Articles by aaron-rosenberg
Wed May 14, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Brad Anderson
Master of the Great Dane
Born in Jamestown, New York in 1924, Brad Anderson started cartooning as a child. He attended Brocton Central School for high school, and while there sold his first cartoons (to an aviation magazine).
Anderson served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, then attended Syracuse University’s School of Fine Arts. After graduating college, Anderson focused on advertising for a few years, but in 1953 decided to turn his full attention back to cartoons.
A year later, he created the cartoon strip Marmaduke. He still draws the strip today. In 1976, Anderson received the National Cartoonist Society Award for Best Panel, and in 1999 Syracuse University honored him with the George Arents Pioneer Medal.
Tue May 13, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Marv Wolfman
Crisis, Blade, Homeland: is there anything he can't write?
Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1946, Marvin A. “Marv” Wolfman got his start in comic book fandom before joining DC in 1968. In 1972, he moved to Marvel Comics under editor Roy Thomas.
After Thomas left, Wolfman's friend Len Wein became editor-in-chief, but a year later he passed the position on to Wolfman. Wolfman missed writing, however, and chose to step down as editor-in-chief a few years later so he could return to creating the comics himself.
While at Marvel, Wolfman wrote for Amazing Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and Doctor Strange, but he is possibly best known for his work on Tomb of Dracula, including the creation of the vampire-hunter Blade.
In 1980, Wolfman returned to DC and created The New Teen Titans. He worked on Superman and Night Force, revived Dial H for Hero, and then launched the pivotal Crisis on Infinite Earths.
During the '90s, Wolfman focused more on animation and television, and in the 2000s he has written a novel based on Crisis on Infinite Earths, the novelization of Superman Returns, and an animated movie, Condor, for Stan Lee’s Pow Entertainment. Wolfman recently took over the writing for DC’s Nightwing series.
In 2007, he wrote a nonfiction book, Homeland: The Illustrated History of the State of Israel, which won the National Jewish Book Award and the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, among other honors.
Mon May 12, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Tony Strobl
A Master of Duckland
Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1915, Anthony Joseph “Tony” Strobl graduated from the Cleveland School of Art in 1937 (along with Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster—Strobl helped them fine-tune a character concept they were working on, which they called "Superman") and began working for Disney a year later.
His first project was doing “in-between” art (the frames between the ones the main animators drew) on Fantasia. Strobl also worked on Pinocchio and Dumbo before joining the Army during World War II.
After the war, he decided to switch from animation to comics, and in 1947 he went to work for Western Publishing. Western produced comics starring characters from Disney, Warner Brothers, and Walter Lantz, and Strobl did a lot of art on Disney’s “Duck” books.
After 1954, he was responsible for the monthly Donald Duck comic. In the mid-'60s Strobl began drawing Disney comics for the international market, and from 1986 to 1987 he drew a daily Donald Duck comic strip for them as well. Strobl died on December 29, 1991.
Sun May 11, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Sandy Carruthers
Of Canada and covert ops
Born on May 11, 1962 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Sandy Carruthers remembers watching the Batman television series when he was only a toddler. He began drawing soon after that, and hasn’t stopped since.
Carruthers attended Holland College from 1979 to 1981, training in its Commercial Design (now Graphic Design) program, then studied illustration at Sheridan College in Ontario. His first job in comics was at Malibu Graphics and included Captain Canuck and what is still his best-known work, the comic book series The Men in Black (later made into the films Men in Black and Men in Black 2).
In 2004, Carruthers began the web comic Canadiana, which took a break but resumed in 2007. He has also done several graphic novels for Graphic Universe, illustrated several books, done a cartoon strip for the Guardian newspaper, and teaches at his old alma mater, Holland College.
Sat May 10, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Vincent T. Hamlin
Allez oop, good sir!
Vincent T. Hamlin was born in 1900 and grew up during tumultuous times—he enlisted in the Army at age 17 and served in France during World War I.
After returning home, he studied journalism and art at the University of Missouri, but was kicked out of art class because his teacher told him he was too fine an artist to waste his time as a cartoonist. After graduating Hamlin moved to Des Moines and became a reporter.
Next he went to Fort Worth, Texas, where he got occasional work as a reporter, a photographer, and a cartoonist. In 1927 he got a job creating maps and posters for the oil fields. It was during that time that Hamlin came up with the idea of a cartoon about a prehistoric caveman, and in 1929 he moved back to Iowa to work on the idea. It took him several years to get it right, but Alley Oop finally appeared a daily strip in 1932.
The strip became so popular that the first fan-based comics award, the Alleys, was named after it. Hamlin continued Alley Oop until his retirement in 1971, when he handed the reins over to his assistant, Dave Graue. Hamlin died in 1993.
Fri May 9, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Barbara Slate
Cheers to a leading woman in comics
Born in 1947, Barbara Slate started out in greeting cards before moving to comics. In 1974, she met with a greeting card buyer from Bloomingdales and showed him 24 feminist greeting cards she had designed. Thus, the "Ms. Liz" line was born.
Ms. Liz then became a comic strip in Cosmopolitan, and then an animated feature on The Today Show. Next, Slate spoke to Jenette Kahn of DC Comics, who hired her to create Angel Love. From there, Slate moved to Marvel to create Yuppies from Hell and Sweet XVI (which won a Forbie Award in 1991), and then began working on Barbie and Barbie Fashion (which won the Parent’s Choice Award in 1992 and 1993).
Slate has also written for Disney Comics (Pocahontas and Beauty and the Beast) and Archie Comics, among others. Currently Slate writes for Archie Comics, teaches graphic novel and sequential art workshops, and has a syndicated column called “You Can Do A Graphic Novel.”
Thu May 8, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: The Creeper
Whatever you do, don't make him laugh!
Jack Ryder’s parentage certainly predicted his future—his father was the publisher of a successful union dispatch, while his mother suffered paranoid schizophrenia and died in an institution while Jack was still a child.
Growing up, Ryder followed in his father’s footsteps and became a television news reporter. Unfortunately, Ryder had a big mouth. Normally that would be an asset, but Ryder didn’t know when to shut up, and it cost him his job.
The network didn’t fire him, but they did demote him to working network security, a job Ryder found beneath him. He got his chance to prove himself again when mobsters kidnapped a scientist named Dr. Emil Yatz. Ryder guessed that Yatz would be held at the mob boss’ mansion. The boss was holding a masquerade party that night, so Ryder cobbled together a bizarre costume and snuck in.
He found Yatz, but was seriously injured in the process, and to save him Yatz injected Ryder with the serum he’d created. The scientist also hid the device the mobsters were after by concealing half of it inside Ryder’s wound, which then healed thanks to the serum’s effects.
The device can make matter appear and disappear instantly, allowing a soldier to walk into a place in civilian clothes and then have a uniform and full weapons with the touch of a button. In Ryder’s case it let him make his strange new costume appear and disappear. Ryder used his bizarre appearance, the strength and agility the serum granted him, his unhinged disregard for personal safety, and a disquieting laugh to bring the mobsters to justice.
They dubbed him "The Creeper," and so a new—and truly bizarre—superhero was born.
Wed May 7, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Freddy Freeman
He's a Marvel!
Frederic Christopher “Freddy” Freeman was born and raised in a small New England fishing village. His parents drowned in a storm, however, and Freddy was sent to live with his maternal grandfather Jacob in Fawcett City in the American Midwest. Freddy was smart, friendly and a natural athlete, and by high school he was not only a star student but also a top-notch athlete.
Then disaster struck. While fishing in Fawcett Bay, Freddy and his grandfather saw a man fall from the sky. They rescued the man, discovering too late that it was Captain Nazi, propelled into the water by one of Captain Marvel’s mighty blows. Coming to, the Nazi supervillain attacked his saviors. Captain Marvel intervened, drove Captain Nazi away, and rushed the two civilians to the hospital, but the damage was done—Jacob died and Freddy was in critical condition.
Desperate to make amends, Captain Marvel brought the injured Freddy to the wizard Shazam, who revealed that Captain Marvel could pass some of his own power along to the boy. Thus Freddy became Captain Marvel, Jr. and part of the Marvel Family.
In his mortal form, however, Freddy had a limp, a permanent reminder of what had happened to him.
More recently the wizard Shazam died and the laws of magic were rewritten. Billy Batson became Marvel, the new keeper of magic, and Freddy underwent a series of trials before becoming Shazam, the new champion of magic.
Tue May 6, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: David Michelinie
I'll drink to that!
Born in 1948, David Michelinie loved comic books from early on and knew he wanted to write them. So he took a chance, and in the early 1970s he moved to New York to work for DC Comics.
He started out writing backup stories on House of Mystery and House of Secrets, then wrote seven issues of Swamp Thing. In 1978, he switched over to Marvel and immediately began writing The Avengers. From there he moved to Iron Man, Amazing Spider-Man, and Star Wars.
Michelinie was responsible for introducing both Jim Rhodes and Tony Stark’s alcoholism during his run on Iron Man, but he is perhaps best known for the supervillain he created and introduced in Amazing Spider-Man: Venom.
Since then, he has worked on Action Comics, Rai, H.A.R.D. Corps, Captain Fear, The Bozz Chronicles, and many others.
Mon May 5, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Chemical King
It's a gas!
Most members of the Legion of Super-Heroes have the same powers as the rest of their people, but some are unique. Condo Arlik was one of the latter. The people on Phlon had no innate powers, but Condo was born with the ability to alter the speed of chemical reactions, causing them to happen as quickly or as slowly as he wants.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t control his power, and so from birth Condo was isolated to protect others. He was also taught chemistry right away, in an attempt to help him gain control. Even so, it was not until Lyle Norg (Invisible Kid) stepped in that Condo, by then a teenager, was able to interact normally with others.
