Auctiva Emporium: graphic-illusion

The

Whole Marvelous

Super - Ultra - Cosmic - Magical

Comic Book Universe

by Rob Gustaveson (1996)

Correspondent

The forge of creativity & business that was Marvel Comics was a synchronic chord sounded by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko and all the authors and artists and inkers and colorists who worked there.

It all started during the early 1960's when the Fantastic Four and Spider-man and the X-men (The Uncanny X-Men) were formed from the imagination of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. X-men was a box office smash last summer. I'm sure you also remember the highly successful Hulk TV show.

The earliest X-men consisted of Jean (Marvel Girl) Grey (who later became the extremely popular Phoenix), Professor X (Xavier), Cyclops (Scott Summers), the intelligent Beast (Hank McCoy), and Iceman (Bobbie). Mutants born with special "super-mutant" abilities. 

Later came the New Mutants with younger characters possessing mutant powers that sometimes seemed to possess them (the only type of comic book story I don't like). 

These characters from X-men including (Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Storm, Banshee, Kitty) evolved with the advent of the creativity of John Byrne (starting in issue #108 of X-men) and Chris Claremont (Giant Sized X-men #1 and Uncanny X-men #94 now valued at $500. up in "mint" condition. The most popular character was the main star in the X-men film--Wolverine. There is sure to be a sequel for this box office smash.

X-men Comics taught kids that prejudice is evil. People who live in fear and thus greed try to destroy that which they don't understand.

Interesting that both the most recent Star Wars film and X-men film took a hard look at politicians (Congress). If power corrupts absolutely is it possible our system is absolutely corrupt?  The Senator in the X-men film learned his lesson a little late.

Spider-man

This gives Peter Parker super powers--insect powers--if amplified a man could lift a truck and carry it 20 miles as ants do. (Don't get me started talking about Henry Pym the Antman who became Giant Man in the Marvel's Avengers ((Capt. America, Thor the Thunder God etc.))).  Add to that Peter Parker was also a brilliant student who was able to invent a web shooter and other great inventions.  And Spider-man was born as a bi-product of the bi-product known as radioactive material (which Science still doesn't know how to get rid of).  (Try telling that to our new administration).  Everything is energy!  Remember Tesla coils.

But Marvel was not the only place parading superpowered characters.

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D.C. Comics (Time Warner), too, utilized mythology and stories of Biblical proportions to entrain, energize and excite generations of teenagers, kids and adults from the 1940's to present. 

Some characters such as Superman, Atom, Flash, Batman, Green Lantern, JLA  and others & even D.C.'s version of Capt. Marvel may have been inspired by spiritual literature which told of Hindu Gods and Goddesses and even Biblical personages who could stand in fire etc.  

Scripts & Wit

Super Heroes:  originating through human imagination and from literature, mythology, religion.  

Though probably comic creators just made up their wondrous stories.  

Once when I interviewed Gerry Conway for the Comics Journal he admitted to me that he had researched some of the comics he wrote.   Conway's friend partner Roy Thomas no doubt researched Conan and Thor and other material while writer & editor at Marvel.  They worked together on the great animated Fire and Ice film.  (Ralph Bakshi/Frank Frazetta).  

And initially Thomas got the Conan property over to Marvel from Edgar Rice Burroughs in Tarzana, CA.  (Tarzana--Tarzan...get it?  Yep, it too is a comic.)

Older folk know and love the countless Films and TV shows and serials featuring these and other favorite colorful characters:  Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Commander Cody (which may have inspired the Rocketeer comic and film).

COMIC BOOKS!:  Born by the sheer exhurberance of the Universe itself through the vehicle of the Human Being.

The Comic Industry is a metaphor for life. A cosmic drama unfolding. But not to put old wine into new bottles: Many times in the past Marvel and D.C. have teamed to do specials that benefits the play of creativity. I first met Stan Lee while I was the manager of a Comic Book Store in Studio City, California in the 1970's.

Or, more accurately, I met him through his works at Marvel Comics--his extraordinary scripts & wit in 1961.

Very clever interaction with the fans through clubs and letter columns in the good old days made onefeel as though one was a part of something.  With Merry Marvel "we belonged."

Stan Lee's stories contained real life character's, complete with dilemmas and the germ of great new ideas and principles for living a good life.

As when Spider-man didn't stop a Burglar -- the same Burglar who later killed his kind Uncle--Peter Parker (Spider-man) got the message--serve mankind. With great power comes responsibility.

And responsibility is the ability to respond.

