Todd Klein's Blog, page 67

GASPAR SALADINO in OTHER R TITLES

All images © DC Comics. From RAGMAN #4, Feb-March 1977

This article is for DC Comics titles beginning with R that I thought didn’t have enough material for a separate article. On RAGMAN, for instance, Gaspar did cover lettering for just this one cover. He also did the letter shapes in the logo design, working with Joe Kubert and Jack Adler, but that was his only involvement with the book.

From RED TORNADO #1, July 1985

This four-issue miniseries had three covers lettered by Saladino. I did the logo, Gaspar’s balloon and burst lettering adds to the drama.

From RED TORNADO #2, Aug 1985

The blurb at lower right on this issue not only does a fine job of echoing the logo style, I think it’s better! I particularly like the splat of the period in the exclamation point.

From RED TORNADO #3, Sept 1985

There are many ways to approach balloon lettering on covers. Some letterers do it the same as interior balloons, but Gaspar often added drama by using specialized display lettering that had more energy and emphasis than typical interior balloon lettering.

From RICHARD DRAGON, KUNG-FU FIGHTER #1, April-May 1975

Asian martial arts had long been a popular genre of action films, but the “Kung Fu” TV show of 1972-75 brought that style to public awareness, and inspired this series. Like the logo, Saladino’s bottom caption here used a traditional style of letters that American and European designers thought represented Asian writing. It’s not liked today by Asian-Americans, but Saladino did it well.

From RICHARD DRAGON, KUNG-FU FIGHTER #11, Aug-Sept 1976

Lots of Saladino lettering on this cover, including on the right side of the top banner. The most common type of burst balloon has straight points in a zig-zag pattern. The next most common has inward scoops that also form points, the reverse of a thought balloon, and that’s what Gaspar used here. I’m not sure why the tail has zig-zags, that’s usually reserved for a radio or robot, but it does add energy.

From RICHARD DRAGON, KUNG-FU FIGHTER #13, Jan-Feb 1977

The burst at lower right on this cover is the other kind, with straight angles. Gaspar gives the E in VIPER a rounded shape to add interest. The banner caption at the top is also nice.

From RICHARD DRAGON, KUNG-FU FIGHTER #15, May-June 1977

Saladino’s final cover lettering for the title includes a fine jagged-edged caption at lower right using several styles that work well together.

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

RAGMAN #4

RED TORNADO #1-3

RICHARD DRAGON #1, 3, 11, 13-15

That’s ten in all. Other articles in this series and more you might enjoy are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

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

GASPAR SALADINO in ROMANCE TRAIL

All images © DC Comics. From ROMANCE TRAIL #5, March-April 1950

In 1949, DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz was handling all the company’s western titles. They were popular, but a new comics genre was selling well at other companies, romance comics, begun by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby with YOUNG ROMANCE and YOUNG LOVE at Crestwood/Prize. DC Editor Robert Kanigher started a line of them at DC with GIRLS’ LOVE STORIES, first issue dated Aug-Sept 1949, and perhaps Schwartz thought combining romance and western themes would work, hence ROMANCE TRAIL. It lasted six issues. Gaspar Saladino lettered stories for only the final two issues, but I’m giving them a separate entry because they included his very first published lettering work for DC, or for anyone. We can’t know what order they were done in, but all the stories show Gaspar’s lettering talent from the beginning on balloons, captions and sound effects. It took him a few years to master story titles. There’s nothing wrong with the story title in the first example above, but it’s rather bland. “A Molly Adams Story” is typeset. Saladino’s work on the poster at lower left is better. Chronologically, this is the first lettering by Gaspar to see print, along with another one-pager in the same issue shown below. I’ve written extensively about Gaspar’s earliest lettering for DC beginning with THIS article.

From ROMANCE TRAIL #5, March-April 1950

The writing style of the time meant many pages looked like this one, which is about half lettering. You can see why Gaspar told me he thought he’d done a good day’s work when he completed nine pages a day. He worked in the DC offices for the first few years, beginning in the production room next to Ira Schnapp, then at a drawing board in the office shared by Schwartz and Kanigher. On this over-written page, Gaspar has made the few emphasized words quite thick and not slanted, a style that would soon change to bold italic and not as thick as this.

