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No. 77

May 2008

JOE KUBERT & THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ARCHER ST. JOHN

Vol. 3, No. 77 / May 2008 Editor Roy Thomas

Associate Editors Bill Schelly Jim Amash

Design & Layout Christopher Day

Consulting Editor John Morrow

FCA Editor P.C. Hamerlinck

Comic Crypt Editor Michael T. Gilbert

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

Circulation Director Bob Brodsky, Cookiesoup Productions

Cover Artist Joe Kubert

Cover Colorist Tom Ziuko (after Joe Kubert)

With Special Thanks to: Heidi Amash Ger Apeldoorn Matt D. Baker Michael Barnes Jerry Beck Rod Beck John Benson Nick Caputo Pete Carlsson Roger Carp Bob Cherry Gene Colan Michaël Dewally Shel Dorf Ric Estrada Lance Falk Michael Feldman Edward Gazda Janet Gilbert George Hagenauer Jennifer Hamerlinck Al Jaffee Roger Jeffries Jay Kinney David Anthony Kraft Joe Kubert Eric Larsen

Karl R. Larsen Jim Ludwig Joan Howard Maurer Leon Maurer Brian K. Morris Frank Motler Albert Moy Stephen O’Day Ken Quattro Joe Petrilak Lily Renée Phillips Jay Piscopo Trina Robbins Fred Robinson Jerome Lafayette St. John Tom Sawyer J.P. Selegue R. Daniel Stevenson Marc Swayze Dann Thomas Alfred M. Walker Stephen V. Walker Hames Ware Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. Dr. Michael J. Vassallo Ray Zone

This issue is dedicated to the memory of

David Gantz & Archer St. John

Contents Writer/Editorial: One Million Words Ago! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Gospel According To Archer St. John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Ken Quattro’s history of St. John Publishing—from terror to 3-D to the Stooges!

“My God, Why Am I Messing Around With This Stuff?”. . . . 59 1950s artist Tom Scheuer/Sawyer talks with Jim Amash about drawing comics & writing TV.

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt! Alfred J. Walker, Part 2. . . . . . . 73 More from Michael T. Gilbert (& Steven Walker) on a most inventive Fiction House artist.

A Tribute To David Gantz – by Al Jaffee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 FCA (Fawcett Collectors Of America) #136 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 P.C. Hamerlinck presents facts by Marc Swayze & fiction by C.C. Beck. On Our Cover: The cover of Tor, Vol. 1, #3 (May 1954) is one of editor Roy Thomas’ favorite comic book covers of all time. As drawn and even colored by Joe Kubert, it was used by St. John Publications to reintroduce the primordial hero to a color-comics audience after two 3-D issues. We had to take a few liberties with the smoke at the top, where the huge, stone-carved word “Tor” had been; but we hope Joe, who gave us his blessing to use the illustration, won’t mind. Actually, the central portion of this selfsame illo was utilized by then-publisher Ronn Foss on the cover of A/E (Vol. 1) #6—in black-&-white, framed in-green—as per the newly reprinted trade paperback Alter Ego: The Best of the Legendary Comics Fanzine, as seen on p. 82. Special thanks to art dealer Albert Moy; visit his website at www.AlbertMoy.com. [©2008 Joe Kubert.] Above: In 1996, Joe drew this sketch of Tor the Hunter for collector Lance Falk, who (along with Joe) graciously shared it with us. To the best of our knowledge, it has never been printed before. [©2008 Joe Kubert.] Alter EgoTM is published 8 times a year by TwoMorrows, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614, USA. Phone: (919) 449-0344. Roy Thomas, Editor. John Morrow, Publisher. Alter Ego Editorial Offices: 32 Bluebird Trail, St. Matthews, SC 29135, USA. Fax: (803) 826-6501; e-mail: roydann@ntinet.com. Send subscription funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial offices. Single issues: $9 US ($11.00 Canada, $16 elsewhere). Twelve-issue subscriptions: $78 US, $132 Canada, $180 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

One Million Words Ago! T

hat’s how many words—by a very conservative guesstimate—I’ve written since I first encountered Joe Kubert’s “caveman hero” Tor in the pages of One Million Years Ago! #1 (September 1953). And if I’m off by a few thousand—or even by a factor of ten—well, I still think it makes kind-of a nice title for this mini-editorial.

that was unleashed upon the newsstands by St. John Publications in its decade of existence. Rather, they were the apex, the epitome of the comics presided over by Archer St. John, a mystery man whose professional career— as author Ken Quattro so eloquently reveals—began and ended in a type of violence as sudden and inexplicable as the raging volcano on our cover.

