Last Updated April 2, 2001

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he following interview was published in the Charlton Bullseye, a fanzine dedicated to Charlton Comics, published in the 1970's. The editor of the Bullseye, Bob Layton, would later turn "pro" and in fact inked Don Newton's pencils on the Star Hunters strip at DC. The interview was done by Don Newton fan and friend, Howard Siegel, who has done so much to help me get this site in fairly good shape. For more on Howard and his contributions to The Art of Don Newton, take a look a the Mother Lode page. For his interview with Don, look no further than here...

"I Like to Tell Stories With Pictures"

by Howard Siegel

hen "Bullet Bob" Layton, editor of Charlton's "Bullseye," asked me to do an interview with Don Newton, my first reaction was, "Why?" "Because nobody knows Newton's history better than you," was the phone reply. I have to admire Bob's correctness. Immediately my thoughts were of the letters between Cap'n Newton and myself that have been saved and savored over the years as well as the pieces of art he's given me. Also there were the many fanzines that contained his proliferation of work, and the notes I never used in doing his fan profile for my RBCC column five years ago. "How many pages do I get?" "As many as you want." The pot was sweetened. "I hate straight interviews, Bob. The reader will get weary scanning the left column of rote identification between questioner and replyer. Why not let me make it a combination of profile and interview?" "You're on!" And so I am...

My first contact with Cap'n Newton (I always call him that, because of his deep affection for a famous red garbed super hero sometimes known as "The Big Red Cheese") was the result of a query about one of his very first contributions to comics fandom via an unidentifiable hero and sidekick that graced a publication titled "Golden Age #3" In discovering that they were two fictitious characters he named "Red Wraith" and "Crimson Kid." I also found out that these were but two of the costumed adventurers Don created when he was in his pre-teens He had quite a roster of these super heroes as a boy, and recalled others including "Cosmic Man," "Titan," "The Headsman," "Capt. Galaxy" and "Electron." What is more important is that the artistic talent and desire were latent within him, and he never allowed them to wane as he grew up. Weren't we all caught drawing caped and masked men instead of doing our written assignment in class? In Don's own words, '"I liked to do pictures that tell a dramatic story, it's as simple as that. I always had the desire to do a comic strip. It was only a matter of finding the time" Little did he know...

The statistics read: Occupation: Art teacher at Mountain View High in Phoenix, Arizona (Don's son Tony has written to us recently letting us know that Mountain View was an Elementary school, not a High School.--BK) for the past six years. Most severe critic: 7 year old son, Tony, himself a gifted artist as magic marker and crayon sketches I have, reveal. Don's degree is from Arizona State, where he started out minoring in art and developed his ability to work with oils. He did some sculpturing also, accounting for his beautiful paper-mache' statuettes and wood and cardboard medieval weapons which are displayed throughout his home. Before college however, the good Cap'n could make a claim to fame in that he set a high school record for the shot put; and that abetted his plans to become an athletic coach. At one time he was also middleweight weight lifting champion of Arizona. A back injury forced him to ease up on the athletics and go into art full time. So today, he is still developing healthy bodies, but they are in the persons of the characters he pencils and inks for Charlton. If Don has any hang-ups he won't admit to, I'll say that one of them is that he never dates his mail.

Even before Charlton enlisted Cap'n. Newton, Don had professional credits. He did the "Sport Star of the Week" panel for The Mesa, Arizona Tribune while a sophomore in high school. He also satisfied a commission of 6 religious paintings for the Hattie Kleinbrook Memorial Collection. Each was 3 X 5 feet and were turned into Christmas cards. He was on the staff of the nationwide "Master Artists Painting Course," correcting student submissions and writing them letters of criticism. He has made guest appearances on local TV shows, such as "Captain Super," Of this, he once wrote. "Believe it or not, the character I was dressed as got a boatload of fan mail. And these kids have never seen one of his comics!"

Siegel: Hey Cap'n. Newton! Most of the new professionals are just out of high school and got into the business as the ultimate display of their devotion to comics. They got heavily involved in fandom and trained themselves by tracing the work of their favorite artist, learning through hard and probably unsuccessful efforts at first what it takes to meet the minimum standards acceptable to the industry. You didn't have to go that route. Explain.

Newton: Well, by the time I did my first piece for Charlton, I had been teaching art classes for some years and did work for more fanzines than I can recall. Halftones, India ink, fine line brushes and the like were not new to me. In fact, I did several things that you might say were my proving grounds before submitting samples to the pros. "The Savage Earth," which ran in five or six issues of RBCC was the first dry run. You recall it was a combination of "Brave New World" and Flash Gordon in concept. Then there was the ten-page "Blood Island" piece I did for "Grave Tales," the coloring book I collaborated on. It was historical in nature, dealing with the hardships of settlers in a new Land. These exercises proved to me that I could work within panels.

