Richard E. Hughes
Richard E. Hughes, born Leo Rosenbaum (November 5, 1909 - January 15, 1974)[1] was an American writer and editor of comic books. He was editor of the American Comics Group through the company's entire existence from 1943 to 1967, and wrote most of that publisher's stories from 1957 to 1967 under a variety of pseudonyms. His best-known character is Herbie Popnecker, created under the pseudonym Shane O'Shea,[2] with artist Ogden Whitney.
Biography
Early life and career
Richard E. Hughes graduated from New York University in 1930 with a Bachelor of Arts degree as an English major and Economics minor.[3] He married his wife, Annabel, on January 19, 1935.[4] By 1940, Hughes was working in sales at Standard Mirror and Metal Products in New York City, writing catalog copy,[5] and had also begun writing for publisher Ned Pines' Standard Comics. There he and artist Alexander Kostuk created the superhero Doc Strange (no relation to Marvel Comics' much later Doctor Strange) in Thrilling Comics #1 (cover-dated Feb. 1940).[6][7] The following year, Hughes was working for the Syndicated Features Corporation,[5] "one of the many branches of the Sangor Shop,"[8] the colloquial name for businessman Benjamin W. Sangor's studio of writers and artists that, like other such "packagers" of the time, created comics on demand for publishers testing the new medium. Hughes' resume at the time listed him as an editorial assistant; by 1943, he was an editor there.[8]
Through Syndicated Features Corp., Hughes and artist Dave Gabrielson created the superhero the Black Terror in Standard's Exciting Comics #9 (May 1941).[9][7] By the following year Hughes was editing comics for Standard[7] and living with his wife at 120 West 183rd Street in The Bronx, New York City.[4] After Sangor founded his own comic-book company, American Comics Group, in 1943, Hughes edited the line, beginning with the funny-animal series Giggle Comics and Ha Ha Comics, and the teen-humor titles "Cookie"[10] and The Kilroys.[7] He created and scripted stories of the Fighting Yank, Pyroman, the Commando Clubs, and Super Mouse.[5] In addition to his ACG work, Hughes also edited Standard's Real Life Comics.
Later life and career
A Richard E. Hughes was listed as publisher of Toy Market Research Inc.'s biweekly trade magazine Toy Reporter that was premiering October 2, 1961. It is unclear if this is the same Hughes.[11]
Hughes died on January 15, 1974, of myelofibrosis.[3]
Legacy
After Hughes' death, his wife donated his papers to Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey.[8]
Critical analysis
In a review of the Dark Horse Comics collections Herbie: Volume One and Herbie: Volume Two, The New York Times described Hughes' Herbie Popnecker as,
...a corpulent kid with half-lidded eyes, thick glasses and a hideous bowl cut. His father calls him a “little fat nothing,” not realizing that Herbie is actually a colossus striding across the cultural landscape of his era. With the aid of his super-empowering lollipops, Herbie punches out Sonny Liston, confronts Fidel Castro and gets sent on a secret mission by U Thant. Hughes took a while to perfect his stories’ tone of deadpan absurdity, but Whitney’s slightly stiff, matter-of-fact artwork improves the gags by understating them.[12]
Hughes's pseudonyms
- Pierre Alonzo[13]
- Ace Aquila
- Brad Everson[13]
- Lafcadio Lee[13]
- Kermit Lundgren[13]
- Shane O'Shea[2] (for Nemesis, drawn by Pete Costanza, and Herbie, drawn by Ogden Whitney)
- Greg Olivetti[13]
- Kurato Osaki[14]
- Pierce Rand[15]
- Bob Standish[13]
- Zev Zimmer[16] (for Magicman, drawn by Pete Costanza)
Pictures of Hughes' Pseudonyms
In Unknown Worlds (ACG 1960-1967),[17] story and art credits for the first 22 issues were accompanied by drawings of the contributors. Because almost all stories were written by the same writer, the pictures for the story credit were mostly fictitious.
References
- ^ Vance, Michael. "'Something...? A Study of Comics Pioneer Richard E. Hughes". Alter Ego. TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 46–47.
- ^ a b Herbie and The Fat Fury at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived (Herbie and The Fat Fury) from the originals on December 14, 2012, and April 16, 2012, respectively.
- ^ a b Vance, Michael (1996). Forbidden Adventures: The History of the American Comics Group. Greenwood Press. p. 43. ISBN 0-313-29678-2.
- ^ a b Vance, Alter Ego, p. 47
- ^ a b c Vance, Forbidden, p. 44
- ^ Thrilling Comics #1 at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ a b c d Richard Hughes and Richard E. Hughes at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ a b c Vance, Forbidden, p. 45
- ^ Exciting Comics #9 at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ "Cookie" at the Grand Comics Database. "Notes: Titled "Cookie" on cover (including quotations)."
- ^ Addenda to Bart, Peter (September 15, 1961). "Advertising: Dr. Toynbee Is Upset by Madison Avenue". The New York Times. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ Wolk, Douglas (December 5, 2008). "Holiday Books: Comics". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 15, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e f Vance, Forbidden, p. 119
- ^ Vance, Forbidden, p. 54
- ^ Vance, Forbidden, p. 118
- ^ Vance, Forbidden, pp. 90, 119
- ^ Unknown Worlds at the Grand Comics Database