Don Newton

Don Newton (1934-1984) began as a fanartist before becoming a professional comics artist for Charlton Comics, Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the early 1970s. Known for his work on The Phantom, Aquaman, and Batman, he passed away of a heart attack at the age of fifty.
== History ==
While working as an elementary school art teacher, Newton discovered US comics fandom in the 1960s with G.B. Love and the SFCA and he began providing art for Love's Rocket's Blast and its successor Rocket's Blast Comicollector; he produced over two dozen covers for these between 1969 and 1973, as well as contributing art for most of the major fanzines during these years. As well as covers and illustrations, he also produced a comic strip, "The Savage Earth," which ran in issues 60-70 of the RBCC. It is estimated that his art appeared in over 100 different fanzines"Don Newton" - Wikipedia.
As well as a fanartist, Newton was a cosplayer, designing and wearing his own Captain Marvel/Shazam! costume at various early comic conventions. He also cosplayed as Superman.
File:Doncm3.jpg|Phoenix Comic Con (1970)
File:NEWTON-1.jpg|With C.C. Beck (creator of Shazam!) at Phoenix Comic Convention 1972
File:Sdcostumes.jpg|Don Newton (Superman), his son Tony (also Superman), David Lee (The Phantom) and Shane Shellenberger (Shazam!) at San Diego Comic Con (1973)
Newton began working for Charlton Comics in 1974, providing art for their horror comics line before moving onto The Phantom. From there he worked on a couple of pieces for Marvel before moving to DC, then to Marvel, then to DC again. A full bibliography of his professional work can be found on Wikipedia
== Awards ==
* Comic Fan Art Award - Favorite Fan Artist - 1973
== Fan Interviews ==
* Interview by Bill G. Wilson in the pages of The Collector #17 [1969]
* Interview by Howard Siegel in the pages of The Charlton Bullseye #5 [1976]
* Artist Don Newton on The Phantom and the death of Batwoman, a comic book deep dive David Books and Comics.
* Don Newton, an artist's artist! Let's look at his work! Andy Smith- Comic Artist.
== Fanworks ==
A full checklist of Newton's fanzine contributions is available at Gary Keller's fansite, The Art of Don Newton. There is also a fandom gallery of his fanart from 1968 to 1982.
File:RB Special -8.jpeg|Rocket's Blast Special #8 front cover - Shazam! (1969)
File:RB Special 8 interior.jpg|Rocket's Blast Special #8 - Shazam! origin strip (1969)
File:RB Special 8 full cover.jpg|Rocket's Blast Special #8 wraparound cover (1969)
File:RBCC65.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #65 front cover - "This Savage Earth", Newton's original comic strip (1969).
File:RBCC68.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #68 cover - The Hangman (1970)
File:RBCC69 interior.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #69 interior centrespread - Thor (1970)
File:RBCC75.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #75 front cover (1970)
File:RBCC76.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #76 front cover - Flash Gordon (1970)
File:RBCC82.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #82 front cover - Hawkman (1971)
File:RBCC84.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #84 front cover - Tarzan (1971)
File:RBCC87.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #87 front cover - Green Hornet (1972)
File:RBCC89.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #89 front cover - Green Lantern
File:RBCC90.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #90 front cover (1972)
File:RBCC91.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #91 front cover - Shazam! Family and C.C. Beck (1972)
File:RBCC95.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #95 front cover - Zorro (1972)
File:RBCC97.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #97 front cover - Captain Boomerang (1973)
File:Collector28-2.jpg|The Collector #28 front cover - The Shadow (1973)
File:RBCC99.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #99 front cover - Spacehawk (1973)
File:RBCC100.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #100 front cover - Superman (1973)
File:RBCC104.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #104 front cover - Starman (1973)
File:RBCC106.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #105 front cover - The Phantom (1973)
File:RBCC110.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #110 front cover - Dracula (1974)
File:RBCC112.jpg|Rocket's Blast Comicollector #112 front cover - Flash Gordon (1974)
== Reviews and Reactions ==
== External Links ==
* An Homage to Don Newton - Facebook.
* "Don Newton" tag, Cap'n's Comics
== References ==
Category:Deceased
Category:1984 Deaths
Category:Professional Artists
Category:Fanartists
Category:Cosplayers