It’s been a delight to get to know Jules while working on my new Eisner book, and to do a couple of convention events with him talking about Will, Jules’ own recent graphic novel efforts, and the world of noir. Right now I’m re-reading his memoir, BACKING INTO FORWARD, making notes for our upcoming conversation at the SVA Theatre next Wednesday.
He’s arguably the most diversely accomplished creative person to work in comics in America, at least if you judge by the shelf of awards, and I’m very curious to see if he can articulate a theory of why comics are such an appealing medium for us to work in. And we’ll talk a lot about Will, and some of my pet theories about Will that are embodied in the book. But if you have thoughts about good areas of discussion, comments please!!
Question from over on FBhttps://paullevitz.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/journaling-B.jpg300200Paul LevitzPaul Levitzhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bd72b5de458b9425c4c5111b4abc1fa1?s=96&d=mm&r=g
Jamie Reigle asked me about how the FAMOUS FIRST EDITION of ACTION was done, and wondered if there had been any original art at all, since the story was cannibalized from Jerry & Joe’s newspaper strip pitch:
The technique to do the Golden Age reprints in the 1960s and 1970s started with a photographic process. A file copy of ACTION #1 was indeed cut up, then shot to create photostats the size of 10 x 15 original artwork that had virtually all of the color ‘dropped out.’ These stats had many imperfections in their lifework from the process, and occasional grey areas from the color. Young production artists were given the job of cleaning them up, freelance.
Many of my generation worked on them. I’m not sure who did ACTION #1, but some of the better ‘retouchers’ were Dave Manak, Steve Mitchell and Carl Gafford. During the 100 page giant era, when lots of these pages were being done, the work was often done in groups, and even non-art folks like me picked up rapidographs and joined in.
As for the original art, the cut panels were part of the art, but there was significant art extension and alteration to fit the format. Three folks claimed credit for that work to me over the years: Frank Shuster (Joe’s brother who lettered some of his early stories), Harry Lampert (who went on to draw the first Flash stories) and Sol Harrison (longtime DC production ace and early color separator). Never heard Joe’s version of these events.
With the Eisner book entering the publishing/marketing phase (a significant time consumer, but not a major intellectual challenge for the writer), I’m starting to think seriously about my next large project. Both the Taschen DC History program and the Eisner book partially came to me, so I’ve not yet had the experience of really hawking a new book from scratch. I’ve had one YA fantasy project kicking around for a while (translation: sitting on my desktop with a handful of words attached), and there’s a popular culture book I’d like to do which would require a fair amount of research. And the only idea I’ve pushed away has been a memoir per se–it just feels too early and too final, if you know what I mean by that contradiction.
Suggestions could get posted in the comments section if anyone’s inclined. After four decades as a writer who got assignments, this much of a blank page is a lot more challenging than I’m used to.
A Moment or Two With Murphyhttps://paullevitz.com/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Paul LevitzPaul Levitzhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bd72b5de458b9425c4c5111b4abc1fa1?s=96&d=mm&r=g
In honor of his passing, recalling a small moment that showed the length of Murphy Anderson’s career. We were walking back from lunch, and as we approached 1700 Broadway, Murphy smiled, and told me it had been on the very same site that he had gotten his first assignments from Fiction House, many decades before. Apparently that spot at 53rd and Broadway was magnetic for comic book publishers (not to mention the Beatles, Ed Sullivan, Letterman and Colbert across the street)…
Another nice memory is the last time I saw him. I’d been invited to a 40th anniversary celebration for MS. MAGAZINE, down at City Hall where they were going to receive a proclamation. I called his son, and convinced him to bring Murphy along. Got to watch Gloria Steinem giving Murphy the biggest hug in front of a giant blow-up of Murphy’s famous cover for #1. A nice capstone memory…
Murphy Anderson’s deep voice and sweet Southern charm were as smooth as his beautiful brush line. Dependably excellent at everything he did, he was one of the first people to enter comics loving the medium. Carrying his portfolio to Fiction House in the war years, graduating to a definitive Buck Rogers run in peacetime, and then moving to DC Comics.
