The world in general and the Popular Art and Pulp Community in specific lost a shining talent and unique voice on Thursday, December 8th, 2011.  David Burton, an artist known for various works, including several Edgar Rice Burroughs inspired works, Comic based images, as well as original work for Publishers of all varieties, passed away this past  Thursday.  Although details are not readily available, David had had a series of health issues, most recently being considered for a heart transplant.  While at home on the 8th, something occurred that caused David to have to re-enter the hospital and he left this world later that day.

At times like these, the only thing that many of us who knew David and even those who only knew him through his work have to comfort us are our thoughts and memories of him and the love and support of those around us.   What follows is a collection of remembrances and commemorations collected in the last few hours, both sent directly to All Pulp as well as some simply taken from where they were originally posted.   If you didn’t know David, then read on please and discover one of those talents that definitely left us just as his star was rising.  If you were fortunate enough to have even known him for a moment, then join the rest of us who did in remembering and recalling and even in mourning, though the actual feeling is more of rejoicing….rejoicing that I even got to know David for a brief second and the positive ways he affected so many that he touched.


First, my own thoughts-
I met David via Facebook, the wonders of social networking.   I was looking for cover artists to capture that feel of classic Pulp covers, particularly for one project we were debuting in our magazine.   I came across David’s stuff about the same time he came across our ad looking for someone.  I’m not sure how we connected, but we did indeed and from that instant, David immediately became concerned for me.  Not simply the project, but for my well being.  He asked about my family, talked about the other writers in the magazine, asked how I came to be a writer, all of that.  We talked about favorite foods, movies, etc. and in between these blasts of personal ‘get to know’ time that actually is somewhat unusual from an artist who you’re initially contracting with for just one piece, David would send these wonderful snippets…a pencil layout here, a color study there….until finally the finished piece was completed.  The job done, I thanked David, paid him, and went on.  But I didn’t go on alone.  David talked of other projects, but mostly just checked in as if we were buddies, which I quickly realized we most definitely were that…friends.


We never got to do more work together because David’s medical issues reared their ugly visages about then and he didn’t get back to a point to take on much work.  The one regret I have is that when David emailed me a few months back and said he thought he was ready to take on work, even though it would need to be single figure type stuff, I didn’t make more effort to give him work, only because I wanted him to feel better and to get even stronger.  It’s not the art that didn’t get created that I’m remorseful for now.  It’s the fact that I didn’t get another chance to spend that much time with David again.   Godspeed, David.


From Danny and Heather Kelley-

An Artist Journal Vol. IV: Tarzan of the Apes By David Burton

From Ron Hanna-

Back in 2006, David sent me an e-mail when I lost my cat, and he even wrote a Poem especially for me… I would like to share this with you… I loved him:

Dear Ron,

I can understand this all too well. Not long ago, my cat Muse had to be put to rest for the same thing. The loss is never easy and shouldn’t be. Just remember that she’s always going to be around you and that she loves you.

Dearest friend
Who’s been my World
I shall never hold you
And feel your warmth
Yet
I shall always know
That you are near
For your warmth
Now has a place
That I had never known
But forever is now
Ahead
For we are on our way
Do not fear
My dearest friend

For we shall someday
Meet
And know that all
Was for us
And we shall have
Ever the tomorrows
That have yet to be
This warmth
That I now hold
So dear
I shall never let go
For I know it place
My heart
Is no longer its home
But my life is its home
For you have brought
Not but love
To it














From Mary Fabian-

Rest in Peace, my friend. Let your artist pen draw everlasting beauty over the stars. May our Lord hold your family in His Loving arms.










From Ver Curtiss-

I cannot adequately express my sadness at the news of David Burton’s passing. David was a true friend, an amazing artist, and an incredible human being. He was truly a brother, though we never met face to face. I hope we will have that opportunity to meet some day in a better place than this beautiful but fallen world of ours. He will be truly missed.














From Dough Hubler-

A sweet and dear friend has passed and I want to honor and remember.  David Burton, a gifted artist, a child of God, and a brother! Godspeed and rest in His arms, David! We’ll see each other again!














From Andy Nunez-

David was an amazing artist and new some of the most influential paperback and comic illustrators of our time. He always encouraged me to go beyond my abilities with each piece of artwork I turned out for my books. His heart was bad and he was in line for a transplant. He had to go to the hospital today and he did not return. I can only pray I meet him again beyond this existence.














These and many other tributes and remembrances and dedications to the life, work, and memory of David Burton are sprouting all over in the last several hours and will likely continue for years to come.    When one such as David passes, it’s hard for us not to see it as a loss, but we also scored a major victory just having David as a part of our lives.  

