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GREATEST GOLDEN/ SILVER AGE COMICS CONVENTION EVER!
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No.148 September 2017
JOE PETRILAK Presents Once-In-A-Lifetime Panels Featuring:
INFANTINO! KUBERT! SCHWARTZ! NODELL! LAMPERT! HASEN!
82658 00100 1
Characters TM & © DC Comics.
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& Many Others!
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RUSSELL RAINBOLT’s
60-Foot Super-Hero Painting!
Vol. 3, No. 148 / September 2017 Editor
Roy Thomas
Associate Editors Bill Schelly Jim Amash
Design & Layout
Christopher Day
Consulting Editor John Morrow
FCA Editor
P.C. Hamerlinck J.T. Go (Assoc. Editor)
Comic Crypt Editor
Michael T. Gilbert
Editorial Honor Roll
Jerry G. Bails (founder) Ronn Foss, Biljo White Mike Friedrich
Proofreaders
Writer/Editorial: A Classic—Illustrated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 “An All-Time Classic Line-up!” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Joe Petrilak recalls the pleasures & perils of hosting the ultimate Golden/Silver Age con.
Rob Smentek William J. Dowlding
Cover Artists
Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert, & Gil Kane
The Flash: 60th Anniversary Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Harry Lampert, Carmine Infantino, Joe Giella, & Frank McLaughin—with Ron Goulart.
“The Big Three” Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Carmine Infantino, Julius Schwartz, & Joe Kubert – moderated by Roy Thomas.
Green Lantern: 60th Anniversary Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Cover Colorists Unknown
Mart Nodell, Irwin Hasen, & Roy Thomas celebrate the Emerald Crusader.
With Special Thanks to: Heidi Amash Ger Apeldoorn Bob Bailey Alberto Becattini Rod Beck Glen Cadigan Mike Catron Mike Chomko John Cimino Russ Cochran Comic Book Plus (website) Comic Vine (website) Chet Cox Craig Delich Al Dellinges John De Mocko Joellen Docherty Sean Dulaney Mark Evanier Michael Feldman Greg Fischer Shane Foley Jeff Gelb Janet Gilbert Eric Gimlin Ron Goulart Grand Comics Database (website) Larry Guidry Tony Isabella Glen Johnson Jim Kealy Todd Klein Anthony Koch William Lampkin
Contents
Mark Lewis Art Lortie Dan Makara Doug Martin Dusty Miller Brian K. Morris Frank Motler Mark Muller Marc Tyler Nobleman Palantine News Network (website) Barry Pearl Joe Petrilak Richard A. Pileggi Paul Power Russell Rainbolt Gene Reed Francis A. Rodriguez Allen Ross Bob Rozakis David Saunders Eric Schumacher Darci Sharver Craig Shutt David Siegel Larry Stark Marc Svensson Dann Thomas Steven Tice Carol Tilley Dr. Michael J. Vassallo Neil Vokes Hames Ware Ted White Mark Witz
This issue is dedicated to the memory of
Gaspar Saladino & Mike Docherty—
and to all the Golden & Silver Age comics greats who have passed from the scene
The Making Of The 20’ x 60’ All Time Classic Comic Book Painting – 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Russell Rainbolt writes about it—and a hellzapoppin’ 4-page spread shows it!
Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt! The PAM Papers! (Part 1) . . . . 67
Michael T. Gilbert & Glen Johnson hail Pete Morisi, creator of Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt.
Comic Fandom Archive: Ted White On Comics – Part II . . . 73 Bill Schelly interviews the writer & editor about “The EC Four.”
Tribute to Gaspar Saladino & Mike Docherty . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 re: [correspondence & corrections] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 FCA [Fawcett Collectors Of America] #207 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
P.C. Hamerlinck presents animator Paul Power, scribing about his Fawcett-related career.
