Bernie Mireault, R.I.P.

Was sorry to hear about the recent passing of Bernie Mireault, a great cartoonist best know for his creations THE JAM and MACKENZIE QUEEN, a significant contribution to Matt Wagner's GRENDEL, some assorted work with Michael Allred and many scattered bits of short comics work.

Four collections of his JAM related work and short stories are available in freshly produced print-on-demand copies from About Comics, details here.

Here's a sampling of his work.  More on them will be added below.

 

If you or anyone you know is showing signs of self-harm, there is help.

This is from the story "The Tragic Though Amusing History of Clay Face II", SECRET ORIGINS #44 [1989], written by Dan Raspler, inked by Denis Rodier. A loose re-telling of the silver age origin of the Batman villain with four very different versions (probably even more now).  Very entertaining version of Batman.  Apparently done as a rush job to replace a Mike Mignola drawn story which was either rejected or lost, depending on who you ask.

From THE TRUE NORTH [1988], a benefit comic for comic facing censorship comes this page from a two page story by Mireault, inked by frequent collaborator Joe Matt.  Nice experimental playful use of the comics form in a very funny story.  He did, however, eventually work for Marvel.  Not a lot, and mostly for imprints, not Marvel proper, and mostly colouring.  But there it is...

This cover for AMAZING HEROES #131 [1987] features a Grendel illustration by Mireault, inset with a Steve Rude image of another character who shared a publisher with Grendel.  Mireault had a long association with Matt Wagner and Grendel, working as an artist, inker or colourist on many of the major stories.  He also was cast as a character, "Kirby Hero", in Wagner's Mage series, alongside Joe Matt as "Joe Phat".  More Grendel later.

From TROLLORDS #15 [1988], the long-running series created by Scott Beaderstadt and Paul Fricke. Many issues of the series featured other independent comics creators taking a back-up story, this time it was Mireault with writer Mark Shainblum doing "Death and Taxes Take a Holiday", a nice story consistent with the series but very much in Mireault's style.  

Mireault contributed to a few of Jim Ottaviani's comics about science and scientists, including the framing sequences in FALLOUT [2001], a biography of Robert Oppenheimer.  Fascinating story, someone should make a movie based on it...

Somehow the censorship problem wasn't solved in 1988, so Mireault was back in THE TRUE NORTH II [1991], this time with "Benefit", a very frantic tale of rock and roll in Montreal written and inked by Rick Trembles. And thus the problem of censorship was solved once and for all... what do you mean you have some bad news for me?

For Michael T. Gilbert's MR. MONSTER PRESENTS (CRACK-A-BOOM!) #3 [1997] Mireault draws a long 12-page ghost story, "Asphalt Tomb", written by Scott Deschaine and layouts by Deschaine and Gilbert.  A very chilly story with some interesting visual flourishes.

Probably Mireault's most widely read work was "When Is A Door", the 10-page not-really-origin of the Batman villain Riddler from SECRET ORIGINS SPECIAL #1 [1989], written by Neil Gaiman, inked by Matt Wagner and coloured by Joe Matt.  A brilliant little story told with style, using the classic gimmicks from Batman creator Bill Finger stories of giant props to great effect. 

A nice playful image of Mireault's Jam from AMAZING HEROES SWIMSUIT SPECIAL '91 [1991], showing off his skill at portraying the urban landscape of Montreal that featured in the series.

One of Mireault's solo art jobs with writer Matt Wagner on Wagner's signature character Grendel, as reprinted in GRENDEL OMNIBUS #1 [2012] (originally published in 1998).  Entertaining story about Hunter Rose, the one true Grendel.

Another science non-fiction collaboration with Jim Ottaviani, this one some vignettes on the life of Richard Feynman in his days on the Manhattan Project published as TWO-FISTED SCIENCE - SAFECRACKER [1997], also included in TWO-FISTED SCIENCE [1997].  This is where I first heard of Feynman, and inspired me to read several of his books, which ended up being very helpful to me at that point in my life. 

Doug Murray wrote this anthology series of tales of winners of the Medal of Honor.  For MEDAL OF HONOR #3 [1994] Mireault draws "The Andrews Raid", a daring 1862 operation during the Slaveholders' Rebellion which resulted in the awarding of the very first Medals of Honor by Abraham Lincoln.  Very energetic telling of the story (which was also dramatized as film THE GREAT LOCOMOTIVE CHASE [1956]).

MACKENZIE QUEEN was Mireault's first solo book from 1985, running for five issues and telling a really bizarre story of aliens, super-powers and monsters.  Hard to describe, but well worth seeking out, with all of the trademark dynamics, experimentation and humanity that would figure into all of Mireault's subsequent work.

Like this classic bit from THE JAM - SUPER COOL COLOR INJECTED TURBO ADVENTURE #1 [1988], which is just packed with weird concepts and manic energy.

