Way back in the ’70s, around the same time I wrote those Mighty Marvel Superheroes Fun Books and The Captain Midnight Action Book for Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, Sol Brodsky commissioned me to write an Incredible Hulk coloring book.

I wrote it, got paid for it … and then never heard anything about it again. I never knew whether the project had been published or abandoned. I always wondered what happened, though, because I’m a completist of my own work, and so I’d occasionally search online for any mention of the thing. I never had any success, though, and hadn’t thought about the book for years.

But then a few days ago, The Marvel Age of Comics linked to a cover over at The Vintage Toy Archive, and the mystery was over. My script for an Incredible Hulk coloring book had gotten published.

At, least … I think it was my script that got used for that 1977 coloring book. I no longer own a copy of the script, and have only vague memories of the plot. Did I write about the Hulk visiting the circus? I think I did, and seem to recall a circus, but I can’t be quite sure. It would make sense, considering the character’s history with the Ringmaster. But it could be only a false memory at this point.

No way to fully solve the mystery until I get my hands on the book itself, or find a site where someone has uploaded all the interior pages. Either of those should spark a few memories. At least I hope they would.

But considering it’s taken 33 years before I came across even this small crumb of proof, I’m not holding my breath. If you’ve got a copy and can help me out, though, let me know, OK?

I love it when comic books pop up as props on episodic TV. Over the past few years, I’ve spotted copies of Justice Society of America on Alcatraz and The Eternals on Law & Order: SVU. (Meanwhile, an episode of Mary Tyler Moore featured an unidentifiable comic which I think was probably mocked up specifically for the show. At least, I’ve never been able match it up with any real cover.)

I watched Revolution today—an episode from October 30, which means I’m still one behind, so no spoilers please. In “Dead Man Walking,” computer genius Aaron Pittman is trying to figure out (and duck, ’cause here comes one of those spoilers) why his dreams/visions/angry outbursts/whatever are causing people to burst into flame, and so researches his troubles by reading …

… a comic book about the Human Torch. Specifically, Saga of the Human Torch #4, dated July 1990. (more…)

I’ve been rereading my late ’70s run of Captain Marvel this weekend (for a reason which will eventually be made clear) and noticed something I should have spotted at the time, but never did. (Or maybe I did, but forgot that I had. I’m leaning toward the former, though.)

A couple of years ago, I told you about a page of George Tuska art intended for Captain Marvel #54 which was at the last minute replaced by a Dave Cockrum splash page. Well, as I took a look yesterday at Captain Marvel’s origin story, first published in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 way back in 1967, that proverbial lightbulb went on over my head.

I suddenly saw that in his replacement page, Dave had done an homage to the cover which had started it all—

—and I’d never noticed!

Cap’s walking down a city street toward the reader, filling the page, right foot forward, people pointing, the background crowd mere silhouettes … it was obviously meant to be a tip of the hat to the Gene Colan classic.

How did I not see that immediately when the art was handed in back in 1977?

A third of a century for the scales to fall from my eyes. Wow.

Surely you had all noticed this a long time ago. Why didn’t any of you tell me?

My wife attended the New Jersey Romance Writers convention this weekend, and as I’ve done many previous years, I tagged along … but then split immediately, making a beeline for Manhattan on Friday and Saturday for good food and good friends. (About which more later.) The highlight of the trip wasn’t any of that, though—it was what occurred Sunday, when we trekked out to Long Island and spent the afternoon with the person we love most from our time in comics (other than each other)—Marie Severin.

If you know anything about comics, you already know and love the public side of Marie. But Irene and I, from working with her in the Marvel Bullpen, got to know Marie in a more personal way. She’s warm, friendly, and one of the funniest people we’ve ever met. (more…)

Would you like to be a member of the Marvel Super Heroes Club? Now you can be! Since I never inscribed my name on the card below, you can print it out on heavy stock and add your own.

I have no memory of how this piece of Marvel Comics memorabilia came into my possession. And no amount of online searching reveals any history about it. But I’ve got to believe it dates from 1966, which is when the Marvel Super Heroes cartoon show aired, because the list of heroes on the card is limited to the same heroes who appeared on the show, which aired five days a week and showcased a different hero each day.

For some reason, Spider-Man’s hyphen migrated to the Human Torch, but hey, it was (probably) 1966. Give ’em a break!

And besides, that wasn’t the first time Spidey lost his hyphen.

If anyone can provide more background info on this card, I’d appreciate it, since the Internet seems lacking, but until then—join the club!

