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Overleaf: Our heroes meet Superman in DC Comics’ Captain Action #1. Art by Wally Wood. © 1968 DC Comics
This chapter contains quotes and anecdotes from comic book giant Gil Kane, from a series of interviews conducted by the author during the summer of 1998. Mr. Kane passed away on January 31, 2000. These are among his last interviews. “How’d you like to create your own superhero?” queried DC Comics editor Mort Weisinger of author Jim Shooter back in 1967. Shooter, a comic book writer whose credits included the Legion of SuperHeroes in Adventure Comics as well as the granddaddy of all costumed champions, Superman, was intrigued, his mind instantly bubbling with exciting possibilities for his new creation. Inventing a new super-hero was quite an honor for any comics writer—especially for Shooter, who was only in his mid-teens at the time. He enthusiastically accepted his editor’s offer. “Okay,” remarked Weisinger, continuing
Captain Action by Gil Kane.
(courtesy of Ted Haycraft and Jim Alexander)
in the same breath, “His name is Captain
Comics’ Captain Action boasted numerous powers bestowed
Action. He has a sidekick named Action Boy, a three-wheeled car,
upon him by ancient coins, each imbued with the might of a
a secret cave, we’re putting Superman on the cover...”
legendary god. The comic book Captain Action (and Action Boy,
Shooter listened as his boss rattled off a laundry list of
too) could fly at great speeds thanks to Hermes, douse fires by
prerequisites that his “creation” already carried. Many writers
invoking Tlaloc the rain god, or tussle with any menace utilizing
would have dropped the assignment on the spot, their egos or
the fighting prowess of Mars.
deflated dreams not allowing them to work under such dictates.
A visual thinker, Shooter actually “drew” rather than typed
Not Jim Shooter. Under his editor’s guidance, he built upon
his scripts, conveying his story via loosely rendered figures, sim-
Ideal’s toy-inspired requirements and adapted the action figure and
ple backgrounds, and hand-written dialogue in word balloons.
his arsenal to comics, constructing a memorable tapestry rich with
These layouts were fully illustrated in comics form by two of the
compelling characterization and nail-biting excitement. Shooter gave
all-time greats of the medium: Wallace Wood and Gil Kane.
Captain Action a personality, a life, and a name—Clive Arno.
The late Wally Wood was a polished, superlative draftsman
And he gave Captain Action super-powers. In a nod to the
whose versatility knew no bounds. He was equally adept at
action figure’s ability to gain other heroes’ attributes, DC
super-heroes (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents), comedy (Mad), horror 142