Bernard Baily
Encyclopedia
Bernard Baily was an American
comic book
artist best known as co-creator of the DC Comics
characters the Spectre
and Hourman
, and a comics publisher, writer
, and editor
.
, editor of Wow, What a Magazine!, one of the seminal American comic books that reprinted black-and-white newspaper
comic strips in color and adding occasional new material as well. The title ran four issues (cover-dated July-Sept. & Nov. 1936), after which Baily, like many other creators during the late-1930s and 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books
, transitioned to the newly formed studio Eisner & Iger
, a prominent comic book "packager" that produced comics on demand for publishers entering the new medium
. There through the late '30s, Baily worked on such fillers as the one-page movie-star biographies "Star Snapshots" for publisher Quality Comics
' Smash Comics, and on a syndicated
comic strip, Phyllis.
For DC Comics
precursor National Comics, Baily co-created and drew the adventure feature "Tex Thomson" in Action Comics
#1 (March 1938), the landmark comic book that introduced Superman
. The Thomson feature ran through Action Comics #32 (Jan. 1941), after which the character adopted the superhero
identities Mister America
(Action Comics #33-52) and the Americommando (Action Comics #53-74, reaching to cover-date July 1944). Baily also wrote and drew the pirate-adventure feature "Buccanner" in National's More Fun Comics
#32-51 (June 1938 - Jan. 1940).
In More Fun Comics #52 (Feb. 1940), Baily and writer Jerry Siegel
, Superman's co-creator, introduced the future DC's violent spirit of vengeance
, the Spectre
. The afterlife alter ego
of murdered police detective Jim Corrigan, the character would become of the longest-enduring comic-book creations, revived during the mid-1950s to 1960s Silver Age of Comic Books
and continuing into 21st century. Baily as well co-created the frequently revived DC superhero Hourman
(dubbed Hour-Man in his earliest appearances), with writer Ken Fitch, in Adventure Comics
#48 (April 1940).
The Golden Age Spectre's feature ran through More Fun #101 (Feb. 1945), with the Spectre also appearing as part of the superhero team the Justice Society of America
in All Star Comics
#1-23 (Summer 1940 - Winter 1944/45), from All-American Publications
, one of the early companies that merged with National to form the modern-day DC. Hourman ran through Adventure Comics #83 (Feb. 1943).
Baily also drew the short-lived syndicated comic strips Vic Jordan, which ran from 1944-45 in the New York City
newspaper PM; and Stories of the Opera, running from 1949-50.
In 1943, Baily founded the publishing company Baily Publications and, with artist Mac Raboy
, the comics packager Bernard Baily Studio. The latter concern, which lasted through 1946, was the outsource producer of such comics as Cambridge House Publishers' single-issue Star Studded Comics and Gold Medal Comics (both 1945). Other publishers for whom his studio created comics included the Rural Home Publishing imprint Croyden; Jay Burtis; Narrative; Lindsay Baird; Feature Comics; Neal Publications; the Spotlight Comics imprint Novack '45; R.B. Leffingwell; and Holyoke Publications. Among the fledgling artists gaining a foothold in the industry at Baily's studio were Gil Kane
, Carmine Infantino
, and Frank Frazetta
, who at 16 assisted the established artist John Giunta there. Other personnel included Dan Barry, Dick Briefer
, Manny Stallman, and Nina Albright
, one of a handful of Golden Age women comic-book artists.
Baily himself drew for a number of companies in the 1950s, including DC Comics
(House of Mystery
, House of Secrets, Tales of the Unexpected
, and the TV-series adaptations Mr. District Attorney
and Gangbusters); Fawcett Comics
(This Magazine is Haunted
, Beware! Terror Tales); Key Publications
(Mister Mystery, Weird Mystieres, Weird Chills, Weird Tales of the Future); St. John Publications
(Strange Terrors); and Marvel Comics
precursor Atlas Comics
(Astonishing, Journey into Mystery
, Strange Tales
, Tales of Justice, Uncanny Tales
, World of Fantasy
, and others). He also wrote and drew the syndicated comic strip Gilda Gay through the 1950s, and contributed to Major Publications
' satirical magazine Cracked.
