Issuu

LOOK! UP IN THE SKY! IT’S

Roy Thomas’ High-Soaring Comics Fanzine

YOU’LL BELIEVE A ®

CAN FLY—

7.95

In the USA

No.98 December 2010

—WHEN

MORT WEISINGER, ALVIN SCHWARTZ, & WHITNEY ELLSWORTH

SAY SO!

AND SO CAN THAT

82658 27763

GUY—COURTESY OF

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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Vol. 3, No. 98 / December 2010 Editor Roy Thomas

Associate Editors Bill Schelly Jim Amash

Design & Layout Christopher Day

Proofreader Rob Smentek

FCA Editor P.C. Hamerlinck

Comic Crypt Editor Michael T. Gilbert

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

Cover Artist Jerry Ordway

Cover Colorist Tom Ziuko

With Special Thanks to: Heidi Amash Joyce Kaffel American Heritage Henry Kujawa Center, Joe Latino Univ. of Wyoming Dominique Léonard Henry Andrews Mark Lewis Bob Bailey Jim Ludwig Mike W. Barr Don Mangus Rod Beck Bruce Mason Jack Bender Ken McFarlane John Benson Pamela Joy McMorrow Steve Billnitzer Brian K. Morris Jared Bond Will Murray Len Brown Marie O’Brien Nicky & Jason Brown Jerry Ordway Frank Brunner John Pansmith Mike Burkey Barry Pearl R. Dewey Cassell Joe Petrilak Shaun Clancy J. Scott Pike John R. Cochran Gene Reed Chet Cox Bob Rivard Joe Desris Charlie Roberts Michaël Dewally Herb Rogoff Betty Dobson Alvin Schwartz Peter Enfantino Evan Shaner Mark Evanier Anthony Snyder Jean-Michel Ferragatti Darrell Stark John Firehammer Desha Swayze Shane Foley Marc Swayze Michael Fraley Dann Thomas Ken Gale Anthony Tollin Janet Gilbert Richard Toogood Grand Comics John R. Waggener Database Lynn Walker Bob Greenberger Hames Ware Jennifer Hamerlinck Lawrence Watt-Evans Mel Higgins Ike Wilson Jerry Hillegas Eddy Zeno Bill Jourdain

This issue is dedicated to the memory of

Frank Frazetta & Al Williamson–– also to Whitney Ellsworth & Mort Weisinger

Contents A Pair Of Editorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 “The Driving Force That Really Made DC Great” . . . . . . . . . . 5 Will Murray examines the career of Whitney Ellsworth and the rise of National/DC.

Digging Up Superman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Joyce Kaffel remembers her father, Mort Weisinger, legendary Golden/Silver Age Superman editor.

“I’ve Always Been a Writer” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Writer Alvin Schwartz on his long career in comics and elsewhere, interviewed by Jim Amash.

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!: Kooky DC Krossovers! . . . . . . 59 Michael T. Gilbert and his begoggled companion look at some odd DC pairings.

Tributes to Frank Frazetta & Al Williamson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 re: [correspondence, comments, & corrections] . . . . . . . . . 68 FCA [Fawcett Collectors of America] #157 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 P.C. Hamerlinck presents Marc Swayze—and Jared Bond on the Superman/Captain Marvel lawsuit. On Our Cover: We’ll admit it—we’re suckers for a good cover that co-features Superman and Captain Marvel—in Ye Editor’s opinion two of the greatest creations in the 75+ years of the comic book industry. Our thanks to collector Dominique Léonard and to artist Jerry Ordway for their blessing in printing this breathtaking commission illo by Roy’s 1980s collaborator on All-Star Squadron and Infinity, Inc. [Superman & Captain Marvel TM & ©2010 DC Comics.] Above: Superman was an instant hit—and not just in English! Jean-Michel Ferragatti sent us this image from a French translation of a very early “Superman” story “Cible Humaine” (the translation of the French is “Human Target”), utilizing drawings from Joe Shuster’s Superman art shop—and, in the foreground, what looks like a Superman figure by major early comics artist Lou Fine from a Fox or Quality comic... or possibly a Paul Gustavson figure from Centaur or Timely... in Kal-El’s colors. Hey—Gustavson’s Angel, in Marvel Mystery Comics, also had a red cape and mostly blue outfit—so maybe the Gallic licensee felt he was fair game as a stand-in for Superman! [©2010 DC Comics.] 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.

