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<DIV>Thanks, Harry & Bob, for the explanation!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV>I had thought of the "collectibility" of #1 issues and that
Disney had wanted to clearly brand their run, but I failed to see the logic
of not re-booting *all* the titles. Now I know this was prevented thanks
to you, Mr Foster!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Here's an additional question; it may be rather obvious, but still, I would
like to be sure: was Disney Comics Editor-in-Chief Len Wein the same that
co-created Swamp Thing?</DIV>
<DIV>I only discovered Swamp Thing when was introduced to Alan Moore's work
thanks to the "From Hell" movie; reading his run on Swamp Thing naturally made
me want to go back to the roots (pun semi-intended) of the character, and
I wasn't disappointed at all: Moore may have gone further with the character,
developed it in a very interesting way, but Wein & Wrightson's series was
already great.</DIV>
<DIV>However, I only recently linked this Wein with the one credited in Disney
Comics. Now, I would just like to be sure it's not an homonym.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Speaking of the staff of Disney comics and their various
works, again, I only recently found out about the other works of one
of Gladstone/Gemstone's Colorists Supreme.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>First, let me tell you that the first Spider-Man movie and From Hell led me
to broaden my comics interests. I did read some superhero comics years and years
ago, and I already had a few Peanuts & Pogo books, but after finding
Gladstone's comics and 'Library"s, I focused on Disney comics.</DIV>
<DIV>Those two movies made me investigate some other classics I had overlooked
or was not aware of. Hardcover and paperback reprints and Archives helped a
lot-- regular wages also did, as opposed to nothing during first years of
Disney collecting, as a student.</DIV>
<DIV>Spider-Man, Moore, Gaiman, DC's Batman Archives, EC Library sets, ... --
and non-EC horror comics.</DIV>
<DIV>Mile-High Comics has been a great help. My first orders, nearly two years
ago, consisted mostly of Disney comics. Now it's mostly horror / weird,
adventure, pre-code comics, Literary Classics, ..., plus a few Disney titles
(especially Gemstone's DD&F and MM&F, which you can't get through
amazon).</DIV>
<DIV>I soon started cataloguing everything, in order to be able to find a
specific story when needed. I always read the story credits, but I haven't
had time to read all the comics I have bought yet.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>And one day, a few weeks (two months) ago, as I checked it to enter it in
my Word document, I saw that the painted cover of "Tales of Terror"
# 10 (January, 1987), was credited to... Gary Leach !</DIV>
<DIV>To date, it's the only art of his that I have. I have seen a few ads
in other comics for titles drawn by Gary, though.</DIV>
<DIV>Naturally, I Googled for Gary, and found out what a great artist he is /
you are.</DIV>
<DIV>I must admit that I quite had naively never thought about it; I have seen
"colored by Gary Leach" in Disney comics for 12 years now, but I had never
imagined you might actually draw as well-- it's a bit silly, indeed, imagining
one can't have a life & career outside of Disney comics & whatever
their work there might be; but then, there are so specific compartments in
comics as in animation (story idea, script, layout, pencils, inking, coloring,
...), I had just assumed you had specialized in (great) coloring.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Here are a few pages found by Google:</DIV>
<DIV>- an interview with Disney comics Editor John Clark, featuring a very nice
picture of him, with Susan and Gary Leach</DIV>
<DIV>- the new incarnation of Miracleman, written by Alan Moore, was drawn
by Gary Leach ( <A
href="http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/m/miracle.jpg">http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/m/miracle.jpg</A> )
( <A
href="http://comics.ubbihp.com.br/miracle04.jpg">http://comics.ubbihp.com.br/miracle04.jpg</A>
); unfortunately, those books are rare, and a legal quagmire prevents any new
edition of Moore & Gaiman's runs</DIV>
<DIV>- a Daredevil painting ( <A
href="http://daredevil.dreamhost.com/art/posters/ddvs1s.jpg">http://daredevil.dreamhost.com/art/posters/ddvs1s.jpg</A> )</DIV>
<DIV>- a green elemental girl and zombies ( <A
href="http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Springs/8050/gravebane-zombie.jpg">http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Springs/8050/gravebane-zombie.jpg</A>
)</DIV>
<DIV>- a page from "the John Clark / Gary Leach adaptation of the movie
'Freaked' " ( <A
href="http://www.stevestiles.com/freak.htm">http://www.stevestiles.com/freak.htm</A> )
(the same John Clark, I guess; has he written non-Disney comics?)</DIV>
<DIV>- inking of "Authority" issues ( <A
href="http://www.chrisweston.co.uk/authority.frame.html">http://www.chrisweston.co.uk/authority.frame.html</A> )</DIV>
<DIV>- "Magic" trading cards ( <A
href="http://www.cardshark.com/images_magic/14675.jpg">http://www.cardshark.com/images_magic/14675.jpg</A>
) ( <A
href="http://www.coolstuffinc.com/art/Visions/Betrayal.jpg">http://www.coolstuffinc.com/art/Visions/Betrayal.jpg</A>
) ( <A
href="http://mi.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/canyon_wildcat.jpg">http://mi.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/canyon_wildcat.jpg</A>
); I supposed you colored them yourself as well, didn't you?</DIV>
<DIV>- since I can't read whatever Scandinavian language this one is in, I'm not
sure what the credit is for: <A
href="http://www.kupla.net/akatemia/framet.html?/akatemia/kerros2/luokka2d/sommvapa.html">http://www.kupla.net/akatemia/framet.html?/akatemia/kerros2/luokka2d/sommvapa.html</A> ;
it might be pencils.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have meant to write you about this, Gary, but have been procrastinating.
That's superb art! I hope I'll be able to find & buy more issues featuring
your cover art, and even story art.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>What other such non-Disney achievements by Disney comics staff have I
been unaware of all those years?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Olivier</DIV></BODY></HTML>