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Artist Spotlight Bernie Wrightson

Bernie Wrightson – Inspiration

Back in the mid 1980s I tried out classes at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design for a semester. Currently at MCAD you can major in Comic Art, but back then comic art was not a thing. In fact it was generally frowned upon.

I was in a film class, and the assignment was to bring in something of interest to us and then talk about it while being filmed (something about getting comfortable in front of a camera I guess). I brought in the recently released Cycle of the Werewolf novella by Stephen King – with beautiful illustrations by the one and only Bernie Wrightson​.

Wrightson’s magnum opus Frankenstein had been released just prior and he was (and still is) a god of illustration to me.

While I talked about my admiration for Wrightson’s work, fellow students off camera started talking within earshot. The gist of it was, a hack writer hired a hack comic book artist – and it’ll be an instant hit to the mindless masses – but it was far from ART.

Hearing this I started talking into the camera a little louder how great an artist Wrightson was and how he was not the “hack” some people thought.

This bias against comic book art was mirrored by the teachers in those years, and as the vibe at MCAD wasn’t right for me I left. Within a year I had found out about and enrolled at the Joe Kubert​ School, so a win-win for me. Suffice it to say most of my new classmates were big fans of Wrightson as well.

In my experience, animation and cartooning has always been looked down on by the fine arts community, or at best given a condescending pat on the back. To me, sequential art is the best way to tell a story – and the artists who excel in the field are Masters. With the rise in popularity of “graphic novels” here in the US there’s been more mainstream acceptance of sequential art, but for the rank and file in the arts community I don’t see that much has changed.

That said, I don’t care. I’ve been working in this field for over 30 years now and am surrounded by people that have the same love of cartooning/comics/anime/manga that I have. Ends up there’s no need to waste time banging heads with people who unfortunately are limited in their thinking of what constitutes Art.

And that’s my two cents.

That said… Here’s to Bernie Wrightson (1948-2017). A master of pen and ink who’s work still remains an inspiration to me. The gold standard to shoot for every time you pick up a Series 7 Winsor & Newton brush.

Here’s a quick video of Bernie Wrightson from 1987, with an intro by Harlan Ellison. Wrightson talks about his work on Swamp Thing and Frankenstein among other highlights – Enjoy!

Last but not least, a poignant tweet from Neil Gaiman from when Wrightson died…

Addendum: Bernie Wrightson’s work on Frankenstein has since toured Art museums across the country as part of the Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters exhibit. They are truly breathtaking to see in person.

To see so many different comic book artists on display in this show was just phenomenal. A shout out to Guillermo del Toro for providing a worthy showcase of these extraordinary masters of comic art – Vive la résistance!

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Ramblings & Reviews

Irish Comic Book Characters

A quick run down of some great comic book/graphic novel characters with Irish roots.

Michael O’Sullivan

First one off is Michael O’Sullivan from the graphic novel Road to Perdition. Written by Max Allan Collins with amazing art by Richard Piers Rayner.

Set during the prohibition era of Al Capone and Elliot Ness, Michael O’Sullivan is a ruthless but honorable enforcer of Irish mob boss John Rooney. When he’s betrayed – resulting in his wife and child being murdered – O’Sullivan sets out to protect his only surviving child and exact revenge. 

In 2002 it was adapted into a film starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. (Note: YouTube clip has major spoilers if you haven’t seen the movie yet.)

Follow up graphic novels by Max Allen Collins include On the Road to Perdition drawn by José Luis García-López and Steve Lieber, and Return to Perdition drawn by Terry Beatty.

Black Canary

From Banshee to Siryn to Silver Banshee it seems like many Irish comic book characters have superhuman vocal traits – drawn from the old Irish folklore of the Banshee.

Banshee and Siryn
Silver Banshee – First appearance in Action Comics #595

The Black Canary was the first.

Created in 1947 by the writer-artist team of Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, the Black Canary is a master in hand-to-hand combat.

Classic Alex Toth art from Adventure Comics #418

Later stories would give her the superpower of the canary cry, an ultrasonic vibration when she screams that can disable an opponent.

Daredevil

Daredevil was created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett – and later retooled by Wally Wood.

While growing up in the gritty neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen in New York City, Matt Murdock saves a pedestrian by pushing him out of the way of an oncoming truck but in doing so is struck by a radioactive substance that falls from the vehicle.