Siegel: It's a pretty well known fact in the industry that Frank Robbins is a speed demon when it comes to doing stories. I recall you once told me that you broad pencilled two pages of "The Savage Earth" during your lunch hour in the school cafeteria. Would you say that your ability to work fast has been an asset? 

Newton: Indeed, yes. Remember that my professional work for Charlton is still a part-time endeavor with me. I can only devote myself to these assignments after school and on weekends. Since Charlton began using painted covers for many of their titles, I've done 20 already. These take a giant chunk out of the work time.

Siegel: Are you still angry over the roadblock once put before you because you live in Arizona and New York was considered the only area an artist could live in if he was to get pro work?

Newton: You bet. Charlton was the only publisher interested in giving me a try. With them it's ability, not geography. I probably could have been a professional comic book artist two years earlier, had not the stigma of long distance been a quirk of certain editors.

Siegel: Go into detail about how you and Charlton got together. It can be important to the readers in that it again proves that a smaller publishing house can be more dynamic and willing to try out talent, whereas DC and Marvel are fixed in their methods and formulas.

Newton: Actually, the story wouldn’t win an Academy Award. I was reading an issue of RBCC and came to the story and picture of Charlton's forthcoming super hero, E-Man. The concept was eye boggling, and prompted me to send Charlton some samples of my work, including "Blood Island," along with a letter of introduction. Nick Cuti called me and asked that I do a sample piece, which was, in my opinion, too hastily done and left much to be desired. But both Nick and George Wildman liked it and I've been turning out work for them ever since. They're very easy to work for and have kindly put up with the rough edges in my art, offering me many words of encouragement. To be truthful, I was like all the other newcomers to the industry. I felt that if you didn't work for Marvel or DC, you just weren't a pro. My brief association with the Charlton people has taught me that this is just a fable. I have no desire to leave Charlton now.

Siegel: What do your students think of having a teacher who tells them to draw a vase of flowers or the Mayflower landing at Plymouth, and then he goes home and does comic strips?

Newton: Very funny Siegel. It just so happens that Mountain View is located in the low rent district and most of the kids don't even know what a comic book is. Only a few of my fellow teachers and one or two students know about my extra-curricular activities. I don't publicize it too much. Of course, I can't account for my son, Tony. For all I know he may be trading issues of "Ghostly Tales" for a six pack of bubble gum.

Siegel: Reviewing the collection of letters I have from you, I note a plethora of ink colors and the use of everything from a 15 cent ball point pen to lavish nylon tipped instruments. What about the tools of your trade? Do you favor a brush or a pen?

Newton: Well, first I think you should know that my drawing board is used only when I'm painting. I do all my pencilling and inking in an easy chair with the board in my lap. Unconventional, but for me it's comfortable. A flat tray would be just as handy. I seldom ink with the same type of brush or pen for any length of time. I used a pen in doing "Beezley's Ghosts," a #2 brush for "Orion," and an "O" brush on some of the Baron Weirwulf pages.

Siegel: Give the Bullseye readers a typical "work day."

Newton: Okay. I'd "blue pencil" a page during a free period at school, tighten it up in regular pencil that night. The following night I'll ink it. I'm slow at inking, probably because this has been my weak point; but with the help of people like Dan Adkins, I've noticed an improvement. I'm sure readers can too if they compare some of my first Charlton pieces with say, "Orion."

Siegel: What future plans does Charlton have for you?

Newton: In March I began my first Phantom story, When one realizes that he was the very first costumed adventure hero to appear in the comics, the rare privilege of doing the art is tantamount to being allowed to bat for Hank Aaron. Aside from an occasional ghost story, the only plans Charlton has for me is The Phantom, and believe me, I couldn't ask for a more prestigious assignment!

Now that I have about five Phantom stories behind me, I've been able to really put myself into all aspects of doing the strip, including some writing. I'd like to take a moment to tell you how the idea to put the Phantom in Casablanca developed. Bill Pearson, a real talented guy whose work for Charlton will really be appreciated by readers, wrote some Phantom summaries for me. At the end of one, Bill decided to be funny and penned in, "and in the end the Phantom stops in Casablanca where he meets Bogart, Lorre, Greenstreet, etc., etc." When I read this I thought he was nuts, but then I began to see a possible story. I called him and he then thought that I was nuts! Nevertheless, the story developed and after redoing it several times, the both of us submitted it to Charlton. They called it "a classic." I hope so. It could start a trend. It could also spoil me because it was so enjoyable to collaborate on.

Siegel: Everyone I've spoken to in New York circles feels that you've arrived with your acrylic painting covers. I hesitate to tell them that of the first five you did, your favorite was the one for "Teen Confessions" #89.

Newton: Siegel, I'm beginning to think I did right in drawing you as a 60 year old Air Force colonel in that Baron Weirwulf's Library story, "A Report On UFO's," in Ghost Manor #20.

Siegel: You win, Newton. The pen is mightier than the sword.

And so was doing this article