142:, where he met fellow member Gilmore, who had joined the APA around the same time. Through Interlac, the two struck up a relationship. Gilmore lived in California, and as Bierbaum had designs on getting into the entertainment industry, he moved out West, and the two began living together, eventually getting married.
145:
Early on in their relationship, the
Bierbaums wrote stories together, their first published piece being a Halloween-themed short story for a local newspaper. (The story was actually a thinly veiled Legion of Super-Heroes story with the characters' names and situations changed.) They also submitted
406:
As writing partners, the
Bierbaums evolved a unique collaborating style. Generally, they work together in the conceptual stage, and then Tom writes the first draft. Mary works closely with Tom on the plotting, while Tom mainly writes the dialogue, with Mary acting as a sounding board for overall
232:
on the book) for the first 36 issues, the
Bierbaums dialogued the "Five Years Later" storyline. The revival of the title was controversial with many longtime Legion fans, as it incorporated several major
170:
Recognizing the
Bierbaum's devotion to the Legion, Giffen contacted them, at first using them as a sounding board for his ideas about the Legion. Giffen also utilized a new costume idea for
132:
279:
After Giffen's departure, the
Bierbaums continued on the title for another year, overseeing the return of several classic characters, until leaving for
273:
454:
364:
557:
533:
576:
566:
681:
338:
17:
344:
666:
136:
691:
188:, he recruited the husband and wife writing team for the job. That, along with their work for DC's
686:
599:
216:
101:
83:
59:
384:, with their two children. Mary retired from being a nurse in 1991; Tom used to freelance for
633:
466:
281:
184:
123:#310 (July 1963). Meanwhile, Mary Gilmore became a serious Legion fan in the late 1970s.
8:
332:
190:
146:
and published articles and stories in
Interlac, which attracted the attention of veteran
386:
381:
220:
vol. 4, from 1989 to 1993, except for the main Story in issues 21–24, written solo by
238:
117:. Tom Bierbaum grew up as a Legion fan, first becoming exposed to the characters via
554:
530:
316:
298:
269:
119:
113:
The
Bierbaums entered the world of professional comic book writing through Legion
561:
537:
53:
514:
296:
The
Bierbaums and Giffen also worked together on DC's short-lived offbeat title
369:
250:
177:
In 1984, when Giffen was looking for a scripter for his "Lightning" stories in
139:
660:
675:
580:
570:
354:
254:
246:
199:
178:
390:
before becoming a staffer at the short-lived entertainment/business website
610:
349:
322:
311:
195:
151:
95:
are an
American husband-and-wife writing team, known for their work on the
499:"The History of Interlac (and Legion fandom, too!)," Interlac APA website.
458:
265:
was of ambiguous sexuality and would not have required her to be female.
262:
258:
171:
261:
who used drugs to maintain her female identity, while her longtime beau
391:
310:
After their DC work, the
Bierbaums went on to write various titles for
209:
531:
Bierbaum bio in the Legion of Super-Heroes Online Companion: Volume 5.
645:
225:
221:
159:
96:
498:
425:
359:
234:
114:
242:
229:
395:
165:
555:
The Legion of Super-Heroes Online Companion: Volume 5
224:. Working under editor Waid and alongside Giffen and
380:Never full-time comics writers, the couple live in
237:," including the editorially-mandated excision of
673:
515:"A Preview Of DC's New Legion of Super-Heroes,"
214:The Bierbaums wrote the first fifty issues of
305:
481:Bierbaum, Tom & Mary. "Legion Outpost,"
198:, convinced the editors at DC (specifically
493:
491:
449:
447:
445:
443:
441:
439:
437:
435:
162:(both of whom were also Interlac members).
509:
507:
477:
475:
210:Legion of Super-Heroes: "Five Years Later"
488:
432:
249:'s body; and the revelation that former
126:
662:The Bierbaums, interviewed at ConTinual
504:
472:
14:
674:
289:issue #50 (November 1993). They wrote
293:for its first 15 issues, until 1994.
579:at the Comic Book DB (archived from
569:at the Comic Book DB (archived from
241:from Legion history; the housing of
453:Tom and Mary Bierbaum interview in
166:Keith Giffen and early writing work
24:
50:(Mary) 1955 (age 68–69)
25:
703:
654:
401:
202:) that they were ready to become
48:(Tom) 1956 (age 67–68)
375:
352:. Most recently, they worked on
29:American comic book writing team
131:Tom joined the Legion fan club
524:
417:
13:
1:
547:
257:was actually a formerly male
540:Accessed September 15, 2008.
521:Accessed September 28, 2008.
501:Accessed September 15, 2008.
394:. In 2001, he began work at
108:
7:
10:
708:
485:vol. 4, #3 (January 1990).
306:Image and other publishers
642:
630:
624:
616:
596:
590:
285:(a spin-off title) after
228:(who was a co-writer and
137:amateur press association
76:
66:
39:
34:
560:October 4, 2007, at the
536:October 4, 2007, at the
410:
682:American comics writers
606:1989–1993
423:"Mail it to Mar-Vell,"
600:Legion of Super-Heroes
483:Legion of Super-Heroes
398:as a ratings analyst.
339:Xena: Warrior Princess
333:Youngblood: Strikefile
217:Legion of Super-Heroes
135:, and then the Legion
102:Legion of Super-Heroes
84:Legion of Super-Heroes
60:Long Beach, California
46:Mary-Catherine Gilmore
467:TwoMorrows Publishing
407:"feel and direction.
