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Sunday, June 25, 2023

A Sense of Doubt blog post #3050 - Jack Kirby Statement to Stan Lee Documentary - More John Romita - Newsletters Various - Comic Book Sunday for June 25, 2023



A Sense of Doubt blog post #3050 - Jack Kirby Statement to Stan Lee Documentary - More John Romita - Newsletters Various - Comic Book Sunday for June 25, 2023

Three comic book things here:

- Jack Kirby statement to Stan Lee documentary

- Steve Cook newsletter (Secret Oranges) about John Romita RIP

- Most recent Kieron Gillen newsletter ( 07 June 2023) about Immortal X-Men 012


First, Jack Kirby.

Though I wrote about loving Romita over Kirby as well as Gil Kane, Gene Colan, Neal Adams, and a few others, I do ADORE Jack Kirby.

It's like splitting hairs. They can all kinda be tied for first.

Most people outside of comics think Stan Lee was the one and only mastermind behind the entire Marvel universe without knowing that the creation of all the characters from the start was a collaborative effort and that Jack Kirby was involved in all of it. 

Despite Steve Ditko being the original artist on The Amazing Spider-Man, few know that Jack Kirby conceived the look of the character and drew the cover of Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of the famous wall-crawler.

Kirby was at least equally as instrumental as Stan Lee if not more so. Though Kirby did not continue with Spider-Man, which became a Lee-Ditko production and then a Lee-Romita production, Kirby had great influence if not outright complete creation of The Hulk, The Fantastic Four, Thor, The Avengers, the X-Men, Iron Man, Daredevil, and of course, Captain America.

And so, it's upsetting that a new Stan Lee documentary continues to advance a narrative that Stan Lee was the main or ONLY mastermind behind the Marvel universe.

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/jun/24/marvel-cult-stan-lee-disney-documentary-steve-ditko-jack-kirby

https://www.vulture.com/2023/06/disney-s-stan-lee-documentary-perpetuates-a-myth.html

https://screenrant.com/stan-lee-2023-documentary-controversy-mcu-creator-issue/


I learned about Steve Cook from Warren Ellis and subscribed to his newsletter mainly because I liked the name: Secret Oranges.

Cook has had a long career in comics in Britain. And just writing this I see that he designed the cover for William Orbit's Strange Cargo III, which is among my all-time favorite albums (though not top twenty).

His newsletter is good fun and thought-provoking. I loved what he had to share about John Romita Sr, so it's included here.

And lastly, Kieron Gillen. Somehow, I got unsubscribed or just was not receiving Gillen's newsletters for much of the year. Odd that it took me six months or so to realize it.

So, including his most recent, as I just read the featured comic, Immortal X-Men #012, patterned on The Idiot by Dostoevsky

Thanks for tuning in.

Happy Comic Book Sunday!!



Jack Kirby Estate official response to the recently released Stan Lee Documentary


Open in app or online

Jack Kirby artwork now showcased on YouTube


The newest Stan Lee documentary is another example of regurgitating falsehoods and repeating long debunked ideas into the creation of these beloved Marvel characters.  Jack and Stan were an amazing team, whose combined talents ushered in an entire universe of superheroes that have inspired generations.  The Jack Kirby Estate has and will continue to ensure that comic book and pop culture fans understand the importance of Jack in the creation of the Marvel Universe.  This continuation to push a challenged narrative, hurts the legacy of Stan Lee as well, and continues the disregard towards Jack in the creation of these iconic characters.  It truly pains the family to once again have to fight to ensure Jack’s legacy and his global contribution to the comics industry.  Jack Kirby was more than an artist, he was a visionary and creative force, whose contribution to the creation of many Marvel characters goes way beyond putting pencil to paper.  Stan Lee will rightfully be remembered as a champion of comic books, creative powerhouse and figurehead of one the world’s most cherished brands.  It is now time for the world to discover the other creative force behind their favorite superheroes.  The Jack Kirby Estate invites you to learn more about Jack’s version of how these superheroes were created and his inspiration for doing so.  Jack loved his fans and creating for them was not just a job, it was his passion.  There are many resources that now add historical facts that are finally changing the one-sided narrative that has been pushed throughout the years.  We look forward to one day having a documentary that tells both sides of this amazing story.  Until that time, we’ll continue to ensure Jack’s legacy is protected and find solace in knowing that these co-creations continue to inspire and entertain people around the world. 

The Kirby Estate




https://secretoranges.substack.com/p/growing-up-with-spider-man?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=775446&post_id=129020370&isFreemail=true&utm_medium=email



Growing up with Spider-Man

JUN 21, 2023

RIP John Romita. 1930-2023. I can't imagine growing up without John Romita's Spider-Man. It meant so much to me. An absolute legend has left us.

This is John Romita’s self-portrait, from a set of Marvel artists that I bought, which includes Jack Kirby. Each has a biography on the reverse.

Thinking back to when I first discovered American comics, there were three of us at Junior school who decided to adopt our own secret identities. We each made a costume to wear beneath our school uniforms. Unfortunately, lycra or spandex were not an option, and mine was made of rather itchy wool. It’s a wonder we didn’t all pass out in the blazing heat of summer, but I got my special moment as I was leaving school one afternoon. A girl in my class (who knew my secret) said to her mother who was waiting beside the school gates, ‘Look, Mum... look at this boy’s secret identity!’ and forced me to pull back my school shirt and tie to reveal a rather pathetic home-made attempt at a Spider-Man costume. 

I never could find anything suitable for a mask. The closest I got, was one of those string net bags that you buy oranges in, but to be frank, it looked ridiculous, so I gave up on that. 

