It has been my pleasure to chat with Danny Fingeroth recently. Danny has taught comics writing in many places, including at an art school in Milan. Danny is a longtime Bob Dylan fan and will be doing presentations about the Nobel Prize Winner at this spring's Bob Dylan Conference in Tulsa. This is all in addition to his wealth of experience as a writer and editor for Marvel Comics (where he ran the Spider-Man comics line, including the issue that introduced Spider-Man's symbiote costume) and having written numerous fascinating books about the comic industry.
Note: Above photo by Edward Liu.
Paul: Could you please describe how your relationship with comics began? What were the very first comic you remember enjoying? Also how old might you have been, and where were they from?
Danny: When I was a kid, we got the New York Post (from the Dorothy Schiff era—pre-Murdoch), which had daily comics and color Sunday comics, which may have actually been in their Saturday editions. Less frequently, I’d see the comics in the New York Daily News, including Dick Tracy and Dondi. Sequential art seemed to always be around and I enjoyed reading the comics, having them read to me before I could read them on my own. I was a fan of Popeye cartoons, and I think my parents then got me a subscription to Popeye comics. My cousin Steve gave me my first superhero comics—probably Adventure Comics featuring Superboy. By the time I was around five or six, I was reading much of the DC superhero line, as well as some humour comics, some Archie, even some Millie the Model, which they had at my barber shop. This was before there were comics shops, so my comics were purchased at newsstands and candy stores. (Popeye was the only comics subscription I had.)
Paul: Can you say how you approached making working within the comics industry a career?
Danny: I have been involved in creative things since I was a kid and studied filmmaking in college. When I graduated I wasn’t sure where and how I would use that training. As a native New Yorker, I thought that working in comics (which, like film, uses words and images to tell stories) might be interesting, especially since I was a lifelong lover of the comics medium. I was able to arrange for an informational tour of the Marvel offices, and that eventually led to me being hired as Larry Lieber’s assistant editor in the company’s British Department, which, as the name suggests, prepared material—mostly reprint, but some new—for publication in weekly, black-and-white comics in the UK. While many staffers and freelancers at Marvel came from the ranks of capital-F Fandom, many others were people whose life paths had, for whatever reasons, brought them to the Marvel offices. I was part of the latter group, which included people like Ann Nocenti and Howard Mackie.
Paul: What was your very first paid published work? Can you describe how it felt to be published for the very first time?
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Danny: It was probably new recap splash pages for Marvel’s British weeklies, and also promotional and cover copy I did for that line, all of that stuff was uncredited. My first published story with my name on it was a two-part Avengers tale I co-wrote. It was kind of surreal, seeing my name credited on the splash pages of real Marvel comic books. The most magical moments from the beginning of my career to the present day are when the pencilled artwork for something I’d worked on, as writer or editor, arrives. You have an idea in your imagination of what a given panel/page/story you’ve described in words might look like, but when you open the envelope—or download the file—containing the art, that’s the moment when words become visually realised and, if you’re lucky, take your breath away.
Danny: It was probably new recap splash pages for Marvel’s British weeklies, and also promotional and cover copy I did for that line, all of that stuff was uncredited. My first published story with my name on it was a two-part Avengers tale I co-wrote. It was kind of surreal, seeing my name credited on the splash pages of real Marvel comic books. The most magical moments from the beginning of my career to the present day are when the pencilled artwork for something I’d worked on, as writer or editor, arrives. You have an idea in your imagination of what a given panel/page/story you’ve described in words might look like, but when you open the envelope—or download the file—containing the art, that’s the moment when words become visually realised and, if you’re lucky, take your breath away.
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Paul: I am guessing you may have experience having your breathe taken away several times writing your many issues of Dazzler. Seeing the pages from the late Frank Springer and the painted pieces from Bill Sienkiewicz arrive must have been a thrill. Dazzler was such a fun and lively title, would you describe it as one of the highlights of your time writing for Marvel?
Danny:The Dazzler situation was complicated, but, yes, the interior art and those Sinekiewicz covers were sensational. I certainly enjoyed writing scenes like her battle with Galactus. I’m glad the final results were “fun and lively.” I wrote close to twenty issues of the series, more than several. Probably the Marvel writing of mine that I enjoyed doing the most were the Deathtrap: The Vault graphic novel (first an Avengers GN, then repackaged as a Venom GN), which was approved very quickly and painlessly from a half-page pitch, and the Deadly Foes of Spider-Man limited series. The finished comics in those cases were close to what I originally imagined, though vastly improved by the amazing artists—Ron Lim on Deathtrap and Kerry Gammill and Al Milgrom on Deadly Foes. A lot of my writing on Darkhawk was pleasurable in that way, too. Mike Manley and Todd Smith, the artists on Darkhawk, were always great to work with.
