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Volume 1, Number 69 December 2013 Celebrating the Best Comics of the '70s, '80s, '90s, and Beyond!
1994--2013
Comics’ Bronze Age and Beyond!
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Eury PUBLISHER John Morrow DESIGNER Rich Fowlks COVER ARTISTS Dan Jurgens and Ray McCarthy COVER COLORIST Glenn Whitmore COVER DESIGNER Michael Kronenberg
FLASHBACK: A Slow Start for Anniversary Editions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 FLASHBACK: The House of Ideas’ Herculean 100th Issues!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
PROOFREADER Rob Smentek SPECIAL THANKS Jack Abramowitz Frankie Addiego David T. Allen Mark Arnold Mike W. Barr Cary Bates Jerry Boyd KC Carlson Gerry Conway DC Comics Daniel DeAngelo Tom DeFalco Steve Englehart A.J. Fowlks Grand Comic-Book Database Robert Greenberger Ed Hannigan Jack C. Harris Darrell Hempel Heritage Comics Auctions Michael W. Kaluta James Kingman David Anthony Kraft Stan Lee Paul Levitz Larry Lieber Alan Light Jeph Loeb Ralph Macchio
BEYOND CAPES: The “Antiversary” Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Elliot S. Maggin Andy Mangels Franck Martini David Michelinie Mark Millar Doug Moench Pamela Mullin Mike Pigott Charlie Roberts John Romita, Sr. Steve Rude Michael Savene Alex Segura Marie Severin Craig Shutt Walter Simonson Leonard Starr Joe Staton Jim Steranko Roger Stern Bryan D. Stroud David Suiter Dann Thomas Roy Thomas John Trumbull Larry Tye Randall C. Wiggins Len Wein Brett Weiss Marv Wolfman
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FLASHBACK: Adventure Comics #400: Really? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 FLASHBACK: The Brave and the Bold #100, 150, and 200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 FLASHBACK: Superman #300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 OFF MY CHEST: The Siegel/Superman lawsuit by Larry Tye, excerpted from his book, Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 FLASHBACK: Showcase #100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 BEYOND CAPES: Casper #200 and Richie Rich #200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 INTERVIEW: Marv Wolfman on Fantastic Four #200 and Amazing Spider-Man #200 . . . . .44 FLASHBACK: Batman #300 and 400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 BACKSTAGE PASS: Bob Greenberger’s Memories of Detective Comics #500 . . . . . . . . . . .54 FLASHBACK: The Flash #300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 FLASHBACK: Wonder Woman #300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 INTERVIEW: David Anthony Kraft on World’s Finest Comics #300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 FLASHBACK: Superman #400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 FLASHBACK: Green Lantern #200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 FLASHBACK: Marvel’s 25th Anniversary Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 FLASHBACK: Avengers #300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 BACK SEAT DRIVER: Ten Years of BACK ISSUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 COVER GALLERY: BACK ISSUE #1–68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 BACK TALK: Letters from Readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
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BACK ISSUE™ is published 8 times a year by TwoMorrows Publishing, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614. Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief. John Morrow, Publisher. Editorial Office: BACK ISSUE, c/o Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief, 118 Edgewood Avenue NE, Concord, NC 28025. Email: euryman@gmail.com. Six-issue subscriptions: $60 Standard US, $85 Canada, $107 Surface International. Please send subscription orders and funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial office. Cover art by Dan Jurgens and Ray McCarthy. Justice League of America and all related characters TM & © DC Comics. All Rights Reserved. All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter © 2013 Michael Eury and TwoMorrows Publishing. BACK ISSUE is a TM of TwoMorrows Publishing. ISSN 1932-6904. Printed in China. FIRST PRINTING. Tenth Anniversary Issue
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Those Merry Marchin’ Marvels Marvel’s heroes take over the world in this 1969 promo piece drawn by “Mirthful” Marie Severin, sent to us by this article’s writer, Jerry Boyd— and colored by BI designer Rich Fowlks. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
It was a wave of excitement that never seemed to relax or relent—that was Marvel Comics in the 1960s. Redefining the superhero genre (and not doing too shabbily with its teen humor and Western titles, also), “Smiling” Stan Lee and his more-than-capable artisans pioneered the ocean depths, the Earth’s interior, other worlds, the edges of outer space, and adjoining dimensions. In a time fraught with changes—a war raging in Southeast Asia, marches and counter-marches, the assassinations of socio-political architects, pop art, color television, and diversification in the phenomenon known widely as rock ’n’ roll—Marvelmania emerged. It was its own “power trip,” and working through its own playbook it “dwarfed” the biggest events in the real world (while respectfully and sensitively incorporating some of them into its mythology). During the ’60s, real-world figures could die or be voted out of office, and space missions could succeed or fail, but Marvel’s larger cast of heroes, villains, and supporting characters
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had shown enough popularity to solidly move into the 1970s. And we fans loved it! How would Stan, Jack, Roy, Jim, Gil, “Jazzy” John, Marie, Sal, Herb, Gary, Dan, Larry, and “Big” John (just to drop a few names) dazzle us as a new decade loomed ahead? The year 1970 was about to begin and the fabulous Fantastic Four, flagship title of the company and the jumping-off point for all modern “masked Marvels,” would celebrate its 100th issue. More excitement was definitely on the way…
MARVELOUS MOMENTS!! Before we jump into the Fantasti-Car in search of adventure and analysis, it behooves us to concentrate briefly on what was termed “the Mighty Marvel Manner.” That phrase graced many a cover and splash page in the 1960s, and it came to mean not only a stylish approach to superhero storytelling, but a way of working between collaborators.
Stan Lee had a Baxter Building full of comics to edit, write, give suggestions to, and look over for art or production discrepancies. Lee had talks with those who wanted to use his characters for cartoons, games, puzzles, buttons, paperbacks, etc. He hired new talent as well. With a full plate always before him, Stan sometimes let his talented co-plotters have their way if he felt their changes/suggestions/concepts were better than his. Jack “King” Kirby (and “King” proved to be an underwhelming title in light of Mr. Kirby’s unleashed imagination, as most of us know) came up with a veritable army of characters replete with the coolest superhero costumes imaginable. Most of these costumes haven’t been improved upon since their inception. Marvel hired enthusiastic but knowledgeable youngsters like Gary Friedrich, Roy Thomas, Barry Smith, and Jim Steranko. Then there were solid veterans like Kirby, John Buscema, Steve Ditko, Larry Lieber, John Romita, and Marie Severin. It all worked. The House of Ideas was a star-spanning party, and aspiring young talents and tested veterans wanted to be a part of the company’s ever-expanding dimensions. Stan would reportedly get caught up in the wonderful wildness of it all when he collaborated with his artists—leaping onto his desk and acting out how Thor or Iron Man or the Thing would perform a particular action. A few offices away, Marvel publisher Martin Goodman had to be pleased. He’d hit marvelous heights before in the ’40s with his own Big Three— Captain America, the Sub-Mariner, and the Human Torch. These men of mystery and others had patriotically marched, run, or flown off to face the Axis aggressors, and sales during the war years were every good. Trends changed after World War II, and sales slumped on most costumed-crimefighter books. Very few titles, regardless of genre, would get to see their 100th issues. No one really minded; it was just the way things were. Books like DC’s All Star Comics simply morphed into All Star Western and would mosey along to the new trend that favored gunslingers. But Goodman’s Kid Colt, Outlaw and Millie the Model would quietly move up and past their centennial issues. Largely, these were exceptions to the rule. Trends dictated where publishers needed to look next. Funny animals, funny teens/working girls, sci-fi aliens/space explorers, cops and robbers, horror-hosted stories, soldier boys, etc.—if readers wanted them, they’d be available. Martin Goodman provided titles for all of these genres. However, for the Marvel Age of Comics, a new sensation had taken root and created, as Stan called them, “the new breed of Marvel reader.” His co-creations were allowed to evolve. They reveled in their powers, sometimes hated them, and improved on them through endurance tests and scientific growth. They had romantic ups and downs, sometimes married, or found new mates. Their problems ran the gamut. Spider-Man had his amazing abilities negated by the common cold; he also broke an arm and believed his radioactive blood was killing him.
Stan the Man Stan Lee and his smile of sweet success in this Marvel office photo taken in 1970. Courtesy of Jerry Boyd. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
Geez, wasn’t crashing our wedding enough for you jerks?? Villains line up, but our heroes just knock ’em down! Lee/Kirby/Sinnott showed us how it was done on page 14 of FF #100. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
Tenth Anniversary Issue
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Puppet-Hulk Smash! Sheesh, a robo-Hulk rampages just as much as the real deal! Original art to the final page of FF #100, courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
After years of success with Reed Richards’ crazy crew, a successful/ well-produced cartoon show in ’67–’68, and a wonderful supporting cast, you’d think Stan and Jack would be bouncing off the walls as the time approached to produce Fantastic Four #100 (June 1970). Actually, that wasn’t the case at all. Stan Lee tells BACK ISSUE, “Actually, I wasn’t all that excited. To me, the 50th issue or the 100th issue are just numbers.” So it was just another day on the job? Marie Severin confirms that attitude. According to Marie, “Marvel had a good thing going, but the 100th issues were never a big deal, as I remember. I don’t even recall the Hulk vs. Sub-Mariner story for Tales to Astonish #100! Nothing special … we were getting the books out … and tried to improve on what we’d done before. Stan, Roy, Jack, and the others had good ideas for material and everyone was pleased with the company’s success. But I don’t recall any instances where someone would shout, ‘Hey! Amazing Spider-Man #100 or Avengers #100 is coming out in two months!’ [laughs] We all pretty much took things in stride.” I asked Stan if there had been any other story considerations for that FF centennial. “No, I don’t remember having any other story considerations for that ish,” Lee reveals. “It was the story I wanted to tell and Jack and I told it—simple as that. Loved all the villains showing up—that was the main part of what I wanted to do.” Years before, Stan had said, “Villains make a superhero title.” As editor, he’d made sure that each superhero book boasted a superior roster of sinister standouts to plague the good guys. For FF #100, a good many of those baddies would return, even though they’d be sophisticated puppets fashioned by the Puppet Master and the Mad Thinker. Before this Goliath became bitter after he got milestone epic began, however, the stuck at his ten-foot height in the foursome had been in non-continued Avengers book. Matt (Daredevil) stories for some time. If it seemed Murdock had to invent “Mike like Jack and Stan were somewhat Murdock,” a twin brother, when his “coasting,” it was understandable. alter ego was about to be exposed. After all, there’d been several incredible Thor loved Jane Foster, who was too annuals full of special events, and a mortal for his father to accept as a ton of villains (from the pages of goddess. Audiences flocked to the most of the superhero titles) showed stands and the spinner racks to up to disrupt the wedding of Sue and jack kirby feast on the uniqueness of the Reed in their third summer special Photo by Alan Light. Marvel Universe. Goodman had a in 1965. It didn’t matter. This would trend that would last a while. This new brand of still be an event. Johnny Storm had been mighty crime-smashers wouldn’t be replaced in time by a frustrated when Crystal had had to go home. Proving Tessie the Typist or an Outlaw Kid. They had staying that he’s a hothead, the Human Torch had zoomed off power, and the early ’70s would see a lot of them after her and took on the Inhumans in his desire to get celebrate that elusive benchmark of success—the some answers. The FF followed and all was explained centennial issue. The fabulous Fantastic Four had (Black Bolt had an illness and the healing process opened the doors to a world of fascinating characters. required his cousin’s elemental powers). The youngsters Now, it was time to celebrate! kissed and made up.
