Birthday 2007

Well, to be honest I did not think I would be posting a birthday commission this year. As the months moved forward to the July date, my fiancé never asked me if I wanted a commission for my birthday as she has in past years. I actually sent a note to the Marvel 2-in-1 Guy saying I was not commission worthy this year and therein lies this story.

You see Amy had decided I was indeed commission worthy, but this time she did not want me to be “Art Director” as I was with last years incredible Bob Layton Dynamo, Iron Man, Iron Maiden commission. She wanted to make this years birthday a total surprise, so she enlisted the assistance of the man known only as the Marvel 2-in-1 Guy to aid her in the selection of both artist and subject.

My fondness for the Justice Society and the MLJ/Mighty characters was brought up, as was my continued admiration for the cover to Mystery in Space 90, arguably the greatest cover ever done by the definitive Silver Age DC team of Infantino and Anderson. Surprisingly there was no discussion of my fondness for Hawkeye and Green Arrow…hmm maybe next year.

Also discussed was my wish list of commission artists and their ability to deliver the present by mid July, a few dependable artists were put aside simply because of their elongated waiting lists, certainly not for their inability to deliver a kicking commission. So there went the two artists I have earmarked for a western.

As the list got whittled down, the conspirators decided their third accomplice would be Ernie Chan, an artist producing work as good today as it was back when a trip to a newsstand guaranteed a half dozen Erne Chan covers staring right back at you. The combination of Adam Strange and Hawkman were selected because of my fondness for both and because of Ernie’s previous experience with doing a reinterpretation of the original Mystery in Space 90 cover for one of DC’s 70s reprint magazines.

Then the fun began for both Amy and the 2-in-1 Guy, knowing their shared secret, they ignored my torment as Amy dripped a few feeble clues to my impending present. I don’t think I had a single conversation over the last several weeks without my asking at least once, “Who are the collaborators?” I had no idea it was a man enchanted by Marvel Two-in-One 76, my future wife and one of the premiere Bronze Age artists.

Since I had no idea art would be the gift, I was going crazy trying to figure out what I was getting and who was helping. In all honestly I thought it was going to be a Bose CD radio or a radio that would play XM in the house.

It was a true surprise when I opened the package Saturday morning and looked at an incredible commission featuring Adam Strange and Alanna, Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Adding to the delight was a second package with a book, “The Illustrated history of Michael’s Birthday Commission” by all three rascals! Included were copies of their emails back and forth, the prelims and the final product.

Thanks guys and gal, you made this one of the all time greatest birthdays ever!!!!