Comic Book Artist # 5/Alter Ego vol. 2 # 5/Summer 1999 (magazine review)
This turnover issue of Comic Book Artist # 5/Alter Ego vol. 2 # 5 is the last one like this as Alter Ego finally goes off under its cover after this edition. The ‘Comic Book Artist’ focus is on DC Comic: 1967-74, when the company was getting rid of the old guard of writers who wanted union rights and to take a phrase from Dennis O’Neil’s interview replacing them with ‘warm bodies who knew how to type’.
Don’t underestimate these early issues. The letters column has mostly professional replies because they were sent early issues and even preliminary art by the likes of Neal Adams. In this case, a sketch of Vampirella.
The page count was also much longer in this magazine’s black and white days with many more articles so I’ll pick out the ones that struck me the most. ‘The Madames & The Girls: The DC Writers Purge Of 1968’ by Mike W. Barr explores how DC Comics dumped its older writers who wanted to form a union. In those days, DC did not mostly credit their writers because it would gave them star status and higher wage packets. They were either quickly phased out or, as freelancers, not given the work. It allowed in younger writers but still had them under their thumb. Barr points out that the writers tried to get some of the comicbook artists in and failed, mostly because they got paid better. The problem then and probably today is freelancers are paid by their status so there is no uniform pay. Back then, DC Comics did not pay their creators for reprint and foreign sales, let alone royalties, so shows how far things have changed. The follow-up interview and the last of writer John Broome by Barr clears up some of this as well as some of his history.
As I’ve frequently commented these early issues interviews give insights while some of these creative people are still alive and there are so many here that it’s hard to pick out favourites. Irwin Donenfeld, who took over from his father as DC Comics’ editorial director clarifies what he did while in charge, chiefly the go-checks to identify their comics and how sales figures boosted whenever they had gorillas on the cover. No wonder they had a gorilla city. The lengthy interview with artist Nick Cardy at his first comicbook convention in 1998 is highlighted by the art samples, including some pages from a ‘Teen Titans’ that was never released.
There’s quite a few short interviews here, like with Gil Kane and Neal Adams, often at the expense of their art. I’m sure I’ve read many of them before in one of the ‘Comic Book Artists Specials’, more so as I managed to get some of them first. However, the real importance of this issue is the flip magazine as it’s the last of volume 2 of ‘Alter Ego’ before it goes solo.
Its main story focuses on writer Bill Finger and his significant contribution to the creation of Batman. The fact that he died in near poverty is a damning province of how business was done and who claimed copyright. Reading all the evidence here you do have to wonder if the suits at National/DC Comics knew but whether they really cared. The interview with Bill Finger’s son, Fred, tends to reveal his father didn’t have the kind of resilience to do anything about it. When you consider he was also involved in the creation of Green Lantern, Hawkman, Wildcat and practically all the Batman family of characters and villains, it’s a legacy that shouldn’t be forgotten. Fortunately, after nearly 25 years after the material here, things have changed but if you want to read the details, get your hands on this issue.
GF Willmetts
June 2025
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 114 page illustrated magazine. Price: varies. ISSN: 401-783-1689. Direct from them, you can get it digitally for $ 5.99 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_56&products_id=272&zenid=d2th2sgdu98b1jq2f9qk5875v3
