The Influence of Pulp Fiction on the Golden and Silver Age of Comic Books by Alex Grand

Read Alex Grand’s Understanding Superhero Comic Books published by McFarland Books in 2023 with Foreword by Jim Steranko with editorial reviews by comic book professionals, Jim Shooter, Tom Palmer, Tom DeFalco, Danny Fingeroth, Alex Segura, Carl Potts, Guy Dorian Sr. and more.

In the meantime enjoy the show:

Please read article and/or Click to watch video:

Welcome to CBH, today we’re talking about interesting Pulp Precursors to Comic Books.  Superhero’s are a lot of fun, and get a lot of screen time in movie theatres these days.  Some fans will check out these old comic books and have a great time watching these characters being created by people like Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, John Broome, Gil Kane, Gardner Fox, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, , Bill Finger, Bob Kane Mort Weisinger, Jerry Robinson, Wally Wood, Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino and Stan Lee.

 

 

As incredible as these people were, they read their own entertainment when they were younger, and a lot of that was found in early pulp magazines, and newspaper comic strips.  This episode focuses as an introduction to some pulp magazine precursors to some of the golden and silver age comic book characters we know today.  Literary ancestors or antecedents can go back thousands of years, but for the sake of this video we are going start at 1886, with a penny dreadful of an older british bogeyman legend of Spring Heeled Jack (who would link into Batman) and Nick Carter, a Super-Detective  (who would link into Superman).

 

 

1886.  Nick Carter, Master Detective was a dime novel by Ormond Smith and John Russell Coryell that premiered a private detective who had super strength, super knowledge, excellent at every hobby, he was described as having bronzed skin, and he was a little giant at 5’4”.

 

 

1912 John Carter of Mars premiered in a pulp magazine serial by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

 

 

In this story, gravity was less on Mars which allowed John Carter who was a human from Earth, to jump great leaps in these old stories.  In Action Comics 1, 1938, Superman had the physique of an alien from his home planet who could jump 1/8th a mile with the lighter earth gravity, hence he could “leap tall buildings in a single bound.”

 

 

One 1930 Science Fiction novel that deserves mention in the lineage of Superman is Philip Wylie’s Gladiator, about a scientist that injects his pregnant wife with an ant formula that gives their soon to be born son, the proportional strength and resilience of an ant.

 

 

Not only would the later Ant-Men and Spider-Man gain insect strength in the 1960s, but this superhuman baby would be raised to be supremely humble by his Midwest parents, and would even lift a car as shown on the cover of Action Comics 1.

 

 

Many of these traits would be used and implemented in a 1933 character, Doc Savage.

 

 

His name is Clark Savage Jr and he premiered in “The Man of Bronze” 1933.

 

 

Doc Savage was called a “Superman” in a 1934 pulp magazine ad. He could sidestep bullets and lived in his “fortress of solitude” in the Arctic.  Many of these traits would go on to be implemented into Superman the Man of Steel, either at conception or as the character developed.

 

Mr. Mxyzptlk premiered in Superman 30, 1944, created by Siegel and Shuster and seems to have a pulp precursor in “Sky Imp” from Fantastic Adventures Magazine, 1943.  Does this mean that Siegel and Shuster read Nick Carte or this Pulp?  Maybe,  Not necessarily, but it does show that one story inspires another and suddenly you have themes all over pulp culture of the time, and then synthesized into the Superman comics.

 

 

Lester Dent wrote most of the Doc Savage pulp stories notably “The Red Skull” which was an early story in 1933.  Joe Simon and Jack Kirby (notorious pulp fans) depicted a villain called “The Red Skull” in 3 appearances, 1941.  The character creation was credited to their friend, Ed Herron.  

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster also mention in an interview, that they watched Douglas Fairbanks in the Black Pirate to get the heroic facial/body expressions for Superman.

 

 

1886, A Penny Dreadful of Spring Heeled Jack was put together and summarized all the rumors of this british legend into an entertaining story of a rich young man, whose parents were killed,  he then stalks the streets to use trickery as a vigilante against criminals, and engage in a wee bit of mischief.  Yes, these traits sound like Batman

 

 

1905, another British story called the Scarlet Pimpernel  by Emma Orczy about an Englishmen who used disguise and a red flower as a symbol to save aristocrats from violent French revolutionaries.    Yes, the red flower symbol is something Zorro would also do similarly, as well as a couple characters we’ll get to there.

1914, Jimmie Dale, The Grey Seal by Frank L. Packard about a wealthy playboy who puts on a costume,  sneaks on rooftops, leaves a gray paper seal behind to mark his conquest, and eventually wages war on criminal organizations.

 

 

The pulps & news strips contributed to comic books in the 1930s.  One hybrid strip was the 1936 Phantom by Lee Falk which was originally to be named “The Gray Ghost.”  The name, Phantom was used in pulps as far back as 1914 “The Grey Seal” who fought a villain Phantom.

 

 

The Gray Ghost was Batman’s child hero in the 1990s animated series.

