Leo Dorfman

Leo Dorfman

Dorfman being interviewed on game show Two for the Money
Born (1914-02-17)February 17, 1914[1]
New York, NY
Died July 9, 1974(1974-07-09) (aged 60)
Nationality American
Area(s) Writer
Pseudonym(s) Geoff Brown, David George
Notable works
 Action Comics
Superboy
Superman
Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen

Leo Dorfman (February 17, 1914 – July 9, 1974)[2] (also credited as Geoff Brown[3] and David George[4]) was an American writer of comic books throughout the Silver Age. Although the majority of his work was for DC Comics, he also wrote for Dell Comics and Gold Key Comics.

Early life

Dorfman grew up on New York City's Lower East Side.[5]

Career

Leo Dorfman began working for National Periodical Publications in the 1950s. Comics historian Mark Evanier has estimated that Dorfman may have been "the most prolific scripter" for Superman during the 1960s.[6]

Dorfman's work included the creation of the Superman supporting character Pete Ross in 1961 as well as writing the 1963 "Superman Red/Superman Blue", which inspired a year-long plot arc in 1998.[7] As the writer of Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, he and artist Kurt Schaffenberger crafted Catwoman's first appearance in the Silver Age of Comic Books in issue #70 (Nov. 1966)[8] and updated Lois Lane's fashions to a then-more contemporary look in #80 (Jan. 1968).[9] Dorfman wrote World's Finest Comics #175 (May 1968) which featured Neal Adams' first Batman story.[10] In 1971, Dorfman created the Ghosts anthology series for DC.[11]

He produced supernatural stories for Gold Key Comics' supernaturally themed The Twilight Zone, Ripley's Believe it or Not!, Boris Karloff Mystery and Grimm's Ghost Stories. One of Gold Key's editors at the time told Mark Evanier "Leo writes stories and then he decides whether he's going to sell them to DC [for Ghosts] or to us. He tells us that if they come out good, they go to us and if they don't, they go to DC. I assume he tells DC the opposite."[6]

Leo Dorfman died unexpectedly on July 9, 1974 at the age of 60 while still writing for Ghosts. Editor and longtime friend Murray Boltinoff replaced Dorfman with Carl Wessler as the series' primary writer.[4]

Bibliography

DC Comics

Dell Comics

Fawcett Comics

  • Fawcett Movie Comic #20 (1952)
  • Motion Picture Comics #105, 109-110 (1951-1952)

Gold Key Comics

References

  1. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," FamilySearch : accessed 12 Mar 2013), Leo Dorfman, July 1974.
  2. ↑ Social Security Death Index, SS# 052-05-6867.
  3. ↑ Action Comics #396, DC Comics, January, 1971
  4. 1 2 Aushenker, Michael (October 2011). "Beyond Capes: You 'Will' Believe In Ghosts" (PDF). Back Issue!. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (52): 22.
  5. ↑ Letters page, Action Comics #397 (Feb. 1971).
  6. 1 2 Evanier, Mark (May 29, 2009). "More on Leo Dorfman". News From ME. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015.
  7. ↑ Eury, Michael (2006). "More Men Behind the Man of Tomorrow". The Krypton Companion. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 84. ISBN 978-1893905610.
  8. ↑ Forbeck, Matt; Dougall, Alastair, ed. (2014). "1960s". Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 95. ISBN 978-1465424563. In this wacky story, written by Leo Dorfman and drawn by Kurt Schaffenberger, Catwoman kidnapped Lois Lane as she was investigating the Penguin's escape from prison.
  9. ↑ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1960s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. Scripter Leo Dorfman and artist Kurt Schaffenberger presented her dilemma in the story 'Get Out of My Life, Superman!'...She started trading in her generic blouse-and-pencil skirt combinations for a "mod" wardrobe filled with printed dresses, go-go boots, mini-skirts, and hot pants.
  10. ↑ McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 129: "Adams tackled his first interiors with Batman on Leo Dorfman's script for 'The Superman-Batman Revenge Squads' story in World's Finest Comics #175."
  11. ↑ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 147
Preceded by
Robert Bernstein		 Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen writer
1961–1970 		Succeeded by
Jack Kirby
Preceded by
John Albano		 Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen writer
1972–1974 		Succeeded by
n/a
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