On Our Cover: Two events particularly celebrated at the All Time Classic New York Comic Book Convention in 2000 were the 60th anniversaries of the debuts of The Flash and (roughly six months later) Green Lantern… but of course, to A/E’s editor, 1940 was also the birthdate of Hawkman, who co-starred with the scarlet speedster in Flash Comics #1. Thus, our cover features the Golden and Silver Age Flashes (drawn by Carmine Infantino & Murphy Anderson), the Golden and Silver Age Green Lanterns (drawn by Gil Kane & Sid Greene), and the Silver Age Hawkman (drawn by Joe Kubert), who was nearly identical to the Golden Age Winged Wonder. Gil had passed away earlier in 2000—or else the con’s “Big Three” might well have become “The Big Four.” Thanks to layout supervisor Chris Day for putting this one together. [Art TM & © DC Comics.] Above: Joe Petrilak’s “Big Three” comics creators (ID’d in the contents list above) all worked on the Golden Age All-Star Comics, which often featured Flash and Green Lantern; so it seemed fitting that an Infantino-penciled panel of the “Justice Society of America” grace this page. For the record, this panel is from All-Star #41 (June-July 1948), with inking by Frank Giacoia and scripting by John Broome, plus Julius Schwartz as story editor. Scanned from Ye Editor’s personal copy. [TM & © DC Comics.] Alter Ego TM is published 6 times a year by TwoMorrows, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614, USA. Phone: (919) 449-0344. Roy Thomas, Editor. John Morrow, Publisher. Alter Ego Editorial Offices: 32 Bluebird Trail, St. Matthews, SC 29135, USA. Fax: (803) 826-6501; e-mail: roydann@ntinet.com. Send subscription funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial offices. Six-issue subscriptions: $65 US, $102 Elsewhere, $29 Digital Only. All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter © Roy Thomas. Alter Ego is a TM of Roy & Dann Thomas. FCA is a TM of P.C. Hamerlinck. Printed in China. ISSN: 1932-6890. FIRST PRINTING.
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writer/editorial
A
A Classic – Illustrated
t the age of 76, my feelings about comic books and the comics industry are mostly divided into two mental compost heaps: fan memories and pro memories. On the one hand: reading (and cutting up) 1940s issues of All-Star Comics as a 5-year-old… and helping Jerry Bails launch Alter-Ego #1 in early1961; on the other: working alongside Stan Lee at mid-’60s/ early-’70s Marvel… and laboring away at favored assignments such as The Avengers, Conan the Barbarian, All-Star Squadron.
much help he had with the precise guest list. He was determined to do a latter-day echo—a very loud and resonant echo—of the Seulingcons of the late ’60s and the ’70s. With a special emphasis on the 60th anniversaries of The Flash and Green Lantern. And he made it—in every way except profitability, which I’ll leave it to him to discuss.
The comics conventions? For me, they’ve always been the point where those two worlds converge. From the 1965 con at which, newly straddling both spheres, I sat on a panel with Murphy Anderson, Jim Warren, and other professionals… to the so-called Seulingcons that began in the late ’60s and honored so many East Coast pros (which in those days was most of them)… to the early San Diego Comic-Cons, starting with the third one in 1972 and topped by sitting on the dais with Milt Caniff, Charles Schultz, and Russ Manning in ’74.
Presiding over panels composed of personal heroes like Julie Schwartz, Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino, Irwin Hasen, and Mart Nodell. (All of whom, sadly, have passed from the scene since 2000.)
By 2000, however, the tenor and tone of cons had changed, as more and more of the Golden Age artists, writers, and editors—the folks I cared most to encounter at cons—had either passed from the scene or were finding fewer excuses to attend. Then along came Joe Petrilak, with his grandly (but accurately) named All Time Classic New York Comic Book Convention. Because of its emphasis on Golden and Silver Age pros, that con definitely deserved the appellation “All Time Classic.” The “New York” part? Well, even though it was held in White Plains, a subway ride out of “the city,” it was definitely centered around New York artisans. And, note those words “Comic Book.” Not “Comic Art” (ringing in comic strips, though several people in attendance had handled same), and not just the vague “Comics,” but “Comic Book.” I liked that bit. Joe knew what he wanted—who he wanted—no matter how
A few special memories of that con still sparkle in my mind:
Being one of the first two recipients of the Paul S. Newman Award, an honor I shared with Golden Age great Alvin Schwartz and received from the mucho-respected Arnold Drake. Hearing my name called as Dann and I were leaving the building at one point, and turning to see Big John Buscema heartily hailing me… the last time that I was fated to encounter my most frequent and valued collaborator of all. (And I had a number of great ones.) From here on, we’ll let Joe, painter/muralist Russell Rainbolt, and the people on three of the con’s key panels speak for themselves. But there was so much going on at that con that, long before this issue went to print, I’d decided that A/E #153, next June, will be a second issue devoted to the All Time Classic New York Comic Book Convention and its star-studded panels. Only then—maybe—can I hope to feel I’ve done my little part in helping to immortalize that last and perhaps best of all the Golden/Silver Age cons. People often say: “You had to be there!” Well, I was… and so were Joe Petrilak and Russ Rainbolt, and a lot of other talented folks whose names you may know. And we’ll do our best to make you feel as if you were, too! Bestest,
COMING IN OCTOBER NOW 100 PAGES!
