Wikipedia

Sheldon Mayer

Not to be confused withSheldon Moldoff.

Sheldon Mayer(/ˈmeɪ.ər/;April 1, 1917 – December 21, 1991)[1]was anAmericancomics artist,writer, and editor. One of the earliest employees of MajorMalcolm Wheeler-Nicholson'sNational Allied Publications,Mayer produced almost all of his comics work for the company that would become known asDC Comics.

Sheldon Mayer
Sheldon Mayer self-portrait from the cover ofThe Amazing World of DC Comics#5 (March–April 1975)
Born(1917-04-01)April 1, 1917
New York City, U.S.
DiedDecember 21, 1991(1991-12-21)(aged 74)
Copake, New York,U.S.
Area(s)Writer, Penciller, Editor
Notable works
Black Orchid
Funny Stuff
Scribbly the Boy Cartoonist
Sugar and Spike
The Three Mouseketeers
AwardsJack Kirby Hall of Fame
Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame

He is among those credited with rescuing the unsoldSupermancomics strip from the rejection pile.

Mayer was inducted into the comic book industry'sJack Kirby Hall of Famein 1992 and theWill Eisner Comic Book Hall of Famein 2000.

Early life and career

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Mayer was born inHarlem, New York,to aJewishfamily.[2][3]Sheldon Mayer's career in the days before comic books was a diverse one. He worked as writer and artist on "scores of titles" for a juvenile audience circa 1932–33, before joining theFleischer animation studiosas an "opaquer" in 1934, at the age of seventeen.[4]

He began working forNational Allied Publications(MajorMalcolm Wheeler-Nicholson's initial company, later known asDC Comics) shortly after it was founded, in 1935, writing and drawing stories and "thus becoming one of the very first contributors [of original material] to comic books."[5]

Between 1936 and 1938, Mayer worked forDell Comics,producing illustrations, house advertisements and covers for titles includingPopular Comics,The ComicsandThe Funnies.[4]Also in 1936, he joined theMcClure Syndicate"as an editor working for comics industry pioneerM.C. Gaines."[5]While working for the McClure syndicate, Mayer came acrossJerry SiegelandJoe Shuster's unsoldSupermancomics strip, which he "immediately fell in love with."[5]He recalled in a 1985 book that, "The syndicated press rejected it about fifteen times. I was singing [its] praises so much that in 1938 Gaines finally took the strip up toHarry Donenfeld,who was looking for original material to run in his new title,Action Comics,"[5]where the soon-to-be iconic character debuted as the lead feature of the first issue.[6]Action ComicseditorVin Sullivanis also among those credited with discovering Superman. Mayer said,

I was crazy aboutSupermanfor the same reason I likedThe Scarlet Pimpernel,Zorro,andThe Desert Song.The mystery man and his alter ego are two distinct characters to be played off against each other. The Scarlet Pimpernel's alter ego was scared of the sight of blood, a hopeless dandy: no one would have suspected he was a hero. The same goes for Superman.[5]

All-American Comics

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(Left to right)William Moulton Marston,H. G. Peter,Sheldon Mayer andMax Gainesin 1942.

In 1939, "Gaines left McClure to enter into a partnership with National Periodical Publications," and Mayer went with him, becoming the first editor of theAll-American Publicationsline, then run as a separate entity from National/DC, publishers ofSupermanandBatman.[5][7]Mayer edited and participated in the creation of - among others - theFlash(inFlash Comics),Green Lantern,Hawkman,Wonder WomanandAll-Star Comics,home to theJustice Society of America.[5][8][9]Comics historianLes Danielsnoted that "This was obviously a great notion, since it offered readers a lot of headliners for a dime, and also the fun of watching fan favorites interact."[10]

Among his non-superhero work, Mayer assisted with lettering and logo creation on severalAll-Americantitles, and drew a number of covers for the "Mutt and Jeff"reprints appearing in the companies flagship titleAll-American Comics(1939–1958).[4]Having created the semi-autobiographical stripScribbly the Boy Cartoonist[5]forDell Comicsin 1936, where the feature appeared inThe Funnies#2–29 andPopular Comics#6–9),[11]Mayer moved "Scribbly" to All-American Publications in 1939. Soon afterward, the featured included the supporting character of "Ma" Hunkel, who would go on to become theGolden Ageincarnation of theRed Tornado,with Mayer writing, penciling and inking the renamedScribbly and the Red TornadoforAll-American Comicsbetween 1941 and 1944 when All-American merged with National.[4][12]Mayer launched severaltalking animaltitles includingFunny Stuff(Summer 1944),[13]Animal Antics(March 1946),[14]andFunny Folks(April 1946).[15]

Scribbly

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Main article:Scribbly the Boy Cartoonist

Scribbly the Boy Cartoonist is a comic book character created in 1936 by Sheldon Mayer, first appearing inDell Comics.

