Bhob Stewart
Encyclopedia
Bhob Stewart is an American writer, editor, artist and film maker who has written for a variety of publications over a span of five decades. His articles and reviews have appeared in TV Guide
, Publishers Weekly
and other publications, along with online contributions to Allmovie, the Collecting Channel and other sites. In 1980, he became the regular film columnist for Heavy Metal
.
Stewart got his start in publishing in science fiction fandom
. He published The EC Fan Bulletin, the first EC
fanzine
in 1953; co-edited the Hugo Award
-winning science fiction fanzine
Xero
(1960–1963), and is credited with coining the term "underground comics" during a panel discussion at a comics convention
in 1966. In 1968, he teamed with EC Comics
publisher Bill Gaines
to choose stories for The EC Horror Library of the 1950s (1971).
Stewart scripted for animation (Kissyfur
) and created the short film, The Year the Universe Lost the Pennant (1961). He edited and designed magazines (Castle of Frankenstein
, Flashback), wrote comics
for several publishers (Byron Preiss, Marvel, Warren, Charlton, Heavy Metal) and succeeded Vaughn Bodé
as editor of Gothic Blimp Works
, the underground comix
tabloid published by the East Village Other
.
Stewart devised humor products for Topps
, and he introduced DC Comics
to the world of trading cards as editor of DC's first card series (Cosmic Cards
, Cosmic Teams).
At the School of Visual Arts
, he taught several classes in comics. His readings of fantasy stories aired on Pacifica Radio's Midnight Chimes, and he has contributed to numerous newspapers (The Real Paper
), magazines (The Realist
, Galaxy Science Fiction
) and books (Bare Bones).
His work as an illustrator appeared in Cavalier
and Venture Science Fiction.
columnist Richard Corliss
noted that "Bhob Stewart's handsome, comprehensive Against the Grain: Mad Artist Wallace Wood" (TwoMorrows, 2003) is a "gorgeous book on Wally Wood
's art." Stewart worked with Wood for a period starting in the late 1960s. In addition to the many illustrations, this biographical anthology features a selection of articles by artists once associated with Wood's studio. Stewart's biography of Wood can also be read at his blog, Potrzebie, where it is formatted with a different selection of Wood's artwork.
He worked closely with Mad
s cartoonists while editing the Mad Style Guide (1994) and Gibson's line of Mad greeting cards (1995).
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
, Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
and other publications, along with online contributions to Allmovie, the Collecting Channel and other sites. In 1980, he became the regular film columnist for Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal (magazine)
Heavy Metal is an American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine, known primarily for its blend of dark fantasy/science fiction and erotica. In the mid-1970s, while publisher Leonard Mogel was in Paris to jump-start the French edition of National Lampoon, he discovered the French...
.
Stewart got his start in publishing in science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
. He published The EC Fan Bulletin, the first EC
EC Comics
Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books specializing in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, notably the Tales from the Crypt series...
fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
in 1953; co-edited the Hugo Award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
-winning science fiction fanzine
Science fiction fanzine
A science fiction fanzine is an amateur or semi-professional magazine published by members of science fiction fandom, from the 1930s to the present day...
Xero
Xero (SF fanzine)
Xero was a fanzine edited and published from 1960 to 1963 by Dick Lupoff, Pat Lupoff and Bhob Stewart. With a main focus on science fiction and comic books, Xero also featured essays, satire, articles, poetry, artwork and cartoons on a wide range of other topics.The articles and letter columns...
(1960–1963), and is credited with coining the term "underground comics" during a panel discussion at a comics convention
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
in 1966. In 1968, he teamed with EC Comics
EC Comics
Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books specializing in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, notably the Tales from the Crypt series...
publisher Bill Gaines
William Gaines
William Maxwell Gaines , better known as Bill Gaines, was an American publisher and co-editor of EC Comics. Following a shift in EC's direction in 1950, Gaines presided over what became an artistically influential and historically important line of mature-audience comics...
to choose stories for The EC Horror Library of the 1950s (1971).
Comics
In May 1969, he curated the first exhibition of comic book art by a major American museum. This was the "Phonus Balonus Show" at the Corcoran in Washington, D.C.Stewart scripted for animation (Kissyfur
Kissyfur
Kissyfur is a 1980s animated children's television series which aired on NBC. It was produced by Jean Chalopin & Andy Heyward and created by Phil Mendez for DIC. The series was based on a half-hour NBC prime-time special called Kissyfur: Bear Roots and was followed by three more specials until...
