Vernon Miller

vernon-millerAlthough Vernon Miller is now recognized for his great accomplishments in Canadian comics, his beginnings were much less auspicious. He is well known in the industry for having created one of the first Canadian comics publishing companies and subsequently the first Canadian superhero.

Miller was born in Winnipeg in February 1912 to Gerald and Ethel Miller. He was the second born in a family of three boys and one girl. Mr. Miller supported the family by working as a real estate agent in Vancouver, while Mrs. Miller stayed at home with the children. Vernon spent the better part of his childhood in Winnipeg before moving to Vancouver in his early teens. It wasn’t much later that he began his career as an illustrator in local newspapers such as the Vancouver Sun and The Province. He did so until the early part of WWII when the Canadian government introduced legislation that lead to dramatic changes in print culture in Canada.

In December 1940, the War Exchange Conservation Act prohibited most American periodical publications from being sold in Canada. Miller, seeing the opportunity to capitalize on this market, decided to take advantage of the now vacant industry in Canada. In 1941, with Harry Smith, he co-founded Maple Leaf Publishing, one of the first four original publishers of comics in Canada.

The first issue released by the company, Better Comics, appeared on newsstands in the spring of that year, beaten only by Anglo American’s oversized melange of reprints and original material. Alternatively, Better Comics was published in the traditional size and format and featured all original material. Among the stories was the first appearance of Iron Man, better known as the first Canadian superhero. So not only is Miller responsible for creating the one of the first Canadian comics publishers and comic book, but also creating and executing Canada’s first superhero.

The premise of Iron Man is that, at the beck and call of the two children Jean and Ted, and the Major, Iron Man would depart from the depths of his watery home in the South Seas to fight the Axis or any other number of topical villains. Ignoring the discordance between his name and home, Iron Man was of a race of evolved, super powered humans that were prematurely destroyed by an earthquake. He is well known for mourning the loss of his people, which was only broken by his trips to the surface.

1941 was a busy year for Miller. During this time he also married his wife Lillian. They later had two children together named Richard and Karen.

Maple Leaf Publishing expanded to four titles including Better, Lucky, Rocket and Bing Bang comics shortly after the success of Better. They expanded to include other great heroes and characters such as Black Wing, Senorita Marquita, Brok Windsor, Derry Dreamer, Bill Speed, Callahan, the Adventures of Peter and Peggy, Honourable Freddy and Circus Girl.

Directly, Miller worked on several of the books in all aspects as both creator and producer, but as his staff of artists grew he began to do more writing and editing rolls, working on such titles as Danny and his Magic Ring, Mr. E and Tiger Tex among others.

During Canada’s golden age period from 1941 to roughly 1946, Maple Leaf publishing was not only a prolific but also quality comics publishing company. They produced several distinctly Canadian pieces with many successful artists on staff such as Bert Bushell, Jon Stables, Ernest Walker, Shirley “Ley” Fortune and Ted Watson. Unfortunately, in the spring of 1946, as the ban was lifted, Maple Leaf was forced to cease publishing as American comics again flooded the market.

This was not the end of Miller’s illustrating career, though. He continued to do work for newspapers and periodicals including the popular Canadian Boy Magazine in the 1960s. Vernon Miller passed away in 1974 at the age of 62 years old. You can read one of his Iron Man stories below.

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Vernon Miller is being given a Lifetime Achievement Award this year at the Joe Shuster Awards on Saturday, August 25th at the AGO. You can read more about Maple Leaf Publishing and comics on my other post here.

The 1980 Comics Annual

One of my greatest regrets is that there are not more easy to access resources regarding Canadian comics. Some of these would not only include historical information but also sample work. This is perhaps one of the reasons why I so love anthologies. They are a testament to the range and variety of comics, artists and writers that were published at the time.