At DC he became one of the standard-setters: creating the visuals for CAPT COMET, which some have argued was the first super-hero of the Silver Age; contributing to almost 600 covers over a 40 year span, many as penciller and inker; creating visuals for characters from the Atomic Knights to Zatanna, and virtually every letter in between; helping change the whole field by leading the charge to shift to a smaller original art size in the 60s and better color separations in the 80s; and becoming one of the handful of people who defined the DC “look” for the Silver Age of comics. His powerful Wonder Woman was the image on MS. MAGAZINE #1, making a statement that forever aligned that character with the feminist cause.
Murphy did fewer comics in his years producing PS MAGAZINE, but never lost his love of his field, his eyes twinkling when he talked about Lou Fine’s art, or recalled working with Will Eisner on the Army publication. He looked for any opportunity to be part of the comics world, and each time he was, a part of him was again a kid, biking across the hills of the Carolinas to find the comics he loved.
The family requests donations to the Heroi Initiative in lieu of flowers.
A very small book that you probably couldn’t get hold of, but should: TALES FROM A TINY ROOM by Wayne Ree. Delightful very, very short stories contemplating the peculiarities of the universe. And if the universe was created a god’s bad day, while walking in Bloomsbury Park, it might explain a lot…
Doctor Fate #5https://paullevitz.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DF_05.jpg608935Paul LevitzPaul Levitzhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bd72b5de458b9425c4c5111b4abc1fa1?s=96&d=mm&r=g
In case it’s not obvious from the work, I’m greatly enjoying doing the new DOCTOR FATE series. The collaboration with Sonny Liew is a special joy, from his innovative covers (love this month’s ode to Frank King and Chris Ware), hate that he does them completely digitally so I can’t get an original to hang on my wall. With issue #5, Khalid has grown a bit more confident and competent (though it’s still less than a week of real time since he became Fate), but it’s clearly not enough to face off against a god.
Part of the fun for me is exploring things that are genuine Brooklyn, sadly even including looting in the wake of a blackout or disaster. The good news is that hasn’t happened much in the wake of Sandy, but it’s certainly something I remember from the big blackout of my childhood, most of who’s waking hours I spent on my front porch in East Flatbush, waiting for the power to return.
Have to find a moment to get a good slice of Brooklyn pizza or a chewy Brooklyn bagel into the story!
Nice moments at NYCChttps://paullevitz.com/wp-content/themes/movedo/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150Paul LevitzPaul Levitzhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bd72b5de458b9425c4c5111b4abc1fa1?s=96&d=mm&r=g
I always enjoy seeing old friends at cons, but Saturday evening had a nice twofer: the reception for Michael Uslan’s new T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS project gave me a good smile for my old friend (and an even bigger one for his wife, Nancy, who got to tell me about her new project to bring optometry to Rwanda), and an inner grin for my 9 year old self, recalling when I sent a shiny quarter in the mail for an early issue of the series. An added plus at the event was catching up with Athena Finger, and getting to congratulate her on Bill’s new credit on BATMAN comics and media. The first time I had lunch with Athena some years ago I was able to give her one of Bill’s original scripts which I had salvaged to study, the first artifact of her grandfather’s life she touched. She felt good about that, but I’m sure even better about seeing his name honored. The view from the United Nations dining room across to Newtown Creek and the Pepsi sign was beautiful that night too. Holding it at the U.N. was fitting, yet a little worrisome–given the side effects the Agents often suffered (e.g., death, premature aging and the like) were we being summoned there to celebrate or to be selected as the next team? Hmmm…
People always ask writers where they get their ideas. It’s mostly an
indirect process, and often we don’t really know where we get our
ideas. But once in a while we do, or we can at least talk about works
that inspired us. For my current project, DOCTOR FATE, I went back to
re-read Roger Zelazny’s CREATURES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS. Zelanzy was
a master of taking elements from mythology and twisting them into
science fiction settings, and CREATURES dove deeply into Egyptian
myth. He was an extraordinary wordsmith and a brilliant writer in
many ways I’ll never equal, but jealousy aside, it was a pleasure to
re-read his treatments of Thoth, Anubis and a host of the Egyptian
pantheon set in a far future.
