Bert Christman (b. 1915)
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Biography:
Christman was hired by the Associated Press to do general artwork for their feature service, AP Newsfeatures in 1936. He did syndication work on Scorchy Smith daily (AP Newsfeatures [Associated Press], 1930 series) 1936-11-23 - 1938, writer, pencils, and inks.
Christman joined the United States Navy as an aviation cadet in June 1938. Eventually he was assigned to the Aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger (CV-4). Bert then joined Claire Chennault's American Volunteer Group (known as the "Flying Tigers") and was assigned to the "Hell's Angels" Third Squadron in 1941, operating in the British Territory of Burma. Christman was killed in action near Rangoon after a dog fight with Japanese air forces. Bert was strafed by a Japanese airplane after he parachuted out of his damaged P-40 aircraft.
Fort Collins Airport in Fort Collins, Colorado, was renamed Christman Air Field in his honor in the 1950s.
Notes:
Spencer Trent pen name is not certain.
Additional biographies in: Alter Ego (Twomorrows, 1999 series) #45, February 2005. Cartoonews (Bill Sheridan, 1975 series) #21, 1979. Ron Goulart's Comics History Magazine (Goulart Publishing Empire, 1996 series) #2, Winter 1996. World Encyclopedia of Comics, 1976, 1999. Warbird Forum, "Remembering Bert Christman" by Andrew Glaess, Part 1 (https://www.warbirdforum.com/scorchy.htm), Part 2 (https://www.warbirdforum.com/scorchy2.htm), and Part 3 (https://www.warbirdforum.com/scorchy3.htm). Nothing But Comics, "The Sandman's Heroic Creator-Bert Christman", Reed Beebe, November 25, 2014, https://nothingbutcomics.net/2014/11/25/christman/.
Name:
Other Names:
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Allen Bert Christman
Type: Name at Birth
Given name: Allen Bert Family name: Christman -
Christopher
Type: Pen Name
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Larry Dean
Type: Pen Name
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Spencer Trent
Type: Pen Name
Signatures:
- Bert Christman [generic]
- Christopher [generic]
- Larry Dean [generic]
Schools:
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Colorado State University ? to 1936
Art Influences:
Bert Christman (b. 1915) stated influences by: