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No.99 January 2011

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

2010 EISNER AWARD Nominee Best Comics-Related Periodical

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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HARVEY COMICS’ PRE-CODE HORROR MAGS OF THE 1950s! Interviews with SID JACOBSON, WARREN KREMER, and HOWARD NOSTRAND, plus Harvey artist KEN SELIG talks to JIM AMASH! MR. MONSTER presents the wit and wisdom (and worse) of DR. FREDRIC WERTHAM, plus FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) with C.C. BECK & MARC SWAYZE, & more! SIMON & KIRBY and NOSTRAND cover!

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BIG MARVEL ISSUE! Salutes to legends SINNOTT and AYERS—plus STAN LEE, TUSKA, EVERETT, MARTIN GOODMAN, and others! A look at the “Marvel SuperHeroes” TV animation of 1966! 1940s Timely writer and editor LEON LAZARUS interviewed by JIM AMASH! Plus FCA, MR. MONSTER, the 1960s fandom creations of STEVE GERBER, and more! JACK KIRBY holiday cover!

FAWCETT FESTIVAL! Big FCA section with Golden Age artists MARC SWAYZE & EMILIO SQUEGLIO, and interviews with the FAWCETT FAMILY! Plus Part II of “The MAD Four-Color Wannabes of the 1950s,” more on DR. LAURETTA BENDER and the teenage creations of STEVE GERBER, artist JACK KATZ spills Golden Age secrets to JIM AMASH, and more! New cover by ORDWAY and SQUEGLIO!

SWORD-AND-SORCERY, PART 3! DC’s Sword of Sorcery by O’NEIL, CHAYKIN, & SIMONSON and Claw by MICHELINIE & CHAN, Hercules by GLANZMAN, Dagar by GLUT & SANTOS, Marvel S&S art by BUSCEMA, KANE, KAYANAN, WRIGHTSON, et al., and JACK KATZ on his classic First Kingdom! Plus FCA, MR. MONSTER, STEVE GERBER’s fan-creations (part 3), and more! Cover by RAFAEL KAYANAN!

(NOW WITH 16 COLOR PAGES!) “EarthTwo—1961 to 1985!” with rare art by INFANTINO, GIL KANE, ANDERSON, DELBO, ANDRU, BUCKLER, APARO, GRANDENETTI, and DILLIN, interview with Golden/Silver Age DC editor GEORGE KASHDAN, plus MICHAEL T. GILBERT and MR. MONSTER, STEVE GERBER, FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America), and a new cover by INFANTINO and AMASH!

(NOW WITH 16 COLOR PAGES!) “EarthTwo Companion, Part II!” More on the 19631985 series that changed comics forever! The Huntress, Power Girl, Dr. Fate, Freedom Fighters, and more, with art by ADAMS, APARO, AYERS, BUCKLER, GIFFEN, INFANTINO, KANE, NOVICK, SCHAFFENBERGER, SIMONSON, STATON, SWAN, TUSKA, our GEORGE KASHDAN interview Part 2, FCA, and more! STATON & GIORDANO cover!

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(84-page magazine with COLOR) $7.95 US • (Digital edition) $2.95

Vol. 3, No. 99 / January 2011 Editor Roy Thomas

Associate Editors Bill Schelly Jim Amash

Design & Layout Christopher Day

Consulting Editor John Morrow

FCA Editor P.C. Hamerlinck

Comic Crypt Editor Michael T. Gilbert

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

Proofreader

NOW WITH 16 PAG ES OF COLOR!

Rob Smentek

Cover Artist George Tuska (with various inkers)

Cover Colorist Tom Ziuko

With Special Thanks to: Heidi Amash Henry Andrews Tony Arena David Armstrong Bob Bailey Mike W. Barr John Benson Jon Berk Alyssen Bills Bill Bossert Ulla NeigenfindBossert Lee Boyette Mike Burkey Brett Canavan Nick Cardy R. Dewey Cassell Shaun Clancy Steve Cohen John M. De Mocko Michaël Dewally Jay Disbrow Stephen Donnelly Michael Dunne Jon R. Evans Shane Foley Rudi Franke Todd Franklin Mike Friedrich Mike Gartland Janet Gilbert David Hajdu Jennifer Hamerlinck

Paul Handler Heritage Comics Chris Khalaf Robin Kirby Denis Kitchen Tommy Kohlmaier Stan Lee Dominique Léonard Mark Lewis Jim Ludwig Bruce Mason Brian K. Morris Frankie Odler Barry Pearl Fern Peppe John G. Pierce Al Plastino John Powell John Schwirian Jeff Singh Steve Skeates Anthony Snyder Aaron Sultan Desha Swayze Marc Swayze Dann Thomas Walter Tomashoff Mark Trost Dorothy Tuska Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. Michael Vance Dr. Michael J. Vassallo Hames Ware

This issue is dedicated to the memory of

John Belcastro & Kim Aamodt

Contents Writer/Editorial: Sometimes Nice Guys Finish First . . . . . . . . 2 An Artist for All Seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The late great George Tuska, saluted and celebrated anew by R. Dewey Cassell.

