Todd Klein's Blog, page 63

GASPAR SALADINO in OTHER SUPER TITLES

All images © DC Comics. From SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #2, Dec 1975-Jan 1976

You might well ask: after SUPERMAN, SUPERMAN FAMILY, SUPERBOY and SUPERGIRL, what’s left? There are a few I haven’t covered yet. This title ran 15 issues from 1975 to 1978. It was an attempt to ride on the coattails of other DC “Family” titles, and was largely a reprint book early on, with some original content later. Gaspar Saladino lettered a few of the covers, beginning with the one above. Actually, I think all his fine lettering is the best thing on the cover.

From SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #4, April-May 1976

I like this cover better because the art in the upper image expands out of the box and over the logo, adding depth and drawing in the eye. I find the trade dress and logo too large and busy, but Saladino’s captions are great, using a variety of effective styles.

From SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #9, Feb-March 1977

One cover image works better, and the trade dress is also better here. New content was being promoted in Gaspar’s top blurb, and all three work well.

From SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #15, March-April 1978

The final issue gets it right, with a smaller logo, great art, and an intriguing new story, but it was too late to save the book. Gaspar did his best on the captions.

From SUPER POWERS #1, Sept 1985

SUPER POWERS was a Kenner toy line of DC characters that the publisher supported with three mini-series in 1984-86, including some of the last art by Jack Kirby for the company. Gaspar did nothing for the first mini, but lettered covers for the second and third. His burst on this cover is small but dynamic, and no one lettered DARKSEID better.

From SUPER POWERS #3, Nov 1985

Fine scary lettering by Saladino in this caption.

From SUPER POWERS #6, Feb 1986

Here Gaspar letters DARKSEID again differently but with equal appeal, as his blurbs add excitement and drama.

From SUPER POWERS #1, Sept 1986

The third mini-series has less effective cover art because it’s framed and made smaller, and Saladino’s balloons and blurbs are also smaller and less effective.

From SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #84, Dec 1998

This was a Superman spin-off that was popular and had a long run, but Saladino did no cover lettering for it, and lettered just two stories, so I’ve include them here. His skill with titles had lost none of its power even this late in his career almost 50 years after he’d begun. The W in WITHIN is unique.

From SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #92, Sept 1999

I also love the title on this story.

To sum up, I found Saladino lettering on these covers:

SUPER-TEAM FAMILY: 2, 4, 6, 9, 15

SUPER POWERS (1985): 1, 3-6

SUPER POWERS (1986): 1-3

That’s 13 in all. Details of the story lettering in SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL is below.

#84 Dec 1998: 22pp

#92 Sept 1999: 22pp

That’s a total of 44 pages. More articles in this series and others you might like are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in OTHER SUPER TITLES appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND LOIS LANE

All images © DC Comics. From LOIS LANE #41, May 1963

As with Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane was given her own title in the 1950s that did well and ran 137 issues from 1958 to 1974. Also as with Jimmy, I’m opting to shorten the overly long book title in my photo credits. Gaspar Saladino filled in for regular cover letterer Ira Schnapp a few times before taking over that role in 1968, and also lettered a few Lois stories. His first cover, above, shows his typically wide and angular balloon lettering and a script slide caption, but the caption at lower left is mostly type, and doesn’t work well for me. It could have been a late addition by someone else. In general I thought the story ideas in this series were pretty silly, and I don’t think I ever bought an issue. Lois’s reporter character in early Superman stories was more interesting, but by the time she got her own title, it was all about trying to land Superman as a husband, or reacting jealously to rivals, and the reporter aspect was pushed to the background.

From LOIS LANE ANNUAL #2, June 1963

Lois was popular enough to support two annuals, though, and Saladino lettered the cover of the second one. Ira Schnapp did the logo and tagline at the top, and Gaspar followed his style for the captions in general, but his more angular letters are different from what Ira did.

From LOIS LANE #66, July 1966

Definitely going in weird directions, this book was, Gaspar’s lettering helps ground it at least some.

