Roy Thomas’ Miraculous Comics Fanzine $
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No.87 July 2009
MICK ANGLO’S (AND ENGLAND’S)
MARVELMAN! THE HERO WHO FLEW WHERE CAPTAIN MARVEL DARED NOT TREAD —
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82658 27763
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—AND CAME OUT THE OTHER SIDE AS MIRACLEMAN!
PLUS:
Marvelman/Miracleman TM & ©2009 the respective trademark & copyright holders
THE
BATCAVE C O M P A N I O N NOW SHIPPING! Batman. Is he the campy Caped Crusader? Or the grim Gotham Guardian? Both, as The Batcave Companion reveals. On the brink of cancellation in 1963, Batman was rescued by DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz, who, abetted by several talented writers and artists, gave the hero a much-needed “New Look” which soon catapulted Batman to multimedia stardom. In the next decade, when Batman required another fresh start, Schwartz once again led a team of creators that returned the hero to his “creature of the night” roots. Writers Michael Eury (The Krypton Companion, The Justice League Companion) and Michael Kronenberg (Spies, Vixens, and Masters of Kung Fu: The Art of Paul Gulacy) unearth the stories behind the stories of both Batman’s “New Look” and Bronze Age (1970s) comic-book eras through incisive essays, invaluable issue-by-issue indexes, and insightful commentary from many of the visionaries responsible for and inspired by Batman’s 1960s and 1970s adventures: Neal Adams, Michael Allred, Terry Austin, Mike W. Barr, Steve Englehart, Mike Friedrich, Mike Grell, Carmine Infantino, Joe Giella, Adam Hughes, Sheldon Moldoff, Will Murray, Dennis O’Neil, Bob Rozakis, Mark Waid, Len Wein, and Bernie Wrightson. Featuring 240 art- and info-packed pages, The Batcave Companion is a must-have examination of two of the most influential periods in Batman’s 70-year history.
Written by Back Issue’s
MICHAEL EURY & MICHAEL KRONENBERG ISBN 978-1-893905-78-8 $26.95 in the U.S. plus shipping Batman, Robin, and all related characters and indicia are TM & © DC Comics. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.
TwoMorrows. Celebrating The Art & History Of Comics. TwoMorrows • 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA • 919-449-0344 • FAX: 919-449-0327 • E-mail: twomorrow@aol.com • www.twomorrows.com
Vol. 3, No. 87 / July 2009 Editor Roy Thomas
Associate Editors Bill Schelly Jim Amash
Design & Layout Christopher Day
Consulting Editor John Morrow
FCA Editor P.C. Hamerlinck
Comic Crypt Editor Michael T. Gilbert
Editorial Honor Roll Jerry G. Bails (founder) Ronn Foss, Biljo White Mike Friedrich
Circulation Director Bob Brodsky, Cookiesoup Productions
Cover Artist Rick Veitch
Cover Colorist Tom Ziuko
With Special Thanks to: Wendy Hunt Heidi Amash Jim Kealy Mick Anglo Jay Kinney Frank Bolle Bruce Mason Lee Boyette Harry Mendryk Anthony DeMarias John G. Pierce Michaël Dewally Bob Rozakis Roger Dicken Dr. Peter Schilder Michael Dunne Anthony Snyder Earl Evans Marc Swayze Mark Evanier Dann Thomas Jon R. Evans Jean-Michel Ferragatti Dr. Michael J. Vassallo Hames Ware Todd Franklin Brett Weiss Shane Foley Derek Wilson Janet Gilbert Jim Ludwig Walt Grogan James Zanotto Lawrence P. Guidry Jennifer Hamerlinck
Contents Writer/Editorial: I Smell the Blood of an English Super-Hero . 3 From SHAZAM! to KIMOTA! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Derek Wilson’s overview of England’s Marvelman—the hero who became Miracleman.
Off to Meet the Wizard! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mick Anglo, creator of Marvelman, talks to Roger Dicken about his long and colorful career.
Centaur Spread – Part II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Lee Boyette continues the scintillating saga of the amazing, mysterious Centaur Comics Group.
"I'm Just Glad to Have Been an Artist" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Frank Bolle tells Jim Amash about working for Gleason, Timely, Western, and a zillion newspaper strips.
The Secret History of All-American Comics, Inc. – “The End of the Beginning!” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Bob Rozakis’ account of a lost era—when Green Lantern was Super-Hero #1.
Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt! Dr. Lauretta Bender: Comics’ Anti-Wertham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Michael T. Gilbert begins the fascinating tale of the head of DC’s 1940s Editorial Advisory Board.
