Rutland Halloween Parade

The Rutland Halloween Parade is an annual event held on Halloween in the city of Rutland, Vermont since 1960.

Origins

Tom Fagan, a local writer and comic book fan, is credited with having a hand in the parade's early development and superhero theme. According to an October 22, 2006 article by Boston Globe correspondent Peggy Shinn, "He was friends with many comic book authors and artists, most of whom hailed from New York. Fagan persuaded some of them to take part in the Rutland Halloween Parade in comic book character costumes. In 1965, the local newspaper reported that the Joker, Plastic Man, and Dr. Strange were roaming the streets of Rutland, along with Batman (presumably Fagan, but like Bruce Wayne, the Caped Crusader wouldn't divulge his identity). More comic book heroes appeared every year...". Comic book creators known to have attended the parade in the past include Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway, Marv Wolfman, Bernie Wrightson, Dennis O'Neil, Roy Thomas, Alan Weiss, Wendy and Richard Pini, Dave Cockrum and Len Wein.Thomas, Roy (ed.) "Alter Ego: The Comic Book Artist Collection" (TwoMorrows Publishing, Mar. 2001), pp. 78-80]

Appearances in comics

In the 1970s, the Rutland Halloween Parade achieved a degree of fame when it was used as the setting of a number of superhero comic books, including Batman #237, DC Super-Stars #18, Justice League of America #103, Freedom Fighters #6, Amazing Adventures #16, Avengers # 83 and #119, Marvel Feature # 2, The Mighty Thor #207, and Doctor Spektor #18. Tom Fagan was himself featured as a character in a number of these stories, usually depicted as an acquaintance of the title characters. Due to the nature of the masquerade parade, these issues often saw people dressed as Marvel Comics heroes appearing in DC Comics publications, and vice versa, marking some of the first (unofficial) intercompany crossovers in comics. Caution was exercised, however over widespread use of the 'competition's characters - Tom Fagan, (who hosted the parade dressed as Batman), was typically drawn as Nighthawk in Marvel-published Rutland Halloween stories.

Over the Christmas-New Year period in 1972/73, Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway and Len Wein crafted a loose three-part story spanning titles from both companies. Each comic featured Englehart, Conway and Wein (and Wein's first wife Glynis) interacting with Tom Fagan and Marvel or DC villains (and heroes). Beginning in "Amazing Adventures" #16 (by Englehart with art by Bob Brown and Frank McLaughlin), the Beast hitches a ride from Englehart who is driving the Weins and Conway to Rutland. The story terminates after Juggernaut attempts to steal Englehart's car. The action continues in "Justice League of America" #103 (by Wein, Dick Dillin and Dick Giordano), with Batman and other JLAers wind up leading the parade while attempting to capture Felix Faust. Faust ultimately steals Englehart's car, but is pulled over by the police. In the third part of the unofficial crossover, "Thor" #207, (by Conway, John Buscema and Vince Colletta), the three comics creators (and one wife) again visit Fagan, during which visit Englehart's car is stolen by the unseen and unmentioned DC villain Felix Faust, as shown in JLA #103.

In 1986, the parade again appeared in Thunder Bunny #5. Most recently, the parade was featured in Marvel Comic's Generation X #22 and Superboy and the Ravers #16 from DC Comics.

After Fagan

Though Fagan is no longer directly involved in the planning of the parade, the popular event continues to this day, celebrating its 48th anniversary in 2007. Fagan attended the 2006 parade, sitting with the judges along with his personal assistant.

References

ources

* cite web
url = http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/vermont/articles/2006/10/22/rutlands_hallowed_tradition_is_a_treat/
title = Parade History
accessdate = 2007-04-01

External links

* cite web
url = http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=rutlandhalloweenparade/
title = Unofficial DCU Biography
accessdate = 2007-04-01
* cite web
url = http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/147/
title = Comic Book History
accessdate = 2007-04-01
* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/rutlandvt.htm Profile of Rutland, Vermont in the Appendix to the Marvel Handbook, focusing on the Parade]