From ROMANCE TRAIL #5, March-April 1950

When Gaspar was hired by DC, he was also rejoining some of his former classmates from high school, then known as the School of Industrial Design, later the High School of Art and Design. On these early stories he was working with former classmates Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella (on the Molly Adams one) and here Alex Toth. This illustrated poem gave Saladino a chance to try out some upper and lower case lettering, a style that he developed further in coming years, and used effectively, often in captions.

From ROMANCE TRAIL #6, May-June 1950

Another story lettered by Saladino and pencilled by Carmine Infantino in the following issue. They would become good friends, with Gaspar sometimes working in Carmine’s home to help him meet deadlines. Saladino met his future wife Celeste there. Later, Carmine would become Gaspar’s boss at DC for a few years. On this page, note the small zig-zags in the border between the caption and balloon in the first panel, something Saladino sometimes did early on to add interest. The burst balloon at lower left does that too.

From ROMANCE TRAIL #6, May-June 1950

Another style point from Saladino was an open letter over a black shape at the beginning of a caption, as seen in the first one here. His open lettering at lower left is also effective, though somewhat inconsistent. Gaspar probably also added the little coffee pot and cup in the caption for the fourth panel to fill the space.

From ROMANCE TRAIL #6, May-June 1950

Another busy page where Saladino used several of the same style points, extra things he added that weren’t required, but ones he felt made the work look better. In addition to ones I’ve already mentioned, the caption in the second panel is in a scroll, something Gaspar developed and did much better later. This one doesn’t quite work. Though the book was cancelled with this issue, Saladino was soon working on other western stories for Schwartz in titles like JIMMY WAKELY and ALL-AMERICAN WESTERN, and then all kinds of stories for both Schwartz and Kanigher.

Here are the details of Saladino’s story lettering in these issues:

#5 March-April 1950: Romance By Mail 11pp, Western Serenade 1pp

#6 May-June 1950: Defeated Romeo 11pp, Ridin’ Pretty 8pp, Heart in Exile 8pp

That’s 39 pages in all. More articles in this series and others you might enjoy are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in ROMANCE TRAIL appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in ROBIN HOOD TALES

All images © DC Comics. From ROBIN HOOD TALES #7, Jan-Feb 1957

Many comics have been published about Robin Hood. In 1956, Quality Comics began one, but it only put out six issues before the company decided to get out of comics and sold many of their properties to DC Comics. As a new title, it was an unlikely choice for DC to continue, but it fit right in with what editor Robert Kanigher was doing in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, and he took it on, continuing the book for eight more issues. The covers were lettered by Ira Schnapp, but almost all the stories were lettered by Gaspar Saladino, Kanigher’s favorite. The first page of the first DC issue, above, features his handsome title work and a fine caption on old paper with an Old English capital R at the beginning. The feature logo is by Schnapp.

From ROBIN HOOD TALES #8, March-April 1957

The feature logo on this story is different, but I think also by Schnapp. Gaspar has moved away from the Old English first letters in the caption, and his sound effect adds excitement.

From ROBIN HOOD TALES #9, May-June 1957

Sound effects were also important on this page. All of the balloon and caption lettering is slanted, some more than others, something Saladino was beginning to do at the time. I’m not sure why, perhaps it saved him a little time.

From ROBIN HOOD TALES #10, July-Aug 1957

The large, dynamic title on this story is similar to ones he would soon be doing on editor Julius Schwartz’s new superhero revivals like THE FLASH. His title work had come a long way from the generic and bland ones he did at first in the early 1950s.

From ROBIN HOOD TALES #12, Nov-Dec 1957

Saladino was not as accomplished at Old English styles as Ira Schnapp, who was using them on the covers of this title. In the first panel sign he’s using as little of them as possible. Notice the organic edges of the captions, which adds a small amount of diversity and interest.

From ROBIN HOOD TALES #13, Jan-Feb 1958

Another fine title on this story by Gaspar.

From ROBIN HOOD TALES #14, March-April 1958

This page from the final issue again makes good use of sound effects. I’m not sure why the title didn’t last longer, but poor sales was the usual reason. Robin Hood stories also appeared in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, perhaps left over from this one’s cancellation.

Here are the details of Saladino’s story lettering. All stories feature Robin Hood, he did three in each issue except #7.