In Memoriam: Jack Kamen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Comic Fandom Archive: The OAF 40th Anniversary Reunion . 76 Bill Schelly, Brett Weiss, and members of the long-lived Oklahoma Alliance of Fandom.
FCA [Fawcett Collectors of America] #146 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Marc Swayze—plus P.C. Hamerlinck & John G. Pierce on Captain Marvel & Marvelman. On Our Cover: Rick Veitch, one of the most celebrated artists of the Eclipse’s 1980s Miracleman series, recently drew this commission illo of the hero—who of course is England’s 1954-63 Marvelman under a necessarily new name. Besides being a fine piece of art in its own right, it can be appreciated as an homage to Wayne Boring’s oft-reprinted cover for Superman #32 (Jan.-Feb. 1945), seen at left. Hmm… from Man of Steel to Marvelman to Miracleman—not an unfamiliar segue, wot? With thanks to Rick Veitch & collector Derek Wilson. [Marvelman TM & ©2009 the respective copyright holders; Superman cover ©2009 DC Comics.] Above: This illustration of the UK’s successor to Captain Marvel Jr., drawn by Don Lawrence, appeared on the title page of the 1957 Young Marvelman Annual, published by L. Miller & Son Ltd. With thanks to Jim Kealy. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]
This issue is dedicated to the memory of
Jack Kamen
Alter EgoTM is published 8 times a year by TwoMorrows, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614, USA. Phone: (919) 449-0344. Roy Thomas, Editor. John Morrow, Publisher. Alter Ego Editorial Offices: 32 Bluebird Trail, St. Matthews, SC 29135, USA. Fax: (803) 826-6501; e-mail: roydann@ntinet.com. Send subscription funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial offices. Single issues: $9 US ($11.00 Canada, $16 elsewhere). Twelve-issue subscriptions: $88 US, $140 Canada, $210 elsewhere. All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter © Roy Thomas. Alter Ego is a TM of Roy & Dann Thomas. FCA is a TM of P.C. Hamerlinck. Printed in Canada. ISSN: 1932-6890 FIRST PRINTING.
Unlock the FINAL secrets of the JUSTICE SOCIETY of AMERICA (& friends & family) ! • Amazing new info on the Golden Age JSA—including every JUNIOR JUSTICE SOCIETY message ever—and an incredible index of the solo stories of the original JSAers, from 1939 to 1951! • Sensational new JSA and INFINITY, INC. cover by JERRY ORDWAY, drawn especially for this volume! • The OTHER 1940s Hero Groups Examined in Depth! THE SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY—THE MARVEL FAMILY—THE ALL WINNERS SQUAD— & M.C. Gaines’ own INTERNATIONAL CRIME PATROL! • Issue-by-issue 1980s spotlight on INFINITY, INC. & SECRET ORIGINS! • Rare, often unpublished art & artifacts by: JOE KUBERT * CARMINE INFANTINO ALEX ROSS * TODD McFARLANE ALEX TOTH * GIL KANE MURPHY ANDERSON * IRWIN HASEN WAYNE BORING * SHELDON MOLDOFF MORT MESKIN * GENE COLAN MART NODELL * HARRY LAMPERT DON NEWTON * GEORGE TUSKA PAUL REINMAN * JOE GALLAGHER CHESTER KOZLAK * LEE ELIAS E.E. HIBBARD * ARTHUR PEDDY JIM VALENTINO * ALAN KUPPERBERG MICHAEL T. GILBERT * RICK HOBERG MIKE SEKOWSKY * JACK BURNLEY MIKE MACHLAN * FRANK HARRY DICK DILLIN * BERNARD KRIGSTEIN H.G. PETER * MICHAEL BAIR —& many others! THE
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writer/editorial
3
I Smell The Blood Of An English Super-Hero C
anada. Mexico. France. Australia.
The comic book super-heroes of these four nations during the era of US comics’ Golden and Silver Ages have been chronicled in earlier editions of Alter Ego, and deservingly so… yet, oddly, it’s taken us 87 issues to get around to featuring the heirs and competitors to Superman who filled the foggy-day skies of Londontown and the rest of England and the United Kingdom.
