Page 55 - April 2024

Ramona Fradon Passes, EC Comics Gets New Life

In Memoriam: Ramona Fradon so excited to exhibit EC’s good taste with Oni Press, who have
Comic artist Ramona Fradon, who spent over 60 years working in distinguished themselves with both an award-winning library of comics
the comic industry, passed away on February 24, 2024. She was 97 and graphic novels and a passionate understanding of EC’s singular role
years old. She had only recently stopped accepting commissions for in shaping comics history,” Cathy Gaines Mifsud said.
artwork. As a Silver Age comic strip and comic book artist, she worked “EC Comics is no stranger to a good comeback story! We’re thrilled
on DC’s Aquaman in the 1950s and ’60s and she co-created to make this return with Oni Press and usher the classic EC sensibilities
Metamorpho and Aqualad. into the modern world,” Corey Mifsud said. “It’s always been our
Fradon was born on October 1, 1926, in Chicago, and her career in dream to one day bring the fearless creative spirit of EC to a new gen-
comics began after graduating from Parsons School of eration. Working hand-in-hand with Oni’s award-
Design. Fradon’s talent was quickly realized by DC winning team and a sensational cast of creators, it’s a
Comics where she illustrated Shining Knight, followed pleasure to – at long last – shepherd EC into the 21st
by the Adventure Comics backup starring Aquaman. century with all-new series and stories.”
Together with writer Robert Bernstein, the pair co- Oni’s EC line will include at least two series on a
created the sidekick Aqualad in Adventure Comics #269. monthly basis in horror, science fiction, fantasy, and
After briefly leaving to have her daughter, Fradon other genres. The books will feature the work of well-
returned to DC to co-create Metamorpho. Fradon known writers like Jason Aaron, Brian Azzarello,
drew The Brave and the Bold #59, a Batman/Green Rodney Barnes, Corinna Bechko, Cullen Bunn,
Lantern team-up, the first of many Batman team-ups Christopher Cantwell, Cecil Castellucci, Chris Condon,
with other DC characters that populated the series’ Joshua Hale Fialkov, J. Holtham, Jeff Jensen, Matt
next 141 issues. Kindt, Sean Lewis, Stephanie Phillips, Jay Stephens, Zac
Between 1965 and 1972, Fradon left comics to Thompson, and Ben H. Winters; artists like Kano, Peter
raise her daughter. She returned in 1972 and began Krause, Leomacs, Malachi Ward, Dustin Weaver, and
drawing Plastic Man, Freedom Fighters, and Super others; designer Rian Hughes; and cover artists Lee
Friends for DC. Additionally, Fradon drew a fill-in Bermejo, Greg Smallwood, and J.H. Williams III.
issue of Fantastic Four and the never-published fifth “Seventy years ago, EC Comics redefined what
issue of The Cat for Marvel. comics could be with shocking, confrontational, and
In 1980, Dale Messick retired from drawing brilliantly crafted stories that challenged the existential
the newspaper strip Brenda Starr, passing the torch to Ramona Fradon’s art appeared in over issues at the center of American life – censorship,
Fradon. She illustrated the series until her own retire- two dozen issues of Super Friends in racism, sexism, nuclear proliferation, and more. Today,
ment in 1995. Fradon was inducted into the Will the late 1970s and early 1980s. those battles continue in alarming and pernicious new
Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1995, adding to her previous ways,” Hahn said. “What better time to resurrect the
honor of joining the Women Cartoonist Hall of Fame in 1999. undying spirit of EC Comics – one of the most entertaining, subver-
In the 2010s, Fradon contributed pencils to the graphic novels The sive, and influential publishers of all time – with an all-star cast of sto-
Adventures of Unemployed Man, The Dinosaur That Got Tired of rytellers to examine today’s society through the lens that William
Being Extinct, and the collection The Art of Ramona Fradon. Gaines and his legendary collaborators have left us.”
“There are few things more sacred to the canon of comic book
EC Comics Revived with New Line at Oni Press history – and global pop culture – than EC Comics. The company’s
In the 1940s and ‘50s, EC Comics produced horror, science fiction, audaciously inspired sensibilities have continuously echoed through
war, and crime fiction comics that were as good as they were contro- nearly all facets of entertainment – like pieces of shrapnel embedded in
versial. At a time when comics were still predominately American imagination,” Gorinson said. “It’s both a huge
family-friendly and aimed at kids, EC’s books pushed honor and immense responsibility to be entrusted to work
the boundaries of what was considered appropriate and alongside the Gaines family in inhabiting EC’s
instigated the creation of the Comics Code Authority. indomitable spirit for a new generation. At a moment
Now, EC is back with new material and several new series. when we find ourselves confronting the same reactionary
Oni Press has entered into a publishing partnership forces – injustice, inequality, and of course, censorship –
with Williams M. Gaines Agent, Inc. on a new line of EC that EC challenged head-on, we intend to write a new
comics. It kicks off in the summer of 2024 with Epitaphs and powerful chapter that honors and expands one of the
from the Abyss #1 in July and Cruel Universe #1 in most important legacies the comic book medium has
August. The EC publishing program will be overseen by ever produced.”
Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson and In the months ahead, we’ll take a look at some of the
Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn, in partnership with William M. Gaines most in-demand comics from the original EC era.
Agent, Inc. administrators Cathy Gaines Mifsud and Corey Mifsud,
Gaines’ daughter and grandson. Amanda Sheriff is the Editor – Digital for Gemstone
“As my father said, ‘Only in the bounds of good taste!’ and I’m Publishing. J.C. Vaughn is the President of Gemstone.

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