John Broome (writer)

John Broome (May 4, 1913 – March 14, 1999), who additionally used the pseudonyms John Osgood and Edgar Ray Meritt, was an American comic book writer for DC Comics. Along with Gil Kane, he co-created the supervillain Sinestro.

John Broome
Born	Irving Broome (1913-05-04)May 4, 1913
Died	March 14, 1999(1999-03-14) (aged 85) Chiang Mai, Thailand
Nationality	American
Area(s)	Writer
Pseudonym(s)	Ron Broom Edgar Ray Meritt John Osgood Robert Stark
Notable works	All Star Comics Captain Comet Elongated Man The Flash Green Lantern Mystery in Space Strange Adventures
Awards	Alley Award (1964) Inkpot Award Bill Finger Award

Biography

Early life and career

Broome was born Irving Broome to a Jewish family.^[1] As a youth, he enjoyed reading science fiction^[2] and began writing for science-fiction pulp magazines in the 1940s.^[3] By then he was already writing for some of the earliest American comic books to be published, beginning with a two-page "Pals and Pastimes" humor strip, illustrated by Ray Gill, in Centaur Publications' Funny Pages #7 (Dec. 1936).^[4] By 1942 he was writing text fillers for Fawcett Comics, at least one under the pseudonym Ron Broom.^[4] When his agent, Julius Schwartz, became an editor at what would become DC Comics during the 1930–40s "Golden Age of Comic Books", Broome was recruited to write superhero stories^[3] starring the Flash, Green Lantern, Sargon the Sorcerer and others. His first known script for the company was the 13-page Flash story "The City of Shifting Sand" in All-Flash #22 (May 1946). He wrote text fillers under the pen name John Osgood.^[4]

Through the 1940s, Broome wrote primarily Green Lantern stories and the superhero team the Justice Society of America,^[5] and contributed an occasional tale starring the Atom, the Hawkman, or Doctor Mid-Nite, in titles including Sensation Comics, Comic Cavalcade, All Star Comics, All-American Comics, and Flash Comics. Broome and artist Irwin Hasen created the supervillain Per Degaton as a JSA antagonist in All Star Comics #35 (July 1947).^[4] His final Golden Age Green Lantern story appeared in the last issue of that character's title, Green Lantern #38 (May 1949),^[6] and his final JSA story in All Star Comics #57 (March 1951), the last before its retitling as All-Star Western.^[7]

1950s and the Silver Age

As the new decade began, Broome wrote science-fiction stories for DC, both standalone tales—including "The Mind Robbers", in Mystery in Space #1 (May 1951), under the pseudonym Robert Stark—and continuing-character features, such as "Astra" (in Sensation Comics, one story of which teamed him with his future regular artist collaborator, Gil Kane), and "Captain Comet", which he created with penciler Carmine Infantino in Strange Adventures #9 (June 1951).^[4][8] For the latter he used the pen name Edgar Ray Merritt, devised by his friend and editor Julius Schwartz, as a nod to fantasy writers Poe, Bradbury, and Abraham.^[2] Outside that genre, he wrote a large number of stories for the crime comics anthology Big Town, based on the radio and television shows.^[4]

During this time, Broome created many DC characters and institutions, including the whimsical simian sleuth Detective Chimp, with artist Infantino, in The Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #4 (Aug. 1952); the Phantom Stranger, also with Infantino, in Phantom Stranger #1 (Sept. 1952);^[9] and the post-apocalyptic heroes the Atomic Knights, with artist Murphy Anderson, in Strange Adventures #117 (June 1960).^[4][10]

With the dawn of what fans and historians call the Silver Age of Comic Books, Broome was instrumental in writing stories of two key characters who helped revive the moribund archetype of the superhero. Following the creation of an all new Flash, a.k.a. Barry Allen, who carried the superhero name from the original Golden Age Flash, by scripter Robert Kanigher and penciler Infantino in Showcase #4 (Oct 1956)—considered the comic that triggered the Silver Age—Broome wrote Flash stories beginning in that very issue.^[11] He wrote numerous Flash stories in the character's subsequent series.^[4][12][13] He co-created several of the character's primary supervillain antagonists^[3] including Captain Boomerang in issue #117 (Dec. 1960),^[14] the 64th century villain Abra Kadabra in #128 (May 1962),^[15] and Professor Zoom in #139 (Sept. 1963).^[16] Captain Boomerang was featured in the 2016 Suicide Squad film and was portrayed by actor Jai Courtney.^[17] Other Broome additions to the Flash mythos, Kid Flash and the Elongated Man were respectively introduced in issues #110 and 112 as allies of the speedster.^[18]

