In addition to reprinting a trio of swell 1971-72 Superman stories with art by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson, the British hardcover Superman Official Album 1985 (London Editions) also featured a pair of illustrated text stories, including “I Was Superman’s Double!”… Read the rest
Continue reading about Look, Up In The Sky…1985 Superman Text Tale by Alan Moore
As noted last time, short prose stories used to be a staple of comic books but had largely faded from favor by the 1950s. But the idea lived on and appeared often in the 1970s and 1980s in the pages of assorted DC Comic British hardcover, square bound reprint annuals and albums.… Read the rest
Text features used to be a thing in comic books. Not just letter columns or chatty behind-the-scenes pieces like you get today, but actual short prose stories (often illustrated) starring the characters featured in the title. Stan Lee’s first published story was a Captain America prose story in that title’s third issue in 1941.… Read the rest
Once upon a time, the mighty Warner Entertainment was known as Warner Bros. and it wasn’t so mighty. In fact, in 1968, it was sold to Steve Ross’s Kinney National Company, a small conglomerate consisting of a Hollywood talent agency, parking lots, cleaning companies, and funeral homes for $64 million.… Read the rest
Continue reading about Obscurities: Look, Up in the Sky…It’s Super-Kinney!
In the 1980s, Ehapa, the publisher to which DC Comics licensed its German (other other countries) reprints, was asking DC Comics for as much new Superman material as the company could provide. At the time, Superman was appearing in Superman, Action Comics, DC Comics Presents, and World’s Finest, but there was apparently an insatiable appetite for more Man of Steel for this part of the European market.… Read the rest
On the cusp of its 40th anniversary, here’s an article I wrote for The Amazing World of DC Comics Special Edition No. 1 Celebrating the Super DC Con ’76, the program book for that legendary gathering. Back in the olden continuity, Kal-El/Clark Kent’s birthday had been established as falling on February 29 (thank you, E.… Read the rest
Continue reading about Obscurities: Super DC Con ’76 Program Book
I don’t know how things are set up there now, but when I was still on staff at DC Comics, the company had a Special Projects department from which flowed a diverse variety of comic book and comic book-related product. Formalized sometime in the late-1970s/early-1980s under the supervision of artist and editor Joe Orlando, the department was responsible for everything from creating art and packaging for DC’s licensors to producing comic books in a range of formats for the promotion of those licensed properties and numerous social causes.… Read the rest
I love the way the history of the comics industry is “debated” on the internet.
Proclamations are made. Decisions about who created what are boldly and confidently made. Judgments about individuals involved in said creations are passed.
“Great Artist is a god!”… Read the rest
Continue reading about Stan and Jack and Steve and Mort and Jerry and Joe
I cried the day Julie Schwartz died. It was February 8, 2004, a Sunday, and Paul Levitz called me that morning to deliver the news. My then wife and I had family coming over later in the day for a visit, but I spent that Sunday in numb shock over the loss of that dear, dear man.… Read the rest
In 1964, Bob Dylan wrote, “The times, they are a’changin’.”
But forty-eight years ago, when I first read “When Lois First Suspected Clark Was Superman,” written by Jerry Siegel, with art by Al Plastino, in Superman Annual #8 (Winter 1963/1964), the times hadn’t changed yet.… Read the rest
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