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January 28 - Back to my review of the last year with...
The WOMP-Blog's Biggest Stories of 2008
Number Three - De-Bunkered
As far as "big" stories go, I suppose that this one is bigger for me than others. I mean, it may be no big deal to you that Walter Simonson wrote to me, or that Michael Netzer and I have become friends of a sort, or that I spent an hour or so talking to Howard Chaykin, but, to me, having these personal contacts with comics legends/former Crusty Bunkers was HUGE! Following on 2007's Crusty Bunker explorations, 2008 solidified my interest - and involvement - in the history of those who once lent a hand (or a pen or a brush) under that odd-sounding nom de plume. Probably the best thing that happened was that much of what I'd previously supposed has been debunked, amended, or at least clarified. While this might frustrate or humble some, I'm so happy to have a clearer picture of the subject that I've decided to take it to the next level. Yes, as everyone who reads this blog with any regularity has already figured this out, I'm planning on writing a book about the Bunkers. Why? Well, I just think that such a book should be written, that there is a real (but small?) market for such a book, and that I already have a good head start and vested interest. So, be warned, WOMP-Blog readers and/or former Crusty Bunkers; I am actually - GASP - motivated!
_______________
OK, so now the cat's out of the bag. Mostly. I still have withheld some of the project's secrets and surprises. And it's not because I like teasing you (although, admittedly, that's a great bonus), but because of the Internet's all-seeing, sometimes-stealing nature. When I have things more shored-up, I'll begin to let you all in a little more. Hopefully, if all goes reasonably well, this will be on the list of "The WOMP-Blog's Biggest Stories of 2009." More tomorrow. For tonight, here are some more Dead Comic Book Characters of The Day - Maxwell Lord, Darth Vader, Yoda, Gwen Stacy, Captain Marvel, The Blue Beetle, The Question, Jor-El, Ben Parker, Jonathan Kent, and Dr. Thomas Wayne!
**WOMP-BLOG ARCHIVES EXCLUSIVE** - Just for you, offered below (for research purposes ONLY...I claim no copyright) is an actual Crusty Bunker illustrated story from back in the day. Published by Marvel in Dracula Lives! #3 (October, 1973), the story, written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Alan Weiss, features Robert E. Howard's character Solomon Kane versus Bram Stoker's vampiric Count. Enjoy!
October 24 - Heya! I hope you all had a great Mole Day yesterday (more about that here). Now, here's some more 2008 FallCon convention report...
And I Shall Remain...The FallCon-er!
Part Two - I Am Iron(ic) Man
With no new products to promote, I spent much of the convention making "contacts." Sort of. Mostly, I just wandered around, looking for old friends. And I found them! The Staff and I came across befezed Mike Toft at the table for the local chapter of the International Cartoonist Conspiracy.
Mike's the best, man. His mini, Brain Food, has just hit lucky number thirteen, delivering more subversive political and social satire (or however you'd describe it...it kind of defies easy explanation). Later, we ran into roving Jazma Online interviewer, Allen Klingelhoets, to whom I had to apologize for not returning his latest e-interview. Sorry! It's coming soon, Allen. I promise! The Staff and I also sought out former booth buddy Maxxx Madcap, the Grand Poo-Bah of Funny Bone Productions.
In addition to his usual nutty gag-panel limited edition prints and such, he was drawing caricatures and selling two special full-color '08 Presidential Election prints. The better selling print by far was, understandably, Barack Obama as Captain Omerica. Less popular was the adorable Sarah Palin as superheroic Josephine Six-Pack. In a fit of impish generosity, Maxxx gave us a signed copy of "Josephine" for our collection. Thanks? And, as far as finding the tables or booths of old friends, that was about it. As I mentioned, the show was jam-packed with guests, so we didn't really have much of an opportunity to seek out anyone else, although we did stop very briefly at artist Brent Schoonover's table. He's a fantastic artist, perhaps best known for the comic book Horrorwood (Brent's site is here). Otherwise, my only other trip away from the WOMP (half)table was to speak to comics legend Howard Chaykin!
(I forgot to get a photo! This image is from Wikipedia)
Look; for whatever reason, I've become peripherally involved in the history of Crusty Bunker, so I could not pass up on the chance to speak to someone who was not only there when it all began, but - after Neal Adams - was one of the most important forces behind the whole story. But...well, he's sort of a hero of mine, so I was pretty nervous about approaching him...especially regarding a subject which may bring up unpleasant memories. Still, I knew that I had to do it, if only because I'd have kicked myself forever if I hadn't. Besides, Walter Simonson told me to do it. So, off I went, leaving behind a note saying "BACK IN 10 MINUTES" and the incredibly patient (saintly, really) WOMP Staff. Fortunately for me, when I got to Mr. Chaykin's table, one-time booth buddy Jeff Rose (curator of The Official Alex Toth Website) was also waiting to talk to him. We stood there for a bit, catching up (he had another daughter - Veronica!), and even chatting with cartoonist Zander Cannon and some of his family, until suddenly, we found ourselves alone with Howard Chaykin. We introduced ourselves, and each made our requests to pick Mr. Chaykin's brain. I don't know why I was so afraid. Mr. Chaykin was a gracious, gushing font of knowledge and opinion! For over an hour, the three of us (and another guy who, about midway through, also stopped by) talked about all kinds of things; the past, the present, books, original art collecting, old movies, new movies, old-time illustrators, current illustrators, and how we are now living in the age of irony. He laid out his belief that a lot of what people do is now done ironically. For example, he asserted that a man could not wear a fedora without the act being an ironic reflection of a long gone time when people might have worn such a hat "genuinely." As he explained his views, I stood there listening, adding my two cents, and agreeing...all while sporting a 1930's haircut and a big, bold necktie. In fact, with my own fedora waiting for me back at the WOMP table, I realized that I am Ironic Man! I've immersed myself in elements of the past for much of my life. Early on, it probably was done with a sense of irony. Today, though? I don't remember anymore. It's just how I roll, man. I can tell you this; I no longer wear an old style of hat, or wide tie, or whatever, in some kind of effort to seem like a retro-nut. These days, I just wear that kind of stuff because it's my clothing. I do try to "dress up" nicely for comics conventions, but that's more to do with a level of respect that I hold for the whole comic book business as a business than with some sort of attempted hipsterism. The thing is...well...a lot of the other guests wear the same things. In fact, in our little row, just booth-buddy GK3 was tieless. Back in the day, only the enigmatic Matt Feazell and I wore anything other than hooded sweatshirts or screen-printed tees. At this year's FallCon, I noticed that even the T-shirts were worn ironically in an environment where images of Spidey or Batman should be authentically embraced, not artificially "aged" to look vintage and hip. I'm not sure how I feel about all of that, but I definitely noticed it. And so has Howard Chaykin, so we had a very lively discussion about it all. And about the Crusty Bunkers, of course. After thanking Mr. Chaykin profusely, Jeff accompanied me back to the WOMP table. "You are so lucky, John, to have a wife who tolerates all of this," Jeff said while motioning liberally to the costumed fans, boxes of comics, and happy nerds. And I am. There she was, sitting patiently behind a sign that had been amended to read "BACK IN 100 MINUTES!" Ah. Is it any wonder I love her? More later, including some shouts out (or shout-outs?) to folks who stopped by the WOMP table to say "Hi!" Here, just to get caught up to some of what I had planned before getting sick, are what should have been your Comic Book Politician Characters of The Day for - the 8th - District Attorney Harvey Dent, and the 9th - President Mon Mothma!