“I Was Contemptuous, Basically, of the Comics” . . . . . . . . . 37 But Golden Age artist Bill Bossert feels more kindly toward them now, he tells Jim Amash.

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt! Kooky DC Krossovers – Part 2 . . 53 Michael T. Gilbert examines the fuzzy line between reality and fiction at DC Comics.

Comic Fandom Archive: The Rudi Franke Interview . . . . . . 59 Bill Schelly talks with one of fandom’s finest early fan-artists.

Tributes to John Belcastro & Kim Aamodt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 re: [correspondence, comments, & corrections] . . . . . . . . . 68 FCA [Fawcett Collectors of America] #158 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 A vintage Marc Swayze column… and P.C. Hamerlinck remembers editor Ginny Provisiero. On Our Cover: Since we can’t mix and match Marvel and DC heroes on our covers, who were we gonna show with smiling George Tuska up front? Iron Man? Luke Cage? Certainly. Sub-Mariner? Iceman? Daredevil? Ghost Rider? Even Spider-Man? George drew ’em all, at one time or another. But we couldn’t neglect Mr. Crime (and a generic hoodlum) from the Crime Does Not Pay days… or Buck Rogers and his ladyfriend from the comic strip George drew for years… so we came up with a pulsatin’ potpourri on the career of this most modest yet talented of artists—lovingly assembled by our layout guru Chris Day! [Marvel art ©2011 Marvel Characters, Inc.; Buck Rogers & Wilma Deering TM & ©2011 The Dille Family Trust; other art TM & ©2011 estate of George Tuska.] Above: Contrary to what you might think, though, genial George did draw a few super-heroes back in the Golden Age, long before he wandered into Marvel in the mid-1960s… as witness this sizzling splash panel from Standard’s Black Terror #26 (April 1949). The scripter may be unknown—but we’re well aware that Jim Ludwig sent us the scan! [Art ©2011 the respective copyright holders.] Alter EgoTM is published 8 times a year by TwoMorrows, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614, USA. Phone: (919) 449-0344. Roy Thomas, Editor. John Morrow, Publisher. Alter Ego Editorial Offices: 32 Bluebird Trail, St. Matthews, SC 29135, USA. Fax: (803) 826-6501; e-mail: roydann@ntinet.com. Send subscription funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial offices. Eight-issue subscriptions: $60 US, $85 Canada, $107 elsewhere. All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter © Roy Thomas. Alter Ego is a TM of Roy & Dann Thomas. FCA is a TM of P.C. Hamerlinck. Printed in Canada. ISSN: 1932-6890 FIRST PRINTING.

writer/editorial

Sometimes Nice Guys Finish First! G

eorge Tuska was one of the nicest guys I ever met.

At least, he was… to the extent I can judge from my own contacts with him over the years, first at Marvel in the 1960s and early ’70s, later over the phone during the ’80s, and during the past couple of decades at comic conventions, particularly the Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC, where he and I often ran into each other after I moved to South Carolina. Of course, it can be claimed that no one ever really “knows” anyone fully, especially one who is only encountered in workplace situations, or in fairly casual social contacts. And with George, there was that extra barrier to deal with: his deafness. Virtually all those phone calls I alluded to above were actually made by or to his charming wife Dorothy, who learned over the years precisely what needed to be asked or said over Alexander Graham Bell’s little invention. I know that, for my part, I almost felt that I was talking with George.

Okay, so I guess George could’ve deluded me… and Stan Lee… and Johnny Romita… and Marie Severin… and just about everybody else he ever met... into thinking he was a nice guy. After all, there is that oft-told tale about George slugging a fellow artist, basically without warning (so what if the guy had been picking on a buddy of his?). Maybe George was really a terrible person, a monster with a friendly pasted-on face, like Vincent Price in the 1950s movie House of Wax.

good sense of story and an admirable work ethic and an ultra-professional attitude. He must have realized that he was one of the most valued artists featured in Charlie Biro’s Crime Does Not Pay in the late 1940s/early ’50s… and maybe he even sensed Stan Lee’s glee on the day George informed him that the Buck Rogers newspaper strip had come to an end and he was finally available to draw full-time for Marvel Comics. When he (or rather, Dorothy) phoned me in the 1980s to tell me that he could use an assignment, I hope he knew that I was ready, willing, and eager to have him draw that Golden Age “Flash” story for the Secret Origins title I co-edited for DC. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there was a time in the early 1970s, in particular, when George and John Romita were the two most commercial artists working for Marvel. Everything they did sold. In George’s case, that included a two-issue stint on Sub-Mariner, a lengthy run on Iron Man, the early issues of Hero for Hire (which, sad to say, was a harder sell than it should have been). Good… and likable… and bankable, to boot. Any questions as to why I titled Dewey Cassell’s fine study of George Tuska’s career as I did? George was one of the greats… and a man who gave the lie to that old Leo Durocher saw, “Nice guys finish last.” We’ll always miss you, George.

