Justice League of America: Fans Critique the Early Years

In my last post I presented an article on the superhero revival of the 1960s that appeared in an early fanzine, Hero. In this installment I follow up with another piece from Hero # 1; a discussion on DC’s popular Justice League of America. The team concept was not only a proven financial success, but garnered robust support from a majority of fans, including a portion that had collected All Star Comics in the 1940s and early 50s, a comic book that starred the original “Justice Society of America".

 

Justice League of America # 16 (December 1962), published a few months before the article in Hero # 1 appeared, is an example of the industry's growing awareness of fandom. A character in the story, Jerry Thomas, is a nod to both Jerry Bails and Roy Thomas, two well-known fans whose missives were published in editor Julie Schwartz's letter columns. Murphy Anderson art; Ira Schnapp letters. Image from the Grand Comic Book Database: http://www.comics.org/issue/17301/  

Rick Weingroff, a creative fan who wrote a series of intelligent articles on comics (and several years later published his own superior fanzine, Slam Bang) came up with a novel idea: ask some well-known and knowledgeable fans their thoughts on the JLA and present it in a format where one can imagine them sitting around a table chatting. Weingroff was the “chairman” who posed questions to his virtual panel and the effect worked quite well. The "Point of View" column was popular and continued in later issues (which will be covered in upcoming posts). 

The “round-table panel” consisted of three fans; Rick West, Paul Gambacinni , whose articles appeared in the long-running Rocket’s Blast Comic-Collector (Gambacinni became a future published author and radio broadcaster for the BBC) and Roy Thomas, co-editor of Alter-Ego (first with Jerry Bails, followed by Ron Foss. Thomas soon graduated to full editor). In less than three years Thomas joined the ranks of comic book professionals, taking a position beside Stan Lee as his editorial assistant and scripting team titles that included Sgt. Fury, X-Men, and a group inspired by the Justice League: The Avengers. For the next fifteen years Thomas had a turn writing practically every Marvel superhero title, brought properties such as Conan the Barbarian to the medium and initiated a truck-load of new series ideas. When Thomas moved to DC in 1980 he not only got a chance to write a few issues of Justice League, but launched a new comic featuring his beloved “Justice Society” entitled All Star Squadron. While continuing to work on special projects for various companies Thomas went full circle in the late 1990s, returning to fanzines as editor of a revived Alter Ego, of which I am proud to be a contributor. 

Justice League of America # 17, cover-dated February, 1963, would have been on newsstands when fan discussion of the group appeared in Hero # 1. Murphy Anderson art; Ira Schnapp letters. Image from the Grand Comic Book Database: http://www.comics.org/issue/17496/cover/4/

Reproduced below: a time capsule into the world of fandom from Hero # 1, December 1962. 

                                          

Justice League of America # 21, August 1963. Mike Sekowsky pencils; Murphy Anderson inks; Ira Schnapp letters. Image from the Grand Comic Book Database: http://www.comics.org/issue/17812/cover/4/

Six months after Roy Thomas prophetically intoned: "I favor the revival of the JSA in any form. I think we'll see it ere long." His and other fans' dreams came to fruition in the pages of Justice League of America # 21. Alternate worlds were familiar trappings to readers of science-fiction, including DC editor Julie Schwartz, who as a teenager co-produced Time Traveler, an amateur publication that was a precursor to comic related fanzines. 

A brief but interesting aside: In 1961 Schwartz informed Jerry Bails that the newsletter he was planning - originally to be devoted solely to the Justice League, but was broadened in scope before final publication to incorporate the costumed hero revival as Alter-Ego - was referred to as fanzines.

In order to explain the existence of the Justice Society to a general audience - some of whom had the same names and powers as their 1960s versions - Schwartz and writer Gardner Fox incorporated the "similar yet different world" concept into comics, first when the Flash encountered his 1940s counterpart ("Flash of Two Worlds!", Flash # 123, September 1961), and then with the reintroduction of the Justice Society. Fan interest may have played a part in Schwartz's efforts to continue in that direction. 

The discussion format Weingroff instituted brought together a coterie of fans who were not only devoted to the subject matter but expressed their thoughts with a degree of intelligence. It's not surprising that a segment of fandom forged careers in the comics industry and other creative arenas.    

