Carl Gafford
Encyclopedia
Carl Gafford is a colorist
(and occasional editor) who has worked for several decades in the comics
industry. His career to date has spanned several publishers, including Marvel Comics
, DC Comics
and Topps Comics
.
Minotaur from 1968 to 1972, as well as contributing art and writing to other fanzines and the amateur press alliance CAPA-alpha
("K-a") beginning in December 1970.
as an assistant proofreader
in the production department in March 1973, and was promoted to full proofreader at the end of the year with the retirement of Gerta Gattel. Gafford started coloring feature pages in the production department, eventually doing regular freelance coloring beginning with Justice League of America #115. He was promoted to assistant production manager in August 1974 and began work on DC's in-house fanzine, The Amazing World of DC Comics, doing editing, writing, production work and color separations.
in 1977 to color and write for the Hanna-Barbera
comics produced for Marvel Comics. Titles included Yogi Bear
, The Flintstones
, Scooby-Doo, Laff-A-Lympics
and others. During this time, Gafford also worked in Hanna-Barbera's layout department on such TV shows as Godzilla
and Super Friends
before returning to New York City
in August 1978. Gafford went to work in Marvel Comics' production department, first as a freelancer then as the staff typesetter.
s to work at both companies at the same time. He returned to staff at DC in the summer of 1981 as the proofreader, then by year's end had become Len Wein
's assistant editor on Justice League
, The Flash
, Teen Titans, and the Batman
books. At this time, Gafford became editor of Adventure Comics
Digest, and with writer Bob Rozakis
revived the Challengers of the Unknown
, with art first by George Tuska
and later by Alex Toth
. Gafford also wrote the Creeper
back-up series in The Flash
, featuring British artist Dave Gibbons
' first work for DC, — though most of the scripts were scrapped after a change of editors.
During this time, Gafford began coloring The Legion of Super-Heroes with #288, and continued on that run for seven years without missing an issue, totaling 125 regular issues, giants, mini-series and two different Legion books a month for a year.
Gafford returned to freelance coloring for DC and Marvel in the summer 1982 after marrying former Marvel staffer Sharon Ing and moving to Massachusetts, where she worked.
The Gaffords moved to San Francisco in August 1984, only to return to New York City a year later. While in New York, Gafford freelanced for DC and occasionally subbed for vacationing staff members like assistant editors and DC's proofreader.
in 1989 with a B.A.
in history. After which, he returned to San Francisco (just in time for the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake), only to return to Los Angeles in June 1990 to accept a job at Disney Comics
, a division of Disney Publishing producing a series of comics based on Mickey Mouse
, Goofy
, new TV cartoon shows like Chip 'n' Dale's Rescue Rangers and Duck Tales, and the continuation of Uncle Scrooge
and Walt Disney's Comics and Stories
from Gladstone Publishing
.
Gafford freelanced for Dark Horse Comics
and Innovation
while at Disney, and did some editing of the final Disney Comics (an Aladdin mini-series) while helping to transition the end of the Disney Comics line, returning the license to Gladstone Publishing (later bought out by Diamond Comics Distribution).
launch his new Defiant Comics
line, but creative differences resulted in severing ties with the new publisher (which eventually went out of business a year later).
editor Jim Salicrup
for the new line of Topps Comics
produced by noted sports trading card publisher The Topps. Topps Comics was producing a line of books licensed from famed comics creator Jack Kirby
, who died in 1994. As the independent comics market shrank in the mid-1990s, Topps dropped their original titles and concentrated on TV and movie licensed titles, most notably The X-Files
and Jurassic Park.
Gafford was laid off from Topps at the end of January 1997 along with other staffers, including editor-in-chief Salicrup. The few who remained were let go before year's end, and some of the inventory eventually saw print at Dark Horse Comics
.
, Radio Comics, and Shanda Fantasy Arts. He also wrote and drew original comics stories reminiscent of 1950s and '60s superhero genres which saw print in Big Bang Comics
: two stories were redrawn by other artists, but the final one ("Ladybug," a combination of Fly Girl
and Supergirl
) featured Gafford's own art, the last to appear in print.
