Blah Blah Blog – Another Bad Creation

A blog post from my old Marvel blog, part of a series concerning bad comics that I had written. Another Bad Creation April 28, 2007 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In General Continuing on with this week's theme of BAD COMICS I WROTE, let's take a look at the SPIDER-MAN: FUNERAL FOR AN … Continue reading Blah Blah Blog – Another Bad Creation

5BC: Five More Mean Caricatures of Comic Book Creators

Comic books are a petty business, it must be said. And the same freedom to imagine and play that allows for the creativity in conceptualizing new stories about characters who, let's face it, were designed to appeal to children also somehow invites the darker side of itself--the version where grown-ups behave like petulant children on … Continue reading 5BC: Five More Mean Caricatures of Comic Book Creators

Make Mine Marvel Memorabilia

These days, thanks especially to the global reach of the Marvel Studios films, you can't turn around but for bumping into some piece of merchandise based on the Marvel characters. There truly is a cornucopia of stuff out there, both wonderful and less-than-wonderful. But in the early days, before the characters had exploded in popularity, … Continue reading Make Mine Marvel Memorabilia

Marvel Story Book Annual 1967 – The Origin of Spider-Man and The Fire Raisers

People seemed to like (or were horrified and transfixed by) the selection I ran last week from the British MARVEL STORY BOOK ANNUAL for 1967. So what the hay, let's do another one. Above is a reproduction of the end papers from the hardcover volume, on which one of the volume's three illustrators swipes the … Continue reading Marvel Story Book Annual 1967 – The Origin of Spider-Man and The Fire Raisers

BHOC: MARVEL TREASURY EDITION #16

I can remember debating with myself whether to purchase this book or not, standing in my local 7-11 on a weekly comic buying excursion. I wasn't yet reading DEFENDERS, though I had sampled an issue or two prior to this. But they hadn't hooked me especially. I think the thing that sealed the deal for … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL TREASURY EDITION #16

Marvel Story Book Annual 1967 – The Chains of Abdul Rey

I recently came across a copy of the 1967 MARVEL STORY BOOK ANNUAL, published in the United Kingdom by World Distributors, working in concert with the American company Western Publishing. Such hardcover Annuals were ubiquitous in the UK in the 60s and 70s--there are a number of Marvel releases that reprint various early Marvel stories … Continue reading Marvel Story Book Annual 1967 – The Chains of Abdul Rey

BHOC: MARVEL TALES #91

So in addition to starting to read AMAZING SPIDER-MAN I also followed protocol and began checking out MARVEL TALES, the ongoing series which reprinted stories from older issues of ASM. Throughout the 1970s, most of the big titles had a sister reprint series that re-presented the earlier adventures from days past. In this way, the … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL TALES #91

Blah Blah Blog – Dream World

A post from my old Marvel blog re-presenting a story by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko from TALES TO ASTONISH #26 Dream World! April 28, 2007 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In General As a little treat/follow up to our coverage of Jonathan Ross's Steve Ditko documentary, here's a five-page story from one … Continue reading Blah Blah Blog – Dream World

BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #160

Now that I had begun to pick up AMAZING SPIDER-MAN as a new series, I also did the typical thing and began being open to buying somewhat older issues of the title out of my local drugstore's Big Bin of Slightly Older Comics made up of affidavit returns that were intended to have been destroyed. … Continue reading BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #160

5BC: Five More Forgotten Marvel Story Developments

With the sheer number of stories published about some of the characters, it's a wonder that there aren't more stories that feature developments that don't work, don't stick or are simply just plain weird. Here, then, are five more forgotten Marvel story developments. THE FALCON IS REALLY "SNAP" WILSON, LOWLIFE. CAPTAIN AMERICA #186 - There's … Continue reading 5BC: Five More Forgotten Marvel Story Developments