I never met him but what a character! He’s hilarious and full of life. Joe always said the guys in comics were crazier than their creations. A Genius with a capital G
Julius Schwartz is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in the history of American comic books, bar none! His contributions to the evolution and subsequent expansion of DC Comics--encompassing the Golden, Silver, and even Bronze Ages--into the conglomerate (and media magnet) that it is today are completely unparalleled! May he continue to rest in peace...he is still missed!
I met Julius in 1989. I was going to art school, a budding comic book artist, majoring in illustration. Walked in the Oaktown Hilton, for the second year Wondercon, See this older dude practically sitting at a table alone in the center of the hall, I was going through a very bad time, met a local comic book artist who told me about the con, so I walked up to this older dog, asked him ' who the hell are you?' wondering why he was sitting seemingly isolated from the rest of the convention artists, like matt Wagner, who was nearby, I knew very well the guys who put together the convention, Rory root, and some other guys , who ran the comic book shop down the street from my families restaurant, Julius looks up at me and said ' Who the hell are you ' I laughed we both laughed and I told him about myself. Showed him my sketchbook and had him sign it. He saw some of my drawings and told me to keep it up. I paid little mind to this until I attended the panel he was the main event of and found out he was H . p. Lovecraft's literary agent?! Wtf??! Over the next decade and a half I went to every Wondercon to see Julius. And attend every panel that he was the star of where I met such fine folks as stars are made of like Carmen Infantino and Sheldon moldoff. Julius has turned out to be the biggest influence in my life. He also updated the symbols on the chest of Batman, the flash, green lantern and superman. Julius also invented the suicide prevention hotline after his own son committed suicide. I will always adore Julius.And remember his words to me ' Keep it up '😛♥️👍👌 I must add an addition to the story that if this were a time capsule for posterity the significance of this person must have attention. Stan ' the man ' Lee didn't attend west coast cons, and that year that I met Julius star trek the next generation was premiering. All day I was running around making waves, and waiting because that night was an advanced screening of the show. I suddenly found out that I was left out because I didn't have the presence of mind to get one of the numbers to get a place to get into the main hall to see the show Mike Dorn and William Frakes were attending. I ran up to Rory Root shit faced I would miss the event. Rory said ' Don't worry...' and squeezed me into the back of a standing room only section. It was fantastic. Then another dude walked in and stood next to me. It was Stan the man who only came to the convention to see Julius.
I can only imagine how awesome that must have been. That generation understood storytelling in a way not seen since. If those guys had the freedom to do what they wanted with the medium, the general public would look at comics like high art.
Wow! Honestly, I did not know much at all about Julius Schwartz as I clicked on this interview, but I had to watch something as I sipped on my morning coffee in the living room. Anywho, I really enjoyed this interview and have come to really like and appreciate Mr. Schwartz and all of his contributions to the comics biz. What a great guy.
Excellent interview! I met Julie a few times over the years in Ithaca and Pittsburgh! Always a plethora of tales,antidotes & Flash facts! Lol Godspeed,Julie!
33:45 okay, he was *REAL* for this. 90's Superman ,despite my overall love towards these stories, esp L. Simonson parts (although I am not big fan of Jon Bogdanove art), especially had this BEYOND sсhizophrenic way of jumping for "Action Comics" to "Superman" to "Superman the Man of Steel" to "Adventures of Superman" and back, in parts 1, 2, 3, etc. Take famous Death of Superman for example (original scans), and it was exactly like that for all Other stories.
Also I don't really believe that all Barry Flash and Hal GL ideas were completely his (Julius). I think Kanigher has pretty consistent "fingerprints" when you look at Barry version of Flash and all other characters that he did, especially when he reinvented them for transition between Golden and Silver Age like in Wonder Woman book. Way of His thinking. But hey, maybe I am completely wrong and Bob was just a tool, an instrument ready-to-go and fill in words and overall structure from someone else's notions and ideas. There Is famous tale (by none other than Schwartz) how he made entire story in a fuсking lunch time. But Schwartz wasn't managing Wonder Woman wasn't he?
