Podcasts about Bill Schelly

This week on the show, an encore presentation of our interview with Bill Schelly, the author of Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary. Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron. It will help ensure The Major Spoilers Podcast continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF) OTTO BINDER: THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY by Bill Schelly Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary chronicles the career of Otto Binder, from pulp magazine author to writer of Supergirl, Captain Marvel, and Superman comics. As the originator of the first sentient robot in literature ("I, Robot," published in Amazing Stories in 1939 and predating Isaac Asimov's collection of the same name), Binder's effect on science fiction was profound. Within the world of comic books, he created or co-created much of the Superman universe, including Smallville; Krypto, Superboy's dog; Supergirl; and the villain Braniac. Binder is also credited with writing many of the first "Bizarro" storylines for DC Comics, as well as for being the main writer for the Captain Marvel comics. In later years, Binder expanded from comic books into pure science writing, publishing dozens of books and articles on the subject of satellites and space travel as well as UFOs and extraterrestrial life. Comic book historian Bill Schelly tells the tale of Otto Binder through comic panels, personal letters, and interviews with Binder's own family and friends. Schelly weaves together Binder's professional successes and personal tragedies, including the death of Binder's only daughter and his wife's struggle with mental illness. A touching and human story, Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary is a biography that is both meticulously researched and beautifully told, keeping alive Binder's spirit of scientific curiosity and whimsy. You can purchase this book via our Amazon affiliate link - https://amzn.to/3Zry1P7

This week on the show, an encore presentation of our interview with Bill Schelly, the author of Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary. Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron. It will help ensure The Major Spoilers Podcast continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF) OTTO BINDER: THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY by Bill Schelly Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary chronicles the career of Otto Binder, from pulp magazine author to writer of Supergirl, Captain Marvel, and Superman comics. As the originator of the first sentient robot in literature ("I, Robot," published in Amazing Stories in 1939 and predating Isaac Asimov's collection of the same name), Binder's effect on science fiction was profound. Within the world of comic books, he created or co-created much of the Superman universe, including Smallville; Krypto, Superboy's dog; Supergirl; and the villain Braniac. Binder is also credited with writing many of the first "Bizarro" storylines for DC Comics, as well as for being the main writer for the Captain Marvel comics. In later years, Binder expanded from comic books into pure science writing, publishing dozens of books and articles on the subject of satellites and space travel as well as UFOs and extraterrestrial life. Comic book historian Bill Schelly tells the tale of Otto Binder through comic panels, personal letters, and interviews with Binder's own family and friends. Schelly weaves together Binder's professional successes and personal tragedies, including the death of Binder's only daughter and his wife's struggle with mental illness. A touching and human story, Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary is a biography that is both meticulously researched and beautifully told, keeping alive Binder's spirit of scientific curiosity and whimsy. You can purchase this book via our Amazon affiliate link - https://amzn.to/3Zry1P7

