Tuesday, August 09, 2022

Today in Comics History, August 9: Happy birthday, Bob McLeod!

Born on this day, so a very happy birthday to comic book penciller and inker Bob McLeod! Co-creator of The New Mutants, he's worked on a huge number of titles for Marvel, DC, and many indies like Action Comics, Amazing Spider-Man/Spectacular Spider-Man/Marvel Team-Up, Detective Comics, Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery, Crazy Magazine, The Phantom, Hulk! magazine, Showcase '93, Bold Adventures and more!


from Marvel Comics Memory Calendar 1977 (Marvel, 1976); Marvel Age #32 (Marvel, November 1985), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalm,; colors by Andy Yanchus; Marvel Age #56 (Marvel, Noivember 1987), text by Mike Carlin, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Paul Becton; Marvel Age #104 (Marvel, September 1991); text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter; pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Renee Witterstaetter;

P.S.: today is not Thor's birthday. Quit bogarting that cake, Thor, that's for Bob!



Bob was at DC in the late '70s, so of course he was in the audience at this famous prizefight! C'mon, you know the drill: find him in the crowd!




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)

Still, ya have to look deep into the Bully Comics Vault to find Bob McLeod starring in a comic book. Let's see, driving my little motorised cart down the long rows of shelves with longboxes into the "Romance" wing...it's all painted pink and has Cupids flitting about the rafters. GET THE HECK OUTTA HERE, you dang Cupids! I swear I'm gonna have to spray for those guys.

Jo Ann Calligan's dad has been indicted in a scandal involving kickbacks over a highway construction contract. I think we've all been there. And she's not very nice to her father about it. Geez, Jo Ann, switch to decaf! Luckily Dad has invited Bob McLeod to dinner that night and the cupids start flying about. GET OUTTA HERE!


from "All Fingers Were Pointed at Me..." in Romantic Confessions v.1 #10 (Hillman, August 1950), pencils and inks by John Prentice, letters by Ben Oda

Jo Ann is attracted to Bob McLeod, but too ashamed to start a romance with a co-worker of her TERRIBLE FATHER, so she instead falls for Randy Claymore, the son of the constructioon magnate she works for. You know, Calligans, there are other industries you can find employment in. Have you thought about starting up your own fabric store, Jo Ann?


Hey Dad Calligan, how's your newest construction job goin'?...whoops. Suddenly, it's The Sweet Hereafter!


As is frequently occurs in these type of stories, Jo Ann just happens to stumble upon Randy admitting the roadway collapse was not her father's fault. Wow, wuldn't you like to just hit him in his big-ass buck teeth? You go first, I gotta fetch my sledgehammer.


So does this romance story end on an embrace and a kiss and a happy, wedding-soon future? It does not. In Although Mr. Calligan clears his name with the help of Bob McLeod, Jo Ann has run away in shame and cannot face either of them. Way to bring us down, Jo Ann. Get OUTTA here, you cupids! You're not needed here!

One of the Cupids has just handed me a tiny pink scented note on the end of his arrow. It says "This is not the same Bob McLeod as the artist." Oh. Well. Ignore that part, then.


from 1975 Mighty Marvel Convention Program Book (Marvel, 1975), photograph by Michele Wolfman

Happy birthday, Bob McLeod!

1 comment:

Blam said...

I feel like everybody's just ignored the panel where Jo Ann gets taken over by Eclipso.