THE COMIC ART AND CARTOONS OF JACK COLE HD

[@ingmarvanderhoek6314]

Plastic man is very original in its composition and weird angles. I think cole would have been a great artist for MAD magazine. Thanks for highlighting him!

[@petebeard]

Thanks for your comment. Oddly, until I started making the videos the only time I had seen anything connected with Plastic Man was a 1950s parody in ...yes you guessed it...Mad magazine. They called it Plastic Sam and it was drawn by Russ Heath (who?).

[@Axgoodofdunemaul]

When I was a little boy in the late 1940s, Plastic Man was my favorite comic book in that genre. Now, at age 82, I'm amazed that the same artist was one of the color geniuses of Playboy in the classic 1960s. I recognized his Playboy style immediately! Thanks for this.

[@petebeard]

Many thanks for your comment and appreciation. I'm pleased you enjoyed thev ideo.

[@vaughngaminghd]

Pete, I'm so glad you did this one… I've been reading biographies lately on Alex Toth, Milt Caniff and Wally Wood - comic art heavy-hitters from the 50s. Had no idea the guy who created Plastic Man also did those beautiful, soft watercolors in Playboy as well. Such a beautiful, fluid line. Thanks for the introduction!

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot anf I'm very pleased you enjoyed the video. I don't know about others but both Caniff and Eisner are on the list (admittedly towards the back, though).

[@matthieujoly]

I've read and remember about some comics with plastic man... the ending of Mr Cole is so sad, what a comic talent ! Thank you for the work, and as always, the rhythm of the narration !

[@petebeard]

Thanks as always to you for your consideration and appreciation.

[@FD-io4pk]

Thank you for putting a name on the creator of Plastic man, always loved the character !

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation.

[@cjdesign5700]

Have always loved Jack Cole...another Like The fantastic Wallace Wood...left too soon...Godspeed. Thank you Mr Beard

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comment.

[@cha5]

Cole’s Plastic-Man and Midnight have always been two of my favorite Golden Age runs of the 1940’s. Thanks for highlighting the man. 🙂

[@kuldas9299]

The cartoon Gods thank you for your good work, Pete.

[@petebeard]

Many thanks for your comment and appeciation.

[@Davidbirdman101]

Hey Pete, I've been with you since the beginning and I want to thank you for helping me become an "Artist" . I'm 68 years old and a retired carpenter, I always wanted to draw and paint and your channel is a source of inspiration. I would never have known about some of these wonderful artists without your channel. Thanks for your wonderful videos!

[@petebeard]

Your appreciation of my efforts with the channel are particularly welcome, and if the content inspres you to creative activity that's even better.

[@carlcotton1753]

Very interesting man, and a story well told. Thank you

[@petebeard]

Thanks as always for your favourable comment.

[@traie1970]

Absolutely wonderful piece, thank you for your work. Cracking an old issue of Police or Plastic Man tonight for sure.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your favourable comment.

[@markfountain2043]

Thank you for another wonderful video!

[@petebeard]

...and thanks for a positive comment. Greatly appreciated.

[@Doodler-Pete]

Another wonderful video Pete. Thank you for shining a light on illustrators and artists who may be lost to archives if not for your the research.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation of my efforts.

[@MightyAtom1952]

Great video, Pete! I would love some similar videos on other comic book artists who did other works, just like Jack did. His work for Playboy is just stunning!

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation. But don't hold your breath waiting for too many other comic book artists. It's actually not my thing at all and I tend to stay in my comfort zone. Having said that I'll probably feature Eisner at least in the future.

[@MightyAtom1952]

@@petebeard I figure as much, but no harm in asking kkkk Thanks for the answer, Pete. Your videos are amazing and I have bought several books that future then works of these amazing artists you presented to us. Keep up the good work 👍🏻

[@TheMikester307]

I read a Plastic Man story reprinted in a book the High School Library had (in black-and-white) in the 70s and I was absolutely entranced! I loved that when he disguised himself as a radiator in an apartment you could still see the design of his uniform! There are at least a couple of volumes of "The Plastic Man Archives" that spotlight Cole's work. Thank you for this, Pete! And thanks Jack!

