}
Tom GrummettThe Man Who Helped Kill Superman
By Paul Constable
Look up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's SUPERMAN. More powerful than a
locomotive! Faster than a speeding bullet! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but
even Superman is not able to shake the wrath of a team of hungry writers and illustrators.
In 1992 - 1993, (this episode concluded with 4 special issues) - Superman had been penned into a
corner by a determined team of creative staff, that plotted the demise of the Man of Steel. None
other than Saskatoon's Tom Grummet was part of that team. The Caped Crusader was about to meet
his match.
Earlier that year, DC Comics flew the creative staff to New York to have a brain storming
session, where the entire year was to be planned out over a three-day period. Initially,
Superman was to wed Lois Lane. The team, by the second day, had a good part of the scripting
done for the year. The phone rang and the creative group was informed by their publisher, that
they had to change the concept. It seems "Lois and Clark", the TV series, was planned for that
season and marriage was not on the Super hero's mind. That's when "The Death of Superman" was
initiated. By the end of the third day the staff became unified in their task - 4 separate
creative teams would each take a turn at him, over 4 issues.
Sales were brisk that year and after the last issue 75, Superman disappeared from view for two
months. Meanwhile back in Saskatoon, Tom Grummett was meeting another deadline, the resurrection
of the Man of Steel - series 500. He was to be the principal illustrator for the next few years.
To this day Superman and the other 75 titles of DC Comics are hand drawn on specially made pages,
then FedEx'd to New York for inking and hand lettering of the type. Due to the volume and variety
of Super Heroes (1000's), many freelance illustrators and writers are hired to fulfill the
demand of a hungry comic book market. The artists are paid per page and the writers by the
amount of words written. The images are then scanned and coloured by computer and prepared for
press. Grummett produces the pencil drawings, which involves the complicated thought process of
visualizing what the story line is about. He works closely with a writer from New York where his
images must follow a logical order, so there is continuity for the reader.
Doc Savage (unpublished)
The 60-year old comic book industry is slow to change. Personally, it's nice to see the human
touch still present in comic book publishing. It proves hand produced work can coexist with the
presence of computer graphics and the bottom line. The gesture of an action figure is hard to
reproduce in the same flowing manner by a drawing program. They tend to look stilted and without
feeling. Grummett admits the future of comics is uncertain, as declining sales, due to a
dwindling readership puts pressure on the industry. Most of the readers are now in they're mid
20's and up. "The kids are more into video and DVD games. Kids are just not reading as much they
used to. Comics never required the highest level of reading aptitude, but at least the kids were
reading and using their imagination" says Grummett. DC Comics presently publishes about one
third of the volume, per issue, as they did in the hay days of the mid 1960's.
Tom Grummett started looking at comics at an early age, before he could even read. He figures
this is what gave him a strong ability to visualize a story line with pictures. Tom remembers,
after finishing High School he wanted to put all his drawings under his arm and head for New
York. Finally at the age of 30 he started drawing full time in the profession he loves. Tom's
first work in comics first appeared in the 1980 "Captain Canuck Summer Special", where he
penciled and inked a pin-up page. He continued working on a number of independent comics and
then in 1987 Grummett wrote, penciled and inked "The Privateers" by Vanguard Graphics. With this
piece under his belt, he was seriously looked at by DC Comics to do some fill-in work. Over the
years Tom has worked on Wonder Woman, The New Titans, numerous editions of Superman, Robin,
Superboy and for Marvel Comics - Generation X and the Silver Surfer. Tom joined Karl Kesel to
create Section Zero under the Gorilla imprint. He is presently teamed up with Gorilla alumnus
Kurt Busiek to produce the Power Company for DC comics.
Tom Grummett lives quietly on a small acreage outside of Saskatoon Saskatchewan, with his wife
Nancy and two children.
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Paul Constable is the Director of Artists In Canada. He is a Painter / Printmaker and
Senior Graphic Designer for an Advertising and Communications company in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan.
Paul Constable can be reached by email
HERE.
His paintings may be viewed at:
www.ArtistsInCanada.com/pconstable.
Your suggestions for future articles are welcome.
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© 2003 ArtistsInCanada.com