So did I write that 1977 Incredible Hulk coloring book or not?

Posted by: Scott Tags: Hulk, John Romita, Marvel Comics, my writing, Stan Lee Posted date: December 8, 2013 | 5 Comments

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.

It’s impossible to recognize my style or anyone else’s in the minimal captions of no more than seven words per page, but I do have memories of setting the adventure at the circus. Also, at the time, I was editing, or had recently edited, Marvel’s fan magazine FOOM, which might account for this sound effect—

Plus, I could see myself choosing to place the tale at the Romita Bros. Circus …

… and dropping in Stan the Man’s name as well.

Rather tentative evidence on which to hang a credit perhaps, but until some other writer complains, “Hey, Edelman, you’ve got it all wrong,” I’m going to take it.

Now if I can only figure out who ended up drawing the book! The style is completely unrecognizable to me.

Any ideas?

5 Comments for So did I write that 1977 Incredible Hulk coloring book or not?

joe c

This wouldn’t have just been dumped off on one of the assistants in the Bullpen?

Scott

I don’t believe so, because if it had been, I’d have seen it as it was being drawn, the same way I saw the pages of Don Perlin’s Captain Midnight book being created. And I would recognize the style of most of the Bullpen beginners back then. This style is totally unknown to me.

joe c

Thanks for that clarification. Hm! The mystery continues…

Gene Popa

I know nothing of the mechanics of creating a coloring book, but recalling some of the rather crude artwork I’ve found in them as a child, I would suspect now that the publisher either hired some young, inexperienced art student who worked cheap, or else farmed it out to a low cost studio overseas. That’s my theory, anyway.

Mike Marsno

Scott, I am deeply distressed by the inappropriate and incorrect hand placement that the Hulk is demonstrating by gripping the trapeze. his shoulder placement is appalling. And even if he is executing the move known as a Beat-to-Pike, the Hulk is not maintaining what is known as a proper hollow. The Hulk is, in this picture, an inappropriate role model for children wishing to learn Circus arts.