The handful of titles produced by the team of Joe Kubert and Norman Maurer between 1953 and 1955—Tor, The Three Stooges, Whack, Meet Miss Pepper, and a number of 3-D issues starring Mighty Mouse and others—were by no means the first, the last, or even typical of the material

To give adequate scope to Ken’s vision, and to St. John’s quality company—as well as to our regular features FCA and “Comic Crypt” and our interview with 1950s comic artist Tom Sawyer—we reluctantly had to delay till next month several items scheduled for this issue: the final half of our coverage of 1960s Australian comics fan John Ryan… our toooften-AWOL letters section… and the second chapter of Bob Rozakis’ imaginative fantasy series “The Secret History of All-American Comics, Inc. – Book I.” But they’ll all be on hand in thirty days, I promise. See if they aren’t!

Monthly! The Original First-Person History!

Bestest,

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

P.S.: Looking forward to seeing my old pals Dick Giordano, Herb Trimpe, Joe Staton, EC's Al Feldstein, et al., at the Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC, on Saturday, June 21—not to mention A/E associate editor Jim Amash, Back Issue’s Michael Eury, and TwoMorrows’ John Morrow! Maybe you, too? Check out www.heroesonline.com.

COMING IN JUNE

DAVE COCKRUM Celebrated! He Raised THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES To New Heights—And Started THE X-MEN On Their Trajectory To Glory!

• Great DAVE COCKRUM cover featuring a whole mess of X-Men! • DAVE COCKRUM interviews, tributes, & toasts—with scarce DC, Marvel, and other art by the co-creator of Nightcrawler, Colossus, & Storm! Extra—artistic salutes to Dave by NEAL ADAMS, TERRY AUSTIN, BOB McLEOD, et al! • Golden Age Timely/Marvel artist MARION SITTON interviewed by DR. MICHAEL J. VASSALLO—and Famous Funnies/Judge Parker artist HAROLD LeDOUX talks to JIM AMASH! • MICHAEL T. GILBERT on ALBERT J. WALKER, part 3—FCA starring MARC SWAYZE & the one and only BASIL WOLVERTON! • And, delayed from this issue: JOHN WRIGHT on JOHN RYAN—and “The Secret History Of All-American Comics, Inc. – Book I, Part 2 – The Bill Gaines Years!” by BOB ROZAKIS! Edited by ROY THOMAS

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The Gospel According To Archer St. John A History Of St. John Publishing (1947-1958)— The Little Comic Book Company That Could by Ken Quattro

Foreword

t was Mark Hanerfeld’s tribute to Kubert’s Tor in Alter Ego #10 way back in 1969 that first tipped me to St. John comics. Kubert I knew, of course… but who was this caveman Hanerfeld raved about? I eventually acquired 1,000,000 Years Ago! #1 (the unwieldy real title of that first issue of Tor) and came to know that Mark spoke the truth. Over time, various St. John Publishing books drifted in and out of my collection. While they never attained the consistent quality across the board that EC had, there was a determined streak of originality running through the line. I began seeking out information about the company and was surprised by much of what I learned—particularly regarding Archer St. John himself. The man and the company are

The Last Shall Be First Archer St. John (kneeling; see closeup in insert) clowns around amongst the famous footprints immortalized at Grauman’s—now Mann’s—Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, in the early 1950s, accompanied by his star artist Matt Baker. This photo was provided by the latter’s half-brother Fred Robinson and nephew Matt D. Baker for our coverage of the elder Matt’s career in Alter Ego #47—which is still available from TwoMorrows (see pp. 90-96). Lined up below are the first and last comic books issued by St. John Publishing. (Left:) Comics Revue #1 (June 1947) featured reprints of Charlie Plumb’s 1925-1961 newspaper comic strip Ella Cinders—whose name was basically Cinderella spelled sideways. It’s not certain whether he drew this cover, however. (Center & right:) Atom-Age Combat, Vol 2, #1 (cover artist uncertain) and Secrets of True Love #1 (cover by Matt Baker) were both dated Feb. 1958. Latter scan courtesy of Frank Motler; unless otherwise stated, all photos and art accompanying this article were supplied by author Ken Quattro. [©2008 the respective copyright holders.]

A History Of St. John Publishing

virtually inseparable, and I found I couldn’t tell the story of one without also telling about the other. My research led me down paths, and a few cul de sacs, I had never expected.

The dominant force in her children’s lives, Canadian-born Amy had strict Episcopalian roots that dictated not only their upbringing, but also Archer’s education.

Certain aspects of the St. John story may be familiar and have been told in detail elsewhere. Those facts I give only cursory attention. Whenever feasible, I tried to direct the reader to the other sources. This article isn’t intended to be the last word on the St. John story, but hopefully it is a starting point. I can be connected with further information at kquattro@comcast.net. —Ken Q.