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TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
THE WORLD’S GREATEST 100th COMIC MAGAZINE!!
That was Fantastic Four #99. Traveling from the get his solo outings until #101. That other monster Great Refuge with Crystal (who was temporarily standing title, Journey into Mystery, had the Thunder God in for the Invisible Girl during Sue’s pregnancy), the as its up-front star in its 100th issue, but the mighty team’s ship is ambushed and they have to move Thor hadn’t been around that long. Nothing to across a wilderness “peopled” by replicas of their evil celebrate—Thor’s success might’ve been shortfoes. The Frightful Four, minus Medusa, Sub-Mariner lived. But by the 200th issue, there was plenty to (based on the earlier, more villainous version, no celebrate! doubt), Dr. Doom, the Red Ghost and his This celebration was a revisiting of Thor Super-Apes, Dragon Man, and many more #128 (May 1966), to a degree. In the menaces showed up at intervals only to backup feature, “Tales of Asgard,” Stan be get smashed, incinerated, blown and Jack ended the story of the gods away, whipped out of sight, etc. by with the revelations of Ragnarok, the the FF plus one. Twilight of the Gods. Jack Kirby Desperate, their two human, loved the Norse gods. He once said, hidden adversaries attempt to “Thor was an ancient myth. What I throw their “masterpiece,” the Hulk did was make him saleable again.” (!!), into the fray. The Hulk-puppet He and Lee took what they liked rises, and true to his namesake’s from the various legends and suited nature, loses control! The Puppet them for their needs. Master attempts to subdue him Readers liked this retooling. with one of his blasters, but misses Ragnarok was revealed by a gerry conway … and blows up their laboratory hideout. Their transport destroyed before the battle, the bushed quintet hitches a ride with a US fighter plane, and Mr. Fantastic sums it all up with praise of his team. “The Long Journey Home,” the issue’s story title, has ended. Comic lore has it that Jack Kirby and/or Stan Lee flirted with the idea of making FF #100 a doublesized issue but let the notion go before production began. As revolutionary as the pair had been with their concepts, this one (if true) would have to wait a while. In the latter part of the ’70s and into the ’80s, however, double-sized anniversary issues would be the norm at Marvel and DC. Once again, Lee and Kirby were on the cutting edge. What added to the coolness of this particular issue was that Kirby and Lee had set the template and would be the only original co-creators to work on any of the ’70s centennials. Other Marvel titles would see their 100th issues in the next few years. Like FF #1, FF #100 was only the beginning.
Bad Blood Odin reads Loki the riot act at the conclusion of Thor #200. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
WHAT COULD BE BIGGER THAN RAGNAROK?? Following the success of the FF, Goodman gave the green light to Stan to come up with more problem-riddled adventurers, and new heroes were conceived. Over time, the Ant-Man and the Wasp’s adventures in Tales to Astonish got taken over by the Hulk and Sub-Mariner. TTA’s 100th issue came out in the summer of ’68 and featured a terrific slugfest between the two anti-heroes. Tales of Suspense showcased Iron Man and Captain America. Stan might’ve reasoned that the shield-slinger (being an earlier Timely Comics success) deserved to see his 100th issue, so Iron Man instead got two #1 issues, one with Subby and one to himself in 1968. Strange Tales #100 came and went without fanfare in the early part of the decade, and the Human Torch didn’t
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Throughout this anniversary issue of BACK ISSUE you are going to read, or most likely have already read, some stirring accounts of many of the best anniversary issues that the Bronze Age of Comics has to offer. This article, I am politely forewarning you, is going to be different. Yes, I, too, have a small wealth of DC anniversary issues to present and discuss, but there is an intriguing, disparate side to them that slowly unveiled itself as I perused and researched the individual books. While mostly celebratory issues, these comics still, in one way or another, go against the grain of traditional comic-book anniversaries. They are, in order of publication, Our Army at War #200 (Dec. 1968), House of Mystery #200 (Mar. 1972), House of Secrets #100 (Sept. 1972), Star Spangled War Stories #200 (June–July 1976), Our Army at War #300 (Jan. 1977), G.I. Combat #200 (Mar. 1977), The Unexpected #200 (July 1980), Ghosts #100 (May 1981), Weird War Tales #100 (June 1981), House of Mystery #300 (Jan. 1982), Sgt. Rock #400 (May 1985), and The Warlord #100 (Dec. 1985). Quite the eclectic bunch: five mystery comics, five war comics, one war and mystery comic, and an adventure comic thrown in to make it an even dozen. So sit right back, relax, and enjoy this brief respite from superhero universes as we explore other comicbook genres, and I explain what makes these anniversary issues also “antiversary” issues.
OUR ARMY AT WAR #200 (Dec. 1968) Editor: Joe Kubert If you take away the “200th Anniversary Issue” banner from the cover of Our Army at War #200, then the book becomes no different than any other issue of OAAW. While “The Troubadour” is a fine Sgt. Rock and Easy Company story (set during World War II, as are all Rock stories by Robert Kanigher), equally good are OAAW #199’s “Nazi Ghost-Wolf” and OAAW #201’s “The Graffiti Writer.” The short, somewhat amusing comic strips, the two-page Battle Album, and the backup tale (in this
At the Earth’s Core Although we ran this in black and white way back in BI #25, here’s another look— in glorious color—at Mike Grell’s cover painting for The Warlord #100 (Dec. 1985). Courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). TM & © DC Comics.
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case, “The Ace and the Joker,” with art by George Evans and set during World War I) were all ongoing features. There is a Sgt. Rock and Easy Company pinup page by Kubert, but it’s not touted as part of the anniversary, and could have appeared as a bonus in any issue. Interesting, though, is the letters column, where a number of readers wrote in to point out and scold editor Kubert that OAAW #197’s Rock story, “Last Exit for Easy,” should not have had Easy Company and the Kid Guerillas (children in combat) of Unit 3 at Dunkirk in 1940 as the United States did not enter the war until 1941.
TM & © DC Comics.
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #200 (Mar. 1972) Editor: Joe Orlando This issue and the one following it, House of Secrets #100, are prime examples of “antiversary” issues. There are no “anniversary” announcements on either cover. One book quickly acknowledges its anniversary on the splash page; the other makes no mention of it at all. Still, they are both special, because at this point every mystery book published at DC was special. The easing of some restrictions in the Comics Code Authority in 1971 allowed DC’s mystery comics—essentially a horror line, but “horror” was still a no-no term—an edge they hadn’t had in years. Also that year, DC had started recruiting a number of talented Filipino illustrators who were beginning to make an impressive artistic impact in 1972. House of Mystery #200 and House of Secrets #100 are fine models of a mystery line just entering its peak, an impressive creative plateau that sustained itself unquestionably for three years, arguably five. Similar to Our Army at War #200, if you remove the opening line of Cain’s introduction on the splash page, where he welcomes readers to the 200th issue of House of Mystery, the book is no different in style and mood than HOM #199 or 201. Different stories, of course, but they’re interchangeable; for example, HOM #201’s “The Demon Within,” a classic tale climaxing with the lobotomy of a young boy who has been michael w. kaluta terrorizing the neighborhood as a demon, could just as easily been published in #200. The first tale in HOM #200, “The Beast’s Revenge,” with art by Michael W. Kaluta, is certainly anniversary-worthy material. While Kaluta’s seductive, atmospheric artwork appeared frequently on DC’s mystery line covers throughout the 1970s, it was rare for him to pencil and ink an interior horror story (although his exquisite work could be found at that time on “Carson of Venus” in the back of DC’s Korak, Son of Tarzan). Kaluta’s art enhances the simple tale of a brother’s evil desire to rid himself of his sister to acquire the family land. But here’s the twist: The woman is peacefully at one with the animals, not only those on the farm, but also with the mountain lion that lives in the hills nearby and the rats that the brother has hidden under the hay in the barn. Though John, the brother, has planned an elaborate scheme to murder his sister, an argument between the two gets violently out of hand and the sister is killed sooner than expected. This does not sit too well with the animals, and try as he may to escape them, John does not make it through the night. This seven-page story is briskly paced, with excellent dialogue. And for the reader there’s a true mystery—who wrote the story, as no credit is given. “I remember the job,” chimes in Kaluta. “The only memorable point for me: it was my first-ever comic-book cover!”
In the Doghouse The Michael W. Kaluta-drawn “The Beast’s Revenge” made the otherwise ordinary 200th issue of House of Mystery a special edition indeed. Although uncredited in the comic, the story’s scribe, according to the Grand Comic-Book Database (www.comics.org), is John Albano. TM & © DC Comics.
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In the final issue of the series 52, Booster Gold and Rip Hunter witness the birth of the new multiverse. To Booster, the aligning of the 52 parallel Earths appears as if they are disappearing. Rip, however, clarifies the situation by explaining, “You’re only seeing what your brain can comprehend.” That’s the way the human mind works; it protects us from things that would fracture our psyches. This is not limited to perceiving parallel Earths aligning or Lovecraftian horrors arriving from space. Even something seemingly mundane is capable of breaking people who are ill-equipped to handle it. For this reason, there were many who simply could not acknowledge that George Lucas would craft a trilogy that begins with tariff negotiations, continues with racist caricatures, and concludes with repeated use of the word “younglings.” These were people who for the most part grudgingly accepted Ewoks, but Midi-chlorians were more than they could handle. In order to protect these aficionados’ brains from exploding, their minds do not permit them to perceive Star Wars I–III. As far as these fans are aware, episodes IV–VI are the only Star Wars movies ever made. (See also: Matrix 2–3, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, Batman Forever, et al.) For similar reasons, many comics fan are incapable of perceiving Adventure Comics #400 (Dec. 1970). As far as they can tell, that issue was skipped, never to be brought into existence. For the sake of your brain, I implore you: Do NOT read this article if you can’t handle the truth! The audience having been warned, let us now examine Supergirl’s epic battle against her greatest enemies: the Black Flame and three Z-list villains never seen before or since! Our tale begins with Supergirl sewing one of the many variations of her costume that she wore in those days. A newscaster announced an urgent message for Supergirl, flashing an address and phone number on the screen at subliminal speed (because newscasters typically do such things upon the request of anonymous parties). Anyway, Supergirl rushed to the address, where a trap lay waiting. Supergirl’s enemy Zora, a.k.a. “the Black Flame,” had escaped from her imprisonment in Kandor. So far so good. Now things start going downhill at an increasingly rapid pace. The first thing Zora did was to steal a “space flyer.” (Kandor had spaceships? Krypton really could have used more of those!) We are not shown Zora escaping from the bottle in which Kandor was kept, nor are we shown how she enlarged herself to human size. We are shown that she took her space flyer to the Phantom Zone. Or did she? As readers of the Superman family of comics know, the Phantom Zone was a dimension where Kryptonians sent their most dangerous criminals. There, the convicted existed as immaterial wraiths. Zora flew her ship to a planet, where “the criminals of many galaxy’s (sic) are kept.” Once there, she “blasted the guard bubble.”
