Monster Memories with Ray Bradbury

I got my first article published in Dennis Druktenis' great and long-running magazine called Scary Monsters. Once a year, he does a yearbook of new material inclusive of the Scary Monsters numbering called Monster Memories #86. My article is about my memories of meeting the late, great Ray Bradbury at Comic Con International over the years. If you have a chance to, pick it up at your local comic book store or Barnes & Noble if they still have it on sale. Scary Monsters #87 is already out, so this one may be gone. You can also try Amazon or Ebay. In any case, it's always a great magazine and you should get every issue. Currently, I'm working on an article for Dennis about the monster magazines published by Cracked. I'll announce it here, soon.

Rare Pink Panther and Misterjaw Puppets

Probably the rarest thing in my collection. So rare, it is no longer in my collection. Pink Panther and Misterjaw sponge puppets courtesy of Avon. I got these in 1976 and never used them and stored them well, but by 1994 they were literally rotting and deteriorating to dust. I grabbed my camera and took these farewell photos before I had to throw them away. I believe that there was also a bar of soap (long gone) and they came in a box, but I no longer have that, either. I really liked the Misterjaw one as his mouth opened and he had sponge teeth.

Comic Creators Over 80 (3rd Revision)

Revision 3 – July 22, 2013

With this revision, I added a little bio of what each person is best known. This is probably the last revision I will do for awhile.

I'm trying to compile an updated list of anyone who's in the comic book and comic strip business who is over 80 and still alive. I don't know if this is complete and in some cases, I don't know if it's accurate. If you see someone who should or shouldn't be on this list, please advise. Also, steer away from animation or children's book artists and writers unless they also worked in comic books or comic strips. Also, help with birth years would be great, too!

Brad Anderson – 1924 (Marmaduke)

Murphy Anderson – 1926 (DC, Hawkman, Superman)

Dick Ayers – 1924 (Marvel, Sgt. Fury)

Ken Bald – 1920 (Dr. Kildare, Dark Shadows)
Sy Barry – 1928 (The Phantom)

Allen Bellman – 1924 (Marvel, Timely)
Vivian S. Minanel Berg – 1923 (artist, wife of Dave Berg)

Frank Bolle – 1924 (Apartment 3-G, Juliet Jones)

Bob Bolling – 1928 (Archie, Little Archie)
Leonard Brenner – 1932 (Mad)

John Bulthuis – birth year? (Archie, Stanmor, Trojan)

Orlando Busino – 1926 (gag cartoonist)

Dick Cavalli – 1923 (Winthrop, Morty Meekle)

Nick Cardy – 1920 (DC, Aquaman, Teen Titans, Marvel)
Nat Champlin – 1919 (Fawcett, Street & Smith)

Jack Chick – 1924 (Chick Tracks)
Paul Coker, Jr. – 1929 (Mad, Rankin/Bass)
Ernie Colon – 1931 (Harvey, Richie Rich, Marvel)
Anthony D'Adamo – birth year? (various magazines, Newsday)

Jack Davis – 1924 (EC, Mad, TV Guide, Time, RCA)
Gene Deitch – 1924 (Terrytoons, Tom Terrific, Terr’ble Thompson)

Jose Delbo – 1933 (DC, Wonder Woman, Batman)
Jay Disbrow – 1926 (Iger Studios, Sheena, Aroo)

Roy Doty – 1922 (Wordless Workshop, gag cartoonist)

Steve Ditko – 1927 (Marvel, Spider-Man)
Mort Drucker – 1929 (Bob Hope, Mad)
Jerry Dumas – 1930 (Sam’s Strip)

Hy Eisman – 1927 (Bunny, Katzenjammer Kids, Popeye)
Marty Elkin – 1928 (Harwell, Marvel, Farrell)

Jules Feiffer – 1929 (Feiffer, gag cartoonist)
Al Feldstein – 1925 (EC, Tales from the Crypt, Weird Science, Mad)

Bertram Fitzgerald – 1932 (Golden Legacy, Fast Willie Jackson)

Hy Fleishman – 1927 (Atlas, Marvel, Lev Gleason)

Frank Fletcher – 1919 (Harvey)

Ramonda Fradon – 1926 (Brenda Starr)
Fred Fredericks – 1929 (Mandrake)

Bob Fujitani – 1920 (DC)

Paul Fung, Jr. – 1923 (Blondie)

Ted Galindo – 1927 (Prize, Atlas, Marvel)