[@petebeard]

Hello again and thanks for the comments. You're right about the Hokinson similarity too. I must admit I can take or leave some of his comic book stuff but the loose painted work is much more to my personal taste

[@gerardtessers]

Pete, thank you...só much! I've been a Jack Cole fan for quite a long time and I really loved this episode! I was familiar with his work on Silver Streak Comics as well as the Spirit. The influence of Eisner can be seen in his Plastic Man work, as well...Look at the way the title-pages are similar to what Will Eisner did with the Spirit: every page spells the name of the hero in a different way, using buildings, lights, branches, et cetera, but never with a 'fixed' logo (which other superhero comics did use). I always loved his imaginative way of 'hiding' Plastic Man in backgrounds in order to surprise the villains, or the many (many!) ways he shifted his bodily form. Sad ending for a great artist, but, as mentioned, unfortunately he was not the only one who walked this path. You reminded us of the wacky Jack!

[@petebeard]

Thanks again for your comment and appreciation. I'll let you into a little secret - I'm fairly indifferent to the charms of Cole's work as I'm not a fan of comic books in general. But I still thought he was an interesting subject to cover, and I try not to let my personal prejudices interfere with the content.

[@Pagespinner]

What a pleasure to see such a genuinely knowledgeable and respectful tribute to this highly influential artist.

[@petebeard]

Many thanks for your appreciation of my efforts.

[@fourrpaws]

As a kid, I always loved Plastic Man (this would be the 1960s DC incarnation). I had no idea the history and creativity surrounding his creation. Thanks, Pete.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation and commen.

[@lostonwallace1396]

My understanding, based on talking to instructors at the Joe Kubert School during my stint there as a student, is that many comic book artists back in the '30s and '40s freelanced used different names because many of the companies they worked for didn't want them working for competitor companies. Comic books paid so little that it was nearly impossible for many artists to make ends meet working for only one company, so they created alias that allowed them to gain extra employment. Many artists would also alter their style of drawing too in an effort to full editors from various companies. Keep in mind that many comic book companies would start up and fold practically overnight back in those days, and it was fairly common for some companies to go out of business just to avoid paying artists and writers the money they owed them. Rather shady, but that happened quite often, so artists had to work as much as possible to make it in the comic book world. There were lots of legit companies, but times were tough, and there were many shifty people in the business who were all to happy to take advantage of talent. All that said and out of the way, Jack Cole was one of the true masters of sequential storytelling and comic book narrative art. His work always had a spontaneous energy to it that few in the business could match. He had amazing skills at both penciling and inking, and his breathtaking work speaks for itself. He was a master of the craft. I love that you showed some of his work with THE SPIRIT, always one of my favorites. I was fortunate enough to draw the Spirit professionally in issue #2 of ROCKETEER vs SPIRIT for IDW and DC Comics. Plastic-Man is still around, but nobody draws him as well as Cole drew him. Cole's imagination for weird shapes and antics just can't be matched, it seems.

[@petebeard]

Many thanks for your comments, appreciation and particularly for sharing your knowledge about the genre. I supected that shady dealings were somehow involved but my broad ignorance of comic art told me not to speculate. Thanks for filling in the blanks, and some day I will feature Eisner in the series.

[@lostonwallace1396]

@@petebeard Glad to offer the input. The early days of comic books was filled with colorful characters. Some of them were flat-out gangsters it seems. Luckily there were a few reputable companies to work for, but many were what Joe Kubert called "the fly-by-nights" that either didn't know how to run a business, or weren't honest to begin with. Covering Will Eisner in a video will absolutely be a great episode, Pete! I look forward to that one for sure! Basil Wolverton, Jack Kirby and Lou Fine would be grand subjects to tackle as well, In my opinion. I actually own a sketch from Will Eisner--a drawing of the Spirit, no less!

[@guydoriansr]

Was just about to write this. Excellent comment. Well done.

[@TheMarkEH]

Another great episode. Thanks Pete and I wait with baited breath for the 100k subscribers that simply must come soon!

[@petebeard]

Thanks as always. There's no living with me at the moment as I watch the subscribers slowly (but surely) rising towards that magic figure. Knowing me I'll feel a trememdous sense of deflation and disappointment when/if I finally get there. My hope is that it will lead to more promotion of the channel by youtube, but who knows?

[@nilo70]

Thank you for sharing this episode with all of us Pete.