Oh, we touched on a number of British high-fliers in John G. Pierce’s article “The Over-extended Marvel Family” back in A/E V3#8… and even this issue’s lead articles are concerned mostly with Marvelman and his cosmic-powered kinsmen, who sprang into existence in early 1954 when Fawcett Publications could no longer supply its UK client L. Miller & Son Ltd. with stories of Captain Marvel and company to reprint. We hope that one of these days someone will submit a really good in-depth article about the other super- (and science-fictional) heroes of Britain; but in the meantime, we’re delighted to publish Derek Wilson’s overview of the Marvelman Universe (1954-1963)… as well as my pal Roger Dicken’s recent and never-before-published in-depth interview with MM’s creator, artist/writer Mick Anglo.
Because we were also committed to finishing up Jim Amash’s conversation with Golden/Silver Age artist Frank Bolle from last issue, and the main text of Lee Boyette’s coverage of the 1930s/40s Centaur Comics Group begun two issues back, our letters page sadly got crowded out— just one issue after we actually doubled up on a “re:” section. But P.C. Hamerlinck’s FCA, Michael T. Gilbert’s “Comic Crypt,” Bill Schelly’s account of an Oklahoma comics fan reunion, and the final A/E chapter of Bob Rozakis’ alternate-world history of All-American Publications all made the cut, somehow. What’s more, two of the three pieces in FCA serve as bookends to the issue’s lead articles, dealing as they do with Marvelman and his Merry Olde ilk. All of which should make this serving of Alter Ego, like most others, a bargain in these financially tricky times. Where else, these days, can you get a magazine devoted to the Golden and Silver Ages of Comics? And where can we get readers as supportive as most of you guys out there? Nowhere, that’s where! Bestest,
COMING IN AUGUST
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88
DC Comics— The Founding Fathers The Men Who Birthed A Company—An Industry— And, Quite By Accident, An Art Form! • Cover by Golden Age great WINSLOW MORTIMER—as Superman and Batman salute MAJOR MALCOLM WHEELER-NICHOLSON, the comics visionary without whom they might never have existed! • The Early Titans of National/DC! The WHEELER-NICHOLSON family talks to JIM AMASH about the colorful Major—plus a last interview on DC’s “Platinum Age” with great pioneer artist CREIG FLESSEL! • Rare, often unpublished artwork by DICK SPRANG, CREIG FLESSEL, BOB KANE, JOE SHUSTER, JIM MOONEY, PAUL NORRIS, GEORGE PAPP, MORT MESKIN, FRED RAY, WAYNE BORING, FRED GUARDINEER, SHELDON MOLDOFF, et al.! • Plus—FCA with MARC SWAYZE, C.C. BECK, et al.—MICHAEL T. GILBERT on DR. LAURETTA BENDER (part 2)—BILL SCHELLY & MARVIN GILES on the 1965 Detroit Triple Fan Fair—& MORE!! Edited by ROY THOMAS to ©2009 Estate of Malcolm [Art ©2009 DC Comics; pho
Wheeler-Nicholson.]
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4
From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA! The Sensational Story Of England’s MARVELMAN – The Hero Who Would Become MIRACLEMAN by Derek Wilson
M
Larue, Monte Hale, Rocky Lane, Rod Cameron, SixGun Heroes, Tom Mix, Tex Ritter, Spy Smasher, and Captain Midnight, as well as the various Captain Marvel-related series—Adventures of Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., The Marvel Family, and Mary Marvel, which were their best sellers—and being just as successful in the UK as in the United States in attracting a large young audience for two weeklies (CM & CMJ) and one monthly comic (MF). Mary Marvel didn’t survive beyond a few Photogravure issues. In an earlier series, Master, Whiz, and Wow were also being reprinted.
arvelman was born of necessity on 3rd February 1954, after Captain Marvel lost his 12-year battle with Superman.