Last month, I spent a day at the Small Press Expo, the highlight of which was meeting Congressman John Lewis. The civil rights pioneer was there to promote the new graphic novel about his life, March.

On Sunday, September 15, at 1:00 p.m., I attended a panel about the planned trilogy, grabbing a front row seat and feeling pretty happy with myself. Here’s the official panel description:

SPX is proud to host the Honorable John Lewis, the U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 5th congressional district, to mark the publication of March, the first volume of a graphic novel trilogy documenting his life and work. A leader of the Civil Rights movement, Rep. Lewis was Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), an architect and keynote speaker at the historic March on Washington in August 1963, and has been a member of Congress since 1986. Rep. Lewis will appear with co-writer Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell. In a discussion led by journalist Alex Dueben, the group will discuss the process and goals of this singular comics project.

Sadly, it turned out that I’d chosen the worst seat in the room, for whenever Lewis wasn’t leaning forward and speaking, his face ended up hidden behind the moderator’s open laptop. By the time I realized this, the room was packed and there was nowhere I could move.

So forgive me as you watch the video of the event, which I’ve finally been able to spare the bandwidth to upload. I think that whatever its flaws, you still be moved.

Ramona Fradon, one of my favorite comic book artists, turned 87 today. So—happy birthday, Ramona!

Though I have fond memories of the Aquaman stories she drew that appeared in the back pages of Adventure Comics throughout the ’50s and into the ’60s, I think I truly fell in love with her artwork from The Brave and The Bold #57 (January 1965), introducing Metamorpho, which she co-created. I was nine years old.

At the time, I never dreamed that she’d someday bring some of my own words to life (or that there’d even be any of my own words to bring to life), illustrating a 5-page horror story, “My Mother, the Witch,” fourteen years later for House of Mystery #273 (October 1979).

When I searched for the proper image to celebrate Ramona’s birthday, I was surprised to find that complete story online. And not just the pages as printed, but her original artwork, thanks to an online auction, which means you get to admire her clean lines exactly as she drew them.

So check out the complete story below!

(more…)

When news spread earlier today that Neal Adams lost his art portfolio by leaving it in a NYC Yellow Cab, it all seemed very familiar. Then I remembered … no, Neal Adams had never lost his art portfolio before by leaving it in a NYC Yellow Cab … he’d lost his art portfolio by having it stolen while he slept on a NYC subway car. History doth (almost) repeat itself!

But don’t just take my word for it. Have a look at this snarky entry from the two-page ad Warren Publishing took out in the 1972 New York Comic Art Convention program book.

For further winners of the “1972 Awards for Dubious Achievement to the Comics Industry,” check out the complete spread below. (more…)

I spent Sunday at SPX—the Small Press Expo—in Bethesda, Maryland. (Actually, its location seemed more like Rockville to me, but I guess at some point parts of Rockville started to be called North Bethesda because the Bethesda name helped the area sound posher.) I had fun wandering the packed dealers room and picking up comics by cartoonists who are doing the more personal kinds of work mainstream publishers have for the most part abandoned with their constant focus on superheroes, superheroes, superheroes.

But as much as I enjoyed all that, the highlight of the day was attending a panel on March: Book One, which focuses on the life of civil rights pioneer John Lewis, and then getting a chance to meet the congressman and pick up an autographed copy of his book (which he created with co-writer Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell). In case you don’t know, Lewis was one of the 13 original Freedom Riders, helped plan the March on Washington, and is the last surviving speaker from that day.

Here we are together right after I shook his hand and thanked him for his courage and sacrifice. (more…)

I can remember exactly where I was when Avengers #1 and X-Men #1 went on sale, because it was the same day, I only had 12 cents on me, and could therefore only buy one.

I had to choose between them. Can you feel my pain? Imagine my horror?

It was 1963, and I was 8 years old. I was in Joe and Morty’s Brooklyn candy store on Avenue P a few blocks off Ocean Parkway. I visited there nearly every day, not just for comics, but to stay fueled on egg creams and cherry lime rickeys, and to pick up those unfiltered Lucky Strikes my mother needed.

In any case, though I’m 100% certain where I encountered those issues, I can’t say for sure when I encountered them. Only that it wasn’t September 10. Because school had not begun, it was still summer, and in any case, though both books were cover-dated September, comics always went on sale in advance of their cover dates, that date only being an indication to the retailer when comics should come off sale.

And yet … (more…)