[@petebeard]

Thanks - I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@hognatius_valentine9057]

Great video. I didn’t know much about Jack Cole but I love the cartoons depicted. Always liked the work I saw of his from Playboy and was fascinated by the inventiveness of his Plastic Man comic

[@petebeard]

Many thanks for your comment and appreciation of Cole's work.

[@JeffreyKahnartist]

It’s amazing how much work you put into these.

[@petebeard]

Luckily it isn;t a chore, but it does consume a lot of my time and energy. Thanks for the appreciation.

[@Mannock]

Thank you for this one, Pete. Cole was always my favourite all around cartoonist in the Playboy stable. In my opinion, he drew what I think is the sexiest cartoon ever drawn, untitled, and appearing on page 15 of the February 1956 issue of Playboy, of an artist painting a canvas of a red haired model. Cole was a first rate cartoonist, and his cartoons seem like they are from the sixties and seventies. Sadly, he committed suicide in August 1958, so we will never know how far he could have extended. Once more, thank you, Pete. And I am passing your collection to many, all in appreciation.

[@petebeard]

Many thanks for your appreciation of this video, and I'm pleased you think I did him justice. It was only when I was making the video I realised he was so much more than the creator of Plastic Man.

[@Mannock]

@@petebeard And for that, you are truly welcome. He was a corner stone for the humour of the late fifties to the mid seventies post mortem. For all that can be said about Playboy, the magazine was on the vanguard of writing and humour. In my teens, I read Playboy for the...er...interviews and essays. Yeah, the interviews and essays...

[@bizarrebraincomics7819]

Magnificent. I didn't know Cole was so prolific.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation.

[@pompom7x728]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[@petebeard]

Thanks for your appreciation and subscription. Both are welcome.

[@portapapi3292]

You are the best! Thank you!

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot. I certainly try my best.

[@jonsey3645]

Thanks again, Mr. Beard. You are an appreciated luminary in the understated millieu of Bohemian graphic expression.

[@petebeard]

Your positive comment regarding my efforts with the channel is very welcome - thanks a lot.

[@davidshurville3658]

What a talent and terrible end. So sad! I love your channel and I'm guessing that your viewers might enjoy more focused episodes on comic book illustrators. Such a deep and rich area to explore. And you're surely the man for the job Pete.

[@petebeard]

Hello again and thanks again for another favourable comment. And you are absolutely right about the popularity of comic book art. But the awful truth is...not all that much with yours truly. But there are always exceptions to the rules, andd i do try not to let my own preferences dictate all the content, so one ot two more will feature in the future. But I'm far less familiar with the genre than others so I leave it for those with greater insight to tackle in depth.

[@neiljackson3133]

I really enjoyed this Pete. I've loved Jack Cole's comic work and it is so good to hear about the other side of his career. Thank you.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation.

[@wonderrob3225]

I love this! Pete, you know I'm an animation artist and your uploads are a treasure trove to me

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation. For my sins I worked a fair old bit in animation during what passed for my career. Never an animator as such, though. Storyboards, backgrounds, character design and direction were my cross to bear.

[@Fuzzypickles2024]

❤️Wonderful Video as usual I already had a been of knowledge on Cole being a bit of a vintage comic nerd but I was surprised at how many pieces of art and bits about his life I was unfamiliar with! It truly is sad we lost Cole so soon had he continued I think he could have built a bigger legacy on par with Jack Davis but I’m glad he gave his amazing work while he was here.

[@petebeard]

Many thanks for your comments and appreciation. And shamelessly plugging my channel content - have you already seen the Jack Davis video?

[@Fuzzypickles2024]

@@petebeard Yes! And I enjoyed it just as much!!!😁

[@Hobo613]

amazing choice of artist to showcase. as per, thx again!

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation.

[@charlestaylor3195]

Wow, Jack Coles artwork continued after he passed for as long as the span of his life. Plasticman is probably still around, it seems like DC Comics can revive any super hero from anytime. And Playboy definitely continued his distinctive work well into the 80s, and for all I know may still use it today. What a compliment to his work when you think about how many people learned how to recreate his work as if he did it. When Plasticman became animated many people learned his work because the animation was still hand drawn. I'm surprised we haven't seen Plasticman in any of these live action movies they've been making about superheroes. As always Pete, I enjoy your videos so much I can't leave a short comment.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for another favourable response to a video on the channel. I confess to knowing almost nothing about Cole until I started to dig out his work. And although I'm not that much of a comic book enthusiast I found him a fascinating and diverse subject.

