[JVJ]

I just received my copy of Greg Sadowski's new Fantagraphics book, "Supermen". It contains 20 full-color GAC stories devoted to superheroes - all of which were published prior to Pearl Harbor (Dec. 1941). Plus nine covers and several house ads from the books. Lou Fine, Eisner, Kirby, Everett, Cole, Shuster, Hanks, Wolverton, and all the usual suspects.

I am VERY curious to get reactions to this, as THIS is my nomination for how the old comics SHOULD be reproduced. While I was involved in the scanning of many of these, I was NOT involved in the final cleanup and color restorations. I've lobbied Greg for years for this kind of reproduction. Now I want to see what others think of it.

Comments?

(|:{>

[Yoc]

I'll keep my eyes open for it Jim.

-Yoc

[bchat]

Sounds interesting.  I hadn't heard anything about it until this post, but then again, I'm out of the loop (mostly) when it comes to new stuff.  Knowing nothing about this book, I did a search on Dogpile (not a "Google" kind of guy) and found the following ...

It would be nice if Fantagraphics would put what stories from which books were being reprinted on their site, as I'ld be more willing to spend that kind of money if I knew I was getting something I haven't already read.  I will give them credit as they have a preview of a Flame story by Eisner & Fine: http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1555&category_id=234&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=62

This blog (http://joglikescomics.blogspot.com/2009/02/and-you-youve-made-quite-name-for.html) gives a decent review of the book, including a run-down of the characters/stories included:
The Clock, Yarko the Great, Fero: Planet Detective, Dirk the Demon, The Comet, Mr Mystic, Dan Hastings, The Flame, Spacehawk, Fantomah, Skyman, Marvelo, Daredevil vs The Claw and Blue Bolt.  That's only 14 features (if I'm still capable of counting correctly), so obviously the blogger left some out.

And Hey!  It sounds like another Fletcher Hanks book in on the way!  Can't come out soon enough for me.

[Yoc]

Thanks for the links BC and I certainly second your thoughts on Hanks!

[bchat]

Thanks for the links BC

Well, I was going to be lazy and ask what characters were included, then I realized I have this thing called the "internet", so I did search and that's two of the results I found.  Just want to add that the blog states there's two Fletcher Hanks stories but doesn't say what the other one is.

and I certainly second your thoughts on Hanks!

I picked-up the first book not long ago off eBay for around $10 and have been pretty happy with it.  I hope that the next volume contains a little more information on Hanks' career, that the stories are arranged in chronological order so that people could see how Hanks' style progressed over the short period of time he was in comics, and that there is a better assortment of features than the first volume.  Obviously, Fantomah and Stardust are his best-known works, but I'ld like to see more Big Red McLane, Space Smith, Yank Wilson, Buzz Crandall and his only Tabu story in volume two.

[Yoc]

Paul K the author of the Hanks books is a member of GAC Jim.
He tells us he's got some nice surprises in store for v2! 

Funny I thought that blog only mentioned one Hanks story and two Simon-Kirbys.

-Yoc

[bchat]

I'm not perfect, so I double-checked that blog:

"while his [Fletcher Hanks] two included stories may seem gratuitous, seeing as how both are slated to be reprinted again in this summer's second all-Hanks omnibus from Fantagraphics & Paul Karasik"

He only lists Simon & Kirby on a Blue Bolt story.  His choice of the phrasing "It bookends the Siegel & Shuster piece at the beginning" while talking about the S&K tale is kind of awkward.

[JVJ]

Paul K the author of the Hanks books is a member of GAC Jim.
He tells us he's got some nice surprises in store for v2! 

Funny I thought that blog only mentioned one Hanks story and two Simon-Kirbys.

-Yoc

That's right, Yoc. I remember now. I think I provided Paul with two of the last three Hanks stories he needed for Volume 2.

The Supermen book has a Stardust from Fantastic 12 and a Fantomah from Jungle 4.

The S&Ks are Cosmic Carson from Science 4 and Blue Bolt from Blue Bolt 10.

ps. bchat: I don't find the "bookends" phrasing to be awkward. He starts and ends the book with arguably the two most famous "teams" of creators in comics history. Seems apropos to me.

(|:{>

[bchat]

Since we're sort of talking about him, is there a site out there somewhere that lists all the comic stories Fletcher Hanks (and all his aliases) has worked on?

[JVJ]

Since we're sort of talking about him, is there a site out there somewhere that lists all the comic stories Fletcher Hanks (and all his aliases) has worked on?

I don't know, bchat.
You probably know more about him than I do. He's one of the GA guys that I have encountered only in the last couple of years as I explored Fiction House methodically with Henry Steele and Hames. Then, between getting a toehold into early Fox and Centaur and the "Civilized Planets" book, he's risen into my consciousness. However, I've not done any specific study of his work (or his aliases). Sorry.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[bchat]

Then, between getting a toehold into early Fox and Centaur ...

Did you mean that Hanks had done work for Centaur or were you referring to something else?