 

 

A small tangent on the Phantom, Lee Falk has mentioned that his 1936 Phantom had some of his origin inspired by the 1926 Douglas Fairbanks film, The Black Pirate where a son’s father is killed before his eyes by pirates and the young nobleman survives and swears an oath of vengeance on them.  Both characters wear rings that are unique to the hero’s identity.  Yes, Batman gets a similar origin story.


1930, The Shadow was created by Walter B. Gibson for Street & Smith, a man who uses trickery to give a sense of mysticism to criminals, he uses disguises to infiltrate criminal organizations, and disguises himself as a wealthy billionaire playboy Lamont Cranston.

 

 

The first Batman Comic written by Bob Kane with Bill Finger was a rewrite from the 1936 Pulp Shadow story, “Partners in Peril.”  He also wrote a story “Lingo” with Shadow modified boomerang in a batarang fashion.

 

 

1951, Bill Finger writes The Man Behind the Red Hood, the definitive origin story of the Joker being a small time criminal, Red Hood who escapes Batman by falling into a vat of chemicals at the Ace Playing Card Company. This accident results in him looking like a disfigured clown.  However, Theodore Tinsley wrote a Shadow story called the Grilm Joker in 1936 about a clown mob boss.  Coincidentally Theodore Tinsley also wrote about the Scarlet Ace in a Crime Pulp in the early 1930s which also has some similarity to the later Red Hood. As much as Conrad Veidt was an inspiration on Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, so also does it appear was Theodore Tinsley, the pulp writer.

 

 

More as far as Pulps to Comic Books, we have Dr. Death who first appeared in All Detective Pulp Magazine, 1934 was a name that Bill Finger and Bob Kane would use in Detective Comics 29, 1939.

 

 

1940 Detective Comics 35 shows that Batman was more like The Shadow than his post Whitney Ellsworth self as he would not shy away from using a pistol to deliver justice.

 

Amazing Stories 1938 has a Joker type villain in Song of Death by “R. Fuguat” which is a precursor to the creation of the Comic Book Joker by Blil Finger, Jerry Robinson and Bob Kane in Batman 1, 1940.

 

 

The 1938 The Shadow in Face of Doom appears to be a direct inspiration to the appearance of Two Face in Detective Comics 66, 1942. In 1939, the Black Bat is a pulp character that used guns much like the Golden Age Batman and originated in a Detective magazine.  This character came out around the same time as Batman and is thought to be an example of parallel thinking, so Editor Whitney Ellsworth brokered a deal where both companies continued to use their characters.

 

He really is a wholly separate character however, because he is a district attorney/lawyer who was blinded by a criminal throwing acid in his face, scarring it, and this origin was used for Two-Face in 1942.

 

 

Despondent, he went to many doctors eventually finding one who would graft pieces of a cadaver eye.

 

The Black Bat developed superhuman sight from this incident and still pretended to be blind.  This power set was then used in the original for Daredevil when he was created in 1964.  So although there are some superficial similarities to Batman, the Black Bat appears to be more a creative ancestor to Two-Face and Daredevil.

 

In 1939, Batman Adventure in Detective Comics 27, The Case of the Chemical Syndicate, Bill Finger and Bob Kane created Commissioner James Gordon and based him off of The Whisperer, Police Commissioner James Gordon from a Street and Smith Pulp from 1936.  Same outfit and everything…

 

 

So, does this mean that Bob Kane “with” Bill Finger read Spring Heeled Jack?  Probably not, but it does mean that likely one story inspires others, and suddenly you have a lot of pulps repeating the same themes, and many of these themes were likely read here or there by one or both of these guys, and used on Batman.  This among many examples show that many of the early comic books, especially Detective Comics, were in many ways cartoonized pulp stories.  So now that we have pulp roots to Superman and Batman done, let’s examine pulp roots to other genre/characters of comic books.

According to Joe Simon, Clair W. Hayes wrote a series of WW1 based novels in the 1910s about the “Boy Allies” which inspired him and Jack Kirby to title the Timely Sidekick comic, “Young Allies” in 1941 during WW2. This in turn influenced Boy Commandos for DC in 1942.

Satan Hall, anti-hero detective appeared in Detective Fiction Weekly, this issue shown is from 1932.

 

 

He bears a striking resemblance to Namor, the Sub-Mariner by Bill Everett in Marvel Comics 1, 1939.

 

 

Sub-Mariner was then in turn the basis for Spock in Star Trek who first had a pilot in 1965 starring Leonard Nimoy in Make up.  The bottom paragraph is a letter by Stan Lee to a fan confirming the connection.

 

 

Edgar Rice Burroughs published Tarzan 1912 about an orphan white boy raised by apes in the African jungle.  ERB wrote The Land that Time Forgot 1918, volcanic activity preserved the dinosaurs in an island off the coast of Antarctica.

 

 

In 1936, Ka-Zar was created in its own pulp magazine.