From the late 1950s through the mid-1960s, Baily teamed with writer Jack Schiff to produce a slew of one-page public-service announcements, such as "Children of Tomorrow," commemorating United Nations Day
, "What's Your B.Q.? (Brotherhood Quotient)", and "Bike Safety = Bike Fun!" Through the next decade, he concentrated on drawing supernatural
-mystery
and science fiction
stories for such DC anthology series as The Phantom Stranger, Strange Adventures
, Weird War Tales
, Witching Hour
, and others. He also drew the cover of Stanley Publications' black-and-white horror
-comics magazine Chilling Tales of Horror #1 (June 1969).
During the 1970s, Baily published farm
periodicals. His last known comics work was penciling the eight-page "His Brother's Keeper", written by Jack Oleck
, in DC's House of Mystery #279 (April 1980). Baily was living in Mahopac, New York
at the time of his death at age 79.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist best known as co-creator of the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
characters the Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
and Hourman
Hourman
Hourman is the name of three different fictional DC Comics superheroes, the first of whom was created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 , during the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Rex Tyler:Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate...
, and a comics publisher, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
.
Early life and career
Bernard Baily began his comics career under S.M. "Jerry" IgerJerry Iger
Samuel Maxwell "Jerry" Iger was an American cartoonist. With business partner Will Eisner he co-founder of Eisner & Iger, a comic book packager that produced comics on demand for new publishers during the late-1930s and 1940s period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic...
, editor of Wow, What a Magazine!, one of the seminal American comic books that reprinted black-and-white newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
comic strips in color and adding occasional new material as well. The title ran four issues (cover-dated July-Sept. & Nov. 1936), after which Baily, like many other creators during the late-1930s and 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
, transitioned to the newly formed studio Eisner & Iger
Eisner & Iger
Eisner & Iger was a comic book "packager" that produced comics on demand for publishers entering the new medium during the late-1930s and 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books...
, a prominent comic book "packager" that produced comics on demand for publishers entering the new medium
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
. There through the late '30s, Baily worked on such fillers as the one-page movie-star biographies "Star Snapshots" for publisher Quality Comics
Quality Comics
Quality Comics was an American comic book publishing company that operated from 1939 to 1956 and was an influential creative force in what historians and fans call the Golden Age of comic books....
' Smash Comics, and on a syndicated
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
comic strip, Phyllis.
For DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
precursor National Comics, Baily co-created and drew the adventure feature "Tex Thomson" in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#1 (March 1938), the landmark comic book that introduced Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. The Thomson feature ran through Action Comics #32 (Jan. 1941), after which the character adopted the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
identities Mister America
Mister America (DC Comics)
Mister America, in comics, is the name of three fictional DC Comics superheroes:...
(Action Comics #33-52) and the Americommando (Action Comics #53-74, reaching to cover-date July 1944). Baily also wrote and drew the pirate-adventure feature "Buccanner" in National's More Fun Comics
More Fun Comics
More Fun Comics, originally titled New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine a.k.a. New Fun Comics, was a 1935-1947 American comic book anthology that introduced several major superhero characters and was the first American comic-book series to feature solely original material rather than reprints of...
#32-51 (June 1938 - Jan. 1940).
Jerry Siegel
Jerome "Jerry" Siegel , who also used pseudonyms including Joe Carter, Jerry Ess, and Herbert S...
, Superman's co-creator, introduced the future DC's violent spirit of vengeance
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
, the Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
. The afterlife alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
of murdered police detective Jim Corrigan, the character would become of the longest-enduring comic-book creations, revived during the mid-1950s to 1960s Silver Age of Comic Books
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
and continuing into 21st century. Baily as well co-created the frequently revived DC superhero Hourman
Hourman
Hourman is the name of three different fictional DC Comics superheroes, the first of whom was created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 , during the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Rex Tyler:Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate...
