Kurt Schaffenberger
Encyclopedia
Kurt Schaffenberger was an American
comic book
artist
. Schaffenberger was best known for his work on Captain Marvel
and the Marvel Family
(during both the Golden Age
and Silver Age
of comics), as well as his work on the title Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane
during the 1950s and 1960s.
, Germany
, where, as a boy, he ". . . tended geese, herded goats, and hoed potatoes." Emigrating to America as a 7-year-old (first to Hartford, Connecticut
, and then to New York City
), he eventually won a scholarship to the Pratt Institute
. After graduation, he joined Jack Binder
's studio in 1941, where he worked on key Fawcett titles including Captain Marvel, Bulletman, and Ibis.
While working for Binder's studio, which was located in Englewood, New Jersey
, Schaffenberger took over an apartment from the local high school football coach, Vince Lombardi
(who had yet to achieve success in the National Football League
).
During this time, Schaffenberger's work was also published by Prize, Street & Smith
, and Pines.
Schaffenberger served in the U.S. military during World War II
, including a stint with the Office of Strategic Services
, leaving the military with the rank of Master Sergeant
.
Schaffenberger returned to the world of professional sequential art soon after war's end. He resumed his work for the Captain Marvel family of titles, and expanded his reach to an even more diverse group of publishing houses, including EC
, Gilberton
, Premier Magazines, American Comics Group
, and Marvel Comics
.
At Gilberton, Schaffenberger provided the interior art for Classics Illustrated No. 119, Soldiers of Fortune (May 1954).
In 1957 Otto Binder
recruited Schaffenberger to DC to work on the Superman
family. He stayed at DC for the next 30 years, making an especially large contribution to the development of Lois Lane
. In this capacity, he was the lead artist on the book, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, for the entirety of its first decade. Indeed, Schaffenberger's rendition of Lane became cited by many as the "definitive" version of the character, and Schaffenberger was often asked by DC editor Mort Weisinger
to redraw other artists' depictions of Lois Lane in other DC titles where she appeared.
He was essentially fired from DC in 1970 for helping to organize other artists to protest bad working conditions. He then briefly freelanced and worked for Marvel, but returned to DC in 1972.
When, in the 1970s, DC acquired the rights to the Marvel Family
, Schaffenberger was one of the key players in the revival of those characters. The late 1970s saw him contribute well outside the Superman family of titles, including short-lived runs on titles like Wonder Woman and The Super Friends.
By 1980, Schaffenberger was again leading a Superman family title, The New Adventures of Superboy (the final, post-Legion title for the original Superboy
). Somewhat metaphorically, the Superboy- and Supergirl-less DC universe that followed the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths
turned out to be a mostly Shaffenberger-less one as well. He largely retired from comics soon after helping with the final pre-Crisis Superman tale "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"
Schaffenberger was a special guest at the 1996 San Diego Comic Con.
Award in the "Comic Book" division. He also received an Inkpot Award in 1996.
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
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. Schaffenberger was best known for his work on Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
and the Marvel Family
Marvel Family
The Marvel Family is a group of fictional characters, a team of superheroes in the Fawcett Comics and DC Comics universes. Created in 1942 by writer Otto Binder and Fawcett artists C. C...
(during both the Golden Age
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...
and Silver Age
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...
of comics), as well as his work on the title Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane
Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane
Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane was a comic book series published monthly by DC Comics focusing on the adventures of supporting character Lois Lane. The series began publication March/April 1958 and ended its run September/October 1974 with 137 regular issues and 2 80-page Annuals...
during the 1950s and 1960s.
Early career
Schaffenberger was born on a farm in the Thuringian ForestThuringian Forest
The Thuringian Forest running northwest to southeast, forms a continuous stretch of ancient rounded mountains posing ample difficulties in transit routing save through a few navigable passes in the southern reaches of the German state of Thuringia. It is about long and wide...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where, as a boy, he ". . . tended geese, herded goats, and hoed potatoes." Emigrating to America as a 7-year-old (first to Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, and then to 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...
), he eventually won a scholarship to the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
. After graduation, he joined Jack Binder
Jack Binder (comics)
Jack Binder was a Golden Age comics creator and art packager. A fine artist by education, Binder had a prolific comics career that lasted from 1937–1946, then continued from "semi-retirement" until 1953. He was the creator of the original comic book Daredevil, for Lev Gleason Publications...
