T. M. Maple

Who was T. M. Maple?

T.M. Maple was the pseudonym of Jim Burke, a Canadian who wrote more than 3,000 letters to comic book letter columns between 1977 and 1994.

Burke's letters were quite popular among readers as well as editors, and he wrote prolifically to a diverse number of comic publishing companies and titles. Burke originally signed his letters as "The Mad Maple," but Marvel Comics editor Tom DeFalco abbreviated it to "T.M. Maple" to make it sound like a real name. Burke took a liking to the new name and began using it exclusively until 1988, when in Scott McCloud's Zot! #21 he revealed his real name.

Burke published a fanzine about comics in the late 1980s. With artist/publisher Allen Freeman, Burke co-created the superhero Captain Optimist.

In tribute to Burke, the St. Paul, Minnesota comic book convention FallCon holds all of its guest panel presentations in the "TM Maple Edutorium."

Some believe that the Simpsons' character the Comic Book Guy was based on Maple. Simpsons creator Matt Groening, however, has repeatedly stated that the Comic Book Guy was based on "... every comic-bookstore guy in America".