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Subject: TONY'S TIPS XTRA 8/24/09: Alter Ego #88 | Author | Messages | 
Tony Isabella
Posts: 1882
 | Posted: 8/24/2009 3:32:45 AM | TONY'S TIPS XTRA
for Monday, August 24, 2009
ALTER EGO is arguably the most important comics history magazine in the history of comics history...and ALTER EGO #88 [TwoMorrows; $6.95] might just be its most important issue ever. It focuses on the much-maligned Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson - "the visionary who founded DC Comics" - and, if there's any justice in comicdom, it will go a long way towards restoring the good name of a man who was screwed over by scoundrels who pushed him out of the company, minimized his contributions, and made fortunes from the creativity and hard work of others. The more things change...
ALTER EGO's five-part coverage of Wheeler-Nicholson is a compelling record of the man's comics career and overall life. Jim Amash gets things started by interviewing Christina Blakeney, the daughter of Wheeler-Nicholson. That's followed by his interviews with Douglas Wheeler-Nicholson (the Major's son) and Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson Brown, the granddaughter determined to correct the misinformation that had become part of the comics history record.
The coverage continues with Wheeler-Nicholson Brown interviewing her aunt Antoinette Wheeler-Nicholson Harley about her legendary father and Ian Wheeler-Nicholson, another grandchild of the Major, interviewing the late Creig Flessel on the early days of what would become DC Comics. What emerges from all these talks is the picture of the Major as a creative dynamo whose financial mishaps were the result of the Depression, his unfortunate lack of business acumen, and the crooked schemes and outright fraud committed by partners Harry Donenfeld and Jack Liebowitz. I came away from this amazing issue with a profound appreciation for the Major's integrity and the wish I could correct the opening chapter of my 1000 COMIC BOOKS YOU MUST READ to give him full credit for rescuing Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster' SUPERMAN from oblivion.
Need more reason to buy this issue? How about a look at Superman as drawn by Russell Keaton, who drew several newspaper strips from Siegel's scripts during a period when Shuster had cooled on the Man of Steel? How about Eddy Zeno interviewing Eileen Mortimer on her late husband, Win Mortimer?
Digression. Win drew one of my first stories for Marvel and I wish circumstances had allowed me to work with him beyond that. He was a true gentleman and a terrific artist who encouraged the new kid in the Marvel Bullpen to keep at it.
Back to ALTER EGO #88. Michael T. Gilbert brings us an article in defense of comic book from 1941. South African writer and fan John Wright is eulogized by several comics friends and historians. Mark Evanier eulogizes cartoonist Roger Armstrong. Marc Swayze offers a few kind words for a little-remembered Captain Marvel character. in a never-before-published essay. the late C.C. Beck rants about comics and TV shows not done the way he would have done them. There's a short piece on Fatman the Human Flying Saucer and the ever-lively ALTER EGO letters section. That adds up to an incredible amount of wonderful stuff for a relatively low price.
ALTER EGO #88 earns the rare six out of five Tonys. Because, when it comes to a magazine this good, math is my bitch!
© 2009 Tony Isabella
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Gary Dunaier
Posts: 548
| Posted: 8/29/2009 11:56:04 PM | One of the things that impressed me about Alter Ego #88 was the reproductions of some of the pages from New Fun #1. I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd love to see a reprint of the entire first issue - heck, I'd be happy for a set of photocopies of Roy Thomas' photocopies - but at least we've got these tantalizing tastes.
It was interesting to see how many text features there were in that first issue. I'm into stamps and coins, so I was particularly interested to learn there was a page on, you guessed it, stamps and coins.
But perhaps the most interesting part of that first issue, at least from the perspective of a collector in 2009, is an editorial promise that if the reader sends in a letter "telling why you like FUN and your letter is among the ten best letters - you will receive free the artist's drawing of one of the cartoon strips you like best."
That's right, from the very beginning, the company that would become DC Comics was giving away original art.
I agree that Alter Ego #88 is a keeper.
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