• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

VOLUME 2 The More Fabulous Features Best from the Legendary of Comics Fanzine of the 1960s-70s Flash, Hawkman, Fate & TM Dr. & © DC Comics; other art © Estate of Sam Grainger. “More of the Best” – Introduction by Bill Schelly ..........................................................................................4 “The SECOND Best of Alter Ego” – Introduction by Roy Thomas ...................................................................... 5 The Jerry Bails Interview ........................................................................................................................6 Jon B. Cooke’s e-conversation with the founder of the first comic book super-hero fanzine. The Naming of Alter-Ego, 1961 ............................................................................................................18 Jerry Bails on how The JLA Subscriber concept became… something else. Alter-Ego #1-3: The Spirit Duplicator Issues......................................................................................19 How the “Ditto Masters of the Universe” gave birth to “purple” prose… and pictures. The Comicollector—The Companion to Alter-Ego .................................................................................... 44 The coming of comic fandom’s first adzine—with features intended for A/E! Alter-Ego #4: Jerry Bails’ Photo-Offset Finale....................................................................................55 Alter Ego #5-6: The Ronn Foss Issues .............................................................................................. 61 Alter Ego #7-9: The Roy Thomas Fan Issues ......................................................................................87 The Alter Ego #10 That Almost Was ..................................................................................................124 Alter Ego #10: The First “Pro” Issue ..............................................................................................138 Alter Ego #11: The Mike Friedrich Issue ........................................................................................154 Afterword by Roy Thomas & Bill Schelly ....................................................................................................159 [Special thanks to Shane Foley for the “Table of Contents” illo above—and for his drawings of Alter & Captain Ego, created by Biljo White. The Captain Ego figure is based on a Major Victory drawing by Biljo in Marvel’s The Invaders #16 (May 1977); the Alter drawing is based on art by Biljo in Alter Ego [Vol. 1] #7. Table of contents art © 2013 Shane Foley; Alter & Captain Ego TM & © 2013 Roy Thomas & Bill Schelly.] 3 An Alter Ego Extra! The Jerry Bails Interview A Candid Conversation With “The Father Of Comics Fandom” About His Life And Passion “The Good Doctor” Introduction by Interviewer Jon B. Cooke We all have our heroes, whether the four-color, fictional crime-fighting type or the variety of champion composed of real flesh and blood. Me, as I grew into my teenage years, I was inspired less by spandex-attired do-gooders and more by the icons who toiled behind the scenes at drawing boards and on typewriters. I particularly admired those who effectively shared with me stories about hope, redemption, and fortitude in the guise of comic books, or were just plain hon- est about the world. Will Eisner, Joe Kubert, Harvey Kurtzman, Alan Moore, Gil Kane, Archie Goodwin, R. Crumb, and—especially—Jack Kirby were cre- ators who always seemed authentic in their self- expression, and they rarely appeared to condescend. I felt respected and was treated to expert and excellent storytelling. To these heroes, I was grateful. My interests as a teen and young adult expanded beyond the comic book universes and (partly due to Kirby’s “Captain America” stories in Tales of Suspense— don’t ask; long story!) I developed an avid interest in his- tory and journalism, two subjects I majored in while attend- All-Star Light, All-Star Bright, ing college. Strange fellow that I was, I nurtured an obsession First All-Star I See Tonight… with bibliographies and indexes and documentation of exhaus- Jerry Gwin Bails in 2003 (middle)—interviewer Jon B. Cooke (top tive research. Well-sourced tomes with extensively laid-out right)—and E.E. Hibbard’s cover for All-Star Comics #6 (Aug.