#7 Jan-Feb 1957: 10pp, 8pp (stories 1 and 2)

#8 March-April 1957: 8pp, 8pp, 8pp

#9 May-June 1957: 8pp, 8pp, 8pp

#10 July-Aug 1957: 8pp, 8pp, 8pp

#11 Sept-Oct 1957: 8pp, 7pp, 8pp

#12 Nov-Dec 1957: 8pp, 8pp, 8pp

#13 Jan-Feb 1958: 8pp, 8pp, 8pp

#14 March-April 1958: 9pp, 8pp, 8pp

That’s a total of 186 pages. Other articles in this series and more you might enjoy are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in ROBIN HOOD TALES appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in R.E.B.E.L.S.

All images © DC Comics. From R.E.B.E.L.S. #0, Oct 1994

From 1994 to 1996, DC published R.E.B.E.L.S., a spinoff of L.E.G.I.O.N., itself a spinoff of LEGION OF SUPERHEROES. Both books with names made of initials used a “’94” year tagline that changed with the year, but the numbering continued throughout, so I’m going to ignore that. The franchise was popular, and Gaspar Saladino lettered all except one of the 18 issues, but none of the covers. This page from the first issue, #0, has great sound effects, a burst balloon, and a caption using upper and lower case, all well done. The images I have for this series are not the best, and the actual comics may look better.

From R.E.B.E.L.S. #2, Dec 1994

The colors on these images are oversaturated and too dark, so for instance the sound effect here is hard to read.

From R.E.B.E.L.S. #5, March 1995

A different style of caption was called for on this page, and Gaspar used Art Deco letter shapes for them.

From R.E.B.E.L.S. #8, June 1995

If you wanted lettering that would enhance an action sequence, Gaspar was a fine choice. On this page the sound effects, rough balloon borders, and display lettering are full of energy.

From R.E.B.E.L.S. #12, Oct 1995

More Saladino sound effects, never mind that you wouldn’t hear them in space, this is comics.

From R.E.B.E.L.S. #17, March 1996

And one big sound effect on this page with added texture. I don’t know that the airbrushed color style works well with it, but it reads fine.

Here are the details on Saladino’s story lettering for the book, all full-issue stories.

#0 Oct 1994: 24pp

#1 Nov 1994: 24pp

#2 Dec 1994: 24pp

#3 Jan 1995: 24pp

#4 Feb 1995: 24pp

#5 March 1995: 25pp

#6 April 1995: 24pp

#7 May 1995: 24pp

#8 June 1995: 24pp

#10 Aug 1995: 22pp

#11 Sept 1995: 22pp

#12 Oct 1995: 22pp

#13 Nov 1995: 22pp

#14 Dec 1995: 22pp

#15 Jan 1996: 22pp

#16 Feb 1996: 22pp

#17 March 1996: 22pp

That’s a total of 393 pages on this book. Other articles in this series and more you might like are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

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GASPAR SALADINO in THE QUESTION

All images © DC Comics. From THE QUESTION #10, Nov 1987

The Question was created by Steve Ditko for Charlton Comics, and was one of the properties DC bought when Charlton folded. In 1987 a monthly series began written by Dennis O’Neil with art by Denys Cowan and Rick Magyar and covers by Cowan and Bill Sinkiewicz. Gaspar Saladino lettered the stories in all but one of the first twelve issues as well as two covers. The first is above, a variety of styles on the postcards. It’s a challenge to do this kind of thing and make them all different, but it was no problem for Gaspar.

From THE QUESTION #20, Sept 1988

His other cover lettering also had appealing variety on pennants, stretched captions, and at the bottom with lower case and circus styles. Most covers in this series had no lettering, or used type.

From THE QUESTION #1, Feb 1987

The first page of the first issue includes a credit scroll with Gaspar’s favorite way of crediting himself, just his first name in script. Note how he adds interest with the ragged border on the first caption.

From THE QUESTION #3, April 1987

The story title on this issue uses angular open upper and lower case letters that add interest and show Saladino’s versatility.

From THE QUESTION #5, June 1987

There wasn’t much call for special styles or sound effects on this series, but here Gaspar does fine display lettering in the burst, and there are other small creative touches like the treatment of the first letter in the first caption.

From THE QUESTION #8, Sept 1987

This style of Oriental lettering is not liked by Asians today, but there’s no denying the power of the design by Gaspar.