Next Time: Hero # 2 and the Marvel Explosion     

Journey into Fandom: Hero # 1

My next few posts will focus on an early fanzine, Hero, sampling articles by comic book enthusiasts at the dawn of the superhero revival. Many fans, both teenagers who might not have experienced that era firsthand and adults who had actually grown up in the "Golden Age" - a period of time that began in the late 1930s with the debut of Superman in Action Comics # 1, and lasted into the early 1950s - yearned for a return to the fantastic characters that were in short supply for nearly a decade. 

By the 1950s comic book content was dominated by genre material, the most popular being war, western, humor, mystery and romance. The once unbeatable superheroes who dominated the newsstands in the 1940s faded from popularity in the following decade, although a few of National/DC's long-running characters survived, specifically Superman (and related characters), Batman and Wonder Woman. In a period of four years (1956-1960) DC's attempts to update/revise once popular characters such as The Flash, Green Lantern and the "Justice Society of America" (as the Justice League, a more contemporary name that resonated with baseball fans) were tested in anthology titles, met with impressive sales and went on to headline their own titles. Companies such as Archie, Gold Key and Atlas attempted to follow suit, with varying degrees of success. 

The cover to Hero # 1 (December 1962) spotlights DC, Marvel and Gold Key characters. Art is by Buddy Saunders, a prolific fanzine contributor and publisher who would go on to run his own profitable retail business, Lone Star Comics.  

When 28-year-old Jerry Bails published Alter-Ego in 1961, a fanzine celebrating the heroes of his youth and promoting their revival, others followed in his footsteps (fanzines devoted to comic books were inspired by earlier amateur publications devoted to science fiction). Hero was one such publication, crafted by Larry Herndon, who was described in Bill Schelly's intriguing book, The Golden Age of Comic Fandom:

"One of the beautiful things about fandom was that physically challenged individuals could become giants in the fan community. G.B. Love was one example, and so was Larry Herndon of the Texas Trio. Herndon had muscular dystrophy and was generally confined to a wheelchair (though he could get around on crutches). Small of frame, and possessing genuine humility, Larry was one of fandom's most prolific writers and organizers. Editor of Hero, Batwing and later The Nostalgia News, Herndon wrote hundreds of articles, letters and ama-strips."    

Herndon's editorial in Hero # 1 pointed to a growing interest in producing fanzines, which, according to Herndon, consisted of approximately 10 in 1962 - a number that would expand considerably in the years to come. Fanzines became an outlet for kids to share their knowledge and enthusiasm, but, perhaps of greater consideration, it gave them an opportunity to become part of a community. In the isolation of a small town, or the loneliness of a big city, comic book fans might never encounter another like-minded individual. The 1960s didn't have the technology of today's world; the "internet" was something you might read about in a science fiction tale (or superhero comic). Communication with fans outside your environment was problematic, particularly for many teenage fans with limited finances. Long distance phone calls could be quite expensive, so correspondence by mail was the cheapest way to go. Fanzines also provided an outlet for creativity; writing articles and drawing superhero adventures was a form of expression that helped many hone their skills for future professional work (editors such as Stan Lee and Julie Schwartz read and took notice of fanzines. Roy Thomas was one of many writers and artists who contributed to fanzines and later graduated to the pros). 

And, as Herndon succinctly stated, it was also a lot of fun.        

Herndon chose a long article by Harold Julian, "The Hero Boom", to open his debut issue (seen below in its entirety). I'll add a few observations afterward. 

                                         

Although it is only one fans' opinion, Julian represented a segment of the audience that was clearly passionate about comic books. The thoughts he expressed, while awkward in places, conveyed an intense devotion to the subject matter. Julian's article is a 54-year- old chronicle from a period when National/DC was king of the hill, but upstart Marvel Comics (then known as Atlas and barely two years into their burgeoning superhero line) was gaining traction every month, as an awareness of their atypical approach grew.

Like many fans who wrote about comics, Julian focused with razor sharpness on superheroes, claiming that other genres were in decline. When you look at the actual product being published at the time it's obvious that was not the case. (Hero # 1 is dated December 1962, the same month some of the titles it discusses, such as Tales of Suspense # 39 and Amazing Spider-Man # 1 hit the stands. The fanzine was likely mailed out at the end of the month, or perhaps in January of 1963). 

