Alter Ego #102 June 2011 (magazine review).
Roy Thomas’ editorial in this 2011 edition of ‘Alter Ego’ focuses on why film and TV companies only like a couple of creators in credits answers a question I raised over the ‘Doom Patrol’ TV series not acknowledging their use of Grant Morrison’s characters. They find too many credits confusing!
Wait a while, and you’ll come across an issue that looks at a character you’ve been waiting to see or rather two of them. In this case, two Green Lanterns. The first Green Lantern owes its creation to that of Aladdin. Alan Scott had his name changed so as not to be too close, as related by writer Will Murray, but think lantern and ring, and you’re not far off. It also holds the distinction of having two SF writers writing him in Alfred Bester and Henry Kuttner.
The resurrection of Green Lantern as a total remake and belonging to a Green Lantern Corps was editor Julius Schwartz’s choice. Artist Gil Kane was tasked with a new costume design where the leotard was supposed to be more hourglass-shaped but stopped short of Schwartz wanting GL to have a cloak. I wish someone had queried why his gloves were white and his boots green. Equally, considering that no one ever saw the power lanterns themselves, it was used as their name, taken from the railwayman using the green lantern as an alert that all things were well. Yes, I know Earth-3’s Crime Syndicate has a villain called Power Ring, and others have a similar name for a similar reason.
The original Green Lantern was created by Mart Nodell (1915-2006) when asked to create a new character to go along with the likes of Superman and Batman. In a recently discovered interview conducted around the time of this ‘Alter Ego’ release, Shel Dorf discusses the finer points of Nodell’s career with him and his wife, Carrie. He drew Green Lantern for a couple of years under the name of Mart Dellon so he could preserve his real name when getting into the advertising industry. In his list of credits, there are some products even I’ve heard of in the UK. You also get a dose of what life was like in New York in the late 1940s and 1950s.
Interviewer Jim Amash concludes his interview with comics and animation writer Jack Mendelsohn (1926-2017), highlighting not only this aspect of his career but also his contributions to American TV comedies. As with all these early ‘Alter Egos’, I do check on the age of those interviewed to the present day, and, alas, so many are gone now. If you haven’t heard of Mendelsohn, his checklist of TV animation shows means you would probably have seen some of his work.
Interviewer Shaun Clancy had the opportunity to talk to Betty Cooper, nee Tokar, who was the model for Betty in ‘Archie Comics’, and gives some insight into creator Bob Montana on the insight of his character creation.
Under Mr Monster, Michael T. Gilbert confirms Will Eisner’s missing inker, Abe Kanegson, whose later career as a folksinger tragically ended when he died in a car accident in 1965.
As always, lots to read, and I only hit on the highlights. Where a lot of magazines can easily, from a historical point of view, the likes of ‘Alter Ego’ focusing on the history of comic books means it’s more a, well, history. Whether you prefer paper or digital, and if this is your interest, it’s well worth trying to get copies.
GF Willmetts
April 2025
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. page illustrated magazine. Price: varies. ISSN: 1932-6890. Direct from them, you can get it digitally for $ 4.99 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_55&products_id=973
