I was born on July 18, 1950 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

I was first published in The Professor's Story Hour chapbook at the age of eleven and became a professional freelance writer in 1977. I have been published in dozens of magazines and as a syndicated columnist and cartoonist in over 500 newspapers. My history book, Forbidden Adventure: The History of the American Comics Group, has been called a "benchmark in comics history". It was reprinted in Alter Ego magazine #s 62 & 62.

My magazine work has been published in seven countries, and includes articles for Starlog, Jack & Jill and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I briefly ghosted an internationally syndicated comic strip, and my own strip for five years called Holiday Out that was reprinted as a comic book. I also wrote comic book titles including Straw Men, Angel of Death, The Adventures of Captain Nemo, Holiday Out and Bloodtide. Artists with whom I has worked include: Wayne Truman, Richard "Grass" Green, and Dave (Alley Oop) Graue.

My work has appeared in several comic book anthologies, and I am listed in two reference works, the Who's Who of American Comic Books and Comic Book Superstars.

My twenty seven short stories about a fictional town called "Light's End" have been published in Media Scene, Holiday Out Comics, Dreams and Visions, Maelstrom Speculative Fiction, Whispers From the Shattered Forum, On Spec, Whispers from the Shattered Forum, Lovecraft's Mystery Magazine and many others. Most have been recorded by legendary actor William (Murder She Wrote) Windom and some were released on cassettes and CDs. One of these stories, "The Lighter Side" was nominated for the international 2004 SLF Fountain Award for Best Short Story.

My weekly comics review column, Suspended Animation, has been continuously published for more than nineteen years, currently reaching more than 700,000 readers in fanzines, newspapers, and on over eighty websites. At its peak, it was read by approximately 4,000,000 readers a year. It is the longest, continuously published, comics review column in the world.

In my career, I worked in newspapers for twenty-two years as an editor, writer and advertising manager, creating three successful newspaper magazines. I also worked as an advertising copy writer, journalist, novelist, historian, graphic designer, in public relations, as a grant writer, cartoonist and columnist.

I also created the new Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection housed in the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

I am currently communications director of a nonprofit agency, the Tulsa Boys' Home, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am a Christian, and none of this would have been possible without God.

THE TOY AND ACTION FIGURE MUSEUM and
THE OKLAHOMA CARTOONISTS COLLECTION

The mission of the Toy and Action Figure Museum is to educate and excite visitors with a comprehensive collection of classic "pop culture" toys, with an emphasis on the social and historic evolution of the action figure, and to serve as a catalyst for the economic revitalization of historic downtown Pauls Valley. Check my Gallery for photographs. It is also the goal of the museum to pay tribute to the designers, sculptors, and toy companies that have turned action figures from a child's plaything to a work of art for billions of people worldwide.



The mission of the Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection is to collect, preserve and publicly display the work of Oklahoma comics writers, artists, and their associates.

This 501 ©(3) non-profit museum opened on October 15, 2005, and already showcase over 7,000 toys, 500 pieces of original art by Oklahoma cartoonists, and a large amount of their published work. Since opening, over 15,000 people from around the world have visited the museums. They are quickly becoming one of the state's most popular destination points, and have thrilled young and old alike from a variety of places. Visitors have come from as far away as California, Hawaii and Virginia, and the museum has had an international appeal as well with visitors from Italy, Canada, Japan, and Holland.


EXHIBITS

The museum has large, interactive toy displays so that children can enjoy a "hands on" experience with the exhibits. From concept through manufacturing, the museum has exhibits on the creation of action figures. Visitors can get a behind-the-scenes look at how toys are made.

The Toy & Action Figure Museum is also the home of the Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection. This exhibit features the work of published artists and writers in comic books, comic strips, editorial cartoons, and magazine and sports cartoons from Oklahoma.

A full-service gift shop is also located in the museum.

