE PATH Asimov Science Fiction Magazine Borth profiler Elizabeth Mitchell related in 1981 that, while in college, “He studied fiction illustration — a subject which most art schools don’t even offer these days. But it seemed a good career choice at the time, said Borth.” Mitchell’s piece continued: COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

ad agencies and magazine publishers, without success. Someone steered him into comics, where he was immediately put to work. He never had to send an S.O.S. for a grubstake. Instead, he sent me a Y.C.M.I.T. (‘You Can Make It Too’). I turned my sign business over to a friend and followed Reed to New York, where we were roommates.”

Above: The only known photo of Reed Crandall (left) and Frank Borth (center), with artist/writer Al Fagaly, first artist on the comic strip panel, There Oughta Be a Law, a newspaper feature that, after Al’s death, Frank would eventually write and draw [1970–83].

Below: On left is a very early Frank Borth art job for Funnies, Inc., Captain Battle Comics #1 [Summer 1941]. On right, Reed Crandall/ Frank Borth art collaboration from Daredevil Comics #2 [Apr. 1942].

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Photo courtesy of Roger Hill.

PARADING PACHYDERMS AND LITTLE FLICKERS Initially, Frank found work as an inker for comics packaging firm Funnies, Inc., as he told me, “They acted as an assignment house for publishers of comic books, including True Comics, which was published by Parents’ Magazine. Some of the samples that I had depicted boats and so forth, so the first assignment I got was Admiral Perry and ‘The Battle of Lake Erie’ [True Comics #3, Aug. 1941]. Here I was, born and raised near Perry’s monument [Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial] over there, just north of Sandusky, but I didn’t know anything While the chums dreamed of beginning illustration careers about this guy!” Frank then laughed and said, “I didn’t know freelancing for The Saturday Evening Post, Collier’s, and other what kind of uniforms they wore or anything. But fortunately, national magazines, Reed — far from his home in Newton, their office was just around the corner from the New York Public Kansas — was accepted as family by the Borth clan. Frank told Library, and I was amazed to find out that they had a morgue Roger Hill, “While he was living in Cleveland, my mother, file in the basement where you could ask for almost anything grandmother, and aunts all adopted him and invited him to and they would be able to provide you with photographs or family dinner parties, especially over the holidays. They’d give drawings or something that’s historical. So I managed to do a him Christmas presents sometimes. One time, we went over to decent job. Parents’ Magazine liked it.” my Aunt Elsie’s house for Thanksgiving. She was an excellent Frank continued,” The next thing I got was ‘The Story of cook. She had one of those black slate boards at the bottom of Sabu, Boy of India” [True Comics #10, Mar. 1942]. So I’m readthe stairs to write messages on with chalk. One time, just for ing the script and they’re making a movie over in India, and the fun, I drew a gorilla on the slate and Reed was with me at the director sees this little kid riding on the back of an elephant, time, and he added a cowboy with a hat. After that she took the and he can’t pass up that opportunity. So he’s asking the kid, slate down off the wall and never erased it. She was so thrilled ‘Can you make this elephant gallop through the village?’ ‘Si, with the drawings. She’s long-gone now, but she saved that Sahib!’ and so forth. So I did go over to see the editor, I said, slate board for years, and wouldn’t hear of erasing it.” ‘You claim that this is True Comics. You can’t make an elephant Upon both graduating the Cleveland School of Art in 1940, gallop. They just don’t. He makes a very fast track, but a galReed departed that fall for New York City and, as Frank told Jerry lop…? You get too many feet off the ground.’ He said, ‘I didn’t DeFuccio, “I promised to grubstake him if he ran out of funds. know that. How do you know that?’ I said, ‘Because I’m an artist He hoped to find work as an illustrator. He made the rounds of and I have to know these things.’ So he gave me carte blanche to rewrite the whole damned thing. Which I did. I told him, ‘This would really need a nice double-page opening. If you put it in the very center of the comic book, you could get a printout that was…’ In other words, there was no gutter, just the staples sticking out. I said, ‘I could make you a nice banner opening, Sabu and one of these Indian structures in the background and this elephant coming around with Sabu sitting on the top.’ ‘Oh, okay.’ I got a printout of that with that Jerry DeFuccio managed to track down for me.” (Former MAD magazine editor and subsequent Cracked editor DeFuccio recruited Frank for work on the latter humor mag a few years after he interviewed the artist for a lively talk published in Cartoonist Profiles #74 [June 1987].)

The Human Torch, Toro TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc. Photo and True Comics page courtesy of Roger Hill.

In my interview with the artist, Frank recalled folks who worked at the company, some on assignments for Timely Comics. “There was a guy who worked for Funnies, Inc., an older guy, who was a fussbudget about everything. He would look at my work and he says, ‘You’ve got a little tit sticking out over the lines [of the panel borders]. Take off all those tits.’ So I was waiting to get even with him and I’m reading [The Human Torch #4, Spring 1941], the Human Torch has this other boy who’s his partner, Toro (all of those big shots had to have a little kid, y’know) and that little kid is in the hospital. So the Human Torch comes in, not on fire, but in his normal guise, and he says, ‘How are you, you little flicker?’ I looked at the thing, and I said to him out loud, ‘Hey! I thought we weren’t allowed to use swear words and profanity!’ And, of course, the fussbudget comes over, ‘What, what, what, what?’ I said, ‘It says right here, “How are you, you little f*cker?”’ ‘Oh, my God!’ Actually, it was an ‘L’ and an ‘I,’ not a ‘U,’ but the space between the two letters was minuscule. I then said, ‘Ohhh, that’s “flicker”! But next time you’d better get the letters a little further apart, because all you have to do is see it printed on paper and those letters merge together…” Frank then let out a hearty laugh.

I asked about perhaps the most famous person to have worked for Funnies, Inc. Did Frank know crime novelist Mickey Spillane? “Oh, hell, yes! As a matter of fact, I kept in touch with him. He was trying to organize a new comic book — this was right after we got out of the Army — and he was determined that he would edit a new comic book… He knew artists and he knew writers, and so forth. And he had somebody lined up who was going to be the angel for this operation. Then we found out that you couldn’t get your hands on the paper. It was so scarce at that time, everything was grinding up to full-scale work again. So the whole thing fell through. But we used to meet in an office building across the street from Grand Central Station… It just didn’t work. I did one whole thing that I never got paid for. It was a Western thing that I can’t really remember.” GETTING BUSY WITH QUALITY While Frank toiled on his True Comics gigs, the United States lurched into World War II and Uncle Sam came calling for the artist. Because he had registered for Selective Service in Cleveland, the artist had to go back home to Ohio to show up for his physical examination. After being handed paperwork for the physical, he joined a bunch of other naked men in a big room with desks lined up. Frank told interviewers Maria Mazzenga and Jordan Patty, “The Marines were at the first desk,

so I put [exam results on the desk]. The guy looks at it and hands it back to me [and] he says, ‘Over there, to the Navy.’ Okay, I go across the thing, put it on his desk and he says, ‘Go over to the Army.’ I go over to the desk for the Army, put it up [on the desk], and he says, ‘Okay, you can go.’ I said, ‘Where do you want me to go?’ He says, ‘Out the door, we don’t want you.’ I was never so… ‘humiliated,’ I think was the word.” The government put on hold any urgency it had for Frank’s service and, in the meantime, the artist found freelance work courtesy of his old college friend. Frank told DeFuccio, “Reed Crandall was already making quite a name for himself at Quality, doing Blackhawk, Uncle Sam, and Dollman. It was about that time I decided I’d better get my own feature.” Adept at rendering the female form, Frank created the fascinating series, “Spider Widow,” for Feature Comics #57 [June 1942]. Subtitled “The Grandmother of Terror,” the storyline starred Diane Grayton of the idle rich, born with the ability to command black widow spiders(!), a power she uses to fight crime and foreign enemies. Contradicting the attire of most super-heroines, rather than exploit her figure in a skintight costume, the lithe, shapely socialite actually dons a mask and hat of a grizzled old witch and wears a drab, green frock. Frank wrote and drew the series and was soon eager to introduce another new character to the Quality line-up, a winged super-hero named The Raven. “I tried to sell Busy Arnold the male mystery character,” he told DeFuccio, “but he didn’t have room for The Raven in his books. I don’t think I ever identified The Raven; he just dropped in when the girls got into a jam.” By “girls,” Frank meant the Widow and her now frequent guest-star, Phantom Lady, a crimefighter created over in Police Comics (where she had her own series) prior to Frank coming on board at Quality, but a feature he was now assigned to produce. Crossovers were a novelty in those days, as the women — and often the Widow’s co-star, The Raven

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

This page: Above is Frank Borth’s first comics work, True Comics #3 [Aug. 1941]. Inset left is The Human Torch #4 [Spr. 1941] panel by artists Carl Burgos and Harry Sahle. Below is pic of Frank taken by Reed’s sister, Ella, 1942–43.

Above: Frank at work and the back of Reed’s head in their Flushing, N.Y., flat.

HIS HAPPY SUMMER OF ’42 While working for Busy Arnold’s outfit, Frank told Mazzenga and Patty, “I met a guy who had a summer stock theater in Deal, New Jersey. Deal was the prime shoreline and we were living in a big mansion-type place that nobody wanted to buy.” Doubtless, Frank had encountered multi-talented Charles O. Carey, well-known in theatrical circles as a summer stock producer/ stage manager/director/actor, who invited Frank to join his brand-new Deal Conservatoire. Carey’s inaugural season included productions of Our Town, The Philadelphia Story, and Watch on the Rhine, among others. A virtual mission statement published in the July 2, 1942, Red Bank (N.J.) Register read, “The primary purpose of the Deal summer theater is to further the development of the theater outside the [N.Y.] metropolitan area and to provide employment for its members. This new theater project desire to earn the recognition by its patrons as one of the distinguished attractions of the shore’s summer season.” After performing on stage in the evenings, Frank would work on his obligations for Quality, “So I was still able to get some income by working at nighttime,” he told Mazzenga and Patty, “but I was having more fun being an actor.” Still, he must have enjoyed directing his new actress friends to model for his super-heroine assignments. He told

DeFuccio, “[I] got some of the girls in the company to pose.” One charming Asbury Park Press account described the communal, even romantic set up of the roomy Jersey shore manse in that summer of 1942:

A casual observer dropping in some early afternoon at this theatrical [troupe] might find a couple of men frying eggs for breakfast or a trio of girls might be conning their lines under a tree on the lawn. Perhaps, on the sunporch, Frank Borth, the artist-actor, would be making his crisp, exciting adventure drawings for a well-known comic magazine. Then again, maybe two or three might still be in bed because the group often works at the theater until 3 a.m.

Throughout his long life, Frank would never quite shake his love for the stage, as he later performed in one-act plays, as well as develop an entertaining “chalk talk” routine, and he was singled out for “a word of praise” for his acting by Long Branch, New Jersey, newspaper The Daily Record in its July 24, 1942, edition, which noted his performance in Stage Door as “Frank

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

Spider Widow, The Raven, Phantom Lady TM & © the respective copyright holder. Spider Widow splash recreation art © the estate of Frank Borth. Photo courtesy of Roger Hill.

Above: The first Spider-Man in comics was created by Frank Borth and appeared in Feature Comics #66 [Mar. 1943] in the wonderfully horrific Spider Widow tale (with a splash page depicting a scene of a bosomy, leggy damsel in bondage not appearing in the tale). Below: The Asbury Park Sunday Press of Aug. 2, 1942, included a charming feature on the Deal, New Jersey, summer stock troupe who all roomed together at 224 Ocean Avenue, “young show folks [who] sweats out its days and nights in study, cooking, housekeeping, and rehearsals,” a group that included comic book artist Frank Borth.

(said to have a crush on Grayson) — were frequently teamed during Frank’s tenure as writer and artist on both features, which lasted until he was finally called to join the armed forces, in 1943. As for Quality’s page rates, Frank told Roger Hill, “Busy Arnold was paying Reed $100 a page when the rest of us yokels were getting less than half that amount. At the time, I was writing, lettering, and drawing (pencils and inks) the ‘Spider Widow’ feature, which appeared in Feature Comics for less than fifty bucks a page. But let’s face it; Reed’s ‘Doll Man’ was selling the book for the rest of us Feature Comics’ artists to ride on his coattails.”

the Houseman”: “With the ease he relayed diverse emotion, we are certain he’s a man who plays many parts well.” As he told Mazzenga and Patty, “It was a very happy summer.”

INDIANTOWN GAP However idyllic the 10 or so weeks in his 1942 season in summer stock and whatever pleasure he derived from the comic book assignments, the fact there was an ongoing war raging BORTH’S SPECTACULAR SPIDER MAN in Europe and the Pacific did weigh heavily on Frank’s mind. Though his stint lasted only about 16 months, Frank freelanced For his part, he kept the draft board informed as he changed for Arnold’s Quality comics group — a firm living up to its name his affiliation from Cleveland to New York City, and, finally, in with such notable names as Will Eisner, Lou Fine, Jack Cole, early 1943, he was ordered to report to an induction facility and Reed Crandall in its stable — and he quickly honed his skills above Grand Central Station. It was there, he told Mazzenga to become an excellent, fully engaged comic book storyteller. and Patty, “I met the eye doctor and he says, ‘Well, it’s up to Perhaps inspired by Eisner’s memorable splash pages for The you: if you want to stay out, you can stay out. If you go in, you Spirit, Frank’s opening page designs were increasingly dynamic can be [stationed in the] continental United States because of and eye-popping, and his rendering became ever more assured your eyesight’… I said, ‘Well, I’m sick and tired, I feel like scum and flowing. His scripts, too, were improving and clever, to on the inside of the barrel. All of my friends have been drafted the point where, as mentioned, the Spider Widow “universe” before me… I’d rather sign up and do my share.’” expanded to include not just her side-kick, The Raven, in the Frank beat his best pal, Reed Crandall, into the service by pages of Feature Comics, but Frank brought in his other Quality almost three months and they both received stateside posts assignment from Police Comics, Phantom Lady. for the war’s duration, with Reed instructing recruits in Kearns, Despite James Steranko dismissing the Spider Widow Utah, on the art of camouflage. series with disdain in his History of Comics Vol. 2 — “Artist Frank While the troop train waited its Borth must take the blame for this creeper who dressed like turn to depart a Philadelphia a witch… Thankfully someone called the exterminator after railyard, Frank assumed he, too, 15 issues” — the artist/writer produced a tour de force with the would be stationed in the western Feature #66 [Mar. 1943] story, “The Spider Widow Meets the U.S. upon hearing his train was Spider Man,” a deliciously frightful five-page tale. Therein, the headed to someplace called heroine and flying cohort encounter a giant spider ridden by a Indiantown Gap. “We all envibare-skinned villain sporting only a horrific spider-mask and furry sioned we were going to go out loincloth (in an encounter having nothing to do with the spooky west, you know, real Indians,” he splash page featuring the Widow’s alter ego in bondage, chained told Mazzenga and Patty. to a brick wall!). Naturally, the feature’s star and Raven do prevail. Fresh from their induction With his very first Phantom Lady story, the Police Comics at Fort Dix, Frank and his fellow feature he inherited in early 1943 from a (very young) previous recruits then settled in for a long artist, Joe Kubert, Frank hit it out of the park, at least in terms train ride, confident the trip would of producing iconic imagery, with his magnificent splash page take days to travel westward. But of the heroine standing tall before the humongous head of a an hour-and-a-half after their jourblack cat [#16, Mar. 1943]. And his exit with the character, team- ney began, the train came to its ing Phantom Lady with The Spider Widow (a duo Frank termed destination 100 or so miles from “the two ‘Fightingest’ Gals in the History of Comic Books!”), Philly and 25 miles northeast of along with The Raven as the man in the middle, in Frank’s three Harrisburg, at Fort Indiantown Gap final Feature Comics jobs, was a crossover trilogy for the ages. Military Reservation, Pennsylvania. Alas, finally finding a spot for the near-sighted artist, it was Frank would remain stationed the U.S. Army who actually exterminated the Widow for good. there until his discharge in 1946. COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

This page: Top is Frank Borth’s massive 56’ x 19’ mural at the Indiantown Gap military base. Above is the “warrior duck” detail gracing said painting. Below is Frank’s gag cartoon published in Yank magazine [May 25, 1945].

Above: The future Mrs. Bobbie Borth in her newspaper engagement announcement of June 6, 1944. Below: Frank’s affinity for the sea will be evident in part two!

Needs no protective clothing.”’” His most significant achievement while in the service proved to be nothing less than gargantuan. Frank — who, by 1944, had ascended from Private Second Class to Technical Sergeant — won a camp competition to take on the formidable task of painting — entirely on his own — a massive 56-foot wide, 19-foot high mural in the service club, titled “Early Indiantown Braves” and depicting long gone indigenous inhabitants of the region. In a 2004 article about the mural, Frank H. Smoker, Jr., shared, “[Frank’s] first concept was to depict a military motif of a war party of Indian warriors in full war bonnet headdresses charging on horseback at full gallop right into the room.” But then, Frank’s pesky commitment to accuracy — a lesson he had learned years before with that battling dinosaur illustration — came into play. “However,” Smoker continued, “after doing the research, he discovered the Lenni Lenape Indians in this area did not wear full war bonnets, did not own any horses, and did all their traveling on foot.” Finally, Frank settled on a tableau of 14 members of the Iroquois and Susquehannock tribes — painted twice actual

size — portrayed as a scouting party peering down from atop a cliff, staring straight at viewers below. “Originally, [Frank] planned to paint the mural on his off-duty hours,” Smoker revealed. “But events changed his plan, and he was assigned to do the painting for three months full-time.” Because he furiously worked night and day to complete the huge painting, as Frank toiled on scaffolding only three feet wide, with ballroom dancing and concerts happening in the hall beneath him, he was meeting the deadline and coming into the home stretch. About what would be the mural’s most distinguishing feature, one created as a lark, Frank told Smoker: These were areas I left last to finish as I could paint them without the need of a scaffold. On this particular day, I was just drawing the rocks and vegetation beyond the open doorway that led into the base library at that time. I knew the librarian and everyone else in the Service Club staff, and when she saw me working outside her door, she called out from her desk, “Whatcha doin’ out there, mister?” I answered in the same sort of kid’s voice: “I’m paintin’ a pitcher of Donald Duck.” She said, “You wouldn’t dare!” So I quickly sketched in Donald as a fierce Indian warrior and said, “C’mon out and see for yourself.” She did and had a laugh, but said, “You’re not going to leave it there, are you?” Well… I did leave it there…

And, due to popular demand, Frank decided to permanently include the warrior fowl in the finished painting. “I said, ‘Why not?’ So he was in. Well, Donald proved to be the mural’s mascot. Everybody got a big charge out of seeing him there.” In late June 1944, right after the Pennsylvania governor dedicated the mural and presented Frank with a wristwatch in appreciation, the artist had to prepare the camp’s dining facility for ceremonies involving servicemen being discharged. “I had to do a considerable amount of things in decorating the mess hall,” he told Mazzenga and Patty. But the technical sergeant was pressed to get his tasks done quickly because a major life event was rapidly approaching. “I had to have it done before the first of July because… I was going to get married to Bobbie and go on a two-week honeymoon, so it had to get done.” “Bobbie” was 23-year-old Harrisburg resident, former private school science teacher, and recent Wilson College graduate Miss Barbara Ann Stroh (alas, not of the beer family, Frank later lamented in mock disappointment). At 4:00 p.m., on July 1, 1944, in the Messiah Lutheran Church, with a bride adorned in a white silk marquisette gown and a uniformed groom having completed his decorating job, Bobbie and Frank got hitched. To this very day, Frank’s massive “Early Indiantown Braves” mural still graces the east wall of the Fort Indiantown Gap Community Club, where, in 2019, it was fully restored. Frank and Bobbie’s marriage (which resulted in two children, Steven and Katherine) lasted 60 years, until Oct. 25, 2004, when Mrs. Borth passed away at age 83. But, in those early summer days of 1944, the couple’s life of adventure was just beginning. By February 1946, with World War II long since concluded, Frank was about to receive his discharge papers and, on his way back to the fort one morning, he told Mazzenga and Patty, “I was buying some art supply stuff and they had art magazines there.” His casual leafing through American Artist would result in a momentous event in the life of Frank Mellors Borth, one that involved his talents as top comic book artist, and a certain Dayton-based publisher of religious magazines. TO BE CONTINUED

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Frank Borth photo courtesy of Roger Hill.

