The Ed Woods of Comic Books?
Fletcher Hanks, Sr. Was an obscure artist and writer during a brief period in the Golden Age (1939 - 41) when he turned out a number of characters for Fox Features Syndicate and Fiction House such as Stardust the Super Wizard, an 8 foot tall alien who could do anything and who was noted for his often bizarre punishments such as turning one enemy into a worm and feeding him to his evil giant birds and Fantomah, an early superheroine who protected her jungle home with her ability to turn from a beautiful woman into a powerful blue-gray skinned, skull-faced horror.
Drawing and writing under such pseudonyms as "Henry Fletcher," "Barclay Flagg," "Bob Jordan," "Hank Christy,” and "Charles Netcher." He also created Big Red McLane, Buzz Crandall of the Space Patrol, Space Smith, and Tabu the Wizard of the Jungle.
Leaving the comics industry in 1941 Hanks frozen body was found on a park bench in New York City.
The reported date of his death vary however with some starting it as early as the late 50’s, to others saying 1976 and even 1997!
His output in the Golden Age has recently been rediscovered by a fans, some of whom call him “the Ed Woods of comic book artists.”
In 2007 a collection of some of his public domain work was published in a book from Fantagraphics Books called “I Shall Destroy All The Civilized Planets!.”
A second volume is in the works.
