Big John Buscema & Alex Schomburg

[TupennyConan]

Mark Evanier interviewed John Buscema for an SDCC panel in 2001.

 

Here is a small excerpt of the transcript as published in Roy Thomas' Comics Fanzine, Alter Ego No. 15, June 2002.

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Schomberg?

 

BUSCEMA: Who?

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Schomburg. Alex Schomburg.

 

BUSCEMA: Never heard of him.

[TheWatcher]

40 years from now some iconic artist will be asked about Neal Adams "Neal who? Never heard of him" It's all cyclical

 

[goldust40]

40 years from now some iconic artist will be asked about Neal Adams "Neal who? Never heard of him" It's all cyclical

 

I find it hard to believe that John Buscema hadn't heard of Schomburg. Buscema started freelancing for Timely in 1948, which meant that his career overlapped with Schomburg's, at the same company. Maybe in those days artists weren't hyped as they were from the '60s onwards, but Schomburg did so many iconic covers for Timely I'm amazed that Big John was clueless about him.

 

It's conceivable that Buscema, who died about six months after this interview, may have had memory problems, but that is pure speculation.

[seanfingh]

That seems super hard to believe. I am with Redpants. I bet there was dementia or some memory loss caused by a sickness, drug interaction or age.

[adamstrange]

40 years from now some iconic artist will be asked about Neal Adams "Neal who? Never heard of him" It's all cyclical

 

I find it hard to believe that John Buscema hadn't heard of Schomburg. Buscema started freelancing for Timely in 1948, which meant that his career overlapped with Schomburg's, at the same company. Maybe in those days artists weren't hyped as they were from the '60s onwards, but Schomburg did so many iconic covers for Timely I'm amazed that Big John was clueless about him.

 

It's conceivable that Buscema, who died about six months after this interview, may have had memory problems, but that is pure speculation.

I just took a brief look at GCD and it confirmed my suspicion that Schomburg's work for Timely pretty ended in 1946. I still find it a little disappointing that he didn't know of him but perhaps he didn't read comics prior to working at Timely or never cared for his work so never made an attempt to find out about him.

[TheWatcher]

It's conceivable that Buscema, who died about six months after this interview, may have had memory problems, but that is pure speculation.

 

Ah, therein may lie the answer. I couldn't believe it either. My first thought was that he was kidding around, but if this interview was done so late in his life it may explain his lack of recollection

[DrWatson]

I wish I could say Sienkiewicz who?

[Mr.Diggler]

I wish I could say Sienkiewicz who?

You just did.

[DrWatson]

I wish I could say Sienkiewicz who?

You just did.

...and mean it.

 

Maybe you need to start a group PM with RMA.

[Mr.Diggler]

I wish I could say Sienkiewicz who?

You just did.

...and mean it.

 

Maybe you need to start a group PM with RMA.

Roy too? Three way.

[goldust40]

40 years from now some iconic artist will be asked about Neal Adams "Neal who? Never heard of him" It's all cyclical

 

I find it hard to believe that John Buscema hadn't heard of Schomburg. Buscema started freelancing for Timely in 1948, which meant that his career overlapped with Schomburg's, at the same company. Maybe in those days artists weren't hyped as they were from the '60s onwards, but Schomburg did so many iconic covers for Timely I'm amazed that Big John was clueless about him.

 

It's conceivable that Buscema, who died about six months after this interview, may have had memory problems, but that is pure speculation.

I just took a brief look at GCD and it confirmed my suspicion that Schomburg's work for Timely pretty ended in 1946. I still find it a little disappointing that he didn't know of him but perhaps he didn't read comics prior to working at Timely or never cared for his work so never made an attempt to find out about him.

 

My bad if his time at Timely ended in 1946 - he was still working in the comic medium for several years after that however. Nevertheless (as you no doubt know) his work at Timely was as important as Kirby's or Fine's during the GA. It's possible that Buscema didn't take his comic work seriously in the early part of his career, and it was only after his stint as a commercial artist from '58 to '65 that he began his tenure as a comic illustrator in earnest and took note of the history of the artform.