Episode 1 - Murdock and Marvel: 1961-1963 Normally we will be moving a year at a time, starting with Daredevil's introduction in 1964.  But this week we want to set the stage, with a quick look at the early years of the Marvel Universe, from 1961-1963. Reintroducing Ourselves The Year in Comics Comic books in the early 1960s were selling at levels that today's publishers can't even hope to attain, but the industry still down in comparison to the heady days of the pre-code “Golden Age” of comics during the 1940s and 1950s. SALES DATA  Publisher   Monthly Copies  Market Share  Dell    9,686,424    37%  National (DC)    6,653,485    25%  Harvey    2,514,879    10%  Charlton    2,500,000    10%  Marvel    2,253,112    9%  Archie    1,608,489    6%  ACG    975,000    4%    The Year in Marvel Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin Goodman First title was Marvel Comics #1 with the Sub-Mariner and the Human Torch  Joe Simon was first Editor-In-Chief Jack Kirby was hired in 1940, and co-created Captain America with Simon that year  Also in 1940, Stanley Lieber, the teenage cousin of Goodman's wife, was hired as an office assistant.  In 1961 Timely became Marvel, just in time for FF #1.  The 1st Marvel branded comics were Journey into Mystery #69 and Patsy Walker #95  Many important creators worked for Marvel during this time, but according to the data in the Grand Comics Database it was primarily the work of 2 writers, 3 artists, 3 inkers, two letterers and one colorist that set the groundwork for the Marvel universe. These 11 creators are:  Stan Lee  476  Writer/Editor  Larry Lieber  260  Writer  Steve Ditko  253  Writer/Artist  Jack Kirby  222  Writer/Artist  Don Heck  132  Artist  Dick Ayers  173  Inker for Kirby / Penciller  Paul Reinman  52  Inker for Kirby / Penciller  Sol Brodsky  36  Inker / Production Manager  Artie Simek  303  Letterer  Ray Holloway  62  Letterer.  Black creator  Stan Goldberg  424  Colorist / Artist (humor stuff)    The Year in Daredevil  Way back in 1940 Jack Binder created the first Daredevil as a boomerang wielding vigilante who had a tragic backstory like Batman and was fighting Hitler in the comics before the US entered the war like Captain America.  The character was popular through the 1940s, but was mothballed when superheroes went out of favor in the 1950s. Note: Jack Binder is the older brother of Otto Binder, co-creator of Mary Marvel, Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes!  Otto was one of the all-time greats in comics, with over 50,000 pages written over parts of five decades. For more about him check out:  Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary by Bill Schelly (2016)  https://www.penguinrandomhouseretail.com/book/?isbn=9781623170370 This Week's Spotlight No spotlight this week because there haven't been any Daredevil comics published yet! The fun starts next week.  The Takeaway The Marvel boom of the 1960s heralded a fundamental transformation of the comics industry.  Marvel books skewed towards older audiences, with more disposable income.  Marvel fans increasingly looked at comic writing or drawing as a preferred career choice, and both the comic industry and comic fandom began a transformation that would result in the creation of specialty shops and the direct market.  One way to see this change is to look at how the popularity of comic “genres” changed over time.  Marvel genres in the early 1960s  Humor (13 titles, 116 issues, 25%)  SF/Fantasy/Monsters (7 titles, 108 comics, 23%)   Romance (11 titles, 94 issues, 20%)   Superhero (7 titles, 47 issues, 10%)   Western (4 titles, 44 issues, 10%)   Pinup (4 titles, 42 issues, 10%)   War (1 title, 4 issues, 1%)  Marvel by the late 1960s is over 50% Superhero!  Questions or comments We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at questions@comicsovertime.com or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime. ------------------ THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING CREATORS AND RESOURCES  Music: Our theme music is by the very talented Lesfm.  You can find more about them and their music at https://pixabay.com/users/lesfm-22579021/.  The Grand Comics Database: Dan uses custom queries against a downloadable copy of the GCD to construct his publisher, title and creator charts.  Comichron: Our source for comic book sales data.  Man Without Fear: Kuljit Mithra's Daredevil site contains a staggering collection of resources about our hero, including news, interviews and comic details.    The American Comic Book Chronicles: Published by TwoMorrows, these volumes provide an excellent analysis of American comics through the years.  Because these volumes break down comic history by year and decade they are a great place to get a basic orientation on what is happening across the comic industry at a particular point in time.  Joshua and Jamie Do Daredevil: A fantastic podcast that does a deep-dive into Daredevil comics.  This ran from 2018-2020, and covered most of the first volume of Daredevil, and was a fun way to get an in-depth look at each issue of Daredevil from 1-377.  My Marvelous Year: This is a reading-club style podcast where Dave Buesing and friends chose important or interesting books from a particular year to read and discuss.  This helped me remember some fun and crazy stories, and would be a great companion piece to Murdock and Marvel for those who want more comic-story-specific coverage.  BOOKLIST  The following books have been frequently used as reference while preparing summaries of the comic history segments of our show.  Each and every one comes recommended by Dan for fans wanting to read more about it!  Licari, Fabio and Marco Rizzo.  Marvel: The First 80 Years: The True Story of a Pop-Culture Phenomenon.  London: Titan Books, 2020.  This book is sort of a mess, as the print quality is terrible, and Titan doesn't even credit the authors unless you check the fine print.  It's like this was published by Marvel in the early 60s! But the information is good, and it is presented in an entertaining fashion.  So its decent, but I would recommend you see if you can just borrow it from the library instead of purchasing.  Wells, John.  American Comic Book Chronicles: 1960-1964.  Raleigh: Two Morrows, 2015.  Not cheap, but a fantastic series that is informative and fun to read.  Wright, Bradford.  Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America.  Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001.  This is the revised edition.  Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History.  New York: DK Publishing, 2022.  The academic in my rails at using information from any work that doesn't have an author credit, but this is a decent (if very surface) look at each year in the history of Timely / Marvel from 1939 to 2021.    Cowsill, Alan et al.  DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual History.  New York: DK Publishing, 2010.  Because its nice to occasionally take a peek at what the Distinguished Competition is up to.  Dauber, Jeremy.  American Comics: A History.  New York, W.W. Norton & Company, 2022.  An excellent, relatively compact history of the domestic comic industry from its 19th century origins through to recent 21st century developments.  An excellent successor to Bradford Wright's Comic Book Nation. 

