Tag: Back Issue Magazine

With Further Ado #217: Chasing after Zorro 65 years later

With Further Ado #217: Chasing after Zorro 65 years later

Disney+ gets so much attention from comic and geek culture fans for all the Star Wars and Marvel shows. Sometimes it gets a little too much attention, like the kind of attention from the misguided fans who are righteously indignant about Eiza Gonzalez being supposedly cast as Elektra.

But the Disney+ news that really excites me is their plans to re-release the old Zorro series. It debuted sixty-five years ago this month.

Their official release reads:

“Zorro” is an American action-adventure western series produced by Walt Disney Productions and starring Guy Williams. Based on the Zorro character created by Johnston McCulley, the series premiered on October 10, 1957, on ABC. The final network broadcast was July 2, 1959. Seventy-eight episodes were produced, and four hour-long specials were aired on the Walt Disney anthology series between October 30, 1960, and April 2, 1961.

Anthony Tollin, whom you might associate more closely with another crusading avenger dressed in black, The Shadow, recently posted on social media, “65 years ago today, Walt Disney’s ZORRO (starring Guy Williams) premieres on ABC-TV on October 10th, 1957. My favorite TV series as a child, it remains the ONLY one that fully lives up to my childhood memories of it! Great scripts and direction, incredible cast and superb music composed by William Lava. The second unit director during the first season was the legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt.” Continue reading “With Further Ado #217: Chasing after Zorro 65 years later”

With Further Ado #189: Star Light, Star Bright

With Further Ado #189: Star Light, Star Bright

There’s something special about writing and documenting comics history.  Part of it is celebrating cherished things, part is speaking with favorite creators, and yet another part of it is just starting a conversation amongst fans.

Back Issue Magazine, published by TwoMorrows, is one of those magazines that I both love and dread. I love reading it, and contributing articles to it, but, if I am truthful, I kind of dread it because I always find every article so compelling. I find I’ve got to carve out big chunks of time to read it.

But hey, if that’s my worst problem life isn’t so bad, right?

Here’s an opening excerpt of my latest article, focusing on one of DC’s many Starmen characters.  It was a kick to research and write, and here you’ll even see insights from fellow Pop Culture Squad columnist Mike Gold in this excerpt (and more in the full article).

Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art — John Keats

Imagine creating a comic hero with a proud historical name, the everyman quality of Marvel Comics and a unique fresh setting. It seems like a foolproof recipe for success. Instead, like a competent athlete overshadowed by a younger brother’s extraordinary success, the 1988 Starman’s fame was eclipsed. He would be relegated to the bargain boxes at the local comic shop and occasional guest appearances.

But there was something wonderful and bright and optimistic about this 1988 Starman series. Like a glance up into a sky full of stars on a summer night, this comic was full of hope, wonder and potential.

Another Star Is Born

While the name Starman has a long history, this incarnation of Starman was meant to be something new and different.   In the first issue, editor Bob Greenberger provided two text pieces. “Star Light, Star Bright, Fourth Star I See Tonight” explained the history of the various Starmen who preceded this character.  The second text piece, “The Rebirth of Starman” ran on the inside back cover (!) and detailed how Mike Gold challenged him to create a hero from an existing name.

“The retailers didn’t want to bet on the same thing,” said Gold. “They wanted to give something new a try.”

As Greenberg recounted, creating a new Hourman was of interest, but that name was already in use in Infinity, Inc.  And so, they moved on to Starman.  The company-wide Invasion series was also being planned, and there were natural synergies that could be leveraged with Starman. Greenberg also detailed how he recruited writer Roger Stern and artist Tom Lyle.

The first issue got things rolling along quickly. Readers are introduced to a hiker who is found in the wilderness. It’s all very mysterious and creepy.  Soon the hiker, Will Payton, is on the run from the authorities, discovers his powers, and tries to sort it all out.

His saving grace, in his evolution to becoming a superhero, is his sister Jayne. She’s what we would today call a Fangirl. Jayne has a deep knowledge of how superheroes operate and has the skills to design his costume.

Ed Konecny of Comics, Etc. has fond memories of the character. “Unlike most characters at the time, there was no direct lineage to the last generation of hero,” said Konecny. “Ted Knight (the original Starman) had long since been obscured by the Crisis events. Golden age characters had lost their appeal and the rise of characters of “true grit”. Amongst the strangeness of the late eighties, a story about a lone hiker being found within a circle charred into the ground, and without a mark on him, smacked of aliens and the title Starman was still fresh from Jeff Bridges attempt to bring a character of the same name.”

For more on this Starman, and so many other Starmen, grab a copy of Back Issue #133, on sale now at finer comic shops.  You can also buy it directly from TwoMorrows. Tell them Ed sent ya.

With Further Ado #81: Staying in the Business, A Tribute to Victor Gorelick

With Further Ado #81: Staying in the Business, A Tribute to Victor Gorelick

It was a real drag to learn of the passing of Victor Gorelick over the weekend. The longtime Archie Comics Editor-in-Chief was quite a guy, and the industry will be that much smaller without his contributions.   Just one of the most amazing things about Victor was that he knew how to keep a job. He started at Archie at age 16, and stayed there for over 60 years!

When I graduated UNC with my MBA many years ago, the conventional path was finding a job with a big company. This was well before the current fascination (rightly so!) with entrepreneurial ventures.  I chased after the big company jobs, just like everyone else.  But even back then I had an idea that “geek culture”, although we never called it that, had the potential to be a big deal both creatively and for business, although I never anticipated the unparalleled success of something like the Marvel Movies.

So, during my job search at business school, I reached out to comics companies, most of whom had no idea of the job I was envisioning.  I was offered the opportunity to interview with Archie Comics. Publisher Michael Silberkleit invited me to their famous Mamaroneck, NY headquarters.  We had a great time getting to know one another and discussing the industry and where it might go. Continue reading “With Further Ado #81: Staying in the Business, A Tribute to Victor Gorelick”