Ian Carr, a Canadian who has done a bit of everything in the comic book industry, is a man after my own heart. In 1979, Carr edited a book called The 1980 Comics Annual published by Potlatch Publications. Carr’s original goal was to put out an anthology like this yearly, featuring many top artists but unfortunately that did not happen. Had it been more successful, I would probably not be needing to write this blog, but I’m so happy he took the initiative anyway. The book, weighing in at 128 pages, half of which are in colour, feature work from great Canadian creators. Here is a list of the contents:

  • Return of the Magician: Arn Saba (Script), Lois Atkinson (Script assistance), Don Inman (Art)
  • Blarg the Swordsman: John MacLeod
  • The Intergalactic Depletion Machine #21
  • Stareway
  • Tales of King Arthur: Bill Slavin
  • Street Noise: Ken Steacy
  • Sir Rolaid and the Black Knight: Bill Slavin
  • The Believer!
  • Haab the Luckless: Steve LeBlanc
  • Totter of the Mounted: JOT
  • Last Chance!: Bob Smith
  • Neil the Horse: Arn Saba, D. Roman
  • The Revenge of Yukon Tom!: Richard Cordoba
  • Malcolm and Eric: Ian Carr
  • The Hunter: Martin Springett
  • Wirely L. Wiremire: Tom Nesbitt
  • Wirely L. Wiremire in Wired Again, Part I: Tom Nesbitt
  • Cave-in: James Simpkins
  • Dust Bowl Sanction: Jim Craig (Art and script), Bill Payne (Inks and Lettering)
  • Wirely L. Wiremire in Wired Again, Part II: Tom Nesbitt
  • The Gauntlet of the Gods: John MacLeod (Art and script), Steve LeBlanc (Assist)
  • Tommy Whitehawk: Don Inman
  • Cave-in: James Simpkins
  • Danger Squad: Ian Carr
  • A Dick Mallet Adventure: Michael D. Cherkas
  • Flying Eight Ball: Tom Nesbitt
  • Neil the Horse Goes to Hell: Arn Saba, D. Roman
  • Spud: William King (Plot), Paul McCuscker (Art and script)
  • Bubblegummers in The Cat’s Night Out: Jeff and Carol Wakefield
  • Little Feller: Ron Van Leeuwen (Script), Franc Reyes (Art)
  • Space Cat and the Flaming Commandos: Tom Nesbitt

The book also has that very distinct feel of the seventies with the science fiction fascination at the time, while there is also a very strong influence of underground comics, especially with MacLeods already satirical style. But most importantly, it shows a broad range of talents from more mainstream styles like Ken Steacy and Jim Craig to cartoonish spoofs by Bill Slavin and Tom Nesbitt. It even has Neil the Horse, a comic that successfully bridges the gap from the seventies to the eighties. As sited above in the Potlach Publications link, this book is still for sale by the publisher, but it’s also available on ebay or Abebooks if you look.

The Black Scorpion

Cover by Peter Grau

The Black Scorpion was a black and white comic released in 1991 by Special Studios, a subsidiary of Diamond Press. Although the publisher was located in Brantford, the comic itself was created by American Ron Fortier as a noir style detective story.

After writing the Green Hornet for Now comics, Fortier and co-writer Dave Darrigo wanted to produce something with a similar style but with a more modern touch. The outcome was that Fortier created the main character, the Black Scorpion, who was an African American “publisher turned crime fighter” also known as Ben Wright, and Darrigo created his young sidekick Dart.

The scripts were usually produced by either creator, and under the pseudonym George Stryker. For each issue, the two would each produced a 16 page story with the intent to find different artists for each story.

The series, like many Canadian small press comics, had a limited print run and in this case, Darrigo wanted to finish the comic after only three issues. After Black Scorpion, many of the artists became quite successful in the comic book industry. You can click on their names to see their sites and more recent work.

Luckily, most of this information can be found on GCD, but I will list some of the basic information for ease of reading.

Issue #1 April 1991 (Cover by Peter Grau)

  • Knights of Justice: Steve Leblanc (Pencils and inks)
  • Double Take: Scott Dutton (Pencils); Jim Scott (Inks)

Issue #2 July 1991

  • A Game for Old Men: Chris Jones (Pencils and Inks)
  • Roar of the Lions: Brian B. Chin (Pencils and Inks)

Issue #3 October 1991 (Cover by Peter Grau)

  • Blackmailers Auction: Peter Grau (Pencils and Inks); Fred Fairfield (Letters)
  • The Ravenia Ripper Strikes Again!: Brian B. Chin (Pencils and Inks)
If you haven’t already, I do recommend checking out some of the artists’ other work. Scott Dutton had a great site and a fantastic hand and Steve Leblanc has a great web comics blog. Special Studios did publish a few other comics which I will look at at a later date. Finally, a thanks to Ron Fortier for providing me with information regarding the short history of Black Scorpion. A really well done comic with some truly great art.