Joe Giella – 1928 (DC, Green Lantern)
Frank Giusto – 1926 (Ace)

Sam Glanzman – 1924 (Charlton, Hercules)

Bob Globerman – birth year? (Lev Gleason)

Stan Goldberg – 1932 (Archie)
Sam Gross – 1933 (National Lampoon)
Stan Harfenist – birth year? (Harvey)

Irwin Hasen – 1918 (Dondi)
Russ Heath – 1926 (Marvel, DC, EC)
Hugh Hefner – 1926 (Playboy, Trump)

Tom Hickey – 1910 alive? (DC, Harvey, Lev Gleason)

Frank Hill – 1929 (Dennis the Menace, Short Ribs)
Lee Holley – 1932 (Dennis the Menace, Ponytail)
Fran Hopper – 1922 (Fiction House)
Fred Iger – 1924 (American Comics Group)

Jim Ivey – 1925 (Creepy, Monsters and Heroes)

Frank Jacobs – 1929 (Mad)
Sid Jacobson – 1929 (Harvey, Star)
Al Jaffee – 1921 (Marvel, Mad, Humbug)
Harvey Janes – birth year?

Frank B. Johnson – 1931 (Boner’s Ark, Charlton)

Sydney Jordan – 1928 (Dick Hercules, Jeff Hawke)

Jack Katz – 1927 (The First Kingdom)
Mel Keefer – 1926 (DC, Strange Adventures)

Fred Kida – 1920 (Airboy)
Everett Kinstler – 1926 (Atlas, Marvel, Dell)

Tom Koch – 1925 (Mad, TV writer)
Ed Konick – birth year? (Charlton)

Mel Lazarus – 1927 (Momma, Miss Peach)
Stan Lee (Stanley Martin Leiber) – 1922 (Timely, Atlas, Marvel)
Larry Lieber – 1931 (Marvel, Atlas, brother of Stan Lee)
Dick Locher – 1929 (Dick Tracy)

Bob Lubbers – 1922 (Fiction House, Secret Agent X-9)

George Mandel – 1920 (gag cartoon writer)

Cal Massey – 1927 (Cross, Superior, Timely, Atlas)

Shigeru Mizuki – 1922 (Manga, Anime)

Tom Moore – 1928 (Archie)

Matt Murphy – 1923 (alive?) (Harvey)

Jack O’Brien – 1922 (alive?) (Harvey, Sad Sack, gag cartoonist)

George Olesen – 1924 (The Phantom)

Don Orehek – 1928 (Cracked, Playboy, gag cartoonist)
Jose Ortiz – 1932 (Warren, Vampirella)

Bill Oughton – 1926

Mac Pakula – birth year? (Atlas, Marvel)

Don Perlin – 1929 (Marvel, Werewolf by Night, Defenders, Ghost Rider)

Jay Scott Pike – 1924 (Marvel, DC)

Paul Peter Porges – 1927 (Mad)
Al Plastino – 1921 (DC, Superman, Nancy)
Quino (Joaquín Salvador Lavado) – 1932 (gag cartoonist, Mafalda)

Lily Renee – 1925 (Fiction House)
Arnold Roth – 1929 (Humbug, Playboy, National Lampoon)
John Romita, Sr. – 1930 (Marvel)
Gaspar Saladino – 1926 (Marvel, DC, logo designer, letterer)

Ken Selig – 1924 (Harvey, Archie)

Joy Seligsohn – 1927 (wife of Zeke)

Zeke Seligsohn – birth year? (husband of Joy)

Marie Severin – 1929 (EC, Marvel, sister of John Severin)
Larry Siegel – 1925 (Mad, TV writer)
Ed Silverman – 1924 (Hillman, Ziff-Davis)

Joe Sinnott – 1926 (Marvel, Fantastic Four)
Dan Spiegle – 1920 (Marvel, DC, Gold Key)

Leonard Starr – 1925 (Little Orphan Annie, On Stage)

Tony Tallarico – 1933 (Dell, Lobo, Cracked, Crazy)

Dexter Taylor – birth year? (Little Archie)

Frank Thorne – 1930 (Marvel, Red Sonja)
Angelo Torres – 1932 (EC, Mad)
Morrie Turner – 1923 (Wee Pals, Kid Power)
Albert Uderzo – 1927 (Asterix)

Mort Walker – 1923 (Beetle Bailey, Hi and Lois)
James Warren – 1930 (Warren)

Morris Weiss – 1915 (Quality)
Gahan Wilson – 1930 (Playboy, National Lampoon)

Mick Jagger is 70!