[@JackbenImbel2274]

Well done as always Pete! I have not been tuning in for 6 months due to extreme business. Hopefully soon I can start listening regularly, again, to your wonderful content soon enough.

[@petebeard]

Hello and it's good to have you back. Thanks for the comment.

[@HuwDouglasEvans]

Magnificent artist and such a tragic end.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation.

[@sinaneronat4943]

Thank you🙏,ı love to see EC comics history from you sometime

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the appreciation. That's not really my territory or comfort zone so I tend to leave it to others, but I did feature some of their comics in the Jack Davis video, and maybe down the line I will learn enough to tackle the subject. But in the meantime I have dozens of other projects in various stages of completion so I doubt it will be any time soon. Sorry.

[@KentDylan]

Pete Beard, thank you for these incredible videos. I have been systematically going through your entire output one-by-one. It would be so incredible to have links included in the description to the places you go when unearthing all these incredible images. I would love nothing more than to go and explore at some of the places/sites you resource from. Sincerely, a fellow lover of illustration. P.S. Black and white line only are among my favorite of the images you show. There is no need to downplay their impact/importance.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the appreciation. Regarding the tunnels I explore in my searches it wouldn't be possible to list them. They vary from video to video and are countless. There's no big secret to finding this stuff - just type in whatever you are looking for and then explore every possible avenue you encounter. It's a matter of persistence and intuition.

[@Rechargerator]

Well researched! You filled in a lot about his later work I had never heard of. (I'll have to go read that newspaper strip now)

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment. If you mean Betsy and Me I reckon it was the best thing he did. And a great pity he left not long after.

[@jimdeberry6897]

Thanks again. Just can't say that enough. Wonderful lesson. Can't wait for the next one.

[@petebeard]

Many thanks for your continued appreciation and comment.

[@PatrickWard-be7jd]

Jack's tragic ending kind of haunts me. His depression must have been crushing. But his art will always live on.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for your comment, and yes it's a great pity he didn't go the distance.

[@Cmdtheartist]

Funny enough, Plastic Man went from being a cartoonish comedic character to being considered one of the more powerful superheroes in DC. Not just my opinion, Batman said it, too. It goes to show, if the work is good enough, it can survive almost anything. Thanks, Pete.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation.

[@garrywharton4044]

great video, loved it! keep up the good work

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot and I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@TheGoldenNeil]

As a big Jack Cole and Plastic Man fan, this was a great, accurate, and concise look at Cole’s life and his work. I will say there are two mistakes. Firstly, Midnight was created a few months before Plastic Man, and was a conception by Cole’a editor “Busy” Arnold in case Will Eisner ever took The Spirit to another company. Secondly, at 05:10, that’s a page by Hilary Barta for the 1980’s DC Plastic Man comic. This is actually the second time I’ve seen someone mistake Barta’s work for Cole! But other than those, this was a wonderful video.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation, and my aplogies for the errors. I would happily address both, but one of the more annnoying things about youtube is there's no practical way to edit once they are uploaded.

[@PerroDimeShift]

Thanks for this video.

[@petebeard]

You are most welcome and thanks for the comment.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Another good,un ,cheers Pete.....E

[@petebeard]

Thanks again. I must confess this one wasn't really my cup of tea but I try to be even-handed with my choice of subjects.

[@bryce3603]

What're the chances of you doing a Jack Kirby video? I know it might be a bit more Comics focused than what you normally do but I think you are one of the few channels who could do it well and take it truly seriously.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation. But don't hold your breath waiting for too many other comic book artists, including Mr. Kirby. It's actually not my thing, as you so rightly observe, and I do tend to stay in my comfort zone. Having said that I'll probably feature Eisner and maybe another couple at least in the future.

[@rexharrison6827]

Cole's voluptuous and stylish watercolour cartoons for Playboy seem to be a world away from his stiffer pen and brush comics work. The change in his stylistic approach can be seen after his association with Will Eisner, particularly on Plastic Man, most notably his use of typography and composition in that strip. It's hard not to be influenced by Eisner. The comic book industry has sadly left a trail of devastated lives since it came into being and Jack Cole is, as you mention, only one among many. Wally Wood was another gone too soon. The industry's attitude to its talent pool could be described as cynical, dismissive and contemptuous, though there are probably worse things it's been called!

