Carl Burgos(/ˈbɜːrɡoʊs/BUR-gohss;bornMax Finkelstein[2]/ˈfɪŋkəlstiːn/FING-kəl-steen;April 18, 1916 – March 1984[1]) was an Americancomic bookandadvertisingartistbest known for creating theoriginal Human TorchinMarvel Comics#1 (Oct. 1939), during the period historians and fans call theGolden Age of comic books.
| Carl Burgos | |
|---|---|
| Born | Max Finkelstein April 18, 1916 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 1984 (aged 67) Nassau County,New York, U.S.[1] |
| Area(s) | Penciller,Artist |
Notable works | Original Human Torch |
| Awards | Jack Kirby Hall of Fame(1996) |
He was inducted into comic books'Jack Kirby Hall of Famein 1996.
Biography
editEarly life
editCarl Burgos was born as Max Finkelstein inNew York City,the child of Jewish parents.[3]He studied at theNational Academy of DesigninManhattan,[2]where, he recalled in the late 1960s, "I quit after one year because I couldn't learn enough".[4]
Early career
editBurgos took a job with the Franklin Engraving Company, which engraved the printing plates for comic books produced byHarry "A" Chesler,founder of one of that era's comic-book "packagers" that created comics on demand for publishers entering the newmedium.[4]Joining Chesler's studio himself in 1938,[2]Burgos apprenticed by drawing backgrounds and panel borders, andinkingthe work of comicspencilers.His earliest works include penciling and inking the six-page story "The Last Pirate", starring Count Rocco and his ship the Emerald Queen, inCentaur Publications'Star Comicsvol. 2, #2 (March 1939);[5]creating the features "Air-Sub DX", in Centaur'sAmazing Mystery Funniesvol. 2, #4 (April 1939),[5][6]and "Rocky Dawson";[4]and creating therobothero theIron Skullin Centaur'sAmazing-Man Comics#5 (Sept. 1939).[5][7]
Burgos and others, including Centaur Publications writer-artistBill Everett,then followed Centaurart directorLloyd Jacquetto Jacquet's own newly formed packager,Funnies, Inc.[7]As Everett later described, "Lloyd... had an idea that he wanted to start his own art service — to start a small organization to supply artwork and editorial material to publishers.... He asked me to join him. He also asked Carl Burgos. So we were the nucleus..."[8]He added, "I don't know how to explain it, but I was still on a freelance basis. That was the agreement we had. The artists, including myself, at Funnies, worked on a freelance basis".[8]
Following an unsuccessful attempt ata promotional comic to be given awayinmovie theaters,Funnies, Inc.'s first sale was to publisherMartin Goodman's equally newTimely Comics,the predecessor ofMarvel Comics,supplying the contents ofMarvel Comics#1 (Oct. 1939). That landmark issue included not only writer-artist Burgos'Human Torchbut also Everett's hit character theSub-Mariner.A painted cover by veteranscience-fictionpulpartistFrank R. Paulfeatured the Torch.
Burgos' character proved a hit, and quickly went on to headline one of comics' first single-character titles,The Human Torch(premiering fall 1940 with nocover dateand as issue #2, having taken over the numbering from the single-issueRed Raven).[5][9]He next created the superhero character theWhite StreakinNovelty Press'Target Comics#1 (Feb. 1940), and, with writerJohn Compton,the superhero theThundererin Timely'sDaring Mystery Comics#7 (April 1941).[5]
Burgos left forWorld War IImilitary service in 1942, starting in theU.S. Army Air Corps,[10]for which he took infantry ranger training and was sent overseas as a rifleman before being transferred to theSignal Corpsand then to anengineerdivision.[4]
Atlas and the 1950s
editFollowing his return from the war, Burgos attendedCity College of New Yorkto studyadvertising,[4]and drew a small number of stories for Timely, includinganthologicalcrime dramas inOfficial True Crime Cases Comics#24 (Fall 1947),[5]andComplete Mystery#3–4 (Dec. 1948 – Feb. 1949).[11]Other work included penciling aCaptain Americastory inMarvel Mystery Comics#92 (June 1949), and inking fellow Timely mainstaysMike SekowskyandSyd Shoreson, respectively, at least one story each starringSun Girland theBlonde Phantom(both inMarvel Mystery Comics#89, Dec. 1948).[5]Segueing out of full-time comics work, Burgos eased into a career inadvertisingandcommercial art[10][4]while freelancing frequently forAtlas Comics,the 1950s iteration of Marvel, primarily as a cover artist across all genres fromjungle-girltowar comics,though fellow Atlas artistStan Goldberg,who joined the company in 1949, recalled in 2002 that "Burgos was on staff most of the time I was there".[12]