Continuity-Free Zone Supergirl has seen better days. Adventure Comics #400 (Dec. 1970); cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano. TM & © DC Comics.
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Jack Abramowitz
(I’m not sure what that means. Maybe Zora was thinking of the Village from the television show The Prisoner.) With a whole planet of master criminals to choose from, Zora inexplicably selected three real losers: the Inventor, the Toymaster, and L. Finn (more on them shortly). Other felons wanted to force themselves onto her ship, but Zora held them at bay with a gun—because guns are generally effective against immaterial phantoms. (Let us leave aside the question of why Zora did not become a phantom upon entering the Phantom Zone. Or, in this case, landing on it.) Flashback over, we find Supergirl arriving at the address to which she had been directed, only to be ambushed by a robot housekeeper with a kryptonite-covered rope. Weakened by the kryptonite, Supergirl is attacked by a toy of her pet Streaky the Super-Cat, controlled by the Toymaster. “I’ll fix that with my telepathic remote control box,” he tells Zora. “I activate it by pressing here…” Yeah, great push-button telepathy there, Toymaster! Rendered unconscious, Supergirl was carried to a giant bowling alley. Please take a minute to absorb that properly: a Giant. Bowling. Alley. There she stood in place of the front pin while the villains lobbed kryptonite bowling balls at her. She managed to free herself, only to be downed by L. Finn’s magic. At this, Supergirl has an epiphany: “Magic! L. Finn—Elfin! A leprechaun!” Really? Is that how it works? Are leprechauns even elves? If they are, would their names necessarily be homonyms for it? Maybe that makes sense to Supergirl since it appears perfectly normal to name Kryptonian pets such things as “Krypto.” Still, you don’t see Batman making deductions like “Pete Ross—peat moss! The Swamp Thing!” Once felled, Zora breaks out the gold kryptonite. Uh-oh! As everyone knows, gold kryptonite permanently removes Kryptonians’ superpowers! Well … not everyone knows that. Apparently one can write and edit Supergirl stories without knowing it because “permanent” ain’t what it used to be. Zora must keep Supergirl standing on a pile of gold K to keep her powers drained while the Inventor’s machine shoots a giant arrow at her. Aside from the obvious flaw in this plan, i.e., that Zora doesn’t just shoot Supergirl with the gun that we already know she has and be done with it, the band of villains commits the grievous error of leaving the room for no apparent reason! By this point you may have noticed that the Black Flame sure has a lot of kryptonite lying around for a Kryptonian. No worries: kryptonite doesn’t affect non-powered Kryptonians. Zora permanently lost her powers in Action Comics #304 due to exposure to … gold kryptonite! Oh … never mind! Luckily, Supergirl takes advantage of the villains’ absence to take telepathic control of the Toymaker’s toys, who release her. When the band of evildoers return, Supergirl clocks Zora while the toys take care of the three incompetent henchmen. Supergirl then tows the spaceship back to the Phantom Zone planet, drops Zora back in Kandor (where Supergirl can still fly, counter to the established rules), and once again, the day is saved. Ouch. This tale was penned by Mike Sekowsky, who, with writer Denny O’Neil, removed Wonder Woman’s powers and dressed her like Diana Rigg. Love it or hate it, there’s a certain internal consistency to his run on Wonder Woman. Not so his work on Supergirl! This tale shows a lack of familiarity with even the most basic facts of the Superman mythos. Sadly, writer/editor/penciler
Needles and Pins From Adventure Comics #400: (top) Linda Danvers, seamstress, receives a super-summons. (bottom) Let’s go bowling! TM & © DC Comics.
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Ridiculous Rapscallions Adventure #400’s villains—(left) L. Finn and (right) Toymaster—take on Supergirl in these two pages. Script, pencils, and edits by Mike Sekowsky, inks by Jack Abel. Special thanks to Andy Mangels for these interior page scans. TM & © DC Comics.
Sekowsky is no longer around for us to ask about this, Schiff could have said, “Oops, that shouldn’t have nor is inker Jack Abel, so we consulted with Craig Shutt, gone there.” Not so Adventure #400. The cover reads, a.k.a. “Mr. Silver Age,” who discusses Adventure #400 in his “A **** Special!” (Those four asterices mean “four star,” book Baby Boomer Comics (available for Kindle on not “expletive deleted,” however appropriate Amazon). Apparently, this was not Sekowsky’s that might also be.) It continues, “The 35th only such lapse while working on Supergirl. Anniversary—400th Issue of Adventure “Sekowsky’s Supergirl was pretty Comics presents the New Supergirl.” fascinating,” Shutt says, “as in, puzzling The words “35th,” “400th,” and and disorienting. He had a tenuous “New” all appear inside colorful grasp of Supergirl and some of her starbursts. So, yeah, they knew background but didn’t bother himself exactly what they were doing. to learn the details for some unknown For its depiction of the Phantom reason. It’s never a good situation Zone and gold kryptonite among other when the writer knows less than the gaffes, as well as for inflicting L. Finn readers (one reason I don’t write upon an undeserving public, Adventure much about the Legion). Even so, Comics #400 merits no place in continuhow a writer on a Super-Family book ity, pre–Crisis, mike sekowsky could not understand the Phantom post–Crisis, Zone, gold kryptonite, and that mindHypertime, reading—as Supergirl displayed in [Adventure] #397, or otherwise. It does, however, along with her fancy new costumes—is not a Kryptonian deserve an honored place in the superpower is hard to say. If nothing else, it shows the museum of “What the Hell…?” problem with having a writer/editor.” somewhere in between Ms. Adventure Comics #400 may be the worst anniversary Lion and Gwen Stacy’s twins. issue of all time. Sure, it’s tempting to give that dubious You may safely resume readhonor to Detective Comics #300, the debut of Mr. ing the rest of this issue. Fnord. Polka-Dot, but in this writer’s opinion, Adventure Comics JACK ABRAMOWITZ is a writer and #400 edges out the competition for one simple reason: an educator and stuff. In him’s life, Detective Comics #300 has plausible deniability. The him am read many bad comics. cover doesn’t acknowledge the milestone. Editor Jack
24 • BACK ISSUE • Tenth Anniversary Issue
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by
Michael Eury
Holy Blue Hannah! This anniversary edition of BACK ISSUE gives your friendly neighborhood editor-in-chief yet another opportunity to revisit his favorite comics series, The Brave and the Bold, best known throughout fandom as the “Batman team-up comic.” For the record, when B&B reached its centennial milestone in late 1971, that did not mark the 100th Batman team-up. When it premiered in 1955, The Brave and the Bold was a “high adventure” anthology edited by Robert Kanigher, featuring swashbucklers like the Viking Prince, the Shining Knight, and the Golden Gladiator. It became a tryout title in 1959, most famously launching the Justice League of America, the Silver Age Hawkman, and the Teen Titans. The team-up format kicked off with the Green Arrow and the Manhunter from Mars in 1963’s issue #50, followed by a hodgepodge of cohabitating heroes hopping in and out of the title. Occasional headliner Batman proved the most popular teamup star and as of his first meeting with the Metal Men in 1967’s issue #74, The Brave and the Bold officially became “his” series. And so the Batman B&B beat began…
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #100 (Feb.–Mar. 1972) Sequestered away in his continuity-free bunker, notorious plotmaster Bob Haney, with his tacit enabler, editor Murray Boltinoff, concocted something truly special for B&B’s centennial edition: a team-up of Batman and “4 Famous Co-Stars.” Two of those co-stars were the titular titans from the pages of the critically acclaimed Green Lantern/ Green Arrow series by Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams, with GA’s gal pal Black Canary along for the ride; a crisis in the issue lured Batman’s awayat-college partner, Robin, into the mix to complete the quartet. “Warrior in a Wheel-Chair,” the second Batman/ B&B story drawn by Jim Aparo (becoming the series’ regular artist with this issue), opens with a sniper critically wounding the Darknight Detective. With a bullet dangerously caressing Batman’s heart, the hero is confined to a wheelchair and ordered to rest at home while a heart surgeon wings his way to Gotham City. Batman’s convalescence derails his mission of busting up a heroinsmuggling operation, and thus our hero calls into action his 4 Famous Co-Stars, orchestrating their moves via radio. Haney’s Ironside-meets-The French Connection scenario stretches credibility in a few instances, most notably with the wheelchair-bound Batman, his wound bandaged over his costume, commanding his cohorts
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? If you don’t know the identity of Batman’s co-star, you’ll discover it once you read this article. Cover to The Brave and the Bold #150 (May 1979) by Jim Aparo. TM & © DC Comics.
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Bryan D. Stroud
It was a story 37 years in the making. That’s how long it took Superman in his self-titled series to go from issue #1 in 1939 to issue #300 in 1976. While America was celebrating the bicentennial, Superman marked the tricentennial of his magazine, and what better way than with an imaginary story? The title: “Superman, 2001!” The plotline poses the rhetorical question as to what it would be like if baby Kal-El had landed on Earth in the present. With that premise and the Cold War in full swing, the first conflict involves the North Pacific splashdown of the rocket in international waters. The date is February 29th, which is Kal-El’s birthday per “Answer Man” and co-editor Bob Rozakis. Naval vessels from both the United States and the USSR were dispatched to intercept, but only one survives the collision of competing recovery helicopters—Navy Lieutenant Thomas Clark. At a sequestered military base, while the spacecraft is examined a panel opens, revealing a toddler, who quickly displays advanced and otherworldly abilities. Later, “Skyboy” is decked out in a familiar uniform and kept under top-secret wraps. Fast forwarding into 1990 reveals such innovations as floating seaports and a protective dome over the US Capitol. A woman has been elected president of the United States, but conflict continues with the Soviets, and a major point of contention is the alien visitor, finally acknowledged. Russia demands that the US surrender it as a ward of the United Nations, giving a mysterious thirdworld power an opening to trigger a third World War. Their method makes it seem that missiles originating in the USSR have been launched against America, and a mirror-image scenario in Moscow appears on their surveillance equipment. Massive retaliatory strikes are ordered and the entire horror unfolds in front of the eyes of the general, who has looked after Skyboy, and Skyboy himself, monitoring at a secret installation. A guilt-ridden Skyboy acts in the only way he sees fit, by singlehandedly stopping the threat. Succeeding, he vanishes, but not before clandestinely attending the funeral of his “father,” General Kent Garrett. He silently acknowledges that the world isn’t ready for him, so he takes the name of Clark Kent, combining the names of frogman Thomas Clark and Kent Garrett and vowing to keep his secret forever, disposing of the suitcase holding his uniform into a nearby body of water. Segue to 2001 and the dawn of a new century, where anchorman Clark Kent is helping herald it in. Included in the observance is the merging of the metro area from Boston to Washington, D.C., which is now “Metropolis.” However, something is amiss at Times Square. A four-armed humanoid figure calling itself Moka claims status as a “savior,” taking full credit for averting holocaust in 1990. Moka is being operated by the nameless third-world nation.