Mike's the best, man. His mini, Brain Food, has just hit lucky number thirteen, delivering more subversive political and social satire (or however you'd describe it...it kind of defies easy explanation). Later, we ran into roving Jazma Online interviewer, Allen Klingelhoets, to whom I had to apologize for not returning his latest e-interview. Sorry! It's coming soon, Allen. I promise! The Staff and I also sought out former booth buddy Maxxx Madcap, the Grand Poo-Bah of Funny Bone Productions.
In addition to his usual nutty gag-panel limited edition prints and such, he was drawing caricatures and selling two special full-color '08 Presidential Election prints. The better selling print by far was, understandably, Barack Obama as Captain Omerica. Less popular was the adorable Sarah Palin as superheroic Josephine Six-Pack. In a fit of impish generosity, Maxxx gave us a signed copy of "Josephine" for our collection. Thanks? And, as far as finding the tables or booths of old friends, that was about it. As I mentioned, the show was jam-packed with guests, so we didn't really have much of an opportunity to seek out anyone else, although we did stop very briefly at artist Brent Schoonover's table. He's a fantastic artist, perhaps best known for the comic book Horrorwood (Brent's site is here). Otherwise, my only other trip away from the WOMP (half)table was to speak to comics legend Howard Chaykin!
(I forgot to get a photo! This image is from Wikipedia)
Look; for whatever reason, I've become peripherally involved in the history of Crusty Bunker, so I could not pass up on the chance to speak to someone who was not only there when it all began, but - after Neal Adams - was one of the most important forces behind the whole story. But...well, he's sort of a hero of mine, so I was pretty nervous about approaching him...especially regarding a subject which may bring up unpleasant memories. Still, I knew that I had to do it, if only because I'd have kicked myself forever if I hadn't. Besides, Walter Simonson told me to do it. So, off I went, leaving behind a note saying "BACK IN 10 MINUTES" and the incredibly patient (saintly, really) WOMP Staff. Fortunately for me, when I got to Mr. Chaykin's table, one-time booth buddy Jeff Rose (curator of The Official Alex Toth Website) was also waiting to talk to him. We stood there for a bit, catching up (he had another daughter - Veronica!), and even chatting with cartoonist Zander Cannon and some of his family, until suddenly, we found ourselves alone with Howard Chaykin. We introduced ourselves, and each made our requests to pick Mr. Chaykin's brain. I don't know why I was so afraid. Mr. Chaykin was a gracious, gushing font of knowledge and opinion! For over an hour, the three of us (and another guy who, about midway through, also stopped by) talked about all kinds of things; the past, the present, books, original art collecting, old movies, new movies, old-time illustrators, current illustrators, and how we are now living in the age of irony. He laid out his belief that a lot of what people do is now done ironically. For example, he asserted that a man could not wear a fedora without the act being an ironic reflection of a long gone time when people might have worn such a hat "genuinely." As he explained his views, I stood there listening, adding my two cents, and agreeing...all while sporting a 1930's haircut and a big, bold necktie. In fact, with my own fedora waiting for me back at the WOMP table, I realized that I am Ironic Man! I've immersed myself in elements of the past for much of my life. Early on, it probably was done with a sense of irony. Today, though? I don't remember anymore. It's just how I roll, man. I can tell you this; I no longer wear an old style of hat, or wide tie, or whatever, in some kind of effort to seem like a retro-nut. These days, I just wear that kind of stuff because it's my clothing. I do try to "dress up" nicely for comics conventions, but that's more to do with a level of respect that I hold for the whole comic book business as a business than with some sort of attempted hipsterism. The thing is...well...a lot of the other guests wear the same things. In fact, in our little row, just booth-buddy GK3 was tieless. Back in the day, only the enigmatic Matt Feazell and I wore anything other than hooded sweatshirts or screen-printed tees. At this year's FallCon, I noticed that even the T-shirts were worn ironically in an environment where images of Spidey or Batman should be authentically embraced, not artificially "aged" to look vintage and hip. I'm not sure how I feel about all of that, but I definitely noticed it. And so has Howard Chaykin, so we had a very lively discussion about it all. And about the Crusty Bunkers, of course. After thanking Mr. Chaykin profusely, Jeff accompanied me back to the WOMP table. "You are so lucky, John, to have a wife who tolerates all of this," Jeff said while motioning liberally to the costumed fans, boxes of comics, and happy nerds. And I am. There she was, sitting patiently behind a sign that had been amended to read "BACK IN 100 MINUTES!" Ah. Is it any wonder I love her? More later, including some shouts out (or shout-outs?) to folks who stopped by the WOMP table to say "Hi!" Here, just to get caught up to some of what I had planned before getting sick, are what should have been your Comic Book Politician Characters of The Day for - the 8th - District Attorney Harvey Dent, and the 9th - President Mon Mothma!
September 8 - So, what else have I been forgetting and/or forgoing? Well...
4) We have a new cat! Actually, he's just a baby, having just turned two months old. Basically, my mother-in-law found out too late that pets were not allowed in her new apartment, so into the mix of already-too-many cats at WOMP Headquarters comes...
Alex P. Kitten
(aint he just the cutest?)
(aint he just the cutest?)
As for the play on the name of Michael J. Fox's character on the Family Ties TV sitcom of two decades ago...? Well, he had already been named Alex when we got him, and there seemed to be a patriotic/political "theme" to his life, just as there was for Fox's character. He was born on the Fourth of July, and we got him on Labor Day in the midst of political party conventions and a hotly contested Presidential election season. The night before we drove over to get Alex, I had a dream in which we called him "Alex P. Kitten." When I woke up, I thought "Well, that's as good a name as any other, I suppose," and now Alex is stuck with it. Not that he minds, of course. He's all sorts of crazy, kitteny fun. He's jumping, running, tipping things over, eating everything, and (and I swear this is true) guzzling beer (OK, "guzzling" is in the eye of the guzzler, I suppose...all Alex really did is lick the moisture off of an empty bottle). Finally, today, all resident cats have warmed to his wobbly antics. He's actually fitting in quite nicely, although this addition to the menagerie officially makes us "crazy cat people."
5) Thanks to the Wisconsin ArtsBuild program, I am one of just 175 people soon to be featured in a guide to Wisconsin artists! It's not that big of a deal, really. The whole thing is more of a glorified database, but it's still pretty cool. I don't know what will come from this (if anything), but I'm mildly jazzed about it. I can't be too happy, of course, or the fickle gods of fate will slap me down. Especially troubling was the request to provide a single example of my work (just ONE? Man, I draw WAY too many different kinds of things to narrow it down to a lone piece), and a photo of myself. As you may or may not know, I do not allow photographic images to be taken of me. It's my firm belief that such a photo would steal my soul...leaving behind a fat dork who roughly resembles me. Still, I was able to scare up an image from my last "Done-In-One" comic book workshop in Delavan, Wisconsin. Also, cheating a bit, instead of one representative art piece, I submitted a mish-mash mosaic featuring several of my recent illustrations. I'll try to post more about this when the directory is published.
6) About a month ago, I dropped a teensy hint about "my upcoming book(s)." So, just what the heck was I thinking? Well, first of all, back then I was pretty gung-ho on the idea of collecting, annotating, illustrating, and publishing my Crusty Bunker bloggings. I spent several weeks buying every vintage Crusty-inked comic book, as well as examples of other stuff that the individual Bunkers have done since (an impressive percentage of recent illustrated Pop Culture history). The plan was to have everything ready for this year's FallCon, but, well, time is running out. At best, I may have a preview version available for the show. The book itself may take another year (I'd rather do it right than soon). Still, there is a new book printing business nearby, so I might come up with something else instead. I'm leaning toward some sort of compilation of short stories from the World of Monkey, both my own and those produced by guest writers (I have collected several of these over the years, but have yet to find a way to share them). A distant possibility would be a collection of my Kubert School remembrances from August, but that is even less likely (especially since "Hazy Recollections of An Embittered Never-Was" doesn't seem like the most saleable book). Time will tell, I guess.
That's about it for now. Here are two more Often Mispronounced Comics Creators' Names (and How To Pronounce Them) of The Day for - the 7th - Tim Seeley (SEE-lee, not si-LEE, as I heard recently), and the 8th - David Micheline (MIK-el-EYE-nee)!
July 16 - Ugh! Busy busy! I am just taking a quick break between drawing commissions, so I really only have time tonight to tease a larger Platinum Age comics story that I've accidentally stumbled upon, thanks to a local antique store owner and his unlikely connection to O.F.O.WOMP Brent Frankenhoff! Don't worry, Brent; it isn't really about you (besides, if I haven't revealed your many dark secrets by now, I'm never going to.....just keep those monthly checks comin'). In some ways, it is a story similar to that of Crusty Bunker, just from fifty or more years earlier. More on all of that when I have the time, but now it's back to the drawing board for me. Well, here's your Platinum Age Comic Book Character of The Day - Dick Tracy!
July 15 - So, can you guess who has a new solo entry on Wikipedia? If you said "you, John," well...no. Not yet...but you're getting warmer. The answer is Crusty Bunker, of course! Yes, I guess it's time for your weekly Crusty Bunker Update. Borrowing heavily from some of the same sources I consulted, with a healthy dose of The WOMP-Blog Archives thrown in for fun, comes a brand-spanking-new reference page dedicated to the mercurial '70's comic book inker. Check it out HERE. Now I really have to get that Bunkers page up and going. I have no idea when I'll have the time to do it, but I hope to have it rolling by the MCBA FallCon in October. In fact, as this year's convention giveaway freebie, I may put together some sort of Crusty-themed booklet. Maybe. I've also got some other VERY exciting stuff in the works, so I may be promoting that instead (and, as per usual, I can't even tell you what I'm talking about...yet). OK, OK; enough side-tracking. Let's get back to the "...Of The Day Theme" of Platinum Age comic books. In the years after earlier cartoonists, like the pioneering George Cruikshank (1792 - 1878), had shown that there was some considerable market for collections of cartoons, that next generation began to see such publications as part of a career plan (even if only as a nearly unattainable ideal). I guess that the difference between the Victorian Era comics market and the interstitial Platinum Age stuff is the evolution of the comic strips themselves. Earliest cartoon books are assemblages of individual illustrations. Beginning with The Yellow Kid, the concept of continuing characters became predominate, and, soon thereafter, standard use of sequential panels changed how comics collections could be formatted. While some books, like the gigantic Charles Dana Gibson folios, presented each "panel" of a story as its own page, most Platinum Age books had to solve the problem of how to reformat standard newspaper pages in less unwieldy sizes. Based purely on my own observations of these books (as seen either in my own tiny collection - just ten - or in my lifelong hauntings of antique and vintage book stores), it really seems as though publishers and printers were experimenting with and refining what would eventually evolve into what we think of as comic books. Some are full-sized behemoths - great-granddaddies of the coffee table book (remember, the standard newspaper was HUGE at that time). Others were scaled down, but still proportionally the same as the source material (usually full page artwork). Finally, in the late 1910's, most such attempts narrowed down to two formats, which dominated the market for the next twenty years or so; a long (twelve to fifteen inches) book which reprinted daily comic strips either one complete strip or two panels per page (which reprinted a full strip across opposing pages when the book was open), or the more popular square-ish book (about ten inches by ten inches, but not always - ever? - exactly square) which shuffled comic strip panels into a two-above-two-below layout (although some had larger two-to-a-page panel layouts as well). The "Sorta Square Book," employing a variation of the six panel strip-reprint pages of later "true" comic books, was as close to "standard" as anything during that time. They all featured simple, colorful cardboard covers, a quick message from the cartoonist, and a couple months' worth of daily strips printed on stocky pulp paper, all bound with staples and a dark fabric binding tape. Most also came in either a plain version, or a fancier collectors' version, which often included a dust jacket. Although this standardization made Sorta Square Books more easily collectible, it also limited the artwork inside to mostly uniform panel by panel presentations. Even artistically vibrant strips, like Bringing Up Father, seem truncated and shallow in this format. Unlike earlier Platinum Age books, then, it seems as though the emphasis of the Sorta Square Book was on collecting popular storylines, not presenting great art. I suppose that makes sense, as the explosion of comics strip popularity was due, in part, to the Soap Opera factor. What were Mutt and Jeff scheming to do now? How would Popeye escape the Goons? Would Dick Tracy catch Stooge Viller? Story drove that era, and it would be decades before the art would seem equally as important again. Ugh. I think it's time to call it a night. More Platinum comics discussion later. Here are your Platinum Age Comic Book Characters of The Day for - July 13 - Smokey Stover, July 14 - Hans Katzenjammer, and July 15 - Fritz Katzenjammer!
June 23 - This is a little awkward for me. I was going to tell you all about the "Done In One" comic book workshop that I conducted in Delavan, Wisconsin. It went well, and the resulting comic that the kids made is pretty cool. I might still talk about soon, but, right now I'm too...I don't know. Embarrassed? Shocked? Distracted? Whatever it is that I'm feeling, the cause is clear; an e-mail from Walter Simonson...
Weezie didn't come across your question but I did. <g>
Regarding Weezie and the Crustys--I don't think she participated in anything under that name. She stopped by at Continuity a couple of times but had nothing to do with the Crustys.
I only remember the Crusty Bunkers as a kind of unofficial inking brigade, helping out on what would eventually come to be called 'many-hands jobs' when those jobs were being inked up at Continuity. I think anybody who was around the studio or drifting through could take a shot at inking. And actually, I have some doubts that I ever actually inked anything on the jobs credited to the Crustys. I've seen my name go by with that attribution, but I'd have to see a job that I actually remembered doing a bit of inking on before I really believed it. I'm not saying I never did, but I don't remember any. I knew about the whole thing, of course. I think the Crustys were kind of fading out when I was getting into comics.
But again, this was all a long time ago so I'd allow for damaged memory chips. <vbg>
I do think it's going to be very difficult to identify everybody who ever had a hand in a Crusty' s job.
If Dave Cockrum ever dropped by Continuity, it's entirely possible he might have lent a hand. But I don't have any idea if he did or didn't. Sorry I can't help you on that. In my generation, I would guess that Howard Chaykin would have as good a shot as anybody about remembering those days and the Crustys.
Best/Walter
Yowza! Thanks, Mr. Simonson! So, there you have it, straight from the dinosaur-shaped-signature's mouth. It's a big "Probably Not" for Louise Simonson as a Crusty Bunker, a resounding "I Don't Remember But It's Possible" for Walter Simonson as a Crusty Bunker, and a definitive "It Is Within The Realm of Possibility" for Dave Cockrum as a Crusty Bunker. Which puts us right back into "So Who The Heck WAS A Crusty Bunker?" territory. When I start up that Crusty page, one of the first things I'm going to do is begin an authentication process, moving names from "Supposed Bunker" to "Reported Bunker" to "Confirmed Bunker." I am beginning to get a handle on one of the main problems I will face, and it's not the intervening years nor the waning memories. Instead, the biggest obstacle may be just what constitutes a Crusty Bunker in the first place. Technically, it would obviously be anyone who contributed to artwork actually credited to The Bunkers. But I've also seen some artists listed as members of The Crusty Bunkers Studio, as if some uncredited Continuity work (like ad art) was assigned to Bunkers. In a larger sense, though, it seems as though anyone ever at Continuity has been lumped under the Bunker umbrella, by association, assumption, and the inevitable desire to make the Crusty story maybe just a little bigger and better than it really is. I suppose, in the creative world of battling barbarians, heroic titans, and space faring swashbucklers, that fact and fiction have become so intertwined that even the participants in these events now wonder what really happened, should come as no surprise. I've definitely got my work cut out for me, don't I? Speaking of work, I'd better get back to it. More tomorrow. For now, here are two days worth of your Scarred Comic Book Characters of The Day for - June 22 - Cyborg, and June 23 - Deathstroke, The Terminator!