This link to Mike's Amazing World of Comics showcases a "virtual" comic book rack from December 1962:

http://www.dcindexes.com/features/newsstand.php?publisher=all&type=calendar&month=12&year=1962&sort=alpha      

One was as likely to encounter comics such as Adventures of Bob Hope as they were superhero adventures in a 1962 candy store rack. Cover to # 79, March 1963 cover date. Owen Fitzgerald art. Image from the Grand Comic Book Database http://www.comics.org/ 

It's evident that a wide variety of comics were published every month, including the long-running teen-humor oriented Archie line; Harvey's comic strip/animated output (Caspar, Mutt and Jeff, Sad Sack); Charlton's array of western, war, romance and mystery (Cheyenne Kid, Fightin' Navy, Strange Suspense Stories, Teen Confessions); Dell and Gold Key's humor and television/movie adaptations (Bonanza, Bugs Bunny, Thirteen), along with the considerable non-hero output from National and Atlas (Adventures of Bob Hope, House of Mystery, Our Army at War, Heart Throbs, Kid Colt Outlaw, Millie the Model, Patsy Walker). The total number of superhero and adventure related comics published in December 1962 amounts to 22, as opposed to the non-hero titles, which number 95.  

These comic books, often ignored by fans, were consistent sellers and appealed to the general public, including an important demographic: children. Superheroes and adventure/team titles were the order of the day for a majority of enthusiasts who put pen to paper, though, and their level of intensity will be explored next time out.  

The Chic Stone Age of Comics!

For a period of time in the 1960s Chic Stone’s inking over Jack Kirby's pencils epitomized the look of the Marvel Comics Group. Stone however, was no newcomer to the field, having worked for a succession of publishers dating back to 1939, including Marvel’s earliest incarnation, Timely Comics.

This amusing Fantastic Four pin-up appeared in FF # 34, January 1965. Pencils by Jack Kirby, lettering by Artie Simek. 

Charles Eber Stone was born on January 4^th, 1923 in New York City. Starting from his childhood days Stone had an affinity for drawing and was absorbed by the Sunday color comic pages, studying the work of everyone from Milton Caniff to Rube Goldberg. At 16 he got his first break, working for the Will Eisner/Jerry Iger comics shop which supplied stories to various publishers. As an office boy Stone was given the usual apprenticeship tasks, including erasing pencil lines on the original art, making corrections and getting the comics ready for publication. Stone soon got an opportunity to draw, and he kept a busy schedule in the years ahead, freelancing at Fawcett, Ace, Lev Gleason, Timely, Fiction House, ACG and Charlton. Although Stone's art appeared in many genres, including crime, horror, superhero and romance, his most accomplished jobs often veered toward humorous material. 

                      "The Ghost of Hamlet", Bulletman # 7, September 1942.

It's uncertain whether this Bulletman story is an example of very early Chic Stone art; he may only have assisted on backgrounds or inking. However, there most assuredly WAS a prankster in the office, with young Stone at the receiving end. Take a close look at the note in panel four; the message reads: "Chic Stone is a jerk."  Image from Comic Book Plus http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=58057   

"Inside Dope" a baseball oriented humor strip which took up the middle tier in between ads, appeared in Lev Gleason's Boy Comics # 31, December 1946. Image from Comic Book Plus: http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=14760  

For the short-lived Consolidated Magazines Stone drew two episodes of the "Bobbie and Sox" feature appearing in Lucky Comics. The above splash, signed with Stone's trademark illustrative signature, is from # 4, May 1946. Image from Comic Book Plus.

Stone succeeded artists Joe Maneely and Mike Sekowsky on The Gunhawk, a character who starred in his own title and was also featured in the anthology Wild Western from 1950-1952. Stone's earliest Timely efforts appeared in 1942, on the "Jeep Jones" feature in USA comics. While Stone was prolific in western-themed stories, he also illustrated sports, crime and mystery tales for Timely/Atlas. The above example points to Stone's ability to draw more detailed, realistic characters and settings. Wild Western # 21, April 1951. Scan courtesy of Michael J. Vassallo. 

   

In the 1950s crime thrillers were popular fodder (and highly profitable) in comics and Stone drew many stories in the genre. Although Stone's natural style tended to be cartoonish, he had a strong sense of storytelling and layout, as can be observed in the first two panels. "In His Father's Crimson Footsteps", author unknown, from Ace Magazines Crime Must Pay The Penalty # 26, June 1952. Image from Comic Book Plus: 
http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=15225

Stone appeared to be an enterprising businessman, seeking out assignments outside of the comic book industry throughout his career. Tim Tomorrow is a store giveaway, dated August 1952.    

Ace also published horror tales, and Stone showed a facility for the material. He would return to the genre in later decades, as we will see. "Sinister Return of the Princess of Baal", writer unknown, Baffling Mysteries # 11, November 1952.

