Carmine Infantino, 1925-2013

Like many comic-book fans of my generation, I was initially exposed to the late Carmine Infantino’s work through Batman, Flash and Adam Strange reprints DC published as back-up features in the early 1970s.

Stories like “Hate Of The Hooded Hangman” introduced me to an artist whose work looked modern no matter how long ago it had been published.

At this point in my fanboy evolution, I had taken an interest in the creators behind my favorite heroes.  I looked through my DC collection for other pieces by Infantino and discovered the artist had become the company’s publisher.

I was 10 years old and didn’t really know any better, so I sent a letter to Infantino pitching my Batman knock-off, “Night Man,” as DC’s newest superstar. (Not the most original concept, I admit, but at least my character beat Steve Englehart to the name by 20 years!)

As you might expect, Night Man – and his teen sidekick, “Kid Comet” (!)  – weren’t destined for stardom. However, I did receive a kind letter from Infantino that let me down easily and encouraged I continued honing my craft.

(Sadly, I later learned there was little craft to hone. But that’s another story …)

Even though I stupidly lost Infantino’s letter, I always remembered his words fondly and followed the artist’s career after he moved to Marvel and drew such faves as Spider-Woman, Nova and Star Wars. He also returned to The Flash in time for Cary Bates and DC to wrap up the character that jump-started the Silver Age in the first place.

(Like many other seemingly unalterable deaths, Barry Allen eventually got better. Again, that’s a different story.)

The greatest compliment I can pay Infantino is that his best work – which spanned decades – still stands up today.

A good summation of Infantino’s legendary career can be found here. As for this very small corner of the comics-o-sphere, I’d like to pay tribute to his work by posting several stories from Infantino’s bibliography.

Like many of his contemporaries, Infantino was greatly influenced by the work of Milton Caniff. The following tale, which was originally published in 1947, shows that Infantino had already mastered Caniff’s trick of mixing aesthetically pleasing art with gritty, he-man action.

The story, entitled “Mr. Bedlam Hires A Killer,” first appeared in Airboy Comics Vol. 4 #3 (Hillman, April 1947). The hero of the tale, “Rackman,” can best be thought of as Marvel’s Stilt-Man re-imagined as a hard-boiled P.I.

The art is by Infantino and Bernard Sachs.

Our second story demonstrates how far Infantino’s skill had progressed in the span of two years. His slicker style proved a good match for the romance genre, as shown in this tale from Hollywood Confessions #2 (St. John, 1949). “The Scandal I Had To Confess” was written by Robert Bernstein and drawn by Infantino.

Carmine Infantino is best known, of course, for his long tenure at DC Comics. Here’s a story featuring the Golden Age Flash. Although Infantino’s art  – and John Broome’s story – are more sophisticated than most super-hero stories of the era, “The Rival Flash” marked the final issue of Flash Comics until the “Flash” concept was revamped and redesigned by Infantino, Broome and Robert Kanigher seven years later.

The resulting character, Barry Allen, proved popular enough to jump-start the Silver Age of super-hero comics. The boom in sales also led to the revival of the Jay Garrick Flash as well, bringing everything full circle.

From Flash Comics Vol. 1, #104 (DC Comics, February 1949), here’s “The Rival Flash” by Broome, Infantino and Sachs.

When Infantino returned to active freelance work, his style had grown looser but remained vivid. Here’s a story from his tenure at Warren Publications that also demonstrates his long mastery of the sci-fi genre.

“Stand-In,” written by Bruce Jones and inked by Dick Giordano, is primarily about cheating death. Through his lifelong contributions to the comic book industry and its fans, Infantino has achieved an immortality of his own.

The story originally appeared in Vampirella #57 (Warren, January 1977).

My deepest condolences to Mr. Infantino’s family, friends and fans.

Enter Batgirl

Here’s the original, unaired TV episode that would have introduced Barbara Gordon and the All-New Batgirl to the numerous denizens of TV Land circa the late ’60s.

In my book, Yvonne Craig’s portrayal of Barbara Gordon remains definitive to this day. Her embodiment of a fun-loving, alluring and – most important of all – competent super-heroine is the reason why I never liked The Killing Joke.

In fact, the best comic-book representation of this Batgirl – outside of the original story by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino – is the classic Batgirl: Year One mini-series by Scott Beatty, Chuck Dixon, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez.

Maybe that Barbara Gordon will reappear one day in a modern DC comic …

Lock And Key

On the last day of 2012, I thought it would be appropriate to take a glimpse into the world of tomorrow with the man who practically defines the word: Tommy Tomorrow!

The “Time Vault World” originally appeared in Action Comics #195 (DC Comics, August 1954). The story and art are by two of my favorite creators, Otto Binder and Jim Mooney respectively.

Happy New Year!

Remembering Joe Kubert

Like many comic-book fans, I was greatly saddened to hear that Joe Kubert passed away today at the age of 85. He was truly one of the medium’s greatest talents, easily standing alongside the likes of Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Bill Everett, Jack Cole and any other legend one would care to mention.