Editorial retirement

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Mayer retired from editing in 1948,[16]"to devote himself full-time to cartooning". He began to write and draw a number of humor comics for National, including the featuresThe Three Mouseketeers,Leave It to Binky,a teenage humor book, andSugar and Spike.[5]Leave It to Binkydebuted in February 1948[17]whileScribblyreceived its own title in August 1948.[18]He also created the backup feature "Doodles Duck", starring a dimwitted, easily angered instigator and his smarter, calmer nephew Lemuel, inAnimal Antics#40 (Sept. 1952). This is unrelated toHowie Post's early DC creation Doodles Duck.[19]

Sugar and Spikeproved to be one of Mayer's longest-lasting strips, starring two babies who could communicate inbaby talkthat adults could not understand.[20]Mayer even signed the stories he drew, something rare at National Periodical Publications in the late 1950s whenSugar and Spikedebuted.

In the 1970s, when failing eyesight limited his drawing ability, he continued to work for National/DC, contributing scripts to the companies horror and mystery magazines, including most notablyHouse of Mystery,House of SecretsandForbidden Tales of Dark Mansion.[4][12]With artistTony DeZuniga,he co-created the "Black Orchid"feature which ran inAdventure Comics#428–430 in 1973.[21]Mayer wrote and drew several "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"treasuries[22]starting in 1972. These were published asLimited Collectors' EditionC–24, C–33, C–42, C–50[23][24]andAll-New Collectors' EditionC–53, C–60.[25]Additionally, one digest format edition was published asThe Best of DC#4 (March–April 1980).[26]In 1978, Mayer wrote and drew a "How to Draw Batman Booklet" as part of an ongoing debate with DC editorPaul Levitzregardingcontinuityin comic books.[27]In the 50th anniversary publicationFifty Who Made DC Great,Mayer is cited as still writing and drawing "for the company that first published his great discovery,Superman,forty-seven years ago. "[5]

After successfulcataractsurgery, Mayer returned to drawing Sugar and Spike stories for the international market;[28]only a few have been reprinted in the United States. The American reprints appeared in thedigest sizedcomics seriesThe Best of DC#29, 41, 47, 58, 65, and 68. In 1992,Sugar and Spike#99 was published as part of theDC Silver Age Classicsseries;[29]this featured two previously unpublished stories by Mayer. DC writer and executive Paul Levitz has describedSugar and Spikeas being "Mayer's most charming and enduring creation"[30]while novelist andSandmancreatorNeil Gaimanhas stated "Sheldon Mayer'sSugar and Spikeseries...is the most charming thing I've ever seen in comics. "[31]

DC attempted tolicenseSugar and Spikeas a syndicatednewspaper stripbut was unsuccessful.[32]Sales on the "Sugar and Spike" issues ofThe Best of DCwere strong enough that DC announced plans for a new ongoing series featuring the characters. The project was never launched for unknown reasons.[33]

Awards

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Mayer received anInkpot Awardin 1976.[34]He was posthumously inducted into theJack Kirby Hall of Famein 1992[35]and theWill Eisner Comic Book Hall of Famein 2000.[36]

Bibliography

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Centaur Publications

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  • Comics Magazine#1 (1936)