June 21 - So, after the brief Internet notoriety that I received from being mentioned recently in the Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed feature about Crusty Bunker, I've had some further information on the subject come my way. And by "information," I mean "a correction." Maybe. On the 13th, I received this message...
Hi, John,
I just found your blog via Comics Should Be Good, specifically their piece on the Crusty Bunkers. As someone who researched Dave Cockrum's life pretty thoroughly for this month's Alter Ego, I was surprised to see his name listed as a Crusty Bunker. I have to ask, what's your source on that? My understanding of the Crusty Bunkers is that they were a group of artists that worked out of Neal Adam's Continuity Associates in the 1970s, and given that Cockrum worked from home, that pretty much excludes him from that list. If you know of a specific issue where he was listed as a Bunker, I'd be interested in tracking it down.
Thanks,
Glen Cadigan
So, I replied (in part)...
Hi, Glen -
As for a specific Cockrum-Crusty issue, I have no good information. My inclusion of Mr. Cockrum's name on the list comes from on-line resources, like the late Jerry Bails' Who's Who of American Comic Books, where Mr. Cockrum is listed as a Bunker. In a conversation with fellow Crusty Joe Rubinstein, I learned that some Bunkers, like Jeff Jones, were just visiting Continuity one day, and only provided what could be called "token involvement," just to say they did it. You probably have a much better idea whether Mr. Cockrum was even available for such a thing. Sigh. That's why I'm not an actual reporter, I suppose. Good luck with your piece. Please let me know if you do nail down some specific issues, and I will post that info along with my old Crusty Bunker stuff (oh, and if it's OK with you, I'll also post your concerns about whether Mr. Cockrum even was a Crusty, just to keep on the "up and up."). Thanks for the question. I hope I helped a little. See ya!
John Mundt, Esq.
Mr. Cadigan replied by saying...
Thanks, John! Dave's inclusion as a Crusty Bunker in Jerry Bail's Who's Who was a mystery to me. It was enough for Roy Thomas to include it in a checklist in this month's Alter Ego, even though I told him that I didn't think it was accurate.
For the record, the only times that Dave Cockrum didn't work from home were when he was Murphy Anderson's assistant and when he went on staff at Marvel following his first run on the X-Men. I suppose it's possible that he stopped by Continuity during that period when he left DC and before he started drawing the X-Men for Marvel, but to me the Crusty Bunkers will always be a group of guys that had studio space at Continuity, and that excludes Cockrum. Back when he was alive, this was exactly the sort of question which he would answer on his message board, but unfortunately that's no longer an option.
It's okay with me if you share this with the masses. And BTW, the article is past the point of luck - it's currently on the stands (#78)!
Thanks again,
Glen
So, do I take Dave Cockrum out of the mix, or leave him in...but with an asterisk? I already had a "maybe" list - which included only three names; Frank Miller, Barry Windsor Smith, and Wally Wood - so I suppose I should add Mr. Cockrum to that group...except, well...except that they are nearly ALL "maybes" because, as I told Mr. Cadigan, "I'm not an actual reporter." I'm starting to feel that I should be, though. My personal, nearly internal exploration of The Lives and Time of Crusty Bunker has evolved into an "authoritative" on-line resource...which I'd never really intended. Still, there it is. I told you a few days ago that I've been thinking about revisiting the subject of The Crusty Bunkers. At first, I'd considered just having a Second Annual Crusty Bunker Month, but, in light of my sporadic e-posting, that seemed more like a nice thought than a real possibility. Then I thought about starting up a Crusty Web-Site, but, considering that I'm not the owner of the name or anything (if there is one), that's probably "out" as well. So, settling on something between the two, I'm going to start a Crusty Bunker info page within johnmundtesquire.com. It may take some time (in fact, it may take months), but it seems like there is an actual need for it. For example, many of the suppositions that I posed could be cleared up by simply asking one of the living Bunkers about them. It would be nice to have an "official" place to post such remembrances, especially before, as Mr. Cadigan put it, "that's no longer an option." In fact, I have my first such question, which I will post here now; did Louise Simonson ever contribute to a Crusty Bunker project? She was an active participant in the New York comics scene at the same time, even providing inspiration for the iconic 1971 Berni Wrightson cover of House of Secrets #92.
Oh, and she has been married to two different Bunkers over the years! Until I have the means to ask Mz. Simonson herself, I'll just hope that she might read this post someday and choose to respond. Until I get that page going, any answer will be posted here. For now, here is your Scarred Comic Book Character of The Day for - Marv!
Oh, and she has been married to two different Bunkers over the years! Until I have the means to ask Mz. Simonson herself, I'll just hope that she might read this post someday and choose to respond. Until I get that page going, any answer will be posted here. For now, here is your Scarred Comic Book Character of The Day for - Marv!
June 20 - Maybe I just have to face the facts; I'm not able to post a WOMP-Blog entry every day like I once did (or think I once did, evidence to the contrary). Still, TEN DAYS?! Ugh. Sorry about that. While I don't suspect that anyone out there in the bloggoverse is waiting on pins and needles for my every thought, I do imagine that some of you have checked in on me once or twice, only to find the same old "June 10" entry, so, for that waste of your time, I apologize. For the rest of you, who may only happen upon these WOMP-Bloggings when I randomly mention something matching your Google search, "Hello!" and "Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, DC, and Keira Knightley to you, too!" I've been away from bloggerating for so long that I have a one-ton pile of stuff to tell you. And I will tell it to you, too, but not right now. Now I'm just happy to be posting ANYTHING! In brief, I will say that I have received some Crusty Bunker updates, have drawn some neat art-type things, have visited a flood destroyed area exactly one month after having been there in better times, and bought a stack of awesome old comics and related items at a garage sale. Oh, and I rode a horse. Me. On a horse. Really. Anyhoo, I'll get to all of that, other stuff, and a continuation of my enthralling discussion of my own scarred characters later (I swear!), but, for now, I'm going to leave you with a backlog of Scarred Comic Book Characters of The Day for - June 11 - Deathlok, The Demolisher, June 12 - Baron Blitzkrieg, June 13 - Batman, June 14 - Doctor Doom, June 15 - Frankenstein's Monster, June 16 - Doctor Death, June 17 - Baron von Strucker, June 18 - Nick Fury, June 19 - The Joker, and June 20 - The Unknown Soldier!
"May 29, 30, 31" - Hey there! As you may have guessed from my last post of several days ago, my wife (The WOMP Staff) returned the favor and gave back the flu that I'd earlier given her. Fun! Now we're both drippy and grouchy and generally feeling like half-wrung sponges. Oh, we'll have our moments of lucidity, thanks to the cheapest meds that Wal-Mart can provide...which is a good thing, since we both have to go to work each day. We have had some recent fun (listed below) in our time off, but it has been stingily interspersed amongst hours of nose-and-throat reddening snortling and hacking. Still, we had quite a weekend here at WOMP Headquarters. For example...
