Birthplace:
New York City
Education:
City College of New York
Occupation:
Science Fiction and comic book editor (with DC
Comics)
Career
History:
Science fiction literary agent (1930s), hired by
All-American Comics (which later became DC) in 1944,
edited DC Comics (1944-1987), DC Editor Emeritus
(1987-2004), wrote autobiography, "Man of Two Worlds:
My Life in Science Fiction and Comics"
(HarperCollins, 2000)
Accomplishments:
Schwartz is best known for his work as the editor at
DC Comics who reinvigorated the superhero genre in comics
industry, and DC Comics characters in particular by
modernizing old heroic characters from the 1940s for the
modern era. Super-powered characters such as the Flash,
Green Lantern and Hawkman were among those brought back
from obscurity and reinvented for a mid 1950s and early
1960s audience. In the 1960s, he brought a fresh look to
Batman, and in the 1970s, he transformed Superman's alter
ego, Clark Kent, from a bumbling newspaper reporter into
a bumbling television news anchor. These characters,
along with many others, were joined together in the
Justice League, Schwartz's take on the old Justice
Society of America, the premier super-group of the 1940s.
This began the classic "Silver Age" of comics which saw
the popularity of superheroes rise "faster than a
speeding bullet," as it were, and continues to this day,
as many of his fictional protégés pop up on
television, in movies and of course, in the pages of DC
comic books.
Among other
accomplishments, Schwartz co-created "The Time Traveler,"
the first science-fiction fanzine in 1932, co-founded the
first science fiction literary agency, called Solar Sales
Service, and in 1939, he helped found the first World
Science Fiction Convention. As a literary agent, he sold
some of Ray Bradbury's first stories. In 1961, Schwartz
led the comics industry into a new dimension, literally,
with the invention of "parallel universes." where
different versions of familiar characters, along with
many long-forgotten characters, resided. This invention
allowed the heroes of DC's current continuity (the
Justice League, Superman, Flash, etc.) to interact with
parallel versions of themselves (the Justice Society, an
older Superman, the original, older Flash, etc.) in
alternate Earths.
Awards:
"First Fandom Hall of Fame Award, the Shazam, the Eagle,
the Alley, the Inkpot and the Jules Verne Awards"
(http://www.dccomics.com/news/article_display.html?nw_dc_itemCode=juliusschwartz).
In 1998, DragonCon established the "Julie Award" in
Schwartz's honor, to honor artists whose work crosses
over multiple genres.
Worked/Collaborated
With:
Mort Weisenger (DC Comics Editor), Forrest Ackerman,
Carmine Infantino (comic artist), Gardner Fox (comic
writer), Murphy Anderson, Gil Kane (comic artist), Joe
Kubert (comic artist), Denny O'Neil and Neal
Adams
Published
Works:
Man of Two
Worlds: My Life in Science Fiction and Comics
(2000)
Sources:
DC
Comics--http://www.dccomics.com/news/article_display.html?nw_dc_itemCode=juliusschwartz
Newsday
Magazine--http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/ny-nyobit113665120feb11,0,2307655.story
New York Times
Obit Page--http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/12/arts/12SCHW.html
Julius Schwartz
Fan Page--http://www.juliusschwartz.com/
World
Biography: Home
photo by Beth Gwinn--