National Comics Publications (now DC Comics) took out a lawsuit against Fawcett Comics in 1941, claiming that the latter’s costumed hero Captain Marvel was an infringement of copyrights and a direct copy of DC’s Superman, despite the obvious differences in the characters. (E.g., Superman was an alien from another planet whose secret identity was merely a change of clothes with his adventures occurring in the “real” world, while Captain Marvel’s alter ego was magical, since he Slipping You A Mick changed back and forth from being a young boy, and Mick Anglo circa 1952—i.e., not long before The largest-circulation periodical in the his storylines were more in the realm of fable and the creation of Marvelman. We’ve avoided, Miller library could not be allowed to die—at fantasy.) The fact that Captain Marvel Adventures so far as possible, repeating images that was outselling Superman for some time in the midleast not without a successor—so writer/artist appeared in the 2001 (but long out of print) 1940s is most likely the real reason the lawsuit refused Mick Anglo was recruited and given the job of TwoMorrows volume Kimota! The Miracleman Companion, by George Khoury; but a few to die, but sales made no difference to the eventual creating an alternative character because the repeats, such as this photo, were outcome, and Fawcett “Captain Marvel” material was unavoidable. Actually, this version of the was forced to hang up running out fast. Anglo’s photo was sent to us from the UK by Roger the cape of the previous work had been with Dicken, whose interview with Anglo begins World’s Mightiest Arnold Miller’s Arnold Book on p. 17, but we preferred to feature it earlier Mortal in 1953 after Company, producing covers rather than later in the issue (though we an expensive struggle for the Len Miller’s “L. will be repeating it later—to show you what that had lasted a Miller & Son” comics. he’s smiling at!). dozen Arnold’s were years. publishing comic titles such as Capt. Valiant, Space Commando, Ace It’s interesting to note Malloy, and Space Commander that even Mad comics Kerry. were giving the The injunction obtained in the lawsuit attention at US had no jurisdiction over here that time, by having in the UK, but of course the their spoof character supply of “Captain Marvel” stories Superduperman defeat would run out before long. The Captain Marbles, who first name change suggested— had given up fighting and most obvious one—was crime to become a finally adopted, with Captain criminal. Marvel becoming Marvelman, In Britain, L. Miller although other names were & Son were reprinting seriously considered, including the Fawcett titles such as Bill Miracleman and Capt. Miracle, Boyd, Bob Steele, Hopalong which were registered as possibilities; Cassidy, Ken Maynard, Lash and Captain Marvel Jr. became Young
Two Of A Kind Fawcett’s original Captain Marvel (drawn by C.C. Beck) and L. Miller’s Marvelman (drawn by Don Lawrence)—side by side. With thanks to Derek Wilson for the images. But then, he informs us that from the entire original Marvelman-and-Family run of 770 comics and 24 annuals, he is missing only two Marvelman issues. We “Americanized” a few English spellings in his article, since the majority of our audience is in the USA. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics; Marvelman TM & ©2009 the respective trademark & copyright holders.]
From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA!
Marvelman rather than Marvelman Junior. [NOTE: Captain Miracle eventually made it into his own title in 1960 under Mick Anglo’s guidance after he had left Miller’s and the Marvelman titles were on the decline; but Captain Miracle consisted primarily of “Marvelman” stories reprinted with subtle changes made to the artwork to eliminate his blond hair and the MM logo. It ran for only 9 issues.] The story came full circle in 1985 when the US company Eclipse Comics renamed “Marvelman” as “Miracleman” when they began reprinting and continuing the brilliant new “Marvelman” series written by Alan Moore, which had originally begun appearing in Dez Skinn’s Quality Comics Warrior magazine in 1982, with superb artwork by Garry Leach and Alan Davis. The name change to Miracleman was to avoid the petty muscle-flexing from Marvel Comics regarding having the word ‘marvel’ on the cover.
The Costumes The uniform change was relatively easy. Captain Marvel’s red suit became Marvelman’s blue one—while Captain Marvel Junior’s blue suit became red for Young Marvelman. The capes disappeared, (which made the artwork easier), and the dark hair became blond. [continued on p. 8]
Color Me Marvelous! (Clockwise from below left:) One of the archetypal covers of the British series: Marvelman, Vol. 2, #138, in his trademark mostly-blue costume—the red-garbed Young Marvelman, Vol. 1, #44 (“for week ending June 19th 1954”)—and Marvelman Family, Vol. 1, #1 (Oct. 1956), which adds Kid Marvelman, who could’ve been nicknamed “The Yellow Kid.” The YM cover is from Ye Editor’s own tiny collection of English comics; the other two were provided by Roger Dicken. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]
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6
The Sensational Story Of England’s Marvelman
It’s A Miracle, Man! When Marvelman was revived in the British comics magazine Warrior in the 1980s, then was transmogrified into Miracleman in answer to legal objections from Marvel Comics, he was blessed not only by Alan Moore’s writing but by some of the best of the young artists. (Left to right on this and facing page:) Garry Leach—John Totleben—Alan Davis—Rick Veitch— & Alex Ross. Thanks to Derek Wilson for samples of art from his own collection. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]
From SHAZAM! To KIMOTA!
7
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17
Off To Meet The Wizard! A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With MICK ANGLO, Creator Of Marvelman Interview Conducted by Roger Dicken
Transcribed with the aid of Wendy Hunt
INTERVIEWER’S INTRODUCTION
E
arly one morning in August 2008 I set out on a journey from the historic town of Windsor in Berkshire, where I was staying with friends, having travelled there by train from my home in Wales. I passed the famous royal castle, shrouded in damp February mist, and it was with some trepidation I soon entered the yawning motorway (freeway) entrance signposted for London. The reason for this is, quite simply, I was driving an unfamiliar hired car, and I am the worst navigator in the world!
