Dan Makara has sent CBG the following letter:
I’d like to notify CBG readers that longtime comics favorite Irwin Hasen is recovering from a minor stroke suffered this past April 24. He’s in fine spirits (as usual!) and would certainly appreciate hearing from any and all of his longtime friends at this time.
As many readers know, Irwin began his comics career in 1940, among other things creating “The Ferret” in Marvel Mystery Comics #4, creating “The Wildcat” with Bill Finger for DC Comics in 1942, ghosting “The Green Lantern” for DC throughout the 40s, and drawing many of the most memorable covers to All Star Comics. In fact, DC editor Shelly Mayer had Irwin drawing a very large portion of covers to the All-American Comics line.
Leaving comic books in the mid-50s, Irwin and writer Gus Edson created the long-running newspaper strip Dondi.
This May, at 89 years young, Irwin will be retiring from the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon Art, where he’s taught for 30+ years.
It was very gratifying to me to see Irwin finally nominated for the Eisner Hall of Fame Award this coming summer in San Diego!
Well-wishers can reach Irwin at…
Irwin Hasen
68 E.79th St.
New York, NY 10021
The Magazine
I commissioned an original sketch of Dondi from Mr. Hasen at the New York Comic-Con last February. It was the first time I had ever paid for a convention sketch. Here’s a photo of Mr. Hasen as he worked on my sketch…
After I paid for the sketch I reminisced with Mr. Hasen about the night he came to MoCCA to give a talk on the occasion of the museum’s showing a retrospective of his work. The turnout was smaller than expected… maybe it was due to the weather… but because of the small turnout, Mr. Hasen wound up giving those of us who were there an impromptu guided tour of the exhibit!
Glad to hear that Mr. Hasen is in good spirits despite the stroke, and I hope things work out well for him.
best wishes to Mr. Hasen for a speedy recovery. i will forever associate him with the golden age Green Lantern & All American Comics. thanks many times over for the stories!
I’ve received phone calls and e-mails inquiring about Irwin’s health. Here’s the latest news I have, courtesy of Paul Levitz:
“He’s in the Veterans Administration hospital in Manhattan (23rd St. I believe), having received a pacemaker.”
I’ll update when I have more information.
Tony
Here is the address of the VA hospital where Irwin is currently recuperating:
The VA Hospital
423 East 23rd Street,13th flr
New York, NY 10010
I imagine cards sent to him c/o the hospital will be welcome.
Tony
…I really liked Dondi as a little kid .
Dondi was one of my favorites as well. For as long as I could remember, it occupied the back page of the Sunday New York Daily News comic section.
Viewing some of his originals on display at MoCCA last year brought me back, and I’d love to see a collection of Dondi reprints.