Olyoptics Timeline - 1981

The Independents Roll

Around this time was the dawn of the independent comics publishers. Mainstream comics in the 60’s consisted of Marvel, DC, Charlton, Archie, Gold Key/Whitman, Classic Comics, MLJ, Dell, Harvey , and Mad magazine. There were a few others like Warren ’s Creepy and Eerie, but they were horror magazines in black and white.

  By the ‘70’s many of the smaller companies began closing. DC eventually bought most of the rights to the super hero characters. (they bought the Charlton, Archie, and Capt Marvel family characters) Among the creators, there was a movement to retain some ownership of the rights to the characters, and to get royalties. The big companies weren’t willing to give up those rights, so the door was opened for smaller companies to give creators what the big guys wouldn’t: The rights to their own creations.

  Pacific Comics was the first to make a big move. I’d colored a Lord of the Rings portfolio by Frank Cirocco, and several comic checklist covers for them, so when they decided to get into comic publishing they gave me a call. They signed up Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Mike Grell, Bruce Jones, Neal Adams and this new guy Dave Stevens to launch their comic line.

  In fall 1981, I got the job coloring Jack Kirby’s “Captain Victory” and Mike Grell’s “Starslayer”. It was the first time I’d tried flat, coded, hand separated color.

  I had visions of doing flat color like it had never been done before by using some of the full color tricks I’d learned on the Hulk and Moon Knight. I even went so far as to add Zip-a-tone to Jack’s original art on Captain Victory #1 to get the added tonal values.

My good intentions aside, the coloring came out dark, and muddy rather than dramatic and moody. It wasn’t the best story Jack ever wrote, and I’m afraid I really wasn’t giving it the look he wanted, so he fired me. I’ve never really been comfortable with flat color.