BUSHELL Bert
This cartoonist was the mainstay of Maple Leaf Publishing Co. His creations included a domestic comedy “Adam and Eve”, a masked crime fighter “Black Wing”, a bowler hated detective called “Callahan”, a secret agent “Deuce Granville”, a teen age series called “Jukebox Joe”, and “Pinky”.
He began “Señorita Marquita.” Then seems to have drop out of the serial till Better Comics 5-10 when his name appears again. He began “Circus Girl” which was then taken over by Hal Kerr and Ley Fortune.
Of his post Maple Leaf activities, this piece appeared under “It Can Be Done” The Canadian Cartoonist 1-3, 15 August 1947.
“Bert Bushell is a Canadian cartoonist who stuck till he crashed the top pay markets. The 31 year old cartoonist is said to have attempted 1000 cartoons before a single one sold, that is, 40 a month over a two year period, sometimes as many as 20 batches of 10 each out at one time with postage expenses amounting to $17 a month. [1947 dollars]. Bert made a sale to Saturday Night, then two years passed before the $40 Liberty check for his first break into top bracket. Since then a New York agent is handling him. He’s appeared in Colliers, Redbook, King Features Syndicate, Chicago Sun, Liberty, American Legion and Pic. Wife Donna, their two little girls, Trudie 4 years, Susie 4 months, and Bert still live in Vancouver. He works from his home on display advertising, turns out a cartoon a day too. The C.C.A. congratulates you on your well-earned success, Bert.”
WORK”
CARTOONIST:
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY: Published by Maple Leaf Publishing Co. Colour cover. Black & white interior.
Content serial:
| Better Comics …: “Deuce Granville of the Commandos …” … |
| 2-1, April/May 1942: “…”: 36-43.
2-5, Dec./Jan. 1942: “…”: 1-10. 3-2, February/March. 1944: “…: the V-Man in Berlin Bombed”: 2-17. |
| Better Comics …: “Señorita Marquita”: … | |
| 3-6, October/November 1944: “…”: 34-41.
5-10, June/July, 1945: “…”: 10-23. |
6-1, August/September 1945: “…”: 25-38. |
ILLUSTRATOR:
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY: Published by Maple Leaf Publishing Co. Colour cover. Black & white interior.
Content serial:
Better Comics, 3-6, October/November 1944: “Circus Girl.” Writ., Hal Wal: 28-33.
SOURCE:
Article newspaper:
Globe and Mail, 23 Oct. 1982: “Whatever Happened to …?” Writ., P. Harris: Fanfare 7.
Article newsletter:
The Canadian Cartoonist, 1-3, 15 August 1947: “It Can Be Done”. Writ., unidentified: 2. Newsletter of the Canadian Cartoonists Association, found in the Gordon Johnston Papers archived at Western University, London Ontario.
GALLERY:
Better Comics,3-2, February/March 1944: Front cover.