Paul: Moving on from comics you have also written a number of books. I'd like to ask about The Stan Lee Universe and A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee. In writing those did you get to know the gentleman well at all?
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Danny: I knew Stan for many years and worked with him on numerous projects at Marvel and elsewhere. I interviewed him several times over the years and was also his regular moderator at Wizard World conventions for a couple of years. Having said all that, I can’t say I knew Stan well. I had maybe two or three meals with him over the years. I certainly wasn’t in his inner circle. When I wrote the biography, "A Marvelous Life" (unauthorised, by the way) besides my publisher, no one, including Stan, had any right to vet what I wrote. I think I had figured out how to get responses from him to my questions that were beyond the boilerplate answers he could sometimes give.
Note: A MARVELOUS LIFE audiobook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P8N6V8H?plink=jR7o4o5ithMA828K&ref_=adblp13nvvxx_0_0_im
Danny: I did two lengthy interviews with him for the book that I think went beyond the standard Stan-interviews. (I’m considering publishing the full versions at some point.) But even when he was being frank, I think there was a hesitancy in him to fully reveal himself. I may have gotten a look at Stan without hype once or twice over the years, which was fascinating. Of course, the construct that was the public Stan Lee was also fascinating. It may seem obvious, but one difference between Stan privately and Stan onstage was simply that everything he said onstage was bombastic and theatrical, whereas, in private, he was much quieter and, more significantly, could get pretty reflective. Interestingly, the public might have gotten their closest glimpse of the “real” Stan in the last phase of his convention appearances. (At that point, I was no longer serving as his moderator.) That era is controversial because people were justifiably concerned about whether shlepping him around to conventions was in the best interests of a man in his mid-nineties. Overall, it wasn’t. But I do think, even then, he did genuinely enjoy sitting on a stage and answering questions from fans, speaking conversationally with them (still very funny), and allowing the public a glimpse of what hanging around with Stan Lee might really be like. In a way, I’d say that I also got to know something of the “real” Stan when, in researching the biography, I went back and reread his 1960's letters page responses and bullpen bulletins (before they became standardised). He revealed more of himself in those things than I realised when reading them as a kid.
Danny: I did two lengthy interviews with him for the book that I think went beyond the standard Stan-interviews. (I’m considering publishing the full versions at some point.) But even when he was being frank, I think there was a hesitancy in him to fully reveal himself. I may have gotten a look at Stan without hype once or twice over the years, which was fascinating. Of course, the construct that was the public Stan Lee was also fascinating. It may seem obvious, but one difference between Stan privately and Stan onstage was simply that everything he said onstage was bombastic and theatrical, whereas, in private, he was much quieter and, more significantly, could get pretty reflective. Interestingly, the public might have gotten their closest glimpse of the “real” Stan in the last phase of his convention appearances. (At that point, I was no longer serving as his moderator.) That era is controversial because people were justifiably concerned about whether shlepping him around to conventions was in the best interests of a man in his mid-nineties. Overall, it wasn’t. But I do think, even then, he did genuinely enjoy sitting on a stage and answering questions from fans, speaking conversationally with them (still very funny), and allowing the public a glimpse of what hanging around with Stan Lee might really be like. In a way, I’d say that I also got to know something of the “real” Stan when, in researching the biography, I went back and reread his 1960's letters page responses and bullpen bulletins (before they became standardised). He revealed more of himself in those things than I realised when reading them as a kid.
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Paul: You have written another book about Superman titled, Superman On The Couch: What Superheroes really tell us about ourselves and society? Without too many spoilers, but in an effort to encourage sales of the book (which I hope is still in print), can you perhaps say what were your conclusions? Can you say briefly what does Superman, or the desire for any "Supermen" say about our society? Or were the conclusions specifically in regards to American society, because he is an American Icon?
Danny: The answers to those questions are somewhat complicated. That’s why I wrote the book. The short response would be that, in general, people seem to have a need for a fantasy of someone with great or special power who will rescue them from, or at least help them deal with, whatever their individual and societal problems may be. How an individual or a society responds to those desires and expresses those feelings in their popular culture—in this case, superhero stories—are important things to think about and reflect on, perhaps now more than ever. The book went through four or five printings and is now out of print. The rights have reverted to me, and I’d love to see the book back in print, maybe updated. Ditto for my book Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero. You can find used copies online for a reasonable price. However, I recently recorded audiobooks for both Superman on the Couch and Disguised as Clark Kent. Both audiobooks are available from Blackstone. I also did the audiobook for A Marvelous Life.
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Paul: I actually wanted to ask about Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero. Without spoiling the book could you describe the book to encourage people to but a copy?