MURAL MAKING AND VOW TAKING Assigned to the fort’s Transportation Corps Training Center, Frank, courtesy of his professionalism and outstanding artistic ability, rapidly advanced up the ranks, even earning a four-day pass to visit his parents and retrieve personal sign-painting supplies while still in boot camp! During his almost three-year stint, he worked on publications, chart-making, posters, and other basic training aids. “One poster he designed, said Borth, insured that none of the recruits who saw it would ever forget the properties of poisonous phosgene gas,‘“ Elizabeth Mitchell relayed In her profile of the artist. “‘It was a Playboy-type pin-up of a girl who had nothing on but a gas mask,’ he says, chuckling. ‘The poster said, “Miss Phosgene.

once upon a long ago

Archie and Me

Steven Thompson recalls the Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. and the gang! 22 chapters! With the help of Steven Rowe and Shaun Clancy, we were even able to identify the long-unknown “Vic Bloom,” Back in 1966, when I was seven, I was far too sophisticated to who was credited on the very first Archie story. In an interview, be reading Archie Comics. No, I only read super-hero comics even longtime Archie editor Victor Gorelick was of the opinion about big strong guys mostly beating the hell out of each other. that the man didn’t exist. Real manly stuff! Speaking of interviews, I interviewed the late, One day though, in 1968, I was visiting great Archie artist Stan Goldberg twice and my cousin and he had a handful of Arlater got to meet him at a con. I also chie comics lying around, including interviewed Sabrina, the Teenage an issue of Archie’s Mad House. Witch, co-creator George Gladir Wait, what? There’s a super-heonce. After that, George called ro! Captain Sprocket! And a few times just to chat! I had what’s this Life with Archie lunch with Archie writer/ featuring “The Man from artist Craig Boldman, and R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.”? Okay, I was hired as a one-off there comes a time in a proofreader for Archie young man’s life when he co-CEO Nancy Silberkleit’s has to admit that maybe “Rise Above” side project. — just maybe! — he doesn’t The next few years know everything! saw me working in various Before long, I was a capacities on several other card-carrying member of the collaborations between Yoe Books Archie Club. Oh, I still kept up with and Archie Comics, including writing Batman, Spider-Man, and Dynamo, the first draft of the Introduction to The but I’d find myself picking up copies of Mad Best of Archie’s Mad House, something I could House at the junk shops as well. New issues off the never have even imagined on that long ago day at my stands, too! cousin’s house. It was a big period for the redheaded teenager as the I had been friends with Batton Lash since I had interviewed first of numerous Filmation cartoon series began soon after, him for a book a few years earlier. As one of my favorite Archie accompanied by the astonishingly successful LPs and singles writers, I asked him if he might be able to help me get a writing from the non-existent rock group, The Archies. These included position with them. Batton wrote me a letter of introduction “Sugar, Sugar,” which became the number one record of the and I proceeded to write a script for the then-new Kevin Keller year in 1969. character. Never heard back. I never started following Archie and his pals and gals in Batton and I collaborated again, though, on an article for the comics on a regular basis, but it was always nice to grab an TwoMorrows’ Back Issue magazine about the then already legissue now and then, like visiting with old friends. endary Archie Meets the Punisher one-shot. By that point, I was In 1989, my future wife and I began attending the Cincinapparently considered somewhat of an expert on Archie Comics nati Old-Time Radio and Nostalgia Conventions. Over time, the and also soon had articles on Archie’s rival, Reggie, as well as all most frequent celebrity guest turned out to be character actor the non-Archie teenage series of the Bronze Age of Comics. Bob Hastings. On radio, Hastings was known for his role as ArIt’s been 54 years since I admitted to my ignorant This page: Inset upper left is chie in the post-war years of The Adventures of Archie Andrews. young self that Archie Comics were good comics. I still Our Man from Covington, Steven One year, Bob did a re-creation of a 1940s Archie script and I carry my Archie Club Press card… just in case! “Flash” Thompson, checking out got to act the role of Jughead. My wife, Rene, played Betty that his work in Archie: A Celebration year. I wore my Archie Club button. of America’s Favorite Teenagers A year later, I played Jughead to Bob’s Archie yet again, [2011]. Above right are three issues but this time Rosemary Rice, Betty on the radio, was also a of Life with Archie featuring the guest and returned to her old role. After that, Hal Stone, radio’s redhead’s stint as wannabe James Jughead, was brought in and I was, of course, out of “my” role. Bond when the teen was an agent At one point, Hal and I ad-libbed “Dueling Jugheads” in the for the “Really Impressive Vast hotel lobby to much applause. Enterprise for Routing Dangerous In 2010, I was helping Craig Yoe do research for Archie: Adversaries, Louts, Etc.” At left A Celebration of America’s Favorite Teenagers, a book he was is — yessir!— Thompson’s bona fide doing for the character’s 70th anniversary, when something Archie Club membership card. came up on his end and I was drafted to write 13 of the book’s

Archie Club, Life with Archie TM & © Archie Comic Publications, Inc.

by STEVEN THOMPSON

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

darrick patrick’s ten questions

Rodney Barnes’ Big Talent

Making his way to his first love of comics by way of writing and producing television shows by DARRICK PATRICK

Darrick: Do you have any words of advice for other individuals looking to make a career with their storytelling abilities? Rodney: Develop your voice. A lot of times I see writers focus so much on the rules, they fail to see what in my opinion is the most important aspect of what they bring to the table — their uniqueness. Everyone has something that sets them apart. Their unique point of view. If they can develop the craft and their own distinctive style that separates them from the pack, they’ve got a shot at making it in the business. Darrick: How do you spend your time on a typical workday? Rodney: Attempting to manage my anxiety and compartmentalize the massive amount of work that lies in front of me. Trying really hard to not be distracted. It’s a weird balance of entertaining myself enough to not go completely insane, while getting the work done and not making it feel like work. I know that makes absolutely no sense, but it’s exactly what I do. Darrick: For new readers who may not be familiar with your work, what are some projects that you would recommend to begin with? Rodney: Killadelphia [Image], Quincredible [Lion Forge], Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Lando: Double or Nothing [Marvel/Lucasfilm], and Blacula: Return of the King [Zombie Love Studios]. Darrick: Who are a few of the people in the comics industry that you hold a high deal of respect for? Rodney: I tend to look at people who’ve been in the business for a long time. People like Scott Snyder, Amy Chu, and Bill Sienkiewicz. Far too many to name, but folks who truly love the business and have mastered the ability to manage it and themselves within it. I learn from their example and I’m always trying to get better by their practice. Darrick: Outside of creating comic books, what are your other interests? Rodney: Theater, film, Broadway, music, professional wrestling, the arts, and pop culture in general. Horror. Guys like Stephen King and Richard Matheson. I’m actually just a large child and I like things that remind me of my childhood. I’m sort of in a state of arrested development, so I’m drawn toward anything that makes me feel like I’m still playing. Darrick: What is your oldest memory? Rodney: Going to the public library with my mother and discovering an old box of comic books under a box of regular books in a playpen when I was five or so years old. It was the beginning of a love affair with comics. Darrick: Tell us something about you that most people don’t know. Rodney: I tried to be a professional wrestler for six months, but it really hurt, so I stopped. Darrick: What comic book character do you relate to most? Rodney: The Thing. I want to look like the rest of the other characters because I’m really big, but I’m covered in giganticism, so I’m forced to stand out.

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Photo portrait by Allan Amato. Rita Hawes’ Nightmare Blog , Killadelphia TM & © Rodney Barnes, et al.

This page: At top is the big man himself and, above and below, two of Rodney’s independent creations, both published by Image.

[Rodney Barnes is a professional writer whose comic book work includes Killadelphia, Falcon, Blacula: Return of the King, Quincredible, Nita Hawes’ Nightmare Blog, Star Wars: The Mandalorian, and others. Outside of comics, Rodney is an award-winning writer/producer for TV and film. Some projects with his credits are Runaways, American Gods, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, The Boondocks, Everybody Hates Chris, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, and lots more! — D.P.] Darrick Patrick: What was the journey that led you to working professionally within comic books? Rodney Barnes: Well, that’s a two-part answer. The getting-my-first-job part happened when I was a writer/co-executive producer on the Marvel TV show, Runaways. Things were going well on the show, so I sort of nudged the powers that be in regard to my interest in writing comics. That led to me landing my first writing assignment for Falcon. The second part has to do with my love for comics, which began in childhood. I’ve loved comics for as long as I can remember, to the point where I’d take my lunch money and buy comics instead. I dreamed of writing comics way before I dreamed of writing TV and film. The other doors just opened first. Darrick: Who are some of the people that greatly influenced you while growing up? Rodney: My grandmother, Estelle Butler, stands out amongst all others. She raised me and had a quiet patience I’m eternally grateful for. Her work ethic, sense of humor, and strength were qualities I not only admired, but relied on. I miss her very much. Another person was my high school journalism teacher, Jay Silberberg. I was the class clown, but I believe he saw something in me other than my penchant for making bad jokes. He assigned me the cover article for the school newspaper and sort of smirked that there was no way I’d do a good job because I wouldn’t take it seriously. Wanting to prove him wrong, I really tried. Interviewed folks, behaved like a real reporter, etc. When I turned in the article, Mr. Silberberg looked at me with all the seriousness he could muster and said, “If you ever decided to put as much effort into writing as you do into being the class clown, you could become a really good writer one day.” That stuck in my head. And I’m eternally grateful. There are other people, of course. Hundreds, if not thousands. Those two stuck out today, though. [laughs]

comics in the library

That Saucy Bandette

Our columnist librarian has his column hijacked by a charming, French jeune femme!

Bandette TM & © Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover.

by RICHARD J. ARNDT Today we’re talking about the saucy Bandette, a teenage female jewel thief, written by Paul Tobin and illustrated by Colleen Coover (that’s the official credits, but they’re a husband and wife team, so it’s pretty likely there’s a lot of give and take on those two credits to come up with the final product) who has appeared in four charming and delightful hardcover volumes to date from publisher Dark Horse Comics. It’s hard to convey just how charming and delightful these books really are in the confines of a 1,000-word column. Bandette is pixie cute, is tres chic in her civilian life, has black hair, but wears a red wig and a black and red costume for her crime exploits. She lives in Paris, generally steals her jewels from the criminal class, has an undying love for chocolate bars (she has a list of her favorites so that admirers can contribute!), a loyal sidekick/delivery boy boyfriend named Daniel with whom she is as dedicated to as he is to her (what a wise boy!). There’s also a tiny dog named Pimento whom she loves possibly more than Daniel. The cast of characters is large and includes a Barker Street Irregulars-type group of Parisians and street urchins who protect her from both the law and from the criminals she robs. Said group includes a trio of ballerinas — Adalind, Manon, and Kigomi — who always seem to be in the right place at the right time (as ballerinas should, one supposes), two police officers who both pursue her and engage with her against the bad guys, surly Inspector Belgique and the sweet-as-pie officer who loves him, Lieutenant Heloise Price… then there is the dynamic Monsieur… who is both a semi-retired master jewel thief whose daily life is that of a bookseller (shades of Lawrence Block!) and is both Bandette’s mentor and rival in crime… Bandette thinks highly enough of him to successfully play his matchmaker… plus a full rogues gallery of bad guys, some genuinely terrifying, some somewhat sweet, including, but not limited to, the Matadori (both mortal foe and good friend of Bandette with a pig for a pet); evil Absinthe and his criminal organization, Finis (“The End,” in English); the Voice; Il Tredici, a.k.a. the Strangler, Dark Petite, Michael the Brute, Valentina Ardennes, and The Femme Felon—a copycat teen jewel thief with an owl instead of Pimento for a pet. Bandette hides her loot in a secret treasure room in a clock tower. Her speech pattern is delightfully off-kilter. The first two books are a continued graphic novel called Stealers, Keepers, while the second two volumes — The House of the Green Mask and The Six Finger Secret — are self-contained. Each volume also has various short stories in the back of the volume, fleshing out both the lives of Bandette and different supporting characters. Those alone are worth the price of each book. (Alas, I can’t buy them for my middle school library due to the occasional frankness of COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

the language — not swearing or crudeness, but the occasional (very mild) sex talk that is coming out of the mouth of a teenage girl. I do believe, however, that they are entirely appropriate for high school and public libraries, not to mention your own personal library…” Honestly, Richarde, you Americans are so shy about the little deaths of a woman, regardless of age. It is a part of life and one must get used to such as that. Do not blame me if I am not so timid. For your readers, this is Bandette herself, stealing your column, so — hah! And, mind you, I do not waste my “hahs” lightly. They are fully intended. So, Richarde, we meet at last. (I so love saying that!) Do not consider the theft of your column a crime. Theft, done right, is not a crime. It is an art! And Bandette is the most artful of thieves! That said, do not interrupt me as I talk to your readers, it will make me angry. If I am angry, I will stomp my feet. It is most unpleasant. So, dear readers of Richarde, the tales of Bandette are not simply those of a thief, but a beguiling cauldron of artfulness in which life, beauty, loneliness, crime, friendship, danger, books, jewels, Paris, enemies, sadness, sweetness, death, joy, pets, tears, laughter, beauty, pain, decency, cruelty, hope, despair, and love are all melded into the most perfect of chocolate bars… French chocolate bars, of course, although I might occasionally allow a Belgian one to be considered, non? Such chocolate bars should be eaten slowly, with tiny bites, so that one can long savor each of those flavors, both singularly and together. The crunchiness, the melting bliss mingled so that each bite is in reality a kiss and a kiss is always love or perhaps the denial of love. Bandette herself is like the cat outside your door. Perhaps I am waiting to come inside. Perhaps I am waiting for you to come out. And perhaps I am simply leaving a gift of something I love to someone I love on your doorstep. Think hard about that one, Richarde. Not all men are good at thinking, so think well. You would like your column back, non? I had thought of making you pay the ransom—the candy bar of victory! Yet now I think the ransom has been paid. You were giving your readers a column simply about me. There is some love in that, much like a chocolate bar. I accept your gracious gift and so…until we meet again. Something else I so love saying, mon ami!… Well, eh, hmmmm, that was certainly odd. Bandette is the epitome of all thieves, in herself an alluring mystery that can never be solved. She is both a champion chocolate eater and the most charming of femmes. These books are as satisfying a reading experience as a golden buttered croissant tastes on a Sunday spring morning. Now, excuse me, while I go back to re-reading that which I love. 37

incoming

Dauntless Don Gets His Due

Cover stories on colorists, letterers, and even the folks over in accounting…?! You decide! [Hey, maybe we’re getting into a groove here with the frequency of this furshlugginer magazine! It only took me 10-flippin‘years to get this pace down right and I’m trying like heck to at least make four issues this year! So, don’t be shy and tell me what you think of these efforts, won’tcha? Kudos to my crew of excellent contributors for keeping up the pace! — Ye Ed.]

Joe Frank

Above: Ten of the 11 pix that Don McGregor’s son, Rob, took when I tried to wrangle last issue’s main subject to be still and smile for the social media masses! Good ol’ Don just couldn’t resist teasing his longtime pal, Ye Ed himself! Below: The 11th pic of the Rhode Island chums was the charm!

I found it puzzling that you were questioned about the lack of writers covered in CBC, or the notion that Don McGregor was something of a first. Offhand, you had Steve Gerber and Len Wein in your Swampmen issue. [CBC #6] Plus, interviews and articles on some who filled both roles — artist and writer — like Wally Wood, P. Craig Russell, and Barry Windsor-Smith. Granted, artists do get more coverage here. Yet, in those conversations, more often than not, they discuss their writer/collaborators. It’s not an either/or choice, thankfully. You can do both. Here, for example, you had McGregor and Rich Buckler in one article. Or, in Don’s longer interview, he was nostalgic and quite complimentary to artistic collaborators/friends P. Craig Russell, Billy Graham, and Gene Colan. The interviews are wide-ranging and, in Don’s case, he’s less a self-promoter than a grateful partner in a creative venture. It was nice to read of his enthusiasm and concern for the finished work; making all it could be. Not only did he want to please and surprise the readers, but himself as well. That might well have rated longer dialogue balloons. I thought it funny, though, when you pointed out that could be tricky on a comic strip. What I found disappointing was his mention of those, in-house, nearly 50 years back, who were actively hoping he would fail. The books cancelled, and him out of assignments. How would that help Marvel’s reputation and the company’s bottom line? I do recall Jungle Action #10 and 11. The thrill of seeing Jack’s original Coal Tiger design and the rejected Fantastic Four #52’s Panther debut cover. So cool! I thought it touching to see photos of Don with Chadwick Boseman. Different eras but each contributing to the legacy of the Black Panther. Though some of Don’s self-copyright material seemed like a testing of boundaries — his choice — I eagerly await the Ragamuffins collection advertised in this issue. I love Gene’s art. Plus, childhood recollections that connect with clarity even if we weren’t born in 1926 (Gene) or 1945 (Don). Universal aspects that should hold true for most. I liked the discussion, with Mike Gold, about the proposed DC “Explosion.” Line-wide new formats and even fresh characters. But, hastily — 1969, 1975, and 1978 — they quickly cancelled innovative new titles and stuck with the various JLA heroes. No inclination to give them time in the first two instances. Panic from corporate in the third. The idea, I thought, was a good one: back-ups that could get momentum and interest going. Hard to institute, however, when corporate is axe-happy.

(Also, I remember the DC Hotline: I kept getting busy signals.) Herb Trimpe in England was fun. I couldn’t help but be amused that he tired of his sustained run on The Hulk. These days, that wouldn’t be a problem. Few stay on a same title long enough to get sick of it. The allure, if you can call it that, seems to be getting a contradictory new approach that undercuts what came before. I also enjoyed the elation of fans to meet him and Stan. It could have been fondness for their material or saving big not having to purchase plane tickets to see them in America. In those days, you knew it was an honest reaction, which was nice, rather than having something signed and sold the same day on eBay. Finally, you mused in your editorial about being unsure how to best salute and acknowledge Neal Adams in CBC. You might have already hit on it years ago: doing features about him while he was around to appreciate it. Eulogies and tributes are nice, no question. But nothing tops a kind word or gesture when someone’s here to be moved by it. As a second choice, how about something like the recent Joe Sinnott tributes? Lots of industry co-workers sharing their memories about his work and/or what he meant to them. That way, you’re coming at it from many different angles. Anyway, again, nice to see CBC back on the stands and happy that the next two issues are already being advertised. This could get habit-forming. [Always appreciate your habitual letters o’ comment, brother Joe! The other TwoMorrows mags, Alter Ego and Back Issue, will be releasing their Neal Adams tributes soon, so let’s check those out and see how CBC can honor the late, great artist in a unique fashion. Thanks for the suggestion! — Y.E.]

Robert L. Bryant, Jr. I know you took something of a risk by doing a cover story on a writer (Don McGregor) in CBC # 29, but it paid off beautifully. I thought McGregor was one of your best interviews, partly because we were getting the perspective of a creator who was not an artist, partly because it was McGregor who crafted the storyline that was essentially the basis for the Black Panther movie, partly because McGregor is an endlessly interesting guy. More cover stories on writers! If the readers like the McGregor piece as much as I did, this could open some new avenues. A cover story on colorists? A cover story on people who worked in DC or Marvel administration, like Mike Gold (another outstanding interview with a non-artist)? Comics creators don’t have to be artists. (I’ve always wanted to see a big takeout on comics letterers — as a kid, I paid a lot of attention to Sam Rosen’s style vs. Artie Simek’s vs. Mike Royer’s vs. Jon Costanza’s. Yeah, they were totally different! And when Marvel or DC had to use a pinch-hitter who was not so good, I groaned.) [What do you readers think about Robert’s suggestion here? Give us a shout at jonbcooke@aol.com! — Y.E.]

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

Ye Ed’s Latest Pub Crawl

In which Yours Truly makes his favorite picks in print of late to plug with enthusiasm! by JON B. COOKE

All TM & © the respective copyright holders.

Back in the fall of 2014, I made a truly awful mistake. When I was first starting Comic Book Creator, I neglected to give coverage to a review copy I received, one which I instantly recognized as an important contribution to comics history, Masterful Marks: Cartoonists Who Changed the World. Compiled by Monte Beauchamp (whose Blab! I did cover in CBC #27), that magnificent anthology of artist bios told in comics form were written and drawn by a killer group of 16 cartoonists — Denis Kitchen on Dr. Seuss, Drew Friedman on R. Crumb, Peter Kuper on Harvey Kurtzman, Mark Alan Stamaty on Jack Kirby, etc. — an outstanding concept and execution that I think remains woefully under-appreciated and, dammit, I missed an opportunity. Blessedly, 2023 brings us the return of Monte and his great comics anthology, newly resurrected with the long-winded name, Comics and Stories That Will Make You Blab! The premiere ish (pubbed under the Yoe Books imprint) is a solid effort and it speaks to me directly in delightful ways, including as it does work by one of the great talents working today, Noah Van Scriver (including a 15-pager depicting the sad tale of Bob Wood, artist, alcoholic, and murderer), an extended section on gorillas that speaks to my ape-mania, and a piece on my fave author, F. Scott Fitzgerald (focused on his alcoholism though failing to mention his achieving sobriety in his final year of life), and much more eclectic and fascinating goodness. Monte is a brilliant editor and designer and the fact he taps into his previous efforts (Masterful Marks’ Siegel & Shuster bio by Monte and Ryan Heska, and the FSF excerpt from Monte’s A Boxcar Named Desire) actually broadens the appeal of this relaunch, even for a bonafide Beauchamp-ophile like myself! This great new beginning for Blab! is published by Dark Horse, priced at $19.99.

Not everyone will revel in the grotesque wonderment of the artist Skinner’s psychedelic paintings, filled as they are with horrific themes of tentacled monsters and Lovecraftian atmospherics. But those of us who doodled Big Daddy Roth monster cars during class time or loved everything about the Mars Attacks trading cards will dig this young Oakland-based artist’s “Greatest Horror Comic of All Time.” Skinner’s self-published Skin Crawl has had two issues thus far and were likely produced just for the fun of it by the guy — as his painting provides a good living — but he is nothing less than fully committed in these balls-to-the-wall efforts, which exude energetic, solid storytelling ability that is as engaging as it is exuberant. Check out baymerch.com for ordering info and more Skinner stuff. And finally, as I began this column with a confession, so shall I end it with one by admitting I’m giving Mathew Klickstein’s incredibly in-depth effort, See You in San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and the Triumph of Geek Culture way too little room here, as this tremendous achievement warrants far greater extensive comment. Suffice to say this 480page trade paperback is an astonishing artifact, a compilation of the memories of many dozens — probably hundreds — of folks who attended the fabled San Diego annual event since its inception, in 1970, and everything about this massive tome exudes what makes the convention so special, particularly in the pre-Hollywood years, before the onslaught of the mega-movies and attending promotion. The design by Jonathan Barli is excellent and remarkably apt and contents include a rich array of photographs of the eclectic and talented attendees from over the decades. For me, most of all, with its great cover photo of Jack Kirby, and the creator’s presence throughout, it appropriately exudes the same warmth and open acceptance of the King.

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

Above: Skinner’s gruesome, macabre covers to his impressive pair of Skin Crawl issues, horror comics that are a sheer delight for anyone who loved Creepy, Mars Attacks!, and Rat Fink as a kid! Inset left: Monte Beauchamp’s Blab! is back, now published by Dark Horse and still featuring the brilliant Chicago editor’s fun mix of comics, illustrations, articles, and ephemera that has made his mag so much fun over the decades. Below: Mathew Klickstein’s See You in San Diego, published by Fantagraphics is a simply jaw-dropping 480-page collection of anecdotes and pix chronicling the fabled comic-con.

day of didio

Old Friends, New Horizons

A conversation about the launch of the Frank Miller Presents line with publisher Dan DiDio Interview Conducted by GREG BIGA

This spread: Above is the Frank Miller Presents logo sporting the trademark FM fedora in rainy milieu. Inset right is cover art for the debut issue of Ronin: Book II, Frank’s follow-up to his 1980s classic saga. This version is written by FM and drawn by artists Phillip Tan and Daniel Henriques. On opposite page is Dan DiDio and Frank Miller outside Manhattan’s Society of Illustrators Museum of Illustration, in early Sept. 2022. Below, pic of Dan with his caricature by Art Balthazar that appeared in Tiny Titans #13 [Apr. 2009], inscribed to manservant Alfred Pennyworth!

go back to New York, I’d stop by and visit, see how he’s doing, see how he’s feeling, and just see how he’s going. And we used to sit there and just spend a couple of hours a day just talking comics, and having fun doing it, you know. And then, when it actually came time to actually do something, it just seemed to make the most sense to find a way for us to work together. Because there wasn’t overlapping skill sets, you know. I mean, his creative craft is spectacular, I have organizational business skills that are pretty good with some creativity, that I can help be able to have a strong creative conversation with him. So, it was a nice pairing that came together. And honestly, Frank doesn’t need to do this. But part of him and part of what he feels is part of his own personal legacy is to put his money where his mouth is. All his conversations about the yeses and noes of what it takes to publish, he’s actually going to put that forward for himself. And when we approached this, the first thing he said to me was, “I can’t become what I’ve railed against my entire career,” meaning publishers that abuse timelines, or abused creative environments. So, we had a pact about how we would approach things creatively. And how, more importantly, we have to make sure that there’s a level of fairness delivered to the people that are participating in our process. Even if it might be a detriment to the profit line or the profit margins, you know. We’re not going to make choices that are built on profitability more so than what we believe is important to the craft and the creativity of the process.

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

Ronin: Book II TM & © Frank Miller. Photo courtesy of Dan Didio.

[Beginning in August of 2022, Frank Miller Presents has been publishing new works written or inspired by Frank Miller. The industry legend has partnered with former DC Comics executive Dan DiDio and his brand CEO Silenn Thomas, as well as Philip Tan, Alex Sinclair, John Workman, and several other members of a creative collective, to launch this brand-new comics company. It’s a unique collaboration and venture into the ever-changing world of comic book publishing. Dan DiDio takes time leading into that launch (as well as bringing us up to speed after the first six months of publishing) to talk us through his first energy-filled project following his exit from DC. He also shares some insight on his first prose novel.—GB] Comic Book Creator: When this process with Frank started to get underway you were under contract. This is something that couldn’t be in conversation at all about, correct? Dan DiDio: Exactly. As a matter of fact, that’s one of the reasons why because I was still in the contract. For an extended period of time I was kind of sitting on my hands. So that’s why, when I was helping people, it was all gratis, because, first of all, I was under contract. So, it was more personal health than anything. And it wasn’t that much. It was just some conversations here and there. So, it wasn’t until my time with DC officially ended, that I really wanted to return calls. But as I got through it I just kept everybody in abeyance until I was able to discuss things, you know. CBC: So, with Frank, obviously, for people who know his stuff, it’s easy to sit back and say, ‘If I’m going to partner with somebody who’s got living legend status, but who also has properties that really could be put to use in the current medium,’ he’s a name that is automatically going to come up. How and when did this process start? Dan: Frank was interested in doing Ronin. I guess he was in discussions with DC, something along those lines. He asked me if I wanted to be the Ronin editor. I said I don’t think DC would love that idea. But if you do this on your own, I’ll be more than happy to work with you in finding ways to get it published. That’s how I started and it just blossomed from there. It’s interesting because we have a lot of respect for each other. He’s one of the people that I just love to sit and talk comics with. That’s what we do. I mean, realistically, we used to spend hours, even when I used to

Photo courtesy of Dan DiDio.

