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TWOMORROWS MAGAZINE GROUP 01

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FEB. 86 2016 $995

PA G ES

GIANT-SIZE BACK ISSUE

BRONZE AGE MARVEL GIANTS & REPRINTS ISSUE!

FEARSOME FRIGHT-FEST! Dr. Strange! Dracula! Man-Thing! Conan! Werewolf! Chillers! Monsters! & more

SUPERHERO GRAB-BAG! Daredevil! Spidey! Avengers! Defenders! FF! Thor! X-Men old and new! & more

THE RETRO COMICS EXPERIENCE!

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 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!

“Let’s Get Small!” Marvel’s Micronauts, The Atom in the Bronze Age, JAN STRNAD and GIL KANE’s Sword of the Atom, the rocky relationship of Ant-Man the Wasp, Gold Key’s Microbots, Super Jrs., DC Digests, and Marvel Value Stamps. Featuring the work of PAT BRODERICK, JACKSON GUICE, ELLIOT S! MAGGIN, BILL MANTLO, AL MILGROM, ALEX SAVIUK, ROGER STERN, LEN WEIN, & more. Cover by PAT BRODERICK!

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“When Comics Were Fun!” HEMBECK cover and gallery, Plastic Man, Blue Devil, Marvel’s Star Comics imprint, VALENTINO’s normalman, Bronze Age’s goofiest Superman stories, and the Batman/Dick Tracy team-up you didn’t see! Featuring MAX ALLAN COLLINS, PARIS CULLINS, RAMONA FRADON, ALAN KUPPERBERG, MISHKIN & COHN, STEVE SKEATES, JOE STATON, CURT SWAN, and more!

“Weird Issue!” Batman’s Weirdest TeamUps, ORLANDO’s Weird Adventure Comics, Weird War Tales, Weird Mystery Tales, DITKO’s Shade the Changing Man and Stalker, CHAYKIN’s Iron Wolf, CRUMB’s Weirdo, and STARLIN and WRIGHTSON’s The Weird! Featuring JIM APARO, LUIS DOMINGUEZ, MICHAEL FLEISHER, BOB HANEY, PAUL LEVITZ, and more. Batman and Deadman cover by ALAN CRADDOCK.

“Charlton Action Heroes in the Bronze Age!” DAVE GIBBONS on Charlton’s WATCHMEN connection, LEN WEIN and PARIS CULLINS’ Blue Beetle, CARY BATES and PAT BRODERICK’s Captain Atom, Peacemaker, Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt, and a look at Blockbuster Weekly! Featuring MIKE COLLINS, GIORDANO, KUPPERBERG, ALAN MOORE, PAT MORISI, ALEX ROSS, and more. Cover by AL MILGROM.

“Flash and Green Lantern in the Bronze Age” (crossover with ALTER EGO #132)! In-depth spotlights of their 1970s and 1980s adventures, MARK WAID’s look at the Flash/GL team, and PAUL KUPPERBERG’s Lost GL Fillins. Bonus: DC’s New York Office Memories, and Green Lantern: Ganthet’s Tale by LARRY NIVEN and JOHN BYRNE. With BARR, BATES, GIBBONS, GRELL, INFANTINO, WEIN, and more. Cover by GEORGE PÉREZ.

“DC Bronze Age Giants and Reprints!” An indepth exploration of DC’s 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULARS, plus: a history of comics giants, DC indexes galore, and a salute to “human encyclopedia” E. NELSON BRIDWELL. Featuring the work of PAT BRODERICK, RICH BUCKLER, FRANK FRAZETTA, JOE KUBERT, BOB ROZAKIS, BERNIE WRIGHTSON, and more. Super Spec tribute cover featuring classic art by NICK CARDY.

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“Bronze Age Events!” With extensive coverage of the Avengers/Defenders War, JLA/JSA crossovers, Secret Wars, Crisis’ 30th anniversary, Legends, Millennium, Invasion, Infinity Gauntlet, and more! Featuring the work of SAL BUSCEMA, DICK DILLIN, TODD McFARLANE, GEORGE PÉREZ, JOE STATON, LEN WEIN, MARV WOLFMAN, MIKE ZECK, and more. Plus an Avengers vs. Defenders cover by JOHN BYRNE.

“International Heroes!” Alpha Flight, the New X-Men, Global Guardians, Captain Canuck, and Justice League International, plus SpiderMan in the UK and more. Also: exclusive interview with cover artists STEVE FASTNER and RICH LARSON. Featuring the work of JOHN BYRNE, CHRIS CLAREMONT, DAVE COCKRUM, RICHARD COMELY, KEITH GIFFEN, KEVIN MAGUIRE, and more! Alpha Flight vs. X-Men cover by FASTNER/LARSON.

“Supergirl in the Bronze Age!” Her 1970s and 1980s adventures, including her death in Crisis on Infinite Earths and her many rebirths. Plus: an ALAN BRENNERT interview, behind the scenes of the Supergirl movie starring HELEN SLATER, Who is Superwoman?, and a look at the DC Superheroes Water Ski Show. With PAUL KUPPERBERG, ELLIOT MAGGIN, MARV WOLFMAN, plus a jam cover recreation of ADVENTURE COMICS #397!

“Christmas in the Bronze Age!” Go behind the scenes of comics’ best holiday tales of the 1970s through the early 1990s! And we revisit Superhero Merchandise Catalogs of the late ‘70s! Featuring work by SIMON BISLEY, CHRIS CLAREMONT, JOSÉ LUIS GARCÍALÓPEZ, KEITH GIFFEN, the KUBERT STUDIO, DENNY O’NEIL, STEVE PURCELL, JOHN ROMITA, JR., and more. Cover by MARIE SEVERIN and MIKE ESPOSITO!

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Volume 1, Number 86 February 2016 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Eury PUBLISHER John Morrow

Comics’ Bronze Age and Beyond!

DESIGNER Rich Fowlks COVER ARTIST John Romita, Sr. (Artwork originally appeared as the cover of Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #1.) COVER DESIGNER Michael Kronenberg COVER COLORIST Glenn Whitmore PROOFREADER Rob Smentek Stephan Friedt Michael Gallagher Grand Comics Database Heritage Comics Auctions Tony Isabella Rob Kelly David Anthony Kraft James Heath Lantz Chris Marshall Al Milgrom Barry Pearl Carl Potts Ken Quattro Jim Salicrup Anthony Snyder Roger Stern Linda Sunshine Roy Thomas John Trumbull Irene Vartanoff Len Wein

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BACK SEAT DRIVER: Editorial by Michael Eury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 FLASHBACK: The House of Recycled Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Bullpen veterans recall the tales behind the Marvel’s Bronze Age reprint titles, with a mega-index of superhero and adventure titles BACK IN PRINT: X-Men Revisited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 A look at the reprint years of Marvel’s Mighty Mutants FLASHBACK: When Giants Ruled the Spin Racks! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 An in-depth look at Marvel’s Giant-Size project of the 1970s FANTASY COVER GALLERY: The Marvel Giant-Sizes That Weren’t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Make-believe Marvel covers, including Giant-Size Giant-Man and Giant-Size Warlock FLASHBACK: The Other Marvel Team-Up: Fireside and Marvel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 With bombastic Stan Lee intros, these collected editions brought Marvel to the masses BACK IN PRINT: Following Fireside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 The post-Simon & Schuster Marvel collected editions FLASHBACK: Marvel’s Bronze Age Reprint Paperbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 The birth of the “mini-Masterworks” BACK IN PRINT: Marvel Digests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 From ALF to Spider-Man, Marvel’s mini-editions FLASHBACK: Marvel Special Edition Reprints, 1982 to 1985 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85 A deluxe presentation for Marvel Silver and Bronze Age classics BACK TALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 Reader reactions

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 John Romita, Sr. Avengers, Dr. Strange, Daredevil, and related characters TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted. All editorial matter © 2016 Michael Eury and TwoMorrows Publishing. BACK ISSUE is a TM of TwoMorrows Publishing. ISSN 1932-6904. Printed in China. FIRST PRINTING. Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

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Ads for Marvel Giants TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

SPECIAL THANKS Neal Adams Richard J. Arndt Mark Arnold Terry Austin Al Bigley Eliot R. Brown Rich Buckler Bob Budiansky Sal Buscema Kurt Busiek Jarrod Buttery Nick Caputo Lex Carson Paty Cockrum Gerry Conway Stephen Curiel Tom DeFalco Jo Duffy Scott Edelman Kayla Ellingsworth Steve Englehart John S. Eury Andrew Farago Danny Fingeroth Irving Forbush

Michael Eury

In addition to nostalgic and behind-the-scenes looks at Marvel Comics’ reprint and Giant-Size series of the Bronze Age, this issue is jam-packed with issue-by-issue indexes of those series, similar to what we did with DC’s reprint books in last June’s BACK ISSUE #81. These indexes (or indices, if you prefer) provide important information about each issue’s content and their reprints’ source material, the kind of data that collectors appreciate. But researching and preparing the indexes was a labor-intensive process. The Grand Comics Database (www.comics.org) was a valuable resource for those issues outside of our personal collections. For those of you seeking an online database that includes creative team credits (which space prohibits here), you’ll find no better source online than GCD. Still, as I discovered firsthand when preparing the copy-saturated indexes for the 100-Page Super Spectaculars and other DC reprint series for BI #81, indexing is a slow, thankless process. So allow me to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to the writers who toiled to produce issue #81’s indexes: Stephan Friedt, Dan Johnson, Jim Kingman, Chris Marshall, Bryan D. Stroud, John Trumbull, and John Wells. Two of them were insane kind enough to return this issue, as evidenced by this page’s salute to our ragtag team of Howling Indexers. And allow me this chance to acknowledge two other too-oftenunheralded members of BI’s team, who have pulled double-duty in the production of these indexes: proofreader Rob Smentek and designer Rich Fowlks! Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos and art TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

2 • BACK ISSUE • Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

Almost as soon as its Universe had started, Marvel began reprinting some of its earliest stories for fans that had missed the low-key launches. Appropriately, the granddaddy of the modern reprint titles was Marvel Tales. Marvel can trace its origins to Marvel Comics #1 (Oct. 1939), featuring the debut of the Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, and others. The title changed to Marvel Mystery Comics with issue #2 (Dec. 1939) and to Marvel Tales with issue #93 (Aug. 1949). Marvel—originally Timely, and then Atlas— ended its longest-running series with issue #159 (Aug. 1957). Resurrecting the name, Marvel Tales #1 (1964) was a 72-page Annual reprinting the first appearances of Spider-Man, the Hulk, Ant-Man, Giant-Man, Sgt. Fury, Iron Man, and Thor. (The first appearance of the FF had been reprinted previously in Fantastic Four Annual #1, 1963.) A year later, Marvel Tales #2—another giant Annual—reprinted the origins of the X-Men, Avengers, Dr. Strange, and more. In 1966, Marvel Tales became a bimonthly title, reprinting Spider-Man, Thor, Human Torch, and Ant-Man stories. It alternated with Marvel Collectors’ Item Classics, which reprinted Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Dr. Strange, and Hulk adventures. Fantasy Masterpieces also debuted, reprinting fantasy stories and WWII superheroes. Tales of Asgard #1 (Oct. 1968) collected and reprinted the first ten of the backup stories from Journey into Mystery.

Jarrod Buttery

All covers TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc., except Planet of the Apes TM & © 20th Century Fox.

THE FLOODGATES OPEN In 1968, Marvel’s publisher—Martin Goodman—sold the company. Finding a new distributor, Marvel was no longer constrained to publishing eight titles per month. Not only could Marvel publish as many comics as it liked, but there was a warehouse of previous material to draw upon—and not just superheroes. Romance comics were revived with My Love #1 (Sept. 1969) and Our Love Story #1 (Oct. 1969). Both titles presented new material, but after six issues each, both included reprinted stories from the ’50s and ’60s from such long-defunct titles as Teen-Age Romance, Lovers, and Love Romances. By 1973, both books featured reprints only—both often reprinting stories (and covers!) from earlier in their runs. In just one example, My Love #34 (May 1975) simply reused the cover and one of the stories from issue #16 (Mar. 1972). Regardless, the artwork was almost universally beautiful. With John Romita, Sr. and John Buscema handling many of the issues, one could expect nothing less. One would be hard-pressed to dispute that it’s Gwen Stacy on the cover to Our Love Story #11 (June 1971), Natasha Romanoff on My Love #6 (July 1970), and Janet Van Dyne on My Love #24 (July 1973). There is, however, no truth to the rumor that Michael Eury modelled for the cover of My Love #11 (May 1971). The late ’60s also saw a few rare comics for kids. Peter the Little Pest #1 (Nov. 1969) reworked strips from Melvin the Monster (Atlas Comics, 1956)— itself an imitation of Dennis the Menace (who first appeared in 1951). Homer the Happy Ghost #1 (Nov. 1969) didn’t even bother renaming the character from the 1955 series. If imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, Casper the Friendly Ghost should have been delighted. Alongside romance and humor, Westerns surged back onto the stands toward the end of the ’60s. Mighty Marvel Western #1 (Oct. 1968) collected reprints from the Two-Gun Kid, Rawhide Kid, and Kid Colt Outlaw. Rawhide Kid was in continuous publication but the others were on hiatus at the time. After a 20-month break, Kid Colt Outlaw returned to the stands with issue #140 (Nov. 1969), containing a couple of new stories, but becoming a full-reprint title two issues later (except for issue #201, Dec. 1975). Maintaining its status as a 64-page book, Marvel Collectors’ Item Classics was renamed as Marvel’s Greatest Comics with issue #23 (Oct. 1969). The title eventually became a standard 32-page comic, reprinting Fantastic Four stories until its cancellation in 1981.