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Rare, Out-of-Print Issues of ALTER EGO— Vol. 3, #1, #5, #32! $15.00 @, includes postage—Autographed on request Send to: Roy Thomas, 32 Bluebird Trail, St. Matthews, SC 29135

“You’ll Believe A Superman Can Fly!” — Part 1

“The Driving Force That Really Made DC Great” WHITNEY ELLSWORTH And The Rise Of National/DC Comics by Will Murray

Beginnings

mong the talents who jumped from the pulps to comics, the most powerful and influential has to be Frederick Whitney Ellsworth, better known as Whit Ellsworth. As the first editorial director for DC Comics, he went on to guide that company’s super-heroes to greater heights, shaping the formative “Superman” and “Batman” features, consulting on virtually every DC film project from the earliest Superman cartoons through acting as a line producer on the classic 1950s Adventures of Superman TV series starring George Reeves. For a simple gag cartoonist, Whit Ellsworth sure came a long way. The true story of his rise to prominence can now be pieced together. Born in Brooklyn in 1908, Whit had early aspirations to be a cartoonist. “In 1927 I enrolled in a cartoonists’ course at Central Branch YMCA in Brooklyn taught by Ad Carter, creator of [the comic strip] Just

Supermen & Super Markets Longtime DC editorial director Whitney Ellsworth (on left it photo) served as producer for most seasons of the 1950s Adventures of Superman TV series— while “Superman” comics line editor Mort Weisinger (right) came to the West Coast at times to serve as the series’ story editor. Below are the two halves of an ad spread for Man of Steel merchandise that, at the apex of the show’s popularity, appeared, among other places, in Superboy #46 (Jan. 1956). Thanks for the photo to Joyce Kaffel, Mort’s daughter, whose reminiscence of her father begins on p. 22—and to the Mort Weisinger Photo File, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, with special thanks to associate archivist John R. Waggener. [Ad pages ©2010 DC Comics.]

Kids,” Ellsworth recalled to data-collector Jerry Bails in the 1970s. “Carter gave me a job as his assistant. I wrote more than I drew, for I was never any great shakes as an artist. He also introduced me to some of the other people at King Features Syndicate, as a result of which I, from time to time, wrote (and did some drawing on) Tillie the Toiler, Dumb Dora, and Embarrassing Moments, among others. This was the heyday of advertisingtype comics in the Sunday comic supplements, and I also did some of that.” Ellsworth found that many of the top cartoonists he toiled for were “not entirely reliable, either in terms of work habits or paying the people who assisted them.” So he left King Features. “I was fortunate enough,” he said, “in the depths of the Great Depression, to get a job on the Newark Star-Eagle as a cartoonist and feature writer. There, and at the Newark Ledger, I spent three pleasant years before going to work for [Major Malcolm Wheeler-] Nicholson.” He also scripted off-Broadway plays, including Maiden Voyage in 1935.

Whitney Ellsworth And The Rise Of DC Comics

National/DC Comics—Round One Somehow, Ellsworth drifted into comics. His humor strip “Little Linda” debuted in the second issue of Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson’s New Fun Comics, officially published by National Allied Publications, Inc. “Billy the Kid,” “Mr. Meek,” and “Jest Jokes” soon followed. He also drew numerous early comic book covers for the company, signing them “Whit.” According to his daughter, Patricia Ellsworth, as quoted in Chuck Harter’s 1993 book Superboy and Superpup: The Lost Videos: “My father was one of the triumvirate of editors who worked for Major Nicholson on the very first original comics magazines that were. That was in the middle of the 1930s... and the triumvirate consisted of Whitney Ellsworth, Creig Flessel, and Vincent Sullivan. The owner of the group was Major Nicholson. Somewhere, maybe ’37 or ’38, DC Comics (Detective Comics) bought out Nicholson, and in 1937, Whitney Ellsworth left New York completely and went to live in Hollywood for a couple of years.” [EDITOR’S NOTE: Creig Flessel was never actually an editor at National/DC… more like a staff artist, except that he was probably never technically on staff; he was just there. See A/E #88 for the oft-reproduced 1990s drawing by Flessel of Major Wheeler-Nicholson, Ellsworth, Sullivan, and himself during those early days.] In a piece written for Robin Snyder’s magazine The Comics! a few years back, Creig wrote that it was unfair to blame Gardner Fox, early scripter of the “Sandman” strip drawn by Flessel, for writing “wimpy thugs…. All my thugs were wimps; all crooks are wimps, all murderers are wimps…. The truth is, I really patterned my thugs after my publishers and editors: Whitney Ellsworth, Vin Sullivan, Murray Boltinoff, Carmine Infantino, Harry Chesler.”

Sven Come Elven! Publisher Wheeler-Nicholson himself scripted a number of early adaptations that appeared in his comics, though it’s not certain whether he or artist Sven Elven scribed the black-&-white “Three Musketeers” episode in More Fun Comics #22 (July 1937). Thanks to Michael Fraley for the photo of Elven, seen in later years with a grandchild. [Comics page ©2010 DC Comics.]

“I remember,” Flessel recalled in another context, that “[Ellsworth] drove out in an open touring car with his suitcase. We looked out of the window that Wednesday and he’s waving, on his way to Hollywood.” There, he married a Paramount actress named Jane Dewey and earned his living writing for the pulps. She was his true reason for moving West. He had met her in New York, and when Hollywood called, she went. Whit followed rather than lose her. Ironically, Ellsworth might have been one of the many to see and reject Superman during the time when it was making the rounds of comics houses and syndicates before its 1938 debut in Action Comics #1. “Toward the end of the Nicholson venture,” he once reported, “Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster submitted Superman—in newspaper form rather than in comic book pages. It was turned down.”