Broome, with penciler Kane and editor-conceptualist Schwartz,^[19] created Hal Jordan, the Silver Age Green Lantern, in Showcase #22 (Oct. 1959).^[20][21] He became the character's primary scripter in Green Lantern's solo series as well.^[4] Broome's stories for the Green Lantern series included transforming Hal Jordan's love interest, Carol Ferris, into the Star Sapphire in issue #16.^[22] Black Hand, a character featured prominently in the "Blackest Night" storyline in 2009–2010, debuted in issue #29 (June 1964) by Broome and Kane.^[23] The creative team created Guy Gardner in the story "Earth's Other Green Lantern!" in issue #59 (March 1968).^[24] Writer-editor Dennis Mallonee described Broome's work on Green Lantern as the only superhero series in which screwball comedy "was essentially realized", and called Broome "a genius. He wrote about Hal Jordan, not Green Lantern. Hal's total frustration with Carol's completely goofy 'independence' was the reason I got a kick out of the early silver age Green Lantern."^[25] Comics historian Brian Cronin examined similar themes in Broome's work in a 2011 column.^[26]

In 1964, Schwartz was made responsible for reviving the faded Batman titles^[27] and together with Broome and Infantino jettisoned the sillier aspects that had crept into the franchise such as Ace the Bathound and Bat-Mite and gave the character a "New Look" that premiered in Detective Comics #327 (May 1964).^[28]

Later life

In the late 1960s, Broome and his wife, Peggy, moved to Paris, France, where he continued to script for DC Comics.^[2] His last Batman story, "Public Luna-Tic Number One!", was published in Detective Comics #388 (June 1969).^[4][29] His final Flash story, "The Bride Cast Two Shadows", appeared in The Flash #194 (Feb. 1970), and his final Green Lantern, "The Golden Obelisk of Qward", in Green Lantern #75 (March 1970).^[4]

Broome then retired from comic-book scripting to travel and, eventually, teach English in Japan.^[30] He returned to the United States in 1998, attending his first comic-book convention, Comic-Con International.^[3]

Broome died March 14, 1999, at age 85, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, while swimming in a hotel pool while vacationing with his wife.^[2] His last address of record was the U.S. Embassy, Tokyo, Japan, with his death certificate issued in New York State.^[31]

Awards

Broome received a 1964 Alley Award for Best Short Story: "Doorway to the Unknown!" in The Flash #148 (Nov. 1964), with artist Carmine Infantino.^[32] He received an Inkpot Award in 1998^[33] and posthumously received the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing in 2009.^[3]

Homages

An homage to Broome and artist Gil Kane appears in the novel In Darkest Night, which is set in the universe of the Justice League animated series. In the novel, a place in Coast City is named the "Kane/Broome Institute for Space Studies".^[34] In the direct-to-DVD film Emerald Knights the Broome Kane Galaxy is likewise named for him and Gil Kane. In the 2011 Green Lantern movie, Broome's Bar is named after him.^[35] In the Green Lantern: The Animated Series episode "Steam Lantern," the eponymous character's real name is Gil Broome, Esq.^[36] In The Flash episode "The New Rogues", the industrial complex in which the Mirror Master and the Top gain their powers is Broome Industries.^[37]

Bibliography

Comics Magazine Company

• Funny Pages #7, 11 (1936–1937)

