| Fred Hembeck | |
|---|---|
 Fred Hembeck at the November 2008 Big Apple Con in Manhattan | |
| Born | Frederick George Hembeck[1] (1953-01-30)January 30, 1953 (age 72) Yaphank, New York, US |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist, Writer,Penciller |
Notable works | "Dateline:@#$%",Dial H for Hembeck,Fantastic Four Roast,Fred Hembeck Destroys the Marvel Universe |
| Awards | Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards "Favorite Fan Artist," 1982–1984[1] |
Fred Hembeck (born January 30, 1953)[2] is an Americancartoonist best known for his parodies of characters from major Americancomic book publishers. His work has frequently been published by the firms whose characters he spoofs. His characters are always drawn withcurlicues at the elbows and knees. He often portrays himself as a character in his own work, in the role of "interviewer" of various comic book characters. Interviewer Daniel Best has said of his work, "If you take your comic books seriously, and think that those characters are real, then you're probably not a fan of Hembeck."[3]
Hembeck was born January 30, 1953.[4] He grew up inYaphank, Long Island.[5]
Fresh out of college, and failing to get work as a traditional comic book artist, Hembeck developed a unique artistic style based on the version of himself he used to write illustrated letters to his college friends. Hembeck used this character to conduct comedic "interviews" with Spider-Man and the Flash, which he sent to the leading fan publication of the day,The Buyer's Guide for Comic Fandom (later known as theComics Buyer's Guide). Much to his surprise, the submissions were published, and Hembeck's strip, called "Dateline: @!!?#", became a popular feature. The "best" of these strips were published inHembeck: The Best of Dateline: @!!?#, put out byEclipse Comics in 1979 and reprinted byFantaCo Enterprises in 1980.
From 1979 to 1981, Hembeck wrote and drew a 3-panel comic strip that appeared in theDaily Planet page ofDC comic books. (TheDaily Planet featured news on current and upcoming DC comics and answers to reader questions.)
From 1980 to 1983, FantaCo produced a series of black-and-white magazine-format books featuring Hembeck's stories and strips. Hembeck also contributed humor pieces to other FantaCo titles, includingSmilin’ Ed, theChronicles series,Gates of Eden, andAlien Encounters.[6] Hembeck wrote and laid out the artwork forFantastic Four Roast #1 (May 1982), aone-shot which commemorated the 20th anniversary of theFantastic Four series.[7]
Hembeck was especially visible in the 1980s when his strips appeared regularly inMarvel Age, aMarvel Comics promotional magazine. Because Hembeck has a particular fascination with the minor Marvel Comics characterBrother Voodoo, he regularly featured the character in the cartoons he drew each month inMarvel Age, generally depicting him as a lame character constantly trying (and failing) to get his own series. He introduced Brother Voodoo's sister and nephew: Sister Voodoo and Voodoo Chile.[8]
When Brother Voodoo finally got his own solo story inMarvel Super-Heroes vol. 2 #1, Hembeck drew it, in a serious art style very different from his normal cartooning look.
In his cartoon in the final issue ofMarvel Age Hembeck claimed he had only begun mocking Brother Voodoo because he had the character confused with an "even lamer"Silver Age character, DC'sBrother Power the Geek.
Hembeck has also been published byFirst Comics,Krause Publications,Comic Shop News,Fantagraphics Books,Topps Comics,TwoMorrows Publishing, andArchie Comics.
Many of Hembeck's past strips are available through his website.
Although most of Hembeck's work is itself parody, Hembeck and his drawing style have also been the subject of parody:
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