Alter Ego # 193 June 2025 (magazine review)
This issue of ‘Alter Ego’ is devoted to over 50 pages written by Eddy Zeno as he looks at the ghost artists Joe Shuster employed on Superman and other strips. A lot of artists ran studios like that just to keep up with the deadlines. It wasn’t just with the two Superman comicbooks but also the newspaper strips which stack up. Shuster’s eyesight wasn’t the best but he reserved inking Superman’s head for himself. A lot of the artists didn’t stay long but some did and some contributed various design changes. Dennis Neville gave Clark Kent extra curls in his hair. Wayne Boring added the ‘S’ to the cloak amongst other things. There’s so much information to digest here. Jack Burnley was the first artist to draw Superman and Batman together. Superman’s split-curl is supposed to look like a ‘s’. I wonder if the people behind Superman’s costumes in his recent films putting ‘s’ in everything on his suit realised that? The detail in this section even gets as far as the letterers and logos. Principle for giving the definitive ‘Superman’ logo is Ira Schnapp, who improved the three-dimensional look. What you probably wouldn’t know is his other nine cover logos for DC Comics that you would have taken for granted in the 1960s-70s. After reading Zeno’s article, you’re going to know far more about the Man of Steel’s ghost artists than you would otherwise. I do hope there is a companion piece regarding Batman in the same way. Zeno’s article was originally part of a limited edition book on the subject. Some publisher really needs to do a more general release of this book.
Michael T, Gilbert’s ‘Mr. Monster’ section has him looking at the Sunday comicstrip supplements of the 1950s in American newspapers who wanted something to attract the kids. From a British perspective and probably conflicting information over the years I have a feeling that I’m seeing different versions. Back in the 1950s, they really were full comicbooks or even continuing stories, a lot illustrated by Will Eisner, and circulated in different newspapers.
The Fawcett Collector looks at the art of Gus Ricca (1906-1956). Principally, his artwork was on Ibis The Invincible, although he also worked on other characters. Merely as a general comment, it would be interesting to have the art specialist writers to look at how comicbook artists evolve and improve over the years or what obstacles they had to overcome, like compensating for poor printing quality.
This is one issue of ‘Alter Ego; which is loaded with information. I certainly know more about the early Superman that I didn’t know before.
GF Willmetts
August 2025
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: $10.95 (US). ISSN: 1932-6890. Direct from them, you can get it for $10.95 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_55&products_id=1817&zenid=oplvg3ui8nc9952lk7vkbk66i1