Present At The Creation—Or Very Soon Afterwards (Above:) Three DC pioneers snapped at a 1993 reunion. (L. to r.:) Creig Flessel (at whose Long Island home the pic was taken), Action Comics #1 “Zatara” artist/writer/creator Fred Guardineer, and Vin Sullivan, first editor of both “Superman” and “Batman.” Thanks to Joe Latino, Ken Gale, and the late Rich Morrissey & Tom Fagan for this photo. (Right:) Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, founder of National Allied Publications, in a 1948 photo. Thanks to Nicky & Jason Brown; Nicky, the Major’s granddaughter, was interviewed in A/E #88.

In his 1944 Writer’s Digest article “A Yank at Yale,” later DC editor Mort Weisinger picked up the story from this point: “In 1941, Maj. George Fielding Eliot, who had been writing the G-Men booklengths for us [at Better/Thrilling/Pines pulp publisher], gave up the assignment for greener pastures. George is one writer who really has a gift of gab, and being a military analyst on him looks good. I get a funny

“The Driving Force That Make DC Really Great”

Little Ladies And Lads (Clockwise from top:) Ellsworth’s “Little Linda,” inspired by Harold Gray’s Little Orphan Annie, debuted in black-&-white in New Fun #2 (March 1935). This is the last of several “Little Linda” tiers of panels on that initial page; the first tier was seen amid A/E #88’s extensive coverage of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson. Thanks to Jim Ludwig. “Little Linda” continued when New Fun became More Fun Comics—as per this page from #8 (Feb. ’36), provided by both Michael T. Gilbert & Bob Rivard. Ellsworth reportedly drew the cover of New Comics #4 (MarchApril 1936), which was shown in this full-page ad on the inside front cover of More Fun #9 (same date). Note that he and Vin Sullivan are listed as “associate editors,” under founder/ publisher/editor Wheeler-Nicholson. New was a second National Allied magazine, which with #12 would become New Adventure Comics, and soon the long-running Adventure Comics. Thanks to Henry Andrews. Ellsworth signed his cover art for New Comics #11 (Dec. ’36). Thanks to Bruce Mason. [©2010 DC Comics.]

“You’ll Believe A Superman Can Fly!” — Part 2

Digging Up Superman A Daughter Remembers MORT WEISINGER, Golden/Silver Age DC Editor by Joyce Kaffel

he kids in my cozy, first childhood neighborhood in Great Neck, Long Island, always knew to come to my house if they wanted DC comics, because my dad, Mort Weisinger, often brought stacks of them home from work. Born in 1915 in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, he was the editor of Superman for almost three decades spanning from 1941-1970, as well as a science-fiction and popular magazine writer. He wasn’t one to disappoint young Superman fans when they came calling for freebies. In the late 1950s, I was in elementary school when we moved to Kings Point, a fancy section of town. The street we lived on had a bevy of beautiful, large residences that were too far apart for the children on the block to develop easy relationships. Most of the neighbors didn’t know there were comics for the taking. My father loved our big house with its swimming pool and tennis court and manicured grounds. His parents were Jewish-Czech immigrants who raised him and his younger brother and sister in the Bronx, then settled in New Jersey. My grandfather was a shoe manufacturer whose prosperity slipped away when his factory accidentally burned down. To earn a living after the fire, he got a job as an egg candler for a dairy company, checking eggs for discolorations. He died in 1945. My widowed grandmother supported herself as the landlady of a four-family house in Leonia, New Jersey, and by peddling dry goods that she bought on New York City’s Lower East Side.

The Weisinger Way (Clockwise from above:) Mort Weisinger, circa the 1960s, in his heyday as editor of the “Superman”/ ”Superboy” comics lineup, which then included seven titles. In Action Comics #275 (April 1961), a typical tale from the post-TV-series era that Mort made his own, the villainous Brainiac’s red and green kryptonite combo forces the Man of Steel to wear a hat anytime he performs a super-deed—a mystery resolved only at story’s end. Script by Jerry Coleman; pencils by Wayne Boring; inks by Stan Kaye. That issue’s “Supergirl” story was written by Jerry Siegel, “Superman” co-creator, who’d been allowed to return to DC as a writer a decade after he and artist/ co-creator Joe Shuster sued the company over rights to Superman and Superboy. Art by Jim Mooney. [©2010 DC Comics.] All photos appearing with this article were selected by Joyce Kaffel; some, including the one above, are in the Mort Weisinger collection, American Heritage Center, at the University of Wyoming, in Laramie, WY.

Digging Up Superman

familiar with his work as a journalist, but realized I had taken his talents in the sci-fi world for granted.