1) Son of Frankenhoff - On Saturday, we entertained the duo of O.F.O.WOMP Brent Frankenhoff and his nine-year-old son, Bradley. My hometown, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, was Brent's old stomping ground in the lean years before he became Comics Buyer's Guide Bottlewasher-In-Chief, so he was pretty excited to be able to show Brad some of the places of which he often speaks. Stopping first to pick me up, we went to legendary Pete's Hamburgers (where Brad experienced the traditional "standing in line for a Pete's"), then past the radio station where Brent had honed that distinctive voice, and finally to Lawler Park, right on the edge of the Mississippi River. While Brent and I caught up a little, Brad happily devoured his Pete's burger, probably not realizing how perfect the setting was. It was truly a classic Prairie du Chien experience. After the wind began to pick up, we all headed back to WOMP Central. There, I loaded Brad down with lots of free Monkey stuff (including The Adventures of Monkey comics, a hat, and even monkey socks), and then drew a big caricature portrait of him for his Mom, Kim. All too soon, they were off. It was a short visit, but it was a lot of fun!
2) A Wundterful Surprise - Just before the B&BF visit, I discovered that the intrepid e-reporter Brian Cronin, he of the super-popular Comic Book Resources on-line feature Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed, had posted an entry about everyone's favorite 1970's inker, Crusty Bunker (see it HERE)! Even more interesting, perhaps, was that he also very graciously linked to, and even quoted from, my Lives and Time of Crusty Bunker postings here in The WOMP-Blog (via the LiveJournal Archives). Thank you, Brian! I'm truly humbled to have been of service (and don't even mind that he temporarily credited me as "John Wundt," for which he was so kind as to apologize here). I just wish I'd done a more thorough job back then. In the recent months, I've been thinking about revisiting the subject, particularly via interviews. I've got e-mail, a digital voice recorder, AND a comics interview page (the never updated WOMP Gab Sessions, remember?), so why not? I'll check the guest list for this year's FallCon to see if any Bunkers will be attending. Oh, and that implies that I am, in spite of two years' worth of personal misgivings on the subject of comics conventions, attending the show again this year. How can I not? It's the 20th anniversary FallCon!
3) 'Net Catches More "Fish" - I assume that the mention of my LiveJournal in the Comic Book Urban Legends Thingee is why The WOMP-Blog Archives have been accessed so much recently. In fact, we've recently picked up a couple of new Official Fish of WOMP (which, as you all know, is the first step to becoming an Official Friend of WOMP). Welcome aboard, pepe325 and toonhead npl!
4) Harvey, We Hedley Knew Thee - Speaking of toonhead npl, on his LiveJournal (or her LiveJournal? hmm...I guess I just assumed that toonhead npl was a guy's name) he has posted what may be the single most perfect and succinct on-line obituary ever. Regarding the recent passing of comedian Harvey Korman, he simply wrote "so long dumdums."
5) The Truth About Hats and Dogs - OK, so I fell predictably behind on my blogging at the end of May. Of course, it's not like the subject of "Hat Wearing Comics Characters" was all that scintillating or anything anyway. Still, I wanted to give you all a little something extra for putting up with it. That's why I will now, for the first time ever in print, tell you...
The Origin of Monkey's Hat!
Obviously, since Monkey is based on one of those traditional monkeys made from Red Heel socks, he came with a hat whether I knew why or not. As I reexamined and revamped my childhood comics world back in about 1988 or so, I had to come to grips with just what my main character even is, nonetheless why he wore some sort of crazy...what is that? A cowboy hat? As a rule, I had tried to leave intact any of the silly explanations for things that I had invented when I was a kid, perhaps putting adult reasoning behind childish imaginings...so, I had to come up with some reason why a tropical native wore a reversible (white on the inside, gray on the outside) woolen hat (which is what it is supposed to be). I'll leave the mittens and podboots to a future post, but to explain the hat, I have to just tell you one of the secrets behind Monkey's original home, the mystical African forest of Maula Mau Mee. Although none but the pure of heart may enter MMM, it has still seen several visitors over the centuries. One such visitor was Frederick Theodore, a survivor of the 1800's shipwreck of The Enduring Grace. An amiable but self-assured fellow, Fred, a salty old swain, was unsurprised by the world of magically-mutated talking animals, finding many friends among them. He greatly influenced their tiny, unique society (as did all such visitors), most notably a family of monkeys - due, in part, to his nickname "Spider-monkey," which he garnered for his aptitude for scrambling up and down ship's rigging, even in a storm. That particular monkey family (last name: Monkey) honored his memory in many ways after he passed, including adopting and adapting Fred's wool sailor's-hat as a sort of emblem of remembrance and gratitude. Since then, males in the Monkey family have worn similar hats, styled as they chose. Generations later, now, Monkey wears his traditional two-color hat with the inside outwardly-rolled several times, giving it that big, puffy look. And that's all there is to it...well, except that (and I really can't believe that I'm letting this secret out of the bag) the hat will undergo almost imperceptible, and extremely telling, changes as Monkey ages (and it'll all be "on purpose," as opposed to what readers might at first assume is just a gradual style change...hee hee). Now, as to why Monkey's as-of-yet unseen dog, Socks, wears a hat? Hmm. You got me there. Maybe he's hiding a bald spot.
6) Hat's All, Folks - So, here are what should have been your last Hat-Wearing Comic Book Characters of The Day for - May 29 - Fighting Yank, May 30 - Sgt. Rock, and May 31 - The Spirit!
February 7 - Hot jumpin' crud! What a difference a couple of days can make. Two days ago, I was feeling all blue and down. Then I got a nice e-note from O.F.O.WOMP Brian Payne (see yesterday's post) which cheered me up. That was great, but, when I re-checked my e-mail inbox, I was nearly floored by this e-response to my January 16th entry (which revealed that the top WOMP story of 2007 was Crusty Bunker Month) by comics legend Michael Netzer...
Where the name Crusty Bunker comes from.
As I remember, the name is based on something Neal heard one of his kids saying, such as, "You crusty bunker..." or some such phrase which Neal latched onto and later used as a name for the group... as he's known to do at times. Other such examples of word plays with Neal include his attempt to overcome the pain of a toothache without pills; "Transcending dental medication"... and the famous "Sliding down the razor blade of life." Which is still heard sometimes when Neal talks about the precarious human condition.
BTW, John, Crusty Bunker month is now immortalized in Wikipedia references. I found it there recently and added the credit and link to your source pages.
Best wishes,
Michael
Yowza! Th-thank you, Mr. Netzer (I can't bring myself to refer to you as Michael, but I am this close to naming you as the newest Official Fish of WOMP....which means, uh...well, it's a long story). Thank you for your information, insight, inspiration, and interest in me. It all comes when I really need it. Not surprisingly, I've been so inspired by two days of amazingly positive feedback that I'm getting work done at a very pleasant pace. I'd better get back to it, too. Before I do, I wanted to tease a couple of things that I hope to talk about in future posts; 1) I've been working on an interesting on-line project, which is just about ready to be revealed, 2) as strange as it sounds, I have to report on another up-coming project which is connected to Mr. Netzer, me, and (shockingly) The WOMP Staff, 3) I have some interesting info about this month's "...Of The Day Theme." It'll all have to wait for now, though. Here's your African American Cartoonist of The Day - Denys Cowan!