I know it's been a while since a new Portrait of an Editor. Sorry about that. I have two in the can, and I'm working on a few more. Sometimes the research for interviews and scheduling them can take up more time than the actual interview. I recently finished Bill Schelly's James Warren, Empire of Monsters: The Man Behind Creepy, Vampirella, and Famous Monsters. It's an excellent read and contains a whole chapter about Louise Simonson's time at Warren, so I decided to drop this earlier interview I did with Louise that some of you might not have heard when it first dropped in 2019.

It's the 100th episode of the Fun Ideas Podcast with interview highlights from the previous 99! Join me as I reflect on conversations I had with Mort Todd, David Seidman, Denise McKinney, Bill Schelly, Danny Solazzi, Paul Maringelli, Scott Shaw!, Peter Bagge, Joe Ferrara, Bill Morrison, Tom Richmond, Danny Fingeroth, Malcolm Mobutu Smith, Stan Mack, BK Taylor, and Anthony Vitamia.

Action Comics 332, January 1966!Download Episode 391 Part IV!ACTION COMICS 332, January 1966, was published on November 25, 1965. It contained 32 pages for the cover price of 12¢. Mort Weisinger was the editor, and the cover was pencilled by Curt Swan. According to Mike's Amazing World Of DC Comics, George Klein was the inker, while the Grand Comic Book Database credits Sheldon Moldoff as the inker. Ira Schnapp was the letterer.- (3:38) After reading a comment left at the bottom of last week's episode, I review the biography, OTTO BINDER: THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY, written by the late writer Bill Schelly (who sadly passed away on September 12, 2019). The book was published by North Atlantic Books in 2003.- (6:57) MY PULL LIST segment, where I review the comic books I read which carried the September 2019 cover date and were released during the month if July, that I received from Discount Comic Book Service.- (18:59) The Superman story in this issue was titled, THE SUPER-VENGEANCE OF LEX LUTHOR (12 pgs.), written by Leo Dorfman, drawn by Al Plastino and lettered by Joe Letterese.- (48:36) Supergirl starred in the twelve page story, HOW SUPERWOMAN TRAINED SUPERBOY, written by Leo Dorfman, drawn by Jim Mooney and lettered by Milt Snappin.- (1:13:19) METROPOLIS MAILBAG letter column.Also highlighted in this episode are the issue's ads and other features.Next Episode: SUPERMAN FAMILY COMIC BOOK COVER DATED JANUARY 1966 PART IV: SUPERMAN'S PAL JIMMY OLSEN 90 and ELSEWHERE IN DC COMICS where we look at the other DC Comics titles which carried the January, or January/February 1966 cover date!Then we will feature: SUPERMAN FAMILY COMIC BOOKS COVER DATED FEBRUARY 1966: PART I: WORLD'S FINEST COMICS 156, PART II: SUPERMAN 184, PART III: ACTION COMICS 333 and PART IV: SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND LOIS LANE 83!The home for THE SUPERMAN FAN PODCAST is http://thesupermanfanpodcast.blogspot.com. Send e-mail to supermanfanpodcast@gmail.com.You can join the SUPERMAN FAN PODCAST Group or Page on facebook, and follow the podcast on twitter @supermanpodcast. You can also keep track of the podcast on Tumblr, Medium, Flipboard, the Internet Archive, tunein, Stitcher and Instagram.SUPERMAN FAN PODCAST is a proud member of:- The LEAGUE OF COMIC BOOK PODCASTERS and- The COMICS PODCAST NETWORK.The theme of this podcast is PLANS IN MOTION, composed by Kevin MacLeod, and part of the royalty free music library at http://incompetech.com. "Plans in Motion" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Superman and all related characters are trademark and copyright DC Comics. Any art shown on this podcast is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit. I make no claims of ownership of these images, nor do I earn any money from this podcast.If you are interested in my artwork, go to wayfarerercomics.wordpress.com. I am available for commissions, so click on the Art Commissions tab for more information. If interested, send an e-mail to wayfarercomics@gmail.com.Thanks for listening to the SUPERMAN FAN PODCAST and, as always, thanks to Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, creators of Superman!And don't forget to take care of each other out there.