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THE MARK OF
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TM & © DC Comics; Green Lantern cover art ie Severin Gil Kane caricature © Mar
• Miraculous mix of a Silver Age KANE Green Lantern cover—& MARIE SEVERIN’s classic caricature of the artist! • GIL KANE remembered by DAN HERMAN of Hermes Press—a 1986 KANE interview— plus a rare 1974 KANE article on the history of comics, with art by KIRBY • ADAMS • EISNER • DITKO • RAYMOND • FOSTER • CANIFF • GIRAUD • KURTZMAN • FELDSTEIN • FRAZETTA • WILLIAMSON • SEVERIN • GOULD • TOTH, et al.! • Beginning: First-ever reprinting of the offbeat memoirs of JOHN BROOME, writer of the Golden/Silver Age Green Lantern, Flash, & Justice Society! • FCA on Captain Marvel & the Fawcett heroes in Britain, 1944-46—MICHAEL T. GILBERT on Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt creator PETE MORISI, Part II—BILL SCHELLY talks to fan & pro writer TED WHITE, Part III—& MORE!!
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ALL TIME CLASSIC NEW YORK COMIC BOOK CONVENTION PART
“An All-Time Classic Line-up!”
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The Story Behind A Most Unusual Comics Convention An Introduction by Joe Petrilak
A/E EDITOR’S INTRO: Before we get to transcripts of the various panels and gatherings of Golden, Silver, and Bronze Age pros, what better person to fill us in about a certain June 9-11, 2000, comics convention than the guy who ringmastered the whole thing—!
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paint “the world’s largest comic book painting,” which would depict “every significant comic character ever, from the Yellow Kid to Spawn, in one painting, in life size.” Twenty feet high and 60 feet across, he took me up on the offer (the thing has 60 pounds of paint on it!).
he All Time Classic New York Comic Book Convention was a tribute to Phil Seuling, promoter of the New York City comic book shows of the 1970s. Phil’s idea had been simple: put a bunch of comic book artists and writers and dealers in a big room with comic fans and let ’em go at it. This was the template for the All Time Classic Con.
Well—at that point, if I had someone painting Phil Seuling “the world’s largest comic book painting” and I (1934-1984) already had Jim Shooter lined up, the only other thing I had to do was actually put on the show! I should mention, right about here, that I have Asperger’s Syndrome—and that’s what probably made the whole endeavor possible in the first place.
The first potential guest approached—and the first person who thought I could actually pull this crazy scheme off—was my friend Jim Shooter.
To begin with, I needed a place that was not in New York City. There already were comics shows in NYC and I really didn’t want to directly butt heads with them. The only place I looked at was the Javits Convention Center, but it was all booked up for some golf-related trade show that weekend.
Around the same time, I met artist Russell Rainbolt through eBay (of all places), and when I bounced the idea off him, he immediately offered to do some art for the show. Russell is a classically trained, well-accomplished oil painter; but by day, he paints billboards—a dying art in this digital world. I told him the show needed “something historical” and asked if it was possible to
Next place I thought of that was big and nice (and could hold a 60-foot-long painting) was the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY, some 25 or so miles north of New York City. I knew I wouldn’t get the same turnout as a NYC con, so I had to make up for it by making true comic fans take the extra 12-minute
Frank Bolle & Joe Petrilak Con host Joe (on our right) and artist Bolle at the All Time Classic New York Comic Book Convention in June 2000— flanked by late Golden and midSilver Age work by the veteran comic illustrator. All photos in this issue’s coverage of the con are courtesy of Joe P., except where otherwise noted. Most were taken by Anthony Koch. (Left:) Bolle’s “3D-style” cover for Magazine Enterprises’ Red Mask #42 (June-July 1954), the first issue of the mag after it had officially changed its title from an authorized Tim Holt comic book—albeit one in which the cowboy movie star had previously taken on his masked secret identity in a (successful) bid for sales. [© the respective copyright holders.] (Right:) Splash page by Bolle from Western/Gold Key’s Dr. Solar, Man of the Atom #17 (July 1966). Script by Paul S. Newman. [TM & © Random House, Inc.]