Gafford currently resides in Arizona
, tending to his invalid
second wife and battling arthritis
and diabetes. There have been no other children. His father died March 11, 2008, at the age of 82 of complications with Alzheimers, and his mother lives in an assisted care facility in Florida following a series of strokes.
Colorist
In comics, a colorist is responsible for adding color to black-and-white line art. For most of the 20th century this was done using brushes and dyes which were then used as guides to produce the printing plates...
(and occasional editor) who has worked for several decades in the 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...
industry. His career to date has spanned several publishers, including Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, 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...
and Topps Comics
Topps Comics
Topps Comics is a division of the American trading card publisher and gum/candy distributor the Topps Company, Inc. that published comic books from 1993–1998, beginning its existence during a short comics-industry boom that attracted many investors and new companies...
.
Early life
Carl Gafford was a member of comics fandom, writing and drawing his own ditto machine fanzineFanzine
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...
Minotaur from 1968 to 1972, as well as contributing art and writing to other fanzines and the amateur press alliance CAPA-alpha
CAPA-alpha
CAPA-alpha was the first amateur press association devoted to comic books, started by Jerry Bails in the United States in 1964....
("K-a") beginning in December 1970.
DC Comics
Gafford began his professional career at DC ComicsDC 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...
as an assistant proofreader
Proofreading
Proofreading is the reading of a galley proof or computer monitor to detect and correct production-errors of text or art. Proofreaders are expected to be consistently accurate by default because they occupy the last stage of typographic production before publication.-Traditional method:A proof is...
in the production department in March 1973, and was promoted to full proofreader at the end of the year with the retirement of Gerta Gattel. Gafford started coloring feature pages in the production department, eventually doing regular freelance coloring beginning with Justice League of America #115. He was promoted to assistant production manager in August 1974 and began work on DC's in-house fanzine, The Amazing World of DC Comics, doing editing, writing, production work and color separations.
Hanna-Barbera/Marvel
Gafford moved to San Francisco in September 1976, then to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1977 to color and write for the Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
comics produced for Marvel Comics. Titles included Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear is a fictional bear who appears in animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear was the first breakout character created by Hanna-Barbera, and was eventually more popular than...
, The Flintstones
The Flintstones
The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time American television sitcom that screened from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. It...
, Scooby-Doo, Laff-A-Lympics
Laff-A-Lympics
Laff-A-Lympics was the co-headlining segment, with Scooby-Doo, of the package Saturday morning cartoon series Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show was a spoof of the Olympics and the ABC television series Battle of the Network Stars, which debuted one...
and others. During this time, Gafford also worked in Hanna-Barbera's layout department on such TV shows as Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
and Super Friends
Super Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
before returning to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in August 1978. Gafford went to work in Marvel Comics' production department, first as a freelancer then as the staff typesetter.
Return to DC/freelance colorist
Gafford left Marvel in January 1981 and began freelancing for both DC and Marvel, one of the few coloristColorist
In comics, a colorist is responsible for adding color to black-and-white line art. For most of the 20th century this was done using brushes and dyes which were then used as guides to produce the printing plates...
s to work at both companies at the same time. He returned to staff at DC in the summer of 1981 as the proofreader, then by year's end had become Len Wein
Len Wein
Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
's assistant editor on Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
, The Flash
The Flash (comic book)
The Flash is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name. The character's first incarnation, Jay Garrick, first appeared in Flash Comics #1...
, Teen Titans, and the Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
books. At this time, Gafford became editor of Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
Digest, and with writer Bob Rozakis
Bob Rozakis
Robert "Bob" Rozakis is a comic book writer and editor known mainly for his work in the 1970s and 1980s at DC Comics, as the writer of Mazing Man and in his capacity as DC's "Answer Man".-Biography:...
revived the Challengers of the Unknown
Challengers of the Unknown
The Challengers of the Unknown is a group of fictional characters in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, or co-created with Dave Wood , this quartet of adventurers explored science fictional and apparent paranormal occurrences and faced fantastic menaces.Scripts for the first...
