Mark Hanerfeld

Hanerfeld, a New Yorker, graduated from the High School of Music & Art.{{cite web|url=https://alumniandfriends.org/inmemoriam/page/21/?inmem_name|publisher=Alumni and Friends of LaGuardia High School|access-date=February 28, 2023|title=Recent Passings}}

Hanerfeld started out in the world of comics fandom, first by writing to various DC comic book letter columns (with his first letter being printed in Justice League of America in 1961.{{cite magazine|magazine=Comic Book Artist|issue=7|first=Jon B.|last=Cooke|author-link=Jon B. Cooke|title=CBA Interview: Mark Hanerfeld: Abel with Caine: The Late Assistant Editor on his DC Days in a 1998 Interview |pages=17–19|date=March 2000|url=https://issuu.com/twomorrows/docs/cba7preview}} Forming a relationship with top editor Julius Schwartz,{{cite web|title=Voices from the Past|date=January 8, 2010|first=Mark|last=Evanier|author-link=Mark Evanier|url=https://www.newsfromme.com/2010/01/08/voices-from-the-past/|website=News from ME}} Hanerfeld began visiting the DC offices (as well as meeting other like-minded fans). Hanerfeld became such a constant on the DC Thursday tours that eventually the company let him begin leading them.

Meanwhile, Hanerfeld was immersed in the world of comics fanzines, first compiling the news section of The Comic Reader (TCR), called "On the Drawing Board." He took over as editor of TCR{{cite magazine|author-link=Bill Schelly|first=Bill|last=Schelly|title=Jerry Bails' Ten Building Blocks of Fandom|magazine=Alter Ego |volume=3 |issue=25|date=June 2003|pages=5–8}} in 1968,{{cite book|editor-first1=Jerry|editor-last1=Bails|editor-first2=Hames|editor-last2=Ware |title=Who's Who of American Comic Books|url=http://www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=HANERFELD%2c+MARK|section=Hanerfeld, Mark|pages=92, 316|publisher=J. Bails|location=Detroit, Michigan|date=1973–1976|access-date=February 1, 2023}} while also becoming Executive Secretary of the Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors (ACBFC).Marvel Bullpen Bulletins page, "Fabulous Facts and Frivolous Fables from Frantic Fans, Faithful Friends, and Fiendish Foes!" in Marvel Comics cover-dated April 1969, including The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, #114. Doing double-duty was apparently too much for Hanerfeld: by mid-1969 he was having trouble maintaining a consistent publication schedule for TCR and, despite winning a 1969 Alley Award, by early 1970 the fanzine was no longer being published. The ACBFC, meanwhile, went defunct in mid-1969.{{cite magazine|last=Hanerfeld|first=Mark|title=Academy Forum|magazine=The Comic Reader| number=75 |date=1969}}

In 1968, Hanerfeld began writing columns for The Wonderful World of Comics (WWC), and Fact Files, filler text features that appeared in select DC Comics titles. During the period 1968–1970, Hanerfeld wrote most of the WWC columns, which were probably inspired by Marvel's Bullpen Bulletins;{{cite web|title=The Wonderful World of Comics: Or, How I Stopped Worrying and Started Cutting Up Silver Age Comic Books|url=https://kupps.malibulist.com/2020/07/18/the-wonderful-world-of-comics/|first=Paul|last=Kupperberg|author-link=Paul Kupperberg|website=And Then I Wrote...|date=July 18, 2020}} the WWC columns provided insight into various elements of the comics world, from creator biographies to insider info on company sales and publishing decisions to the world of comics fanzines and the burgeoning comic convention scene. Fact File pieces were usually one-page recaps of the careers of various DC heroes.

In 1969, DC editor Joe Orlando created the design for Abel, based on Hanerfeld:

{{cquote|I started out basing it on the biblical Cain and Abel but then I turned to the people that were around me. It's just a writer's trick to take people's personalities and inject them into your characters. Mark stuttered when he got nervous. He was short and heavy so Abel was short and heavy. Abel was a good counterpoint to Cain who was tall and thin.{{cite magazine|title=Orlando's Weird Adventures: Interview with that man of mystery, the late Joe Orlando|first=Jon B.|last=Cooke|author-link=Jon B. Cooke|magazine=Comic Book Artist|issue=1|date=Spring 1998|url=https://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/01orlando.html}} }}

Hanerfeld and artist Bill Draut then created the first story featuring Abel, in DC Special #4 (July–Sept. 1969); Abel soon became the host of House of Secrets. During the period 1969 to 1974, Hanerfeld also wrote stories for such DC titles as The Spectre, Phantom Stranger, and Justice League of America.

