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Dick Giordano
by KC Carlson
Dick Giordano passed away on Saturday, March 27. He had been battling leukemia as well as had been hospitalized for the illness. He passed away because of problems from pneumonia. He was 77.
There are already a ton of tributes to Dick popping up around the Web (see links at the end of this column). numerous of these talk about what a fantastic artist – as well as particularly inker – Dick was. much more talk about his numerous as well as different accomplishments in steering DC Comics as a business in the 1980s as well as 90s. even much more are speaking about what a fantastic teacher, mentor, friend, as well as just ordinary great person Dick was.
All of this is true.
So I’d like to spend a bit bit of time speaking about a period of his life that is mostly being glossed over – Dick’s profession as a comic book editor. I’ve talked about this a bit bit previously, here.
I very first found what comic book editors are by reading comics created by Julius Schwartz as well as Stan Lee. It wasn’t difficult to miss that Stan was editing whatever at marvel in the 60s. As far as Julie’s books went, he was editing my preferred characters, so I checked out every word in the comics he edited, including the indicia, where I found his name for the very first time. Julie likewise ran extremely informative, although extremely formal, letter columns. Stan, as all of us know, was always extremely informal. That best there quite much summed up the major difference between the marvel as well as DC comic books of the Silver Age.
But it was Dick Giordano’s editorial work in the late 1960s/early 70s that made me begin to comprehend what an editor really does – as well as exactly how they have the power to modification things.
Late in the Silver Age, DC Comics had a major skill (and editorial) turnover, when a number of of the old guard either chose to leave DC (or were asked to) as well as former Flash as well as Adam unusual artist Carmine Infantino started handling much more as well as much more managerial responsibilities for the company, ultimately ending up being the Publisher. As Infantino was dealt with with declining sales, aging skill as well as the public understanding that numerous of DC’s titles were “behind the times,” he made a couple of essential decisions when hiring new editors to replace outgoing ones (like Mort Weisinger, Robert Kanigher, George Kashdan, as well as Jack Miller). His new editors were going to be younger as well as much more prepared to work with as well as train younger innovative talent. Fittingly, these new editors were all artists themselves, as was Carmine. They all spoke the exact same language. So, during this period, longtime DC artists Joe Kubert as well as Mike Sekowsky, former EC fantastic Joe Orlando, as well as Charlton mainstay (and former executive Editor) Dick Giordano all discovered themselves at editor’s desks, in addition to behind a drawing board.
Kubert quite much stuck to editing DC’s traditional war comics, with the occasional new job (Firehair, child of Tomahawk), as well as Sekowsky ended up being in essence an artist/editor, editing only those jobs that he was likewise drawing (Wonder Woman, metal Men, a short stint on Supergirl). Conversely, both Orlando as well as Giordano were around the DC line-up. They not only edited superheroes; they likewise dealt with romance comics, teen comedies, funny-animal comics, as well as lost genres like Western as well as jungle comics. They upped the ante on firing up the longtime not-so-scary “mystery” comics into full-fledged horror comics (although they still weren’t enabled to be called that).
Go-Go #9
Of course, for Dick Giordano, this was – for him – company as usual. He was just doing it in a different (and bigger!) town. He had started editing at Connecticut-based Charlton Comics in 1965, where as eventual executive Editor, he was editing many of the comics line. Here’s just a partial noting of the titles he dealt with at Charlton: army Attack, army war Heroes, Attack, Billy the Kid, profession woman Romances, Charlton Premiere, Cheyenne Kid, D-Day, Drag-Strip Hotrodders, Fightin’ Army, Fightin’ Five, Fightin’ Marines, Ghostly Tales, Go-Go (starring miss Bikini Luv!), Grand Prix, The Gunfighters, Gunmaster, Hercules, Hollywood Romances, hot Rod Racers, hot Rods as well as Racking Cars, I like You, just Married, like Diary, The numerous Ghosts of physician Graves, Marine war Heroes, Outlaws of the West, charming Story, frightening Tales, unusual Suspense Stories, Sweethearts, teen Confessions, Teen-Age Love, teen Hotrodders, Texas Rangers in Action, Time For Love, Timmy the Timid Ghost, top Eliminator, war as well as Attack, war Heroes, Wild West, world of Wheels, as well as Wyatt Earp, Frontier Marshal.
