25 – Murphy Anderson’s Best "PS" Continuity

Murphy Anderson’s PS Magazine creds included a long stint of yoeman’s efforts in Will Eisner’s shop and two years when the PS contract was in the hands of the post-Eisner group, before he won the contract in his own name in 1973, going on to produce PS 252 (November 1973) through PS 308 (July 1978).

Murphy had already established himself as a multi-talented artist in the stables of DC Comics (National Periodical Publications) in the 1960s and 1970s. Murphy was considered to be not only one of their best pencil artists but an amazingly talented inker, inking not only his own pencils, but embellishing the pencil work of others.

"The team of Curt Swan (pencils) and Murphy Anderson (inks) on Superman in the 1960s and 1970s produced the Superman 'look' that the average Baby-Boomer sees in his mind when he thinks of Superman," PS Production Manager Stuart Henderson has said. Murphy also drew Hawkman, the Flash, Batman, and virtually all of the DC characters.

Other artists in Murphy's shop included: Frank Chiramonte, Augie Scotto, Dan Zolnerowich, Creig Flessel, Craig Daniels, Howard Berman, and Murphy's son (Murphy III), wife Helen, and daughter Sophie.

I held a high degree of respect and admiration for Zolnerowich, who was much-liked, friendly, cooperative and productive. His presence in the shops of Will Eisner, the post-Eisner group, and Murphy Anderson, was a highly valued asset. He was a meticulous, steady worker whose strongpoint was technical illustration—the true heart of the PS mission—from the magazine’s very beginning and for more than 30 years. He was an even-tempered bear of a man whose presence was a pleasure. Dan began his career in the Eisner-Iger Studios in the late 1930s, shared a Fiction House background with Murphy who also started there, and racked up an array of credits with the early DC Comics where he returned after leaving Murphy.

Anderson lost the contract in July of 1978 through a low-bid award to Zeke Zekely’sSponsored Comics. Zekely’s group produced PS 309 through PS 314 before defaulting on the contract. Murphy and his group stepped back into the picture, going on to produce PS 315 (February 1979) through PS 368 (July 1983).

The New Millennium staff at PS picked The Hunt, featuring Santa Claus and his Elves (as an endangered species), as Murphy’s best PS Continuity. It appeared in PS 265 (December 1974).

—p.e.f.

UPCOMING POSTINGS:

¶ Murphy Anderson’s Runner-Up PS Continuity

¶ Early Covers Put Eisner, PS in Hot Water

¶ Best of Zeke Zekely in PS

¶ A Covey of Connies: World War II to Today