From THE QUESTION #12, Jan 1988

On this page from Gaspar’s final story lettering he does a nice job with the billboard. The balloon in the third panel is by someone else, probably whichever production artist did corrections on the pages, as it’s likely a late addition.

To sum up, Saladino did cover lettering for two issues, 10 and 20. Below are the details for his story lettering.

#1 Feb 1987: 28pp

#3 April 1987: 27pp

#4 May 1987: 27pp

#5 June 1987: 27pp

#6 July 1987: 27pp

#7 Aug 1987: 27pp

#8 Sept 1987: 27pp

#9 Oct 1987: 27pp

#10 Nov 1987: 27pp

#11 Dec 1987: 27pp

#12 Jan 1988: 27pp

That’s a total of 298 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 THE QUESTION appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in OTHER P TITLES

All images © DC Comics. From PEACEMAKER #2, Feb 1988

This article is for seven DC Comics titles beginning with the letter P that had a relatively small amount of lettering work by Gaspar Saladino. PEACEMAKER, above, was a four-issue miniseries using the former Charlton Comics character, which DC had purchased. Gaspar’s blurb has appealing block letters on a rare oval shape that helps it read against the busy cover art. The texture in TZIN adds interest, and the wording is a clever pun perhaps by writer Paul Kupperberg.

From THE PHANTOM #3, May 1989

This venerable newspaper strip character had a four-issue DC miniseries that was successful enough to launch a monthly series running 13 issues in 1989-90. Gaspar’s blurb under the logo has a slight Art Deco feel, which works fine.

From THE PHANTOM #4, June 1989

The bottom blurb on this cover has a strong first word made with a brush to add drama. These were the only covers lettered by Saladino.

From THE PHANTOM ZONE #1, Jan 1982

A four issue miniseries from 1982, all four covers have lots of fine Saladino lettering. I particularly like the treatment of TWILIGHT DIMENSION on this one.

From THE PHANTOM ZONE #2, Feb 1982

Gaspar’s strong balloons add drama, and the caption uses an Art Deco style for the guest star names.

From THE PHANTOM ZONE #4, April 1982

The bottom blurb on this cover has the kind of informal teasing appeal that Marvel Comics did so well under Stan Lee, and the bottom banner is nice too.

From POWER GIRL #2, July 1988

Another four-issue miniseries from 1988 has Saladino lettering on two of the covers. This one’s blurb is organic and textured, and cleverly shaped to avoid all the figure art.

From POWER GIRL #4, Sept 1988

Gaspar’s blurb here would almost fit into a circle, and is again organic and textured in an appealing way.

From POWER LORDS #1, Dec 1983

This 1983-84 three issue toy tie-in had Saladino lettering on two covers. The display lettering in the villain’s balloons works well, and Gaspar also did the top line.

From POWER LORDS #3, Feb 1984

The top blurb by Gaspar adds drama to this somewhat static posed cover.

From POWER OF THE ATOM #1, Aug 1988

After not getting much attention in the 1970s, The Atom made a comeback as a kind of sword and sorcery hero in the 1983 miniseries SWORD OF THE ATOM. This led to a new monthly series, first issue above, that ran 18 issues in 1988-89. About half had Saladino cover lettering. His burst caption on this cover sells the series well.

From POWER OF THE ATOM #3, Oct 1988

Gaspar had been trying these nearly rectangular balloons in the late 1960s on covers, and perhaps thought they worked here for TV reporters. The treatment of STROBE EFFECT looks like it was done on a computer, but it’s by hand.

From POWER OF THE ATOM #5, Dec 1988

Humor is more effective when played straight, and that’s what Gaspar did on all his amusing lettering here.

From POWER OF THE ATOM #10, March 1989

I don’t know who Humbug is, but I want to find out after seeing Saladino’s great character lettering here.

From PREZ #2, Oct-Nov 1973

In the early 1970s, DC was giving Joe Simon, former partner of Jack Kirby, some chances to try new ideas, and a teenage president of the United States was one. Gaspar lettered two of the four published issues. It’s likely that Simon, who often did logo and title designs for his projects, did that here.

From PREZ #3, Dec 1973-Jan 1974

This story title is probably by the artist, Jerry Grandenetti. The handsome calligraphy below it is certainly by Gaspar.