 

 

The company later known as Marvel made their first Golden Age Ka-Zar comic in Africa 1939

 

 

More than 20 years later, Kirby & Lee revamp him into a new Silver Age version and then combining him with the Antarctic Savage Land in Uncanny X-Men 10, 1965 titled “The World that Time Forgot” , they fused the two ERB novels into an ongoing grand Marvel adventure.  Marvel Science Stories 1, 1938 was by “Postal Publications” owned by Abraham and Martin Goodman, and cover art by Norman Saunders. The front story features the title story ” ‘Avengers’ of Space.” The title character of this pulp adventure has to Avenge earth from Invaders from another planet. Goodman published Marvel Comics 1 a year later with the same cover artist who did much of this interior pulp art in this issue, Frank R. Paul. With names like Marvel and Avengers, it’s likely that Martin Goodman came up with the name for the team starring in the highly grossing Marvel films.

 

 

The cover of Marvel Science Stories 2, 11/1938 and Marvel Comics 1 1939 both with covers by Frank R. Paul, who illustrated many pulps, famous for his illustrations for Hugo Gernsback’s magazines.

 

 

Fawcett publications was started by Wilford Fawcett, Captain Billy in 1919. Captain Billy put his name on a Whiz Bang pulp like this scan from a 1920 issue. Of course Billy Batson would become Captain Marvel in Whiz Comics 2, 1940. This is similar to how Martin Goodman would throw around the terms Atlas or Marvel before using the terms for his distribution company or comics line.

 

 

More on the Pulps to Comic Books theme, Brave and Bold was a Pulp Fiction Magazine published by Street and Smith from 1902 to 1911. Julius Schwartz and Mort Weisinger were both born in 1915, and had significant involvement in the Pulps, and in 1955 the phrase was used again for post code comics focusing on Knights. The genre didnt end up as lucrative as superheroes which overtook the title, and it also became the name of a Batman animated series in the 2000s.

 

 

1927.  Buck Rogers premiered as Anthony Rogers in a pulp magazine, and the cover had a flying jet pack.  I’ve always enjoyed the hero who can use ingenuity, engineering and jet packs to fly.  A fantastic metaphor for self-discipline, bravery and luck with a modern day Icarus having to stay careful not to fly too close to the ground or the sun.  Buck Rogers Newspaper strip 1929, King of the Rocket Men film 1949, Mystery in Space 90, 1964 and Rocketeer Adventure Magazine 1988.  Buck Rogers would go on to have King Features Syndicate create their own character with similar properties, which would be Flash Gordon who would go on to inspire many comic book characters which is in CBH episode 4, the Newspaper Strips episode.

 

 

1931 Night Hawk, an English pulp about a wealthy man Thurston Kyle who fought crime in a mechanized winged suit.  He was referred to as “The Winged Avenger” in 1932.  Most possibly the first flying armor suited super hero.

 

 

This type of Winged Hero would be used again with Red Raven in 1940, Nighthawk in Marvel who premiered in 1969 and his name was Kyle Richmond, then Falcon who debuted in 1969, but wouldn’t get mechanized wings until 1974.  Its an odd coincidence that both Nighthawks were named Kyle.

 

 

Speaking of Winged Characters, Marvel Tales 6, 1939, (previously titled Marvel Science Stories) has an Angel character in the story Angel From Hell with art by J.W. Scott, which seems to be a part of a theme of Goodman trying out winged characters in various stages of his publishing history.

 

 

1933. G-8 and his Battle Aces is a world war 1 era pulp series by ex-flying military man, Robert Hogan.  He injected much of his own experience into this pulp magazine series which would later inspire many war time flying comics.

 

 

 

One of the most memorable runs was Joe Kubert and Robert Kanigher’s Enemy Ace created in 1965.  Enemy Ace is one of DC’s Silver Age great runs, with amazing stories and art, but when read with G-8 in mind, its similarly set stories in WW1 take on a whole different life.

 

 

1934. The Lensman pulp series by Edward Smith, Ph.D & took science fiction to a whole other level.  The Galactic Patrol, with each member worthy of a Lens attached to their hand, capable of transmitting energy and translating interstellar languages.  Their mission is to defend civilization.  Sounds like the Green Lantern Corp which first appeared in Showcase 22, 1959 by John Broome and Gil Kane.

 

 

1936. Suicide Squad, a pulp series written by Emile Tepperman of an FBI task force that combats domestic threats to the USA.  1959, the Squad were 4 non powered adventurers who went up against powered beings.  1987, the Squad was a covert group of prisoners on forced missions against world threats.

 

Please Watch and/or continue to read article:

 

One more fun one is the science fiction story, Odd John from 1935. Odd John is about an Odd Superhuman, who explores the concept of the Superman as a genetic next step in human evolution.

 

Much like Professor X who builds a haven for his fellow mutants, the main character John has telepathic powers, and finds a colony of other Superhumans whom he protects from humans with his psionic abilities.  This telepath coins the term homo superior, much like Magneto does in the first issue of X-Men, 1963 by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee.

