Superman Through the Ages! Forum

You could have knocked me over with a kryptonite-laced feather when I saw Al Schroeder III's name pop up in an IC topic on this forum (it's now locked, so I can't post on it). Wow! This was almost as good as having Jimmy Olsen post a comment. I remember when "Metropolis Mailbag" seemed to belong exclusively to him and Barbara Long; I even remember her announcing their engagement ("A RING!!!!") in those pages. Talk about a blast from the past.

I wonder whatever happened to The Mad Maple, later T M Maple? He unmasked himself in a lettercolumn some time in the late 80s, I seem to remember; his name was Jim Something. Then he vanished, almost as if he had been written out of the Post-Crisis continuity.

I believe T.M. Maple passed away, unfortunately.

His absence is keenly felt.

That's very sad to hear, and I hope my tone didn't seem flippant in my earlier post. For anybody who never read any of his letters, I found a tribute to him floating around out there:

http://webpages.csus.edu/~sac53175/maple1.htm

I believe Maple's name was Jim Burke.  

The story of his passing, as I recall it from reading an Amazing Heroes from the very early 1990's, is that he was walking into his comic shop when he had his fatal heart attack.  

I'm one of those guys who'd flip to the back of the book and look for his letters before reading the story, too!  ;)  I'm just glad so many editors loved his stuff as much as we did!  

RIP, Mr. Burke.

He also made it to the pages of Bob Burden's Flaming Carrot, as I recall, but I can't remember which issue. I just remember the Carrot getting a letter and observing: "Is letter from T. M. Maple! He liked last issue! Good!"

I always wondered how the guy could fit in not only reading as many comics as he did, but also penning such well thought-out critiques of them. In a way, it's sort of comforting to know he keeled over in a comic shop. You know what I mean.

I know EXACTLY what you mean.  

It IS comforting to know Mr. Burke died doing something he so loved.  

;)

Given how some of those old-time letterhacks turned into great writers of the books themselves like Bob Rozakis and Martin Pasko, it is a shame he didn't live to become a writer himself.

I wonder what the Hypertimeline is like where Maple is now an esteemed superbook writer ...

Now we've celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary....had three kids...(one of which is in college).  I highly recommend meeting your future spouse in comic book letter columns.
   Too bad they don't HAVE those any more.---Al

I can't really see myself having much of a relationship with any of the 12-year-olds who seem to populate what passes for letter clumns nowadays: "OMFG [insert character name here] is totally cool/ghey. You are a great artist/complete retard and kick ass/suck."

Nice to hear you are doing so well, and still married! You two are legend!

Now we see how much the editors did back in the day...
..And if Barb and I are legend, we're a pretty obscure one, but thanks, anyway!---Al

You are a legend amongst letterhacks, Al.

Remember I considered you one when I greeted you on this site?

It is a shame you're not working for DC yourself as so many noted letterhacks managed over the years.

Maybe the rampant mediocrity and darkness at DC has been turning guys like you away these days instead of actively recruiting them.