Superman, 2001 The new millennium seemed distant in 1976 when this anniversary edition was produced. Cover to Superman #300 (June 1976) by Curt Swan and Bob Oksner. TM & © DC Comics.
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Founding Fathers Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, as rendered by Shuster in pen and ink in 1942. This piece was originally published in Martin Sheridan’s book, Comics and Their Creators, in 1942. Courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). Superman TM & © DC Comics.
[Editor’s note: As Superman’s 75th anniversary draws to a close, the award-winning author of Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero (now available in paperback) shares with BACK ISSUE the story of comics’ most contentious “custody” battle in the following excerpt from his book:] Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s Superman creation story had read like a movie script from the beginning, and the drama didn’t end with their deaths in the 1990s. To Jerry’s widow, Joanne, it was a tragedy and after decades of Jerry being the victim now she and her daughter Laura assumed that role. Joanne may have been the model for Lois Lane’s looks, but it was Laura who lived Lois’ life as an award-winning radio newscaster and talk-show host, TV reporter and anchor, and news and documentary producer. Now Laura had multiple sclerosis and couldn’t work, and Joanne was getting old. They notified DC Comics, Warner Bros., and Time Warner in 1997 that they planned to reclaim the copyright Jerry had signed away in 1938 and had tried repeatedly and fruitlessly to grab back over the years. So much for his promise not to sue again, made in 1948 and reaffirmed in 1975. That was before federal laws
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made it easier to redress perceived wrongs from the past, and before the Siegels had had two more decades to stew over how shabbily they had been treated. It was Jerry’s dying wish that they set things right, his daughter said. What she and her mother wanted was less another lawsuit than the nest egg they felt they deserved. So their attorneys and DC’s sat down to talk. They talked and talked some more. Finally, in the fall of 2001, it looked like the lawyers had agreed on a deal. On October 16, DC set out the general terms of a plan to pay Joanne and Laura nearly $1 million a year each for the rest of their lives. Three days later, their lawyers signed on. Sensing how near they were to a resolution, DC had already given the Siegels a non-refundable advance of $250,000, and four months later the company sent them a full-blown agreement. That is when things imploded, although why remains a matter of heated dispute. “We were stabbed in the back with a shocking contract” that included “new, outrageous demands,” Joanne wrote to Time Warner boss Richard Parsons. “The document is a heartless attempt to rewrite the history of Superman’s creation and to strip Laura and
me of the dignity and respect that we deserve … My disabled daughter still has not received the medical coverage she and her children were promised several years ago,” she added, her anger building as the three-page letter proceeded. “Just like the Gestapo, your company wants to strip us naked of our legal rights. Is that moral?” In spite of the letter, negotiations continued for another four months, at which point the Siegels fired their old attorney, hired a new one, and sued Time Warner, Warner Bros., and DC. While there were changes in DC’s preliminary and final proposals, the switch that mattered more was the Siegels’ new legal counsel. The Hollywood studios whom he had skewered regarded Malibu’s Marc Toberoff as a Svengali who manipulated vulnerable clients. Admirers like the heirs of Winifred Knight Mewborn, whose short story became the TV classic Lassie, called him a Robin Hood for restoring rights they had given up for next to nothing half a century before. Everyone agreed that the low-budget-filmmaker-turned-high-stakes-litigator had mastered an arcane area of copyright law and exploited it to benefit his clients and himself. In the Superman case, DC argued that Toberoff deceptively lured in the Siegels as clients, falsely promising them $15 million in immediate payouts and the chance to make their own Superman movie. His real motive, the company said in a legal filing against Toberoff, was to secure for himself the right to 45 percent of any payout the Siegels would get and the role of kingmaker in future Superman films. Toberoff called DC’s allegations a desperate “smear campaign” and part of Warner Bros.’ “last-ditch effort” to hang onto its rights to Superman, a property he believes is worth a billion dollars. Whoever was right, the result was that the Siegels and Jerry’s old employers were back in court. Scores of witnesses were deposed and thousands of pages of yellowing documents were unearthed that traced Superman’s development from Jerry and Joe’s earliest rendering to the latest TV incarnation in Smallville, which Toberoff claimed was a Superboy knockoff and thus belonged to Jerry’s heirs. For historians, the legal battle yielded a trove of material—from Jerry and Joe’s original $130 contract to stacks of correspondence between the young creators and their editors and publishers. It also produced Jerry’s unpublished memoir. The documents revealed a Jerry Siegel whose personality was at least as split as his superhero’s. One side of him was a creative and bereft boy looking to escape his real life by inventing one in fantasy. Less appealing was the angry young man who never recovered from the real and imagined wounds inflicted by the entrepreneurs to whom he had entrusted his sacred Superman. There were two Joannes as well. One was the nurturing beauty who had Jerry and Joe fawning over her. She coaxed the hard-hearted Jack Liebowitz into rehiring her husband after he had repeatedly burned bridges with the publisher, and looked after her man and girl when Jerry was an emotional wreck and there was barely cash enough to keep Laura in milk and diapers. Joanne’s other side was that of a lioness protecting her cubs. She was the mouthpiece for Jerry and Joe, writing letters to DC Comics demanding settlements, cost-of-living raises, and other benefits the aging creators lacked the gumption to ask for. If strong language was needed to get a CEO’s attention, she’d brand his company as the Gestapo. When an old classmate of Jerry’s was written up as the model for Lois Lane, implying that Joanne might not have been, Joanne had her lawyer send a cease-and-desist letter.
No matter that the claims weren’t the classmate’s, but old ones by Joe and Jerry, and that by the time Joanne was posing for Joe, Lois already was part of the story. Superman over time became Joanne’s, too, to the point where she told people she planned to write her own memoir on the whole sordid history. The legal proceedings dragged on long enough that seven different federal judges pored through the evidence. Their preliminary rulings—in 2008, 2009, and 2011— gave the Siegels much but not all of what they wanted. They had the right to sue despite the agreements they had signed with DC Comics. They also had a right to the Superman story in Action #1 but not the cover, the Superman story in Action #4, parts of Superman #1, and the first two weeks of Superman newspaper strips, which Harry and Joe had authorized Jerry and Joe to produce on their own. That gave Jerry’s heirs ownership of Superman’s blue leotards, red cape, and boots, as well as his early powers to leap tall buildings, repel bullets, and run faster than an express train. Time Warner owned the flying superhero, the Daily Planet, Jimmy and Perry, the Kents, X-Ray vision, and kryptonite, along with the overseas rights to everything. In practice the rulings meant that, for the full-fledged Superman to appear on-screen or anywhere else, Jerry’s heirs and Jack and Harry’s would have to pool their bifurcated holdings and share the profits. Just how that should happen and how much the Siegels already were owed, the court said, would have to be settled in a trial. While all that was playing out in public, behind the scenes checks continued to arrive each month from DC to Joanne and Laura. By the end of 2010 the payments had exceeded $3.8 million, including Joanne and Jerry’s medical bills, which had peaked at $89,000 the year he died. When a Superman TV show or film did especially well, there was a bonus of between $10,000 and $50,000. The agreement signed in 1975 had called for cutting off benefits to Joanne 15 years earlier, but DC said it would keep them coming in spite of Jerry’s death and Joanne’s bid to reclaim the ownership of Superman. In 2001, the company said it would continue paying so long as Joanne was working toward a settlement of the copyright dispute; settlement talks broke off in 2002, but again DC kept sending the checks. Annual payouts that had started at $20,000 Tenth Anniversary Issue
The Siegel Family Left to right: Superman co-creator and writer Jerry Siegel (1914–1996); wife Joanne (1918–2011), the model for Lois Lane; and their daughter, Laura Siegel Larson, as photographed by Alan Light at the 1976 San Diego Comic-Con. Special thanks to Mr. Light.
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While mostly remembered today for its updated revivals of Golden Age superheroes, DC’s Showcase title actually featured a wide range of different comic-book genres. Introduced in 1956, Showcase was an “umbrella” magazine to test concepts on readers while avoiding the need to release several new titles concurrently. At the time, comics were at their lowest ebb; they were widely reviled by the general public, and the once-dominant superhero was almost extinct. Showcase was DC’s attempt to find “the next big thing” in comics. Ironically, as the first three attempts at new concepts (firemen, animal adventures, and a naval frogman) failed to find a market, it was the superhero that proved most popular with readers and got Showcase on a roll with successful features that were later spun off into their own titles. The most durable characters were new interpretations of Golden Age Justice Society heroes (Flash, Green Lantern, the Atom, the Spectre), while science-fiction heroes (Space Ranger, Adam Strange, Rip Hunter— Time Master) were also popular, as were teams of non-powered adventurers (Challengers of the Unknown, Sea Devils). Showcase also provided a platform to spotlight supporting or backup characters such as Aquaman, Lois Lane, Tommy Tomorrow, and Enemy Ace. In its later years, the magazine was used as a springboard for titles that were immediately launched in their own series (Beware the Creeper, The Hawk and the Dove, Bat Lash, Anthro, Angel and the Ape). Of course, not all features proved successful, and several issues were composed of reprints. New concepts B’wana Beast, Dolphin, Manhunter 2070, and Nightmaster fared poorly. Showcase was canceled with issue #93 in 1970, although the tryout concept was continued in 1975 with 1st Issue Special, which lasted for 13 issues. In 1977, Showcase was revived with issue #94, introducing the New Doom Patrol, followed by a three-part spotlight on the JSA’s Power Girl. [Editor’s note: Both 1st Issue Special and the revival of Showcase will be featured in BACK ISSUE #71, “Tryouts, One-Shots, and One-Hit Wonders.”]
CENTENARY ISSUE To celebrate this important magazine reaching its landmark 100th issue (cover-dated May 1978), editor Joe Orlando suggested a double-length story featuring a number of characters who had made their debut in the first 93 issues of Showcase. The first choices for writing the story were Steve Englehart and Len Wein, but when they proved unavailable, the assignment was passed to Paul Levitz. Due to a heavy workload, Levitz was unable to complete the issue, but he wrote a plot outline and then handed it over to Paul Kupperberg, writer of the New Doom Patrol issues. Penciling and inking were done by Joe Staton, who had illustrated the six preceding issues of Showcase.
The Gang’s All Here… …yep, the Inferior 5, Bat Lash, and Enemy Ace, too. The character-crammed cover of Showcase #100 (May 1978), penciled by Joe Staton and inked by Dick Giordano. TM & © DC Comics.
38 • BACK ISSUE • Tenth Anniversary Issue
by
Mike Pigott
Odd Couplings Staton’s original art to page 17 of Showcase #100, courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). Kupperberg and Levitz I.D.’ed most of these characters in dialogue, but for the record, clockwise from upper left: Windy and Willy (Windy and Willy repackaged Dobie Gillis tales), Anthro and Ne-Ahn, Sam Simeon (the Ape), Yellow Feather, Binky, Tommy Tomorrow, Dumb Bunny, Firehair, Awkwardman, Merryman, Angel O’Day, the Blimp, and Bat Lash. TM & © DC Comics.