Marvel-Men Mick Anglo (on left) with fellow artists Don Lawrence (center) and Ron Embleton at a 1970s comics convention held at the Mountview Hotel near Harrow, Mick’s stomping grounds—flanked by (a) an Anglo-drawn 1954 splash panel (“Big Rock Candy Mountain”); (b) “The Black Magic of Benjamin Pip” by Don Lawrence; & (c) the strangely-spelled “Litening” from 1948’s Big Flame Wonder Comic [sic]. Photo courtesy of Mick Anglo. P.S.: All art & photos accompanying this interview have been provided by Roger Dicken (with special help from Wendy Hunt), unless otherwise stated. [Pages ©2009 the respective copyright holders.]
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A Colorful (Colourful?) Conversation With Mick Anglo, Creator Of Marvelman
He’s A Real Marvel! (Left:) We wanted to close with another specimen of Mick Anglo art, so what better vetting than the credits printed at the bottom of this contents page from the 1958 Marvelman Annual, sent by Jim Kealy? (Above:) And, in terms of Mick himself, we’ll end with the same photo that led off this two-part section, only this time showing all of the photo that was only half-glimpsed back on p. 4—as Mick shakes hands with visiting Western movie/ recording/comic book star Tex Ritter in 1952, while a London bobby and a bunch of youngsters look on. Thanks to Mick A. for this one. [Art ©2009 the respective copyright holders.]
ANGLO: That side of the business never, ever interested me. All in all I was just tickled pink to be paid so well for what I did, and as with many others, for me the rule was always “cash on the nail.” End of story. [INTERVIEWER’S NOTE: All too soon it was time to leave and face the demonic freeway back to Windsor, only this time in the dark! As I assisted the just a little shaky Michael down the short flight of steps to the entrance hall, I couldn’t help thinking, was this the ex-boxer, the dynamically charged artist who once traveled daily up and down three flights of steps at two studios? We reached the exit door and, standing outside, we shook hands firmly.] RD: Michael, I have discovered you are even more of a “Wiz” than I thought. It’s been a privilege to meet you and a pleasure to hear your fascinating story. Thank you. ANGLO: It’s been a very enjoyable interlude, even if you have drained my brain! [mutual laughter]. RD: I am sure readers of Alter Ego magazine in America and elsewhere will enjoy reading about you, and I hope that we meet up again. ANGLO: I’ll second that. Roger Dicken is a retired English movie and TV special-effects technician, who, in his 20-year “monster-making” career, was jointly nominated for an Academy Award (with Jim Danforth) for the 1969 film When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth. He shocked audiences worldwide with his famous chest-burster sequence for the 1979 hit Alien. Full disclosure: he and his partner Wendy Hunt are longtime friends of Roy and Dann Thomas.
Wendy Hunt & Roger Dicken in a 1980s photo.
41
Centaur Spread Part II Continuing The Scintillating Saga Of The CENTAUR COMICS GROUP by Lee Boyette
In The Centaur Ring The above full-page house ad proclaimed 1940 “the year for Centaur”—but, as Lee Boyette points out, by year’s end nearly all the titles heralded on it had been trampled under the hooves of time—and competitors. But why the monkey mascot rather than a centaur?? [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]
A/E
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION: Two issues ago, we printed the majority of Lee’s bird’s-eye (or maybe we should say, “Eye’s-eye”) view of the Centaur Comics Group and a couple of related companies—but we ran out of room. So, rather than crowd the last part and skimp on illustrations, we held it off till this time around. Actually, Lee also provided a list of Centaur’s comics publications, etc., which we’ll get to in a few months, as well… but meanwhile, here is the conclusion of the article proper, with all the illos we could squeeze in! In Part I, Lee finished up with an account of the most famous comic book associated with Centaur—Amazing-Man Comics—which, he pointed out, technically wasn’t published under the Centaur name. And now, with all art provided by Lee Boyette and his colleague Jon R. Evans, unless otherwise noted—let’s gallop along…!
Of Fantoms And Fantasies
The Amazing “Surhomme”
About the time Amazing-Man Comics got going, Star Comics and Comic Pages (formerly Funny Picture Stories) and Star Ranger Funnies were all cancelled. The latter ended with the October 1939 issue, Star with August, and CP with December. Several reprint books (of superheroes this time) saw the light of day in 1940.
