The Saint is a creation of Leslie Charteris, pseudonym of Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin, born in Singapore in 1907 to a Chinese father and English mother. His famous literary creation, Simon Templar, aka the Saint, was introduced in 1928, and Charteris wrote 50 of the novels. In 1963 he turned over the job to others. Charteris died in 1993 at age 85; the Saint novels are still available.
The Saint in comic book was not as long-lived as the character in novels, appearing in 12 issues from Avon in the forties. As with the newspaper comic strip originally drawn by Mike Roy and then John Spranger, Charteris had a personal involvement and exacting standards. I believe Ann Brewster’s handsome rendition of the character would have met with Charteris’s approval.
Another Saint story from this issue, this one drawn by Warren Kremer. Click on the thumbnail.
Know the Saint mostly from old movies, but always caught the "based on the Leslie Charteris character" or something similar to that, in the opening credits. Did not know he had a Chinese father. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteKirk, I also did not know of Charteris' origins, but have read some interesting things about him online. Also, in turning over the books starring his character to other writers, he reminds me of Manfred Lee and Fred Dannay ("Ellery Queen") who used a series of ghostwriters.
ReplyDeleteThe comic was often plugged at the end of the Saint radio show (with Vincent Price, later replaced by Tom Conway): "All you Saint fans will be glad to know that the Saint comic book is now available at newsstands..."
ReplyDeleteLeslie changed his name to Charteris by deed poll so it doesn't really qualify as a pseudonym.
ReplyDeleteAnd whilst you're quite correct about the comic books in all fairness you ought to mention the newspaper comic strip that ran for over a decade and was syndicated around the world.
And if you'd like to know more about Charteris then I have to recommend this book: http://www.miwkpublishing.com/store/index.php?route=product%2Fproduct&product_id=109/
Then again I wrote it ;-)
Naturally I liked Mr Moore's performance as "The Saint", but as a kid what I really loved were the campy "Persuaders".
ReplyDeleteI see Mrs. Brewster did a lot of romance comics.
I can't say I'm impressed by her fighting scenes, but I really love the way she draws beautiful women. Glamorous style.
I also suspect she relied on photographs for her male characters, every now and then. The Bad Guy in page 9 panel 4 reminds me of Clark Gable, maybe (in panel 3 he reminds me of someone, but I don't know exactly who).
Why most of the evil ringleaders in comics have to sport a Dick Dastardly moustache?
I hate to contradict you, Pappy, because you have more years of experience with golden age comic art than have I, but I'm afraid I just don't have the same regard for Brewster's art that you do, at least if this example is a fair model of it. The characters are often stiff and their body positions are sometimes unnatural. But all that wouldn't have really bothered me if the story had been more engaging. There really wasn't much to the plot, was there? And the action basically consisted of the Saint getting in fights. The plot was even wrapped up with fisticuffs rather than any kind of brainwork. Most of all, I'm confused about just who the Saint is in this continuity. I know he's been a thief, and I believe he's been some kind of spy(?), but there's no explanation of his livelihood in this strip, so I don't understand why he involves himself in events when he could've just exchanged suitcases and gone on his way unmolested. And why does everyone call him "the Saint" instead of Simon Templar, anyway?
ReplyDeleteL8Ys R betterer @ drawering fan service yo! OMG TYSM Pappity we didnt no about this artist!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
ReplyDeleteAlicia, I wish I knew more about Ms Brewster in her career after comics.
ReplyDeleteRyan, you can contradict me all you want. I forgive you. But jeez, that question, "why does everyone call him 'the Saint' instead of Simon Templar, anyway?" I assume it is rhetorical, because if it isn't my answer is how the hell would I know?
ReplyDeleteIan, I mentioned the comic strip when I said it was drawn originally by Mike Roy and then by John Spranger. Since my blog is about Golden Age comic books, I leave the posts on comic strips to others who know much more than I. But what I have heard about the history of the comic strip is that at one point Bob Kane's one-time ghost artist, Lew Sayre Schwartz, was supposed to draw the Saint, but Charteris was critical of his artwork, and the job didn't work out for Mr Schwartz.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your book.
J D, what I can remember about the Saint television show is that Roger Moore fit the part, but I didn't watch the program.
ReplyDeleteI have some old Saint paperback books from Avon, and if I get another lifetime in which I have time for everything I have collected over the years I might get a chance to read them.
I had heard that Simon got his nickname from his initials, ST = saint.
ReplyDelete