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comments and insights. Both are very welcome.

[@johnplatt3704]

Yes but it makes me curious what your takes on Lou Fine (in particular Peter Scratch) Basil Wolverton (Powerhouse Pepper and the Bible illustrations - but you've done that haven't you?) and Mac Raboy (from lithographs for the WPA to Flash Gordon_ would be like. You are very stimulating.

[@petebeard]

Hello again and thanks for the comment. Yes, Wolverton did feature in an unsung instalment, but as for others, comic book art really isn't my thing, so although there are a couple in the pipeline I will undoubtedly tend to stick with more familiar (to me at least) territory in the main.

[@anthonyperdue3557]

COLElossal Pete , a COLElection of Jack's contributions to the world of art. I don't recall The Millie & Terry strip ever being mentioned before 👍. One of the truly diverse talents whose humor made us all feel COLEzy.

[@petebeard]

The best I've got is - your comment suggests I scored a Cole in One with this video. I admit yours are better but I had to try.

[@anthonyperdue3557]

@@petebeard 🤓👍You are COLErect about scoring a Cole in one Pete 🤓!

[@jaybradley9083]

I have a few books that feature the work of syndicated comic strip artists. I'll have to look to see if Jack Cole's work appears in them. As always, you have provided us with a wonderful look at an illustrator many may have forgotten.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for another favourable comment. Always welcome.

[@robertdufour2456]

Unbelievable! Yes! Let's celebrate this dear man' s legacy! Thank you, sir, for this melancholy presentation. Do you ever have webinars? I would not expect them to be free . . . just thinking . . . it would also be great to thank you for the amazing education you provide! Sincerely, Rob

[@petebeard]

Hello and thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation. I must confess I had to look up what a webinar is, but having found out it's not the kind of thing I would feel comfortable about. My vocal chords are about the only part of me I'm happy to put in the public domain.

[@Write_Charlie]

Hi Pete, any chance of a video on Mike Noble? He illustrated multiple Gerry Anderson comic strips through the 1960s and went on to work on 'Look In' through the 70s and 80s, inc. Black Beauty, Space: 1999, The Tomorrow People, Worzel Gummidge, etc. The strips were so dynamic. Thanks.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your recnt comments and I'm glad you appreiate Godwin's abilities. Regarding Mike Noble (who I had not previously heard of) a quick google search reveals why you would admire his work too, but sadly there doesn't seem to be enough at decent resolution to make even a shoert video with. This happens more frequently than I'd like but I'm always at the mercy of what I can find online.

[@TudorsTigers]

Yet another delightful - & almost weekly - sojourn in the company of a talented illustrator. Though I must admit the abrupt ending took me by surprise! Is there any theory why illustrators - as you hinted - share with cricketers a susceptibility to drawing the curtain down on an otherwise successful career in such a startling manner?

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment. I know of no such explanantions, and I did look up the statistics. I was surprised that artists in general didn't rank that high in the topping oneself charts. I suspect it's more that they get remembered, a bit like rock stars and movie actors.

[@shawnbuddy1234]

The image at 5:14 is from a 1980s Plastic Man series illustrated by Hillary Barta.

[@petebeard]

That would be a mistake, then. It's a very plausible copy of the style.

[@inamorata966]

Hello Pete! Just a suggestion for a future production. Elzie Crisler Segar began the comic strip “Thimble Theater," which would eventually lead to the successful Popeye cartoon shows. A treatment of Segar in your inimitable style would be awesome! Love your work my friend. God bless!

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation and suggestion. I'm aware of Segar's work and I like it a lot, but the problem in making a video about his work is it would be pretty relentlessly Popeye content. I have a similar problem with others such as Pogo and Lil' Abner. If Cole had only done Plastic Man I wouldn't have included him either. Sorry to disappoint.

[@inamorata966]

@@petebeard I understand. Thank you for your work. I enjoy it immensely!

[@manuelcapela7620]

👍Thank you! 🇬🇧🇵🇹

[@petebeard]

You are always welcome.

[@jill-ti7oe]

👍

[@TheMikester307]

14:15 top left. The woman and the motorcycle makes me think of something Helen Hokinson would have done!

[@lokolukas]

Brilliant

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment.

[@tompuce84]

[@Rob.S-]

This was a lot of fun.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation.