DC Comics

• Action Comics #132–133 (Vigilante) (1949)
• Adventure Comics #175 (Superboy); #418 (Doctor Mid-Nite) (1952–1972)
• Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #4–46 (1952–1959)
• All-American Comics #77–78, 81, 83–88, 97, 99–102 (Green Lantern) (1946–1948)
• All-American Western #112–113, 115, 121, 123–126 (1950–1952)
• All-Flash #22, 30, 32 (1946–1947)
• All Star Comics #35, 39–57 (Justice Society of America) (1947–1951)
• All-Star Western #66, 68, 70–72, 74–75, 80, 82–90. 92–98, 100–107, 109–115 (1952–1960)
• Batman #172–173, 177–178, 186, 188, 191 (1965–1967)
• Big Town #4–5, 11, 13–50 (1951–1958)
• The Brave and the Bold #46–47, 49 (Strange Sports) (1963)
• Comic Cavalcade #20–22, 24, 27 (Green Lantern) (1947–1948)
• Detective Comics #327, 329, 332, 340–344, 346, 352, 355, 357–359, 365–366, 372, 388 (1964–1969)
• The Flash #105–122, 124–128, 130–136, 138–142, 146–149, 152–159, 161, 163–166, 168, 172–174, 176, 182, 188–191, 193–194 (1959–1970)
• Flash Comics #89, 91–93, 95–96, 98–104 (1947–1949)
• Green Lantern #25, 27–28, 30–38 (1947–1949)
• Green Lantern vol. 2 #1–16, 18–22, 24, 27, 29–31, 36, 39–40, 44–47, 49–56, 59, 66, 69–71, 75 (1960–1970)
• Hopalong Cassidy #91, 93, 99–104, 106, 108–111, 114–135 (1954–1959)
• Jimmy Wakely #4, 6 (1950)
• Mystery in Space #1, 5–8, 10–11, 13–17, 25–27, 29, 31, 33–34, 39–40, 42, 49, 53, 55–56, 59–61, 76 (1951–1962)
• New Adventures of Charlie Chan #1–6 (1958–1959)
• Phantom Stranger #1–6 (1952–1953)
• Sensation Comics #57, 70–72, 74, 82 (Sargon the Sorcerer) (1946–1948)
• Showcase #4, 8, 13–14 (The Flash); #22–24 (Green Lantern) (1956–1960)
• Strange Adventures #8–44, 46, 49, 51–60, 62, 66–70, 72–74, 76–78, 81, 84–86, 91, 97–98, 100, 103, 107–108, 110–112, 114–120, 122–123, 125–126, 128–129, 131–132, 134–135, 137–141, 143–144, 146–147, 149–150, 152–153, 155–156, 158, 160 (1951–1964)
• Superboy #27 (1953)
• World's Finest Comics #121 (Green Arrow) (1961)

Collected editions

• All Star Comics Archives:
  • Volume 8 includes All Star Comics #35, 208 pages, August 2002, ISBN 1-5638-9812-8
  • Volume 9 collects All Star Comics #39–43, 192 pages, August 2003, ISBN 1-4012-0001-X
  • Volume 10 collects All Star Comics #44–49, 216 pages, August 2004, ISBN 1-4012-0159-8
  • Volume 11 collects All Star Comics #50–57, 276 pages, March 2005, ISBN 1-4012-0403-1
• The Atomic Knights collects the Atomic Knights stories from Strange Adventures #117, 120, 123, 126, 129, 132, 135, 138, 141, 144, 147, 150, 153, 156, and 160, 192 pages, May 2010 ISBN 978-1401227487
• Batman: The Dynamic Duo Archives:
  • Vol. 1 includes Detective Comics #327, 329, and 332, 240 pages, March 2003, ISBN 978-1-56389-932-4
• Captain Comet Archives collects the Captain Comet stories from Strange Adventures #9–44, 46, and 49, 400 pages, August 2013, ISBN 978-1401241087
• The Flash Archives:
  • Volume 1 collects Showcase #4, #8, #13–14 and The Flash #105–108, 224 pages, May 1998, ISBN 978-1563891397
  • Volume 2 collects The Flash #109–116, 240 pages, April 2000, ISBN 978-1563896064
  • Volume 3 includes The Flash #117–122 and 124, 224 pages, March 2002, ISBN 978-1563897993
  • Volume 4 includes The Flash #125–128 and 130–132, 216 pages, May 2006, ISBN 978-1401207717
  • Volume 5 includes The Flash #133–136 and 138–141, 248 pages, March 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2151-3
  • Volume 6 includes The Flash #142 and 146–149, 240 pages, August 2012, ISBN 978-1401235147
• Green Lantern Archives:
  • Volume 1 collects Showcase #22–24 and Green Lantern vol. 2 #1–5, 201 pages, September 1998, ISBN 1-56389-087-9
  • Volume 2 collects Green Lantern vol. 2 #6–13, 210 pages, January 2000, ISBN 1-56389-566-8
  • Volume 3 includes Green Lantern vol. 2 #14–16 and 18–21, 208 pages, May 2001, ISBN 1-56389-713-X
  • Volume 4 includes Green Lantern vol. 2 #22, 24, 27, and 29, 209 pages, July 2002, ISBN 1-56389-811-X
  • Volume 5 includes Green Lantern vol. 2 #30–31 and 36, 240 pages, April 2005, ISBN 1-4012-0404-X
  • Volume 6 includes Green Lantern vol. 2 #39–40 and 44–47, 240 pages, January 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1189-5
  • Volume 7 includes Green Lantern vol. 2 #49–56, 256 pages, September 2012, ISBN 1-4012-3513-1
• Green Lantern Omnibus:
  • Volume 1 includes Showcase #22–24 and Green Lantern vol. 2 #1–16 and 18–21, 640 pages, November 2010, ISBN 1-4012-3056-3
  • Volume 2 includes Green Lantern vol. 2 #22, 24, 27, 29–31, 36, 39–40, and 44–45, 624 pages, November 2011, ISBN 1-4012-3295-7

