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Fred Hembeck (born January 30, 1953) is an American
cartoonist A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comics illustrators/artists in that they produce both the litera ...
best known for his parodies of characters from major American
comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
publishers. His work has frequently been published by the firms whose characters he spoofs. His characters are always drawn with curlicues at the elbows and knees. He often portrays himself as a character in his own work, in the role of "interviewer" of various comic book characters. Interviewer Daniel Best has said of his work, "If you take your comic books seriously, and think that those characters are real, then you're probably not a fan of Hembeck."


Early life

Hembeck was born January 30, 1953.''
Comics Buyer's Guide ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' (''CBG''; ), established in 1971, was the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry. It awarded its annual Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards from 1983 to circa 2010. The publ ...
'' #1650; February 2009; Page 107
He grew up in Yaphank, Long Island.Hembeck, Fred
"The Fred Hembeck Show: Episode 13"
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
. 2005. Retrieved August 15, 2008.


Career

Fresh out of college, and failing to get work as a traditional comic book artist, Hembeck developed a unique artistic style based on the version of himself he used to write illustrated letters to his college friends. Hembeck used this character to conduct comedic "interviews" with
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
and
The Flash The Flash is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date, cover-dated Jan ...
, which he sent to the leading fan publication of the day, ''The Buyer's Guide for Comic Fandom'' (later known as the ''
Comics Buyer's Guide ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' (''CBG''; ), established in 1971, was the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry. It awarded its annual Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards from 1983 to circa 2010. The publ ...
''). Much to his surprise, the submissions were published, and Hembeck's strip, called "Dateline: @!!?#", became a popular feature. The "best" of these strips were published in ''Hembeck: The Best of Dateline: @!!?#'', put out by
Eclipse Comics Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book store, comic book specialty stor ...
in 1979 and reprinted by FantaCo Enterprises in 1980. From 1979 to 1981, Hembeck wrote and drew a one-tier, multi-panel comic strip that appeared in the ''
Daily Planet The ''Daily Planet'' is a fictional newspaper appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Superman. The newspaper was first mentioned in ''Action Comics'' #9 (November 13, 1939) – Underworld Politics ...
'' page of DC comic books. (The ''Daily Planet'' featured news on current and upcoming DC comics and answers to reader questions.) From 1980 to 1983, FantaCo produced a series of black-and-white magazine-format books featuring Hembeck's stories and strips. Hembeck also contributed humor pieces to other FantaCo titles, including ''Smilin’ Ed'', the ''Chronicles'' series, ''Gates of Eden'', and ''Alien Encounters''. Hembeck wrote and laid out the artwork for ''Fantastic Four Roast'' #1 (May 1982), a one-shot which commemorated the 20th anniversary of the ''Fantastic Four'' series.


Marvel Age and Brother Voodoo

Hembeck was especially visible in the 1980s when his strips appeared regularly in ''
Marvel Age ''Marvel Age'' was a promotional comic book-sized magazine from Marvel Comics published from 1983 to 1994. Basically a comic-length edition of the Bullpen Bulletins page, ''Marvel Age'' contained previews of upcoming Marvel comics, as well as i ...
'', a
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
promotional magazine. Because Hembeck has a particular fascination with the minor Marvel Comics character Brother Voodoo, he regularly featured the character in the cartoons he drew each month in ''Marvel Age'', generally depicting him as a lame character constantly trying (and failing) to get his own series. He introduced Brother Voodoo's sister and nephew: Sister Voodoo and Voodoo Chile.''The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror 2005'' (Marvel Comics, 2005). When Brother Voodoo finally got his own solo story in '' Marvel Super-Heroes'' vol. 2 #1, Hembeck drew it, in a serious art style very different from his normal cartooning look. In his cartoon in the final issue of ''Marvel Age'' Hembeck claimed he had only begun mocking Brother Voodoo because he had the character confused with an "even lamer"
Silver Age The Ages of Man are the historical stages of human existence according to Greek mythology and its subsequent interpretatio romana, Roman interpretation. Both Hesiod and Ovid offered accounts of the successive ages of humanity, which tend to pr ...
character, DC's Brother Power the Geek.