Exciting fictional stories full of adventure and excitement with morals. Illustrated profusely.

Marvel Super characters were at first looked on by society as bad guys.  Even after saving human butt thousands of times.

J. Jonah Jameson (cheap Editor of the Daily Bugle newspaper) has hated Spider-man for over 30 years.    Jameson actually tried to destroy Spider-man by becoming a super villain. Golden Age & Silver Age  Human Torches !

Daredevil (blind Attorney yet Batman-esque in abilities & physical strength and agility--but with heightened senses) the Man without fear was often branded a villain too at first.

As was the ever popular Incredible Hulk--first immortalized as a comic book during the 1960's.  Who ranged from dull and stupid to near genius depending on the decade in which this enduring character is read.

What we fear we often regard as evil.

These days Comics are motivated especially by financial profit and  by their own survival (of the comic series, the Publisher & his company & the creator's).

Nothing wrong with making money to pay the rent. But Comics have tried to teach us that the means are as important as the ends they produce.

What we do along the way determines the end result we will get. Comics are published because a word sounds good to the publisher. But some of these new young independent publishers need to know more about the meaning within these words (and so do their customers).  But more power to these enterprising youngsters.  DC/Marvel need a little competition.  What is Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi, Mantra? What is Zen? (One young upstart publisher of "Zen-- intergalactic Ninja" had never heard of Alan Watts --great promoter of

Zen until I told him Alan Watts was a famous and popular theologian turned beatnik Philosopher & Author (one of many) responsible for introducing Eastern Religions to the spiritually starved West--often heard on KPFK radio.  Alan Watts is possibly the foremost promoter of Zen.  Watts' book " The Wisdom of Insecurity,"  mentions, of all things, Comic Books.   What are Chakras?  The Tao means what?  When kids grow up and learn about Meditation will they be tainted by our stupidity and greed?  

Views of my shop 1986--1996

      Buzz words usually lower consciousness and cause confusion. Of course when I use to publish stuff as a youngster I made up names that sounded good but had little or no meaning such as:  Beyond Infinity,  Eon the Magazine of Graphic Illusions. I know less now than I did then.  What is craft, art, Love, Truth?  
      In the mid 1990's different factions of the Comic Industry warred against each other and nearly lost their whole audience, I feel (I know -- I watched it--still happening now) (circa 1996) (and it continues in the new battlefield of on-line auctions).   My discount fell from 55% off to 25%  off  (thanks to Marvel's selection of Heroes World to help ruin my life) so I decided retail was not for me.  Titles were overproduced and people who collected thirty or more titles weekly had to cut back and many stopped buying comics altogether. Publishers have the right to publish whatever they want. Customers have become more selective out of financial consideration, primarily. Prices jumped from $1.00 to $2.50  for a new comic in a very short amount of time.   (Who manipulated the shutting down of Sparta?!).  
       I held several autograph parties with Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the 1970's and 1980's. I threw over 50 successful autograph parties with many wonderful comic book artists and writers. I'd host the event, provide refreshments, do all the advertising, graphic art, press releases, etc. It was an exhilarating experience.  It was fun to interact with pros and fans.  I gave away a lot of free promo stuff.
        Ninth Nebula's first autograph party was held with Stan Lee, publisher of Marvel Comics.  For ten years my shop endured in North Hollywood, CA next door to the world's oldest Science Fiction Club (a built in audience of friends and fans and computer fiends).  I had already managed a chain off and on for 10 years in Westwood, CA, Studio City, CA and Long Beach, CA.  
      The Stan Lee event evoked long lines of Comic Book fans of all ages drooling for Stan's signature on the splash page of their old and new comics.  Nowadays professionals sign comics on the cover of their title en mass which I don't approve of.  (But who listens to me).
      Comics forms are often abused by aspiring young publishers who use several unnecessary full page splashes when the effect could be achieved in a tiny panel--waste of money, ink and paper if you ask me.  Unlike the good old days when Steve Ditko gave us our money's worth in the form of about 6 panels per page--he in his way was like a Zen Master--the precision of his work rivaled the art of Chinese Calligraphy (see his unique style in old Atlas Comics from the 1950's).  Some of the recent experimentation's by Frank Miller

& other talents have all presented imaginative creative work too.  The list of creative talent (Author's, Artist's) is tremendous in the comics industry which other industries take advantage of.  (Again an article unto itself).

Stan Lee's arrival in a Limosine exemplified the style and pizzazz in which he lived his life. He was the spokesperson, promoter and Publisher of Marvel Comics at the time.        