I thought I would watch a few minutes then finish later. Well, I watched the whole interview. This is the guy that made the comics I remember as a kid. Thanks Julie. ( check out Superman cover #411 )
Alex, this production of your makes this Julius Schwartz interview a more potent document on the creative process. There's a lot in this interview that can be placed side by side with "The Pleasure of Finding Things Out," the interview with Richard Feynman done on BBC in 1981. It even contains deliberate misleading on the creative process by Julie himself. You really should be proud of the work you have done on this, and on bringing it to a wider audience. And yes, I've met Julie before, ages ago.
That’s great thank you. He occupies a chapter in my upcoming superhero comic history book from McFarland books, so naturally remastering and doing the post production on this turned into a very creative exercise for me. It was fulfilling.
From things I heard, I assumed Julie Schwartz was just a suit but I was wrong he's a great guy. There's a lot of anecdotal bad mouthing in comics usually by overly sensitive artists and writers. It was a creative + business field.
By the way Green Arrow Also "survived" Golden to Silver transition. While for instance Aquaman did not. Originally he was just human child who was taught Atlantis science by his father an adventurer who found these books, which enabled Aquaman breath underwater and be strong and being able to command and communitie with sea creatures, then in Silver Age for some reason they decided to make him good guy ripoff of Aquaman turning him into half human half atlantian.
I never met him but what a character! He’s hilarious and full of life. Joe always said the guys in comics were crazier than their creations. A Genius with a capital G
Love this interview!! Best quote... “ not only I saved DC comics but I saved Marvel comics too!” 😂😂👍. He’s actually correct!
This man had a great knowledge about what characters could sell. Loved when he was editor on Superman.
Julius Schwartz is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in the history of American comic books, bar none! His contributions to the evolution and subsequent expansion of DC Comics--encompassing the Golden, Silver, and even Bronze Ages--into the conglomerate (and media magnet) that it is today are completely unparalleled! May he continue to rest in peace...he is still missed!
I met Julius in 1989. I was going to art school, a budding comic book artist, majoring in illustration. Walked in the Oaktown Hilton, for the second year Wondercon, See this older dude practically sitting at a table alone in the center of the hall, I was going through a very bad time, met a local comic book artist who told me about the con, so I walked up to this older dog, asked him ' who the hell are you?' wondering why he was sitting seemingly isolated from the rest of the convention artists, like matt Wagner, who was nearby, I knew very well the guys who put together the convention, Rory root, and some other guys , who ran the comic book shop down the street from my families restaurant, Julius looks up at me and said ' Who the hell are you ' I laughed we both laughed and I told him about myself. Showed him my sketchbook and had him sign it. He saw some of my drawings and told me to keep it up. I paid little mind to this until I attended the panel he was the main event of and found out he was H . p. Lovecraft's literary agent?! Wtf??! Over the next decade and a half I went to every Wondercon to see Julius. And attend every panel that he was the star of where I met such fine folks as stars are made of like Carmen Infantino and Sheldon moldoff. Julius has turned out to be the biggest influence in my life. He also updated the symbols on the chest of Batman, the flash, green lantern and superman. Julius also invented the suicide prevention hotline after his own son committed suicide. I will always adore Julius.And remember his words to me ' Keep it up '😛♥️👍👌 I must add an addition to the story that if this were a time capsule for posterity the significance of this person must have attention. Stan ' the man ' Lee didn't attend west coast cons, and that year that I met Julius star trek the next generation was premiering. All day I was running around making waves, and waiting because that night was an advanced screening of the show. I suddenly found out that I was left out because I didn't have the presence of mind to get one of the numbers to get a place to get into the main hall to see the show Mike Dorn and William Frakes were attending. I ran up to Rory Root shit faced I would miss the event. Rory said ' Don't worry...' and squeezed me into the back of a standing room only section. It was fantastic. Then another dude walked in and stood next to me. It was Stan the man who only came to the convention to see Julius.
