Secret Identities

Back in the 70s, David V. Reed wrote a whole lot of Batman stories. Who was he really? Steven Grant told me that you are the man to ask, so please fill me in. Thanks
-- John Parker (parkersj@teleline.es)

What was the true identity of Nellie Rooke, the person who replied to the letters for the Jonah Hex comics in the late 70s/ early 80s. What is she doing now?
-- Darren Schroeder (darrens@es.co.nz)

David V. Reed was actually David Vern (who was born David Levine), better known for his short stories as well as some TV and screen work. Dave had been a longtime friend of Julie Schwartz and had written for Julie in the 50s.

Nellie Rooke was a DC staffer who asked that her real name not be used in the books. It was not that she was actually someone whose name you would recognize, she merely preferred to remain anonymous. She long ago left DC and the comics industry.

A discussion of pseudonyms used by various writers and artists recently took place on one of the online mailing groups I belong to. Culled from the lists provided (mostly by Tom Orzechowski and Rich Morrissey) and in no particular order, here are the “secret identities” of quite a number of well-known comics pros.

Adam Austin = Gene Colan
Frankie Ray = Frank Giacoia
Mickey Demeo = Mike Gaudioso = Mike Esposito
Scott Edwards = Gil Kane
George Bell = George Roussos
Jay Teecee = Johnny T. Craig
Joe Carter = Jerry Siegel
R. Berns = Robert Bernstein
H. E. Huntley = Ernie Hart
Sergius O'Shaughnessy = Wan Chang O'Shaughnessy = Denny O'Neil
Charles Moulton = William Moulton Marston
Larry Dean = Robert Starr = Gardner Fox
Mart Dellon = Martin Nodell
Stan Asch = Stan Josephs = Stan Aschmeier
Vernon Woodrum = Alvin Schwartz
David Lawrence = Robert Kanigher
John Osgood =Edgar Ray Merritt = John Broome
Francis X. Bushmaster = Gerry Conway
Felton Marcus = Mark Hanerfeld
John Harkness = Steve Englehart
Steve Apollo = Jim Starlin
Geoff Browne = David George = Leo Dorfman
Al Case = Murray Boltinoff
Noel Naïve = Robin Snyder
Warren Savin = Steve Skeates
Jerry Ess = Jerry Siegel
Paul Are = Paul Reinman
Rick Gee = Rick Goldwater
John Gee = John Giunta
Lou Wahl = Kurt Schaffenberger
Shane O'Shea = Kurato Osaki = Zev Zimmer = (something like 10 more)=Richard Hughes
Charles Lawrence = Boris Zabok = Bob Rozakis

BOBRO’S TRIVIA QUIZ
1. Aerial ace Johnny Cloud and western hero Super-Chief were referred to as what in the pre-PC days?
2. Landing a copy of BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE meant sending in a boxtop from what cereal?
3. Photographer Will King is deathly afraid of beautiful women; what name is he better known by?
4. O-Sensei's student Ben Turner became known in what identity?
5. Wandjina the Thunderer came to Earth with what other two heroes?
6. Evil personified is what Adolf Hitler wanted what character to be?
7. Rocky City store owner Wayne is half of what team?
8. Hey, Booboo, let's grab this picnic basket before who shows up?
9. If you remember Moon-Boy, do you know the name of his "steed" as well?
10. Tell me the name of the canine member of Captain Carrot's Zoo Crew.
11. This Chuck Dixon/Judith Hunt creation was a killer nun; name her.
12. Evil and good were strictly black and white to what Steve Ditko-creation?
13. Remember when Johnny Storm gave a bum a fiery shave; who'd he turn out to be?
14. Star Comics' spin on Richie Rich was what princely fellow?

BOBRO'S FUN FACTS TO KNOW & TELL:
1. Rudyard Kipling was the first English author to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907; he was also the first English author to own an automobile.
2. Paul McCartney's musical group before Wings was The Beatles; prior to The Beatles, he and John Lennon performed as The Quarrymen.
3. Newspaper columnist Walter Winchell provided the narration for the TV series "The Untouchables."

MORE FROM THE EMAILBOX:
In the comics, did Batman ever meet Green Hornet?
-- Lee Sears (leebo_sting58@yahoo.com)

No. These two only met on TV as Adam (Batman) West and Burt (Robin) Ward joined forces with Van (Green Hornet) Williams and Bruce (Kato) Lee.