A Hall-Ful Of Fame Mort and his friend and future fellow DC editor Julius Schwartz were active in sciencefiction fandom during the 1930s; by mid-decade they were literary agents for sf writers. Seen above, probably at a World Science Fiction Convention in New York (’39) or Chicago (’40), is a gathering of sf, pulp, & comics greats, near-greats, and future greats. (Front row, l. to r.:) Wonder Stories pulp editor Charles D. Hornig; prominent fan Jack Darrow. (Middle row, l. to r.:) Julie Schwartz; unknown; writer Manly Wade Wellman (we think he’s the cigar-smoker in the white coat); Leo Margulies, editorial director of Better/Thrilling pulp magazines. (3rd row, right three figures seated:) writers Edmund Hamilton & Otto Binder (both of whom would later script for DC); Mort Weisinger (who became an editor for Better/Thrilling circa ’39). Thanks to Joyce Kaffel; repro’d from a scan made from the Mort Weisinger Photo File, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.

After experiencing the Great Depression and witnessing his parent’s misfortune, my father was proud that he had achieved the American Dream. He still gave “Superman” comics to my brother’s friends and romance comics to mine as we grew older. He lived with my mom, Thelma, on Hen Hawk Road in his own version of Superman’s Fortress of Solitude. To him, his elegant home was a Fortress of Success where he had privacy and comfort until he had a fatal heart attack in 1978 when he was just sixty-three. His untimely death was very hard for my family to accept. But with his overweight body, high blood pressure, and Type A personality, it wasn’t a total surprise. From the time he died, it took 29 years for me to visit his archives at the University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center (AHC). I might have gone sooner if his works were stored in the Northeast where I live, but Laramie, Wyoming, is not around the corner from my New Jersey home. For a long time, I was too busy with my own life and just not interested enough in his to make the trip. Although he was a devoted family man, he was such an overbearing presence that I needed to be secure in my own identity before I was willing to delve into his accomplishments. The catalyst that finally motivated me to go was the 2006 film Superman Returns. As I watched the caped crusader fly across a huge movie screen, the fact that my father helped shape the granddaddy of modern super-heroes hit me like a ton of bricks. I was

Through the years, I had read bits and pieces about my dad in books about Superman. More recently, I found that he was very Googleable. I learned that, around 1930, he was a member of the Scienceers, a science-fiction fan club. It was there that he met Julius Schwartz. In 1932, he and Schwartz founded The Time Traveller, the first sci-fi fan magazine. They went on to form the first literary agency for the genres of science-fiction, horror, and fantasy, the Solar Sales Service, which acquired many esteemed fantasy and sci-fi writers. My dad left the agency to work for a pulp magazine publishing house, Standard Magazines. In 1941, he was bitten by the comics bug and went to DC to edit Superman. It was a short stay, as the military called him for service in World War II. Sergeant Weisinger returned in 1946 to continue editing Superman. In the DC arena, he’s mostly remembered for his impact on the Silver Age of Comics, expanding the Superman family to include Supergirl, Krypto, The Legion of Super-Heroes, and the Phantom Zone. Aquaman, Green Arrow, and Johnny Quick are characters he co-created.

He was also the story editor of the original Adventures of Superman television series. When I was a little girl, my family lived in Los Angeles for two six-month stints so he could work on the scripts. I liked going to the TV studio to meet George Reeves and the rest of the cast members from the Superman show. I can still remember how magical it felt when Reeves, in his Superman costume, lifted me high up in the air.

“I Sustain The Superman!” (Left:) One of the few “Superman” comic book stories known to have been scripted by Mort Weisinger—and apparently the only interior “Superman” adventure ever drawn by eminent cover artist Fred Ray—was this Army-Air-Forcesrequested story done for Superman #25 (Nov.-Dec. 1943). Repro’d from the 2006 hardcover Superman Archives, Vol. 7. [©2010 DC Comics.] (Above:) As reported in a previous issue of A/E, Mort apparently took a while to warm up to the new dynamics in artwork by Neal Adams—but once he did, he had the young artist drawing as many Superman-related covers as he could! This illo appeared in the program book of Phil Seuling’s 1973 New York Comic Art Convention; with thanks to the Golden Age Comic Book Stores website. [Superman TM & ©2010 DC Comics.]

COMICS’ GOLDEN AGE LIVES AGAIN! AMAZING-MAN • BULLETMAN BLACK TERROR • AVENGER PHANTOM LADY • CAT-MAN DAREDEVIL • CRIMEBUSTER CAPTAIN FLASH SPY SMASHER • MINUTE MAN SKYMAN • STUNTMAN THE OWL • MR. SCARLET COMMANDO YANK PYROMAN • GREEN LAMA THE EAGLE • IBIS

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“You’ll Believe A Superman Can Fly!” — Part 3

“I’ve Always Been A Writer” ALVIN SCHWARTZ On His Long Career In Comic Books— And Elsewhere Conducted by Jim Amash