 

Twenty six years before publishing X-Men 1 by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in 1963, Martin Goodman published the short story The X-Man in his Star Detective Pulp Magazine in 1937.

 

 

Many know Paul Reinman as the man who inked Jack Kirby on some of the early 1960s Marvel Comics like Avengers 2, 1963 for example. He was also a talented pulp illustrator as shown here in Adventure Magazine, 1941.

 

 

Lou Morales illustrated this page on the left for Fantastic Science Fiction 1, 1952 depicting the Sci-Fi hero battling artificial intelligence robots. Just as Pulps in the 30s inspired comics from the 40s, it is possible that this pulp from the 50s inspired a comic in the 1960s. Russ Manning created Magnus Robot Fighter, a Sci-Fi costumed hero in 1963 for Dell Comics which also featured a very similar concept.

 

 

Hugo Gernsback the editor of Amazing Stories and Science Wonder Stories wrote about the untapped power of Cosmic Rays in 1929.

 

 

As we discussed in the Jack Kirby co-creator episode, cosmic rays were used by Jack Kirby in the 1940s through the 1950s and ultimately to Fantastic Four 1, 1961 as the source of their super powers:

Elton Fax was one of the early 20th century cartoonists illustrating pulps like Real Western, All Stars, & Cracked Detective starting in the late 1930s, newspaper strips, and Comic books through funnies inc, Lev Gleason and Quality comics. As time went on, he was mainly a gifted book illustrator.

 

 

Jack Binder was a prolific Comic Artist in the late 1930s to early 1950s. He created the original golden age Daredevil for Lev Gleason, and created work for Fawcett, and Timely Comics. He started the Jack Binder Studio in 1942 employing later comic greats like Carmine Infantino, Gil Kane, Kurt Schaffenberger and Bill Ward making comics for the previous outfits as well as Nedor Comics. He got his start as a Pulp magazine artist making work like these interiors for story Dark Invasion in Martin Goodman’s Marvel Science Stories 5, 1939.

 

 

1941 AstoundingScienceFiction has illustrations by JackBinder that show a sharply detailed and dramatic side to the artist that may not have been as evident when he cartooned the likes of 1946 Wow Comics’ Mary Marvel (The original Ms. Marvel – kinda kidding).

 

 

Western’s set up the desert hero or anti hero within that genre, and sometimes lend themselves to the ghosts or phantoms of that desert, that didn’t let go of whatever circumstances led to their death. We see that from Pulps to Movies to Comics with Wierd Tales 1924, the Mysterious Rider 1933 with the main character being called the Phantom Rider, and the Ghost Rider comic character for Vin Sullivan who was created in 1949.

 

 

The last, but not least.  Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson who started DC Comics as National Allied Publications in 1934 is a former military man, world traveler and pulp writer turned publisher who is credited as the first person to make and sell comic books with original material.  He is the first one to ask, why dont we put something new into these comic books.  Why should we just reprint newspaper strips.  Time to express oneself creatively for this new medium, and thankfully he did, because modern graphic novels, new creation in comic book story telling with these comic  book units in mind all stems from his innovation.  Everyone that reads comic books has him to thank for this, a creator who brought his talent and love for pulps into visual sequential comic book format.

 

This is another episode of CBH, the important thing about understanding the pulp history of comic books is to better understand the creators of the original golden age of comics as well as what plot or story lines were on the pulse of the readers back then.  The notion that one story likely inspires others, and suddenly you have a lot of pulps repeating the same themes, with many of these themes likely being read by a comic book creater here and there, and then used to create our favorite characters.  


join us for more discussion at our Facebook group

get historic comic CBH Merchandise

check out our CBH Youtube Channel

check out our CBH Podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Google PlayerFM and Stitcher.

Use of images are not intended to infringe on copyright, but merely used for academic purpose.

Action Comics ©DC, Detective Comics ©DC, A Princess of Mars ©ERB, Doc Savage ©Conde Nast, The Red Skull Doc Savage ©Conde Nast, Captain America Comics ©Marvel, Batman Animated Series ©DC, The Phantom © King Features Syndicate, The Shadow ©Conde Nast, Daredevil ©Marvel, The All-Story ©ERB, The Land that Time Forgot ©ERB, Ka-Zar ©Marvel, Buck Rogers © The Dille Family Trust, Mystery In Space ©DC, The Rocketeer ©Stevens, Red Raven Comics ©Marvel, The Avengers ©Marvel, Captain America and the Falcon ©Marvel, The Green Lantern ©DC, Suicide Squad ©DC, Showcase ©DC, Star Spangled War Stories ©DC, Odd John Cover © Methuen Publishing