Of special note was Dick’s work in reviving Charlton’s superhero characters under the action Heroes line, featuring Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, Nightshade, as well as later, The Question. other heroic Charlton characters included Judomaster, Peacemaker, Sarge Steel (which he likewise drew), as well as Thunderbolt. during this time, his main artist for the line was Steve Ditko, who returned to Charlton after leaving marvel Comics in 1966.
Bomba the Jungle young boy #5
Initially at DC, he inherited a lot of series begun by others as well as quite much doomed to cancellation, like Bomba, the Jungle young boy as well as Blackhawk, however he handled to put his mark on them on the method out. His final Blackhawk problems thankfully righted the series to its original ideas after a devastating (and inadvertently funny) revamp of the WWII vets as terrible superheroes like The Listener (who used a skintight costume featuring photos of ears. No. Really.) as well as M’sieu Machine.
Giordano was at first hired at DC based on a recommendation by Ditko, who had begun working there. At DC, they were reunited on two new Ditko creations, be careful the Creeper as well as The Hawk as well as the Dove. What we have right here are essentially templates of fascinating new characters that don’t rather jell completely, as Ditko abandoned each series before its conclusion. (Each ran just six issues, after introductory showcase installments.) The Creeper was originally dialogued by Denny O’Neil, one more Charlton skill who traveled with Giordano to DC. The Creeper still exists today as the exact same fundamental character, although many, numerous attempts to introduce him into his own series have satisfied with aggravation as well as failure. in spite of this, he stays a prominent cult character. (A hardcover collection of this series as well as other early Creeper stories is being published by DC Comics this week.)
The Hawk as well as the Dove idea likewise still exists at DC, albeit in a much different type than the original. For one thing, the original two guy have died, as well as the powers have been transferred to two women. In the past few years, this new Hawk as well as Dove have appeared as occasional Titans characters. Ditko’s original idea for the characters was based on 1960s political slang for defining a person’s beliefs based on (specifically) the Vietnam War. Hawks were those who supported the war, frequently in outspoken, angry, as well as fierce ways. Doves were against the war, in favor of trying to discover non-violent methods of ending the conflict. The Hawk as well as Dove of the comics were two siblings in high school, Hank as well as Don Hall. As you can most likely assumption from their not-so-subtle names, Hank was a Hawk as well as Don a Dove, as well as the series revolved around their continuous conflict, which had to be sometimes reigned in by their father, a judge. One day, a mysterious source provided the pair remarkable powers. Hawk ended up being a fierce combatant, while Dove utilized his powers to try to non-violently catch or subdue his foes. Of course, this being DC as well as not wanting to get questionable or appear to be taking any type of sides, the comic ended up being toothless quite quickly, as well as Ditko bailed. Steve Skeates was the scripter, as well as Gil Kane appeared as artist to wrap up the series. The book had tons of potential, however DC was still a quite conventional business at this time around in history, so the series had nowhere to go.
Secret six was one more series that Giordano inherited as well as made his own. (He likewise edited the series revival years later in the pages of action Comics Weekly.) This was an espionage series produced by E. Nelson Bridwell as well as artist Frank Springer (who left the series after two issues; it was continued by Jack Springer). trick six featured a number of disparate non-powered characters all brought together as well as blackmailed by their mysterious leader, Mockingbird, who it was rapidly exposed was one of them. It was intricately plotted, with just sufficient hints (and false leads) in each problem to keep everybody on their toes. Unfortunately, the details of the series were worked out in advancement of Giordano’s arrival, as well as he unintentionally gotten rid of two of the suspects with the insertion of two believed balloons. The series was likewise suddenly as well as abruptly canceled with problem #7, with Mockingbird’s identity unrevealed. Giordano kept the trick for practically twenty years, up until the series was lastly revived in 1988 as well as the identity exposed, only to have the original team killed off as well as replaced with new characters. The trick six name (but not its concept) survives to this day in the prominent super-villain series written by Gail Simone.