Fawcett Comics

• Captain Marvel Adventures #24 (1943)
• Captain Marvel Jr. #48, 51, 54–55, 59–61 (1947–1948)
• Master Comics #24, 78–79 (1942–1947)
• Nyoka the Jungle Girl #9 (1947)

References

1. Kaplan, Arie (2008). From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Jewish Publication Society. p. 87. ISBN 978-0827608436.
2. Gifford, Denis (27 May 1999). "Obituary: John Broome". The Independent. Retrieved 9 May 2019. Note: Source erroneously gives birth year as 1914.
3. . San Diego Comic-Con International. 2009. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011.
4. John Broome at the Grand Comics Database
5. Thomas, Roy (2000). "The Men (and One Woman) Behind the JSA: Its Creation and Creative Personnel". All-Star Companion Volume 1. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 1-893905-055.
6. Wallace, Daniel; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1940s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. In a sign of the end of the Golden Age of Comics, Green Lantern ended its run with a story by John Broome and Irwin Hasen. To add insult to injury, Green Lantern was nowhere to be seen on the cover of Green Lantern #38. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
7. Uslan, Michael; Klein, Robert (2007). The All-Star Companion. Vol. 3. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-893905-80-1.
8. Irvine, Alex "1950s" in Dolan, p. 67: "In an attempt to revive readers' interest in super heroes, writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino introduced 'Tomorrow's Man of Destiny', Captain Comet, in Strange Adventures #9."
9. Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 69: "In his first series, the Phantom Stranger often made his appearances to debunk supernatural-seeming events, and the inaugural issue established this theme from the outset with stories...from writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino."
10. McAvennie, Michael "1960s" in Dolan, p. 100: "'The Rise of the Atomic Knights', ushered in by scribe John Broome and illustrator Murphy Anderson, transported fans to a post-World War III Earth ravaged by atomic radiation."
11. Levitz, Paul (2010). "The Silver Age (1956–1970)". 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking. Cologne, Germany: Taschen. p. 251. ISBN 9783836519816. With the addition of writer John Broome, who came on board with the second story in Showcase No. 4 and stayed almost to the end of the Silver Age, an entirely new evolution was poised to spring off the newsstand.
12. Markstein, Don (2000). "The Flash (1956)". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015.
13. Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 93: "In March 1959, The Flash was back, care of writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino. The series continued the numbering from Flash Comics and gave Barry Allen his own title. Issue #105 also debuted the Mirror Master."
14. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 101: "Writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino kept even the Flash off-balance when they introduced George 'Digger' Harkness and his hand-held rebounding weaponry."
15. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 105: "A failed stage magician from the 64th century, Abra Kadabra debuted in this story by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino."
16. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 109: "This issue saw 25th century criminal Eobard Thawne use his era's advanced science on an old Flash costume. The suit gave Thawne reverse super-speed...Writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino [introduced] a new recurrent villain in 'Professor Zoom'."
17. Kroll, Justin (December 2, 2014). "Suicide Squad Cast Revealed: Jared Leto to Play the Joker, Will Smith is Deadshot". Variety. from the original on November 1, 2015.
18. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 100: "Editor Julius Schwartz, writer John Broome, and artist Carmine Infantino introduced the Elongated Man, a stretchable super-sleuth."
19. Daniels, Les (1995). "Green Lantern Lit Again Comics Get Cosmic Consciousness". DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes. New York, New York: Bulfinch Press. p. 124. ISBN 0821220764. To write adventures on a cosmic scale that had never really been attempted in a super hero series before, [Julius] Schwartz called on his friend John Broome.