His most prominent comics work during this time came during Atlas' mid-1950s attempt at reviving the dormant superhero field with Timely stars the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, andCaptain America,with Burgos drawing the Human Torch stories inYoung Men#25–28 (Feb.–June 1954), as well as the covers ofYoung Men#24–25 (Dec. 1953 – Feb. 1954) and of the short-lived relaunchHuman Torch#36–38 (April–Aug. 1954); he also redrew at least the Human Torch figure in the first panel of artistRuss Heath's nine-page story "The Return Of The Human Torch" inYoung Men#24.[11]Burgos during the '50s also contributed to the AtlashumorcomicsCrazy,Wild,andRiot;theWestern comicAnnie Oakley;andscience-fiction/horroranthologies, includingAstonishing,Journey Into Unknown Worlds,Strange Stories of SuspenseandStrange Tales of the Unusual,“Haunted Thrills”, among many others.[5][11]His last credited Atlas story was the five-page "Dateline - Iwo Jima" inBattle#70 (June 1960).[11]
He did humor for Pierce Publishing'sFrantic,Satire Publications'Loco,and Major Magazines'Crackedduring 1958 and 1959, as well as layout art for theMLJ/Archie ComicsseriesThe Adventures of The FlyandThe Double Life of Private Strong.Burgos also provided illustrations for Marvel publisherMartin Goodman's 1950spulp magazines,includingMarvel Science StoriesandWestern Magazine;as well as covers for the reprint publisherI.W. Publications.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Burgos worked for the Pro-Art Company[citation needed]and later for the Belwin Company,[citation needed]where he drew covers for sheet-music books, sometimes assisted by Susan Burgos, one of his two daughters.[citation needed]He also worked for a greeting-card company.[citation needed]
Silver Age and afterward
editIn the mid-1960s, during the era fans and historians call theSilver Age of Comic Books,Burgos pursued a lawsuit against Marvel to assert ownership of the Human Torch, whose name and superpowers had been used for theFantastic Four'sJohnny Stormsince 1961. Little, if anything, came of this legal action.[13]Burgos nonetheless contributed art to a Johnny Storm Human Torch story inStrange Tales#123 (Aug. 1964), as well as to threeGiant-Manstories inTales to Astonish#62–64 (Dec. 1964 – Feb. 1965). Burgos drew himself and writer-editorStan Leeinto the final panel of the Torch story, with Lee adding the avuncular dialog:
Stan (referring to the Torch and theThing): "There go the greatest guys in the world, Carl."
Carl: "Aw, you're just prejudiced, Stan."
Fellow Atlas/Marvel artistStan Goldbergobserved in 2005, "Carl and Stan never really got along, because their personalities clashed. When Atlas became Marvel, Carl never really got back into the company, or really into comics, either".[12]
Marvel eventually revived Burgos' original Human Torch for present-day stories, starting withThe Fantastic Four Annual#4 (Nov. 1966).[5]That same year, Burgos created a short-lived character calledCaptain MarvelforMyron Fass'M. F. Enterprisesas a result of Fawcett Comics losing its trademark. He was quickly ordered to cease by Marvel Comics.[14]His last recorded comics art was the cover ofCaptain Marvel#4 (Nov. 1966).[5]
From 1971 to 1975, Burgos served as an editor for Fass'Eerie Publicationsline of black-and-whitehorror-comic magazines, includingHorror Tales,Weird,Tales from the Tomb,Tales of Voodoo,Terror Tales,Weird,andWitches Tales.[5]Through 1984 he edited magazines forHarris Publications.[2]At the time of his death from colon cancer,[15]he lived inNassau County, New York,[1]onLong Island.
References
edit- ^abc"Burgos, Carl".Social Security Death Index.RetrievedAugust 7,2019– viaFamilySearch.org.Note: Gives only month and year of death.
- ^abcdBails, Jerry;Ware, Hames. "Burgos, Carl".Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999.Archivedfrom the original on November 24, 2007.
- ^Lund, Martin (2016).Re-Constructing the Man of Steel: Superman 1938–1941, Jewish American History, and the Invention of the Jewish–Comics Connection.Palgrave Macmillan. p. 103.
- ^abcdefSteranko, Jim(1970).The Steranko History of Comics - Volume One.Reading, Pennsylvania: Supergraphics. p. 58.
- ^abcdefghijkCarl Burgosat theGrand Comics Database
- ^Golden Age Directory: A
- ^abNevins, Jess."The Timely Comics Story".WebCitation archive.
- ^abBill Everett interview, originally published inAlter Ego#11, 1978; reprinted inAlter Egovol. 3, #46 (March 2005); p. 8 of the latter.
- ^The Human TorchatDon Markstein's Toonopedia
- ^abCarl Burgosat theLambiek Comiclopedia.Archivedfrom the original on July 27, 2018. Note: Gives erroneous birth year.
- ^abcdCarl Burgos in AtlasTales
- ^abInterview with Atlas/Marvel artistStan Goldberg,Alter Ego#18 (Oct. 2002), p. 9
- ^Interview with daughter Susan Burgos,Alter Ego#49, June 2005, "The Privacy Act of Carl Burgos", p. 9: "I know he had a lawsuit against Marvel Comics.... I do know that he went to see a lawyer. I assume it was about getting the rights to the Human Torch, and I read inAlter Egothat they settled out of court. I'm sure that's what happened the day he threw [all his Golden Age comics] away [in 1966]. I have no idea how it was settled or even if it went to court, though I don't think it did "
- ^Captain MarvelArchived2012-09-19 atarchive.todayat Don Markstein's Toonopedia
- ^Howlett, Mike (2010).The Weird World of Eerie Publications: Comic Gore That Warped Millions of Young Minds.Feral House.p. 176.ISBN978-1932595871.