Alter Ego #184 November 2023 (magazine review).
From the cover of “Alter Ego”, it’s evident that the spotlight is on embellisher Tom Palmer (1941-2022). He was interviewed by Alex Grand and Jim Thompson shortly before his passing, with the conversation spanning nearly 40 pages. Although Palmer seldom gave interviews, he made an exception for their audio show, “Comic Book Historians” on YouTube, which is reprinted here. Palmer initially began in advertising and maintained contracts throughout his comic book career, treating it as the enjoyable aspect of illustration.
Many might be unaware of the significant coloring contributions Palmer made. In collaboration with Neal Adams on “The X-Men” and “The Avengers”, they often assisted each other with coloring tasks. Palmer’s tutelage under Marie Severin led him to adeptly utilize muted tones. Regarding X-Men #64, Palmer mentions that he worked from Don Heck’s layouts, modifying the designs to resemble Adams’ style before inking them.
With his advertising background, Palmer had a penchant for pens over brushes. He utilized techniques like ziptone to impart a grey texture, which, when applied to colored comic book pages, provided a three-dimensional effect. His meticulousness is consistently evident, especially when discussing his work on the original “Star Wars” comic book, where initial references were scarce.
While I was aware of Palmer’s inking prowess, I was pleasantly surprised by his exceptional painting skills, evident from the cover. However, I’m somewhat ambivalent about his rendition of Iron Man. An additional ten-page excerpt from author James Rosen’s upcoming book on Neal Adams showcases Palmer discussing their collaborations, even though they infrequently met in person.
My enthusiasm is palpable, and I believe this edition of “Alter Ego” will be as sought after as any issue spotlighting Adams.
Under the “Mr. Monster” segment, artist Ralph Reece reminisces about his tenure with Wallace Wood and the inception of the “witzend” magazine. This publication was instrumental in establishing copyrights for Woody and several artists on projects that unfortunately never materialized.
It’s essential to acknowledge the obituaries for comic book artists Lily Renee (1921-2022) and Joe Giella (1928-2023), as well as writer Steve Skeates (1943-2023).
Lastly, the Fawcett segment concludes its examination of the life of the head of Fawcett, Wilford ‘Billy’ Fawcett (1885-1940), penned by writer Shaun Clancy.
Don’t miss this issue!
GF Willmetts
October 2023
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: $10.95 (US). ISSN: 1932-6890. Direct from them, you can get it for $10.95 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_55&products_id=1690
