Yesterday, while searching for something completely differently, I came across correspondence I’d received from the Comics Code Authority in 1976 which ordered Marvel Comics to change a panel in an issue of Omega the Unknown I’d written.

I’d referenced this incident about Omega the Unknown #7 (March 1976) when artist Jim Mooney passed, but back then I didn’t have my hands on the CCA note. Now I do!

And you can read it below …

But before you do, look more closely at the villain in that panel as he runs off. Notice anything odd and clumsy about his gait? Or about the position of his right hand?

Well, that’s because something was once in that blank space to his right—a policeman swatted aside by Blockbuster.

A policeman the Comics Code requested we remove.

Why?

Well …

… to be honest, I’m not entirely sure!

As you can see, what the CCA complained about was that, “Omega lets Blockbuster go after he has just robbed a bank. This is a direct violation … Although the crime may have been committed for a good purpose, it does not justify it.”

Any yet—they did they allow the issue to be published with the villain getting away! So why was the storyline allowed to remain, but with a tweak to the artwork requested instead?

I’m can’t be 100% sure, but I suspect some haggling over the phone was involved, and that letting them know the bad guy does get justice the following issue had something to do with it, after which they then said, all right, all right … but still, don’t let the guy hit that cop!

I imagine it likely went down something like that.

In any case, here, unseen for 40 years—and barely seen now—is Jim Mooney’s art, long hidden under Wite-Out. (Actually, still mostly hidden under Wite-Out, but made somewhat visible by my holding it up against a bright light before photographing.)

Can you see it?

And now, here’s that section of the panel side by side with what was published, the better to visualize it.

If I knew a way to digitally remove that Wite-Out, I’d do it for you, but no way am I going to mess with an original piece of ’70s Marvel art!

A sad final comment:

Unfortunately, as I understand it, there aren’t many Comics Code Authority notes like this in existence, only those which were kept by packrats like me. Because—and this might be apocryphal— when the CCA shut down, all its files were tossed in the trash!