[@FrJohnBrownSJ]

12:54 really hit me out of nowhere!

[@justkiddin84]

So sad!😢

[@petebeard]

Sorry about that - I did hint at it in the description box, though. Thanks a lot for the comment.

[@FrJohnBrownSJ]

@@petebeard I really love your videos. Thank you for making them.

[@geapelde]

On my blog The Fabulous Fifties you can see three quarters of Cole's Millie from micro fiche, which (i think) ran over three years (in gradually quicker work).

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comments.

[@carminedawg9506]

In the Fletcher Hanks comic collection they mention that publishers would have their artists use aliases so it looked like they had a larger stable of creators working at the company. Maybe thats why jack cole used different names on some early strips.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment and clarification. Another viewer says it was because of contract issues when tied to a particular publisher, and I'm sure both theories hold water. Comic books aren't really my thing so I didn't want to make an uneducated guess.

[@cortexcarvalho9423]

I wonder if the end result was just a business administrative problem. His drawings really do convey a good feeling. A sensitive soul, perhaps.

[@justkiddin84]

According to his Wikipedia page it is a mystery. He was actually doing really well in his career. Some other issue must have entered in, sadly.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment, and see below for what I would have said, too. It really doesn't matter - dead is dead and the why is not important.

[@rcprrot]

Though Cole was greatly admired, I never came across any original art for a page of Plastic Man online the way we can find Eisner's or comic strips such as those by Alex Raymond or Caniff from the same era (the original art for his Playboy cartoons is easy to find.) It seems you couldn't find those either. I am much intrigued by this. Is it possible that none survived?

[@petebeard]

Hello and I think there were a couple of original inked pages shown, although I honestly can't remember precisely where I took them from. It might have been the auction site Mutualart but I couldn't swear to it and I might be imagining things...

[@TheKevphil]

If you don't mind me asking, what made you choose this artist to showcase? Among a wealth of comic book artists who were certainly more famous and prolific and influential, Cole was surely not a stand-out. Was it his humorous bent? His affiliation with Playboy? The variety of styles? I can certainly think of many others who were more accomplished. (You mentioned Will Eisner in the piece and he could certainly vie for a place high on any such list.) I'm not complaining; Cole was a gifted individual, and I'm glad to see his work so well represented here. I'm just curious. Thanks, Pete!

[@petebeard]

Hello again. There were several reasons for featuring Cole. He's less well known than others, and yes he worked in other areas and styles such as the Playboy cartoons. Eisner will feature at some point and maybe a couple of others too. I don't do them in order of their worthiness. As it happens all his work leaves me cold - as does superhero comic art in general, but I try to be even-handed.

[@TheKevphil]

@@petebeard Surely such luminaries as Neal Adams, if onlyfor his work in advertising, and John Buscema, who I have noticed in recent years has achieved a somewhat elevated status among mainstream artists for his "from imagination" figure work. Of course, I despair of ever seeing Jack Kirby. >sigh< ;)

[@SousSherpa]

Can you do a video of Alberto Vargas?

[@petebeard]

The answer is that I have already done so - or at least a short appearance in unsung heroes 74. I realise you mean a full video, but I made the decision that a full video of only naked females would be for most - and me - pretty tiresome.

[@SousSherpa]

@@petebeard Ok, I did a search through your videos and couldn't find anything on him so I figured you haven't done one.

[@petebeard]

@@SousSherpa As I said just search for unsung heroes74 and you will find it.

[@pompom7x728]

🇫🇷👍🇨🇭

[@stifledvoice]

Talented, yet a fragile soul who ended his own life early, very sad indeed. There used to be a 1940s comic book character named "Dick Cole" (yes, it's funny isn't it?) but he was drawn by Bob Davis.

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comment and appreciation.

[@davidsparks6146]

This was great... I had known of Jack Cole through my extensive collection of Playboy Magazines... (wink).... such a shame to find out he took his own life... that is a shocker. Obviously Plastic man was redone by Jack Kirby and editor/co-scripter Stan Lee, and through this title the "Marvel method" style of production.... the Fantastic 4!

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for another favourable comment.

[@TexRenner]

Life seems so brief already. Suicide baffles me.

[@justkiddin84]

It’s addiction or very serious depression, usually. And very often, if someone reaches the person in about an hour long period, it can be prevented. Isolation is just not good for us. Very sad.✌️

[@justkiddin84]

By the way, thanks for sharing your music!