Well, folks, today's the day, Mick Jagger is 70! And unlike people like Paul McCartney and John Lennon, he still has his voice and is still alive! I hope he lives another 30 years. Partner Keith Richards turns the big 7-0 in December if you can believe it, since he's looked about 100 for about 20 years...

Today's Oddball Purchase

Seems strange to me that The Pink Panther would have an album of songs at all, much less a country music album, but here it is. It's a picture disc no less. Very strange. Haven't listened to it yet (yes, I still have a turntable). Stranger still is the back cover image showing The Pink Panther as an American Indian with full headdress dancing around The Inspector and Deux Deux tied to a post.

Songs include: Dixie, The Yellow Rose of Texas and of course, the ever-popular Panther Picker...

It came out in 1982.

Alter Ego #120

"Alter Ego" #120 comes out next month. I saw a copy at Comic Con in San Diego. It also has an obituary by me, this one on Sid Couchey. It's kind of sad to write these things, but I'm honored to have been given the opportunity.

Alter Ego #119

Here's "Alter Ego" #119 featuring an obit for Paul Laikin written by me. This issue is chock full of good stuff as usual, but if you want to see another piece of my writing, check this issue out. On sale now!

Lou Scheimer Filmation Book Review

 

Years ago, Michael Swanigan and Darrell McNeil issued a book called "Animation by Filmation", which essentially was the first book covering the history of the Saturday morning TV production giant. That book was and still is indispensable. However, it is incomplete and contains many errors.

 

The advantage of Andy Mangels' "Lou Scheimer: Creating the Filmation Generation" is that it covers the entire story first hand and directly from the source. Although Lou was partnered with Norm Prescott for a number of years and with Hal Sutherland, it was Scheimer that was there during Filmation's remarkable 25+ year reign and beyond and is still with us today.

 

After I wrote my book, "Created and Produced by Total TeleVision productions: The Story of Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo and the Rest", I was looking around for another project to work on. After dismissing Hanna-Barbera and Rankin-Bass as they had been covered very well, I looked into Filmation. I abandoned my idea once I discovered that Mangels had already begun the project, which was fraught with delays. I had heard about his book in 2011 and it was already behind schedule even then.

 

I forgot about Mangels' book and went on to other projects until earlier in 2013 when animation greats Scott Shaw! and Darrell McNeil told me of the availability of Mangels' book. McNeil even went on to recommend purchasing the book through TwoMorrows' (the publisher) website as it includes a full-color digital copy at no additional charge.

 

As far as the contents go, I learned quite a bit. Admittedly, Filmation was not my favorite cartoon studio growing up. I preferred H-B, R-B and DePatie-Freleng much more. In fact, I'm working on a DFE book now.

 

While recycling animation was done as a cost-saving measure at Filmation, as a viewer, it made everything they did come off as cheap to me, not just in cost, but quality as well.

 

Hindsight really displays Filmation's charms. I did have my favorites even then (Fat Albert, Archie, Star Trek) and respect even more now (Superman, Aquaman, Jerry Lewis, He-Man, etc.)  

 

Mangels made the story told by Scheimer even more lush by filling out his memories of working on each of the shows with elaborate details and statistics and images to make this a must for any animation fan or scholar. It really puts the earlier Filmation book effort to shame (however, if you can find a copy of that earlier tome, it is still highly recommended for its multiple character model sheets and the fact that the book is virtually impossible to find.)

 

Mangels also gets Scheimer to speak at length about many projects that Filmation was considering over the years like a Marx Brothers animated series and why they didn't happen. He also discusses the largely forgotten Uncle Croc's Block show, which was also a personal favorite of mine, despite the fact that it was such a monumental flop for the ABC network that they refused to ever purchase a show ever again from Filmation as a result.

 

Great coverage is also presented of Scheimer's formative years as well as the successes and failures of Filmation and the ultimate end of the studio and what Scheimer has done since.

 

This is a must have book and I give it my highest recommendation.

Creators Over 80 - Revision 2 - July 17, 2013

Revision 2 – July 17, 2013

I'm trying to compile an updated list of anyone who's in the comic book and comic strip business who is over 80 and still alive. I don't know if this is complete and in some cases, I don't know if it's accurate. If you see someone who should or shouldn't be on this list, please advise. Also, steer away from animation or children's book artists and writers unless they also worked in comic books or comic strips. Also, help with birth years would be great, too!

