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Mark Hanerfeld (1944–January 4, 2000) was an American writer and editor in the comic book industry. Starting out in the world of comics fandom, Hanerfeld is most well known for co-creating Abel, the "host" of the DC Comics horror comics anthology House of Secrets, as well as being the model for the character's appearance.

Biography

Early life

Hanerfeld, a New Yorker, graduated from the High School of Music & Art.

Fandom

Hanerfeld started out in the world of comics fandom, first by writing to various DC comic book letter columns (with his first letter being printed in Justice League of America in 1961. Forming a relationship with top editor Julius Schwartz, Hanerfeld began visiting the DC offices (as well as meeting other like-minded fans). Hanerfeld became such a constant on the DC Thursday tours that eventually the company let him begin leading them.

Meanwhile, Hanerfeld was immersed in the world of comics fanzines, first compiling the news section of The Comic Reader (TCR), called "On the Drawing Board." He took over as editor of TCR in 1968, while also becoming Executive Secretary of the Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors (ACBFC). Doing double-duty was apparently too much for Hanerfeld: by mid-1969 he was having trouble maintaining a consistent publication schedule for TCR and, despite winning a 1969 Alley Award, by early 1970 the fanzine was no longer being published. The ACBFC, meanwhile, went defunct in mid-1969.

Professional comics career

DC Comics

In 1968, Hanerfeld began writing columns for The Wonderful World of Comics (WWC), and Fact Files, filler text features that appeared in select DC Comics titles. During the period 1968–1970, Hanerfeld wrote most of the WWC columns, which were probably inspired by Marvel's Bullpen Bulletins; the WWC columns provided insight into various elements of the comics world, from creator biographies to insider info on company sales and publishing decisions to the world of comics fanzines and the burgeoning comic convention scene. Fact File pieces were usually one-page recaps of the careers of various DC heroes.

In 1969, DC editor Joe Orlando created the design for Abel, based on Hanerfeld:

I started out basing it on the biblical Cain and Abel but then I turned to the people that were around me. It's just a writer's trick to take people's personalities and inject them into your characters. Mark stuttered when he got nervous. He was short and heavy so Abel was short and heavy. Abel was a good counterpoint to Cain who was tall and thin.

Hanerfeld and artist Bill Draut then created the first story featuring Abel, in DC Special #4 (July–Sept. 1969); Abel soon became the host of House of Secrets. During the period 1969 to 1974, Hanerfeld also wrote stories for such DC titles as The Spectre, Phantom Stranger, and Justice League of America.

In the summer of 1970, Hanerfeld — on his own dime — attended the Golden State Comic-Con, where he enthusiastically promoted DC's line of titles. Upon his return, he encouraged fellow East Coast comics industry figures to attend future editions of what became San Diego Comic-Con.

Hanerfeld was officially at DC in the period 1971–1973, serving as an assistant editor under DC vice president Joe Orlando. In that role, he also served as the DC librarian.

Marvel Comics

From 1974 to 1987, Hanerfeld work on promotional tie-ins for Marvel Comics, producing minicomics featuring Captain America, the Hulk, Spider-Man, and Tarzan advertising Aurora models, Pez, 7-Eleven, and bubble gum.

Throughout the 1980s, he helped coordinate Marvel reprints for the company's Marvel UK line. He left comics after the 1980s.

Personal life and death

Hanerfeld died of heart failure in January 2000 after a period of ill health. He was commemorated at the 2000 Harvey Award ceremony at the Pittsburgh Comicon.

Other appearances

Hanerfeld appeared as a metafictional character in Batman #237 (December 1971). Written by Dennis O'Neil and illustrated by Neal Adams, the story featured several comics creators appearing and interacting with Batman and Robin at the Rutland Halloween Parade in Rutland, Vermont.

He also appeared in a photograph in Elvira's House of Mystery #4 (June 1986).

