I recently ran across an interview I did way back in 1976 for a newspaper called Compass, and while I’m surprised by what I’ve forgotten since then, I’m also a little surprised by what I remember now that I didn’t seem to remember then.

Let’s see what those forgotten facts are/were, shall we?

I said: “I remember picking up Fantastic Four #1. I guess I was bored by comics before then—I can’t remember anything before that. There may have been others, but if there were, I’ve forgotten them.”

And yet … how could that be? Because today I remember, among other things, reading copies of pre-Fantastic Four issues of Tales to Astonish, Tales of Suspense, and The Brave and The Bold, particularly the issue of that latter title that included the first appearance of the Justice League of America. Did I only read them as used copies traded for or bought later? But surely I read comics before FF #1. Am I misremembering now or was I misremembering then? There’s no way to know now!

And what’s this? I sold a story to Marvel the year before I went on staff there as an editor? And Craig Russell was going to draw it? Really?

I have zero memory of this, but apparently, five years before my short horror story “Picasso Fever” appeared in the DC Comics’ title Secrets of Haunted House, Tony Isabella had accepted it to appear in an issue of Monsters Unleashed—to be drawn by Craig Russell! When I now tell the story of how I got into comics, it all begins with my job in Marvel’s British reprint department. If I hadn’t read this anecdote with the words quoted as coming out of my own mouth, I’d never have believed it! But man, I sure would have loved to have seen what Craig would have done with that story!

There was a lawsuit threatened over the Scarecrow? Really?

I do remember being on a radio show during which Carmine Infantino said something about a lawsuit, and I then joked back to him about a DC character who also took a name similar to one of Marvel’s (can’t remember what example I used), but if you asked me about it now, I’d have said I thought we were both joking. Guess not!

So I was going to do a 7-page back-up story that wrapped up all the loose ends relating to the Scarecrow?

Once more I say … really? I have no memory of that.

My disenchantment with learning my idols had feet of clay?

Ah, yes. That I remember.

So I criticized Tom Sutton?

Or maybe I was just saying others would. In either case, I don’t remember that. I guess I was talking about this issue of Master of Kung Fu. Which I’d love to peek inside now to see whether it brings back any memories, but I no longer own a copy. And by the way—I love Tom Sutton! He drew some of my favorite Warren horror stories. (As in this tale, written by Don McGregor.)

I said that: “The most terrible thing in the world could be happening to you and Stan [Lee] could make you like it.”

I still believe that. He’s the greatest salesman I’ve ever known.

So Steve Gerber invented the Marvel armadillos?

Until rereading that, not only had I forgotten Gerber had invented the Marvel armadillos, I’d forgotten there were Marvel armadillos!

There was a rumor Marvel was being sold to Harvey? Or was the rumor that I was personally leaving Marvel and going to Harvey?

Either way … I remember nothing!

I hoped that comics would go up in price to 50 cents to allow for larger formats?

Wonder how that worked out …

I dissed Jack Kirby’s return to Marvel?

Yeah, I did, as did many of the assistant editors at the time. I know there are plenty of people who loved the work Kirby did on his return to Marvel in the ’70s, but I wasn’t one of them. I can remember sitting in the Bullpen and proofing the original art for Jack’s first issue back on Captain America, and just feeling … sad. I still feel that nothing Kirby did alone could compare with the work he did Stan Lee—in my opinion, they needed each other—but looking back on how I expressed myself then, I know I came off like an ungrateful brat.

And I don’t like that. After all Kirby did for us, we should have been happy to be able to read whatever he was willing to give us, whether it was up to the old days or not.

And there you have it, proof that 36 years have erased some of my Marvel memories. But luckily, not all.

I only hope I won’t have lost this much of NOW when I look back on a current interview from 2048!