, with art first by George Tuska
George Tuska
George Tuska , who early in his career used a variety of pen names including Carl Larson, was an American comic book and newspaper comic strip artist best known for his 1940s work on various Captain Marvel titles and the crime fiction series Crime Does Not Pay, for and his 1960s work illustrating...
and later by Alex Toth
Alex Toth
Alexander Toth was an American professional cartoonist active from the 1940s through the 1980s. Toth's work began in the American comic book industry, but is known for his animation designs for Hanna-Barbera throughout the 1960s and 1970s. His work included Super Friends, Space Ghost, The...
. Gafford also wrote the Creeper
Creeper (comics)
The Creeper is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. Created by Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Showcase #73 .-Publication history:...
back-up series in The Flash
The Flash (comic book)
The Flash is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name. The character's first incarnation, Jay Garrick, first appeared in Flash Comics #1...
, featuring British artist Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons
Dave Gibbons is an English comic book artist, writer and sometime letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries Watchmen and the Superman story "For the Man Who Has Everything"...
' first work for DC, — though most of the scripts were scrapped after a change of editors.
During this time, Gafford began coloring The Legion of Super-Heroes with #288, and continued on that run for seven years without missing an issue, totaling 125 regular issues, giants, mini-series and two different Legion books a month for a year.
Gafford returned to freelance coloring for DC and Marvel in the summer 1982 after marrying former Marvel staffer Sharon Ing and moving to Massachusetts, where she worked.
The Gaffords moved to San Francisco in August 1984, only to return to New York City a year later. While in New York, Gafford freelanced for DC and occasionally subbed for vacationing staff members like assistant editors and DC's proofreader.
Disney Comics
Gafford was offered a job as assistant editor to Denny O'Neil on the Batman books at DC in 1988, but turned it down to return to school full time (while still freelance coloring), graduating cum laude from the College of Staten IslandCollege of Staten Island
The College of Staten Island is a four-year, senior college of and is one of the 11 senior colleges in the City University of New York. Programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional studies lead to bachelor's and associate's degrees. The master's degree is awarded in 13 professional...
in 1989 with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in history. After which, he returned to San Francisco (just in time for the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake), only to return to Los Angeles in June 1990 to accept a job at Disney Comics
Disney Comics
Disney Comics was a comic book publishing company operated by The Walt Disney Company which ran from 1990 to 1993. In the USA, Disney only licensed their comic books to other publishers prior to 1990...
, a division of Disney Publishing producing a series of comics based on Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
, Goofy
Goofy
Goofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
, new TV cartoon shows like Chip 'n' Dale's Rescue Rangers and Duck Tales, and the continuation of Uncle Scrooge
Uncle Scrooge
Uncle Scrooge is a comic book with the stingy Scrooge McDuck "the richest duck in the world" as the main character. The series also featured Donald Duck and his nephews as supporting characters. The first 70 issues mostly consisted of stories written and drawn by Carl Barks, the creator of Scrooge...
and Walt Disney's Comics and Stories
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, sometimes abbreviated WDC or WDC&S, is an anthology comic book series that has an assortment of Disney characters, including Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Mickey Mouse, Chip 'n Dale, Lil Bad Wolf, Scamp, Bucky Bug, Grandma Duck, Brer Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, and...
from Gladstone Publishing
Gladstone Publishing
Gladstone Publishing was an American company that published Disney comics from 1986 to 1990 and from 1993 to 1998. The company had its origins as a subsidiary of "Another Rainbow", a company formed by Bruce Hamilton and Russ Cochran to publish the Carl Barks Library and produce limited edition...
.