In the summer of 1970, Hanerfeld — on his own dime — attended the Golden State Comic-Con, where he enthusiastically promoted DC's line of titles. Upon his return, he encouraged fellow East Coast comics industry figures to attend future editions of what became San Diego Comic-Con.

Hanerfeld was officially at DC in the period 1971–1973, serving as an assistant editor under DC vice president Joe Orlando. In that role, he also served as the DC librarian.

From 1974 to 1987, Hanerfeld work on promotional tie-ins for Marvel Comics, producing minicomics featuring Captain America, the Hulk, Spider-Man, and Tarzan advertising Aurora models, Pez, 7-Eleven, and bubble gum.

Throughout the 1980s, he helped coordinate Marvel reprints for the company's Marvel UK line. He left comics after the 1980s.

Hanerfeld died of heart failure in January 2000 after a period of ill health. He was commemorated at the 2000 Harvey Award ceremony at the Pittsburgh Comicon.{{cite web|title=In Remembrance...: A tribute to those members of the comic book world who passed on in 1999 and early 2000|date=April 28, 2000|access-date=March 1, 2023|website=HarveyAwards.Tripod.com|url=https://harveyawards.tripod.com/2000_Obits/sld015.htm|quote=This memorial was originally presented by Kim Thompson of Fantagraphics and Denis Kitchen of the Harvey Award Committee ....}}

Hanerfeld appeared as a metafictional character in Batman #237 (December 1971). Written by Dennis O'Neil and illustrated by Neal Adams, the story featured several comics creators appearing and interacting with Batman and Robin at the Rutland Halloween Parade in Rutland, Vermont.{{cite web|url=http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/10/30/rutland-halloween-parade-marvel-dc-crossover/ |title=The Rutland Halloween Parade: Where Marvel and DC First Collided |last=Larnick |first=Eric |date=October 30, 2010 |publisher=ComicsAlliance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111094055/http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/10/30/rutland-halloween-parade-marvel-dc-crossover/ |archive-date=January 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 5, 2011 |quote=Dick Grayson attends the parade with his friends – comic book creators Alan Weiss, Bernie Wrightson and Gerry Conway. Batman's fight spills into Tom Fagan's mansion, where Denny O'Neil, Len Wein, and Mark Hanerfeld are in attendance.|df=mdy-all }}

He also appeared in a photograph in Elvira's House of Mystery #4 (June 1986).{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=58}}{{cite magazine|author-link=Mark Waid|first=Mark|last=Waid|magazine=Millennium Edition: House of Mystery|number=1|date=September 2000|page=inside back cover|title=Afterword}}{{cite book |last1=Wells |first1=John |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969 |date=2014 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490557 |page=215}}

• "Shadow Show," in The Spectre #9 (Mar-Apr 1969)
• "Footsteps of Disaster," in The Spectre #10 (May-Jun 1969)
• "Hit and Run!", in The Spectre #10 (May-Jun 1969)
• "How Much Can a Guy Take?," in The Spectre #10 (May-Jun 1969)
• "Will the Real Killer Please Rise?", in The Spectre #10 (May-Jun 1969)
• untitled ["13 Shock-Ending Stories 13"], DC Special #4 (Jul-Sep 1969) — Framing sequence running throughout the book where each named character takes turns telling stories to try and scare the children, with the final story being told by the Phantom Stranger; first appearance of Abel
• "A Face in the Crowd!", The Witching Hour (DC, 1969 series) #6 (December 1969 – January 1970) — featuring the Three Witches
• "The Power," in The Phantom Stranger #20 (Jul-Aug 1972)
• "The Return of Anakronus!", Justice League of America #114 (Nov-Dec 1974) — printed credits read "Story by: Len Wein, aided & abetted by: Felton Marcus"

The Wonderful World of Comics articles appeared in select DC titles with cover dates spanning the periods notated.

