The first issue of Eagle Times, the journal of the Eagle Society, is available now, the cover spotlighting pioneering female comic artist Lily Renée Wilhelm, aka Lily Renée.
Better known as, simply, Lily Renée, born into a Jewish family in Vienna in 1921, she escaped Nazi oppression in Germany by moving to England, then joined her parents in New York.
Becoming one of America’s early comic artists at Fiction House, alongside Fran Hopper and Nina Albright, Lily carved a memorable career, perhaps best known for her striking work on “Senorita Rio”, for Fight Comics in the 1940s, and, working with her artist husband Eric Peters, art on for Abbott & Costello Comics between 1948 and 1954.
She left comics in the 1950s, creating Tyrolean and floral designs for textile, then turning to writing and illustrating children’s books after the birth of her children. She was also a playwright.
As noted in a more extensive profile on Lambiek, her work enjoyed deserved renewed interest thanks to the researches of recently-departed fellow artist and comic archivist Trina Robbins. Trina also wrote a graphic novel about Renée’s wartime years, Lily Renée, Escape Artist – From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer, illustrated by Anne Timmons (pencils) and Mo Oh (inks) and published by the Lerner Publishing Group. The book was awarded a gold medal from Moonbeam Children’s Books and a silver medal from Sydney Taylor Jewish Library Awards.
“One of the last remaining artists from the Golden Age of Comic Books, Lily Renée lived to become 101 years old, spending over 40 years in her apartment on Madison Avenue in New York City,” Lambiek notes. “Until old age, she was still drawing and painting. She passed away on 24th August 2022, shortly after the birth of her third great grandchild earlier that year.”
David’s feature on Lily is one of several items in Eagle Times covering comics beyond, but frequently contemporaneous to the original Eagle. In this issue, they include an examination of Captain Marvel and his British connections, by Allan Palmer; the second part of David Britton’s guide to other Eagle comics, including American publisher Crystal Publications 1980s title; and the second part of a profile of indluential Amercian artist, Milton Caniff, by Adam Goodman.
Eagle itself, of course, is not forgotten. Jim Duckett continues his guide to the 1960s strip, “Knights of the Road”, a strip mostly credited to Don Freeman, drawn by Gerry Haylock. There’s also a tribute to the late Margaret Jackson, aka Margaret Walker, younger sister of Frank Hampson, who passed last year, aged 96.
Allan J. Palmer offers his view on his favourite “Dan Dare” story, “Operation Moss“, first published in the eighth Eagle annual in 1958, reprinted in Titan’s Trip to Trouble collection in 2010; and we’re treated to another detective tale from Steve Winders, “The Case of the Broken Boxes“, featuring a very special guest star.
As I’ve said previously, if you’re a fan of the original Eagle, both Eagle Times and the Society blog are excellent companions to the title, and my thanks once again to the team for this latest issue.
• Membership of The Eagle Society is via Annual Subscription to Eagle Times magazine, which is published four times annually. Please make cheques payable to the ‘Eagle Society’. The current subscription rate (unchanged since 2018) is UK £30, Overseas £40 (all payments required in £s Sterling)
Postal applications to: Eagle Society Membership Secretary, Bob Corn, Mayfield Lodge, Llanbadoc, Usk Monmouthshire NP15 1SY | Web: eagle-times.blogspot.com | Enquiries: membership@eagle-society.org.uk
If you wish to pay by Paypal (from your Paypal account to the e-mail address above) – The Society request that you make your payment as a GIFT)
• The Science Museum holds two original art pages from “Operation Moss”, detailed online here and here
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Classic British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, US Comics