Bibliography

Comics

• "Shadow Show," in The Spectre #9 (Mar-Apr 1969)
• "Footsteps of Disaster," in The Spectre #10 (May-Jun 1969)
• "Hit and Run!", in The Spectre #10 (May-Jun 1969)
• "How Much Can a Guy Take?," in The Spectre #10 (May-Jun 1969)
• "Will the Real Killer Please Rise?", in The Spectre #10 (May-Jun 1969)
• untitled , DC Special #4 (Jul-Sep 1969) — Framing sequence running throughout the book where each named character takes turns telling stories to try and scare the children, with the final story being told by the Phantom Stranger; first appearance of Abel
• "A Face in the Crowd!", The Witching Hour (DC, 1969 series) #6 (December 1969 – January 1970) — featuring the Three Witches
• "The Power," in The Phantom Stranger #20 (Jul-Aug 1972)
• "The Return of Anakronus!", Justice League of America #114 (Nov-Dec 1974) — printed credits read "Story by: Len Wein, aided & abetted by: Felton Marcus"

DC filler pages pieces

The Wonderful World of Comics

The Wonderful World of Comics articles appeared in select DC titles with cover dates spanning the periods notated.

• Aug 1968 "The Inquiring Fanatic: Whatever Happened to the Guy Who Us'ta Draw The Flash, or, Carmine WHO???" — humorous profile of Carmine Infantino
• Aug–Sep 1968 "Fan or Reader" — how to determine if you are a true comics fan or just an occasional reader. Also includes plug for the Bat Lash story by (Sergio Aragonés and Nick Cardy) in Showcase #76.
• Sep 1968 "Fanzine Review; Geek Sneak Peek" — plugs for comics fanzine Star-Studded Comics and Joe Simon's Brother Power the Geek title
• Nov 1968 "The Naming of Names; Con Game" — Bill Finger tells how the names Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Alan Scott came to be
• Oct–Nov 1968 "#5: Joe Kubert Is a Grand Old Name!" — profile of Joe Kubert; plugs for new titles Angel and the Ape and DC Special.
• Nov–Dec 1968 "#6: What's in a Fanzine" — definitions of various types of comics fanzines; plugs for The Comic Crusader and Fandom Calling.
• Jan–Feb 1969 "#7: Who Ever Heard of Jay Scott Pike!?!" — profile of Jay Scott Pike and his new character, Dolphin; news about the 1968 edition of Academy Con (which never came to pass)
• Jan–Feb 1969 "#8: What Makes DC Run?" — information about the colorists, letterers, and production people at DC Comics
• Feb–Mar 1969 "#10: Fandom Picks the Winners; Collector's Item" — information about the Alley Awards, some rare DC collectible comics, and letters from readers
• May 1969 "#11: DC Stars of Stage, Screen, Radio, and Television" — a rundown of various radio, movie serial, film, and television adaptations of DC characters
• Jul–Aug 1969 "Additions and Corrections" — questions and answers about DC's characters and creators
• Nov–Dec 1969 "Test Your 'Golden Age' I.Q." — written by E. Nelson Bridwell; Golden Age of Comic Books quiz with 20 questions and answers
• Dec 1969-Jan 1970 "Meet Murphy Anderson!" — lengthy profile of Murphy Anderson

Fact File

The Fact File feature appeared in select DC titles with cover dates spanning the periods notated.

1. Nov–Dec 1968 — Tarantula
2. Feb–March 1969 — The Golden Age Green Lantern
3. TK
4. Feb–Apr 1969 — Vigilante
5. Apr–May 1969 — Wildcat
6. Apr-Jun 1969 — Sargon the Sorcerer
7. May-Jun 1969 — Detective Comics no. 27
8. May–Aug 1969 — The Spectre
9. Jul-Dec 1969 — The Seven Soldiers of Victory

