I was first published at the age of eleven and became a professional freelance writer in 1977. My work has appeared in dozens of magazines including Starlog, Warped,, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Comics Buyers Guide , On Spec, Apocris and Jack and Jill. I have been a syndicated columnist and cartoonist in over 500 newspapers.

My history book, Forbidden Adventures: The History of the American Comics Group, has been called a "benchmark in comics history". It was recently reprinted in #61 & 62 of Alter Ego.

I ghosted an internationally syndicated comic strip, and wrote my own strip for five years, Holiday Out, that was reprinted as a comic book. I also wrote Straw Men, Angel of Death, The Adventures of Captain Nemo, Holiday Out and Bloodtide. I am listed in the Who's Who of American Comic Books and Comic Book Superstars.

My short stories set in Light's End, Maine, have been published in more than two dozen magazines and have been recorded by legendary actor William (Murder She Wrote) Windom. They are mostly horror stories.

With novelists Mel Odom and R.A. Jones, I co-wrote Global Star, a tabloid in a world where werewolves and babies born with bowling balls in their stomachs are reality.

My weekly comics review column, Suspended Animation, has been continuously published since 1989 in fanzines, newspapers, and websites. It has a readership of about 2,170,000. Interested in adding my free, weekly review column about comic books and strips to your site or publication? Email me at:Click here to send email. Want your title(s) reviewed? Send to: Suspended Animation, 1427 S. Delaware Avenue, Tulsa, OK, 74104. You should know that I'm no fan of graphic violence, profanity, or nudity and graphic sex.

In addition, I worked in newspapers for twenty-two years as an editor, writer and advertising manager, creating three successful newspaper magazines.

THE TOY AND ACTION FIGURE MUSEUM and
THE OKLAHOMA CARTOONISTS COLLECTION

The mission of the Toy and Action Figure Museum is to educate and excite visitors with a comprehensive collection of classic “pop culture” toys, with an emphasis on the social and historic evolution of the action figure, and to serve as a catalyst for the economic revitalization of historic downtown Pauls Valley. Check my Gallery for photographs. It is also the goal of the museum to pay tribute to the designers, sculptors, and toy companies that have turned action figures from a child’s plaything to a work of art for billions of people worldwide.

The mission of the Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection is to collect, preserve and publicly display the work of Oklahoma comics writers, artists, and their associates.

This 501 ©(3) non-profit museum opened on October 15, 2005, and already showcase over 7,000 toys, 500 pieces of original art by Oklahoma cartoonists, and a large amount of their published work. Since opening, over 15,000 people from around the world have visited the museums. They are quickly becoming one of the state’s most popular destination points, and have thrilled young and old alike from a variety of places. Visitors have come from as far away as California, Hawaii and Virginia, and the museum has had an international appeal as well with visitors from Italy, Canada, Japan, and Holland.


EXHIBITS

The museum has large, interactive toy displays so that children can enjoy a “hands on” experience with the exhibits. From concept through manufacturing, the museum has exhibits on the creation of action figures. Visitors can get a behind-the-scenes look at how toys are made.

The Toy & Action Figure Museum is also the home of the Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection. This exhibit features the work of published artists and writers in comic books, comic strips, editorial cartoons, and magazine and sports cartoons from Oklahoma.

A full-service gift shop is also located in the museum.

HALL OF FAME

Each year a select few toy lines and cartoonists that have made their marks in the world will be inducted into the Toy and Action Figure Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame.

The first two lines inducted in 2005 were the original 12-inch tall G.I. JOE line (the first action figure) from Hasbro, and the original Spawn line from McFarlane Toys. In 2006, Captain Action and Kenner's Super Power line from the '80s were inducted.

The 2005 and 2006 comics writers and artists inducted into the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame were: Jack and Carole Bender (Alley Oop), Jim Lange (editorial cartoonist), Gray Morrow (Tarzan and Buck Rogers), and E. Nelson Bridwell (Captain Marvel, Mad Magazine), Bill Mauldin (WWII cartoonist), Chester Gould (Dick Tracy), Ric Estrada (Wonder Woman), Dick Locher (current Dick Tracy), R. A. Jones (Protectors), Clarence Allen (editorial cartoonist .

OKLAHOMA CARTOONISTS COLLECTION

The Collection is housed inside the new, family-focused, Toy and Action Figure Museum and features the work of Oklahoma cartoonists and their associates. Since the 1920s, hundred of millions of readers worldwide have enjoyed the work produced by Oklahomans in comic books, magazines, books, movies, television radio, toys and on the internet.

Those participating at this time include Chester Gould (Dick Tracy), Archie Goodwin (Star Wars, Spider-Man), Bill Mauldin (editorial cartoons), George Storm (Bobby Thatcher), Dan Piraro (Bizarro), Dave Simpson (editorial cartoons), Russ Myers (Broom Hilda), Jack and Carole Bender (Alley Oop), Zack Mosley (Smilin’ Jack), Chan Lowe (editorial cartoons), E. Nelson Bridwell (Wonder Woman), Steve Erwin (Batman), Jim Lange (editorial cartoonist), Don Flowers (Glamor Girls), R. A. Jones (DC Showcase), Bruce Cocharn (USA Today), Ron Wolfe (Tulsa Tribune), John Wooley and Terry Tidwell (The Twilight Avenger), Mel Odom (Harte of Darkness), Sam Cobean (New Yorker), Michael Roberts (Angel of Death), Clarence Allen (editorial cartoons), Butch Burcham (Dark Wolf), Dayne Dudley (sports cartoons), Michael Vance (Holiday Out), Dove McHargue (Ullyses). Steve Phelps (gag cartoons), Don Woods (TVs Gusty) and Jaxon Renick (Chaos).

Current Oklahoma associates include Neal Adams (Green Lantern), Gray Morrow (Tarzan), Scott Hampton (Batman), Frank Bolle (Apartment 3-G), Don Martin (Mad), Dave Graue (Alley Oop), Ric Estrada (Wonder Woman), Alex Toth (Zorro), Kurt Schaffenberger (Superboy), George Evans (Secret Agent Corrigan), Dick Locher (Dick Tracy), Ande Parks (Green Arrow), Tom Derenick (Captain America),Wayne Truman (Eclipse Monthly), Richard “Grass” Green (Xal-Kor), Duane Hanson (Holiday Out), Stan Timmons (Marvel), C. T. Smith (Charlton), Bruce McCorkindale (Twilight Avenger), Andrew Pepoy (Little Orphan Annie), James Baldwin (Love, Honor and Decency), Rob Davis (Star Trek), Mike Miller (Spider-Man), Scott Youtsey (Gunsmith Cats), Steve Stiles (Death Rattle), Dave Simons (Howard the Duck), Tom Floyd (Captain Spectre), Gary Dumm (American Splendor), Dave Hoover (Ms. Mystic), Russ Sever (Glass Houses), Doug Hazelwood (Animal Man), Mark Runyon, and Jon Suter (Craig).

I have been the principal agent for the OCC, collecting original art and published materials by Oklahomans for display. For more information go to http://www.fourcolorcommentary.blogspot.com;

To see a short film on the museum, go to my gallery and click on #35!


If you are a comics professional who was born in Oklahoma and/or produced professional work while living here, or worked with an Oklahoma professional, please contact me at MiklVance@Yahoo.com, or leave a message here.