Robert left school to get a job and eventually joined the Navy to fight in World War I. Meanwhile, his mother remarried (circa 1920-21), had another son, and Archer was sent off to boarding school at St. Albans Episcopal Academy in Sycamore, Illinois. This marriage didn’t last, though, and she returned to using the last name of St. John.

Acknowledgements

Robert St. John. With special

Robert’s narrative doesn’t give any further details of Archer’s schooling. The next time he is mentioned is in the account of the two brothers’ coinciding encounters with the Capone mob.

thanks to John Benson. In addition to the specific sources cited within this article, I’d like to give special thanks to: Matt D. Baker, Bullets And Ballots Michael Barnes, the late Jerry Bails, Jerry Beck, Roger Carp, Gene Colan, Arnold Drake, Ric Estrada, Michael Feldman, George By the early 1920s, both St. Johns had become journalists. Robert was Hagenauer, Joe Kubert, Eric Larsen, Joan Howard Maurer, Leon employed as editor and writer with the Cicero Tribune, while Archer had Maurer, Frank Motler, Stephen O’Day, Lily Renée Phillips, Trina started his own newspaper in a neighboring town, the Berwyn Tribune. Robbins, Fred Robinson, R. Daniel Stevenson, Jerome Lafayette St.John, The older brother had continually angered the infamous gangster Al Dr. Michael Vassallo, Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr., and Ray Zone. Extra Capone with a series of revealing articles about his nefarious activities. special thanks to Roger Jeffries for his uncommon generosity. For his part, Archer incurred Scarface’s wrath when he announced a special edition of his paper would expose Capone’s planned infiltration Cited sources (other than the individual comic books) are noted by into Berwyn’s government by the manipulation of the upcoming mayoral the digits linking to the Endnotes page following this article. Additional election. sources are located on that page, as well.

The Brothers St. John He shouldn’t have become a comic book publisher. If his mother had had her way, Archer Anthony St. John would have been a military man, an officer in the Army or Navy. That was expected of the second son. That was the tradition in her family. “…Archer, which had been my mother’s maiden name.”1 The fact was that, although Archer would found the publishing company that bore the family name, he lived in the shadow of a more famous sibling. His older brother Robert, who would have become a clergyman if he had obeyed his mother’s wishes, instead became a worldfamous war correspondent and author. Despite his peripheral role in Robert’s 1953 autobiography This Was My World, it is through the words of his brother that we can glean most of the known details of Archer’s early life. The St. John family was solidly middle class when they moved to suburban Oak Park, Illinois, from Chicago in 1910. Archer, born Oct. 15, 1904, was two years younger than Robert. The father, Joseph (strangely, Robert never named his parents in his memoir; their names and other genealogical information come from other sources), was a chemist, a pharmacist in today’s parlance, who moved his family to the upscale suburb to escape the encroaching squalor of the big city and to open a second drugstore. The children, however, quickly learned that they fell into the lower caste within the privileged community. They lived “south of the trolley tracks” and a world apart from those on the north side, like their family physician, Dr. Hemingway (who had a son named Ernest). The St. Johns’ financial situation worsened when young Archer was in an automobile accident. He was thrown from the vehicle and his skull was crushed on a manhole cover. His mother, Amy, who had been a nurse prior to marriage, insisted that the surgeon allow her to assist in the operation that saved Archer’s life. Out of necessity, she returned to nursing when Joseph died from cancer in 1917. In the aftermath of his death, the family lost both drugstores.

On the same day, April 6, 1925, Capone and several of his thugs beat Robert severely in broad daylight, while Archer was kidnapped off a public street and “taken for a ride.” Later that day, he was released, too late to publish his exposé, too late to influence the voters. Robert wrote: He had been handcuffed, blindfolded, and kept in a shack somewhere, then taken to a woods and set free. When he finally found his way home, his wrists were cut and he talked incoherently.2 With Robert’s book as a guide, I asked George Hagenauer, comic historian, crime expert, and good friend, to conduct searches of contemporary Chicago newspapers for me. Surprisingly, the Chicago Daily Tribune for April 7, 1925, told a somewhat different story than Robert had. Although the two versions agreed on Robert’s assault, when it came to Archer’s attack they diverge. Noting that the incidents were “said to be co-related,” the Tribune reporter wrote: [Robert] St. John’s brother Arthur [sic] and an advertising man on his paper, the Berwyn Tribune, were fired upon by a carload of men. Witnesses said that one of the bullets pierced St. John’s right arm.3 Confused eyewitness accounts are quite common, and nothing in Robert’s book supports this story. If Archer was shot, it seems logical that Robert would have mentioned it. The Tribune article further states: St. John staggered and several men dashed out and pulled him into the car. Hiding behind the closed curtains, they dashed away and St. John hasn’t been seen since.4 The most sensational coverage of the incident occurs in the April 7th edition of the Chicago Herald and Examiner. Spread over seven columns, “EDITOR VANISHES IN SHOOTING MYSTERY” screamed across the top of the front page. Robert had remembered a similar headline in his book, but he attributed it to the Chicago Tribune. As often happens, his memories of over a quarter century earlier were faulty. The accompanying story,

