About 2-3 years ago, I was in an unnamed Ohio library basement when the archivist handed me a box with a couple of sort-of-magazines containing images like the one above. I just stared. Not because of the subject matter (ok maybe a little) but because I *KNEW* who the artist was — Joe Shuster, the co-creator of Superman. I got copies, stuffed them in my bag and ran out of there like I had the Crown Jewels. This was a huge, crazy discovery.

So flash forward to about a year ago and comics guru Craig Yoe emailed me and asked if I knew about “Nights of Horror,” these evil little magazines (at this point, to great expense, I had acquired, through shady dealers, FIVE of them). Craig had them all but ONE(!) I lent Craig the one book he still needed and found out that he had uncovered layers to this story — dark layers — that I had no clue to. What Craig does in his book is not, in my opinion, the shameful act that some Superman fans have decried, though I can certainly understand their feelings. What Craig has done here is what no one EVER does — tell a story just about Joe that is both respectful and incredibly informative. This book is a mighty work of art, carefully designed and stitched together by the genii at Yoe! Studios like a super-hero costume. This is good good stuff, and like any history, it isn’t something we can just turn away from. If you like Joe’s art, you will be amazed by this book. Sure, he drew these because he needed the money (I’ll let Craig tell that story) but he still didn’t phone it in like he easily could have. No, instead he did something that is not always the same thing as “drawing comics” in terms of an assignment or an editorial mandate — instead, he made art. Sometimes creepy, sometimes funny, and sometimes really creepy — but imaginative and technically superior every time. The reason I love this book is that Craig should have dedicated it to all the people who kept saying — for decades — that “Joe, sadly, was legally blind by now, and it took him 2 months to draw a stick figure.” Enough with the martyrdom — never underestimate the greats.

The book’s blog here! Stay where I can see you, kids!

Buy Secret Identity here! — or better yet, go up to Borders — please? They need the business and I used to work there.

UPDATED: Firefox News (is that real?)

I did not make this, just so you know.

Last week went well. And I promise not to become a review blog (assuming that it’s even possible) but I thought it was cool to actually get TWO(!) mini-reviews so here they are. I used to think downtown Akron was like the first hour of Mad Max but it was really nice, much different than how I remember it. We ate at a really cool place called Crave and then watched in amazement as all these folks showed up at TEN PM. Educated, cool, interesting crowd. Some technical difficulties precluded the showing of the new awesome much better print (which might be better for a couple of reasons…). Thanks to Rob and Steve who were really nice, and most importantly everyone who paid $6 on a cold rainy night to come out. ADMISSION: When they said “now seating for Last Son” I almost bolted. But if you get a chance to see “Audience of One” — go, it is really incredible (a real movie as opposed to my fake one). But yeah, the story is being told bit by bit.

Oh and if you want a Limited Ed. Akron print, just let me know. $10. Very few left.

The Beacon Journal

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