So you didn't know Mickey Spillane wrote for the comics? Mike Hammer, embodiment of the hard- boiled detective, was originally named Mike Danger and was to have been a comic-book hero!

Mickey Spillane was born March 9, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York and began writing during his high school years. After graduation he studied briefly at Kansas State Teachers College, returning to New York City to work at Gimbel's Department Store. Bored by retail Spillane went looking for a job closer to his passion, writing, and became an editor for Funnies, Inc., a comics company which was later to become Marvel Comics. There he wrote scripts, plotted stories, and wrote text fillers for features such as "Edison Bell, Boy Inventor" and "The Human Torch".

When World War II broke out Spillane enlisted in the Air Force, becoming a fighter pilot instructor. He married in 1945. After completing his term of military service Spillane returned to New York, where, needing a thousand dollars build a house, he attempted to form a new comics company with former Funnies colleagues Ray Gill, Basil Wolverton and Mike Roy.

Spillane was unable to obtain distribution of his new feature, a private eye adventure called "Mike Danger", and re-wrote the story as a novel; it was published as "I, The Jury" by E.P. Dutton in 1947, introducing the world to the hard-boiled detective Mike Hammer. Although the hardcover edition didn't sell very well, paperback sales were spectacular, precipitating a major change in the publishing world.

Spillane continued to write, producing 7 novels in the years between 1947 and 1952. He sometimes wrote a book in as little as a month and published his work under pseudonyms such as 'Frank Morrison'. His books sold in the millions, and continue to sell in reprint form.

Spillane's novels, which are sexual and violent in nature, were severely criticized during the '40's and '50's and following the 1952 publication of "Kiss Me, Deadly" he stopped writing novels for a decade. Instead he turned to writing short stories, including a one-year run of a Mike Hammer comic strip which was illustrated by Ed Robbins.

Spillane also performed in a circus act as well as stock car racing, flying, fencing, scuba diving and appearing in the movies.

In 1961 Spillane returned to writing novels, producing a new Mike Hammer novel, "The Girl Hunters" in 1962. The story was made into a film that starred Spillane as Mike Hammer, and he also co-wrote the script. He went on to appear in a number of other films and television shows, including the TV series "Columbo" and the movie "Mommy" and "Mommy's Day".

In 1979 Spillane published his first young adult book, "The Day The Sea Rolled Back", which received a Junior Literary Guild Award. In 1995 he received the title of Grand Master from the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Allen Poe Awards. A new Mike Hammer book, "Black Alley", appeared in 1996. "Mike Danger", the stillborn comic book series which reinvented his career, was itself reinvented as a sci-fi comic strip in 1994 by Tekno comics, written by Max Allan Collins with art by Frank Miller.

Mickey was appearing at comic book conventions during the 1990's and was bombarded by adoring fans from all over the world..

He passed away on July 17, 2006 and will be missed.