In recent weeks, I’ve written about Bill Turner, who has been running the ITHACON comic convention for over 45 years. It’s quite a feat. And when asked how it all started, Bill will tell the tale of the local comic club – where fans would meet to discuss and trade comics.
In today’s world, so many of those actual clubs have been replaced by online groups. I’m in a few comic-focused groups, and I find them to be (generally) fun and enlightening.
One group is dedicated to the DC character Hawkman. Ever since I was a kid in 1967 and I laid my eyes on Brave and the Bold #70, I’ve been a fan. This dynamic Carmine Infantino cover, with inks by Joe Giella, shows – astonishingly – Batman and Hawkman locked in a particularly brutal struggle. They aren’t messing around. Their costumes are shredded. The Batmobile is smashed-up.
”How could this be?”, my five-year-old mind screamed!
That sparked my Hawkman fascination. Just one step over from my Batman obsession.
Fast forward to today: Tim Board’s Hawkworld FB group has re-ignited my Hawkman passion. I’ve written about Tim back in With Further Ado #23. And really, how could any classic comic fan not like Hawkman when so many fantastic creators have contributed their talents to this character? Favorites like Gardner Fox, Ryan Sook, Rags Morales, Tim Truman, Mike Gold, Robert Vendetti, Tony Isabella, Graham Nolan, Tim Truman, Bryan Hitch …the list goes on and on. And it includes two of my favorite, undeniable comic legends: Joe Kubert and Murphy Anderson.
Joe Kubert worked on Hawkman in the Golden Age and then helped relaunch the character during the Silver Age. After a few try-out issues in Brave and the Bold (that was a thing back then), he handed the artistic reigns over to fellow New Jerseyan Murphy Anderson.
Note: Murphy would become the cover and interior artist when Hawkman #1 debuted in 1964.
I had the supreme honor of getting to know both Joe Kubert and Murphy Anderson a bit. Their artistic talents were off-the-charts. Beyond that I was really struck by how kind, humble and professional each of these gentlemen was. These were both exceptional people, in addition to being exceptional entrepreneurs, exceptional family men and exceptional artists.
That’s why, when I recently purchased a copy of Mystery in Space #87, one of the tryout issues for Hawkman, I was surprised-not-surprised to find the following letter in the letter column. In this issue Joe was officially passing the baton to Murphy. I was so impressed to find this gem as the first letter in the Letter to the Editors page, entitled (underwhelmingly) Via Rocket Mail.
Kubert rolls out the red carpet for his successor, Anderson. Does it get kinder, classier or more professional than this?
{And sharp-eyed comics fans will note editor Julie Schwartz stealing Stan Lee’s “nuff said” in his response to the letter.}
Joe Kubert and Murphy Anderson. Geez, what great guys.
*Although I will always think of Murphy as a true-blue Tarheel!
I blame Julius Schwartz.