I first encountered his work through DC’s Bronze Age war titles like Sgt. Rock and Blitzkrieg, but soon discovered his equally revelatory stints on the Golden- and Silver-Age Hawkman via reprints. Every so often, I’d run across a Viking Prince back-up or a Ragman cover and further marvel at the man’s ability to draw a striking and exciting comic.

Those traits would even translate to his earliest, more primitive Golden-Age efforts.

I’ll leave the biographical details and emotional tributes to those who had the pleasure to know and work with Kubert. For now, let’s just remember the man through his astounding body of work.

From Cat-Man Comics #10 (Holyoke, May 1942), here’s an example of early Kubert art starring the electrical super-hero known as Volton!

By the time a few years had passed, Kubert’s style progressed considerably. The difference can readily be seen in this Hawkman feature that was first printed in a “Wheaties Miniature Edition” of Flash Comics (DC Comics, April 1946). “The Scavenger Of The Skies” was written by Gardner Fox.

In the 1950s, Joe Kubert became managing editor of the small St. John imprint, which had already published some of the better comics of the era despite its relative obscurity to such titans as DC.

Kubert created one of his most enduring characters at St. John: Tor. As it was obviously a labor of love, the artist would revive the character several times in subsequent years for a variety of publishers.

Here is Tor’s first appearance in One Million Years Ago #1 (St. John, September 1953). The story is written and drawn by Joe Kubert. Note how his art has essentially evolved to what we recognize today as the classic Kubert style.

My sincerest condolences to Joe Kubert’s family, friends and fans. He will definitely be missed.

Tears Of A Crook

Few Golden Age super-villains had a better gimmick than The Weeper: a homicidal maniac who despised joy and wept crocodile tears over the tragic fates of his victims. Can you just imagine the type of field day Alan Moore or Grant Morrison would have with that particular concept?

The Fawcett creative team certainly knew they had a winner on their hands, as The Weeper returned twice to bedevil his arch-foes Bulletman and Bulletgirl and even formed a super-villain team known as The Revenge Squad.

(Multiple appearances by Golden Age villains were usually reserved for the Claws, Jokers and Sivanas of the funny-book hierarchy. The majority of bad guys in comics’ first decade usually bit the dust after one or two skirmishes.)

The Weeper died sometime later, but his heretofore unknown son took up the mantle after World War II and took on the team of Mary Marvel and Bulletgirl.

This Weeper wasn’t seen again until the 1970s, long after Fawcett was forced out of the super-hero business. In an attempt to replicate their success with introducing Golden Age heroes into the modern era via summer team-ups with the Justice League, the DC brain trust concocted a rather mediocre “Crisis On Earth-S” that brought Fawcett’s heroes and villains face to face with the mightiest heroes of Earth 1 and 2.

The Weeper teamed up with The Joker in that particular tale, giving writers E. Nelson Bridwell and Martin Pasko the opportunity to craft a memorable scene where the morose madman wondered what the Harlequin of Fate found so damn amusing about committing such heinous crimes.

Like most of Fawcett’s characters, The Weeper went into mothballs after that adventure and remained dormant for several decades while less colorful antagonists like Doomsday and the Jason Todd Red Hood hogged the attention.

Fortunately, the good men and women behind the Batman: The Brave And The Bold cartoon recognized The Weeper’s potential and – after recruiting comedian Tim Conway to provide the villain’s voice – once again teamed the Golden Age great with The Joker to provide one of the series’ most memorable episodes.

Given the Nu52’s insistence on revisiting the grim ’n’ gritty ‘90s, it’s unlikely that either The Weeper or his nemesis Bulletman will appear again soon in a DC Comic. Fortunately, readers can still enjoy the villains handful of appearances from the Golden Age.

From Master Comics #23 (Fawcett, February 1942), here’s “The Weeper: The Murderer Who Mourns His Victims.” The art is provided by the Binder studio.

Insects, Nazis and Sivana! Oh My!!

John Byrne once produced a comic where Batman and Captain America teamed up to fight some insane scheme or other concocted by The Joker and Red Skull. At one point, it looked bad for the heroes until the Clown Prince of Crime discovered the Skull’s true motivations …

See, Nazis are such scumbags that even a homicidal maniac like The Joker can’t stand the rotters.

Thaddeus Bodog Sivana has a similar epiphany in the following Captain Marvel Jr. adventure, but in keeping with the mad scientist’s evil nature his main gripe with the Germans is that they’re interfering with his own plans to conquer America.

Throw in an army of monstrous insects and you have another Otto Binder classic!

“Captain Marvel Jr. Battles The Insect Giants” originally appeared in Captain Marvel Junior #12 (Fawcett, October 1943). Although Binder is credited with the story, I couldn’t find any information about the artist.

Dick Sprang

From Batman #20 (DC Comics, December 1943-January 1944)

Blue Beetle Mania

The Blue Beetle’s history extends as far back as Batman’s, a fact that has been obscured by a convoluted publishing history – accompanied by an ever-changing plethora of reboots and other gimmicks – that in all probability inspired the equally checkered past of Michael Chabon’s metafictional Escapist.

