I was a Marvel kid. Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko. And it was a long time ago. And Marvel will forever be associated with the taste of these cookies, but not the Keebler ones - the ones whoever made them in the 60's. Maybe it was pre-Keebler keebler. Who knows anymore. There also isn't any Lambrecht's cheesecake anymore either. That was a local Chicago bakery at the time and hasn't existed for decades. Riverview closed down 43 years ago. And come to think of it when I was born Adolf Hitler had only been dead eight years. that's like, one more year from here to 9/11. Which is why Hitler still made appearances in our comic books. But they have brought this back and I just ordered some. Nyah - nyah.
Anyway you gurls can turn away now because we're going to talk about comic books.
As I said - a Marvel kid. Everything from Sgt Fury (Nick Fury in later life) to the original appearance of Iron Man in "Tales of Suspense." That Iron Man cover is something you may want to click just to get a hold of his original outfit. Kinda clunky but hey - it was the 60's and we didn't have flexible iron yet. I think Stan Lee invented it.
One of the classic covers and stories from the Fantastic Four was the Hate Monger, still a sought-after issue. Don't dare tell of the Hate Monger's true identity (it was Hitler) revealed at the end of the story. My personal Fantastic Four story has to do with the
1964 New York World's Fair which we went to that summer. I remember buying a copy of a Fantastic Four in this huge hotel lobby and thinking "wow, I'm in new York - that's where the Fantastic Four live in the story." I was 11 - deal with it. And a lot of people didn't know that Spider Man first appeared in Amazing Stories. Yes - I had that issue. Yes I was forced to toss it by a clean-campaigning Mom. Along with my COMPLETE SET of
Mars Attacks cards. That's right, I said "complete." And I made it complete the old-fashioned way. By buying from the candy store on the street we lived in in Chicago and then trading up. Sigh....
Silver Surfer came when I was in my teens and his philosophical bent and conundrums coincided with my first venture into mind-altering stuff. It was also the last comic I read in the Marvel universe. We were beyond comics after that I'm afraid. I don't know if Hitler showed up in any of those. i don't remember. On the right is what the original X-Men looked like. Clickable for history buffs. I had that issue too. Jeez...
And Daredevil has made a little noise again recently. He kinda looked like a kook with devil ears in a yellow suit at first. That outfit only lasted a few issues. But along with Iron man, I thought it might be fun to see the pre-icon style.
Comics are now illustrated novels and there is no doubt that the artwork and technical presentation of the modern version (especially the eye-popping stuff I see in the book-stores) is far beyond anything here. But then we had six newspapers in Chicago at that time as well. And the Sunday comics were what you bought the paper
for. And they still didn't have lights in Wrigley Field. And I could stay out until the streetlights came on. And I didn't have to set "play dates" with friends, all I had to do was stand in front of their house and yell "Yo Joooo-eeeeeee" because it was considered rude for a kid to knock on a door when it wasn't Halloween.
Jesus that was another world wasn't it?
Anyway, thought you guys would get a kick at seeing the old school stuff.
Mucho Kudos to Coverbrowser for the bulk of these covers
14 Comments:
I read Archie comics.
But something tells me that's not going to impress anybody.
My introduction to Marvel was a collection of old Captain America books somebody gave me. I was a DC guy all the way, but those Jack Kirby Cap books sucked me in. Oddly enough, Hitler was the villain in those as well. He really gets around!
Steph & Dave - Lots of Archie and DC stuff at the Coverbrowser link. Youse should check it out!
I have that issue of Silver Surfer, but my favorite books from the Silver Age that I own are Tales to Astonish 92-93 (the first Hulk/Silver Surfer battle), Doom Patrol 121 (the death of the Doom Patrol), Sub-Mariner 6 (great Tiger Shark cover) and My Greatest Adventure #80 (1st app of the Doom Patrol). I lurve the Silver Age.
ahh, i can feel the cheap pulp paper between my fingers...
as for the nostalgia of Sunday newspapers with the mass of a sperm whale, i had to give up my paper route as a kid because i was always more interested in reading the paper then delivering it. grab the first two off the stacks (Tribune and the Sun Times) at my front door, lean back and know everything there was to know before the rest of the world did...and deliver it all about an hour later than i was s'posed to...
Earl - Doom Patrol was DC. Sort of kind of like trying to get a Sox fan to like the Cubs y'know?
Sligo - I don't know about you, but it was what I learned after I knew everything that ever mattered...
Did you call me a gurl?!!
Comics are awesome. I read all of my brother's, and he's 6 years older, so yeah - I totally get it.
And the boys in my neighborhood also just yelled until I came out to play. It drove my mom insane! Sooo weird.
Ah but my sister did the same with her friends. We all did it in Chicago in those days. I have no idea why.
the only comic i liked was Astrix, some euro thing nobody else has ever heard of (well, maybe you have), but he was hard to come by.
but the whole superhero thing i just never got into.
i bet in your day you used to call your friend's parents by Mr/Mrs, too. am i right?
Yes we did. Would have gotten whacked if we didn't. In fact, some of my classmates still refer to some of our teachers as Mr/Mrs to this day. When addressing them. THAT'S a little out there for me.
@Gino - Was that Asterix the Gaul? I remember seeing reprints of those one time, I think.
Hey. Gurls can like comic books, too! I've actually gotten into them as an adult. KIND OF.
I read Archie Comics too! And you are wrong...this gurl lOOVed comic books.
I loved Hot Stuff, remember himmm? that cute little Red Devil? And I loved Batman comics. We have a thing for him in this house. And Spidey too.
I didn't have any of the ones you talk about here.
B E Earl: yeah, that be him.
i didnt realize it as a kid, but as i aged i understood just how advanced and political (to the euro mind) the comic was.
(most of the poli stuff would just fly over the head of the typical american, this one included.)
in the beginning, i just thought the little guy was waaaay too cool.
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