[Dick Pontoon]

40 years from now some iconic artist will be asked about Neal Adams "Neal who? Never heard of him" It's all cyclical

 

I find it hard to believe that John Buscema hadn't heard of Schomburg. Buscema started freelancing for Timely in 1948, which meant that his career overlapped with Schomburg's, at the same company. Maybe in those days artists weren't hyped as they were from the '60s onwards, but Schomburg did so many iconic covers for Timely I'm amazed that Big John was clueless about him.

 

It's conceivable that Buscema, who died about six months after this interview, may have had memory problems, but that is pure speculation.

I just took a brief look at GCD and it confirmed my suspicion that Schomburg's work for Timely pretty ended in 1946. I still find it a little disappointing that he didn't know of him but perhaps he didn't read comics prior to working at Timely or never cared for his work so never made an attempt to find out about him.

 

My bad if his time at Timely ended in 1946 - he was still working in the comic medium for several years after that however. Nevertheless (as you no doubt know) his work at Timely was as important as Kirby's or Fine's during the GA. It's possible that Buscema didn't take his comic work seriously in the early part of his career, and it was only after his stint as a commercial artist from '58 to '65 that he began his tenure as a comic illustrator in earnest and took note of the history of the artform.

 

I don't doubt that age and health may have played a role when Buscema made that comment, but I'm inclined to think Goldust's theory makes more sense based on the lengthy 1978 interview from the Art of John Buscema book.

[spillred]

[thunderstick]

Mark Evanier interviewed John Buscema for an SDCC panel in 2001.

 

Here is a small excerpt of the transcript as published in Roy Thomas' Comics Fanzine, Alter Ego No. 15, June 2002.

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Schomberg?

 

BUSCEMA: Who?

 

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Schomburg. Alex Schomburg.

 

BUSCEMA: Never heard of him.

This exerpt seems very much out of context, but taken as is, could this also not just be sarcasm perhaps? A little humour?

 

If he really was in that state of mental faculty, and this was a truthful answer, then there wouldn't be any point whatsoever in interviewing him to begin with.

 

We all know it is inconceivable that he wouldn't know who Alex Schomburg was.

[rjpb]

I don't know Buscema's story, but at the time he began in comics, many of the artists working in the field were not necessarily fans of the medium, but illustrators who fell into drawing comics because it was work they could find, and while they may have respected and admired the work of some of their peers that didn't translate into a knowledge of the history of comic art. Schomburg was pretty much wrapping up his career as a comic book illustrator when Buscema got started, and it's conceivable that he just wasn't that interested in the generation of artists that preceded him. He may even have been capable of recognizing Schomburg's art if it was put before him, but would likely have had an "oh, yeah, that guy" response, and not have been impressed enough to commit his name to memory.

 

I'm sure one can find plenty of people working in various occupations who are unaware who the pioneers of their chosen field are.

[Senormac]

I vote with the sarcasm crowd. It just makes the most sense

[Ted Knight]

It seems most likely that he either misheard the name or was making a joke.

[TupennyConan]

Mark Evanier screwed the pooch on this one. As the man running the interview & panel he should have followed-up on this exchange to see what was going on in John's mind.

[Dick Pontoon]

You guys have your fanboy hats on too tight. Rjpb is right on the money. If I have time today I'll look for that book I mentioned to post some quotes, couldn't find it last night. Drawing comics wasn't a lifelong ambition for lots of these guys, it was a job.

 

Plus (girding myself for attack) Schomburg is really a minor player in the history of comics. He made many great, iconic GA covers, but didn't really do a whole lot for the sculpting of comics as a storytelling medium.

[adamstrange]

You guys have your fanboy hats on too tight. Rjpb is right on the money. If I have time today I'll look for that book I mentioned to post some quotes, couldn't find it last night. Drawing comics wasn't a lifelong ambition for lots of these guys, it was a job.

I've had many of them tell me that they viewed comics as a stepping stone to be able to draw syndicated strips while others told me that they looked on it as a job like any other job that people took to take care of their family.

 

Plus (girding myself for attack) Schomburg is really a minor player in the history of comics. He made many great, iconic GA covers, but didn't really do a whole lot for the sculpting of comics as a storytelling medium.

I think his work was outstanding of cultural significance during WWII but that doesn't mean that Buscema liked him. There are numerous instances of an artist not understanding another artist even though the general audience admires both.