×
Add New
A Comic Book Historian’s Guide to the Diverse and Vital Interviews at Comic Book HistoriansFebruary 17, 2025Comic Book Historians: A Universe of Diverse StoriesFebruary 15, 2025Applause for the Klassic KISS/Marvel Comics Kollaboration by Anthony M. CaroFebruary 15, 2025The Comics Magazine Co.: A Review by Alex GrandJanuary 30, 2025Super-Folks (1977) review by Alex GrandJanuary 7, 2025Craig Yoe Biographical Interview by Alex GrandDecember 17, 2024Revisions to Ditko ArticleNovember 13, 2024 (draft)Jim Starlin Biographical Interview by Alex GrandOctober 13, 2024Superheroes in Comics!!!October 10, 2024Rob Liefeld Marvel Origins Interview by Alex GrandSeptember 26, 2024‘The Phantom – The Lee Falk Version’ Part Two (1970 – 1999) —- by Rosco MSeptember 16, 2024‘The Phantom – The Lee Falk Version’ Part One (1936 – 1969) —- by Rosco MSeptember 2, 2024Jim Steranko Biographical Interview by Alex GrandMay 17, 2024Steve Rude Biographical Interview by Alex Grand & Bill FieldMay 2, 2024Todd McFarlane Comics Origin Interview by Alex Grand & Mike AldermanMarch 25, 2024Lobo the first Black Superhero by John GoodrichMarch 21, 2024Daredevil and Black Widow Fight Villains and Bittersweet Feelings By Anthony M. CaroMarch 18, 2024Revisions to Ditko ArticleMarch 7, 2024 (draft)Dave Gibbons Biographical Interview by Alex Grand & Mike AldermanDecember 14, 2023Japanese World War II Comics for Peace? by Andy deLunaDecember 7, 2023Steve Ditko Biographical Interview with Pat & Patrick Ditko by Alex GrandDecember 1, 2023Roy Thomas Biographical Interview by Alex GrandNovember 30, 2023Parallel Archetypes in ‘The Keep’ and the X-Men Universe by Alex GrandNovember 28, 2023‘The Romita Version’ – Exploring John Romita’s Recollections of Spider-Man: 1966 – 1971 by Rosco MNovember 23, 2023Danny Fingeroth on Jack Ruby by Alex GrandNovember 23, 2023‘The Ditko Version’ – Exploring Steve Ditko’s Recollections of Marvel in the 1960s by Rosco M Copyright © Rosco M 2023October 28, 2023Changes and Reflections in Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters By Anthony M. CaroOctober 8, 2023Pre-history of Comics and Comix Co. by Bud Plant & Jim BuserAugust 28, 2023Harvey Kurtzman: Between the Lines by Alex GrandAugust 12, 2023Celebrate David Armstrong’s Interviews at SDCC panel: Video Profiles – Golden / Silver Age Creators SDCC 2023 PanelAugust 8, 2023The Entertainment Makers: Film & Comics by Alex GrandJuly 5, 2023Understanding Superhero Comic Books Interview with Alex Grand & N. Scott Robinson, Ph.D.June 28, 2023John Romita Obituary by Alex GrandJune 17, 2023Tom Palmer Obituary by Alex GrandMay 30, 2023José Villarrubia Biographical Interview by Alex GrandMay 20, 2023Al Williamson: Comics Illustrator by Alex GrandMay 19, 2023Lee Falk: Comics Strip Visionary by Alex GrandMay 14, 2023Roy Crane: Comics Genius by Alex GrandMay 14, 2023Stan Lee interviewed at Lucca in 1974 translated by Alex GrandApril 27, 2023Chris Claremont’s X-Men Further Humanized Superheroes by Alex GrandApril 23, 2023Dan Brereton Biographical Interview: Illustrator, Painter and Writer by Alex GrandFebruary 25, 2023Silent Partner: The Early Man-Thing Guest Appearances By Anthony M. CaroDecember 23, 2022Reading Alan Moore’s Thunderman by Alex GrandDecember 10, 2022Jesse Simon Interview on Joe Simon and ShieldMaster by Alex GrandNovember 29, 2022David Armstrong’s Amazing Golden Age Interviews remastered by Alex GrandOctober 20, 2022BBC Radio Show Today interviews Alex Grand and Zeb Wells for Spider-Man’s 60th AnniversaryAugust 11, 2022Larry Hama: The Early Years Interview by Alex GrandMay 30, 2022Alex Segura Interview: Comics Writer and Crime Novelist of Secret Identity by Alex GrandApril 14, 2022When Does One Villain Have Two First Appearances? The Golden and Silver Age Debuts of The Riddler By Anthony M. CaroMarch 3, 2022A Boy and His Dog on the Road to Hell: Lone Wolf and Cub #19 by Anthony M.CaroJanuary 17, 2022The Strange Death of Alex Raymond Review by Alex GrandJanuary 6, 2022Reprinting by Centaur Publications: Little Giant Comics By MICHAEL SANCHEZ & JEFF KEPLEYDecember 24, 20211966 Dracula Graphic Novel: Spotlight by Alex GrandNovember 22, 2021Journey into Mexico – Review by Javier HernandezNovember 22, 2021The Villain Who Would Be King: Remembering the Pre-Crisis Killer Croc by Anthony M. CaroNovember 15, 2021Jim Shooter Biographical Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonSeptember 30, 20212021 Ditko Convention Interviews by Alex GrandSeptember 18, 2021Bud Plant Biographical Interview with Bud Plant and Alex GrandSeptember 12, 2021The