Transcribed by Brian K. Morris

lvin Schwartz (born 1916) has been a professional writer since 1933. His résumé is so vast that even Jerry Bails’ online Who’s Who of American Comic Books (1928-1999) does not have a complete list of his works. (Neither does Alvin, for that matter.) And he’s still writing! A poet, pulp writer, novelist, lecturer, documentarian, economist, sociologist, religion expert, metaphysicist, literary critic, radio and film writer, union organizer, and oh, by the way, a comic book writer, too. Alvin maintains an online community board that we highly recommend (www.comicscommunity.com/boards/alvin/), and is

a continuous student of humanity and world politics. His 1997 autobiography An Unlikely Prophet: A Metaphysical Memoir by the Legendary Writer of Superman and Batman was followed up in 2006 with A Gathering of Selves: The Spiritual Journey of the Legendary Writer of Superman and Batman. Graciously, Alvin let me focus on his comic book career so that we could fit this interview into the issue you hold in your hands (or lap, if you bought the download version at www.twomorrows.com). Alvin had a lot to say about his time in the business, so let’s see what he thinks of that chapter of his life. —Jim.

Walk A Mile In My Cape! All knowledgeable comics readers are aware that Superman and Batman first appeared together in All-Star Comics #10 & #36 back in the 1940s, but didn’t really team up—let alone learn each other’s secret identities—till Superman #76 (July-Aug. 1952). Before that, for over a decade, they appeared together only on the covers of World’s Finest Comics, with Alvin Schwartz writing the interior adventures of both in issue #44 (Jan.Feb. 1950), as per the splash pages that flank his pic. It was only with World’s Finest #71 (July-Aug. 1954) that Man of Steel and Caped Crusader became a regular twosome (as seen directly above)—in a landmark tale likewise scripted by Alvin, who’s seen above in a photo from his 2007 book A Gathering of Selves: The Spiritual Journey of the Legendary Writer of Superman and Batman. (See how we tie these things together?) We’d prefer to think it was someone other than Alvin who coined the un-arithmetic logo for that series: “Your Two Favorite Heroes SUPERMAN and BATMAN with ROBIN in One Adventure Together!” Pencils by Winslow Mortimer; inks by Stan Kaye. Thanks to Jim Ludwig for all three art scans. [Comic page ©2010 DC Comics.]

Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt!

Kooky DC Krossovers—Part 1 by Michael T. Gilbert

Superman Goes Hollywood! This amusing Kooky Krossover from Superman #19 (Nov.-Dec. 1942) may be the Man Of Steel’s first “Imaginary Story,” though it isn’t labeled as such in the comic itself. In “Superman, Matinee Idol,” the comic book Lois and Clark attend the premiere of one of the Fleischer Brothers’ new Superman animated shorts. Lois naturally makes a spectacle of herself, loudly cheering for her animated twin. But my favorite bit is when comic book Clark Kent distracts Lois so she won’t see the cartoon Clark change into Superman. Whew! Close call! Now only he (and the rest of the audience) will ever know! Batman made his comic book version of a big screen debut in DC’s The Adventures of Alan Ladd #3 (Feb.-March 1950), courtesy of the star of Shane and other classic films. In “Alan Ladd, Stunt Man,” the Hollywood hero entertains some young fans by showing them Columbia’s 1949 Batman serial (there’d been an earlier one in 1943, of course). Later, plucky Alan foils some finks who want to sabotage his own film and completes his movie right on time. Now that’s a Hollywood ending!

Superman In The Funny-Books! (Above:) Superman #19 (Nov. 1942). Art by Joe Shuster & John Sikela, script by Jerry Siegel. (Right:) The Adventures of Alan Ladd #3 (Feb. 1950). Art by Ruben Moreira. (Next page:) Leave It to Binky #5 (Oct. 1948) & #1 (Feb. 1948). Art by Bob Oksner. [Comic art on these two pages ©2010 DC Comics. 1957 I Love Lucy image ©2010 Desilu or its successors in interest.]

Kooky Krossovers—Part 1

Binky’s Buddies! Binky Biggs was one of DC’s most enduring comical characters. His title, Leave It to Binky, lasted an impressive 82 issues from 1948 to 1977. But did you know that he once met Superman? Well, A/E editor Roy Thomas reminded me that he did! In issue #5 (Oct. 1948), Binky and his gal Peggy arranged to meet for a date, but somehow kept missing each other. Finally they agreed to meet in front of Mearns Department store for future dates since “That can never be moved.” But leave it to Superman to show up in the final panel and prove them wrong. Kooky! Binky’s big sister Lucy had once had a brush with Superman, too. Issue #1 (Feb. 1948) featured a story in which Lucy’s radio won’t shut off, so she enlists the help of the cute boy down the block. While he’s helping her, a misunderstanding lands him in jail. She tries to square things with the cops, but they’re too busy listening to the exciting Superman radio show to notice her. When he’s finally released, she finds her sweetie’s too distracted by the same radio show to notice her! What’s a girl to do? In Lucy’s case, she gets his undivided attention by dressing in a Superman costume! Oddly, another Lucy—Lucille Ball—tried the same trick during a 1957 episode of her and Desi Arnaz’s I Love Lucy TV show. Talk about a Kooky Krossover!

