| David Anthony Kraft | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1952-05-31)May 31, 1952 |
| Died | May 19, 2021(2021-05-19) (aged 68) Gainesville, Georgia, U.S. |
| Area(s) | Critic, writer |
| Pseudonym(s) | DAK, Dave the Dude |
Notable works | Comics Interview, The Defenders |
| Spouse | Jennifer Bush-Kraft |
David Anthony Kraft (May 31, 1952[1][2] – May 19, 2021) was an American comic book writer, publisher, and critic. He was primarily known for his long-running journal of interviews and criticism,Comics Interview, as well as for work forMarvel Comics in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Before his comics career, Kraft worked as arock and roll journalist.[3] In September 1976, he became editor ofFOOM with issue #15,[4] Marvel's self-producedfan magazine, lasting as editor until the magazine's final issue (#22) in 1978.[5]
Known for his offbeat approach, Kraft first made a name for himself as a comic book author with his work onMarvel Comics'The Defenders,[6] particularly the 1977 "Scorpio Saga" story-arc (issues #46, 48–50).[7] InThe Defenders, Kraft wrestled with large philosophical issues: the temptations of power, the Cold War and nuclear power, sibling rivalry, and growing old alone. Kraft also merged his interests in music and comics by inserting multiple references to the bandBlue Öyster Cult into hisDefenders stories specifically the "Xenogenesis: Day of the Demons" storyline, issues #58–60.[8] Kraft combined music and comics in his scripting of theMarvel Super Special #4 featuringThe Beatles.[3]Marvel Super Special #7, an adaptation of the filmSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, by Kraft and artistsGeorge Pérez andJim Mooney was promoted on the "Bullpen Bulletins" page in Marvel Comics cover-dated January 1979. It wasnever published in the U.S. "because the book was late and the movie proved to be a commercial failure," according to a contemporaneous news account.[9]
Kraft wrote theMan-Wolf feature inCreatures on the Loose andMarvel Premiere and featured the character inThe Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #3 (1981).[10] He wrote the entire run, except the first issue, ofSavage She-Hulk, which ran from 1980 to 1982. Kraft worked on such titles asCaptain America and scripted the first story drawn byJohn Byrne for Marvel Comics: "Dark Asylum," published inGiant-Size Dracula #5 (June 1975).[11]
In the early to mid-1980s Kraft wrote children's storybooks featuring Marvel characters such asSpider-Man, theHulk, and theFantastic Four for theChildren's Press,Marvel Books, andSimon & Schuster.[3] During this same time, he wrote the interactive game booksGhost Knights of Camelot for Avon, andRobot Race for Scholastic books. In 1983–1984, Kraft wroteWorld's Finest Comics forDC Comics,[12] including that series' issue #300 (Feb. 1984).[13] After that, Kraft did occasional comics writing, but mostly focused his energies on publishing and criticism. In 1995, Kraft worked as story-editor and scripter for the short-lived animated seriesG.I. Joe Extreme. Kraft was the co-writer and editor ofYi Soon Shin: Warrior and Defender by Onrie Kompan Productions, LLC.
In 1974, Kraft founded the specialty science fiction publisher Fictioneer Books. Over the years, Fictioneer published books by such authors asA. E. van Vogt,Robert E. Howard,Jack London,Otis Adelbert Kline, andDon McGregor.[3]
Fictioneer and its imprintComics Interview Group published magazines includingDavid Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview, the newspaper-comic-strip reprint magazineComics Revue, and trade journals such as the trade text100 Hot Tips from Top Comics Creators (1994). In early 1985 Comics Interview Group branched out into comic books by taking on Henry and Audrey Vogel'sSouthern Knights (previously a self-published series). In 1986 they expanded their comics lineup withM.I.C.R.A. andAristocratic Xtraterrestrial Time-Traveling Thieves, and began publishing a number ofSouthern Knights reprints in the form of graphic novels, one-shots, and limited series. Though 1988 saw them also introduce Julie Woodcock andBrian Stelfreeze'sCyCops, none of their comics publications sold as well asSouthern Knights, and by the end of that year they had stopped publishing any other titles. In mid-1989,Southern Knights was canceled as well, and the Comics Interview imprint was again devoted solely to magazines and trade publications although they would co-publishSouthern Knights No. 35 and 36 in 1992.
In 1983, Kraft foundedDavid Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview, which ran for 150 issues between 1983 and 1995,[14][15] and garneredEisner andEagle Award nominations. As suggested by the title, each issue ofComics Interview was filled entirely with in-depth creator interviews. The concept was pitched to Kraft byJim Salicrup, who was inspired to have a magazine which explored the comics industry in the same way that the magazineInterview explored the film industry, through interviews of people within the industry.[16]
Since 1974, Kraft was theliterary agent for the estate of pulp authorOtis Adelbert Kline.
Kraft counted science fiction authorLeigh Brackett,Stan Lee, and writerE. Hoffmann Price as mentors.[3]
Kraft died fromCOVID-19 on May 19, 2021.[17] He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Bush-Kraft and son, Bryce Bush.[18]
References to Blue Oyster Cult songs are sprinkled throughout the "Xenogenesis: Day of the Demons" storyline in Marvel'sThe Defenders comic. The issues are Vol.1, 58–60 dated April, May and June 1978. The story is by David Anthony Kraft and the first comic in the trilogy is "Dedicated to Eric Bloom and BOC!"
John Jameson and his werewolf alter ego Man-Wolf returned in this yarn by writer David Kraft and penciler Jim Sherman.
In the tradition of DC's anniversary editions,World's Finest Comics #300 was an extra-length issue contributed to by a variety of comic book talent. Written by David Anthony Kraft, Mike W. Barr, and Marv Wolfman, and illustrated by Ross Andru, Mark Texeira, Sal Amendola, and George Pérez.
| Preceded by | The Defenders writer 1977–1979 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Savage She-Hulk writer 1980–1982 | Succeeded by n/a |
| Preceded by | World's Finest Comics writer 1983–1984 | Succeeded by |
