Romita and Ross 1970's Goodness

Ahh, a wondrous pairing of two favorite artists

whose work goes together seamlessly!

John Romita, Senior does some of his most

personal characters at Marvel, with

some rockin' Seventies Goodness vibing!

Alex Ross covers him with his own style

while maintaining the Main Man's core!

Perfect!

***

Marvel Comics: The Road to The Avengers movie

File this one under :"Credit Where Due"

Kirby's unflattering tribute to Lee, "Funky Flashman"
(throttling "House Roy"--Roy Thomas) in an
issue of Mister Miracle


Now I don't want to dampen anyone's excitement for the
movie, but I believe everyone should at least
be aware of the situation, going in.

I've been quite cantankerous-- about the

completely gushy fan boy praise and idolisation

that gets heaped on Stan Lee--for quite some time.

Lee brags on self while overlooking and even

ignoring the achievements of his fellow collaborators.

Lee's selfish and erroneous

presentation that he built Marvel Comics

single-handedly is irritating as hell;

he was talented and prolific, but there were a

multitude of other hard-working, talented folks

who went uncredited, underpaid,

harassed, denied royalties, denied credit

for creating/co-creating/designing/plotting, etc.

Lee is a narcissist of the highest order

who has openly stated that 'artists aren't

that important to a story.' Lee gave out basic

story ideas in a few seconds, which his talented

artists and scripters took and transformed into a

complete story, including new details and depth--

which Lee promptly took credit for, naturally!

WTF?!?!

I could go on and on about creator rights

and fair treatment, credit where due,

and a history of mistreating its artists,

but instead let me give praise to the

folks who really built Marvel Comics!

If you know a way to produce comic books without

artwork (and co-writing, and inking, and

lettering, and editing, and coloring, and office workers)

please let me know!

*******************

DON HECK

Co-Creator

(artist, inker, co-plotter on classics such as

THE AVENGERS, TALES OF SUSPENSE (Iron Man);

created visuals for Tony Stark, second Iron Man costume,

Pepper Potts, Black Widow,

Hawkeye, and more.)

***

JOHN BUSCEMA

Co-Creator

Penciller of classic THE AVENGERS and

SILVER SURFER runs, artist on

Sub-Mariner, Amazing Spider-man, Fantastic Four,

Thor, and a huge CONAN run. 

***

GENE COLAN

Co-Creator

Artist Extraordinaire

Illustrator on Captain America, and

long-term DAREDEVIL and DOCTOR STRANGE artist,

co-creator and

artist for TOMB OF DRACULA,

HOWARD THE DUCK

***

HERB TRIMPE

Co-Creator

Artist;

Long-term artist for THE INCREDIBLE HULK,

artist on THE DEFENDERS and many others,

drew 1st Wolverine appearance 

***

JACK KIRBY

Master Conceptualist

Co-Creator

Artist, Co-plotter, Designer, Story-teller,

Innovator,

Creator of the Marvel House Style used to

guide all other artists;

Co-created most major original Marvel characters, including

X-MEN, THE AVENGERS, IRON MAN's look,

CAPTAIN AMERICA, THOR, SILVER SURFER,

THE FANTASTIC FOUR, HULK, and more.

Major contributor both visually and with plots.

Long held the record for longest consecutive run as penciller

on a book with same writer (F.F.).

Predominant cover artist.

Prolific artist and creative mind with a heavily influential

design aesthetic which influenced multiple generations.

Truly THE KING.

***

FLO STEINBERG

Resident "Janice-of-all-Trades"

Plot Assistant, Promotions, Secretary,

Correspondence;

She was the hard-working glue that kept the ties

between all aspects of the creative TEAM intact

***

JIM STERANKO

Co-Creator

Writer, Penciller, Inker, Colorist

Redesigned page and panel design,

brought influx of pop art into comics medium,

artist on Captain America, Hulk, X-Men,

and NICK FURY, AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

***

JOHN ROMITA, SR.