(dubbed Hour-Man in his earliest appearances), with writer Ken Fitch, in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#48 (April 1940).
The Golden Age Spectre's feature ran through More Fun #101 (Feb. 1945), with the Spectre also appearing as part of the superhero team the Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
in All Star Comics
All Star Comics
All Star Comics is a 1940s comic book series from All-American Publications, one of the early companies that merged with National Periodical Publications to form the modern-day DC Comics. With the exception of the first two issues, All Star Comics primarily told stories about the adventures of the...
#1-23 (Summer 1940 - Winter 1944/45), from All-American Publications
All-American Publications
All-American Publications is one of three American comic book companies that combined to form the modern-day DC Comics, one of the world's two largest comics publishers...
, one of the early companies that merged with National to form the modern-day DC. Hourman ran through Adventure Comics #83 (Feb. 1943).
Baily also drew the short-lived syndicated comic strips Vic Jordan, which ran from 1944-45 in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
newspaper PM; and Stories of the Opera, running from 1949-50.
Later career
Mac Raboy
Emmanuel "Mac" Raboy was an American cartoonist whose comic books and strips remain collectibles more than 40 years after his death. He was known for his work on Fawcett Comics' Captain Marvel Jr...
, the comics packager Bernard Baily Studio. The latter concern, which lasted through 1946, was the outsource producer of such comics as Cambridge House Publishers' single-issue Star Studded Comics and Gold Medal Comics (both 1945). Other publishers for whom his studio created comics included the Rural Home Publishing imprint Croyden; Jay Burtis; Narrative; Lindsay Baird; Feature Comics; Neal Publications; the Spotlight Comics imprint Novack '45; R.B. Leffingwell; and Holyoke Publications. Among the fledgling artists gaining a foothold in the industry at Baily's studio were Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
, Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (born May 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York is an American comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the Silver Age of Comic Books...
, and Frank Frazetta
Frank Frazetta
Frank Frazetta was an American fantasy and science fiction artist, noted for work in comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, LP record album covers and other media...
, who at 16 assisted the established artist John Giunta there. Other personnel included Dan Barry, Dick Briefer
Dick Briefer
Richard "Dick" Briefer was an American comic-book artist best known for his various adaptations, including humorous ones, of the Frankenstein monster...
, Manny Stallman, and Nina Albright
Nina Albright
Nina Albright was an American comic book artist during the Golden Age of Comic Books, one of the few woman working in that field during the period....
, one of a handful of Golden Age women comic-book artists.
Baily himself drew for a number of companies in the 1950s, including DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
(House of Mystery
House of Mystery
The House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series. It had a companion series, House of Secrets.-Genesis:...
, House of Secrets, Tales of the Unexpected
Tales of the Unexpected (comics)
Tales of the Unexpected was a science fiction comic book published by DC Comics from 1956 to 1968 for 104 issues. It was later renamed The Unexpected although the numbering continued and it ended at issue 222, in 1982...
, and the TV-series adaptations Mr. District Attorney
Mr. District Attorney
Mr. District Attorney is a popular radio crime drama which aired on NBC and ABC from April 3, 1939 to June 13, 1952 . The series focused on a crusading D.A., initially known only as "Mister District Attorney," or "Chief", and was later translated to television. On television the D.A...
and Gangbusters); Fawcett Comics
Fawcett Comics
Fawcett Comics, a division of Fawcett Publications, was one of several successful comic book publishers during the Golden Age of Comic Books in the 1940s...
(This Magazine is Haunted
This Magazine Is Haunted
This Magazine is Haunted was a horror comic originally published by Fawcett between 1951 and 1953. Running 14 issues, it was the first of Fawcett's supernatural line; a string of titles which included Beware! Terror Tales, Worlds of Fear, Strange Suspense Stories, and Unknown Worlds.After Fawcett...