Aquaman #45
Other series Giordano was much luckier with. soon after taking over Aquaman, Giordano rapidly assigned former Charlton mainstays Steve Skeates (writer) as well as Jim Aparo (artist) to the title. Aparo replaced prominent artist Nick Cardy on the series, which was questionable in fan circles at the time, however the switch was lessened somewhat by Giordano retaining Cardy on an amazing run of strong Aquaman covers. In the early 70s, Cardy would be the routine cover artist for many of DC’s superhero titles.
Skeates as well as Aparo (with Giordano) crafted an incredibly unforgettable multi-part storyline (very unusual at DC at the time) concerning Aquaman’s browse for the kidnapped Mera over the program of nine bi-monthly issues. This remarkable storyline was radically different from the lighthearted, family-oriented (there was Aquaman as well as Mera, their child Aquababy (for reals), Aqualad, as well as Aquagirl, plus the “talking” walrus as well as sea horses) tales that had populated the title. Under Giordano, the book went from household romps to an continuous experience story. DC fans were not utilized to this type of radical modification (or any type of modification at all, frankly) in their characters. I liked it.
After this “epic” concluded, Skeates as well as Aparo continued with a three-part Aquaman/Deadman crossover (kinda), with Neal Adams offering the artwork for the Deadman chapters of the story. The final problem of Aquaman (#56, when it was canceled) featured the Justice league as well as a radical new DC one-shot superhero, The Crusader. The Crusader likewise offered comics with one of the earliest, totally unofficial DC/Marvel crossover stories when aspects from this story were chosen up in an problem of Sub-Mariner #72 (ironically, likewise the last problem of Namor’s series), likewise written by Skeates. Dial B For blog has the full story.
Teen Titans #16
Another book that Giordano radically altered over a program of a relatively long run was teen Titans. He started with problem #15, working mainly with Nick Cardy as the (mostly) routine artist, as well as a number of different writers including Bob Haney, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman (his very first work on Titans), as well as Mike Friedrich. The title transitioned from one more of DC’s lighthearted romp books to something that may really charm to teens as well as young adults in the quickly altering genuine world of the late 1960s. Besides tacking some real-world issues (but still in a DC-safe way), the earlier problems really spent some effort at cleaning up some continuous concerns about the team itself. fast was lastly brought in as a full member, while Aqualad began to drift away from the team (partially to assist Aquaman in the browse for Mera in a good bit of early DC cross-continuity). as well as the concern of “Who is question Girl?” was very first asked as well as solved. (Unfortunately, not for the last time, as subsequent modifications in question lady history would effect Donna over the years.) As DC was beginning to establish other young superheroes, like siblings Hawk as well as Dove, they were likewise brought into the team.
Teen Titans #21
Teen Titans #20-22 features DC’s very first Jericho character, in a storyline with some unusual credits. The art is by Neal Adams, inked by routine Titans penciller Nick Cardy, which is a extremely fascinating as well as pleasing (and never repeated) art collab. The composing is likewise officially credited to Adams, however the genuine story goes deeper than that, as this story was based on an original concept by Len Wein as well as Marv Wolfman to produce a new African-American character for DC. For reasons as well long to go into here, the original Wein/Wolfman story was rejected, the African-American character didn’t appear, as well as Wein as well as Wolfman were “blacklisted” by a few of the higher-ups at DC over the story as well as their subsequent perceived habits afterwards. Adams went to bat for the neophyte writers as well as volunteered to step in to get the story published, although it was radically altered for publication. (This modified story was just recently reprinted in DC world Illustrated by Neal Adams volume 1.) Not much of the original story remains, however copies of existing Cardy pages as well as an explanation of the story’s background appears in the unfortunately hard-to-find Comic book artist Collection volume 1, which reprinted the original short article from Comic book artist #1, both published by TwoMorrows. This story was likewise discussed just recently in Back Isuue #33, likewise from TwoMorrows.
In problem #25, Robert Kanigher is brought in as the writer of the Titans’ new direction, as peace motion leader Arthur Swenson (think Martin Luther King or Robert Kennedy) is unintentionally killed as well as the Titans are directly involved. They choose to renounce their costumed identities as well as go to work for the mysterious Mr. Jupiter, aiming to continue Swenson’s peacekeeping work undercover in addition to bringing his murderer