CBC: And, as you’re building that, how did the company process start coming together? Because obviously it’s not just the two of you and talent. How are you making that happen? Dan: It’s because ultimately, he’s already worked with publishers. He has a very long and healthy relationship with Dark Horse, with so many of the properties… worked at DC… worked at Marvel. Yes, he had to end both. This was the last step. It wasn’t just about getting something published; it’s actually publishing it yourself, which is two different things. And when you sit and have a day long conversation about barcodes, you realize it really is two different things. CBC: Sure. So, is this like a full-staff? How does this process work? Dan: Yeah, there’s three. [laughs] I created what I call production cells. Each book has a production cell, a team that’s responsible for the creation of the book. And I manage the coordination of that. Frank is overseeing all the creative of all that. So, he literally signs off on every single property. We had a couple of creative mandates that we have put in place, which is interesting. We’re only having one variant cover per book. As much as a lot of retailers already contacted me for custom covers, and things like that, I had to just graciously explain that that’s not available. We want people to read the interior of the material, not the exterior. And that’s important to us, we want these books to be read. Our goal is not to start off with a big bang of sales, but hopefully grow sales because people get excited and jump on board, rather than pick something up and disappear. We’re also working on color plans, we’re going with unsaturated colors, we feel the books are too saturated these days, just looks like people are just filling paint on it and the books, you can see the pages soaked in so much ink that they it turns into mud on a page and we’re trying to be much more clearer and have much more definition in our art, so it feels stronger. We’re opening up with bigger panels. Ronin’s told in double-page spreads, just to make sure the art really comes to life. So we’re doing a lot of things really to bring back what we believe are the strengths of the medium, which is art, spectacle and characterization, and things of that nature that we think are what are supposed to bring people to buy comics, not just the potential of a movie being made of it to increase its collectability. Or by overstocking on variant covers in an artificial attempt to drive a sales numbers by selling the same book, many times to one person instead of many books to many people. CBC: Based off of what you’re saying here, what is different between this and what you just recently were a part of at DC? What’s the difference between this ideology and what you were part of previously? Dan: When you’re over a company [DC], you have a profit threshold that you’re always trying to achieve. And then, once you achieve it, new numbers are given that’s higher that you now have to achieve. So, you can’t really rest on your success. You’re constantly having to build on it. And it’s an interesting thought, because ultimately, you’re driven quarter by quarter, by your quarter numbers, and all that. If you see sales drop, the easiest solution to sales slipping is not finding a way to make the book better and get people more excited about the property, is to throw another cover on it with the hope that the collectability factor sells X-number of more copies to artificially inflate the sales. COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

Top: Banner logo for FMP. Above: Ashcan edition promoting FMP’s two inaugural books, Ancient Enemies and Ronin II, went to shops in August 2022. Below: Spread from Frank’s six-part mini-series, Ronin: Book II, written by FM and drawn by Phillip Tan and Daniel Henriques.

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

All TM & © Frank Miller, Inc.

he’s doing that same layout for Milo Manara, but we are feeling that Manara is going to have a little more latitude on how he interprets them based on his storytelling. On Sin City 1858, Frank is writing and has full control over that. On Pandora, Frank set the iniAnd variant covers are an interesting conversation because tial conceit, set some of the initial character designs, and then handed the book off to the writing team, and to the artist. And variants started as a promotional tool for people to sample the first issue with the hope that they stick with the series ongoing. they’re the ones that are flexing their discretion. And he’s given them enough latitude for them to take it in whatever direction But, when the second issue came out, they dropped precipthey want, as long as it sticks to the original conceit of what the itously from the first one, then they started putting variant book is about. covers on those issues to artificially lift that number. And then And then, with Ancient Enemies, which is a book and conwhat happens now you’re on that slippery slope that you can’t get off this variant cover trend. Because once you do, your sales cept that I created, but I created it as a world that’s going to be will be so depressed, that it’ll impact your overall budget num- full of all new characters. It takes place in this world and Frank contributed to that story. He created a brand-new character, ber for the year or the quarter. So, for us, our goal is to believe in the product. We’re not watching the numbers as tightly as we which will now be part of that Ancient Enemies story. are watching the product and making sure that our belief in the CBC: You have somebody who is, for lack of a better word, a product goes out there with the hope that other people get ex- living legend. How is his outlook on everything? I mean, is this cited about what we’re creating. And that creates the excitement somebody who was great just putting himself on the couch until this conversation got him going? Or was he just thirsty for and ultimate sales for the books that we’ve built. something? CBC: And Frank’s got final say on the creative aspect. Is that Dan: Yeah, I got there just at the right moment. They didn’t correct? get picked up for the second season of Cursed, which was a Dan: One hundred percent. series that he was involved in, in regards to doing the designs CBC: With this being true, how much is he giving to that? Is it hands on saying, “This is gonna be what I want with my name and creating some of the story, which is the Netflix series. So, I was able to pop in there. I was talking to him about a couple on,” or is he actually providing stories and breakdowns as well? of things, I gave him a hand on a couple of things that he was Dan: It’s both. For his books he’s doing the layouts. I mean, right now his full involvement is on four titles. So, if you look at trying to organize, and then, ultimately, during that time, that’s Ronin II, he’s doing full layouts and dialogue on that, and Philip when the other conversations started taking place. CBC: So, right place, right time, and this is a guy who just Tan is doing the art from his layouts, and Phil’s been extraordican’t turn it off, basically. narily loyal to the layouts. So, it feels very much stylistically on Dan: Honestly, one of the conceits of FMP Frank Miller how Frank tells the story. So, Ronin II is his book. On Sin City, Presents, is that this company is not for sale — ever. This isn’t being created to be sold, this is a place for creative output. So, as long as he must have output to create books, he has a place that he will always be able to go to here. And he can do whatever types of books he wants. CBC: Wonderful. I think you remember that Mike Deodato and I get along really well and, when this was announced, he was like, “Ah, Axel will never let me do it. But, oh my god, I want to draw Sin City for Frank”. Dan: Yeah, I mean, it’s interesting. We chatted that up a little bit, and there was a conversation around the Sin City property, for instance. Sin City is Frank’s baby. The fact that he’s letting Milo Manara draw it is only because he has such respect and admiration for Manara’s work and he

All TM & © Frank Miller, Inc.

considers Manara one of the true masters and somebody he looks up to. So, because of that, this is the only time he let go of Sin City. The only time. Recently, they discussed doing a brandnew property together, but Manara wants to do Sin City, too. He couldn’t say no. My funny story with Frank is that, at one point, our Batman and Robin sales are flagging a little bit, so my goal was to put Carrie Kelley into DC continuity and introduce her. And I think we had an issue where she actually appeared. Frank calls up saying “I prefer she not be in there.” And then negotiation and conversation weeded it out. We took her out. And that’s ultimately how Dark Knight 3 started. I said, “Well, if you don’t want to do Carrie here, maybe we’ll do it somewhere else, like maybe a follow up to Dark Knight 2.” CBC: Oh, for Pete’s sake. So, that was never his original idea? That was because of you pitching Carrie Kelley? Dan: Yep. The funny part was that I did leave the Batman and Robin team high and dry, which I felt terrible about. Then I explained to them why I did what I did, and they pretty much understood at that point. They weren’t happy about it, but they understood. CBC: So, with this now being the focus of Frank’s is this your sole focus as well? Dan: Actually, I’ve got a novel coming out in February, a prose novel called Hide or Seek. Something that was my personal goal, something that I wanted to do. And I always wanted to try to get into the prose business and now I know why I never did. It’s the most painful process I’ve ever come through. When you work in comics, you work in short bites, and don’t do a story that fast, and you write a long continuous story. You’re running the marathon and not the sprint. And I was always a sprinter more than a marathon runner. And I ran out of gas there. But I was able to get a couple of other writers to just help me flesh out the ideas and pull together because, at the end of the run, Frank Miller Presents was starting, and it was just a lot going on. But, the book that I’ve got coming out, I’m excited by because it is something that I really wanted to do. And now that it’s almost done, I’m more excited about it. CBC: Who’s going to be your publisher? Dan: Permuted Press is the publisher on that. CBC: Permuted Press. So, you’re like the biggest name they have? Or is this a place you searched out? Dan: I had a literary agent. One of the things I did coming out of DC, when you try to find out your own value is rather than going out there yourself, you have somebody else do it for you. So, I have a literary agent. She’s wonderful. She sent me up with the publisher of the line and we hit it off really well. And then I gave myself a ridiculous deadline, only because I didn’t know publishing, so therefore… everybody warned against it. They were right., 100% right and I was 100% wrong. But it doesn’t stop you or make you change anything. So, we’re meeting this deadline. And I think we’re gonna make it. CBC: Is this going to be a one and done? Or are you going to return to this and have it be like an ongoing series character? What’s your thought? Dan: It’s enough story for a trilogy. It is something that I’ve been building in my brain for a long time. But I do have a twobook deal. And I have two other concepts that I’m pitching as the second book, and then we’ll see which way we go after that. CBC: Kudos on that. That’s a great accomplishment. Dan: Yeah, it’s a lot of fun. The people are great. They’ve been extraordinarily supportive. Especially since, again, like I said, I wanted to write, I wanted to get out of the comic book comfort zone. And I did and I couldn’t wait to get back into the

comic book comfort zone. It reminds me of an old Odd Couple episode. I think Oscar Madison quotes some other writer whose old expression is, “I hate writing, but love having written.” Yeah, that’s a great thing. CBC: The response has just been, I’m assuming, ecstatic. Or at least that’s what I’ve seen as far as what’s been on social media. How have you viewed the response? Dan: Actually, I hate to say I have tunnel vision. Because I know the digital response is worth the paper it’s written on. For me, it’s great, it’s positive, it’s wonderful. But the reality is, it’s all gonna come down to the product. At the end of the day, all that matters, really, are the books that we put out and our love of the books. I mean that honestly. We’ve got to put out what we believe in and what we love. Frank and I use the expression over and over again: we’re entertaining. And we’re here to entertain, you know, we want to be entertained and we want to entertain others. And, as long as people have fun and enjoyment of reading the material, then I feel we’ve accomplished that goal. Frank has a lot of pride and he loves to give back to the comics business. That is his main goal. It’s what it’s about. I can’t tell you how much his eyes light up just when I bring the other talent in, and they sit there and just talk comics. And you know, I’ve seen everything from somebody who has 20 years’ experience sitting there with Frank acting like a school kid talking to him to somebody who has 10 minutes experience just sitting there like a giant sponge, soaking everything up. So that’s where his love is right now, sharing the history on his past, and hopefully helping other people become better at their job going forward. CBC: This like sounds pandering, and it’s not, but this is a special age to be in to be able to share that, because so much of standing on the shoulders of giants has gone by the wayside. Dan: Yeah. Realistically, he just he pushes the dynamic. I

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

This page: Above, cover art for Dan DiDio’s Ancient Enemies #1 [Nov. 2022], a showcase for new FMP characters and, below, Frank Miller’s Pandora #3 [Mar. 2023] cover, art by Emma Kubert.

mean, he talks about Neal Adams and Will Eisner and Joe Kubert. And he talks about all these guys because he basically is his own past. He dealt with a lot of rejection early on. And Neal kicked him out of his office three times… four times… something ridiculous, because he didn’t think he was good enough. And then, on the fourth time back, or something like that, Frank shows Neal the art and he goes, “Okay, now I’m happy to talk to you about a job”… or something like that. And he never forgot that. It forced him to be better. And that’s what Frank’s trying to teach them. CBC: So, here you are, how are you feeling? Is this like turning a new page in life? Or is this feeling like the new challenge? Dan: It’s a new challenge. How I really feel is I miss a staff of 160 people doing what I’m doing now. “I’m doing what?! Don’t we have people for that?” No wonder everyone was so pissed at me. I mean, this is a lot of work! [Dan was kind enough to have a follow-up to discuss the first half-a-year of FMP. – GB]

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

TM & © Frank Miller, Inc.

CBC: How was that been for you, since you guys started really locking in and have books coming out? Is it working well for you in this kind of change of pace, if you will? Dan: You know what, it’s working better now. We had to get into a groove. I mean, the worst part about it is that we launched at the end of a pandemic and into a holiday season, which was an interesting event there. So, we were learning the schedules, I was getting a sense of feedback from the retailers, I was taking in a lot of information just to see what happened to the market since I left DC. Because there was a huge spike in sales of comics, but then, by the time we had books to market, that had been cooling down as the pandemic was winding down. So, because of that, people’s buying habits were changing again. What we had to do is we had to go back and look at our line and revise how we were approaching our books. I really cut down on page counts, I changed some pricing, I made some books monthly from being bi-monthly, and things like that, just to manage the schedule. And so, naturally, we had a couple of bumps along the way. But I feel that now we’re starting to put books back on shelves, and we’re averaging out for the next few months, somewhere between three to four books a month. And then we should be on about a two books per month schedule, which I think is really what we can handle. But, as with anything, it is the learning experience. I had my first major faux pas, which was interesting, because my former employees enjoyed pointing it out to me. I accidentally left the price off the books. I was working with different contractors and each one thought they were covering that thing and I was in the middle of a convention and I was reviewing a book on the phone. So, one of my first learning curves was to learn never review a book on a phone. You can’t see the mistakes! It’s been a lot of fun and the great part about it is that Frank’s completely invigorated by this, he loves being part of the process. Just earlier this week, I was working on a script and he was giving me script notes. And it’s kind of surrealistic for Frank Miller to be giving me script notes. So, it’s been a fun experience for me. You know, we’re not

in this to change the world or to grab a market share, or to be a major player. We’re kind of in this to enjoy ourselves and create the books we want to do and what gives us the most fun in a medium that we love so much, you know? CBC: And for the folks who are with you at the very beginning, how many of them are still with you? I mean, I know you had a handful of folks who may have already swapped out. Dan: Yeah, what we did is that everything sort of collapsed onto Frank and myself. You know, and Frank’s been taking point on the Ronin II book, naturally, and on Pandora. I’ve been keeping a handle on Ancient Enemies and a couple of other series, and I’ve been really handling all the nuts and bolts of the production aspect of it all. So, if you want to know the truth, it’s down to the four of us. The three principals of the company are Frank, myself, and Silenn Thomas. Silenn is Frank’s CEO of Frank Miller, Inc. So, we’re going to have her in the mix, because she manages all of Frank’s properties, things like Sin City and Ronin, and things like that. And then the fourth person in the mix is my wife. So, I’m hoping that she sticks with me. So far, she’s been doing a great job of managing the social media aspect of it, she’s been managing all the invoicing and all the payments, and she’s really just keeping everything running on time. It’s been, really, the four of us running it. And I have some people that are helping me on the sidelines. I have a designer down in Puerto Rico by the name of Roberto Cruz. I have a production person with Pete Carlsson, who used to work for Joe Kubert. So, I’m pulling from different places to give me a hand because God knows I can use all the help I can get. CBC: So, the folks who’ve been working with you the whole time, as far as the talent on the books, those folks have been pretty loyal and wanting to be a part of this process still. Dan: Yeah, I mean, it’s a labor of love for everybody. I mean, the reality is, we have a small group. On Ronan II, Philip Tan and Daniel Henriques, they’re in high demand everywhere, but they’ve committed to making this a priority, which I truly appreciate, and seeing it through to the end of all six issues. So, that’s wonderful on that side. Emma Kubert has really made Pandora her own, has taken the original ideas and a lot of the designs that Frank did, and just adapted them through her own style and sensibilities and has really brought a wonderful mix of the two looks together. And the writers on there, Chris and Anthony, they actually worked with me on my prose novel, and it’s great working with them on this book, they’re really just two really talented writers. And then, for me, I’m working on Ancient Enemies, I’m having a blast with the Danilo Beyruth. I think he’s really a comic book treasure. I think he’s based out of Brazil, but, he’s done a beautiful job, just doing layouts, and his storytelling is impeccable. And then we bring in Alex Sinclair for the colors on Ancient Enemies, and he just brings this beautifully bright palette and just elevates all the material together.

Sin City, The Geek TM & © Frank Miller, Inc.

So, everybody’s working and everybody’s invigorated by the material and enjoying it. So, you know, we’ll make it last. But, Frank and I, we do have other projects we want to get down into down the road. Because we’re such small group, we almost have to do it station by station — we’re working on these books, when these come close to an end, and we’ll move on to the next ones, and then we’ll move on in that fashion. We don’t want to take too much on. We don’t want the quality of the material to suffer for it, you know, because sometimes you over-expand, you don’t get a chance to really manage it as closely as you want. And I’ve brought some people in to help me on the sides. But, at the end of the day, we’re both in to do it ourselves because we enjoy it. You know, that’s why we’re here. It’s certainly not for the money, that’s for sure. CBC: That’s a forthcoming question. With the series that you’re doing now, these are all tapped out, and a specific issue count, right? These are not all going to be ongoing, are they? Dan: Well, Pandora probably has the most ongoing sensibility to it. I mean, for Pandora we did a five-issue arc for the first one because the first issue was oversized. We’re going to collect it and then we’ll start the second arc. So, they have 18 issues of stories planned out. We’ll slowly move through that as we go. But if we’re starting to move through a series right now, but you know, we’re doing them in beats. So, we do the first arc, we collect it, then we do the second arc, we collect it and then we do the third arc, and we’ll keep going from there. With Ancient Enemies, what I’m doing is I’m doing a series of one-shots to really test the waters to see if there’s any traction with characters inside the book. So, instead of doing the big, overarching story, I can really hone in on a single character, and really follow that one character’s story,and tell that story ongoing. So, I’m going to see which, if any breakouts if they don’t break out, we have other ideas. So, we’ll see from there. CBC: Obviously, Frank is going to be as hands on as he can be. In your opinion, how has his response been with the way folks are reacting to other people working on his properties? Has he been pleased by that? Dan: He’s very happy for the response to all the books. He loves working with Philip, he loves working with Emma. We’re going to do a couple of things different. We’re actually going to start including Frank’s layouts in the Ronin issues, starting with #3. You can see what Frank did and what Philip did with it, which is kind of fun. So, you get to see the book twice. And I think people will be excited to see that. And with Emma, Frank and Emma, they meet regularly, they talk regularly on the book, and you know, they’re ready to sit down with the writers and breakout the second arc of next week. So, we’re moving. It’s kind of nice to say, but I feel like we’re in a groove right now, which took a little while to get there. But then, you know, when you start things up, and you’re in multiple cities, with multiple people working, and with everything pulling at you, I’m surprised that we did as well as we did. But, more importantly, I feel confident about what’s coming ahead. CBC: I’m going to ask two more questions. One of which is just because one of my favorite people in the entire medium is Alex Sinclair. His sensibilities are obviously different from the plan that you guys had initially about changing the palette, so it wasn’t as… as “comic booky,” I guess, as a way to put it. Is that still a plan? Dan: It went the other way around. We actually went to more of a much more of a brighter tone, and much more something that’s really, I think, in all honesty, in speaking with Alex, when we first set it up, he said he had a slow start, because he said,

it’s almost like he had to relearn the skills he had in the ’90s to deliver what we wanted here. CBC: Obviously, everybody is doing their own work. But, other than Frank, is there anybody else who has been an influence on the folks who are working on your books? Dan: No, not really. I mean, we’ve been really pulling everything out. I mean, Frank’s already started to work with Milo Manara on a Sin City story. And that’s going to be interesting to see, where two styles mesh, because they’re so diametrically different. And we’re excited to see what Milo does with Frank’s outline and he’s working on it as we speak, which is fun. But, the truth is, we’re working with people we like to work with, and we’re comfortable working with. I mean, that’s the joy of having your own little company is you can really continue to work with people that you feel you have the best relationships with. And because you’re not trying to put out so much product, you can really just really focus on getting what you have in front of you right. That’s sort of the logic here. CBC: That is the fact of where your heart is, where it’s the quality that drives the product. But, the fact of the matter is, obviously the product has got to provide the funding. And where does that sit? Is this like, “Hey, we’re swimming and we’re swimming hard to keep the nose above water”? What does that feel like for you this many months now into it? Dan: Well, we actually got a good influx of capital at the start by pre-selling some NFT [non-fungible token] material that strangely never came out, just because of the way the market changed there. But at least you know, we were able to get that funding and we’ve been living off that rather carefully. We have a very small operation, we manage ourselves very properly, and we’ll keep going. The good part about Frank is that he’s fiercely independent. And because of that, that independence is what’s driving us and trying to find a way to produce ourselves. So, we are acting and behaving, truly, as a small independent company. And

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

This spread: On the previous page, at top is Frank Miller’s variant cover art for Ancient Enemies #1 [Nov. 2022] and, at bottom, Danilo Beyruth’s variant cover for #3 [Mar. 2023]. Above is a detail of one of the most iconic moments in the world of Frank Miller’s Sin City, the “I Love You, Nancy Callahan” embrace. An NFT of this scene sold for $840,000 in 2021, the highest price to date ever received for a piece created by Frank Miller and funds that would go on to help support the FMP imprint. Below is Frank’s contribution to Dan’s Ancient Enemies series, The Geek. At bottom, Dan and Frank get some nosh in April ’22.

[A big nod of thanks to Dan for providing his thoughts on the opening salvo of the much-anticipated Frank Miller Presents publishing campaign. Look for more on Dan in CBC with his two-part bio coming soon. — GB]

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a good pace. And we’ll see how long we can keep this engine running. CBC: Is there anything beyond what this is in front of you right now? Do you have the sequel to your prose book getting ready? I mean, what else is there for you? Dan: My deal with the publisher is a two-book deal. So, we’re actually getting started on it. We’re still in discussion on whether or not we want it to be a sequel, which seems to be the most logical thing, as I have the notes already built for that or a separate project, which is where I kind of lean to because I get excited about new ideas. I can’t help myself, sometimes. You know, so I got excited about a new idea I was doing and so we’re going back and forth right now. I’m waiting to see how the first book hits and I think that’s going to make my decision for me. Because, if it hits strong, we’ll be right back to it. If it hits and needs time to build, that allows me to move to another property and push that forward, too. We’ll see. Like I said, the goal is to go where the interest and the excitement is. But you know, it’s hard for me to not still be a publisher in my mind and be aware of the market. I don’t want to create things for just me, I want to be creating for me. But I’d like other people to be jumping in, too, or else what’s the purpose of making things? CBC: What’s, what’s the purpose of making something for the masses if there’s no masses? Dan: Exactly,100% right.