Co-Creator

Penciller, Inker, Cover Artist, Art Director

Artist for major run on THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

and DAREDEVIL artist

***

MARIE SEVERIN

Co-Creator

Penciller, Inker, Colorist

Worked on Doctor Strange, The Cat,

Crazy, Not Brand Echh, The Hulk,

Sub-Mariner

***

STEVE DITKO

Co-Creator

Artist, Designer, Inker

Co-Creator of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN,

DOCTOR STRANGE,

artist on The Hulk and Iron Man features,

introduced unique and different style of

psychedelia into comics scene

***

WALLY WOOD

Co-Creator

Artist, Inker

Pencilled and Inked Daredevil

(designing the famous red costume)

and drew Dr. Doom and horror stories

***

LARRY LIEBER

Co-Creator

Writer, Plotter, Artist

Writer/Artist on RAWHIDE KID,

Scripted 1st appearances for IRON MAN,

THOR, ANT-MAN, co-plotted many stories

***

AL HARTLEY

Artist, Writer

SAL BUSCEMA

Artist, Inker

Penciller on The Defenders, Captain America, a 10-year-run on

The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and many more

SOL BRODSKY

Inker, Editor, V.P. of Operations,

Production Manager, V.P. of Special Projects

FRANK GIACOIA

Inker

DICK AYERS

Inker and Penciler

GIL KANE

Writer, Penciller, Inker, Cover Artist

Artist for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

Co-Creator new Captain Marvel, Adam

Warlock, Iron Fist

ROY THOMAS

Prolific writer, including classic runs on

THE AVENGERS and UNCANNY X-MEN,

writer on Doctor Strange, Conan, Fantastic Four;

Co-Created THE DEFENDERS, "WHAT IF?" 

GEORGE ROUSSOS

Inker

FRANK BRUNNER

Artist

VINCE COLLETTA

Inker

GARY FRIEDRICH

Writer

LEN WEIN

Writer, Editor, Editor-In-Chief,

Co-Creator of Wolverine, New X-Men

FRANK ROBBINS

Artist on such titles as Power Man,

Captain America, Invaders, Ghost Rider

JOE SIMON

Co-Creator of CAPTAIN AMERICA

Major Artist

BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH

Artist, Writer, Colorist, Painter

Co-Writer and Artist on CONAN THE BARBARIAN,

JOE SINNOTT

Seminal inker, long-time Kirby inker

on Fantastic Four

ARCHIE GOODWIN

Writer, Editor, Editor-in-Chief,

Worked on FANTASTIC FOUR, X-MEN,

IRON MAN

STAN GOLDBERG

Artist

TOM PALMER

Penciller, Inker, Colorist, Cover Artist

Inked Neal Adams on classic X-MEN

and AVENGERS runs

JOHN VERPOORTEN

Inker, Editor, Production Manager;

Helped Marvel expand internationally

STEVE SKEATES

Writer

STEVE ENGLEHART

Writer;

critically-acclaimed run on THE AVENGERS,

co-creator of Shang-Chi, Hellcat, West Coast Avengers,

and Beast's transformation,

writer for Doctor Strange, Amazing Adventures,

wrote the classic CAPTAIN AMERICA story

where Cap gives up the costume to become Nomad

DENNY O'NEIL

Writer

GERRY CONWAY

Co-Creator

Writer, Scripter, Co-Plotter

Writer THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN,

(co-creator of The Punisher,)

Writer Thor, Fantastic Four, first DC/Marvel

crossover (Superman Vs. Spider-man,)

BLACK WIDOW and Inhumans solo stories,

co-creator Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing,

Tomb of Dracula, and Man-Wolf

NEAL ADAMS

ground-breaking artist and

pioneer of new style for comics;

Inker and Colorist,

Artist for classic runs of UNCANNY X-MEN

and THE AVENGERS

****************************************

No slight intended to anyone not mentioned--this was just

a small example of how many talented, worthy, good people

have been given the shaft by Stan "The Corporate Man" Lee

with his refusal to acknowledge all the creative minds that built 

the House.

It does take a village, ya know.

There were a slew of freelancers, artists, scripters, editors,

office staff, and more who contributed to making these

characters, those comics, and a thriving business.

Great memories of being entertained are precious,

and I think the people that created those memories deserve 

recognition and gratitude.

Possibly think of sending a Thank You note to any of

the surviving folks listed above, or to a modern comic

talent. Post a blog of your own dedicated to them,

or share this one with your friends. 

And, after you buy a ticket to see THE AVENGERS

(or buy Thor and Cap on DVD--because I'm not foolish enough

to believe that most comic fans will put the call to do right by

boycotting the movie above personal enjoyment,) why don't you

consider putting some money in the pockets of the

folks responsible for all those years of enjoyment?

Your movie ticket pays Disney, Paramount,  and Stan"The Mouth" Lee,

but a donation to the following goes to those artists

still living and the estates they left behind.

The Hero Initiative

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

The Creator's Bill of Rights

Jack Kirby Estate Royalties Petition

Donate to the Kirby Museum

The Avengers Movie Boycott

*******

Duela Dent goodness

Groovy Titans

A rare Dick Dillin Titans piece,

from a DC Comics Calendar, late 1970s.

Perfection!

***

Gil Kane Graviton Goodness

One of the best eras--beauty!

