RIP John Severin
Comic Book Resources and others are reporting the death of classic comics artist John Severin. The Marvel and EC artist, known for titles including “Two-Fisted Tales” and “The Incredible Hulk” was 90. Severin was also a major contributor to “Cracked” and “MAD.”
Comics professionals responded to the news on Twitter.
“It was one of the highlights of my career to write pages he drew in Iron Fist,” wrote Ed Brubaker. “He was still great, still working, at 90.”
Artist Tony Moore related his childhood memories of Severin, and encouraged everyone to read the artist’s work on EC and MAD.
“Severin was one of my earliest favorites, picking up his stuff in Cracked as a kid,” wrote Tony Moore. “I’m so close to his work, i feel like i’ve lost family.”
“Astronaut Dad” artist Brent Schoonover also shared his reaction.
“RIP John Severin. I’ll always have a stack of MAD magazines that you worked on and made me laugh like crazy,” Schoonover wrote.
A statement from the family has been released at The Beat.
- Matt Price
RIP Joe Simon
Joe Simon
Captain America’s co-creator, Joe Simon, has died at 98, the Associated Press is reporting.
Simon, with Jack Kirby, created the All-American hero Captain America, who was shown punching Adolf Hitler in the jaw in the first issue of his comics magazine, released before the United States officially entered the war.
Simon’s autobiography, “My Life in Comics,” was released earlier this year.
“We thought it was a good time for a patriotic hero,” Simon writes in “My Life in Comics.” “I did a sketch of him with a chain mail tunic, and wings on the side of his mask like Mercury, the god from Roman mythology. I gave him a shield, like the ones the knights had carried.”
Mark Evanier, a comic industry historian and Jack Kirby biographer, noted that Simon, besides being able to write and draw, also knew how to edit comics.
“Joe himself was the first great real editor who brought to comics skills he’d learned elsewhere and had some perception of how to put a magazine together and how to make a professional looking publication,” Evanier told The AP on Thursday. “He had some business acumen. He knew how to talk to publishers, he knew how to make deals.”
- Matt Price
Contributing: The Associated Press
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- Joe Simon
RIP “Joker” creator Jerry Robinson
In this undated photo released Monday, Nov. 8, 2010 by ComicConnect.com, Jerry Robinson, who created the Joker, stands with the two framed covers, Superman #14 and Detective Comics #69, that were auctioned on ComicConnect.com. (AP Photo/ComicConnect.com)
Comic book artist Jerry Robinson, who worked on creating many of the key “Batman” characters, died Wednesday night, according to the Los Angeles Times‘ Geoff Boucher. Robinson was 89.
“The great Jerry Robinson—key creator behind Robin, the Joker, Two-Face & Alfred—died in his sleep last night,” Boucher tweeted @latherocomplex.
Robinson, born in Trenton, New Jersey, was hired by “Batman” creator Bob Kane to work on the Batman comic book, and by 1943 was the main illustrator. While Kane, who died in 1998, and Robinson later clashed over who was responsible for the Joker’s creation, Robinson’s influence on the “Batman” comics was enormous.
Writers and executives at DC Comics reacted to the death of Robinson in statements released by the company.
“Jerry Robinson illustrated some of the defining images of pop culture’s greatest icons,” said Jim Lee, DC Entertainment Co-Publisher and artist of “Batman: Hush.” “As an artist myself, it’s impossible not to feel humbled by his body of work. Everyone who loves comics owes Jerry a debt of gratitude for the rich legacy that he leaves behind.”
Dan DiDio, Co-Publisher of DC Entertainment, praised Robinson’s creative drive that continued for his entire life.
“Jerry Robinson was one of the greats,” Didio said. “Jerry was a great advocate for creators. It was my pleasure to meet and work with him. He will be missed.”
“Batman” editor Mike Marts shared his thanks for Robinson’s contributions to Batman’s world.
“Jerry Robinson was an innovator, a pioneer in storytelling,” Marts said. “His artwork was always astonishing, but his contributions to the Dark Knight mythology go far beyond art. The streets of Gotham City are a little lonelier today…Jerry will truly be missed.”
Robinson talked to Comic Book Resources about his creation of the Joker last year, upon the occasion of his selling the cover to “Detective Comics” No. 69.
“All the villains at that time were mostly gangsters, embezzlers and petty crooks. I wanted a villain that was bigger than life to test Batman,” Robinson said. “In shadier characters, it’s always good to have some element in their nature that’s contradictory, so a villain with a sense of humor I thought would be different. And that’s how I came upon the villain and the name of the Joker, and that led to the Joker playing card as the image.”
“I wanted him bizarre and memorable,” he said, “and apparently, I succeeded, because some 70 years later, we’re still talking about him!”
- Matt Price
Astro City: The Dark Age is a modern classic
Astro City: The Dark Age
Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson look at the 1970s and 1980s through the prism of the superhero world of Astro City, in a 16-part storyline. Four four-issue miniseries (“Astro City: The Dark Age” Books 1-4) follow Charles and Royal Williams as they seek the man who murdered their parents. Their lives are intertwined with that of the Silver Agent, who is traveling through time in an attempt to avert a coming disaster.
