Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 20:26:32 CDT From: Vill Hayes <[IANR 012] at [UNLVM.UNL.EDU]> Subject: Volume 4 Issue 6 Part 7 To: Multiple recipients of list COMICS-L <[COMICS L] at [UNLVM.UNL.EDU]> February 14, 1994 The Comics List Weekly Vol. 4 No. 6 Pt. 7 This Week: : Kid Eternity - The Quality Kid +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Date: Wed, 2 Feb 94 22:15:42 CST From: Leery Canna Gang <[lf 7 z] at [midway.uchicago.edu]> Subject: Re: Kid Eternity and his creator > From: [t--e] at [atmel.com] (Bradford Tree) > Subject: Kid Eternity, et al > > The Kid was owned and published by Fawcett in the 1940s and early 50's. > I think that the relationship to the Marvel Family was established by > Fawcett somewhere during that time. The Kid did appear, at least in > reprints in the series published by DC in the early 1970's. Kid Eternity was created by Shelley Moldoff for Quality Comics, home of Plastic Man, the original Manhunter (the one with the dog named Thor), Blackhawk, and all the characters that became DC's Freedom Fighters (Ray, Black Condor, Doll Man, the Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, Uncle Sam, I think even Firebrand was brought back for a while.). Quality was also home to the Spirit reprints and Will Eisner. The Kid's first appearance was Hit Comics 25 in '42, and he headlined that mag until issue 60 in mid-1949, his last appearance. He also had his own title that ran 18 issues from '46 to '49, some of the artwork there was done by Mac Raboy, of Captain Marvel, Jr. fame, which was a Fawcett book. Reed Crandall did some of the Hit stories, I think, too. None of the non-Marvel Family Fawcett characters did all that well in the later revivals, although Bulletman and several others did show up in a JLA/JSA crossover. Moldoff is perhaps better known for creating the visuals for both the orginal Green Lantern (with Martin Nodell) and Hawkman (with Gardner Fox), he also created the Black Pirate, but you've probably never heard of that :). He did many of the covers of Green Lantern, Flash and Hawkman, for All-American and Flash Comics. After a brief absence from comics during WWII, DC left him cold, but he went back to Quality for some Kid Eternity stories. He also did Captain Midnight, some Captain Marvel, Jr., and Tex Ritter for Fawcett, until DC shut them down. Quality got into trouble about this time as well, but I think that was just low sales. Kid Eternity became Bucaneers, a pirate comic with some really great Crandall art with #19, and Quality dropped all their super-heroes around this time. The last Police Comics with Jack Cole Spirit and Plastic Man was 102, only a little bit later. About this time, Shelley got burned pretty badly in a brief deal with EC. Then he ghosted Bob Kane on Batman books for many years, most of '50s and '60s. After some time in animation (Captain Courageous & Minute Mouse, and a bunch of other stuff) he took over doing the Big Boy comics from Bill Everett for a while. He still comes to Chicago most years, if you get the chance to meet him, you should, he's a really nice guy. He got his break through Bernard Bailey, who drew Hourman and the Spectre, whom he cites as his main influence, along with Alex Raymond (some Hawkman panels are straight out of Flash Gordon, Robin wasn't the only thing DC got from Raymond :), Hal Foster, Milton Caniff. I believe I see some Andrew Wyeth in there, too. Raboy and Moldoff are my favorite Golden Age artists and the Kid Eternity and Captain Marvel, Jr. books are some of the best drawn comics of all time, IMO. (And if you have any Hits or Polices you don't need, e-mail me prices :). We now return you to your regularly scheduled episode of "The Brave and the Bold." :) Pax ex machina, Glenn ...................................................................... "It was all weird names and shit, I can't remember any of that stuff." --- Grant Morrison (DP 58), if you must know [g carnagey] at [uchicago.edu], if you must know ...................................................................... -------------------------------------------------------------------------