Alter Ego #33 February 2004 (magazine review).
Going back 20 years, this early issue of ‘Alter Ego’ focuses primarily on comicbook artist, sometimes writer, and editor Mike Sekowsky (1923-1989). His last wife, Pat, is interviewed by Jim Amash about both his career, alcoholism, and diabetes. As a type one diabetic myself, I’m encouraged not to drink alcohol because people can’t tell the difference between being drunk, blood-sugar deficient, and in a coma. I’m amazed he lasted so long. His credit list at the end of the interview is extensive; he worked for most companies before going out of fashion.
Something that comes out of a recorded conversation from Mark Evanier, Scott Shaw!, Dave Stevens, and Floyd Norman about Sekowsky, especially his time doing layouts and designs in the animation industry, pointing out how fast he could draw, often without layouts. They also saw his work uninked, and compared to the inked, it sounds like he wasn’t given good inkers, describing it as ‘clunky’. Then again, looking across DC super-hero comics of the period, it was all workmanlike and only elevated when Neal Adams started doing their covers.
The Mr. Monster section devotes itself to looking at the art of cartoonist Harvey Kurtzman, although you do need strong glasses to read some of the text from his cartoons. As sight gags, they are effective.
OK, let’s flip the mag over. Jim Amash interviews inker/sometimes penciller and painter Valerie Barclay (1922–2010), who could easily be defined as a femme fatale in her younger years, and she apologies for her behaviour here. However, what is more interesting is her insight into the various people in the industry at the time.
Writer Will Murray’s third part of ‘Lost Comics Lore’ shows how American comicbook companies were offering new titles after World War II but couldn’t go ahead because bigger companies were buying the paper mills, stopping them. I think that’s also a reflection of raw paper scarcity, and that was the fallout.
I knew John Tartaglione (1921-2003) as an inker, but Dr. Michael J. Vassallo’s memoriam of him showed he was also a decent penciller and colourist as well.
If you liked ‘Not Brand Eech!’, then you’ll like this comicstrip ‘Captain Marble Flies Again’, released ten years ago when ‘Mad’ was a comicbook before becoming a magazine spoofing not only Captain Marvel but accepted tropes super-heroes lived by. Roy Thomas gives the history and comments at the bottom of each page, which will show you how much you pay attention when you read them.
Still highly readable when 20 years old simply because it maps American comicbook history.
GF Willmetts
February 2024
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 104 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=474