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

PEACEMAKER #2

THE PHANTOM #3-4

THE PHANTOM ZONE #1-4

POWER GIRL #2, 4

POWER LORDS #1, 3

POWER OF THE ATOM #1-3, 5, 7, 10

That’s 17 in all. Below are the details for his story lettering on PREZ.

#2 Oct-Nov 1973: 24pp

#3 Dec 1973-Jan 1974: 20pp

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 OTHER P TITLES appeared first on Todd's Blog.

Rereading THE PRYDAIN CHRONICLES by Lloyd Alexander

Cover illustrations by Evaline Ness

I’ve gotten rather far ahead on my reading, so I’m going to discuss this entire five book series at one time to catch up. By the time this book was recommended to me by my grade school librarian, I had already read The Hobbit, and she thought I would like this one. I did! Alexander is careful to explain in all of his introductions that the series is based on legends from Wales, though creatively reinvented by him for his books. No mention is made of Tolkien, but I recognized similar ideas and themes, particularly in the final book. This may only be a case of two writers going to the same sources, but I can’t help thinking Alexander had read Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” and was influenced by that too. I have no problem with that, what he did is quite different, with appealing characters that will amuse and entertain readers, and clever plots to keep the pages turning. The books also have emotional depth and the relationships and life stories of the main characters ring true and make this series the best that the author produced, in my opinion. Others agree, the second book was a Newbery Medal runner-up, and the fifth won the prestigious Newbery medal for children’s literature in 1969.

In the first book we meet Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper of Caer Dallben. Dallben is an old man who spends his time studying magic tomes like “The Book of Three,” while Taran and Coll, an older worker at the Dallben farm, take care of crops and livestock like the oracular pig, Hen-Wen. Taran is charged with caring for Hen-Wen, and when the pig runs off into the forest, he follows. Soon he is drawn into deeper matters, as he meets Prince Gwydion, son of the high king of Prydain, the land where all the stories take place. Gwydion also wants Hen-Wen found, and they are soon joined by an odd shaggy man, Gurgi, who at first threatens them, and then begs to join them. As the story moves through more of Prydain, we learn about the threat of Arawn, the Death-Lord, who imperils all the good men and creatures of Prydain. Taran loses Gwydion when they are both imprisoned by an evil queen, but he and Gurgi gain two more friends, Princess Eilonwy, who has some magic of her own, and the traveling bard Fflewddur Fflam and his magic harp. Later they meet the dwarf Doli, a curmudgeonly character who loves to complain but helps them all the same. Taran and company try their best to thwart the plans of Arawn and his champion, The Horned King. Eventually they rejoin Prince Gwydion.

The biggest threat to Prydain from Arawn is The Cauldron-Born, undead warriors who cannot be killed, created in a legendary magic cauldron from both dead and living enemies of the Death-Lord. Once they rise from the Cauldron, they are his slaves forever. Gwydion sends his friends and companions in search of the cauldron, hoping to find and destroy it. Taran, Eilonwy, Gurgi and Fflewddur follow the trail to the Marshes of Morva, where they find the cauldron in the hands of three strange women. They are The Fates in all but name, full of magical power and highly dangerous, but they finally agree to give the cauldron to Taran, who plans to return with it to Dallben’s safe home, but the cauldron itself is tricky and has plans of its own. Another warrior they’ve met in their travels steals the caudron from them with plans to use it for his own gain, and that brings more trouble to everyone.

After returning to Caer Dallben with Taran, Princess Eilonwy is happy to help with the farm, but Dallben tells her she must journey to the island of Mona so she can be instructed by the queen there and trained for her eventual duties as a princess. Prince Rhun of Mona has arrived by ship to bring her there, and Taran is unhappy to find out that there are plans to make Eilonwy his bride in time. Eilonwy is not pleased about any of it, but with Taran and his friends along, agrees to go. Once in the royal castle on Mona, she is kidnapped by a treacherous servant. Gwydion is also there in disguise, and a search for Eilonwy is begun by everyone, but Taran and his friends fall into a huge underground cavern, and are threatened by a giant who is trapped there. Eventually everyone converges on the former castle of Eilonwy’s family, where she has been taken to perform deep magic against her will.

