This is another long-lost interview from the past, from the Spider-Man-themed fanzine THE WEB-SPINNER produced by Mike Appel. It was conducted in 1966, the year that its subject, John Romita, took over the artistic reins of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, replacing teh feature's departing co-creator, Steve Ditko. Once again, it's an interesting insight into just what the … Continue reading Rambling with Romita
More photographs from years and decades past showcasing the writers, artists and editors of our favorite comic books. Mark Gruenwald in M.C. Hammer costume for Halloween, early 1990s John and Virginia Romita at a convention, circa 1986 Stan Lee plays the Atari Spider-Man video game, circa 1981 Steve Ditko, 1960s Stan Lee and costumed fans, … Continue reading Comics Creators in the Wild 8
As Marvel began to become more of a force within the industry at the height of the super hero fad of the 1960s, the firm began to get some formidable press. This well-remembered article ran in Esquire Magazine in the issue dated September 1st, 1966. It included original artwork created for this purpose by Jack … Continue reading ESQUIRE Magazine, September 1st, 1966
A new issue of MARVEL TALES had also appeared on my local spinner rack--new to me, of course, but old hat to readers of only a relatively few years previous who had already read the story contained therein in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. But as I wasn't one of those lucky readers, I dutifully bought this issue … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL TALES #93
Feels like it's been quite a while since I put together one of these surveys of absurdity. So what say we take a look at five more Marvel villains from the past who tried their hardest, but who somehow failed that ineffable test towards being legitimately dangerous--and who instead came across as ridiculous, absurd, and … Continue reading 5BC: Five More Dopey Marvel Villains
Another awesome assemblage of photographic images of comic book creators taken in years and decades past. Stan Lee with presentation board, circa 1976 John Romita, early 1970s John Romita and Stan Lee, circa 1970 Herb Trimpe, circa 1972 Mark Gruenwald at home, circa 1994 Not 100% certain who this is in the Marvel offices with … Continue reading Comics Creators in the Wild 7
I'm pretty certain that I scavenged this from over at Scott Edelman's blog from a number of years ago. Both Scott and his wife Irene had been on staff at Marvel in the 1970s and had saved an assortment of various memos and bits of paraphernalia. Every so often, Scott would come across one of … Continue reading GIANT-SIZE MARVEL TRIPLE ACTION #1 and the Cover Notes of Stan Lee
1972 was an election year, and as the various campaigns got underway during this tumultuous period in American history, the Sunday magazine of the NEW YORK TIMES reached out to a bevy of top cartoonists to provide single page strips featuring their characters and commenting on the battles being waged in the political arena. For … Continue reading Spider-Man Takes On The Candidates
As the 1960s wound down, the super hero fad that had driven much of the decade was beginning to cool. It's maybe hard to realize today, when many of these characters have been in continuous publication for 60-80 years, but at the time, super heroes were seen as just another cyclical fad. And now that … Continue reading MY LOVE #3 and the Penciling of John Buscema
This was another comic book that I purchased out of the drugstore's Big Bin of Slightly Older Comics, books that had been reported destroyed but which had actually been sold "off the back of the truck" to my drugstore at a cut-rate price. I almost certainly picked up this issue to fill out a grouping … Continue reading BHOC: SON OF SATAN #8
