Flo Steinberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flo Steinberg |
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"Fabulous Flo" Steinberg in 1975
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| Born | Florence Steinberg March 17, 1939 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | July 23, 2017 (aged 78) New York City |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Publisher |
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Notable works
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Big Apple Comix |
Florence Steinberg (March 17, 1939 – July 23, 2017) was an American publisher. She is famous for helping to create one of the first independent comic books. This comic was called Big Apple Comix and came out in 1975.
Flo, as she was known, also worked at Marvel Comics in the 1960s. She was the secretary for Stan Lee, a famous editor. She also helped fans and saw Marvel grow from a small team into a huge company. Flo Steinberg even appeared as a character in Marvel Comics.
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Flo Steinberg's Early Life
Florence Steinberg was born in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Her father was a taxi driver and her mother was a stenographer. Flo grew up in the Dorchester and Mattapan areas of Boston. She was Jewish.
She went to Roxbury Memorial High School for Girls. There, she was president of the student council. Flo studied History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She earned her degree in 1960. After college, she worked for a phone company in Boston. She also volunteered for Ted Kennedy's first campaign to become a U.S. Senator. Later, she moved to New York City in 1963. She also helped with Robert F. Kennedy's Senate campaign.
Working in Comics
Flo Steinberg at Marvel Comics
In March 1963, Flo Steinberg moved to New York City. She looked for jobs through agencies. She found a job at a company called Magazine Management. This company published Marvel Comics. Flo met Stan Lee there. He was looking for a "gal Friday," which meant an assistant.
Stan Lee had a small office. Flo worked there, helping him. At that time, Marvel only had two full-time staff: Stan Lee and Flo. Other artists and writers worked freelance. Flo's salary was $65 a week, which was good pay then.
Flo did many important jobs. She was Stan Lee's secretary. She also made sure artists turned in their work on time. She answered letters from fans. She sent out kits for the Merry Marvel Marching Society fan club. Flo also sent artwork to the Comics Code Authority. This group checked comics to make sure they were suitable for readers.
Sometimes, fans would visit the office hoping to meet the creators. Flo had to greet them. She said it was a business, even though it was nice that kids wanted to visit. Flo also learned about underground comix. She met Trina Robbins, an artist, who introduced her to other cartoonists.
Later Work and Big Apple Comix
Flo Steinberg left Marvel in 1968. She was tired because of the huge amount of fan mail. She also left because she didn't get a small raise she asked for. After Marvel, she worked for the American Petroleum Institute. She edited pamphlets there for two and a half years.
She became friends with underground comix artists in New York City. These included Trina Robbins and Kim Deitch. Many of these artists moved to San Francisco, California. San Francisco was a big center for underground comix. Flo moved there too in 1970. She worked for Gary Arlington's San Francisco Comic Book Company. After a year, she moved back to New York City.
Flo then worked for Warren Publishing. This company made horror comics magazines. She managed their mail-order section for three years. In 1974, she spoke at a comic convention. She talked about the role of women in comics.
In 1975, Flo Steinberg published Big Apple Comix. This comic was very important. It connected underground comics with modern independent comics. Famous artists like Neal Adams and Wally Wood contributed to it. Some critics say Big Apple Comix was one of the first true alternative comics.
By 1984, she was a managing editor for Arts Magazine. In the 1990s, Flo returned to Marvel. She worked as a proofreader. She continued this job part-time until 2017.
Flo Steinberg in Comics
Flo Steinberg was shown as a character in Marvel Comics. In What If #11 (October 1978), she appeared with Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Sol Brodsky. They were shown as a version of the Fantastic Four. Flo was the character called the Invisible Girl.
In another comic, Ultimate Fantastic Four #28 (May 2006), there was a small tribute to Flo. She was shown as the secretary to President Thor. She warned the Human Torch not to burn the rug. He replied, "I know, I know. No need to be such a nag, Miss Steinberg."
Death
Flo Steinberg passed away on July 23, 2017. She died from problems related to a brain aneurysm and lung cancer. Marvel Comics said that she "always been the heart of Marvel and a legend in her own right." She was buried in a Jewish cemetery in Kerhonkson, New York.
Images for kids
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A fictionalized Flo Steinberg as part of an alternate-reality Fantastic Four in Marvel Comics' What If #11 (Oct. 1978). Art by Kirby.
See also
In Spanish: Flo Steinberg para niños
