For the past couple of years the King Features blog Ask a Cartoonist had us pick a favorite poem. Last year I picked a classic, Crossing Brooklyn Ferry by Walt Whitman.
This year I’m going to my favorite pulp writer, Robert E. Howard.
For anyone unfamiliar with Robert E. Howard, his most popular creation was Conan the barbarian – a classic pulp fiction character if ever there was one.
Conan by Frank Frazetta
This poem I chose is Solomon Kane’s Homecoming.
The recording which follows came with the hardcover collection
“The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane” (1998).
It was illustrated by Gary Gianni, who drew King Features’ own Prince Valiant for a number of years – and beautifully so. Here’s a link: Gary Gianni – Prince Valiant.
And now, without further ado, Solomon Kane’s Homecoming – Read by Paul Blake.
A quick sampling of just a few of the artists on hand. Click on images to see larger.
Neal Adams Only artist on this list who had a booth and wasn’t in Artist Alley.Tom and Anna RichmondRamón PérezTim VigilThomas GianniGene Ha and Delia Jean HickeyErik Munson and Chan ChauDouglas KlaubaDave DormanChris ClaremontBrent and Nicole SchoonoverBilly TucciAshleigh PopplewellArthur AdamsAndrew PepoyJessica LynnJill ThompsonJohn BivensChristopher Jones and Hal BichelJose Luis Garcia LopezLuke DaabMike Mignola and Gary Gianni
Many thanks to the one and only Paddy McPoland for securing my wife and I seats for their show in Cedarburg, Wisconsin before it sold out.
Here’s my way of saying thanks…
The “After Joe Shuster” is of course reference to this iconic cover…
Superman #1 – 1939
And as someone with an Irish Dad and Polish Mom, I find no end of amusement to Paddy’s name. Along those lines, here’s a button Paddy got from a High Kings fan in Muskegon last year…
All for now. Leaving you with one of my favorite songs off their new CD, Four Friends Live – Friends for Life.
Paul Ryan at GraniteCon 2015, Manchester, New Hampshire
Paul Ryan (September 23, 1949 – March 6, 2016)
Reprinted from Alex Saviuk’s Facebook page with permission.
I am deeply saddened and stunned by the passing of Paul Ryan so quickly and way too soon. I found out yesterday late morning and could not work anymore and had to make inquiries as to what happened that took him away from us and more importantly from his wife and immediate family.
I was able to speak at length with some close friends to share in our grief but at the same time revel in delight at what a wonderful guy he was and of course terrific artist he was as well. When I got to Marvel in 1986 Paul was just breaking into comics and he and I worked together on a NIGHTMASK fill-in in which he inked my pencils, but as time went on very quickly he became more prolific as a penciler and storyteller with an incredible work ethic that left many of his colleagues scratching their heads in awe.
At his peak he penciled the Fantastic Four and an Avengers book every month without missing a beat or sacrificing quality because of the sheer volume of work that he did religiously day after day with joy.
Even to this day he penciled inked and lettered the Phantom Daily strip without assistants and still just recently finished penciling and inking a Phantom story for Egmont overseas. I got to see his work first hand because his was the first part of a three part story and I needed to see his pages since I was drawing the second part. That was the last time I will have seen Paul Ryan…through his wonderful work.
Click on images to see larger.
Paul Ryan – pencilsPaul Ryan – inks
I wanted to call him and talk to him about how he managed to fit this into his already incredibly busy week but I didn’t which I now regret tremendously. I already miss that conversation that never happened. But I did speak with a mutual friend last night, Pete Klaus, who did manage to speak with him just a few days ago and things seemed well enough for the most part.
I am happy about being instrumental to some degree in getting Paul to Australia in 2014 the year after I was there so he could meet the adoring fans in that beautiful country and I know how appreciative they were that he and his lovely wife Linda made the trip. As far and as long as that trip was Paul made it back home and got back to work as usual.
This latest trip unfortunately will be his last from which he will not return in person…but the body of work that he left behind will be an everlasting legacy along with the many memories of the truly wonderful man he was.
Rest in peace, Paul… You will be a hard act to follow.
Alex Saviuk has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics – he currently draws the Amazing Spider-Man Sunday comic strip.
Alex Saviuk
Paul Ryan Remembrances
From Marv Wolfman’s Facebook page.From Joe Rubinstein’s Facebook page.From Ivan Pedersen’s Facebook page.
My wikipedia page was recently brought to my attention again…
And since it is once again on my radar, I thought I would address the inaccuracies so I can then once again ignore it.
Note: I actually tried to correct it many years ago – not knowing that editing your own wiki page is strictly prohibited – and was promptly booted off the site.
So here it is in its most recent incarnation (2/29/16).
First off under Personal information…
…he attended Joe Kubert’s School of Cartoon and Graphic Art after a very brief career at a more traditional institution.
Since when does going to school get referred to as “a very brief career”?
What actually happened was that before attending the Joe Kubert School I tried out a number of other art schools that didn’t quite fit the bill as far as the career I was looking for.
First off was a summer program at Atelier Lack in Minneapolis, which gave me a good grounding in the traditional methods of drawing. Next up was a brief stint at Atelier Hathaway (one of Richard Lack’s students), then a semester at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
Now for Career…
Keefe started his career coloring comic strips such as Blondie, Beetle Bailey and Hägar the Horrible. He was the head colorist in the King Features Syndicate comic art department. Keefe’s tenure lasted from January, 1996 to March 2003. Unfortunately he was unable to continue his work for King Features because of economic issues.
Stilted sentence structure notwithstanding, I actually worked on staff at King from 1989-1998. 1996-2003 refers to when I wrote and drew Flash Gordon.
And those “economic issues” were actually King Features’ economic issues – as they laid off my entire department as a cost cutting measure.
Since he has left his coloring job, Keefe has taught, taken part in freelance assignments, promoted the National Cartoonists Society and worked on a graphic novel. His graphic novel exemplifies his Father’s service in World War II as a member of Patton’s Third Army. Keefe’s work on Flash Gordon continues to appear in syndication.
This reads like it was translated from japanese using Mac’s translation app.
“…taken part in freelance assignments” My name is Jim Keefe. And yes, I admit it – I have taken part in freelance assignments.
And as for the Graphic Novel that I have not actually completed, may I suggest the word chronicles instead of exemplifies.
Keefe has taught and spoken at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, Malloy College, and Hofstra University’s UCCE Youth Programs in Long Island, New York.
Keefe has taught and spoken at, he has.
Keefe currently provides the artwork for the syndicated comic strip Sally Forth, as well as performs freelance assignments and also provides graphic art for a number of different companies.
Note: When I perform my freelance assignments, it’s usually an interpretive dance.
Here’s how I list this same info…
A graduate of the Joe Kubert School, Jim Keefe started his career as the head colorist in the King Features Syndicate comic art department, coloring such world-renowned strips as Blondie, Beetle Bailey and Hagar the Horrible.
From 1996-2003 he was the writer and artist of Flash Gordon for King Features Syndicate – currently available online at FlashGordon.com.
Teaching and speaking engagements include the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, Malloy College and Hofstra’s UCCE Youth Programs in Long Island, New York – and most recently as an Adjunct Teacher at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
Keefe currently is the artist of the Sally Forth comic strip, written by Francesco Marciuliano. Sally Forth is syndicated worldwide by King Features and appears in nearly 700 newspapers.
My thanks for indulging me and letting me get this off my chest.
This is by no means a huge concern, but it does make me wonder how inaccurate the rest of wikipedia is…