1970 The reprint books of the time never credited a reprint editor. Stewardship is usually attributed to Stan Lee, and then Roy Thomas. As the superhero, Western, and romance reprints continued, Thomas recalls of the era, “Yes, the reprints were increasingly on something resembling ‘automatic pilot’… although in the early

Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

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Moonlighting Maids of Marvel? (top) Hey, is that the bombastic Black Widow belting out a ballad on the Buscema/Romita cover of My Love #6? (middle) A groovy Gwen Stacy doppelganger on Jazzy Johnny’s Our Love Story #11 cover. (bottom) Nice day for a Wasp wedding? Romita cover to My Love #24. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

days of Fantasy Masterpieces, Stan selected the material (including which Golden Age stories to reprint) himself … and I suspect [Martin] Goodman took an interest in the earliest ones, because he wanted to enforce his claim on Cap, Torch, and Sub-Mariner … also on other things like the name ‘Marvel’ (hence reprints of Black Marvel and Marvel Boy, though I’d have wanted to reprint the latter myself when I found B&W Photostats of them). After a while, I chose the Golden Age material, including the All Winners Squad reprints, the reprints in the Human Torch reprint book, occasionally others.” One of the Marvel Age’s earliest titles, Sgt. Fury, debuted before Avengers or X-Men, with a May 1963 cover date. Issue #80 (Sept. 1970) started reprinting stories. With #121 (Sept. 1974) it became an all-reprint book. Nevertheless, Sgt. Fury outlasted almost all the other reprint titles. In comparison, Ka-Zar #1 (Aug. 1970) was the first of only three issues, reprinting encounters with Daredevil, Spider-Man, and the X-Men—and including some inventory stories featuring Hercules and the Angel. But 1970 was the year of the Westerns. Ringo Kid #1 (Jan. 1970) commenced reprints of the eponymous cowboy from the 1950s. After a 27-month holiday, Two-Gun Kid returned as a reprint title with issue #93 (July 1970). Interestingly, issues #99–103 featured stories of the 1950s Kid (Clay Harder) retouched in the outfit of the 1960s character (Matt Hawk). Western Gunfighters #1 (Aug. 1970) told new stories of the original Ghost Rider (Carter Slade) alongside various Western reprints. It was in this series that Carter met his end, whereupon his less-honorable brother, Lincoln, adopted the mantle (issue #7, Jan. 1972). Western Gunfighters became an all-reprint title with issue #8. Also beginning with an August 1970 cover date, Rawhide Kid started including reprinted stories with issue #79. Issue #86 (Apr. 1971) reprinted the story from issue #17 (Aug. 1960) describing how Johnny Bart became the Rawhide Kid to avenge the shooting death of his Uncle Ben. The title became all reprints with issue #116 (Oct. 1973). Outlaw Kid #1 (Aug. 1970) initiated reprints of that character’s 1950s exploits. But it wasn’t just cowboys. The first—and perhaps the best—of Marvel’s “horror” reprints appeared with Where Monsters Dwell #1 (Jan. 1970). Issue #6 (Nov. 1970) reprints the first appearance of “Groot! The Monster from Planet X!” and issue #21 (May 1973) reprints “Fin Fang Foom!” Issue #38 (Oct. 1975)—the final issue—reprints “No Human Can Beat Me!” featuring a green, savage, fin-headed, dragon4 • BACK ISSUE • Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

like alien conqueror single-handedly besting Earth’s greatest combatants. Where Creatures Roam #1 (July 1970) and Fear #1 (Nov. 1970) followed in the same vein, reprinting Marvelous 1960s monster/fantasy stories from Lee/Kirby/Ditko/Heck. Perhaps realizing that the well had been visited too often, Where Creatures Roam lasted eight issues. Fear #10 (Oct. 1972) began publishing original Man-Thing stories while continuing short horror backup tales. The Muck Monster was replaced with the Living Vampire, Morbius, in issue #20 (Feb. 1974), who headlined all-new tales until the final issue #31 (Dec. 1975). The period was also right for some original horror. Tower of Shadows #1 (Sept. 1969) is as beautiful a book as you will ever find, featuring original work by Jim Steranko, John Romita, and John Buscema. Issues #6–9 contained increasing amounts of reprints. Tower of Shadows King-Size Special #1 (Dec. 1971) reprinted some of the series’ finest stories. Chamber of Darkness #1 (Oct. 1969) followed a similar pattern, commencing with original material but gradually ceding to reprints. We can imagine that someone found random issues of Little Lennie, Little Lizzie, and Li’l Willie from the 1940s. And that’s probably how we got Li’l Kids #1 (July 1970).

THE WAREHOUSE After Thomas, Irene Vartanoff became Marvel’s reprint editor. Irene grew up reading DC comics and penned numerous fan letters. She was invited to DC’s offices and took the DC tour many times. After graduating college she approached DC for a job, but [editor] “Julie Schwartz broke my heart by telling me to go home and get married.” However, a couple of years later, Roy Thomas—whom she had met several times—needed a new Gal Friday. “I started in April 1974,” Vartanoff tells BACK ISSUE. “I was not Roy’s secretary—Roy needed someone who could handle all the art and story submission correspondence that had piled up on his assistant’s desk, and proofread the reprints, and do anything else editorially anyone came up with. At the time, we had a huge lineup of comics and not enough people to write, draw, or edit them. We’d hire anyone who came to us with a fan background, because there was no time to train anyone.” We may never know who chose each individual story to be reprinted, but Tony Isabella conducted some research for his blog (reprinted— appropriately—in BACK ISSUE #79, Apr. 2015). Isabella found that the most likely suspect was Tony Mortellaro. Vartanoff supports this: “Tony Mortellaro was the reprint production manager and had an office down the hall in production.

Back in the Saddle Again (left) Ringo Kid #1 (Jan. 1970) helped kick off Marvel’s Bronze Age reprint series. Cover by Joe Maneely. (right) A gaggle of gunslingers in Western Gunfighters #1 (Aug. 1970). Cover by Dick Ayers. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

He was also in charge of the warehouse. Like some other redoubtable individuals of the older generation at Marvel, he was not a personality that one questioned. That’s why I have no idea on what basis the old horror comics were chosen. He merely delivered them to be proofread, already pasted up. When he encountered a serious family health situation and sol brodsky had to resign, I boldly went to Sol Brodsky and told him I wanted that job. I got it, and then fairly © Marvel. soon after, Sol, Barry Kaplan (the controller), and I took a tour of the Marvel warehouse and they asked me to clean it up and inventory it. “It was a mess. The brown paper envelopes containing original art sent back to Marvel were in piles on the floor or in leaning shipping crates. The warehouse itself was merely a room in an industrial building. We got in new lighting (the building was so old that it was wired for DC lighting, not AC), and new shelving, and I hired various people who were interns or otherwise employed at Marvel to work extra hours there with me to sort through everything and put the artwork in new envelopes. I have no idea if the envelopes we used did anything more to preserve the original art than the brown paper wrappers had, but at least now there was some order out of the chaos. And I did the inventory. In an un-air-conditioned building during the summer of 1976. Not much fun.” Thomas contributes: “Tony Mortellaro has been dead for some years now. He had his whole family engaged in pasting up material, and I think that at some stage Goodman or someone decided he was feathering his own nest too much … that may have been when he had to leave. I don’t know the ins and outs of it, really. There may well have been a ‘serious family health situation’… I just don’t recall knowing about it.”

Shame on You, Zabu! The Marie Severin/John Verpoorten cover of Ka-Zar #1 (Aug. 1970) has become infamous among fandom for its hidden expletive. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

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MARVEL BRONZE AGE SUPERHERO AND ADVENTURE SERIES REPRINT INDEX 1970–1986 [Editor’s note: The sheer volume of reprint series published by Mighty Marvel during the Bronze Age prohibits their indexes from appearing in a single issue of BACK ISSUE, even an extra-sized edition like this one. Joltin’ Jarrod Buttery has indexed them all, however, and those non-superhero and adventure Marvel reprint titles’ indexes will be serialized in future issues, beginning in BI #92 with the horror anthologies.] ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #1 Oct. 1975 Cover artists: Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “Planet of the Apes” from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #1 (Aug. 1974) ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #2 Nov. 1975 Cover artists: Rich Buckler and Dan Adkins Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “World of Captive Humans” from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #2 (Oct. 1974) ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #3 Dec. 1975 Cover artists: Ron Wilson and Vince Colletta Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “Manhunt!” from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #3 (Dec. 1974) ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #4 Feb. 1976 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “Trial” from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #4 (Jan. 1975) ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #5 Apr. 1976 Cover artists: Rich Buckler and Klaus Janson Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “Into the Forbidden Zone” from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #5 (Feb. 1975) ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #6 June 1976 Cover artists: Jim Starlin and Klaus Janson Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “The Secret” from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #6 (Mar. 1975)

ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #7 Aug. 1976 Cover artists: Michael Nasser (Netzer) and Klaus Janson Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #7 (Apr. 1975) ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #8 Sept. 1976 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Mike Esposito Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “Enslaved!” from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #7 (Apr. 1975) ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #9 Oct. 1976 Cover artist: Alfredo Alcala Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “The Warhead Messiah” from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #8 (May 1975) ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #10 Nov. 1976 Cover artists: Paty Anderson and Klaus Janson Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “Children of the Bomb” condensed from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #9 and 10 (June and July 1975) ADVENTURES ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #11 Dec. 1976 Cover artist: unknown Editor: Tony Isabella Reprints: • “The Hell of Holocaust” condensed from Planet of the Apes (magazine) #10 and 11 (July and Aug. 1975) AMAZING ADVENTURES AMAZING ADVENTURES #1 Dec. 1979 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Sol Brodsky Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “X-Men [Part 1]” from X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963) • Professor X in “A Man Called … X” from X-Men #38 (Nov. 1967) AMAZING ADVENTURES #2 Jan. 1980 Cover artists: Bob Budiansky and Danny Villamonte Editor: Danny Fingeroth Special features: Beast and Cyclops pinups by Jack Kirby Reprints: • X-Men in “X-Men [Part 2]” from X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963) • Cyclops in “Lonely are the Hunted” from X-Men #39 (Dec. 1967)

AMAZING ADVENTURES #3 Feb. 1980 Cover artists: Bob Budiansky and Mike Esposito Editor: Danny Fingeroth Special feature: Marvel Girl pinup by Jack Kirby Reprints: • X-Men in “No One Can Stop the Vanisher! [Part 1]” from X-Men #2 (Nov. 1963) • Cyclops in “The First Evil Mutant” from X-Men #40 (Jan. 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #4 Mar. 1980 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Paul Reinman Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “No One Can Stop the Vanisher! [Part 2]” from X-Men #2 (Nov. 1963) • Cyclops in “The Living Diamond!” from X-Men #41 (Feb. 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #5 Apr. 1980 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Sol Brodsky Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “Beware of … the Blob! [Part 1]” from X-Men #3 (Jan. 1964) • Cyclops in “The End … or the Beginning?” from X-Men #42 (Mar. 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #6 May 1980 Cover artists: John Byrne and Joe Rubinstein Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “Beware of … the Blob! [Part 2]” from X-Men #3 (Jan. 1964) • Cyclops in “Call Him … Cyclops” from X-Men #43 (Apr. 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #7 June 1980 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and George Roussos Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants! [Part 1]” from X-Men #4 (Mar. 1964) • Iceman in “The Iceman Cometh!” from X-Men #44 (May 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #8 July 1980 Cover artist: Al Milgrom Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants! [Part 2]” from X-Men #4 (Mar. 1964) • Cyclops and Iceman in “And The Mob Cried ... Vengeance!” from X-Men #45 (June 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #9 Aug. 1980 Cover artists: John Byrne and Al Milgrom

Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “Trapped: One X-Man! [Part 1]” from X-Men #5 (May 1964) • Cyclops and Iceman in “…And Then There Were Two” from X-Men #46 (July 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #10 Sept. 1980 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Paul Reinman, with Marie Severin (alterations) Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “Trapped: One X-Man! [Part 2]” from X-Men #5 (May 1964) • Iceman in “I, the Iceman” from X-Men #47 (Aug. 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #11 Oct. 1980 Cover artist: Al Milgrom Editor: Danny Fingeroth Special features: X-Men/Fantastic Four/ Mad Thinker’s Awesome Android pinup by Jack Kirby; X-Men/ Spider-Man pinup by Dan Adkins Reprints: • X-Men in “Sub-Mariner Joins the Evil Mutants [Part 1]” from X-Men #6 (July 1964) • Beast in “Yours Truly the Beast” from X-Men #48 (Sept. 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #12 Nov. 1980 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Chic Stone Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “Sub-Mariner! Joins the Evil Mutants [Part 2]” from X-Men #6 (July 1964) • Nick Fury in “Today Earth Died” from Strange Tales #168 (May 1968) AMAZING ADVENTURES #13 Dec. 1980 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Chic Stone Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • X-Men in “The Return of the Blob” from X-Men #7 (Sept. 1964) AMAZING ADVENTURES #14 Jan. 1981 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Chic Stone Editor: Danny Fingeroth Special features: Iceman vs. Magneto and Angel pinups by Werner Roth Reprints: • X-Men in “The Uncanny Threat of … Unus the Untouchable!” from X-Men #8 (Nov. 1964) FANTASY MASTERPIECES FANTASY MASTERPIECES #1 Dec. 1979 Cover artists: John Buscema and Joe Sinnott Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “The Origin of the Silver Surfer!” from Silver Surfer #1 (Aug. 1968)

TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc. except Planet of the Apes TM & © 20th Century Fox.

16 • BACK ISSUE • Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

FANTASY MASTERPIECES #2 Jan. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Joe Sinnott Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “When Lands the Saucer!” from Silver Surfer #2 (Oct. 1968) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #3 Feb. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Joe Sinnott Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “The Power and the Prize!” from Silver Surfer #3 (Dec. 1968) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #4 Mar. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Sal Buscema Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer (and Thor) in “The Good, the Bad, and the Uncanny!” from Silver Surfer #4 (Feb. 1969) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #5 Apr. 1980 Cover artist: John Romita, Sr. Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “—And Who Shall Mourn for Him?” from Silver Surfer #5 (Apr. 1969) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #6 May 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Sal Buscema Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “Worlds Without End!” from Silver Surfer #6 (June 1969) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #7 June 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Sal Buscema Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “The Heir of Frankenstein!” from Silver Surfer #7 (Aug. 1969) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #8 July 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “Now Strikes the Ghost!” from Silver Surfer #8 (Sept. 1969) • Warlock in “Who is Adam Warlock?” from Strange Tales #178 (Feb. 1975) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #9 Aug. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “—To Steal the Surfer’s Soul!” from Silver Surfer #9 (Oct. 1969) • Warlock in “Death Ship!” from Strange Tales #179 (Apr. 1975)

FANTASY MASTERPIECES #10 Sept. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “A World He Never Made!” from Silver Surfer #10 (Nov. 1969) • Warlock in “The Judgment!” from Strange Tales #180 (June 1975) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #11 Oct. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “O, Bitter Victory!” from Silver Surfer #11 (Dec. 1969) • Warlock in “1000 Clowns!” from Strange Tales #181 (Aug. 1975) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #12 Nov. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Special feature: The Mighty Marvel Cover Gallery: Warlock #9 (Oct. 1975) Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “Gather, Ye Witches!” from Silver Surfer #12 (Jan. 1970) • Warlock in “The Infinity Effect” from Warlock #9 (Oct. 1975) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #13 Dec. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer in “The Dawn of the Doomsday Man!” from Silver Surfer #13 (Feb. 1970) • Warlock in “How Strange My Destiny!” from Warlock #10 (Dec. 1975) FANTASY MASTERPIECES #14 Jan. 1981 Cover artists: John Buscema and John Romita, Sr. Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Silver Surfer (and Spider-Man) in “The Surfer and the Spider!” from Silver Surfer #14 (Mar. 1970) • Warlock in “How Strange My Destiny Part 2” from Warlock #11 (Feb. 1975) HUMAN TORCH HUMAN TORCH #1 Sept. 1974 Cover artists: John Romita, Sr. and Joe Sinnott Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • Human Torch in “Johnny Storm, the Human Torch” from Strange Tales #101 (Oct. 1962) • Golden Age Human Torch in “Horror Hotel!” from The Human Torch #33 (Nov. 1948) HUMAN TORCH #2 Nov. 1974 Cover artists: Larry Lieber and John Romita, Sr. Editor: Roy Thomas

Reprints: • Human Torch in “Prisoner of the Wizard” from Strange Tales #102 (Nov. 1962) • Golden Age Human Torch in “The Hyena Strikes!” from The Human Torch #30 (May 1948) HUMAN TORCH #3 Jan. 1975 Cover artists: Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • Human Torch in “Prisoner of the 5th Dimension!” from Strange Tales #103 (Dec. 1962) • Golden Age Human Torch in “Reptile’s Revenge!” from Sub-Mariner Comics #23 (Summer 1947) HUMAN TORCH #4 Mar. 1975 Cover artists: Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia Editor: Len Wein Reprints: • Human Torch in “The Human Torch Meets Paste-Pot Pete!” from Strange Tales #104 (Jan. 1963) • Golden Age Human Torch in “The World’s End” from The Human Torch #38 (Aug. 1954) HUMAN TORCH #5 May 1975 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Al Milgrom Editor: Len Wein Reprints: • Human Torch in “The Return of the Wizard!” from Strange Tales #105 (Feb. 1963) • Golden Age Human Torch in “In Korea!” from The Human Torch #38 (Aug. 1954) HUMAN TORCH #6 July 1975 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Vince Colletta Editor: Len Wein Reprints: • Human Torch in “The Threat of the Torrid Twosome” from Strange Tales #106 (Mar. 1963) • Golden Age Human Torch in “Flame On!” from The Human Torch #38 (Aug. 1954) HUMAN TORCH #7 Sept. 1975 Cover artists: Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia Editor: Len Wein Reprints: • Human Torch in “The Master of Flame vs. the Monarch of the Sea!!” from Strange Tales #107 (Apr. 1963) • Golden Age Human Torch in “Human Torch—Fugitive at Large!” from Sub-Mariner Comics #35 (Aug. 1954) HUMAN TORCH #8 Nov. 1975 Cover artists: Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia Editor: Marv Wolfman Reprints: • Human Torch in “The Painter of a Thousand Perils!” from Strange Tales #108 (May 1963) • Golden Age Human Torch in

“The Un-Human!” from Marvel Super-Heroes #16 (Sept. 1968) JUNGLE ACTION [Editor’s note: The 1972 revival of the adventure anthology series Jungle Action began as an all-reprint title. Beginning with issue #6, an all-new Black Panther series headlined the title, with a backup reprint in each issue, until new material took over the magazine with issue #8. Only the issues of Jungle Action that included reprints are indexed below.] JUNGLE ACTION #1 Oct. 1972 Cover artist: John Buscema Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • Lorna in “Agu the Giant!” from Lorna the Jungle Queen #1 (July 1953) • Tharn (originally Lo-Zar) in “The Trail of Sudden Death!” from Jungle Action #1 (Oct. 1954) • The Unknown Jungle: “Striped Fury!” from Jann of the Jungle #14 (Dec. 1956) • Jann in “Double Danger!” from Jann of the Jungle #14 (Dec. 1956) JUNGLE ACTION #2 Dec. 1972 Cover artist: Gil Kane Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • Lorna in “Jungle Uprising” from Lorna the Jungle Queen #1 (July 1953) • Tharn (originally Lo-Zar) in [“Red Poison”] from Jungle Action #2 (Dec. 1954) • Man-Oo in “Survival of the Mighty!” from Jungle Action #1 (Oct. 1954) • Jann in “The Day of Jungle Wrath!” from Jann of the Jungle #14 (Dec. 1956) JUNGLE ACTION #3 Feb. 1973 Cover artists: Jim Starlin and Frank Giacoia Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • Tharn (originally Lo-Zar) in “Elephant Charge!” from Jungle Action #4 (Apr. 1955) • Lorna in “The Devil’s Lagoon” from Lorna the Jungle Queen #4 (Dec. 1953) • The Unknown Jungle: “The Challenge of the Pit!” from Jungle Tales #1 (Sept. 1954) • Jann in “Rampage!” from Jungle Tales #1 (Sept. 1954) JUNGLE ACTION #4 Apr. 1973 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • Tharn (originally Lo-Zar) in “Menace from the Past!” from Jungle Action #6 (Aug. 1955) • Lorna in “Wildfire!” from Lorna the Jungle Girl #6 (Mar. 1954) • The Unknown Jungle: “The Judgment of the Beasts!” from Jann of the Jungle #9 (Jan. 1956) • Jann in “With Fang and Talons!” from Jann of the Jungle #9 (Jan. 1956)

TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

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STRANGE TALES #173 Apr. 1974 Cover artists: Rich Buckler and Ernie Chan Editor: Roy Thomas New story: • Brother Voodoo in “Sacrifice Play!” Reprints: • “Bait!” from World of Suspense #4 (Oct. 1956) STRANGE TALES #174 June 1974 Cover artists: Tony DeZuniga, with John Romita, Sr. (alterations) Editor: Roy Thomas New Story: • The Golem in “There Walks the Golem!” Reprints: • “Foolproof!” from Marvel Tales #110 (Dec. 1952) STRANGE TALES #175 Aug. 1974 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers, with John Romita, Sr. (alterations) Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • “Torr” from Amazing Adventures #1 (June 1961) • “Midnight in the Wax Museum” from Amazing Adventures #1 (June 1961) STRANGE TALES #176 Oct. 1974 Cover artist: John Romita, Sr. Editor: Roy Thomas New Story: • The Golem in “Black Crossing” Reprints: • “The Man Who Couldn’t Be Killed!” from Adventure Into Mystery #8 (July 1957) STRANGE TALES #177 Dec. 1974 Cover artist: Frank Brunner Editor: Roy Thomas New Story: • The Golem in “There Comes Now Raging Fire!” Reprints: • “The Girl Behind the Glass!” from Astonishing #59 (Mar. 1957) STRANGE TALES #182 Nov. 1975 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Dan Adkins Editor: Irene Vartanoff Reprints: • Dr. Strange in “The Challenge of Loki!” from Strange Tales #123 (Aug. 1964) • Dr. Strange in “The Lady from Nowhere!” from Strange Tales #124 (Sept. 1964) STRANGE TALES #183 Jan. 1976 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Chic Stone Editor: Irene Vartanoff Reprints: • Dr. Strange in “The Defeat of Dr. Strange” from Strange Tales #130 (Mar. 1965) • Dr. Strange in “The Hunter and the Hunted!” from Strange Tales #131 (Apr. 1965)

STRANGE TALES #184 Mar. 1976 Cover artists: Ed Hannigan and Dan Adkins Editor: Irene Vartanoff Reprints: • Dr. Strange in “Face-to-Face at Last With Baron Mordo!” from Strange Tales #132 (May 1965) • Dr. Strange in “A Nameless Land, A Timeless Time!” from Strange Tales #133 (June 1965) STRANGE TALES #185 May 1976 Cover artists: Ed Hannigan and Klaus Janson, with John Romita, Sr. Editor: Roger Stern Reprints: • Dr. Strange in “Earth Be My Battleground” from Strange Tales #134 (July 1965) • Dr. Strange in “Eternity Beckons!” from Strange Tales #135 (Aug. 1965) STRANGE TALES #186 July 1976 Cover artists: Ed Hannigan and Mike Esposito Editor: Roger Stern Reprints: • Dr. Strange in “What Lurks Beneath the Mask?” from Strange Tales #136 (Sept. 1965) • Dr. Strange in “When Meet the Mystic Minds!” from Strange Tales #137 (Oct. 1965) STRANGE TALES #187 Sept. 1976 Cover artists: Ron Wilson and Dan Adkins Editor: Roger Stern Reprints: • Dr. Strange in “If Eternity Should Fail!” from Strange Tales #138 (Nov. 1965) • Dr. Strange in “Beware…! Dormammu is Watching!” from Strange Tales #139 (Dec. 1965) STRANGE TALES #188 Nov. 1976 Cover artists: Gene Colan and Tom Palmer Editor: Roger Stern Reprints: • Dr. Strange in “The Pincers of Power!” from Strange Tales #140 (Jan. 1966) • Dr. Strange in “Let There Be Victory!” from Strange Tales #141 (Feb. 1966) TALES OF ASGARD TALES OF ASGARD #1 Feb. 1984 Cover artist: Walt Simonson Editor: Ralph Macchio Reprints: • Thor in “The Hordes of Harokin!” from Thor #129 (June 1966) • Thor in “The Fateful Change!” from Thor #130 (July 1966) • Thor in “The Warlock's Eye!” from Thor #131 (Aug. 1966) • Thor in “The Dark Horse of Death!” from Thor #132 (Sept. 1966)

• • • •

Thor in “Valhalla!” from Thor #133 (Oct. 1966) Thor in “When Speaks the Dragon!” from Thor #134 (Nov. 1966) Thor in “The Fiery Breath of Fafnir!” from Thor #135 (Dec. 1966) Thor in “There Shall Come a Miracle!” from Thor #136 (Jan. 1967) TALES TO ASTONISH

TALES TO ASTONISH #1 Dec. 1979 Cover artists: John Buscema and Sol Brodsky Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “Years of Glory— Day of Doom!” from Sub-Mariner #1 (May 1968)

TALES TO ASTONISH #8 July 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “In the Rage of Battle!” from Sub-Mariner #8 (Dec. 1968) TALES TO ASTONISH #9 Aug. 1980 Cover artists: Herb Trimpe and Dan Adkins, with John Romita, Sr. (alterations) Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “The Spell of the Serpent!” from Sub-Mariner #9 (Jan. 1969)

TALES TO ASTONISH #2 Jan. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Frank Giacoia Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “Cry … Triton!” from Sub-Mariner #2 (June 1968)

TALES TO ASTONISH #10 Sept. 1980 Cover artists: Gene Colan and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “Never Bother a Barracuda!” from Sub-Mariner #10 (Feb. 1969)

TALES TO ASTONISH #3 Feb. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Frank Giacoia Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “On a Clear Day You Can See … the Leviathan!” from Sub-Mariner #3 (July 1968)

TALES TO ASTONISH #11 Oct. 1980 Cover artists: Gene Colan and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “The Choice and the Challenge!” from Sub-Mariner #11 (Mar. 1969)

TALES TO ASTONISH #4 Mar. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Frank Giacoia Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “Who Strikes For Atlantis?” from Sub-Mariner #4 (Aug. 1968)

TALES TO ASTONISH #12 Nov. 1980 Cover artists: John Romita, Sr. and Mike Esposito Editor: Danny Fingeroth New Story: • The Vision in “Double Vision” Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “A World Against Me!” from Sub-Mariner #12 (Apr. 1969)

TALES TO ASTONISH #5 Apr. 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Frank Giacoia Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “Watch Out for … Tiger Shark!” from Sub-Mariner #5 (Sept. 1968) TALES TO ASTONISH #6 May 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “…And to the Vanquished—Death!” from Sub-Mariner #6 (Oct. 1968) TALES TO ASTONISH #7 June 1980 Cover artists: John Buscema and Dan Adkins Editor: Danny Fingeroth Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “For President— the Man Called Destiny!” from Sub-Mariner #7 (Nov. 1968)

TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

34 • BACK ISSUE • Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

TALES TO ASTONISH #13 Dec. 1980 Cover artists: Marie Severin and Joe Sinnott Editor: Danny Fingeroth New Story: • Nighthawk in “Deadly Game” Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “Death, Thou Shalt Die!” from Sub-Mariner #13 (May 1969) TALES TO ASTONISH #14 Jan. 1981 Cover artists: Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia Editor: Danny Fingeroth Special features: Human Torch vs. Sub-Mariner Golden Age pinup by Bill Everett and Carl Burgos; Sub-Mariner pinup; “Sub-Mariner Gallery” 1-page filler (original art by Alan Weiss, from a proposed but unpublished Sub-Mariner series by Jim Shooter and Alan Weiss) Reprints: • Sub-Mariner in “Burn, Namor … Burn!” from Sub-Mariner #14 (June 1969)

Nowadays, they are household names in animated cartoons, video games, films, and, of course, comic books. Today one cannot walk into their local comic shop or peruse online vendors without seeing an X or a mutant in a Marvel title. Yet in the past, before becoming All-New, All-Different, and Uncanny during the epic stories of Len Wein, Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, and John Byrne, the X-Men relived past adventures in their own series. This article will look at the reprint years of X-Men and the reasons for the title’s change in direction before and after the strangest superheroes of all traveled through time through their old tales for 27 issues. by

MUTANT HISTORY X

James Heath Lantz

X-caping Cancellation Before the “new” X-Men, Bronze Age readers discovered the “old” X-Men when the series went all-reprint beginning with X-Men #67 (Dec. 1970). Cover by Marie Severin and Joe Sinnott. The double-sized mag originally reprinted two issues of X-Men but was cut back to a regular-sized title with issue #71, then reprinting only one X-Men tale. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

To understand the reasons for X-Men becoming a reprint book, it helps to get to know some of the title’s history. Stan Lee approached Marvel publisher Martin Goodman with an idea for a series called The Mutants. Fearing people would not know what a mutant was, Goodman suggested a title change. Lee then got to work with artist Jack Kirby and later Werner Roth (who began his run under the pseudonym Jay Gavin, named for both of his sons) on X-Men, a series Lee later said was “an anti-bigotry story to show there’s good in every person.” X-Men followed the adventures of five teenaged students and their teacher, Professor Charles Xavier, a.k.a. Professor X, from Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. The eye-laser-blasting Cyclops, the agile Beast with prehensile toes, the winged Angel, the frozen Iceman, and the telekinetic and telepathic Marvel Girl are mutants—beings born with superhuman abilities and gifts. The paralyzed Professor X uses his powerful mutant mind to train the young group, whom he calls X-Men for the X-gene that gives them their powers, to defend humanity in spite of the fear and hatred toward homo-superior, as mutants are later called. The X-Men face the likes of magnetism master Magneto, the unmovable Blob, the leaping Toad, the unstoppable Juggernaut (Xavier’s stepbrother), and the mutanthunting giant robots called the Sentinels. The team and Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants even encounter a mutant (though technically he could be considered a hybrid) from the Golden Age of Comics— Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner—in X-Men #6 (July 1964). The Lee/Kirby team had an impressive track record with such books as Fantastic Four, Thor, and Avengers. Yet while it had a cult following, X-Men failed to capture the imaginations of many readers in spite of the sagas giving audiences the first appearances of such mainstays in the mutant mythos as Professor X, Magneto, and Cyclops. On the beginnings of the comic book, Roy Thomas later surmised the following in a panel on the Silver and Bronze Age X-Men on June 11, 2000, transcribed in Alter Ego #24: “One of the reasons it wasn’t as big in the early ’60s is because its time really hadn’t come yet. It was before the age of the teenaged superhero. Nor was the ‘outcast’ thing quite as big earlier. Remember, ’63 was the Kennedy years. But by the late ’60s, with Vietnam and civil rights and all that, the idea of the outsider as the hero came in big.” The final Stan Lee issue, which was drawn by Werner Roth, was X-Men #19 (Apr. 1966). While Roth stayed on the book for some time, Lee handed over writing duties to Roy Thomas. Thomas, who would have extensive cycles on Avengers and Conan the Barbarian, would have two runs on the book—#20–43 (May 1966–Apr. 1968) and #55–64 (Apr. 1969–Jan. 1970) and #66 (Mar. 1970)—with Gary Friedrich (Ghost Rider), Arnold Drake (Doom Patrol), and Dennis O’Neil (Batman) penning some tales as well. Jim Steranko, who also designed the cover logo for the series, Don Heck, George Tuska, and Ross Andru were among the names of creators who had provided visuals for the mutant mayhem in the pages of X-Men. Most of Roy Thomas’ second outing of X-Men tales had him paired with artist Neal Adams, who had followed Jim Steranko’s advice to come work for Marvel after his stint on DC Comics’ Deadman had ended in 1969. Adams drew #56–63 of Thomas’ tales and plotted Dennis O’Neil’s fill-in dialogue for issue #65 (Feb. 1970). Sal Buscema would provide images for the last Roy Thomas tale. It featured

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X-MEN #67 Dec. 1970 Cover artists: Marie Severin and Joe Sinnott Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “The Origin of Professor X” from X-Men #12 (July 1965) • X-Men in “Where Walks the Juggernaut” from X-Men #13 (Sept. 1965) X-MEN #68 Feb. 1971 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “Among Us Stalk … the Sentinels” from X-Men #14 (Nov. 1965) • X-Men in “Prisoners of the Mysterious Master Mold” from X-Men #15 (Dec. 1965) X-MEN #69 Apr. 1971 Cover artist: Sal Buscema (from a Marie Severin sketch) Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “The Supreme Sacrifice” from X-Men #16 (Jan. 1966) • X-Men in “Lo! Now Shall Appear—the Mimic” from X-Men #19 (Apr. 1966) X-MEN #70 June 1971 Cover artists: Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “…and None Shall Survive” from X-Men #17 (Feb. 1966) • X-Men in “If Iceman Should Fail—” from X-Men #18 (Mar. 1966) X-MEN #71 Aug. 1971 Cover artists: Werner Roth and Dick Ayers Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “I, Lucifer…” from X-Men #20 (May 1966) X-MEN #72 Oct. 1971 Cover artists: Werner Roth and Dick Ayers Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “From Whence Comes … Dominus?” from X-Men #21 (June 1966) • X-Men in “The Plague of … the Locust” from X-Men #24 (Sept. 1966)

X-MEN #73 Dec. 1971 Cover artist: Bill Everett Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “The Power and the Pendant” from X-Men #25 (Oct. 1966) X-MEN #74 Feb. 1972 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “Holocaust” from X-Men #26 (Nov. 1966) X-MEN #75 Apr. 1972 Cover artist: Gil Kane Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “Re-Enter: The Mimic” from X-Men #27 (Dec. 1966) X-MEN #76 June 1972 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “The Wail of the Banshee” from X-Men #28 (Jan. 1967) X-MEN #77 Aug. 1972 Cover artists: George Tuska and Vince Colletta Editor: Stan Lee Reprints: • X-Men in “When Titans Clash” from X-Men #29 (Feb. 1967) X-MEN #78 Oct. 1972 Cover artists: George Tuska and uncredited inker (possibly Frank Giacoia) Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “The Menace of Merlin” (original title: “The Warlock Wakes”) from X-Men #30 (Mar. 1967) X-MEN #79 Dec. 1972 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “We Must Destroy … the Cobalt Man” from X-Men #31 (Apr. 1967) X-MEN #80 Feb. 1973 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia Editor: Roy Thomas

Reprints: • X-Men in “Beware the Juggernaut, My Son” from X-Men #32 (May 1967) X-MEN #81 Apr. 1973 Cover artists: Gil Kane, Werner Roth, and John Romita, Sr. Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “Into the Crimson Cosmos” from X-Men #33 (June 1967) X-MEN #82 June 1973 Cover artist: Dan Adkins Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “War—in a World of Darkness” from X-Men #34 (July 1967) X-MEN #83 Aug. 1973 Cover artist: Dan Adkins Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “Along Came a Spider…” from X-Men #35 (Aug. 1967) X-MEN #84 Oct. 1973 Cover artists: Ross Andru and George Roussos Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “Mekano Lives” from X-Men #36 (Sept. 1967) X-MEN #85 Dec. 1973 Cover artist: Don Heck, with Bullpen alterations Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “We, the Jury…” from X-Men #37 (Oct. 1967) X-MEN #86 Feb. 1974 Cover artist: Dan Adkins Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “The Sinister Shadow of … Doomsday” from X-Men #38 (Nov. 1967) • “The Spirit of Swami River” from Amazing Adult Fantasy #9 (Feb. 1962) X-MEN #87 Apr. 1974 Cover artist: George Tuska Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “The Sinister Shadow of … Doomsday” from X-Men #39 (Dec. 1967) • “Mister Universe” from Amazing Adult Fantasy #10 (Mar. 1962)

TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

38 • BACK ISSUE • Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

X-MEN #88 June 1974 Cover artist: George Tuska, with Marie Severin alterations Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “The Sinister Shadow of … Doomsday” from X-Men #40 (Jan. 1968) • “Thru the Lens” from Venus #16 (Oct. 1951) X-MEN #89 Aug. 1974 Cover artists: Larry Lieber and Frank Giacoia Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “Now Strikes … the Sub-Human” from X-Men #41 (Feb. 1968) • “For the Rest of Your Life” from Amazing Adult Fantasy #11 (Apr. 1962) X-MEN #90 Oct. 1974 Cover artist: John Buscema Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “If I Should Die…” from X-Men #42 (Mar. 1968) • “Why Won’t They Believe Me?” from Amazing Adult Fantasy #7 (Dec. 1961) X-MEN #91 Dec. 1974 Cover artist: John Buscema Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “The Torch is Passed…” from X-Men #43 (Apr. 1968) • “Journey’s End” from Amazing Adult Fantasy #7 (Dec. 1961) X-MEN #92 Feb. 1975 Cover artists: Ron Wilson and Mike Esposito Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “Red Raven, Red Raven…” from X-Men #44 (May 1968) • “The Warning” from Mystery Tales #30 (June 1955) X-MEN #93 Apr. 1975 Cover artist: John Buscema Editor: Roy Thomas Reprints: • X-Men in “When Mutants Clash!” from X-Men #45 (June 1968) • “The Mechanical Men” from Journey into Mystery #74 (Nov. 1961)

Lex Carson

TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc., except Conan TM & © Conan LLC. and Doc Savage TM & © Condé Nast.

In the spring of 1974, Marvel launched a new series of Giant-Size comics. The House of Ideas had long published larger-sized Annuals (a.k.a. King-Size Specials) since the 1960s, and briefly made all of their comics 25-cent Giants in 1971, but this Giant-Size vision was even more ambitious. The project, launched in 1974, would publish Giant-Size titles on a “regular basis,” with both new and reprinted materials. One needs to look at a number of perspectives to fully analyze the Giant-Size era. This article will look at the publishing and editorial perspective, the creative influences and events, and, of course, the fan’s perspective. Going into the project, Roy Thomas recalls the momentum that began their publication: “The Giant-Size idea was Stan’s [Lee] as publisher … to increase revenue—at least, I don’t assume it came from Al Landau after he took over the job as president of Marvel when Stan relinquished it after a year or so. It seemed to make sense to try to produce more of the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Conan, and other top-selling characters and genres. It was hoped that having a different-sized, quarterly title wouldn’t take away from the regular titles.” But … would the concept work? Plans were announced in Marvel Comics fanzine Friends of Ol’ Marvel, commonly referred to as FOOM. In late 1973, FOOM #4 (Winter 1973) discussed Marvel’s recent 20% increase in price, from 20 to 25 cents. This negative news was offset in the magazines “Far-Out Fanfare and Infoomation” section with some positive information: “Two new, adventure filled, 35-cent Marvel color comics will be on our newsstand in the next couple of months, and though they will cost more, we think you will find them worthwhile.” Later, the section proposed other larger attractions to come: “More and better over-sized magazines are in the planning stages, and this spring you can look for a monthly supergiant-sized comic that will rock you right out of your tree.” The tree-shaking began with the publication of two “Giant” 35-cent comics with Giant-Size Super Stars #1 (May 1974) featuring the Fantastic Four, followed in May with Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1 (June 1974) featuring Spider-Man, and Giant-Size Chillers #1 (June 1974) featuring Count Dracula. As explained in an announcement section at the time, Marvel planned to produce three monthly rotating features with a 35-cent format. This was imitative of NBC’s Mystery Movie series that aired in a somewhat non-traditional format of 90 minutes. At this time, NBC rotated its series between Columbo, McMillan & Wife, and McCloud. Marvel planned to counter with a similar rotation of the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and Conan the Barbarian. At least that was the proposed plan.

THE GROWING PAINS OF A GIANT The best-laid publication productions of mice and Marvel soon went awry. A proposed and announced 35-cent Giant-Size Conan was never produced in that format. In its place was to be a 35-cent Giant-Size Super-Teams featuring the Defenders. This issue was also one that was never published in this format. The only other 35-cent Giant-Size book produced by Marvel at this time was Giant-Size Creatures #1 (July 1974) featuring Werewolf by Night, before Mighty Marvel decided to go with an even larger format. In May 1974, Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Roy Thomas published “An Awesome Apologia From Our Erudite Editor,” which proclaimed Marvel would produce a “brand-new line of 60-cent, one-hundred-page extravaganzas,” which would include Super-Giant Conan, Super-Giant Avengers, and Super-Giant Spider-Man Team-Up books. Thomas explains his thoughts and role as editor to BACK ISSUE: “Just a few years earlier, when Martin Goodman flirted for a month or so with the extra-size comic, it was decided that the 36-page comic was a better package than a 48-page or larger one. Most of the creators knew I liked the larger comics and wanted to get rid of the smaller one. While Goodman’s plan would at least have made our comics, like DC’s, only available at a higher price, this later move merely pitted the two sizes against each other.” Marvel’s proposed 100-page comics would be imitative of DC Comics’ 100-Page Super Spectacular format that was published in the early to mid-1970s. This particular 100-page format quickly became DC’s standard for “Giant” comics. [Editor’s note: Marvelites, do yourselves a favor a grab a copy of BI #81, surveying DC’s Bronze Age Giants and

Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

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Reprints, to learn more!] However, Marvel’s imitative initiative of 100-page stories with new material never saw fruition. April of 1974 saw the release of two 50-cent Giant-Size comics with “68 Big Pages” with the publication of Giant-Size Defenders #1 and Giant-Size Spider-Man #1 (both cover-dated July 1974). The Defenders title had only nine pages of new material, a disappointment after the advertisement and ballyhoo over Marvel’s newest non-team advertised for Giant-Size Super-Teams #1. However, the Spider-Man story did feature the “team-up” angle as advertised, with a new 30-page story co-starring Dracula, which tied into Spider-Man’s ongoing adventures in his regular Marvel-Team-Up title. In FOOM #6 (Summer 1974), it was announced: “After some weeks of experimentation and planning, we’ve finally firmed up our plans to release a full line of 68-page, full-color comics. There will be nine of these giant-sized goodies coming to you on a regular, quarterly schedule at the price of 50 cents.” Roy Thomas’ idea of having two sizes of comics became a reality for the House of Ideas. Len Wein, who replaced Thomas as editor-in-chief later in 1975, insists that the number of Giant-Sizes that were produced each month were “arbitrary,” while Thomas himself counters, “If we didn’t produce nine regular titles, we were pretty darn close.” Who is correct, Len Wein or Roy Thomas? len wein Even the comic fans from the time could not tell. The fanzine Comic Reader #106 (May 1974) indicated even the contemporary market had trouble predicting Marvel’s publications. The news section from that issue declared: “I know it seems that the Giant-Size books are being released rather indiscriminately, and that we don’t have any idea what is to be expected. Well, neither does Marvel—their production schedule cannot be printed fast enough to keep up with the new titles.” And after all this experimentation, would mostly teen and pre-teen Marvel readers spend double the regular price—25 cents to 50 cents—to buy these new, larger books?

BRING ON SOME DIFFERENT GUYS!

Biggest Bargain in Comics Marvel’s 1974 announcement of its 100-page Super-Giant titles. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

40 • BACK ISSUE • Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

As you might surmise from the titles that were proposed to be regularly published in a Giant-Size format, several were not the traditional superhero variety. Horror and macabre comics, as well as sword-and-sorcery works such as Conan and Kull, were a big part of the Marvel line in the 1970s. Of the published 35-cent Marvels, the same amount of non-superhero titles were produced as traditional superhero ones. As mentioned previously, to offset the first two issues featuring traditional heroes the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man came two non-costumed characters, with Dracula and the Werewolf by Night Jack Russell. The titles that went on to see regular publication in the 50-cent format were not necessarily the ones that a reader today would expect. Of course, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and Avengers were in the rotation. However, there was no regular publication of Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, or X-Men. The non-superhero Giant-Size titles that were regularly published for over a year were Conan, Dracula, Werewolf [by Night], and [Shang-Chi,] Master of Kung Fu. The superpowered non-team’s Giant-Size Defenders and the macabre [and provocatively titled—ed.] Giant-Size Man-Thing rounded out the regular offerings.

Although Conan no longer appears in Marvel Comics, Robert E. Howard’s creation, Conan the Barbarian, became a top seller for Marvel in the 1970s and was a part of the company’s merchandizing as well. Writer Roy Thomas’ collaborations on Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian with artists Barry Smith and John Buscema were awardwinning and became an enduring piece of comicdom. Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian #1 was first published as a bimonthly beginning in July 1970, with an October cover date. Sales on Conan slowly but steadily rose. The title went monthly with Conan #20 (Nov. 1972) and became one of Marvel’s most popular series. Thomas explains the phenomenon: “Conan kind of sneaked up on Marvel … although Stan and I knew it, and the people who wanted to merchandize Marvel characters knew it.” Marvel definitely knew they wanted Conan to be a big part of its Giant-Size offerings. Thomas wrote an all-new 26-page Conan tale for Giant-Size Conan #1 (Sept. 1974), which was enhanced by Gil Kane artwork. Kane and Thomas followed this collaboration with three 30-page stories in issues #2–4. Kane drew three Giant-Size Conan covers, with Jack Kirby and John Romita, Sr. putting together the final one in Giant-Size Conan #5.

On Second Thought… (top) Editor Roy Thomas explains Marvel’s Giant-Size format changes in his editorial in Giant-Size Spider-Man #1. (bottom right) This house ad touts Spidey as the star of issue #2 of Giant-Size Super-Stars, but (bottom left) that Spidey issue became Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1. Cover by Gil Kane and John Romita, Sr. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

roy thomas Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons.

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HOW IT ALL BEGAN…

Stephan

Simon & Schuster established its imprints of Fireside/ Touchstone in 1970 to publish trade paperback editions. Aimed at younger readers, Fireside was originally a division focused on diet, health, exercise, and self-help. Touchstone was focused on more serious non-fiction and popular fiction. The Fireside imprint continued until being retired in 2010 and Touchstone remained the only imprint for that area of interest. In 1974, Linda Sunshine, the person responsible for bringing about the Batman and Superman books from Crown [see BI #81], became the new Fireside editor. “I believed I could bring the same kind of bestseller to Fireside,” she tells BACK ISSUE. “I contacted Marvel and Stan Lee. Stan was just great to work with! We’d decide a Fredt theme and the Marvel staff would pull it together and send it to us. I don’t recall them ever missing a deadline.”Starting with the first book, Origins of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee would approve the contents, write the introductions, and hand it off to special projects manager Irene Vartanoff to pull it all together. Irene was known to many comic readers from her multiple appearances in the letters columns. Just like Roy Thomas and several others, she made the transition from fan to the comic-book profession. In a 2009 interview posted in Jacque Nodell’s blog devoted to linda sunshine romance comics, Sequential Crush, Irene described some of her transitions at Marvel: “I started with various editorial assistant tasks and then moved to being the reprint editor (an assistant editor role) and then into managing reprint production. Then came special projects coordination … I spent most of my career at Marvel in production, supervising a handful of employees and freelancers and teaming with people from other companies to produce joint projects. I did hardcover and paperback books, newspaper inserts, posters, Star Wars reprints, newspaper strips, and more. I also did the infamous cleanup and inventory of the Marvel art warehouse.” She further related in 2010 in her own blog Temporary Superheroine: “I got handed final due dates for multiple projects and it was up to me to figure out how to get all the balls in the air, keep them in the air, and then get the final product to press on time. There wasn’t any kind of training; someone on the 9th floor cut the deal, and we on the 6th floor got handed the job.” I asked Irene about the original process for putting the books together. “I did not retain any documents pertaining to the original lineup, or the breakdown of how much was obtainable through film we already had, and how much it would cost to get new film made,” Vartanoff says. “Someone with access to our film inventory (I was not in charge of it) must have done the P&L [profit and loss statement]—possibly [production

Titanic Tome A countertop display for Fireside Books’ premier Marvel edition, 1974’s Origins of Marvel Comics. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

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IDEALS PUBLISHING CORP. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE SECRET STORY OF MARVEL’S STARSPANGLED SUPER HERO 1981 Page count: 68 Editor: David Anthony Kraft Special features: “Captain America— The Man and the Legend!” 2-page text article; “The Red Skull Lives!” 3-page text article; “The Avengers—Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!” 3-page text article; “The Birth of a Legend!” 1-page text article; “Captain America—Looking to the Future!” 1-page text article; “Now You Know…” 1-page text feature; “The Men Behind Captain America!” 1-page biography of creators (all text articles by David Anthony Kraft); Captain America pinup Reprints: • “The Red Skull Supreme!” from Tales of Suspense #81 (Sept. 1966) • “Captain America Joins … the Avengers!” from The Avengers #4 (Mar. 1964) • “The Living Legend!” from Captain America #255 (Mar. 1981) • “[Today],” 1-page excerpt from Captain America #255 (Mar. 1981) THE FANTASTIC FOUR: THE SECRET STORY OF MARVEL’S COSMIC QUARTET 1981 Page count: 68 Editor: David Anthony Kraft Special feature: “Fantastic Four” 13-page text article by David Anthony Kraft Reprints: • “The Fantastic Four!” from Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961) • “Shall Man Survive?” from Fantastic Four #83 (Feb. 1969) • “…And a Child Shall Slay Them!” from Fantastic Four #203 (Feb. 1979) THE INCREDIBLE HULK: THE SECRET STORY OF MARVEL’S GAMMAPOWERED GOLIATH 1981 Page count: 68 Editor: David Anthony Kraft Special features: “The Incredible Hulk” 1-page text article; “The Monster and the Man!” 3-page text article; “The Avengers!” 1-page text article; “And the Defenders!” 1-page text article; “The Hulkbusters!” 1-page text article; “The Hulk-Star of TV” 1-page text article; “Now You Know…” 1-page text feature; “The Men Behind the Hulk!” 2-page biography of creators (all text articles by David Anthony Kraft) Reprints: • “The Coming of the Hulk,” “The Hulk Strikes,” and “The Search For the Hulk” from The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962) • “…And Now, the Absorbing Man!” from The Incredible Hulk #125 (Mar. 1970) • “The Monster’s Analysis” from The Incredible Hulk #227 (Sept. 1978)

SPIDER-MAN: THE SECRET STORY OF MARVEL’S WORLD-FAMOUS WALL CRAWKER 1981 Page count: 68 Editor: Roger Stern Special features: “Spider-Man” 2-page text article; “The Secrets of Spider-Man’s Web” 2-page filler; “Spidey’s Living Action Demonstration” 1-page pinup; “Spidey’s Spider-Sense” 1-page pinup; “The Secret of Spider-Man’s Mask” 1-page pinup; “The First Adventure!” 1-page text article; “The Spider, the Student, and the Power of the Press!” 3-page text article; “The Tangled Web of Romance!” 2-page text article; “Someone Wicked This Way Comes!” 1-page text article; 1-page pinups of the Vulture, the Chameleon, Sandman, Electro, the Enforcers, and Kraven the Hunter; “Spider-Man in the Seventies!” 1-page text article; “On into the Eighties!” 1-page text article; “Now You Know…” and “Can You Guess?” 1-page text feature; “Spider-Man Today” 1/2-page text article; “The Men Behind Spider-Man” 1 1/2-page biography of creators (all text articles by Roger Stern) Reprints: • “[The Secrets of Spider-Man]” from Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (May 1962) • Amazing Fantasy #15 cover reprint • “Spider-Man!” from Amazing Fantasy #15 (Sept. 1962) • Amazing Spider-Man #80 cover reprint • “On the Trail of … the Chameleon!” from Amazing Spider-Man #80 (Jan. 1970) MARVEL COMICS MIGHTY MARVEL TEAM-UP THRILLERS #1 1983 Page count: 166 Cover artist: Bob Larkin Special features: “The Silver Surfer and the Mighty Thor” 3-page chapter introduction; “Iron Man and Captain America” 2-page chapter introduction; “Spider-Man and Red Sonja” 2-page chapter introduction; “The X-Men and the Avengers!” 2-page chapter introduction; “The Thing and the Hulk!” 2-page chapter introduction; “Spider-Man and Daredevil” 2-page chapter introduction; “A Final Word” 3-page afterword (all text articles by Stan Lee) Reprints: • The Silver Surfer (and Thor) in “The Good, the Bad, and the Uncanny!” from The Silver Surfer #4 (Feb. 1969) • Iron Man (and Captain America) in “In Mortal Combat with Captain America!” from Tales of Suspense #68 (Oct. 1964) • Spider-Man and Red Sonja in “Sword of the She-Devil” from Marvel Team-Up #79 (Mar. 1979) • The X-Men (and the Avengers) in “Enter, the Avengers!” from The X-Men #9 (Jan. 1965) • The Thing and the Hulk in “Cry: Monster!” from Marvel Feature #11 (Sept. 1973) • Spider-Man (and Daredevil) in “Duel with Daredevil” from Amazing Spider-Man #16 (Sept. 1964)

72 • BACK ISSUE • Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

The Secrets Revealed Back cover to Ideals’ Spider-Man volume, teasing the entire line’s entries. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

While Fireside’s The Silver Surfer (1978) was Marvel’s first graphic novel, 1983’s Mighty Marvel Team-Up Thrillers (MMTUT) #1 was the first trade paperback self-published by Marvel, weighing in at 166 pages with a $5.95 retail price. Following on the heels of its “Marvel Illustrated Books” paperback line (explored in the next article), MMTUT #1 was intended to be a continuation of the Fireside volumes, but with Marvel firmly in control. “At last! The sensational, best-selling ‘Marvel Origins’ series continues!” heralded its back-cover copy, and inside, the first words the reader encountered were an “Also by Stan Lee” book list of Fireside titles. From its energetic Bob Larkin painted cover to its back-cover and title-page illos by Jazzy John Romita to its rambunctious ramblings by the master of the chock-full-ofchatter introduction, Stan the Man himself, MMTUT sure seemed like a Fireside book. Yet this ambitious freshman effort was fraught with foul-ups, at least in the copy I own. Numerous pages and panels within its lead Silver Surfer/Thor tale are missing their black plates, making them a miasma of muddled colors, and a poor job of binding allows folios of pages to break free of the spine and fall into your hands. That aside, Mighty Marvel Team-Up Thrillers #1 (and only) is an interesting collectible for its historical significance. Further volumes in the “Marvel Origins” line did not occur, but before long the House of Ideas would launch its vaunted Marvel Masterworks line—and later, its affordable Marvel Essentials line—continuing the repackaging of its classics for new generations of readers.

Michael Eury

As has been covered in this magazine on many occasions, a hallmark of the Bronze Age of Comics was its alternative formats for comic books. Throughout the 1970s, traditional newsstand distribution was netting declining numbers, and to attract new readers publishers experimented with releasing comic-book material in a variety of formats, including jumbosized treasury editions (see BACK ISSUE #61), black-and-white magazines (which we’ll examine in BI #88), and hardcover and trade-paperback reprint editions released to bookstores. Paperbacks were another method employed by comic publishers to get their characters and backlist into readers’ hands—literally—in a personal, fit-in-your-palm softcover format. The comics-to-paperback trend was certainly nothing new: the popular, and frequently expanding, libraries of Peanuts, Dennis the Menace, and MAD Magazine reprints in paperback form stretched back to the 1950s; joining Charles Schulz, Hank Ketcham, and Alfred E. Neuman on book spinner racks were paperbacks collecting other syndicated comics including The Addams Family, Nancy, Hazel, Andy Capp, and The Born Loser. Paperback editions reprinting superhero comics enjoyed a blip on the pop-culture radar in the mid-’60s during the decade’s famed camp superhero craze. Batman (lots of him!) and Superman, the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and the Mighty Crusaders were among the caped crusaders whose earlier adventures were re-presented in paperbacks—in black and white, reformatted to a smaller size. In 1966–1967, Lancer Books brought the House of Ideas to paperback readers with a series of six “Collector’s Album” softcovers comprising the first Marvel paperback editions: The Fantastic Four, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Mighty Thor, The Fantastic Four Return, and Daredevil. And on their heels came two original novels from Bantam Books starring Marvel heroes: 1967’s The Avengers Battle the Earth-Wrecker by legendary sci-fi and comics writer Otto Binder, and 1968’s Captain America: The Great Gold Steal by Ted White; both novels featured painted covers, a rarity during this era.

MARVEL POCKET COMICS A decade would pass before Marvel’s material would be repackaged in paperback editions. As chronicled elsewhere in this issue (as well as in BACK ISSUE #81), Fireside Books, an imprint of publishing powerhouse Simon & Schuster, began collecting Marvel material in trade-paperback form, starting with 1974’s Origins of Marvel Comics. Bolstered by the success of those trades, Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, brought the Marvel Universe to the paperback market in 1977. (Historically, Pocket Books was not simply a Simon & Schuster “division”—it was the United States’ first publisher of mass-market paperback editions, starting in 1939 and borrowing from European models that had begun even earlier. Pocket Books went through several owners until being acquired by Simon & Schuster in 1966. And it should not be confused with the “Pocket Books” Marvel reprint titles published in the United Kingdom, or with the more recent line of Pocket Books published by Marvel Comics itself.) Pocket Books’ Marvel series, consisting of ten titles released between September 1977 and September 1979, was branded as its “Pocket Comics” line but is also known as the “Stan Lee presents” line due to The Man’s signature being prefixed to each of its logos. They might also be called “Mini Marvel Masterworks,” as they reprinted material chronologically, rather than the random reprints usually appearing in comic paperbacks, and they did so in full-color, rather than the black and white of its Lancer predecessors. Overseen by Marvel’s production manager, Sol Brodsky, the editorial and production work on the Pocket Books line was handled by a variety of people whose names are familiar to longtime comics readers: Paty Cockrum, Jim Salicrup, Irene Vartanoff, Duffy Vohland, Andy Yanchus, and Nel Yomtov, among others.

All in Color for a Lot of Dimes The electrifying Steve Ditko cover to Pocket Books’ first Amazing Spider-Man volume, making pulse-pounding perils a hand-held experience in 1977. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

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Special feature: 1-page pinup by Frank Brunner Reprints: • “The Defeat of Dr. Strange” from Strange Tales #130 (Mar. 1965) • “The Hunter and the Hunted!” from Strange Tales #131 (Apr. 1965) • “Face-to-Face at Last with Baron Mordo!” from Strange Tales #132 (May 1965) • “A Nameless Land, A Timeless Time!” from Strange Tales #133 (June 1965) • “Earth Be My Battleground” from Strange Tales #134 (July 1965) • “Eternity Beckons!” from Strange Tales #135 (Aug. 1965) • “What Lurks Beneath the Mask?” from Strange Tales #136 (Sept. 1965) • “When Meet the Mystic Minds!” from Strange Tales #137 (Oct. 1965) • “If Eternity Should Fail!” from Strange Tales #138 (Nov. 1965) • “Beware…! Dormammu is Watching!” from Strange Tales #139 (Dec. 1965) • “The Pincers of Power!” from Strange Tales #140 (Jan. 1966) • “Let There Be Victory!” from Strange Tales #141 (Feb. 1966) • “Those Who Would Destroy Me!” from Strange Tales #142 (Mar. 1966) • “With None Beside Me!” from Strange Tales #143 (Apr. 1966) • “Where Man Hath Never Trod!” from Strange Tales #144 (May 1966) FANTASTIC FOUR [#1] (81445) Nov. 1977 Cover price: $1.95 Cover artists: Gil Kane and Joe Sinnott Special features: Prologue and epilogue by Stan Lee; 5 pinup pages Reprints: • “The Fantastic Four!”/“The Fantastic Four Meet the Mole Man” (3 chapters) from Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961) • “The Fantastic Four Meet the Skrulls from Outer Space!” (4 chapters) from Fantastic Four #2 (Jan. 1962) • “The Menace of the Miracle Man!” (5 chapters) from Fantastic Four #3 (Mar. 1962) • “The Coming of … Sub-Mariner!” (5 chapters) from Fantastic Four #4 (May 1962) • “Prisoners of Doctor Doom!” (5 chapters) from Fantastic Four #5 (July 1962) • “Captives of the Deadly Duo!” (5 chapters) from Fantastic Four #6 (July 1962) THE INCREDIBLE HULK [#1] (81446-X) Apr. 1978 Cover price: $1.95 Cover artist: John Romita, Sr. Special features: Prologue and epilogue by Stan Lee; 1-page Hulk pinup; 2-page Hulk cast pinup Reprints: • “The Coming of the Hulk!” (5 chapters) from The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962) • “The Terror of the Toad Men!” (5 chapters) from The Incredible Hulk #2 (July 1962) • “Banished to Outer Space!” (3 chapters) from The Incredible Hulk #3 (Sept. 1962) • “The Monster and the Machine!” from The Incredible Hulk #4 (Nov. 1962) • “The Gladiator from Outer Space!” from The Incredible Hulk #4 (Nov. 1962) • “Beauty and the Beast!” from The Incredible Hulk #5 (Jan. 1963) • “The Hordes of General Fang!” from The Incredible Hulk #5 (Jan. 1963) • “The Incredible Hulk vs. the Metal Master!” from The Incredible Hulk #6 (Mar. 1963)

THE INCREDIBLE HULK #2 (82559-3) Jan. 1979 Cover price: $1.95 Cover artist: John Romita, Sr. Special features: 2 pinup pages Reprints: • “The Missile and the Monster!” from Tales to Astonish #85 (Nov. 1966) • “The Birth of … the Hulk-Killer!” from Tales to Astonish #86 (Dec. 1966) • “The Humanoid and the Hero!” from Tales to Astonish #87 (Jan. 1967) • “Boomerang and the Brute!” from Tales to Astonish #88 (Feb. 1967) • “…Then, There Shall Come a Stranger!” from Tales to Astonish #89 (Mar. 1967) • “The Abomination!” from Tales to Astonish #90 (Apr. 1967) • “Whosoever Harms the Hulk!” from Tales to Astonish #91 (May 1967) • “Turning Point!” from Tales to Astonish #92 (June 1967) • “He Who Strikes the Silver Surfer” from Tales to Astonish #93 (July 1967) • “…To the Beckoning Stars!” from Tales to Astonish #94 (Aug. 1967) • “A World He Never Made!” from Tales to Astonish #95 (Sept. 1967) • “Who Have I Created?” from Tales to Astonish #96 (Oct. 1967) • “The Legions of the Living Lightning” from Tales to Astonish #97 (Nov. 1967) • “The Puppet and the Power!” from Tales to Astonish #98 (Dec. 1967) • “When the Monster Wakes!” from Tales to Astonish #99 (Jan. 1968) SPIDER-WOMAN [#1] (83026-0) Sept. 1979 Cover price: $2.50 Cover artist: Joe Sinnott Special features: 2 pinup pages Reprints: • “Dark Destiny!” from Marvel Spotlight #32 (Feb. 1977) • “…A Future Uncertain!” from Spider-Woman #1 (Apr. 1978) • “A Sword in the Hand!” from Spider-Woman #2 (May 1978) • “The Peril of … Brother Grimm!” from Spider-Woman #3 (June 1978) • “Hell is the Hangman!” from Spider-Woman #4 (July 1978) • “Nightmare” from Spider-Woman #5 (Aug. 1978) • “End of a Nightmare!” from Spider-Woman #6 (Sept. 1978) • “July 4, 1978…” from Spider-Woman #7 (Oct. 1978) • “The Man Who Could Not Die!” from Spider-Woman #8 (Nov. 1978) • “The Suit!” from Spider-Woman #8 (Apr. 1978) ACE BOOKS/TEMPO STAR CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 (11692) 1978 Cover price: $1.95 Cover artist: Barry Smith Special feature: Preface by Stan Lee Reprints: • “The Coming of Conan!” from Conan the Barbarian #1 (Oct. 1970) • “In the Cavern Waits … Doom!” from Conan the Barbarian #2 (Dec. 1970) • “The Grim Grey God!” from Conan the Barbarian #3 (Feb. 1971) CONAN THE BARBARIAN #2 (11693) 1978 Cover price: $1.95 Cover artist: Barry Smith

Reprints: • “The Tower of the Elephant” from Conan the Barbarian #4 (Apr. 1971) • “Zukala’s Daughter” from Conan the Barbarian #5 (May 1971) • “Devil-Wings Over Shadizar!” from Conan the Barbarian #6 (June 1971) CONAN THE BARBARIAN #3 (11694) 1978 Cover price: $1.95 Cover artist: Barry Smith Reprints: • “The Lurker Within!” from Conan the Barbarian #7 (July 1971) • “The Keepers of the Crypt!” from Conan the Barbarian #8 (Aug. 1971) • “The Garden of Fear!” from Conan the Barbarian #9 (Sept. 1971) CONAN THE BARBARIAN #4 (11695) 1978 Cover price: $1.95 Cover artist: Barry Smith Reprints: • “Beware the Wrath of Anu” from Conan the Barbarian #10 (Oct. 1971) • “Rogues in the House!” from Conan the Barbarian #11 (Nov. 1971) CONAN THE BARBARIAN #5 (11696) Sept. 1979 Cover price: $1.95 Cover artist: Barry Smith Reprints: • “The Dweller in the Dark” from Conan the Barbarian #12 (Dec. 1971) • “Web of the Spider-God” from Conan the Barbarian #13 (Jan. 1972) • “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter” from Conan the Barbarian #16 (July 1972) CONAN THE BARBARIAN #6 (11697) Dec. 1979 Cover price: $1.95 Cover artist: Barry Smith Special features: The Hyborian Age of Conan map and essay Reprints: • “A Sword Called Stormbringer!” from Conan the Barbarian #14 (Mar. 1972) • “The Green Empress of Melnibone” from Conan the Barbarian #15 (May 1972) • “The Blood of the Dragon” from Conan the Barbarian #12 (Dec. 1971) MARVEL ILLUSTRATED BOOKS THE AVENGERS: THE ORIGIN OF THE VISION (02822) June 1982 Cover price: $1.75 Cover artist: Earl Norem Editor: Jim Salicrup Reprints: • “Behold … the Vision!” from Avengers #57 (Oct. 1968) • “Even an Android Can Cry” from Avengers #58 (Nov. 1968) • “The Revolution’s Fine!” from Avengers #83 (Dec. 1970) CAPTAIN AMERICA BATTLES BARON BLOOD! (02883) May 1982 Cover price: $1.75 Cover artist: Bob Larkin (redux of John Byrne’s cover of Captain America #254) Editor: Jim Salicrup Reprints: • “Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot!” from Captain America #253 (Jan. 1981) • “Blood on the Moors” from Captain America #254 (Feb. 1981) • “Cap for President!” from Captain America #250 (Oct. 1980)

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DAREDEVIL: THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR (02041) Nov. 1982 Cover price: $1.75 Cover artist: Bob Larkin Editor: Jim Salicrup Reprints: • “Trapped by the Fellowship of Fear!” from Daredevil #6 (Feb. 1965) • “The Stiltman Cometh!” from Daredevil #8 (June 1965) FANTASTIC FOUR FEATURING THE PEERLESS POWER OF THE SILVER SURFER (02838) Mar. 1982 Cover price: $1.75 Cover artist: Bob Larkin Editor: Jim Salicrup Reprints: • “Where Strikes the Silver Surfer!” from Fantastic Four #55 (Oct. 1966) • “What Lurks Behind the Beehive?” from Fantastic Four #66 (Sept. 1967) • “When Opens the Cocoon!” from Fantastic Four #67 (Oct. 1967) THE INCREDIBLE HULK: FEATURING A CLASSIC TALE BY HARLAN ELLISON (02832) Jan. 1982 Cover price: $2.50 Cover artist: Earl Norem Editor: Jim Salicrup Reprints: • “The Brute That Shouted Love at the Heart of the Atom!” from Incredible Hulk #140 (June 1971) • “They Shoot Hulks, Don’t They?” from Incredible Hulk #142 (Aug. 1977) SPIDER-MAN: HIS GREATEST TEAM-UP BATTLES (02722) Nov. 1981 Cover price: $2.50 Cover artist: Earl Norem Editor: Jim Salicrup Reprints: • Spider-Man and Quicksilver in “And Now … Quicksilver!” from Amazing Spider-Man #71 (Apr. 1969) • Spider-Man and Dr. Strange in “The Wondrous World of Dr. Strange” from Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 (1965) • Spider-Man and the Hulk in “A Friend in Need!” from Marvel Team-Up #27 (Nov. 1974) SPIDER-MAN 2: TOGETHER WITH HULK, THOR, AND THE MAN-THING (02858) Oct. 1982 Cover price: $2.50 Cover artist: Bob Larkin Editor: Jim Salicrup Reprints: • Spider-Man and Man-Thing in “The Measure of a Man!” from Marvel Team-Up #68 (Apr. 1978) • Spider-Man and Havok in “Night of the Living God!” from Marvel Team-Up #69 (May 1978) • Spider-Man and Thor in “Whom Gods Destroy!” from Marvel Team-Up #70 (June 1978) THE X-MEN (02835) Mar. 1982 Cover price: $1.75 Cover artist: Dave Cockrum Reprints: • “Second Genesis!” from Giant-Size X-Men #1 (Oct. 1966) • “Psi-War!” from X-Men #117 (Jan. 1979)

One of the most durable formats in comic-book history is that of the digest. Varying in size and thickness over the years, most modern-day comic-book digests are 4.875" x 6.5" in size and range anywhere from 68 to 300 pages, sometimes up to 1000! Practically every major comic-book publisher has tried the format, with differing levels of success. Archie Comics is the most successful digest publisher by far, with well over 1000 digests with various titles published since Archie Comics Digest debuted in 1973. Gold Key, Harvey, DC, and Fawcett (with Dennis the Menace) also had lengthy digest runs, but none of them publish digests today. The peak period for standard comic-book digests was roughly from Gold Key’s Walt Disney Comics Digest #1 (June 1968) to the end of the Harvey digests, which appeared in late 1994. Marvel Comics strangely decided to enter into the digest field in 1982, around the same time as DC was starting to get out of it. DC was completely done by 1986, the same year that Marvel increased its digest activity. Marvel had previously attempted to do a digest series in 1973, when the company was also getting into publishing black-and-white magazines. The Haunt of Horror appeared as a digest for two issues prior to being reworked into a magazine format in 1974. Gerry Conway served as editor. The two digest issues bear little in common with later Marvel digests as they featured lengthy text pieces with minimal artwork as opposed to regular comic-book reprints. They have more in common with other digest magazines published in 1973 such as Alfred Hitchcock Magazine, Ellery Queen, Fantasy and Science Fiction, and Analog. Marvel’s initial entry to digests featuring comic-book reprints was due to a licensing acquisition. In 1981, Marvel acquired the lucrative Dennis the Menace comic-book license. Dennis was very successfully and continuously published from 1953–1980 by Standard, Pines, Hallden, Fawcett, and CBS, so Marvel felt it had a hot property on its hands. Marvel first became aware of the Dennis the Menace availability when the publisher acquired DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, the animation studio notable for The Pink Panther. DFE became Marvel Productions [see BACK ISSUE #59], and the final DFE project that they were finishing up was an animated Mother’s Day TV special entitled Dennis the Menace: Mayday for Mother. CBS had recently discontinued the Dennis the Menace comics titles in 1980, including the long-running Pocket Full of Fun! digest, ending with #50 (Mar. 1980). Since this title had a lengthy and profitable run since 1969, it was only natural that digests would continue in tandem with the new Dennis the Menace standard comic-book title from Marvel. Much hoopla was initially made about this acquisition, with articles appearing in The Comic Reader and Amazing Heroes touting the Menace’s arrival at Marvel. In all, six digest issues appeared: three of Dennis the Menace Comics Digest and three of The Very Best of Dennis the Menace (different from the CBS digest series). The major highlight of both of these series is the reprinting of some of the earliest Dennis tales, written by Fred Toole and drawn by Al Wiseman, the latter usually considered the top Dennis comic-book artist. Other reprints featured later artists Owen Fitzgerald, Frank Hill, and Bill Williams. Dennis creator Hank Ketcham did some of the covers, usually using reprinted comic-strip art. The Marvel Dennis the Menace comic-book series lasted only 13 issues and the entire enterprise was quickly and quietly shut down without much fanfare in late 1982. No editor was listed on the series, but stories were probably selected by Ketcham Enterprises. Special note must be made of the first issues of both series, as directmarket copies featured the DC logo and stated “The Biggest Little Buy in Comics,” instead of the Spider-Man head that usually graced the UPC box in Marvel direct-market copies. According to the 2010 Comic Book Checklist and Price Guide by Maggie Thompson, Brent Frankenhoff, and Peter Bickford, the emblem was placed on the cover in error by World Color Press. This makes perfect sense, as Marvel hadn’t previously had a digest with a UPC box and DC had been publishing digests regularly for over three years at that point. Tom DeFalco, at the time a Marvel editor, said this when asked about the error: “I can only assume it was a printer’s mistake. I don’t remember seeing this because I would have howled if I did.” Had Marvel waited a few years or had kept Dennis going a little longer, it might have garnered greater success when Marvel debuted its highly successful Star Comics line in 1984, a line featuring original characters and licensed properties with artists and writers coming in fresh from Harvey and Archie [see BI #77 for the Star Comics story].

Mark Arnold

Hand-Held Horrors Marvel’s first digest: The Haunt of Horror #1 (June 1973), a collection of mystery short stories, some of which feature illustrations from the likes of Walter Simonson, Mike Ploog, and Frank Brunner. Cover by Gray Morrow. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

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Muppet Babies in “The Magic Book” from Muppet Babies #15 (Sept. 1987) Top Dog in “On the Road” from Heathcliff #22 (Feb. 1988) Heathcliff in “A Shaking Gap” from Heathcliff #22 (Feb. 1988) THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE

THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #1 Jan. 1987 Cover artist: Michael Golden (reprinted from The Transformers #2) Editor: Jim Salicrup; Adam Philips, assistant Special features: 2-page “Character Profiles” for Optimus Prime, Laserbeak, Jazz, Gears, Skywarp, and Prowl Reprints: • “The Transformers” from The Transformers #1 (Sept. 1984) • “Power Play!” from The Transformers #2 (Nov. 1984) THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #2 Mar. 1987 Cover artist: Michael Golden (reprinted from The Transformers #3) Editor: Jim Salicrup Special features: 2-page “Character Profiles” for Mirage, Ravage, Hound, Starscream, Swoop, Ratchet, Shockwave, Sunstreaker, and Soundwave Reprints: • “Prisoner of War!” from The Transformers #3 (Jan. 1985) • “The Last Stand” from The Transformers #4 (Mar. 1985) THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #3 May 1987 Cover artist: Alan Kupperberg (reprinted from The Transformers #6) Editor: Jim Salicrup Special features: 2-page “Character Profiles” for Slag, Warpath, Wheeljack, Thrust, Seaspray, Trailbreaker, Sludge, Scrapper, and Red Alert Reprints: • “The New Order” from The Transformers #5 (June 1985) • “The Worst of Two Evils!” from The Transformers #6 (July 1985) THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #4 July 1987 Cover artists: Mark Bright and Brad Joyce (reprinted from The Transformers #7) Editor: Jim Salicrup Special features: 2-page “Character Profiles” for Tracks, Quintessons, Trypticon, Windcharger, Snarl, Smokescreen, Shrapnel, Thundercracker, and Sideswipe; black-and-white rendering from Transformers #24 (inside back cover) Reprints: • “Warrior School” from The Transformers #7 (Aug. 1985) • “Repeat Performance” from The Transformers #8 (Sept. 1985)

THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #5 Sept. 1987 Cover artist: Mike Manley (reprinted from The Transformers #9) Editors: Daryl Edelman, Dan Daley Special features: 2-page “Character Profiles” for Slingshot, Superion, Sandstorm, Razerclaw, Ironhide, Omega Supreme, Rampage, Predaking, and Kickback; black-and-white image of Junkion (inside back cover) Reprints: • “DIS-Integrated Circuits!” from The Transformers #9 (Oct. 1985) • “The Next Best Thing to Being There!” from The Transformers #10 (Nov. 1985) THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #6 Nov. 1987 Cover artist: Herb Trimpe (reprinted from The Transformers #11) Editor: Daryl Edelman Special features: 2-page “Character Profiles” for Air Raid, Cliffjumper, Grapple, Blades, Breakdown, Beachcomber, Cosmos, Blaster, and First Aid Reprints: • “Brainstorm!” from The Transformers #11 (Dec. 1985) • “Prime Time!” from The Transformers #12 (Jan. 1986) THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #7 Jan. 1988 Cover artist: Don Perlin (reprinted from The Transformers #13) Editor: Daryl Edelman Special features: 2-page “Character Profiles” for Mixmaster, Inferno, Motormaster, Sandstorm, Megatron, Skids, Huffer, Onslaught, and Outback Reprints: • “Shooting Star!” from The Transformers #13 (Feb. 1986) • “Rock and Roll-Out!” from The Transformers #14 (Mar. 1986) THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #8 Mar. 1988 Cover artist: Herb Trimpe (reprinted from The Transformers #15) Editor: Daryl Edelman Special features: 2-page “Character Profiles” for Jetfire, Hot Spot, Long Haul, Rewind, Runamuck, Skydive, Perceptor, Ramhorn, and Long Haul Reprints: • “I, Robot-Master!” from The Transformers #15 (Apr. 1986) • “Plight of the Bumblebee!” from The Transformers #16 (May 1986) THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #9 May 1988 Cover artist: Herb Trimpe (reprinted from The Transformers #17) Editor: Daryl Edelman Special features: Seven 2-page “Character Profiles” the Transformers Universe limited series

Reprints: • “The Smelting Pool!” from The Transformers #17 (June 1986) • “The Bridge to Nowhere!” from The Transformers #18 (July 1986) THE TRANSFORMERS COMICS MAGAZINE #10 July 1988 Cover artist: Herb Trimpe (reprinted from The Transformers #19) Editor: Daryl Edelman Special features: 2-page “Character Profiles” for Hook, Blast Off, Dead End, Drag Strip, Metroplex, Sky Lynx, Menasor, Octane, and Rumble Reprints: • “Command Performances!” from The Transformers #19 (Aug. 1986) • “Showdown!” from The Transformers #20 (Sept. 1986) THE VERY BEST OF DENNIS THE MENACE THE VERY BEST OF DENNIS THE MENACE #1 Apr. 1982 Cover artist: Hank Ketcham Special features: “Dennis the Menace and Mr. Wilson” coloring page (inside front cover); “Have Fun Drawing Dennis’ Mom” activity page (inside back cover) Reprints: • “Trubble Bath” from Dennis the Menace Triple Feature #1 (Winter 1961) • “Driving Crazy (Everyone, That Is)” from Dennis the Menace #1 (Aug. 1953) • “School Daze” from Dennis the Menace Triple Feature #1 (Winter 1961) • “Tennis Anyone?” from Dennis the Menace #5 (July 1954) • “Jest Foolin’ ” from Dennis the Menace #154 (Nov. 1977) • “Hook, Line and Stinker” from Dennis the Menace #7 (Nov. 1954) • “The Kite Kaper” from Dennis the Menace Triple Feature #1 (Winter 1961) • “Dennis and the Rusklers” from Dennis the Menace #7 (Nov. 1954) • “Cee-Bee Gee Bees” from Dennis the Menace #154 (Nov. 1977) • “Square Dancing! Free Lessons Today!” from Dennis the Menace Triple Feature #1 (Winter 1961) • “Step Right Up, Folks!” from Dennis the Menace #7 (Nov. 1954) • “Play Ball!” from Dennis the Menace #7 (Nov. 1954) • “Spooky Stuff” from Dennis the Menace #5 (July 1954) THE VERY BEST OF DENNIS THE MENACE #2 June 1982 Cover artist: Hank Ketcham Special feature: “Quizzlers Baffle Your Buddies!” activity page (inside front cover)

84 • BACK ISSUE • Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

Reprints: • “Shore ’Nuff” from Dennis the Menace #54 (Sept. 1961) • “Record Time” from Dennis the Menace #132 (May 1974) • “To Each His Groan” from Dennis the Menace #134 (Sept. 1974) • “On the Dream Beam from Dennis the Menace #133 (July 1974) • “Birds of a Feather” from Dennis the Menace #122 (Sept. 1972) • “The Lunch Lesson” from Dennis the Menace #134 (Sept. 1974) • “Ice Scream” from Dennis the Menace #119 (Mar. 1972) • “Clearance Sale” from Dennis the Menace #125 (Mar. 1973) • “Dennis Loves Gina Margaret Sally” from Dennis the Menace #39 (Nov. 1959) • “Never Say Die(t)” from Dennis the Menace #125 (Mar. 1973) • “Something Fishy!” from Dennis the Menace #5 (July 1954) • “Horsin’ Around” from Dennis the Menace #122 (Sept. 1972) • “Hearing Things” from Dennis the Menace #34 (Apr. 1959) THE VERY BEST OF DENNIS THE MENACE #3 Aug. 1982 Cover artist: Hank Ketcham Special features: coloring page (inside front cover); “Bunny Funnies” 1-page text feature; coloring page (inside back cover) Reprints: • “Ruffing It” from Dennis the Menace #90 (May 1967) • “Putting on the Dog” from Dennis the Menace Giant #14 (Summer 1963) • “It’s Spring! It’s Spring! The Bird is on the Wing! My Word! Absurd! The Wing is on the Bird!” from Dennis the Menace #79 (July 1965) • “The Big Question” from Dennis the Menace #130 (Jan. 1974) • “Flea for your Life!” from Dennis the Menace and His Dog … Ruff #1 (Summer 1961) • “Mov(ie)ing Along” from Dennis the Menace #131 (Mar. 1974) • “Just Poolin’ from Dennis the Menace #39 (Nov. 1959) • “Nobody’s Tool” from Dennis the Menace and His Dog … Ruff #1 (Summer 1961) • “Meanwhile … Back at the Ranch…” from Dennis the Menace #23 (July 1957) • “Shower Power” from Dennis the Menace #108 (May 1970) • “The Hero from Dennis the Menace and His Dog … Ruff #1 (Summer 1961) • “The Pet Patrol” from Dennis the Menace #85 (July 1966) • “Ruff … the Wet Pet” from Dennis the Menace and His Dog … Ruff #1 (Summer 1961) • “Dennis on the War Path” from Dennis the Menace #21 (Mar. 1957) • “HFairy Tale” from Dennis the Menace #70 (Jan. 1964)

J o h n Tr u m b u l l

Marvel Comics had journeyed through multiple worlds since 1961, but by 1982 it was dealing with uncharted territory: the direct sales market. As Steven Grant explained in Marvel’s first special edition reprint, “Earlier [in 1982], Marvel began considering new formats and methods of distribution for Marvel. The magazine EPIC was doing well, and editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, V.P. Michael Hobson, and direct sales manager Mike Friedrich were looking for projects to further explore these new markets. For such projects, they needed top-quality material that would attract a lot of attention.” One of these projects was a new series of reprints on Baxter paper. [Author’s note: See Back Issue #81 for information on DC’s deluxe reprint series.] Then-Marvel executive editor Tom DeFalco clarifies: “In those days, you could only read the old stories in reprints or by finding a store that sold back issues. A lot of comics were still being thrown away once they’d been read—an idea that seems like heresy today, but was quite common then. We would often sit around the Bullpen and discuss our favorite stories—stories that held some emotional significance to us— [that] deserved to be back in print in a nice format.” Marvel editor Al Milgrom described the format’s specifics in Warlock #1 (Dec. 1982): “With the recent astronomical growth of [the direct sales market], Marvel is able to do something we never could before, namely produce comics with a smaller print run, a higher cover price and much better production values. The paper quality and printing of these publications far surpasses the usual comics seen on newsstands. The color is much more vivid, the reproduction much sharper, truer to the original art.” As Milgrom remembers today, “Every year, Jim Shooter and the editors would get together and create the budget. And it wasn’t what you’d think. It wasn’t like, ‘Here’s what we’re going to be able to spend this year.’ It was more a matter of projecting what they were going to publish that year and then trying to figure out other things they might want to try to do in order to make the most possible money for the year, because the owners of Marvel wanted their earnings to go up every year. And so if the book sales weren’t increasing, or even if they were, they were always looking for other projects. ‘Well, shall we create six new titles this year? Should we do some reprints this year?’ And then they would ask for suggestions about what material they thought we could do.” As it turned out, a little-seen book by the popular X-Men team of Chris Claremont, John Byrne, and Terry Austin would make the perfect test case.

STAR-LORD, THE SPECIAL EDITION #1 (Feb. 1982) As a science-fiction feature, Star-Lord had just missed its window. In 1977, Star Wars became a phenomenon for moviegoers and comic readers alike—but Marvel Preview #11’s revival of Star-Lord hit the stands three months before space opera became all the rage. Although the spacefaring Peter Quill is world-famous today thanks to 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy movie, he was an obscurity in 1977—and 1982. Penciler John Byrne admitted on his forum Byrnerobotics.com in 2008, “I’d not even heard of the character before Chris asked me to do it. And any interest I had kind of petered out four or five pages before the end of the story.” Consequently, Byrne declined to do any new artwork for the reprint. Penciler Michael Golden replaced Byrne for a new framing sequence, and Glynis Wein colored the entire story for the first time. Unfortunately, the new coloring, combined with the zip-a-tone effects from Marvel Preview #11, made Star-Lord’s art appear murky. Inker Terry Austin tells the full story: “Glynis was a wonderful colorist whose work I personally miss; she did the best job that she could. The tragedy was that [original editor] Archie Goodwin had the foresight to see that Marvel would want to reprint the job in color someday, so,

Interstellar Launch Marvel’s deluxe reprint line started with Star-Lord, The Special Edition #1 (Feb. 1982). Here’s its back cover, illustrated by Terry Austin, who also drew its front cover. TM & © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Marvel Bronze Age Giants and Reprints

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