, Beware! Terror Tales); Key Publications
Key Publications
Key Publications was an American comic-book company founded by Stanley P. Morse that published under the imprints Aragon Magazines, Gillmor Magazines, Medal Comics, Media Publications, S. P. M. Publications, Stanmor Publications, and Timor Publications.- History :Stanley P...
(Mister Mystery, Weird Mystieres, Weird Chills, Weird Tales of the Future); St. John Publications
St. John Publications
St. John Publications was an American publisher of magazines and comic books. During its short existence , St. John's comic books established several industry firsts. Founded by Archer St. John , the firm was located in Manhattan at 545 Fifth Avenue. After the St...
(Strange Terrors); and Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
precursor Atlas Comics
Atlas Comics (1950s)
Atlas Comics is the term used to describe the 1950s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. Magazine and paperback novel publisher Martin Goodman, whose business strategy involved having a multitude of corporate entities, used Atlas as the umbrella name for his comic...
(Astonishing, Journey into Mystery
Journey into Mystery
Journey into Mystery was an American comic book series published by Atlas Comics, and later its successor Marvel Comics. It featured horror, monster, and science fiction stories...
, Strange Tales
Strange Tales
Strange Tales is the name of several comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It introduced the features "Doctor Strange" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and was a showcase for the science fiction/suspense stories of artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and for the...
, Tales of Justice, Uncanny Tales
Uncanny Tales
Uncanny Tales may refer to one of the following publications:* Uncanny Tales , an American pulp magazine* Uncanny Tales , a Canadian pulp magazine...
, World of Fantasy
World of Fantasy
World of Fantasy was a science fiction/fantasy comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor company, Atlas Comics. Lasting from 1956 to 1959, it included the work of several notable comics artists, including industry legends Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and Bill Everett.The...
, and others). He also wrote and drew the syndicated comic strip Gilda Gay through the 1950s, and contributed to Major Publications
Major Publications
Major Publications, also known was Major Magazines, was a publisher specializing in comic magazines, most notably the satirical magazine Cracked, the most durable imitator of Mad magazine. Founded by Robert C...
' satirical magazine Cracked.
From the late 1950s through the mid-1960s, Baily teamed with writer Jack Schiff to produce a slew of one-page public-service announcements, such as "Children of Tomorrow," commemorating United Nations Day
United Nations Day
In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly declared 24 October, the anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations, as which "shall be devoted to making known to the peoples of the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations and to gaining their support for" its work.In 1971 the...
, "What's Your B.Q.? (Brotherhood Quotient)", and "Bike Safety = Bike Fun!" Through the next decade, he concentrated on drawing supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
-mystery
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
and science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
stories for such DC anthology series as The Phantom Stranger, Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures was the title of several American comic books published by DC Comics, most notably a long-running science fiction anthology that began in 1950.-Original series:...
, Weird War Tales
Weird War Tales
Weird War Tales was a war comic book title with supernatural overtones published by DC Comics which ran from September 1971 to June 1983.-Background:...
, Witching Hour
The Witching Hour (DC Comics)
The Witching Hour was a DC comic book horror anthology that ran from 1969 to 1978. Its tagline was "It's 12 o'clock... The Witching Hour!"...
, and others. He also drew the cover of Stanley Publications' black-and-white horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
-comics magazine Chilling Tales of Horror #1 (June 1969).
During the 1970s, Baily published farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
periodicals. His last known comics work was penciling the eight-page "His Brother's Keeper", written by Jack Oleck
Jack Oleck
Jack Oleck was an American novelist and comic book writer particularly known for his work in the horror genre.The brother-in-law of comics pioneer Joe Simon, Oleck's comic book career was basically in two parts. During the Golden Age of comics Oleck wrote for EC Comics and the Simon-Jack Kirby...
, in DC's House of Mystery #279 (April 1980). Baily was living in Mahopac, New York
Mahopac, New York
Mahopac, New York, is a hamlet in the Town of Carmel in Putnam County, New York. An exurb of New York City some to the south, Mahopac is located on US Route 6 on the County's southern central border with Westchester County...
at the time of his death at age 79.