“His eye roved over the bare mesa and out to where quivering heat waves distorted the outlines of the distant hills, huge, angular masses of scarified rock, the slag and clinkers of some ancient volcanic blaze uprearing tortured pinnacles and twisted turrets to the pitiless sky.” This portrayal of Fort Bliss by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson’s [...]
In every good comic book story there’s a moment when worlds collide, stars line up, and the evil doctor’s death ray machine threatens to blow everyone to hell and back. This is just such a story. The Mad Scientist. Fleischer Superman cartoons. 1941 In 1934 my grandfather, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson began publishing comic [...]
Cuba Si! Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson was born on this day, January 7, 126 years ago. It’s fitting that tomorrow I’m leaving for Miami en route to Cuba retracing some of the steps of my grandparents on their fabled trip to Cuba in 1937. Cuba is one of the Shangrilas of travel I have wanted to [...]
It's been a busy year on the trail with the Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson Traveling Circus and Wild West Show. Beginning in January with Wizard World Comic Con New Orleans--a short drive from my Gulf Coast winter habitat. Not a bad start--beignets, Cafe du Monde, Streetcars of Desire and all the great food to be had [...]
Happy 125th Birthday to my grandfather Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, soldier, writer of adventure stories and novels and founder of DC Comics. What does it mean to inherit the legacy of a man who lived a life of adventure and unbelievable creativity all the while maintaining his dignity and grace under fire at various points in [...]
Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson had an extraordinary military career. Just recently I spent time in the National Archives in Washington, DC once again sifting through files there. One of the treasures found was MWN's test for entry into the US Army. His test score—99 out of 100! That’s pretty impressive, I’d say. From photos, family stories [...]
Ever since looking at a Romita (Sr.) Spiderman when I was eight, I’d been obsessed with comics. I’d been working on my stories ever since I was a kid, but really dove in head-first when I got laid off in 2008 from my job doing graphics for the fashion industry. I put all my energy [...]
It's Operation Lois Lane this week at New York Comic Con. That will be me cosplaying as Lois Lane. I'll be in disguise as mild-mannered Nicky. My very first Comic Con was San Diego Comic Con in 2008 when my grandfather, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson was inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame forty three years [...]
Editor's note: This is a guest post by Francis DiMenno. Thank you Francis! The origin of the Pulps (so called for the cheap paper they were printed on) date back to the 19th century. In 1860 dime novels arose as spin-offs to adventure stories published in the weekly papers, and were read in great numbers [...]
I’ve been on a quest for about 16 years researching my grandfather, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson’s life and work. In the halls of the Court of Comic Book Land I've encountered Courtiers who would flatter one out of the few gold pieces held. I crossed swords with an Evil Wizard who is still lurking about. And I [...]