Gafford freelanced for Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
and Innovation
Innovation Publishing
Innovation Publishing was an American comic book company based in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was co-founded by David Campiti in 1988 after writing a business proposal and raising US$400,000 to finance its launch...
while at Disney, and did some editing of the final Disney Comics (an Aladdin mini-series) while helping to transition the end of the Disney Comics line, returning the license to Gladstone Publishing (later bought out by Diamond Comics Distribution).
Defiant
In March 1993, Gafford moved back to New York to help noted writer and former Marvel editor-in-chief Jim ShooterJim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
launch his new Defiant Comics
Defiant Comics
Defiant Comics was a comic book publishing imprint of Enlightened Entertainment Partners, LP. Defiant was established in 1993 by former Marvel Comics and Valiant Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter.- Publication history :...
line, but creative differences resulted in severing ties with the new publisher (which eventually went out of business a year later).
Topps Comics
In June 1993, Gafford was hired by former MarvelMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
editor Jim Salicrup
Jim Salicrup
Jim Salicrup is an American comic book editor, known for his tenures at Marvel Comics and Topps Comics. At Marvel, where he worked for twenty years, he edited books such as The Uncanny X-Men, Fantastic Four, Avengers and various Spider-Man titles...
for the new line of Topps Comics
Topps Comics
Topps Comics is a division of the American trading card publisher and gum/candy distributor the Topps Company, Inc. that published comic books from 1993–1998, beginning its existence during a short comics-industry boom that attracted many investors and new companies...
produced by noted sports trading card publisher The Topps. Topps Comics was producing a line of books licensed from famed comics creator Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, who died in 1994. As the independent comics market shrank in the mid-1990s, Topps dropped their original titles and concentrated on TV and movie licensed titles, most notably The X-Files
The X-Files (comics)
The X-Files comics was a spin-off from the television series of the same name, originally published by Topps Comics and, most recently, DC Comics imprint Wildstorm.-Publication history:...
and Jurassic Park.
Gafford was laid off from Topps at the end of January 1997 along with other staffers, including editor-in-chief Salicrup. The few who remained were let go before year's end, and some of the inventory eventually saw print at Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
.
Freelance cartoonist
Starting in 1994, Gafford returned to writing and drawing, this time for the anthropomorphic (furry) market, and produced material that saw print at Antarctic PressAntarctic Press
Antarctic Press is a San Antonio-based comic book publishing company which publishes "American Manga" style comic books.Founded by Ben Dunn in 1984, Antarctic Press has produced over 850 titles with a total circulation of over 5 million...
, Radio Comics, and Shanda Fantasy Arts. He also wrote and drew original comics stories reminiscent of 1950s and '60s superhero genres which saw print in Big Bang Comics
Big Bang Comics
Big Bang Comics first appeared in 1994, with five issue mini-series , published by Caliber Comics. Their second series was published by Image Comics. Currently their titles are self-published.-Publication history:...
: two stories were redrawn by other artists, but the final one ("Ladybug," a combination of Fly Girl
Flygirl
Flygirl is a super-heroine published by Archie Comics.Kim Brand was an actress rescued by The Fly from a fall from a hotel window in issue #13 of The Adventures of the Fly. Kim fell in love with the superhero...
and Supergirl
Supergirl
Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
) featured Gafford's own art, the last to appear in print.
Post-comics
After leaving New York City behind for the final time in 1997, Gafford has returned to the "outside world," working in sales and retail for department and supermarket chains in roles far removed from the creative world of comics (as has happened to many in the comics field over the years).Personal life
Gafford and his first wife Sharon have a son, William, born in May 1985. The couple separated in 1986 and divorced in 1991.Gafford currently resides in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, tending to his invalid
Invalid
Invalid may refer to:* Patient, a sick person* A person with a disability* .invalid, a top-level Internet domain not intended for real useAs the opposite of valid:* Validity, in logic, true premises cannot lead to a false conclusion...
second wife and battling arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
and diabetes. There have been no other children. His father died March 11, 2008, at the age of 82 of complications with Alzheimers, and his mother lives in an assisted care facility in Florida following a series of strokes.