Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun!

Friday, July 15, 2022

Today in Comics History, July 15: Happy birthday, Jack Abel!

Born on this day in 1927: comic book penciller/inker Jack Abel (occasionally aka Garry Michaels)! Inker extraordinaire on books like Tales of Suspense, Daredevil, Tomb of Dracula, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Master of Kung Fu, Superman, Teen Titans, The Flash, Our Army at War, Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery, Grimm's Ghost Stories, The Twilight Zone, Ghost Manor, Ghostly Haunts, Haunted, Midnight Tales, IronJaw, Morlock 2001 and lots more! Also: co-creator of the DC Western heroine Cinnamon!

I like to think that the last two calendar boxes were Jack still telling the same stories, twelve months later.

I like to think that the last two calendar boxes were Jack still telling the same stories, twelve months later.

from Marvel Comics Memory Album Calendar 1977 (Marvel, 1976); and Marvel Age #31, 55, 91, and 103 (Marvel, October 1985, October 1987, August 1990, and August 1991); text by Jim Salicrup (#31), Mike Carlin (#55) and Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#91 and 103); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme; colors by Andy Yanchus (#31), Paul Becton (#54) and Renee Witterstaetter (#91 and 103)

He was also the first artist to ink Wolverine (Herb Trimpe penciled) and Blade (Gene Colan).

Oh, this guy'll never amount to anything.

He had the 'The' in his name surgically renoved when he joined the X-Men.

'Yes, yes, we got that from teh connotation. People CAN detect sarcasm, Dracula!'

(top and middle) header and final panels of Incredible Hulk #180 and splash page of Incredible Hulk #181 (Marvel, October-November 1974), script by Len Wein, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Jack Abel, colors by Glynis Oliver, letters by Artie Simek
(bottom) from Tomb of Dracula (1972 series) #10 (Marvel, July 1973), script by Marvin Wolfman, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Jack Abel (misspelled in credits), colors by Petra Goldberg, letters by Denise Wohl

Assorted silliness with Jack:

From the Mixed Up Files of Mr. Jack Abel!

From the Mixed Up Files of Mr. Jack Abel!

1. FOOM #7 (Marvel, September 1974)
2. Marvel Comics cover-dated January 1984
3. Marvel/New Universe Comics cover-dated August 1987
4. Marvel Age #112 (Marvel, May 1992)
Like Ross Andru and Mike Esposito on DC's Sea Devils, Jack also got to draw himself into the briny action. Me, I get enough briny action trying to open a can of tuna for my pal Shelly the Little Otter Puppet.

'Okay, I'll just draw all those mermaids you have in capivity.' 'Uh...'

'Okay, I'll just draw all those mermaids you have in capivity.' 'Uh...'

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Black Adam is ajerk.

'Good thing I brought my waterproof paper!' 'There's no such thing as waterproof paper.' 'Oh...darn.

from "Challenge of the Fish Champions!" in Sea Devils #14 (DC, November 1963), script by Ed Herron, pencils and inks by Jack Abel
And here he is (lower right corner) offering an editorial decision on a silly story by Roger Stern and Terry Austin! (He wasn't even the magazine's real editor!)

'Hulk season!' 'LEADER SEASON!' 'Hulk season!' 'HULK SEASON!' 'Leader season...oh crap.' (BLAM)

'Hulk season!' 'LEADER SEASON!' 'Hulk season!' 'HULK SEASON!' 'Leader season...oh crap.' (BLAM)

"Hulk-Hare" from Marvel Super Heroes #103 (Marvel, November 1981), script by Roger Stern, pencils and inks by Terry Austin, colors by Don Warfield (?), letters by Tom Orzechowski
Yep, Jack even was at the Superman/Muhammad Ali prizefight! After all his work for Supes, would the Man of Steel have dared to not invite him?

cover of All-New Collectors' Edition #C-56 (DC, March 1978), layout by Joe Kubert, pencils by Neal Adams, inks by Neal Adams (?) and/or Cory Adams (?), logo design by John Workman
(Click top picture to GOAT-size)
And here Jack is somewhere in the Marvel Bullpen! Spot him and you win — the change to wish him a very happy birthday!