***

Best of the Best: Freedom Fighters # 1

1970's goodness;

The "Earth X" (Quality characters)

fly solo for the first time!

Straight from their Justice League

reintroduction!

***

Flashback: The DC Explosion

As a young kid who had recently 'advanced'

into the more mature market of super-hero comics,

the 1970s were chock full of excitement and a plethora

of choices. (I still fondly partook of my prior faves,

all the Gold Key classics, Archies, Harveys, etc.,

but this was a new era, a new frontier.)

Even now, this is probably my favorite time of

comics creativity, in part because of my awestruck

whimsy as I scanned the spinner racks, pored over the

racks at the used book stores, and anxiously awaited

every week's new stockings at the drug store and

the various 7-11s.

No prior knowledge.

No cover art viewed a thousand times.

No creator interviews of what to expect.

No guarantee of what would be in stock.

Just pure discovery and chance!

So many great creators, characters, cover artists,

concepts, titles, and such a sense of fun and anticipation;

I felt truly a part of something, and was at that

magical place as a child where I was still

inexperienced and not yet (fully) jaded.

Comics were a wonderful oasis, and I still

came at them with complete abandon

and enmeshment of the fantasy.

The stories deeply imprinted on me, and the fact

that I knew (somewhere deep inside, anyhow!) that

these were fictional characters conceived of

and illustrated by writers and artists...well,

that was easily enough shuttled for the duration

of a trip to the store and the time it took to devour

the books.

(Which occurred in the back seat of the car, on the floor

of the living room, in a hammock in the back yard, on my

bed, scrunched up in a ball on the couch, in my hideyhole,

and a million other places. I devoured them over

and over again, as if discovering a new language and

needing the repetition.)

I was easily and willingly transported away from the mundane and

the horrible by the incredible series I was drawn to and

entertained by. There was something more accessible

and relateable about the DC Universe, to me at least,

back in the day. Maybe they just had a greater number

of titles I adored. Maybe my Earth-2 and and extra 20+

years of history had some influence.

Maybe the more realistic artwork of Chua, Buckler,

Adams, and others on the inviting covers fixed me with a

sense of a more possible, unified universe. I'm not

really big on the specifics of it, and maybe that's best.

I was a wide-eyed child, and this was a taste of

adventure and drama that was still palatable to me.

The characters were everywhere: TV, lunchboxes, Presto Magix,

Shrinky Dinx, Color forms, MEGO dolls, plushies, Slurpee cups,

posters, Dynamite magazine, stickers, and more.

I slept in a bed with a Wonder Woman sleeping bag

unzipped as a comforter. Pretty much everything I owned

showed joint ownership with DC licensing. It

seemed like an empire that would never crumble.

Then, without any warning, the news.

The Implosion occurred.

A large segment of DC's only recently expanded line

had been cut for cost savings.

Stories were stopped mid-stream (many that have never,

to this day been finished) and my weekly intake

was drastically altered.

This was probably the first invasion of the real

world into my private realm; there was no denying then

that this was still just a company, still manufacturing

product. It was a little bit devastating; those stories

interrupted mid-flow, no resolution was like

going to a friend's house and finding he'd moved with

no forwarding address.

Still, as I like to recall even now, although

things change, I will always have my fond memories.

Sometimes I wish I could transport back to a time

such as the late 1970s...when reality was still at

bay, and entertainment was cheap and easily available.

A time when complete immersion into escapist

tendencies--good, clean, mindless, zoning out

at the expense of all fears and worries--was still

a readily-achieved possibility.

I still get a thrill to look on the old favorites

and have a happy memory triggered.

Thanks, to all involved.

***

1970's TEEN TITANS

(Flashback art; Jurgens, I believe with Perez inks,

channeling Cardy.)

Classic, unmistakable covers from the master....

Mr. Nick Cardy, Layout and Design Impresario....

the man who is synonymous with Teen Titans.

His body of work is unique and enthralling; perfection!

Ernie Chan/Chua (another great cover master)

ushers in a new era of greatness after a hiatus.

One of my faves, Kevin Nowlan does a

retro-Teen Titans piece more than justice.

***

Tim Fish's Titans

Tim Fish is a phenomenal artist who

has a yen for the simpler, cleaner times of

comics, as I do!

He has an affinity for early 1970s Teen Titans

and all the Nick Cardy goodness that

came from those fun days of groovy

comics goodness.

Here is a smattering of his Teen Titans

love, and here's the link to his websites, where

you can follow all his awesome projects!

http://timfishworks.blogspot.com/2010/08/teen-titans-10sort-of.html

***