'Atomic Mouse' (Americomics #4).
Martin Lawrence Greim, better known as Marty Greim, was one of the pioneers of comic fandom in the 1960s and 1970s. He subsequently became a writer for Archie Comics' short-lived superhero comic book line and several independent imprints, most notably with his own creation 'Thunderbunny' (1982). In 1986, Greim also drew one 'Donald Duck' story for Disney licensee Gladstone.
Early life and fanzine activities
Marty Greim was born in 1942 and lived most of his life in Massachusetts, where he worked at the Framingham District Court. In his spare time, he worked on comic books. He was also one of the driving forces behind the 1970s Boston NewCon comics conventions, and wrote a popular column for The Buyers Guide For Comics Fandom. Between 1968 and 1973, Greim published a well-received fanzine called Comic Crusader, of which 17 issues appeared. The fanzine contained comic stories by Greim himself, but also work by Alan Hanley, Ronn Foss and John G. Fantucchio, as well as industry giants like Jim Steranko and Steve Ditko. A 'Comic Crusader Storybook' was published in 1977. Greim notably wrote stories with superhero characters like 'The Eclipse' (art by Gary Kato) and 'The Defender' (art by himself).
'The Comic Crusader'.
Thunderbunny
Martin Greim's best-known creation was however 'Thunderbunny', a superhero comic about the young comic book fan Bobby Caswell, who can transform into a large pink humanoid rabbit with the ability to fly. He received his superpowers after making contact with a mysterious box containing the life essence of the last survivor of an anthropomorphic alien race. The character first appeared in several fan publications, and returned during the 1980s in mostly independent comic books, with scripts by Greim and art by Brian Buniak. Thunderbunny's first appearance in a professional publication was in Charlton Bullseye #6 and #10 in 1982. The character then became part of Red Circle Comics, the short-lived superhero line of Archie Comics. Five solo issues appeared, and then the character made guest appearances in other Archie comic books, such as 'Blue Ribbon Comics' #13 (1984), 'The All New Adventures of the Mighty Crusaders' #7 (1984) and 'Pep Comics' #393 (1984). From June 1985 to February 1986, Greim and Buniak released a second 'Thunderbunny' series of six issues at Wendy and Richard Pini's independent imprint WaRP Graphics. Issues #7 through 12 were subsequently published under the Apple Comics imprint from April 1986 until November 1987. The later 'Thunderbunny' issues also featured stories drawn by Gary Kato and Donnie Jupiter. A planned 'Thunderbunny' newspaper comic, drawn by Mike Machlan, remained unpublished.
The Original Shield
For Archie's Red Circle Comics, Marty Greim additionally wrote stories with 'The Original Shield', one of the early superhero characters of Archie Comics, created in 1940 by Harry Shorten and Irv Novick. The stories, penciled by Dick Ayers, appeared in 'The New Crusaders' (1983-1984) and then in the character's own 4-issue comic book title (1984).
The Black Terror / Atomic Mouse
For the 'Americomics' comic books by Bill Black's AC Comics imprint, Greim also worked on stories with classic Golden Age superheroes like 'The Black Terror' (created in 1941 by Richard E. Hughes and Don Gabrielson), drawn by Rik Levins, and 'Atomic Mouse' (created in 1953 by Al Fago), with art by Greim himself. 'Atomic Mouse' was originally drawn for Charlton Comics, but the company disbanded before it saw print.
Donald Duck
In 1986, Martin Greim wrote and drew the 10-page 'Donald Duck' story 'Big Feet!' for the new Disney licensee Gemstone Comics. His work was also featured in the compilation anthology 'Fandom's Finest Comics 2' (Hamster Press, 1998). Even though Greim's Disney production was limited to one single story, its publication in Donald Duck #249 inspired Keno Don Rosa to contact Gladstone and create his own fan story based on the Duck tradition of Carl Barks. When Gladstone ran Don Rosa's first story a couple of months later, it marked the debut of one of most impactful Disney comic creators of all time.
Final years and death
Martin L. Greim spent his final years in Surprise, Arizona (a suburb of Phoenix) and passed away from heart failure at age 74 on 15 April 2017.
Donald Duck - 'Big Feet!' (Donald Duck #249, 1986).