But somehow, I don’t think so. No, I think with George what you saw was, by and large, what you got. In his low-key, unspectacular way, he was a very talented artist with a

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An Artist For All Seasons A Brief Look At The Life And Career of GEORGE TUSKA by R. Dewey Cassell AUTHOR’S NOTE: Although obviously covering some of the same ground as my (and my colleagues’) out-of-print 2005 book The Art of George Tuska, this article was written largely from scratch with almost all new source material. The quotes by George are from an interview conducted at the 1997 San Diego Comic-Con, where he received the Inkpot Award. That interview is believed to be unpublished, and permission was granted by Comic-Con International to transcribe and include it here. This article also includes new interviews done with George’s cousin Walter Tomashoff, as well as with Al Plastino, Mike Friedrich, Nick Cardy, Fern Peppe (widow of inker Mike Peppe), and Dorothy Tuska, George’s better half of 61 years. Also included is the eulogy Stan Lee wrote about George that was read at his funeral. This article, then, is a new tribute to George, focusing primarily (but not entirely) on the first 35 of his nearly 50 years as a professional artist.

I Led Three Lives—And Then Some! In his long (but very active!) retirement, George Tuska could look back on having done acclaimed work for three of the world’s most successful comics companies—Lev Gleason in the 1950s, and Marvel and DC during the Silver Age and beyond. And that doesn’t count his work at other comics outfits— or on two major comic strips! The photo of a “retired” George in his studio floats above Tuska pages for Crime Does Not Pay #48 (Nov. 1946)… Iron Man #18 (Oct. 1969)… and Teen Titans #31 (Jan.-Feb. 1971). Photo courtesy of the Tuskas; CDNP art from Jim Amash; Marvel art from Barry Pearl; DC art from Dewey Cassell. [Iron Man page ©2011 Marvel Characters, Inc.; Teen Titans page ©2011 DC Comics; CDNP page ©2011 the respective copyright holders.] NOTE: Because many A/E readers already own a copy of Dewey’s 2005 TwoMorrows tome The Art of George Tuska (done with Aaron Sultan & Mike Gartland), we’ve reproduced very few of the photos and comics pages featured therein. The book’s out of print, but copies can doubtless be located online.

A 12-Issue Series— Celebrating 40 Years Since CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 Written by Roy Thomas Drawn by Mike Hawthorne & John Lucas Covers of #1-6 by Doug Wheatley Issue #1 on sale 12/15/10 Issue #2 on sale 1/19/11 Price: $3.50

From Dark Horse Comics

“I Was Contemptuous, Basically, Of The Comics” Artist BILL BOSSERT On His Golden Age Career— And On Those Of A Couple Of Folks Named BLUM Interview Conducted by Jim Amash

Transcribed by Brian K. Morris

NTERVIEWER’S NOTE: Bill Bossert worked in comics for only a year or so—in the Eisner & Iger comics shop, where he drew the features “Captain Terry Thunder,” “Ghost Gallery,” and “Captain Kidd” (though he only recalled doing the first of these). He married one of the first—if not the very first—women to write comic books: Audrey “Toni” Blum, daughter of noted comics artist Alex Blum. I had always hoped to learn more about both of the Blums, as well as about Bill—and now that I have, so will you! Oh, and thanks to David Hajdu, author of The TenCent Plague, for putting me in touch with Bill. —Jim.

“The Four Ages Of Bossert” That’s how either Bill Bossert himself or his wife Ulla Neigenfind-Bossert labeled the above quadripartite photo-grouping they sent us, showing the artist in childhood, young manhood, his middle years, and the recent past. Thanks to the Bosserts for all photos that accompany this interview, except as otherwise noted. (Left:) Bossert’s splash page for Jungle Comics #18 (June 1941). In the early days of “Captain Terry Thunder,” the strip clearly contained a considerable quotient of whimsy. Later, under other hands, it became deadly serious “Foreign Legion in the jungle” fare. Writer uncertain, but see comments made in the course of this interview. Thanks to Jim Ludwig. [©2011 the respective copyright holders.]

“My Father Didn’t Want Me To Be In Art” JIM AMASH: Let me start with some basic questions like when and where were you born? BILL BOSSERT: I was born in Greenwich Village, New York… February 24th, 1918. JA: And you were an artist and a writer? BOSSERT: Well, I’m not a writer. I was the artist, but the thing about it was that my father didn’t want me to be in art at all. He said, “Don’t do it. I’ll have to support you your whole life. I don’t want that.” I know a lot of fathers do that, but I’m a cranky kind of a guy. I said, “I know I’m not going to be a professor like you in Cooper Union, New York.” He loved math and he loved science, and all that turned me off. Cooper Union, if you don’t know, is a college in New York City. It’s got a long reputation of good works for electrical engineering and architecture. It also has an art school. I said, “Dad, I don’t want to go to that art school.” And he said, “Why not? If you do, it doesn’t cost me anything.” I said, “Okay, let’s go and take a look at it.” This was when I was ready to graduate from high school in ‘36. We took a tour

“I Was Contemptuous, Basically, Of The Comics”

through the art school, and there was paint on the floor, paint on the walls, there were one or two unfinished paintings—how could you tell if they were finished or not? [Jim laughs] And there was not a single artist to be seen. Not one of the studios contained a human being. They were all across the street having coffee, talking art. We both laughed, and my father said, “Well, yeah, I guess.” I said, “I think I’m more conservative than you are. I want to go to Pratt Institute.” And he said, “Well, if you do, you’re going to have to pay me back.” I said, “Oh, jeez. Well, okay.” So that’s what I did. I went to be an illustrator, but I wasn’t that good at it. But I was good at a lot of things, and I loved going to Pratt. It was an eye-opener for me in my life, and the other students and I hung out together, and we did everything we could. We had just a marvelous, marvelous time. JA: Being at the end of the Depression, you needed a job. BOSSERT: Yeah. I couldn’t get a job, and I was a graduate of Pratt Institute. So that was a blow that was really very, very tough for me to accept then, and I didn’t want to accept it. But I was glad to have an excuse to say, “Well, it’s the Depression, nobody can get work.” But then the other thing about the Depression, which was quite interesting to me, is that my father, who was a professor, he had a safe job. And they reduced his wages some during the Depression, but not enough to hurt him. But he was contemptuous of people who couldn’t find work.

JA: When you went to Eisner & Iger, they were still together, right? BOSSERT: Yes, they were. Iger was the money man, and he was a cartoon, himself. He should have been in Hollywood as a villain, you know? He wasn’t a villain, really, but he was sleek, little, tiny—he looked like an exboxer, only he was too small. And he watched the bottom line, but that’s not the wrong thing to do. JA: There was nothing creative about him, was there? BOSSERT: No, nothing creative at all, but he supplied the money, and Eisner provided the impetus and the creative work, and he was great. He watched over us like a mother with her chicks, and there were about 20 of us. It was like a factory. We were off Third Avenue in New York City. We’d get there in the morning, and work there all day long, knocking off at the evening, and we’d be there half a day on Saturday. It was an old time sweat shop. It was a great deal of fun, and we learned because Lou Fine was the—I don’t know if you know his name. He was a handicapped guy. He was really crippled, but he drew beautifully.

My mother was Irish, and some of the Irish relatives would come across. They’d get a job on the boat to come over, and they’d hope to get a job in New York. They’d come and stay with us, and it just would make my father furious. He said, “We’ve gotta feed these guys,” and “We can’t get them jobs,” and “The jobs are out there. They’ve got to find them. Nobody can say there’s no jobs.” See, he didn’t have an ounce of sympathy, which was so unlike him, because otherwise he was more careful about being sensitive. JA: What were your parents’ names? BOSSERT: Will and Bella Bossert. [chuckles] Bella McGuiness, see. And later on, she wanted to be a member of Daughters of the British Empire. I said, “Ma, you’re a McGuiness. Does that sound British?” And she didn’t wink, she didn’t turn her hair, she said, [in a regal British accent] “I want to be a Daughter of the British Empire.” [mutual laughter] Yeah, she did it so well. She said she made it. She became a Daughter of the British Empire. [chuckles]

“I Immediately Got A Job At Eisner & Iger” JA: How did you get your first job working in comics? BOSSERT: I graduated in 1939, a good year, [mutual laughter] and I couldn’t get a job. I took my samples everywhere and of course, the only ones in my class that got jobs were hired by big advertising agencies. They only took the top of the class, the guys that were really superb illustrators, probably the minute they signed up at the very first day of going to Pratt. But in any case, I had to get a job, so a friend of mine called me and said, “Bill, I got a job doing comics.” I said, “Oh, Jesus. Who wants to do that?” And he said, “Well, come on over and take a look.” I said, “I don’t think I’m good enough.” So I went over there, showed my work… I immediately got a job at Eisner & Iger. The friend was Chuck Mazoujian, who was a classmate of mine. He’s Armenian, and his parents went through the Armenian thing in Turkey. They were driven out; it’s a typical immigrant story, his family. Chuck was a very good artist. I hated the whole idea of comic books. It was so pitiful: slam bang and guts, guts, blood all over, and a lot of stuff going on. But I turned out to be quite good at it. There was a woman writing this stuff named Audrey Blum. She was very good, and in fact, we got married. [chuckles]

Technical Kayo Will Eisner and Jerry Iger, proprietors of the Eisner & Iger shop, can be seen on p. 5; and above, from his interview in A/E #48, is a photo of artist Chuck Mazoujian, the friend who pushed Bill Bossert into comics. Also, here’s a “Kayo Kirby” page for a Fiction House issue and reportedly drawn by Mazoujian—or maybe he didn’t do it. It was sent to us some time past by Lee Boyette & Jon R. Evans as being from Fight Comics #5 (May 1940), but the Grand Comics Database lists Dan Zolnerowich as the artist of #5’s “Kayo Kirby” tale. But then, assigning credits to un-bylined Golden Age stories has always been always a risky business. The writer, too, is of course unknown. [©2011 the respective copyright holders.]

Artist Bill Bossert On His Golden Age Career

JA: Tell me about Andrey, a.k.a. Toni, Blum. BOSSERT: Audrey Blum had to supply paragraphs for everybody in the place. She had to write a paragraph for each of the artists who was doing a story. JA: She didn’t write a full script? BOSSERT: No, she just wrote an A Toni Winner outline, and she’d make up the Audrey “Toni” Blum, scripter at the Eisner & Iger shop and later Mrs. Bill Bossert—seen with the top half of a one-page whole thing. She’d write the feature she reportedly wrote as “Lora Lane” for 1938’s Jumbo Comics #1. Since the art for “Stars on Parade” is credited outline, and she’d help them to “Toni Rossert” in three places on the page, we’d be tempted to wonder if she had a hand in drawing it, as well… break it down page-by-page. but Bill Bossert (hmm… similar name, there!) doesn’t say she ever worked as an artist. Even so, she shared Then she would get the pages that all-important debut issue with the likes of Will Eisner, Jerry Iger, Bob Kane, and Jack Kirby. Repro’d from Blackthorne Press’ 1985 reprint Jerry Iger’s Classic Jumbo Comics #1; thanks to Jim Ludwig. [©2011 Caplin-Iger Company, back, and she would pencil in the Ltd., or successors in interest.] actual dialogue on the page. Then the lettering man would letter the dialogue. There was one guy who spent the whole day with “Bill Eisner… Had A Movie Director’s Skill” rubber cement, white paint, and an electric brush for cleaning up pages. That’s what he spent his whole day on, cleaning page after page of messy JA: When you got the job, was it Eisner or Iger who hired you? stuff. BOSSERT: Iger wouldn’t hire anyone. He would just fuss about the wages, JA: So she provided a plot, and then the artists were doing some of the and about how much you produced each day. He tried to be funny, and he plotting. was just like a mob guy, except he wasn’t evil. He looked exactly like a mob guy, smoked big cigars, and when he sat down, his feet didn’t touch BOSSERT: Yeah, a little bit of it. But you’d be amazed at some of the guys the floor, but he had these blonde broads. Women of the night, you know. who didn’t have a clue what the storyline was supposed to be, even though [laughs] We were just fascinated with him, but we didn’t want to imitate she gave them a couple of paragraphs, and would give names of the good him. guy and the bad guy, and the police and the undercover agent, or whatever the story was. They’d screw it up. They would start out, and then JA: I heard that people use to do imitations of him, of his voice and so she’d have to keep rewriting the whole thing because they made such a forth. mess. She’d say, “This is supposed to be on the fifth page and you have it BOSSERT: Oh, imitations? Well, I did that all the time. I was always in on the second page. You’re giving away the whole story in the beginning.” trouble. Yeah, I imitated everybody. When I was in the military later, I [chuckles] So she had to re-do the whole story as it went along. It was a imitated everybody in the military, and that didn’t go over very well. Well, really nerve-wracking thing, but that’s what she did. it did go over well in some quarters very well. [laughs] JA: I do want to spend a little time talking about her, because we know JA: Do you remember how much they paid you when you started? virtually nothing about her, and obviously you can tell me. [laughs] BOSSERT: Yes, I can. She was a sweetheart. JA: I take it she’s not with us anymore. BOSSERT: No, she is not. She died in ‘73 of breast cancer. JA: Do you happen to remember her birth date? BOSSERT: I’m not sure, exactly. I think it was January 12th, 1918. We made fun that she was older than I was.

BOSSERT: Eleven bucks a week, but I didn’t have any [other] work, so I had to take it. My father said, “Hey, you graduated the first of June and here it is, the middle of July, and where’s the job?” [mutual laughter] “Hey, give me a break, Dad.” JA: Were you doing the complete art job when you started? BOSSERT: Yes, I was doing the whole thing, but I had to learn it. I didn’t know [how to produce a page]. I had a rough idea, and in order to get the job, I had made a sample which I, unfortunately, never kept. But it was my own idea of a story, and how I broke it up to show a close-up and a long

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

Kooky DC Krossovers— Part 2 by Michael T. Gilbert

Funny Business! The line between reality and fiction was always a bit fuzzy at DC. One month Lois Lane might canoodle with singers Pat Boone or Perry Como, while Superman would sip champagne with Hollywood stars Ann Blyth and Orson Welles the next. This media cross-pollination worked both ways. In real life, DC’s Hollywood connections gave life to movie and TV versions of Superman, Batman, Congo Bill, and other DC properties. National/DC got on the Hollywood bandwagon early. Their 1939 series, Movie Comics, featured a bizarre mix of traditional comics and photo-novellas of current movies. When that title failed to take off, they tried again in 1950 with Feature Films, a new title that featured graphic novellas of popular movies, including Bing Crosby’s Riding High, and Fancy Pants with Bob Hope and Lucille Ball. The series folded after four issues, but Bob Hope’s comic book career flourished. DC launched his own title that same year, and The Adventures of Bob Hope proved to be a major success, lasting 109 issues from Feb. 1950 to Feb. 1968. DC followed with other comics devoted to famous stars. Television shows like Ozzie and Harriet, Jackie Gleason, Dobie Gillis, and Phil Silvers’ Sgt. Bilko all had their own titles. Even

Calling All Costumes—And Diana Prince! Clockwise on this page & opposite one: Jerry meets The Flash in Adventures of Jerry Lewis #112 (June 1969); Batman in AOJL #97 (Dec. 1966); Superman in AOJL #105 (April 1968); Wonder Woman in AOJL #117 (April 1970); Alfred E. Neuman and Bob Hope in AOJL #89 (Aug. 1965). [©2011 DC Comics.]

Kooky DC Krossovers—Part II

Bilko’s dimwitted army buddy, Pvt. Doberman, rated one, as did pop stars Pat Boone and Alan Ladd. (Earlier, Western stars Jimmy Wakely and Dale Evans—Mrs. Roy Rogers—had briefly starred in series, as well.) But the most enduring of DC’s Hollywood franchises began in July 1952 with the debut of The Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, though poor Dean was dropped from the title with issue #41 (Nov. 1957) when the real-life team broke up in July 1956. Clearly, DC knew who was the star of that World’s Finest team! Thanks to beautiful Bob Oksner art and clever scripts by Bob Haney and others, The Adventures of Jerry Lewis continued for an impressive 124 issues before the laughter stopped in May 1971. Towards the end, DC tried to perk up sagging sales with Kooky Krossovers between Jerry and Superman, Batman, The Flash, and a noncostumed Wonder Woman. The Adventures of Jerry Lewis #89 even featured a Kooky Kameo by his old DC rival, Bob Hope! “What are you doing in my comic book?” Jerry asks Bob angrily. “You think I’d be here if I could have made ‘Superman’ or ‘The Doom Patrol’?’” he answers. Snap! That issue’s Wizard of Oz parody, “Wizard of Ooze,” also included a visit by Mad’s maddest mascot, Alfred E. Neuman. And why not? DC’s parent company, Warner, owned that, too. One final tidbit: Perhaps inspired by their DC comic, Jerry and Dean played comic book creators in their 1955 movie Artists and Models, creating kooky characters like Bat Lady, Vultureman, and Zuba the Magnificent. DC must’ve have been very proud!

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

It Pays To Advertise! Boy, those DC artists (or was it their editors?) sure loved to plug all the company’s romance titles! The Colan panels above and at right are from Falling in Love #75, and showcase Girls’ Romances, Heart Throbs, Girls’ Love, Falling in Love, Young Love, Secret Hearts, Young Romance—and even Wonder Woman! (Below:) Heart Throbs #100 (Feb.-March 1966) also included a nice gooey selection! Artist & writer unknown. [©2011 DC Comics.]

apology to Young Romance, but it’s too late to stop publication. Worse, a guy, Pete, sees Janie’s picture (her sister’s, actually) and writes to her asking for a date. He includes his hunky photo. Don’t worry, Hunky Petey doesn’t read love comics; his sister showed him her copy. Pete, a man of discerning taste, was engrossed in a copy of Mad at the time. Grab him, Janie. He’s a catch! Against all logic, she accepts and they agree to meet. But she’s terrified that he’ll be repulsed when he sees the “real” her. Janie needn’t have worried. When they meet, he looks nothing like his photo, either. Pete confesses that it’s a photo of his brother Hal. “He’s much betterlooking than me,” he stammers. Our two lovebirds laugh, love, and live happily ever after. Oddly enough, both Janie and Pete look hotter than the phony photos they sent, so there’s actually no logical point to the entire story. But then, who needs logic when we’re talking Kooky Krossovers? And besides, who wants to see homely people kissing in a love comic? Ick! Next: A/E #100. Expect something extra-special! Till next time...

Comic Fandom Archive

The Rudi Franke Interview A Talk With One Of Fandom’s Finest Early Fan-Artists Conducted by Bill Schelly, CFA Editor

Transcribed by Brian K. Morris BILL SCHELLY: Let’s start with your date of birth.