Stan has more energy than many men half his age.  Did you catch the Hitchcock-like cameo in the awesome recent excellent X-men film where he was a Hot Dog vendor (on the beach).  I think he is currently involved mainly with Marvel Animation in Van Nuys, California.  His stanlee.net enterprise is having trouble with backers and former employees allegedly but won several prestigious awards and is a far out site for fun -- I hope everyone will check it out.  Free games and much more.

Ninth Nebula was a context for many things but few know it was my 2nd book shop.  My first store was opened in 1978 in the Santa Monica area and was called Beyond Illusion: New Age Book and Comic Shop.   But comic books paid the rent. 

From 1985 through most of 1986 I threw over 19 successful mini Comic book Conventions (the San Fernando Valley Comic Book Convention).   This show allowed me to open Ninth Nebula--the Complete Comic Book Store. Small in size, yet packed with all the best stuff.

 Jack Kirby appeared at one of my autograph events too. Kirby was Lee's partner on all the important Marvel titles in the early 1960's when they were formed such as Fantastic Four, (Strange Tales) Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Hulk, X-men, Daredevil, Avengers, Journey Into Mystery) Thor, (Tales to Astonish) Ant-Man, (Tales of Suspense) Iron-man, Capt. America, etc.

Around 1961 Amazing Fantasy #15 was issued which is the first appearance of Amazing Spider-man and if in perfect shape could fetch $20,000. or more--check your price guides.

I promoted the San Fernando Valley Comic Book Convention furiously. After about 19 or so mini shows which pulled up to 500 Comic Collectors I was then able to open Ninth Nebula--the Comic Book Store and I retired the Convention. I put a lot of people & friends and family to work (usually paid $50. for people helping at my Con).  I knew what I liked and I knew what people wanted and ordered accordingly.  Getting the books before my competitors for years helped.

These shows allowed my 17 boxes of comics and mere $1700. to flourish into a my small store and thousands of boxes of choice back issues--the shop lasted 10 years.

Comics were serious business untilthe Death of Superman (and then it exploded further) which created new problems and opportunities as the comic industry began new birth pangs in 1993. The quake of 1994, the riots preceding that, the first time ever taxation of comics (no re-Pete ((finally got a new Governor where I use to live in California))), many of my customers, suffering from the economy, moved back home--out of State, paper prices, customers died from Aids (my shop lost two wonderful  people I know about), baseball shops got in the act, too many new Comic Stores opening all took its toll on my shop and others (along with other factors  that are articles unto themselves) and a big piece of the pie that was my income--but mostly it was the monopolistic practices of DC Comics--aka Time Warner and other factions of the "industry." 

Now there is only one comics distributor.  He is in charge of the sales of ALL new comics.  And owns the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide that covers old comics which DC has an option to take over (buy) some day.  So the powers that be have all the power and wealth.  Exterior power anyway.

Some people liken certain Independent Comic titles to Rap music--vibrationally low.  But most Independent comics are not of a low vibe whereas some rap music is.

There are comic books as high in vibrational quality as classical music.  E.C. comics Weird Fantasy, Incredible Science Fiction, Weird Science  & Weird Science Fantasy & others from the 1950's (regarding art and story) & certain comics from Marvel & D.C. and other companies may sometimes be likened unto the much higher  vibration of John Lennon or Vivaldi (quality wise).  (See Dreyfus in Mr. Holland's Opus to understand what I am saying or even Finding Forester with Sean Connery).  Because of the level of story and rendering of art back in the 1950's when issued.  These were projects of love and survival.

Young upstart rebels dared to shatter the crystallization which occurs occasionally in any industry. A few of them became, allegedly, millionaires. They got their start at Marvel. 

Image co-founder Todd McFarlane is the most successful of the Image lot so far it seems with (Darkmanesque) Spawn. Younger audiences love Image.  I've seen 100's of kids with art portfolios as good as what's printed in most comics these days. And some Image titles are up to par. But countless #1 's going nowhere (ending after 1 or two issues) turned many long time readers off. Seems fans like series that last about 25--100 issues. 

Malibu helped Image--I purchased and sold about 1000 copies of Youngblood #1.  The TV show Nightman came from Malibu.  I enjoyed Rune most of all though.

The new way to sell comics is Ebay, Amazon.Com and Yahoo auctions.  Among others.  Ebay is the most successful so far.

Keeping track of your collection is a full time job. There is now inventory software for organizing Comic Collections. 

