Summer Anne Burton - Every Hall of Famer

2011.10 -
I first read about Summer Anne Burton's project Every Hall of Famer in the May web-issue of ESPN Magazine, and I immediately liked the project. Beginning in January 2011, Ms. Burton began drawing a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame every day in chronological order. This really is a momentous and monumental task.

I have always appreciated the sports editorial cartoonists when I was growing up, Bill Gallo and Bruce Stark. The art was great and the subject matter was usually the Yankees, Mets, boxing, horse racing, etc...A a child it was like reading the daily comics but learning about the current events in sports...

As I grew older I became more aware of artists like Willard Mullin, creator of the Brooklyn Bum, the iconic image of the Dodgers and Karl Hubenthal...Now when newspapers are cutting back on their content, most sports cartoons have vanished. Editorial cartoonists have picked up a few sports subjects, usually the worst of sports like steroid use, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Michael Vick, Tiger Woods...

I miss the sports cartoons...although there are a few sports related comic strips like In the Bleachers by Steve Moore, Tank McNamara and Cleats (which recently ended its run) by Bill Hinds, Benchies by Rick Pearson, Small Market Sports by Bill Charbonneau, Gil Thorp created in 1958 by Jack Berrill and currently drawn by Rod Whigham

When I read about Every Hall of Famer I knew I would like to obtain a sketch, and who better than Mickey Mantle. Admittedly I rooted for Roger Maris as a kid, probably because my brother rooted for Mantle. Since the USPS issued a set of stamps honoring baseball heroes Mantle, Roy Campanella, Mel Ott and Hank Greenberg, my choice for a sketch on cover had to be Mantle! What a joy I saw the drawing of Mantle, it's a hit!

I had the pleasure of meeting Mickey Mantle 1990.10.28 at a sports card show in Edison, NJ... I have an autograph book in which I do sketches of the athlete and then have them sign the page..

- - -

Jack Matsuoka is best known for his book about Japanese relocation camp life titled Camp II, Block 211 (Japan Publications, Inc. 1974), a humorous look at life in Poston relocation camp.

Matsuoka began drawing at an early age. With no formal art education, Matsuoka would soon draw for the camp newspaper. In the 1960's Matsuoka was living in California and began drawing cartoons for the UC Bears and Berkely Gazette. By 1969 he was a freelance cartoonist, working as the Editorial cartoonist for Pacifica Tribune, as well as providing drawings for the San Francisco Examiner, San Mateo Times, San Jose Mercury. At the Times, Matsuoka would mostly draw sports cartoons...

Matsuoka has donated original drawings to the Japanese Historical Museum, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Cornell Universities.

2002 National Japanese American Historical Society.

Random sports in comic strips

Lio by Mark Tatulli - 2011.06.14

Shoe by Chris Cassatt, Gary Brookins and Susie MacNelly - 2006.03.24

Billy Tan - Wolverine

2008.12.07 Comic Fest, East Hanover, NJ

Billy Tan became a regular artist on Marvel's Uncanny X-Men in 2006. he began his career as a penciller in the 1990s for Image Comics with Codename: Stryke Force, Tomb Raider and Witchblade.

While with Marvel, Tan has also provided work for Thor, New Avengers, Star Trek an Daredevil.

Wolverine first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1974 in The Incredible Hulk #180, in the last panel and making a full appearance in the following issue. Wolverine was created by Len Wein, John Romita Jr. and Herb Trimpe...

In 1975 Wolverine was recruited into the X-Men and by 1982 his popularity lead to a 4-part mini series. In 1988 Wolverine had his own title...

Wolverine's popularity continues through comics, movies and animation

William Torres - Wolverine

2011.09.17 Barnabas Health Super Heroes for Hospice, Monmouth Mall, Eatontown, NJ

William Torres ha provided is skills to the comics The Apneist (based on the album by A Life of Science), Freshmen Summer Vacation Special an The Sire: Revelations...A comic fan at heart, Torres has trained himself to become a comic book illustrator. Torres work has also been featured on the A&E show Dog the Bounty Hunter and Blue Waters Production Valkyrie #1, 10th Muse 800 #1 an Judo-Girl & Venus one-shot...

Torres chose the subject on this, because he likes to draw the Wolverine...

William Olmo - Wonder Woman

2011.07.16 Barnabas Health Superheroes for Hospice Comic Book Show, Livingston, NJ

I presented Mr. Olmo with several options, and we came upon the idea of Wonder Woman posing like Marilyn Monroe...His rendition of Wonder Woman posing like Marilyn, complete with big earrings and Marilyn styled hair is perfect! William Olmo is an independent artist, he work appearing on American Screaming Eagle and Omega Sector...

Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter, 1941, is a Princess of the Amazons, as a distinctly female role model bringing the ideals of love, peace and sexual equality to a world torn by the hatred of men..

