Print

[mopee167]

This is important information, proving not only that there was a Howard James working at Timely, circa 1942-1942, but that he was not Ernie Hart, as Who's Who seems to suggest:

http://www.bailsprojects.com/whoswho.aspx?mode=AtoZsearch&id=JAMES%2c+HOWARD

[Electricmastro]

This is important information, proving not only that there was a Howard James working at Timely, circa 1942-1942, but that he was not Ernie Hart, as Who's Who seems to suggest:

http://www.bailsprojects.com/whoswho.aspx?mode=AtoZsearch&id=JAMES%2c+HOWARD

The GCD bio just got updated as well. Makes me wonder how often Bails and the others took World War II draft cards into account when filing out personal info about comic creators. I recall that the 1940 census reports filed out race as well and are publicly available to some extent.

[crashryan]

When Bails was compiling the Who's Who documentation like draft cards was not accessible to the general public. It was technically openly available but to get to it you had to personally visit an archive (usually in Washington, D.C.) and dig through physical records. It's amazing how the Internet has revolutionized research.

[Electricmastro]

When Bails was compiling the Who's Who documentation like draft cards was not accessible to the general public. It was technically openly available but to get to it you had to personally visit an archive (usually in Washington, D.C.) and dig through physical records. It's amazing how the Internet has revolutionized research.

Indeed. We?re probably now at the point researchers can find out quite a bit more about otherwise obscure comic creators from back then with just the right search engines. Well, along with some paywall subscriptions, but beside the point.

[Captain Audio]

On the Ancestry site Fold3, there are a host of World War II registration cards, one of which belongs to a *Howard James* of Timely Comics, and identifies himself as *Negro.* Couldnt see much beyond that due to membership registration though.

https://www.fold3.com/search?keywords=Timely+Comics&full-name~=Howard+James

Thanks for posting this link. I found my Dad's registration card in less than a minute.

[Electricmastro]

On the Ancestry site Fold3, there are a host of World War II registration cards, one of which belongs to a *Howard James* of Timely Comics, and identifies himself as *Negro.* Couldnt see much beyond that due to membership registration though.

https://www.fold3.com/search?keywords=Timely+Comics&full-name~=Howard+James

Thanks for posting this link. I found my Dad's registration card in less than a minute.

You?re welcome!

[mopee167]

Alex Jay has a bit more information on Howard James here:

http://alphabettenthletter.blogspot.com/2021/02/comics-
howard-james-black-comics-artist.html

[mopee167]

Back on Page 1 of this thread I raised some doubts about Owen Middleton being on this list. Now, having had
a chance to read Ken Quattro?s book, I withdraw my objection. The chapter on Mr. Middleton is short, like his comic book career, but very informative.

I did not know that New York had a three-strikes law before Nelson Rockefeller.

BTW, I highly recommend Ken Quattro?s INVISIBLE MEN book. Very well researched.

Wasn?t Walter Earl Davoren also African-American/Negro???

[crashryan]

I did not know that New York had a three-strikes law before Nelson Rockefeller.

Growing up I was familiar with the phrase "three-time loser" which popped up in crime shows and movies. A crook would dread being caught a third time because that meant he'd be sent up for life. I have no idea which states had these laws but they must have been common enough that writers assumed viewers understood the concept.