Created by Charles Nicholas, Rookie policeman Dan Garret debuted as The Blue Beetle in a crudely written and drawn four-page story that appeared near the back of Mystery Men Comics #1 (Fox Feature Syndicate, August 1939). The character at that point was a straight rip-off of the Green Hornet … which is a good a explanation as you’ll get for Garret’s alliterative codename.

He adopted a variation of the more familiar chain-mail gear in his second appearance and -after a few more visual tweaks –  soon gained enough popularity to earn his own title, a radio show and a syndicated newspaper strip ghosted by Jack Kirby.

To keep up with the ever increasing number of super-powered heroes clogging up the newstands by 1941, the Blue Beetle gained extraordinary abilities thanks to the miracle drug “Vitamin 2x.” Those powers would wax and wane throughout the Golden Age depending upon the needs of the story.

Everything remained status quo until the 12th issue of the Beetle’s own comic, when the Fox imprint seemingly dissolved and the character’s title continued under the auspices of Holyoke. Two issues later, Garret received a teen sidekick.

After 19 issues, Victor Fox regained the rights to the character and erratically published Blue Beetle comics until the ‘50s. During that time, the opportunistic Fox ensured the title reflected the trends of the day.

When “headlight comics” proved to be sure moneymakers, the Beetle found himself shoved off-stage by a succession of femme fatales. (Sparky had long since disappeared, poor kid.)

He also narrated “true crime” stories once Charles Biro’s Crime Does Not Pay started dominating the field.

And frankly, many stories were just plain bizarre.

After the Fox imprint finally gave up the ghost in the mid-‘50s, Charlton acquired the rights to Blue Beetle and printed a few stories that did little to alter the character … aside from changing his name to Dan Garrett.

When the success of Marvel and DC’s Silver Age titles brought super-heroes back into vogue, Charlton called upon writer Joe Gill and artist Tony Tallarico to revamp the Blue Beetle.

To their credit, Gill and Tallarico tried to provide a rationale for the Beetle motif by reintroducing Garret as an archaeologist who finds a mystic scarab. Otherwise, this all-new origin story was essentially Fawcett’s Captain Marvel with Egyptian trappings.

That particular incarnation wasn’t successful, so Garrett was killed off and replaced by this guy …

Sadly, Steve Ditko’s Blue Beetle was no more successful than the previous attempt and faded into comic-book limbo. Eventually, however, DC picked up the rights to the Beetle and other Charlton characters and incorporated them into their universe following the cataclysmic events of the company’s wildly successful Crisis On Infinite Earths mini-series.

The Ted Kord Blue Beetle evolved from that point into the Bwa-ha-ha hero so many modern fans loved … at least until DC decided to make headlines several years later by blowing the poor sod’s head off.

Leading, of course, to yet another new incarnation of the Blue Beetle.

*Phew.* I suppose the one constant throughout the decades of Blue Beetle’s existence has been change, which means we’ll probably see a few more versions of the character before everything is said and done.

In the meantime, however, let’s go back to a simpler time and enjoy the original, Golden Age hero who briefly found enough success to become a multi-media sensation a la Superman and Batman.

From Blue Beetle #1 (Fox Publications, Winter ’39-’40), here’s the “Origin Of The Blue Beetle” as drawn by Will Eisner (!) and the character’s creator, Charles Nicholas.

Hmmm … Dan Garret’s working-class background – replete with snobs and bullies – and desire to avenge his father’s death is somewhat similar to Marvel’s Daredevil. I guess there are only so many ideas under the sun.

The Quick And The Dead

Thanks to Mark Waid, the Golden Age Quicksilver found new life as a prominent supporting character in the Wally West Flash and Bart Allen Impulse titles. Of course, Marvel Comics’ tendency to repurpose the code names of defunct super-heroes forced Waid to rename the Quality Comics hero “Max Mercury.”

Although Quicksilver/Max headlines today’s tale, he doesn’t really play an integral role in bringing the villain to justice. Perhaps that is because the real star is Fred Guardineer, who lends his atypically striking art to the effort. Given his masterful depiction of an otherwise lurid murder mystery, it’s easy to see why Guardineer would become such an integral part of the wildly successful Crime Does Not Pay comic.

From National Comics #28 (Quality Comics, January 1943), here’s “At The Circus!” The art, if you haven’t already guessed, is by Guardineer.

Ms. Tree

Remember when super-heroes took interest in the lives of everyday people?

The Golden Age Wonder Woman – the best version of the character, in my book – takes a bit of time out from wiping out Nazis to reunite a pair of children with their mother and enable a sentient fir tree to find fulfillment!

Take that, New 52!

“The Fir Tree’s Story” originally appeared in Sensation Comics # 14 (DC Comics, February 1943). The story was written by Wonder Woman’s creator, William Moulton Marston, and drawn by the inimitable Harry G. Peter.