2023 Comic Book News Archives
May 21, 2023: Long-Time Superman Editor Mike Carlin Retires
Mike Carlin, long-time comic book editor at DC, announced his retirement over the weekend, ending a 37 year career that included working as editor on the Superman titles, overseeing "The Death of Superman" storyline and the aftermath.Carlin's wife Janice posted this message on Mike's behalf:
After nearly 37 years I literally have seen hundreds come and go. Alas, dear Reader, I didn't know them all well... but what I did know was that each and every one of them was here at DC for the same reason I was: We loved comics... and, in particular, DC Comics (oh, and other jobs were probably beyond our ken, anyways). If an employee didn't love comics or DC Comics when they got here... they did by the time they were writing their Farewell Note... originally with Carbon Copies and now with a *DCE - Burbank All e-mail address.
My earliest memory is waking up on a Gurney at 2 years old having just had my tonsils out, I was being wheeled into my Mother's room as she had her tonsils out that day, too. Part of the memory was that I had a bunch of SUPERMAN Comics on my lap. Mom had arranged that I'd get them when I woke up... because she loved SUPERMAN and WONDER WOMAN Comics when she was a kid (she also loved EC Comics but they were harder to come by in 1960 - and the pictures probably too much for a 2 year-old who was only "reading" the pictures at that point).
I first visted DC's offices in a dream. Late one Christmas Eve when I thought I'd never fall asleep from excitement-- I finally did, and I found myself at DC's offices. I knew it was DC because the printing presses were there and running and they were printing a BATMAN Comic. I woke up and it was literally Christmas morning.
I wanted to draw comics so my mother arranged for me to take the entrance exam to New York's HIGH SCHOOL OF ART & DESIGN. I got in, and there I studied Animation and Cartooning... and one Saturday famed DC Editor DICK GIORDANO gave a lecture about doing comic book art. He gave out a packet and said that if we did sample pages and they were selected, the "winner" could come up to DC's offices at 75 Rockefeller Plaza for a private (well with 8 other kids) lesson from Dick... I was selected and invited up to DC's headquarters . (P.S. There were no Printing Presses in that Manhattan office building.)
The next time I was at DC was in 1974 when I was selected to be an Intern at DC by my High School Art teacher. I sat outside Julie Schwartz's office and listened to him plot comics with Cary Bates and Eliot S! Maggin. I mostly Xeroxed art (having copied Kirby's KAMANDI and Simonson's MANHUNTER/BATMAN pages I quickly decided I probably was NOT going to be a comic artist and I should stick to humorous cartooning) and sorted color separations... and a few production artists talked to me... but rarely Carmine Infantino or the Editors. I learned alot. Best part of this internship was the day Burt Ward came in to the office in his TV Show ROBIN costume! No stockings... shaved legs... but a hearty handshake and "Hello, Citizen."
Finished High School... and then College at the SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS. No real DC connections there-- except the creator of MAD Magazine, Harvey Kurtzman, was one of my teachers. Will Eisner, too (thanks for the award 15 years later, Will)!
Anyways... after a small detour through Marvel Comics where I wrote and drew for their version of MAD, CRAZY Magazine... and writing some CAPTAIN AMERICA and HE-MAN Comics I was fired. That was 1986.
Luckily lots of Marvel folks were leaving... and landing at DC (George Pérez and John Byrne and Denny O'Neil)... and they helped me get seen by Dick Giordano, once again.
Somehow I got hired and on my birthday in 1986 the attached Company I.D. was created... and then almost 37 years passed. The only thing different is that now they don't print your Social Security number on your I.D.s! >Whew!<
Anyways... I've worked at a bunch of DC offices in those years... and put out a bunch of comics... and for the last 13 years worked on some animated cartoons. The job always being "make good stories"... so I tried. I think DC tried, too, and now I have a good story.
Yeah... Intern to Editor to Group Editor to V.P. Executive Editor to Senior Group Editor again (not a fan of the V.P. part of the job!) and lastly Creative Director of Animation in Beautiful Downtown Burbank! Thanks DC... no more Winter fer me!
$@%$!, I swore I'd make mine shorter than everyone else's... oh well... I was at DC longer!
The short version: I dreamed of being at DC... my dream came true... now it's your turn!
I am available on my regular old person e-mail if anyone wants/needs help - because no matter what I'm a Company Man!
My next "adventure" will sound dull... I'll be reading all the books I've been buying for 40 years with no time to read 'em... and, since I haven't ever done a Resumé on a computer, I'll leave the job hunting to the young folk. At the same time if jobs hunt me... I'll do 'em 'cause I wanna... not 'cause I hafta!
I look forward to not setting my alarm on Monday and expect all of you left behind to HAVE FUN WITHOUT ME™!
Carlini Awaaaaaaaaaaay!