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All Time Classic New York Comic Book Convention—Part 1
Bernie Wrightson Rudy Nebres
Marv Wolfman, Marie Severin, & Ramona Fradon (Left to right:) Marv Wolfman, who entered the comics field in the late 1960s, is best noted for his scripting of Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula and DC’s New Teen Titans. Marie Severin was a major colorist first for EC, then for Marvel, but also drew “The Incredible Hulk,” “Dr. Strange,” Sub-Mariner, and Not Brand Echh. (The woman next to Marie is a non-comics friend of hers, Jean Davenport.) Ramona Fradon is best remembered for a long 1950s run on “Aquaman” and as the original artist of Metamorpho. Photo courtesy of Russell Rainbolt.
has been drawing finely honed comics, both in his native Philippines and in the U.S., since his first work for DC in the early 1970s. He has also drawn for Marvel (most notably The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu) and for Warren Publications.
The WHO’S WHO of American Comic Books 1928-1999 Online Edition Created by Jerry G. Bails FREE – online searchable database – FREE www.bailsprojects.com – No password required
Slowpoke Jay Garrick transforms into The Flash in the story “Crime Has Many Faces!” in Comic Cavalcade #26 (April-May 1948), courtesy of Carmine Infantino (full art) & Robert Kanigher (script). Credits attributed in the GCD by Craig Delich. Repro’d from Roy Thomas’ bound volume. [TM & © DC Comics.]
(on right) with Russell Rainbolt. Wrightson drew many memorable horror stories, as well as the seminal issues of his DC co-creation Swamp Thing. Photo courtesy of Rainbolt.
There were numerous more recent artists, writers, and other comics professionals of slightly later vintage who also made their mark at the All Time Classic New York Comic Book Convention—and if we overlooked anyone from the Golden and/or Silver Ages in particular, we humbly apologize. It was a crowded, hectic, fun-filled place!
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ALL TIME CLASSIC NEW YORK COMIC BOOK CONVENTION PART
2
60th Anniversary Panel
LAMPERT, INFANTINO, GIELLA, McLAUGHLIN, & GOULART On Bringing The Fastest Man Alive To Life—TWICE! Videotaped June 10, 2000 by Marc Svensson
A/E
EDITOR’S NOTE: As the fates would have it, the year 2000 was technically the 60th anniversary of both “The Flash” and “Green Lantern,” the two major super-heroes of M.C. Gaines’ early-’40s All-American Comics line (at least till Wonder Woman came along at the end of 1941). Accordingly, con host Joe Petrilak and his associate David Siegel arranged a panel of Golden and Silver Age pros to celebrate the occasion: In the case of The Flash, that included Harry Lampert, the first artist (and thus co-creator) of “The Flash” in Flash Comics #1 (Jan. 1940—which of course actually saw print in fall of 1939)… Sheldon Moldoff, who drew the cover of Flash Comics #1…
Transcribed by Sean Dulaney and Carmine Infantino, original designer and penciler of the Silver Age “Flash” in Showcase #4 (Oct. 1956). When Moldoff was unable to attend the convention, his spot was shared by Joe Giella, who’d been the principal inker of the Silver Age “Flash” beginning with the hero’s third outing, in Showcase #13 (April 1958), and Frank McLaughlin, who inked a number of “Flash” stories in the mid-’70s (and also penciled the speedster in an issue or two of Justice League of America). Science-fiction, mystery, and comics author Ron Goulart served as moderator. The videotaping by Marc Svensson begins just as Goulart is about to introduce the panel, commenting tongue-in-cheek on the fact that Infantino has not yet arrived…
Six Decades Have Gone By In A Flash!
“The Flash: 60th Anniversary” panel—flanked by (on left) Harry Lampert’s splash page from Flash Comics #1 (Jan. 1940), scripted by Gardner Fox; and (on right) Carmine Infantino’s splash for Showcase #4 (Sept.-Oct. 1956), scripted by Robert Kanigher & inked by Joe Kubert. Both pages are reproduced from DC’s special Millennium Editions that reprinted those two issues. [Comics covers TM & © DC Comics.] Seen above is the moment Infantino joined the panel, just as it was beginning. (Standing:) Carmine Infantino. (Seated, left to right:) Frank McLaughlin, Ron Goulart, Harry Lampert, Joe Giella. Screen capture by Marc Svensson, who videotaped the panel and helped ID a few of the audience members. [Screen capture & videotape itself © 2017 Marc Svensson.]