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment. I too am seriously perplexed as to why people end their own lives. My belief is that some have a predisposition towards it, as that's the only way I can explain successful people doing it while others endure miserable and sometimes truly terrible lives and yet they keep going.

[@Broody58]

He did really nice work for playboy.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment, and I have to admit I like those much more than the comic book stuff as they are more to my own personal taste (or lack of it).

[@geapelde]

The Plastic Man stories were not (only) written by Cole.

[@macsnafu]

His Plastic Man work was great, but yeah, he did a lot of other good work that's not so well known. He did another detective character in a somewhat humorous vein, but I can't remember his name at the moment. I didn't see him featured in the video.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment, and i didn;t see any reference to another detective hero in my researches, otherwise I would have included it. Oh well...

[@macsnafu]

@@petebeard I found it. The character was Angles O'Day, and it was a series in the comic Ken Shannon--Crime Busting Private Eye, published by Quality Comics in the early 1950s.

[@wonderrob3225]

Why do so many excellent artists end their own life? because they are sensitive people who feel things very deeply. Thats not easy.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment. What you say is of course true - but I looked up the statistics and artists are actually not that near the top of the suicide chart.

[@chrisbrady-t1u]

supposedly was depressed about not landing a newspaper comic strip gig

[@petebeard]

I hadn't heard that one, but it hardly matters now.

[@arthurdrew4933]

SOMEDAY HYWDS GONNA MAKE A GOOD PLAS PIC, WAIT THEY ALREADY HAVE- ITS THE MASK WITH JIM CARRY!!😮😅😊😮😧😃😆

[@petebeard]

It would still be amusing if they did make a film version - but for God's sake not by Marvel.

[@mijiyoon5575]

My emoties aren't working ... maybe b/c comics are not my favorite. Really, Idk why the emoties aren't working this time

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comment and I'll settle for good old fashioned words instead. The superhero comics are not what floats my own boat either, but I thought Cole was a little more interesting than most. I try to be be inclusive and not let my personal prejudiced dictate the channel content.

[@markhughes2556]

I'm surprised you didn't point out how Plastic man was obviously the precursor of Mr. Fantastic, generally credited to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (of course Stan Lee would probably have claimed credit for the invention of spaghetti if he thought he could swing it)

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your comment. I didn't point it out for the simple reason that I was unaware of a connection - if I'm honest I've never heard of Mr. Fantastic. I'm not all that bothered about superhero marvel type comics, much to the annoyance of quite a few viewers. I only covered Cole because I thought he was quite funny and at least worked in other areas.

[@markhughes2556]

@@petebeard Thank you for taking the time to reply, and for bringing these often undeservedly obscure artists to light. Best wishes to you and your channel.

[@johnnzboy]

Out of interest, why wasn't Cole also conscripted during WWII? He would've been around 27 (three years older than Eisner) when the US entered the war, so definitely a candidate to register for the draft... Another engrossing episode, thanks, Pete.

[@petebeard]

Thanks for the comment, and that's an interesting question for which I have no answer. All I can think is that he maybe had some kind of condition that kept him out.

[@johnnzboy]

@@petebeard Considering his glum demise, one might wonder if his discharge wasn't due to a depression-related condition but presumably such conditions would have had to be severe to warrant consideration at that time and place - if he wasn't the child of a rich family who pulled strings to get him off then presumably he had a physical condition like flat feet or a venereal disease(!) since presumably he didn't claim to be homosexual... One to ponder :)

[@justkiddin84]

Yay! I can share this one with my hubs-a huge comic book fan. Me, too, but not at his level. And we own a Police Comics with Plastic Man. I love all things Eisner, for sure And Jack Kirby-though well known, he is original and often overlooked. Our sweet doggy girl is named Kirby after him.😂✌️♥️🗳️🟦🌊

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your favourable response to this video. Comic books are rather alien territory for me, but every once in a while I like to include illustrators from the genre.

[@justkiddin84]

@@petebeard Never too late! Many now are aimed at adult audiences. The Batman Detective comics are really my favorite from the past-they teach ethics and critical thinking. ✌️♥️🗳️🟦

[@Die.Trying]

What an incredible story teller

[@petebeard]

Thanks a lot for your appreciation.