The Gospel According To Archer St. John

however, made the same error as the Tribune in naming the Berwyn editor as “Arthur.” One detail reported here that is missing from the Tribune account was that Archer had been assaulted on Ogden Avenue just outside of Berwyn. The supposed shooting “was believed to be a sequel to an attack in Cicero earlier in the day.”5 An intriguing aspect of the story is that it appears that Archer “had incurred the enmity of the mayor of Berwyn, Fred H. Rudderham, by editorial attacks on the mayor’s management and handling of public funds.” This “enmity” apparently extended to the police department. The closing lines of the article matter-of-factly state that “Berwyn police said they were not handling the investigation.” And, not to be outdone, “Cicero police said the same.”6

Ripped From Screaming Headlines Newspaper accounts of the kidnapping and shooting involving the St. John brothers. The headline and (partial) column of the front page of the Chicago Herald and Examiner for April 7, 1925, are juxtaposed here with two paragraphs from later in the article. [©2008 the respective copyright holders.]

Soon after these incidents, Capone purchased the Cicero Tribune in order to silence Robert. Faced with an obviously impossible situation, Robert quit and went into partnership with Archer on the Berwyn paper: “Archer was a good businessman, but it was a shoestring operation.”7 That required them to perform every aspect of publishing from the writing and editing to setting type: “But we had no capital and had to go to extreme measures to keep our creditors from closing us out.”

Still, the brothers found time for things besides work: “Archer and I would go off for an evening to Chicago’s Near North Side and forget payroll and publication problems by taking part in semi-professional plays. Archer played some major roles in the Little Theater productions.”8 Eventually, he says, “Archer and I won our Berwyn campaign, for

Capone finally gave up his ideas of a westward expansion and even stopped his sniping of us.” That battle won and with the brothers now apparently bored, “[t]here were also financial reasons for moving on,” Robert wrote. “As long as Archer and I had been content to live on black coffee and cigarettes, we had been able to get along….”9 In 1927, Robert leaves the Berwyn Tribune for a job as managing editor of a paper in Rutland, Vermont. At this point, except for a passing mention, Archer departs from Robert’s memoir.

Model Railroading For Fathers And Sons

Air’s Looking At You, Kid Cover of St. John’s Air News, Vol. 1, #1 (May 1941).

Sometime in the early 1930s, Archer resurfaces. Now married, he, his wife Gertrude (nee Adams), and young son Michael lived in the affluent bedroom community of Darien, Connecticut. Obviously, unlike most Americans suffering hardships due to the Great Depression, St. John was doing quite well in New York, as advertising manager of Lionel Trains Corporation. Seeking details, I contacted Roger Carp, senior editor of Classic Toy Trains Magazine. Carp replied: His was an executive position, editing its magazine for hobbyists, placing ads in national publications, and overseeing production of the annual consumer and dealer catalogs. St. John’s editorial hand can best be seen in the Model Builder magazine Lionel began publishing in January 1937. The magazine was a mix of toy train layouts, true railroad stories, and ads for Lionel products. The beautifully colorful covers were illustrated by top-notch artists such as Gordon Ross and John Rogers and were obviously influenced by concurrently published comic books. While the content was comprised mainly of photographs, over time St. John apparently realized the potential of the comic book form. Indeed, he often employed future comic book artists. Years before he would draw “The Pie-Faced Prince of Pretzelburg” in Jingle Jangle Tales, veteran illustrator George Carlson was doing spot drawings for Model Builder. A page entitled “Toots ’n Whistles” in the October 1942 issue, featured artwork by August M. Froehlich. Froehlich was a frequent Classics

A History Of St. John Publishing

The Strange And Weird World of William Ekgren The three published St. John horror covers by the mystery-man whose particulars were tracked down by Ken Q: Strange Terrors #4 and Weird Horrors #6 & #7. [©2008 the respective copyright holders.]

Sidebar by Ken Quattro:

Who Is WILLIAM EKGREN?

here are mysteries, big and small, haunting comic book history.

Who inked Jack Kirby’s pencils on Fantastic Four #1? That qualifies as a big one.