Boy, I wish I’d thought of this first.

I don’t know about you guys, but I could use a laugh. One would think comics would be a great place to look for laughs, since, you know, they’re called “comics.”

And yet…

But I don’t want to bitch and moan about stuff that’s not funny. I’d rather celebrate what is. Different people find different things amusing, but I suspect that at least one thing on this list will do it for you.

Here, for your entertainment pleasure and in no particular order, are some really funny books, done in the graphic novel format.

Kyle Baker is one of my favorite humans. There isn’t a book he’s done that doesn’t thrill me. The Cowboy Wally Show made me laugh so hard I couldn’t breathe. And if you want to know how he does it, you could do worse than track down How to Draw Stupid and Other Essentials of Cartooning, which is more hilarious than any educational book needs to be.

Another funny guy who works in the comic book business is Evan Dorkin. And luckily, Dark Horse has published a collection of his flagship series, Milk and Cheese.

Howard Chaykin is a known more for his elegant drawing style, his brilliant use of page design, and his sharp insight into the dark side of human society. I, however, love his sense of humor, which I first discovered in American Flagg. I mean, the man made up a character named Pete Zarustica. I’m in love.

Another comics genius known primarily for brilliant use of the medium and his expansive and cosmic intelligence is Alan Moore. He’s funny, too! One of his first series, D. R. and Quinch, is available in a collected edition. It’s like, totally amazing.

Am I stuck on English language humor? Maybe. It is the language I speak and the language in which I form thoughts. That said, I am no cultural imperialist. For example, the Japanese series, What’s Michael, is my idea of brilliant. There are more than a dozen collections, but this Dark Horse edition is a good place to start. Warning: It probably helps to live with a cat.

Believe it or not, there was a time when there was no Internet and people got their news from newspapers, and, when they wanted other points of view, from alternative weekly newspapers. These papers were great places to find brilliant comics, starting with Jules Feiffer in the Village Voice (also syndicated to “normal” newspapers). After a few decades, there were syndicates for these cartoonists, and, today, it’s possible to buy collections of two of my favorites. You don’t have to be queer to laugh at Dykes to Watch Out For, but you do have to be able to recognize that “political correctness” started out as a left-wing joke. If you followed my advice and bought The Complete Wendel you’re familiar with this meme. Ripped from the same pages, and long before The Simpsons, Matt Groening was giving us a guided tour of hell. The nuclear family and all its intermeshed relationships were never so radioactive.

The comics page in daily newspapers is still alive, if not always well. If you miss your laugh a day, you can catch up with excellent compilations. I’m always happy to read Get Fuzzy and would enjoy a whole bunch of them together. And one of the great, and most hilarious, strips of all time is now in one big book. It’s enough to make a person love alligators.

Some jokes are universal, and then there are inside jokes. They not only make us laugh but they also make us feel understood. For us comic fans, I recommend Fred Hembeck who was a regular feature in The Comics Buyers Guide. His work is really dense, and really funny. I also adore Keith Giffen, for his Justice League, his Legion of Substitute Heroes, especially when he’s working on Ambush Bug with Robert Loren Fleming.

I’m sure I’ve left out some brilliant work, but you could do worse than start here when the holiday cheer gets you down.

SATURDAY: Marc Alan Fishman

Comics legend Jerry Robinson died this morning at the age of 89.

Best known for his work with Bob Kane during the earliest days of Batman, the Trenton, New Jersey born artist started off as a teenager lettering and inking the Batman feature in Batman, Detective Comics and World’s Finest Comics. As Batman rapidly grew in popularity, he progressed to the role of character designer and, shortly thereafter, penciler of the feature. It was Robinson who named Dick Grayson “Robin,” not after himself (as often reported) but after N.C. Wyeth’s famed illustrations of Robin Hood. Shortly thereafter, Jerry designed Batman’s most famed enemy, The Joker. His original art for that initial design, in the form of a playing card, has been on display at various museums across the nation.

(It should be noted that the late Bob Kane disputed this and most other creator-credits regarding The Batman. As a matter of contractual obligation, DC Comics gives Kane sole creator credit for the feature, a matter of significant dispute with Robinson as well as writer Bob Finger.)

In later years, Robinson started an international newspaper syndicate (the Cartoonists & Writers Syndicate) and wrote an important history of the comics medium, titled The Comics: An Illustrated History of Comic Strip Art. He also served as president of the National Cartoonists Society in the late 1960s.