Marilyn Monroe is listed in Wikipedia as an actress, model and singer (?). Her dumb blonde persona and her beauty have made her an icon in the film world. 1999 Monroe was ranked as the 6th greatest female star of all-time by the American Film Institute.

Both women are held in high regard and are easily two of the most recognized female role models in pop culture...

William Olmo is a friend of the Barnabas Health Hospice comic book shows, appearing at several of the events, often with William Torres (more from the both of them in the coming weeks)...

William Olmo and William Torres at the Barnabas Health Superheroes for Hospice

2011.09.17 Monmouth Mall, Eatontown, NJ

Tom Wilson - Ziggy

Ziggy c1984

2011.09.16 Tom Wilson creator of the Ziggy, the comic strip character who stumbles through life, like the rest of us, passed away at age 80. Wilson created Ziggy in 1969, based on memories from Wilson's childhood, "Ziggy is an experience", "I think in our own heads we're never all that confident. I'm not".

Wilson was working for American Greetings when he created Ziggy for a humor book. Ziggy became a comic strip in 1971 starting in 15 newspapers. Ziggy is now seen in more than 500 newspapers, has appeared in television specials, paperbacks and thousands of office bulletin boards...

Wilson drew Ziggy until 1987, when Tom Jr (Tom Wilson II) took over the strip from his father and continues to draw Ziggy today...

Bryan "Kaiser" Tillman - Ninja

2011.05.22 Wizard Comic Con, NYC

Bryan "The Kaiser" Tillman - he has his own Creature game-card...Looking through his portfolio I decided to request a sketch, but was not sure of what to go for. My son Matt said to get a ninja. I didn't think I had a cover that would carry a ninja sketch well, so Matt looked through the hundred covers I usually carry with me, and thought the Hawk on the Recovering Species FDC would work., so we set the challenge before The Kasier. Draw a ninja with a hawk reference. He accepted the challenge and achieved success...

When The Kaiser comes into play all other creatures are destroyed. All of your opponents deck has to be placed in the boneyard/ the kaiser card can not be countered.

Remember the Oscar Gamble baseball card

Scott Lincoln - Ralf the Destroyer

2011.06.18 Wizard Comic Con, Philadelphia, Pa

Scott Lincoln started in the comic business by drawing a comic strip called Kabloona for the Winsted Phoenix in 1980's, and then moving over to the Winsted Courier. After an opportunity to meet with Guy Gilchrist, Lincoln began assisting Gilchrist on the Nancy and Nights Lights comic strips.

Gilchrist would open a Cartoon Academy, at which Lincoln would teach drawing. The character of Ralf the Destroyer was born during these lessons in 2004.

Ralf is an anti-villain, a villain who can't help being good. Recruited as a one-man demolition crew with the goal of destroying Earth. But Ralf discovers the wonders of the planet and it's inhabitants including Mai, an astronomer. Ralf struggles with the thoughts of being ruler of this planet or destroying it. However most of Earth's inhabitants fail to notice his invasion or that he is an alien...

Ralf the Destroyer

Dave Ryan - War of the Independents

2011.07.16 Superheroes for Hospice, Livingston, NJ ...the Wizard Mathonway, from Ryan's Penance looking at the Sorcerer Mickey with some doubt "What kind of Wizard is this?"

The cover is from Pushin' the Envelope limited edition cachets. The cachet portion is actually placed on the same side as the Mickey sorcerer stamp, and features the dancing brooms from Fantasia. The cancel is a digital color cancel, not one I usually choose, but I liked the cover and wanted to get a wizard sketch to go with it...

David Ryan, creator of Penance, has embarked on an undertaken an adventure known as the War of the Independents..."Who didn't like to see their favorite heroes band together in an unbelievably big event". As Indie crossovers were uncommon, Ryan felt the time was right to bring the Indie heroes together. To Ryan this was not about him reinventing each character, but bringing them together and use each of their strengths in the storyline...

Featured in the story are: Penance, Zippy the Pinhead, Captain Canuck, Johnny Raygun, The Tick, E-Man, Usagi Yojimbo, Fem Force, Too Much Coffee Man, Flaming Carrot, Bone, Gumby and Pokey, Mr. Monster, Cerebus, Shadowhawk, Mad Man, Captain Action, Megaton man, The Maxx and many others....

