Lee & Kirby & Ayers: More on the Strange Case of STRANGE TALES #119

Thanks to an observation by reader Ben Herman we can take a bit of a closer look at the question of the lead story in STRANGE TALES #119, which appeared to have been retooled from being a Hate-Monger adventure into one pitting the Human Torch against the new-but-similar villainy of the Rabble Rouser. After yesterday's … Continue reading Lee & Kirby & Ayers: More on the Strange Case of STRANGE TALES #119

Lee & Kirby & Ayers: The Strange Case of STRANGE TALES #119

This is a sort of an odd situation, as I haven't even completely worked out an operating theory on just what was behind the decisions I'm about to lay out for you all. So this is still a bit of a puzzler. But it concerns a significant change that was made to the lead story … Continue reading Lee & Kirby & Ayers: The Strange Case of STRANGE TALES #119

The Greatest DAREDEVIL Story Ever Told

A lot of time has been spent on analyzing the Marvel output of the early 1960s, trying to determine who did what and who really deserved the credit for the success of the line and the many characters and ideas presented therein. To reiterate my essential position on this, I feel as though at this … Continue reading The Greatest DAREDEVIL Story Ever Told

Blah Blah Blog – Bad Comics I Bought Part Five

A post from my decade-old Marvel blog, one of a series in whic I discussed early Marvel purchases that didn't make me a regular reader. Bad Comics I Bought pt. 5 April 28, 2007 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In General Concluding this week's reflections on Marvel issues of the past that I … Continue reading Blah Blah Blog – Bad Comics I Bought Part Five

BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #169

I can distinctly remember looking at the cover to this issue of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN when it first came out, through the window of a candy store near to where my Grandmother lived. At that time, I hadn't yet taken the plunge into buying Marvel books--but this cover, very much in the DC style of the … Continue reading BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #169

Blah Blah Blog – My Unknown Greats, Part 4

A post from my old Marvel blog concerning comics that I edited and liked that largely flew under the radar. My Unknown Greats pt. 4 April 28, 2007 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In General Today's Unknown Great won an Eisner award, but it also killed one or two projects in its wake. … Continue reading Blah Blah Blog – My Unknown Greats, Part 4

BHOC: MARVEL TREASURY EDITION #2

I ordered a copy of this MARVEL TREASURY EDITION featuring the Fantastic Four from the Superhero Merchandise catalog--or as the firm would later be known, Heroes World. They had bought out Marvel and DC's back-stock of their various Treasury Editions and would sell them for years thereafter, often advertising in the comics themselves. I eventually … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL TREASURY EDITION #2

Lee & Kirby & Ditko & Everett: More on the linked stories of X-MEN #1, AVENGERS #1 and DAREDEVIL #1

A bit of evidence has surfaced which casts some doubt on the story I related previously concerning how the difficulties in getting DAREDEVIL #1 to print on time led to the emergency creation of AVENGERS #1. I'm not ready to throw in the towel on this belief completely just yet, but I do feel the … Continue reading Lee & Kirby & Ditko & Everett: More on the linked stories of X-MEN #1, AVENGERS #1 and DAREDEVIL #1

Blah Blah Blog – The Marvel Way

A post from my old Marvel blog concerning the book How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way and one example therein. The Marvel Way April 28, 2007 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In General Picking up on some of the thinking we were doing a week or so ago, following on the last … Continue reading Blah Blah Blog – The Marvel Way

Brand Echh – Sick #123 – Ego-Man

In 1978, presumably because Stan Lee had begun to break through into the mainstream with his comic book huckster routine, writer Arnold Drake created the running character Ego-Man in the pages of SICK magazine, then published by Charlton. It was anything but a loving parody of the field and those in it, in particular Stan, … Continue reading Brand Echh – Sick #123 – Ego-Man