Hide or Seek © Dan DiDio.

we’re managing our finances accordingly. The goal is to make sure that all our talent are well compensated for what they do. We don’t want anybody to take any reduced rates or anything like that. It’s quite the opposite: we want people to feel comfortable working with us and that they’re getting the proper compensation. I don’t want anybody feeling like they’re sacrificing income just by working with us. That should never be the case. And we’re managing it to the best of our ability. And, fingers crossed, we’re looking at hopefully, some of this stuff working, some of the sales being able to help drive the finances, and we’ll just keep chugging along. That’s the way this works. CBC: You gotta be “the engine that could.” Dan: Yeah, exactly. I mean, Above: By the time you read this, that’s why we’re not overextending ourselves. I paced out the Dan DiDio’s debut novel, Hide or productions a little bit more so that income from the books Seek, will have hit the bookstores. helps finance the next set of books. So, everything moves at

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

All characters TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc. COLORS BY: GLENN WHITMORE

An Interview with Graham Nolan of Compass Comics

From my perspective, Graham Nolan, born in Jersey, raised on Long Island and the Space Coast, and trained in Dover, I could tell the artist has a very tidy office. I could plainly see that as I interviewed him twice in one week this past winter, a conversation conducted via a Zoom-like “videotelephony” software program. Maybe he cleaned it up for the chat but, after spending three or so hours learning about him, I’m inclined to believe he’s a remarkably organized person. Graham’s career also indicates a pragmatic and methodical creator, one with a keen eye on advancement and heart yearning to take on a challenge. And you’ll learn that for

yourself reading this transcript, as you discover the man completed three years of studies in two while at the Kubert School, steadily advanced at DC Comics to become an important Batman artist, produced for numerous years daily and Sunday newspaper strips, and now completely navigates his own future by creating exciting and fun comics for his own company, Compass Comics, by appealing directly to his audience, one that crowdfunds his output, which includes Joe Frankenstein. My first question refers to a savage winter storm the city of Buffalo suffered in December, when nearly 50 people died. Graham lives only 20 miles east of New York’s second largest city. — Jon B. Cooke

Comic Book Creator: You live near Buffalo. What happened with the big storm? Graham Nolan: Well, I live in Buffalo because my wife is from this area, and we settled here rather than in “my” Florida, but I’ve been trying to get back there ever since. [laughs] As far as the storm goes, it was bad, it was heavy, but we didn’t get it where I’m at as bad as the city did. I’m about 20 minutes south and east of Buffalo, and that’s the snow belt, so typically we get more snow than they do, but this time it hit the city a lot worse than us, and that’s why 40 someodd people ended up dying. CBC: One of the most interesting little facts I just learned was you very specifically wanted to work on Detective Comics, but not only because it was Batman, but it was because your dad was a detective. Graham: Yeah, my dad was a homicide detective on Long Island. My whole family was in law enforcement, and Detective Comics was the first Batman comic I ever bought, it was the masthead of DC Comics, that’s where “DC” comes from — “Detective Comics.” At one point, Chuck [Dixon] and I were offered

Batman, which always sells better than Detective, but both of us wanted to stay on Detective just because of its history. CBC: You were born on Long Island? Graham: Technically, I was born in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. My dad at that time was working for U.S. Steel, and we were right across the Hudson. It sits right on the bluff, but I was only there for a few months before we went back to Long Island, where he was from Long Beach. CBC: I was talking to Greg Goldstein… Graham: Oh, yeah! CBC: And he, out of the blue, mentioned a bar that you’re somehow connected with…? Graham: Nolan’s Pub! It’s still there. Yeah, my dad opened up the pub and then decided to go into the police department and had to sell the pub because of a conflict of interest. So, I think around 1964, he sold it and the new owners kept the name, and it’s been that name ever since, Nolan’s Pub. It’s a typical “lifeguard and cop bar” on the east side of Long Beach…

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CBC: “Lifeguard and cop bar”? [chuckles] Are there a lot of “lifeguard and cop” bars? Graham: Well, in Long Beach, there is, because, you know, it’s a barrier island. When he was a young man, he was a captain of the lifeguards, too, so there was a lot of connections, a lot of cops and firemen were lifeguards, and so there’s a lot of that cross-over. CBC: Right. You said he worked in U.S. Steel? What was he doing there? Graham: He was in sales for U.S. Steel for a very short period of time. After he and my mom were married, he had gotten out of college and somehow got involved in sales for U.S. Steel, but it wasn’t working out for him, and I don’t think my mom cared for the lifestyle. So they went back to Long Beach, he opened Nolan’s Pub, and then decided, well, he’s going to get into the police department. His father, my grandfather, was a former chief of police there, so it wasn’t too hard to get into the police academy, and then he went from his tin shield to his gold shield, and then he retired from an injury, and then we moved to Florida. CBC: What year did he retire? Graham: Well, he was on medical leave for a few years, so we moved to Florida in 1974, so he retired probably in ’74 CBC: That must have been a big change going to Florida. Graham: It really was. It was a culture change, because the Florida of 1974 was not the Florida of 2022. There was a lot more podunk there, particularly where we were… I shouldn’t say that, I should say my mom and dad were very bright, educated people, so when we decided to move to Florida, first thing, they looked into was the schools and culture, and stuff like that. So they settled on the Space Coast because of the Air Force base there and its connection to the Kennedy Space Center. So there were a lot of engineers and scientists living on the Space Coast, and so they would demand better schools and on. CBC: Is that the east coast? Graham: Right, it’s about halfway down the east coast. Where I lived was just south of Cape Canaveral. It’s Cape Canaveral, Titusville, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, and Indian Harbour Beach, where I grew up. CBC: Did you witness the launching of the U.S. Space Shuttle? Graham: Oh, yeah! Yup, I saw STS 1 go up and I saw it on the launchpad, too. CBC: Wow! That must have been impressive. Graham: It was, and when they brought it out from Edwards Air Force Base,

we were cleaning our pool in the back yard, and we heard this noise and the 747 flew over our house with the shuttle on top of it, piggyback! It came further south of Canaveral and banked around to land at the Canaveral Air Force Base. CBC: Were you disappointed that the Apollo program was over by the time you moved there? Graham: Yeah, I was. They’d been talking about the space transport system for a while, but it was constantly being pushed back and, finally in 1981, I think it was ’81 when they finally launched the first one, but they were talking about it in ’77, so it was a long wait. But, prior to that, I saw lots of stuff go up, like satellite launches, either Apollo-Soyuz or the International Space Station launch, you know, the first part of that. We could see the launches from our backyard or go down to the beach, which is like four blocks away, and watch it there. CBC: Wow! Graham: That’s why I’m a space junkie. Growing up there, I always like science fiction and all that, but then when we moved down there and I grew up on the Space Coast, and I knew a lot of my friends’ dads that worked for [Harris Corp] or at Rockwell International and all these other subcontractors on the base. You just get caught up in the culture and stuff. And it was really cool. CBC: Very nice. Did you have siblings? Graham: Yeah, I have a brother and a sister, both younger. I’m the oldest. CBC: You’re born in 1962, so you must have been really young when the Adam West Batman show came on. Graham: Yes. I was four. CBC: Did you watch it first run? Graham: I did watch it first run, though I don’t know if I watched first season or if I caught it in the second or third season, but… yeah, definitely. I call it first run stuff. When Topps had the Batman cards, I remember getting those. I had the Corgi Batmobile and the Batboat. I had a birthday party. I’ll see if I can find that photograph and throw it into the file for you, so you can use it… It was a Batman birthday party and I had bats on the cake and a bat phone, and all that. CBC: Were you indulged as a child? Graham: No, not at all, but that stuff was cheap… CBC: Your mom was a schoolteacher? Graham: Right. Elementary school. She taught in Bethpage, on Long Island. CBC: I read an article from a Florida newspaper, about when you’re on vacation down there and she talked you into coming in and giving a talk to a bunch of kids.

Conducted by Jon B. Cooke •Transcribed by Tom Pairan

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Above: Very young Graham Nolan posing for his Kubert School ID card back in the early 1980s. Previous spread: Graham Nolan’s official photo portrait as the president of Compass Comics, Inc., found on his LinkedIn page, and his company logo.

Above: Talent Showcase #16 [Apr. 1985], with art by Gray Morrow, whom Graham met as a young professional and learned a lesson on being “aged out” in the business. Below: A pair of panels of Graham’s art from “The Rest Is — Herstory, “ in that same issue.

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Talent Showcase TM & © DC Comics.

and I both had some comics, but we don’t remember where we got them — if they were handed down by friends or bought by parents, just to “shut us up” type of thing, but when the teacher brought that stuff in, that was a whole new world. They were brand-new, right off the stands, and they were exciting! They had these characters, which I knew from other media, like Batman, Superman, Aquaman… It was a Justice League of America comic in particular that did it for me, and that’s when I got hooked, and then we started going to the local luncheonette, where there was a spinner rack, and they sold the comics and we started buying our own. And we were off to the races! CBC: You said it was 1974? So it was right when you moved to Florida or before? Graham: Yeah, this was like around March of ’74, maybe Graham: Right, and she became a teacher after years of not even into ’73 ,when he brought the comics in. But the first comteaching, just being a homemaker. They paid them so poorly ics that I looked at had a cover date of July of ’74, which means down there, and she had a lot of years in between, and she had they were sold in March, so when I backdate like that, it looks to take remedial courses and all that stuff, and she ended up like February/March is when we first started buying them. getting her teaching degree down there and teaching at Ocean CBC: So did you have any familiarity with Florida when you Breeze Elementary School. And, in the first year, she became a moved there or was it a whole new world? “Teacher of the Year.” Graham: It was a whole new world. The only thing that was CBC: Wow. Was it a happy childhood? familiar was the beach, because I lived three blocks from the Graham: Happy-ish. My brother and I, we made things ocean in Long Beach, Long Island, which, again, is a barrier happen, and my mom made sure we were happy, but there was island, and when we moved down there and moved to Indian troubles in the marriage. My dad was drinking. A lot of cops, Harbour Beach, also a barrier island, and we were maybe an Irish cops, have developed drinking problems and we were no extra block or two from the beach then, so the beach culture different, and so it made for sometimes a hostile environment, resonated with me, but the other culture did not. which kind of pushed us towards comics as a release. It was CBC: What, the “cracker” culture? monsters and magazines, and stuff like that… a fantasy world Graham: Yeah, pretty much, yes. The racism, which I hadn’t to escape to. seen at that point, there was some things that people were CBC: Was it abusive against you or was it just a hostile unafraid of saying that hit us… environment? CBC: The “word”? Graham: Just a hostile environment, when the parents are Graham: Yeah, the “word” got used just like any other adconstantly fighting, that trickles down to the kids, the yelling, jective. In Long Island, we were in Nassau County, very liberal, the arguing, it’s a toxic environment as opposed to a really and it still is. hostile scene… CBC: So, with the anxiety of living in a new place, since you CBC: Did they get divorced? just discovered comics, wee they something to embrace when Graham: Eventually, yeah. I was 18 when they finally diyou were down there? vorced and, quite honestly, probably should have been sooner, Graham: Oh, absolutely. It was a saving grace for us was I would have probably worked out better. finding the new place to get our comics to take us to these CBC: When did drawing come into play for you? fantasy worlds, away from the noise and the nonsense. We went Graham: I don’t know the beginnings of the actual drawing, into it hard. but I do know when comics came into the play of drawing, CBC: Where did you buy your comics? and that was in 1974, when my sixth-grade teacher brought Graham: At the 7-11s down there. in comic books for the class to read during recess. My brother CBC: You keep saying “we”; is this your brother and you? Graham: Right, my brother was with me and we were into comics together for a while, and then he got out of them eventually, went down his own path, but I stayed. CBC: What’s his name? Graham: Chris, Christopher Nolan. [laughs] But not the one you usually think of with that name. CBC: Was Chris creative? Graham: He liked to draw, but he really didn’t have a proficiency at it, but he is creative, much more musical than I. He eventually learned to play guitar and sing and played in bands and stuff, and still does. CBC: When did you recognize artistic styles and who did you embrace most of all, early on? Graham: That’s easy: it was John Romita, Sr. His work was very recognizable to me, because he was doing covers for Amazing Spider-Man and, at that time, he was art director at Marvel, so he was doing a lot of covers, particularly inking over Gil Kane, who tended to be the mainstay cover artist for Marvel, like Nick Cardy was over at DC, and I love the slickness of his

New Talent Showcase TM & © DC Comics.

work, I loved how he drew the heroic characters and the pretty women and stuff like that. So yeah, definitely Romita was one of the first guys whose work I recognize. Kirby, of course, is unmistakable and… well, I wrote that thing for you for Kirby’s 100th birthday [Kirby100], about his horror stuff was the first stuff that I ever saw from Fear #2 [Jan. 1971], and so Kirby’s power and the stuff I saw to first and early on. CBC: Were you buying back issues? Graham: There was no place to find back issues back then, not where I was in Long Beach, when we got to Florida, we found some places that had back issues, and we started buying stuff. CBC: Is that the way you got Monsters on the Prowl and Where Creatures Roam, and that stuff? Graham: Like the Fear comic. That’s one of those ones that I had where I don’t know where I got it from, but I do have it. So I got that off the stands when it came out in ’71, so that was right on that cusp of when I was starting to discover comics too, when I think about it. CBC: You said you were into the monster movies too, right? Graham: Monster movies came first. CBC: Can you tell me what was it about the appeal of Jack’s monsters? Graham: With Kirby, it’s all about power. And the way he drew these creatures were scary-looking, the proportions on them, they were big and heavy, and I don’t mean just like the kaiju-style, the ones taller than a building, even the ones that were human-sized, they had a lot of energy and a lot of power. And they look like juggernauts that you couldn’t stop. And the way he portrayed the protagonist also kind of enhanced that, that they always look like they knew they couldn’t beat this thing… CBC: Did you copy them? Graham: I’m sure I did. I would just open up and start drawing Batman by Dick Sprang, or Superman by Curt Swan, or John Romita’s Captain America. Because that was another comic that I had, Captain America #114 [June 1969]. So it was right after Kirby and the Steranko run, and then Buscema took over for #115 [July ’69], I think the Colan came in… Romita did that one issue, #114, and Sharon is going on a suicide mission because she thinks Steve is dead, that Hydra had killed him, and so she’s gonna go on the suicide mission for Fury, and they released the Walking Stiletto against her, the “robot that can’t be stopped,” and she’s about to go down… Cap’s shield comes flying in and smashes into the face of this robot, and then there’s this close up shot of a her going, “It can’t be… It can’t be!” But it is! Captain America! And then there’s a splash shot of Cap and Bucky running towards the reader, and Cap is leaning over and he’s catching the shield, as it is slung back to him, and he catches the shield backhand, and Rick Jones/Bucky is in the background, running towards the reader… I tried to draw that thing a million times, there’s such great foreshortening of Romita’s drawing of Cap’s leg coming forward, the twist in the body, the catching the backhand, catching the shield. I never got it right… I never could get it right. CBC: Johnny’s not easy to imitate. Graham: He’s so good. CBC: JR Senior, he loved Jack’s stuff (and so does Junior!). And he wasn’t doing that much at the time because he was so busy as art director, but he did do the daily Spider-Man strip. Did you… Graham: Our paper started that from the first one… Actually, my brother and I cut them out of the newspaper, and I still have them in a folder.

CBC: So do I! I pasted mine all up in a scrapbook. Graham: Our newspaper colored them and it looks like shit. It was a two-color process… The Sundays, of course, were colored by the syndicate and those look great, but the dailies in color, not so much. I wish I had them in black-&-white. CBC: But Johnny was really rockin’. Graham: Oh yeah. That era is gorgeous art-wise, Romita but the stories of that time are just hard. Their polemics on race… and Sam Wilson becomes this really unlikable character, and Cap is not Captain America, it’s like he’s not even a super-soldier; it’s just like a good athlete type of thing. Sometimes they go off model like that, particularly in that era, and that stuff used to drive me nuts, even as a kid. CBC: How did you recognize the quintessential Captain America? Graham: Because of #114. That was 1969. That was, like I said, it was Stan and Steranko, and before that Stan and Kirby. Yes, he was the man-out-oftime type of thing, but he was clearly this great, great character who wasn’t always so conflicted, and then by the

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Above: Graham’s first pro art appeared in New Talent Showcase #14 [Feb. 1985]. Inset left: NTS editor Sal Amendola reveals that Graham’s three-page story (below) was the result of a debate the young artist had with Kubert School classmates.

Above: Quite early in his career, Graham hooked up with Tim Truman’s 4Winds Studio, producing work for Eclipse Comics. Maybe most prominently, the young artist worked on the origin of the character in the back pages of The Prowler, a short-lived series [1987–88]. This faux newspaper strip was drawn by Graham with script by Michael H. Price. Below: Honoring the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, Graham drew this exclusive comic, plus a Veteran’s Day salute tweeted out by Graham!

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The Prowler TM & © the respective copyright holder. The New Avengers, Captain America TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

time… I don’t know if it was Mike Friedrich who wrote those stories… CBC: It was Gary Friedrich. Graham: Was it Gary? Okay, so he was a young guy and he’s bringing in his worldview at that time into the stories, and I didn’t care for it. They don’t hold up. It’s like the drug stories that Neal and Denny did [in Green Lantern/Green Arrow]. We only remember ’em because of how great Neal’s art is, but those things are really tough issues… They’re hard to read. CBC: I like them as curiosities, because it’s like, “What were they thinking here?” Graham: I thought Stan did a much better job, because his book came out first, Spidey #96 [May 1971], where Harry Osborn gets hooked up on “horse.” CBC: They were just nondescript pills… Graham: Oh yeah, that’s it. And then you got the one guy on the roof, the black guy, who says, “I can fly like an eagle,” and all that, but I thought Stan handled it a little bit more entertaining and slightly less heavy-handed. CBC: I’m curious: did you ever do a run of Captain America? Graham: No, but I got to draw him. I did a book for the U.S. Army that was to be sold in their PXs. It was an Avengers tale, one of those projects in Marvel’s special projects division, and Tom Palmer inked it. So that was the only time I got to draw Cap. I did a cover for The Avengers… What was it? [New Avengers: Pot of Gold (AAFES 110th Anniversary Issue), Oct. 2005.] It wasn’t their animated look; it was a Marvel Adventures The Avengers [#30, Jan. 2009] that had Cap on it also. CBC: Would you like to do a run of Cap? What would be the ideal? Graham: To do anything for Marvel or DC, it’d have to be, “You give me a green light to do what I want, because those

characters aren’t recognizable for me. So if you really wanted to get me, Marvel, call me and give Chuck and me a 12-issue run of The Fantastic Four. CBC: Really? Are you listening, Marvel? Graham: No, they’re not listening. CBC: So, when you were in high school, how are you doing academically and athletically and socially? How was your experience? Graham: I loved high school. I had a great time. I met some of my best friends in life, which I have five core friends, friends I met through high school that are all still together. Yeah, they’re all in Florida still. I’m the only one outside of the state, but they just got together for a retirement party for a buddy of mine and they Zoomed me into it, and they’re out doing a pub crawl. Socially, I had a great time. Academically, I did good in the subjects that I enjoyed. I took AP courses in art and physiology and stuff. Not in math and not in chemistry, I can tell you that. I did really good in history and English. And I lettered in wrestling. I played sports and stuff. So, yeah, I had a great time in high school. CBC: Were you dating? Graham: I didn’t have a girlfriend. I’d go out on occasional dates, but I didn’t really have a girlfriend. CBC: How did you avoid the trappings of the day? With drugs and drinking and partying, and stuff like that? Graham: Well, I didn’t avoid the trappings of partying and drinking, but the drugs never held any interest to me, and they were quite prevalent down in Florida, particularly pot, because they were bringing in bales offshore, and you always knew when they’d get busted by the cops, because the drug runners would toss the bales overboard, and all the potheads and surfers were down at the beach during school hours, combing the beach, looking for the bales to wash up. But that never had any appeal to me. Maybe because of my dad, [who] before he was in homicide, was in narcotics, and we had drugs around the house, because he used them for snitches and stuff like that, and he made it very clear to us to stay away from that kind of stuff. For whatever reason — personality, what have you — upbringing…? Who knows? It’s just not something that I ever engaged in. CBC: Did you make your homemade comics? Graham: I would write little stories and draw them… CBC: Did you have your own characters or… Graham: No, I did not. CBC: You used established Marvel characters. Graham: I remember specifically a Green Lantern story that I wrote with the typical alien invasion stuff and the Green Lantern has got to fight them. That’s the only one I can remember, but I know I did more. CBC: Did you ever save them? Graham: No, I may have saved them, but I moved around, my parents moved around, and they get divorced, so a lot of stuff got thrown. CBC: Did you move around in the same vicinity? Graham: After the divorce, they separated, and I went off to the Kubert School, the year before they divorced. I came back because I ran out of money. And then, the year I was home, I was going to community college and that was a the year they divorced, so they split, so I went with my mom and lived with her, and then my dad went someplace else, they sold the house and you know when you’re moving sh*t, a lot of stuff gets tossed, and then when I went back to Kubert’s for a second year, ran out of money again, and then never went back and stayed in New Jersey because I wanted to be close to New York City to

Transformers TM & © Hasbro, Inc. The Atom, Hawkman TM & © DC Comics.

go in and out of the offices at Marvel and DC. CBC: Did you know that, when you went to Kubert School, that money was going to be precarious or was there money that didn’t come through? How does that happen? How did you suddenly run out of money? Graham: Because of the finances of the family and the divorce took its toll. And my brother, at that point, was going off to school, so he went up to college the year I was home, so there’s only… If they had some money to give him, it went to him. CBC: Where did you get the idea to go to the Kubert School? Graham: I probably saw one of their ads in the comics. I thought about going to the University of Florida at first, because all my buddies were going there, and I was hemming and hawing and stuff, and I applied late and didn’t get in. And they don’t really have a great art program there anyway, certainly not for what I wanted. But, then I saw the ad for Kubert’s, and I was like, “Wow! That’s exactly what I want.” CBC: And what did you want? Graham: To do comics, to be taught how to draw comics, tell stories with pictures, narrative art. CBC: Was comic strips always a part of that? Graham: No, not so much. Most comic strips, when I was growing up, were gag-a-day humor stuff. I like some of them, but it wasn’t my thing. So yeah, even to a kid back at that time, late ’70s, early ’80s, I could tell comic strips were on their way out. CBC: But there was a long and illustrious history of comic strips. Did you become familiar with the history of comic strips? Graham: I’ve always been a history nut, particularly for the history of comics, about where they came from. I always wanted to know where my idols came from, their styles didn’t come up out of nowhere, so what were their influences? And I would back track and I would see, “Oh, Hal Foster! Well, that looks like a John Buscema panel.” Okay, well, John Buscema studied the work of Hal Foster. John Romita, the way he placed blacks was clearly from the Caniff/Sickles school. So I would go back and look at these origin points and see what I could pick up from those guys. CBC: And did you aspire to this? You’ve got a really classical look, that’s not necessarily Kirby but you can see aspects of Kirby in there. I can even see some John Prentice in there, I mean, just his classic kind of approach of placing of figures and storytelling, and I just think you have a lovely placing of blacks. Your figures have weight and dimension and they’re classical to me. Would you say that you aspire to something that wasn’t necessarily a splashy and stylistic so much as Caniff? Graham: If you look at my work and then look at the people who I cite as influences, it’s very clear, there are stylists in there, certainly Joe Kubert, certainly Jack Kirby are stylists… But then there’s also the guys like John Buscema… You talked about the weight of the characters. I don’t think anybody did it better than him (with maybe except the exception of Kirby), to place figures into a situation where you can feel their mass, their weight. They never felt like they were airy; I always tried to take what I like from them and recognize the faults, the things that I dislike about their work, and tried not to incorporate that, so that my stylings eventually become my own. CBC: So you were there at Kubert School for a year. Can you just walk me through it? Had you already met Joe? Graham: No, I hadn’t met Joe, because I was in Florida and, for people who were a long distance away, he did phone interviews. So we had to schedule a phone interview after I had sent a portfolio, and then he would go over the portfolio and I

think he told me I was accepted during the phone interview. I was a little bit nervous but, to be honest, at that point in my life, I wasn’t a fan of Joe Kubert. I liked his work fine, but I always thought it was very loose, where I was leaning more towards a tighter drawing style, but a little bit more surface “flash,” if you will… To me now, when I look at that attitude I had, it was just ignorance. And having gone to the school and learning about different styles and different ways approaching, just what a genius Joe’s work is and now he’s right up there in the top five of my all-time greatest. I just marvel at not what he puts in, but what he leaves out, too, of his work. CBC: Tell me what it was like meeting him in person. Graham: Well, he wasn’t anything that I expected, because he looks like he’s a welder and not a comic book artist. And his handshake is like that of a welder. Like I said, I wrestled, I got a good grip, but sticking my hand into his was like putting it into a vice. His was big but not that tall. I think Joe might have been 5' 11", something like that, but he had that big-boned, Polish, Eastern bloc gene pool. Yeah, was very boxy and a powerful personality. And Joe was just great and he was a huge influence. CBC: And what did you think of the school when you were there? Was it organized? Were you getting what you wanted out of it? Graham: Oh yeah, it was intense. We were working all the time, sometimes pulling all-nighters and stuff. Eventually, what you figure out is what classes to blow off and what classes to pay attention to, because you’ve only got so many hours in the day and you would want to impress… “Do I wanna impress Hy Eisman’s lettering class? Or do I wanna impress Joe in how I approach storytelling and the way I draw the figures?” And