The fourth book focuses on Taran in a quest to find his birth origins, which are unknown, and to find himself and what he is truly good at. His journeys take him to many parts of Prydain, where tests of character await him, as do new enemies and new friends. Taran tries his hand at many crafts, hoping to find a talent in himself, but then a lonely, aged shepherd turns his life in a different direction by claiming the boy as his long-lost son. Taran unhappily agrees to stay and help the shepherd, putting aside his quest, until more tragedy strikes.

The final book brings all the characters and narrative threads together, as Arawn is at last making his move to crush the free people of Prydain. His first strike is a harsh one, it’s against Gwydion, and Arawn steals the magic sword that is Prydain’s best defense against him. From there, the forces of Gwydion and his allies gather, and soon meet Arawn’s deadly armies in battle, while treachery among their own forces make victory seem impossible. Taran and his friends all have important roles to play, some will not survive the war, and all of Prydain is about to be changed forever.

This is a fine series. I loved it as a teenager, and I like it nearly as much today. I recommend it highly to anyone who likes well-made fantasy.

The Prydain Chronicles

The post Rereading THE PRYDAIN CHRONICLES by Lloyd Alexander appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in PLASTIC MAN & PLOP!

All images © DC Comics. From PLASTIC MAN #5, July-Aug 1967

These two titles both involve humor but are otherwise unrelated, I’ve just grouped them to get an article of the right length. Plastic Man, created by writer/artist Jack Cole, began at Quality Comics, and had a successful run of 64 issues from 1943 to 1956, and also appeared in their POLICE COMICS. When Quality got out of the comics business, DC bought some of their properties including this one, but they did nothing with it until 1966 when talk of a possible Plastic Man film prompted them to launch a new series. The film never happened, but the character was popular enough to last 20 issues, and often returned and appeared in other titles. Gaspar Saladino lettered the first DC issue. Ira Schnapp designed the logo and lettered many of the early covers, but Gaspar filled in on the one above, where his angular display lettering is quite different from Ira’s more rounded approach.

From PLASTIC MAN #8, Jan-Feb 1968

The same is true on this cover where the display lettering in the last balloon is almost a Saladino logo, and it has more energy than the actual logo. I like the way the balloon tails go behind the character and seem stretched out.

From PLASTIC MAN #10, May-June 1968

On this cover there was no room for the Schnapp logo, and Saladino did a new one used only once. Again, I like the energy and stretchiness of it. The balloons and captions work fine too. The initial run stopped here, but was revived for ten more issues in 1976-77.

From PLASTIC MAN #12, April-May 1976

Saladino lettered just three covers for the later run. This one features his large open display lettering in the balloons.

From PLASTIC MAN #14, Aug-Sept 1976

The blurbs on this cover add to the drama and use more traditional heroic styles even for the name of the creature.

From PLASTIC MAN #1, Nov-Dec 1966

Saladino lettered the first DC issue with his usual skill and panache, the rest were done by others. On this first page, the art and story credits were added by someone else.

From PLOP! #1, Sept-Oct 1973

In 1973 DC editor Joe Orlando launched a humor anthology with some horror elements somewhat in the style of MAD, but with its own unique flavor. It had a good run of 24 issues. The covers used only set type, but Gaspar lettered a few short stories inside. On this page, writer/artist Sergio Aragonés did his own story title, the rest of the lettering and sound effects are by Saladino.

From PLOP! #1, Sept-Oct 1973

Horror stories with a humorous twist were also part of the mix, and here Saladino worked with his SWAMP THING artist Bernie Wrightson, adding great sound effects.

From PLOP! #2, Nov-Dec 1973

Another Aragonés story where he did the title with TV burst balloons by Saladino.

From PLOP! #8, Nov-Dec 1974

On this Aragonés story, the title is by Saladino, and it has appropriate rounded letters.

From PLOP! #12, May 1975

For this story, Gaspar used an unusual upper and lower case slanted style for the children to set them apart from the rest of the characters.

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

PLASTIC MAN: 5, 8, 10, 12, 14-15, that’s six in all.

Below are the details on his story lettering for these titles.