In part three of our three-part celebration of the great comics historian Bill Schelly, Bill's good friend Jeff Gelb. We talk about the "golden age of fanzines" in the 1960s, Bill's rediscovery of comics fandom in the 1990s, what made Bill a special historian and all that good stuff about history. What makes this episode special, though, is that it's a portrait of the deep bond between these two friends, a sweet and sad look at what made Bill a special person and why his loss is so deeply felt. This is one of my favorite episodes I've ever recorded of this show because it feels so true to the spirit of what Bill created: facts and emotions in good balance, providing great insight into the person being profiled. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/classiccomics/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/classiccomics/support

In part two of our three-part celebration of the great comics historian Bill Schelly, Bill's good friend, fellow historian Frank Young joins Jason to reminisce about Bill, sharing stories about Bill's commitment to greatness, his love for film, and the unique challenges of having a friend who wrote a book about which you are an expert. This was another wonderful episode of the show. You can hear Frank's deep love for his friend in everything Frank says, and I really enjoyed hearing more about Bill's methods, process and life well lived. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/classiccomics/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/classiccomics/support

In part one of our three-part celebration of the great comics historian Bill Schelly, Bill's close friends Gary Groth of Fantagraphics Books and John Lustig of Last Kiss join Jason to reminisce about Bill, sharing stories about Bill's interesting life and happy late career. We discuss Bill's outstanding writing, his strong motivations to do his work, his unique life and approach to the world, and how neither Gary nor John ever heard Bill use profanity. This is one of my favorite episodes I've ever done of this show. Gary, John and I agreed this was a wonderful chance to celebrate Bill's life, a kind of wake in which we had a chance to trade stories and share our sorrow. I sincerely hope you enjoy it as well. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/classiccomics/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/classiccomics/support

After a brief tribute to Bill Schelly, we introduce our special guests Alan Groening and wife, Jen. Alan has produced comic books, comic strips, and animation, and discusses whether or not he is related to another Groening.

The author of the recent James Warren bio -- about the Warren Publications publisher of Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella, and Famous Monsters of Filmlandand -- and the renowned Harvey Kurtzman bio -- about the creator of MAD and "father-in-law" of underground comix -- discusses the roots of underground comix in HELP! magazine and more.

Jason interviews award-winning comics historian Bill Schelly about his new book James Warren: Empire of Monsters. Warren was a fascinating and important character in comics history, and Schelly shares some fascinating stories about this unique and often person. Show notes are at comicscavalcade.tumblr.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/classiccomics/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/classiccomics/support

Our guest today is a writer of many books including books on Harvey Kurtzman, John Stanley Otto Binder, Harry Langdon and himself. He’s here today to discuss his latest book called Jim Warren: Empire of Monsters. Here he is, Bill Schelly.

The Comics Code Authority sounds cool, but it almost killed Dracula. Wait, wouldn't that be a good thing? Anyway, there was once a time when you couldn't depict anything you want wherever you want. There's something to be said for restraint, but not everything has to be Leave it to Beaver. James Warren agrees. James Warren, Empire Of Monsters: The Man Behind Creepy, Vampirella, And Famous MonstersBook Link- bit.ly/EmpireOfMontersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BATMANIA was a well-made fanzine that was started by Columbia, MO, fireman Biljo White in 1964, concurrent with the introduction of New Look Batman by DC. Reading it revealed so many interesting things about the Batman fandom of the sixties that we can't cram it all into one episode! So this time, in part one of our examination of BATMANIA, we (gasp!) set the TV show aside and focus on explaining just what was in this publication, who the now-famous (among comics fans) names were that appeared among its membership, how these deadly earnest fans reacted to the New Look, and how the zine chronicles the gradual realization that Bob Kane had had considerably less to do with the creation of Batman in 1939, and with the subsequent writing and drawing of the strip, than everyone had thought. PLUS: Music from two versions of an '80s Batman video game, the Little Old Lady from Pasedena in an unexpected place, some iTunes reviews that are going straight to our heads, and your mail! Batmania archive Bill Schelly's article from Comic Book Artist #3, detailing the Bob Kane kerfuffle Bob Kane's letter to Batmania  

Special Intro: Our Executive Producer Amanda Special Guest: Author Bill Schelly Film at 11: How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017) Book IT: Sense of Wonder: My Life in Comic Fandom --The Whole Story (2018) by Bill Schelly Scroll With It: Video game addiction is real, eSports are huge, and AMC has a new subscription offer for you. Show Notes: http://bit.ly/tms62618

Time Codes: 00:00:24 - Introduction 00:02:29 - Setup of interview 00:04:08 - Interview with Bill Schelly 01:06:00 - Wrap up 01:06:40 - Contact us There's perhaps no better historian on American comics fandom than Bill Schelly. Having been a part of the zine scene in the 1960s and early 1970s, and starting when he was a teenager, Schelly worked with many of the movers and shakers within the fan community and published several fanzines of his own. In the early 1990s he returned to comics as a chronicler and as a historian, writing various overviews of comic fandom, and then later making his mark as a comics biographer, covering the lives of such creators as Joe Kubert, Otto Binder, John Stanley, and Harvey Kurtzman, the latter biography earning him a 2016 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Book. On this interview episode, Derek talks with Bill about his new book, Sense of Wonder: My Life in Comic Fandom – the Whole Story, and his decisions to revise and expand this memoir from its original 2001 version released through TwoMorrows Publishing. This new edition of Sense of Wonder, published by North Atlantic Books, is significantly expanded, covers Schelly's entire life up until now, and is written with a much more personal, and revealing, tone than the original. Bill discusses in detail his history in comics fandom and his growth as an editor and writer, as well as the personal milestones that have marked his life.  You can learn more about Bill Schelly and his work by checking out his website.

This time out I am joined by writer Bill Schelly to talk about his life in fandom and his book SENSE OF WONDER: MY LIFE IN COMICS FANDOM -- THE WHOLE STORY.

This time out I am joined by writer Bill Schelly to talk about his life in fandom and his book SENSE OF WONDER: MY LIFE IN COMICS FANDOM -- THE WHOLE STORY.

This time out I am joined by writer Bill Schelly to talk about his life in fandom and his book SENSE OF WONDER: MY LIFE IN COMICS FANDOM -- THE WHOLE STORY.

Today's Guest: Bill Schelly, author, Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert Order 'Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert' by Bill Schelly from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above! Bill Schelly, biographer of comic book artist Joe Kubert Artist Joe Kubert’s lines are among the most distinctive in the comic book profession, not in the least because there are so many of them! Kubert’s work is intensely detailed and stylized, whether he’s drawing "Sgt. Rock" from World War II or "Tor" from One Million Years B.C. Fans can spot his product from ten paces the same way that Jack Kirby, Will Eisner, Jim Lee or Frank Miller stand out like quality beacons from the newsstand shelves. In his new, richly researched book, Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert, author Bill Schelly takes a long overdue look at the life and career of one of the comic book industry’s most enduring, successful and beloved icons. Bill Schelly Wikipedia • Facebook Order 'The Art of Joe Kubert (The Joe Kubert Archives),' edited by Bill Schelly, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above! Order Will Eisner: A Spirited Life (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above! The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Special Intro: Adal Rifai -- Chunt on Hello from the Magic Tavern   Film at 11: Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)   BookIT: John Stanley: Giving Life to Little Lulu by Bill Schelly   Scroll with it: Tune in to ESPN “The Ocho,” get a job at NASA and grab a fried chicken beer.    Show Notes: http://bit.ly/tms8817

