RIP: Don Perlin

Comic book artist Don Perlin passed away last week, aged 94. Perlin was one of the few remaining comic book artists who worked for Marvel during the days it was known as Atlas Comics. His career reached all the way back to 1951.

Back in 2011 when I featured a series of "I Love Atlas Comics" stories I featured a horror story drawn by Perlin - "The Dinner Guest." Check out that post here!

Perlin had a lengthy run on the Defenders at Marvel, but he's best-remembered for collaborating with writer Doug Moench on Werewolf by Night, where in 1975 they created the super hero Moon Knight - initially as an adversary for the Werewolf, but quickly established that Moon Knight was a good man and spun him off into his first solo adventure in Marvel Spotlight #28-29 (1976). Moench and Perlin's Moon Knight stories are a bit different from what Moench would later do with artist Bill Sienkiewicz - I get the sense that Moench wrote the character to suit his artist. The Moench/Perlin interpretation of Moon Knight had a bit more whimsy than what Moench/Sienkiewicz would establish together. I feel the early issues of the Moench/Sienkiewicz demonstrated Moench trying to feel about for what the new partnership would be - perhaps some of the early stories were first envisioned with Perlin in mind.

Perlin was one of the few Marvel talents who not only liked editor in chief Jim Shooter, but would say so in public, too. Perlin left Marvel to work on Valiant comics under Shooter's oversight and his big contribution there was the series Bloodshot. When Shooter left Valiant, Perlin followed suit.

Rest in peace, Mr. Perlin.

I Love Atlas Comics#16: "The Dinner Guest!"

From the mixed-up files of artist Don Perlin comes Astonishing#35 (1954)'s "the Dinner Guest!" Sounds elegant!

Somewhere in the USSR, poor old Sasha welcomes a Soviet commissar into his home and insists he take the best chair in his shack.

The commissar has come to review Sasha's claim that he needs more money to live on. Sasha quickly explains why: his son Ivan is a zombie! On the evening after Ivan's funeral, Sasha was shocked to find Ivan at his door, now a zombie!

Sasha explains how his son was a criminal and murderer in life, much to the disinterest of the commissar. Sasha says since Ivan's return he's been cold and rotting. This is why he needs more money - to afford more food and clothing for Ivan. Since Ivan is legally dead, however, the commissar doesn't believe anything can be done and suspects he's being fed a pack of lies.

Sasha reacts violently, pulling a knife on the commissar and forcing him into the chair as manacles are placed over his arms and legs.

You see, Ivan has a special diet since becoming a zombie...and that's what they really need the commissar for!

I hope you've enjoyed these seven days of "I Love Atlas Comics;" I may return to the feature again from time to time, likely to visit the other Atlas genres like crime, war and western. Enjoy your Halloween tomorrow!