Brad Anderson - 1924

Murphy Anderson - 1926

Dick Ayers - 1924

Ken Bald - 1920

Sy Barry - 1928

Allen Bellman - 1924

Vivian S. Minanel Berg - 1923

Frank Bolle - 1924

Bob Bolling - 1928

Leonard Brenner - birth year?

John Bulthuis - birth year?

Orlando Busino - 1926

Dick Cavalli - 1923

Nick Cardy - 1920

Nat Champlin - 1919

Hank Chapman - alive?

Jack Chick - 1924

Paul Coker, Jr. - 1929

Ernie Colon - 1931

Anthony D'Adamo - birth year?

Jack Davis - 1924

Gene Deitch - 1924

Jose Delbo - 1933

Jay Disbrow - 1926

Roy Doty - 1922

Steve Ditko - 1927

Mort Drucker - 1929

Jerry Dumas - 1930

Hy Eisman - 1927

Marty Elkin - birth year?

Jules Feiffer - 1929

Al Feldstein - 1925

Hy Fleishman - birth year?

Frank Fletcher - 1919

Ramonda Fradon - 1926

Fred Fredericks - 1929

Bob Fujitani - 1920

Paul Fung, Jr. - 1923

Ted Galindo - 1927

Joe Giella - 1928

Frank Giusto - 1926

Sam Glanzman - 1924

Bob Globerman - birth year?

Stan Goldberg - 1932

Sam Gross - 1933

Stan Harfenist - birth year?

Irwin Hasen - 1918

Russ Heath - 1926

Hugh Hefner - 1926

Vern Henkel - 1917

Tom Hickey - 1910 (pretty sure he’s dead)

Frank Hill - 1929

Lee Holley - 1932

Fran Hopper - 1922

Fred Iger - 1924

Jim Ivey - 1925

Frank Jacobs - 1929

Sid Jacobson - 1929

Al Jaffee - 1921

Harvey Janes - birth year?

Frank B. Johnson - 1931

Sydney Jordan - 1928

Jack Katz - 1927

Mel Keefer - 1926

Fred Kida - 1920

Everett Kinstler - 1926

Tom Koch - 1925

Ed Konick - birth year?

Mel Lazarus - 1927

Stan Lee (Stanley Martin Leiber) - 1922

Len Leone - birth year?

Larry Lieber - 1931

Dick Locher - 1929

Bob Lubbers - 1922

George Mandel - 1920

Cal Massey - 1927

Shigeru Mizuki - 1922

Tom Moore - 1928

Matt Murphy – 1923 (alive?)

Jack O’Brien - 1922 (alive?)

George Olesen - 1924

Don Orehek - 1928

Jose Ortiz - 1932

Bill Oughton - birth year?

Mac Pakula - birth year?

Don Perlin - 1929

Jay Scott Pike - 1924

Paul Peter Porges - 1927

Al Plastino - 1921

Quino - 1932

Lily Renee - 1925

Arnold Roth - 1929

John Romita, Sr. - 1930

Gaspar Saladino - 1926

Ken Selig - 1924

Joy Seligsohn - 1927

Zeke Seligsohn - birth year?

Marie Severin - 1929

Larry Siegel - 1925

Ed Silverman - birth year?

Joe Sinnott - 1926

Dan Spiegle - 1920

Leonard Starr - 1925

Tony Tallarico – 1933

Dexter Taylor - birth year?

Frank Thorne - 1930

Angelo Torres - 1932

Morrie Turner - 1923

Albert Uderzo - 1927

Mort Walker - 1923

James Warren - 1930

Morris Weiss - 1915!

Gahan Wilson - 1930

Ed Winiarski - ?

Comic Book and Comic Strip Creators Over 80

I'm trying to compile an updated list of anyone who's in the comic book and comic strip business who is over 80 and still alive. I don't know if this is complete and in some cases, I don't know if it's accurate. If you see someone who should or shouldn't be on this list, please advise. Also, steer away from animation or children's book artists and writers unless they also worked in comic books or comic strips. (?) = I don't know their living status.