Somewhat smaller: Who is William Ekgren? William Ekgren? His career, if it can even be called a career, in comic books was apparently comprised of only three covers rendered for St. John Publishing in a span of several months in 1952-53. The content, the media, and the thought process involved in these covers defy easy explanation. Strange Terrors #4 (Nov. 1952) is a fever dream of disparate images. A headless, limbless torso, several candles, and an abstract Mona Lisa head atop a suggestively phallic neck. All are delineated by swirling, obsessively drawn, maze-like lines. The effect is dizzying. The color scheme is unlike any other contemporary comic book cover, with varying hues of red and pale yellow. As a comic book cover its value is questionable. As a work of art it is unforgettable. Weird Horrors #6 & 7 (Feb. & April 1953, respectively) made up the last two parts of the Ekgren trinity. Thematically, the cover for issue #6 seems to relate somewhat remotely to the blurb, “Monsters from Outer Space,” since the creature pictured definitely looks alien. An Aztec sacrifice of a chicken appears to be the subject of #7, but only in the most abstract way. Each cover looking as if drawn with multicolored spaghetti. Each similarly, well, weird. Who was this guy? Finding the answer to that question became something of an obsession for me. There is no revealing interview with the rediscovered artist; no fan who had made his acquaintance at some longago convention; no website featuring his biography.

One comics historian I contacted called Ekgren “the most obscure of obscure artists,” and could offer nothing more. Joe Kubert was both an editor at St. John and a frequent artist on Strange Terrors and Weird Horrors—surely he would know something about Ekgren, so I sent him an inquisitive letter. “Sorry, Ken,” his written reply began, “but I never met Mr. Ekgren, nor do I know anything about his work or methods. I remember the covers, of course, but that’s about it.” And that was about it, until I discovered the archives of the New York Times. My searches led to a solitary result in a dusty corner of the September 16, 1947, edition. Deep within resided Edward Alden Jewell’s short review of an inconsequential art exhibition opening “to the public today at the Riverside Museum,” which featured work “by members of the Norwegian Art and Craft Club [and] brings into prominence… canvases, largely expressionistic in handling, by… William Ekgren (who has evolved a plangently dizzy technique)….” He existed, this phantom, this cipher, this man nobody knew! (I looked up “plangently” so you don’t have to: it usually refers to a sound, and it either means loud and reverberating, or plaintive and sad. Take your pick; I guess either applies to Ekgren’s work.) Reassembling comic book history is very much like archeology. Digging through dirt and finding shards that you hope fit together to form something. Then the tiniest shard can be the key to everything. This barest mention of the elusive Mr. Ekgren, a crumb of information, became my Rosetta Stone.

The Gospel According To Archer St. John

Logic dictated that if he was exhibiting at the Norwegian Art and Craft Club, he was most likely… Norwegian. For the next year and a half, I checked with any art source I thought might have a lead on this (apparently) Norwegian abstract artist. One dead end after another, as too many of my Googled searches led to indecipherable Scandinavian sites with nary a William Ekgren.

They Had Faces Then Photo of William Ekgren—and the drawing he apparently did in 1953 for a comic book cover, which was never published. With thanks to Eric and Karl R. Larsen. [©2008 the respective copyright holders.]

Eventually, however, perseverance paid off. On July 6, 1918, William Ekgren was born in Oslo, Norway. Although his mother was Norwegian, his father was Swedish, and they moved to Sweden when William was two years old. He attended school there until he was 15, at which time he became an itinerant artist, studying and exhibiting in South America as well as Europe. Eventually, Ekgren made his way to the US, where he became an art instructor. Two sources provided the majority of the biographical details. First, the Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum in Decorah, Iowa, which not only supplied much of the background information, but also houses 11 pieces of Ekgren artwork in its collection. The head archivist was kind enough to provide me with copies of the 11 works from their catalog. Even though the small size of the photographs makes it difficult to see details within the artwork, the frenzied style of his work comes through. (See next page.) A painting thought to be a depiction of the Titanic sinking (1949) is described in the catalog’s notes as: “reds, oranges and yellows, descending into blue and grey water… [the] entire piece is of deep watercolor patches delineated by black painted outlines.” This description could be applied almost verbatim to the cover of Strange Terrors #4. Of another oil titled The Grotto at Rainbow’s End (1958), it’s noted that the “entire canvas is overlaid with close, black concentric circles,” yet another form of patterning that recalls his comic covers. Ekgren’s work has a somber quality, with isolated figures and dreamlike landscapes. It’s not a huge stretch to assume that Ekgren was influenced by the work of his legendary countryman Edvard Munch, painter of the iconic The Scream. Munch passed away in 1944 and was a pioneer in the Expressionistic style that Ekgren obviously embraced. My second source was the Norwegian American Historical Association (NAHA), which provided even more detail about Ekgren’s career. Within their archives were Art Journal entries for the years 1950-52, which revealed that Ekgren worked at the Norheim Studio at 6007 18th Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. A brief summary of his career notes the various galleries at which he had presented work, and that he was “a constant exhibitor at the Greenwich Village Outdoor Art Exhibition.” Nestled next to his write-up was a photograph of the artist, with a jaunty bowtie and pencil-thin mustache, looking vaguely like Vincent Price. Included in the NAHA archives were several postcards in Ekgren’s handwriting to friends in the United States. In one, dated Dec. 6, 1983, he thanks a friend for forwarding him a copy of the Vesterheim catalog containing his paintings. An intriguing postscript informs his friend that a book of his poetry was being published by Vantage Press “around New Year.” Indeed, it was. In 1984, Vantage Press released a book of Ekgren’s “whirling, almost psychedelic poetry.” No surprise, I suppose, given his