Other publications

Hembeck has also been published by
First Comics First Comics is an American comic book publisher that was active from 1983 to 1991 and then from 2011 to present (stylized as 1First Comics), known for titles like '' American Flagg!'', '' Grimjack'', ''Nexus'', ''Badger'', '' Dreadstar'', and '' ...
,
Krause Publications Krause Publications is an American publisher of hobby magazines and books. The company was started by Chester L. Krause (19232016) in 1952 and published '' Numismatic News''. In the coin collecting community the company is best known for its ...
, Comic Shop News,
Fantagraphics Books Fantagraphics (previously Fantagraphics Books) is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, manga, magazines, graphic novels, and (formerly) the Erotic comics, erotic Eros Comix imprint. They have managed sev ...
, Topps Comics,
TwoMorrows Publishing TwoMorrows Publishing is a publisher of magazines about comic books, founded in 1994 by John and Pam Morrow out of their small advertising agency in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Its products also include books and DVDs. List of maga ...
, and
Archie Comics Archie Comic Publications, Inc. (often referred to simply as Archie Comics) is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the village of Pelham, New York. The company's many titles feature the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Jug ...
. Many of Hembeck's past strips are available through his website.


Parody

Although most of Hembeck's work is itself parody, Hembeck and his drawing style have also been the subject of parody: * In issue #3 of the first ''
Omega Men The Omega Men are a fictional team of extraterrestrial superheroes who have appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. They first appeared in ''Green Lantern'' (vol. 2) #141 (June 1981), and were created by Marv Wolfman and Joe ...
'' series (drawn by
Keith Giffen Keith Ian Giffen (November 30, 1952 – October 9, 2023) was an American comics artist and writer. He was known for his work for DC Comics on their ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' and ''Justice League'' titles as well as for being the co-creator of ...
), a team member named "Humbek" appears, drawn in a style approximating that of Hembeck (as opposed to the more representational art of the rest of the issue). His thoughts reveal him to be an underground cartoonist exiled from his homeworld. Seconds later, he is killed by Lobo. * Later in issue #307 of the second volume of the ''
Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion of Super-Heroes is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st centuries of t ...
'' (also drawn by Giffen), the words "I killed Fred Humbeck" appear in the filigree of a panel border.


Bibliography


FantaCo Hembeck series

* #1: ''Hembeck: The Best of Dateline: @!!?#'' (first published by Eclipse in 1979, reprinted with 8 new pages by FantaCo in 1980) * #2: ''Hembeck 1980'' (1980) * #3: ''Abbott and Costello Meet the Bride of Hembeck'' (1980) * #4: ''Bah, Hembeck!'' (1980) * #5: ''The Hembeck File'' (1981) * #6: ''Jimmy Olsen's Pal, Fred Hembeck'' (1981) * #7: ''Dial H for Hembeck'' (1983)


DC

* '' 'Mazing Man'' #7–10 (1986)


Marvel

* ''Fantastic Four Roast'' (1982) * ''Spectacular Spider-Man'' #86 (1984) * ''Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe'' (1989) * ''Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe'' (1990) * ''Marvel Super-Heroes'' vol. 3 #1 (1990) * ''Marvel Universe According to Hembeck'' (2016) (collects ''Fantastic Four Roast'', ''Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe'', ''Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe'', ''Spectacular Spider-Man'' #86 and more)


Image Comics

* ''The Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus'' (2008)—900-plus-page compilation of previously published strips and comics not owned by other companies, including all of the books published by FantaCo. Introduction by
Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...
. .


Citations


General and cited references

*
Hembeck bio at Lambiek.net


External links

*


Hembeck's MySpace page

The Hembeck Files
— digitally recolored archive of Hembeck's ''Daily Planet'' strips * Tim Powers and Sax Carr
FandomPlanet Podcast Episode 12
Geekscape. {{DEFAULTSORT:Hembeck, Fred 1953 births DC Comics people Farmingdale State College alumni Living people Marvel Comics people Parody superheroes People from Yaphank, New York University at Buffalo alumni