DC Comics

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References

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  1. ^"United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch:Sheldon Mayer, December 21, 1991accessed March 13, 2013
  2. ^"JEWS 'N' COMICS: The 13 Most Influential Jewish Creators and Execs".13 September 2015.
  3. ^"Interview with Merrily Mayer Harris, Shelly Mayer's Daughter - Comic Book Artist #10 - TwoMorrows Publishing".
  4. ^abcdeBails, Jerry(2006)."Mayer, Sheldon".Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999.Archivedfrom the original on February 11, 2012.
  5. ^abcdefghijMarx, Barry,Cavalieri, Joeyand Hill, Thomas (w), Petruccio, Steven (a), Marx, Barry (ed). "Sheldon Mayer Superman Discovered"Fifty Who Made DC Great,p. 13 (1985). DC Comics.
  6. ^Wallace, Daniel; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1930s".DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle.London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley.p. 20.ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9.It was editor Sheldon Mayer, working at M. C. Gaines' McClure Syndicate, who suggested Superman to DC as a potential filler feature forAction Comics.{{cite book}}:|first2=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^Wallace "1930s" in Dolan, p. 24: "Jack Liebowitz partnered with publisher M. C. Gaines (who brought with him his sharp young editor, Sheldon Mayer) to launch a new line of comics under the All American Publications banner."
  8. ^Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 33: "DC took the 'greatest hits' premise of the comic to its logical conclusion inAll Star Comics#3 by teaming the Flash, the Atom, Doctor Fate, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hourman, Sandman, and the Spectre under the banner of the Justice Society of America for an ongoing series. "
  9. ^Thomas, Roy(2000). "The Men (and One Woman) Behind the JSA: Its Creation and Creative Personnel".All-Star Companion Volume 1.Raleigh, North Carolina:TwoMorrows Publishing.p. 22.ISBN1-893905-055.
  10. ^Daniels, Les(1995). "The Justice Society of America All American's All Star Team Up".DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes.New York, New York:Bulfinch Press.p. 54.ISBN0821220764.
  11. ^Scribblyat theGrand Comics Database.
  12. ^abSheldon Mayerat theGrand Comics Database
  13. ^Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 46: "Edited by Sheldon Mayer, the anthology title showcased a number of new animal humor features."
  14. ^Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 50
  15. ^Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 51: "Editor Sheldon Mayer launched yet another talking-animal title. Like the newly launchedAnimal Antics,the features inFunny Folkswere originals, not based on characters from animated movie shorts. "
  16. ^"Sheldon Mayer".Lambiek Comiclopedia.December 20, 2006.Archivedfrom the original on December 16, 2013.
  17. ^Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 58
  18. ^Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 59
  19. ^Markstein, Don."Doodles Duck".Don Markstein's Toonopedia.Archivedfrom the original on May 27, 2024.RetrievedApril 10,2016.
  20. ^Markstein, Don."Sugar and Spike".Don Markstein's Toonopedia.Archivedfrom the original on September 13, 2012.RetrievedDecember 13,2011.Sugar Plumm and Cecil "Spike" Wilson had to make sense of their environment without assistance from those who already knew their way around it, because everybody but their fellow babies spoke in the incomprehensible gobbledygook of grownups.
  21. ^McAvennie, Michael "1970s" in Dolan, p. 156: "Very little was known about the Black Orchid, even after writer Sheldon Mayer and artist Tony DeZuniga presented her so-called 'origin issue' inAdventure Comics."
  22. ^Markstein, Don (n.d.)."Sheldon Mayer".Don Markstein's Toonopedia.Archivedfrom the original on May 25, 2024.RetrievedDecember 3,2011.[Mayer] also worked on several tabloid-formatted comic books for DC in the mid-1970s, including the company's first use of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer since the early '60s.
  23. ^Arnold, Mark(December 2012). "You Know Dasher and Dancer: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer".Back Issue!(61). Raleigh, North Carolina:TwoMorrows Publishing:7–10.
  24. ^Limited Collectors' Edition#C–20,#C–24,#C–33,#C–42,and#C–50at the Grand Comics Database
  25. ^All-New Collectors' Edition#C–53and#C–60at the Grand Comics Database
  26. ^The Best of DC#4at the Grand Comics Database
  27. ^Greenberger, Robert;Manning, Matthew K. (2009).The Batman Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles from the Batcave.Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:Running Press.p. 49.ISBN978-0762436637.Mayer objected to the idea of continuity in comic book stories...this eighteen-page story, written and penciled by Mayer arrived as an instructional component to the debate.
  28. ^Markstein "Sheldon Mayer": "He continued to write and draw Sugar & Spike until 1971, when failing eyesight forced him to abandon cartooning...Mayer's sight was restored a few years later, and he went back to producing new Sugar & Spike stories. But the American comic book market was no longer able to support such a feature, so these were mostly published overseas."
  29. ^DC Silver Age Classics Sugar and Spike#99 (1992)at the Grand Comics Database
  30. ^Levitz, Paul(2010).75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking.Cologne, Germany:Taschen.p. 64.ISBN9783836519816.
  31. ^Bender, Hy (1999).The Sandman Companion.New York, New York:Vertigo.p. 154.ISBN1563894653.
  32. ^Wells, John (July 2012). "The Lost DC Kids Line".Back Issue!(57). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 47.Did you know that DC tried to sell Shelly Mayer'sSugar and Spikeas a syndicated newspaper strip? [A] sample, ca. 1979–early 1980s was one of three DC concepts unsuccessfully pitched to papers.
  33. ^Wells pp. 46–47: "In a 'Meanwhile' column in several Aug. 1984-dated titles...DC vice-president-executive director Dick Giordano tentatively announcedSugar and Spike#1 as appearing 'sometime this fall or early winter'...Ultimately, for reasons virtually no one recalls, DC quickly got cold feet on the project even as Marvel's Star Comics rolled out in 1985. "
  34. ^"Inkpot Award Winners".Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac.Archivedfrom the original on July 9, 2012.
  35. ^"1992 Harvey Awards".Harvey Awards.2013. Archived fromthe originalon October 12, 2013.
  36. ^"Will Eisner Hall of Fame".Comic-Con International: San Diego.San Diego Comic-Con International.2014.Archivedfrom the original on January 10, 2014.
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