Secrets Behind the Comics 1

In 1947, still more than a decade before the Marvel revolution that would forever change the comic book industry and make his name a household word, Stan Lee toiled in obscurity at the editor of Martin Goodman's Timely Comics. It was a safe postwar job to go back to, but not one with a lot … Continue reading Secrets Behind the Comics 1

Brand Echh – Magic Agent #1

The American Comics Group was a regular fixture on comic book racks from the 1940s all the way through to the end of the 1960s. The firm specialized in short one-off supernatural mystery anthologies, with a smattering of humor title and the occasional foray into adventure series. What ACG really wasn't interested in for the … Continue reading Brand Echh – Magic Agent #1

Blah Blah Blog – Normal Service Resumes

A post from my vintage Marvel blog talking about the scant notoriety of the editor. Since dashing off this piece years ago, I can point to at least two more editors who would qualify: Karen Berger and Diana Schutz. Normal Service Resumes, Wednesday, 1:13 April 28, 2007 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In … Continue reading Blah Blah Blog – Normal Service Resumes

BHOC: INVADERS #29

This issue of INVADERS was yet another new comic that I picked up early-for-me during my first trip to the Batcave, the comic book specialty shop located in the South Shore Mall in Bay Shore, some distance from my home. INVADERS was a regular purchase for me, one of the titles that had led me … Continue reading BHOC: INVADERS #29

Great Covers: HOUSE OF SECRETS #88

Here's another masterful Neal Adams cover from an issue of HOUSE OF SECRETS, one of DC's mystery/supernatural anthology titles. It has to be said that, especially in the early part of the 1970s, these books carried uniformly great covers much of the time--it was a real showpiece for the artists involved. Here, Adams uses Crafttint … Continue reading Great Covers: HOUSE OF SECRETS #88

Brand Echh: Justice Machine Annual #1

As the Direct Market first established itself as a viable venue in which to sell comic books directly to consumers with mitigated risk, there was a bit of a gold rush from new publishers, all attempting to eke out a slice of the marketplace for themselves. This made it an exciting period in which to … Continue reading Brand Echh: Justice Machine Annual #1

Blah Blah Blog – The Editorial Approach

A post from my decade-back Marvel blog focusing on my methodology in editing a particular comic book story. The Editorial Approach April 28, 2007 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In General The month of December looks as though it's going to be tough for blogging. I spent the latter part of last week … Continue reading Blah Blah Blog – The Editorial Approach

BHOC: INCREDIBLE HULK #224

Here's another new book that I picked up during my first trip to the Batcave comic book shop in the South Shore Mall, and it represents, I believe, the first issue of INCREDIBLE HULK that I bought for myself. My brother Ken had been following the series prior to this, but was beginning to drift … Continue reading BHOC: INCREDIBLE HULK #224

Forgotten Masterpiece: PARTICLE DREAMS #6

Matt Howarth was and remains one of the most splendidly individualistic and iconoclastic creators of comic book stories in the field. While he has in recent years turned his efforts to the worlds of digital self-publishing, Howarth was a bit of a recurring force during the black and white boom years of the 1980s, pumping … Continue reading Forgotten Masterpiece: PARTICLE DREAMS #6

5BC: Five Characters Marvel “Adopted”

Over the years, DC Comics (mostly while still operating under the name National) would occasionally buy out the rights to characters and titles from other publishers who had either gone out of business or were about to. This is how the original Captain Marvel and his family, Plastic Man, G.I. COMBAT, YOUNG ROMANCE, the Blackhawks … Continue reading 5BC: Five Characters Marvel “Adopted”