Donald Clough Cameron (December 21, 1905 – November 17, 1954)[1] was an American writer of detective novels and comic books. He is credited with creating several supporting characters and villains in DC Comics' line of Batman comic books.
| Don Cameron | |
|---|---|
| Born | Donald Clough Cameron December 21, 1905 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | November 17, 1954 (aged 48) New York City, U.S. |
| Area(s) | Writer |
| Pseudonym(s) | Don Cameron C.A.M. Donne |
Career edit
Donald Clough Cameron graduated from St. John's Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin, and became a crime reporter for the Detroit Free Press in 1924 and later worked for the Windsor Star in Windsor, Ontario.[2] In the 1930s, he settled in New York City and became a writer, publishing short stories, sometimes signed with the pseudonym C.A.M. Donne,[1] for pulps and comic books.
Between 1939 and 1946, Cameron wrote six detective novels, three of which featured the young criminologist and detective Abelard Voss,[3][4] who liked to take philosophical reflections during his investigations. The sixth and final novel by Don Cameron, White for a Shroud,[1] features the character of Andrew Brant, the only journalist in a local newspaper, who investigates a series of murders committed in an American town isolated from the outside world by a snowstorm.
Cameron made several notable contributions to the Batman mythos. The story "Here Comes Alfred!" in Batman #16 (April–May 1943) by Cameron and Bob Kane introduced Alfred as Bruce Wayne's butler.[5] Cameron co-created Tweedledum and Tweedledee in Detective Comics #74 (April 1943)[6] and the Cavalier in Detective Comics #81 (Nov. 1943).[7] His story "Brothers in Crime!" in Batman #12 (Aug.–Sept. 1942) featured "Batman's Hall of Trophies"[8] a precursor to the Batcave, which debuted in Detective Comics #83 (Jan. 1944).[9] Cameron and Win Mortimer created Batman's Batboat in Detective Comics #110 (April 1946).[10] In addition, Cameron was one of the writers of the Batman comic strip for the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.[1]
His work on Superman includes creating the Toyman in Action Comics #64 (Sept. 1943)[11] and writing the earliest Superboy stories in More Fun Comics.[12][13]
Cameron created Liberty Belle in Boy Commandos #1 (Winter 1942)[14] and Pow Wow Smith in Detective Comics #151 (Sept. 1949).[15] He was one of the writers of DC's Hopalong Cassidy licensed series based on the film and TV Western hero.[16] Other comic book work by Cameron includes Aquaman, Congo Bill, and the Western character Nighthawk.[17]
Donald Clough Cameron died of cancer in New York City in November 1954.[2] His final comics story "The Giant Eagle Robberies" was published posthumously in Hopalong Cassidy #99 (March 1955).[17]
Other similarly-named creators edit
Donald Clough Cameron should not be confused with the similarly named Don Cameron, an artist who was also active during the Golden Age of Comic Books,[1][18] nor with an unrelated Don Cameron, a comics artist who worked on the Cyberella series in the 1990s.[19][20]
Bibliography edit
Comic books edit
- Action Comics #58, 61–68, 70–71, 77–83, 85–86, 88–90, 99–100, 102, 107, 109, 119, 148, 151, 192 (1943–1954)
- Adventure Comics #91, 103–121, 123–128, 132, 138, 141, 147–149, 151, 154, 156, 158, 160–166, 168, 171–174 (1944–1952)
- Batman #12–17, 19–21, 23–30, 32, 36, 38, 46 (1942–1948)
- Boy Commandos #1–2, 6–8, 12–13, 16, 27–28, 30, 33 (1942–1949)
- Detective Comics #70, 73–75, 79, 81–83, 86, 89, 96, 98–101, 105–111, 114–117, 131, 151–152, 154–156 (1942–1950)
- Hopalong Cassidy #86–90, 92–99 (1954–1955)
- More Fun Comics #101–107 (1945–1946)
- Star-Spangled Comics #20–49, 51–68 (1943–1947)
- Superboy #6, 11, 19 (1950–1952)
- Superman #23–24, 26–44, 47, 49–50, 53, 60 (1943–1949)
- Western Comics #2, 6, 15, 18, 21–28, 30, 32–42, 44–47 (1948–1954)
- World's Finest Comics #12–13, 15, 17–21, 23, 25, 28–31, 33–34, 45, 47–48, 61, 63 (1943–1953)
Novels edit
Abelard Voss series edit
- Murder's Coming (1939)
- Grave Without Grass (1940)
- And So He Had to Die (1941)
Other novels edit
- Death at Her Elbow (1940)
- Dig Another Grave (1946)
- White for a Shroud (1947)
Pulps edit
As Donald Clough Cameron edit
- Mood for Murder (1939)
- In the Dark (1940)
- Benjy Takes a Holiday (1944)
- Attar of Homicide (1944)
As C.A.M. Donne edit
- Isle of Ghouls (1935)
- Marriage for Murder (1937)
- Vengeance of the Severed Hands (1937)
- Judgment of the Ghost God (1937)
- A Bride for the General (1939)
- White Man's Magic (1941)
- Rendezvous (1941)
- No More Raids (1941)
References edit
External links edit
- Donald Clough Cameron at WorldCat
- Donald Clough Cameron at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Donald Clough Cameron at Mike's Amazing World of Comics