His other comic book work included Bat Masterson and Lassie for Dell Comics, Black Terror for Standard Publications, Green Hornet for Harvey, Vigilante and Green Arrow for DC (with his friend and frequent collaborator, Mort Meskin), Green Lama and Atoman for Spark Publications, Journey Into Mystery, Battlefront, Crime Exposed, Strange Tales and Battle Action for Marvel, Rocky and His Fiendish Friends for Gold Key, and Astra for Central Park Media.

Jerry received numerous honors and tributes during his long life, including four separate awards from the National Cartoonists Society: the Comic Book award in 1956, the Newspaper Panel Cartoon in 1963 for Still Life, the Special Features Award in 1965 for Flubs and Fluffs, and the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2004 and, in 2010, was the recipient of the first annual The Hero Initiative Dick Giordano Humanitarian Award for his “outstanding efforts in changing comics one day at a time.”

The Giordano award focused on Jerry’s less-well known work as a political activist obtaining the release of jailed and tortured cartoonists in Uruguay and the Soviet Union. He also joined Neal Adams and others in the creator rights movement and aided Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in their struggles with Warner Communications / Time Warner in obtaining recognition and financial security for their efforts.

[[[Jerry Robinson: Ambassador to the Comics]]], the definitive history of this critically significant cartoonist, was published by Abrams late year.

On a personal note, I had the honor and privilege of dining with Jerry and discussing both politics and comics on numerous occasions during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. When, last year, we met up at the Baltimore Comic-Con at the reception prior to his Giordano Award presentation, I found Jerry to be as gracious, as warm and as sharp as he had ever been, and he entertained my daughter with stories peppered with quotes from material I had written about him many, many years earlier.

It was one of the most wonderful moments of my life.

From the Aqua City Odaiba shopping mall in Tokyo, Japan…

Gojira Tree, Gojira Tree,
Your breath is deadly danger;
Gojira Tree, Gojira Tree,
You just stepped on the manger.
You do not fit in humble homes,
You only stand in malls and domes,
Gojira Tree, Gojira Tree,
I’ve seen no tree that’s stranger.

Hat tip: Glenda Boozer. Apologies to Blue Oyster Cult for the headline.

The good news is, the Christmas gift list is shorter this year.

The bad news is, the Christmas gift list is shorter this year.

But enough gloom, for ‘tis the season to be jolly, ‘tis it not?

And judging from the number of cars in the mall parking lot, the season ‘tis jollier’n hell. Don’t these shoppers know about the mess the economy’s in?

Did I mention fa la la la la la?

And now a quick trip into the Chamber of Curmudgeons, significantly emptier since Andy Rooney’s gone. But (entering the chamber) I am the guy who once commissioned a magazine cover depicting a skeleton in Santa Claus garb holding an empty sack, so my curmudgeon cred is intact. And I proclaim:

It used to be so much easier, dang it!

Buying gifts for comics geeks, that is. Because there really wasn’t much choice. Back in the Pleistocene, when I was reading my first comics, Batman or a Superman might serve as an also-gift, what’s called a stocking stuffer, but even a not-too-bright gradeschooler knew that a comic cost only a dime and there had to be something else under the tree.

Later, much later, after the first Batman hardcover graphic novels turned out to be good sellers – best sellers in the limited world of comics – an editor or two was yearly tasked with producing a hardcover for the holiday trade. It was sometimes difficult for the editors, but a good deal for people seeking a present for that snotty nephew who always had his head in them funny books. A couple of sawbucks and – problem solved.

Now… big changes. As a stereotype, that kid with the buried head no longer exists. Comics have attained full parity with other forms of story delivery. You’re not expected to be dumb if you read the stuff. You can, with good conscience, buy a graphic novel for almost anyone you know who likes to read. Or use something comicy to introduce a reader to something he/she hasn’t yet discovered, and might enjoy. You doubt? Hey, Maus won a Pulitzer.

But your choices aren’t limited to Art Spiegelman’s masterpiece. Lordy, no. The monster book mart in the aforementioned mall has a wall full of comics stuff: manga, hardcovers, paperbacks, reprints, originals…that’s not counting the novelizations of movies over in the science fiction section and…that’s not counting the growing list of books about comics.

Cost? All the way from four-five bucks to – brace yourself – four hundred American dollars for the deluxe edition of Star Wars comics published by Abrams and also available in a more modest edition. (Okay, I wrote the introduction. But I don’t get royalties. We’re honest curmudgeons here in the Chamber.)

My recommendation? How about, all of the above? Or: if you’re a book person, you probably like to browse. So browse, on online or off. If you’re likely to be the gift recipient, drop hints. You know how to do that. You’re smart. You’re a comic book reader.

FRIDAY: Martha Thomases