Casual Casual Comics

Casual Casual. A graphzine with an array of different styles and artists that sold in the States, the UK, France and Japan. What is a graphzine you ask? Peter Dako, the creator of Casual Casual says:

“But is it art? Of course it is, when it’s not being something else legitimate: Commercial design, advertising, promotion, magazine or calendar illustrations, or whatever. Though this stuff usually is being something else, it’s still interesting, as an array of the definitive design style that’s emerged to greet (and sell things to) the alienated, rich kids of the 1980s.”

But it wasn’t always like that.

Cover by Carel Moiseiwitsch

Casual Casual comics, by Casual Casual Enterprise, was created by Peter Dako in Toronto in 1983. The first issues were released in black and white, much like most zines, and all 8 of its pages feature the work of Dako himself. This carried on, as Dako published the zine twice monthly throughout October of that year to December, and slowly, Dako increased his content and page count. By December 1983, the zine had 12 pages and in March 1984, issue number 9 contained contributions from Sean Leaning and Dai Skuse.

It wasn’t until the 10th issue that the “graphzine” really began to take shape. The issue went from 12 pages to 16 pages and featured the work of 6 other artists including some of Chester Brown’s earliest work.

After this, Casual Casual exploded. The price, advertising costs, pages and artist content all increased. Within a year Casual Casual is distributed in over six countries including France, the US, the UK and Japan, with artists from those countries. A regular crew of writers and artists joined the lineup, covering a broad range of subject including social commentary, interviews and, I guess, just general humour. It was around this time that the graphzine changed its title to Casual Casual Graphix Magazine.

Cover By Cathy Millet.

The series finished with the Casual Casual Cultural Exchange at the Artculture Resource Centre in April of 1987. This exchange travelled to the above countries on a tour and the resulting tome was a special edition, containing issues 19 and 20. The book covered the event, some of the work of the attending artists and writers and the more regular crew like Carel Moiseiwitsch and Barbara Klunder.

If you’re interested in more of Peter Dako’s work, or would just like to read more about this series, you can visit his website here. Also, there is a full list of Casual Casual Cultural Exchange artists and contributors at the bottom of this post. And finally, much of Chester Brown’s work that appeared in Casual Casual can be found in his book The Little Man: Short Strips, 1980-1995. The final issue definitely represents a global generation of comic book artists and styles from comic “hotspots”. Worth checking out if you have the chance.