I've enjoyed watching a few good "Electronic" or internet Comics at DC, stanlee.net and elsewhere.   But animation is still better (as far as I am concerned). Beast Wars is a really well done 3-D  cartoon originating from talents in Canada.  Beast Wars is probably the best animation being produced these days.

 Store owners didn't mind the plethora of first issues until around 1996 when new people took over at Marvel and elsewhere. Comics are a viable art form no one should take advantage of.  But retailers and fans feel they have been used.  And we resent it.

One funny footnote, Frederick Wertham, the much hated  Psychiatrist blamed for the demise of E.C. Comics and other companies during the 1950's paranoid Senate subcommittee hearings where he testified against the "violence in Horror & Crime" Comics actually found something in Comics of value a little later in his life and began publishing  Comic Book Fanzines. Yes Wertham got into Comics Fanzines and self publishing!: Wertham complemented Fanzines as a good that came out of Comics. 

Fanzines are of many types from Science Fiction to Comic Book from art-zines to zines that specialize exclusively in one genre:  Dr. Who, Star Trek, mainstream Science Fiction books etc.  There are pro-zines (published by professionals in the comic industry) and zines that are "self published" by fans.

Censorship is wrong unless it is self imposed.

D.C.'s Elseworld's stories are extremely creative and good and take comics to the next level.  Putting Superman or Batman in a unique setting in time and space isn't a new idea but the way DC executes these tales with details is usually innovative and exciting.

Where does one classify the classic Cerebus the Aardvark by Dave Sim, Reed Fleming Milkman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Hate Comics?

Classics Illustrated (classic literature illustrated) helped many people with time constraints pass a book report. 

Black & white Warren Magazines (Vampirella, Creepy, Eerie) from the 1960's often contained some of the best art & story for any time. Some fans are reeling still from the talent of Richard Corben (Den, Nevermore), Mike Ploog (Frankenstein), Jim Starlin (Warlock, Dreadstar), P. Craig Russell (Night Music, Elric.)  Great work hidden in Tower Comics (Wally Wood) and Charleton Comics (Ditko) too.

The unacknowledged older audience pray that Marvel and D.C. maintain as high a standard of quality as possible.  

New talent should not copy from other people's work. Draw from life and photos.  Regardless of what misinformation you may get.

      Stan and Marvel literally saved the Comic Industry from extinction during the last 35 years I feel.

Eventually fans may focus on Silver Age and Golden Age comics from the 1940's--1960's.  Or the E.C.'s from the 1950's as I did at age 15 after acquiring every Marvel and D.C. issued during the 1960's.  But one really can't outgrow comics.  Once it is in your blood it will always be in your blood.  New or now-agers would say I'm "too attached" to my possessions (comics).  Possibly so.  But a really well written nicely illustrated comic is better than watching Disney's Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 in an Isolation float tank isn't it.  

Where comics have lost it is in not keeping it a hobby.  It is such a blatant business now the fun is lost due to fear and greed.  Remember when I said one felt part of something with Marvel in the early days--"The Merry Marvel marching Society" etc.  This is very true.  People want to participate in an active way in their lives.  This is one reason costuming is so successful at Comic and Science Fiction conventions.  And one reason why Toys and Magic the Gathering and the internet comics, where you get to direct the outcome of the adventure, are so viable as hobbies.  Because instead of watching TV one gets to enter in and play to be active and to participate.

I don't mind special effects, on occasion, but they are usually not the long term answer for keeping fans satisfied. Good art and stories are essential. A Publisher can do whatever it wants. So can the "fans." Perhaps we can all agree we want comics to stick around, forever.  But we have seen the consequences of greed. Or is it maliciousness? Some people want it all. Stan use to say "put it out there and see if someone salutes." 

There are dozens of comic covers with the same face colored differently. At $2.50 a pop for redundant dreck (come on colorforms for the cover, or 13 variants of a cover--can you say greed & rip off) people are becoming either turned off to hack or much more selective. Comics cost an average of $1.95--$2.50 each. Some are issued at $3.50--$4.95 or more now. When we were kids, of course, comics cost just .10 cents to .12 cents each. The first .02 cent raise meant we had to cut back a certain number of comics. Today Action Comics #1 (where Superman first appeared in 1938) goes for $175,000.00 in -- near mint in auctions -- but was onJy $400.00 when I was 15 years old. 

I was selling Joe Kubert original Hawkman art to people on Military bases back then and then buying more comics with the profits. (See how Comics taught business, indirectly).