His exposure to the radioactive chemicals blinds him, but also heightens his remaining senses giving him superhuman abilities.

The Daredevil series on Disney+ draws heavily from Frank Miller’s take on the character.

I highly recommend the acclaimed graphic novel Daredevil: Born Again by writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli.

Secret Agent X-9

I’m sneaking a comic strip character into the mix here…

Secret Agent X-9 was created by writer Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon) and drawn by artist Alex Raymond (Flash Gordon) and first ran in newspapers on January 22, 1934. In the 1960s it was written by Archie Goodwin and drawn by Al Williamson and relaunched as Secret Agent Corrigan.

Though never referred to as Irish, when I wrote and drew a cross-over story between Secret Agent X-9 and Flash Gordon in the year 2000, that’s what I always had in the back of my mind.

Side note: When X-9 and Flash first come face-to-face, I had no other than legendary EC artist George Evans draw the page as Evans had written and drawn Secret Agent Corrigan from 1980-1996.

And last but not least…

Captain America

 Captain America was created by the legendary team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in 1941. The iconic cover of Captain America punching Hitler in the face came out a full 8 months before the United States even entered the war.

From a 2016 Buzz.ie article by Ruairi Scott Byrne:

While Captain America may be a representation of the ultimate American, it turns out that the Marvel superhero is actually just a good ole Irish lad at heart.

Chris Evans, who portrays Cap in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has revealed the character’s deep Irish roots and how his own Irish family made him a better man.

“There are a lot of similarities between us. I was raised a good Catholic Irish boy at heart, so was ‘Cap’,” the actor told the Irish Sun. “Our sensibilities and ideologies come from that. That sense of morality, very much stems from that.”

“The difference is Cap was first generation Irish. His folks actually came from Ireland, they came over at the turn of the last century. Yeah, I read all this in the notes, Marvel sends it to you, they want you knowing your research.

“So everything he knew from a young age was Irish. And that’s a big part of who he is, that moral code he lives by, you know, you could totally call him Captain Ireland,” he said.

Evans hails from Boston and revealed that ‘being a good catholic boy’ helped to teach him his manners.

“My heritage is a little more diluted, there’s Italian but we were definitely an Irish Catholic house. I’m a good Catholic Irish boy. And I like to think I’ve held onto that.

“I think my attitude is very reflective of that. I like to be direct and to the point but also polite and respectful at the same time,” he added.

All I can think of for now, so as Cartoonist Kayfabe would say…

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Company I

Jay M. Hamilton 1921-2008

Jay M. Hamilton, 86, of Medford, Oregon, passed away on April 17, 2008. Jay was born to Ernest J. and Pearl E. (Bernstrom) Hamilton on October 29, 1921 at Holy Cross Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah. He graduated from South High School, Salt Lake City, June 1940. Jay majored in forestry management at Utah State University, class of 1944.

Jay entered the U.S. Army in 1944 and with his advanced ROTC class, was assigned to I Company, 304th Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry Division. Jay served our country in World War II (Mulde River, East Germany). While serving in Germany he met Ingeborg Marianne Haase. They married August 9, 1947 in Upper Bavaria, Germany. She preceded him in death in 1976. Jay retired from active military service as a Lieutenant Colonel from Fort Ord, Calif., May 31, 1963.

Jay served Providence Hospital, Medford as Personnel Director from 1968-1977; and was Secretary – Treasurer, 304th Infantry Regiment Association, 76th Infantry Division Association from 1998-2000.

On February 18, 1977, Jay married Edith Barbara Prack, who survives. A sister, Mary Beth Logan of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; son, Steve (Charlene) Hamilton; daughters, Catherine Ann Hamilton, Margaret (Eric) Patterson; and son, Mark (Ann) Hamilton, all of Medford; stepchildren, Barbara (Peter) Benson of Portland, Ore., and Anton Prack, of San Francisco, Calif., survive. Jay leaves behind eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Published in Salt Lake Tribune

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Donald Katz 1916-2011

Donald J. Katz was born in Detroit, the first of three children of Sarah and Izidor Katz. He attended the University of Michigan and Wayne State University Law School. As an Officer in World War ll, he served as a Captain in Patton’s 3rd Army and was part of the final push into Germany. His last assignment before returning Stateside was as head of the Nuremberg motor pool for the Nuremberg War trials.

