The Black Hand ®

Steel Sterling got back.

https://stevenbrowerwritings.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/hello-world/ Goof article on George Olesen There are few comic book creators whose careers span 60 years, and they are generally well known within the comic book culture. Even more rare are those who both wrote and illustrated their own stories. George Olesen fits that bill, yet rather than a household name with the comic’s community, his name barely registers. Although he illustrated The Phantom syndicated daily strip for over 40 years, he began it as a ghost for fellow artist Sy Barry. Olesen was born on December 6, 1924, in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York. His mother registered him late for kindergarten at PS 102, and as a result there was no desk provided for him. “Two kindergarten teachers came to me and bent over and they said they were sorry but I didn’t have a chair. But that changed my whole life. They were sorry but my mommy brought me too late for a chair. So I had to stand up and draw on the blackboard and they showed me how to draw on the blackboard. And therefore I had a special place.” The result of this was that Olesen soon became the “school artist” for the entirety of his public education experience. Olesen attended Manual Training High School (now Brooklyn Technical High School), where he continued his art studies, creating murals for various productions of Gilbert and Sullivan. He also worked on the school magazine and yearbook. “I got a real broad education. I just got a great deal of more training then I was scheduled for and it came in very handy when I got to New York and my actual work where they paid me.” Immediately following graduation he enlisted in the military service at age 18. At 6 ft 1 1/2 inch he was too tall to fly fighter planes so he was trained as a B24 pilot on fuel supply duty. Soon he was flying across the globe supplying gasoline to the US Army Air Force. “My first major flight was across the Atlantic to Greenland, from Greenland to Scotland, to Wales, to Italy, and then across North Africa, to Cairo, to Bethlehem to Southern India to Western India and then into Middle China, and then I went back. My base was in Western India and I flew from there on a day to day basis, (providing) aviation gasoline into four of the major airbases.” While stationed there his talent became know and upon request began drawing cartoons that parodied officers and enlisted men on the base. These were soon hung up in the officer’s mess hall, and became a big hit. So much so, that when Olesen didn’t provide one on a daily basis, his superiors would seek him, and would inform him who they wanted him to characterize. “If I didn’t put in a cartoon every once on a while, they came by and hinted that they hadn’t seen a cartoon. They would say, ‘What happen

I sold some comics to Bob in the 70's, one of which I regretted since it was one of the first GA books I had bought in the early 60's that I had done a small repair to. Years later in the late 80's I was at a comic book store in Eureka California and there it was, the exact same book hanging on the wall. I had to have it back and bought it right then and there. One of my few keepers. Funny how those things work out.

I remember Bob from way back. I'm from the Bay area and had good dealings with him and he was always generous with his time and information. Great guy to talk to about comics. I never had any problems with Bob and liked the guy. Sad to hear of his passing.

I couldn't find an Anime thread so I'm posting this here. Please forgive if I'm breaking protocol. One of the best Anime I've ever watched. It's on Crunchyroll. Apothecary Diaries is another excellent one, along with The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Samurai Champloo and Aria the Animation.

Cover dry cleaned?

It It's about sex. That's all I can say.

Outstanding! Some incredible covers. This gave me a new appreciation for Mary Marvel. Her covers had, without trying to sound too artsy fartsy, a simple elegance. And the early Wow covers were amazing. Thanks for posting. Can't wait to see what's next.

I've had tan pages that were very supple. Has anyone had white or off white pages that were brittle?

Great story! Thanks for posting it.

Love the cover on 15.

I really am enjoying this thread. Great covers in super condition.

Like this series and love Clive Owen ever since I saw Children of Men.

Who sells these?

WOW! Great cover!

98% on RT. Can't wait to see it.

That book is certainly an asset to any collector.

Had a pleasant one. Great food, too.

And totally underrated. Bob Montana could do GGA with the best of them. The amount of female pulchritude on that cover is astounding.

One of the best covers.

For me, the GA began ending when superhero titles started turning into goofy humor books. For instance, Top Notch turning into Top Notch Laugh.