When comics were released I was the kid waiting to cut the plastic strip off the piles of new D.C. and Marvel comics before the manager got around to it back in 1961 at Thrifties so I could get the newest releases before anyone & pull out the most pristine "mint" issue each and every Tues. and Thurs. year after year.  Actually I was just trying to get the next issue to read and collect as soon as it was issued.  Then in 1986 when I started Ninth Nebula I started air freighting the new comics to my shop and had 500 regular weekly customers.  I also gave generous discounts.  

We grew up, married, had kids, started our own stores--we, the comic collectors of America. Whom the industry has entirely dismissed.

More & more "readers and collectors" abhor this wanton greed and unfairness in the comic book marketplace (to their pocketbooks and sense of right). They want quality not just quantity.

In a way this is where OLD Marvel really succeeded.  Marvel taught its readers to think for themselves.

Most real long term retailers find nothing wrong with investors investing in Comics or Marvel Stock, and everyone made short term money with D.C.'s two first editions of the Death of Superman.  Retailers made out quite well on Superman's Death--especially the Black Bagged version. As did Newsstands who bought them from retailers and resold them at higher amounts. Copies sell at around $25.00 now for the "black bagged edition." The day this issue was released copies sold from $5.00-- $50.00 each. Reports went as high as $250.00 for a single issue.  But there are so many titles produced that since comics are not returnable to the distributor the amount of left over inventory with any "real store" will be immense and costly.   Profits for shops are not as high as you may think.

Another super successful comic, Astro City by the author of Death of Superman and the Painted Marvel's, Kurt Busiek, was published by Image Comics. Demand rivals that of the D.C.'s acclaimed winner The Watchmen (a story of some out of shape Super Heroes who try to prevent New York and the world from getting blown up, written by English Author Alan Moore).  My favorite comic lately is the Spectre which began in the 1940's. I also love various issues of Hellblazer and Swamp Thing. Tastes vary and so do types of comics.  When one says Archie or Casper or Disney or Richie Rich that might be the only frame of reference a novice has about what is available.  Great or unique art draws me into reading the comic.  Quality matters.

At Ninth Nebula our customers were 30-50 years old and spent $3000. or more each week all year long. They'd get 30 comics all totally different from all publishers. Most customers still focus on Marvel and D.C. but Independent publishers are here to stay. Even if the name of the publisher changes as often as you change your clothes.

Mad Magazine was originally a smaller size E.C. Comic. At issue #24 Mad became an entirely black and white magazine in a larger format.  The ever popular talented humorous generous Sergio Aragones has been on TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes and other shows and is co-creator of Groo the Wanderer (with writer Mark Evanier) started with Mad many years ago. Their Groo the Wanderer at Marvel literally had me laughing hysterically on the floor after I fell off my chair.

If you are just exploring comics for the first time be sure to check out stores that carry old and new issues.

Direct Market is strange now because there is only one real main stream distributor of comics today.  Diamond.  If you want to start a shop don't order randomly--find out what your customers will buy.  Use their order form.  There are small publishers too from whom you might be able to order directly and internet subscription services.

Other material to check out when you get into Comics reading and collecting: Comics Values Monthly (think it still exists in some form), Wizard, The Comics Buyer's Guide and The Comics Journal (Published by Fantagraphics.  Opinionated Gary Groth is the editor).  And of course the price guide Overstreet.  Which should be used as a guide but not as the bible.  Many of its advisors do not own shops or sell new comics and are not really in touch with current trends.  Beware the "newbies" (in SF circles they'd be called neo's) with their grading schemes paying $55. for a recent $3.95 X-men #1 just because it has one of their tags on it--means absolutely nothing--it's still worth a buck or two at most.  My famous saying remains:  "Buy what you enjoy--if it goes up that is an added bonus."

This "industry" will endure for all those with faith who work hard and make wise choices in ordering: Marvels, D.C.'s and Independents.

New is no longer so sacred a word. But together we can make it  so when it again deserves it. We are moving in the correct direction. Thanks Stan, you helped give the "Comic Book Generation" the ability to think, better than schools ever could. And the desire to keep on learning.

Remember we've moved from a you or me world to a you and me world.  These aren't just words but lifestyles millions of people adhere to now.  And we are not the "fringe."

I share this Truth as a service to the Comics Industry: "Wider is not better."  (Except (allegedly) for the car & luxury industry).  Give us quality and we will give you our money, time and attention.

As King Arthur and Stan Lee might say: "Excelsior! " Or as I might say: "Where's my Digel."

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