Cary Bates
Cary Bates | |
---|---|
Born | 1948 (age 75–76) Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Area(s) | Writer |
Notable works | Action Comics Captain Atom The Flash Superboy Superman |
Cary Bates (born 1948)[1] is an American comic book, animation, television and film writer. He is best known for his work on The Flash, Superman, Superboy, the Legion of Superheroes and Captain Atom. Bates is the longest-serving Superman writer, at twenty years.[2]
Biography
Early career
Bates began submitting ideas for comic book covers to DC Comics at the age of 13, and a number of them were bought and published, the first as the cover to Superman #167 (Feb. 1964).[3][4] Bates began to sell stories to DC when he was 17.[5][6]
Bates is best known for his work for DC Comics on such titles as
Bates appeared in his own comics as himself several times, alongside superheroes such as the Silver Age version of the Flash[15] and the Justice League of America.[4][16][17]
1980s
Bates and artist
His final Superman stories were "Trapped in IMP-TV" in Superman #421 and "Superman for a Day" in Action Comics #581 (both cover dated July 1986).[3] Bates was one of the contributors to the DC Challenge limited series in 1986.[25] In 1987 and 1988, he wrote some stories for Marvel Comics' New Universe line and created the Video Jack series at Epic Comics with Keith Giffen.[3] His post-Superman work for DC included a Captain Atom series with Pat Broderick[26] and the Silverblade limited series with Gene Colan.[3][4]
Later career and other work
His other work includes the
Cary Bates was head scriptwriter on the 1988–1992 live action Superboy television series,[4] and co-wrote (with Mario Puzo and John Briley) the 1992 film Christopher Columbus: The Discovery, produced by Superman: The Movie producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind.[28] He also wrote for Disney's Gargoyles during the 1990s.
In 2008 he returned after a 20-year absence to Marvel and wrote True Believers, a limited series about a team trying to uncover secrets in the Marvel Universe.[29]
Bates made a return to writing Superman, this time as an Elseworlds story titled Superman: The Last Family of Krypton, published in August 2010.[3] Bates worked on the DC Comics nostalgic event DC Retroactive writing stories for the one-shot specials DC Retroactive: Flash - The '70s (with art by Benito Gallego and Sal Buscema), and DC Retroactive: JLA - The '70s (drawn by Gordon Purcell and Andy Smith), both released with September 2011 cover dates.[30]
In 2017, Bates returned to the character Captain Atom and wrote The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #1–6 together with co-writer Greg Weisman who had also worked with him on many issues of the 1980s Captain Atom series.
In 2023, Bates was interviewed about his career by writer Mark Millar for his YouTube series about comic book creators.
Bibliography
Comics work includes:
Continuity Comics
- Toyboy #2–6 (1987–1988)
DC Comics
- Action Comics (Superman): #354, 356, 358, 366–370, 383–390, 392, 401, 403, 405, 407–408, 410, 412, 414–416, 419, 421–423, 425–428, 430–435, 438–439, 441–442, 444–446, 450, 453–454, 456, 460–466, 468–476, 480–485, 487–499, 501–512, 544, 548–549, 581 (1967–1986)
- Vigilante): #426–427; (The Flash): #459–466 (1969–1979)
- Captain Atom #1–46, 50, Annual #1–2 (1987–1991)
- DC Challenge #11 (1986)
- DC Comics Presents #10–11, 15, 73, 82 (1979–1985)
- DC Comics Presents: Hawkman #1 (2004)
- DC Retroactive: The Flash - The '70s (2011)
- DC Retroactive: JLA- The '70s (2011)
- DC Science Fiction Graphic Novel #2 (Nightwings) (1985)
- DC Special Series (The Flash): #1, 11; (Superman): #5 (1977–1978)
- DC Super Stars #12 (1977)
- Detective Comics #500 (1981)
- The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #1–6 (2017)
- The Flash #179, 206, 209–212, 216, 218–292, 294–305, 307–312, 314–350 (1968–1985)
- Hercules Unbound #10–12 (1977)
- Heroes Against Hunger #1 (among others) (1986)
- House of Mystery #240, 282 (1976–1980)
- House of Secrets #144 (1977)
- Justice League of America#116, 120–121, 123–124, 138–139 (1975–1977)
- The New Adventures of Superboy #1–23, 26–30, 32–33 (1980–1982)
- New Guardians #2–12 (1988–1989)
- Secret Origins vol. 2 #34, 40 (1988–1989)
- Silverblade #1–12 (1987–1988)
- Strange Sports Stories #4 (1974)
- Superboy (Superboy): #148; (Legion of Super-Heroes): #173, 183–184, 188, 190–193, 195, 197–209, 211, 214–216, 218, 220, 222 (1965–1976)
- Supergirl #1–4, 7–10 (1972–1974)
- Superman #198, 200–201, 204, 209, 213, 214, 219, 220–221, 223, 230–231, 238, 240, 243, 246, 249–250, 255–259, 261, 263–264, 269, 275, 278–279, 281, 283–284, 288–289, 291, 294, 296–300, 327, 329, 353–369, 372–375, 379–386, 388–392, 401–402, 410, 412–413, 415, 418, 421, Annual #9, 12 (1967–1986)
- The Superman Family #166, 169–173, 176–183, 195–198 (1974–1979)
- Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #96, 108–109, 112, 120–121, 123–127, 130–132, 134–137 (1969–1974)
- Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #107, 109, 111, 157 (1967–1973)
- Superman Movie Special #1 (Superman III adaptation) (1983)
- Superman Special #2 (1983)
- Superman: The Last Family of Krypton, #1–3 (2010)
- V #1–6, 9–16 (1985–1986)
- Weird Western Tales #12–13, 15–17, 19 (1972–1973)
- Wonder Woman #206, 213, 215 (1973–1975)
- Wonder Woman vol. 2 #26 (1989)
- World's Finest Comics #151, 167–169, 174, 176, 178, 180–182, 184, 189–191 (1965–1970)
Marvel Comics
- Codename: Spitfire #10 (1987)
- Fantastic Four Cosmic-Size Special #1 (2009)
- Nightmask #3, 5 (1987)
- Spitfire and the Troubleshooters #6–9 (1987)
- Star Brand #8–9 (1987)
- True Believers (2008–2009)
- Video Jack #1–6 (1987–1988)
Warren Publishing
- Creepy #83, 89, 92, 95, 99–100, 102, 109–111 (1976–1979)
- Eerie #81, 96, 99–105, 107–109, 117 (1977–1980)
- Vampirella #59, 67, 75, 79–80, 82, 111 (1977–1983)
Screenwriting credits
Television
- Jem (1988)
- Superboy (1989)
- Gargoyles (1995–1997)
- Bureau of Alien Detectors (1996)
- Mummies Alive! (1997)
- RoboCop: Alpha Commando (1998–1999)
- Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles (1999)
- Max Steel (2000)
- W.I.T.C.H. (2005-2006)
Film
References
- ^ ""Batdance" to "Bateson," Reading Room Index to the Comic Art Collection". East Lansing, Michigan: Michigan State University Libraries Special Collections. n.d. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
- ISBN 978-0-8129-8077-6.
