"Steve Roper and Mike Nomad", a comic with roots that go back almost 78 years ago, 1936 and ultimately ended in December 26th, 2004. Initially it was started as a Western parody called "Big Chief Wahoo". Big-city news photographer-cum-journalist Steve Roper later joined the cast in 1940 and the comic was re-titled "Chief Wahoo and Steve Roper", then "Steve Roper and Wahoo", and then simply "Steve Roper". In 1964, adventurer Mike Nomad was introduced.
This comics was often published on the last page of the "SF Chronicle" - back then they actually used to print it on green paper!
CREATORS
The comic was created by Allen Saunders, and passed down to his son John Saunders, though Allen's signature was on it till 1979 - and drawn by William Overgard. The storytelling by Allen, and later John was full of dangerous He-man adventures, but the characters were sympathetic and well-developed. Mike and Steve were pretty dated by the 1970s, belonging more to pre-Sixties America, but they still seemed like real men. Roper and Nomad were the kind of duo that remains popular to this day, particularly in mystery novels that feature a more cerebral lead character and his quick-with-his-fists buddy.
Nomad, with a flat-top haircut that looked like you could drive a pick-up truck across it without mussing a single hair, was the funnier, flashier character. Mike was the tough, blue-collar counterpart to the urbane, well-educated Steve Roper - but they both were well capable of getting into scrapes with mobsters, spies, femme fatales, and garden-variety crooks. Roper was, fittingly for a journalist, the kind of guy who could not only investigate a crime but think his way out of a tight spot.
John Saunders once revealed the fact that Nomad was inspired by an article in a military magazine and that his father, Allen, basically created the character. John Saunders used to live in Toledo (Ohio, US) and died on Nov 15th, 2003.
ARTISTS
Artists over the years included Elmer Woggon and William Overgard. William Overgard's exceptional artwork was vivid and powerful - Nomad being particularly iconic with his square jaw, blond crew-cut, chiseled features and ubiquitous cigarette hanging from his lips. In 1984, Mr. Fran Matera took over as the artist behind Steve Roper and Mike Nomad, which at its peak appeared in 250 newspapers. He worked at all hours, a mug of coffee on his drafting table and a cat or two nearby.
In 2003, the writer for the Roper strip died and Matera, then 78 years old, took over the writing too. But by then, a mash estimates, only a few dozen newspapers carried the strip. Matera drew the serial from 1984 until its final frame in 2004.
Mr. Matera ended his relationship with Steve Roper and Mike Nomad after a contract dispute with King Features. On Dec. 26, 2004, 64 years after the Roper character was introduced, Mr. Matera drew its final frame. It was of old, aged Roper visiting his ex-wife's grave alongside the daughter she had kept secret from him. Fran Matera, who rode the wave of the "golden age" of comics and its successive downsizing, died at the age of 87, at home on March 15th, 2012, due to complications from his prostate cancer.
My introduction to Mike Nomad's comics started thru the "Indrajal Comics" back in late 80's - by then IJC already started fading its real glory and charisma. Altogether a handful of Nomad's stories were published by IJC.
A number of story-strips are struggling these days for several reasons - one being that their art and text work better with more space than many humor strips require. But space for all comics is shrinking day by day... it is very sad, but true.
Download here one of the vintage Steve Roper stories: "Dance of Death"