PLASTIC MAN #1 Nov-Dec 1966: 24pp

PLOP! #1 Sept-Oct 1973: The Escape 5pp, The Gourmet 6pp

PLOP! #2 Nov-Dec 1973: The Demand 4pp, Hey, Skinny 4pp

PLOP! #8 Nov-Dec 1974: A Likely Story 6pp

PLOP! #12 May 1975: What Are Little Ghouls Made Of? 3pp

That’s 52 pages in all. More articles in this series and others you might enjoy are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

The post GASPAR SALADINO in PLASTIC MAN & PLOP! appeared first on Todd's Blog.

GASPAR SALADINO in THE PHANTOM STRANGER

All images © DC Comics. From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #8, July-Aug 1970

This mysterious DC character had two series separated by 16 years. For the first one from editor Julius Schwartz, a run of six issues in 1952-1953, Gaspar Saladino lettered many of the stories but none of the covers. For the second from editor Joe Orlando, running 41 issues from 1969 to 1976, Saladino lettered only covers. I’ll begin with those, the first is above. He did the logo as well as the dramatic caption at the top. The treatment of ICE is effective.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #11, Jan-Feb 1971

Like the earlier series, this was a “mystery” book, DC’s name for horror, with the title character acting as host and sometimes participant. Saladino has begun to use his scary styles on words like EVIL in this caption and also on PHANTOM in the logo.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #13, May-June 1971

Artist Neal Adams did some fine covers, many that needed no lettering, but when they did, Saladino provided it.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #, July-Aug 1971

The Neal Adams monster shown here appeared at the same time as the first story about DC’s Swamp Thing in HOUSE OF SECRETS #92, but it looks closer to Marvel’s Man-Thing, which appeared a few months earlier. Gaspar’s scary blurb sells it well.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #15, Sept-Oct 1971

By now Gaspar had developed a variety of styles to fit many situations, and the one used here on IRON is a good example.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #16, Nov-Dec 1971

The treatment of WAX on this cover is another, though the white edges around the letters make it less effective in this case, it seems too busy.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #25, June-July 1973

A new feature began in this issue, and Gaspar’s feature title at the top ran on several issues. It blurs the line between logo and cover lettering, but I will list it here.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #31, June-July 1974

The same thing applies to the Black Orchid treatment on this cover, which was also used more than once.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #35, Feb-March 1975

Saladino’s display lettering in this balloon demands attention.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #39, Oct-Nov 1975

This creepy balloon works well, though the tail does not point to the character’s mouth. Saladino probably planned for it to go further right, but the DC production person who assembled the cover did it differently.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #1, Aug-Sept 1952

In 1951, DC Comics dipped a toe into the horror genre with THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY, though their efforts were not nearly as graphic or scary as those from EC Comics and others. The book did well, and in 1952, editor Julius Schwartz tried this similar anthology with the added draw of a mysterious host who introduced some stories and participated in others. The stories were perhaps less scary than the other DC “Mystery” title, and leaned toward detective, science fiction and western themes. Whatever the reason, it did not do well and lasted only six issues. Gaspar Saladino, Schwartz’s regular letterer, worked on about two thirds of the stories, with some by Ira Schnapp and others. Schnapp did the logo and all the covers. On the first page of the first issue, above, you can see Saladino’s typically wide and angular lettering, and his style point of an open block letter in front of a black brush shape at the beginning of the caption. Gaspar had not yet worked out his effective scary lettering styles for the titles, and they are generally not as good as what he would do a few years later.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #2, Oct-Nov 1952

Ira’s cover/character logo takes up a lot of space on this splash page, and I think it’s one of his least successful logos. Gaspar’s lettering works fine, though he has to cover part of the speaker’s head in the last panel.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #3, Dec 1952-Jan 1953

The logo only appeared on some stories in each issue, others gave Gaspar more room for his title and in this case a decorative opening caption, though the shield and spears might have been drawn by the artist. The treatment of DEATH is a little more effective.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #4, Feb-March 1953

Back to block letters for this story title. Gaspar seems to be giving Phantom Stranger wavy balloon shapes to denote an unusual voice, but it’s not clearly different.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #5, April-May 1953

This story is squarely in the science fiction genre, editor Schwartz’s favorite. I like the radio balloon in the third panel and the banner caption in the fourth.

From THE PHANTOM STRANGER #6, June-July 1953

This story uses an idea Schwartz would return to in an early issue of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, a door in the sky with a monster behind it. Here the Stranger’s word balloons are standard style.