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ALL TIME CLASSIC NEW YORK COMIC BOOK CONVENTION PART
“The Big Three”
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CARMINE INFANTINO, JOE KUBERT, & JULIUS SCHWARTZ Moderated by ROY THOMAS – Saturday, June 10, 2000 Transcribed by Sean Dulaney Videotaped by Marc Svensson
A/E
EDITOR’S INTRO: Perhaps the centerpiece of Joe Petrilak’s con was to be a pair of events featuring the Golden & Silver Age triumvirate of Infantino, Kubert, and Schwartz… and I was honored to be slated to preside over both of them. At some point, however, JP decided to drop the Saturday evening “R.F. Outcault Award” panel, in which those three worthies were to be presented with an award named for the creator of the Yellow Kid, and to give it out at the “Big Three” panel earlier that day… perhaps because he suspected that, after a whole day of conning, people were likely to go out to dinner at 6:30 instead of attending yet another panel. Marc Svensson filmed the talk, on a VHS taping that is © 2017 by him, and which he made available to Alter Ego; in addition, he identified several of the speakers from the audience, and we’ve included those IDs in this transcription….
The Way Of All “Flash” (Above:) The panel moderator and the “Big Three,” in a photo taken after Infantino’s 75th-birthday cake was brought in, midway through the proceedings. (L. to r.:) Roy Thomas, Carmine Infantino, Julius Schwartz, and Joe Kubert. Thanks to Craig Shutt. (Left:) The cover and lead splash page of Showcase #4 (Sept.-Oct. 1956) were both seen earlier this issue, but that still leaves the splash for the second “Flash” story therein, on which the panel trio had labored to good effect. This yarn was scripted by John Broome, penciled by Infantino, inked by Kubert, and edited by Schwartz. Thanks to Allen Ross. [Page TM & © DC Comics; videotape itself ©2017 Marc Svensson.]
ROY THOMAS: I want to introduce the three people, in case one or two people somehow think this is a Disney convention. Starting immediately to my left here is Carmine Infantino. [applause] In just a brief Reader’s Digest version of what he’s done—he’s been drawing comics since the 1940s when [editor] Shelly Mayer had these three guys come [into his office]—you and Frank Giacoia and Joe—and he said, “You guys go away. Go back to school, come back in a year and I’ll give you a job.” He did it. He’s been working ever since. CARMINE INFANTINO: [off mic] He hired Joe immediately. THOMAS: He hired him? Well, Joe didn’t want to go to school anyway. [laughter] But Carmine did it and it worked out for him. He started doing “Ghost Patrol,” “Johnny Thunder,” and he helped this girl called the Black Canary take over Johnny’s strip… then he started doing “Flash” and “Justice Society”… then those awful Western strips after that: “Trigger Twins,” that took over All-Star Comics from the Justice Society. He was doing great stuff…. Then, in 1956, [DC] had to try something new, so they decided they’d bring back “The Flash,” and Carmine was the penciler on that very first issue and a couple after that. Eventually, of course, Carmine became DC’s editor-in-chief, and then publisher….
“The Big Three”
Back In A Flash! Infantino, Kubert, and Schwartz were busy as beavers in Flash Comics #86 (Aug. 1947)—covering, between them, all four major features in the issue! Julie, of course, was story editor, under Sheldon Mayer. (Clockwise from top left:) Infantino penciled his first-ever “Johnny Thunder” assignment (the tale that introduced Black Canary, as written by Robert Kanigher and inked by Joe Giella)… He both penciled and inked his also-first-ever “Ghost Patrol” adventure (from a script by John B. Wentworth)… …while the already-veteran Kubert, who was all of 20 years old at the time, did full-art chores on the “Hawkman” story “The Valley of the Purple Pilgrim”; scripter uncertain. (In addition, in that same issue, Joe inked Lee Elias’ pencils on the cover and “Flash” exploit. And, just to make Flash #86 an All Time Classic Con special, “Flash” co-creator Harry Lampert drew two pages of gag cartoons therein!) Thanks to Al Dellinges. [TM & © DC Comics.]