Stone continued to produce horror/supernatural oriented material for companies, including Charlton. The impressive splash is from This Magazine is Haunted # 21, November 1954. Author unknown, lettering by Charlotte Jetter.  

Many artists who worked in comics during the 40s and 50s were versatile, some due to natural talent, others out of sheer desperation. There was a better chance of getting more work, particularly in the 1950's, when romance, crime, war, western, jungle, science fiction and horror comics were in abundance. Stone clearly had an affinity for lighthearted material, as seen from the "Little Hank" strip which appeared in Boy Comics # 99, March 1954. Thanks to Frank Mastropaolo.

It's no surprise that in later years Stone became a prolific contributor to the Archie line of teen characters. This page, from Charlton's TV Teens # 5 (October-November 1954) displays his flair for animation and caricature. Stone art (and possible story), Charlotte Jetter lettering. Image from Comic Book Plus:  http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=25994

Another Charlton series that Stone drew, and likely wrote, was My Little Margie, based on the popular TV series starring Gale Storm. Splash from My Little Margie # 6, March 1955, lettering by Jon D'Agostino. Image from Comic Book Plus: http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=30374

From 1956-1962 Stone's comics work was sporadic, with only a handful of stories appearing, mainly for Charlton and ACG. This was a lean period in the field and many companies folded following the senate investigation on comics and the subsequent creation of the Comics Code. Stone branched out, finding employment in Advertising agencies and as art director for magazines such as True Experience, The American Salesman and Dig. Other jobs included animation work and an attempt at publishing his own magazine, Boy Illustrated, which lasted a scant two issues.  

"The Case for E.S. P.", Richard Hughes script, Ed Hamilton letters, Forbidden Worlds # 112, July 1963. Image from Comic Book Plus: http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=26740

"Old Ya-Hoooo!", Richard Hughes script, Ed Hamilton letters, Adventures into the Unknown # 143, September 1963. Image from Comic Book Plus: http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=26733 

Stone was a prolific contributor to the American Comics Group line (commonly referred to as ACG), working for writer/editor Richard Hughes on a fairly consistent basis from the late 1950s into the mid-1960s when the company closed its doors. Most of Hughes titles centered on romance and mystery/suspense/fantasy anthologies, and Stone had a hand in many of them.   

In addition to his ACG gig, by late 1963 Stone sought additional freelance comic book assignments (he drew a few solo stories for Archie and National in the early 1960s). Having worked for Timely/Atlas in the past, he looked up his former editor, Stan Lee, whose Marvel line, though still a small operation, was gaining momentum. Stone arrived at a fortuitous moment, as he recounted in an interview with James Cassara in Jack Kirby Collector # 19, February 1997:

“I happened to walk into the Marvel offices at the time Stan Lee was editing a Jack Kirby pencil job. Looking over his shoulder I was totally awestruck by the magnificent penciling. Stan looked at me and asked, ‘Chic would you like to ink this?’ My knees turned to jello; all I could murmur was, “you’re kidding?” Leaving his office, for the first time in my life I doubted my ability to do justice to this man’s magnificent art.”

Despite Stone's misgivings, his first inking job over Jack Kirby, a 13 page Thor story from Journey Into Mystery # 102 (March, 1964) was bold and distinctive, as this splash page clearly demonstrates. Lee must have been impressed by the results, as Stone became the regular inker on Thor from this point on. 

   

Strange Tales # 118 (March 1964) was the first of many Stone-inked, Kirby-drawn covers that graced newsstands and compelled kids to pick up Marvel comics in the 1964-65 period. The Dr. Strange vignette is by Steve Ditko, taken from an interior panel. Artie Simek letters; Stan Goldberg colors.

       
The "power of Kirby and Stone" (to borrow a phrase from the cover copy) mesmerized many a kid in the 1960s (me included), but, I suspect if this was the first time I'd seen this image I'd still be taken by its vibrant energy and graceful composition. Tales of Suspense # 54, June 1964. 

Stone inked his first Fantastic Four cover a month before he was given the interior assignment. At Marvel covers were usually produced after the inside art was completed, so this was an impressive preview of what was to come. Fantastic Four # 27, June 1964.

Stone's splash page inks on Fantastic Four # 28, July 1964, set the style for his tenure on the series. While some of Kirby's earlier FF inkers, including Dick Ayers, were quite good, Stone's rendering of the quartet took the work to another level. Stone enhanced Kirby's kinetic forms, in particular adding weight to the Thing's rocky structure. 

