Articles by aaron-rosenberg
Tue Mar 11, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: The Crimson Avenger
DC's first masked superhero is born
Lee Walter Travis was raised to wealth and privilege but nonetheless developed a social conscience, becoming a member of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the Spanish Civil War and then turning to publishing and producing a progressive paper called The Globe Leader. It was while attending a Halloween costume ball in 1938, however, that he discovered his true career.
A band of crooks robbed the party and shot several people, including Travis’ fellow reporter Claudia Barker. She died in his arms and Travis, enraged, pursued and subdued the crooks, leaving them for the police to find afterward. His costume—a red trenchcoat, fedora, and mask—and Claudia’s last words and favorite motto, “Qui Vindicet ibit” (“The avenger will come”) combined to create tales of a strange “Crimson Avenger.” Travis had found his calling.
The Crimson Avenger was later one of the Seven Soldiers of Victory and part of the All-Star Squadron. Years later, Travis sacrificed his own life to save an entire city, steering a deadly tanker well away and staying at the helm until it exploded. The Crimson Avenger first appeared in Detective Comics No. 20, predating Batman by a full seven issues.
Mon Mar 10, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: The First Telephone
Come here, I said!
On this day in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell conducted his first successful experiment with his newest invention, the telephone. He used it to summon his assistant, Thomas Watson, with the now-famous words, “Mr. Watson—come here—I want to see you.”
It’s been over 130 years since then, and we’re still addicted to calling people we could just as easily walk over and see in person.
Sun Mar 9, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Rick Burchett
It's my birthday, I'll grin if I want to!
Comic book artist Rick Burchett was born in 1952. He originally worked in advertising in St. Louis, Missouri but was always a comic book fan. In the early 1980s he switched to comics professionally and worked for several smaller comic book publishers before joining DC.
His first DC title was Blackhawk, but that was quickly followed by Batman, Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and others. Burchett has won two Eisner Awards, for his art on The Batman and Robin Adventures and Batman: The Gotham Adventure.
His most recent work has been on Marvel’s She-Hulk.
Sat Mar 8, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Zatara the Magician
Nothing up my sleeves but a birthday card...
Giovanni “John” Zatara was born today in 1919 and by his mid-20s had a successful career as a stage magician while concealing an awesome secret—he could do real magic!
Zatara was descended from the Homo Magi, a race of magic-wielding humans, and learned the secrets of harnessing that power—speaking backwards—by reading the diaries of his direct ancestor, Leonardo Da Vinci. Zatara used his magic to help people between his shows, and during World War II he was part of the All-Star Squadron.
His daughter, Zatanna, became both a stage magician herself and a superhero, fighting for a time as part of the Justice League of America. Zatara gave his life to save her when they and several others fought the demonic Great Evil Beast.
Fri Mar 7, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Peter Gross and Cully Hamner
The long-awaited Lucifer-Wolverine connection unearthed!
Peter Gross has been working in comics since the 1990s, when he self-published the black-and-white series Empire Lanes. He’s best known for his work on DC’s Books of Magic and Lucifer but he also did artwork for Marvel’s Dr. Strange, Sorcerer Supreme and Hellstorm: Prince of Lies lines and for Dark Horse titles Chosen and The Mask: The Hunt for Green October. Gross also taught at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design, where he helped set up a comic art program.
Cully Hamner has done art on such series as The Authority, Green Lantern, Uncanny X-Men, and Spider-Man. These days he’s best known for his work on the relaunched Blue Beetle series for DC, initially written by Keith Giffen.
Thu Mar 6, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Garth (a.k.a. 'Tempest')
Aquaman's sidekick grows up!
Born on March 6, Garth had a difficult childhood. The son of King Thar and Queen Bera of the Idyllists (a colony of Atlantis, located in the Hidden Valley), Garth was exiled and sentenced to death at birth because of a mystic prophecy. Somehow he survived and lived alone for many years beneath the waves before finally meeting Aquaman.
Garth became the underwater hero’s sidekick, Aqualad, and later joined the Teen Titans. Years later, after the two had a falling out, Garth was trained by Aquaman’s father Atlan, who unleashed Garth’s full mystic potential. Garth renamed himself "Tempest" and defeated his necromancer uncle, Slizzath, in an attempt to transform the Hidden Valley into a necropolis.
Since then, Garth has been an ambassador to the United Nations, a husband (to the heroine Dolphin), a father, and a Teen Titan, and has reconciled with Aquaman. Currently, Garth is powerless and searching for his family—here’s hoping he finds them before his next birthday!
Wed Mar 5, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Pat Dugan
A classic hero is born!
One of those rare heroes whose career has spanned not only two eras but two names and superhero motifs, Patrick “Pat” Dugan (born March 5 sometime in the late-1910s) was already an adult and working as an auto mechanic on July 4, 1941, when he met young Sylvester Pemberton III.
The two became the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy to stop Nazi spies and later joined the All-Star Squadron and then the Seven Soldiers of Victory. Lost in time during the late '40s, they were rescued years later by the Justice League of America and returned to the present day, where Dugan married and raised a son. Dugan later worked with Infinity, Inc.
After his first marriage failed, Dugan remarried and moved to Blue Valley, Nebraska. When his stepdaughter Courtney Whitmore became the second Star-Spangled Kid, Dugan developed a robotic suit of power armor and became S.T.R.I.P.E. so he could keep an eye on her.