Mireault was an early contributor to Stephen Bissette's horror anthology TABOO, featured in the first three issues with stories like "Cable" in TABOO #1 [1988] really setting the stage for what the book was aspiring to.

"Too Many Santas" is a nice little story that appeared in COMICO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL #1 [1988], with various seasonal stories written by Doug Wheeler.  Memorable even in a book with a Dave Stevens cover and Al Williamson inking Steve Rude inside.

Dr. Robot was a dialogue-free back-up feature in Michael Allred's MADMAN, collected with a new story in DR. ROBOT SPECIAL #1 [2000].  A delight, with Mireault's skill at expressions, body language and sound effects combining with his distinctive colours to tell some fun stories.

Speaking of Allred's Madman, you can't go wrong by seeking out the two issue MADMAN / THE JAM series from 1998.  The two off-beat heroes blend perfectly in the story called "House of Escher", and you can guess what that entails.  I believe reprinted in various Madman collections, most recent MADMAN LIBRARY EDITION #2 [2022].

Steve Moncuse was another 1980s indy creator who invited others to play in his sandbox in back-ups, called "Fish Shticks", so FISH POLICE #12 [1988] features a 4-page back-up written by Moncuse and everything elsed by Mireault.  A lot of fun.

Back to horror with Stephen Bissette's TABOO #3 [1989] and the story "Poker Face", which is really grisly and not for the faint of heart after this page.  But worth it.

And to take us out, CRITTERS #50 [1990] has another Canadian comics mainstay, Ty Templeton, telling an autobiographical story (except, presumably, for the part where the characters are bears.  But hey, stranger things are true) about fast food and rules.  Templeton writes, does layouts and inks while Mireault draws the thing. A very memorable and funny story I think about almost every time I'm in a drive-thru.

More later, specifically about THE JAM and TO GET HER, but the subject matter of the latter is a bit too hard to really absorb right now.

The Power Of Shazam One Million [1998] (Random Comics Theatre)

Random Comics Theatre

The Power Of Shazam One Million [1998]

This is a one-shot published between #43 and #44 of Jerry Ordway's 1995 to 1999 THE POWER OF SHAZAM series, published to tie in with a DC crossover that deals with characters in the 853rd Century. It's by the regular team of the series at the time, Jerry Ordway writing, pencilling and doing the cover (over a poorly aged computer art background) and Dick Giordano inking.

I'm pretty unfamiliar with the crossover except for a handful of  issues of other series I read, and I only recently got the other issues of this series around this issue and haven't read most of them yet, so a lot of it isn't something I can follow, but Ordway does a pretty decent job of making it as clear as possible. Suffice to say the story involves the far future, about one million months from now, and the return of various heroes in different forms.

The art is much more interesting than the writing.  Ordway had launched this run with a painted "graphic novel" in 1994, but had mostly just written (and painted the covers) for the subsequent on-going series.  He returned to the art for this last half-year of the series, and really just has one of those timeless styles, with classic elements but still feeling modern in the 1990s and not looking dated at all almost three decades later.  This particular story premise also gives him a chance to do some design work on the one-off characters and future architecture and technology.

Mildly recommended more as a diversionary part of the entertaining full series than as a standalone.

Michael Zulli, R.I.P.

Sad to hear of the passing of Michael Zulli at the too young age of 71. A long-time favourite comic book creator of mine, with a wide variety of work.

Some earlier posts on his work:

Tundra Sketchbook Series #3 [1991] by Zulli
On the 2015 PUMA BLUES collection/finale
On the TMNT story "Soul's Winter"
On the unfinished SWEENEY TODD (w/ Neil Gaiman)

I'll update this post over the next few days with a few notable images.

This was a double page spread that Zulli did with Dick Giordano inks, Danny Vozzo colours, Todd Klein letters (on the other pages, at least) and a Neil Gaiman story for THE SANDMAN #53 [1993].  Just a spectacular image, moreso for something done in the constraints (and compensation levels) of mainstream comics of that era.

"Night Gaunts" is a Lovecraft inspired painting, circa 1990, intended for an unrealized Tundra book of Lovecraft related comics, eventually published in TABOO #8 [1995].

Zulli's covers to THE PUMA BLUES from 1986 to 1989, the series he created with Stephen Murphy. Bold design unlike almost anything else being published then.  Exquisite rendering, intriguing glimpses at the various aspects of the complicated story.

LONGSHOT (1998) was an interesting one-shot of the Arthur Adams / Ann Nocenti created character (a rare creation credit of the era acknowledged in the book) who had been a member of the X-Men for a while.  It's a 48-page Zulli pencilled story "Fools" written by frequent collaborator J. M. DeMatteis and inked by the legendary Al Williamson, the only example of that artistic team.  Very unusual, with a lot of the frequent DeMatteis traits, allusions to classic children's literature, themes of losing your way and finding grace.  Well worth seeking out.