I can only imagine how awesome that must have been. That generation understood storytelling in a way not seen since. If those guys had the freedom to do what they wanted with the medium, the general public would look at comics like high art.
Wow! Honestly, I did not know much at all about Julius Schwartz as I clicked on this interview, but I had to watch something as I sipped on my morning coffee in the living room. Anywho, I really enjoyed this interview and have come to really like and appreciate Mr. Schwartz and all of his contributions to the comics biz. What a great guy.
I believe Julie's story about being able to out-talk Stan Lee!
Is Julius Schwartz the Father of the Silver Age?
Generally accepted, yes.
Excellent interview! I met Julie a few times over the years in Ithaca and Pittsburgh! Always a plethora of tales,antidotes & Flash facts! Lol Godspeed,Julie!
He had a sort of sad life, but he really did a lot of good, even brilliant work . . . .
33:45 okay, he was *REAL* for this. 90's Superman ,despite my overall love towards these stories, esp L. Simonson parts (although I am not big fan of Jon Bogdanove art), especially had this BEYOND sсhizophrenic way of jumping for "Action Comics" to "Superman" to "Superman the Man of Steel" to "Adventures of Superman" and back, in parts 1, 2, 3, etc. Take famous Death of Superman for example (original scans), and it was exactly like that for all Other stories.
Also I don't really believe that all Barry Flash and Hal GL ideas were completely his (Julius). I think Kanigher has pretty consistent "fingerprints" when you look at Barry version of Flash and all other characters that he did, especially when he reinvented them for transition between Golden and Silver Age like in Wonder Woman book. Way of His thinking.
But hey, maybe I am completely wrong and Bob was just a tool, an instrument ready-to-go and fill in words and overall structure from someone else's notions and ideas. There Is famous tale (by none other than Schwartz) how he made entire story in a fuсking lunch time. But Schwartz wasn't managing Wonder Woman wasn't he?
I thought I would watch a few minutes then finish later. Well, I watched the whole interview. This is the guy that made the comics I remember as a kid. Thanks Julie. ( check out Superman cover #411 )
I don't get why the dc guys like julius, carmine infartino, gardner fox, gil kane, denny o'neil and mor enever get thr fame they deserve
That's a fantastic interview. I love listening to Julie talk and carry on. He was very sharp well into his final years.
definitely one of my favorites!
Also his accent is like baby's accent, I don't know how to describe it really. Damn. Julius cool.
A mutual colleague of H.P. Lovecraft and Alan Moore, a class act all the way.
4:23 amazing. Julius is the OG
Alex, this production of your makes this Julius Schwartz interview a more potent document on the creative process. There's a lot in this interview that can be placed side by side with "The Pleasure of Finding Things Out," the interview with Richard Feynman done on BBC in 1981. It even contains deliberate misleading on the creative process by Julie himself. You really should be proud of the work you have done on this, and on bringing it to a wider audience. And yes, I've met Julie before, ages ago.
That’s great thank you. He occupies a chapter in my upcoming superhero comic history book from McFarland books, so naturally remastering and doing the post production on this turned into a very creative exercise for me. It was fulfilling.
From things I heard, I assumed Julie Schwartz was just a suit but I was wrong he's a great guy. There's a lot of anecdotal bad mouthing in comics usually by overly sensitive artists and writers. It was a creative + business field.
Wow. That last bit. That might be the problem. I think DC should go back to a lot of these ways
😃👍
Wow, he sounded like Robert De Niro.
Now, you know who to cast in the biopic on Julie Schwartz . . . .
By the way Green Arrow Also "survived" Golden to Silver transition. While for instance Aquaman did not. Originally he was just human child who was taught Atlantis science by his father an adventurer who found these books, which enabled Aquaman breath underwater and be strong and being able to command and communitie with sea creatures, then in Silver Age for some reason they decided to make him good guy ripoff of Aquaman turning him into half human half atlantian.
16:16 funny how nowadays it is exact opposite thinking (and for a good reason)
What a guy pure genius just turn up and fake it until you make it and then become the giant in the industry fantastic stories