African Prince by Alex Grand & Guy Dorian Sr.September 3, 2021Jerry Ordway Power Hour Interview by Alex Grand & Filippo MarzoAugust 31, 2021Mort Todd Biographical Interview by Alex GrandAugust 30, 2021Stan Lee, co-creator of the Marvel Universe by Alex GrandAugust 26, 20211976 Stan Lee West Germany Interview Discovered!July 20, 2021Thor’s Holy War: The Crusader Takes a Swing by Anthony CaroJuly 10, 2021Who is Steve Ditko? with Mark Ditko & Alex GrandJune 17, 2021John A. Mozzer interviewed Hal Kinney in 1974May 25, 2021Monsters & Science Fiction Films Influenced Superheroes by Alex GrandApril 25, 2021Ken Quattro’s Invisible Men Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonFebruary 17, 2021Flying In and Out: Blackie Drago’s Short-Lived Vulture Career Offers Life Lessons By Anthony M. CaroJanuary 30, 2021Bungleton Green. “the oldest, longest continuously running black comic strip” by Steve CarperJanuary 13, 2021Tom Palmer, Inker & Illustrator Career Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonJanuary 2, 2021Why Superman Drunk Is A Ridiculous Concept By Matthew RizzutoDecember 10, 2020Happy 80th Birthday, Bugs Bunny!!! By Matthew RizzutoDecember 10, 2020Bob Hall, Comic Artist, Writer & Actor Vid Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonDecember 8, 2020Carol Tyler Eisner Winning Comic Writer & Artist Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonDecember 7, 2020The Comic Origin of the Flintstones by Alex GrandNovember 29, 2020Bill Watterson’s “Calvin and Hobbes” At 35 By Matthew RizzutoNovember 25, 2020Tarpe Mills 1940s Miss Fury Pioneered 1960s Superhero Storytelling by Alex GrandNovember 22, 2020Comic Books in 80s & 90s Video Games by Alex GrandNovember 22, 2020The Addams Family was a Single-Panel Comic First by Alex GrandNovember 22, 2020The Final Chapter Revisited Twice: Power Records and Marvel/Curtis’ Battle for the Planet of the Apes By Anthony M. CaroNovember 19, 2020Mike Baron, Eisner Winning Writer and Novelist Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonNovember 16, 2020Kim Munson Interview: Comic Art in Museums by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonNovember 6, 2020Barbara Friedlander Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonOctober 28, 2020Professor William H. Foster III & African-Americans in Comics with Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonOctober 18, 2020Milton Caniff: Key Inspiration of Comic Books by Alex GrandOctober 16, 2020Lev Gleason American Daredevil Interview with Brett Dakin by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonSeptember 28, 2020Transatlantic History Ramblings Interviews Alex Grand 2020September 20, 2020Jonny Harvey, Harvey Comics Legacy Interview with Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonSeptember 11, 20201968 & 1969: Interview’s with Stan Lee in Castle of Frankenstein and Cartoonist Profiles scanned by Alex GrandSeptember 10, 2020Vigilante Walks the Tormented Path to the Final End by Anthony CaroSeptember 10, 2020Tony Puryear, Hollywood and Comic Books Bio Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonSeptember 2, 2020Tom Brevoort, VP of Marvel Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonAugust 31, 2020Why is Harold Gray Important? by Alex GrandAugust 30, 2020Tom Fagan and the Rutland Parade 1970s by Alex GrandAugust 29, 2020Jack Keller, Western Artist 1973 Interview by John A. MozzerAugust 22, 2020John A. Mozzer Interviewed 5 of Steranko’s Associates in 1973August 19, 2020Visualizing Robert E. Howard’s “The Tower of the Elephant” in Conan the Barbarian #4 By Anthony CaroAugust 13, 2020Gary Groth Interview: Publisher & Comics Critic by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonAugust 11, 2020Scott Shaw! Interview, King of Cartoons by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonJuly 22, 2020Roy Thomas Marvel Age Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonJuly 21, 2020The 4 Magi of Comics by Alex GrandJuly 19, 2020Chuck Dixon Crime Comics Writer by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonJuly 13, 2020Mary Fleener Interview, Queen of Comic Cubism by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonJuly 3, 2020Two Spectacular Spider-Man Magazines from 1968 by Alex GrandJuly 3, 2020Jack Kirby Star God Trilogy: Thor, New Gods & Captain Victory by Alex GrandJune 20, 2020The Comics Magazine Company: 14 months of Comic Book History by Michael SanchezJune 13, 2020Peter Sanderson Interview: Comics’ Archivist by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonJune 4, 2020Michelle