January 16 - It's been a...well...let's just say it's been an "eventful" week off from the ol' WOMP-Blog. Right on cue, after lamenting that I haven't been able to post something every day, my new WOMPuter had some big-time trouble (the introductory Norton Anti-Virus subscription ended) and my cold/flu/whatever transmogrified from an annoyance to a debilitating disruption. Through all of this, our lives have also been in turmoil. First, we learned that my 98-year-old Grandpa Fry, of whom I write all the time, is in very poor health and has suddenly lost his mental acuity. I know that it shouldn't shock me that someone nearly a century old may be less than lucid, but it all came on so fast. He went from doing daily crossword puzzles in ink to forgetting his own name in less than a week. Grandpa has been moved to an intensive-care hospital room where doctors are doing what they can for him. I hope to go visit him soon, but also don't want him to catch whatever I have. I'll try to get back to the WOMP-Blog and such, but I hope you'll understand why I might be distracted. Today, Wednesday, marked a much needed day off from the dread "real" job...which has been in turmoil as well. I don't know how much of this I can discuss, but one of my co-workers was just unfairly fired. We're all stunned, angry, and in general disarray as we must also cover what would have been his scheduled hours. It's been pretty miserable, especially since A) we all are...were so close, and B) we're now so nervous and uncertain of our own job security in light of the inexplicable, inexcusable canning. Since I have been so head-throbbingly, gut-churningly, throat-scratchingly sick for weeks (and still dragging myself to a dumb "real" job that's only as permanent as the next assistant manager's whim) my precarious cartooning "career" has been put into sharper focus, too. And I have tried - believe me - to get art work done while sick, but the quality suffers way too much (and it's not that great to begin with), assuming I could even muster the energy to get anything accomplished in the first place. The dorky "real" job has always been my parachute, bailing me out financially when I'm either unable to draw, or am between commissions. It's been ten years since I was last unemployed, but the specter of those lean days have come back to haunt me over the last couple of nights. Ironically, while the memories of empty pockets, Ramen noodles, and the daily job hunt have been crossing my mind, this is supposed to be Millionaire Comic Book Character Month in the WOMP-Blog. I really do have some thoughts on that (as I've mentioned for half a month now), but I'd like to put them off for at least another day so that I can finally wrap up my summary of last year with...
The Top Ten WOMP Events of 2007 - Number One
Crusty Bunker Month! And, man, I really dove into it! September's WOMP-Blog was jam-packed with the history behind the infamous pseudonym. I'm clearly not a reporter, but that didn't stop me from prattling on about the amazing stories of The Lives and Time of Crusty Bunker anyway. Only later did I learn that virtually every WOMP-Blog reader already knew all about those stories...but I'm still pretty proud of what I was able to assemble anyway. In my posts, I tried (if only for myself) to give a sense of the state of comics, and of the lives of the creators behind them, during that brief period. "Crusty Bunker" may have only been credited as a comic book inker, but "he" was, it turns out, something like a harbinger of everything that has happened in comics since. As the month went along, I was thrilled to get several messages of interest or support, including one from a founding Crusty Bunker, Michael Netzer! His all-too-kind encouragements kept me on track, while his incredible life story reminded me that the Bunkers - nearly all now recognized as comics legends - were, and are, very real people. And that makes what they did so much more incredible. My only regret is that I never was able to figure out where they got the name "Crusty Bunker." Hmm. Uh, Mr. Netzer...?_________
So, I should try to get something done now, right? As I look over the list of 2007's events, I feel...inspired, maybe? It sure didn't feel like I'd done a darn thing last year, but, well, the tale of the tape says otherwise, I guess. And so it goes. While 2008 has gotten off to a rocky start, there's still a very good chance that it will stack up nicely with it's immediate predecessor. I hope. Now, here are a whole bunch of backlogged Millionaire Comic Book Characters of The Day for January 12th - Hiram Lodge, January 13th - Maxwell Lord, January 14th - Gar Logan, January 15th - Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks, and for January 16th - Lucius Fox!
September 30 - The names of those who once contributed to inking as Crusty Bunker reads like a Who's Who of comic book history. In their ranks are master illustrators, classic embellishers, inventive creators, brilliant writers, innovative editors, amazing publishers, and many, many artists who are so famous that they are often known simply by just their last name. Still, as you read this list (which is just below), try to look past all of that. Try to see these people as a community of friends. Imagine them thirty-five years younger, working side by side into the wee hours of the morning as they struggle to meet a deadline. Think about how one may have helped another, who then influenced another, who inspired another, who challenged yet another. These legends are, ultimately, just people...and that makes their collaboration as Crusty Bunker, and their subsequent groundbreaking work, all the more remarkable. Here, then, to the best of my research, are as many of the names behind the name as I could find -
The Crusty Bunkers
Jack Abel, Neal Adams, Vicente Alcazar, Sal Amendola, Steven Austin, Terry Austin, Joe Barney, Rick Basile, Pat Bastienne, Pat Broderick, Joe Brozowski, Frank Brunner, Rick Bryant, Rich Buckler, Frank Cirocco, Howard Chaykin, Dave Cockrum, Mike Collins, Denys Cowan, Ed Davis, Joe D'Esposito, Karin Dougherty, Steve Engelhart, John Fuller, Dick Giordano, Dan Green, Larry Hama, Steve Harper, Russ Heath, Klaus Janson, Jeffrey Catherine Jones, Michael Wm. Kaluta, Paul Kirchner, Alan Kupperberg, Carl Lundgren, Estaban Maroto, Gary Martin, Bob McLeod, Al Milgrom, Steve Mitchell, Yong Montano, Tim Moriarity, Gray Morrow, Mike Nasser/Michael Netzer, Bruce Patterson, Carl Potts, Ralph Reese, Mark Rice, Marshall Rogers, Josef Rubinstein, Walter Simonson, Jim Sherman, Mary Skrenes, Bob Smith, Jim Starlin, Greg Theakston, Trevor von Eeden, Alan Weiss, Bob Wiacek, Gary Winnick, and Berni Wrightson.
To that list, I'd also add these "maybes" - Frank Miller, Barry Windsor Smith, and Wally Wood. I'm sure that there are more...and may continue to be more, as long as Crusty Bunker continues to get work. In an odd way, this ensures the immortality of these great artists, like being famous alumni of a venerated old college. As long as their "university" is still operating, their names will never be forgotten. Likewise, as long as these artists continue to advance the comic book medium with their unmatched creativity and unparalleled talents, which were honed elbow-to-elbow all those years ago, then no-one will ever forget the name of Crusty Bunker. Of course, how could you forget a name like that? Here, then, is your final "Crusty Bunker" of The Day - Russ Heath!
September 29 - So much time has passed. Crusty Bunker (originally credited simply as "C. Bunker" in Weird Worlds #2, 1972) made "his" debut thirty-five years ago, and "he" more-or-less "died" thirty years ago. Born from necessity and comradery, Crusty Bunker represented a moment in time that has never been equaled. As the former Crusty Bunkers moved on, they mostly grew apart...but only temporarily. Yes, some may not have spoken to others for a few years, and some, sadly, have passed away, but some have found their way back into each others' lives. Old friendships, forged in the crucible of brazen youth and a crazy workload, have resurfaced. These older, presumably wiser, artists have reached out to each other. Forgiveness for youthful transgressions, after three decades of life, was unnecessary. As we age, regrets are as inevitable as wrinkles, but neither should keep us from taking a chance on reconnecting. Like old soldiers, The Crusty Bunkers have found that their history of shared experiences has bound them all together in ways that supercede vanity, pettiness, or even time itself. That's been a wonderful development, but it could still go further. As I was researching what these artists are now doing, I must admit that I had a dream. In the dream, they all got together once more. Meeting on a "first Friday" in someone's New York apartment, just as they had so long ago, all of the remaining Crusty Bunkers finally reunited, in spite of their sometimes tumultuous relationships. There were tributes to those who had passed, a Powerpoint presentation featuring humorously embarrassing photos from back in the day, and one more inking collaboration to commemorate the event. When I woke, the very concept of such a reunion made me smile...but the idea of another Crusty Bunker collaboration made me shout out loud "Why not?!!" It would be a small token of my respect and admiration, but I also hope that it may serve as some sort of catalyst that facilitates a greater reunion, just like in my dream. So, I'm going to do it. It may take years. It may take decades, in fact...and I really don't expect to succeed, but I'm going to attempt it anyway. I'm going to pencil a page, featuring characters once inked by the original Crusty Bunkers, then I'm going to ask each of them to ink just a little bit until it's done. Yes, yes...I know that I suck as an artist (I haven't forgotten), but I really believe that the talents of The Crusty Bunkers will more than make up for my own shortcomings. That is, after all, one of the signs of a great inker, and, for whatever else they all might have done since the 1970's, these artists were, collectively, once one of the greatest comics inkers of all time. Tomorrow, I'll conclude this month of Crusty Bunker commentary with a list of as many of them as my research has revealed. Until then, here's your "Crusty Bunker" of The Day - Marshall Rogers!