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Above: Graham’s first Marvel assignment was The Transformers #16 [May 1986], inks by Tom Morgan. Below: Before his Batman gig, Graham was known for his runs on Hawkworld and The Power of the Atom. Commission piece. Next page: From top is Hawkworld #2 [July 1990], cover detail from Metamorpho #4 [Nov. 1993], and The Power of the Atom #18 [Nov. 1989], with inks by Brett Breeding. Page 57: Astonishing commission piece by Graham featuring Bane, Batman, and Robin. Colors by Greg Wright.

comic cons at the Sheraton or wherever those Phil Seuling conventions took place in the ’70s, so they would do articles, so that’s how I knew about comic book and the Star Trek conventions, back when they were intermingled… CBC: Were you into Famous Monsters of Filmland at all? Graham: I didn’t have access to Famous Monsters, but I did have The Monster Times, and their distribution was primarily in the Tri-State area, I think, because they used to work out of New York City, but they had a lot of guys in comics working there doing stories and stuff: Frank Brunner, Denny O’Neil, Gary Gianni, Bernie Wrightson did stuff for them. It was like a tabloid newspaper and it came out every other week. CBC: Right, bi-weekly. Graham: Do you remember Monster Times? CBC: Yeah, but it was too pricey for me as a kid, but I remember seeing it on the stands in New York City, when my brother and I attended the Phil Seuling cons at the Commodore and Statler Hilton. Were you interested in fanzines at all and the whole fandom community? Graham: I was interested in it, but I didn’t have any access to it. Remember: we moved in ’74 when I was just becoming aware of that stuff, so it wasn’t until 1976, ’77. The first convention I ever went to was a Star Trek convention, in Titusville, on the Space Coast, pretty close to Cape Canaveral. In fact, I remember it was 1977, because they were talking about this movie that was coming out and the comic had just been released, called Star Wars, and the Chaykin Star Wars cover was everywhere at that convention. That was the first one I ever went to. CBC: Did you like it? Graham: I was like, “Oh my God, look at all these back issues!” I’m going through the boxes, I’m like, “Oh my God!” I had X-amount of dollars in my pocket and I bought some comics, but then I found the Star Trek stuff and I’m like, “Oh sh*t, I spent all my money.” So my brother ended up buying the comics from me, so I had his money now to buy some of the Star Trek stuff that I wanted. CBC: Did you have a gig as a teenager to earn money? Graham: I did chores for neighbors and for my parents. I babysat, mowed lawns, and all that. DC comics were only 20¢. Marvel was 25¢, and there were 60¢ 100-page giants… CBC: Do you remember a point when you said, “I want to be a comic book artist”? Was it always something in you? Graham: It was the same time as when that sixth-grade teacher brought in the comics to class. That’s when I decided I wanted to draw comics. CBC: It’s an epiphany to recognize that human beings actually made these things for a living. Was it immediate for you to recognize that? Graham: Well, there are names there in the credits, so I figured human beings were doing it. It said pencils by John Buscema, inks by Tom Palmer. So I figured, “Well, okay, somebody’s getting paid to do this stuff.” You know, I don’t know what they’re getting paid and, if I had

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

Hawkworld, Metamorpho, The Power of the Atom TM & © DC Comics.

all that kind of stuff. Well, for me, that’s what letterers are for, and I don’t want a job as a letterer, so I’m going to focus on that, so my lettering grades weren’t great, but I did very well in Joe’s class. CBC: I just did this book called The Charlton Companion, and I did a little biographical thing on this gentleman, and I just read in the interview in Amazing Heroes, where you mentioned John Belfi. What was he like? Graham: John was a great mentor to me. He taught the business side of comics. John went into advertising, I think in the late ’50s after he’d left the industry. He did a strip called Straight Arrow, which was a Western Indian story and I don’t know why he left the industry, but he got into advertising and he worked there, and his primary role at the Kubert School was to teach the business end of things, and I still have memories that I keep with me about how I approached the business that I learned from John: mistakes he made and why I shouldn’t make them; I’ll make my own. But I learned a lot from John and his wife, Val, worked at the school also in the office, and she was a sweetheart when I was first married, they had us over to their place. They lived in North Jersey, and he had a closet full of strips, he goes, “Come in here and grab some art work to take home.” I still have a Straight Arrow strip that John gave me. CBC: He was actually out of the comics industry because of the anti-comics campaign of the 1950s. He wrote an essay for a newspaper about, “No, really, comics are good for kids.” Graham: John did a lot of corporate comics and he pushed that on us because, he said, “There’s a real money in that.” CBC: Belfi was a remarkably ambitious guy. The industry collapsed, so he just said, “Okay, what’s next?” He was involved in yachting, of all things. He liked boating. Graham: That sounds about right, and he always smoked these brown cigarettes, thin and small, more like a cigar. CBC: So John recommended you? He hooked you up for a job? Graham: I don’t remember that, but Sal Amendola did. He got me into DC. CBC: So Sal was teaching at the Kubert School. What was he teaching? Graham: Narrative art, sequential art, I believe. It’s been a long time, so it’s hard to remember now, but my first sales for DC Comics were bought by Sal, classroom projects, and he bought them for New Talent Showcase. CBC: Did you write them too? What are the stories? Graham: I wrote the first one, which is called “The Fan” [New Talent Showcase #14, Feb. 1985]It was a two or three-page story about me in a comic book convention. CBC: So when did you attend your first convention? How did you know fandom existed? Graham: Because, even before I got into comics, The Monster Times, my “monster du jour” magazine, would do stories about the New York

Bane, Batman, Robin TM & © DC Comics.

This page: A huge influence on the artistry of Michael Cho is Noel Douglas Sickles [1910–1982], whose chiaroscuro inking approach continues to be admired today. Above is Cho’s portrait of the man. At top is Sickles’ illos for Reader’s Digest Condensed Books [1955]. Below is undated Sickles sketch.

Above: Promotional poster of the Dynamic Duo, penciled by Graham, inks by Ray McCarthy, circa 1996. Below: While we predict more creative greatness from Graham in future years, the artist will most likely always be best-known for co-creating (with writer Chuck Dixon) Bane, the Batman villain who broke the Caped Crusader’s back in the 1990s “Knightfall” storyline. The character was, in part, inspired by fabled pulp hero Doc Savage, the “Man of Bronze,” whose adventures Graham loved reading as a teen. This is Graham’s style guide for an action figure.

Graham: At that time, it certainly was nerdy. There was a stigma about it. If you were into comics, you were a nerd, like, “Ohh, Star Trek conventions, the goofy people with the ears and all that kind of stuff!” That’s how it was perceived. Today, it’s the in-thing and cool thing to be in nerd culture. Yeah, it was embarrassing at times, but I had a goal, a plan, and a dream, and so there was the fandom aspect of it that I enjoyed, but there was also the business end of it that I was trying to embrace and become a part of. So I could balance that nerd exclusion from the fact that, you know what? I’m going to have a good career at some point.” CBC: To what do you attribute that fortitude, that self-assurance? Graham: Tenaciousness. It’s part of my nature. CBC: Where do you think you picked that up in your life? Was it your father or your mother…? Graham: I don’t know where it came from. I don’t know. Scrappy Irish, I guess. CBC: You come from a family of police officers, right? Was that ever an option for you or going into the military? We weren’t at war by the time… Graham: My dad discouraged me from going into the police department. When we moved in ’74, New York was a morass of crime and drugs. So he did not want that for me. He wanted me to do something else, but he was not happy when I made the announcement that I wanted to draw comics. Now, my mom, who was a teacher and artistic, she was supportive. “Okay, alright, he’s young. Let’s see where this goes.” But my dad, he couldn’t get it. He says, “You’ve got two cousins who graduated from Pratt Institute in New York, and one was flipping pizzas and the other one was laying brick. If you don’t wanna go to college, why don’t you take up a trade?” That was his worldview. You take up a trade or get into working for somebody like the police department, fire department, whatever. The idea of going into an artistic business or even one of entrepreneurship, I think seemed foreign to him. But I’m tenacious and, if I have a goal, I won’t let anybody stand in my way to do what I want to do. And, if it fails, that’s fine. I fail on my own terms, but I won’t not do something just because somebody else doesn’t think it’s right. CBC: So that must have been really frustrating, not getting your way, so to speak, when you couldn’t afford to go back to the Kubert School after that first year. Graham: It was devastating, because everybody I was in school with, was now going to be a year ahead of me, if I got to go back, so they were going to be progressing and I was stagnant. The other thing, too, was my brother was leaving for college, so I was stuck at the house at the height of the problems and of the divorce. So, it was a really tough year and, when I was able to go back, the guys I was in class with were now third-year students, and I’m a second-year. But I did get to meet some great guys and start some great friendships. The first-year guys I went to school with were Adam and Andy Kubert, Ron Wagner, and Lee Weeks. My second year, I was with Bart Sears, Mark Pennington, and they’re all friends still, so it was a good crop of students, as well, that came in those couple of years. CBC: And during the off-year, what were you doing? Graham: I was working, saving money, and taking art courses at a local community college. CBC: What were you doing for a job? Graham: At that time, I was working construction, doing labor work in the hot summers of Florida, digging ditches, laying pipes, building docks, and stuff like that. CBC: It was the pay good?

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

Batman, Robin, Bane TM & © DC Comics.

known, I probably would have gone into other profession! [laughter] But it was a passion, a love that I had from that age onward and continues to this day. CBC: Personally, it’s a big decision to become an artist. I remember coming to the crossroad. I wanted to be a cartoonist as a kid, but I recognized quickly it’s a solitary life and, frankly, for me, it was to hang with girls or spend my teen years solitary drawing, staying up all night. Drawing and drawing, and drawing and drawing… It can be lonely, and girls, well, not so lonely. Did you just have a certain fortitude and able to divide the time, so you didn’t see it as a solitary thing necessarily? Graham: No, I liked the solitude because it took me out of some of the drama that was going on in the household, so I could focus in on that, and it was a creative outlet as well. There are plenty of times where like my buddies and I would go out to the clubs or something like that and, if it was a dull night, I leave, come home and do some drawing while they’d still be there striking out. [laughter] “I’m wasting my time. There’s nothing here. I’m gonna go home and try and work on my career. Good luck, boys!” CBC: Were you a personable guy, were you able to talk to girls? You had a sister, right? Graham: I was a shy kid, unsure of myself in my place in the world, that kind of stuff. So I tended to have a lot of girls who were friends. I was “That Guy.” They loved me because they could talk to me and all that stuff, but I didn’t have a lot of girlfriends. CBC: Did you perceive it as kind of a nerdy thing? When you were getting into comics, were you comfortable…

All photos courtesy of Graham Nolan.

Graham: It was, better than working Wendy’s, which I did all through high school, and I was out in the sun. I had a hell of a tan. CBC: And you were able to save your money? Graham: Yes, I was able save enough money and then my mom kicked in and I think I had some grants too… The Pell Grants I was able to access, and so I was able to go back for a second year. CBC: Did you say your mom was creative? Graham: I did. CBC: What did she do? Graham: Well, she was musical, that’s probably where my brother got it. She was into antiques… I can’t say that I remember her doing much art or anything like that, but she certainly was a big supporter of the arts, of music and art. CBC: Did you guys have any instruments in the house? Graham: My mom played piano. CBC: Did she play for special occasions? Graham: In those days in the late ’60s, that was the cocktail era and they were very urbane, have their friends over, just like something out of those ‘60s movies or Mad Men. They’d all be around the piano with their cocktails and stuff, and she’d end up playing and they were all singing, singing their songs and something. Then, of course, they have the monkeys perform and my brother and I would get called down, we’d have to do a song. We’d rather have a root canal than have to do that. [laughter] CBC: Can you remember a song that you sang? Graham: I’m trying to block it out, Jon. I remember my brother’s song was “Blue, Blue, My World is Blue,” and I can’t remember what my song was… CBC: That had to have been humiliating! Wow. Graham: And my dad would get up and he would sing, “What Kind of Fool Am I,” and he would sing it like Anthony Newley… [laughter] CBC: My God, I never knew the appeal of Anthony Newley. Graham: You know who was a big fan of Anthony Newley and incorporated it into his singing? David Bowie! You will never hear Bowie the same way now that you know that. CBC: [Chuckles] Was rock music at all of interest to you? Graham: Yeah, I was into Elvis, because my teacher, the same one who gave me the comics, introduced us to old rock ’n’ roll because we did a play, a send-up of classic rock ’n’ roll, and so we sang The Beatles and Elvis, Bill Haley and the Comets, and all that. And that was my first introduction to that. CBC: Are you a good singer? Graham: No! [laughter] CBC: Who was this guy who brought in this pile of comics? What was his name? Graham: Bruce Schneider. It was his first year of teaching, too, and I was in his first class. About 2006, I contacted him and we exchanged emails, and he knew about my career because somebody had told him they had read an interview with me This page: Graham Nolan and the loves where he was mentioned, and I went back to Long Beach and of his life, his wife, Julia; daughters Mary, we met for lunch or breakfast, and I got to thank him personally. Becky, and Sarah; and fishing! He was just over the moon that I remembered him and that he was such an influence. CBC: That’s great you were able to tell him how influential he was. Graham: Yeah, that was really cool. CBC: That’s also very kind. So how was your work when you were at the Kubert School? In retrospect, looking over your work, did you have a spark there? Was something going on in your work? How do you look at it? COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

Above: Spectacular Bill Sienkiewicz inks grace Graham’s pencils on this Detective Comics #701 [Sept. 1996] cover. Below: Perennial creative partners Graham Nolan and Chuck Dixon in a circa 2015 pic. Mr. Dixon, by the way, is the single most prolific comic book writer of all time!

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

Batman, Bane TM & © DC Comics. Photo courtesy of Graham Nolan.

They’re going to each tell the story through their own prism and it’ll have varying degrees of success. But, for me, I think storytelling came naturally because I like movies and, I think, when you like movies, you start to deconstruct them, and you’re in the beginning stages of learning why angles were chosen and understand why did that scene resonate. Why did that director have that camera back when he did or why did he go in close? It’s that kind of stuff that I did naturally, even as I was learning to draw, so that when I started going to the Kubert School and learning some of the techniques that Joe would teach, that stuff was very easily translatable for me. CBC: Where’d you get that level of concentration? Creative often suffer attention deficit disorder and you’re able to focus on storytelling at such a young age. Are you kind of an old soul? Graham: I am definitely an old soul. When I was a kid was an old soul because I loved stuff that took place in the 1940s, I loved black-&-white movies, I loved the old comics, too, I loved old music. So definitely, I was an old soul, but some of it is not necessarily conscious; it’s subconscious as I absorb this stuff, I call it my mental library, and these books get checked into my library, and sometimes I don’t even know they’re in there, but they are… They become absorbed because I notice it, but I might not consciously notice why Hitchcock framed it that way or why that scene resonated with me, but it just does and it’s in there, and that can just be how you’re wired, it might be a natural thing for me, as opposed to a learned thing. CBC: To grow up in a dysfunctional situation and you having your brain is wired in a certain way of being able to focus on one thing, despite chaotic stuff going on around you, there’s another response for a lot of other people, a much more self-destructive response of escape, of wanting to go out. I would say that in retrospect, I kinda went that way and it took me a time to go through my own stage of recovery with that. Do you feel like you might have dodged a bullet there that you had, that maybe comics didn’t save your life, but gave you a life in a sense that it was something that you could zero in on, that had substance, and it helped save you while all this chaos is going on around you? Was there no risk of seeking out alcohol, for instance? You come from a cop family, so to speak, and the Irish are known to drink, you know… Graham: Well, again, it’s a learning experience. Certainly, Graham: Yeah, we’re a hot-blooded, passionate people. when you go to a school like that, you’re assessing everybody. And yes, I think that’s a good assessment. I think that’s true. I How do you stack up against everybody else that’s there? And think it did in some ways, save me. The other aspect was my I stacked up good with those who were there, so I knew I was mom. My mom made sure that her kids knew they were loved, going to do pretty well at the school, and then there’s people even though there was all the stuff going on in the household, you looked at, you’re like, “They’re not going to make it.” Every she tried to get us involved and interested and supported our once in a while, some guy will really improve and they’d be, interests, and stuff like that, even if my dad was going off the “Holy sh*t, he really progressed in a year!” But, by and large, rails, so I think a lot of it has to fall on my mom for keeping the you pretty much get that assessment down and it usually family together, for keeping the focus not on the negative, but holds true. on the positive. My thing has always been storytelling and my weakness CBC: Were you estranged from your father? Did you reconwas the actual draftsmanship, which was okay, but it wasn’t cile? great. So that took a lot of years before it really got locked Graham: Yes and yes. There was a period where we were esdown, but my storytelling was always there, it was honed better, tranged, where I had had it with his behavior and we had some but that was something that came much more naturally to me. blow-ups and stuff, and I said, “That’s it, we’re done.” And then, CBC: Is there any way for us uninitiated to be told what it is when my mom died at 60 from lung cancer, that sort of brought about comic book storytelling, which makes it intuitive? Is there us together, and we ended up burying the hatchet there and a formula for it? What is it? re-exploring our relationship again. Graham: Well, it’s complicated. There’s no one way to CBC: You just turned 60, correct? describe it. What’s the best way to tell that story? If you give Graham: Yes, I’ll be 61 in March. a script to five different guys, even if it’s a full script — “this is CBC: Except maybe for cigar smoking, you have a pretty panel one, blah, blah, blah, this is panel two” — what’s within healthy life, correct? those panels are going to be different; how those panels are Graham: Oh, yeah. I exercise, I eat well. Sure, I’ve got my laid out are going to be different for each one of those people. vices. I like my bourbon, like craft beer, and I like cigars, but I

Monster Island TM & © Compass Comics, Inc.

don’t over-indulge in any of them. CBC: How many children do you have? Graham: I have three daughters. CBC: Three daughters! Yeah, I got three sons. Graham: We should have gotten together earlier. CBC: I always like to say I cried with happiness when my first was a boy and I cried with sadness when my last was a boy, just I wanted that one princess. Graham: I know. And I wanted one son. What are you gonna do? God gives you what you can handle. I figured, if I had sons, I’d be butting heads with him with them. With daughters, my wife butts heads with them! [laughter] CBC: And you can be the good guy… Graham: I’m Daddy, you know? CBC: Did you become friends with Joe, Joe Kubert? Graham: Yeah, as friends as you can be, I guess. The National Cartoonist Society gave him a special Reuben Award in 2013, I believe it was, and the Ruebens are held in Jersey City, so I made sure that I went to that to see him and say hello, and he remembered me, and we got some pictures together and stuff, and that was great. CBC: Did you look at him a little bit like a father figure? I mean, he’s always naturally a paternal kind of guy. Graham: No, not as a father figure, but certainly as an influence as to how to approach storytelling in the business of comics. CBC: In retrospect, was going to the Kubert School, which in some ways can be looked at as a vocational school, a technical school, a trade school. Did you maybe miss something as far as the creative side of things, exploring like you would have in another art school… a typical art school, shall we say. Graham: No. We would have had to do science and other stuff that would have taken me away from the things I needed to focus on and learn. The intensity of the Kubert School, the fact that you’re not doing that other stuff to make grades for other things, makes you focus on the stuff you do need. And their whole idea was to have placement, is to have these people go through the school and find work within the business in some form, which is why they taught you everything from paste-up in mechanicals (which doesn’t exist anymore) to lettering, to the color processes, to the writing… well, not so much the writing… they could have had a stronger presence on the writing, but it was an art school. And then, of course, the narrative art itself, you were doing a lot of work every night, so through repetition and through that constant workload, I couldn’t help but get better. CBC: It’s a three-year school at the time. You only did two years, you ran out of money for the second year… Graham: I did two years in three years. I was there ’81–’82. Then, for ’82–’83, I was home. And in ’83–’84, I was back at the Kubert School. So that was it. CBC: So you’re out, you’re out of the Kubert School. You said you stayed in the Jersey area. Where did you stay? Where’d you live? Graham: I was in Dover for a little bit, and then I rented a house with some other ex-Kubies a little bit further west of Route 80 and then when I got married in ’85. We got an apartment in Hackettstown, which is a little further west, on Route 80. CBC: Were you 23 when you got married? Graham: Yes, I was 23. CBC: How’d you meet Juli? Graham: We were down in Florida. Her sister was at FIT, the Florida Institute of Technology, at that time and my sister was

graduating high school, my mom was still there, and so I went down for that, then my buddies who are still all there. We all went out to a nightclub and I met her there. CBC: What was it that attracted you to each other, do you think? Graham: It’s funny because it was my buddy that was dancing with her and he was getting nowhere, and he said, “You know, you have to meet a friend of mine. I think you’d like him.” Clearly they were not simpatico, and she’s like, “Oh, don’t.

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

Below: Maybe Ye Ed’s favorite Compass Comics property is the irresistible Monster Island, the saga of two jet pilots stranded on an archipelago inhabited by creatures exiled there from throughout the galaxy! Creator Graham Nolan says he was inspired by the great kaiju Toho movie, Destroy All Monsters!

This spread: Graham’s Monster Island, which was adapted as an unsuccessfully pitched comic strip, has a distinct Roy Crane vibe! On bottom right is Graham holding a Buz Sawyer original Sunday strip.

Graham: Nice! CBC: So you guys are hitting it off. You started dating and…? Graham: Well, she went back to Buffalo, I went back to New Jersey, and we started dating via People’s Express. Do you remember that airline? So it was basically a flying taxi. You paid on the airplane and it was cheap. I’d fly out of Newark into Buffalo and vice versa, and we did that for a while and realized we weren’t saving any money, so maybe we ought to get married. We met and were engaged in three months and, in six months, we were married. CBC: Wow, Graham! Graham: Yeah, from meeting at that nightclub. And we’ve been married 37 years. CBC: Any grandchildren yet? Graham: Not yet. Two are married and my oldest is actually getting married in April. CBC: Congratulations! So you’re sharing an apartment with other Kubies… Graham: A house. CBC: So it was a fraternity kind of atmosphere or was it you all were looking for work? Graham: Yeah, it was more like we were all looking for work. None of them were friends of mine. It was just a house and a convenience to save some money. CBC: So you take the train into New York? Graham: Bus, usually. I get off at Port Authority and then I’d walk up to Midtown, and I usually went in on Thursdays. Once everybody knocked off, a bunch of the editors will go out to a pub and have some drinks and a bite to eat, and that type of stuff, and so I would come in early, I’d get to show my stuff around, he’d take me around, introduced me to editors and stuff like that, and then we’d all go out, and there was a usual crew, like Dick Giordano was always there. Gray Morrow was there a lot. Sal, of course. Ernie Cólon, he was there. The guy who used to write E-Man. CBC: Nick Cuti. Graham: Yup, he was there a lot. Those were regulars. And I used to sit there and listen and tell their stories and I’d keep my mouth shut and my ears open. I learned a lot. CBC: What is the big thing to learn there? Graham: One of the things I learned early on is that you will age out of that business because Gray Morrow was having You won’t push anybody on me!” That type of thing. And then I a hard time finding work. You know, he was very photo-realistic, came over and we hit it off, talking about movies and stuff, and and evidently he was being told his stuff is too boring, doesn’t she was really into some of these old movies also (and she was have enough pizazz, enough spice, and as it turns out, Gray super-hot, which was good for me). I was wearing a Three Stoog- Morrow would be a super-star today, because he is photo realistic, but he still did the drawing and would push the drawing. So es tie, which I think I said all she needed to know about me. that was one of the things I was paying attention to is that you CBC: Yeah, I’ve got a King Kong tie.