Introduction

he Comic Fandom Archive has devoted several columns to the fandom activities of Marty Arbunich (Yancy Street Journal) and Bill DuBay (Voice of Comicdom), two fans from San Francisco— but they were only two of the four members of their grandly named publishing enterprise, Golden Gate Features. The others were Barry Bauman and Rudi Franke. Now it’s Rudi’s term in the CFA spotlight. Rudi Franke’s first fanzine effort was Heroes’ Hangout, a popular zine of the mid-1960s. Later in the decade, he succeeded Bill DuBay as editor and publisher of Voice of Comicdom. More than a fanzine publisher, Rudi was one of early fandom’s most talented artists, whose contributions appeared in many fanzines besides those of GGF, such as Star-Studded Comics and The Buyer’ Guide for Comic Fandom.

RUDI FRANKE: November 17th, 1939. BS: The first thing I want to ask you is, where did you grow up and what did your dad do for a living? FRANKE: I was born November 17, 1939. I grew up in the Oakland area—that’s the Bay Area here—and my dad was a baker. He had a bakery for himself in around 1956, ’57, ’58, and I helped out there a little bit.

Somehow, Rudi and I never got together for an interview until January of 2009, in conjunction with my research for my latest book, Founders of Comic Fandom. I’ve wanted to chat with him for a long time, so it a great pleasure to be able to talk to him at some length about his participation in those halcyon days of fandom. —Bill.

A Host of Hosts Rudi Franke during his high school days (a photo later printed in several Golden Gate Features publications) and as a teacher in the late ’60s or early ’70s—flanking his “creepy” cover for the comics apa-zine Capa-alpha #61 (1969). This artwork bears evidence of the considerable craft and artistry that he brought to fandom in the 1960s. Photos courtesy of Rudi. [Comics characters TM & ©2011 respectively by Marvel Charcters, Inc.; Gold Key and Charlton or their successors in interest; DC Comics; Warren Publishing or its successors in interest; other art ©2011 Rudi Franke; .]

somewhat different circumstances.

FCA EDITORS NOTE: From 1941-53, Marcus D. Swayze was a top artist for Fawcett Publications. The very first Mary Marvel character sketches came from Marc’s drawing table, and he illustrated her earliest adventures, including the classic origin story, “Captain Marvel Introduces Mary Marvel (Captain Marvel Adventures #18, Dec. ’42); but he was primarily hired by Fawcett Publications to illustrate Captain Marvel stories and covers for Whiz Comics and Captain Marvel Adventures. He also wrote many Captain Marvel scripts, and continued to do so while in the military. After leaving the service in 1944, he made an arrangement with Fawcett to produce art and stories for them on a freelance basis out of his Louisiana home. There he created both art and stories for The Phantom Eagle in Wow Comics, in addition to drawing the Flyin’ Jenny newspaper strip for Bell Syndicate (created by his friend and mentor Russell Keaton). After the cancellation of Wow, Swayze produced artwork for Fawcett’s top-selling line of romance comics, including Sweethearts and Life Story. After the company ceased publishing comics, Marc moved over to Charlton Publications, where he ended his comics career in the mid-’50s. Marc’s ongoing professional memoirs have been a vital part of FCA since his first column appeared in FCA #54 (1996). Last time we re-presented Marc’s 5th column—from FCA #58 (1997)—in which the artist wrote about Pete Costanza, turning out Captain Marvel artwork, and playing in a music combo formed with other Fawcett artists. In this issue we re-present the last pre-Alter Ego Swayze column—from FCA #59 (1998)—wherein the artist reminisces about editors Ed Herron and Rod Reed, the creation of Mary Marvel, the ball games and get-togethers with members of the Jack Binder shop, and his newspaper comic strip aspirations. —P.C. Hamerlinck.

I liked Eddie Herron. His contribution toward the success of Captain Marvel cannot be overstated. He had come at the right moment, shortly before Bill Parker left and at a time when the very character of Captain Marvel was being formulated. I’ve read where he was a talented writer. He certainly knew good writing when he saw it. He was a serious student of the comic book business and he was extremely market-minded. Rarely did he pass a newsstand that he didn’t step in and re-arrange the comics section so the Fawcett books got at least their fair share—maybe more—of the display area. It was Herron who suggested that whenever possible in planning cover art we position Captain Marvel toward the left edge. He had observed a growing tendency among dealers to display the comic books in a lapped-over arrangement where only that section of the cover was visible. Physically, Herron was a giant of a man… energetic, dynamic… he fairly radiated enthusiasm. I’m convinced that if it’s possible for a human being, a grown man, to love a comic book hero, Eddie Herron loved Captain Marvel as much as did our young readers. Earlier in the year Herron had approached my desk and without a word pulled up a chair. Then, leaning forward, he began in hushed tones to describe “a new feature character—a little girl about Billy Batson’s age.” He paused and looked around cautiously. “To start off,” he continued,

e were surprised upon arriving at work one morning to find that a wall had been constructed separating the area occupied by the non-comics group and a section intended for the comic book artists. It was a bit of a mystery in that it included a wide, arched opening through which we passed freely and frequently.

