CANIFF NEWS - MAY 2015

ACE is a brand-new magazine covering the world of comics.  ACE is an acronym for All Comics Evaluated and is edited by Jon B Cooke, the man behind "Comic Book Artist" and "Comic Book Creator" magazines.  The first issue features an interview between Cooke and legendary Marvel artist John Romita, Sr.  How did Caniff's art influence Romita?  What Caniff storyline led to the death of Gwen Stacy?  Find out by ordering ACE #1 from your local comic shop.

Leonard Nimoy passed away in February.  Nimoy was a guest actor on the "Steve Canyon" TV series, appearing in episode 17 as a Control Tower Sgt.  The episode was called "The Search" and debuted January 15, 1959.  This episode is available on Volume 2 of "The Complete Steve Canyon on TV" DVD series, which is available here.   I don't know if Caniff ever drew Nimoy, but he did draw Steve Canyon as a Vulcan for the cover of the 1974 San Diego Comic Con program, which can be found here.  

Hillsboro, Ohio is not only the birthplace of Caniff, it is also the seat of Highland County.  Their paper of record - the Highland County Press - recently ran this article about their favorite son as part of a series celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Highland County Historical Society.

This Society is definitely something I'd like to check out the next time I get back to Caniff's Hillsboro.

Cartoonist Irwin Hasen passed away in March at the stunning age of 96.  Hasen drew comic books during the Golden Age, primarily for DC Comics, where he co-created Wildcat.  Hasen is best known as the artist of the long-running "Dondi" comic strip.  "Dondi", which he co-created with Gus Edson, was about a foreign-born war orphan brought to the U.S.  It ran from 1955 to 1986, during which time Hasen was an active member of the National Cartoonists Society.

Hasen was a lifelong admirer of Caniff.  "Caniff was one of my idols," Hasen told Roy Thomas in a 1999 interview, "he kept it simple and he knew how to tell a story."  Hasen was the 1969 recipient of the Silver T-Square award from the NCS, an honor Caniff received in 1957.       

Dark Horse is continuing their series of artist-centric Warren collections with this tome devoted to the work of Alex Toth.  Creepy Presents Alex Toth collects all of his horror stories for "Creepy" and "Eerie" magazines.  Toth was a Caniff devotee and friend, while Caniff himself was a big fan of Toth.

The latest issue Comics Revue (Feb 2015) reprints the "Steve Canyon" strips from June 10th to July 7th, 1973.  It's the conclusion to the storyline that's come to be known as "A Prisoner of Love."  Other highlights from the issue are "Flash Gordon" by Mac Raboy, "Tarzan" by Russ Manning and a "Barnaby" episode guide.