Monster Island TM & © Compass Comics, Inc.

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

Monster Island TM & © Compass Comics, Inc. Buz Sawyer TM & © The Hearst Corporation.

have to stay on your game throughout your career, because there’s a lot of factors that’s going to try and age you out, and that some of that is younger editors come in with different tastes that are looking for new artists to hitch their little wagon to… CBC: At DC, Dick Giordano, Jenette Kahn, Paul Levitz, Joe Orlando were there… I guess in a lot of ways, it’s the beginning of the corporate environment that is taking place in DC, on the cusp of arguably its most creative year ever, 1986. Some massively creative things are taking place. You had the invasion of the Brits… Graham: Crisis on Infinite Earths was about to happen… CBC: Right, and like you said, there’s new blood coming in, old blood being pushed out the door. And I know that you got an advertising background… I worked in advertising, too, and I can attest that there’s a real environment there that’s not a positive environment. Graham: I’m pretty sure it’s not. CBC: How did DC corporate feel to you? All of these stuff that’s happening and the fact it’s only one division of the world’s biggest communications corporation… Did you see it as maybe not as creative as you hoped it would be, that it was in DC in the ’70s, for instance? Graham: Well, the ’70s were the Implosion years, so I’m glad I missed that, but no. DC was a subsidiary of Warner at that time, but they were still their own company. It wasn’t like it is today, where they are overseen by a larger corporation. It was kind of like this little secret business that Warner Bros. left to itself, it was still focusing on publishing; it was not about mining IP; it was about publishing comics and maybe expanding the art form and trying to do new and different things. It was still very much a familial atmosphere. People got along, they worked together, even if they were of different political persuasions, because you all shared the same goal, which was to produce great entertainment, produce great comics, and, yes, there’s business end of it, there’s certainly business that happens, but there were still human beings that would respond and would understand. People like Dick Giordano and Paul Levitz came up through the ranks. Those guys worked in the trenches. Now Jenette, she came from a publishing background, and she may have come up somewhat that way, too, because she was a woman in a man’s business, so she could understand that, too, and they realized that they’re not paying advertising rates, royalties were just getting started. And so they would do other things too, for your freelancers, like if you were good to them, they would have loyalty to you. Curt Swan never lost any work. Yes, they wanted to revamp Superman and they gave it to John Byrne, but that didn’t mean Curt was out on the street. He had work, on Aquaman, they gave him mini-series, they gave him a weekly strip in Action Comics Weekly. The same thing with Jim Aparo. Jim worked for years and years in The Brave and the Bold when he could have been a super-star doing Batman or Detective, but he liked doing Brave and Bold, and he liked the challenge of having to draw different characters instead of the same stuff, even though Batman was the same. So when it came to a big pay day, like Knightfall and the back-breaking scene in Batman #497 [Late July 1993], those things went to Jim because that was the right thing to do. He earned his keep, he paid COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

his dues, and he was a loyal soldier for DC Comics, and so Denny O’Neil made sure that stuff went to him and it didn’t go to the flash in the pan or the new hot guy. It’s that loyalty that is long gone, and that personal touch that was at DC… I had a royalty check come in one time, it was a really, really nice royalty check and my dog ate it (really) and so I had to call up Pat Bastienne and say, “Can you re-issue the royalty check, because my dog ate it.” And she laughed her ass off, “There’s no way. This can’t be true.” But I didn’t have to go up a big ladder, I just called Pat, and they reissued the check. We were looking to buy a house when Knightfall was going on and it was selling like hotcakes. Royalties hadn’t come in yet, but they knew what they were going to be. And DC, if you had an exclusive contract with them, offered an interest-free loan on your estimated royalties that were coming in, so they gave me an interest-free loan for $20,000 that I could put down on my house, while I was working for them, and that they would just recoup it each month until it was paid off from the royalties that were coming in from the Knightfall! Can you imagine a company doing that now? Can you imagine DC Comics doing that now? CBC: You experienced it. Good for you! Graham: That was the atmosphere at DC Comics when I was there. Which is why I rail against them now, because I was there when things were so much better. [Session ends and, a few days later, a new session starts.] CBC: You’re definitely adept at the social media stuff, Graham. I’m jumping

Above: Graham created this charming illustration alluding to his dual career producing comic books and comic strips for a National Cartoonists Society T-shirt.

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

Bane TM & © DC Comics. The Phantom TM & © Hearst Holdings, Inc. Rex Morgan, M.D. TM & © North America Syndicate, Inc.

Below: Graham provided his considerable skills as artist for The Phantom Sunday newspaper strips for six years in the ’00s, a run that ended due to a promise not kept by the comic strip syndicate.

Graham: I’m fine, but I find it creative, as well, because I’m constantly thinking of different ways to do stuff. I enjoy the streaming and connecting with fans, so that’s one of the great things I really enjoy about this new publishing paradigm and about crowd-funding in general, is that you’re more connected to your customers, and I love that. CBC: And you can make a living from it? Graham: Oh yeah! I’m making a better living than I did for DC Comics. CBC: Great, and you deliver. That’s really important. Graham: That’s working for me now. CBC: Is it print on demand? Graham: No, after the campaign is over, and by the time I’m ready to go to print, I have a good idea of what my numbers are going to be, and I always overprint by about 20% so that I have books to sell later on. CBC: So do you have a local printer or do you send it out? Graham: I send it out. I have a local printer for small things like stickers, mini-prints, posters, that kind of stuff, but the actual book publishing has to go outside. But everything I do is done in the U.S.A. I won’t farm out to Canada and I won’t farm out to overseas, to China, if I can be avoided. Like there are some things, I’m trying to do a Chenoo plushy right now, and there’s no one in the U.S. that can do it entirely here, so aspects of it have to be farmed out to China for that, but it’s not for a ahead and asking if you have help doing that? Is it all you? Is it a lack of trying. big chunk of your day? CBC: You look around, and so do you even stuff the envelopes Graham: Yes, it is. The advertising or promotional stuff is all yourself? me and it is a big chunk of the day. You’re streaming at night, Graham: Well, they’re not envelopes, they’re Gemini mailyou’re creating images for the social media pages, Facebook, ers. Actually, I had a service that would do that for previous camInstagram, Twitter… You’re always thinking about, “Well, how paigns, but for my last one, Giant-Size Two-Fisted Manly Tales, I can I phrase this differently now to reach maybe a different hired my wife, Julia, to handle all the fulfillment. So we have a audience or somebody who went over it last time?” That kind of building we rented and use it for storage and fulfillment, and stuff. I’m always thinking in how to present stuff creatively and so when stuff is ready to be fulfilled, she gets all the paperwork differently and fun, you know. together, breaks it down, and she’s very organized, and then CBC: Is it easy for you? Do you enjoy it? Do you find it she handles all the shipping and I bring the truck and I haul it frustrating? over to the post office, but she handles all the packaging. CBC: Does she have her career of her own? Graham: Yeah, Juli was a medical assistant and office manager at a medical practice for 18 years, and then that job ended a year ago. And then we decided, “You know what? Why don’t you work for Compass Comics now and handle that end of things?” And it’s worked out great. It’s been a year now, and we’ve had one big campaign that we’ve already fulfilled and now we have another one that’s live, but that won’t have to fulfill until August, but I have a shorter one coming up, which is gonna launch March 1st for Joe Frankenstein, and most of the work is already done for that, so that would fulfill quickly, so probably May 1st that one will fulfill. So I’m gonna keep her. CBC: She’s a good employ-

The Phantom TM & © Hearst Holdings, Inc. Rex Morgan, M.D. TM & © North America Syndicate, Inc.

ee, I take it? Graham: Yeah, she’s great. And makes me dinner too. [laughter] CBC: Very awesome. And your daughters, they’re all adults now. Do they do anything creative? Graham: One daughter went to Savannah College of Art and Design for storyboards, and she’s creative, but she didn’t use her degree. She works at a Belgian bar in Atlanta and really enjoys that work, and she’s been able to freelance and design beer labels and stuff, so I guess she has used her skills some. CBC: And Compass Comics are exclusively Graham Nolan material or is it anybody else, as well? Graham: Well, no, right now, it’s exclusively Graham Nolan material, except for the anthology book that I published last year, which was the Giant-Sized Two-Fisted Manly Tales, that was an anthology book that had an A-list of writers and creators in there — Kevin Grevioux, Chuck Dixon, Beau Smith, Mike Baron, Butch Guice, Bart Sears, Larry Strohman — a really great list of creators that worked on the book. CBC: Do you go through Previews at all? Graham: Diamond Previews? No. CBC: Is there a reason why? It’s just easier your way? Graham: Yeah, it cuts out the middleman. They will only buy it for a much-reduced cost and it takes away, I think, the “specialness” of these projects. These are events, boutique books, and that’s what the fans like. They like to see the stretch goals that come in as you hit a number, all of a sudden now everybody’s getting a bookmark, everybody’s getting a sticker. You hit a certain number, and now you’ve added extra pages at no extra charge, or an upgrade in the cover or a stock, or the paper stock or an upgrade in a spot UV on the cover, to really jazz it up more and all those things build. So when Backer #1 comes in and he spends $25 on that book, it’s a basic book, but by the time the campaign is over, that $25 book is now a much better value because you’re getting all that other stuff, thanks to everybody else that has come on board as well. CBC: That’s great. Did somebody teach you this or did you learn on the job? Graham: I came into it first when Ominous Press had approached me about publishing Monster Island, and they were going to crowd-fund it, so I saw how they were crowd-funding, and I felt like they were very professional about how they approach things, but I felt like they left stuff on the table, weren’t targeting certain audiences in a certain way, and I thought there was a better way to do that. And then I did The Expendables Go to Hell, which was by Chuck Dixon, Sylvester Stallone, and Richard Meyer, who handled the crowd-funding end of it, and I saw how successful he was doing it, so I learned some of that stuff while working on the project. And then I got on some shows, I talked to Ethan Van Sciver, who was also a very, very prominent

crowd-funder and very successful. And I saw what he was doing and what other guys in the Comicsgate movement group were doing to reach out to this kind of lost fan base, and so I kind of learned on the job, I asked questions, made a few mistakes on my own. But that’s how you learn. CBC: We covered a lot of your background and now, in the interview, you’re a professional in this tale that we’re telling about your career and life. Graham: The tapestry that is Graham Nolan. CBC: First, Chuck Dixon: how did you first encounter Mr. Dixon? Graham: I had done some stuff for Eclipse Comics, right around the same time I was working on The Prowler with Tim Truman [#2–4, Aug.–Oct. 1987]. Tim and Chuck were part of a packaging organization called 4Winds, and they were packaging products for Eclipse, and one of the things they were doing was Airboy, which Chuck was writing and illustrating. There was a back-up feature in it called “Sky Wolf” — these were all, I think, Hillman characters back in the day — and so I got assigned the story with Chuck as a back-up feature, and he loved it, and I loved working with him, and we did a bunch of those things together [in issues of Airboy #25–33, 1987]. And then I left, Eclipse was starting to collapse, and I went to Marvel [Psi-Force #23, 25–26, 1988] and then to DC, and then it was like a couple of years later, we ended up getting hooked up on Detective Comics. CBC: Right. So, on a personal level, you became his friend… Graham: Absolutely. Very close friends. There’s a group of us that still are very close, Beau Smith was one of those guys who was part of that group that Eclipse/4Winds group, there was a group of us, it was Truman and me, and Chuck and Beau, Gary Kwapisz, Tim Harkins, Flint Henry. There might have been some other guys too, I can’t remember now, but we were all friends, we all met up one time at Chicago ComiCon when it used to be at the Rosemont Hotel just by the airport, and had some wonderful times and memories there. CBC: 4Winds was Tim Truman’s, right?

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

Above: Of course, despite the endless repetition of talking heads in the soap opera-esque storylines, consummate professional Graham Nolan did his best to keep things interesting as artist on the Rex Morgan, M.D. strip, a gig he retained for 16 years. Here a Sunday strip from July 29, 2007.

Below: Graham drew this variant cover art for a new Phantom series

Above: Cho’s take on the classic Detective Comics #31 [Sept. 1939] cover, featuring The Batman. Previous page: Ye Ed’s favorite Cho work, the artist’s brilliant Detective #1000 “1950s variant cover” in various stages of completion. Below: Ahoy, Albert Moy!.

This spread: First released by IDW in 2015, Graham is reviving his and Chuck Dixon’s Joe Frankenstein as a crowd-funded effort through Compass Comics. Above cover by Anthony Gonzales-Clark.

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

Graham: Yes. CBC: Was it a studio? Was it a network of freelancers? Graham: Freelancers. Chuck also lived in Pennsylvania. I don’t know how close he was to where Truman lived… Truman was in Lancaster, and I think Chuck might have been like Bucks County, and I don’t know the geography of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia area. How close they were. But everybody else was elsewhere. I was in New Jersey. Harkins, I think was on Staten Island. I’m not sure where Kwapisz was, But Beau was in West Virginia. CBC: When you were living in Jersey and you were working in New York… and, I’m sorry, there’s one thing we didn’t cover specifically, other than you didn’t like it, was advertising. What were you doing in advertising? Was it because you just couldn’t find enough comics work at the time? How did you get into advertising? Graham: Well, advertising, I got into to pay the bills, I wasn’t like an art director or anything like that, I started off doing what they used to call paste-up in mechanicals, it was all pre-press stuff, which you had to do by hand, which now is all done in Photoshop, so that that skill doesn’t even exist

today, but at the time, those were skills that were taught at the Kubert School because it was an entry-level position that you could get utilizing your art skills. I did some spot illustrations, too, because they knew I could draw, I had design elements and stuff, but it was pretty much grunt work while I tried to get freelance work, which was spotty in the beginning, like it is for most people, and so you build relationships and prove you can make deadlines and prove you can turn in the goods, you know. CBC: How long did you do that for? Graham: A year or two, I think. CBC: Was it a drag? Graham: Yeah. It wasn’t great, it wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I could pay my rent and put food in my belly, and that kind of stuff. It was better than working construction, digging ditches and stuff, which I also did… I can tell you that it is better. CBC: Now, did you think about doing your own creator-owned thing on your downtime? There was a lot of creator-owned stuff going on… Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had come out and it was a lot of heat on creator-owned comics. Graham: I consider the ’80s there to be the second Golden Age of Comics. It gave rise to an entirely new market of different publishers that came up and published different genres. It was a really creative and interesting time to be in comics and it afforded young guys opportunities to get published, because the big guys didn’t want to see you until you were published and you couldn’t get published… It’s that eternal Catch-22? But thank goodness, at that time, there was opportunities… I was always trying to gin up my own work, like I contacted Condé Nast about licensing Doc Savage, because I wanted to draw and write and publish my own Doc Savage comic, and I was talking to their lawyers and, at the same time, DC Comics was also approaching them. Well, they gave the contract to DC. I had taken these little Smurf figurines and carve them and painted them and created box designs for them, like blister packs, stuff I learned in John Belfi’s class, but I recreated and reworked them to be Marvel and DC Little Tykes little figures. And I went upstairs to the top floor of Marvel, where the executives were to pitch it, here I am 22–23 years old pitching this stuff, and they liked it and all that, but nothing came of it, but point being that I was always trying to generate something and it was a great learning experience. The fact that if they would even take my call and see me, which was kind of cool, you know. CBC: But you do your own intellectual property now. Was it a struggle to come up with you own ideas? Doc Savage is obviously somebody else’s creation. Graham: There wasn’t really an outlet for it. I don’t think Eclipse was doing too much creator-owned stuff. I didn’t have a history. I don’t think my work was sharp enough for even a small publisher to snap up outside of doing it myself like the Teenage Mutant Ninja guys did. I was newly married, we were pinchin’ pennies and all that, so I had to get a gig that was paying, so I was concentrating on trying to get my foot in the door at the big two… CBC: And you did. Graham: And I did. CBC: Previously, you were in New Talent Showcase… Is there a linear connection between New Talent Showcase and breaking into the business for real, for getting a regular gig? Graham: No, other than the fact that it got my face up there and I got to meet editors, but they didn’t hire me for anything. I went to Eclipse where I got hired and I had regular work coming in from Eclipse, and then I went to Marvel and I did a book, a Transformers book for them. And then went back to DC, and now I had some connections there because I knew editors that

I had met a couple of years earlier when I was going up as a student. And the other thing was Mike Carlin, who hired me for The Transformers [#16, May 1986], because he was Mark Gruenwald’s assistant editor at the time. He left Marvel and went to DC, and he became an assistant editor on the Superman stuff, I think under Andy Helfer. So Mike, he would take my calls and he eventually hired me to do Power of the Atom [#7–18, 1988–89], so that was my first regular gig. I did the last few issues of Doom Patrol [#16–18, 1988–89] for Bob Greenberger. And then after that ended, I got the gig from Mike, so there was never any downtime once I got up there, it’s like I had projects month to month to month. That one ended — bam! I had Power of the Atom and Power of the Atom ended — bam! I had Hawkworld and started that series from #1 [June 1990]. CBC: Now was that your connections with 4Winds that you had gotten… Graham: Right, because it was Tim Truman who recommended me for the book, because he didn’t want to draw it. Tim and John Ostrander co-wrote it in the beginning, but John took it over entirely, if I’m not mistaken. CBC: Did you enjoy it? Hawkworld was a Joe Kubert kind of thing. Graham: Yeah! I was never a Hawkman fan, but I really liked what Tim had done with it in his Hawkworld prestige series with Alcatena, I thought that series really cool and different, so when I got on it, I sort of brought a little bit more super-hero-y look to it, a little bit more of that than a gritty Scout Truman look. CBC: And the lasted a while, right? Graham: Yeah, I was on there for about two years, about 22 or 24 issues. Something like that [#1–26, Sept. 1992]. CBC: When did the Metamorpho [#1–4, Aug.–Nov. 1993] thing happen relative to that. Was it soon thereafter? Graham: Yeah. CBC: You co-plotted that. That’s interesting. Was it Marvel style? Graham: Yes, I co-plotted it with Mark Waid and we went to a restaurant on Lake Erie. He was living up here for a short period, we went up there, and we plotted the whole thing out. CBC: Did you have any interest in the character? Did you have any history reading the character… Graham: No, but I thought he was a really cool-looking character, so then I started to dive into his history and started reading all the old Bob Haney/Ramona Fradon stories and really got into it. And I was trying to put a little bit more edge to them, try and make him a little bit more of a bad-ass with how he could change into things, thinking of the T-1000 or whatever it was from Terminator 2, how we could morph into these different things and utilize. So yeah, I had a lot of fun with that because I was going to do full art on it, and I thought that this was going to be an opportunity for me to really showcase in the industry what I can do, and then I got a call about doing four issues of Detective Comics [#650–653, Late Sept.–Nov. 1992]. And now I’m like, “Oh wow! Well, do I blow this opportunity here to showcase everything to take on Detective Comics for four issues that might not go anywhere?” And my wife was like, “Are you out of your mind? You’ve wanted to do Batman since you were a little boy, and here’s your opportunity and you’re worried about it. I’m like, “Yeah, you’re right, you’re right.” [laughter] CBC: Hmm… Metamorpho or Batman…? [chuckles] Graham: And so I did it, and I had to give up the inks on Metamorpho, because I couldn’t both pencils and inks at the time, so that was the give and the take. And then I penciled… I

think it was Detective #650, my first issue, and Denny and Scott liked it, and then they hired me for three more issues [#661– 663, Early June–Early July 1993], and then, on the strength of that, or somewhere in between there, they offered me Bane [Batman: Vengeance of Bane Special #1, Jan. 1993]. And that’s where Chuck comes in too, because Chuck was involved in the story process at the beginning of Bane, there were some story ideas about how they were going to do Knightfall and all that kind of stuff, and the need to create this new villain that was going to set everything in motion. They didn’t want to use a pre-existing villain because there’s nobody that fit the need, and so Chuck came up with this kind of concept of an evil Doc Savage. Well, Chuck knew what a fan I was of Doc Savage and enjoyed working with me and suggested me for the project. CBC: So technically, you’re a co-creator of the character, correct? Graham: Yes. CBC: Was it a committee kind of thing? Was it Denny and all these guys together, Doug Moench and Chuck, sitting there and figuring it out? That they needed a villain who’s going to be a super-scientist and hulkish?

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

This spread: The big images are new covers for the Joe Frankenstein revival and the small ones are two of his IDW covers, including a delightful C.C. Beck pastiche on the opposite page.

This page: Imagery from Cho’s evocative graphic novel, Shoplifter [2014], which the artist tantalizingly referred to as “one of several stories I outlined” which he envisions as an interconnected series of stories. Inset left a depiction of the city at night and, below, is a promotional image that expands on one of the book’s interior panels.

Visit compasscomics.com for all of Graham’s past and upcoming projects 68

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

This page: The Compass Comics’ crowd-funded project for 2022 was Graham’s The Ghosts of Matecumbe Key, a black-&-white horror one-shot graphic novel called the “lynchpin” bringing together the “Nolanverse” of The Chenoo and Alien Alamo. Graham describes the story: “In the sweltering heat of the Florida Keys, the dead are returning. The crimes of today uncover the crimes of the past as private investigators Mysty Fahrenheit and Mike ‘Meathead’ Rutowski have to unravel the mystery of ‘The Ghosts of Matecumbe Key.’”