Upon returning home, he joined his father Izidor and brother, the late Wilfred L. Katz, in the fledgling John R. Lumber Company, which later prospered and became a respected member of the greater Detroit business community. He was a dedicated member of the Rotary Foundation. He participated locally, nationally and internationally in this community service organization and was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship honoring him as an advocate of the Foundation’s goals of world peace and international understanding.

Don was a member and supporter of B’nai Brith and Technion. For 50+ years Don was a member and served on the Board of Temple Emanuel as an officer. For the past 15 years he was a member of Temple Kol Ami.

Beloved husband for 67 years to Bernice Katz. Dear father of Bruce (Andrea) Katz and Steve Katz. Loving grandfather of Emily (fiance Chris Magrin) Katz and Carly Katz. Devoted son of Izidor and the late Sarah Katz. Brother of the late Wilfred (the late Bernice) Katz and the late Marilyn Kaufman. Brother-in-law of Sydell (the late Sam) Leebove, Toby Berkower and the late Dr. Donald M. Berkower. Also survived by loving nieces, nephews and loyal friends.

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Frank Mucedola 1921-2007

Frank Mucedola (1921-2007) with his wife Adriana (1926-2017).

 Frank Mucedola, 85, of 7007 State Street Road, died peacefully Saturday, March 24, 2007, after his heroic battle with prostate cancer. At his side were his loving wife and family.

Frank was born in San Severo, Foggia, Italy, but lived most of his life in Auburn. He was a communicant of St. Francis of Assisi Church. After the love for his family, music was his life. Frank was a performer, a teacher and a composer. For many years, Frank toured Auburn and central New York playing with the Sammy Speno Orchestra. He performed as a soloist with several symphony orchestras, such as the Syracuse Symphony and the New Haven Symphony. The highlight of his musical career was performing with the world-renowned Mantovani Orchestra from 1985 until his death. They toured the world including all 50 United States, performing for millions of people.

He owned and operated the Frank Mucedola Accordion School. He composed many pieces of music for the accordion; the most famous was the “Fox and the Hound,” which is played throughout the world. Frank was a member of the American Federation of Musicians, the American Accordionist Association, the Italian Heritage Society and the VFW.

Sgt. First Class Frank Mucedola was an Army veteran of World War II, having served with the 304th Infantry Regiment of the 76th Division as part of General Patton”s Third Army that fought through France, Luxembourg and Germany. He was awarded the Bronze Star with the V Device for Valor for single-handedly taking out a German gun nest with a bazooka, that had his company pinned down during a night action.

The son of the late Felix and Angelina Mucedola, Frank is survived by his devoted wife, Adriana Coppola Mucedola; three sons, Felix and his wife, Mary Ann, Randolph and his wife, Amy, all from Auburn and Joseph and his wife Cathy, of Weedsport; a daughter, Anna Maria Tuori and her husband, Guy, of Cicero; sister, Dora Longo; brother, Anthony Mucedola and his wife, Margaret, all of Auburn; nine grandchildren, Felix, Mike, Frank, Joey, Diana, Adriana, Alexander, Guy and Jason; and several nieces and nephews.

Frank”s life defined the American experience… initiated as an immigrant, tested as a patriot, and demonstrated to all as a role model. His talents as a soldier helped free a continent, his skills as a musician brought happiness to millions and ultimately, his gifted ways as a husband, father and honor bound friend set an unparalleled standard for all who knew him.

This obituary was originally published in The Citizen (Auburn, NY).

– Frank Mucedola’s Funeral –

March 28, 2007

“After the mass, the funeral procession got to drive by my Dad’s accordion school one last time and then by City Hall where they rang the Wheeler Bell in honor of the passing of a veteran.  There was an accordion on the front steps where the mayor was standing as we drove by.“

“At the cemetery there were a couple of soldiers who played taps and then folded the American flag that laid over the casket and presented it to my Mother. It was a great tribute to him.“

-Joe Mucedola (Frank’s son)

Sgt. First Class Frank Mucedola – 1944

Frank Mucedola interview from 2003 published by the New York State Military Museum.

Frank Mucedola’s son Felix “Phil” Mucedola’s interview for Musically Speaking with Bob Piorun.

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