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Fantastic Four #200 (Nov. 1978) and Amazing Spider-Man #200 (Jan. 1980) bring back fond memories for those who have read them. Both books had the same fantastic creative team: writer Marv Wolfman and artist Keith Pollard. Wolfman was part of a new wave of Marvel writers— including Gerry Conway, Len Wein, and earlier, Roy Thomas—who worked on Stan Lee’s creations in the early 1970s after Stan the Man stopped writing them … specifically, the two then-flagships of Marvel, Fantastic Four and Amazing Spider-Man. At that time, the pool of writers was limited, and it was common to see the same person writing both titles. Yet Marv Wolfman would be the last person for some time to write both series. It would take years before another writer, Tom DeFalco, would write significant runs on both titles, but not at the same time. Wolfman took over both books from Len Wein, who had decided to go back to DC Comics. As Marv said in Tom DeFalco’s Comic Book Creators on Spider-Man (Titan Books, 2004), “I asked Archie [Goodwin, Marvel’s editor-in-chief at the time] for Fantastic Four because I really wanted to write it. I loved that book. Archie told me that he would only give me Fantastic Four if I would also take Amazing. (…) I learned within two issues that I had no facility for writing Fantastic Four, and absolutely loved writing Amazing.”
WOLFMAN ON FANTASTIC FOUR His run as writer/editor on FF began with a fill-in recap issue (#190, Jan. 1977), and after a few issues plotted by Wein and scripted by other writers, Wolfman took over the book with issue #195 (June 1978) and would stay until issue #216 (Mar. 1980). But he never really enjoyed writing the book, as he told DeFalco: “I think Fantastic Four intimidated me because it was my favorite title at Marvel. (…) The frustration of not being able to do what Stan and Jack [Kirby] did was just awful.” For his debuts, Fantastic Four #190 is an odd recap issue, as it re-presents all the times when one of the members left the team. As one reads it, it looks like the FF spent most of the 1970s arguing, changing its roster, or losing their powers. But basically, such was the situation when Wolfman took over. The team had split, Reed Richards had lost his powers and taken a job in a research company, the Thing and the Human Torch were living on their own, and Susan Richards was offered a part in a movie in Hollywood. One of Wolfman’s goals was to write the team with its classic roster, not with the substitute members that transitioned in and out of the group. In the countdown to issue #200 (Nov. 1978), Wolfman reunites the team, adds a mastermind villain (Dr. Doom), gives Reed his powers back, and provides a plot that would permit a grand finale with an epic battle and a memorable victory.
Stretcho Strikes Back Mr. Fantastic vs. Dr. Doom on the Jack Kirby/ Joe Sinnott cover of Fantastic Four #200 (Nov. 1978). The issue’s interior penciler, Keith Pollard—abetted by inker Joe Rubinstein—reimagines this image as the cover of next July’s BACK ISSUE #74, our “Fantastic Four in the Bronze Age” issue. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
44 • BACK ISSUE • Tenth Anniversary Issue
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Franck Martini
For the plot, Wolfman reuses most of the elements already established. The research company turns out to be led by a clone of Dr. Doom and is also a trap to attract Reed. Doom’s idea is first to steal the powers of the FF, then transfer them (at least partly) to his clone, who will become the next king of Latveria. In parallel, a powerful construct is supposed to mind-wipe delegates of the United Nations so that Doom can … take over the world. To this, add Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Red Ghost, a mysterious villain called the Invincible Man, a revolution in the works, Nick Fury, and Alicia Masters, and you get a roller-coaster ride that starts with issue #195 and culminates with issue #200. Reed Richards is clearly the focus of this storyline, and the rest of the trio sometimes struggle to get some space in this story (especially the Human Torch). Keith Pollard was already drawing the book since issue #193 (Apr. 1978), and after a few issues by different inkers, Joe Sinnott came back to “his” book. Issue #200 itself is the first double-sized comic composed only of new material. In short, Marv Wolfman invented the concept of the extra-sized, super-special anniversary issue. The cover was drawn by Jack Kirby and clearly announced what the book was all about: the ultimate fight between Reed Richards and Victor von Doom. The story solves most of the running plots and culminates with a striking image of Doom, without his mask, and seeing his scarred face reflected on the thousands of mirrors of his construct. The issue is also spectacular because even if there are several plots dangling, FF #200 can be read on its own and remains totally understandable for the casual reader. My only criticism is that as Wolfman really took over five issues before, some ideas sometimes feel a bit rushed and some plots are a bit leftover in order to get things moving.
Beginnings: Blackhawk #242 (Aug.–Sept. 1968)
Milestones: Tomb of Dracula / Amazing Spider-Man / Fantastic Four / The Man Called Nova / The New Teen Titans / Action Comics / Night Force / Crisis on Infinite Earths / History of the DC Universe / Teen Titans animated series / creator or co-creator of Blade, Bullseye, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, Deathstroke the Terminator, and Cat Grant, as well as the businessman interpretation of Lex Luthor
Recent Works: Night Force revival / Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two video game
Website: www.marvwolfman.com
marv wolfman
Master of Disaster Dr. Doom dominates the proceedings on pages 16 (left) and 42 of the doublesized classic, Fantastic Four #200 (Nov. 1978). Script by Marv Wolfman, art by Keith Pollard and Joe Sinnott. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
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Neal Adams Fires Back in CBC #3! ™
A Tw o M o r r o w s P u b l i c a t i o n
No. 3, Fall 2013
Journey through the artist’s BATMAN: ODYSSEY with COMIC BOOK CREATOR! COMIC BOOK CREATOR #3 spotlights NEAL ADAMS’ BATMAN: ODYSSEY (the recent 13-issue DC Comics mini-series written and drawn by the comics legend), in a unique, comprehensive examination of an artist and his work. We grapple with the question: is the book a masterwork for the ages, or an epic fail of mythic proportions? CBC goes in deep with the creator to examine his intent, with Adams vigorously responding to critics, as we balance the successes and weaknesses of the quintessential Batman artist’s ultimate take on a beloved character — all behind a new Neal Adams Darknight Detective cover, and lushly illustrated throughout with a bodacious bevy of Batman art by the master illustrator! Plus we interview SEAN HOWE about his hit book, MARVEL COMICS: THE UNTOLD STORY; chat with DENYS COWAN about his work and much more; honor CARMINE INFANTINO; check in on Harbinger writer JOSHUA DYSART; take a wide look at the biggest comic book of them all, WHAM-O-GIANT COMICS; present the final installment of our LES DANIELS remembrance; and, as always, check out HEMBECK! Be here in October for CBC’s tremendous third ish! (And don’t miss next summer’s double-size Annual, featuring CBC editor JON B. COOKE and JORGE KHOURY’s long-awaited SWAMPMEN material, the definitive history of the most horrifying creatures of all! Subscribe now, and it’ll be included in your subscription, in all its murky goodness!)
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Anniversary issues. They’re always a sure bet for a publisher to give you more bang for your buck (much like the issue you’re now reading). But with the passage of time, they can also provide an unexpected bonus: a peek into the era in which they were made.
BATMAN #300 (June 1978): “THE LAST BATMAN STORY -- ?”
by
John
Like most anniversary issues, 1978’s double-sized Batman #300 is a reflection of the time in which it was produced: It’s a densely plotted standalone story by a single writer and artist team, with editor Julius Schwartz’s penchant for scientific trivia peppered throughout. The script is by David V. Reed (an alias for 1950s Batman writer Dave Vern, who returned to the Caped Crusader in the 1970s), with Walter Simonson and Dick Giordano providing the striking Tr u m b u l l visuals for the issue. Layout artist Walter Simonson recalls how he got the assignment for Batman #300: “Initially, Dick Giordano was supposed to pencil and ink the issue. I got a phone call one day, pretty much out of the blue, from Paul Levitz. Paul at that time was kind of the keeper of the schedules. The book was coming up on eight weeks from shipping. Paul wanted to know if I could do layouts that Dick would be able to ink straight from. The book was close enough to deadline that there was some concern of missed shipping. This was before royalties were being offered by companies, so they offered what was then called walter simonson hazard pay, which meant it was one-and-a-half times your page rate. That was a bonus for doing it and doing it in a hurry, and for helping out DC. I said, ‘Sure.’ So they sent me David’s script, I did the layouts, Dick inked it, and it made it out on time.” Years before The Dark Knight Returns, Batman #300 offers a glimpse into how Batman might retire. Decades in the future, Gotham City has grown into part of Megalopolis-East, a massive city encompassing most of the East Coast. At Gotham International Airport, the now-adult Robin (in the Neal Adams-designed costume of his Earth-Two counterpart) is supervising the emergency transfer of a comatose patient to Columbia Space Hospital. When the transfer capsule is attacked by three villains in a helicopter, an aged Batman arrives just in time to save the day. The three attackers are dressed all in blue, with their skin painted to match. When the leader of the blue-man group spontaneously
(Bat-)Man of Tomorrow Dick Giordano’s powerful cover to Batman #300 (June 1978). And look—it’s another appearance of that awesome 1970s adult Robin costume! TM & © DC Comics.
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DC Comics’ Detective Comics, the long-running title from which the company took its name, didn’t begin celebrating anniversaries until issue #387 (May 1969). There, marking the 30th anniversary of the Caped Crusader, the influence of the fans was clear as letterhack-turned-writer Mike Friedrich retold Batman’s first adventure, “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate,” under the title “The Cry of the Night is—‘Sudden Death!’” Friedrich and artists Bob Brown and Joe Giella took 17 pages to cover the same territory that Bill Finger and Bob Kane mined in the first six-page Batman story, which was handily reprinted in the same issue. A few years later, editor Julie Schwartz used the occasion of ’Tec #400 (June 1970) to usher in a brandnew foe, using a variation on the title character’s name. Writer Frank Robbins and artist Neal Adams introduced Kirk Langstrom, a.k.a. Man-Bat, who caught on with the fans and has remained a fixture ever since. Oddly, #450 (Aug. 1975) was a fairly ordinary issue, as Schwartz was clearly losing interest in Batman. Four years later, he opted to retain the Superman titles, letting rising editor Paul Levitz inherit the keys to the Batcave. In fairly short order, the young editor revamped Detective and Batman, and for the first time ensured that The Brave and the Bold would be consistent with current events in Gotham City. As the company’s editorial coordinator as well as editing a handful of titles, Levitz noted that Detective Comics #500 was rapidly approaching the horizon and set to work. While the handful of earlier anniversary issues were fun events, Levitz wanted to make this one extraordinary. By 1980, comics shops and the directsales market had grown deep roots, and publishers knew they could cater a bit to the fans. As a result, Paul received approval for the most momentous anniversary issue the company had ever attempted: an 80-page, squarebound book without ads, selling for a whopping $1.50, three times the price for a normal issue. With the book carrying a March 1981 cover date, it had a December 22, 1980 on-sale date, meaning it was shipping from World Color Press in Sparta, Illinois, around Thanksgiving. Paul had to close editorial production on this mammoth book in early October, but being the hyper-organized person he is, work was well underway in the spring. When I arrived at DC’s 75 Rockefeller Plaza offices in June 1980, I was there on a temporary basis. I had graduated college a few weeks before, but my job at Starlog Press wasn’t going to start until September, so Paul kindly hired me on to do some work that needed doing. It resulted in a hodgepodge of assignments, usually starting every morning as Karen Berger, his assistant editorial coordinator, handed me the lettered pages that had arrived (some from freelance production artists, plus a
Loaded with Talent The interior artists of Detective Comics #500 (Mar. 1981) also provided its jam cover. TM & © DC Comics.