You probably know more about him than I do.

Oh, I doubt that very much.  I'ld be happy to share what I've discovered about him, but I'm sure it isn't anything you don't already know.

[JVJ]

Then, between getting a toehold into early Fox and Centaur ...

Did you mean that Hanks had done work for Centaur or were you referring to something else?

You probably know more about him than I do.

Oh, I doubt that very much.  I'ld be happy to share what I've discovered about him, but I'm sure it isn't anything you don't already know.

Actually, what I meant was that I started to acquire both Fox and Centaur books from Terry O'Neill recently and that it was in those books from that era that I also found Hanks' work. In which books for which company, I'd be hard pressed to say. You see, I REALLY don't know that much about those early books. I mean, I won't pay more than $40 for a comic, so my options for exposure are severely limited. My encounter with Hanks at Fiction House was primarily due to the loan of Bud's comics for the project.

"knowing" about Hanks and seeing the information assembled into a coherent display are VERY different things. It's like Matt Baker, for instance. Seeing his work in bits and pieces over time is enlightening, but if one assembles (which I REALLY want to do someday) a month by month timeline of his career, I think that there will be a LOT of material that will fall OUT of his canon and his worth as an artist will skyrocket. When I look at all of the mediocre Iger Shop stuff that's been attributed to him it really brings down his reputation. Not that Hanks will ever be confused with another artist, but the point I'm stumbling to make is that the careful documentation and presentation of his know work will convey much more than the occasional encounters we've all had.

Hopefully, Mr. Karasik will glean some more interesting aspects of Hanks' life from his having assembled all civilized examples of his work.

I shouldn't be writing when I'm this tired. It's obvious that I'm rambling. Terrible sleep last night and a lot of things happening today, the final day before our departure. So forgive any confusion...

And au revoir

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[Brainster]

I'll assume they don't have an "even numbered" Star comics story in the Dan Hastings feature?

Let me say if the colors are like the ones at the linked review site, it's my kind of reprint volume.  And I am thrilled that Dan Hastings got any attention or mention in a reprint book; I had never heard of him before Star Comics #7.

[Yoc]

Thanks for giving us so much info Jim.  I'm looking forward to Hanks v2 and to seeing Supermen someday.

Bchat - you can do a search for artist work, chronologically if wanted, on the GCD site using the 'search for' box options.
You can also do a search for him on the late Jerry Bail's 'Who's Who' site.

I hope those links will help you as much as they have me,
-Yoc

[bchat]

Bchat - you can do a search for artist work, chronologically if wanted, on the GCD site using the 'search for' box options.
You can also do a search for him on the late Jerry Bail's 'Who's Who' site.

Yoc - I have checked-out both sites, as well as comicbookdb.com (which is also a nice site to browse).  Much like how I feel about Wikipedia, they are good places to start looking for information, but I try to take what I find there with a grain of salt.  I've seen work attributed to Hanks that I feel isn't his work at all.  JB's WW lists "C.C. Starr" as another alias for Hanks, but makes no mention of what "Starr" worked-on. 

GCD credits "Jack Farr" as the artist on the Yank Wilson story in Fantastic Comics 6, but after seeing it (thanks to freddyfly's upload), it's clearly Hanks' artwork.  GCD also credits "Fletcher Hanks" as the artist on the Stardust story in that same issue, and while he may have written the story and/or designed the villains of the tale, the actual artwork and layout do not look like his style at all. 

Therein lies my problem: many of the files with Hanks' work (or work he's credited with doing) on GAC are simply too large for me to download with my dial-up connection, leaving me unable to see the stories first-hand to confirm one way or the other what Hanks may have actually done, or investigate further a feature (Typhon by "Phillips Judge" in Fox's Weird Comics) that I feel he may have had some involvement with that is not credited to Hanks by anyone else.

[Yoc]

Hi bchat,
Sure, I see you points.  AFAIK there's never been a 'definitive' list of his works but who know, Paul K might include something like that in his next collection.

-Yoc

[bchat]

AFAIK there's never been a 'definitive' list of his works but who know, Paul K might include something like that in his next collection

But I wonder how much of Hanks' work Paul K is aware of or where he is getting that information from when I see comments like "the second volume will combine with the first to make up a "complete works" collection of the cartoonist's powerful and affecting comics".  Unless volume two will be four times the size of volume one, I don't see how that statement could be anywhere near accurate.  If we only get about 15 stories again (or something close to it), from what I can tell, we'll only have about half the work Hanks did in his short comic career.

[Yoc]

Hi B,
Only Paul K (who goes by his GAC name of bix313 here) can answer these questions for sure.  But given the amazing success of v1 perhaps v2 will be much larger?  Hanks did have a short career and we know of at least one story that was reused years later with the artwork changed to give the title a new name.  'Big Red McLane' from Fight Comics being changed to 'Ted Kane' in Witty #1.  So who know how many stories 'really' done by Hanks.  Paul has been lucky to have collectors out there willing to let him scan and publish Hanks work from their collection so I'm sure he's been able to see all the suggested possible Hanks material listed on GCD and in Who's Who and determine for himself what is the real deal.
I sure hope Paul does include an accurate listing of Hank's work for collectors that would like to buy their own original books.