From THE SHADE #4 [1997], a spin-off of the Tony Harris / James Robinson STARMAN series, written by Robinson. MZ only drew this final chapter of a story about generational grudges and revenge. Some nice bits in the art, but you really need to read the whole mini-series to understand it.  Well worth it, with other great artists on the other chapters.

I believe the first collaboration of Zulli and DeMatteis was on the 1990s series SEEKERS INTO THE MYSTERY, which had a variety of interesting artists.  Zulli did a story called "Falling Down to Heaven" from #6-#9, with a quartet of brilliant covers.

A sample of the challengingly eclectic contents of SEEKERS that Zulli expertly realized, original art and printed colour version.

At the height of Ninja Turtles fever in the early 1990s, Zulli did the very off-beat "Soul's Winter" trilogy.  Apparently not liked by some TMNT fans, while adored by others.  I know what camp I'm in.  I wrote about it previously over here.

Tales From The Outer Boroughs #1 [1991] (Random Comics Theatre)

Random Comics Theatre

Tales From The Outer Boroughs #1 [1991]

This was a comic created by Douglas Michael, published in 1991 by Fantagraphics.  Until today I assumed it was a one-shot, never having seen another issue, but it turns out that there were five issues of the series published between 1991 and 1992.

Prior to this I had read Michael's one-shot THE ELVIS MANDIBLE, published by Piranha Press, and liked that. His work reminds me a bit of Rick Geary's work, which I'm quite fond of, and I'm not surprised in searching right now that both of them did work for NATIONAL LAMPOON magazine.

This issue has a 32-page story called "Mister Seebring".  It's told in a series of single-page scenes, each with a separate title, which makes me think this might have been serialized somewhere before this publication.  The title character is a mysterious individual who talks to a photo of his dead dog, which sends him out to the suburbs and an old acquaintance. We gradually find out the details of a murder plot, complicated by a snooping neighbour.  Pretty well told little story with a lot of twists in just a few pages, feels a lot like something you'd see as a subplot of a David Lynch project.

Might have to track down the other issues, though I'm unclear if anything from this issue continues in those.  Doesn't look like there was ever a reprint of the series.

Lex Luthor - The Unauthorized Biography [1989] (Random Comics Theatre)

Random Comics Theatre

Lex Luthor - The Unauthorized Biography [1989]

This is a prestige format one-shot published drawn by Eduardo Barreto and written by James Hudnall published by DC in 1989. The cover, painted by Eric Peterson, takes a bit of design influence from Tony Schwartz and Donald Trump's then-recent book THE ART OF THE DEAL.

Lex Luthor is of course the long-time arch-villain of Superman, created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel.  For most of his history portrayed as a mad scientist, in and out of jail between having his schemes foiled by Superman. He was modified in the 1986 revamp of Superman (by Marv Wolfman, John Byrne and others) to be a businessman whose criminal activities were largely unknown. Eventually a lot of aspects of his previous history were added back.

This story features a down-and-out reporter named Peter Sands who decides to write a biography of Luthor. He digs up a lot of secrets and rumours, attracting the attention of Luthor, and getting Clark Kent caught up in a murder investigation.

A pretty decent story that seems to build well on what I know of some of the backstory that had been developed for this version of Luthor.  I'm not really well read enough in the next few years to know if anything established in here led to other stories, or was just ignored or contradicted.

But the real reason to get this is as a showcase for the work of Eduardo Barreto. Always a solid artist for DC in the 1980s, on books like ATARI FORCE and NEW TEEN TITANS, he does a great job with what's mostly a straight-ahead crime story (there's only one brief obscured panel of Clark Kent as Superman).

Looks like this was only reprinted once, in a 2018 book SUPERMAN- PRESIDENT LUTHOR with some chapters of a later storyline where Luthor enters politics.  A corrupt billionaire running for President, where do they get their crazy ideas...

Mark D. Bright, R.I.P.

Sad to note the passing of comic book creator Mark D. Bright at age 68. He was most active in comics from 1981 to 2000,  with the occasional later work, with his longest and best remembered run being ICON with Dwayne McDuffie from the Milestone comics line from 1993 to 1997.  That was my favourite on-going book for a good chunk of that time, where he started good and just got better throughout, up to the powerful final issue (which I wrote about previously on writer Dwayne McDuffie's passing).  Over the years I would find quite a few highlights from earlier in his career, like the run of IRON MAN and GREEN LATERN work, and enjoyed some of of his later work like A. BIZARRO with Steve Gerber in 1999 before he moved on to mostly non-comics work.

A few samples of Bright's work, IRON MAN with Dennis O'Neil, Ian Akin & Brian Garvey, SPIDER-MAN VS. WOLVERINE with Christopher Priest and Al Williamson, ICON with Dwayne McDuffie and Romeo Tanghal and A. BIZARRO with Steve Gerber and Greg Adams.