December 1994
whole number 60
1994 pages 000-xxx
An unofficial index to The Comics newsletter (1990-present)
Volume 5, Number 10
October 1994
whole number 58
1994 pages 099-108
This issue opens up with an exchange of letters between Robin Snyder and Robert Kanigher regarding the then-recently published BIG FIVE book about the DC war comics, for which Kanigher wrote a foreword and Snyder wrote an introduction. Apparently there was some editing of the material which Snyder didn't like, so this issue presents them as written.
Kanigher's piece is an epic bit of writing boldly titled "All Men Are Brothers - Starting with Cain and Abel". He gets into all sorts of details and anecdotes on the long history of the DC war line that he was the essential part of from beginning (1952) to end (1988). A wide-ranging memoir that touches on the major characters and artists, the themes and creative process and some of the old grudges.
At the end is a short obituary by Kanigher for then recently passed editor Murray Boltinoff.
Snyder's piece, titled "The Glory Boys" (named for the 1971 Kanigher/Toth short story), is a too-brief profile of the three most important editors of the DC war line: Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert and Murray Boltinoff.
We also get a larger than normal look at Creig Flessel's logo.
Below, Russ Heath's cover to BIG FIVE (a recreation of a 1962 cover)
Volume 5, Number 8
August 1994
whole number 56
1994 pages 073-084
(note, misidentified as "Vol. 4" in the indicia)
Cover this time is a collage of work by Rudi Palais, who answers Snyder's favourite question, what he considers his best work. Inside is a page from a 1953 horror/sci-fi story that looks intriguing.
Alex Toth has a short note and illustration. Batton Lash and Stan Lee also have short notes:
"[Steve Ditko's] a most complex individual." -- Stan Lee
Longer letters from Hames Ware and Jerry DeFuccio on a variety of topics.
William Woolfolk has the second part of his auto-biography, "Perseverance", on his work at MLJ:
"For the uninitiated there was a clear distinction between AGHH and AARGH, scrupulously adhered to by most writers. AGHH was when the villain suffered serious but not decisive or mortal blow. AARGH was when it was time to call the ambulance or the morgue." -- William Woolfolk
Robert Kanigher provides an essay titled "Flare Path", with some thoughts on the "DC" war comics:
"DC had no more to do with the war comics than it had with the building of the pyramids" -- Robert Kanigher
He also goes in depth on one particular story, "The Glory Boys" (Our Army at War #235, 1971), a Toth illustrated masterpiece.
Volume 5, Number 6
June 1994
whole number 54
1994 pages 053-060 (8 pages)
William Woolfolk starts his autobiographical series "Perseverance" in this issue, with talk of his early work, his friendship with Sy Reit and first meeting with Harry Shorten at MLJ.
"One day I saw [Sy Reit's] work in a comic book and called to denounce him for having sold out to Mammon, and inquired how I could do the same." -- William Woolfolk
Robert Kanigher provides a random chapter of his always imminent trilogy, with a story about a chance meeting with a cartoonist, introduced by a short note to Alex Toth.
Shelly Moldoff has a letter about his animated feature from the 1970s, Marco Polo, Jr. , along with a drawing of some of the characters.
Also letters from Bob Hughes, Nick Caputo, Jack Burnley and Mort Todd.
(note that this and a few other 1994 issues are incorrectly labelled as "Vol. 4" in the indicia)
Volume 5, Number 3
March 1994
whole number 51
1994 pages 021-032 (12 pages)
A copy of an old A Date With Judy page up front, to go with part 3 of writer Paul S. Newman's bibliography, covering 1947/1948.
"Newman's comics earnings increased to $4500 in this year [1948]"
An obituary for the recently deceased Jack Kirby in here, with an anecdote about an interaction Snyder had with Jack and Roz Kirby when he was processing art returns for DC. One of those pages, the brilliant intro page to the then-unpublished In The Days Of The Mob #2, is on the backcover. DC has subsequently published the stories meant for that issue in various formats.
Long Under The Gun column this time, with a header by Fred Rhoads and correspondence from Rhoads, Jerry DeFuccio, Paul Norris, Creig Flessel, Jack Schiff, Dick Ayers, Bob Haney, Paul S. Newman (with a sample of a Smokey The Bear strip by Newman and artist Wes Wood from 1958), Chris Pedrin, Jon R. Warren, Nick Caputo, Ray Bottorff, Harry W. Miller, Michael Teitelbaum, Tim Barnes, Robert Rowe, Frances Saint Martin, Mike Benton, Joel Thingvall, Rodney Schroeter,
As a note of trivia, this appears to be the issue that the title of the newsletter took its final form, The Comics (unless you want to count punctuation).
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