New York Comic Con will take place February 6 – 8 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. Tickets are on sale at www.nycomiccon.com and more personal insights about the show, programming and guests are available via Show Manager Lance Fensterman’s blog, www.MediumAtLarge.net. 

 

“I’m really thrilled that we’re able to continue our tradition of honoring Living Legends at New York Comic Con,” Fensterman notes. “And I’m totally thrilled to be able to honor such notable personalities as Al Plastino, Joe Sinnott and Marv Wolfman. These guys have been at the forefront of the industry for years and I can’t even begin to describe the huge amount they have done to make comics what they are today. We are enormously honored and grateful to have them in our presence at New York Comic Con. It’s very special”

 

The Living Legends status at New York Comic Con is one part of an overall program at the show that includes initiatives and partnerships that give something back to the people who have provided so much entertainment and enjoyment. This year, NYCC organizers are pleased to be working with the Hero Initiative, a non profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. “We’re very anxious to recognize the creators in our industry, and to do everything we can to honor and help them, whether they are young or old, very successful or not-so-successful,” Fensterman notes. “Bottom line, none of us would be here enjoying New York Comic Con if it weren’t for the creators!”
 

AL PLASTINO: Plastino learned to draw from copying the masters of old — literally. “ I used to go to the Metropolitan Museum in NYC — Dad would drop me off. I copied Renoir, Monet, Rembrandt, all the masters.”

Born December 15^th, 1921 in NYC, Al’s career in art began while still in school at the High School of Industrial Arts, illustrating for a magazine called Youth Today. He also drew maps of real estate for a mapmaker. He began his comic book career working for Marvel Comics in the early 1940’s inking Captain America and Sub Mariner, and for Harry Chesler and Jack Binder Studio’s inking and drawing Green Lantern, Rocketman and Dynamic Man.

During World War II, Plastino was sent to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. to paint war posters and illustrate training manuals.

He returned to NY in 1947 to work for Steinberg Studios where he later met Jack Schiff and Mort Weisinger from DC Comics and was hired to begin drawing Superman–eventually creating spinoffs from the Superman character with writer Otto Binder like “Supergirl”, and “Legion of Super Heroes”. 

In the late 60’s, Al left DC and went to work with writer/editor Jack Ellsworth on the Batman strip for Ledger Syndicate. He worked on Batman until the syndicate folded in 1972.

A character named “Hap Harper” and “Abbie n’ Slats” was the start of Al’s relationship with United Features Syndicate. He then began work on the pantomine strip, “Ferd’nand” in the early 70’s while he was still drawing Batman and continued working on the strip until his retirement in 1989. Al also drew the “Nancy and Sluggo” comic strip for Ernie Bushmiller and later ghosted “Peanuts” for the syndicate while Schultz was in the hospital.

These days, it’s rest and relaxation for the 88 year old who loves to fish and golf. He spends as much time as he can with his wife, 4 children and 6 grandchildren. Occasionally he’ll hear from an old friend and artist but those calls get fewer and fewer as Al slowly becomes the last of his kind from the golden age of comics.

MARV WOLFMAN:  Marv, born in Brooklyn in 1946, has won the Shazam Award, the Inkpot Award, the Eagle Award, the Jack Kirby Award, and the National Jewish Book Award.  He's written comic books, movies, television, animation, children's books, video games, novels, and more -- with Blade and the New Teen Titans just two of his creations.  Marv is currently working on the DC Universe Online MMORPG with Jim Lee.

 

JOE SINNOTT: Joe begins his 59th year working for Marvel Comics in 2009 and has also worked for Treasure Chest, Dell, Charlton, ACG and Archie Comics.  Joe is best know as Jack Kirby's inker on The Fantastic Four.  His other work include Thor (including Thor's first appearance in Journey Into Mystery #83), Captain America, Avengers, Defenders, Hulk, Silver Surfer, and Nick Fury. Since 1991, Joe has been inking the Sunday Spider-Man strip for King Features.  See joesinnott.com for more on Joe.

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