Nolan discusses Secondary Superheroes of the Golden Age by Lou MouginMay 25, 2020William Stout Interview: Illustrator and Creative Architect by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonMay 15, 2020Steve Geppi Interview: The Godfather of Comics by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonMay 15, 2020Advancement of Storytelling and Legal Lessons in Platinum Age comic strips by Alex GrandMay 9, 2020Don McGregor Biographical Interview by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonMay 3, 2020Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy and his 1930s Era War on Crime by Alex GrandApril 25, 2020Michael Dooley Interview: Adjunct Professor of Comics by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonApril 23, 2020Ron Frenz Interview, Marvelous Comic Artist by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonApril 1, 2020There are Two Stan Lee’s by Alex GrandMarch 28, 2020The Steranko Experience with Alex GrandMarch 23, 2020 (draft)Joe Staton Interview: Detective Comic Cartoonist by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonMarch 15, 2020Erik Larsen Interview, Comic Book Maker by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonFebruary 21, 2020Masters of the Universe Comics and Picture Books from the 1980s by Alex GrandFebruary 15, 2020Bob Camp & George Lowe Interviews, Maestro’s of Animation by Alex GrandJanuary 3, 2020CBH’s Alex Grand interviewed on the Calling Out Controversy Podcast 2019 about the Joker and the Comics CodeDecember 21, 2019David Anthony Kraft Interview, Rock N Roll Journalist, Writer, Publisher by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonDecember 13, 2019Paul Levitz Interview: DC Comics Fan, Writer, Editor, Publisher, President by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonDecember 3, 2019Hendrie Weisinger Interview: Son of Mort, Superman Developer and Editor by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonNovember 24, 2019Carl Potts Interview: Editor, Artist, Professor by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonNovember 7, 2019Tom DeFalco Interview, Consummate Professional by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonOctober 21, 2019Jim Cheung Interview, Marvel and DC Comics Artist by Alex GrandSeptember 4, 2019Benton Jew Interview, Comic & Movie Storyboard Artist by Alex GrandSeptember 4, 2019Jimmie Robinson Interview, Creator of Bomb Queen by Alex GrandSeptember 4, 2019Whilce Portacio Interview, X-Factor & Image Comics Penciler by Alex GrandSeptember 4, 2019Anthony Tollin Interview, DC Comics Colorist & Pulp Historian by Alex GrandSeptember 4, 2019King Feature Syndicate – Hearst BullpenSeptember 2, 2019 (draft)British talkRADIO host Paul Ross interviews CBH’s Alex Grand about Marvel Comics 1000August 30, 2019Frank Thorne Interview, Wizard of the Comic Arts by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonAugust 18, 2019Mark Chiarello Interview, The Art Director Behind the Curtain by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonAugust 9, 201980 Years of Superman!!! By Matthew RizzutoJuly 21, 2019From Cannolis To Capes: Mario Puzo On Superman By Matthew RizzutoJuly 21, 2019What Killed Jerry Siegel’s Father? By Matthew RizzutoJuly 15, 2019Josef Rubinstein Interview, Comic Book Inker of All by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonJune 28, 2019Danny Fingeroth Interview, Editor & Writer by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonJune 28, 2019A Photo of The Great Steve Ditko from 2015June 12, 2019Comic Artist Jack Cole’s Suicide Note to Hugh Hefner 1958May 26, 2019Howard Chaykin, the Dark Prince of Comics with Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonMay 8, 2019Tim Sale Interview, the Gentleman’s Artist by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonApril 13, 2019Spring-Heeled Jack: The Original Batman? by Alex GrandMarch 23, 2019Trina Robbins Interview, Superstar by Alex Grand & Jim ThompsonMarch 18, 2019Fleischer Studios Superman Cartoons By Matthew RizzutoJanuary 4, 2019Max Fleischer (1883–1972): Inventor, Cartoonist, Animation Pioneer By Matthew RizzutoJanuary 4, 201940 Years of Richard Donner’s Oscar®-Winning, Epic Masterpiece, “Superman: The Movie”!!! By Matthew RizzutoDecember 24, 2018Jack The King Kirby: Comic Creator By Matthew RizzutoDecember 24, 2018Ramblings About Harlan Ellison By Matthew RizzutoDecember 24, 2018Steve Ditko, Auteur By Matthew RizzutoDecember 9, 2018Thoughts On Stan Lee By Matthew RizzutoDecember 9, 2018Mike Royer Interview, Jack Kirby’s Favorite Inker by