54 • BACK ISSUE • Tenth Anniversary Issue
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by
Robert Greenberger
Gotham Anniversaries (top left) As the Silver Age was winding down, Detective Comics #387 (May 1969) celebrated Batman’s 30th anniversary. Cover by Irv Novick. (top right) Issue #400 (June 1970) did little to toast its milestone numbering, but it did introduce the first new Bat-“villain” of the Bronze Age, Man-Bat. Cover by Neal Adams. (below) Screenwriter and novelist Alan Brennert penned one of his few DC stories for ’Tec #500, “To Kill a Legend,” illustrated by Dick Giordano. TM & © DC Comics.
huge stack from legendary letterer Ben Oda, who had labored deep into the night at a drawing table). These were copies of penciledand-lettered pages as a hedge against pages getting lost. I was also charged with reading everything in the print library to help create what became the company’s first property catalogue. Thankfully, I was housed in a centrally located (tiny) office, with two desks jammed against one another. The other desk was occupied by another temp, a guy president Jenette Kahn hired weeks earlier to help her plan a 40th-anniversary celebration for Wonder Woman: Andy Helfer and I were the same age and shared the space quite happily. With most of the freelance talent at that time residing in the tri-state area, this meant we met many of the writers and artists we admired since childhood. Every Friday, writer Bob Haney would come in to deliver scripts and regaled the two of us with stories late into the afternoon. Up-and-coming writer [J. M.] Marc DeMatteis was also hanging out with us when he visited, so we got to see both ends of the spectrum, of writers seasoned and new. Across from us was Murray Boltinoff’s office, and at least once a week the halls were filled with the rising voices between the veteran editor and Bob Kanigher, the prolific writer. They’d be arguing over stories and editorial decisions Boltinoff made to Kanigher’s work, but it also gave us an insight into the process. Soon after arriving, if memory serves, we had a special guest visitor to the offices. Walter Gibson, the pulp writer who turned radio’s unseen narrator of Street & Smith’s Detective Story Hour into the two-gunned crimefighter The Shadow, was delivering his anniversary contribution to Detective #500. Levitz, a fan of Gibson’s Shadow pulps thanks to the paperback reprints in the 1960s and early 1970s, thought it would be fun if the writer provided a prose Batman tale for the book. While Batman and The Shadow met twice in 1973, Gibson was not involved in those stories. Gibson, 82 at the time, was introduced around to everyone, including the young “interns” (or whatever we were dubbed). It meant, though, that we’d be pulled off assignment du jour for whatever needed doing right then on Detective #500. On more than one occasion, Paul would grab me after lunch and hand me a package. Within was the wraparound cover to the issue that was going to be a jam piece from all the interior artists. Someone, possibly Ross Andru, who was in the offices daily, worked out the layout, and Levitz carefully saw to it that each character and artist had space while keeping with the title’s theme. Back in the pre–Federal Express days, that meant I was dispatched to the Tenth Anniversary Issue
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For collectors who like milestone issues, The Flash #300, which was released in 1981, is a double-sized dose of super-speedy goodness. Not only does it celebrate the nice, round figure of 300 issues, it’s also the 25th anniversary issue for Barry Allen, the Silver Age Flash, who first appeared in 1956 in Showcase #4 in a story called “Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt.” Showcase #4, which revived the superhero genre, introduced Barry as a police scientist on his lunch break, reading an old issue of Flash Comics that starred the original Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick. After returning to his workstation after lunch, a bolt of lightning streaks through a nearby window, dousing Barry with chemicals and giving him super-speed. Inspired by the original Flash, Barry quickly designs a costume and starts fighting crime; the Turtle Man, a.k.a. the Slowest Man on Earth, is the first supervillain he battles. Thus, the Silver Age of Comics is born. The Flash #300 (Aug. 1981) retells Barry’s origin in a story entitled “1981: A Flash Odyssey.” However, rather than simply rehashing the events, it adds an overriding element of drama. Instead of granting him superpowers, the chemicals have burned Barry horribly from head to toe and trapped him in a suspended state of paralysis. Barry is confined to bed. His mind is largely unaffected, but he can’t move. His loving parents bring him reading material, including issues of Flash Comics he enjoyed as a child. Barry becomes the Flash, but only in his mind, as the psychiatrist counseling him reveals: “This ‘Flash’ character had been something of a boyhood idol of yours … you often used to run around your backyard in a crude, makeshift Flash costume … imagining and pretending what it would be like to have the same impossible speed as your hero … cary bates your subconscious blotted out your perception of reality long ago as a defense mechanism for coping with the unbearable immobility and stagnation of total paralysis … you have to face reality again, Barry Allen … the Flash must die!” As Barry lies helpless, pondering his predicament, he can only assume he’s not crazy, given the erratic and scheming nature of his foes—he knows someone must be the “mastermind behind this hoax.” After recalling how Jay’s origin is so similar to his own, Barry begins wondering which of his rogues has put him in such a bind. This ingenious plot device gives readers a look at the origins of Mirror Master, Pied Piper, Captain Boomerang, Weather Wizard, Abra Kadabra, Heat
Running the Gauntlet The Carmine Infantino/Dick Giordano cover to The Flash #300 (Aug. 1981). TM & © DC Comics.
58 • BACK ISSUE • Tenth Anniversary Issue
by
Brett Weiss
Wrapped Up (top) Instead of imbuing him with super-speed, in Flash #300 Barry Allen’s chemical bath nearly killed him. (bottom) Bedridden Barry receives a surprise visitor. Story by Cary Bates, art by Carmine Infantino and Bob Smith. TM & © DC Comics.
Wave, Captain Cold, and the Top, along with various other members of Flash’s colorful rogues’ gallery. The story also shows some of the highlights of Flash’s crimefighting career, such as teaming up with Wally “Kid Flash” West. The Flash #300, which was written by longtime Flash scribe Cary Bates, evokes those “best of” TV clip episodes, but is fresher and more entertaining than most of them, especially given the mystery surrounding the bedridden Flash’s predicament. I recently asked Bates if television was an inspiration for the ideas behind “1981: A Flash Odyssey.” “Not really,” Bates says. “The object of doing a jumbo-sized book for issue #300 was to give the readers an overview of Flash’s life and career, supporting cast, and rogues’ gallery. With all that as a given, it then became a matter of finding a compelling narrative that would enable me to cover all the bases without resorting to what could’ve become a dry compendium of Flash trivia.” The Flash #300 also brings to mind noted sciencefiction writer Philip K. Dick, who often questioned the nature of reality in his stories, especially the later ones. I asked Bates about this possible influence as well. “I’m ashamed to say I didn’t become aware of Philip K. Dick until Blade Runner,” Bates says, “but having read many of his works since then, he’s definitely someone to aspire to. As anyone familiar with my Earth-Prime stuff knows, I’ve always had a fascination with reality-bending ‘meta’ concepts.” Bates invented the concept of Earth-Prime, which is essentially the world we readers live in, with “The Flash—Fact or Fiction,” a book-length adventure in The Flash #179 (May 1968). This was Bates’ first script for the series, and he knocked it out of the proverbial park with his first at bat, spinning an enticing yarn in which a psychedelic creature knocks Flash into a parallel world where Barry meets Flash editor Julius Schwartz. Bates took over as fulltime writer on The Flash in 1971 with issue #209 and spent an astonishing 14 years on the series until its cancellation in 1985 with issue #350. Getting back to The Flash #300, Bates used Flash’s coincidental-in-the-extreme origin story to his advantage when formulating the anniversary issue. “When it occurred to me that the circumstances of Flash’s unique—and let’s face it, really far-fetched— Tenth Anniversary Issue
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Blue Bolt Shaded in blue pencil, an undated Flash sketch by Carmine Infantino, courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). TM & © DC Comics.
origin could be utilized to reimagine all those characters back at the Barry Allen as a bedridden chemicaldrawing board.” burn patient wrapped in bandages Bates has had an award-winning whose life as the Flash was just an career as a writer, including a elaborate ‘fantasy’ in his mind, I lengthy run on Action Comics, but he saw a way to weave all the necessary pinpoints “1981: A Flash Odyssey” as flashbacks into a coherent story spine.” a highlight. Len Wein was editor on The Flash at “It has always been one of my the time, and he was “very supportive” personal favorites,” Bates says. carmine infantino of Bates’ story and “totally onboard “Though it was never stated in the Photo by Luigi Novi. with the concept.” book itself, in my mind it was a Comic Book Hall of Fame artist Carmine Infantino tribute to Julie, Carmine, Gardner Fox, and John was onboard as well, which makes perfect sense Broome … my way of saying given his history with the character. Infantino was the thanks to all of them for all the artist on Showcase #4, and was the designer of Barry’s years I had enjoyed reading costume. He had a legendary run on the character Flash comics growing up as that included the landmark “Flash of Two Worlds” a fan.” from The Flash #123 (Sept. 1961), which introduced BRETT WEISS is the author of the Earth-Two. Classic Home Video Games book “By the time of Flash #300, I had already done series (McFarland Publishers) and a number of Flash stories with Carmine, who had of Filtered Future and Other recently returned to the series,” Bates says. Dark Tales of Science Fiction “Needless to say, all the flashbacks and recaps were and Horror (Amazon Kindle). For made doubly effective because we had the good more info, check out brettweissfortune to have the artist who had originally conceived words.blogspot.com.