- ^ a b c d e Cary Bates at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ a b c d Eury, Michael, ed. (February 2013). "A Super Salute to Cary Bates". Back Issue! (62). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 18–19.
- ^ Cronin, Brian (June 3, 2005). "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #1". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
- ^ Stroud, Bryan D. (October 14, 2011). "Cary Bates Interview". The Silver Age Sage. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9.menace who rode a winged horse and wielded lethal alien weaponry.
Scripter Cary Bates and artist Curt Swan chose an inopportune time for Superman to meet Terra-Man, a Spaghetti Western-garbed
- ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 158: "Writer Cary Bates and artist Curt Swan gave Superman all the 'fun' he could handle with the savvy new Toyman in Action Comics #432."
- ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 161: "Fans of John Boorman's 1974 sci-fi film Zardoz, starring Sean Connery in revealing red spandex, could appreciate writer Cary Bates and artist Curt Swan's inspiration for Vartox of Valeron."
- ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 153: "Following a decade of back-up action and three years headlining Adventure Comics, Supergirl finally starred in her own series. For the inaugural issue, Cary Bates and artist Art Saaf enrolled Linda Danvers in college."
- ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 159: "Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel became the first Legionnaires to tie the knot. The wedding planners were writer Cary Bates and artist Dave Cockrum."
- ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 165: "In August's Justice League of America #121, Adam Strange said 'I do' to his long-time love, Alanna, in a story by scripter Cary Bates and artist Dick Dillin."
- ^ Stroud, Bryan D. (December 2013). "Superman #300". Back Issue! (69). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 31–33.
- ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 182: "Life for the Fastest Man Alive screeched to a halt after writer Cary Bates and artist Alex Saviuk played 'The Last Dance' for the Flash's wife, Iris West Allen."
- ^ Bates, Cary (w), Novick, Irv (p), Blaisdell, Tex (i). "The Day I Saved the Life of the Flash" The Flash, no. 228 (July–August 1974). DC Comics.
- ^ Bates, Cary; Maggin, Elliot S. (w), Dillin, Dick (p), McLaughlin, Frank (i). "Where on Earth Am I?" Justice League of America, no. 123 (October 1975). DC Comics.
- ^ Bates, Cary; Maggin, Elliot S. (w), Dillin, Dick (p), McLaughlin, Frank (i). "Avenging Ghosts of the Justice Society!" Justice League of America, no. 124 (November 1975). DC Comics.
- ^ Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 186: "After recently departing the pages of Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy was free to pursue his own adventures...in this premiere issue written by Cary Bates and illustrated by Kurt Schaffenberger."
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 193
- ^ Greenberger, Robert (December 2013). "Memories of Detective Comics #500". Back Issue! (69). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 54–57.
- ^ Weiss, Brett (December 2013). "The Flash #300". Back Issue! (69). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 58–60.
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 203: "Written by Cary Bates, with art by Flash legend Carmine Infantino, the story saw...[the Flash] accidentally break the Reverse-Flash's neck."
- ^ Cary Bates (editor) at the Grand Comics Database
- ISBN 978-1-4012-3182-8.
- ^ Greenberger, Robert (August 2017). "It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time: A Look at the DC Challenge!". Back Issue! (98). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 42.
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 229: "March [1987] debuted the new Captain Atom in his first DC series, by writer Cary Bates and penciler Pat Broderick."
- ^ "Bates and Heath Premiere Lone Ranger - NY Times Syndicate Revives Classic Comic Strip". Comics Feature (12/13). New Media Publishing: 21. September–October 1981.
- ^ Kempley, Rita (August 22, 1992). "'Christopher Columbus: The Discovery'". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
- ^ Richards, Dave (July 21, 2008). "Keep 'Em Honest: Bates on 'True Believers". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
- ^ Rogers, Vaneta (July 11, 2011). "Cary Bates Flash-es Back, Visits Retro Earth-Prime". Newsarama. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
Further reading
- Strickler, Dave. Syndicated Comic Strips and Artists, 1924-1995: The Complete Index. Cambria, CA: Comics Access, 1995. ISBN 0-9700077-0-1.
External links
- Cary Bates at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Cary Bates at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
- Cary Bates at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
- Cary Bates at IMDb