Carl Gafford: 1953-2020
An active member of comics fandom as a teenager, he contributed to numerous comics fanzines and amateur press associations, as well as founding a cooperative of mini-comic creators (Blue Plaque Publications) that remains active today from its genesis in the late 1960s.
Gafford began his career in comics as a proofreader, then he became assistant production manager, editing and writing much of DC’s in house ‘prozine’, Amazing World of DC Comics. His career as a colourist, the field with which he is most associated, flourished at Marvel beginning in 1976 colouring Marvel’s Hanna-Barbera comics. He returned to staff at DC in 1981 and began colouring the Legion of Super-Heroes title with #288 cmmencing an unbroken seven-year run on that title, totalling 125 regular, mini-series, Special and Annual issues. During this time, he developed and refined the ‘colour hold’ technique, adding a unique and appropriately futuristic tone to the series. He returned to freelancing in the 1990s writing, colouring and editing for various companies, including Disney Comics, Topps, Defiant, Antarctic and Image’s Big Bang Comics.