In the city of Metropolis, in the 30th Century, there exists one of the most amazing clubs of all time! It's members are teen-aged youths, each possessing on special super-powers! The club members have vowed to use their fantastic power to battle crime... This rocket shaped building is the Legion Clubhouse! Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron. It will help ensure The Major Spoilers Podcast continues far into the future! Adventure Comics #247 The Legion of Super-Heroes April 1958 w: Otto Binder a: Al Plastino A group of mysterious teens arrives in Smallville, and Superboy is shocked to find that they seem to know his greatest secret. But what is THEIR secret? Adventure Comics #267 Prisoner of the Super-Heroes December 1959 w: Jerry Siegel a: George Papp The future teens return, and their knowledge of the past tells them that the greatest menace of all is... Superboy himself? Can he prove his innocence when his crimes are already in the history books? OTTO BINDER: THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY by Bill Schelly Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary chronicles the career of Otto Binder, from pulp magazine author to writer of Supergirl, Captain Marvel, and Superman comics. As the originator of the first sentient robot in literature ("I, Robot," published in Amazing Stories in 1939 and predating Isaac Asimov's collection of the same name), Binder's effect on science fiction was profound. Within the world of comic books, he created or co-created much of the Superman universe, including Smallville; Krypto, Superboy's dog; Supergirl; and the villain Braniac. Binder is also credited with writing many of the first "Bizarro" storylines for DC Comics, as well as for being the main writer for the Captain Marvel comics. In later years, Binder expanded from comic books into pure science writing, publishing dozens of books and articles on the subject of satellites and space travel as well as UFOs and extraterrestrial life. Comic book historian Bill Schelly tells the tale of Otto Binder through comic panels, personal letters, and interviews with Binder's own family and friends. Schelly weaves together Binder's professional successes and personal tragedies, including the death of Binder's only daughter and his wife's struggle with mental illness. A touching and human story, Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary is a biography that is both meticulously researched and beautifully told, keeping alive Binder's spirit of scientific curiosity and whimsy.

In the city of Metropolis, in the 30th Century, there exists one of the most amazing clubs of all time! It's members are teen-aged youths, each possessing on special super-powers! The club members have vowed to use their fantastic power to battle crime... This rocket shaped building is the Legion Clubhouse! Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron. It will help ensure The Major Spoilers Podcast continues far into the future! Adventure Comics #247 The Legion of Super-Heroes April 1958 w: Otto Binder a: Al Plastino A group of mysterious teens arrives in Smallville, and Superboy is shocked to find that they seem to know his greatest secret. But what is THEIR secret? Adventure Comics #267 Prisoner of the Super-Heroes December 1959 w: Jerry Siegel a: George Papp The future teens return, and their knowledge of the past tells them that the greatest menace of all is... Superboy himself? Can he prove his innocence when his crimes are already in the history books? OTTO BINDER: THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY by Bill Schelly Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary chronicles the career of Otto Binder, from pulp magazine author to writer of Supergirl, Captain Marvel, and Superman comics. As the originator of the first sentient robot in literature ("I, Robot," published in Amazing Stories in 1939 and predating Isaac Asimov's collection of the same name), Binder's effect on science fiction was profound. Within the world of comic books, he created or co-created much of the Superman universe, including Smallville; Krypto, Superboy's dog; Supergirl; and the villain Braniac. Binder is also credited with writing many of the first "Bizarro" storylines for DC Comics, as well as for being the main writer for the Captain Marvel comics. In later years, Binder expanded from comic books into pure science writing, publishing dozens of books and articles on the subject of satellites and space travel as well as UFOs and extraterrestrial life. Comic book historian Bill Schelly tells the tale of Otto Binder through comic panels, personal letters, and interviews with Binder's own family and friends. Schelly weaves together Binder's professional successes and personal tragedies, including the death of Binder's only daughter and his wife's struggle with mental illness. A touching and human story, Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary is a biography that is both meticulously researched and beautifully told, keeping alive Binder's spirit of scientific curiosity and whimsy.