60 • BACK ISSUE • Tenth Anniversary Issue
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by
Andy Mangels
As comicdom’s preeminent superheroine, Wonder Woman may have been the ninth DC Comics character to celebrate their 300th issue, but she was the first one to celebrate a tricentenniel with a killer bout of narcolepsy, a new daughter, and a runaway groom. Although she had been published longer than most other long-running series—since 1942 and throughout the Golden Age, the Amazing Amazon had appeared regularly in not only Wonder Woman, but also Sensation Comics and Comics Cavalcade—due to a mostly bimonthly publishing schedule, Wonder Woman didn’t reach her 300th issue until the cover-date of February 1983. By that time, the Lynda Carter-starring TV series was long into a cycle of syndicated reruns, and even the long-running Super Friends cartoon was in its waning years. In the comics and licensed products, Wonder Woman had been rebranded only a year prior, in DC Comics Presents #41 (Jan. 1982) and Wonder Woman #288 (Feb. 1982), exchanging her golden-eagle bodice design for a more logo-friendly double-W design [see BACK ISSUE #57]. Those stories were crafted by longtime comics scribe Roy Thomas, but he exited the book with #296 (Oct. 1982), leaving it in the hands of scripters Paul Kupperburg and Dan Mishkin. Today, Roy recalls that there was nothing significant about Wonder Woman as she existed in that current DC Universe that called to him: “I liked Wonder Woman as she had been back in the latter 1940s when I was first reading the book, and felt she and I could both benefit from our getting together. I didn’t lobby to do the book, though … I was asked to do so by DC.” After Thomas left, he was asked to return to the series for the 72-page anniversary issue. The move, he says, “surprised me, since I had left the book several issues earlier because of my dissatisfaction [see Alter Ego #100]. I don’t recall being asked to work in anything particularly, just to make it special. They were rather non-directive, which was fine by me.” The story Roy crafted, with his wife Dann Thomas, was an eight-chapter mini-epic that didn’t arise out of any current storyline, but was hardly standalone given the topics it covered. In the tale, titled “Beautiful Dreamer, Death Unto Thee!,” Wonder Woman is plagued by nightmares and a recurring battle against a menacing shadowy figure. Arriving to help her battle the dream monster is the Bronze Age Jack Kirby/Joe Simon Sandman character, who had not been seen since his few 1970s appearances. In the process of helping her, Sandman reveals that he’s been viewing her sleeping from the dream world, and exhibits a not-so-coded attraction to the heroine. Back in the waking world, the Amazon’s alter ego, Diana Prince, is given a promotion to major by Gen. Darnell, but despite the excitement, either as Diana or as Wonder Woman, she cannot stay awake. During another
Capitol Improvement The Amazon Princess and friends soar over Washington, D.C., on the Ed Hannigan/ Dick Giordano cover to Wonder Woman #300 (Feb. 1983). TM & © DC Comics.
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What do you get when you combine the two bestselling characters in the DC Universe? The answer is World’s Finest Comics. The series began as World’s Best Comics #1 (Spring 1941), with Superman and Batman (with Robin) presented in their own solo stories; this format didn’t change until issue #71 in 1954, when the heroes’ features were combined into one. Superman and Batman had encountered each other before, most notably in Superman #76 (May 1952), and they were shown together from time to time in the Justice Society stories featured in All Star Comics. In early 1970s, Batman stepped aside from most issues of World’s Finest Comics as the title became a team-up magazine featuring Superman and other DC characters in a format similar to The Brave and the Bold, which featured Batman team-ups. This change did not last long, and soon the Superman/Batman team-ups returned until the end of the World’s Finest series. [Editor’s note: Superman would get his own team-up book with DC Comics Presents #1, July–Aug. 1978. For the full story behind Superman’s team-ups, see BACK ISSUE #66.] In 1983, World’s Finest Comics celebrated its 300th issue with a multi-chapter, multi-guest-star story spanning time and space. The storyline began in World’s Finest Comics #296 (Oct. 1983) and, in a small way, Batman and the Outsiders #1 (Aug. 1983). BATO #1 featured events that fractured the Batman/Superman friendship when Batman left the Justice League to form the Outsiders due to Superman’s decision not to become involved with a foreign war in Markovia, home of Outsiders member Geo-Force. The first few issues of the BATO series focused on the problem, but left Superman and Batman at odds for the first time in their long history. Writer David Anthony Kraft, famous for his magazine Comics Interview as well as many scripts for both DC and Marvel Comics, originated the WFC anniversary edition’s story of an overpopulated world making an aggressive move to take over Earth through the transformation of five humans into the Pantheon. Also involved was Mike W. Barr, writer and co-creator of Batman and the Outsiders. Writer Marv Wolfman joined the festivities with a sequence involving his fan-favorite title, The New Teen Titans. In the pages that follow, Kraft is interviewed about World’s Finest’s tricentennial issue, and Barr kindly shares his recollections as well. – Randall C. Wiggins RANDALL WIGGINS: The storyline that leads from World’s Finest #296 to 300 (Feb. 1984) is very unusual, but entertaining. How did you develop that story? DAVID ANTHONY KRAFT: A friend of mine was the editor, Roger Slifer. We started at Marvel on the same day and had worked together and so on. When he went to DC to edit World’s Finest, he needed a fill-in issue because somebody was late or something. He offered me the opportunity to script Superman and Batman—how could I resist? And, very deceptively,
Your Two Favorite Heroes—Together! …Actually, apart, due to a difference of opinion. The Ed Hannigan/Dick Giordano cover to World’s Finest Comics #300 (Feb. 1984). TM & © DC Comics.
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Randall C. Wiggins
that first issue was easy for me. That’s not true with all comic-book stories! But I had a pretty good time writing it and it went pretty easily and he was happy with it, so then he wanted me to be the regular writer. He asked me to introduce some new villains that were unique to World’s Finest rather than old Superman and Batman villains. There was another guy I knew who was working in the production department at Marvel for Sol Brodsky. That was Ron Fontes. You’ll see his name on some of those [Pantheon creator credits]. He gets a special credit because he designed and conceptualized the Pantheon. He wanted to write and draw his own comics, but even though he was at Marvel, sometimes people just get pigeonholed. And since I knew that Roger wanted characters, I said to Ron, “Here’s your chance.” We managed to get him a creator’s fee for those characters, actually! And that was before the companies … they were in the early stages of revamping how they were treating people. So I said, “This guy needs to get paid” and I gave him a credit on it. He helped me to plot or sometimes to dialogue scenes and things with those characters, and it was a way to bring something new to the book that wasn’t there before. WIGGINS: How did it come about that the Outsiders and New Teen Titans appear in the story? KRAFT: Issue #300 would be the culmination of this storyline—we thought, “How can we make this special?” At that time The New Teen Titans was probably DC’s most popular book, and instead of us trying to do our version of it or whatever, I said, “Why don’t we get the guys who are actually doing these things? And let’s include the Outsiders, since that works with Batman.” WIGGINS: That was one of the questions I was wondering about: How the Teen Titans showed up… KRAFT: Well, that was part of the “make it special” thing. We pitched Marv Wolfman and Mike Barr: “It’s issue #300. How would you like to be in on that?” and they immediately agreed. Included in Comics Interview #8 is the actual plotting session that Roger and I had with Mike Barr. I took a tape recorder along to that lunch. WIGGINS: Mike Barr did a really good job with #300. KRAFT: It’s been quite a while since I’ve re-read it. I don’t know how they hold up. WIGGINS: Pretty well. I re-read them three or four times to get everything in my head. The first time I read #300, I had forgotten that the storyline started a few issues before. I finally went back digging in my boxes and found my World’s Finest back issues. KRAFT: There’s also a five-page epilogue I did, which appears in issue #302, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli. It’s Superman and Batman hanging out. I can show you just how fast everything changed, just how different times were. It was just supposed to be a fun little five-page thing. You know, like after the battle, here’s Superman and Batman kicking back, and they go into a bar and Batman is ordering, like, Jack Daniels and Superman orders milk. Do you know they wouldn’t allow me to have Batman order whiskey in a bar! WIGGINS: [laughs] And look what they do now in ’em! Look what they do in comics now. KRAFT: Yeah. I’m glad it opened up, but it was definitely a whole different time, the hierarchy took a different viewpoint on things. They were very protective about their characters then. I thought it symbolized both characters, it was kinda cute. But they said, “Oh, no! We can’t have Batman drinkin’ whiskey!”
Beginnings: “Kerene” in Psycho #7 (July 1972)
Milestones: Founder of Fictioneer Books Ltd. / The Defenders / The Beatles Story in Marvel Super Special #4 / Savage She-Hulk / Captain America / FOOM (editor) / G.I. Joe Extreme (animation story editor) / David Anthony Kraft’s Comics Interview
Recent Works: Comics Interview: The Complete Collection vol. 2
Website: www.comicsinterview.com Find Comics Interview on Facebook
david anthony kraft
Your Two Favorite Teams— Together! The Man of Steel assembles the JLA in the team’s satellite on page 1 of WFC #300. Special thanks to Andy Mangels for the interior pages scans accompanying this article. TM & © DC Comics.
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Strange Visitor Howard Chaykin’s stunning cover painting to Superman #400 (Oct. 1984). TM & © DC Comics.
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Frankie Addiego
By 1984, Superman’s fame was incalculable. Not only was he the longest-running and most influential figure in the history of comic books, but he’d changed the face of animation, television, and film. But if Superman were real, how would people look back on him in the generations to come? Writer Elliot S! Maggin decided to explore that question with the 400th issue of Superman. “This had been something that has been dancing around in my head since I was in high school,” says Maggin, “and I started to notice patterns in the way history works. Historical perspectives change, I realized. For most of the 19th Century, Benjamin Franklin, for example, was regarded as a minor figure in the founding of the United States. By the 20th Century, as industrialization and technology became more obvious and significant influences in our lives, we came to revere him as a groundbreaking scientist and philosopher and the person who essentially invented the United States.” Superman #400 (Oct. 1984) featured very little of the hero’s rogues’ gallery or supporting cast. While many of the familiar faces we associate with Superman made cameos, the focus of the comic was on how the people of the future viewed the Man of Steel. After a brief, present-day introduction, the first story in the collection is a tale of a man in the distant future named “Old Homer,” who’s spinning yarns for a group of kids. Illustrated by Al Williamson, Old Homer tells his young audience that he was a pilot on the spacecraft carrier Bruce Wayne. According to talent coordinator Sal Amendola, Al Williamson was reluctant to pencil a Superman story: “He hated the prospect of having to draw the ‘S’ on his chest.” As the kids find holes in Homer’s tale, we begin to suspect that it was a fabrication. Surprisingly, the next story—drawn by Frank Miller— was a trip to the past with a tribute to the classic Adventures of Superman series. A group of researchers on Earth-Prime, DC’s equivalent of “the real world” (where all superheroes are fictional characters), uncover an episode of the series, which starred George Reeves and Jack Larson. Maggin was a huge fan of the series and based the curator in the story on his friend Noah Mandell, who—according to Maggin—“is a real guy who looked a lot like the way Frank drew him.” Two of the stories in Superman #400 deal with the idea of ordinary people becoming Superman. In “Last Son of Krypton,” two kids (with hair patterned after the manga icon Astro Boy) enter a virtual-reality simulator, enabling one of them to rescue the other as Superman. In this story, the character is reimagined as a powerless hero who instead has a utility belt filled with gadgets along the lines of Batman. Further related to this concept was a story with art by Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin—noted for their work on Detective Comics in the mid-’70s—which examined a group of would-be world conquerors. A homeless man finds one of Superman’s old indestructible costumes, and is able to ward off the invaders until they take aim at his head. His final word to fellow Earthlings before his demise is “resist.” Other artists contributed art to the book. ElfQuest co-creator Wendy Pini illustrated a brief vignette of a pair of college professors arguing over what appearance Superman took. A male professor envisions an idealized Superwoman, who was “generous … nurturing … a woman who symbolized the values of equality we all live by!,” while a female professor sees Superman as a “masculine product of the popular imagination,” and that he was, in actuality, a character created for a game along the lines of Donkey Kong.
