Brevoort, Anderson, Marder and other FANATIC name dropping

Since launching FUNNY BOOK FANATIC at the end of November 2008, this blog has seen its fair share of comic book fans and comic book professionals stop by and give it a read. I work hard to make sure that readers feel like bookmarking my humble efforts here have something interesting to entertain themselves with for a few minutes.

Malibu's first release, DARK WOLF #1

I’ve always been a little bit surprised by the distance my work and efforts can travel and who can be effected. I remember during the early days of Malibu, we had a post office box instead of regular postal delivery. When I get around to part five or part six (or part seven) of the Secret Origins of Malibu Comics I’ll get around to explaining that. I remember (future Malibu Comics editor-in-chief) Chris Ulm and I were sitting at the kitchen table when (future Malibu marketing chief) Tom Mason walked in the door after a run to pick up the mail. 

Blog of the Week is also the answer to last week’s quiz question

We have a lot of stuff to get to in today’s post, but before we can start our discussion of our BLOG OF THE WEEK, I need to make mention of the header for this week … and what it means.

When writing this blog, I do not assume that my fanatic readers are “plugged-in” to every nook and cranny of the comic blogosphere. So often I’ll post and/or talk about stuff that I find on the internet. Yep, you might have seen it already, but I’m betting that busy fanatics from here to Hereford, Texas may not have seen it.

Like Will Eisner Week. Did you see this one? Or did it get past you in the blasting noise that passes for information in the 21st Century? Quoting from the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund website: “The first week of March will mark the inaugural Will Eisner Week, a celebration of Will Eisner’s legacy in graphic novel literacy and free expression. A collaborative project of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, The Will & Ann Eisner Family Foundation, and a variety of comics institutions, Will Eisner Week is chaired by the Minneapolis College of Art and Design’s Assistant Professor Barbara Schulz. Will Eisner Week will be celebrated this year from March 1 to March 7, commemorating the 92nd anniversary of Eisner’s birth.

Artist Gene Day, a MASTER lost much too early

Every year I go to Lake Havasu City, Arizona with my wife to visit her parents. Contrary to the stereotype, I really like and enjoy this trip. As you’re reading this, I’m driving back to my hacienda in Southern California, listening to Howard Stern on my Sirius Satellite Radio. If you’ve come expecting Miscellaneous Monday, unfortunately (for the 2nd time in three weeks) I have to apologize. My big silly fanatic Miscellaneous post won’t be ready until Wednesday. 

This page and post may take some serious time to “load” today because I’ve decided to remind everyone one of the reasons to REALLY love Marvel’s MASTER OF KUNG FU title. It had good times and it had weaker times, but one of the highlights was the emergence of inker Gene Day as a penciller of extraordinary talent and storytelling ability. Just oogle these pages … see the power … the innovation … the attention to detail … the superb panel-to-panel continuity. Gene Day died in his sleep in September 1982, he never reached his 32nd birthday. What a colossal lose.