To sum up, I found Saladino lettering on these covers of the later series: 8, 11, 13-17, 25, 31, 35 and 39, a total of eleven in all. Below are the details of Saladino’s story lettering for the earlier series. I’ve used story titles even though some are clearly Phantom Stranger stories, but on others it’s less clear.

#1 Aug-Sept 1952: Haunters From Beyond 8pp, When Dead Men Walk 6pp, The House of Strange Secrets 6pp

#2 Oct-Nov 1952: The Killer Shadow 6pp, Death’s Strange Deputy 6pp, Death Writes an Obituary 2pp, The Haunting Wind 4pp

#3 Dec 1952-Jan 1953: Dead Man’s Hand 6pp, The Man Who Carved Death 6pp, The Day of Destiny 6pp

#4 Feb-March 1953: The Hairy Shadows 8pp, The Dream Killer 6pp

#5 April-May 1953: The Living Nightmare 8pp, The Unseen Familiar 6pp, Time to Kill 4pp, The Stars Screamed Danger 6pp

#6 June-July 1953: The Ghosts in the Locked Room 8pp, Doorway In The Sky 6pp, Dead Man’s Bluff 4pp, Horror in Miniature 6pp

That’s a total of 94 pages. Other articles in this series and more you might enjoy are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

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GASPAR SALADINO in OTHER O TITLES

All images © DC Comics. From THE OUTCASTS #2, Nov 1987

There are just two O titles I haven’t covered yet, both from the late 1980s, and both with only cover lettering by Saladino. THE OUTCASTS is up first, a twelve-issue series from 1987 to 1988. Gaspar’s blurb uses unusual letter shapes and texture that adds interest.

From THE OUTCASTS #3, Dec 1987

This blurb follows a similar idea, but the letters are a little more square. I think the texture in them adds a lot because the art is so slick.

From THE OUTCASTS #4, Jan 1988

More textured letters, but these are looser and scarier, contrasted by very square letters elsewhere.

From THE OUTCASTS #6, March 1988

Only the word HOT has texture on this one. That and the color give it emphasis. Gaspar might have added flames, but there were already some in the art.

From THE OUTCASTS #9, June 1988

This large display lettering is beautifully done with a very large round pen point, and then all the square corners were added with a tiny point to give it strength.

[image error]From THE OUTSIDERS #3, Jan 1986

DC had success with BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS, a new team book that replaced the long-running THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD. It did so well that it was chosen in 1985 to be one of several series split into two books. This one, in the prestige format on higher quality paper, was priced higher. The original series became ADVENTURES OF THE OUTSIDERS and after a while reprinted stories from this series. Batman was not in either book, which I think was a mistake, but it did well enough to last until 1988 with 28 issues. Again, Gaspar did only cover lettering, but some fine examples. The blurb on this cover uses standard block letters, but rough outlines around them add impact.

From THE OUTSIDERS #6, April 1986

This larger blurb in a ragged caption box uses a variety of styles that work together well.

From THE OUTSIDERS #9, July 1986

This blurb should have been larger, but it reads fine. Gaspar has done a very simplified version of his Black Lightning logo.

From THE OUTSIDERS #10, Aug 1986

Just when you thought Saladino might be coasting, he came up with this creative blurb loosely based on letters from the Cyrillic alphabet to make the Russia connection.

From THE OUTSIDERS #14, Dec 1986

Usually Saladino preferred to do his own versions of already created character logos for his cover blurbs, but here he’s used two that I designed. I’m flattered! All the display lettering is large and appealing.

From THE OUTSIDERS #18, April 1987

This caption celebrates the return of Batman and the villainous Eclipso with a Saladino version of his old logo.

From THE OUTSIDERS #20, June 1987

It’s hard to see it, but a close look at EVIL TWINS shows it was done with a large dry brush, one of Gaspar’s specialties. The notched, textured caption box adds interest.

From THE OUTSIDERS #25, Nov 1987

METAMORPHOSIS is a very long word to fit into a burst, but Gaspar makes it work, and the contrasting approach of STRANGE is great.

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

THE OUTCASTS: 2-4, 6, 9

THE OUTSIDERS: 1, 3, 6-7, 9-10, 14-15, 17-20, 23, 25-26, Special 1

That’s 21 in all. Other articles in this series and more you might enjoy are on the COMICS CREATION page of my blog.

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