Cyberspace Comics market report, reviews and more

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

Comic book editor, Ralph Macchio , has a strong handle on Marvel continuity. Here he is complimenting writer Gerry Conway on his integration of previous Marvel characters into his “cosmic” Thor storylines. This one was printed in Thor #220 (cover date – February 1974).

On Ebay: Thor | Ralph Macchio

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

Don’t call him the Karate Kid! Comic book editor, Ralph Macchio, is not to be confused with the actor bearing the same name. This Marvel employee wrote a bunch of letters to Marvel before getting a job there. Here’s another one from Thor #214 (cover date – August 1973), wherein he continues to safeguard Marvel’s continuity.

On Ebay: Thor | Ralph Macchio

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

J.M. DeMatteis has written some of my favorite, gone-too-soon comics. He wrote the third Man-Thing series from Marvel’s short-lived Strange Tales line of comics. Unfortunately, the final parts of that story were written (and I think some even pencilled) but never published. And, a few years later, he wrote the whimsical (And Wizard of Oz inspired) Abadazad, published by CrossGen. And, when that comic publisher folder, it was snapped up by Disney. Hmmm… Disney now owns Marvel Comics so maybe there’s hope they’ll revive this fantastic series. Anywho, J.M.’s back with another letter to Marvel’s God of Thunder … this one was printed in Thor #212 (cover date – June 1973).

On Ebay: Thor | J.M. DeMatteis

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

Matt Howarth has been working in the alt/indy comics scene for decades, now. He’s probably best known for his two most-famous creations: Those Annoying Post Bros. and Savage Henry. From time to time, he’s ventured into the mainstream and produced works like Star Crossed (from DC Comics’ short-lived Helix line of comics). He got a letter printed in Thor #211 (cover date – May 1973). In it, he extolls Marvel’s new policy of crediting colorists for their work.

On Ebay: Thor | Matt Howarth

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

Bob Gale is best known for his involvement with the Back to the Future franchise (some of the best films ever made!). He wrote all three movies, the story for the BttF ride, and the cartoon series. On occassion, he’s written for comics, as well. His credits include Batman, Daredevil, Spider-Man … and Ant-Man! He got a letter printed in Thor #208 (cover date – February 1973).

On Ebay: Thor | Bob Gale

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

Willie Blyberg was the inker (or embellisher) on comics titles like Airboy, DNAgents and the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. He got a letter printed in Thor #204 (cover date – October 1972). Interestingly enough, in his letter, he ranks John Buscema as a better artist than Jack Kirby and Neal Adams. Certainly a controversial opinion!

On Ebay: Thor | Willie Blyberg

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

Alan Kupperberg is a comics creator who’s written fill-in issues for Captain America, Iron Man, and other Marvel titles. He’s also illustrated fill-in issues of Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Captain America, the Defenders, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider and many other Marvel titles. He had some short runs as the artist on titles like the Invaders and Thor and he was the artist on the Ice Man mini-series of the 1980s. He’s the only guy you can hold responsible for the one-shot, Obnoxio the Clown vs. the X-Men. Before his career began in the mid-1970s, he got a letter printed in Thor #177 (cover date – June 1970).

On Ebay: Thor | Alan Kupperberg

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

Over the years, J.M. DeMatteis has become one of my favorite writers. His work on titles like Moonshadow, Blood: A Tale and Seekers Into The Mystery are wonderful examples of how far the comics medium can expand beyond super-heroics. Don’t get me wrong … I always enjoy a good super hero book, and so does DeMatteis, it seems. He’s also partly responsible for the most entertaining Justice League comics I’ve ever read as well as some landmark Spider-Man comics (most note-worthy: Kraven’s Last Hunt). Back when he was just a comics fan, he got a letter printed in Thor #176 (cover date – May 1970).

On Ebay: Thor | J.M. DeMatteis

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

Gary Groth founded Fantagraphics in 1976, a comics publisher well-known for their alternative publications and their comic news magazine, the Comics Journal (featuring significant contributions by Groth, himself). Years before his successful run as a comics publisher, he got a letter printed in Thor #162 (cover date – March 1969).

On Ebay: Thor | Comics Journal | Fantagraphics

You may not be surprised to learn that most people in the comic business grew up reading comic books. However, you might be interested in knowing what they were reading. Here’s a look at “Famous Fanmail”!

In the early 1980s, John Carbonaro purchased the rights to the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents from Tower Comics. He published a few T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents series but none of them lasted long. A few years later, Deluxe Comics began publishing comics with the same characters, without licensing them from Carbonaro. Unfortunately for J.C., the following court case deemed these characters to be in the public domain. Prior to his comics publishing endeavor, John Carbonaro got a letter printed in Thor #156 (cover date – September 1968).

On Ebay: Thor | T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents