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Edited by MICHAEL EURY, BACK ISSUE magazine celebrates comic books of the 1970s, 1980s, and today through recurring (and rotating) departments like “Pro2Pro” (dialogue between professionals), “BackStage Pass” (behind-the-scenes of comicsbased media), “Greatest Stories Never Told” (spotlighting unrealized comics series or stories), and more!

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“Bronze Age Backup Series”! Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Metamorpho, GOODWIN and SIMONSON’s Manhunter, PASKO and GIFFEN’s Dr. Fate, “Whatever Happened To…?”, Nemesis, Rose and the Thorn, Seven Soldiers of Victory, art and commentary by CARY BURKETT, JOHN CALNAN, DICK GIORDANO, MIKE GRELL, ELLIOT S! MAGGIN, DAN SPIEGLE, cover by GRELL and JOE RUBINSTEIN.

“Bronze Age B-Teams”! Defenders issue-byissue overview, Champions, Guardians of the Galaxy, Inhumans, PETER DAVID’s X-Factor, Teen Titans West, Legion of Substitute Heroes, an all-star chatfest of Doom Patrol interviews, plus art and commentary by ROSS ANDRU, SAL BUSCEMA, KEITH GIFFEN, TONY ISABELLA, PAUL KUPPERBERG, ERIK LARSEN, GEORGE PÉREZ, BOB ROZAKIS, cover by KEVIN NOWLAN.

“Bronze Age Team-Ups”! Marvel Team-Up and Two-in-One, Super-Villain Team-Up, CLAREMONT and SIMONSON’s X-Men/New Teen Titans, DC Comics Presents, SuperTeam Family, HANEY and APARO’s Batman of Earth-B(&B), Superman/Captain Marvel smackdowns, plus art and commentary by BUCKLER, ENGLEHART, GARCÍA-LÓPEZ, GIFFEN, LEVITZ, WEIN, and a classic GIL KANE cover inked anew by TERRY AUSTIN.

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“Heroes Out of Time!” Batman: Gotham by Gaslight with MIGNOLA, WAID, and AUGUSTYN, Booster Gold with JURGENS, X-Men: Days of Future Past with CHRIS CLAREMONT, Bill & Ted with EVAN DORKIN, interview with P. CRAIG RUSSELL, “Pro2Pro” with Time Masters’ BOB WAYNE and LEWIS SHINER, Karate Kid, New Mutants: Asgardian Wars, and Kang. Mignola cover.

“1970s and ‘80s Legion of Super-Heroes!” LEVITZ interview, the Legion’s Honored Dead, the Cosmic Boy miniseries, a Time Trapper history, the New Adventures of Superboy, Legion fantasy cover gallery by JOHN WATSON, plus BATES, COCKRUM, CONWAY, COLON, GIFFEN, GRELL, JANES, KUPPERBERG, LaROCQUE, LIGHTLE, SCHAFFENBERGER, SHERMAN, STATON, SWAN, WAID, & more! COCKRUM cover!

TENTH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! Revisit the 100th, 200th, 300th, 400th, and 500th issues of ‘70s and ‘80s favorites: Adventure, Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Batman, Brave & Bold, Casper, Detective, Flash, Green Lantern, Showcase, Superman, Thor, Wonder Woman, and more! With APARO, BARR, ENGLEHART, POLLARD, SEKOWSKY, SIMONSON, STATON, and WOLFMAN. DAN JURGENS and RAY McCARTHY cover.

“Incredible Hulk in the Bronze Age!” Looks into Hulk’s mind, his role as a team player, his TV show and cartoon, merchandising, Hulk newspaper strip, Teen Hulk, villain history of the Abomination, art and artifacts by SAL BUSCEMA, JOHN BYRNE, PETER DAVID, KENNETH JOHNSON, BILL MANTLO, AL MILGROM, EARL NOREM, ROGER STERN, HERB TRIMPE, LEN WEIN, new cover by TRIMPE and GERHARD!

“Tryouts, One-Shots, & One-Hit Wonders”! Marvel Premiere, Marvel Spotlight, Marvel Feature, Strange Tales, Showcase, First Issue Special, New Talent Showcase, DC’s Dick Tracy tabloid, Sherlock Holmes, Marvel’s Generic Comic Books, Bat-Squad, Crusader, & Swashbuckler, with BRUNNER, CARDY, COLAN, FRADON, GRELL, PLOOG, TRIMPE, and an ARTHUR ADAMS “Clea” cover!

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“Robots” issue! Cyborg, Metal Men, Robotman, Red Tornado, Mister Atom, the Vision, Jocasta, Shogun Warriors, and Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, plus the legacy of Brainiac! Featuring the riveting work of DARROW, GERBER, INFANTINO, PAUL KUPPERBERG, MILLER, MOENCH, PEREZ, SIMONSON, STATON, THOMAS, WOLFMAN, and more, behind a Metal Men cover by MICHAEL ALLRED.

“Batman’s Partners!” MIKE W. BARR and ALAN DAVIS on their Detective Comics, Batman and the Outsiders, Nightwing flies solo, Man-Bat history, Commissioner Gordon, the last days of World’s Finest, Bat-Mite, the Batmobile, plus Dark Knight’s girl Robin! Featuring work by APARO, BUSIEK, DITKO, KRAFT, MILGROM, MILLER, PÉREZ, WOLFMAN, and more, with a cover by ALAN DAVIS and MARK FARMER.

“Bronze Age Fantastic Four!” The animated FF, the FF radio show of 1975, Human Torch goes solo, Galactus villain history, FF Mego figures… and the Impossible Man! Exploring work by RICH BUCKLER, JOHN BUSCEMA, JOHN BYRNE, GERRY CONWAY, STEVE ENGLEHART, GEORGE PÉREZ, KEITH POLLARD, ROY THOMAS, LEN WEIN, MARV WOLFMAN, and more! Cover by KEITH POLLARD and JOE RUBINSTEIN.

“‘80s Independents!” In-depth looks at PAUL CHADWICK’s Concrete, DAVE SIM’s Cerebus the Aardvark, and RICHARD AND WENDY PINI’s Elfquest! Plus see ‘80s independent comics go Hollywood, DAVID SCROGGY remembers Pacific Comics, TRINA ROBBINS’ California Girls, and DENIS KITCHEN’s star-studded horror/sci-fi anthology Death Rattle. Cover by PAUL CHADWICK!

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Volume 1, Number 76 October 2014 Celebrating the Best Comics of the '70s, '80s, '90s, and Beyond!

Comics’ Bronze Age and Beyond!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Eury PUBLISHER John Morrow DESIGNER Rich Fowlks COVER ARTIST/COLORIST Pat Broderick (from the original art collection of Shaun Clancy) COVER DESIGNER Michael Kronenberg PROOFREADER Rob Smentek

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BACK SEAT DRIVER: Editorial by Michael Eury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 FLASHBACK: Hank and Janet: The Rocky Relationship of Ant-Man and the Wasp . . . . .3 The ups and downs of these size-changing founding Avengers ONE-HIT WONDERS: Here Come the Microbots! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 This toy-inspired Gold Key comic predated the Micronauts by seven years FLASHBACK: Marvel Value Stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 How Marvel convinced fandom to buy more comics by cutting them up OFF MY CHEST: The Case of Marvel’s First Wolverine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 A look at the mysterious creation of Marvel’s most popular mutant FLASHBACK: Shrinking Roles and Shorter Features: The Atom in the Bronze Age . . . . .21 Ray Palmer’s scattershot appearances in the 1970s and 1980s—including television! FLASHBACK: Swords, Sorcery, and Size-Changing: Sword of the Atom . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Jan Strnad recalls his collaboration with Gil Kane on this ’80s superhero detour BEYOND CAPES: Inner-Space Opera: A Look at Marvel’s Micronauts Comics . . . . . . . . .41 Borne of the toy box, Micronauts became a surprise hit for the House of Ideas FLASHBACK: Buried Treasures in DC’s Reprint Digests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Big surprises found in small packages INDEX: DC Comics Digests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Issue-by-issue, the contents of these pocket-sized crowd-pleasers WHAT THE--?!: Super Jrs. vs. Superkids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 The many mysteries of DC’s Romper Room JLA BACK TALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Reader reaction to our Tryouts, One-Shots, and One-Hit Wonders issue (#71) and more

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: $67 Standard US, $85 Canada, $104 Surface International. Please send subscription orders and funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial office. Cover art by Pat Broderick. Micronauts TM & © 2014 Takara LTD/A.G.E., Inc. All Rights Reserved. All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter © 2014 Michael Eury and TwoMorrows Publishing. BACK ISSUE is a TM of TwoMorrows Publishing. ISSN 1932-6904. Printed in China. FIRST PRINTING. Let’s Get Small Issue

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The Atom, in detail from the cover of Secret Origins #2 (Apr.–May 1973). Art by Nick Cardy. TM & © DC Comics.

SPECIAL THANKS Jerry Boyd Andy Mangels Pat Broderick Michael Mantlo John Cimino David Michelinie Shaun Clancy Al Milgrom Chris Claremont Bethan Millsted Gerry Conway Elizabeth Millsted Nicola Cuti Ian Millsted Tom DeFalco Brian K. Morris Mike Dunne Fabian Nicieza Steve Englehart Marc Tyler Nobleman Chris Franklin Luigi Novi Stephan Friedt PlaidStallions Carl Gafford Dr. Henry Pym Peter B. Gillis Bob Rozakis Michael Golden Josef Rubinstein Grand Comics Paul Sager Database Roger Stern Jackson “Butch” Guice Jan Strnad Heritage Comics Takara Ltd./A.G.E., Inc. Auctions Roy Thomas Kelley Jones Anthony Tollin Rob Kelly John Trumbull Richard Kolkman Loston Wallace Paul Kupperberg Len Wein James Heath Lantz John Wells Paul Levitz Randall Wiggins Alan Light Bill Zanowitz

Michael Eury

This issue, we scoff at composer Randy Newman’s “Short People” lyrics and place many of the Bronze Age’s tiniest titans on a pedestal for this, our “Let’s Get Small” edition! For the benefit of our younger readers who might not get our theme’s title: Let’s Get Small was a Platinum-selling comedy album released in 1977 by Steve Martin (pardon me as I ignore the fact that “getting small” was drug humor—but what wasn’t back in the ’70s?). It won a 1978 Grammy Award for “Best Comedy Album.” (Now, for those of you young’uns wondering what an “album” is—Google it.) In the pages which follow, we’ll examine several comics characters who stand tall against adversity despite their diminutive size. For years, readers have clamored for the Micronauts to receive the BACK ISSUE treatment, so James Heath Lantz’s in-depth look at their toy and comics history—and our spectacular Micronauts cover by Pulse-Pounding Pat Broderick—should bring many a smile. Two writers pull double duty this issue: John Cimino, with a “FlashBack” to the Marvel Value Stamps and an editorial exploring Wolverine’s origins, and John Trumbull, who puts the microscope to both the Atom’s Bronze Age tales and his Sword of the Atom fantasy incarnation. Plus, this issue looks at one of Marvel’s next movie stars, Ant-Man, and his tumultuous relationship with his wife, the Wasp; the Microbots; and DC’s digest comics. This one’s a cover-to-cover read!

BABY TALK

TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

And there’s one more treat herein, an article some of you might be prone to overlook (but do so at your own peril): Andy Mangels opens the playpen of the Super Jrs. to let those terrific tots run wild! DC fans in particular will go ga-ga (or maybe goo-goo) over the many twists and turns experienced by this moppet-Justice League. In his incisive feature, Andy reveals—among other surprises—the previously uncredited writer of the Super Jrs. Christmas story many of you read in The Best of DC #58 digest! (Hint: He’s a one-time Marvel Comics editor-in-chief…) And for fun, on this page you’ll find covers for two Bronze Age baby-superhero images referenced in the Super Jrs. article: Stories featuring Superbaby—the adventures of Superman as a superpowered, trouble-causing toddler—were common in the late Golden through early Bronze Ages, but Lex Luthor turned Superman—and Batman and the Flash—into children in Action Comics #466 (Dec. 1976), featuring a dynamite cover by Neal Adams. Marvel Comics wasn’t above such hijinks, as this page’s eye-popping Arthur Adams/Terry Austin cover for X-Men Annual #10 (1986) shows. It features the X-Babies—and you’ve gotta love Li’l Storm’s Mohawk. And last, but not least, we’ve also included something that even Andy missed: the world of the Marvel Babies— shown here, the Silver Burper and the Fantastic Four Tots—from a “Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham” tale I wrote for Marvel Tales #219 (Jan. 1989). Art by Alan Kupperberg and Joe Albelo.

TM & © DC Comics.

SMALL TALK

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Ian Millsted

At the time of writing, the Marvel character Ant-Man is set to reach the big screen in a Marvel Studios movie starring Michael Douglas as Henry Pym and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang [see inset photo]. However, the character has not always been so high profile. When the Ant-Man series in Marvel Feature [see BI #71] ended with #10 (July 1973), the character was, in Marvel Comics terms, a two-time loser. He was the first of the Silver Age superhero characters from the House of Ideas to effectively be canceled twice. There was also the additional indignity of being the only one of the three series to run in the first volume of Marvel Feature not go on to have its own comic book, since both MF’s Defenders and Thing team-up features progressed to long-running, decade-spanning titles. In addition, despite having been founding members and longtime core characters of the Avengers, neither Ant-Man nor his partner the Wasp were being used in The Avengers at the time. All of which seems a shame for two characters with plenty of potential, especially since in their civilian identities of Henry Pym and Janet Pym (nee van Dyne) they were only the second married couple within the Marvel Universe (that marriage being the second for Henry Pym).

“I WILL STAND BESIDE YOU ALWAYS … TO AVENGE MY FATHER’S DEATH.” (Janet) Ant-Man had first appeared in the one-off story “The Man in the Ant Hill” in Tales to Astonish #27 (Jan. 1962). Seemingly intended as a complete science-fiction/monster story of the type Marvel specialized in at the time—and passed over by plotter Stan Lee to his brother Larry Lieber to script over Jack Kirby’s art—the story contained no superhero costumes, no supervillain, and no indication that there would be any further tales featuring the character. However, Ant-Man returned to star in his own series in Tales to Astonish starting with #35 (Sept. 1962). A detailed examination of that series is beyond the remit of this Bronze Age-based magazine, but regarding the ongoing development of the character, some points are relevant. Creatively, Ant-Man seems to have been a low priority for Stan Lee when compared to the likes of Spider-Man, the Hulk, Fantastic Four, and others. Lee contributed plots, but the scripts were done by Lieber (Tales to Astonish #35–43), and then Ernest Hart, under the pseudonym H. E. Huntley (TtA #44–48).

Character Growth Dave Cockrum’s 1974 rendition of Hank Pym’s superheroic identities—in order of size: Ant-Man, Yellowjacket, Giant-Man, and Goliath—and his wife, Janet van Dyne Pym, the Wasp (who’s had her share of costume changes as well). Submitted by this article’s writer, Ian Millsted. Colors by BI designer Rich Fowlks. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Let’s Get Small Issue

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Making a Series Out of an Anthill Big moments in Hank and Janet’s early career: (left to right) Pym’s premiere in Tales to Astonish #27 (Jan. 1962); Henry’s first outing as Ant-Man in #35; Pym’s new role as Giant-Man in #49; and both Pyms imperiled at the close of Ant-Man’s series in Marvel Feature #10 (July 1973). TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Learn more about Don Heck’s life and career (including early Ant-Man work) in TwoMorrows’ new full-color hardcover Don Heck: A Work of Art, now shipping!

Only when Ant-Man transformed into Giant-Man in Tales to Astonish #49 (Nov. 1963) did Lee start to do all the writing. The prolific Jack Kirby penciled the Ant-Man stories in Tales to Astonish #35–40 and 44, with the others being drawn by Don Heck. Even after the commencement of the Giant-Man stories, the top team of Lee and Kirby lasted only to Tales to Astonish #51 (Jan. 1964), after which Dick Ayers took over on art, with one more issue by Don Heck (Tales to Astonish #54, Apr. 1964). So far as the characters go, the main point of interest in Tales to Astonish #44 (June 1963) was the introduction of Janet van Dyne. In that issue, van Dyne becomes the Wasp, courtesy of Pym’s science, and it should be noted that from the outset she was coverfeatured and shared equal co-star status with Ant-Man, although the latter was reduced after the series’ change to “Giant-Man.” In that first story, it was clear that van Dyne is attracted to Pym as adventurer Ant-Man more than as scientist Henry Pym. Pym, however, has a more complex reason for noticing Janet: her resemblance to his first wife, Maria Trovaya, a Hungarian defector. While she and Hank were on honeymoon back in Hungary, Maria was seemingly killed by hard-line Communists as punishment for her leaving for the West. Janet has her own tragedy in the form of the death of her father. Although their working partnership as crimefighters was closely followed by a growing romance, the signs that such a relationship was built on less-than-sure foundations were likely to be picked up on by subsequent writers. Married couples often seem to be difficult for comics companies dealing in long-running superhero titles; the temptation is there for lazy writers to contrive conflict where there had been none. In the case of Henry Pym and Janet van Dyne, however, the fault lines were there from the very beginning, and the dramatic fallout from this relationship has been felt in most corners of the Marvel Universe. Also of note regarding the Ant-Man/Giant-Man series from Tales to Astonish is that when Pym gave Janet the ability to fly, in addition to all the powers he had as Ant-Man, he effectively made her more powerful than he, although this was never developed at the time and became moot when he gave himself the power to increase his size. Also easily overlooked are the Wasp solo stories that ran in 1964 in Tales to Astonish #51–58.

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While the first six of these are really just a framing sequence for Atlas-era-style stories, issues #57 and 58 are genuine solo adventures—meaning that, however briefly, the Wasp was the first female superhero of the Marvel Silver Age to have her own series. Giant-Man and the Wasp were replaced in Tales to Astonish after #69 (July 1965) by the Sub-Mariner feature. Of their adversaries from TtA, only Egghead, the Human Top, and the villainous Black Knight arguably represented much of an ongoing rogues’ gallery, and that, principally, took place in The Avengers. Ant-Man and the Wasp were among the founders of the Avengers, although Janet was at first treated much like a junior member, not seeming to take a turn at being chairman and once being compared to Rick Jones as a mere partner to a more senior, “male” hero. Although Hank and Janet left the Avengers with #16 (May 1965), after they re-joined in #28 (May 1966) they started to become part of the spine of the team. As their own series had already ended, it was within the pages of The Avengers that Pym and van Dyne were developed further as characters. Henry Pym transitioned from Giant-Man to Goliath and then to Yellowjacket. As a scientist, he created, in an act of scientific genius but tragic consequence, a sentient robot called Ultron. [Editor’s note: See BACK ISSUE #38 for the history of Ultron.] It was after a nervous breakdown that Pym suffered amnesia, took on the Yellowjacket identity, and proposed to Janet. Van Dyne, fully aware of who Yellowjacket really was, accepted his proposal and a wedding followed. Before long, they once again drifted away from the group. Special artistic credit should be given to the sometimes-underestimated Don Heck, who drew van Dyne as a beautiful society girl very much at home in expensive clothes, and to John Buscema, who transformed her into a modern-looking (for the time) woman.

Avengers #139 featured the Wasp under threat from the Whirlwind “DID YOU REALLY THINK I’D LEAVE YOU, HONEY?” (Hank) (originally known as the aforementioned Human Top). The Whirlwind It was actually in the pages of The Defenders that Pym reappeared, once operated undercover, using his close proximity to van Dyne to enable more in the identity of Yellowjacket. Across Giant-Size Defenders #4 himself to burgle the high-class establishments she frequented. Henry (Apr. 1975) and Defenders #23–25 (May–July 1975), Yellowjacket operatsuffered his own injuries while protecting his wife. By the end ed as a human-sized character following continued complications of #140 (Oct. 1975), the Pyms were reunited as a couple with his size-changing abilities left over from the Marvel while recovering from their respective injuries, which Feature run. Writer Steve Gerber showed Yellowjacket led to their absence from further Avengers business using his fists and gadgets in a way more reminiscent of (apart from a brief cameo in a fill-in issue #146). They the Blue Beetle or even a ’60s-era Batman. Yellowjacket returned to the team in Avengers #150 (Aug. 1976), also appeared without the Wasp, seemingly happy only for Yellowjacket to announce in the following within the informal setup of the Defenders. issue that he does not want to serve as an Avenger. In response to a public recruitment drive by Avengers #152 saw Gerry Conway scripting over Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Avengers #137 (July 1975), Steve Englehart’s plot as the return of the presumedthe Wasp surprised the current team by responding dead Wonder Man gave Pym a brief opportunity to that not only does she want to join, but that she use his scientific ability—but with the arrival of Henry expects her husband will as well. After acknowledging McCoy (a.k.a. the Beast) in the team, even that role that she wants “to go adventuring again,” she for Pym became one where he was no longer informed Thor, “ours is a happy marriage … and steve englehart unique or pre-eminent. Conway scripted a nice Hank wants to keep it that way.” scene wherein Janet tried to shore up Henry’s ego. For the time being, at least, Henry Pym seemed There was public acknowledgement of his insecurity about her wealth to enjoy the superhero life, not only his time with the Defenders but and his powers, but in the subsequent action scenes both characters also a guest role in Captain Marvel #37 (Mar. 1975), where he followed were limited to apprehending a non-powered civilian and distracting through on his wife’s suggestion despite admitting, “If it were solely the main villain. It didn’t help Henry Pym’s insecurities that another up to me I’d opt for spending most of my time on research.” villain with a distinct attraction for Captain Marvel and Avengers the Wasp, the Living Laser, turned writer Steve Englehart clearly up in Avengers Annual #6 (1976). understood the nature of the Meanwhile, Yellowjacket and the relationship between the Pyms, Wasp made a significant appearance showing Henry claiming that while alongside Spider-Man starting in he and Jan are not together all Marvel Team-Up #59 (July 1977). the time he wouldn’t want them Asked why he chose to use the pair to be apart “for any great while.” in this title, writer Chris Claremont Meanwhile, Englehart showed Janet responds, “Basically, the editor [Archie suggesting, lightheartedly, that her Goodwin] and I sat down and ran husband would be helpless without down a list of all the characters that her, but with the underlying were available, and then I’d touch suggestion that her words are truer base with John [Byrne, then-MTU than Hank might like to think. artist] to see who he thought would Englehart tells BACK ISSUE, “To put be fun to play with, and we’d pretty it simply, Hank Pym was a loser. I had much take things from there. enjoyed the Ant-Man/Giant-Man Sometimes, the mix would include stories back in the day (and became characters who hadn’t been centera lifelong Don Heck fan in the stage for a while, or those we actively process), but for whatever reason, liked and wanted to play with (Thor, I hadn’t had a lot of company. So for example), or just those who would pretty soon [Ant-Man] was only in catch the audience by surprise. In this The Avengers, where he was continucase, Henry and Janet were available ally being rejiggered to try to make and cool and provided an exciting something out of him … and it counterpoint to Peter Parker.” became clear after a while that that The two characters entered the wasn’t working. Nothing that was story in a domestic setting where done with him caught on. That said, Janet, wearing a slinky nightdress, he was a core Avenger, so when I was was trying to entice Hank away from writing Avengers, I wanted to bring his research. They appeared happier him and Jan in. Then, a year later, than in contemporary issues of The I was off the book, so I didn’t want Avengers. Claremont had a purpose to develop him all that much.” with this: “The intent in Team-Up was A constant element of both Antalways to introduce characters to a Man and the Wasp’s relationship different/hopefully wider sweep and their involvement in the Avengers of readers than might be used to has been that the Wasp is the more following them. Therefore, our job enthusiastic participant in the superhero game. Unfortunately, another common element has been the propensity for Janet to be seriously injured Are You Man Enough? or portrayed as a victim. An example of this occurred in Avengers #137 (July 1975). Right after they rejoined, the Wasp was critically injured, forcing Ant-Man takes on his teammates in Avengers #161 Henry to become active to save his wife while at the same time being (July 1977). Cover by George Pérez and Pablo Marcos. reminded of the dangers present for her as a member of the Avengers. The final page of issue #138 showed Yellowjacket close to a breakdown. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc. Let’s Get Small Issue