Busiek and Anderson are taking apart the grittier comics of the 1970s and 1980s and exploring them from the point of view of characters who are living it. It recreates the feel of reading comics as a younger person in the late 70s and early 1980s, but with a story that works on multiple levels. Any superhero fan should take a look at The Dark Age, which probably suffered from its extended shipping schedule as far as sales. But with two collections containing all 16 issues, there’s no reason not to read this modern classic. Alex Ross remains active with the book as a character designer and cover artist.
Also read recently:
Grifter 2-3 (2011) Nathan Edmondson continues his slow burn in revealing who exactly Cole Cash, aka Grifter, is in this new unified DC Comics universe, but it’s an intriguing read with beautiful art by CAFU.
Planet Terry 1-4 (1985)Lennie Herman and Warren Kremer were the creative team for “Planet Terry” (a pun on “Planetary”), which featured young Terry, sort of a Richie Rich of space, on a quest to find his parents, with the help of his robot, Robota, and a gruff alien, Omnus.
- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,821 Still to go: 190.
Roy Thomas reflects on “Conan”
"Conan the Barbarian" No. 1, written by Roy Thomas, from Marvel Comics
Missouri-born comic book writer and editor Roy Thomas broke into comics in the mid-1960s, and went on to write some of the comic industry’s best-known characters, from the Avengers to the X-Men to Batman. But among his best-loved works are his comic-book adaptations of the Robert E. Howard pulp tales of Conan the Barbarian. The success of the Marvel Comics Conan led to the Arnold Schwarzenegger films of the 1980s, which had some involvement from Thomas.
“Conan” remains a popular property — the latest film, “Conan the Barbarian,” starring Jason Momoa, was released on DVD this week, and the Thomas-written 12-issue series “Conan: Road of Kings” is currently being released by Dark Horse Comics.
Kindle Fire demo; Avengers poster; Conan giveaway and Roy Thomas interview
Matt and Kyle take a look at the Kindle Fire’s options for comics; the Avengers release new posters; and Roy Thomas talks about Conan the Barbarian in this week’s comics podcast.
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Oafcon kicks off today in OKC
Oafcon — or the 2011 Classic Comic Book and Nostalgia Convention — kicks off today and continues through Sunday at the Biltmore Hotel I-40 at Meridian Avenue, Oklahoma City.
Admission is just $5. Local creators and classic comics will be on hand. “Dick Tracy” writer Mike Curtis is also expected.
The show opens at 10 a.m. today (Saturday). More info at : http://oafcon2011.blogspot.com/
See Marv Wolfman at Wizard World’s Austin Comic Con
“Teen Titans” and “Tomb of Dracula” writer Marv Wolfman will appear at noon today in Room B of the Austin Comic Con, Austin Convention Center, 500 E Cesar Chavez.
Wolfman will discuss characters he’s created that have been adapted into TV shows, movies and animated series, including “Teen Titans” and “Smallville.”
Wolfman created the character Blade in “Tomb of Dracula,” which has been adapted into three movies starring Wesley Snipes, and a television series.
Also, Wolfman and artist John Romita Sr. created the “Daredevil” villain Bullseye.
- Matt Price
Captain Marvel went through multiple incarnations in 1960s, 1970s series
The 1960s-1970s “Captain Marvel” series was introduced at a time when most of what Marvel launched became a huge hit. But despite being created by Stan Lee, Captain Marvel floundered quite a bit before finding some critical success at the pen of Jim Starlin, who gave the hero “cosmic awareness” and made him the protector of the universe.
Win lunch with Stan Lee for charity!
Stan Lee (AP)
Charitybuzz is providing comics fans some rare opportunities to meet with the people behind their favorite comics.
A fan can win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy a lunch date with Stan “The Man” Lee along with POW! Entertainment co-founder Gill Champion in LA. The lucky diner will also get to take home two autographed comics.
Bidding is open through October 19 at http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/281204 with proceeds going to Communities in School of Los Angeles.
Lee, former publisher of Marvel Comics, co-created a laundry list of characters including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk and the X-Men.
Own a Commemorative Marvel Encyclopedia Signed by Stan Lee
Another way to get a Stan Lee autograph is to bid on a Marvel Encyclopedia offered by Charitybuzz. A copy of the Marvel Encyclopedia, signed by Stan Lee, is up for bid through October 5 at http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/272716. The book contains new artwork, stats and histories for Spider-Man, the Hulk, Wolverine and more. Proceeds benefit the Young Story Tellers Foundation.
Lunch at Archie Comics Headquarters in NY with the CEO
Two Archie Comics fans could meet the CEO of the company in a special Charitybuzz auction.
Nancy Silberkleit, the CEO of Archie Comics, will meet with the auction winners in New York at the comic book company’s headquarters. Bidding goes through October 5 at http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/283815 with proceeds going to the Plastic Pollution Coalition.
- Matt Price
Click past the cut to find out more about the charities involved.