This was delivered to my house every Saturday. Spider-Man Comics Weekly #40 published in 1973.

This very same ‘costume’ had one more outing the night my father discovered a burglary was in progress on the other side of the street, and was on the phone to the police. It took me 3 minutes to get changed and run down the stairs to the front door, and 3 seconds for my father to yank me back in by the scruff of my neck to prevent any heroics! 

I have another tale that relates to my Spidey costume fascination. You see, there was a great cut-away by Larry Lieber and Mike Esposito, in my favourite issue of Spider-Man showing the costume hanging in Peter Parker’s closet, and I always wished I had one to hang in mine.

From Amazing Spider-Man Annual Vol 1 #4

When I decided to leave my staff job at Marvel UK in 1988 and go freelance, Robert Sutherland, the MD offered me free studio space in the basement as a sort of incentive to continue doing freelance for them, which was very much appreciated. A few months later, Marvel decided to relocate to another part of town, leaving me behind until I found another space of my own. Anyhow, they’d left a lot of old rubbish down there in their haste to vacate the premises, and one night I was packing up to go home after working late on a particularly urgent deadline. I was fumbling around looking for loose change for the underground journey home, and a coin fell out of my hand and rolled across the floor to rest behind a big old cardboard box in the corner of an abandoned office space. As I shifted all the rubbish to get to it, my heart began to race when I saw, in the dim light, a red webbed hand hanging over the edge of the box. I peered in and there was a complete (if a little ragged) Spider-Man costume. I couldn’t believe my eyes! 

Production Stat for page #8 of Amazing Spider-Man #50 - July, 1967. A landmark issue! Writer: Stan Lee. Artist: John Romita. Inker: Mickey Demeo. Lettering: Sam Rosen.

I knew that the publicist had invested in a new one for public appearances a few months back, because we used to share an office, but it hadn’t occurred to me that she’d just binned the old one. A bit of a wash and some needlework renovation and my childhood wish had finally come true!

Ta-Dah!!! Yep, ‘fraid so! Spidey in the East End of London.

When I mentioned this to John Tomlinson, who I’d worked with at both Marvel UK and 2000 AD, he said:

‘I never knew you rescued that old Spider-Man cozzy from the bin... Somewhere on VHS I still have its appearance on Data Run, a Saturday morning kids show (with Timmy Mallet) in which 'Spider-Man' visited the Marvel UK offices in Jadwin House. I was in it too as a student on work experience, as was (UK Spider-Man editor) Jez Meteyard and (artist) John Higgins, who pretended to draw Spidey. The costume was so knackered, they had to do it up with masking tape – Spidey backed out of the room at the end to avoid showing it!’

The Amazing Spider-Man #43 - Rhino On The Rampage! (1966) Script: Stan Lee. Art: John Romita Sr.

I’m pretty sure that reading about Peter Parker’s exploits as a photojournalist spurred me on to be a photographer with a press card myself, coupled with my first viewing of the Antonioni film, Blow-Up which was also a major influence, and one of my all-time favorite films.

As much as I was into Steve Ditko’s Spider-Man initially, I grew to really love the way John Romita drew the strip. As I went from junior to senior high school, the stories about Peter Parker’s college and personal life became far more interesting to me than the battle scenes. Stan Lee’s witty, snappy dialog worked so well with Romita’s hip, and groovy looking characters, and that panel of the first appearance of Mary Jane Watson has most definitely become THE most iconic comic book panel of all time IMHO. In fact, I created my own photographic homage to that panel which I will share at some point.

There's no mistaking a Stan Lee script! The Amazing Spider-Man #55 - Doc Ock Wins! (1967) Script: Stan Lee. Pencils: John Romita Sr. Inks: Mike Esposito Letters: Sam Rosen.

Another of my 'rescued from the rubbish pile' items from Marvel UK. It's a shame it's so stained, but maybe that's why it was discarded. I had this bromide print on my office wall for a long time, slightly out of view in this photo below, by Marvel’s managing editor, Jenny O'Connor. I think I must have worn the shades as a joke, it was never that bright in the office, plus the fact that I always wore a Walkman probably explains why I now have extremely annoying tinnitus!

Yes we had rising damp! Photo © 1986/2023 Jenny O’Connor

Another vintage production stat from my collection: Amazing Spider-Man #54 - November, 1967 'The Tentacles and the Trap' Script: Stan Lee. Art: John Romita Sr. Inks: Mike Esposito. Letters: Sam Rosen.

Brendan McCarthy’s Spider-Man: Fever, April 07, 2010

I’m thinking back to when I was kid, sitting on the pavement outside my Uncle Bill’s house on a sunny day in Edmonton, London. I was reading the Terrible Tinkerer story in Amazing Spider-Man annual #2 that he’d just bought me from a local newsagent called Sands. I’d never have thought that one day I’d have my own name on a Spider-Man comic, so when I did, I made sure to send him a copy and thank him for the inspiration he gave me all those years ago.

Vintage production stat of Amazing Spider-Man #2 - May, 1963.
Yes, I was a Friend Of Ol’ Marvel subscriber - FOOM #18, June, 1977. Cover by John Romita Sr.

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RIP John Romita Sr. 1930-2023

In my opinion, apart from John Romita Jr., nobody else has surpassed Steve Ditko or John Romita Sr. when it comes to Spider-Man, but maybe that's because I grew up enjoying their interpretations of the character.

All artwork © Marvel Comics


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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2306.25 - 10:10

- Days ago = 2914 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.

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