The next person over here… that’s Julie Schwartz. [applause] SCHWARTZ: [unintelligible] THOMAS: Okay, Julie… we’ll go to the inker first then. [referring to Kubert] This guy’s an inker. [laughter] Never pencils anything. He just happened to be hanging around the office saying [comical voice] “Gimme something to do” one day in 1956, and they said, “Well, we’ve got this ‘Flash’ story….” Before that, when he was about three, [laughter] Joe Kubert was doing “Volton” and “Black Cat’ and a lot of stuff that— [responding to unintelligible comment from Kubert] You’re right, Joe. Even I don’t like that stuff that much. But within a couple of years, he started doing “Hawkman” and such. Whatever he thinks about it now, it was great stuff for its day, and he only got better as time went on. Then he went off to do Tor and various things at St. John’s… “Viking Prince” at DC. Then he got hooked up with the war books, in particular “Sgt. Rock,” “Enemy Ace,” things
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ALL TIME CLASSIC NEW YORK COMIC BOOK CONVENTION PART
4
60th Anniversary Panel
MART NODELL, IRWIN HASEN, & ROY THOMAS Talk About The Emerald Crusader Videotaped by Marc Svensson
A/E
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION: This celebratory panel was timed to take place immediately after the “Big Three” panel whose transcription precedes it. Originally, it had been slated to include Nodell, Hasen, and Sheldon “Shelly” Moldoff, who had drawn the first-ever “Green Lantern” cover, on 1940’s All-American Comics #16. But Moldoff had to cancel his appearance at the con, and I had meanwhile been trying to recruit Julius Schwartz, who had been story editor and then editor of the Golden Age “Green Lantern” appearances from early 1944 through All-Star Comics #57 at the turn of 1951—and, perhaps even more importantly, the editor of Showcase #22 in 1959 and the next decade-plus of the Green Lantern comics title. However, Schwartz had issues with Nodell, having on occasion gone on record disparaging his artwork, and he declined to join the panel. Still, even with Gil Kane having passed away a few months earlier, we had on hand two of the most important Two For The Show… 1940s illustrators of the Green (Above right:) Irwin Hasen (seatGladiator, including his major ed) and Mart Nodell displaying the creator—so away we went! ROY THOMAS: This is the panel in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Green Lantern. From 1940, when it began in All-American [Comics] #16… through last week… there have been sixty years of Green Lantern. Except for a period of about a decade when he wasn’t on the newsstands, the Green Lantern has always been around. Several generations of Americans have grown up with this character, and we have here the two [artists] most associated with that character in its earliest days. To my right, we have Mart Nodell… who conceived the idea
“Green Lantern 60th Anniversary Cake” at the All Time Classic Con— flanked by “GL” art by the pair.
(Above:) Splash page from Hasen’s first-ever artwork for the series: the cover of All-American Comics #24 (March 1941). Nodell drew the “GL” story inside, though. Thanks to the Grand Comics Database. (Right:) Nodell’s splash from AllAmerican #20 (Nov. 1940), which recapped the origin tale from #16. Note credit for Mart “Dellon,” which is “Nodell” spelled sideways. You fooled us good, Marty! Script by Bill Finger. Repro’d from the DC hardcover The Golden Age Green Lantern Archives, Vol. 1. [Pages TM & © DC Comics; videotape of panel © 2017 Marc Svensson.]
Transcribed by Sean Dulaney
Green Lantern: 60th Anniversary Panel
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E.E. Hibbard (left) became the second person ever to draw a “Green Lantern” solo story—but it was the only one he ever illustrated. He had previously drawn GL in the “Justice Society of America” intros and finales in AllStar Comics. Detail of photo provided by David Siegel for AE #142.
Bill Finger (Right:) The original scripter and secondary co-creator of “Green Lantern.” Detail from an early1940s photo provided by Marc Tyler Nobleman.
and [was] ably carried on by Irwin Hasen. So would you please welcome these two gentlemen…. [applause] Why don’t you give us the short form of what happened? How did you create the idea of the Green Lantern?
A Second-Hand “Lantern” Splash panel from All-American Comics #23 (Feb. 1941). Script by Bill Finger, art by E.E. Hibbard. Note that the official art credit is still for “Mart Dellon,” however. From The Golden Age Green Lantern Archives, Vol. 1. [TM & © DC Comics.]