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potentially interesting one. One example is the Wasp story in Solo Avengers #15 (Feb. 1989), written by Fabian Nicieza, who remembers, “I submitted a list of several story pitches. They didn’t have anything with the Wasp in the hopper and Mark (Gruenwald) liked the idea of little Wasp vs. big Red Ronin.” A little later there was also a decent eight-page Wasp story in Marvel Comics Presents #48 (1990) written by Marc McLaurin and drawn by Eric Shanower (but with an unfortunate back-cover illustration by Erik Larsen). However, such opportunities were few and far between and the Wasp continued to be a team player within the Avengers. As time passed, Henry Pym and Janet van Dyne drew back together. It is appropriate that in the 1994 one-shot Tales to Astonish (technically vol. 3 #1), in which they both co-star with the Hulk, their old stable-mate from the original run of TtA, they reconciled to a close but non-romantic working relationship. In this story, scripted by Peter David and drawn by John Estes, Janet made clear she and Hank are “just friends.” At this point, Pym is still operating without superpowers and relying on gadgets and gizmos, which does have the effect of him coming across as a bit of a know-itall. One great line Peter David inserts into the action has the Hulk, of all fabian nicieza people, saying, “How do you put up with him, Wasp?” However, the relationship at this point was one based on years of shared knowledge and experiences that neither can fully share with others, and as such reflected a not-uncommon situation in real life. Subsequent to this story, Hank regained his ability to grow in size. Their history in recent years, after the “Heroes Reborn” event, has continued to be full of twists, turns, and tragedy, which may, perhaps, be explored more fully in this magazine at another time.

A Not-SoPerfect Match Yellowjacket’s gotten small, along with the Wasp, in this poster produced for Marvel UK’s Marvel Super Heroes #395 (Mar. 1983). Pencils by Alan Davis, inks by Damian Davis. Courtesy of Ian Millsted. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Astonish #27. The story started with Pym believing he has found evidence that his first wife, Maria Trovaya, is still alive. In his quest to find out more, he is accompanied by the rest of the West Coast Avengers and even the Wasp. Englehart explains, “This time I had to find an angle that didn’t loop back on his self-doubts, and that led me back to the Tales to Astonish stories, when the future seemed bright for the young couple. I looked for story hooks there, and found some, so I could explore Hank and Jan as a team of their own within the Avengers.” The use of the Wasp in this story is something Englehart might have built on. “I did want to write more about Hank and Jan, but especially Jan, going forward. Just before I got bounced, I had split the West Coast Avengers into two teams, and I wanted to explore, as part of that, how it would affect the East Coast Avengers. The whole question I was working toward was, ‘What constitutes an Avenger, exactly?’ and Jan, as the leader of the East Coast Avengers, whose husband was part of the West Coast Avengers, was going to be a key player in that.” The Wasp had occasional solo outings but usually on a strictly one-off basis, which seems a shame as her position as superhero/businesswoman/divorcee was a

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For all that Pym has achieved, for his redemptive rise from the depths to which he fell, the clear trend of the relationship between Henry Pym and Janet van Dyne is that she becomes an increasingly successful, independent, and successful woman, while he goes from being one of the founding figures of not only the Avengers but also the Marvel era of superheroes to being an increasingly marginal figure. On the one hand, it is pleasing to see a female character that started off as little more than a sidekick and ditzy love interest mature into an important and complex character in her own right—and one long overdue for her own series. On the other hand, I can’t help feeling that Henry Pym has untapped potential as a character. Perhaps the Ant-Man film will change that. With thanks to Steve Englehart, David Michelinie, Chris Claremont, Fabian Nicieza, and Elizabeth and Bethan Millsted. IAN MILLSTED is a writer and teacher living in Bristol, England. He wishes someone would invent Pym particles for the storage possibilities alone.

Stephan Friedt

In 1971, Kenner Toys (a division of General Mills Foods by that time) introduced a line of industrial-inspired robot toys called “The Microbots” … the first toy robot of its kind in the United States. Kenner Products began in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1947 as the idea of the Steiner Brothers, Albert, Philip, and Joseph. The company was named after the street where the first office was located, Kenner Street. Kenner has had a long history of successful toys starting with their Bubblematic Gun. In 1949, Kenner’s Bubble Rocket sold one million units. In 1958, they led the way among toy companies with first nationwide television toy advertising, and were one of the first sponsors of The Captain Kangaroo Show. The next year, in 1959, they introduced the Give-A-Show Projector. In 1963, they gave the world the Easy-Bake Oven. In 1965, General Mills Foods marked their interest in toy manufacturers with their purchase of Rainbow Crafts, the originators of Play-Doh in 1956. In 1966 Kenner introduced the Spirograph, and in 1967 General Mills purchased the company. The next year General Mills bought Parker Brothers, and in 1970, Rainbow Crafts and Kenner were merged and Play-Doh became part of the toy line. Robot toys had been around since the end of World War II, though mostly from toy manufacturers from Japan, and always as a solitary robot figure. Automation in industry had been around since the late 1930s, but the invention of the Stanford Arm in 1969 by Victor Scheinman of Stanford University, with its all-electric, six-axis articulation, brought robotics into the news and to the public’s attention. The designers at Kenner (the actual originator is lost to history and the purges of corporate mergers) decided to combine robotics and industrial construction machines, throw in miniaturization, add some magnets, and created the Microbots: “a die-cast metal mechanical action man” that’s “Fun to play with and collect.” The Microbots and their abilities were as follows: • Fliptor: Two spring-action arms hurl small objects forward into space. • Krushor: Arms drive a hammer block to smooth out the treacherous path ahead of him. • Hooktor: Hook swings back and forth; his arms move up and down. • Griptor: Spring-action arms hold small objects and drop them in the tray below.

First (and Only) Issue Kenner’s robo-toys roll into a Len Weinscripted one-shot, Gold Key’s Microbots #1 (Dec. 1971). We’re unsure of the cover painter (George Wilson, perhaps?). If you can identify this artist, please email the editor at euryman@gmail.com and we’ll update this credit in a future issue. Microbots © 1971 Kenner.

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Back in 1974, comics were at an all-time low in total sales. Marvel Comics’ then-head honcho Stan “The Man” Lee came up with a simple, offbeat, fun, and brilliant idea to get readers to purchase more of their comics—the infamous Marvel Value Stamps! Each month, pictures of Marvel’s popular characters, both heroes and villains, were printed onto the letters pages (where Stan Lee/Bullpen printed comments, editorials, and fan mail) of its various comics from March of 1974 until November of 1975. These images appeared in the form of a numbered stamp and the readers were encouraged to both “clip ’em and collect ’em.” There were 100 stamps in the set referred to as “Series A” (actually 102 if you include the unnumbered and later-numbered Hulk stamp Marvel used in the first few teasers to this event). The whole thing was well-hyped, and I’m guessing the promotion was very compelling to the readers because they would basically have to ruin their “precious” comic books to get these stamps and stick them in their Marvel Value Stamp Book that they had to send away for. A fellow collector named Richard Kolkman has a firsthand account of this book: “I received an original ‘Series A’ stamp book back in the spring of 1974, and in addition to a book, an 18" x 26" poster and outer mailing envelope, there was a black-and-white offset letter from Stan Lee. The letter was one-color, had Marvel [character] heads lined up on the letterhead a lá old Marvelmania stationery. What I remember most was Stan’s sign-off: ‘Until Iron Man runs out of Rustoleum.’ ” The overall plan was simple: get readers to purchase comics they didn’t usually buy in order to complete the entire set. A reader would have to basically purchase everything Marvel was putting out during that particular month to get every stamp. The stamps were even reprinted in various issues at later dates to help fans get the ones that they might have missed. For example, stamp #1 was an image of Spider-Man, and it appeared in Mighty Thor #221 (Mar. 1974), Power Man #20 (Aug. 1974), and Captain Marvel #35 (Nov. 1974). Stamp #2 was an image of the Hulk, and that was located in the issues Amazing Spider-Man #130 (Mar. 1974), Invincible Iron Man #70 (Sept. 1974), Giant-Size Fantastic Four #4 (Feb. 1975), and Captain Marvel #41 (Nov. 1975). Sure, it was a big-time marketing scheme to increase sales, but did it work? The editor-in-chief of Marvel at the time was Stan Lee’s right-hand man, “Rascally” Roy Thomas, and this is what he has to say about it:

Clip ’Em and Collect ’Em… …and diminish the value of your Bronze Age Marvel comic! Still, Marvel Value Stamps were a load of fun! “Series A” stamps of Iron Man (A-15), Iron Fist (A-39), Loki (A-40), and Man-Wolf (A-42). TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

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John “THE MEGO STRETCH HULK” Cimino by

Book ’Em, Stan-o (left) Both editions of the Marvel Value Stamp Book. Scans courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). (below) An unclipped Red Skull stamp (A-32) as seen on an “Iron Fistfuls” letters page from Marvel Premiere #17 (Sept. 1974). TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

“How successful was the project? Not sure. I’m not even sure what it was supposed to do, except to get readers to buy more comics so they could get all the stamps and fill the books we provided. Some of them loved it … some complained that they’d have to cut up their comics or buy extra copies. Nobody [at Marvel] worried about that … but I don’t think we seriously thought that many people would buy a second copy. We mostly just wanted them to buy Marvel comics they might otherwise have skipped. They reminded me of similar stamps in the Fawcett comics around 1950.” With Marvel having a loyal fanbase willing to do anything that Stan Lee and the Mighty Bullpen asked just for the sake of saying “Make Mine Marvel,” fans did in fact chop through a truckload of these comics to get the entire set (more on this later). Many would fail in the attempt. But to the select few that managed to get the whole collection of stamps and sent in their completed albums to the Marvel offices, a bunch of prizes were waiting for them. Nothing better than a 10% discount coupon on upcoming Marvel products (and the more they ordered, the more they saved … it was another ingenious ploy to get the Marvel Zombies to spend more of their parents’ money on them), their name roy thomas inscribed in the hallowed halls of Marvel’s “Golden Honor Roll” (in reality, their name was printed in an upcoming letters page), and to those who managed to make it to the San Diego Comic-Con in 1974—a picture with the EIC himself, Roy Thomas (the picture appeared on page 37 in The Mighty Marvel Comic Convention Program released in 1975). Once again, here’s Roy on this event: “One of the ‘prizes’ was a special gathering of those who had all the stamps in the books at the San Diego Comic-Con in 1974, where I was the speaker. We had a dozen or so people, as I recall … there are photos of the event, but I don’t know if anybody thought they got their ‘money’s’ worth.” Despite what some disgruntled fans might have thought about the entire event, in December of 1975, Marvel began releasing the second set of stamps known as “Series B.” Once again, the stamps could

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Canadian Cut-Up Wolverine in a 1985 Romita sketch from the Paul Sager collection, via Jerry Boyd. BTW, we’ll explore Wolvie’s heritage next year in BACK ISSUE #83, themed “International Heroes.” TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

shading of the animal as well as the front mask, sort of like the markings of its head. “The details other than those elude me. But looking back on the sketch, [Wolverine] seemed to have a metal skeleton and no claws, because I couldn’t imagine a superhero scratching an opponent. Sissies scratch. “I sat down and worked up my sketches, eventually working up a finished drawing to send off.” So, are the similarities between Andy Olsen’s Wolverine and Marvel Comics’ Wolverine just one big coincidence? Here are a few other things to consider. Looking closely at the costume of Andy’s design, it seems to have a vague resemblance to the one worn by the Marvel character (the mask particularly has almost the same look as both of the designs that John Romita and Gil Kane came up with). And wouldn’t you know it, the ever-Incredible Hulk just so happens to be on the cover of FOOM #2 (beautifully drawn by Jim Steranko), which pre-dates Wolverine’s debut in Incredible Hulk #180. (WOW!)

THERE’S ONLY ONE TRUTH So, taking this case to the streets (like a good detective should), I’ve noticed that when talking to comics readers and Wolverine fanboys, a few of them actually believe that in some sort of way Andy Olsen’s Wolverine influenced the creation of Marvel’s Wolverine. I’m usually told that there are too many coincidences are there to overlook—especially the metal skeleton and healing-factor power. Plus, it’s ironic that Marvel put out a character called Wolverine such a short time after the FOOM contest ended. Whether you believe all this or not, it does make for some good comic-shop talk. What I can do, though, is go straight to the source … creators Roy Thomas and Len Wein. These are the two guys who have the most say when it comes to the development of Wolverine, and they can set the record straight. Roy Thomas: “I probably saw this, as I saw all issues of FOOM … but though I can hardly deny any subconscious borrowing because it would be subconscious, I’d been aware of wolverines for many a year and hardly needed any help coming up with that and badger as prospective names for a Canadian hero. I wouldn’t have given the 20 • BACK ISSUE • Let’s Get Small Issue

FOOM thing a passing thought if I noticed it at all. It has, so far as I’m concerned, zero to do with the Marvel character.” Len Wein: “Ah. Actually, I don’t even remember the FOOM character, so, no … he had no effect on me. Sorry.” What about the person in the eye of this storm, Andy Olsen? He isn’t the young and naïve 15-year-old Stan Lee-loving teenager anymore. He’s now 57, a graphic designer, and doesn’t read comics much. Looking back on this has kind of left a bad taste in his mouth and made him wish he had kept his original sketch. “I felt rather used and stupid to send in my idea,” Olsen admits, “because I mentioned it to my uncle, who was an established commercial artist on Madison Avenue, New York, who replied: ‘You did WHAT?? You idiot! Don’t you know what these guys do? They pull ideas from YOU kids, make money off it, and pay you NOTHING!!’ He probably used other colorful words, but that’s the best I can remember. “That was the end of it. Time moved on and so did I. Even comics lost my interest. “Fast-forward a few years later, when I was a college student. I passed a comic-book stand and noticed a Marvel X-Men title with a character called Wolverine on it. “ ‘Really, he’s in X-MEN???’ “Of all the Marvel heroes, the X-Men were, I felt, the bottom feeders. “Then it hit me. I’d been had … my uncle was right. “My regard for Marvel and Stan Lee was so high it never dawned on me the contest was harvesting concepts to breathe some freshness into their lineup.” Now, all this might garner a big “Yeah, riiiight…” from some of you. But despite what you might think, FOOM #2 has increased dramatically in value within the last year. Auctions on eBay usually tag this issue with “First prototype Wolverine appearance” and a high-grade copy can fetch upwards of $400 (I’m even guilty of selling a few of these issues for top dollar to Wolverine completists). That’s pretty amazing considering just a few years ago, the issue would only sell within the $40 to $50 range. Hey, as long as there’s interest, the value will continue to climb up—and those are the straight-up facts! There is no denying the impression this speculation has put into the open market. So I’ll ask again: Is this all just one big coincidence? I guess it’s up for you to decide. Regardless of what anyone thinks, it has made an impact and garnered quite a cult following. And a young boy with a big dream will forever be etched into the mythos of one of Marveldom’s most popular characters alongside the titans of the industry. And that’s something he should be commended for. Case closed … SNIKT!!!! [Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in “Off My Chest” guest editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of BACK ISSUE magazine or TwoMorrows Publishing.] JOHN CIMINO is a Silver and Bronze Age comic, cartoon, and memorabilia expert who runs a business called Saturday Morning Collectibles. He buys, sells, and gives appraisals on everything pop culture, so if you’ve got something special, let him know about it. He blogs on comics and pop culture at hero-envy.blogspot.com and has written and starred in the Hero Envy webisode series. He is also the host of the Reckless Sidekick “Swass-Cast” and has contributed to the Hero Envy comic book, all seen at heroenvy.com. John thinks he’s really Captain Marvel. People don’t have the heart to tell him he’s just an obsessed fanboy who loves to play superheroes with his daughter Bryn. Contact him at johnstretch@live.com and have some fun.

