Comics fandom
Newton eventually discovered comic book fandom,[5] while searching for a source to purchase old comics. Newton became involved with the Science Fiction and Comics Association (SFCA) and became an artistic staple in the organization's publications. Between 1968 and 1973 he produced almost two dozen covers for the Rocket's Blast Comicollector (RBCC).[4] Newton did not limit himself exclusively to the publications of the SFCA; he also worked for most of the major fanzines during these years. In all Newton’s work appeared in over one hundred fanzines.[6]
Newton did one major strip during this time which ran for more than a year in the RBCC, called "The Savage Earth". From 1968 to 1970, the science fiction strip appeared in issues #60–70 of the RBCC.[7] Issue #65 of the RBCC sported a Newton "Savage Earth" painting as its cover.
Newton tried for years to leverage his connections in fandom into work at DC Comics or Marvel Comics, but he was at a distinct disadvantage living in Arizona. Marvel in particular wanted their artists close at hand. Newton finally set his sights a little lower and sent some sample pages to Nicola Cuti at Charlton Comics where his first professional comic book work was published.[3]
Charlton Comics
Newton's first work for Charlton appeared in Ghost Manor #18 (May 1974)[8] and would work on Charlton horror books for the next year and half. Besides drawing for the Charlton horror comics, Newton also began painting covers for their horror and romance books.
In October 1975 Newton's first issue of The Phantom, #67, was published.[7] Newton would pencil and ink all of his Phantom work and would supply a cover painting for every issue he drew. Newton’s short run on the book featured two classic Newton pieces at Charlton. Issue #70 of The Phantom stars Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Claude Rains and is a mixture of Casablanca, The African Queen, The Maltese Falcon, and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
Newton’s final issue of The Phantom features the Phantom of 1776 meeting Benjamin Franklin. It has a Phantom cover, the Phantom of 1776, sword in one hand, flintlock pistol in the other in front of a smoky background of the Declaration of Independence and a tattered 13-star American flag
After Charlton
Newton had always seen Charlton as a stepping-stone to Marvel Comics. While still working for Charlton, Newton worked on an issue of Giant-Size Defenders, did some small uncredited inking on a few issues of the Deadly Hands of Kung Fu magazine over Mike Vosburg's penciled artwork, a frontispiece for the Savage Sword of Conan, and a single painting for Roy Thomas which years later became a cover for Thomas' magazine Alter Ego. Newton inked an issue of Ghost Rider over Don Heck's pencils and produced a cover for Marvel's Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction Annual.[8]
DC Comics
Newton began his career at DC with DC Special #28 (July 1977).[8] Newton contributed the pencils on an Aquaman strip inked by his old friend Dan Adkins. Newton would draw Aquaman off and on for the next three years. That same month saw the release of Newton's first series at DC, The New Gods #12.[9] Dan Adkins inked most of his work on the New Gods.[7] It was during his tenure on this strip that Newton left his job as a junior high school art teacher to work full-time as an artist. In the middle of Newton's run on The New Gods, he and David Michelinie co-created the Star Hunters for DC but Newton dropped the feature after drawing two stories.[10]
One of Newton’s lifelong ambitions was to draw Captain Marvel
Marvel Comics
In 1979, Newton returned to Marvel. He wanted to draw Captain America, but that title was unavailable at the time and The Avengers was the closest Marvel could do to fulfilling that request. Newton took the assignment when he was promised Joe Rubinstein as his permanent inker on the book. Newton finished the pencils for only two issues before returning to DC. Those two issues of The Avengers became Avengers Annual #9, half of which was inked by Rubinstein, half by Jack Abel. In 1981 Don Newton again left DC for Marvel. As was the case the first time, better money was one of the factors that pushed him to Marvel. Marvel had other artists, such as Val Mayerik, call Don to entice him into working at Marvel again. Unlike the previous time, Joe Rubinstein was not part of the deal. The Avengers #204 (Feb. 1981) featured inks by Dan Green.
DC again
During the time that Newton was drawing this second attempt at The Avengers book, he was contacted by Paul Levitz who promised him some additional advertising artwork, should Newton return to DC.[7] After the Avengers inking by Dan Green (which he had been unsatisfied with) and again the lack of scheduled work from Marvel, Newton agreed to accept a new contract with DC.
Newton did two issues of Green Lantern in 1982. Both were Green Lantern Corps stories, one of which contained the first appearance of Ch'p, a squirrel-like Green Lantern. Two years later Newton returned to Green Lantern in the only DC comics work he inked. In Newton’s obituary, Dick Giordano said of this work, "To my mind, Don's final statement was the Green Lantern Corps story he penciled and inked that appeared in Green Lantern #181. He showed us how to do it right."[13]
He drew the first appearance of Jason Todd in Batman #357 (March 1983),[14]
Death
Newton died on August 19, 1984, after suffering a massive heart attack.[17]