See also

• The Amazing World of DC Comics — successor to The Wonderful World of Comics

References

Citations

1. ^ Cooke, Jon B. (March 2000). "CBA Interview: Mark Hanerfeld: Abel with Caine: The Late Assistant Editor on his DC Days in a 1998 Interview". Comic Book Artist. No. 7. pp. 17–19.
2. "1969 Alley Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved March 1, 2023. Tallied by Mark Hanerfeld. Total number of votes: at least 319.
3. Cronin, Brian (17 September 2017). "Comic Legends: Which Comic Creators Were the Models for Cain and Abel?". CBR. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
4. Wein, Len (March 6, 2012). "That would be my dear, departed friend MArk Hanerfeld, who was the model for Abel as drawn by Joe Orlando" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
5. Busiek, Kurt (March 6, 2012). "Since people are kvelling over the SANDMAN casting, let's go back a step further. This is Mark Hanerfeld, the real-like visual inspiration for Abel" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
6. ^ Marvel Bullpen Bulletins page, "Fabulous Facts and Frivolous Fables from Frantic Fans, Faithful Friends, and Fiendish Foes!" in Marvel Comics cover-dated April 1969, including The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, #114.
7. "Recent Passings". Alumni and Friends of LaGuardia High School. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
8. ^ Evanier, Mark (January 8, 2010). "Voices from the Past". News from ME.
9. Schelly, Bill (June 2003). "Jerry Bails' Ten Building Blocks of Fandom". Alter Ego. Vol. 3, no. 25. pp. 5–8.
10. ^ Bails, Jerry; Ware, Hames, eds. (1973–1976). "Hanerfeld, Mark". Who's Who of American Comic Books. Detroit, Michigan: J. Bails. pp. 92, 316. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
11. Hanerfeld, Mark (1969). "Academy Forum". The Comic Reader. No. 75.
12. Kupperberg, Paul (July 18, 2020). "The Wonderful World of Comics: Or, How I Stopped Worrying and Started Cutting Up Silver Age Comic Books". And Then I Wrote...
13. ^ Cooke, Jon B. (Spring 1998). "Orlando's Weird Adventures: Interview with that man of mystery, the late Joe Orlando". Comic Book Artist. No. 1.
14. "In Remembrance...: A tribute to those members of the comic book world who passed on in 1999 and early 2000". HarveyAwards.Tripod.com. April 28, 2000. Retrieved March 1, 2023. This memorial was originally presented by Kim Thompson of Fantagraphics and Denis Kitchen of the Harvey Award Committee ....
15. Larnick, Eric (October 30, 2010). "The Rutland Halloween Parade: Where Marvel and DC First Collided". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on January 11, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2011. Dick Grayson attends the parade with his friends – comic book creators Alan Weiss, Bernie Wrightson and Gerry Conway. Batman's fight spills into Tom Fagan's mansion, where Denny O'Neil, Len Wein, and Mark Hanerfeld are in attendance.
16. Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
17. Waid, Mark (September 2000). "Afterword". Millennium Edition: House of Mystery. No. 1. p. inside back cover.
18. Wells, John (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 215. ISBN 978-1605490557.
19. "The Wonderful World of Comics: Test Your "Golden Age" I.Q." Aquaman. Vol. 1, no. 48. DC Comics. November–December 1969.

Sources

• Gary Groth, ed. (March 1974). "Writers of the Comics: Metro Con 71: Denny O'Neil, Ted White, Len Wein". Word Balloons. No. 1. pp. 18–25. Panel discussion; also speaking are Mark Hanerfeld, Marv Wolfman, and Gerry Conway.

External links

• "Recordings of the 1970 San Diego Comic-Con #1: Listen to them Here!". Comic-Convention Memories: A venue for all your comic-convention memories, pictures, and praises. January 8, 2010. — Hanerfeld speaks as the lone representative of DC/National
• Kupperberg, Paul (Mar 4, 2021). "PAUL KUPPERBERG: My 13 Favorite 1960s DC COMICS FAN PAGES". 13th Dimension. — features full reproductions of a number of The Wonderful World of Comics articles

• 1944 births
• 2000 deaths
• American comics writers
• Comics critics
• Comics fandom
• The High School of Music & Art alumni