The Wedding of Ray Palmer and Jean Loring by

(top) This doublepage spread from Justice League of America #157 (Aug. 1978) depicted the Tiny Titan’s wedding. Even the Phantom Stranger showed up! Art by Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin. In case those ghostly superhero images weren’t enough to identify the JLAers’ alter egos, this key (bottom), in the same issue, told readers who’s who.

J o h n Tr u m b u l l

TM & © DC Comics.

The Atom debuted in Showcase #34 (Sept.–Oct. 1961) in a story by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane. Like the Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman before him, the Atom was a revival of a Golden Age hero given a science-fiction spin by editor Julius “Julie” Schwartz. Ivy Town physicist Ray Palmer uncovers the secret of size reduction by combining the matter of a white dwarf star with ultraviolet light, but he cannot stabilize the reaction enough to keep the compressed objects from exploding. When caught in a cave-in on a nature hike, Ray desperately tries to find a way out for his students. Finding only a tiny opening in the cave wall, Ray shrinks himself to six inches, hoping to expand the opening enough for the others to escape. To his surprise, Ray survives his suicide mission, discovering that some unknown factor in his genetic makeup helps him withstand the shrinking process. Creating a costume of white-dwarf-star fibers to control his size changes, Ray Palmer becomes the crime-fighting Atom. Named by editor Schwartz after science-fiction editor Raymond A. Palmer and modeled by artist Kane after actor Robert Taylor, the Atom quickly distinguished himself among DC’s stable of superheroes. He captured criminals to aid his girlfriend Jean Loring’s law career, in the hopes that she would someday accept one of his many marriage proposals. He fought supervillains such as Chronos the Time-Thief, Jason Woodrue the Floronic Man, and the Bug-Eyed Bandit. He took periodic time-trips in his friend Professor Alpheus Hyatt’s Time Pool. He joined DC’s preeminent superteam in Justice League of America #14 (Sept. 1962), headlined his

own title, and made the leap to television in animated adventures from Filmation in 1967. Near the end of the Silver Age, slumping sales reduced the Atom into sharing space with his Justice League cohort Hawkman, as The Atom became The Atom and Hawkman from #39–45 (Nov. 1968–Nov. 1969). After the merged series was canceled, the Atom appropriately spent much of the ’70s and the ’80s in smaller roles and shorter features.

BRONZE AGE BEGINNINGS For much of the Bronze Age, Atom fans could count on his semi-regular appearances in the pages of the Justice League of America. Since the Atom and Hawkman series ended with Ray Palmer’s fiancée Jean Loring suffering a nervous breakdown, JLA was the logical place to tie up that loose end. In Justice League of America #80 (May 1970), “Night of the Soul-Stealer!” by Denny O’Neil and Dick Dillin, Hawkman and Hawkgirl determine that Jean is “beyond any Earth-type help” and try to cure her insanity on their home planet Thanagar. Unfortunately, their ship is intercepted en route by Norch Lor, a Thanagarian, who steals their souls in an ancient “Ghenna Box.” As Norch Lor journeys to Earth, he manages to also capture the souls of Batman and Green Arrow. It all

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In 1983, the World’s Smallest Superhero needed some big changes. Although he was still sporadically appearing in both Justice League of America and Action Comics, nothing huge had happened to the Atom in years. At the same time, DC Comics needed to publish a full-blown Atom comic in order to retain the trademark. While normally an appearance in DC Comics Presents or The Brave and the Bold TM would’ve done the trick, this time around a new approach was taken. The resulting four-issue Sword of the Atom miniseries not only took the Atom out of the mainstream DC Universe, but out of the superhero genre altogether! Although you might expect that such a radical shift to come from someone brand new to the Atom, it instead came from one of the Mighty Mite’s co-creators: Gil Kane (1926–2000). As Kane recalled in Amazing Heroes #28 (August 1, 1983): “What I decided was that we might resurrect him as a sword-and-sorcery character, and in effect we would have all his qualities except that he would be frozen at the six-inch size and would have to deal with all the dangers that a strip set in the Amazon could provide.” Sword of the Atom writer Jan Strnad remembers: “Gil pitched it to me in a hallway at a comic-book convention in Dallas. He said that DC needed to do something with the Atom in order to keep their trademark, and that he’d pitched them an idea casting the Atom as a barbarian hero, a miniseries called ‘Sword of the Atom.’ The Atom would be lost in the Florida Everglades, trapped at six inches, and the top of his cowl would be ripped off. He would find an alien civilization of people his same height and fall in love with an alien princess. And they would ride around on frogs and fight with swords. “[Gil] asked if I’d like to write it and I said, ‘Sure!’ I’d grown up reading The Atom and loved it, mainly due to Gil’s phenomenal artwork. The idea of being able to collaborate with one of my childhood idols was mind-blowing.” Kane was likewise an admirer of Jan Strnad’s writing, as he said to Amazing Heroes: “At the convention I met Jan for the first time and I liked him right away. I felt his quality would be right, a turnaway from the standard approaches to writing superhero material. There was always a great deal of character and mood in his work, and very often an emphasis on stillness: his writing didn’t always have characters in action, but there was always something happening to them. “Jan was a good guy [for the series] because his sensibility is not a comic-book sensibility. I have a comic-book sensibility, so it’s good that somebody is free of it. My feeling is that what Jan brought in is a more worldlier conception. He has a jan strnad point of view that I think is believable and compassionate; it’s humane and at the same time, it’s literate.” Strnad did make some adjustments to Kane’s initial concept: “I moved the location to the Amazon because it’s much bigger than the Everglades and I figured it would be easier for Ray to be lost there, given that various superheroes

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It began as an American import of a Japanese toy line and blossomed into a comics saga that spanned two universes. The Micronauts went from plastic to the comic pages as a cult favorite among fans. This article will explore what the creative minds at Marvel Comics did with the mighty mini-heroes.

MICRO BEGINNINGS

James Heath Lantz

To look at the Micronauts in comics, one must first know the story behind the toys that paved the way for the action-packed panels of the tiny space adventurers. In 1972, Takara (known as TOMY in English and K.K. Takara-Tomy in Japanese since 2006) released a futuristic variant of their Combat Joe line (their version of G.I. Joe they had licensed from Hasbro) called Henshin Cyborg, which means Transforming Cyborg. To cut expenses of making the eight- and 12-inch figures in this series, a smaller version called Microman was released in 1974. What made Microman unique was that the characters were marketed as being the actual size of the miniature bionic aliens from a fictional place called Micro Earth. The first group of toys were part of a kit that needed to be assembled. They proved to be so popular that Microman became a spin-off of Henshin Cyborg. The Mego Corporation, a company founded in the early 1950s by David Abrams, had been known primarily for making dimestore toys until 1971. That was the year Abrams’ son Martin had purchased the rights to do action figures of characters from popular media such as Star Trek and the Marvel and DC Comics properties. In 1976, Mego had imported the Takara Microman series to the United States under the name Micronauts to aid Takara in paying for the production of Microman in Japan, which was costly for them in spite of their popularity. The Micronauts were extremely lucrative for Mego, with a total of five series of action figures, vehicles, and play sets. Yet the company was forced to file bankruptcy in 1982 and ceased to exist a year later. This is perhaps due to competitor Kenner’s success with its Star Wars action figures, a license Mego had turned down. While Mego’s refusal to do toys of Luke Skywalker and friends had little effect on sales at first, their Moonraker, The Black Hole,

From Out of Inner Space Detail from the cover of Micronauts #1 (Jan. 1979), by Dave Cockrum and Al Milgrom. (inset) The first and other early issues were bundled in three-packs and distributed to various outlets in polybags like this one. TM & © Takara LTD/A.G.E., Inc. and Marvel Characters, Inc.