HALL OF FAME

Each year a select few toy lines and cartoonists that have made their marks in the world will be inducted into the Toy and Action Figure Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame.

The first two lines inducted in 2005 were the original 12-inch tall G.I. JOE line (the first action figure) from Hasbro, and the original Spawn line from McFarlane Toys. In 2006, Captain Action and Kenner's Super Power line from the '80s were inducted.

The 2005 and 2006 comics writers and artists inducted into the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame were: Jack and Carole Bender (Alley Oop), Jim Lange (editorial cartoonist), Gray Morrow (Tarzan and Buck Rogers), and E. Nelson Bridwell (Captain Marvel, Mad Magazine), Bill Mauldin (WWII cartoonist), Chester Gould (Dick Tracy), Ric Estrada (Wonder Woman), Dick Locher (current Dick Tracy), R. A. Jones (Protectors), Clarence Allen (editorial cartoonist .

OKLAHOMA CARTOONISTS COLLECTION

The Collection is housed inside the new, family-focused, Toy and Action Figure Museum and features the work of Oklahoma cartoonists and their associates. Since the 1920s, hundred of millions of readers worldwide have enjoyed the work produced by Oklahomans in comic books, magazines, books, movies, television radio, toys and on the internet.

Those participating at this time include Chester Gould (Dick Tracy), Archie Goodwin (Star Wars, Spider-Man), Bill Mauldin (editorial cartoons), George Storm (Bobby Thatcher), Dan Piraro (Bizarro), Dave Simpson (editorial cartoons), Russ Myers (Broom Hilda), Jack and Carole Bender (Alley Oop), Zack Mosley (Smilin' Jack), Chan Lowe (editorial cartoons), E. Nelson Bridwell (Wonder Woman), Steve Erwin (Batman), Jim Lange (editorial cartoonist), Don Flowers (Glamor Girls), R. A. Jones (DC Showcase), Bruce Cocharn (USA Today), Ron Wolfe (Tulsa Tribune), John Wooley and Terry Tidwell (The Twilight Avenger), Mel Odom (Harte of Darkness), Sam Cobean (New Yorker), Michael Roberts (Angel of Death), Clarence Allen (editorial cartoons), Butch Burcham (Dark Wolf), Dayne Dudley (sports cartoons), Michael Vance (Holiday Out), Dove McHargue (Ullyses). Steve Phelps (gag cartoons), Don Woods (TVs Gusty) and Jaxon Renick (Chaos).

Current Oklahoma associates include Neal Adams (Green Lantern), Gray Morrow (Tarzan), Scott Hampton (Batman), Frank Bolle (Apartment 3-G), Don Martin (Mad), Dave Graue (Alley Oop), Ric Estrada (Wonder Woman), Alex Toth (Zorro), Kurt Schaffenberger (Superboy), George Evans (Secret Agent Corrigan), Dick Locher (Dick Tracy), Ande Parks (Green Arrow), Tom Derenick (Captain America),Wayne Truman (Eclipse Monthly), Richard "Grass" Green (Xal-Kor), Duane Hanson (Holiday Out), Stan Timmons (Marvel), C. T. Smith (Charlton), Bruce McCorkindale (Twilight Avenger), Andrew Pepoy (Little Orphan Annie), James Baldwin (Love, Honor and Decency), Rob Davis (Star Trek), Mike Miller (Spider-Man), Scott Youtsey (Gunsmith Cats), Steve Stiles (Death Rattle), Dave Simons (Howard the Duck), Tom Floyd (Captain Spectre), Gary Dumm (American Splendor), Dave Hoover (Ms. Mystic), Russ Sever (Glass Houses), Doug Hazelwood (Animal Man), Mark Runyon, and Jon Suter (Craig).

For more information go to http://www.fourcolorcommentary.blogspot.com.

If you are a comics professional who was born in Oklahoma and/or produced professional work while living here, or worked with an Oklahoma professional, please contact kevinstark@suddenlink.net.