artwork. The press release for the book Out of Six Attitudes goes on to breathlessly credit him with “virtually reinventing language.” Without comment, here is an excerpt from one of his poems: As long as a clear ex-gladness of precise anti-self-madness derived from the lineage twin-string, is powerfully directing our course with obstructing sadness, and subsight range, with worse badness, moral-viewed, nothing seems worth issuing.

Esoteric poetry aside, one interesting piece of information also appearing in this press release is that Ekgren returned to Sweden in 1959, where he married and fathered two boys. Nothing, though, about his comic book work. How did this Scandinavian Expressionist painter come to draw comic books covers? Serendipity is finding something unexpected. Sometimes, though, something unexpected finds you. Over the years, I’ve littered several online discussion groups with e-mail posts casting about for any William Ekgren information. One day an e-mail appeared in my In Box with the promising subject line, “Ekgren original.” It came from an Eric Larsen, and his words floored me: “I have an original William Ekgren color drawing that he did in 1953 as a design for a comic book cover. I also know some biographical infor-

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“My God, Why Am I Messing Around With This Stuff?” TOM SAWYER On Drawing Comics—And Writing Television Interview Conducted by Jim Amash

om Sawyer’s time in comics was relatively brief, spent working for Timely, Hillman, Famous Funnies, Ziff-Davis, Crestwood, Mainline, and Standard Publications, as well as ghosting on newspaper strips such as On Stage, Li’l Abner, Rip Kirby, Flash Gordon, and The Heart of Juliet Jones. His real claim to fame is his television work on the popular Murder, She Wrote series, serving as head writer and showrunner (day-to-day producer). Tom may not remember much about the comic books he did, but he gives us a real look behind the scenes into some of the characters who crafted the comics. A bawdy, irreverent, and fascinating storyteller, Tom really puts a human face on those times. Special thanks to former comic book artist Martin Thall [who was interviewed in AE #52] for putting me in touch with Tom. For more on Tom Sawyer, check out his website: www.ThomasBSawyer.com. —Jim.

“I Got All The Tom Sawyer Jokes” JIM AMASH: Tell me when and where you were born. TOM SAWYER: I was born in Chicago, Illinois. And September 17th is as specific as I can get. [mutual laughter] JA: Do you think your parents refused to tell you the year? [laughs] SAWYER: No, but I’ve been lying about my age ever since I got to Hollywood, where I was already too old to get into the business. I didn’t write my first television script until I was in my 40s, but nobody in the biz knows that. [mutual laughter] JA: Well, they will now.

Transcribed by Brian K. Morris A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody Tom Sawyer, in a recent photo he sent us—above two of his covers done for Timely/Marvel. (Below left:) That of Love Romances #55 (circa 1955—exact date uncertain) is sometimes attributed to Vince Colletta, but Tom not only drew it—but signed his real name, “Tom Scheuer,” to the “photo” thereon—which may well be a self-portrait! Thanks to Dr. Michael J. Vassallo & Ger Apeldoorn, both of whom sent this one. (Below right:) Tom also drew one of the handful of “Leopard Girl” tales, which starred a secret-identity answer to Sheena in Jungle Action #6 (Aug. 1955). He told Stan Lee he wanted to get some practice so he’d improve at drawing beautiful women. Looks like he was making progress. Thanks to Doc V. [©2008 Marvel Characters, Inc.]

Tom Sawyer On Drawing Comics—And Writing Television

JA: Will I get a copy?

JA: Then I know I’ll like it!

SAWYER: You sure will! Of both the novel and the memoir. Its title, by the way, very much informs its tone—and the incredible good luck I’ve had. I call it Who Knew…?

