The New York Times ran an article today about how artist John Romita Jr. was jumping from Marvel Comics over to DC to draw Superman, calling it “the equivalent of Derek Jeter leaving the Yankees to play for the Mets.”

I was touched to see that John mentioned me by name in the piece, repeating a comment of mine which he’s shared many times before. (more…)

Way back in the ’70s, Marvel’s Sol Brodsky commissioned me to write an Incredible Hulk coloring book. I wrote the script, turned it in, got paid for it … and then never heard a thing about it ever again.

Not until last week, when I spotted a cover from 1977 over at The Marvel Age of Comics Tumblr which had me wondering … is that the same coloring book I wrote? I couldn’t be sure, but luckily, within a few hours, Paul Di Filippo alerted me to an eBay auction, and I jumped, exercising the Buy Now option so there’d be no chance I’d lose out.

Well, now that I’ve had a chance to read the thing—all 230 words of it—I’m going to say that this is the coloring book I wrote all those years ago. And I’ll keep saying that until someone comes along to contradict me. (more…)

As I told you last month, I’m hoping to fund our trip to next year’s Melbourne Worldcon through the sale of artwork from my collection so I can avoid going into debt. Don’t worry—I’m only getting rid of those pieces for which I feel no sentimental attachment. (Those I’ll won’t be selling until my poverty-stricken old age, I guess.)

The auction for my Bob Stanley oil painting has already closed, and started us on our way. The auctions for two other pieces have only just begun, though. Both, as it turns out, are of artwork I purchased 34 (gulp!) years ago in the art gallery of the 1975 Marvel Comics Convention.

The first is a large ink and watercolor scene of Howard the Duck, bought directly from artist Val Mayerik. A scan of the drawing is below, and you can check out the auction here. Keep in mind how early this piece was in Howard’s career—the misanthropic duck wasn’t to get his own title for another year. (more…)

Happy birthday, John!

If I am remembered for nothing else from my relatively few years working in comics, it will likely be for having scripted your debut story. The six-page tale, “Chaos at the Coffee Bean,” appeared as a back-up in 1977’s Amazing Spider-Man Annual #11.

Here’s the splash page (click to view at a larger size):

Amazingly, up until the future star received this assignment, he was being discriminated against. No one would give him a shot because his Dad was Marvel Art Director and Spider-Man artist supreme John Romita (who had no need yet to be identified by a Sr. after his name). No one wanted to be seen as rewarding John, Jr. on the basis of his family connection alone.

I thought that was a stupid idea. Talent should out, and as I said at the time, the only thing worse than nepotism is anti-nepotism—not giving a shot to some who would otherwise have deserved it. (more…)