Bane’s belt, you’ll see these horizontal things, and each one of those is supposed to be a pack of Venom that he would fit into the thing on his wrist and slap it in there, press the button, and up it would go… And I don’t know that we ever showed him using that, but that’s what that design element was. CBC: Now, what is Bane meant to you professionally, is he the biggest thing that you’re known for…? Graham: Oh, I think so. He’s clearly the character that hit the zeitgeist of popular culture, thanks to, first off, the animated series. Then there was a lull, then he just exploded to a new generation through the Arkham Asylum game, then he really started to take off and, of course, eventually in the Christopher Nolan movie, which I hated. CBC: Why? Graham: It’s a bad movie first off, and secondly, it’s a bad representation of Bane. CBC: What did they get wrong? Graham: Everything. [laughter] First off, the whole mask thing, the face hugger mask makes no sense. You think that they got it right with his imposing attitude and all that, but then you get to the end, you find out that he was just a pawn for Talia. They blew the origin, make it look like it’s a similar origin, but it’s not. It’s inconsistent in that they never talk about Venom or any kind of super-strength, and yet, at the end, when he’s fighting Batman, he’s punching concrete pillars, because this was supposed to be a pain relief to smoke or whatever it was he was inhaling, and then they killed him practically off-screen where Catwoman fires a rocket from her motorcycle or whatever it was, and kills him, and that’s the end of him, you know, so… yeah, not good. CBC: Did you and Chuck see it together? Graham: No. CBC: I was thinking that the Nolan movie was the only cinematic appearance, but he was actually in Batman and Robin, the George Clooney version, and I had seen that movie but couldn’t even remember Bane being in it. Graham: Yeah, he was Poison Ivy’s henchman, he was the big muscle-head who just grunted and said, “Baaane,” like the Frankenstein monster, but at least that Bane sort of looked like Bane. If you looked at him, you’d say, “Oh, that’s Bane,” because he’s more like an S&M Bane, but it still looks more like Bane. CBC: Have you shared in the merchandising for the toys and all that? Graham: I assume so. I wasn’t at those meetings, so I can’t Graham: The one thing about DC — at least old DC — that say definitively how that went, but Chuck tells me that they’re was nice when Paul Levitz and Jenette were there because they all throwing out concepts and ideas, and then they settled. Den- set up equity contracts for freelancers, so that you owned a ny wanted to use the Venom serum, which he had created for piece of the character. So any time they use Bane for any kind of the Legends of the Dark Knight series, to give him a steroid-type merchandising, they pay royalties to Chuck and I. thing. So that was obviously Denny’s deal. Chuck brought CBC: Can it be lucrative? Can it be a real boost to your annual in a Man in the Iron Mask and Count of Monte Cristo feel to income at times? it — having the kid be born into prison to serve the sentence of Graham: Oh yeah, depending what they use him for. his father, that type of stuff. And so eventually I got notes from CBC: The movie, for instance? Chuck about who this guy was and this island, this banana Graham: No, that’s a whole another can of worms. republic island, and then bring in the Venom stuff. So then CBC: And then you’ve worked on Batman for five, six, seven I sat down and thought, “Alright, what would he be inspired years? by?” Because we needed a costume to brand him, so I felt that Graham: Six straight years, for sure. And then a few things the Mexican Luchador thing would be something he might be in between. exposed to because he’s down south of the border, and then we CBC: Did you get enough of the character working on it? couldn’t have him injecting himself with needles, so I came up Graham: You mean, did I get like bored and want to move with the idea — Chuck said there were ports in the back of his on other things? Yeah, part of it is also regime changes, editors head — and I came up with the device on the arm where he’d leaving, a sort of an implosion by the late ’90s, early 2000s, so hit that and it would send the Venom into arm. And then I stole a lot of my contacts were leaving DC. I wanted to branch out completely from Steve Ditko the idea of the Venom packs being to do different things. I published Monster Island in 1998 and on his belt like Spider-Man’s web packets. And so if you look at I wanted to do more of that. I didn’t like the atmosphere up

there anymore, and so I decided, well, maybe try and get into newspapers strips, and I ended up getting in there and doing the newspaper strips for about 13 years. CBC: So you were doing the Sunday Phantom and you were doing the daily Rex Morgan? Graham: Daily and Sunday Rex Morgan, a very full schedule. CBC: It’s the dream job of any number of artists, but then they get it, and it’s just so much work… Graham: It’s not only a lot of work, but it’s a thankless work because there’s no support from the syndicates for these legacy strips. They don’t give a damn about them. It’s printing money for them. So they just only care about, “Is your stuff in on time?” And, while I went into it thinking, I want to bring to this strip — particularly Rex Morgan — back to its glory days, a time when Rex was on the top five list of strips that every newspaper needed to have. Because it was super-popular and because I was getting it in my paper when they offered it to me and it looked terrible. I was like, “Oh my god, what 80-year-olds are reading this, but it was still around, been around for 45–55 years and, like, why? So I had them send me copies of the strips back in the day and I thought, “Oh, this is a beautiful strip.” It was nicely written by a doctor and I could see why it was very popular, and I wanted to bring that whole look back to it, so I busted my ass on it. But they didn’t care. CBC: Were you involved in the plotting? It was a soap opera kind of thing, right? It would be as that they would be an issue they would deal with for a four or five week story arc or something like that. Graham: I think the story arcs ran six months. CBC: Was Rex Morgan fun to work on? Graham: Yeah, I don’t know about “fun,” only because the material itself was tedious at times, and it was just the nature of it, you know. It’s a soap-opera strip, so you get a lot of talking heads, not a lot of action to draw. Now, conversely, doing the Sunday Phantom was a lot of fun because it’s basically Batman in the jungle, so I got to do more shadows and dynamic looks, stuff like that, for the Sunday feature. CBC: Who wrote the Sunday feature? Graham: Claes Reimerthi wrote it when I first started, and then Tony DePaul took over, and Tony still writes it. CBC: So you still got your super-hero thing going with The Phantom and I’m impressed with what I’ve seen of it, and the Rex Morgan strip, which was in my local paper, you livened it up. Even if they’re talking across the desk, you found a way to still give it a little action, so to speak. Graham: Yeah, I put in dynamic shadows and angles, or things in perspective, or in the foreground to give a sense of depth… all these little tricks I learned from reading and studying the works of Stan Drake and the Leonard Starr and Alex Kotsky, these guys that did these really wonderful continuity strips in the day, soap opera strips, really. But they had these great techniques that I studied, so how do they make this boring material seem interesting, and it was really great because it carried over to later on when I got back into doing comics, I could approach some of those scenes a lot differently and make them a lot cooler. CBC: How was it making a living? Was it hard to make decent money? Graham: The contract told you how much you were getting paid, so a week, so, for X-amount, however much work you put into it, it didn’t matter, you got paid the same amount. CBC: And you never used assistants? Graham: Eventually, at the end there, I used my daughter

to help fill in blacks, when I realized that, “Well, this is going nowhere, they’re never gonna give me a raise on it,” I started to digitize faces and other items that I could use, like there’s only so many ways you can draw somebody talking on a phone, or taking a sip of soda or whatever. And I would take those images and would collect them. And then, when it came time, I was like — boom! — drop it in, because I wasn’t going to go out of my way. CBC: What were the folder names? Is “Talking on the Phone” one of them? Graham: Yes, exactly. Like that. “Sitting at a desk: Front view, side view, back view…” You know, that kind of stuff. And I can just go into the folders and pop, pop, pop. CBC: I can imagine it gets tedious after awhile. Graham: Particularly when you’re not getting any support and it’s never ending. It’s like, when you work in comics, when you finish your project, you take the time to clean off your desk, maybe celebrate a little bit… “Oh, this one’s done.” If you have the sense of accomplishment, you clean off all your reference, get your office ready to go again, and start off anew, nice and

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

This page: Two more covers for Graham’s self-published one-shot, 64-page graphic novel, The Ghosts of Matecumbe Key. Crowdfunding bonuses include shirts, prints, and variant covers, such as those found on this page.

Above: Sample of Tim's illustration work for the magazine Ares. Inset right: Tim designed this RPG character for TSR, with his illo gracing the packaging.

This page: The Chenoo [2020] is Graham’s 48-page graphic novel inspired by an ancient legend about a murderous creature who strikes during winter storms. Below is his variant cover..

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which was Egmont in Norway or Sweden or whatever… CBC: Denmark. Graham: Because they reprinted all that material and it was hurting their sales because the stuff looked bad, and so they wanted to have a say in who was going to replace him. Paul Ryan had been doing work for them, the comic book versions, and so they wanted to have Paul. Paul’s a great guy, and he did great work for Marvel and all that, but the fact is they promised it to me and I waited years for that to happen, and they kept the guy on and eventually, I’m saying, “Hey, what’s the story? Is this guy retiring?” Then Jay called one time, says, “Yeah, and what we’d like to do is have you pencil the strip and have Paul ink it.” I’m like, “Whoa, where is this coming from?” And then he explained it and I said, “Well, you guys are the owners of the character and you tell Egmont how it’s going to be. Egmont reprints my Sundays and that’s doing well for them. But he didn’t have the balls to do that and tell them no, so he was trying to do a workaround, and I insisted, “No, you promised that to me and I waited a long, long time. And you’re reneging on the agreement. If I can’t do the whole thing, then I don’t want to do any of it.” And he said, “Okay, we’ll give the whole thing to Paul Ryan.” CBC: So do you talk to Juli about when you make a big decision on that, when you’re putting your foot down and threatening to quit? Graham: I always discuss big decisions with her, and she knew how miserable I was and how this thing was dragging it long, so when I told them that I didn’t lose anything at that point. I just didn’t get the dailies and I kept the Sunday for a little bit longer. Then I told her how the conversation went, that I’m not getting it, and I’m going to start looking around to do other things. So I quit the Sunday Phantom out of spite and disappointment, so that it would free up my schedule, I’d still have Rex Morgan, which would be the main income, and then I would work on freelance comic work, and that’s what I did, that’s when I did the X-Men [e.g., X-Men Forever #19–20, May 2010] and a bunch of Marvel Adventures [e.g., Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #38, Sept. 2008] stuff for Marvel. I did quite a bit of Marvel work in between there. CBC: What is Joe Frankenstein? What is the character? What is the premise? Graham: Joe Frankenstein is a young boy who, for his whole life, thought his name is Joe Pratt. Well, first off, the series Joe Frankenstein is a love letter to Universal Monsters, and I got the idea for it because Frankenstein is my favorite clean. Your head is straight. You start in on the next project. character, and I thought, “Well, what if there was this kid who That’s not the way in strips. It’s every single day. didn’t know he was the last descendant of the Frankensteins, CBC: Who is the syndicate? he’s been growing up in foster homes and thinks his parents’ Graham: King Features. last name was Pratt, which, in fact, is Boris Karloff’s real last CBC: Was Jay Kennedy there at the time? name by the way. So, one night, he’s delivering pizzas and is Graham: Jay Kennedy hired me. CBC: So, you didn’t have any continuing business relationship attacked by these vampire women, and before they can kill him, this huge hulking dude comes in and destroys the vampires with him? He was pretty legendary in that time. Graham: The relationship was pretty much: “I’d like a raise.” and informs Joe that his name isn’t Joe Pratt, and that he’s, in fact, Joe Frankenstein and his savior is the Frankenstein mon“No, we’re not giving you a raise.” ster who has been watching over the descendants as penance CBC: Too bad. Oh well. Graham: I did get one raise on Rex, at one point, but it was for what he had done by killing Victor Frankenstein and the other villagers and all that other stuff. And so his penance now after years of doing it and then that was it. is to watch over those because there’s a code in his blood, and CBC: So, sayonara, glad to be done with it? Did you stop there’s a code in the monster’s blood, and the two together doing both of them at the same time or… Graham: No, I stopped the Phantom first because the daily unlock the secret of eternal life, and the Bride doesn’t have it. Victor Frankenstein didn’t want to make the same mistake and was promised to me when George Olson retired. This was ancreate another eternal monster, so he didn’t give it to her. And other bone of contention between Jay and I. He promised it to she wants it, she’s been keeping herself alive through surgeries me because he liked what I was doing. Well, they kept George and sorcery and all that kind of stuff, and so she wants that, so on too long and it aggravated or upset their biggest licensor,

Above: Cho rendered a portrait of Hank Williams. Below: Two pages from “Trinity,” a history of the atom bomb, appeared in Cho’s Papercut webcomic for Transmission-X.

she wants the blood of Joe and of the monster to return her youth. It’s a really, really fun story, if you’re a Universal Monster fan, you see lots of little nods to the characters or actors and all that kind of stuff in there. It’s action adventure horror. CBC: And how many story arcs have you done on that? Graham: It was a four-issue series [#1–4, 2015] and each issue was 27 pages. It was published originally by IDW and collected in a hardcover, and now the rights have returned to Chuck and me, and I’m publishing it under the Compass Comics banner. I’ll start a campaign probably March 1st. I have to have it re-lettered because the original lettering was terrible and we don’t have the print files, so I’m having it re-lettered and I’m going to get new covers on it… And it’s also going to have a prologue, which I wrote exclusively for the hardcover book (which is out of print). The first book will collect the initial two issues and the second will collect the last two issues, and that’ll set things up for new Joe Frankenstein stuff. CBC: Great concept and really old school, for lack of a better word. Wholesome, good, uncomplicated, and fun comics. Graham: Entertainment. That’s what comics are supposed to be. Not polemics or anything else or social re-engineering things. Just entertaining, you know? CBC: I loved Monster Island. Can you talk about the origins of that and the execution? Graham: We’re going back to 1998, when I was under exclusive contract with DC, and they would send me everything they published every month. So I’d get this big box of everything including graphic novels and hardcovers and all that kind of stuff, and that was great. But my daughters are all young at the time, and I found that I couldn’t give them the comics that I loved reading as a kid: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, that kind of stuff, because they were too violent or overly sexualized or both. And the only books COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

that I could give them was the Scooby Doo books and the Warner Bros. cartoon stuff that they were publishing at the time, and I thought, “How sad is this that these creators can’t write and illustrate something for all ages without it being talked down to?” Like talking down to the audience, because a lot of times you get all ages stuff and it’s like, “Yeah, this is obviously for kids, but as a fan of comics strips, there was a time when the nation read Terry and the Pirates, and FDR used to read those comics on the radio during the war, because adults could read it, they had interesting and complex plots, but kids could read it because it was safe for them it was action, adventure, and drama and all that kind of stuff, but there’s nothing sexual or there’s no foul language or anything.”And so that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to do this, this love letter again to monsters, to Jack Kirby giant monsters and to Roy Crane’s Buz Sawyer adventure strips, and that was the origin of Monster Island. I took six months to do it. I had Bane royalty money still coming in, so we were able to live off that while I took the time off from my work at DC to create Monster Island, illustrate, and publish it. So that was my first foray into independent publishing. CBC: Is there an element at all to the Star Spangled War Stories’ “War That Time Forgot” series in there at all? Are you familiar with that? Graham: No, I was not familiar in 1998, but I ended up working on The War That Time Forgot mini-series later on. CBC: I was reading a list of the cast of characters on it, and thought, “Yeah, that sounds like a solid old DC comic of all these characters showing up on the island.” Graham: No, I had no knowledge of that. It was more of Destroy All Monsters. I loved that movie when I was a kid, and to the idea of this island where This page: Two pages from Graham’s black-&-white (and red) tour de force, the horror/monster saga, The Chenoo, which he published through crowdfunding. 71

Above: Calling it a “dream assignment,” Cho produced the book jacket art for the 25th anniversary trade paperback edition of Don Delillo’s award-winning novel, White Noise, in 2009, for Penguin Classics. Below: For The New Yorker, Cho drew his portrait of R&B singer The Weeknd, in 2015. “I was given a lot of conceptual freedom with this piece,” Cho explained, “and enjoyed layering a variety of mediums in making this one.” This page: Above (colored by Elizabeth Breitweiser) is the wraparound cover of Graham’s 2022 crowdfunding project, Alien Alamo, a science-fiction-slash-Western series Graham says was inspired in part by the old Chuck Connors TV show, The Rifleman! Below is a vignette of the main characters.

through Compass. CBC: That’s great. Get that perennial out there again. Graham: Oh, absolutely. I had a shot with Monster Island because I had an agent at CAA who represents Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, who actually give it to Steven Spielberg to read. He read it in front of her and said, “This is how we should have ended Jurassic Park 3.” Because he really loved my ending in Monster Island and DreamWorks wanted to option it. So we started contract negotiations and I told them that I wanted all publishing rights, and they said that that’s not a problem. Then I waited for the corrected contract to come, and I called the attorney and he says, “The deal is falling through.” I said, “What happened?” He says, “Well, the guy who’s shepherding it at DreamWorks got canned.” And, in Hollywood, when somebody gets canned, everything on their desk goes with them, because nobody wants to give credit to a success that was started by somebody else. We came this close… We spent that money, too. CBC: Don’t ever trust anybody in Hollywood. Is you horror book, The Chenoo, specific to your region? To the Great Lakes region? Graham: The concept came from the Great Lakes Region, but when I looked up and found this mythological character, it’s from a Native American tribe in the Northeast, actually closer to you, but I co-opted it and created my own mythology around

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you kept all the monsters on. I was like, “Wow, okay, that’s a really cool idea. What can I do with it? Well, what happens if these Navy flyers crash into it?” And so that was how I got it going. The idea was to originally do it as a trilogy. It was going to be Monster Island, Return to Monster Island, and Escape from Monster Island. But when I published the first mini-series, things started to implode and my timing was bad for it, so while it made back its production and printing expenses back, but not the cost to pay me to actually do it. So in other words, I burned through royalty money that I’d never earned back from that book. But that book also got me my job at King Features because I reformatted it as a newspaper strip to see if I could get it syndicated and Jay Kennedy liked it. But he told me, “Nobody is buying the continuity strip. The last one anybody bought was Spider-Man, and that was 30 years earlier.” And so, I got the job as a result of that, then you fast forward to 2013 or ’15, whenever that was, when Ominous Press approached me about doing it and so they published a hardcover version and colorized the original Monster Island, but then they funded the Return to Monster Island, but that didn’t go well for them. So I had all the rights returned to me and Monster Island and Return to Monster Island will be published again under the Compass Comics banner, which will then allow me to do the third part of the trilogy, Escape from Monster Island, and then all three will be collected in this giant omnibus that will be published

Graham: A straight-up horror, not Monster Island monsters. CBC: And then you do science fiction, right, with Alien Alamo? Science fiction slash war slash Westerns…? Graham: Western, yeah, with Alien Alamo. That is my love letter to sci-fi films, but also to The Rifleman. That was my favorite Western TV show, because I love the relationship between the father and the son, it was so healthy and so unique and real feeling that I wanted to tell a story like that. It was a modern-day Western (“modern-day” in that it takes place in 1957), because I also wanted to touch on the PTSD being what’s separating him from his son, so he’s a World War II veteran. So, by 1957, he’s in his 30s, and he had seen things that have haunted him the rest of his life, and it takes a new war, this war with aliens, to bring him out of his self-absorption and pain, and it draws him and his son together now. CBC: Western in the sense of that it takes place in Texas, I would assume, given the title. Graham: Right. There’s horses, but also Jeeps and modernday rifles and all that kind of stuff. CBC: Back in 1989, in the interview you did with Amazing Heroes, you talked about you had a Western mini-series concept. Do you remember it at all? Does it live? Graham: I remember it, but it does not live. It was a character named Gator McBride and I was modeling him after Ethan Edwards from The Searchers, and it was a revenge tale like that movie. I did two pages and one of them, I was doing full-color

Above: Rendered in a rather cheerful, almost animated style, Alien Alamo is set out west in 1957 and is about troubled WWII vet and widowed father Travis Houston and his young son, James, as they, with weathered old man Tobias, face an alien invasion. “The Houstons are vastly outnumbered,” says the promo material, “but they are Texans and they have each other… so the odds might just be even.”

it. It came about because, one winter, I was driving along the Route 190 highway that runs along the shore of Lake Erie and there was a storm off on the lake that was coming in, and it was very foreboding and dark. And I thought, “Wow, that’s scary looking. That would be a really good setting.” I’ve never seen a setting like that for a horror movie or story, and I pulled into a coffee shop and started jotting down some notes, and I had the concept of a creature that comes with the storms, when these once-in-500-year storms come, it’s always more than the storm that kills people, but nobody wants to talk about it, and so that was the mystery. There was a huge storm that hit Buffalo, the Great Blizzard of ’77, so I used that as a backdrop for the monster that came with it, and I’ve always liked these kind of claustrophobic horror tales. So I had the monster trap people in a house with the storm raging around them, and it’s one goal is to eat their hearts. Part of the legend was that the Chenoo was a man at one time that scarred his soul so bad that he turns into this ice creature and he seeks the hearts of men to eat to reclaim the warmth that he would never again know. And so, usually he was a cannibal, which is what caused the man to turn into the ice creature, so that’s why he’d be eating the hearts, too. And I thought, “Oh, that’s really good. I’m gonna steal that!” [laughter] CBC: You do monster movies, you’re doing horror, that’s a straight up horror movie…

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Above: A full 20 years after the publication of Monster Island, Graham finally tackled the second part of his “giant monster” trilogy, partnering with Ominous Press to publish Return to Monster Island [2019] as a Kickstarter project. Here’s to seeing Graham’s Escape from Monster Island big finale someday soon! (The first two installments will be reprinted by Compass in the near future.) Below: Alas, Ye Ed neglected to discuss Graham’s last Bane-related DC project, the 12-issue limited series, Bane: Conquest [2017–18]. Here’s the cover to #12 [Aug. ’18].,

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up from Arizona once and had me on the phone for an hour. Graham: And he was one of those guys like Kubert who had a handshake like a vice grip! Dick was like that, too. He worked outdoors on a ranch in Arizona, cowboy-ing, and a really, really nice guy. Jim Aparo was a sweetheart, too. What a heck of a nice guy. CBC: Are you glad you did it? Becoming a comic book artist and having the achievements that you’ve had in your life…? Did you make the right decision…? It’s a funny job to have. There is this mass media with motion pictures being made generating billions of dollars, and the comic artist and the writers who create these concepts aren’t necessarily compensated in anywhere near their value. Graham: Well, the major players though, Marvel and DC have hidden behind the spurious law of “work for hire” for the entire breadth of the industry, and, at some point, one painting over the line art rather than comic book stuff, using Martin dyes and water colors. I was going for a Moebius look, a of the things they don’t want is it challenged in court because Lt. Blueberry look for it, but it didn’t go anywhere. I got a couple that will be the end of them because they’ll have to give those of pages in, I had a plot that I had developed, and I came across rights back to the creators and their families… Which is why, a lot of times, they’ll come to terms with the families because it not too long ago either, I don’t know where it is now, but I they don’t want to take that risk of having it go in front of a did come across that I was looking through and again, and I’m judge and have to be adjudicated on, but that’s what keeps like, “Wow, this is derivative as hell.” I can see why it didn’t go them in power gives them all the power, they own everything anywhere. you create, and then you’re greedy if you ask for some of that CBC: Have you been collecting art in your life…? money… Believe me, I know. Graham: No, I’m not really in art collector. CBC: So does that mean you’re not interested in going and CBC: I read that you owned a Frank Robbins strip. Graham: I’ve got a few things, but I got a few pieces by guys working for them anymore, only under certain conditions… that were influential to me, but I don’t have a lot of original art. Graham: It would be a very rare condition that would interest me in going to work for them. I played in that sandbox I’ve got a Jack Kirby/ Wally Wood Skymaster strip on my wall, when the sandbox was recognizable and it was fun. And I was a Frank Robbins Johnny Hazard strip, a Roy Crane Buz Sawyer thankful for it, and I worked with some wonderful and talented strip, a Curt Swan Superman page, and a Gil Kane Spider-Man page. That’s really about it. Oh, I’ve got a Rich Buckler Thing, the people, but it’s a different animal now, the corporation is a cover of FOOM #5, which is really cool. It’s got the first mention different place, the atmosphere is a different atmosphere, the of Deathlok. It’s on a billboard in the background: “Deathlok is product they produce is different. And I have absolutely no interest in it. I’m more interested in creating new IP for myself coming!” that me and my family will benefit from, and that the fans are CBC: Who inked the Curt Swan page? Graham: I’ve got two actually. The one is by a Bob Oksner, a looking for, that type of different approach. CBC: Do you know the size of your readership? favorite on him, and then the other one I have is from the very Graham: You mean as a self-publisher? Well, again, this is first Action Comics I ever bought as a kid, and that’s unfortuboutique selling, and the price point on these books are about nately inked by Vinnie Colletta. $25. So unlike DC, I don’t have to sell 200,000 copies for it CBC: Oh, well. Bob Oksner is highly underrated. to be profitable. I average about between 2,500 and 3,000 Graham: One of the greatest! I love his work. backers for any one project. CBC: So did you go to San Diego? Did you do the whole CBC: That’s pretty good for this industry. routine? Graham: I know! Graham: Yeah, in the early ’90s, I’d gone to San Diego CBC: You’ve beat my circulation, pal! So is there anything in twice, I think. I met Jack Kirby one year, the year before he the future, besides what you’ve already mentioned, that you’re passed actually, and then I met one of my other idols, John Romita Sr., at San Diego, as well. I also got to meet Dick Sprang. going to be doing with Compass Comics? Graham: Yes, absolutely. Chuck and I are involved in a Jim Aparo introduced us. company called Spinrack and it’s an entertainment company CBC: What a super-nice guy Dick Sprang was! He called me

