NYC National Forum Dinner

[awe4one]

I'm just repeating what the big guy said.......

 

I realize that...but you need more than mere talk if you're going bring historical focus into it...

 

Jim

[Red Hook]

huh? I just reported the conversation without a hint of editorialization. Somebody asked who Elijah Muhammad was, and I told them. That's all.

 

What's the beef?

[OldGuy]

[mrwoogieman]

Looks like I missed a memorable dinner!

[Zonker]

I'm just repeating what the big guy said.......

 

I realize that...but you need more than mere talk if you're going bring historical focus into it...

 

Jim

 

This is very possibly true. The project was delayed (if you can imagine that ) for something like years. I remember reading the Supes-Ali article in one of the Comic Book Artist issues. They started the project when Ali was world champ and arguably the most recognized person on the planet. When it actually came out, I'm not even sure Ali held the title any more.

[awe4one]

huh? I just reported the conversation without a hint of editorialization. Somebody asked who Elijah Muhammad was, and I told them. That's all.

 

What's the beef?

 

My comment wasn't directed at you but at Neal's comment...calm down a little...

 

Jim

[Aman619]

wasnt the title Elijah Muhammed an hereditary title?

[awe4one]

This is very possibly true. The project was delayed (if you can imagine that ) for something like years. I remember reading the Supes-Ali article in one of the Comic Book Artist issues. They started the project when Ali was world champ and arguably the most recognized person on the planet. When it actually came out, I'm not even sure Ali held the title any more.

 

Did the article mention Neal getting permission from Mohammed?

 

Hey...it could all be true...but you'd think it would have been mentioned somewhere else other than a Forum dinner 30 years after the fact...

 

There's alot of revisionist history going on in comics as creators die off and others claim credit where it's not necessarily due. Not saying Neal's is a case of exaggeration but it seems odd to me this info wasn't already out there...

 

Jim

[Red Hook]

I'm just repeating what the big guy said.......

 

I realize that...but you need more than mere talk if you're going bring historical focus into it...

 

Jim

 

So what you meant to say was.....

 

I realize that...but Neal needs more than mere talk if he's going to bring historical focus into it....

 

You should write more clearly.

[Zonker]

This is very possibly true. The project was delayed (if you can imagine that ) for something like years. I remember reading the Supes-Ali article in one of the Comic Book Artist issues. They started the project when Ali was world champ and arguably the most recognized person on the planet. When it actually came out, I'm not even sure Ali held the title any more.

 

Did the article mention Neal getting permission from Mohammed?

 

Hey...it could all be true...but you'd think it would have been mentioned somewhere else other than a Forum dinner 30 years after the fact...

 

There's alot of revisionist history going on in comics as creators die off and others claim credit where it's not necessarily due. Not saying Neal's is a case of exaggeration but it seems odd to me this info wasn't already out there...

 

Jim

 

Actually it does. Now that I'm home, it is the CBA Collection Vol 1. In it is an interview with Adams conducted in 1999. Page 89:

 

Adams: ...the question was, were we approved by Elijah Muhammad? And there was really only one way we could be approved of by him and that was for us to get on a plane, go to Chicago, be driven by limousine to the home of Elijah Muhammad, set out in the windy plains of Chicago, through a gate, and up to his rather elegant house.

 

Schummer: This is just you and Denny?

 

Adams: Just me and Denny, led into a parlor, very Turkish in design, surrounded by columns and couches around the edges-- and Elijah Muhammad came out, said hello, got into a phone call, was called away , and left-- and we were excused!

 

Schummer: That was it?

 

Adams: That was it.

 

Schummer: He just had to physically...?

 

Adams: See us, I guess. I don't know! (laughter)

 

 

Adams isn't very precise with dates, but in that same issue, John Workman remembers the book being in the planning stages in 1975. And Terry Austin remembers having the completed book in hand at a press conference with Ali in January 1978.

 

Google indicates Muhammad died on February 25 1975, so I dunno...