With Lyle’s help Condo learned to finally control his powers, and he immediately applied to and was accepted into the Legion Academy.
Condo, known now as Chemical King, was an excellent student and while still there, was asked to infiltrate the Legion of Super-Villains, since as a trainee he was unknown to them. He and his classmate Timber Wolf were successful in their mission and afterward graduated to full Legionnaire status. Sadly, Chemical King became depressed after Lyle died, and a short while later Condo sacrificed himself to prevent World War VII. A commemorative statue of him stands in the Legion’s Hall of Dead Legionnaires.
Sun May 4, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Dr. Mid-Nite
Put out those candles, quick!
Pieter Anton Cross started his association with superheroes while still in the womb—his pregnant mother was attacked one night in their native Norway by vagrants one night but was rescued by the original Dr. Mid-Nite.
The incident caused her to go into labor, and the superhero delivered Pieter before dashing off into the night. Pieter grew up to become a brilliant doctor, graduating Harvard at nineteen, and moved back to Norway for a time before returning to America to work with Charles McNider—who, unbeknownst to Pieter, was the same Dr. Mid-Nite who had saved him at birth!
Unfortunately, years later Pieter ran afoul of the evil Praeda Industries while investigating a mysterious drug A39 that they were marketing. The druglords captured him, drugged him with that same chemical, and put him behind the wheel of a car. When Pieter awoke he discovered that he had accidentally killed a woman, and that he was now blind but could see in the dark. To bring the druglords to justice he took the identity of his favorite superhero, becoming the second Dr. Mid-Nite.
Since then, Pieter has joined the JSA and become one of its guiding members, as well as its resident doctor.
Sat May 3, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Parasite
No Birthday hugs for this one!
Maxwell Jensen was the classic, small-time crook before his own idiocy transformed him into something far greater.
Jensen was working at a plant attached to a research center and opened one of the storage containers, thinking it might contain the company’s payrolls. Instead the biohazardous extraterrestrial materials inside transformed him, staining his skin purple and giving him the power to absorb the powers of anyone he touched.
The Parasite, as Jensen dubbed himself, became one of Superman’s most dangerous foes, especially since Jensen could not only absorb Superman’s powers but also learned his secret identity.
Fri May 2, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Jerry Scott
Look out, he's got ZITS!
Born in Elkhart, Indiana in 1955, Jerry Scott initially went into advertising. He got his start in comics by submitting gag strips to magazines in the mid-1970s—and sold one of his first ones to the Saturday Evening Post.
In 1983, he was asked to take over the Nancy comic strip, which he worked on for the next twelve years. In 1990 Scott and longtime friend Rick Kirkman created a new strip, Baby Blues. In 1997, Scott and Jim Borgman collaborated to produce Zits. Both Baby Blues and Zits are still running, and combined appear in over 2000 newspapers around the world.
Zits won the National Cartoonists Society prize for best newspaper comic strip in 1998 and 1999—Baby Blues won the award in 1997. In 2002 Scott received the Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year.
Thu May 1, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Phil Foglio
What's New, doc?
Born in Mount Vernon, NY in 1956, Phil Foglio moved to Hartsdale, NY, while still a young boy and lived there until he went off to the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago when he was only 17.
While at school, Foglio worked on the science-fiction club’s fanzine, Effen Essef, and was nominated for two Hugo Awards for it in 1976—in 1977 and 1978 he won the Hugos for Best Fan Artist. In 1980 Foglio started a comic strip What’s New with Phil & Dixie for Dragon Magazine. It ran for three years.
He moved back to New York shortly thereafter but soon returned to Chicago. There he illustrated Robert Lynn Asprin’s MythAdventures series and turned the first book into an eight-issue comic book series from WaRP Graphics. From there Foglio got work with DC (Angel and the Ape, Plastic Man, and Stanley and His Monster), Eclipse (Fusion, Dreamery), First Comics (Munden's Bar and Dynamo Joe), and others. He illustrated many card games, magazines, and books, created the character of Buck Godot for Imagine It and went on to create several Buck Godot graphic novels as well.
In the 1990s, Foglio brought What’s New back, this time for Duelist Magazine. He also created the series Girl Genius with his wife Kaja. In 2005 Girl Genius moved online as a free webcomic.
Wed Apr 30, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Happy Birthday: Nat Gertler
Definitely a Factor
Born in 1965, Nat Gertler started in comics as a translation writer, working on the English language adaptation of Speed Racer for Now Comics back in 1988.
He wrote contributions to Warp Graphics’ ElfQuest and to Calibur Comics’ Negative Burn in the 1990s, and then founded About Comics, a small comic book publishing company whose focus has been on quality rather than quantity.
Gertler published his own miniseries, The Factor, through About, and garnered an Eisner Award nomination for it in 1999.
He also created the 24 Hour Comics Day event, edited a variety of comic books and nonfiction books, and has written not only comic books but fiction, nonfiction, television scripts, and video games.
