FOOM #4

FOOM #4 was the final issue of Marvel’s fan club magazine to be put together by Jim Steranko. After this, production on the irregularly-published fanzine would be brought in-house and done by the people on staff beginning with Tony Isabella This resulted in a change in the design and the aesthetics of the magazine. But that’s all ahead. For the moment, let’s take a look at this issue, starting with this strongly Jack Kirby-influenced Doctor Doom cover image. Kirby was long gone from Marvel at this point, but his influence still permeated the place, and was a strong connector for Steranko as well, though Jim’s work grew in different directions.

For this last issue under his direction, Steranko runs this spotlight on himself, including his wraparound cover for THE STERANKO HISTORY OF COMICS Volume 2 which featured a bunch of characters from other companies. I’m a little bit surprised that Marvel let him run this image, but Jim was always forceful, and it may be that he simply bulled it through–or equally possible is that absolutely nobody thought anything of it. But it’s weird to see Superman in an issue of FOOM.

Next up is a spotlight on Michael A. Barreiro, the winner of the FOOM create-a-hero contest. Barreiro’s character, Humus Sapiens, was supposed to be a part of the New X-Men according to editor Roy Thomas, but that wound up not happening. Instead, it wouldn’t be until THUNDERBOLTS #54 in the late 1990s that Humus Sapien would make his first appearance in a legitimate Marvel story. Jo Duffy, Peter Gross and Tim Sale are listed among the entrants and who would each go on to enter the field in years to come.

James W. Fry, Marc Silvestri, Jim McLaughlan, Carl Potts, J. David Spurlock, Larry Mahlstadt, Reginald Hudlin, Hugh Haynes, Jerry Ordway, James O’Barr and Fred Hembeck had also submitted characters, among many other entrants, and so their names show up on this roster as well.

Hugh Haynes and Doug Hazlewood are among the future comics creators who get their early works showcased here visually.

We’ll look at more of FOOM #4 at some future date.