A Sense of Doubt blog post #2287 - Bam! Bang! Pow! True Tales From Marvel's 75-Year History

Marvel House ad 1965

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2287 - Bam! Bang! Pow! True Tales From Marvel's 75-Year History





I published this post without commentary. I had opened this space above the article I am sharing from The Hollywood Reporter that needed to be redone because the images were all broken.

I also have a disparity going on as the article, from 7 years ago, heralds the 75th-anniversary of Marvel Comics whereas the 80th anniversary already passed two years ago, and I have images from that, too.

I could have found a more recent article to share, but I liked these images. I also added some of my own.

I am working on a post about the new Nightwing comics. Maybe next week.

Happy Comic Book Sunday.




https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/marvel-75th-anniversary-true-tales-743567

OCTOBER 28, 2014 10:28am PT by Andy Lewis

Bam! Bang! Pow! True Tales From Marvel's 75-Year History

Marvel

From pulp to pop powerhouse, how a little comic publisher became the biggest thing in entertainment

A version of this story first appeared in the Nov. 7 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

When Martin Goodman released Marvel Comics No. 1 — 75 years ago, in August 1939 — the New York-based pulp publisher was convinced it was a disaster. In fact, he was so horrified with the lousy print quality of the comic book — which introduced the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner, two of the only Marvel characters that haven't been turned into tentpoles — he cut the print run short and canceled the title. Then he saw the sales figures. All 80,000 copies had flown off newsstands.

See more A Look Back at Marvel's 75-Year History

As it turns out, the early years of the comic book giant — chronicled in microbic detail in 75 Years of Marvel Comics: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen, a 712-page Taschen volume packed with photos, bios and factoids that's coming out in November — are filled with surprising plot twists (the later years, too: The company was sold to Disney in 2009 for $4 billion, and still prints about 80 titles a month). Like the time, in 1963, when Marvel's printer accidentally colored the face of the company's first major African-American character white. Or the time, in 1961, when Stan Lee (who became editor-in-chief at age 19 in 1941) informed his wife he was quitting comics. He said he didn't see a future in superheroes.

75 Years of Marvel is an oversized wonder that measures over 11x15 inches to display great moments in comics history in all their (giant) glory like this blown up panel from Amazing Spider-Man No. 1 (1963) that sees the web slinger trying to join the FF in the hopes the job pays (it doesn't).

Read more How Marvel Became the Envy (and Scourge) of Hollywood

MARVEL TALES NO. 6, 1939

Before trying comics, Marvel specialized in pulp magazines featuring sci-fi, mystery, fantasy and horror stories.

See more Hollywood's 100 Favorite Films

MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS NO. 9, 1940

The Sub-Mariner (note the flipper wings on his ankles to help him fly) was created by Bill Everett in 1939. The character shared issue No. 1 that year with the Human Torch, written and drawn by Carl Burgos, but each had his own storyline. It wasn't until issue No. 9, when they battled atop the George Washington Bridge, that their paths crossed, marking the first time two heroes appeared together in one story and introducing the idea of a shared universe — that the heroes all lived in the same world.

See more Comic-Con Stars Re-Create Classic Sci-Fi Characters

BILL EVERETT, 1939

His creation the Sub-Mariner was the first comic book antihero (he hated human "surface dwellers"). Everett continued drawing the character until his death in 1973. He also drew the first issue of Daredevil.

See more The New A-List: 23 Salaries From Angelina Jolie to Robert Downey Jr. Revealed

CAPTAIN AMERICA SERIAL, REPUBLIC PICTURES, 1944

With the 15-part serial The Purple Death, Captain America became the first Marvel hero to make the leap to the big screen. To the dismay of the character's co-creator Joe Simon, publisher Goodman gave Republic Studios the rights for free, figuring the added exposure was payment enough. Republic traded Cap's shield for a pistol and simplified the uniform.

See more Senior Superheroes: 19 Action Stars Kicking Butt Past 50

MENACE COMICS NO. 11, 1954

Lee, then Marvel's editor-in-chief, used Menace and other horror comics to openly mock anti-comic book psychiatrist Fredric Wertham, who in 1954 testified before a Senate subcommittee that, among other things, Wonder Woman encouraged bondage and that Batman and Robin were gay.

See more Two-Timing Superheroes: Ben Affleck and 10 Actors Who've Played Multiple Comic Characters

TRUE SECRETS NO. 36, 1956

Although best known for its superheroes, Marvel always published lots of other genres, including humor, licensed characters (from Mighty Mouse in the 1940s to Care Bears in the 1980s), Westerns, horror and war. Romance, which was particularly popular in the '50s and '60s, appealed to the harder-to-reach female market.

See more Wonder Woman: How Hollywood Has Brought the Iconic Superhero to Life

AVENGERS PINUP, 1968

Two-page spreads were a regular feature of the special summer annuals, and this one includes an example of the way Lee created a personal rapport with fans. The lineup (from left): Hercules, Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Giant Man, Wasp, Black Panther and Quicksilver.

See more Behind the Scenes of Marvel's 'The Avengers'

CAPTAIN AMERICA COVER, 1969

This series of images from issue No. 114 shows the progression from artist's sketch to black-and-white page layout to the final printed version. The artist is Jim Steranko, whose late 1960s runs on Captain America andNick Fury: Agent of SHIELD are considered classics by comics cognoscenti. 

Read more Chris Evans Shares Lessons From 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' Directing Duo

WOLVERINE CONCEPT SKETCH BY JOHN ROMITA, 1974

The most important event in Marvel's modern history was the 1975 introduction of the new X-Men, which transformed a bunch of second-tier players into the company's most popular franchise. With his badass attitude and metal claws, Wolverine, who first appeared in The Incredible Hulk No. 180 (October 1974), was the breakout star.

Read more After Wolverine's Death, Marvel Explores His 'Legacy'

SLURPEE CUP, 1975

Merchandise started appearing in the mid-'60s with T-shirts and toys. The pace picked up in the '70s, with action figures, Saturday morning cartoons and, of course, 7-Eleven Slurpee cups, like this one with Dr. Strange.

Read more Is Benedict Cumberbatch Too Obvious a Choice for 'Doctor Strange'?

IRON MAN NO. 122, 1979

The transition from the old sci-fi of the '50s to the jet age of the '60s, all in one page. The original 1963 Iron Man was as bulky as a water heater, but in this issue, fans witnessed his slick and mod makeover. Lee created Tony Stark as "a Howard Hughes type with almost unlimited wealth … but, like all mixed-up Marvel superheroes, he'd have to be flawed." Also, unique among Marvel heroes, Iron Man has no superpowers, beyond being a snappy dresser.

Watch more Robert Downey Jr. Teases His Iron Man Future

LEE PLAYING ATARI, 1982

From the beginning, Lee believed that the Marvel heroes could be popular in other media, but it wasn't until the 1980s, with an explosion of toys, TV cartoons and video games (here, he plays Atari's popular Spider-Man), that his ancillary dreams started to become reality.

Read more Stan Lee in Discussions for His First Bollywood Film

SPIDER-MAN MOVIE POSTER, 2002

The first blockbuster movie featuring a Marvel hero was 2002's Spider-Man, starring Tobey Maguire, which grossed $822 million worldwide. The 36 films based on Marvel characters have grossed more than $16 billion worldwide.

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2105.23 - 10:10

- Days ago = 2151 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.