from Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics (Ten Speed, July 2020), script and art by Tom Scioli
Beck also co-created one of my personal favorite four-color characters (see here!) of all time, the candy-fueled hero/advertising spokessuper Captain Tootsie!
"Captain Tootsie and the Wolf Hunt": ad from DC Comics cover-dated July 1946, by C. C. Beck and Peter Constanza
The Captain Marvel line — and all Fawcett comics — ceased publication in 1953 following the DC lawsuit. DC later licensed the character for publication in '72 and Beck became the artist for 10 issues of DC's 1970s SHAZAM! Series.
"How It Happened (More or Less)" from The Steranko History of Comics v.2 (Supergraphics, 1972), script and art by C.C. Beck
(An aside: whatever you think of Steranko today — I'm a fan of his work but not so much his public beliefs — his two volume History of Comics is a gold mine. Volume 2 has a HUGE section covering Captain Marvel and Fawcett comics. Bully sez: I highly recommend hunting these down! You may pay more than $1.98, though!)
advertisement from Marvel Comics cover-dated July 1970
Beck's creations have inspired a large number of writers, artists and characters. Here's a legacy Captain Marvel: 90th century teen Cece Beck becomes Thunder!
from The Power of Shazam! Annual #1 (DC, October 1996), script by Jerry Ordway, pencils by Mike Manley, inks by John Nyberg, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by John Costanza
She later (or, from her chronological point of view, earlier) joined the Legion of Super-Heroes!
from Legion of Super-Heroes (1989 series) #116 (DC, June 1999), co-plot and script by Tom Peyer, co-plot and colors by Tom McCraw, pencils by Keron Grant, inks by Ray Kryssing, letters by Pat Brosseau
Beck only occasionally drew himself into his comic books, so there aren't too many in-universe appearances by him. Could this photograph of an artist's hand be his? I don't know...I don't have this issue!
cover of Captain Marvel Adventures #97 (Fawcett, June 1949), art by C.C. Beck
But Jeff at The World's Mightiest Mortal fan blog does, and he provides us with three of Beck's self-drawn appearances in Captain Marvel comics! Thanks, Jeff! (His blog is highly recommended, too!)
After the shutdown of Fawcett Comics, Beck co-created with Otto Binder Fatman, The Human Flying Saucer in the 1960s for Milson/Lightning Comics. Here's a self-portrayal of his...incredibly hairy wrists!
from Fatman, The Human Flying Saucer #3 (Lightning, August 1967); script by Otto Binder; pencils, inks, colors and letters by C.C. Beck
The Fatman comic was short-lived (only 3 issues). While it's got the brand of whimsy, fun, and great cartoon of the Captain Marvel comics, it's merely an imitation. More unfortunately for the feature, it's being published in a time dominated by Marvel and DC's more serious superheroes.
I do really love this chess sequence, though! Hey chess masters...can you figure out Fatman's next, winning move?
His next move: 32 Pick-Up!
Milson/Lightning Comics didn't last long in the industry. They only put out 3 issues of Fatman and 2 of Super Green Beret before going out of business. Absolutely no threat to the Big Two.
Look, they couldn't even fill up their joke page with two more entries!
P IS FOR PLAGIARISM FROM OGDEN NASH, Lee Born!
A really oddball sign for Milson was trying to put out the (never published) book Captain Shazam. Wonder who that was supposed to be?
Anyway, back to the birthday boy: Here's a lovely C. C. Beck self-portrait as the Wizard of the Rock of Eternity!
from Men of Mystery (1999 series) #30 (AC, June 2001); text by Bill Black; pencils, inks, and letters by C. C. Beck
It;d be nice to imagine DC Comics embracing the later work of Beck by giving him a series or graphic novel in teh 1990s when Captain Marvel became popular again, but he passed away in 1989. Rip in peace, Mr. Beck.
from DC Comics cover-dated March 1990
So on the date of your birth, Mr. C.C. Beck, we all wish you a very happy birthday, and send you a hearty cry of SHAZAM!
from Limited collectors' Edition #21 [Shazam!] (DC, Summer 1973), text by E. Nelson Bridwell
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1 comment:
"Other She"?
... I know: C.C. Beck was a genius. He created some of the most popular, most beloved comics of all time -- I read my Shazam! issues of Limited Collectors' Edition nearly to shreds. You've done a great capsule history of the man's work. I just can't get past how colossally unimaginative that joke-page correspondent was to have to awkwardly name a pair of young ladies "She" and "Other She".
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