As we mentioned in A/E #85, much of the Centaur material was soon reprinted in France, with the shapes of the pages altered… as per this early Bill Everettdrawn “Amazing-Man” story. Thanks to Jean-Michel Ferragatti, who will cover these French re-presentations in depth in a future issue. [©2009 the respective copyright holders.]
The first of these—Amazing Adventure Funnies—is one of Centaur’s best issues ever. Dated June 1940, AAF #1 reprints the first three “Fantom of the Fair” stories by Paul Gustavson—“Speed Silvers,” also by Gustavson—Bill Everett’s first “Skyrocket Steele” story—the initial
60
W
hat if, instead of selling his share of All-American Publications to National/DC co-publishers Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz in 1945, as happened in The World We Know, AA co-publisher Max Charles Gaines had instead bought DC from them?
being cancelled) the AA characters Green Lantern, The Flash, and Wonder Woman had become instead the surviving Golden Age superheroes—stars of comic books, radio, movies, and TV? (Even so, in Our World, all art on the next 6 pages features characters trademarked and copyrighted 2009 by DC Comics.)
Just imagine…a comic book industry in which (due to legal problems with Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Bob Kane which resulted in there being two competing versions each of Superman and Batman on the national newsstands in the late 1940s, with both renditions eventually
Not a dream (precisely)…not a hoax (because we tell you about it up front)…just an imaginary tale of an alternate universe we call Earth-22, and of…
The Secret History Of All-American Comics, Inc. by Bob Rozakis
Book One – Chapter 8: “The End Of The Beginning!” [NOTE: This chapter’s interview with Ted Skimmer, longtime AA production man, has never before been printed.] BOB ROZAKIS: A couple of major things happened in 1969 and 1970. That was the beginning of the turnover. TED SKIMMER: Yes, it was, and it started because of bad weather. Charlie was living in a big house out on the north shore of Long Island and he had a driver named Gavin, who would bring him back and forth every day. It was a really nice place, off this long winding road through the hilly woods. Well, in mid-February, there was a blizzard… BR: Oh, I remember that storm. It was my senior year of high school. Everything was closed for a week. It took days for them to plow even the major roads. My friends and I went sledding on the Cross Island Parkway! TS: I don’t know how Gavin got to Charlie’s house, but he told Charlie the roads were already really bad. The way I heard the story from Billy, his father insisted they could make it to the city despite Gavin’s misgivings. So off they went. Maybe a mile from Charlie’s house, they skidded and got stuck in a snow bank. Gavin tried everything he could, but he could not move the car. And since it was a relatively undeveloped area, there was no other traffic… and no other houses nearby… and, of course, this was way before cell phones, so no way they could call anyone. They had no choice but to get out and walk back to Charlie’s house. Uphill. In a blizzard. It took them hours. By the time they got there, both of them were covered in snow and ice. Charlie ended up with bronchitis and was sick for two weeks. Gavin got pneumonia and was in the hospital for I don’t know how long. Anyway, Charlie decided he’d had enough. He was moving to Florida. He called up Billy and said, “I’m done. You’re in charge now.” BR: Just like that? TS: [laughs] As soon as they reopened the airport, Charlie was on the first plane out. He said he’d had enough of snow and cold weather and winter. Of course, he still owned the company, so it wasn’t like he was giving up anything except coming to the office. BR: How did Bill react? TS: I think he wished it had happened a couple of weeks sooner. At the
Putting Their (Post)Cards On The Table This type of art-splashed postcard, featuring Green Lantern, Stretch Bando, Wonder Woman, The Flash, the revived Superman, and Metamorpho, was sent out in the late 1960s to those who wrote letters to DC mags. Layout by Neal Adams. From the joint collection of Lawrence P. Guidry & Shane Foley.
“The End Of The Beginning”!
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The AA Universe In The Latter Days Of Weisinger (Left:) The cover of Julie Schwartz’s All-Flash #171 (Dec. 1966) reflected the popularity—fabulous, if fleeting—of The Flash TV show, which had debuted at the turn of the year. Art by Carmine Infantino & Joe Giella. (Right:) Meanwhile, Mort Weisinger chugged right along with the Legion of Lantern Pets in Sensation Comics #311 (Jan. 1968). Art by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye. With special thanks to Lawrence P. Guidry & Shane Foley for supplying both covers from their cacophonous joint collection.