In Memoriam

Two Tributes to

Al Williamson (1931-2010) Williamson was passionate about his work. Even back when he knew the art would not get decent reproduction and the originals would not be returned to him, he’d spend hours on a panel, adding detail that would never survive the printing process. It mattered to Al that the work be as good as possible when it left him. After that, he had no control over it.

The first piece below is printed basically as it appeared on June 15, 2010, in Mark Evanier’s website www.newsfromme.com.

Al Williamson, R.I.P.

ell, sadly, it’s true. Al Williamson was 79 years old, and while we haven’t heard a cause of death, we’d all heard how he’d been suffering from Altzheimer’s for the past few years.

Al was a great talent and a great guy. I can’t think of anyone who saw his comics and didn’t love the way he drew, and I’m darn sure I don’t know of anyone who ever met the man and didn’t enjoy his company. Al Williamson was born in New York on March 21, 1931, but spent much of his childhood in Bogota, Colombia. He fell in love with comics at an early age, especially Flash Gordon, in both the Alex Raymond newspaper strip and the Buster Crabbe serials. Al used to joke that all heroic males he drew either looked like himself or like Mr. Crabbe. He studied at Burne Hogarth’s Cartoonists and Illustrators School and struck up friendships with many artists around his age, most notably Wally Wood, Angelo Torres, Frank Frazetta, Roy G. Krenkel, and Mad editor-to-be Nick Meglin. Most of his friends wound up working for EC Comics, and it was there that Al did the work that gave him his reputation. He was an amazing illustrator, especially in the line’s science-fiction titles, where his work had a pageantry and beauty. Al was the perfect example of the Second Generation of comic book artists—the kids who got into the business because they grew up on comics drawn by the guys who started the business. He was an enormous fan of almost everyone. The first time I met him was in 1970 at a New York convention, where he pumped me for information on Jack Kirby. The last time I saw him was (I think) at the ’97 Comic-Con in San Diego. One of the other guests that year was George Tuska, and Williamson had as a child been inspired by Tuska’s work. When I went off to do a panel interviewing George, Al asked if he could sit in on it, ask a few questions himself, and tell the audience how much he admired Mr. Tuska.

Al Gets With The Program (Books) Because Al Williamson’s EC and Star Wars work has been so often reprinted, we chose to show instead this sketch done for the program book of the 1969 SCARP comics convention in New York City—while the photo appeared in Phil Seuling’s 1969 con program book. [Art ©2010 Estate of Al Williamson.]

He worked for most publishers in the ’50s and ’60s, including Atlas (Marvel), ACG, Charlton, and Harvey. No matter what they paid, he gave them the best work possible within the deadline… and was known to miss deadlines in order to get the work the way he wanted it. In the ’60s, he especially distinguished himself with his work for Warren on Creepy and Eerie, and with a short run on a new comic book version of Flash Gordon in which he astounded readers with his ability to capture that world as drawn by Alex Raymond. That work brought him an offer, which he grabbed, to carry on another Raymond character. He and writer Archie Goodwin produced the newspaper strip Secret Agent X-9 (now retitled Secret Agent Corrigan) from 1967 until 1980. He and Archie later handled the Star Wars newspaper strip for a time, following Al’s acclaimed work on the graphic novel adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back. In the late ’80s through the ’90s, his comic art jobs were mostly as an inker for DC and Marvel. Al won the National Cartoonists Society award for Best Comic Book Artist in 1966 and later won two Will Eisner Awards (and four other nominations); also, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000. He won seven Harvey Awards and numerous other accolades. He was also, as I mentioned, a really, really great guy to be around. As much as we’ll all miss his art, I think we’ll miss the guy who did it even more.

Two Tributes To Al Williamson

This second tribute was written especially for Alter Ego by Len Brown, formerly an executive with Topps Chewing Gum and a longtime personal friend of Al’s.

Remembering AL WILLIAMSON

he night before I was going to meet Al Williamson for the first time, I was so excited that I couldn’t fall asleep for hours.

I had grown up reading and re-reading the beautiful sciencefiction stories that Al had illustrated in EC Comics’ Weird Science and Weird Fantasy in the 1950s—and now, almost a decade later, I was going to meet him in the flesh. I couldn’t have been more excited if it had been Mickey Mantle or James Dean dropping by my office the following day. In early 1961 I was working in the New Products Department for the Topps Chewing Gum Company in Brooklyn, New York, and Al Williamson was coming by to see if we could find a project he’d be able to fit into his busy schedule. Unfortunately, at the time, this comic book superstar was booked up solid with other assignments. Yet the most important result of that initial meeting was the beginning of an almost 50-year friendship with one of the greatest talents in the world of illustration.