In the city of Metropolis, in the 30th Century, there exists one of the most amazing clubs of all time! It's members are teen-aged youths, each possessing on special super-powers! The club members have vowed to use their fantastic power to battle crime... This rocket shaped building is the Legion Clubhouse! Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron. It will help ensure The Major Spoilers Podcast continues far into the future! Adventure Comics #247 The Legion of Super-Heroes April 1958 w: Otto Binder a: Al Plastino A group of mysterious teens arrives in Smallville, and Superboy is shocked to find that they seem to know his greatest secret. But what is THEIR secret? Adventure Comics #267 Prisoner of the Super-Heroes December 1959 w: Jerry Siegel a: George Papp The future teens return, and their knowledge of the past tells them that the greatest menace of all is... Superboy himself? Can he prove his innocence when his crimes are already in the history books? OTTO BINDER: THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY by Bill Schelly Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary chronicles the career of Otto Binder, from pulp magazine author to writer of Supergirl, Captain Marvel, and Superman comics. As the originator of the first sentient robot in literature ("I, Robot," published in Amazing Stories in 1939 and predating Isaac Asimov's collection of the same name), Binder's effect on science fiction was profound. Within the world of comic books, he created or co-created much of the Superman universe, including Smallville; Krypto, Superboy's dog; Supergirl; and the villain Braniac. Binder is also credited with writing many of the first "Bizarro" storylines for DC Comics, as well as for being the main writer for the Captain Marvel comics. In later years, Binder expanded from comic books into pure science writing, publishing dozens of books and articles on the subject of satellites and space travel as well as UFOs and extraterrestrial life. Comic book historian Bill Schelly tells the tale of Otto Binder through comic panels, personal letters, and interviews with Binder's own family and friends. Schelly weaves together Binder's professional successes and personal tragedies, including the death of Binder's only daughter and his wife's struggle with mental illness. A touching and human story, Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary is a biography that is both meticulously researched and beautifully told, keeping alive Binder's spirit of scientific curiosity and whimsy.

It's Special Ops with Mark Rahner, Rev & Chris Walker! They discuss Star Trek Beyond; Mark interviews Eisner winning Bill Schelly, author of Harvey Kurtzman: The Man Who Created Mad and Revolutionized Humor in America; Mark interviews Tom Peyer, writer on the comic book Captain Kid; and Mark reviews the movie Jason Bourne! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andy and Derek are pleased to have as a guest on their show Bill Schelly. A new edition of his book, Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary, was released earlier this month from North Atlantic Books. The guys talk with Bill about the legendary writer's work on the Captain Marvel and the Marvel family, his impressive run on Superman titles, and his role in the early science fiction pulps (mostly under the name he used when collaborating with his brother, Earl, Eando Binder). As they point out in the conversation, there are facets to Binder's life that are overshadowed by his work on the Big Red Cheese, and Bill's book thoroughly chronicles the sides of Otto Binder that you may not have known. Examples of this would include Binder's work at EC Comics, his writing for Jim Warren's Creepy, his close ties to comics fandom, his attempts at becoming science magazine publisher, and his later-life research on UFOs. They also discuss the darker aspects of Binder's life and the challenges he faced in his last decade. In addition to their discussion of the new Otto Binder book, the Two Guys also talk with Bill about his other works, including last year's biography of Harvey Kurtzman, his research on Joe Kubert, his upcoming book on John Stanley, and his histories of comics fandom. The guys come away from their conversation arguing that Bill Schelly's research is indispensable to comics scholars and that he continues to provide detailed and highly readable, almost novel-like, chronicles of the medium.

Two great books that deserve your attention are featured in today's Word Balloon Conversations. If you want to buy them consider doing your Amazon Shopping thru the Word Balloon Portal, where I get a few pennies on the dollar of your amazon purchases.First Up Brad Meltzer is back talking about THE HOUSE OF SECRETS his new thriller co-written with Tod Goldberg is another great action adventure with a new female hero who is trying to uncover the secrets behind history and her own life. Of course we talk to about DC Rebirth, and Brad's TV shows decoded and Lost History. The Comic Book Historian Bill Schelly talks about his expanded biography OTTO BINDER THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY . Binder wrote many Shazam Captain Marvel  stories in the 40's for Fawcett including the creation of Mary Marvel and the Marvel family. He also wrote the epic Monster Society Of Evil story and created Mr Tawny the Talking Tiger, Mister Mind and many other classic Marvel stories. Then Otto went to work for DC in the 50's creating Supergirl, The Bottled City Of Kandor, The Legion Of Super Heroes and many other significant parts of the Superman Mythos. 