Murphy Anderson - 1926
Dick Ayers - 1924
Ken Bald - 1920
Allen Bellman - 1924
Bob Bolling - 1928
Nick Cardy - 1920
Hank Chapman - ?
Jack Chick - 1924
Paul Coker - 1929
Ernie Colon - 1931
Jack Davis - 1924
Jose Delbo - 1933
Steve Ditko - 1927
Mort Drucker - 1929
Hy Eisman - 1927
Jules Feiffer - 1929
Ramonda Fradon - 1926
Al Feldstein - 1925
Joe Giella - 1928
Stan Goldberg - 1932
Sam Gross - 1933
Irwin Hasen - 1918
Russ Heath - 1926
Frank Hill
Lee Holley
Fran Hopper - 1922
Frank Jacobs - 1929
Sid Jacobson - 1929
Al Jaffee - 1921
Jack Katz - 1927
Fred Kida - 1920
Everett Kinstler - 1926
Tom Koch - 1925
Mel Lazarus - 1927
Stan Lee - 1922
Larry Lieber - 1931
Don Orehek - 1928
Paul Peter Porges - 1927
Al Plastino - 1921
Lily Renee - 1925
Arnold Roth - 1929
John Romita, Sr. - 1930
Marie Severin - 1929
Larry Siegel - 1925
Joe Sinnott - 1926
Tony Tallarico - 1933
Joe Torres - 1932
Morrie Turner - 1923
Mort Walker - 1923
Morris Weiss - 1915!
Gahan Wilson - 1930
Ed Winiarski - ?

Frank Hill, Lee Holley, Rich Koslowski, Greg Beda at Art Supplies Ink. Opening

My friend Greg Beda invited me to the Grand Opening of Rich Koslowski's new art store in Aptos, California called Art Supplies, Ink. Former Dennis the Menace artists Lee Holley and Frank Hill, who both have original art on display and for sale also attended. Here are some of the photos I took of the event last Saturday.

Schulz Peanuts Comic Book Art

Derrick Bang wrote a great article about Schulz's Peanuts comic book work. In the article, Bang says that Schulz only drew two complete comic book stories for Nancy #146 and Nancy #148 (both from 1957) before giving the chores to other artists. The full article is featured here: http://www.fivecentsplease.org/dpb/comicboo.html and the two four-page Peanuts stories appear below:

 

 

 

 

 

Pogens Again

I did a blog entry on Pogens awhile back and there was interest in the folder that they used to give away describing the cookies. I got this in Southern California around 1974 and Pogens were very popular then.

My Radio Show Recording Sessions

Here are some photos of me recording new segments last Saturday of "The Stories Behind the Stories" for "The Geek Speak Show". The podcast is now in its fourth year and this is my second year doing interviews with comic book and animation pros and fans from the past, present and future. You can listen in at http://www.thegeekspeakshow.com or at http://funideas.50webs.com for my segment.

Old Time Baskin-Robbins Sign

I love old signs and they are getting harder and harder to find these days as many companies update their logos or go out of business. Here's an old Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream sign that's still up  on the back side of the entrance on 264 State Street in downtown Los Altos, CA. Kinda neat! 

The Stories Behind the Stories Series 2 Invitation

Hey everyone,

I have just been invited to do a second season of "The Stories Behind the Stories" on "The Geek Speak Show" podcast radio show. Most of the original 10 episodes have aired on the show and the first few have been placed for your listening pleasure on my website: http://funideas.50webs.com with more to be added soon.

Once again, I need people to be interviewed that are in the comic book and animation industries. The segment will be approximately 5-10 minutes long and will just be a basic overview of what you are currently doing or what you have done, with no really probing stuff (unless you want to reveal that about yourself). Interviews will be conducted via telephone or Skype or could even be done in person if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area.

For this second set of interviews, please let me know ASAP if you are available on Saturday, February 2nd between the hours of 10am-2pm PST. Please confirm your phone number and if you have Skype, please let me know that as well. My cell phone number is (408) 482-9327 if you have any questions and the website for the show is http://www.thegeekspeakshow.com

Also, if you were interviewed for the first set, I thank you very much. I don't plan to do repeat interviews yet, so if you could be so kind as to pass this message along to someone who you think would or could be interviewed and have them contact me.

And, Walter Brogan, I have you penciled in for this second set, so I will need nine more volunteers.

Finally, if you are available for an interview, but not that day, please let me know that as well. We may be able to make a separate schedule for that, but it is easier to record everyone on the same day.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Mad Show Closing Party at Cartoon Art Museum

Here are the photos I took at the closing party for the "60 Years of Mad" show at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco. This party was on September 6th, but you can still catch the show until September 16th. Hurry! They are located at 655 Mission Street. BTW, the people in the photos include me and my friend, Andrew Goldfarb.