-Sept. footnotes and references spoke to me, expressing that the 1941), which Jerry said was the very first issue he ever saw of what author held a respect for readers, telling us, “Hey, come and became his favorite all-time comic book. By the late 1950s he had amassed a complete collection of the title’s 57 Golden Age issues— find out what I learned! Here’s the route….” It spoke to me of including bound volumes containing the 30+ issues authored by the joy of learning and how joy can be cultivated only if it is Justice Society of America co-creator Gardner F. Fox. All-Star was, shared. of course, the 1940s precursor of Justice League of America, the By the grace of God (and an association with John Morrow mag whose debut inspired Jerry to launch the heroic-comics fanzine and TwoMorrows Publishing), I was able to meld my passion Alter-Ego in early 1961. Thanks to Jean Bails and Jon B. Cooke, for funnybooks and their creators with my love of history and respectively, for the photos; cover image retrieved from the Grand Comics Database. [Cover © 2013 DC Comics.] journalism into Comic Book Artist magazine, a place I hoped to express my peculiar mania to a wider audience. My goal with the periodical was to focus on the artist and not so much Then came the doctor. Now, I never met Jerry Bails in the artifact, with CBA’s tagline boasting, “Price Guide Never person, but long before we corresponded by e-mail, I felt I Included,” because I loathed the crass money aspect of the knew the man, that we were kindred, that he was one of “my hobby. kind.” While I can’t remember when exactly Roy Thomas The blessings continued as CBA attracted some attention and introduced the doctor to me and an entire generation of I was able to interact with many of my real-life comic book comics fans—no doubt there was repeated mention in RT’s heroes. I recall with vivid appreciation, for instance, sitting legendary letters pages—Jerry’s name captivated me with an down in an exhibit hall with Joe Kubert, who, despite my pes- almost mythical power. I knew he had started Alter-Ego and tering questions, gave me his full attention and respect, helmed the Who’s Who of American Comic Books, and thoughtfully sharing answers and making me, a nobody schlub because of those achievements, he had to be a guy who was annoying one of sequential art’s greatest creators, feel like a completely dedicated to the folks behind the stories and not Somebody. For Joe and most of these guys, my hero worship so much the characters they created—a devotion to the artist only grew…. behind the artifact, if you will. 6 Soon after launching CBA, I did get in contact with Jerry Subj: Part One of interview and—good gravy!—Dr. Bails expressed to me that, after read- Date: 2/3/2005 5:18:58 PM Eastern Standard ing my humble rag, he felt that we were kindred spirits! From: Jerry Bails Imagine your hero telling you that! Heavens to Betsy, was that To: Jon B. Cooke a rush! We always kept in touch, Jerry and I, and he was generous Jon, in offering access to his Who’s Who database and always Here are my responses to your first several questions. answering my questions. We even planned an exhaustive Perhaps you should see them. You may want to reshape your multi-part interview, to be conducted via e-mail, which would remaining questions or send me off on a different tack. I can span his entire life in minute detail. I wanted, y’see, to give provide some scans as indicated herein. Jerry back, if but a fraction, the same respect and attention he Bestest, had given to recognize the achievements of many, many hith- Jerry erto unknown comics creators. I also yearned to know what made this analytical guy, this scientist, this professor, love the 1) Where are you originally from, Jerry, and can you give wacky world of comic books so much…. us an idea of when you were born? So we started with an intensive discussion of his childhood (which you will find below), and plans were to periodically I’m of the generation of kids that were known as focus on different aspects of his development and career in “Depression Babies.” I was born at the height of the Great fandom. To my great regret, Jerry and I never finished the Depression in 1933. It is interesting to note that the comic interview beyond what is here. Somehow the aughts got away book in its “modern” pamphlet format was also a Depression from me and I became less and less involved in the study of Baby. Comic books and I grew up together. I was there comics. Somehow real life intruded on my hero worship. when Superman first became popular. I was wearing a Somehow I neglected to be grateful. Superman sweatshirt for a family photo taken in 1940. My But—thank you, Bill Schelly and RT!—at least we can read mom was pregnant that year with the youngest of my two about Dr. Jerry Bails’ youth in his own words, in a proper brothers. [Want a photo?] forum, told to a proper audience. The Good Doctor remains a I grew up in the “Heart of America”! That’s what they hero with me, standing shoulder to shoulder with other giants called my hometown of Kansas City, which is really two in the field, and I’ll forever be appreciative for our acquain- cities straddling the Missouri-Kansas state line. I lived on tance. Thanks, Jerry. Kith and kin, you and I…. the Missouri side, and we liked to tease about the small hick town only a stone’s throw away. The border there was a Jon B. Cooke hotly contested area in President Truman’s youth, with mem- Oct. 31, 2011 ories of the Civil War breaking out on that border, but it was pretty tame by my time. ***** As a young driver, I frequently found that my favorite places to dance and park with my girl friend were on the Kansas side of Stateline.

Load more

  55

Copy Link