Category: Comic Books

From sad to worst

I’ve not been writing because I’m away for a few days, but tonight I was saddened to learn that Gene Colan’s wife Adrienne has died.

My buddy Dennis and I first met Gene and Adrienne over ten years ago, when they made appearances at Paul Howley’s store, That’s Entertainment, in Worcester, MA. Those of us who know what’s been going on recently in the Colan family had been hoping it wouldn’t come to this, but it has.

The last time I spoke with Gene and Adrienne, I was calling to make sure they received a $2000 check I had sent to them. It was a straight gift. I asked for nothing in return, not even a sketch. I told Gene that it was my way of saying thanks for drawing so many great comic-books.

Adrienne was very appreciative, and she said the money would help pay for Gene’s medications. A few minutes before calling, I had told Steranko (who I first met in 1972) I would be speaking with Gene, and he said, with great intensity, “I want you to tell him that I am the world’s number one Gene Colan fan. Would you do that for me, please?” I promised I would, and when I told Gene, he said, “Jim Steranko said that? Oh my, that’s wonderful. What an honor that is.”

With the tremendous success of the first Iron Man movie, I was pleased that Marvel Comics did the right thing and kicked in with some substantial cash for Gene. It meant a lot to me to be able to help the Colan’s through one of their tougher times, and it hurts that the situation later became as bad as it did. Now is a time for peace, rest, and healing.

Al Williamson’s Flash drive

It’s been only a month since Frank Frazetta’s passing, and now Al Williamson is gone, too. They did some outstanding work together at EC. If Frazetta’s forté was fantasy, Williamson’s bent was more for science-fiction.

I first saw Williamson’s work in 1966, in issue #1 of the Flash Gordon comic-book series, from the short-lived King Comics line. Here is a sample of what I saw when I was but a wee lad of ten. The artistry in these pages is stunning, compared to many of the comics that were being published at the time.

Williamson worked in a style inspired by Alex Raymond, who is my pick for the all-time greatest artist of adventure comic strips. Younger fans came to know Williamson from his run on Star Wars. By that time, Al was being assisted by Carlos Garzón, from Bogotá, Columbia, where the American-born Williamson had grown up.

The last time I saw Williamson at a comics convention he still had something of the brash, young artistic turk about him, despite being in middle-age, and he was still very much a lady’s man. He was a rare breed, who updated a classic style of illustration, while staying true to it. Williamson and Frazetta were to comic books what the Method was to acting, where tried-and-true techniques of the past were reinvigorated with an independent, cutting-edge, attitude.

Speaking of Frazetta, his most famous ink drawing was recently bought by Heritage Auction co-founder Jim Halperin for $380,000. It was drawn for a Famous Funnies issue of Buck Rogers, but it ended up as the cover for the EC book Weird Science-Fantasy #29.

Erik Colan with his father Gene

Gene Colan is one of the all-time great comic-book artists. There are many favorite stories that Gene illustrated, starting with the first I ever saw, Daredevil #20, in 1966. Another is the Iron Man story in Tales of Suspense #93.

Two years ago, Gene Colan was at death’s door. With a lot of medical care, and some financial help from his peers and fans (myself included), Gene made a miraculous recovery. Recently, Gene has had a tough time with some personal, as well as physical, setbacks. The Colan family is starting to recover from these latest difficulties, and I was surprised and pleased when Denro told me that Gene’s son Erik has posted some videos with his dad on YouTube.

It looks better in IMAX

Ya know, despite the appallingly stupid fight at the drunk party (are there any other kinds of fights at drunk parties?), I think I’m going to see Iron Man 2 again, especially because at the last minute Eric couldn’t go, due to something going on at school. I wouldn’t have gone at all, but I’d already bought tickets and Bismo was there with his son. This is the opening scene and, trust me, it’s much more impressive in IMAX than it is here, with 640×272 pixels. If you click the full screen button the player should hold the correct shape of the image.

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P.S. For the record, I have not been in a fight since last August, and the last time before that was 1977.