Many people have written eloquently about Howard Cruse in the last week since his death, Andy Mangels, Denis Kitchen and Chip Kidd among others. What I want you to know is something personal about Howie beyond the work and the public life—about friendship, family and love. I lived with my maternal grandparents from the time [...]
Great news from DC Comics! They are publishing a reprint of New Fun #1, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson's first comics magazine published under National Allied Publications. The magazine will be reprinted as a commemorative hardcover, original tabloid size with essays by Roy Thomas and me, Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson. New Fun #1 appeared on newsstands January 11, 1935. [...]
John Locke has a new book ostensibly about the origins of the pulp magazine Weird Tales, The Thing’s Incredible: The Secret Origins of Weird Tales. However, it is oh so much more. I became smitten with the pulps the first time I read one of my grandfather’s, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson pulp adventure stories. That was [...]
DC Comics Before Superman: Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson's Pulp Comics, published by Hermes Press will be premiered at this year's San Diego Comic Con July 19-22nd. Here's a glimpse at how it all came together. In 1934, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson had the idea to create comic books consisting of all original scripts and art as opposed [...]
Today is the 127th anniversary of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson’s birth. He was born in Greenville, Tennessee January 7th 1890. The year ahead is going to be productive for the Major. Besides working on his biography I’m pleased to announce that Dan Herman of Hermes Press is publishing a second book of the Major’s adventure stories [...]
“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 [...]