Thursday, May 3, 2007

MIKE SEKOWSKY!!!

"Big Mike" is probably best known for illustrating about sixty issues of the original JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA series from DC COMICS, when it was still officially "National Periodical Publications", during the 1960's, but that came after a long run of drawing comic books that began during the 1940's, fondly known as "The Golden Age Of Comics".
I love Sekowsky's work on JLA, and his wild turn on "The Maniaks", a DC COMICS attempt to cash in on the success of THE MONKEES, I believe (in DC's SHOWCASE), and, in this three issue run, Woody Allen even appeared in the story!!! Then, we have Mike's mid-1960's work on Gold Key's THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., and for his contributions to TOWER COMICS, on T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS, but my favorite Sekowsky period has to be that in which he worked for DC on WONDER WOMAN, serving as _editor, writer, and illustrator_ in some issues, and when he produced the drawings for the DC "try-out" book SHOWCASE, drawing the brilliant JASON'S QUEST, the wonky MANHUNTER 2070, and then handling the artistic chores on THE VIGILANTE in ADVENTURE COMICS. Mike also drew the "Supergirl" feature in ADVENTURE, but that is not as satisfying for me, personally, as these other series, though I do admit I have a sentimental fondness for it, for a reason I cannot be sure of, anyway.
The last part of Mike's life as a professional cartoonist included drawing a few jobs for MARVEL COMICS, and for Martin & Chip Goodman at their new ATLAS COMICS, and then Mike spent the rest of his time in the animated cartoon business, where he worked with Jack Kirby, on fan-favorite THUNDAAR THE BARBARIAN, from Ruby-Spears Productions.
I am in the midst of researching some of Mike's other comic book work, so, that means that this is...

TO BE CONTINUED!!!

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