Issue #10

  • Why, Big Boy? Letters:
  • Mr. D, the Comic: Sean Leaning
  • Snappy Jack Jones: Ed Hore
  • Grim Fairytales: Rumplezitskin: Barbara Klunder
  • Big Boy: Peter Dako
  • About Brad’s Enlightenment: Chester Brown
  • Tales from the Igloo: Peter Dako
  • The End Bar and Grill: Kat Cruickshank
  • Mickey Mouse Ad: John Pagani (Rendezvous)
Issue #13
  • Editorial
  • Why, Big Boy? Letters:
  • The End of the Nuclear Family: Carel Moiseiwitsch
  • Grim Fairy Tales: Handsome and Gruesome: Barbara Klunder
  • Little Orphan P.T.: Peter Dako
  • In Around Town: Renata Janizewski
  • Young Lizzie Biscuit: Julie Voyce
  • The Modern Hippie: Myra Hancock
  • End Bar and Grill: Kat Cruickshank
  • North BayGold: Lorne J. Wagman
  • Day in Day out: John Colapinto
  • Art Bar: Update: Peter Dako
  • Family Story: Placid
  • Bedtime Story: PT Boy (Who I think is Peter Dako)
  • Zulu Days: Sean Leaning and P Boy (Also Peter Dako)
  • I Have Seen the Wind: Michael Will
  • My Old Neighbourhood: Chester Brown
  • Big Boy: Peter Dako
  • I’m Down Man: Alex Currie
  • Happy Birthday Mr. D: Sean Leaning
  • Ehore: Ed Hore
  • About Our Artists:
  • Cover: Long Wok
Issue #14
  • Editorial
  • Why, Big Boy? Letters:
  • Hands Off, He’s Mine: Myra Hancock
  • Big Boy: Peter Dako
  • In and Around the Town: Renata Janizewski
  • The Art of Tragedy: Carel Moiseiwitsch
  • Big Al: Alex Currie
  • The Bird and the Pumpkin go to Mars: Chester Brown
  • Love Story: Placid
  • Average Average: John E.
  • Reading Room:
  • TurkeyTime: Peter Dako and Sean Leaning
  • Grim Fairy Tales: Rapunzel: Barbara Klunder
  • Security Shaman: Dai Skuse
  • Life as a Small Particle: Julie Voyce
  • A Tale from Gimbley: Phil Elliot
  • The Potato Boy on the Road to Recovery: Peter Dako
  • Cover: Placid
Issue #15
  • Editorial
  • Why, Big Boy? Letters:
  • In a Doubtful Fight: Placid
  • I See But I do Not, I See But I See the Animal: Chester Brown
  • Police May have Erred in Slaying: Carel Moiseiwitsch
  • Books in Review
  • Big Boy in Free Education: Peter Dako
  • Macdoodle Street: Peter Dako and Stamaty
  • Grim Fairy Tales #8: Barbara Klunder
  • The Realistic Rachel Random: Rae Johnson
  • Security Shaman: Dai Skuse
  • Seven Sins In Eight Pages: Mark Newgarden
  • I Have Seen the Wind: Michael Will
  • Jacob’s Hat; Casual Casual Exclusive: Phil Elliot
  • Artists in this Issue
  • Cover: Carel Moiseiwitsch
Issue #16
  • Sing-a-long Casual Song
  • Editorial
  • Why, Big Boy? Letters:
  • A Tale from Gimbley: Phil Elliot
  • Complex Complex: Bob X
  • Dogo and Bog Danone: Jocelin
  • I Have Seen the Wind: Michael Will
  • Douglas: Phil Elliot
  • The C.I.A. War Manual for Rebels: Carel Moiseiwitsch
  • Our Story So Far: Whatta Wally
  • From Big Boy With Love: Peter Dako
  • Reading Room: Chester Brown
  • The Realistic Rachel Random: Rae Johnson
  • Fish-Head: James Stubbs
  • Rei De Surf (Surf King!): Peter Dako
  • Un Amor Di Flora: Brian Shein
  • Why Don’t They Just Die: Alex Currie
  • The Return of Mr. D: Sean Leaning
  • Casual Casual Artists:
Issue #17
  • Editorial:
  • Why, Big Boy? Letters:
  • Drunking Skull: y5p5
  • Mojo: Mary Fleener
  • Washington DC GO*GO: T. Yumura
  • Identified Objects: Brian Shein
  • Mr. Steel: Alain Pilon
  • Oh Canada Our Home and Native Land: Carel Moiseiwitsch
  • My Fight is Yours! Let’s Exterminate the White Race: Interview with cover artist Romain Slocombe
  • Shock Treatment: Text by Max Fournier Art by Romain Slocombe
  • Learn to Read: Bruno Richard
  • I Have Seen the Wind: Michael Will
  • Allo Mina!: Placid from Zoulou reprint
  • Man of Mystery Exposed: Placid Interview
  • Big Boy Meets Jim Bones: Y5P5, Peter Dako
  • Big Boy and Rita Meet Mr. Howl: Peter Dako
  • About the Artists:
Issue #18
  • Why, Big Boy? Letters:
  • Sexmalice Sucesoir: Placid/Toffe
  • A Tale From Gimbley: Phil Elliot
  • Crazy Tommy Finds Money: Martha Hamilton
  • It Does Happen Here!: Peter Dako
  • With Love and Affection: Henriette Valium
  • The Jim Bones Games #1 and 2: Y5P5
  • The Patience Party for Diet People: Akiko Miura
  • The Party at P.’s Home: Bruno Richard
  • Zoo Phobie: Phillipe Lagautriere
  • Garcon: Hideki Nakazawa
  • Corpsemeat Comix 11/2: Savage Pencil
  • Mr. Big Boy He’s Dead: Peter Dako
  • Ou Donc Daddy Fait Dodo?: Marc Caro
  • I Have Seen the Wind: Michael Will
  • Angels: Omuzi Suenaga
  • Love is Where You Find it: Carel Moiseiwitsch
  • Excerpt from “Femmes Pratiques”: Willem
  • Web of Horror: Peter Dako, Placid
  • Godzilla: Mary Fleener
  • Death Bar: Peter Dako
  • Sav X. How Big is Your Sex? (Interview): Peter Dako
  • Carel Moiseiwitsch Talks Too…(Interview): Brian Shein
  • Reviews:
Other artists and contributors appearing in the double issue #19 and 20 are:
Marc Caro, Bruno Richard, Pascal Doury, Toffe, Gerbaud, Placid, Muzo, Yves Chaland, Max, Y5P5, Phillipe Lagautriere, Willem, Jocelin, Jaques Elies Chabert, Cathy Millet, Mirka Lugosi, Zorin, Gary Panter, Robert Williams, Gilbert Shelton, Charles Burns, Peter Bagge, Kim Deitch, JR Williams, Mary Fleener, Dennis Worden, Julie Voyce, Kurt Swinhammer, Fiona Smyth, Bob X, Bill Griffith, Savage Pencil, Chris Long, Battle of the Eyes, Carel Moiseiwitsch, Henriette Valium, Rick Trembles, Alain Pilon, Lyne Lefebvre, Claud Beland, Barbara Klunder, Luc Dussault, General Idea, Sean Leaning, Fastwurms, Rae Johnson, Michael Merrill, Dave Geary, Chester Brown, Runt, Peter Dako, “King” Terry Yumura, Shigeru Sugiura, Tara Yumura, Yosuke Kawamura, Suzy Amakane, Emiko Carol Shimoda, Yoshikazu Ebisu, Tetsuya Kitada, Keiji Itoh, Takashi Nemoto, Keiichi Otah, Akiko Miura, Harumi Ichisi, Kayoko Yamashita, Vassily Tabascova, Omuzi Suenega