185:T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
127:Interlac and marriage
93:Tom and Mary Bierbaum
35:Tom and Mary Bierbaum
463:The Legion Companion
245:'s consciousness in
174:that Tom suggested.
513:Haeleury, Michael.
191:New Talent Showcase
519:#172, (Oct. 1989).
497:Broertjes, Harry.
429:#48 (January 1977)
382:Erie, Pennsylvania
133:The Legion Outpost
652:
651:
643:Succeeded by
617:Succeeded by
268:The team created
90:
89:
16:(Redirected from
699:
663:
640:1993–1994
625:Preceded by
591:Preceded by
588:
587:
541:
528:
522:
511:
502:
495:
486:
479:
470:
451:
430:
421:
276:for the Legion.
120:Adventure Comics
69:
32:
31:
21:
707:
706:
702:
701:
700:
698:
697:
696:
692:Married couples
672:
671:
661:
657:
648:
639:
628:
620:
607:
605:
603:vol. 4 writers
594:
586:
562:Wayback Machine
550:
545:
544:
538:Wayback Machine
529:
525:
512:
505:
496:
489:
480:
473:
452:
433:
422:
418:
413:
404:
378:
308:
212:
168:
129:
111:
79:
67:
57:
54:Dover, Delaware
51:
49:
47:
45:
44:
30:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
705:
695:
694:
689:
684:
670:
669:
656:
655:External links
653:
650:
649:
644:
641:
629:
626:
622:
621:
618:
615:
595:
592:
585:
584:
574:
564:
551:
549:
546:
543:
542:
523:
517:Amazing Heroes
503:
487:
471:
431:
426:Captain Marvel
415:
414:
412:
409:
403:
402:Writing method
400:
377:
374:
370:Caliber Comics
307:
304:
302:in 1992–1993.
251:Science Police
211:
208:
167:
164:
128:
125:
110:
107:
88:
87:
80:
77:
74:
73:
70:
64:
63:
41:
37:
36:
28:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
704:
693:
690:
688:
687:Living people
685:
683:
680:
679:
677:
668:
664:
659:
658:
647:
638:
636:
635:
623:
614:
613:(until 1992)
612:
604:
602:
601:
589:
582:
578:
577:Mary Bierbaum
575:
572:
568:
565:
563:
559:
556:
553:
552:
539:
535:
532:
527:
520:
518:
510:
508:
500:
494:
492:
484:
478:
476:
468:
464:
460:
456:
455:Cadigan, Glen
450:
448:
446:
444:
442:
440:
438:
436:
428:
427:
420:
416:
408:
399:
397:
393:
389:
388:
383:
376:Personal life
373:
371:
367:
366:
361:
357:
356:
355:Wonderlanders
351:
347:
346:
345:Jurassic Park
341:
340:
336:, as well as
335:
334:
329:
325:
324:
319:
318:
313:
303:
301:
300:
294:
292:
288:
284:
283:
277:
275:
271:
270:Devlin O'Ryan
266:
264:
260:
256:
255:Shvaughn Erin
252:
248:
247:Lightning Lad
244:
240:
236:
231:
227:
223:
219:
218:
207:
205:
201:
200:Dick Giordano
197:
193:
192:
187:
186:
183:Wally Wood's
180:
179:Deluxe Comics
175:
173:
163:
161:
157:
153:
149:
143:
141:
138:
134:
124:
122:
121:
116:
106:
104:
103:
98:
94:
86:
85:
81:
78:Notable works
75:
71:
65:
61:
55:
42:
38:
33:
27:
19:
634:Legionnaires
632:
631:
611:Keith Giffen
609:
598:
597:
581:the original
571:the original
567:Tom Bierbaum
526:
516:
482:
462:
459:Shooter, Jim
424:
419:
405:
385:
379:
363:
353:
350:Topps Comics
343:
337:
331:
327:
323:SuperPatriot
321:
315:
314:, including
312:Image Comics
309:
297:
295:
291:Legionnaires
290:
286:
282:Legionnaires
280:
278:
267:
215:
213:
203:
196:Sal Amendola
189:
182:
176:
169:
155:
152:Keith Giffen
147:
144:
130:
118:
112:
100:
92:
91:
82:
43:Tom Bierbaum
26:
18:Tom Bierbaum
299:The Heckler
263:Element Lad
259:transsexual
206:scripters.
172:Element Lad
154:and future
99:comic book
676:Categories
619:Tom McCraw
548:References
392:Inside.com
365:StormQuest
646:Mark Waid
226:Al Gordon
222:Al Gordon
160:Mark Waid
109:Biography
637:writers
558:Archived
534:Archived
469:, 2003).
360:Oktomica
253:liaison
239:Superboy
140:Interlac
667:YouTube
387:Variety
317:Supreme
235:retcons
194:editor
158:editor
150:artist
72:Writers
68:Area(s)
58:(Mary)
608:With:
330:, and
287:Legion
204:Legion
156:Legion
148:Legion
115:fandom
62:, U.S.
56:, U.S.
52:(Tom)
411:Notes
243:Proty
230:inker
457:and
368:for
362:and
358:for
348:for
342:and
328:Star
274:Kono
272:and
40:Born
665:on
627:N/A
593:N/A
396:NBC
678::
506:^
490:^
474:^
461:.
434:^
372:.
326:,
320:,
181:'
105:.
97:DC
583:)
573:)
465:(
233:"
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.