beginning of the year, the industry was faced with having to raise the cover price from 12¢, and the logical step was to 15c. Charlie wanted to keep the 32-page package, maybe replace a couple of house ads with story pages. Billy wanted to go back to 48 pages and jump the price to 20c. His argument was that they could use reprints in the extra pages, and the readers would feel they were getting more for their money. There was a lot of shouting behind closed doors, but ultimately Charlie prevailed. AA, and the rest of the companies, raised the price with the books that came out in April. Whenever Billy and I used to talk about it, he used to shake his head and say, “I wish that blizzard had been in January.” BR: After Charlie moved to Florida, the next big thing was Mort Weisinger’s retirement? TS: Mort was always threatening to retire. I think he started doing it around 1960, about the time Bill took over as managing editor from Shelly Mayer. Mort would go in to a meeting with Charlie and Billy and say, “I’m tired of doing this. I want to retire and write some TV shows and screenplays, maybe a novel.” Didn’t matter that Mort no longer had any connections in Hollywood. He would name people he’d met while he was out there in the early days of the Green Lantern TV show in the ’50s and that would be enough. Or he’d just lie and say he’d gotten an offer from Sam Goldwyn!
And every time he did it, he pushed Charlie into panic mode. How could Mort dream of giving up Green Lantern? Surely more money would entice him to stay. And, of course, it would. And that was how Mort kept getting big raises every year. Julie used to say that when Mort died, his gravestone would read, “Here lies Mort Weisinger… as usual.” BR: [laughs] I’ve heard Julie say that. TS: So it’s December ’69 or maybe early 1970 and Mort sits down with Billy for yet another round of “I’m going to retire,” but this is the first time he’s doing it with Billy alone. Well, sales on the Lantern books were down a bit, though they were still the best-selling in the company. Mort took great delight, by the way, in pointing out how the Lantern books started outselling Julie’s books again once the Flash TV show went off the air in ’68. Anyway, maybe Billy was tired of the ploy or maybe Mort really did want to retire. Or it may just have been that Billy did not like Mort from the time Mort tried to co-opt the horror comics idea back in ’49. In any case, when they came out of that meeting it was announced that Mort would be leaving the company at the end of his current contract. All of a sudden, there’s chaos among the editors. What is going to happen to all the Green Lantern books without Weisinger to guide them?
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“When One Door Closes…” How Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. Said “Cheerio!” To Their British Chums—And Ushered In The Marvelmen by P.C. Hamerlinck
W
hen the time comes for parents to explain that immutable law of nature known as death to their young children, it can often be an arduous task. But UK publisher L. Miller & Son Ltd., London—the purveyor of “Captain Marvel” and “Captain Marvel Jr.” reprints from the US of A—simply avoided such unpleasant encounters by having their top-selling super-heroes themselves cheerfully bid the British boys and girls a fond farewell ... and soon the magic words “Shazam!” and “Captain Marvel!” became “Kimota!” and “Marvelman!”—without even a week’s break in publication.
Len Miller’s company watched its profits soar after securing the British license to reprint various Fawcett Publications’ comics material—resulting in their immensely popular, weekly-published, 32-page Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. comic books. However, a foreshadowing dark cloud of inevitable and substantial income loss loomed over the Western horizon when news of the untimely demise of Fawcett’s comic book line traveled over to the shores of Great Britain. Miller’s Fawcett black-&-white reprint titles, varying in size and length (often accompanied with newly drawn covers and filler features, courtesy of artist Mick Anglo’s Gower Street Studio), included Bulletman, Captain Midnight, Captain Video, Don Winslow of the Navy, Fawcett Movie Comic, Fawcett’s Funny Animals, Gift Comics, Golden Arrow, Hopalong Cassidy, Lance O‘Casey, Lash Larue, Life Story, Master Comics, Nyoka the Jungle Girl, Rocky Lane, Slam Bang Comics, Spy Smasher, Tom Mix, Whiz Comics, Wow Comics, and many others. But it was Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. which had quickly become Miller & Sons’ topselling comic books after their initial, simultaneous releases on Aug. 19, 1953. The two titles flew off British newsstands during each of their 24issue runs—right up until their atomic-powered facelifts. After learning about the death of Fawcett’s Mightiest Mortals—but unwilling to immediately surrender the proven money-making Marvel magic—Miller called upon the dependable services of Anglo to quickly create new super-heroes in a similar vein, to keep the devotees reading. And Anglo delivered the goods, making the new characters just enough different from the two male Marvels to avoid potential legal attacks: Marvelman and Young Marvelman (the latter, temporarily known as Marvelman Jr., had been re-named Young Marvelman by the time of his first appearance; a younger Kid Marvelman would be added later and become part of the Marvelman Family.) But how did L. Miller explain to its readers the sudden retirement of the beloved Captain Marvel and Marvel Jr. and persuade kids to inarguably accept the new Marvel-named heroes that were going to be filling their boots? It all transpired on the “Club Pages” of Miller’s Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr.—in both series’ issues #19—just two days before Christmas, 1953. It was on those pages that Miller—er, I mean, each hero—broke the big news to readers in a “personal” letter. Here was Captain Marvel’s message to his faithful fans, from L. Miller’s Captain Marvel #19: Dear Boys and Girls, I can hardly wait to tell you of the most startling and astounding
L. Miller’s Gift To You Among British publisher Len Miller’s successful line of Captain Marvel/Fawcett B&W reprints was a 1952 rendition of Fawcett’s annual-sized Gift Comics, a compilation of various Fawcett comic features, with a Britproduced new cover on thick cardstock. Like its US counterpart, each issue contained returned comics bound together, with widely varying contents. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics; all others ©2009 their respective copyright holders.]
news I’ve ever had the good fortune to announce. Seeing as how this is Christmas week, it has come at a most fitting time. Holy Moley! I can almost hear you saying, get on with it or we’ll never know what it’s all about. Sorry, chums, it’s just that I’m a bit excited—but here it is. Boys and girls, it is my great pleasure to introduce Marvelman— what, another of the Marvel family—well, yes, in a way, for you see Marvelman is going to step right into my shoes. He is to follow the Marvel tradition of finding and fighting evil wherever it exists.
“When One Door Closes...”
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Now I guess you’re all wondering where I fit into this; please allow me to explain. For an awful long time I’ve been worrying about Billy Batson. Billy, as you know is a grand boy, and I feel he is not being given a break. In other words, a chance to grow up. I went along to old Shazam and told him my worries, and between us we’ve decided to give Billy the chance to settle down. In order that this might be achieved, I shall soon be returning my powers to old Shazam and changing into the character of Billy Batson for the last time. This will give this grand lad a chance to develop into the type of citizen that I know you’ll grow into. Naturally we couldn’t leave the door of the world wide open for evil — hence Marvelman of whom I feel you’re just busting to know more. What could be better than to ask him to say a few words to you. It’s all yours, Marvelman: “Well, this is great. I mean my being able to introduce myself even before my adventures are being read, and I sincerely trust that you will follow them as closely as you’ve followed Captain Marvel’s, especially as some of them take place right here in England. You can rely on me to fight evil wherever it exists. All for now, your new and true friend Marvelman.” Thank you, Marvelman. I’m certain that the boys and girls will be just itching to read your first comic which will be appearing shortly.
“… Mind How You Go With the Pudding” Captain Marvel Jr.’s “personal letter” to his young British “chums” announcing his retirement. From the inside back cover “club page” of L. Miller’s Captain Marvel Jr. #19, Dec. 23, 1953. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics.]
Well, that’s all for this week chums, except to say have a good Christmas and mind how you go with the pudding. Your sincere pal, Captain Marvel Holy Moley, indeed! If Captain Marvel’s eyebrow-raising letter wasn’t enough for his young pudding-devouring “chums” across England to digest ... over on the Club Page of Captain Marvel Jr. #19 (Dec. 23, 1953), Miller ran the exact same letter (except replacing CM’s name with Captain Marvel Jr.’s, Billy Batson’s name with Freddy Freeman’s, and Marvelman’s name with Marvelman Jr.).
Christmas Surprise The cover for L. Miller’s Captain Marvel Jr. #19, Dec. 23, 1953 (artwork traced from Fawcett’s Captain Marvel Jr. #14 cover art by Mac Raboy). This issue—with the same issue date, number, and similarly worded and shocking club page announcement as L. Miller’s Captain Marvel #19, marked the beginning of the end for the Shazamic heroes in Britain. [Shazam! hero TM & ©2009 DC Comics.]
The next four issues of both Miller’s Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. continue to hype the upcoming replacement heroes. Miller’s issues #24 (Jan. 24, 1954) of both Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. showed further signs of the impending hero switches; the title of the former had briefly become The Captain Marvel Man and The Marvelman, Captain Marvel—and the latter briefly became The Young Marvelman, Captain Marvel Jr. On the back covers of the issues were urgent reminder ads: “Don’t forget the Marvelman/Young Marvelman Adventures start NEXT WEEK — Order your copy NOW!” Both comic books, by issue #25 (Feb. 3, 1954) were now officially titled Marvelman and Young Marvelman.