Bloodlines (Blood Lines)

Bloodlines no. 4

Bloodlines no. 4

Rob Walton’s Bloodlines, or Blood Lines, was published in 1987, originally by Ottawa publisher Aircel Publishing. Rob Walton created the project, and although not published until 1987, he cited 1984 as some of his earliest concepts of the idea. The story takes place in the middle of a gang war, but the added touch is the presence of divinity within the war. Rob Walton explains it in his summary for the first portion of his script adaptation here. He says, “imagine that the drug gangs in the Wire were fronts for a war between good and evil.” Good enough for me.

Because of the comic’s mature content, it passed from publisher to publisher. After one issue at Aircel, it moved to Blackburn Video and Comics but only lasted two issues there. The comic finally rested with Vortex comics, a publisher commonly known for its line of adult or mature comics. Unfortunately, after its trek across Ontario, it only lasted four more issues under the Vortex title.

Rob Walton, a self-described “writer who draws”, also did the art for the comic, which is great in black and white and complements the point of the story as well. In fact, he did just about everything in the comic.

Here are the subtitles in order:

  • Overture – part one
  • Overture – part two
  • Overture – part three
  • Dreaming Innocence – part one
  • Dreaming Innocence – part two
  • Dreaming Innocence – part three
  • Dreaming Innocence – part four
Rob also did some work for Dark Horse Comics and published a graphic novel called Ragmop. If you want to check out some of Rob’s other stuff, here are a few different links:
Rob “Waltoon’s” Webpage (All kinds of goodies on here)
Ragmop Blog (Older)
Chocolate Face Grace (Also older)