SAWYER: [laughs] You’re a cartoonist, all right! Just as bent as the rest of us!

TOM SAWYER Checklist [The following Checklist is primarily adapted from information that appears in the online Who’s Who of American Comic Books (1928-1999), established by Jerry G. Bails. See the ad below to learn how to access this invaluable website. Names of features which appeared both in magazines with that exact title and in other magazines, as well, are generally not italicized below. The source of some data below was provided by Tom Sawyer himself, via Jim Amash, and by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo. Key: (a) = full art; (d) = daily newspaper comic strip; (S) = Sunday newspaper comic strip.] Pen Name: Tom Sawyer (1930- ), artist

COMIC BOOK CREDITS (Mainstream US Publishers):

True Name: Tom Scheuer

Better/Standard/Nedor/Pines: (a) 1953

Education: Chicago Academy of Fine Arts; Northwestern University; Purdue University

Eastern Color Printing: New Heroic Comics (a) 1951

Member: National Cartoonists Society, past member

Mainline Comics: In Love (a) 1954

Print Media (Non-Comics): artist: advertising

Marvel/Timely Comics: covers (a) 1955-56 romance titles; “Boot-Camp” Brady (a) 1956; Jungle Action (a) 1955; Leopard Girl (a) 1955; Love Romances (a) 1955-57 (signed “Sawyer”); Love Tales (a) 1956-56; Lovers (a) 1955-56; Marines in Action (a) 1955; My Love Story (a) 1956-57; My Love (a) 1961 reprint in #13 & 15; My Own Romance (a) 1955, 1957; Mystery Tales (a) 1955; romance (a) 1955-57; Secret Story Romances (cover) 1955-56; Stories of Romance (a) 1957; text story illos (generally reprinted from previously published stories) 1956-61; True Secrets (a) 1955-56; True Tales of Love (a) 1956; war (a) 1955

Performing Arts: producer & writer: TV: Murder, She Wrote 1990-1992; producer & writer, various TV series; writer, Zorro TV episodes Syndication: Flash Gordon (ghost p & i) c. 1954 (a few weeks; uncertain whether d or S); On Stage (d)(S) (ghost p) c. 1970, one month for Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate (has sometimes been misidentified as Neal Adams)

Feature Comics: romance (a) 1954

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

A quarter of a million records, covering the careers of people who have contributed to original comic books in the US. Created by Jerry G. Bails

(Right:) Soldier Al wearing the patch he designed for the US Fifth Army Battalion.

Merciful Heavens A Short Story by C.C. Beck

“W

Illustrated by Beck self-caricatures Edited by P.C. Hamerlinck

hat’s the matter with you, Walter? I love it here. Why don’t you?” Gladys Dribble shrilled angrily. “Well … it’s dull. There’s nothing to do,” Walter Dribble

said wearily. “How can you say that? There’s bingo, dancing, hobby projects … everything a person could want. You ought to join the choir, Walter. Just think, there are a thousand voices in the choir, all singing like angels. You can hear it from here. Why don’t you get into it?” “I’m tone deaf,” Dribble said, as if hoping to put an end to the discussion. “Didn’t they fix you up when we came here? Mrs. Everard’s husband was deaf and they fixed him up,” Dribble’s wife pointed out, not giving up. “That’s different. He was just deaf. I can hear fine, always could. Just never could tell one damn note from another. Still can’t, dammit.” Dribble’s wife looked horrified. “Watch your language, Walter. You’re not supposed to swear here.”

“I wasn’t swearing. I was cursing.” “There’s a difference?” “Of course. When you swear you say ‘by God’ or ‘Holy Jesus’ and so on. When you say ‘damn’ you’re just cursing.” “Shush! They’ll throw us out if you say such things,” Gladys Dribble whispered, looking around nervously. “Good. I wish they would. I’m sick of this place.” “After all we went through to get here? And all it cost?” “That’s another thing. It’s too fancy here. I wish I had my old job back and could do an honest day’s work. I tried to get a job here, but nobody would hire me.” “But we both worked hard for fifty years, Walter. Now we’ve earned our reward. Nobody has to work here … they have attendants to take care of everything. Just think, we’ll never have to life a finger again as long as we live. It’s as if we’d died and gone to Heaven!” “Well, this may be your idea of Heaven, but it ain’t mine. I suppose you’ll have me taking harp lessons next, eh?” “Oh, don’t be silly, Walter. All I’d like is for you to relax and enjoy yourself. I’ve felt wonderful ever since we got here, haven’t you? Look at me … I don’t feel a day over sixteen!” Dribble snorted with disgust as his wife got up lightly from the bench on which they had both been sitting and went into a little dance by herself. “Stop that, Gladys! You look ridiculous … you’re over eighty! You look like you’ve gone into your second childhood.”