Two great books that deserve your attention are featured in today's Word Balloon Conversations. If you want to buy them consider doing your Amazon Shopping thru the Word Balloon Portal, where I get a few pennies on the dollar of your amazon purchases.First Up Brad Meltzer is back talking about THE HOUSE OF SECRETS his new thriller co-written with Tod Goldberg is another great action adventure with a new female hero who is trying to uncover the secrets behind history and her own life. Of course we talk to about DC Rebirth, and Brad's TV shows decoded and Lost History. The Comic Book Historian Bill Schelly talks about his expanded biography OTTO BINDER THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY . Binder wrote many Shazam Captain Marvel  stories in the 40's for Fawcett including the creation of Mary Marvel and the Marvel family. He also wrote the epic Monster Society Of Evil story and created Mr Tawny the Talking Tiger, Mister Mind and many other classic Marvel stories. Then Otto went to work for DC in the 50's creating Supergirl, The Bottled City Of Kandor, The Legion Of Super Heroes and many other significant parts of the Superman Mythos. 

Author Bill Schelly joins Tim to discuss his new book "Harvey Kurtzman: The Man Who Created MAD and Revolutionized Humor in America" from Fantagraphics.  Harvey Kurtzman createdMAD, andMADrevolutionized humor in America. Kurtzman's groundwork as the original editor, artist, and sole writer ofMADprovided the foundation for one of the greatest publishing successes of the 20th century. But how did Kurtzman inventMAD, and why did he leave it shortly after it burst nova-like onto the American scene? Bill Schelly's heavily researched biography finally and fully answers these question for the first time. Through fresh interviews with Kurtzman's colleagues, friends and family, including Hugh Hefner, Al Feldstein, James Warren, R. Crumb, Jack Davis, Gilbert Shelton, and many others, and an examination of Kurtzman's personal archives, this book tells the true story of one of the 20th century's greatest humorists. His family life, an FBI investigation during the McCarthy Era, his legal battles with William M. Gaines... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to February, faithful listeners! And just as day follows night, every new month brings another opportunity for the Two Guys with PhDs (Talking about Comics) to discuss the latest solicits in the Previews catalog. As you might expect, Andy and Derek find a lot to discuss in the new Previews, highlighting upcoming titles from premiere publishers, smaller presses, and a few outlets you may not have even heard of. For example, they discuss future releases from Dark Horse Comics (Brian Wood and Andrea Mutti's Rebels, Gilbert Hernandez's Grip: The Strange World of Men, and the latest volume of Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamasaki's The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service), DC/Vertigo (their latest anthology, Vertigo Quarterly: SFX #1), IDW Publishing (the second volume in their new Corto Maltese reprint series, as well as IDW's new Disney comics initiative), Image Comics (new series such as Chip Zdarsky and Kagan McLeod's Kaptara, Alexi De Campi and Carla Speed McNeil's No Mercy, and Kurtis J. Wieebe and Johnnie Christmas's Pisces), AdHouse (Sophie Goldstein's The Oven), Alternative Comics (Sam Alden's Haunted, Steve Aylett's Johnny Viable and his Friends, and a new edition of Rich Tommaso's Clover Honey), Amulet Books (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, Vol. 5: The Underground Abductor), Bergen Street Press (Michel Fiffe's Copra: Round Two), BOOM! Studios/Archaia (James Tynion IV, Noahh J. Yuenkel, and Matt Fox's Ufology #1 as well as the first collected volume of Lumberjanes), Drawn and Quarterly (the latest volume in Seth's Palookaville, Tadao Tsuge's Trash Market, and Jillian Tamaki's Supermutant Magic Academy), Fantagraphics Books (Vaughn Bodē's Cheech Wizard's Big Book of Me, Robert Goodin's The Kurdles, and Bill Schelly's new biography, Harvey Kurtzman: The Man Who Created Mad and Revolutionized Humor in America), Goff Books (Johnny Lau's World Water Wars), Microcosm Publishing (Lisa Wilde's Snake Pit Gets Old: Daily Diary Comics 2010-2012), Oni Press (Zander Cannon's Kaijumax #1), SelfMadeHero (Julie Birmant's Pablo and Ilya's Room for Love), Top Shelf Productions (Keith Knight's Knight Takes Queen and a reprint of Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story), and Viz Media's new deluxe edition of Junji Ito's Gyo. As is the case with every Previews episode, there's a lot packed into this week's show -- so get listening, get excited, and get reading!