2010 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News Archives

Carmine Infantino

April 24, 2010: Carmine Infantino Headed to Metropolis, Illinois

Comic writers and artists are always a popular attraction at the Superman Celebration, and this year's featured artist, Carmine Infantino, is sure to be big hit with fans. He will appear during the 32nd annual event in Metropolis, Illinois June 10-13.

Carmine Infantino, born in Brooklyn, New York in 1925, is a comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the creation of the Silver Age of comic books. Infantino started his comics career in the 1940's drawing Airboy and The Heap for Hillman. He soon came to DC where he became a regular on the Golden Age Black Canary, Green Lantern, Justice Society of America and the Flash.

During the early 50's, he freelanced for Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's company Prize Comics, drawing Charlie Chan. At DC, with the demise of most of the 40's heroes, Infantino drew within many genres, including westerns, mysteries and science fiction. Infantino developed his clean linear style of almost pure design, aka the Infantino touch - as though one were seeing a fresh blueprint for the future.

In 1956, Editor Julius Schwartz made the decision to bring back the Flash for DC's newest title Showcase and put Infantino in charge of finding the look for the new science-fiction based Flash with Robert Kanigher scripting the story. Infantino strived to keep the red & yellow uniform as simple as possible. He used the theme of blinding speed as a motif for the lightning bolts and wings on the cowl and boots. He relied upon his design abilities to create a new visual language to depict the Flash's speed, making the figure a red and yellow blur.

In 1964, Schwartz was handed the fading Batman titles and asked to try and bring them back to life. Tapped for the job were scripter John Broome and Infantino. In addition to Batman, he also worked on Elongated Man, Adam Strange and the Flash.

By 1967, it became obvious that books with Infantino covers seemed to be selling better than others, he was charged with designing covers for the entire company.

When DC was sold to National, Infantino was promoted to Editorial Director. He started by hiring new talent, and promoting artists to editorial positions. Dick Giordano was hired away from Charlton Comics while Joe Orlando, Joe Kurbert and Mike Sekowsky became editors. New titles were started from new talents like Neal Adams and Denny O'Neil. Infantino was made publisher in early 1971.

Infantino attempted a number of changes including starting several new books in the late 1960's to early 1970's including new series like Bat Lash, the Secret Six, and characters like Deadman and The Creeper came upon the scene. In addition, older characters were revamped, such as Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Superman, Wonder Woman, & Batman. Sales were not there in the beginning which caused Infantino to cancel the books.

After working with writer Mario Puzo on the Superman movie, (Superman I), Infantino collaborated with Marvel on the historic company-crossover publication Superman vs. the Amazing Spiderman.

In the early 1980's, Infantino also did runs of Star Wars, Spider-Woman, Nova, and others for Marvel. In the late 80's, he returned to the Flash at DC, where he was much more at home than in the executive offices.

These days Infantino is retired, but still does interviews and occasionally make convention appearances. He published an autobiography called The Amazing World of Carmine Infantino, co-authored by J. David Spurlock.

Since the early 1960's, Infantino has been regarded as one of the top 5 comic artists of all time. Infantino has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career which include several Alley Awards and a National Cartoonists Society Award as well as a special Alley Award given for being the person "who exemplifies the spirit of innovation and inventiveness in the field of comic art."

The Superman Celebration features an area entitled "Artist Alley and Writers Way" where Infantino and other artists can be seen. Members of the Mid-South Cartoonist Association will run the programming at this popular site. Hands-on workshops, discussion panels, mini-seminars, and question and answer sessions will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Members of the Mid-South Cartoonist Association include: Lin Workman - Bushi Tales; Andrew Chandler - Moth & Ethan and Horatio the Half-Hoofed Horse; Adam Shaw - Bloodstream and Dead in Memphis; Jay Chuppe - The Red Mullet; Trevor Hawkins and Jeffrey Breslauer. The annual Artist Alley Fanfilm Competition will be run by Tim Brown of Inked Monkey Productions.

Other special guests who will be are part of this year's Celebration are Smallville actors, Laura Vandervoort, who portrays Supergirl/Kara and Sam Witwer, also known as Doomsday, and Ilya Salkind, producer of Superman I, II and III. And, the "First Lady of Metropolis" Noel Neill is scheduled to make a return trip to the festival where a statue of her portrayal as Lois Lane will be unveiled on June 11.

For more information about the Superman Celebration visit www.supermancelebration.net or call 800-949-5740. For information about Superman and other Metropolis attractions, visit www.metropolistourism.com or call 877-424-5025.

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The second weekend in June is devoted to the legendary character that stands for "Truth, Justice and the American Way" each year in Metropolis, Illinois. The Superman Celebration is a long standing festival and a must-see event for most anyone, especially comic lovers. Superman fans travel from all over the globe to visit the small southern Illinois town that is the Official Home of Superman.

There are other interesting super-hero related attractions located throughout the city, such as a giant rock of kryptonite. Complete with an Artist's Alley, Man of Steel exhibitions and contests, amusement park, live music and $1000 Superhero Costume Contest, the Superman Celebration provides fun for the entire family.

Metropolis features a 15-foot bronze statue of the Man of Steel and a Super Museum located on the town's Superman Square. A life-size statue of Noel Neill will grace the landscape soon. With the unveiling planned for June 11, final engraving orders are needed at the monument company very soon. A deadline of April 16 has been set for ordering engraved bricks guaranteed to be in place for the unveiling.

More information about the statue and a brick order form can be found at www.noelneillstatue.com. Orders may also be placed by calling the Chamber of Commerce at 618-524-2714 or emailing metrochamber@verizon.net.



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