“Maybe I have,” his wife laughed. “Tra la la … here we go gathering nuts in May.” “Sit down and act your age, Gladys. If anybody sees you they’ll send for the nut wagon,” Dribble snarled. His wife stopped dancing and looked around at the beautiful park-like setting. “It’s always springtime here, Walter. Look at all the flowers and trees and the sunshine. This whole place is a dream come true.” “More like a nightmare, to me. Sometimes I think we’ve been here for a hundred years already, but how can you tell when there ain’t any clocks or calendars or seasons? They never even turn the lights off around this damn joint. The whole place stinks!” Dribble’s wife finally gave up her efforts to cheer her husband up. She turned away from him and drew a deep breath of the softly scented air. Then she turned to face him once more. “You’re impossible! What do you want, Walter?” she asked in desperation. “Well … a good stiff drink would help. A guy can’t even buy a drink here.” “Of course not. Everything’s free.” “They don’t even have liquor here, Gladys. No booze, no tobacco, no nothing. I think I’ll go for a walk.” “Suit yourself. I’m going to play cards,” Dribble’s wife said in a tired voice. “Okay, have a good time,” Dribble said sourly. “Bring back your winnings and I’ll help you count ’em. It’ll give me something to do.”

on, seeming to come and go eerily. “Hey, what’s that funny looking wall doing here?” Dribble asked. “It’s all around and over the place, Mr. Dribble. This portion isn’t quite finished. When it’s finished it will be as invisible as the other parts.” “What’s it for? To keep us in? Or to keep others out?” “The latter, Mr. Dribble. It’s very difficult to gain admittance here. If it hadn’t been for Mrs. Dribble’s putting in an application for the two of you you’d never have made it here.” “I knew it was her idea!” Dribble snorted angrily. “She always said she’d get me into Heaven in spite of myself. She thinks we’ve died and gone to Heaven. What a lotta bunk!” “It’s not bunk, Mr. Dribble, you both have,” the attendant said quietly. Dribble stared at him, stunned. “I … I died? I’m dead? So how come, if I’m dead, I’m walking around and talking and everything?”

“Oh, Walter, you know they don’t allow gambling here!” Gladys Dribble shrilled again as she walked away. Left to himself, Dribble got to his feet and tried to put his hands in his pockets. “Damn! I keep forgetting there ain’t any pockets in these nightshirts we wear!” he muttered. “If I could get my pants back I’d walk outta here in a minute.” “Is that a promise, Mr. Dribble?” asked a rich, melodious voice. Dribble turned to face a tall, competent looking man who was studying him with cool, steel gray eyes.

“We brought you back to life, sir. We can do that. When certain requirements are met, we bring people back to life, restore them to health, and place them in the heaven of their choice.” “You mean this place ain’t just another retirement home?” “Oh, no, Mr. Dribble. Retirement centers are ghastly places.” “You’re telling me?” “Indeed I am. Our heavens are much better, don’t you agree? The one you’re in is Merciful Heaven number eleven, the latest model. Your wife picked it out from our literature.”

“What’re you doing here?” Dribble asked. “Do you work here?”

“She did, huh? Well, I hate it. Don’t you have any better ones?”

“Yes, Mr. Dribble. I’m one of the attendants here. Can I help you?”

“That depends, sir, on the point of view one holds. We have one, for

“I doubt it. I’m going for a walk. Do you mind?” “Not at all, sir. I’ll go with you,” the man said pleasantly as he took Dribble’s arm. “I’ll be your personal attendant. Will you like that?” “Not particularly,” Dribble said, shaking off the attendant’s grasp. “I don’t need any help. Only good thing they did for me was fix my legs. Couldn’t walk at all the last few years before they brought me here.” “I’m glad we did something you appreciate. We aim to please.” “I know, I know. My wife loves it here, but I hate it.” “You’ll get use to everything in time, Mr. Dribble.” “I will? When?” “Oh, sooner or later. Some take longer to adjust than others. You’ll have all the time you could want here,” the attendant said encouragingly. “Why didn’t they adjust me when they brought me here? Tell me that!” Dribble demanded. “We thought we had. But we’re not perfect, Mr. Dribble. We only do the best we can with the material supplied.” “Don’t let my wife hear you say that,” Dribble cautioned. “She thinks everything here is perfect.” “It is, almost. We’re still working on the place, Mr. Dribble,” the attendant said as they walked around a corner and approached a sort of wall that Dribble had never noticed before. It was rather hard to focus

Alter Ego #77