There were conjectures as to the purpose of the wall, but most logical was that the need for privacy may have been recognized. An occasion where a Fawcett comic book featured Captain Marvel lifting a corner of the cover was followed shortly after it hit the newsstands by a competitor magazine with their hero peeling back the cover. Pure coincidence, possibly, but food for thought. For our part, I am absolutely positive the idea originated in our camp because it was my own… as was the art (Whiz Comics #38, Dec. 1942). Almost as sudden as the appearance of the wall was the disappearance of Eddie Herron. Little was said around the office except that he had been called into the military. Later accounts of the period were that Otto Binder and John Beardsley took over as co-editors for about a month. I was not aware of it. It was thirteen years before I saw Eddie Herron again… at Charlton Publications in Derby, Connecticut… briefly, under

A Real Page-Turner Marc Swayze’s cover/concept for Whiz Comics #38 (Dec. 1942) was, according to the artist, “followed shortly after it hit the newsstands by a competitor magazine with their hero peeling back the cover.” Pure coincidence or not, Swayze is “absolutely positive” the idea originated from his drawing board. [Shazam hero TM & ©2011 DC Comics.]

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

or twenty, fully developed—but not one their own age! The situation in which Mary originated was busy, busy, busy. Nobody in 1942 was drawing the Captain Marvel character but C.C. Beck and yours truly, and much of Beck’s time was spent assembling and directing his team. By the time I left for the military at the end of the year, aside from doing Captain Marvel story art regularly, I had drawn the first two or three Mary Marvel stories, often with the assistance of Beck’s group for secondary characters, and had rendered Mary Marvel on the covers of Wow Comics #s 9 and 10 plus the covers of Whiz Comics #s 37, 38, and 39, and Captain Marvel Adventures #19. My script writing had stopped completely months previously. When Rod Reed took over as executive editor of Fawcett’s comics there was little or no change at my desk. Work-wise, Herron had left me alone, Reed left me alone. There was this difference, however… where Eddie had held himself somewhat aloof from the crowd, Rod Reed was one of the gang.

Meet The Shazam Girl The immediately-approved, very first sketch samples of Marys Bromfield and Marvel came from the brush of Marc Swayze after editor Ed Herron requested that the artist craft “a cute little girl about Billy Batson’s age.” Swayze modestly says that putting the character together “was no big deal,” but logically and creatively he saw to it that the heroine bore some resemblance to Captain Marvel by integrating the dark hair, the squint, and the pug nose to her features. [Shazam heroine TM & ©2011 DC Comics.]

“we’ll call her Mary Bromfield. Then when she speaks her magic word she’ll become….” Eddie finished with, “From that description, can you whip up a character sketch?” He knew I could—he was already replacing his chair against the wall. I wasted no time on research or preliminary drawings because I was certain there would be more sketches—maybe many more—before final approval. There were none. Someone said later that Mary Marvel was modeled after Judy Garland. Nonsense! She was just my idea of—as Eddie Herron put it—“a cute little girl about Billy Batson’s age.” Putting Mary Marvel together was no big deal. I felt she should bear some resemblance to Captain Marvel, so I leaned on such features as the dark hair, the squint, and the pug nose. I did raise and feminize the brows and modify the squint into what I had hoped to be the laughing eyes of a pretty young girl. There was no reason against using the color scheme of Captain Marvel’s costume. I made a few minor modifications—a belt with buckle, notched boot tops… both of which were abandoned before the first story was inked. The short sleeves remained, although the puffed shoulders came and went and came again. Mary’s costume, by the way, was not that of a cheerleader, as has been said, but more the outfit of a tennis player. The multiple pleats of the cheerleader outfit would have given us fits. Probably would have given modest little Mary fits, too. The count against Mary Marvel was two strikes from the start. How she lasted in the Fawcett line-up for ten or eleven years is a mystery. Where were the company masterminds when they presented to their reading public a young super-heroine… in books published for boy readers? I’ll bet the little rascals would have gone for one about eighteen

All In The Family Marc reports that, in 1942, only he and C.C. Beck were drawing Captain Marvel, and by the time he left for the military at the end of the year—aside from doing Captain Marvel story art regularly—he had drawn the very first Mary Marvel stories as well as several covers, including Wow Comics #9 (Jan. ’43), featuring merry Mary’s debut in that title. [Shazam chracters TM & ©2011 DC Comics.]

Whenever the word got around to Rod that we were going out to bowl, it was “Count me in!” Rod and I assembled the first Fawcett baseball team, Rod recruiting among the editors and freelancers and I the staff artists. Together we came up with what looked like a pretty formidable roster—on paper, that is. What could be done on the diamond remained to be seen. Wendell Crowley was business manager at the Jack Binder shop at the time and was frequently at the Paramount Building picking up scripts and delivering art. When he was told we had arranged our first game with his bunch, to be played in Englewood, New Jersey, wives invited, beer on the losing team… he laughed… “Great!” he said. “We’ll murder you!”

Alter Ego #99