20. Markstein, Don (2005). "Green Lantern (1959)". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. With stories by John Broome and sometimes Gardner Fox, fabulous action-oriented art by Gil Kane and the whole package edited by Julius Schwartz, Green Lantern was an instant hit.
21. Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 95: "DC had decided to revamp a number of characters to inject new life into the genre. Writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane ensured that Green Lantern got his turn in October's Showcase #22."
22. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 105: "In his first confrontation with Star Sapphire, Green Lantern didn't realize he was actually battling his lady love, Carol Ferris. As was revealed by scribe John Broome and artist Gil Kane..."
23. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 111: "Scribe John Broome and artist Gil Kane split this issue into two stories...William Hand, introduced in a cameo by Kane, informed readers of a power light he invented to collect remnant energy from Green Lantern's power ring."
24. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 129: "John Broome's script and Gil Kane's renderings debuted a character who would one day become a Green Lantern—Guy Gardner."
25. Mallonee, Dennis (2013). "Foreword". Sparkplug, Volume 1. ISBN 978-0-317-91226-5.
26. Cronin, Brian (June 19, 2011). "Ten Goofiest Moments in the First Ten Issues of Green Lantern". Comic Book Resources. from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
27. Greenberger, Robert; Manning, Matthew K. (2009). The Batman Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles from the Batcave. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Running Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-0762436637. DC shifted its editorial staff around, placing legendary editor Julius 'Julie' Schwartz in charge of the denizens of Gotham City...Schwartz brought two of his Flash cohorts, writers Gardner Fox and John Broome, on to his team.
28. McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 110: "The Dark Knight received a much-needed facelift from new Batman editor Julius Schwartz, writer John Broome, and artist Carmine Infantino. With sales at an all-time low and threatening the cancelation of one of DC's flagship titles, their overhaul was a lifesaving success for DC and its beloved Batman."
29. Sims, Chris (March 6, 2012). . ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
30. Waid, Mark (2002). "Biographies: John Broome". Green Lantern Archives Volume 4. DC Comics. p. 216 (unnumbered). ISBN 978-1563898112.
31. Per the Social Security Death Index listing for John Broome, Social Security Number 124-03-7328
32. "1964 Alley Awards". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. from the original on March 18, 2012.
33. "Inkpot Award Winners". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. from the original on July 9, 2012.
34. Friedman, Michael Jan (2002). In Darkest Night. New York, New York: Bantam Books. p. 144. ISBN 978-0553487718.
35. Johnston, Rich (June 17, 2011). "The Missing Names From The Green Lantern Movie". Bleeding Cool.com. from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2013. No mention of those who created the Hal Jordan Green Lantern, John Broome and Gil Kane. Who created Sinestro, the Green Lantern Corps, Hector Hammond and Carol Ferris. The best you'll get is a bar in the movie, called Broome's Bar.
36. Altbacker, Ernie (writer); Morales, Rick (director) (January 5, 2013). "Steam Lantern". Green Lantern: The Animated Series. Season 1. Episode 16. Cartoon Network.
37. Pleszczynski, Stefan (director); Raab, Benjamin and Hughes, Deric A. (writers) (October 4, 2016). "The New Rogues". The Flash. Season 3. Episode 4. The CW.

External links

• at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
• John Broome at Mike's Amazing World of Comics

Preceded by Gardner Fox	All Star Comics writer 1947–1951	Succeeded by n/a
Preceded by n/a	Mystery in Space writer 1951–1962	Succeeded by Gardner Fox
Preceded by Gardner Fox	Strange Adventures writer 1951–1964	Succeeded by Gardner Fox and France Herron
Preceded by n/a	The Flash 1959–1970	Succeeded by Robert Kanigher
Preceded by n/a	Green Lantern vol. 2 writer 1960–1970	Succeeded by Dennis O'Neil
Preceded by Dave Wood	Detective Comics writer 1964–1969	Succeeded by Frank Robbins