Does This Make Him Kal-Elf? (top) Original art to the Superman #400 sequence illustrated by Wendy Pini, courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). (Fans of Wendy’s and husband Richard’s ElfQuest—that’s on tap for the BI treatment next summer, in issue #75.) (bottom) Superman #400 promo in DC Releases Oct. 1984. TM & © DC Comics.
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Although the company began as Timely Comics in 1939, Marvel Comics as we know it did not exist until the release of Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961). Alongside veteran artist Jack Kirby, writer/editor Stan Lee created the Fantastic Four partially as a result of his frustration with having to write the types of juvenile stories that were common in comic books at the time. Buoyed by the success of Fantastic Four, Lee, Kirby, and a host of illustrators that included Steve Ditko, Don Heck, and Werner Roth began to lay the foundation for what would become the Marvel Universe, creating exciting new heroes like Spider-Man, the Hulk, Iron Man, and the X-Men. Stan Lee treated the medium seriously by not talking down to his readers, imbuing his characters with distinct personalities, and presenting them with real-world problems. Lee felt that “[t]here’s nothing wrong with comics as a means of storytelling. The best example I can give you is, what if Shakespeare and Michelangelo were alive today, and they said, ‘Let’s collaborate on a comic,’ and Shakespeare wrote the copy and Michelangelo drew the pictures. Who in the world wouldn’t buy a book like that and treasure it?” Marvel Comics soon had legions of devoted fans and throughout the 1960s and 1970s attracted new creators like Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway, whose stories continued the expansion of the Marvel Universe. The company obtained licensing rights to properties from other media, including Robert E. Howard’s Conan and the successful Star Wars film franchise. Marvel continued its rise to the top under the stewardship of editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, and by 1986, Marvel was the industry leader, representing more than half of the comic-book market, generating $100 million in annual sales and producing between seven and eight million issues each month. The publisher’s 25th anniversary attracted a lot of attention. Marvel Comics received some rare for the time exposure in the mainstream media: Entertainment trade magazine Variety, from which the above quote was taken, devoted several articles to Marvel Comics in its September 17, 1986 issue, covering the past and (then) present of Marvel. The anniversary was also featured in a segment on 20/20, ABC’s popular television newsmagazine, which featured the history of Marvel Comics, interviews with Stan Lee and Jim Shooter, and is the source from which the above sales figures were taken. Tom DeFalco, former Marvel editor-in-chief, says that despite all of the attention that Marvel’s 25th anniversary received, it was business as usual so far as the creators were concerned. “The person most
Frame Job Cover to Amazing Spider-Man #282 (Nov. 1986), penciled by Rick Leonardi and inked by Bob Layton. This star-studded cover frame was used on Marvel’s entire line of comics during this anniversary month. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
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Darrell Hempel
interested in doing anything [for the anniversary] was Jim Shooter,” DeFalco says. “Nowadays, everything is an anniversary; back then, not so much. Shooter used Marvel’s 25th anniversary as a launching pad for something new; that became the New Universe.” The New Universe, Marvel’s ambitious, yet ultimately unsuccessful attempt to further Lee’s concept of comic-book stories in a real-world setting, was heavily promoted throughout the year in house ads and Jim Shooter’s “Bullpen Bulletins” column. Despite the fact that Marvel’s main focus that year was the establishment of the New Universe titles, the company made sure to promote its 25th anniversary throughout the line. Marvel titles published in 1986 (cover-dated Apr. 1986–Mar. 1987) carried a special “Marvel 25th Anniversary” corner box logo. Several Marvel titles, including those in its Star Comics line, sported the same John Romita/Al Williamson-drawn frame cover, which featured many of the company’s heroes surrounding a portrait of the title’s star or a member of that title’s team (see sidebar). “The covers were the closest thing to the big, event-type story,” Tom DeFalco says. Naturally, what was going on behind those special covers was pure Marvel magic. What follows is a brief synopsis of every Marvel and Star Comics title cover-dated Nov. 1986 that carried the special anniversary cover. As a personal aside, this then-13-yearold Marvelite enjoyed trying to track down every issue just to see the cover portrait. It was equally fun to revisit these stories while writing this article. I have tried to keep the synopses as spoiler-free as possible for those readers who have yet to complete their Marvel 25th anniversary collection.
NOVEMBER 1986: MARVEL COMICS A–X Alpha Flight #40, by Bill Mantlo and David Ross, wrapped up the crossover with Avengers that began the previous month and features the wedding of Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner and Alpha Flight member Marrina, who establish the new undersea kingdom of Deluvia. Tom DeFalco and Rick Leonardi’s Amazing Spider-Man #282 features a classic Marvel hero vs. hero slugfest when an injured Spider-Man faces the mutant-hunting X-Factor (actually the original five X-Men in disguise), who had been hired by J. Jonah Jameson to capture the WallCrawler. The issue also furthers the mystery of the Hobgoblin, as Joe of Marvel’s kid-friendly Star Comics Robertson tries to prove the innoimprint, features a story by Howard cence of longtime supporting cast Post that finds the Care Bears member Flash Thompson, who had attempting to cheer up the saddest been accused of being the villain. man in the world. The now-classic, five-part “Under Classic X-Men was a reprint title Siege” storyline by Roger Stern and that featured the earliest adventures John Buscema began in Avengers #273, of the new X-Men. Each issue tom defalco in which the largest-ever Masters of also contained a backup story that Evil group, led by Baron Zemo, use a complemented the main story. This combination of subterfuge and force to take control backup in Classic X-Men #3, by Chris Claremont and of Avengers Mansion. Captain America #323, by Mark John Bolton, gives insight into the background of Gruenwald and Paul Neary, featured the introduction X-Men member Thunderbird, who was killed in action of the Super-Patriot, the man who would assume the in X-Men #95 (Oct. 1975), which was reprinted in this role of Captain America the following year. The Super- issue. Cloak and Dagger #9, by Bill Mantlo and Arthur Patriot believed that he would make a better symbol Adams, sees the titular duo separated, with Dagger for America than Cap. Also in this issue, Captain attempting to escape her life with Cloak by joining the America has been forced by S.H.I.E.L.D. to maintain a circus, and Cloak embracing the darkness of his nature low profile in light of the negative public reaction to in the absence of his partner. Jim Owsley and John events in the previous two issues. Care Bears #7, part Buscema’s Conan the Barbarian #188 features Conan
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Weather Girl Newbie Arthur Adams provided this Storm cover for Classic X-Men #3. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
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[Editor’s note: Looking for information about Avengers #200? See BACK ISSUE #56, our Avengers issue.]
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With Avengers #300 (Feb. 1989), the Avengers became the second of Marvel’s team books to reach the hallowed level of 300 issues. In this anniversary issue, writer Walter Simonson and artist John Buscema created an all-new lineup for the Avengers. It was one of the more unexpected lineups in Avengers history. BACK ISSUE spoke with Simonson and Ralph Macchio to discuss the formation and rapid demise of these new Avengers. Captain America (as the Captain), Thor, Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, and the Forgotten One. “It seemed a nice mix of old and new, and it was a mix readers wouldn’t have had any experience with or expectations for,” Simonson says. “Which means they wouldn’t Suiter necessarily have been able to guess in advance what sorts of stories I was going to tell, or how the stories or even the relationships between characters were going to develop. “In its origins, The Avengers, to me, was a book about various rather different individuals who come together to help Earth and mankind,” Simonson continues. “But they aren’t necessarily completely at ease with each other, at least not until they’ve had a chance to settle in. The team in general has become more collegial over the years, but I always liked that slight edge to them. I was hoping to invoke a little of that earlier sense of story. “I was writing The Avengers just about the time Marvel was moving to tie its continuity more tightly together. What that meant to me as a writer is that I was asked more or walter simonson less continuously during my year on the book to alter my stories to match other writers’ continuity whose characters had their own books. It quickly became clear that I was going to be making adjustments in my stories pretty much on the fly as long as I had any characters in the book that had their own titles. So I thought that a lineup with fewer Avengers who had their own continuity might not be a bad idea.” Simonson began his roster change by disassembling the then current Avengers team over the months leading to Avengers #300. One by one the heroes exited the book, until there were none. During the “Inferno” crossover (Marvel’s 1989 event), the Captain teamed with longtime friends Reed “Mr. Fantastic” Richards and Sue “Invisible Woman” Richards against Nanny and the Orphan Maker. Simonson recalls, “I thought adding Reed and
Fantastic Five Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman join two familiar faces and a “forgotten” one as the new team. Cover to Avengers #300 (Feb. 1989) by John Buscema and Tom Palmer. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
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Recalling the Forgotten One (left) Courtesy of Walter Simonson, his original model sheet for Gilgamesh, from 1988. (below) From Marvel Age #70, the Avengers #300 cover stars in their familiar forms. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.
Sue was a really neat idea. At the time, Steve Englehart was writing the [Fantastic Four]. Steve had written Reed and Sue out of the FF and had no plans to bring them back. None. I thought the two of them were great characters, and at that point, they had no presence in the Marvel Universe. So I checked with editorial about six months in advance and got an approval to add them to the Avengers roster.” Simonson continues, “I thought that there were a number of character possibilities inherent in adding Reed and Sue to the Avengers. I looked forward to writing a rather complex relationship between Reed and Cap. Both were men accustomed to the habit of command. Reed was a brilliant mind; Cap, a seasoned warrior. I thought there was room for some conflict between two characters who clearly would have regarded each other with enormous respect, but might very well have had clear differences of opinion in how they would approach the matter of the Avengers, strategically and tactically. And I liked the idea of putting Sue in the middle of all that.”
RALPH MACCHIO AND WALTER SIMONSON TELL THE ORIGIN OF THE AVENGERS FROM A NEW POINT OF VIEW In the Avengers #300 (Feb. 1989) backup feature, writer Ralph Macchio and artist Walter Simonson recounted the events of Avengers #1 (Sept. 1963) from an all-new angle. “I remember it clearly,” Macchio says. “Mark [Gruenwald] came into my office and threw something at me: ‘We want one of the Avengers to retell the origin. Which hero should it be?’ It just clicked—Loki should tell the story because he must kick himself everyday for creating the Avengers. Mark’s eyes lit up with the thought. “Loki is a very Shakespearean character,” Macchio adds. “His own actions had brought about his own demise. His voice was unique to the origin story because he was the only one with the full perspective on the events. “It was just one of those occasions where the story seemed so logical, because Loki was so furious with himself for the unintended consequences that created the greatest force for good the world had ever seen.” Regarding the story’s artist, Macchio says, “When Walt agreed to draw it I was ecstatic. Dealing with a guy like Walt inspired what I was scripting.” According to Simonson, “I thought it would be fun to do the first Avengers. Back in those days at Marvel, we were all following in [Jack Kirby’s] footsteps … much of the playground in which we played was based on characters Jack helped to create, that everybody just took it for granted. It was fun to draw those early versions of the Avengers.” Tenth Anniversary Issue
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