Michael Davis: Don McGregor And Why Black People Love Him

Michael Davis

Master Of The Universe, Lord Of All Media, Most Interesting Black Man In the World, Sexiest Man on Earth, Mentor, Writer, Artist, Producer & Uppity.

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18 Responses

  1. George Haberberger says:

    Don McGregor didn’t create the Black Panther, but his Jungle Action stories continue to be that character’s zenith.

    “The Black Panther, the Black Racer, Storm…err…. the Black Panther, the Black Racer…Storm.”

    Uh… Black Lightening by that white guy, Tony Isabella?

  2. Black Lighting SHOULD have been the list. Sorry Tony, my bad.

  3. Emily S. Whitten says:

    I love reading (and writing, hah) love letters to creators. :)

    Also – what would you say your favorite work from Don McGregor would be? (Like storyline or character or what-have-you.)

  4. Don McGregor says:

    Michael Netzer and Michael Davis have made a rough week,

    one I will cherish, because of them.

    I had only come from a doctor’s office a couple of hours

    before your piece arrived. It was a delicious surprise, and

    one that gladdened my spirit, and in times when saddening

    events are occurring, it is beautiful to receive a piece

    written with such power and grace and humor.

    And if that ain’t delicious, I don’t know what is.

    I hope I can even come close to living up to what

    you have written.

    You know to read what you wrote, at a time when

    it seemed some people on Message Boards I did not

    even know existed gave me a moment of feeling as

    they were writing what they thought my fucking

    obituary, your piece was an antidote.

    Several years back, I was having dinner with Dwayne McDuffie,

    and having some heart problems at the time. It was during a

    time when an editor was claiming he saved me from life

    as a security guard by bringing me to Marvel Comics

    (when I’d already written two dozen stories

    for Warren Magazines, including the first, The Fade-Away Walk.)

    I was staying in New York City with Alex Simmons and Billy

    Graham.

    Others were re-writing where they

    stood when Sabre was done.

    The book almost did not get finished. Why? Because I would

    not change the fact that Melissa Siren was pregnant.

    It was the mid 70s, Michael. You know where many industry were at.

    And I told Dwayne at that dinner decades later, because I

    thought, for sure, he would outlast me,

    “Don’t let them get away with re-writing history, Dwayne. You

    know what was going in this medium.”

    I did not use the word “them.”

    As you can tell, Michael, I’ve toned down as the years go along.

    You want to know what I like about the Marvel Comics hardcover

    of the Jungle Action books. Three things. The dedication to

    my grand-kids. To get to write an honest Intro to the reaction

    in the hallowed halls to a comic series that had an all black

    cast of characters. That got me called on the carpet, let’s see,

    just about every single issue.

    But here is why I’m glad it exists: Dwayne McDuffie’s Afterword.

    He brought me to tears when I bought a copy and read it.

    I admit it openly, and freely.

    I treasure the book for those three reasons.

    I read your piece, and it helped reconfirm what it is I

    hoped I could do as a writer: Tell the best damn story I could,

    and be one of the people trying to open up what story-tellers

    could do in this great, unique medium.

    Because no matter what nick-name they gave me,

    believe me, there were times I was sincerely daunted,

    and with what has been happening with Marsha now,

    it’s scary, daunting stuff.

    So, you write a piece.

    And you know what, I feel less daunted.

    Michael Netzer draws my daughter and I together,

    in another act of positive action and love, and I don’t want

    to let either of you down.

    Hell, it even seems you believe I could write a character

    I created and still be able to do it.

    One of my favorite images in everything I’ve done in comics

    is Rainier and Denning, standing back to back in the cold rain.

    They have each others back. And they don’t have to turn to

    know the other is there.

    I’m not a joiner; never have been. But I believe in personal friendship.

    And I feel keen complex emotions when a stand-up guy like you

    Michael writes a piece like this.

    Oh, and Sabre is coming back in THE EARLY FUTURE YEARS.

    The Kickstarter program is closer to finally starting.

    I’ve seen Trevor von Eeden’s art on Sabre.

    You and Michael Netzer, if it all becomes a reality, finally,

    will get copy when it’s out there.

    And I hope you still feel Sabre’s in a class of his own.

    I’m sending along one of my favorite Billy Graham Sabre

    pages, just for memories sake.

    Thank you, my friend.

    Don

  5. Don- As a fan following the past week’s wackiness I want to do my part to appreciate you. I’ve actually been recently recruited into a new venture to play Managing Editor for an impending website that will focus almost exclusively on crowd-sourcing endeavors. Last week I even invited Netzer to contribute (so he can vouch for me, of course). The team is going for a full-on launch later next week, but when your campaign is ready, please feel free to contact me so we can plug the holy heck out of the book. I would be honored to help in every which way.

    richard@thelotteryparty.com

  6. Andrew Laubacher says:

    Great black characters created by white guys. No mention of Black Lightning? Not that Jefferson Pierce has always been written well. But, as Tony Isabella first conceived him? Just saying.

  7. Lauren Mouritzen
    Read the article, thought it was great!!!
    Thanks for passing it on, would love to meet some of these great people w
    ho have lifted the spirits of my dad during such a rough week, and thank them!!!

    Just thought you’d get a kick out of Lauren’s reaction, Michael.
    So here it is.
    Don

  8. Lauren Mouritzen says:

    Lauren Mouritzen
    Read the article, thought it was great!!!
    Thanks for passing it on,
    would love to meet some of these great people who have lifted the spirits
    of my dad during such a rough week, and thank them!!!

    Michael, just thought you might get a kick out seeing Lauren’s reply.
    Now to see if I can get the thing posted.
    The page cyber-sleuth told me maybe the message was too short.
    I may have written Only The Computer Shows Me Any Respect,
    but that was in the 1970s for Killraven.
    I didn’t foresee computer sarcasm in 2013.
    Don
    Don

  9. Reg says:

    HOW DID I MISS THIS??!! Oh! I remember…knocked on my keister for a week by Mr. Pain…and mad prepping for our beta launch…but STILL!! I missed both the love letter AND the response by Don ‘THE MAN’ McGregor!!

    Michael…you ain’t never lied when you said that Sabre was in a class by itself. And to Mr. McGregor…please accept my profound thanks and gratitude for giving so many young (and older) Black males a true hero that we could see ourselves looking back from in our mirrors. RESPECT.

    SABRE!! Nuff said.

  10. Reg says:

    And…Mr. McGregor…with regards to (Be still, my racing heart!) Sabre…THE EARLY FUTURE YEARS…count on 20 copies being purchased by me…(I have to pass on that same spark to some young bloods I know)…and I’m hunting for the kickstarter site right now.

    Booyah Baby!! The Sabre soars again!

    p.s. Mad props to the great Paul Gulacy…who made Sabre real.

  11. Reg says:

    Here’s the Kickstarter youtube link…
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_ZGM_js3Og