's studio in 1941, where he worked on key Fawcett titles including Captain Marvel, Bulletman, and Ibis.
While working for Binder's studio, which was located in Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, Schaffenberger took over an apartment from the local high school football coach, Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
(who had yet to achieve success in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
).
During this time, Schaffenberger's work was also published by Prize, Street & Smith
Street & Smith
Street & Smith or Street & Smith Publications, Inc. was a New York City publisher specializing in inexpensive paperbacks and magazines referred to as pulp fiction and dime novels. They also published comic books and sporting yearbooks...
, and Pines.
Schaffenberger served in the U.S. military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, including a stint with the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
, leaving the military with the rank of Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
.
Schaffenberger returned to the world of professional sequential art soon after war's end. He resumed his work for the Captain Marvel family of titles, and expanded his reach to an even more diverse group of publishing houses, including EC
EC Comics
Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books specializing in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, notably the Tales from the Crypt series...
, Gilberton
Gilberton (publisher)
The Gilberton Company, Inc. was an American publisher best known for the comic book series Classics Illustrated. Beginning life as an imprint of the Elliot Publishing Company, the company became independent in 1942, before being sold to the Frawley Corporation in 1967...
, Premier Magazines, American Comics Group
American Comics Group
American Comics Group was a New York City-based comic book publisher which operated during the Golden and Silver Age of comic books. ACG published one of the first horror comics titles, Adventures into the Unknown. Another of ACG's claims to fame was the character of Herbie Popnecker, who starred...
, 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...
.
At Gilberton, Schaffenberger provided the interior art for Classics Illustrated No. 119, Soldiers of Fortune (May 1954).
DC Comics
Otto Binder
Otto Oscar Binder was an American author of science fiction and non-fiction books and stories, and comic books...
recruited Schaffenberger to DC to work on the 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...
family. He stayed at DC for the next 30 years, making an especially large contribution to the development of Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
. In this capacity, he was the lead artist on the book, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, for the entirety of its first decade. Indeed, Schaffenberger's rendition of Lane became cited by many as the "definitive" version of the character, and Schaffenberger was often asked by DC editor Mort Weisinger
Mort Weisinger
Mortimer Weisinger was an American magazine and comic book editor best known for editing DC Comics' Superman during the mid-1950s to 1960s, in the Silver Age of comic books...
to redraw other artists' depictions of Lois Lane in other DC titles where she appeared.
He was essentially fired from DC in 1970 for helping to organize other artists to protest bad working conditions. He then briefly freelanced and worked for Marvel, but returned to DC in 1972.
When, in the 1970s, DC acquired the rights to the Marvel Family
Marvel Family
The Marvel Family is a group of fictional characters, a team of superheroes in the Fawcett Comics and DC Comics universes. Created in 1942 by writer Otto Binder and Fawcett artists C. C...
, Schaffenberger was one of the key players in the revival of those characters. The late 1970s saw him contribute well outside the Superman family of titles, including short-lived runs on titles like Wonder Woman and The Super Friends.
By 1980, Schaffenberger was again leading a Superman family title, The New Adventures of Superboy (the final, post-Legion title for the original Superboy
Superboy (Kal-El)
The original Superboy is a fictional superhero who appears in DC Comics. The name of Superman as a boy, Superboy has adventures that occur in the relative past to those of Superman and take place predominantly in his hometown of Smallville...
). Somewhat metaphorically, the Superboy- and Supergirl-less DC universe that followed the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
turned out to be a mostly Shaffenberger-less one as well. He largely retired from comics soon after helping with the final pre-Crisis Superman tale "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"
Schaffenberger was a special guest at the 1996 San Diego Comic Con.
Personal life
Schaffenberger was married with two children, and spent most of his adult life living in suburban New Jersey.Awards
Schaffenberger's work won him the 1984 National Cartoonists SocietyNational Cartoonists Society
The National Cartoonists Society is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the troops...
Award in the "Comic Book" division. He also received an Inkpot Award in 1996.
Further reading
- Interview, Comic Book Marketplace #59 (May 1998) pp. 18–33. Gemstone Publishing.
External links
- I Love Lois (Lane) (fan site)