Alex GrandNovember 30, 2018Mark Texeira and Jimmy Palmiotti Interviews by Bill Field & Alex GrandNovember 21, 2018Ron Lim Interview, Cosmic Artist in 2018 by Alex Grand and Bill FieldNovember 21, 2018Chris Burnham Interview, Comic Artist by Alex Grand & Bill FieldNovember 21, 2018Larry Houston Interview, X-Men Cartoon Animator by Alex Grand & Bill FieldNovember 21, 2018Dan Parsons Interview, Fantasy Comic Artist by Alex Grand & Bill FieldNovember 21, 2018Rick Marschall Interview, Editor of the Marvel Magazine Line 1977-1980 by Alex Grand, Jim Thompson and Bill Field.August 25, 2018Tom Orzechowski Interview, Comic Letterer by Alex Grand, Bill Field & Jim ThompsonAugust 23, 2018Early 20th Century Classic Illustrators’ Intersection with Comic Books through the Ages by Alex GrandAugust 18, 2018SDCC2018 CAC Panel: Attorneys vs Historians: Who Authors The Authorship Narrative? with Alex Grand and Jim ThompsonAugust 5, 2018Neal Adams Interview, Balls of Steel by Alex Grand & Bill FieldAugust 5, 2018Joe Shuster’s Favorite “Ghost”: Wayne Boring!!! By Matthew RizzutoJune 20, 2018The Mysterious Circumstances Surrounding George Reeves’ Death By Matthew RizzutoJune 20, 2018The History of Cosmic Rays in Comic Books by Alex GrandMay 21, 2018EC-Comics: From Education Comics to Picto-Fiction by Alex GrandApril 30, 2018What did Siegel and Shuster do in Comics After Superman? by Alex GrandApril 30, 2018MacFadden & Houdini: Real Life Pre-Precursors to Superman & Batman by Alex GrandApril 26, 2018The Importance of Phillip Wylie to the Superhero Genre by Alex GrandApril 23, 2018What Are the Formative 20th Century Graphic Novels (1918-1983) ? by Alex GrandApril 20, 2018Born on Krypton, Created in Cleveland!!!! By Matthew RizzutoApril 19, 2018Before Krypton Exploded, There Was Slam Bradley By Matthew RizzutoApril 19, 2018The Deaths of the 20th Century Comic Book Greats by Alex GrandApril 18, 2018Eisner: The Man. The Myth. The Legend. The Storyteller. The Genius. By Matthew RizzutoApril 15, 2018THE SPECTRE AWAITS!!!! By Matthew RizzutoApril 15, 2018The Importance of Reed Crandall To Comic Book History by Alex GrandApril 5, 2018The History of Comics, Courtesy of Superman By Matthew RizzutoMarch 18, 2018What Happened to Key Golden Age Artists as the Silver Age Was Around the Corner by Alex GrandJanuary 16, 2018Jim Starlin: The Bringer of Death to Comic Book Characters by Alex GrandJanuary 14, 2018The Influence of Pulp Fiction on the Golden and Silver Age of Comic Books by Alex GrandJanuary 12, 2018Julius Schwartz – Co-Creator of the DC Universe by Alex GrandNovember 29, 2017Alan Moore’s Watchmen were based on Golden and Silver Age comic heroes by Alex GrandNovember 19, 2017Brief history of Ancient Aliens in Pop Culture & Comic Books (with Jack Kirby & Steve Ditko) by Alex GrandNovember 19, 2017Where does Superman come from? First Answer is … by Jim ThompsonOctober 16, 2017The Golden Age Movie Stars That Shaped the Face, Body and Look of the Comic Superhero by Alex GrandOctober 14, 2017Who Wrote Jack Kirby’s 1st Comic Story for Marvel: HINT: Martin Bursten is not Jack Kirby. A Review by Alex GrandOctober 13, 2017The Good Things about Frederic Wertham, the Bogey Man of Comics by Alex GrandOctober 13, 2017How DC Sued Their Competition to Keep Superman as the #1 Superhero by Alex GrandSeptember 28, 2017Marvel 1960s: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, & Steve Ditko; The controversy of who created what? by Alex GrandJuly 8, 2017The Comic Book Relationship between Jack Kirby and John ByrneJune 25, 2017The Lone Ranger Big Little Books by Larry Lowery and Jeff KepleyMarch 5, 2017A History of the Lone Ranger by Jeff KepleyMarch 5, 2017Doc Savage, a Pulp Precursor to Comic Superhero’s by Alex GrandFebruary 19, 2017Enough about Marvel, What’s up with DC’s Silver Age??? by Alex GrandJanuary 21, 2017From Atlas Monsters to Marvel Superheroes by Alex GrandJanuary 1, 2017Popeye, The Original Super Anti-Hero before Superman, the Thing and Wolverine by Alex GrandJanuary 1, 2017Steve Ditko, co-creator of the Marvel Universe by Alex GrandNovember 10, 2016Jack Kirby, co-creator of the Marvel Universe by Alex GrandOctober 27, 20161969 to 1972 early Jim Starlin Fanzine Art by Alex GrandOctober 21, 2016What is up with Wolverine’s hair??? by Alex GrandOctober 8, 2016From Golden Age to Marvel’s Silver Age by Alex GrandOctober 6, 2016From Newspaper Strips to Comic Books by Alex GrandOctober 6, 2016The 1957 Atlas Implosion’s effect on Marvel’s Silver Age by Alex GrandOctober 6, 2016The 8 Ages of Comic Books by Alex GrandOctober 6, 2016