Ultimately, in the mid-1990s, Al did finally work with the Topps Company and drew a group of ten trading cards based on a favorite film of his, This Island Earth. Going back to the early 1960s: I was invited to visit Al and his dear family in their upstate Fosterdale, NY, home… and what an experience! Stepping through the front door, I was surrounded by classic framed comic strip art and beautiful paintings from the masters of illustration. In every room there was another surprise! Artwork by Alex Raymond (Flash Gordon, Jungle Jim) and Hal Foster (Tarzan, Prince Valiant) to full-color paintings by J. Allen St. John, Mead Shaeffer, Hannes Bok, Roy Krenkel, and what seemed like dozens of others whose names I can no longer even try to remember. Everywhere I looked I saw more wonderful artwork. Al’s home was a virtual museum of the most beautiful comic strip and illustrated artwork I had ever seen collected in one place. Al also collected the printed works of the greatest comic strip artists of all time, and I saw scrapbook after scrapbook of his favorites, each strip

meticulously mounted and preserved for ready reference. Al had created homemade editions of Captain Easy, Buz Sawyer, Terry and the Pirates, Flash Gordon, The Cisco Kid… dailies and Sundays, years before any publisher had tried to issue collections of these classic strips. And finally, at the end of the tour, we went into Al’s movie room. There he had dozens of 16 mm sound film classics from the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. That evening Al invited me to choose a movie to watch, and I picked an Errol Flynn swashbuckler, which he projected on a big screen. What a delightful way to end one of the most special days in my life. This was the first of a number of trips to the Williamsons’ home, and 26 years later I brought my young children up to Al’s home, then in Pennsylvania. They, too, were able to share the same sense of wonder I had experienced spending time in such an exciting place with a precious man. They remember to this day. Al Williamson was something special. He was kind, intelligent, and always showed a wonderful sense of humor. His generous nature was second only to his magnificent artistic talent.

Alice In Williamson-Land Once in the early ’70s, when Roy Thomas was visiting Al Williamson, the artist generously told Roy he could have any single piece of his artwork that was piled on a certain table. Al said later he hadn’t known this Secret Agent Corrigan daily for March 2, 1971, was in the stack, but he was as good as his word. Posing for Lushan had been author & model Alice Denham, who’d been a Playboy Playmate in 1956. Actually, this form of the strip never appeared in any newspaper; the syndicate made Al blacken in her figure on proofs, saying she looked “too naked” in the original. Al always maintained this was one of his favorite Corrigan dailies… and Roy promised to offer it back to Al before he would ever sell it to a third party. It’s still on his wall. Script by Archie Goodwin. [©2010 King Features Syndicate, Inc.]

Shortly before or about the time that I joined the Fawcett art staff, Pete was transferred from other comic book work to assist C.C. Beck. He spoke fondly of having done “Golden Arrow”… and also of having attended the Art Students’ League and studying under the old illustrator, Harvey Dunn. He told a story of Dunn’s reaction when another student defended his project, an illustration Dunn had criticized severely, by saying, “One of the other instructors down the hall said he thought it was pretty good!” “That’s just it,” Pete quoted Dunn. “In this business ‘pretty good’ means NO DAMN GOOD!” That impressed me. I have since directed that philosophy on many occasions to employees, students…

[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 4th column— from FCA #57 (1996)—where the artist covered an array of topics, from drawing tools to colleagues Keaton, Raboy, Beck and Costanza to having briefly assisted Smilin’ Jack artist Zack Mosley when D-Day hit. In this issue, we re-present another pre-Alter Ego Swayze column, from FCA #58 (1997), wherein the artist reminisced about Pete Costanza, producing Captain Marvel artwork, and playing in the music combo: The Famous Fawcett Four. —P.C. Hamerlinck.]

t Fawcett Publications, after the initial excitement over our entry into World War II, we were back at our tasks… perhaps very much the same as most other Americans.

Changes came, though. One of the first to be called into the military was Pete Costanza. I have read where he was gone about ten months, but it didn’t seem that long before he was discharged with a heart murmur and was back with us. Everyone was glad, because Pete was fun to have around. Affable, talkative, humorous, completely unaffected, Pete conducted his day like a top executive. Always a little late, he would blow in, the morning paper under his arm, remove his coat and hat and call downstairs for his coffee and doughnuts to be sent up. You’d have thought the entire staff down at Walgreen’s had been standing at attention awaiting his call. Then he would stroll leisurely down the hall, past the reception room, the paper still under his arm, to the bathroom. Back at his drawing board later on, his breakfast and the newspaper finished, Pete would set to work. There was never any evidence of resentment from the art staff at Pete’s early-morning procedure, and I suppose art director Al Allard tolerated it in view of the tremendous output Pete was capable of, as well as the positive effect of his presence on the morale of the group.

