Elliot S. Maggin
Elliot S. Maggin, also spelled Elliot S! Maggin (born 1950),[3] is an American writer of comic books, film, television, and novels. He was a main writer for DC Comics during the Bronze and early Modern ages of comics in the 1970s and 1980s. He is particularly associated with the character of Superman.
Elliot S. Maggin
November 14, 1950
2
He has been active with the Democratic Party of the United States, twice running for the nomination of his party for the U.S. House of Representatives—once from New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district in 1984 and from California's 24th congressional district in 2008.
Career[edit]
DC Comics[edit]
Maggin started working as a professional writer in his teens, selling historical stories about the Boer War to a boys' magazine. He attended Brandeis University, where he wrote a term paper titled "What Can One Man Do?" for a class during his junior year.[4][5] When it received a grade of B−, Maggin disagreed with the assessment, remade it as a comic book script, and sent his script to DC Comics.[4] It was passed around the DC offices, and Neal Adams chose to draw the script.[4] The story was published in Green Lantern #87 (Dec. 1971-Jan. 1972).[6] Green Lantern editor Julius Schwartz commented that "I’ve been a comix editor for over 27 years and never... have I ever come across a ‘first-time’ script... that can come within a light-year of equaling ‘What Can One Man Do?’ in professional slickness and comix know-how. ... Indeed, to equalize this thrilling experience, I must go back three decades when, as a literary agent, I sold the very first story of a young Ray Bradbury!"[7] Though the initial grade was not amended, Maggin became a writer for DC.
During Maggin's time at Brandeis, he befriended the university's vice-president, meeting his family.[8] During one of the meetings, the vice-president's stepson (and future comic book writer) Jeph Loeb suggested a story that would eventually be called "Must There Be a Superman?".[4] Maggin used the idea, which became his initial foray into the Superman franchise,[8] and it was published in Superman #247 (Jan. 1972).[6] He wrote Green Arrow stories as well, where his sense of humor was allowed far more freedom in the loose dialogue of the main character.[9]
Superman #300 (June 1976) featured an out-of-continuity story by Maggin and Cary Bates which imagined the infant Superman landing on Earth in 1976 and becoming a superhero in 2001. The tale was an inspiration for Mark Millar's Superman: Red Son limited series published in 2003.[10] He was the initial writer of the Batman Family title and paired Batgirl and Robin together as a team in the first issue (Sept.-Oct. 1975)[11] Maggin wrote a licensed Welcome Back, Kotter comic book series[12] which was based on the popular ABC sitcom. His credits for Marvel Comics include an adaptation of The Iliad in Marvel Classics Comics #26 (1977), and two superhero tales, The Spectacular Spider-Man #16 (March 1978) and The Incredible Hulk #230 (Dec. 1978).[6] The first issue of DC Graphic Novel featured an adaptation of the Star Raiders video game by Maggin and artist José Luis García-López.[6]
Maggin wrote Superman #400 (Oct. 1984) which featured work by several popular comics artists including the only major DC work by Jim Steranko as well as an introduction by noted science-fiction author Ray Bradbury.[13][14] Maggin's contributions to the DC Multiverse include Superboy-Prime[15] and Lexcorp.[16][17] His last Superman story, "...And We Are the Dreamers of the Dreams!", appeared in Superman #420 (June 1986)[6] and he was one of the contributors to the DC Challenge limited series in that same year.[18]
Maggin served as an editor for DC from 1989 to 1991 and oversaw the licensed TSR titles Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Avatar, Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Gammarauders, and Spelljammer. He edited the Challengers of the Unknown limited series which was written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale.[19]
Comic book appearances[edit]
Maggin is himself a character in the DC Universe. During the Bronze Age of Comic Books, Maggin was a known resident of Earth-Prime and a major character in Justice League of America issues #123-124.[33][34] In the Modern Age of Comic Books, Maggin cameoed as Oliver Queen's campaign manager in 52 issue #24.[35] This appearance references a term paper which had been awarded a B− at Brandeis University and was subsequently Maggin's first sale to DC, which posited Green Arrow's mayoral campaign in Star City.[4]
Awards[edit]
Maggin received an Inkpot Award at the San Diego Comic-Con International in 2013.[36] In 2016, he received the Bill Finger Award.[37]