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Having seen the goings-on behind the scenes at Marvel, Bill and Star Trek: The Motion Picture dolls proved to be less successful Mantlo had lost interest in drawing comics. Artists and writers than George Lucas’ sci-fi icons’ plastic counterparts. were arguing and discussing the books, and some scribes We now move through time to the year 1977. The rings could not make deadlines. This was something that of Uranus are discovered. NASA’s first space shuttle, Mantlo could not understand. To him, the work Enterprise, named after the fictional vessel from Star Trek, didn’t seem that difficult, especially when he is launched with the cast of the science-fiction television considered what Marvel was putting on newsstands series present at lift-off. Elvis Presley performs his in that period. last concert less than two months before his death. Editor Tony Isabella gave Mantlo his first The weekly comic 2000AD releases its first issue in writing job as scripter for a horror tale titled “The the United Kingdom. Fleetwood Mac’s album Rumours Fire Within.” It was intended for the black-andcomes out in record stores. Annie Hall, Saturday white magazine under Marvel’s Curtis imprint Night Fever, and Star Wars dominate the cinema box (named for Curtis Circulation Company, LLC, a offices. The self-titled pilot episode of the live-action distributor and affiliated company of Marvel at television series based on Marvel’s The Incredible the time) Tales of the Zombie, but it was never Hulk, starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, makes its bill mantlo published due to the book’s cancellation. Yet broadcast debut. one day, Isabella was in a panic. He ran into MANTLO BEGINNINGS production manager John Verpoorten’s office Christmas of that year was like any other in Long Island, New York. needing someone to script overnight a “Sons of the Tiger” story There were lights and decorations all around. A snowman or two stood he had plotted for Deadly Hands of Kung Fu. Isabella had been in front lawns to greet passersby. caught up in deadlines and Family and friends gathered could not do it himself. around brightly lit, colorful trees Verpoorten could not give him to sing the songs of the holiday. any writer at the time without The home of William and Nancy interfering with other authors’ Mantlo was no exception to these schedules. This would have festive traditions. What made this forced Isabella to pen it himself Yuletide time different from any had Bill Mantlo not said, “Tony, other was that their son Bill, a I’ll do it.” writer for Marvel Comics, had That phrase and some minor been struck with inspiration. editorial changes led to Mantlo’s Born on November 9, 1951 first published work. In addition (coincidentally, the same day as to the start of a noteworthy run television’s Incredible Hulk Lou on Deadly Hands Of Kung Fu Ferrigno), William Timothy “Bill” with George Pérez, the 13-page Mantlo had been a voracious “Tigers in the Mind Cage!” was reader and comics fan at a young the beginning of Mantlo’s career age. This led to an interest in art, as a comics writer for Marvel. with Bill attending Manhattan’s His speed and reliability gave him High School of Art and Design the reputation of “fill-in king” for with a focus on painting and the House of Ideas. He would photography at Cooper Union work on issues of such titles as School of Art. After graduation, X-Men, Thor, Fantastic Four, and Bill began doing various odd jobs, Avengers before doing substantial including portrait photographer. cycles of tales on books like In 1974, college friend Annette Spectacular Spider-Man, Incredible Kawecki called Bill. Kawecki Hulk, and another cult favorite worked as a letterer—somebased on a popular toy, ROM: thing Bill’s wife Karen Mantlo Spaceknight. Mantlo would also (née Pocock) would later do co-create the White Tiger, comics’ from time to time—for Marvel first Puerto Rican superhero, with Comics. They were looking George Pérez; and Swords of for someone to do paste-ups the Swashbucklers with Jackson and mechanicals for them. Guice, with whom Mantlo later According to the book Mantlo: worked on issues of Micronauts. A Life in Comics by David Returning to Christmas 1977, Yurkovich and Michael Mantlo, Bill’s son Adam had opened Bill had described it as “the his Christmas presents with the most mindless production work typical enthusiasm a child has there is.” when tearing open wrapping paper like the Incredible Hulk on a rampage. Four of the boy’s gifts caught Bill’s eye. The Micronauts figures Space Glider, Time Traveler, Acroyear, and Golden Years Galactic Warrior began giving him ideas and concepts for a new And you thought your backyard was a mess! Courtesy of series. One week later, Mantlo walked into new editor-in-chief Jim Shooter’s office to convince him to get the rights from Mego to do Heritage (www.ha.com), signed Golden/Rubenstein a book. Shooter’s first act as head honcho at Marvel was to ask for original art page to Micronauts #2 (Feb. 1979). new ideas from creators. Mantlo then gave Shooter his Micronauts proposal and began working. Micronauts TM & © Takara LTD/A.G.E., Inc. 42 • BACK ISSUE • Let’s Get Small Issue

Versus Karza and a Car Michael Golden’s Micronauts covers were always a delight. (left) The merciless Baron Karza, on the cover of Micronauts #4 (Apr. 1979), and (right) a run-in with Johnny Law in issue #6. Inks by Joe Rubinstein. TM & © Takara LTD/A.G.E., Inc. and Marvel Characters, Inc.

page at the time. He said they had this thing sitting around called THE SAGA BEGINS Micronauts was different from such licensed comics as Tarzan and Star Micronauts. I wasn’t really interested in doing it because I was already Wars, which had their own established worlds and characters. Mantlo doing two books a month over at DC, and they were superhero books, had his work cut out for him, for as he pointed out in his article and I really wasn’t interested in doing superheroes. So Shooter threw “Creating a New Series for Marvel Comics: The Micronauts” in June out this idea about what the Micronauts were, without actually telling 1978’s The Comics Journal #40: “Mego had given each and every me at the time they were a toy tie-in. But it wouldn’t have made any difference because it was presented to me as a science-fiction figure and bit of hardware a name, but little or no conceptual adventure. And I was cool with that; it sounded more like background. The names did suggest concepts but were, something I’d be interested in. So when DC imploded in some cases, unwieldy. I decided then and there that [the infamous DC Implosion market collapse of 1978], the names, nine times out of ten, would serve merely as I went ahead over to Marvel and did Micronauts.” titles. But who, or what, then, were the Micronauts?” To examine Marvel’s lengthy run on the Micronauts Mantlo attempted to answer that question by comic books, it’s perhaps best to divide the overall giving the Micronauts characters some history in saga into sections. The battles with Baron Karza are their comic-book form. It wasn’t an easy task. later called the “Karza Wars” by the crew of the Someone was needed to bring ideas to life with Endeavor toward the end of Mantlo’s time on the series. their artwork. The conceptual designs had been The first of those is the story arc drawn by Michael done for the initial series proposal by Bob Hall. Yet Golden and inked by Joe Rubinstein (issues #1–7) and Hall’s juggling of multiple jobs at Marvel and Al Milgrom, (#8–12), who was editor for Micronauts working as both co-author and co-producer on the until issue #20. He later returned to oversee #38–51. Off-Broadway play The Passion of Dracula made him michael golden Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man and Dr. Strange, unavailable for drawing a regular series. In fact, Hall, also provided art for the series’ first Annual, which who had laid the groundwork for the series, was replaced as editor of Micronauts by Al Milgrom, according to Milgrom was a trilogy of short stories that took place before the premiere issue. Bill Mantlo and Michael Golden are credited as storytellers in the himself in his introduction in Micronauts Special Edition #1. Jack Kirby was suggested for the comic’s visuals as it wasn’t certain if he’d renew first Micronauts saga. Yet the descriptions of the creation process for his contract with Marvel, which was near its end. He didn’t. George the book vary. Mantlo recounted in BEM and Mantlo: A Life in Comics, Pérez wanted to do the book, but his workload prevented him from “Mike evidentially liked the direction I laid out, because he accepted, doing so. It was Jim Shooter who had suggested to Bill Mantlo that and he, I, and editor Bob Hall began plotting the first twelve issues Michael Golden was the man for the job. Golden was making a name (yes, we plotted the entire epic, from Karza’s triumph to his downfall) at the start, so the Karza epic would be finite.” for himself on Batman Family and Mister Miracle at DC at that time. Golden, however, recalled events differently in his 2006 interview with Golden’s reaction to Micronauts is different depending on the source of information. According to Bill Mantlo in his interview in July Inner Space Online. “I was co-plotter in a sense that I took whatever 1979’s issue #24 of the British fanzine BEM, the artist’s first impression was, Bill Mantlo gave me and made it work!,” he said. “The whole thing “What? A comic book about little toys?” Yet Golden himself stated in an was made up on the fly. Back then, everything was still done the Stan interview with the website Inner Space Online, “Jim Shooter just asked me Lee/Jack Kirby way. It was known as the ‘Marvel Style’: the writer if I wanted to work at Marvel, offered me $10 more a page than what I would produce a plot, the artist would produce the artwork and then was getting at DC, and I said yes. Mind you, that was only like $28 per the writer would go back in and write the dialogue.” Let’s Get Small Issue

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Broderick is Back! Pat Broderick, inked by Andrew Pepoy, returned to the tiny toy-inspired titans for Devil’s Due Publishing’s 2004 Micronauts miniseries. Original cover art to issue #1. Micronauts TM & © Takara LTD/A.G.E., Inc.