• Aug 1968 "The Inquiring Fanatic: Whatever Happened to the Guy Who Us'ta Draw The Flash, or, Carmine WHO???" — humorous profile of Carmine Infantino
• Aug–Sep 1968 "Fan or Reader" — how to determine if you are a true comics fan or just an occasional reader. Also includes plug for the Bat Lash story by (Sergio Aragonés and Nick Cardy) in Showcase #76.
• Sep 1968 "Fanzine Review; Geek Sneak Peek" — plugs for comics fanzine Star-Studded Comics and Joe Simon's Brother Power the Geek title
• Nov 1968 "The Naming of Names; Con Game" — Bill Finger tells how the names Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Alan Scott came to be
• Oct–Nov 1968 "#5: Joe Kubert Is a Grand Old Name!" — profile of Joe Kubert; plugs for new titles Angel and the Ape and DC Special.
• Nov–Dec 1968 "#6: What's in a Fanzine" — definitions of various types of comics fanzines; plugs for The Comic Crusader and Fandom Calling.
• Jan–Feb 1969 "#7: Who Ever Heard of Jay Scott Pike!?!" — profile of Jay Scott Pike and his new character, Dolphin; news about the 1968 edition of Academy Con (which never came to pass)
• Jan–Feb 1969 "#8: What Makes DC Run?" — information about the colorists, letterers, and production people at DC Comics
• Feb–Mar 1969 "#10: Fandom Picks the Winners; Collector's Item" — information about the Alley Awards, some rare DC collectible comics, and letters from readers
• May 1969 "#11: DC Stars of Stage, Screen, Radio, and Television" — a rundown of various radio, movie serial, film, and television adaptations of DC characters
• Jul–Aug 1969 "Additions and Corrections" — questions and answers about DC's characters and creators
• Nov–Dec 1969 "Test Your 'Golden Age' I.Q." — written by E. Nelson Bridwell;{{cite magazine|url=https://www.comics.org/issue/23075/#959700|title=The Wonderful World of Comics: Test Your "Golden Age" I.Q.|magazine=Aquaman|volume=1|issue=48|date=November–December 1969|publisher=DC Comics}} Golden Age of Comic Books quiz with 20 questions and answers
• Dec 1969-Jan 1970 "Meet Murphy Anderson!" — lengthy profile of Murphy Anderson

The Fact File feature appeared in select DC titles with cover dates spanning the periods notated.

1. Nov–Dec 1968 — Tarantula
2. Feb–March 1969 — The Golden Age Green Lantern
3. TK
4. Feb–Apr 1969 — Vigilante
5. Apr–May 1969 — Wildcat
6. Apr-Jun 1969 — Sargon the Sorcerer
7. May-Jun 1969 — Detective Comics no. 27
8. May–Aug 1969 — The Spectre
9. Jul-Dec 1969 — The Seven Soldiers of Victory

• The Amazing World of DC Comics — successor to The Wonderful World of Comics

{{reflist}}

• {{cite magazine|title=Writers of the Comics: Metro Con 71: Denny O'Neil, Ted White, Len Wein|editor=Gary Groth|editor-link=Gary Groth|pages=18–25|magazine=Word Balloons|issue=1|date=March 1974|quote=Panel discussion; also speaking are Mark Hanerfeld, Marv Wolfman, and Gerry Conway.}}

• {{cite web|website=Comic-Convention Memories: A venue for all your comic-convention memories, pictures, and praises|title=Recordings of the 1970 San Diego Comic-Con #1: Listen to them Here!|date=January 8, 2010|url=https://comicconmemories.com/2010/01/08/recordings-of-the-1970-san-diego-comic-con-1-listen-to-them-here/}} — Hanerfeld speaks as the lone representative of DC/National
• {{cite web|url=https://13thdimension.com/paul-kupperberg-my-13-favorite-1960s-dc-comics-fan-pages/|title=PAUL KUPPERBERG: My 13 Favorite 1960s DC COMICS FAN PAGES|first=Paul|last=Kupperberg|author-link=Paul Kupperberg|date=Mar 4, 2021|website=13th Dimension}} — features full reproductions of a number of The Wonderful World of Comics articles

Category:1944 births

Category:2000 deaths

Category:American comics writers

Category:Comics critics

Category:Comics fandom

Category:The High School of Music & Art alumni