) and created the short film, The Year the Universe Lost the Pennant (1961). He edited and designed magazines (Castle of Frankenstein
Castle of Frankenstein
Castle of Frankenstein was an American horror, science fiction and fantasy film magazine, distributed by Kable News and published in New Jersey from 1962 to 1975 by Calvin Thomas Beck's Gothic Castle Publishing Company. The first three issues were edited by Larry Ivie and Ken Beale. From 1963 and...
, Flashback), wrote comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
for several publishers (Byron Preiss, Marvel, Warren, Charlton, Heavy Metal) and succeeded Vaughn Bodé
Vaughn Bodé
Vaughn Bodē was an artist involved in underground comics, graphic design and graffiti. He is perhaps best known for his comic strip character Cheech Wizard and artwork depicting voluptuous women. His works are noted for their psychedelic look and feel...
as editor of Gothic Blimp Works
Gothic Blimp Works
Gothic Blimp Works, an all-comics tabloid published in 1969 by Peter Leggieri and the East Village Other, was billed as "the first Sunday underground comic paper". During its eight-issue run, the publication displayed comics in both color and black-and-white...
, the underground comix
Underground comix
Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books which are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, including explicit drug use, sexuality and violence...
tabloid published by the East Village Other
East Village Other
The East Village Other , was an American underground newspaper in New York City, New York, published biweekly during the 1960s. EVO was among the first countercultural newspapers to emerge, following the Los Angeles Free Press, which had begun publishing a few months earlier...
.
Stewart devised humor products for Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
, and he introduced DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
to the world of trading cards as editor of DC's first card series (Cosmic Cards
DC Cosmic Cards
DC Cosmic Cards is a card set made by Impel/SkyBox in 1992. In a format similar to the earlier Marvel Universe Cards, the set featured biographies of DC characters from the Silver Age, teams, crossovers and events....
, Cosmic Teams).
At the School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
, he taught several classes in comics. His readings of fantasy stories aired on Pacifica Radio's Midnight Chimes, and he has contributed to numerous newspapers (The Real Paper
The Real Paper
The Real Paper was a Boston alternative weekly newspaper with a circulation of 50,000. It ran from August 2, 1972, to June 18, 1981, often devoting space to counterculture issues of the early 1970s. The offices were located on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts.The Cambridge Phoenix...
), magazines (The Realist
The Realist
The Realist was a pioneering magazine of "social-political-religious criticism and satire," intended as a hybrid of a grown-ups version of Mad and Lyle Stuart's anti-censorship monthly The Independent. Edited and published by Paul Krassner, and often regarded as a milestone in the American...
, Galaxy Science Fiction
Galaxy Science Fiction
Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L...
) and books (Bare Bones).
His work as an illustrator appeared in Cavalier
Cavalier (magazine)
Cavalier is an American magazine that was launched by Fawcett Publications in 1952 and has continued for decades, eventually evolving into a Playboy-style men's magazine...
and Venture Science Fiction.
Books
With Calvin Beck, he co-authored Scream Queens (Macmillan, 1978). TimeTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
columnist Richard Corliss
Richard Corliss
Richard Nelson Corliss is a writer for Time magazine who focuses on movies, with the occasional article on music or sports. Corliss is the former editor-in-chief of Film Comment...
noted that "Bhob Stewart's handsome, comprehensive Against the Grain: Mad Artist Wallace Wood" (TwoMorrows, 2003) is a "gorgeous book on Wally Wood
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
's art." Stewart worked with Wood for a period starting in the late 1960s. In addition to the many illustrations, this biographical anthology features a selection of articles by artists once associated with Wood's studio. Stewart's biography of Wood can also be read at his blog, Potrzebie, where it is formatted with a different selection of Wood's artwork.
He worked closely with Mad
Mad (magazine)
Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Launched as a comic book before it became a magazine, it was widely imitated and influential, impacting not only satirical media but the entire cultural landscape of the 20th century.The last...
s cartoonists while editing the Mad Style Guide (1994) and Gibson's line of Mad greeting cards (1995).