Zippy the Pinhead, is a comic strip created by Bill Griffith in 1971 starting out in underground publications before being syndicated. Zippy is unusual in that the comic strip features literary nonsense, an a near-abscence of jokes. Griffith's artwork is more intricate than the majority of daily comics. I am curious to see how Zippy can fit into this story. Zippy can be seen on the cover above the Flaming Carrot.

www.zippythepinhead.com

Captain Canuck was created by Richard Comley (artist) and Ron Leishman (writer) first appearing in Captain Canuck #1, July 1975. Tom Evans, a Canadian secret agent gains superhuman powers from contact with extraterrestrials. Captain Canuck was reincarnated in 1993 as Darren Oa to fight global conspiracy. A third incarnation was known as the West Coast Captain Canuck was created by Reil Langlois and Drue Langlois, story edited by Richard Comley...

www.captaincanuck.com

Captain Canuck was honored by Canada Post in 1995, October 2, along with Superman, Nelvana, Fleur de Lys, and Johnny Canuck

Gene Deitch - Credits

I received an e-mail from Gene Deitch the other day, informing me (and many others) about his new blog - Gene Deitch Credits - The 65 Greats behind the scenes

From the e-mail: "This week I've posted two new pivotal career markers on my "Roll The Credits!" blog. One is about the nuts & bolts of a beginning in graphic arts, (war-time edition), and the other is about the man who most inspired my own graphics direction, ending with a never before published letter that I believe will blow your mind.... Please read it, and be inspired!

The blog is basically an autobiography of the man behind many of television's early animation - as Gene states - The Incredible people who helped make my 80-year career...

They made me look good, and it's high-time I give them the credit they deserve!

Take a few minutes to look at Gene and the people around him, how they helped to shape his career and life...

Keith Giffen - LOBO

Keith Giffen...Lobo...2010.02.18 Dewey's Comic City, Madison, NJ

Giffen has been penciller and writer for many comics including XO-Manowar, Magnus Robot Fighter, Solar Man of the Atom, The Defenders, Hero Squad, All-Star Comics, Dr. Fate. Giffen's style has been influenced by many other artists over the years, and the Jack Kirby influence is readily seen in the new issue of the Legion of Superheroes...

Giffen is probably best known as the co-creator, with Roger Slifer, of Lobo...alien, interstellar mercenary and bounty hunter. I thought the Take a Bite Out of Crime first day cover worked well with Lobo's character.

I have to be honest in that I never had an interest in Lobo and never heard of another of Giffen's creations, Ambush Bug. These characters appeared during a time when I was not reading comics. However, Giffen is the penciller of an old favorite the Legion of Superheroes. Growing up I like the idea of Saturn Girl, Sun Boy, Bouncing Boy, Lighting Lad, Lighting Lass, Cosmic Boy, Superboy....it was a superhero club of teenaged heroes, formed in 1958, with an interesting array of powers that allowed them to take on the bigger and badder criminals of space. Although the members have changed through the years, the concept has not...

Giffen signed first page of Legion of Super Heroes Annual (Feb 2011)

Fred Chao - Johnny Hiro

2011.04.03 Wild Pig Comic Con, Somerset, NJ .. Johnny Hiro, his girlfriend Mayumi Murakami, and Super A-OK Robot in the corner. I chose the dinosaur (T Rex) stamp as Johnny first encounters Godazilla (a giant dinosaur) in the first panel of Johnny Hiro #1...

Johnn Hiro is a half-Asian busboy working in a sushi resturant in the city...but strange things keep happening to Hiro such as fighting giant dinosaurs and battling business ninjas...Hiro is more concerned about keeping his job at the restaurant than about the strange and supernatural events he seems to encounter...

Fred Chao is a free lance illustrator and graphic designer, creator of the comic Johnny Hiro {half asian, all hero}, published by AdHouse Books...Chao was nominated for 4 Eisner Comic industry awards and included in The Best American Comics 2010 anthology...

Chao utilizes a Chinese seal (the red impression) on his sketches. The Chinese seal is a stamp that is used in lieu of a signature on personal documents or for proof of authorship. It adds a nice touch to the sketch.

Alitha Martinez - Yume and Ever

2011.07.16 Superheroes for Hospice, Livingston, NJ

Altiha martinez is a veteran of the comic industry having drawn for Ironman, Black Panther, Spider-Girl, Fantastic Four, Shi, Voltron, Twisted Journeys, X-Men: Black Sun, as well as drawing political cartoons for the NY Post...

Usually Ms. martinez does not draw at conventions, but I was fortunate that she agreed to provide me with a sketch of her creation Yume...

Yume and Ever - All the great heroes are dead!, Wiped out in a great battle. Evil has a diabolical scheme to rule the world, the heroes unite to defeat the foe. After an epic battle the bad guys lose...Wrong. The bad guys win leaving Yume and Ever to take on the challenge...

Yume presents a blend of styles, as Martinez draws as without rules that can not be broken...Yume means dream in Japanese and the first issue is like reading a dream as the story unfolds before you...

Twisted Journeys - You are the hero of the book. Your journey is packed with adventures and every story stars you! At every twist, you're the one who gets to decide what happens next. But be careful...the wrong decision could make you journey very short!

Twisted Journeys #16 The Quest for Dragon Mountain...written by Robin Mayhall, illustrated by Alitha Martinez.

Jamal Peppers - Archie

2011.05.22 Wizard Comic Con, NY

Jamal Peppers worked in illustration and design, but got his start in comics at Archie Comics where he has worked on Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Universe and Mega Man...