Danny: The book is about the Jewish creators of superhero comics (although I do deal a bit with independent and underground comix, as well) and how their backgrounds might have influenced the origins and characteristics of this genre that has been around—through dramatic ups and downs—for close to nine decades. I interviewed lots of people—Brian Bendis, Neil Gaiman, Stan Lee, Jerry Robinson, and many more—and so got the points of view of the people who created the characters and people they inspired. I think I take a little different point of view on the subject than others who have written about it, and look at it from some possibly surprising angles. For instance, I demonstrate the Jewish origins of, of all characters, the mighty Thor. As I mentioned earlier, the book is currently out of print, with the rights reverted to me. But the audiobook, which I did the reading for, is published by Blackstone and is available at all the usual audiobook sources.
LINK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VCV9LM8?plink=77gIGv8SG0LekQnz&ref_=adblp13npsbx_0_1_im
LINK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VCV9LM8?plink=77gIGv8SG0LekQnz&ref_=adblp13npsbx_0_1_im
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Paul: As a creator and an editor I must assume comic conventions were a part of your job. I ask simply did you, and do you enjoy them? The photograph you provided me suggests you might do occasionally.
Danny: I do enjoy them. I actually spent four years (2013-2017) working with the Wizard World convention chain, inventing, organising and moderating panels for them. They gave me pretty much free rein to do whatever offbeat and strange panels I wanted (as well as more conventional spotlights, how-to’s etc). For instance, I did a “Baseball and Comics” panel with the curator of the Louisville Slugger Museum. And I brought indy legend Ben Katchor to a mainstream Wizard World show, where he and the amazing Dean Haspiel did a panel of readings from their work. I was Stan Lee’s regular moderator when he did Wizard shows. At some 4-day shows (Philly, Chicago, etc), I would do 15 or 16 panels. It was a fun marathon. Like being a vaudevillian.
Note: Danny Fingeroth in conversation with Harvey Pekar in 2009 at the YIVO Institute/Center for Jewish History in NYC. [Photo by Gary Dunaier]
Danny: I do enjoy them. I actually spent four years (2013-2017) working with the Wizard World convention chain, inventing, organising and moderating panels for them. They gave me pretty much free rein to do whatever offbeat and strange panels I wanted (as well as more conventional spotlights, how-to’s etc). For instance, I did a “Baseball and Comics” panel with the curator of the Louisville Slugger Museum. And I brought indy legend Ben Katchor to a mainstream Wizard World show, where he and the amazing Dean Haspiel did a panel of readings from their work. I was Stan Lee’s regular moderator when he did Wizard shows. At some 4-day shows (Philly, Chicago, etc), I would do 15 or 16 panels. It was a fun marathon. Like being a vaudevillian.
Note: Danny Fingeroth in conversation with Harvey Pekar in 2009 at the YIVO Institute/Center for Jewish History in NYC. [Photo by Gary Dunaier]
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Danny: I’ve probably done more than 500 convention and other panels over the years. Maybe closer to 1000 by this point. I’m planning to be at San Diego Con this year, and I’ll actually be doing a comics panel (X-Men at 60) at something called Switchyard, which is not a comics con, but a general pop culture con, the week right after Memorial Day. Art Spiegelman and Maia Kobabe will be guests. It’s connected to the Bob Dylan 2023 Conference, where I’ll also be on a few panels, including doing a “Dylan and Comics” presentation.
Danny: I’ve probably done more than 500 convention and other panels over the years. Maybe closer to 1000 by this point. I’m planning to be at San Diego Con this year, and I’ll actually be doing a comics panel (X-Men at 60) at something called Switchyard, which is not a comics con, but a general pop culture con, the week right after Memorial Day. Art Spiegelman and Maia Kobabe will be guests. It’s connected to the Bob Dylan 2023 Conference, where I’ll also be on a few panels, including doing a “Dylan and Comics” presentation.
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Paul: Can I ask have you ever been Starstruck meeting anyone during a convention? There is an expression "Don't meet your heroes." Can you share any convention stories at all?
Note: Above, Danny Fingeroth (right) moderates a panel of (left to right) Jerry Robinson, Irwin Hasen and Jules Feiffer at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in 2011. [Photo by Gary Dunaier]
Note: Above, Danny Fingeroth (right) moderates a panel of (left to right) Jerry Robinson, Irwin Hasen and Jules Feiffer at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in 2011. [Photo by Gary Dunaier]
Note: Danny Fingeroth (second from right) with other Marvel editors at Disneyland in 1983. Front row: Al Milgrom and friend. Back row: Dennis O’Neil, Mark Gruenwald, Danny Fingeroth, Jim Shooter. [Photo: Vince Colletta]
Danny: Don’t forget, I worked at Marvel Comics for 18 years, and, in the years since, in numerous comics-related companies, venues, and situations, so I met many comics pros before I ever attended a con professionally. I hadn’t attended many before I got into the business, so hadn’t met many pros before that. I recall being in general starstruck meeting and working with childhood idols. Meeting Jack Kirby was a memorable experience, a definite moment of being starstruck. When I first came to Marvel, he was doing The Eternals, and Captain America, etc. But he was living on the west coast and I didn’t have any reason to interact with him. Then he left the company and all that unpleasantness between him and Marvel erupted, so I certainly had no professional reason to be in touch with him.