September 28 - Why do people drift apart? Various external, or internal, forces often cause friends to become....well, not necessarily enemies, but certainly not as close as they once were, either. In my experience, it's not any one thing, it's everything. Unfortunately, this natural, if not inevitable, process of "drifting" also has a tendency to leave hurt feelings in its wake. As the 1970's were wrapping up, the original hands behind The Crusty Bunkers were experiencing all of this. Some left the unique little New York comics community for greener pastures, some quit the business entirely for whatever reason, some "sold out," some went on "ego trips," and others tried to cobble the remaining pieces together into whatever they could salvage. Changed forever, but stronger for it, the comics business kept moving forward, and even Crusty Bunker continued, albeit with ever-changing personalities, inking new work as late as the 1990's, and being celebrated in various Essential... reprint collections even today. Moreover, though, the former Bunkers, "these young legends to be" (as Fred Hembeck called them), became so much more than just occasional collaborators masquerading as a fictional inker during the mid-70s. They have gone on to take us to new creative and artistic heights, producing some of the greatest examples of the comic book medium. A quick review of my own comics collection shows their influence literally from "A" (Action Comics) to "Z" (Zatanna: Come Together). Without a doubt, many of my favorite comic book creators were also once a Crusty Bunker. Yes, as artists, The Crusty Bunkers have left us an amazing artistic legacy...but what of their legacy as part of that once close-knit community? Surprisingly, that may have been their greatest contribution. I'll get into that tomorrow. Here's your "Crusty Bunker" of The Day - Al Milgrom!
September 27 - Artists who'd signed up with obviously flawed Atlas (forsaking all other publishers) had some tough choices to make as the end suddenly neared. Should they abandon ship, or go down with the ship? It's hard to quit something which you created, especially when bridges may have been burned behind you. Still, with the writing on the wall, most of these former Crusty Bunkers wisely bailed. Before they split, some made what today look like attempts to publicly mend fences (while they still had the opportunity). In Wulf The Barbarian #2, writer/artist Larry Hama added this to the credits -
Special thanks to Neal Adams, Ralph Reese, Ed Davis, Wally Wood [so, Mr. Wood may have been a Crusty Bunker?], Bob McLeod, Pat Broderick, Vincente Alcazar, Paul Kirshner, and Jack Abel.
That he should thank members of The Crusty Bunkers might lead one to think that he merely wanted to acknowledge the actual names of everyone who helped with that issue when he had the platform, but, with the inclusions of Neal Adams and Wally Wood, I'm led to believe that A) they didn't actually work on the comic, but were of moral or historic support for Mr. Hama, meaning B) Mr. Hama didn't believe that he might ever again have such an opportunity to say "thanks." This theory is strengthened by the fact that these thanks were not in the title's first issue. The same goes for Howard Chaykin, who added the following to the "By Howard Chaykin" credits of The Scorpion #2 -
...with a great deal of help from Annette Kawecki, Berni Wrightson, Michael Kaluta, Walter Simonson, and Ed Davis.
And, with the very next (and, as it turned out, mercifully last) issue of the series, gone were Mr. Chaykin, all of those people he thanked, his characters, the premise, and any hint of talent. Sorry, but I have to call it as I see it...I mean, c'mon; The Golden Fuehrer? Well, on a quick side-note, however, I would like to add that the horrible third issue of The Scorpion did actually have one positive effect (sort of). It was so bad, that it literally convinced me that I could professionally create comics that were at least as good. While that presumption may or may not be true, it's undeniable that I was "inspired" by that comic. Thanks? Anyhoo, Mr. Chaykin's issue two kiss-off, like Larry Hama's, sounds almost like a farewell address, like the outgoing President tearfully thanking the Cabinet and White House staff before boarding a helicopter for retirement (again, a Watergate reference...not that I am equating Howard Chaykin with Richard Nixon). Yes, we now know that these former Atlas stars went on to other, much better things, but they couldn't have known that at the time. No, back then, it must have seemed like the party was finally over. More later, but now here is your "Crusty Bunker" of The Day - Bruce Patterson!
September 26 - For the comics community, it must have been a very frightening time when Atlas flared up, then died. Not so much because of the publishers vs. publishers angle, but because of the battle lines that were drawn. In the years just before this, the comics creating community was just that; a community. They really were. As Michael Netzer pointed out a week ago, being The Crusty Bunkers was just the best known manifestation of that community. For years, the New York based comic book artists met for a party on the first Friday of every month. Marvel artists, DC artists, and independent artists all got together every thirty days to talk shop, drink too much, and enjoy each other's company. An Algonquin Round-Table of Comics, this group engaged each other in a way that not only sustained and advanced all involved, but their chosen medium as well. There is even a story, re-told by Fred Hembeck in his blog some time ago, of The Crusty Bunkers attempting to track down the truth behind the book The Mothman Prophecies, which was popular at the time. He wrote, in part -
...but I know for a fact, several of these young legends to be--who shall remain discreetly nameless--took off on a pilgrimage to West Virginia, with an itinerary that covered many of the sights and locations mentioned in Keel's book, including several spooky abandoned buildings. No, the Mothman was nowhere to be seen, but I DO recall word of a UFO sighting during the excursion! It's been many years since this saga was related to me, so the details are a bit hazy, but there you have it--the next time you look in a seventies era comic and see a credit line for "The Crusty Bunkers", pause for a moment and wonder, who amongst this group was under the spell of the Mothman when he inked those pages?...
While nothing is black and white in personal relationships, I think that it can be (and, in a moment, will be) argued that the Atlas fiasco was the wedge that eventually pushed these artists apart, in spite of their one-time closeness. Although we now know that Atlas was a flash in the pan, their competition could not have foreseen that at the time. All that they could see was that their usual talent pool had suddenly dwindled, with some of the better talents leading the charge. Here was a real challenge, for the first time in decades, to the status quo of comics hierarchy; Business Guys on top, Editorial Guys just below that, and creators far, far below all of them. Atlas wasn't offering to topsy-turvy this structure (as happened years later at Image), but they were elevating the artistic talents to at least the equals of the editorial talents. The threat of this forced the other publishers to take drastic action, demanding exclusive deals with artists in exchange for the sorts of benefits that Atlas had offered. A deal with the devil, if you will. "Sure, you'll get more of the rights and concessions that stroke your ego, but we will own your very soul." And, like any such deal, the devil always finds a way to make your choice a hell. Exclusivity may not seem so bad, until you are given work that is beneath your talents, or, much worse, you're not given work at all. So, the artists, many of them Crusty Bunkers, had to take sides. Some stuck with Marvel, others with DC, some quit the comic book business altogether, and others put all of their eggs into the Atlas basket. Howard Chaykin was in the latter camp. He was even something of a defacto recruiter for Atlas, personally sniping talents from The Big Two's bullpens. All too soon, however, he, and the other Atlas artists, learned that they had placed their bets on the wrong horse. More later. Here is your "Crusty Bunker" of The Day - Jack Abel!