Two-Fisted Manly Tales TM & ©Compass Comics, Inc. The Expendables TM & © Lions Gate Entertainment, Inc. Photo portrait courtesy of Graham Nolan.

that’s going to put our intellectual properties into games, starting off with mobile games, and then eventually into Web 3, meta-verse games, you know the big three-dimensional type games, the first characters out of the gate are Joe Frankenstein, Law Dog, and My Sister Suprema. And we’re also going to be doing a new kind of comic, we call it Comics 3.0, where comics are much more interactive with the fans, they’re going to have opportunities to determine stories and directions and stuff like that. So Spinrack is going to be a really big deal with the gamers and comic fans going forward, as we get out of the gate, we’ll be launching pretty soon. I think by the end of the month, something like that, we should be how we should have that one launched. CBC: What is Law Dog and Sister Suprema? Graham: Law Dog was a comic that was published by Epic originally, that Chuck and Flint Henry had done, but Chuck owns the rights to it, and My Sister Suprema is a digital comic, which came out, I think, about a year ago that Chuck had created with Anthony Gonzales. So those are the IPs out of the gate in Phase One. Phase Two, I believe it’s going to be The Chenoo, Alien Alamo, and one of Chuck’s properties. CBC: Sunshine State, you did comedic gag strip? Graham: Yeah, actually, Sunshine State is going to be part of Spinrack, too. Yeah, Sunshine State is the oldest piece of work that I’ve continuously worked on. When I was working at that ad agency in 1985, I had some down time or maybe I was just bored, and I sketched out this little alligator character, and then I drew up a whole bunch of strips with this alligator character and his family to try and get syndicated. I felt like this is too derivative, this is a gag-a-day family strip with alligators instead of people. So I never submitted it, but I loved the character and I love to draw ’em, and so I revamped it. I was looking for that hook. And so I revamped it in 2009 as a buddy strip about this alligator and his best friend who’s a pelican. It’s Mel and Dink, and one is obviously the alligator, and gators haven’t changed

in 50 million years, so he’s very conservative, anti-technology, that type of thing. Dink always has ear buds in his ears, and he has a container that holds his iPhone and he’s always very technical and really plugged into our current technological world. But they’re the best of friends, and the humor is always driven by the characters themselves, so there’ll be a joke, but it wouldn’t be funny if you put that in the mouth of Beetle Bailey. It’s funny because you know who these characters are in a way, like when Jack Benny is being held up and the crook says, “Your money or your life, and he pauses, well, it’s not funny for anybody else, but you know Jack Benny is this character: “What’s it gonna be!?” CBC: “I’m thinking… I’m thinking!” [laughter] CBC: You started it in 2009? Graham: Yeah, I actually got it syndicated in 2009, and it was only in a couple of papers, and that was a dead end, so then I started doing it digitally, and then got it syndicated on Go Comics, which is a division of Universal Press, I think, who do traditional syndication as well, so it’s been on Go Comics now for like 10 years, something like that, and it’s still there. So I work on a Sunshine State strip every week, and it’s the most personal piece of work I ever done. I don’t make any money on it, but yet I do it every single week because I enjoy doing it. I like the art form and so it’s just one of those labors of love that I continue to do. CBC: Do you do it at a specific day and time? Graham: Usually on a Saturday morning, after breakfast, I’ll sit down with my iPad and I’ll bang out the strip. If I haven’t thought of a gag yet or a situation, I’ll think of it that morning. CBC: But occasionally while you’re doing something else, you come up with an idea,

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Above: Graham recently expanded Compass Comics to include the 100-page super-spectacular adventure one-shot anthology, Giant-Size Two-Fisted Manly Tales [2022], which features contributors from a murderer’s row of macho comics creators. For Nolanverse fans, there’s an appearance of the critters from Alien Alamo! Inset left: Another recent project Graham was a part of was the Sylvester Stallone-approved The Expendables Go To Hell [2021] graphic novel, which was written by Chuck Dixon and Richard C. Meyer. Graham drew the main storyline. Below: Our feature artist for this issue of CBC, the big guy himself, Graham Nolan!

Above: Ken Meyer, Jr.’s portrait of Graham Nolan, an artist who enjoys a cigar and glass of bourbon now and then!

Visit Graham Nolan on the internet at his website

www.compass comics.com

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Below: As a labor of love, Graham have produced his weekly Sunshine State comic strip for GoComics.com, which stars best buds and total opposites, Mel the affable alligator and Dink the tech-friendly pelican from the great state of Graham’s youth, Florida! Here is a charming strip from June 2, 2014, which exhibits the artist’s stylistic versatility

no play? Is it very organized? Graham: It is very organized and it’s changed since I started doing all my crowd-funding things over the last couple of years. My day starts usually around 6 o’clock in the morning, because that’s when I wake up, I’ll have breakfast and then I’ll go to the gym, come back, shower up, and then I’ll start my day typically around between 10 and 11 in the morning. I usually get on the computer and take care of any kind of social media blasts, that kind of stuff, do email newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, all that kind of junk. And then, depending on what’s on the docket for that day, like am I in the drawing mode, or I’m in the writing mode? Whatever it is that needs to be done, then I hop on that and do that all day, and then break for dinner, and then usually, for at least the first three days of the week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, I’m streaming at night, on different shows, so that takes care of my evening. I wake up at 6 and I usually go to at least 10 o’clock at night. CBC: Is that pretty much going to the gym, and that’s it, or do you mean it’s a very sedimentary… you’re sitting in one area. Graham: This time of year, yes. Once the weather breaks, well, then I’m scooting out at times and going fishing… I’m outdoors a lot. I’ll take my work with me. I’ll back the truck up to the lake and I’ll put a chair in the bed of the truck and sit there and write. or you never know when it’s gonna hit you, maybe driving or CBC: Really? something like that? Graham: Yeah! It’ll be my mobile office. Graham: Yes, exactly. Two weeks ago, we were at a restaurant, and I saw these two guys sitting at a table on a phone, and CBC: Do you have buddies in the area that you hang out with or get social time with? I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be funny if they’re talking to Graham: Not a lot, no. I got my pals at the gym, but your each other?” [Jon laughs] And that was a gag. That was a gag lives are so busy doing other stuff, my brother just moved up that I ended up using that Saturday morning. here actually, so I get together with him at least once a week, CBC: “Could you pass the salt?” Do you go down to Florida we get together, have lunch or Saturday we’ll hang out while with any frequency? Juli is doing something with her mom, because her mom still Graham: Not as much as I’d like to, because I’ve been so with us… busy and I’ve had weddings like every year for the last year or CBC: And that’s your anchor in the area? Pretty much Juli’s two years. I had two in one calendar year, but prior to that, my wife and I would go down usually to the Florida Keys for a week mom? or so to get out of the winter here in Buffalo. But I tell my agent Graham: That was the anchor that drew us here, when both her folks were still here, but now I have two of my daughters when conventions come up, “Get me into some Florida shows, so that I can go down there,” and then I usually see my buddies here, so they both got married and so they and their husbands are still here in the area. And then my oldest is in Atlanta. If they that still live there on the Space Coast. They’ll drive over to start popping kids out, then my idea of a snowbirding is going Orlando or something, and we’ll hang out. to get further and further away! CBC: Now, is your ultimate plan to retire down there? Graham: No. Snowbird, yes. I’d like to snowbird down there, CBC: I think we’ve covered it, Graham! Thank you, man. This has been very pleasant. but I don’t know that I want to live down to year round. CBC: You mentioned Saturday mornings doing the Sunshine Graham: Oh, you’re very welcome, Jon, thank you for the in-depth interview. It was fun talking with you. State strip. What is your typical work-week like… Is it all work,

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Author STEPHAN FRIEDT shares the story of the meteoric rise of the Schanes brothers’ California-based imprint PACIFIC COMICS, which published such legends as JACK KIRBY, SERGIO ARAGONÉS, STEVE DITKO, NEAL ADAMS, MIKE GRELL, BERNIE WRIGHTSON, and DAVE STEVENS. From its groundbreaking 1981 arrival in the fledgling direct sales market, to a catastrophic, precipitous fall after only four years, THE PACIFIC COMICS COMPANION reveals the inside saga, as told to Friedt by BILL AND STEVE SCHANES, DAVID SCROGGY, and many of the creators themselves. It also focuses on the titles and the amazing array of characters they introduced to an unsuspecting world, including THE ROCKETEER, CAPTAIN VICTORY, MS. MYSTIC, GROO THE WANDERER, STARSLAYER, and many more. Written with the editorial assist of Eisner Award-winning historian JON B. COOKE, this retrospective is the most comprehensive study of an essential publisher in the development of the creator’s rights movement. Main cover illustration by DAVE STEVENS. SHIPS NOVEMBER 2023!

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(160-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $29.95 (Digital Edition) $15.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-121-9

(128-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $24.95 • (Digital Edition) $13.99 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-122-6

THE CHILLINGLY WEIRD ART OF

MATT FOX

by ROGER HILL

MATT FOX (1906–1988) first gained notoriety for his jarring cover paintings on the pulp magazine WEIRD TALES from 1943 to 1951. His almost primitive artistry encompassed ghouls, demons, and grotesqueries of all types, evoking a disquieting horror vibe that no one since has ever matched. Fox suffered with chronic pain throughout his life, and that anguish permeated his classic 1950s cover illustrations and his lone story for CHILLING TALES, putting them at the top of all pre-code horror comic enthusiasts’ want lists. He brought his evocative storytelling skills (and an almost BASIL WOLVERTON-esque ink line over other artists) to ATLAS/MARVEL horror comics of the 1950s and ’60s, but since Fox never gave an interview, this unique creator remained largely unheralded—until now! Comic art historian ROGER HILL finally tells Fox’s life story, through an informative biographical essay, augmented with an insightful introduction by FROM THE TOMB editor PETER NORMANTON. This FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER also showcases all of the artist’s WEIRD TALES covers and interior illustrations, and a special Atlas Comics gallery with examples of his inking over GIL KANE, LARRY LIEBER, and others. Plus, there’s a wealth of other delightfully disturbing images by this grand master of horror—many previously unpublished and reproduced from his original paintings and art—sure to make an indelible imprint on a new legion of fans. SHIPS SEPTEMBER 2023! (128-page COLOR HARDCOVER) $29.95 • (Digital Edition) $15.99 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-120-2

creators at the con On the Job: Baltimore Comic-Con 2022

Photography by Kendall Whitehouse

Baltimore Comic-Con is perhaps the Goldilocks “just right” convention for comics fans: not too big, not too small. Our convention photographer captured some of the comic book industry professional guests who worked the con.

Frank Miller

Lee Weeks

Garth Ennis

Jim Starlin

John Cassaday 78

Tom King #31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

$1,000,000 PAID FOR ORIGINAL COMIC ART! COLLECTOR PAYING TOP DOLLAR FOR “ANY AND ALL” ORIGINAL COMIC BOOK AND COMIC STRIP ARTWORK FROM THE 1930S TO PRESENT! COVERS, PINUPS, PAGES, IT DOESN’T MATTER! 1 PAGE OR ENTIRE COLLECTIONS SOUGHT! CALL OR EMAIL ME ANYTIME!

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Advertise With Us! RetroFan & BrickJournal Ad Rates: Back cover or inside cover: $1000 ($900 for two or more) Full-page interior: $800 ($700 for two or more) Half-page interior: $500 ($425 for two or more) Quarter-page interior: $300 ($250 for two or more)

Alter Ego • Back Issue • Comic Book Creator • Draw • Jack Kirby Collector: Back cover or inside cover: $800 ($700 for two or more) Full-page interior: $600 ($500 for two or more) Half-page interior: $300 ($250 for two or more) Quarter-page interior: $150 ($125 for two or more) AD SIZES: COVERS & FULL-PAGE: 8.375” wide x 10.875” tall trim size, add 1/8” bleed. (7.625” x 10.125” live area.) HALF-PAGE: 7.625” x 4.875” live area (no bleeds). QUARTER-PAGE: 3.6875” x 4.875” live area (no bleeds).

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CBC for me, see?

coming attractions: cbc #32 in the fall

Stout’s Dinosaurs and the Preiss is Right! CBC #32 chats with the superb artist WILLIAM STOUT about his awesomely diverse career, from bootleg album art beginnings, underground comix, movie poster masterworks (including Wizards and Rock ’n’ Roll High School), film production (Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc.), passionate environmental advocacy, and, of course, the brilliant creator’s landmark work with Byron Preiss, The Dinosaurs, and so very much more! Bill also renders the cover of our “flip-side” feature, a massive tribute to the late, great BYRON PREISS, the visionary packager/publisher who helped bring comics to a whole new level and collaborated with many greats, including Harvey Kurtzman, Jim Steranko, Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Joe Kubert, Howard Chaykin, Gray Morrow, and many others. The highlights include Byron’s only comprehensive career-spanning interview (conducted before his untimely death) and an exhaustive historical retrospective with insight from dozens who knew him. Also included is the first segment of Greg Biga’s MIKE DEODATO interview. Plus we present part two of our in-depth look at the greatest cartoonist you never heard of, FRANK BORTH, man of Montauk and Treasure Chest’s masterful storyteller! © William Stout

COMIC BOOK CREATOR • Summer 2023 • #31

Full-color, 84 pages, $10.95 79

from the archives of Tom Ziuko

a picture is worth a thousand words

DC’s Sandman — a recent commission courtesy of the Tom-Tom Club, with pencils and inks by Tom Derenick, and color by me. — TZ The Sandman TM & © DC Comics.

#31 • Summer 2023 • COMIC BOOK CREATOR

ALTER EGO #183

ALTER EGO #184

ALTER EGO #185

ALTER EGO #186

ALTER EGO #187

Golden/Silver/Bronze Age artist IRV NOVICK (Shield, Steel Sterling, Batman, The Flash, and DC war stories) is immortalized by JOHN COATES and DEWEY CASSELL. Interviews with Irv and family members, tributes by DENNY O’NEIL, MARK EVANIER, and PAUL LEVITZ, Irv’s involvement with painter ROY LICHTENSTEIN (who used Novick’s work in his paintings), Mr. Monster, FCA, and more!

Known as one of the finest inkers in comics history, the late TOM PALMER was also an accomplished penciler and painter, as you’ll see in an-depth interview with Palmer by ALEX GRAND and JIM THOMPSON. Learn his approach to, and thoughts on, working with NEAL ADAMS, GENE COLAN, JOHN BUSCEMA, and others who helped define the Marvel Universe. Plus Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, FCA, and more!

Presenting MARK CARLSON-GHOST’s stupendous study of the 1940s NOVELTY COMICS GROUP—with heroes like Blue Bolt, Target and the Targeteers, White Streak, Spacehawk, etc., produced by such Golden Age super-stars as JOE SIMON & JACK KIRBY, CARL BURGOS, BILL EVERETT, BASIL WOLVERTON, et al. Plus MICHAEL T. GILBERT in Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, FCA, and more!

Spotlights ANGELO TORRES, the youngest and last of the fabled EC Comics artists— who went on to a fabulous career as a horror, science-fiction, and humor artist for Timely/Marvel, Warren Publishing, and MAD magazine! It’s a lushly illustrated retrospective of his still-ongoing career— plus FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America), MICHAEL T. GILBERT in Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, and more

Focuses on great early science-fiction author EDMUND HAMILTON, who went on to an illustrious career at DC Comics, writing Superman, Batman, and especially The Legion of Super-Heroes! Learn all about his encounters with RAY BRADBURY, MORT WEISINGER, JULIUS SCHWARTZ, et al—a panoply of titans! Plus FCA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT in Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, and more!

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Aug. 2023

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Oct. 2023

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Dec. 2023

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Feb. 2024

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BACK ISSUE #146

BACK ISSUE #147

BACK ISSUE #148

BACK ISSUE #149

BACK ISSUE #150

MEN WITHOUT FEAR, featuring Daredevil’s swinging ’70s adventures! Plus: Challengers of the Unknown in the Bronze Age, JEPH LOEB interview about his Challs and DD projects with TIM SALE, Sinestro and Mr. Fear histories, superheroes with disabilities, and... Who Is Hal Jordan? Featuring CONWAY, ENGLEHART, McKENZIE, ROZAKIS, STATON, THOMAS, WOLFMAN, & more! GENE COLAN cover!

Great Hera, it’s the 20th ANNIVERSARY OF BACK ISSUE, featuring a tribute to the late, great GEORGE PÉREZ! Wonder Woman: The George Pérez Years, Pérez’s 20 Greatest Hits of the Bronze Age, Pérez’s fanzine days, a Pérez remembrance by MARV WOLFMAN, a Wonder Woman interview with MINDY NEWELL, and more! With a stunning Wonder Woman cover by (who else?) GEORGE PÉREZ!

DC SUPER-STARS OF SPACE! Adam Strange in the Bronze Age (with RICHARD BRUNING & ANDY KUBERT), From Beyond the Unknown, the Fabulous World of Krypton, Vartox, a Mongul history, the Omega Men, and more! Featuring CARY BATES, DAVE GIBBONS, DAN JURGENS, CURT SWAN, PETER J. TOMASI, MARV WOLFMAN, and more! Cover by CARMINE INFANTINO & MURPHY ANDERSON!

’80s INDIE HEROES: The American, Aztec Ace, Dynamo Joe, Evangeline, Journey, Megaton Man, Trekker, Whisper, and Zot! Featuring CHUCK DIXON, PHIL FOGLIO, STEVEN GRANT, RICH LARSON, SCOTT McCLOUD, WILLIAM MESSNER-LOEBS, DOUG MOENCH, RON RANDALL, DON SIMPSON, MARK VERHEIDEN, CHRIS WARNER & more superstar creators. Cover by NORM BREYFOGLE!

SPECIAL 150TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! Our oversized 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR sesquicentennial edition, featuring BATMEN OF THE 1970s! Exploring the work of Bronze Age Batman artists BOB BROWN, DICK GIORDANO, IRV NOVICK, FRANK ROBBINS, WALTER SIMONSON, ALEX TOTH, & BERNIE WRIGHTSON. Plus: revisit FRANK MILLER’s first Batman story!

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships August 2023

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Sept. 2023

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Nov. 2023

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Jan. 2024

(100-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $12.95 (Digital Edition) $5.99 • Ships March 2024

KIRBY COLLECTOR #87

KIRBY COLLECTOR #88

KIRBY COLLECTOR #89

BRICKJOURNAL #82

COMIC BOOK CREATOR #33

LAW & ORDER! Kirby’s lawmen from the Newsboy Legion’s Jim Harper and “Terrible” Turpin, to Western gunfighters, and even future policemen like OMAC and Captain Victory! Also: how a Marvel cop led to the creation of Funky Flashman! Justice Traps The Guilty and Headline Comics! Plus MARK EVANIER moderating 2022’s Kirby Tribute Panel (with Sin City’s FRANK MILLER). MACHLAN cover inks.

THE COLLECTORS! Fans’ quest for and purchase of Jack’s original art and comics, MARV WOLFMAN shares his (and LEN WEIN’s) interactions with Jack as fans and pros, unseen Kirby memorabilia, an extensive Kirby pencil art gallery, MARK EVANIER moderating the 2023 Kirby Tribute Panel from Comic-Con International, plus a deluxe wrap-around Kirby cover with foldout back cover flap, inked by MIKE ROYER!

KIRBY CONSPIRACIES! Darkseid’s Foourth World palace intrigue, the too-many attempted overthrows of Odin, why Stan Lee hated Diablo, Kang contradictions, Simon & Kirby swipes, a never-reprinted S&K story, MARK EVANIER’s WonderCon 2023 Kirby Tribute Panel (with MARV WOLFMAN, PAUL S. LEVINE, and JOHN MORROW), an extensive Kirby pencil art gallery, and more!

Celebrating Disney’s 100th anniversary in LEGO! Disney Castles with MARTIN HARRIS and DISNEYBRICK, magical builds by JOHN RUDY and editor JOE MENO, instructions to build characters, plus: Nerding Out with BRICKNERD, AFOLs by GREG HYLAND, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, and Minifigure Customization with JARED K. BURKS!

STEVE GERBER biographical essay and collaborator insights, MARY SKRENES on co-creating Omega the Unknown, helping develop Howard the Duck, VAL MAYERIK cover and interview, ROY THOMAS reveals STAN LEE’s unseen EXCELSIOR! COMICS line, LINDA SUNSHINE (editor of early hardcover super-hero collections), more with MIKE DEODATO, and the concluding segment on FRANK BORTH!

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Summer 2023

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Fall 2023

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Spring 2024

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Oct. 2023

(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95 (Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships Winter 2024

The best in books from TwoMorrows!

CHARLTON COMPANION

TEAM-UP COMPANION OUR ARTISTS AT WAR AMERICAN TV COMICS (1940s-1980s)

THE LIFE & ART OF

DAVE COCKRUM

Examines US War comics from EC, DC COMICS, WARREN PUBLISHING, CHARLTON, and more! Featuring KURTZMAN, SEVERIN, DAVIS, WOOD, KUBERT, GLANZMAN, KIRBY, and others!

History of over 300 TV shows and 2000+ comic book adaptations, from well-known series (STAR TREK, PARTRIDGE FAMILY, THE MUNSTERS) to lesser-known shows.

GLEN CADIGAN’s bio of the artist who redesigned the Legion of Super-Heroes and introduced X-Men characters Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Logan!

(272-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $43.95 (Digital Edition) $15.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-111-0

(256-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $39.95 (Digital Edition) $15.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-112-7

(160-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $27.95 (Digital Edition) $14.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-108-0

(192-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $29.95 (Digital Edition) $15.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-107-3

(160-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $27.95 HC: $36.95 • (Digital Edition) $14.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-113-4

JON B. COOKE’s all-new history of the notorious all-in-one comics company, from the 1940s to the ’70s, with GIORDANO, DITKO, STATON, BYRNE and more!

MICHAEL EURY examines team-up comic books of the Silver and Bronze Ages of Comics in a lushly illustrated selection of informative essays, special features, and trivia-loaded issue-by-issue indexes!

JOHN SEVERIN

MIKE GRELL

LIFE IS DRAWING WITHOUT AN ERASER

HERO-A-GO-GO!

Documents the life and career of the master Golden Age artist of Captain Marvel Jr. and other classic characters! (160-page COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 (Digital Edition) $14.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-090-8

History of Crandall’s life and career, from Golden Age Quality Comics, to Warren war and horror, Flash Gordon, and beyond!

Career-spanning tribute to the Legion of Super-Heroes & Warlord comics art legend!

Biography of the EC, MARVEL and MAD mainstay, co-creator of American Eagle, and 40+ year CRACKED magazine contributor.

Looks at comics' 1960s CAMP AGE, when spies liked their wars cold and their women warm, and TV's Batman shook a mean cape!

(256-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $39.95 (Digital Edition) $13.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-102-8

(160-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $27.95 (Digital Edition) $12.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-088-5

(160-page COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 (Digital Edition) $14.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-106-6

(272-page COLOR SOFTCOVER) $36.95 (Digital Edition) $13.99 ISBN: 978-1-60549-073-1

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