An Aside: I would be remiss not to point out Steve Ditko's inking on the interior of FF # 13 and the cover to # 14. Even though he likely filled in due to deadline problems, Ditko's lively embellishment is memorable.

Stone took over the interior inking (and covers) on the X-Men with the 6th issue. Since there were more characters to portray, X-Men covers tended to be crowded, but Kirby was adept at drawing busy scenes, and they didn't turn out too bad! X-Men # 6, July 1964.

   
Speaking of cluttered covers, this free-for-all is another animated Kirby-Stone effort. Stone took over the inking duties on both the Avengers and X-Men beginning with the July, 1964 dated issues. A formidable task, particularly since he continued on the Fantastic Four, making him the inker of all three superhero team books. In the space of a few short months Lee was confident of Stone's ability to keep pace with Kirby's whirlwind output. Avengers # 6, July 1964. 

(A note on cover dates for those interested in minutiae - and why else would you be here? -  Although FF, Avengers and X-Men all share the same cover date of July 1964, and, as many know, cover dates were advanced by 2-3 months to maintain longer shelf life, it would follow that all the July cover-dated comics appeared on stands in March of '64. Not so. Avengers and X-Men showed up in stores in early March, 1964; the FF made it to the corner candy store sometime in April. Got that? Then please explain it to me!)      

Through staging and body language Jack Kirby choreographed quiet scenes with the same sense of urgency and tension as he did with over-the-top brawls. This splash page is but one of countless examples. Stone's craftsmanship is icing on the cake. Avengers # 7, August 1964.

Many Kirby covers had a sense of mystery and suspense, and a panic-filled city with a character turning people to stone would hold the attention of many a youth. On a personal note this issue (as well as Avengers # 6) is stamped in my mind as some of the earliest covers I recall from childhood. Journey into Mystery # 107, August 1964.

   
 The FF walk down a foreboding street as the image of the omniscient Watcher hovers in the heavens above. To set the record straight, there is absolutely NO truth to the rumors in fan circles that the FF was based on real life Yancy Street Gang members, Barry Pearl, Jacque Nodell, Michael Vassallo and yours truly. We have had the same look of trepidation, though, when we approach our computers to see if anyone is reading our blogs! Fantastic Four # 29, August 1964.

  
Unbelievably, Stone was not only able to keep up with Kirby, but had time to ink other artists at Marvel, including some of the "girl" titles, which at that time, were a mix of humor and soap opera. A year before Peter Parker graduated high school, Patsy and her schoolmates were deciding whether to go into the work force or continue their education. While only Stan Lee and Al Hartley are credited (full credits didn't always appear in the teen titles), Chic Stone's distinctive inking is evident, and, to cover all the bases, Artie Simek was the letterer and Stan Goldberg is the likely culprit as colorist. Patsy Walker # 116, April 1964.

Stone inked all the new stories in Fantastic Four Annual # 2, Summer 1964, with the exception of the cover (production man/artist Sol Brodsky did the honors) and turned out a superlative job; his lush brush work is evident on this page. "The Fantastic Origin of Dr. Doom!", Stan Lee co-plot; Sam Rosen letters, Stan Goldberg probable colorist. 

In addition to the two stories in FF Annual # 2, Stone also inked all the special pin-ups, including the gallery of villains.

 Stone inked many Strange Tales covers starring the Torch and Thing which were often more compelling than the non-Kirby-Stone interiors. While there is only one Ditko, whose imaginative Dr. Strange stories were the real treat of each issue, the Kirby-Stone team admirably captured the essence of his approach on the bottom tier sequence. Strange Tales # 126, November 1964. 

The Hulk's title was cancelled after only six issues, but Stan Lee kept him in the public eye, bouncing from title to title as a protagonist in The Avengers, FF and Amazing Spider-Man. The Hulk was given a second chance as the co-feature in Tales to Astonish beginning in issue # 60. This time out Steve Ditko was at the artistic helm, but Jack Kirby continued to draw all the covers, with Chic Stone inking the majority of them. Tales to Astonish # 61, November 1964. 

   
Another magnificent Kirby-Stone pin-up that appeared in X-Men # 8, November 1964. Sam Rosen letters, Stan Goldberg (probable) colors. 