-Yoc

[Brainster]

Comment from long ago scanner in abpc, Marble River:

Hello ABPC!

Just a quick note to alert you all that "SUPERMEN: The First Wave of Comic Book
Heroes 1936-1941" is finally out, edited by Greg Sadowski and published by
Fanatagraphics. Full disclosure: four of the stories were scanned by me from my
comics, and I was an (unpaid) asisstant producer on the project. The book is
pretty great.

As a side note, it's my feeling that it is the good work done by all the folks
at ABPC (one of the few remaining good newsgroups) that has led to this project,
and probably Paul Karasick's Stardust collections as well. Our scans have
filtered into the Golden Age comic collector's collections over the past 10+
years and have helped to sustain interest in the "old stuff", and that is a good
thing.

I hope you all buy 10 or 20 copies and actually read the damn thing! I know I
will.

Best of all, it's Guaranteed Not Fresh,
MR

Posted here by Brainster

[Yoc]

It would be truly be an honour if Marble River himself were to join our ranks.
His name is held in Great Respect by this novice scanner.

-Yoc

[JVJ]

Here's a quote from Bud Plant on the book:

"Supermen ed. by Greg Sadowski is top drawer. Love the spiced up colors and nice warm paper stock; it is the closest thing to the real comics I have seen yet. Nothing like those cold, flat Archives collections. I'm hoping it is a break-out book like the Fletcher Hanks. It deserves it."

As you folks see the book, I'm VERY curious as to how the reproduction approach appeals to you. Seems as if Bud and I are on the same page, but there have been discussions here on GAC about white paper and bright colors being somehow less appealing.

Like MR, I scanned many of the stories in the book, mainly from Bud's comics, but the reproduction approach is purely Greg's. I love it and only wish I had time to have read the thing c2c before flying to Paris.

Thanks again to all JVJ Postage Fund contributors. We'll use it up pretty quickly in May.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[Brainster]

It would be truly be an honour if Marble River himself were to join our ranks.
His name is held in Great Respect by this novice scanner.

-Yoc

First real Golden Age scanner to jump into the abpc mix; I had maybe half a dozen Batman and Detective issues from the 1940s and early 1950s.  I will mention this to him in the chatroom.

[MadMikeyD]

If you look at the Amazon preview for the book you can see the entire table of contents.  These are the 20 stories listed:

"SUPERMEN! The First Wave of Comic Book Heroes 1936-1941" Edited by Greg Sadowski

1. Dr. Mystic by Jerry Siegel & Joe Schuster; Comics Magazine #1 (May 1936)

2. The Clock - "Murder by Proxy" by George E. Brenner; Detective Picture Stories #5 (April 1937)

3. Dan Hastings by Ken Fitch & Fred Guardineer; Star Comics #5 (July 1937)

4. Dirk the Demon by Bill Everett; Amazing Mystery Funnies Vol. 2 #3 (March 1939)

5. The Flame by Will Eisner & Lou Fine; Wonderworld Comics #7 (November 1939)

6. Yarko the Great by Will Eisner; Wonderworld Comics #8 (December 1939)

7. Rex Dexter of Mars by Dick Briefer; Mystery Men #4 (November 1939)

8. Cosmic Carson by Jack Kirby; Science Comics #4 (May 1940)

9. Stardust the Super Wizard by Fletcher Hanks; Fantastic Comics #12 (November 1940)

10. The Comet by Jack Cole; Pep Comics #3 (April 1940)

11. Fero, Planet Detective by Al Bryant; Planet Comics #5 (May 1940)

12. Fantomah, Mystery Woman of the Jungle by Fletcher Hanks; Jungle Comics #4 (April 1940)

13. Marvelo, Monarch of Magicians by Gardner Fox & Fred Guardineer; Big Shot Comics #1 (May 1940)

14. The Face by Gardner Fox & Mart Bailey; Big Shot Comics #1 (May 1940)

15. The Skyman by Gardner Fox & Ogden Whitney; Big Shot Comics #2 (June 1940)

16. Silver Streak by Jack Cole; Silver Streak Comics #4 (May 1940)

17. "The Claw Battles Daredevil" by Jack Cole; Silver Streak Comics #7 (January 1941)

18. Spacehawk, Superhuman Enemy of Crime by Basil Wolverton; Target Comics Vol. 1 #5 (October 1940)

19. Sub Zero by Bill Everett; Blue Bolt Comics Vol. 1 #5 (October 1940)

20. Blue Bolt by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby; Blue Bolt Comics Vol. 1 #10 (March 1941)

Looks like a very interesting collection to me...

[OtherEric]

Marble River is a member; even if he's not very active he does know we're here.

[Yoc]

 
D'oh!
Colour my face red!

Sorry Marble, where ever you are.