The latest issue of the Comics Journal (#276, June 2006) features part one of a great interview with Silver Age comics writer Bob Haney. Haney is very candid and funny in the interview and doesn't mince words when describing his relations with various personalities in the industry. The interview spans his entire carreer in comics, beginning with writing assignments for vaious publishers in the 40s. He also has lots to say about the beginnings of his tenure at DC and touches on a few items of interest to Superman fans.
Some tidbits:
-Haney tells the story of how Robert Kanigher was dangled out a window by an irate writer, Dave Vern
"Dave was not a big guy but he was bigger than Kanigher, who was a little guy. I'd like to think it was Kanigher and I wish he dropped him but he didn't"
-Haney spills the beans on Mort Weisinger's attempt ot publish a legit novel with New American Library, ghost-written by Dave Vern:
"Weisinger couldn't write worth S***."
-On his working relationship with editor Murray Boltinoff:
"With Murray, I did the whole complete job ... I'd go in and plot with Murray. I'd just throw the plot at him and go home and do it. I'd check the art and everything else. [...]one of the problems with him was --and I'm trying to be fair and accurate now-- he was not an imaginative person and he was also very frightened of things. Sometimes I'd try to throw something a little more way out at him and he'd get very nervous about it. He wouldn't want to do it. When I brought up the Super-Sons, he almost s*** a brick, for instance."
Plus info on Harry Donefeld, Haney's contribution to the first Sgt Rock story and other gems. The second installment handles his tenures on the wacky 60s titles like Teen Titans, Metal Men, etc.
Everyone should check this great interview out!
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