Stone inked a total of nine Kirby covers in December, 1964 dated comics - more than half of Marvel's output in that month. The only titles Kirby and Stone didn't touch in this period were the teen-romance line, under the helm of Stan Goldberg and Al Hartley; Daredevil, drawn by the great Wally Wood, and Amazing Spider-Man, crafted by Steve Ditko. The house ad from Fantastic Four # 33 showcases four of those covers. As Chic Stone explained in his interview in Jack Kirby Collector # 14:

"Sales were very good at this time, and became even better when Stan conceived the idea of having powerful "poster like" covers. Of course no one could do that better than Jack Kirby. For a time, Kirby/Stone covers dominated the newsstand."

When Captain America was given his own 10 page feature in Tales of Suspense, Chic Stone once again joined Kirby as inker. Stone embellished all but two of Cap's stories during his tenure at Marvel (those issues were admirably inked by Frank Giacoia). Here is the splash from Cap's second outing in Tales of Suspense # 60, December 1964.

    
The neighborhood kids on the splash page of Journey into Mystery # 112 (January 1965) bicker over the eternal question "who is stronger, the Hulk or Thor", much like real-life youths fighting over their favorite baseball player or team. Stone inked thirteen consecutive issues of Journey into Mystery (#'s 102-114), making it his longest ongoing assignment at Marvel.

While it appears that Carl Burgos, the creator of the original Human Torch and a prolific cover artist for Atlas in the 1950s, drew the Giant-Man and Wasp figures (Burgos was drawing the feature at the time) the backgrounds and puzzled policeman may have been added by Kirby. Chic Stone inked it all.Tales To Astonish # 63, January 1965.   

Dragon-Man was a Kirby monster filled with personality; his characteristics included a parrot-like head. The figures of both he and the Thing are almost 3-D like in appearance. Stone explained how he achieved this technique in his Jack Kirby Collector interview: 

"Much of the figure work was rendered with a # 3 Windsor-Newton sable brush. I used a three-dimensional inking style which gave the illusion of depth to the illustration. This was a lesson I learned from none other than Milt Caniff, explained to me when I was a mere, wide-eyed sixteen year old."   

 Panel from "Calamity on the Campus", Fantastic Four # 35, February 1965.  

      


    





















Shades of Keith Emerson!  Kirby was often ahead of his time; the villain on this cover looks like a crazed rock star playing a synthesizer, an image that would become commonplace in concert halls in a few short years. Avengers # 13, February 1965. As fast as Jack Kirby was, he couldn't draw every superhero title. He dropped the Avengers after issue # 9, continuing to produce sensational covers with Chic Stone.

Kirby and Stone were reunited on The Avengers one more time, at least partially, since Kirby provided layouts, with Don Heck completing the finished pencils. Kirby's breakdowns often consisted of rough figures indicating the basic composition, but the top panels, showcasing futuristic landscapes and spaceships, point to more than a casual effort. Avengers # 14, March 1965. 

Kirby's innate ability to make each page flow effortlessly from panel to panel is enhanced by Stone's vibrant inking. Fantastic Four # 36, March 1965. 

                        

Kirby and Stone produced two covers for X-Men # 10. Either Lee or publisher Martin Goodman rejected the first version (in black and white), choosing to put greater emphasis on the figure of Ka-Zar. Sam Rosen's captions were retained for the published cover, with Artie Simek providing new lettering for the Zabu vignette.       

    
The penultimate Kirby-Stone effort on X-Men brought a revamped Ka-Zar (formerly star of Goodman pulps and comic books) back to life, although no mention of his former incarnation appeared. Perhaps Goodman instructed Lee to reuse the name for copyright purposes? Poster-like splash page by the usual suspects. X-Men # 10, March 1965.

Arguably one of the finest Kirby-Stone covers ever. Kirby touches on his own combat experiences to bring the scene to life. Fury and the Howler's weariness and exhaustion from the oppressive desert heat is palpable in their body language. Chic Stone's inking, combined with the two toned coloring by Stan Goldberg, creates an unforgettable mood. Sgt. Fury # 16, March 1965. 

    
Dr. Strange took center stage on this cover, with the Torch and Thing appearing in a vignette (although they did get to "Meet The Beatles" in this issue). Another example of the stark, powerful work of two great talents (Jack Kirby and Chic Stone, to be precise!) Strange Tales # 130, March 1965. 