*****
Who is the Question in the DC Universe?
-- Dayhak (dayhawk31@hotmail.com)

That would be journalist Vic Sage.

*****
Do you know if Claudio Castellini is preparing any sort of comic book? And if yes, which? Thank you for your time.
-- chris (christodoulos_markou@hotmail.com)

SBC editor-in-chief Jason was quick to jump in with an answer to that one…
The last thing he did that I know of was the CROSSGEN CHRONICLES #1. He was to continue, but George Perez took over that book, so I don't know what CrossGen plans to do with him now. -- Jason Brice, Editor-in-Chief

*****
What happened with Wolverine? He's gotten soft; where is the hard core in-your-face Wolverine I grew up with? Why won't Marvel write some edgy story arcs?
-- bob (stiky_love@yahoo.com)

With the success of the X-Men movie and plans for more, I suspect that the folks at Marvel want to make sure that the comic book version is accessible for readers of all ages.

*****
BOBRO wrote:
1. The three largest metropolitan areas in the US - New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles - each have two baseball teams. LA has NO NFL football team.
I say: JOSEDE'S FUN FACT TO KNOW & TELL
1. The three largest metropolitan areas in the US - New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles - each have two baseball teams. Chicago has NO NBA basketball team... they ripped down the last one!
Love the SBC column! Keep it up! Go Knicks!
-- Jose de Leon (Jose_de_Leon@hotmail.com)

*****
Is there any way possible that Superman could counter Thor's magic hammer? Or would Thor just wallop Superman.
-- John J. (tyrant22@hotmail.com) on

It seems likely that Superman would be vulnerable to Mjolnir, but that does not mean that the Man of Steel could not find a way to defeat the God of Thunder.

*****
Hey, I meant to say something about this oh 25 years ago when I read it as a backup in DETECTIVE COMICS: There was an issue where the Calculator turns the heat up on the world, and we see that fact by the bank thermometers going up, up, up. The only problem as far as I'm concerned: I don't think most banks' weather signs were prepared for temperatures in the several hundred degree range!
-- matches_malone@hotmail.com

The ones where I live also have clocks, so they are set for four digits at all times. Obviously, the ones in Star City were similar.

*****
I read in the latest issue of ALTER EGO that there was a Golden Age character named Genius Jones who sometimes wore a costume and went by the name Answerman. Does that make you the Silver Age or Bronze Age Answer Man?
-- Hoy Murphy (hoymurphy@aol.com)

Young Mr. Jones made his debut in ADVENTURE COMICS #77 and appeared for four years. Though he went by the name of “Answerman,” he didn’t answer questions from readers. It took another 30+ years before there was an Answer Man who did. Is that the Silver Age? The Bronze Age? THAT is a debate that will go on forever.

*****
How many issue of ‘MAZING MAN were there (including the ongoing series, and any mini-series and specials he may have had)? Also, did 'Maze ever appear in any other comics as a guest-star or in a cameo?
-- Joe Patrick (joseph.patrick@kutakrock.com)

There were twelve monthly issues of MAZING MAN in 1986, followed by 3 SPECIALS in 1987, ’88 and ‘90. Our little boxer-shorts-wearing pal has made three cameo appearances: DC CHALLENGE #11 back in 1986, and the far more recent WORLD’S FUNNEST and JLA: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMAZONS. Also, his helmet appears in a display case on the last page of the KINGDOM COME collected edition.

*****
Where can I find a really cool looking Superman poster?
-- Michael T. Mingari (mtmingari@yahoo.com)

I’d suggest you start with Comics Unlimited, SBC’s online trade partner. And if you do it this week, you can get 10% off the poster and anything else you purchase. (As a matter of fact, everybody else whose questions and comments appear here get the 10% discount too.)

For those of you who have a question or a comment, use the handy box in the column on the left to send it along. And on that note, I’ll see you all back here next week.

TRIVIA ANSWERS:
Baseball season is upon us and the American League is represented this week.
1. INDIANS
2. Cheeri-Os
3. WHITE (Sox) Feather
4. Bronze TIGER
5. BLUE JAY & Silver Sorceress
6. RED (Sox) Skull
7. Trigger TWINS
8. Mister RANGER (Yogi Bear)
9. DEVIL Dinosaur
10. YANKEE Poodle
11. EvANGELine
12. Mister A
13. Sub-MARINER
14. ROYAL Roy

If trivia is a hit with you, step into the batter’s box with BobRo’s daily Anything Goes Trivia at www.wfcomics.com/trivia.