Original Art Stories: Gene Colan, Part I
I was deeply shocked and saddened to read this email, which crossed my desk this evening. From Gene Colan's wife, Adrienne, it documents Gene's current health problems. With Adrienne and Gene's permission I'm posting it here, and there'll be a plea at the end of the email itself. Not for money, but for a simple act of appreciation.--------------
Gentlemen:
My darling, sweet, handsome and brilliantly gifted husband's liver is failing. The complications are very nasty. This week it's fluid retention and encephalitis. He's on powerful meds now to diminish the symptoms. He sleeps a lot and has very little energy. He wants you all to know how badly he wanted to attend the convention. He so seriously wanted to see you all and shoot the breeze.Not sure how long we have left together, but our family whole and we'll be taking this sad journey together and nearby.
Anyone with commissions outstanding, I'll have a sense within the next couple of weeks if he can fulfill them, if not, please don't worry, I'll return your monies promptly. I don't want to pull the rug out from under him. But if he can do anything, he'll need to finish the 10 pgs. remaining on his 38 pg. Captain America Civil War for Marvel.
You all know how you've enriched Gene's life by coming forward and being a part of his. :)love,
Adrienne
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So what's the plea? A simple one. Most people of a certain age are more than aware of Gene Colan and his art. He's one of those artists who amazed us back in the day with what he could do and he influenced a lot of those who came since. Be it his Marvel work of the '60s and '70s, or his DC work of the '80s or just his stunning commissions, he's had a genuine impact. To that end, and with the full knowledge and permission of the Colan family, I'm asking for anyone and everyone who's been touched by Gene's talent to send him a get well card. Nothing more, just a card and a short note to tell Gene how much he's meant. You can send the cards to this address:
Gene Colan
2 Sea Cliff Avenue
Sea Cliff, NY 11579
USA
If you admire Gene then let him know. Let him know that people out there are thinking of him. And watch this space - I'm working on something more to celebrate the life and art of Gene - the man can never too many tributes!
Comments
Ralph Mathieu
I salute you sir for making my first foray into the world of super heroes such a pleasurable one. I wish you well and hope you get better soon. In the meantime, I will dig out those issues of Tales of Suspense and i'll be that young kid all over again.
Thank you Mr Colan.
Maybe the family could set up an account that you can give donations too, as well as the auctions?
I know that I myself would never be able to afford what the auctioned pieces will sell for, but I would be able to give a small monetary contribution.
The MARVEL AGE was built on the foundation created by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. They gave us the original look and feel of the Marvel Universe. The only other artist to create more than one marquee character was Bill Everett, who gave us The Sub-Mariner and Daredevil.
Among the next wave of creators was Gene Colan, who was introduced as Adam Austin, when The Sub-Mariner began his run in “TALES TO ASTONISH” #70. Colan was one of the most talented people who helped enlarged and prolong the MARVEL AGE. Gene Colan preformed two comic book miracles, maybe three.
The first was Iron Man. Tony Stark was a man trapped in armor and until Gene Colan got there he seemed more like a robot with a man’s brain. Colan was able to show us the man inside. He became a living breathing human being. In fact, when Stark suffered, you suffered; when he smiled, you smiled; and when he was hurt you began to feel it. For the first time you were able to, or at least I was able to, relate to the man inside. When he left no one was able to bring that much humanity back to the character.
Next came Dr. Strange. No real good artist can be replaced, their styles are too individual. After Steve Ditko left Dr. Strange, none of the new artists gave you the feeling that you were in another dimension like Ditko did, until Colan. Gene Colan’s style here brought you back to unreality, but in a style quite different from Ditko’s. While Ditko’s world was stagnating, dark and wet, Colan was a swirling, moving, uncomfortable place of great imagination.
His final “near” miracle was Daredevil. Daredevil was blind, for gosh sakes, and no one could do what he did sighted. This includes virtually flying through the air using a billy club like Spider-Man used his webs. But Colan’s artwork was so beautiful, so full of action and motion, that you just forgot all the impossible stuff and just sat back and enjoyed the show.
In an underwater world, the swirling movement made a great environment for The Sub-Mariner. It was Gene who made me a fan of the Sub-Mariner. He took the Lee/Kirby version, the only version I had known, of a super-villain and made him a heroic, complex figure. I swear Colan drew him underwater, his artwork was so suited to the task. It was such a disappointment when he left.
Like Namor, Dracula often existed in a real world and an imaginative one and no one was better than creating those worlds than Gene Colan. In fact, the run of Tomb of Dracula was my last regular marvel comic. By the way, Colan drew some of the most beautiful women in the world of comics.
Oh yes, Nick Caputo and Mike Vassallo introduced me to Gene and the charming Adrienne at the NY Conn last year. He couldn’t have been nicer and gave me that autograph and let us take a few pictures.
--Scott Rowland
Mike
To my GREAT surprise, I got an nice short email thanking me for my kind words!
This is the ONLY time a creator had responded in person to anything I had ever said.
Last year or so, I was fortunate to stumble upon a "live" podcast interview of Gene on Comic Geek Speak, and listened with fascination to the voice that belonged to this talented artist. I was so surprised. Although it is not a complete comparison to make, I was reminded slightly of Truman Capote, and the false impressions that one could get if they only listened to the voice without knowing the tremendous talent behind the name.
I'm sending a card today. I encourage others to express their appreciation before another giant slips away.
Thank you Gene for years of entertainment. You are one of the great Marvel artists for 1960s fans.
I donated via PayPal... I hope many other Gene Colan fans are doing the same to help his family through this difficult time.
My favorite of his work would have to include: Daredevil, Iron Man, Sub-Mariner, Howard The Duck, Jungle Action, and Tomb of Dracula.
His Batman, Wonder Woman, Nathaniel Dusk, and Silverblade weren't too shabby either. :)
With the current Iron Man movie, I've been doing some Silver Age Iron Man reviews, including some Tales of Suspense by Gene Colan.
Here are the links:
http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=007178
http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=007201
For me, Gene Colan (along with Don Heck) are the versions of Iron Man that I see first in my mind's eye.
Get well, Mr. Colan, and thanks from this longtime reader.
Steve Chung