Chic Stone does an admirable job inking Don Heck's pencils on this exciting splash from Tales of Suspense # 64, April 1965. In addition to inking Kirby, Stone also embellished Dick Ayers, Larry Lieber, Carl Burgos and Bob Powell at Marvel (and I'm probably forgetting someone!). Like pairing the right musicians or actors together, some combinations work better than others. Kirby and Stone, however, was a magical teaming of talents. 

  
Stone also inked a handful of Kirby's western covers (Two-Gun Kid, Kid Colt Outlaw and Rawhide Kid). This dramatic scene is from Rawhide Kid # 45, April 1965.

This iconic image of the Hulk leaping at the viewer was later used in ads, on a Lancer paperback cover and eventually as the corner symbol in Astonish and in his own revived title for years to come. Tales to Astonish # 67, May 1965. 

    
Kirby and Stone's sixth and final X-Men cover is one of the best in terms of composition and effectiveness. The eerie figure walking on air and a mystified X-Men (and populace) complete the deal. X-Men # 11, May 1965.

Although Dick Ayers penciled this story, editor Stan Lee felt the first and last pages required a more dramatic characterization than Ayers rendered and had Kirby re-do them. On the splash it appears that Kirby only penciled the figures of Fury and Pamela Hawley. Chic Stone inked the entire story, with the exception of the last page, likely inked by staffer Carl Hubbell. While this was Stone's only interior contribution, he did a superlative job inking Kirby's cover art on issues #'s 11-13, 16 and 18. Sgt. Fury # 18, May 1965.  

In order to receive approval from The Comics Code Authority the Red Skull had to be toned down considerably (the 1940s incarnation was deemed too horrific; the Code emphasized that his face could not have the appearance of a "real" skull). Despite their outlandish demands Kirby and Stone managed to imbue the Skull with a sinister demeanor. "The Fantastic Origin of the Red Skull!" Stan Lee co-plot; Artie Simek letters,Tales of Suspense # 66, June 1965.

While Chic Stone didn't ink the interior story, he applied his masterful brush strokes to the cover of Fantastic Four # 39, June 1965 (Wally Wood inked the Daredevil figure). It would be his last contribution to the title with Kirby, ending a run of 12 covers, 11 interiors and one Annual. After an interim of fill-ins Joe Sinnott became the permanent FF inker; his sophisticated, precise line matched Kirby's increasingly science fiction oriented stories and their collaboration was a critical success. Stone's departure, however, marked the end of a very special era. 

Sometime in early 1965 Stone made the decision to move on, looking for more penciling work. He had this to say in a personal letter to this author on March 22, 1997:

  

Indeed, Stone was prolific and didn't lack for work. He had already begun to pencil stories for his old editor Richard Hughes at ACG while still at Marvel and drew issues of Sea Devils, Metamorpho, Superboy and Batman (ghosting for Bob Kane) at National. In addition, he found advertising jobs, and that's just for starters!

One of Stone's first post-Marvel assignments was taking over the "Nemesis" strip beginning in Adventures Into The Unknown # 157 (June-July 1965). Writer-editor Richard Hughes hoped to catch some of the Kirby magic, since Stone absorbed and adapted some of Kirby's traits, but the stories lacked innovation and were devoid of personality. Hughes reluctantly turned to superheroes in the 1960s when they regained popularity, but he was clearly more at home writing genre material. Stone drew Nemesis for thirteen episodes until Hughes returned Adventures Into The Unknown to its fantasy roots. The title ended four issues later, though, and shortly afterward, In 1967, the long running American Comics Group closed shop. Adventures into the Unknown # 166, August 1966. 

In addition to comic book work Stone was busy on many outside projects, including a series of ads for AMT, a company that produced model cars. The example above appeared in August, 1966 dated DC comics. Ed Hamilton lettering. In 1967 Stone drew a specialty comic promoting Ideal Toys' popular Captain Action doll. Both ads were produced by ACG's Custom Comics division.     

Beginning in 1966 Chic Stone freelanced for the Tower Comics line, packaged and produced by Wally Wood, primarily penciling and inking Dynamo and "Lightning" stories. Stone often signed his stories, but the above example, though uncredited, appears to be his work, possibly over Wally Wood breakdowns. T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents # 9,  October 1966, Ben Oda lettering.  

In 1967 Jack Kirby produced two assignments outside of comics and called on Chic Stone to ink both of them. Captain Nice was a promotional piece for an NBC program debuting in January of '67. The show attempted (and failed) to capitalize on the phenomenal success of the Batman show which debuted in the previous year. Kirby and Stone's art was utilized in television ads and publications such as TV Guide. In the May 1967 issue of the prestigious Esquire magazine Kirby wrote and drew a three page story to accompany an article entitled "46 Hours and 36 Minutes in the Life of Jack Ruby". The coloring on both pieces is attributed to Kirby. 

