Potrzebie
Thursday, March 31, 2011
This is how The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction looked when it began in 1949 with the Bill Stone cover illustration and the evocative, flowing calligraphic logo by Mercury Publications' art director George Salter (1897-1967).
Co-editor Anthony Boucher (1911-1968) used as a pseudonym, H.H. Holmes, the name of a 19th-century serial killer. Oliver Onions (1873-1961) wrote the classic unforgettable psychological terror story, "The Beckoning Fair One", which can be read here.
Onions
Labels: boucher, fantasy, george salter, oliver onions
¶ 12:29 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wood Chips 33: Mad Strikes Back!
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In Mad #17 (November 1954), Harvey Kurtzman decided to fight back at the many imitators of Mad. In other words, a parody of parodies, cleverly incorporating the logos of the other comic books and employing Julius Caesar as the springboard. The Joseph Mankiewicz film with Marlon Brando had been released 15 months earlier. Brando must have liked the way he was depicted by Kurtzman and Wood, as he actually did sometimes refer to himself as "Marlon Branflakes".
None of these imitations had a handle on what Kurtzman had created, although Flip, Get Lost and Panic all had a certain appeal. Craig Yoe has a forthcoming book collecting Archie's Madhouse (not Madhouse, as I mistakenly had it here before). Madhouse and Eh! were two of the worst. Also forthcoming (in December) is John Benson's The Sincerest Form of Parody: The Best 1950s Mad Inspired Satirical Comics, with an introduction by Jay Lynch. This selection of 30 stories from the Mad imitators includes art by Jack Davis, Will Elder, Norman Maurer, Carl Hubbell, William Overgard, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, Bill Everett, Al Hartley, Ross Andru & Mike Esposito, Hy Fleischman, Jay Disbrow, Howard Nostrand and Bob Powell.
In Mad #17 (November 1954), Harvey Kurtzman decided to fight back at the many imitators of Mad. In other words, a parody of parodies, cleverly incorporating the logos of the other comic books and employing Julius Caesar as the springboard. The Joseph Mankiewicz film with Marlon Brando had been released 15 months earlier. Brando must have liked the way he was depicted by Kurtzman and Wood, as he actually did sometimes refer to himself as "Marlon Branflakes".
None of these imitations had a handle on what Kurtzman had created, although Flip, Get Lost and Panic all had a certain appeal. Craig Yoe has a forthcoming book collecting Archie's Madhouse (not Madhouse, as I mistakenly had it here before). Madhouse and Eh! were two of the worst. Also forthcoming (in December) is John Benson's The Sincerest Form of Parody: The Best 1950s Mad Inspired Satirical Comics, with an introduction by Jay Lynch. This selection of 30 stories from the Mad imitators includes art by Jack Davis, Will Elder, Norman Maurer, Carl Hubbell, William Overgard, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, Bill Everett, Al Hartley, Ross Andru & Mike Esposito, Hy Fleischman, Jay Disbrow, Howard Nostrand and Bob Powell.
Labels: brando, harvey kurtzman, mad, wood chips, yoe
¶ 9:38 AM 6 comments
Thursday, March 17, 2011
When Russ Jones and I did Flashback magazine in 1972, we ran this art by Mort Drucker on the subscription ad page. It was later reprinted in Mort Drucker's Mad Show-Stoppers (1985). In retrospect, it should have been colored and used for a Flashback cover illustration.
Labels: drucker, flashback, mad
¶ 11:29 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wood Chips 32: Prince Violent
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"Prince Violent" was in Mad #13 (July 1954). Good timing, as the movie Prince Valiant was released April 1954. So the comic book probably went on sale while the movie was still in release in small towns.
"Prince Violent" was in Mad #13 (July 1954). Good timing, as the movie Prince Valiant was released April 1954. So the comic book probably went on sale while the movie was still in release in small towns.
Labels: hal foster, harvey kurtzman, mad, wood chips
¶ 9:25 AM 0 comments
Monday, March 14, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Wood Chips #30: Weddings and Babies
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Wally Wood told me he did the storyboards for this 1958 Morris Engel film. It's on TCM this Wednesday at 8pm.
Wally Wood told me he did the storyboards for this 1958 Morris Engel film. It's on TCM this Wednesday at 8pm.
Labels: engel, wood chips
¶ 10:33 AM 0 comments
Friday, March 11, 2011
Wood Chips #29: Mad logo
There were variations on the Mad logo by several artists. This is Wood's concept plus quick sketches and a few random free associations.
There were variations on the Mad logo by several artists. This is Wood's concept plus quick sketches and a few random free associations.
Labels: mad, wood chips
¶ 8:05 AM 1 comments
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Wood Chips #28 / Topps #10: Topps Travel Posters
These are Topps Travel Posters by Wally Wood from 1967. Memory fades, but I think I bought the Madison Avenue products and then did the layout and design. Dom Sileo probably penciled the poster with inking by both Wood and Sileo. I know Dom worked on the Kansas poster as I recall talking to him while he was inking the background on an afternoon when Wood was not present. Sometimes Wood would do faces and figures while his assistant did the backgrounds.
These are Topps Travel Posters by Wally Wood from 1967. Memory fades, but I think I bought the Madison Avenue products and then did the layout and design. Dom Sileo probably penciled the poster with inking by both Wood and Sileo. I know Dom worked on the Kansas poster as I recall talking to him while he was inking the background on an afternoon when Wood was not present. Sometimes Wood would do faces and figures while his assistant did the backgrounds.
Labels: dom sileo, kansas chips, topps, wood
¶ 9:01 PM 0 comments
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Art Spiegelman/Bhob cartoon jam (1968)
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Despite the 1970 copyright, this collaborative cartoon jam between Art Spiegelman and myself was created in 1968. Other than that, I don't remember much about this. Who did what? Beyond the overlaps, the faces and figures without much shading appear to be by me, and ones with much shading are by Art. I have a vague memory we might have done another such jam with the underground cartoonist-illustrator John Thompson.
I do recall clearly that in Boston in 1970 I took these pages to have photostats made at a small print shop which had a poster in the window showing cute bunny rabbits hopping around the words "Top Quality Reproduction". When I came back to get the stats, I was told that the boss had refused to do the job because he objected to the artwork. I asked to speak with him. He came out, and I discussed the matter. But he still refused. By this time, some of the shop employees were gathering to see this confrontation. They were trying to keep from laughing behind his back when I said, "You see that poster in the window with the rabbits? I find that offensive!" and walked out.
Despite the 1970 copyright, this collaborative cartoon jam between Art Spiegelman and myself was created in 1968. Other than that, I don't remember much about this. Who did what? Beyond the overlaps, the faces and figures without much shading appear to be by me, and ones with much shading are by Art. I have a vague memory we might have done another such jam with the underground cartoonist-illustrator John Thompson.
I do recall clearly that in Boston in 1970 I took these pages to have photostats made at a small print shop which had a poster in the window showing cute bunny rabbits hopping around the words "Top Quality Reproduction". When I came back to get the stats, I was told that the boss had refused to do the job because he objected to the artwork. I asked to speak with him. He came out, and I discussed the matter. But he still refused. By this time, some of the shop employees were gathering to see this confrontation. They were trying to keep from laughing behind his back when I said, "You see that poster in the window with the rabbits? I find that offensive!" and walked out.
Labels: art spiegelman, bhob
¶ 10:28 AM 6 comments