From LOIS LANE #75, July 1967

This is actually a more interesting idea than usual, and Saladino’s strong caption and display lettering helps sell it.

From LOIS LANE #81, Feb 1968

With this issue, Gaspar became the regular cover letterer of the series. Cover art by Neal Adams improved the book’s appearance, and the setting is interesting.

From LOIS LANE #84, July 1968

Another interesting cover and idea, with dramatic lettering by Saladino.

From LOIS LANE #86, Sept-Oct 1968

But generally DC was more focused on past glory than on coming up with new ideas for their long-time characters, with most titles running annual-sized reprint issues like this once or twice a year. Lots of fine Saladino lettering.

From LOIS LANE #89, Jan 1969

Getting other DC characters involved was a good idea, and Gaspar’s banner caption on this cover is intriguing.

From LOIS LANE #95, Sept-Oct 1969

Another of those reprint issues with fine Saladino captions and weird ideas.

From LOIS LANE #100, April 1970

You can also see another common theme at DC in some of these, stories punishing the title character and showing them defeated and helpless.

From LOIS LANE #104, Sept-Oct 1970

Sorry to be focusing on these reprint issues, but they have the most interesting Saladino lettering.

From LOIS LANE #106, Nov 1970

Now here’s a surprising new idea for the character from writer Robert Kanigher, the book rarely got this topical or controversial. Gaspar’s story title mimics those of two Swedish films out a few years earlier.

From LOIS LANE #116, Nov 1971

Saladino finally gave Lois a more modern logo similar to ones he did for Jimmy Olsen, Superboy, and Supergirl, and these longer issues had new backup stories featuring Rose and the Thorn, but the story idea here is again pretty silly.

From LOIS LANE #122, May 1972

This seems a more interesting direction, and Saladino’s lettering adds to the excitement and drama.

From LOIS LANE #127, Oct 1972

I’m not sure who was buying this book in 1972, but the cover art seems compelling, though Superman is presented as rather stupid! Doesn’t he have super-vision?

From LOIS LANE #132, July 1973

A new larger logo by Saladino emphasizing the LL works well for me here, and Saladino’s captions are full of energy.

From LOIS LANE #137, Sept-Oct 1974

But the series had run out of steam, and this was the final issue. Lois continued as a regular in THE SUPERMAN FAMILY, which I’ve covered in a separate article.

From LOIS LANE #85, Aug 1968

Gaspar lettered just three Lois stories, this is the first, with a fine story title.

From LOIS LANE #94, Aug 1969

Another story with an even better title by Gaspar.

To sum up, these covers have Saladino lettering: 41, 66, 75, 81-113, 116-130, 133, Annual 2. That’s 53 in all. Below are the details of his story lettering.

#85 Aug 1968: 16pp (story 1)

#94 Aug 1969: 13pp (1)

#95 Oct 1969 9pp (2)

That’s a total of 38 pages. Other articles in this series and more you might like are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND LOIS LANE appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in SUPERMAN’S PAL JIMMY OLSEN

All images © DC Comics. From JIMMY OLSEN #94, July 1966

Jimmy Olsen, one of comics’ best-known sidekicks, first appeared as an unnamed office boy in 1938, but became a named character in the Superman radio show in 1940. After regular appearances in the Superman TV show in the early 1950s, he was given his own title which ran 163 issues from 1954 to 1974. Then a new omnibus title, THE SUPERMAN FAMILY, took over the numbering of this series, and I’ve written about that separately. The regular cover letterer was Ira Schnapp until 1968, but Gaspar Saladino filled in for him a few times before becoming the regular cover letterer himself when Ira left DC Comics. Gaspar did most of the covers from that point on, and also lettered two stories. By the time of his first cover, above, Saladino had developed his own styles, and he used them well in this large caption and balloon. His block letters were often angular and full of energy. By the way, I’ve decided not to type out the full too-long comic title each time, just using the character name.

From JIMMY OLSEN #95, Aug-Sept 1966

At this time, DC would run these annual-sized reprint issues once or twice a year in many of their titles. Only the cover was new, and they generally had lots of lettering. Gaspar did a fine job with this one, again using his own styles rather than trying to imitate Schnapp.

From JIMMY OLSEN #99, Jan 1967

This fill-in sticks a little closer to the Ira Schnapp model, with more subdued captions.

From JIMMY OLSEN #109, March 1968

From this point on, Gaspar was the regular cover letterer, with a long unbroken run to issue 152. He had been given a mandate by Editorial Director Carmine Infantino to update and modernize DC’s design look, and I think he did a fine job on cover lettering, and gradually on logos as well, though some books, like this one, held on to their Ira Schnapp logos for a few years. Above all, Gaspar added energy and excitement with his dynamic lettering.

From JIMMY OLSEN #110, April 1968

This is an amusing but static cover with all the energy in Gaspar’s caption.

From JIMMY OLSEN #111, June 1968

There’s more energy in this Neal Adams cover, and the lettering matches it. Every word in that thought balloon is emphasized and larger than usual, and the caption uses several appealing styles that work well together.

From JIMMY OLSEN #115, Oct 1968

Another great Adams cover, and the caption paper is drawn into it. Gaspar was experimenting with almost rectangular balloons at the time.

From JIMMY OLSEN #118, March 1969

DC was desperate to appear hip and appeal to kids, but they usually missed the mark, as on this cover, where the slang is embarrassing, as is Hippy Olsen. Saladino did his best with it anyway.

From JIMMY OLSEN #121, July 1969

Jimmy was usually a good guy, but sometimes not, or so it appears.

From JIMMY OLSEN #127, March 1970

And here, he’s paying the price for being a wise guy, which is actually an idea I might have bought if I’d seen it when it came out.

From JIMMY OLSEN #131, Aug-Sept 1970

Another reprint issue with lots of lettering. The perspective blurb at the bottom is well done. Editor Mort Weisinger was always looking back to past glory rather than coming up with new ideas. But a wealth of those was about to drop.

From JIMMY OLSEN #133, Oct 1970

With this issue, the series was handed to incoming superstar writer/artist Jack Kirby, who made it part of his Fourth World saga of connected titles along with THE NEW GODS, THE FOREVER PEOPLE and MISTER MIRACLE. Suddenly Jimmy’s comic was exciting to read again, and miles better. Saladino’s lettering matched the energy in the art perfectly.

From JIMMY OLSEN #137, April 1971

Kirby left lots of room for blurbs on this cover, and Saladino filled them well.

From JIMMY OLSEN #138, June 1971

I’ve been told that Kirby liked large lettering, so he must have been pleased with Gaspar’s work on this one. It truly was “a blast!”

From JIMMY OLSEN #139, July 1971

Comics has seen some odd guest stars, but Don Rickles is surely one of the oddest! Kirby must have thought it worked, and Gaspar helped him sell it. I can’t think of a weirder JO cover except perhaps issue #53 with Jimmy as the giant turtle man.

From JIMMY OLSEN #146, Feb 1972

For a year and a half, this comic was full of wild Kirby ideas and energy, even Jimmy himself got caught up in it.

From JIMMY OLSEN #149, May 1972

Then Kirby departed, and it was back to mundane adventures in Metropolis, with Plastic Man as a second feature, as seen in the odd lower blurb.

From JIMMY OLSEN #163, Feb-March 1974

Saladino did a more modern logo for the book near its end, but even his lettering couldn’t make it as appealing to me as the Kirby run. This is the final issue, but the numbering and Jimmy continued in THE SUPERMAN FAMILY.

From JIMMY OLSEN #162, Dec 1973-Jan 1974

After lettering no stories in all the previous issues, Gaspar lettered both Jimmy Olsen tales in this penultimate issue with his usual flair.

To sum up, these covers have Saladino lettering: 94-95, 99, 109-152, 154-163, a total of 57. Below are the details of his story lettering.

#162 Dec 1973-Jan 1974: 13pp, 7pp

That’s twenty in all. More articles in this series and others you might like are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in SUPERMAN’S PAL JIMMY OLSEN appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in THE SUPERMAN FAMILY

All images © DC Comics. From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #165, June-July 1974

This title took over the numbering of SUPERMAN’S PAL JIMMY OLSEN with #164 and ran for 59 issues until 1982. It featured not only Jimmy, Lois and Perry White from The Daily Planet but also Supergirl, Superboy, Krypto, Superbaby, and more of the large cast developed over the years in all the Superman-related titles. Gaspar Saladino lettered many of the busy covers as well as a good number of features and stories inside. His first cover lettering, above, has his logo and top banner, and indicates the way the title often looked, divided into small art panels with lots of lettering. I’ll look at covers, then inside pages.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #166, Aug-Sept 1974

The challenge was always to keep each item distinct and interesting while allowing the cover as a whole to at least try for a unified look. Here type has been used for the Superman story title (perhaps a last minute addition), and it looks so dull by comparison with Gaspar’s diverse and appealing work.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #168, Dec 1974-Jan 1975

Personally I never liked this kind of fragmented cover, I would have made one large image with everything else in sidebars, but Gaspar did well with what he was given. At the bottom, arrow captions help attract the eye.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #172, Aug-Sept 1975

This works better for me, though the trade dress (all the top stuff) is still too big and too busy. Each story title is in a unique style.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #176, April-May 1976

Again, too fragmented with no focal point. Gaspar’s almost rectangular balloon in the large panel is something he did occasionally.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #187, Jan-Feb 1978

By this time the trade dress was smaller and better organized, but the best thing here is the focus on one large image, even with a second image for everyone else below it. A triumph by cover artist José Luis García-López, helped by Gaspar’s blurb to explain things.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #207, June 1980

Back to fragmented art on this cover with lots of Saladino lettering.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #222, Sept 1982

I much prefer this approach, and Saladino’s burst balloon adds to the drama on this last cover he lettered for the series.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #166, Aug-Sept 1974

One thing Gaspar lettered inside some early issues was the contents page, another busy assignment with lots of work for him to do, and he manages to make it all diverse and interesting.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #167, Oct-Nov 1974

He also lettered two to four page features to help readers understand more about the characters and their world, even the silly ones like the Legion of Super Pets.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #168, Dec 1974-Jan 1975

Another recurring feature was this one. Gaspar created the title and top blurb, which was used repeatedly in several titles, but he also did the new “humorous” cover lettering for all of them. I suspect this was E. Nelson Bridwell’s idea.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #169, Feb-March 1975

Another even busier contents page, and look at the variety of lettering styles!

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #182, March-April 1977

This book was the last refuge of former editor Mort Weisinger’s silliest and most annoying ideas, like Superbaby, which Gaspar’s logo and story title actually adds gravitas to.

From THE SUPERMAN FAMILY #194, March-April 1979

Saladino’s last story lettering for the title was this one with a great title, and finally he gets credit.

To sum up, I found Gaspar’s lettering on these covers: 165-173, 175-176, 178-179, 185-187, 189-190, 192, 194, 199, 201, 205-218, 220-222. That’s 38 in all. Below are the details of his inside lettering.

#166 Aug-Sept 1974: Contents 1pp

#167 Oct-Nov 1974: Contents 1pp, Super Pets and Super-Threats 2pp

#168 Dec 1974-Jan 1975: Contents 1pp, An E.S.Peek at Lena Thorul 2pp, Comedy Cover Capers 1pp

#169 Feb-March 1975: Contents 1pp, Four Deaths for Lois Lane 2pp, Comedy Cover Capers 1pp, The Strange Lives of Lois Lane 2pp

#170 April-May 1975: The Reporter of 1,000 Faces 2pp

#171 June-July 1975: Comedy Cover Capers 1pp

#172 Aug-Sept 1975: The Superman Family Album 4pp

#175 Feb-March 1976: Super-Family Puzzle 1pp, Perry White’s Family 1pp

#182 March-April 1977: Superbaby’s Alien Pet 7pp

#183 May-June 1977: Lois Lane 20pp

#191 Sept-Oct 1978: Contents 1pp

#194 March-April 1979: Superboy 15pp

That’s 61 pages total. Other articles in this series you might like are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in THE SUPERMAN FAMILY appeared first on Todd's Blog.

FIFTEEN

Fifteen fonts I’ve created.

Today is the fifteenth anniversary of this blog, which began July 3, 2007. Last year at this time I posted that my blog word count had reached 1,646,280 words. Today it’s at 1,902,350 words, which means I’ve added 256,070 words in the past 12 months, though some of those are unpublished, as I work well ahead on my Gaspar Saladino posts. Writing those has become one of my main occupations now that I’m mostly retired from freelance lettering, I work on one nearly every day, either doing research or writing. I enjoy doing it, obviously, and I hope some of you enjoy reading them, as well as the book reviews and other things I put up. It looks like my Gaspar Saladino research will probably continue at least the rest of this year, and possibly into the next, not sure what I will write about after that. Thanks for reading, see you tomorrow with a new post!

The post FIFTEEN appeared first on Todd's Blog.

Rereading: BLACK HEARTS IN BATTERSEA by Joan Aiken

This is the second book of Aiken’s “Wolves Chronicles,” a sequel of sorts to “The Wolves of Willoughby Chase.” It follows Simon, the boy from the first book who lives in the woods on his own. In “Wolves,” he brought the two girls in that story to London, and they met Dr. Field, a medical doctor but also a man studying to be a painter, and he saw talent for painting in Simon and encouraged him to come stay with him in London so he could take lessons at the same art academy. As this book opens, Simon and his donkey are in London looking for the rented flat of Dr. Field above the Twite family in London’s East End near the Thames. When he finds it, he discovers an empty top floor apartment, and the Twites know nothing about any Dr. Field, who had written to Simon that he was living there, but clues make Simon think there’s more to the story. He’s soon entangled with the young girl Dido Twite, who takes a liking to him and his donkey, and seems to know more than she’s telling about Dr. Field. Simon rents the apartment, and makes his way to the art academy, where the director, Dr. Furneaux, is also puzzled by the disappearance of Dr. Field, one of his prize pupils. He gives Simon a test, and soon admits him as a student. Simon also meets a blacksmith, Mr. Cobb, whose shop is near the school, and is soon working for him. Simon and the Cobb family become friends, and through them he meets Justin, who works in Battersea Castle, just across the river, and then discovers that his old friend from childhood, Sophie, is working as a ladies’ maid at the castle. Before long, Simon also befriends the Duke of Battersea, and he and Sophie and Dido are swept into a secret dangerous plot by people in the Duke’s employ to kill England’s King James III and replace him with a new ruler from Hanover, Germany. Sophie and Simon foil several attempts on the life of the Duke and Duchess of Battersea as well, and all kinds of adventures follow, from Simon being kidnapped and shipped off on a dangerous sea voyage, to Sophie foiling an attack by wolves on the Duke and Duchess, and then there’s the hot air balloon ride back to London pictured on the cover, to thwart another plot against the King.

Lots of exciting events in this book, everyone is connected somehow in a Dickensian way, and the characters are entertaining and believable, even if some of the plot turns are barely so. Dido Twite, introduced here, becomes a major viewpoint character in many later books of the series, and her Cockney street waif persona is a delight. Beautifully illustrated by Robin Jacques. Recommended.

Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken

The post Rereading: BLACK HEARTS IN BATTERSEA by Joan Aiken appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS

All images © DC Comics. From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #77, July-Aug 1963

This was the longest running and I think the most successful of the DC Comics Hollywood star titles. It began as THE ADVENTURES OF DEAN MARTIN AND JERRY LEWIS in 1952 and ran 40 issues under that name, but when the comedy duo split up in 1956, the comic book needed to change, and Jerry took over the title as a solo with issue #41 in 1957. It ran another 84 issues to 1971. Jerry’s film and TV character of the goofy, childish but cheerful idiot was perhaps better suited to comic books than any other Hollywood figure tried by the publisher, and after the duo split, he continued to have great success in films and on TV, which helped sales I’m sure. The regular cover and story letterer for many years was Ira Schnapp, but Gaspar Saladino filled in for him on a number of covers, and took over as regular cover letterer in 1968 when Ira left the company. Gaspar also lettered some stories in the last few years of the title. I’ll begin with his covers. The one above has his typically wide and angular balloon lettering, quite different from Schnapp’s. The flattened top of the right balloon suggests Saladino thought that one would go closer to the logo, but cover lettering was usually done on separate art paper and either the original or a photostat was pasted onto the cover art by someone in the DC production department assembling all the pieces needed to make it a cover. The logo is by Schnapp.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #83, July-Aug 1964

The series was edited by Murray Boltinoff and created in New York, often by writer Arnold Drake and artist Bob Oksner, two DC regulars at the time. I think Oksner is probably the most underappreciated talent at DC, his skill with likenesses was amazing, and the rest of his art was equally impressive, as here. Gaspar wasn’t yet used to doing cover lettering, and his caption is a bit stiff, but I like all the signs and the word balloon.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #89, July-Aug 1965

This cover lettering is more confident and creative, the banner has great bounce and the burst YIKES! is also full of energy.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #92, Jan-Feb 1966

Saladino did more fill-in covers on this title than most, suggesting that editor Boltinoff thought his work was a good match for the art, and I think that’s right. This caption really sells the story, and I like the unusual brushed border around it.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #97, Nov-Dec 1967

The Batman TV show was a big hit, and this title hoped to increase sales by using characters from it, and of course from other DC titles. The campy humor in the caption and dialogue are a clue to the TV show influence, which fits right in with Jerry’s character.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #101, July-Aug 1967

As with most DC humor titles, any story idea or setting was fair game, no matter how silly. The book had a recurring one-page feature putting Jerry into famous paintings, which gets a Saladino blurb here.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #104, Jan-Feb 1968

The other cover and interior artist of renown who worked on some later issues of this title was Neal Adams, this is one of his covers. He captures the likeness perfectly multiple times. Gaspar’s caption is again full of energy.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #106, May-June 1968

It’s a tribute to Bob Oksner that I can’t tell his fine cover art from that of Adams, this is by Oksner. Saladino’s balloons have large display lettering to add drama. From this point on he lettered all the covers.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #110, Jan-Feb 1969

DC was not having much luck with humor titles by this time, readers preferred superheroes or other genres like “mystery” or war. The fact that Jerry’s book lasted so long has to fall to the skill of the writing and art, keeping readers coming back.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #116, Jan-Feb 1970

On this cover, Saladino has relettered the top blurb formerly by Schnapp, adding excitement.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #124, May June 1971

But by the final issue, Saladino’s fine lettering the art by Oksner wasn’t enough to save the title. Lewis had moved away from his goofy kid character by now, too, and was doing fewer comedy films, so perhaps DC or Lewis thought it was time for this book to end for that reason.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #101, July-Aug 1967

Saladino did not letter any stories until this one with art by Neal Adams, who might have asked for Gaspar, as they seemed to enjoy working together. In the title, Saladino did his own version of JERRY from the Schnapp logo. Pretty close but somehow with more energy.

[image error]From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #103, Nov-Dec 1967

Another Adams story with another fine title. The balloons are cramped, but it all works.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #104, Jan-Feb 1968

On this Adams page, Saladino’s sound effects and display lettering are amusing and well-used.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #108, Sept-Oct 1968

This art by Oksner is just as effective, and I like the signs and the story title by Gaspar.

From THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS #121, Nov-Dec 1970

Gaspar’s final lettering for the book was this three-pager near the end of the run. Lots of nice sound effects and signs.

To sum up, Saladino lettering is on these covers: 77, 83, 89, 92, 97, 101, 104, 106-124. That’s a total of 26. Below are the details for his story lettering.

#101 July-Aug 1967: 23pp

#103 Nov-Dec 1967: 22pp

#104 Jan-Feb 1968: 23pp

#106 May-June 1968: 23pp

#107 July-Aug 1968: 23pp

#108 Sept-Oct 1968: 10pp, 3pp, 10pp

#121 Nov-Dec 1970: 3pp

Thats 140 pages in all. Other articles in this series and more you might like are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in THE ADVENTURES OF JERRY LEWIS appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE

All images © DC Comics. From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #54, Dec 1958-Jan 1959

One of the most successful DC Comics featuring Hollywood stars, this series ran 109 issues from 1950 to 1968. As with most DC titles of the period, Ira Schnapp was the regular cover letterer and lettered many of the stories, but Gaspar Saladino filled in for him on a handful of covers, and also lettered several stories inside the book. Saladino’s balloon lettering in the cover above is a little more rounded and bouncy than usual, perhaps to go better with the subject, but it’s still distinct from Schnapp’s work: wider and more angular letters and a more obvious use of a wedge-tipped pen giving thick and thin line variations. Many letterers did that, but Schnapp rarely did.

From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #82, Aug-Sept 1963

This Saladino balloon is more typical and less bouncy.

From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #91, Feb-March 1965

Here Saladino uses an almost rectangular balloon shape that he was trying occasionally. I love the sound effects. The top blurb would not have been cut off on most or all covers, I think it’s just a poorly trimmed image I found.

From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #94, Aug-Sept 1965

Schnapp did all these logos except for the Bob Hope head in this one. I like the balloon by Gaspar going to it, and note the shape of the caption at the bottom.

From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #102, Dec 1966-Jan 1967

I like this top balloon too. Note that THE ADVENTURES OF is tiny, almost unreadable, to make room for it.

From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #109, Feb-March 1968

The final issue features art by Neal Adams on the cover and inside, he worked on the last few issues, and Gaspar’s balloon lettering and top blurb are more in his personal style. He would have been the regular cover letterer from this point on if the book had continued.

From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #97, Feb-March 1966

I find the credit block on this story particularly interesting. First, story credits, especially for coloring and lettering, were rare at DC at the time, but somehow were allowed for a while on this book. Second, the regular letterer was now Stan Starkman who at the time was using the name Stan Quill on these rare credits, but in this case Gaspar used it for himself, but added a clue below, “(alias THE GREAT GASP).” That’s as close as Saladino came to getting an actual lettering credit in a DC comic until 1977 when DC finally allowed them.

From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #103, Feb-March 1967

This page is full of lettering, but Gaspar makes it work, as he always did. Note the credits are gone again.

From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #108, Dec 1967-Jan 1968

Here’s Saladino working with Neal Adams, a great combination they both enjoyed. The title and sound effects are full of interest and energy.

From THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE #109 Feb-March 1968

Gaspar really went to town on the story title of this final issue, perhaps with input from Adams on the shields. Too bad that readers were more interested in superheroes by this time.

To sum up, I found Saladino lettering on these covers: 54, 82, 91, 94, 102, 109, six in all. Below are the details of his story lettering.

#97 Feb-March 1966: 24pp

#103, Feb-March 1967: 24pp

#108 Dec 1967-Jan 1968: 23pp

#109 Feb-March 1968: 25pp

That’s 96 pages in all. More articles in this series and others you might like are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987)

All images © DC Comics. From THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #424, Jan 1987

When John Byrne’s revamp of Superman began with a new series and a new first issue, DC did a smart thing. They created this second series at the same time that continued the numbering of the original SUPERMAN series begun in 1939, preserving that history, with new stories by veterans like Marv Wolfman and Jerry Ordway. Later, when Byrne’s series ran out of steam in 2006, this title reverted to just SUPERMAN, so that the continuity of the numbering remained from 1939 on. Gaspar Saladino did cover lettering for some issues, and lettered two inside stories. On the first cover, above, his round burst is well filled with open letters. The dark color makes them hard to read, but that wasn’t his choice.

From THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #425, Feb 1987

Alex Jay designed the new three-dimensional logo, and on this second cover, Gaspar added the creator credits in a matching curve below.

From THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #442, July 1988

Here the credits have been modified by Gaspar, and the lettering in his word balloons is all in special styles that take longer to do than standard lettering, but look great.

From THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #446, Nov 1988

A two-word blurb with appealing variety.

From THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #450, Jan 1989

Saladino’s unique approach to the word BANISHED makes it much more interesting than standard block letters would have been.

[image error]From THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #462, Jan 1990

This blurb has just a touch of holiday spirit in the last word, and effective texture in the first for contrast.

From THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN ANNUAL #2, Aug 1990

Most DC Annuals of this period have no hand lettering, this one goes in the other direction with lots of it, all well designed by Gaspar, though the L.E.G.I.O.N. logo is mine. So much more interesting than type.

From THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #483, Oct 1991

The only non-standard thing in this blurb by Saladino is the O in BLINDSPOT’S, but it draws the eye and makes it work better.

From THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #563, Dec 1998

Finally, a page from one of the two stories lettered by Gaspar with a fine story title.

To sum up, I found Saladino lettering on these covers: 424-425, 442, 444, 446-447, 450, 452-453, 462, 483, Annual 1-2. That’s 13 in all. Below are the details on his story lettering.

#563 Dec 1998: 22pp

#570 Sept 1999: 22pp

That’s 44 pages total. More articles in this series and others you might like are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in SUPERMAN (1987)

All images © DC Comics. From SUPERMAN #1, Jan 1987

In late 1986, DC Comics launched a new monthly Superman series for the first time in decades, a revamp created by writer/artist John Byrne. While Byrne moved on after a while, the series was popular and ran to 2006 with 226 issues. Gaspar Saladino lettered some of the covers until 1991, and two interior stories after that. On the first cover, above, his blurbs above and below the logo both promote the new series and make the situation more interesting.

From SUPERMAN #2, Feb 1987

In this storyline, Lex Luthor is clearly computer savvy, and while the art is quiet and static, Saladino’s blurb adds excitement.

From SUPERMAN #3, March 1987

Byrne was going for the big villains, and Darkseid is DC’s biggest. Gaspar’s bottom blurb adds creative style to the character and credits.

From SUPERMAN #5, May 1987

Gaspar was always thinking, and this strange, scary style works well for a mummy.

From SUPERMAN #9, Sept 1987

I love the cheerful bounce of this bottom blurb. I think Gaspar also did the laughter in the background.

From SUPERMAN #11, Nov 1987

Getting a three-dimensional logo to work in a large word balloon is tricky, and this one doesn’t work very well, but we get the idea. The bottom blurb is wonderfully wacky.

From SUPERMAN #15, March 1988

There were many options for the word WINGS, but this one plays on the menacing look of the winged creature’s hands, with great dry brush texture to add interest.

[image error]From SUPERMAN ANNUAL #2, Aug 1988

Many DC Annuals have no hand lettering, this one is an exception with a creative mix of upper and lower case letters.

From SUPERMAN #21, Sept 1988

Saladino’s display lettering for SUPERGIRL is great, and I also like the balloons, enhanced by color holds.

From SUPERMAN #41, March 1990

I think this cover lettering is by Saladino, though his style was often imitated, and it could be by someone else. I’ll count it for him in this case.

From SUPERMAN #58, Aug 1991

There’s no mistaking Gaspar’s touch on THE BLOODHOUNDS, and his style is also evident on the top blurb. There are a few more covers that might be lettered by Saladino on this series, but I’m not sure about them, so won’t count them.

From SUPERMAN #140, Dec 1998

Later, Gaspar filled in on this interior story.

From SUPERMAN #147, Aug 1999

And this one as well. By this time in his career, fifty years after he started, Saladino’s lettering has become more angular and a bit harder to read than previous work, but it’s still fine.

To sum up, I found Saladino lettering on these covers: 1-6, 9, 11-12, 14-16, 21-22, 24-25, 28-29, 32-35, 41-42, 58, and Annual 2. That’s 26 in all. Here are the details on his story lettering.

#140 Dec 1998: 22pp

#147 Aug 1999: 22pp

That’s 44 pages total. More articles in this series and others you might enjoy are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in SUPERMAN (1987) appeared first on Todd's Blog.