Note: Danny Fingeroth (right) moderates a panel on Prince and Comics at Wizard World Minneapolis 2016. The panelists, l to r, are Dean Haspiel, Zak Sally, Guy Gilchrist, and Alex Lubet.
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Danny: But at the 1983 San Diego con, when I was editing the Spider-Man line, he and I were at the same party. Still, I was hesitant to approach him. A couple of people literally dragged me over to him and I rasped out a few words as best I could. I believe I offered him work on Spider-Man, which probably violated a dozen company edicts of the time, but I really didn’t know what else to say, and am amazed I got out any recognizable words at all. He was very friendly, despite me being an employee of a company he was then in conflict with. He said to me, “I can tell you’re a real firecracker!” Hopefully, he wasn’t being sarcastic.
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Paul: How do you feel about digital comics. If you read comics still, do you use a tablet/laptop etc or prefer the paper versions?
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Danny: I read digital and print comics and graphic novels. For digital, I prefer a desktop computer. I like that digital comics don’t take up any real-world space. The brightness of the image can be a plus, and even the guided view can be an interesting experience. I like the immediacy of being able to read something as soon as I think of it. It’s really a different, though it is a different experience from reading actual paper comics. I don’t know if one is necessarily better than the other.
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Paul: There's a daft question I like to ask anyone that has worked on or enjoys superhero comics. If you could have one superpower, or the abilities of one character, what power or whose abilities would you chose?
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Paul: There's a daft question I like to ask anyone that has worked on or enjoys superhero comics. If you could have one superpower, or the abilities of one character, what power or whose abilities would you chose?
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Danny: The whole point of super-powers fantasy is that you’d want pretty much any and all the powers that superhumans have (without the baggage of pain of being socially outcast that comes with some of them.) Having said that, the one that always comes to mind when I’m asked this question is: flight. I just think it would be cool to be able to fly.
Note: Danny Fingeroth (lower right) moderates an online 2022 Will Eisner Week panel (hosted by Ben Katchor's New York Picture Story Symposium)about banned comics featuring (top row) Jerry Craft, Jeff Smith, Jeff Trexler, and (bottom row) Michael Dooley and Denis Kitchen.
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Paul: Can I ask what you are up to these days? What does the future hold for Danny Fingeroth?
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Paul: Can I ask what you are up to these days? What does the future hold for Danny Fingeroth?
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Danny: I’m always in the middle of a half dozen projects in various stages of development. Right now, I’m wrapping up the final touches on a biography of Jack Ruby, the guy who murdered Lee Harvey Oswald on live TV. Although it started out as a graphic novel project which people may remember me talking about (and which—with artist Rick Geary—may one day finally happen), it has evolved into a prose biography. It is following up on the success of my Stan Lee biography. After writing about something as controversial as the origins of the Marvel Universe, I thought I’d try something about which there’s no disagreement—like the Kennedy Assassination! Oops. The book should be out—from Chicago Review Press—this fall, in time for the 60th anniversaries of the Kennedy and Oswald murders. Here’s info about the book: https://www.amazon.com/Jack-Ruby-Faces-Oswalds-Assassin/dp/1641609125 I’m also working on helping plan a new Jewish Comic Con in New York this fall (more info on that as we get closer), as well as continuing my ongoing work with the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation and Eisner Studios, and working on several other books and other projects I can’t talk about yet. I’ll also be a speaker at the upcoming Switchyard Festival and Bob Dylan Conference in Tulsa the week of Memorial Day: https://switchyardtulsa.com. And I’ll be at the San Diego Con doing panels again this summer, too.
Here's a link re the Dylan conference: https://dylan.utulsa.edu/world-of-dylan-23-june-1/. I'm also doing a short "Dylan and Comics" presentation during the conference.And I'm doing a "Mutant as Metaphor: The X-Men at 60 panel" at Switchyard. None are solo panels: All with brilliant co-panelists.
Here's a link re the Dylan conference: https://dylan.utulsa.edu/world-of-dylan-23-june-1/. I'm also doing a short "Dylan and Comics" presentation during the conference.And I'm doing a "Mutant as Metaphor: The X-Men at 60 panel" at Switchyard. None are solo panels: All with brilliant co-panelists.
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Paul: Thank you Danny it has been a pleasure.
Note: You can contact Danny at: danny@dannyfingeroth.com.