19-JULY-2011 I believe it’s destiny that comic book superstar JAMAL IGLE was born 89 years after animator MAX FLEISCHER.
Max Fleischer was born in Poland and lived in Austria during his early years, finally coming to America in 1887. Â He died in California at the Motion Picture Country House, a retirement community for people in the industry. The Fleischer SUPERMAN cartoons are historically important. Fleischer Studios invented the rotoscoping technique much-maligned by some fans of traditional animation but praised by a minority. Rotoscoping is the process of recording live action and then tracing over the images to create a unique animation style. The SUPERMAN series managed to look a lot more appealing than the 1978 Ralph Bakshi version of the LORD OF THE RINGS some 30 years later. Today, Max Fleischer would have been 128 years old. You can follow the Studio President, Mark Fleischer’s twitter @BoopPrezSays.
Still blowing our minds today at a mere 39 is the amazing JAMAL IGLE, DC Comics artist most recently on the ZATANNA series. He may be best known for a long run on SUPERGIRL. Jamal’s fingerprints on the “old” DCU are indelible for which we are grateful. If we were transported back in time to days of chivalry and regency, Jamal would be one of those knights considered pure of heart. He’s a doting husband and father from New York City. He’s generous with his time and talents. I’ve seen him interacting with the youngest of comic geeks and it was inspiring. He has a way of talking to kids without dumbing it down; he tells them about drawing and encourages them to stick with it no matter how young they are. This week Jamal is at Comic Con International so if you see him wish him a happy birthday!
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.