MICRO FUTURES The Micronauts remained in limbo with Marvel until they returned to comic shops on September 4, 1996, when the mutants Cable, Domino, Garrison Kane, and Copycat are abducted by the Psycho-Man in Cable #37 (Nov. 1996). Surviving Micronauts Arcturus Rann, Marionette, and Bug aided the group in their battle with the villain. The trio would make an appearance in Alex Ross and Jim Krueger’s Earth X limited series and return in a one-shot titled Bug, cover-dated March 1997. Written by Todd Dezago and drawn by Derec Aucoin with inks by Rich Faber and Ralph Cabrera, the book centered around Bug battling the Fantastic Four’s nemesis Annihilus, time-traveling throughout various points in the Marvel Universe’s history. A third Micronauts volume was proposed in 1998. Shon C. Bury, Dan Green, and newcomer Cary Nord, who would later be artist for Daredevil and Dark Horse Comics’ Conan, worked to update Commander Rann and his comrades for a new decade. Scripts were written, and panels were drawn. However, the series never saw the light of day as negotiations for the rights to the Micronauts property fell through. It looked like fans may not get new adventures of the crew of the H.M.S.

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Endeavor. However, that was far from the end of Arcturus Rann, Marionette, Bug, and the Micronauts franchise. The new millennium would bring about a new beginning for the miniature space adventurers. On June 12, 2002, the Image Comics and Devil’s Due Publishing Micronauts series written by Scott Wherle, with art by Eric Wolfe Hanson (pencils) and Barbara Schulz and Clayton Brown (inks), made its debut in comic shops with the first of a total of 11 issues. Arcturus Rann is replaced by Earthling Ryan Archer, and Knave—sole survivor of the Vaerian species—and Koriah—last of the Galactic Defenders— take the places of Marionette and Bug. Archer learns more and more about himself and his connections the microscopic universe of the Micronauts while battling Baron Karza, who later got his own miniseries from Image and Devil’s Due. The latter published another Micronauts comic without partnering with the company that gave readers Spawn and Savage Dragon. While it didn’t last as long as the Marvel or Image books, the Devil’s Due entry marked the return of Pat Broderick. Broderick was teamed with writer Dan Jolley and inker Andrew Pepoy. Jolley was scribe for some of the Image comic. The Jolley/Broderick collaboration was cover-dated March–May 2004 and lasted three issues. More were solicited, but nothing beyond cover art has been shown. Broderick would continue to draw the Micronauts characters for various commissions. He even provided the art for this issue’s cover, which he also digitally painted. Meanwhile, Commander Rann, Mari, and Bug, under the team name of Microns and later the Enigma Force, have had various cameos and guest appearances in Marvel Comics throughout the 21st Century, including Captain Marvel, the Realm of Kings event, and Incredible Hulks: Enigma Force. Bug can be spotted in the 2008–2009 Guardians of the Galaxy comic series. (The current book features another Bill Mantlo creation, Rocket Raccoon.) Plus, rumors continue to circulate of J. J. Abrams expressing an interest in doing a Micronauts film since Hasbro acquired the rights to the property and announced a series of toys in 2009, which as of this writing are on hold. Add to this the fact that Marvel’s original run continues to gain followers as they are found by new readers in back-issue bins everywhere. The future looks bright for the Micronauts franchise, and whatever it holds for Space Glider, Acroyear, and the rest of the gang will certainly be larger than life. Dedicated to my lovely wife Laura, who will always be in the Inner Space of my heart; two special Micronauts: Pupino—the cat that controls the multiverse, and Kento—my nephew who travels with him through time and space; Bill Mantlo—Master of Inner Space; Michael Mantlo; and all the family and friends of Bill Mantlo—Keepers of Inner Space. May the Enigma Force guide all of you forever. JAMES HEATH LANTZ is a freelance writer who was heavily influenced by television, film, old-time radio shows, and books—especially comic books—growing up in Ohio. He’s co-authored Roy Thomas Presents Captain Video with Roy Thomas and wrote the introduction for Pre-Code Classics: Weird Mysteries vol. 1 (both books published by PS Artbooks). James currently lives in Italy with his wife Laura and their family of cats, dogs, a turtle, and humans from Italy, Japan, and the United States.

John Wells

Although remembered primarily as a vehicle for reprints, the DC Comics digest line also boasted a bit of new content beyond their original covers. That extended back to its first offering in the format Tarzan Digest #1, published in July of 1972. Technically speaking, the stories in this 50-cent, 160-page issue weren’t new but they were new to comic books. Specifically, the adventures encompassed a year’s worth of Tarzan Sunday newspaper strips by Russ Manning that had originally run from January 14, 1968 to January 5, 1969. Abandoning the original layout of the strips, editor Marv Wolfman shrank or enlarged each panel to fit the digest format, typically using three panels to a page with occasional full-page images and two-page spreads. Preparing a dummy of the digest, Wolfman detailed in The Menomonee Falls Gazette #39 (September 11, 1972) that he had shipped it off to DC’s production department: “In the meantime, because there were many pictures shot up or down to certain sizes, I had the lettering on those pages and panels shot to the same size as the rest of the book so all the lettering would be one size only—nothing jumping up or down. “The entire book was then pasted up by Glynis Wein [Len’s wife], and given over to Steve Mitchell, who did extensions on all the panels. Since we were fitting into a certain size, where the art did not reach the border, we added drawings—sometimes as little as a tree—or as much as a figure being completed.” Elizabeth Ann Safian and Jerry Serpe colored the comic. The original plan had been to use Burne Hogarth Tarzan strips from the 1940s in the digest, but that idea was quickly abandoned. “We had a limited number of Hogarth stats that were in good condition, and it would have been more of a problem than it was worth to try to do a digest with them,” Wolfman wrote. Instead, a 1942 Hogarth sequence was used to ostensibly help Joe Kubert catch up on the regular Tarzan comic book in issue #211. As Wolfman noted, the extensive reformatting process ultimately saved Kubert little time. Courtesy of Tarzan copyright holder ERB, Inc., stats of Manning Sundays from 1968 to January 1972 were delivered to Wolfman. He chose the first year’s worth because “they worked within a continuity and would be an ideal page number when broken down.” The editor did depart from that continuity by running the third Sunday story to open the book. With much of the material taking place in hidden kingdoms, Wolfman wanted the issue to at least open in familiar jungle territory and the sequence in question fit the bill. Consequently, the final page of the digest led directly into its first. Like the Tarzan book, Laurel and Hardy Digest #1 would have drawn on preexisting material, in this case comics prepared for the British Laurel and Hardy Extra title over the past four years. While DC managed to get the regular-sized Larry Harmon’s Laurel and Hardy #1 (July–Aug. 1972) into print, its digest companion—and any further issues of the 20-cent comic—were grounded. According to The Comic Reader #192, “legal wrangling over who owned the rights to the characters” brought the project to an abrupt halt. The cover of the unpublished digest appeared in an ad in Adventure Comics #423 and Weird Western Tales #14. Whether because of the added production costs or the legal headaches, DC publisher Carmine Infantino got cold feet on the digest

Deirub Erusaert That’s “Buried Treasure” for those of you who don’t speak backwards like Zatanna! A new Zatara and Zatanna origin was produced in 1980 by Gerry Conway, Romeo Tanghal, and Vince Colletta for DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #5. This original art page from that story is courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). TM & © DC Comics.

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