September 25 - Atlas Comics hit the comic book industry like unexpected divorce papers. The concept behind the line was simple; crush Marvel by utilizing the top comics talents to ape, or even mock, Marvel's greatest characters. To do this, Atlas offered three benefits that no-one else did; the highest per-page pay rates, creator ownership of the titles' characters, and return of original art. These are the very things for which Neal Adams (among others) had been lobbying The Big Two for years. It's not surprising, then, that the all-star creative onslaught that was Atlas (including Mr. Adams, Dan Adkins, Steve Ditko, Dick Giordano, Russ Heath, Mike Sekowsky, John Severin, Frank Springer, Frank Thorne, Alex Toth, and Wally Wood), was complimented by an eager team of young artists, most of whom were also Crusty Bunkers! When I was a kid, I had no idea from what crazy planet Atlas comics came, I just knew that they looked awesome, so I bought as many of them as I could with my meager allowance (which was $1.00 per week....oh, man; I'm old). I liked the idea of being in on the ground floor of what seemed to be the next big thing. My favorite titles were The Scorpion, which was written and drawn by a former Bunker, Howard Chaykin, and Wulf The Barbarian, which was written and drawn by a fellow Crusty, Larry Hama. With comics titles and talents like these, hundreds of thousands of dollars investment, and cutting-edge creators' rights, how could Atlas possibly fail? Hmm. As it turns out, the answer was "By producing terrible comics." Yep, within less than a year, the whole company was gone, leaving behind just a handful of some of the most bizarre, and bizarrely bad, comic books of all time (a bold statement, but I think that the evidence speaks for itself). OK, so some, like Wulf, still hold up, but even those that had promise, like 1930's pulp style The Scorpion, were inexplicably converted into seventh-rate superhero titles with horrible storylines that made no sense, and even less impact. Martin Goodman had begun a creative endeavor with no bigger objective than revenge, which, not surprisingly, was not a particularly good business model. Whenever the creators wanted to expand or explore their characters, Mr. Goodman demanded that they instead continue to rip-off their Marvel counterparts. For most, this did not sit well. In spite of a promising start, the talents behind the comics bolted, many parlaying their Atlas portfolios into jobs elsewhere in the industry. Atlas did, then, leave two very tangible legacies. First, once the Pandora's Box of creators' rights had been opened, it could not be fully closed. Ironically (and, once again, I must add that I have absolutely no idea of what "irony" really is), the higher per-page rates and creator ownership of characters, which are commonplace now, meant nothing in the long run because Atlas folded (taking those employment opportunities and exclusive characters with it), and the promise to return artwork, which is now the industry standard, went right out the window...along with all of the Atlas original art, which was stolen during the company's very last days! The second Atlas "legacy" was that, for whatever reason, the comradery amongst the artists involved began to deteriorate. The Atlas arrow, meant for Marvel's heart, struck Crusty Bunker instead. More later. Here's your "Crusty Bunker" of The Day - Steve Mitchell!
September 24 - Oh, the crush of stuff coming at me right now. I've got extra stints at the dumb "real" job, Fallfire contest prep, FallCon convention prep, art projects of all sorts, and this Crusty Bunker stuff. I don't think I'm built for so much work at the same time, so I've been flailing, and failing, a bit. So, yes, two days have passed without an entry here. Sorry, Crusty Bunker fans (I know you've been on pins and needles since the 23rd's "cliffhanger"). To get back up to my own imagined schedule, let me just wrap this entry up with your "Crusty Bunker" of The Day - Dave Cockrum!
September 23 - DC was in DC-ray (Get it? It's like "disarray," but with "DC" in it. Clever, no? Uh, no.), so Marvel had the breathing room to clean-up their own house. Just as all of this was playing out, Marvel founder Martin Goodman had triumphantly "retired," selling the entire shooting match to Cadence for a small fortune, with the caveat that his son, Chip Goodman, be retained as editorial director. This was a bit like leaving a monkey in charge of...well, a comics publishing business. Although a well-intentioned good guy, from all accounts, Chip just wasn't suited for this job, and everyone but his father seemed to know it. The senior Goodman stayed around at Marvel until 1974 as a "consultant," but, as soon as he finally split, Marvel's editor-in-chief conspired to give Chipper the boot. This infuriated Martin Goodman...especially since the "backstabbing" editor-in-chief was his own nephew-in-law, Stan Lee! I can see Stan's dilemma. If Marvel was to seize this moment of at last having the upper hand, the Chipster had to go, so, in the end, Stan "mensched-up" and did what his uncle-in-law could not. Still, the Goodmans were so absolutely, insanely incensed by this transgression that Martin decided to use his fortune, made by selling Marvel, to create a new comics company, with the specific intent to crush the comics company he'd founded years before! Just as DC was finally settling their own problems (in part, ironically, by canceling titles drawn by some of the hands behind The Crusty Bunkers), Goodman's new line, called Atlas Comics, would lure away the young talents that had been changing the industry, all in a serious bid to utterly destroy Marvel! The entire comic book ecosystem was about to endure one of its greatest tests ever. More later. Here is your "Crusty Bunker" of The Day - Bob McLeod!
September 22 - So, DC was in trouble. Marvel's owner, Martin Goodman, had tricked them into critically increasing their page counts - a costly business blunder. DC was able to scale back their 1972 titles from 64 to 52 pages for a bit of savings, but it wasn't enough. According to recent comments by Carl Gafford (who, as you may remember from the 21st's entry, had been hired as one of the first two DC "apprentices" in '73), DC may also have been hampered by President Richard Nixon! Yes, I'm really back to Watergate...but hear me out! Facing a tough re-election (to say the least), Nixon made a bold, if temporary, attempt to stop runaway inflation by ordering a freeze on prices and wages for ninety days...which, as Nixon needed the good press, turned into about a thousand days in all. Supposedly only affecting the largest, most influential U.S. companies, this meant that DC, historically the big dog of comics, was stuck with the twenty-five cent cover prices no matter what, while Marvel, the perceived pipsqueak upstart, was pretty much free to do whatever they wanted with their pricing. It didn't help that Marvel was hitting their stride, pumping on all eight cylinders with Spider-Man, The Hulk, and so forth. DC threw everything at the problem. If history had shown that "it" had once sold, then "it" was tried again. They contracted publishing rights to established characters from other mediums, like Tarzan. They brought back characters from their own past, like J'onn J'onzz. They attempted to make their economically-necessary reprinted stories a supposed selling point, calling them "Golden Age Thrillers" (maybe the first time old stuff from the early days of comics were advertised as such?). They created characters, spun-off characters, re-imagined characters, and gave characters different costumes (thankfully, at least, that move restored Wonder Woman to her traditional, star-spangled glory). Also, they gave legions of young, untested artists paying work. Lots of paying work. This, as I've suggested, seems to have given rise to Crusty Bunker...but, it wasn't long before Marvel, and even Charlton, were also vying for the talents behind the pseudonym. Many Bunkers got their own titles, or at least memorable runs in established titles. The infectious innovations first explored as part of that artist's community, which often manifested as Crusty Bunker, were soon pollinating the entire industry. Then, the industry was turned upside down. More tomorrow. Here's your "Crusty Bunker" of The Day - Pat Broderick!
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