2023 Comic Book News
Listed below are all the Comic News items archived for 2023.- January 10, 2023: Superman Comic Book Creators Attending Comic Conventions in January
- January 12, 2023: Superman Comic Books in 2023 - Poll Results
- January 15, 2023: The Return of Superman's Secret Identity
- January 17, 2023: DC Adds “Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #1” to Digital Collectible Comics
- January 18, 2023: Superman Comic Book Creators Attending Fan Expo Portland
- January 18, 2023: Dan Jurgens Shares Unused “Electric Superman” Design
- February 6, 2023: Jon Kent Faces the World of “Injustice”
- February 7, 2023: Looking Back at the “All Star Superman” Comic Book Series
- February 13, 2023: Big Time Collectibles “Superman #1” Blue Foil Logo Exclusive Sells Out!
- February 14, 2023: Superman Stars in “Batman: The Brave and The Bold” Title Return
- February 14, 2023: Superman Comic Book Creators at Fan Expo Portland
- February 16, 2023: Alex Ross Announces Collaboration With CGC for Private Signing
- February 23, 2023: Horror Overwhelms the DC Universe in “Knight Terrors”
- February 23, 2023: “Superman vs. Meshi” to be Translated to English
- March 2, 2023: Review - “Superman: The Man of Steel” Hardcover Collections
- March 3, 2023: Rags Morales Attending Retro Expo in Allen, Texas
- March 7, 2023: DC Adds “Superman #75” to Digital Collectible Comics
- March 8, 2023: Heritage Auctions Lists More Original Superman/Steel Art by Jon Bogdanove
- March 9, 2023: CGC Announces First Ever Custom Provenance Label
- March 10, 2023: DC Announces New “Steelworks” Comic Book
- March 28, 2023: DC Adds “Kingdom Come #1” to Digital Collectible Comics
- March 31, 2023: DC Reveals New Superman Costume
- March 31, 2023: Video - “Dawn of DC” Comic Trailer
- April 4, 2023: DC Adds “All-Star Superman #1” to Digital Collectible Comics
- April 8, 2023: Review - “Superman: The Man of Steel” Hardcover Collections Part 2
- April 11, 2023: Up to 70% Off in Barnes & Noble DC Comics Sale
- April 12, 2023: DC Announces “Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor” by Mark Waid
- April 13, 2023: Horror Invades The DC Universe in “Knight Terrors”
- April 13, 2023: Which Current Superman Comic Book is Your Favorite? - Poll Results
- April 15, 2023: Superman Faces “Knight Terrors”
- April 18, 2023: DC Launches “Daily Planet” Website
- May 3, 2023: Jim Lee Promoted to President of DC Comics
- May 12, 2023: DC Announces “Action Comics Presents: Doomsday Special #1”
- May 17, 2023: Why SUPERMAN: WARWORLD is Worth Your Time
- May 17, 2023: Joshua Williamson - DC Creator Q&A Video
- May 21, 2023: Long-Time Superman Editor Mike Carlin Retires
- May 25, 2023: CGC Announces Private Signing Event with Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding
- June 20, 2023: Why “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” is a Must-Read
- June 30, 2023: “Dawn of DC: Knight Terrors” Official Trailer
- July 5, 2023: Review - “Superman: The Exile and Other Stories Omnibus”
- July 21, 2023: DC and Legendary Comics Announce “JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. GODZILLA VS. KONG”
- July 22, 2023: Joe Casey Returning to Write Superman After 20 Years
- July 26, 2023: “Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong” Comic Trailer
- August 2, 2023: SDCC 2023 - WORLD OF METROPOLIS Panel
- August 10, 2023: Review - “Superman: The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus”
- August 17, 2023: San Diego Comic Con 2023 - “Dawn Of DC: Knight Terrors” Panel
- August 20, 2023: Superman & Batman: Generations Omnibus Review
- September 5, 2023: “Superman '78 #1” New York Comic Con 2023 Exclusive Variant Cover
- September 29, 2023: Sina Grace on the Young Adult Graphic Novel “Superman: The Harvests of Youth”
- October 6, 2023: “DC Comics: The Golden Age (1938-1956)“ Prestige Comic Book Collection
- October 12, 2023: Legendary Comic Creator Keith Giffen Dies, Aged 70
- October 13, 2023: DC Announces “Superman Superstars” Takeover of “Action Comics” in 2024
- October 19, 2023: Fan Interest in “Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong” - Poll Results
- November 2, 2023: DC Announces DC Compact Comics
- November 22, 2023: “Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #2” Comic Trailer
- November 28, 2023: Mild Mannered Reviews - Superman: For All Seasons
- December 13, 2023: DC Announces an All-Ape “Jungle League”!
- December 13, 2023: Bizarro and Dreamer Join Amanda Waller's New Task Force X in “Suicide Squad: Dream Team”
- December 14, 2023: William Shatner on the Cover of “Batman/Superman: World's Finest #25”
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