Tue Mar 4, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Glenn Hauman
ComicMix salutes one of its own!
Glenn Hauman was born on March 4, 1969. He’s been involved in comics since junior high school, when he studied under the legendary John Buscema. Years later he joined the industry officially, working in production at DC.
Since then Glenn’s done writing, production, layout, editing, and interactive development at several places, including DC, Apple Comics, and Simon & Schuster. Currently he’s the Vice-President of Operations and Production Manager for ComicMix, the colorist for Jon Sable Freelance, and one of the first and foremost (and tallest!) of our merry crew.
Happy birthday, big guy!
Tue Mar 4, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Simon Bisley and Milt Gross
The Yiddish and the British
Simon Bisley, British comic book artist, was born in 1962. Bisley is best known for his work on the British series ABC Warriors, Sláine, and Heavy Metal Dredd, and the DC comic Lobo. His style uses paints and airbrushing as well as inks, and shows strong influences from both Frank Frazetta and Bill Sienkiewicz. Bisley also combined design elements from rock album covers and graffiti.
Milt Gross, an American comic book writer, illustrator, animator, was born in 1895. He wrote his comics in a Yiddish-inflected English. Gross is best known for his comic Gross Exaggerations and the woodcut novel He Done Her Wrong: The Great American Novel and Not a Word in It.
Mon Mar 3, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Fred!
Celebrating a French comics genius
Fred (Fred Othon Artistidès) was born on this day in 1931.
A French comic strip creator, Fred created his first comic in 1954. In 1960 he became art director of Hara-Kiri, and illustrated several pieces for the magazine (and its first 60 covers!) over the next few years.
He is best known for his comic Philémon, which appeared in Pilote magazine in 1965. He was awarded the Grand Prix de la ville in 1980.
Sun Mar 2, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
Today's Birthday: Mark Evanier
One degree of separation between Jack Kirby and 'Welcome Back, Kotter'
Born in 1952, Mark Evanier has been writing professionally since 1969. He apprenticed under Jack Kirby and wrote for Disney, Gold Key, and the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate before moving on to television.
There, Evanier worked on such series as The Nancy Walker Show, The McLean Stevenson Show, and Welcome Back, Kotter. Next he worked for Hanna-Barbera on several series, including Scooby Doo, Plastic Man, and Thundarr the Barbarian. Evanier returned to comic books as well, writing and later editing Blackhawk, working with Sergio Aragonés on Groo the Wanderer, and co-creating The DNAgents and its spin-off, Crossfire.
His most recent project is Kirby: King of Comics, a biography of his first mentor, Jack Kirby. Happy birthday, Mark!
Sat Mar 1, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Arnold Drake and Joyce Brabner
Lust and Splender, Death and Cancer
Arnold Drake was born on this day in 1924. Drake was best known for his work on Deadman and Doom Patrol but he also co-created the 1950 picture book It Rhymes with Lust, which may many consider the first American graphic novel. Drake also wrote the screenplay for a 1964 horror movie, The Flesh Eaters. Sadly, Drake died on March 12 of last year.
Joyce Brabner was born on March 1, 1952. A writer of political comics, she collaborated with her second husband, Harvey Pekar, on his series American Splendor and on the Harvey Award-winning graphic novel Our Cancer Year. Brabner also worked with Alan Moore and Bill Sienkiewicz on the anthology Brought to Light. She edited the anthology but wrote one of the two stories, Flashpoint: The La Penca Bombing.
Fri Feb 29, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Superman and Captain Marvel Born
Another year for the Big Blue Boy Scout and the Big Red Cheese!
That’s right, two of DC Comics’s most powerful mortals, Superman and Captain Marvel, have their birthday today! Of course, for the Man of Steel it’s just the Earth equivalent to his Kryptonian birthday, while Captain Marvel dates his “birth” to the night young Billy Batson uttered the name “Shazam!” and was transformed into the World’s Mightiest Mortal.
Still, those are some powerful candles...
Thu Feb 28, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Milton Caniff and Gaston LaGaffe
A great cartoonist and a great cartoon!
In 1907 Milton Caniff was born in Hillsboro, Ohio. Caniff was best known for the Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon cartoon strips. He helped found the National Cartoonists Society and received its first Cartoonist of the Year Award in 1947. He was entered into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1988.
In 1957, issue #985 of Le Journal de Spirou introduced a new cartoon character, a bumbling young man named Gaston LaGaffe. Created by André Franquin, Gaston was a popular character and strip for almost forty years.
Wed Feb 27, 2008 — by Aaron Rosenberg
On This Day: Lori Lemaris, Norm Breyfogle and Jeff Smith
Of Tails and Tales, Oh My!
Though the ocean tides play havoc with calendars, today is officially recognized as the birthday of Lori Lemaris, mermaid of Atlantis and one-time girlfriend of Superman. Don't ask how old she is, though—a lady never reveals, not even a lady fish.
In the “real” world, today is also the birthday of comic book artist Norm Breyfogle and comic book creator Jeff Smith. Both were born in 1960.
Breyfogle is best known for his work on various Batman titles, while Jeff Smith is the creator of the popular Bone comic book series.
Happy birthday, guys!