of the Green Lantern, designed the costume, made up the first story, and so forth—although I thought it was this guy “Mart Dellon”…. MART NODELL: That was somebody else. It was still me. THOMAS: Right. And then, next to him, we have the second person to become a regular “Green Lantern” artist, and who did a couple other things in his life, too: Irwin Hasen, who began already by, if not late ’40, then early ’41, drawing “Green Lantern” partly so that they [All-American Comics group] could put out a Green Lantern quarterly book and get somebody else to do the All-American book. And Irwin Hasen had done a beautiful cover for one issue of All-American, a South American type of scene… and on the basis of seeing that drawing, they said, “This is the guy that ought to do it, to pick up the slack,” and suddenly you had “Green Lantern” being handled by these two people. This is the way it went for the next several years. Eventually other people came. There was this one story by E.E. Hibbard in the middle, and then eventually Paul Reinman and Carmine, near the end. Alex Toth, a guy with some talent, drew a few stories. But these are the two guys that carried the load for all those early, wonderful years of the “Green Lantern,” and whatever Julie said at the last panel about—I love Julie, but what he said at the last panel about only keeping the name of the Green Lantern or The Flash: not true. Even if it’s in his book. Julie and his people added a lot to the new Green Lantern and Flash, but what they kept, from both characters, was more than just the name, and, in the case of Green Lantern, more than just the color. What they kept was a concept… the concept of the man who finds a ring, however he finds it—it can be science-fiction or it can be fantasy, whatever—but who finds a ring that enables his will power and his mind to do almost anything he can think about. He has a weakness, but basically it makes him the next best thing to omnipotent, and yet still very human, because he’s not invulnerable like, say, Superman…. I wouldn’t want to take anything in the world away from Julie Schwartz, or John Broome, or my good friend, the late Gil Kane, but the fact remains, it all started back in 1940, ’41, with Mart Nodell,
NODELL: Well, in seeing the Green Lantern as another character, the first thing that I thought of was to have the idea of what I felt would be most important to me. If I could think of a number of ideas and put them together, it’d be best to do it with what I knew about. So first I thought of Greek mythology, Chinese folklore, Wagnerian opera, and— THOMAS: That’s the Ring Cycle of Wagner, right?... NODELL: Well, sure, you know it. Anyway, all that meant to me, first of all, was a meteor coming down in a small town in China, where there would be an explosion and there would be some metal. Secondly, the costume that I eventually worked out would be Greek-mythology-type… except that I thought of the motion picture characters who were great on swordsmanship, and I thought it’d be great to have part of the sleeve billow around. [to Irwin] You didn’t do that! IRWIN HASEN: [mock startled] First of all, I didn’t know about that. Greek mythology and Chinese—to me it was making a living. I just did what he did, and I took— In those days you got an assignment from an editor, Sheldon Mayer; you’d come down to the office, and Bill Finger would be sitting there, and they would talk among themselves, and then he’d say to me, “Irwin, go home and do whatever you do.” NODELL: Well, that’s what they did, but I didn’t work from that point of view at all. The only things that I did then was try to do something that— Superman had Krypton. Batman had a lot of mechanical things. So I thought the next thing would be a little bit different, so I thought “will power.” So, with will power, he could go through walls, he could fly, he could do various things. But that to me meant using the character in various ways, but I needed something additional, so I worked out the lantern… but the lantern was a green lantern. I went down to the subway on the way home after I talked to Sheldon Mayer, and I thought of something that had to do with the fellow who was working on the tracks. And here he was waving a red lantern for the train not to come in, with a green lantern if it was okay to come in, all that kind of thing. So I decided that sounds like a workable title. So I just used the Green Lantern, and that, to me, was the character. But I didn’t want Super-MAN, Bat-MAN, so I thought maybe something else. I also thought the lantern could be worked with the opera that you were referring to, the Ring Cycle operas—well, that was a character, a prince with unusual [abilities], where there were under-
All Time Classic New York Comic Book Convention — Part 6
Never Mind Cinerama & Cinemascope… Russ standing in front of the painting.
[Continued from p. 61] and a big swatch of Timely’s greatest: the Sub-Mariner, Torch, Toro, Bucky, and Captain America, all thanks to All Winners #8. As you can see, the list goes on and on, and before long I was dragging out every reference I could find and stuffing every open space with more and more characters. I had a blast. I literally worked 12-16 hours a day for the last several weeks and finished it 24 hours before the All Time Classic Convention opened. I had to leave some time for it to dry. It was 3 o’clock in the morning when I signed it, and the Barrett billboard crew found me sound asleep next to Mr. Natural, the last guy I painted. (Say, do you think The Yellow Kid could actually be Mr. Natural? The timeline is just about right….)