and to myself! Pete had a special friend among the non-comics artists whom he must have known from earlier days: Harry Taskey. Harry was a few years older—and many years more experienced—than young Pete, and frequently served as an advisor. This was especially true while Pete was courting his soon-to-be wife, lovely Yolanda… Harry obviously being familiar with the mysteries of married life that were looming before Pete. On a noon break, as we boarded the elevator—which was always crammed with people from the upper floors at that hour—Harry was attempting to relieve Pete’s fears of the coming event. As the elevator descended, a hush gradually fell over the occupants. “You’ve nothing to worry about,” he was assuring Pete in a fatherly manner. “Unless…” he added slowly, as though as an afterthought, “… you have some nasty little secret habit you’ve been ashamed to discuss.” The elevator was so quiet it hurt. Pete was indignant. “Whaddaya mean, nasty little secret habit?” he demanded. The elevator was softly touching down as Harry answered, clearly, for all to hear. “Well, like… do you wet the bed?” Regarding Pete’s work, I’d have to go along with the opinions of the Binders, Otto and Jack… Pete could have been better. He could have, but he was satisfied… apparently. He was very fast and thus capable of a tremendous output, but the layouts, rough penciling, and inking he did as Beck’s assistant suggested he may have been too fast.

A Golden Artist Marc Swayze described “Golden Arrow” artist Pete Costanza (seen here in a 1940 photo) as “affable, talkative, humorous, completely unaffected” and “fun to have around”—and also noted that the future C.C. Beck collaborator was a high-speed worker “capable of… tremendous output.”

FCA [Fawcett Collectors Of America]

My responsibilities had increased almost without my realizing it. The reason was the popularity of our hero. Titles were being doubled up, some books appearing twice a month, and the occasional one-shot titles seemed to be showing up more frequently. New artists were still being signed, some being groomed to draw Captain Marvel, but none of the work yet was seen beyond the inner pages. And, as one historian commented, “Captain Marvel was becoming a bit pudgy.” I was churning out story art by doing entire layouts from the scripts, hastily penciling and inking Captain Marvel and major characters, then turning the projects over for completion to any of the assistants available. The story, “Klang the Killer” (Captain Marvel Adventures #15), for example, indicates that I stayed with the art to the final pages only on Captain Marvel, the girl character… and Klang. It was not the way I liked to work, or had hoped to work… but I suppose I was enjoying myself so much with the music combo, the ballgames, the bowling… and I was dating a couple of charming young ladies connected with the company… I guess I didn’t notice or mind the change in the workload. The interesting conversations with Beck continued, but less frequently, of course. At one point there was a massive weekend Fawcett party hosted, I believe, by the distribution department in Greenwich, Connecticut. Beck, Rod Reed, and I were dozing quietly on the beach when Beck suddenly said, “I like to think of his feet as being real heavy, like maybe he has concrete in his boots!” I knew who he was talking about… Captain Marvel, of course... but it just wasn’t our style to let opportunities like that pass. “Who,” I asked, “Roger Fawcett?” Rod laughed as Beck quickly continued. “… So there is an aura of weight in his movements… heaviness… you know.” I always thought the way Beck had of expressing himself in those days was priceless. And, as in art, he got the job done!

Making Headway

Somehow, the talk got around to the humor element of the Captain Marvel art style. “I like a little funny stuff now and then,” said Beck. “Like

Fawcett Publications, like most comic book publishers of the day, jumped onto war-themed stories for their heroes after the U.S. entry into World War II. Marc Swayze was assigned a wartime cover—Captain Marvel Adventures #12 (June, 1942) early on enough that he drew the US infantrymen being led by the World’s Mightiest Mortal over a battlefield wearing WWI-era helmets! (New headgear was issued by the military around the time the issue hit the newsstands.) [Shazam hero TM & ©2010 DC Comics.]

I still have several gifts received from friends at Fawcett in 1942. Among them is a small original painting signed by Pete Costanza. I treasure it. On the personal basis the war wasn’t a usual subject of conversation on the 22nd floor of the Paramount Building. I suppose we all knew that depending upon our eligibility we were subject to call, so why talk about it? Professionally, on the other hand, I wonder how many partiallyfinished peace-time stories were yanked out of typewriters on the morning after Pearl Harbor and fresh paper inserted. Fawcett, like most publishers, jumped onto the war stories without delay. After all, the comic book super-heroes were out there scrambling to be the first to be involved in the US effort. I was assigned a wartime cover so early on that the US infantrymen Captain Marvel was leading over a battlefield wore World War I helmets! The modern lids were issued about the time the book (Captain Marvel Adventures #12) hit the newsstands. Nevertheless, I was proud of having done that cover art, although it seems never to have ceased to be a source of amusement. In recent years, a publisher stated that it was “the finest drawing of Captain Marvel C.C. Beck ever rendered.” Oh well…

Killer Assignments In 1942 Marc Swayze toiled away on Captain Marvel story art—from scripts to layouts to hastily penciling and inking major characters—sometimes turning projects over for completion to assistants—as with the story “Klang the Killer” from Captain Marvel Adventures #15 (Sept. ’42). [Shazam hero TM & ©2010 DC Comics.]

Alter Ego #98