You can read a more detailed account, and see the complete story at this site:

http://harrymccracken.com/blog/2014/05/07/jack-kirby-draws-jack-ruby/     

At Dell, Stone drew TV related titles such as The Outer Limits, Garrison's Gorillas and, with ongoing interest in UFO's, stories for Flying Saucers Comics, including this attractive cover. Ben Oda lettering. Flying Saucers # 2, July 1967. 

In addition to his collaboration with Jack Kirby, Stone also produced solo art for Esquire. I'm uncertain whether this example predated the Kirby job, but its surely mid-1960s era. This art accompanied Stone's interview in The Jack Kirby Collector # 14, February 1997.   

Stone produced gory covers and interior art for Myron Fass' Eerie publications, a line of low budget horror magazines. Weird, Volume 3, No 1, February 1969.    

Nestled in the back pages of Tower's Teen-In, a comic oriented to young girls which featured advice, fashions and Archie styled humor strips, Chic Stone illustrated a tale centering on an overweight girl battling issues of self-esteem. Writer unknown, Teen-In # 3, Summer 1969. 

To see the entire story, which includes an inspired Stone art job, go to Comic Book Plus: 
http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=61170&b=i      

In the early 1970s Stone returned to Marvel, briefly reunited with Jack Kirby on "The Inhumans" feature, one of Kirby's last assignments before leaving for DC. Unfortunately the four stories he inked lacked the dynamism of earlier collaborations. There may have been several factors involved; at this point, even though he was writing and drawing the material, Kirby was ready to move on; the 10 page length was also confining - Kirby was used to a larger canvas, and squeezing five or six characters into the story didn't help. Stone would fare better in other instances, and with different artists. The above splash, from Amazing Adventures # 2, September 1970, is an example of one of their stronger pages.  

While Stone received assignments from Marvel he continued to freelance for other companies. Stone both wrote and penciled this "gruesome" (although not as gruesome as Eerie publications line) story for Skywald's black and white horror line. Jean Izzo letters. Psycho # 3, May 1971. 

I'm uncertain if Stone ever had the opportunity to ink veteran artist Syd Shores in the Timely-Atlas period, but in the 1970s the results were rewarding. This was one of the last titles Shores drew before he died. "The Man Who Gunned Down Red Wolf!", Gardner Fox script, Denise Wohl letters, Red Wolf  # 5, January 1973.    

Stone continued to freelance for Marvel into the late 1980s, inking, penciling and often providing finished artwork over breakdowns by John Buscema and Keith Pollard. In addition to work on Fantastic Four and The Invaders, Stone had long runs on familiar characters Thor and the Thing (in Marvel Two-In-One) and worked with Sol Brodsky in the special projects division (coloring books, children's publications). Bob Budiansky pencils, Marvel Two-in-One # 59, January 1980.

Everything's Archie # 153, January 1991, Rudy LaPick inks. Original artwork from Heritage Auctions. 

Stone's affinity for humor came through in the hundreds of stories he drew and/or inked for Archie comics and their assorted characters. From the mid-1960s on through the early 1990s Archie publications provided a steady source of income for the artist. Only Marvel and ACG were runners-up in terms of the volume of freelance work. 

In his later years Stone went into semi-retirement, although he still produced commissioned art for fans. He passed away on July 27, 2000 at the age of 77.    

With a career in comics lasting over half a century Chic Stone should be recognized, not simply due to longevity, but for his own unique achievements. Stone skilfully crafted stories in a potpourri of genres, able to pencil and ink as needed, and quite often, did both with a distinctive flair.   

Much like a character actor or background musician, Chic Stone was a solid, dependable, often unnoticed professional, but when coupled with a "leading man" he rose to the occasion. For a brief moment in the 1960s Stone was teamed - by fate or happenstance - with Jack Kirby, striking a mellifluous note that resonates long past its inception. 

In 1997 Chic Stone inked Kirby's Thor one final time for The Jack Kirby Collector # 14. The pencil piece was drawn circa 1970 and published in a portfolio. Even in his later years Stone could bat it out of the park! 

Dedicated to my good friend, Frank ("Dude") Mastropaolo, whose affection for the Kirby/Stone era was  - at the very least -  an inspiration for this post.