And that’s how I ended up making one of the largest pieces of fan art ever. Amazingly, this gigantic mural folded nicely and fit into the back of my Jeep Wrangler. Petrilak gave me a table and hung the art across the entire stage for all to see. It was my first invitation to exhibit at a convention, and I had the unforgettable privilege of meeting an amazing number of comics’ legendary creators—and all in one place! I also had the unique opportunity to show them just how big an influence they had on me. NOTE: Re the quality reproduction of Russell Rainbolt’s 60’ x 20’ comics mural displayed on pp. 62-65: Russ has compiled a checklist, complete with images, enumerating the names and all the cover references for every character in the huge painting. It is available on his website russrainbolt.com. How many can you name?
Previously Unpublished Brunner Artwork!
ATTENTION: FRANK BRUNNER ART FANS! Frank is now accepting art commissions for covers, splash panels, or pin-up re-creations! Also, your ideas for NEW art are welcome! Art can be pencils only, inked or full-color (painted) creation! Contact Frank directly for details and prices. (Minimum order: $500) Visit my website at: http://www.frankbrunner.net
Dr. Strange & Clea TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc..
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(Inset:) Panel from Peter Cannon... Thunderbolt, Vol. 3, #51 (March 1966). [TM & © Estate of Pete Morisi]
[Shazam heroes, Sivana, Mr. Tawny, Ibac, Nippo, Mr. Mind TM & © DC Comics; other art ©2017 Paul Power.]
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“SHAZAM!” He Says
The Influence Of Captain Marvel On Some Famous (& Infamous) Mortals by Paul Power Edited by P.C. Hamerlinck
Introduction
Fred MacMurray
et’s start with a little personal backstory: I was born on November 5, 1954. Fawcett’s comic books were kaput by the time I was born, as were most of the other exciting American comic book companies in the Dr. Wertham era. It was not a good year for comic book artists and writers. The comics publishing industry was being bashed for corrupting young minds in the U.S. We also had the lawyers representing Superman/National/DC put the boot to Fawcett’s neck in their phony lawsuit against The Big Red Cheese in 1941-1953. Doctor Sivana couldn’t have done a more dastardly deed to young Billy Batson himself.
Before reading any further, please take a look at the Captain Marvel tribute page I drew, and that Steve Oliff colored, on the facing page. Why would C.C. Beck use actor Fred MacMurray as the model for Captain Marvel in the first place? Let’s use a quote from the man himself from the book Fawcett Companion. Beck: “I based the characters on famous actors of the time because I knew I couldn’t create a character out of my head. Nobody can create a character: characters create themselves in answer to what people are looking for. At the time, Fred MacMurray was a very popular actor and I used him as the basis for Captain Marvel. He had a slanted forehead, wavy hair, and a big chin.” What Beck had left out was that Fred MacMurray was also a very well-built bloke. You wouldn’t know that from his Disney films, now would you, eh?
L
As I got older and became a working commercial artist and cartoonist in Australia. I’d show my portfolio to advertising clients. Throughout 1971 I was getting the same question from various art directors repeated to me while they were looking over my artwork: “Do you like Captain Marvel comics?” “Sure!” I said. “But I haven’t seen a lot of those comic books. I only own three issues.” They would tell me that my drawings reminded them of those old comics and then nostalgically tell me stories about the good Captain’s adventures that they had read with great fondness as kids. I later bought Steranko’s History of Comics when it was released in 1972, and read his chapters on Fawcett. (I hope it gets reprinted in hardcover with color someday.)
Beck used other actors as well, such as Australia’s favorite son in Hollywood, Errol Flynn, who was his model for Spy Smasher, and Tyrone Power in the guise of Ibis the Invincible. That makes perfect sense to me as a movie storyboard artist and cartoonist.
Well, the best part of those interviews with the art directors was that it would result in either a freelance gig or art staff job … with folks like Cam Ford (animator on the Beatles movie Yellow Submarine and on Superfriends) … and actor Sir Anthony Hopkins would also hire me, all because of fondness for Captain Marvel. The point I’m making is that Captain Marvel has played a part in my life as a cartoonist, and so I became a fan and, to this day, I still find people in show business here in Hollywood who speak fondly of those old Fawcett comic books. Why? It’s because you, the reader, could tell that the creative people themselves behind those comics were having great fun doing their work on Captain Marvel and family … and, when the show was over, quite a few of those same creative people and employees were never the same again, as past articles in Alter-Ego/FCA will attest.
And Nobody Changed His Name To “Captain Kangaroo”… Perhaps this 1950 Australian edition of Captain Marvel Adventures (reprinting stories from U.S. CMA #111) was one enjoyed by our author, Paul Power. Art by C.C. Beck & Pete Costanza. [Shazam hero TM & © DC Comics.]