Comic Book Creator #36 Fall 2024.
This autumn issue of ‘Comic Book Creator’ offers a wealth of content, so I’ll have to selectively highlight some of them. Let’s start with Lee Mars as editor/writer Jon B. Cooke looks at her career, starting in the underground comics and a 3-issue ‘Pudge, Girl Blimp’ that put her on the map and working for various companies.
The second part of Cooke’s interview with writer Arnold Drake covers his tenure at DC Comics in the 1960s. Well, not all of it. We haven’t quite gotten to the Doom Patrol. Much of the creation and ideas were controlled by their editors. Even Arnold wasn’t safe from Mort Weisinger and found himself out of work there for a year before another editor gave him work.
The interview with comic book writer David Peppose carries similar advice as I give to novice writers. Don’t rush in to write an epic tale and lose interest, but write short stories until you develop the necessary skills to do it properly, and don’t be complacent.
The first part of the interview with multi-skilled Dan DiDio, conducted by Greg Biga, shows how his knowledge of comic books helped him progress from TV promotions in the industry by doing unpaid work to get experience as well as writing ‘Superboy.’. He gives some insightfulness in how he helped DC Comics upgrade to fight Marvel Comics.
Of course, the most significant aspect is examining the life of Tom Palmer (1941-2022). Renowned for inking Neal Adams’ run on ‘The X-Men’ in the late 1960s and on Gene Colan’s ‘Tomb Of Dracula,’ you couldn’t get such a diversity of pencilers to work on. The thing is, he was doing comic book artwork as a sideline to his advertising commitments as a relief to being able to do something he liked doing.
He also learnt colouring from Marie Severin, explaining that by committing quality himself, the little old ladies who did the final work would follow his guidelines. He was also an accomplished penciller and could work from layouts and also did covers; see the one above. The comments from various professionals he knew and worked with would be a credit for anyone, but Palmer always saw himself as a journeyman worker and friendly to them all.
Seeing the samples of his work here, where he inked with a pen rather than a brush, shows how he brought a page to life and should make you look for anything he worked on. I am aware that he was highly regarded in his day. Discover why the industry regarded him as one of the best.
GF Willmetts
December 2024
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: $10.95 (US). ISSN: 2330-2437. 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_132&products_id=1794
