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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”!

Dave Cockrum was the artist on the now-famous “all-new, all-different” version of the X-Men that featured a new group of international mutants including Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Storm. His first run as artist lasted for about a year until he was replaced by John Byrne in 1977. Cockrum returned to the title for another run in 1981. After about a year and a half, Cockrum resigned from the X-Job to create his own group of super-heroes: the Futurians. Prior to that, he was a fan of Marvel’s version of the Norse God of Thunder. His letter, from Thor #132 (cover date – September 1966), exposes his concern for an ill-founded “conspiracy” to replace the Thor title with Hercules as the main star.

On Ebay: Thor | Dave Cockrum

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”!

Pete Von Sholly has written and illustrated a few comics through the years. His credits range from Zero (an underground book from the 1970s) to some stories in Dark Horse Presents in 2000. The bulk of his professional work is storyboard/design for movies. His IMDB profile lists over 50 works including Nightmare on Elm Street 4, the Mask, Mars Attacks, and the Cat in the Hat. Prior to all that, he got a letter printed in Thor #131 (cover date – August 1966)

On Ebay: Thor | Pete Von Sholly

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”!

Kurt Busiek‘s writing credits are quite extensive but he’s probably most well-known for his interesting look back through Marvel’s continuity in Marvels as well as his creator-owned titled Astro City. He’s also had significant runs on the Avengers and Thunderbolts that are still well-regarded today. Prior to hitting it big in the comics industry, he was following the Champions (among many other books, I’m sure) and got a letter printed in the Champions #12 (cover date – March 1977).

On Ebay: Champions | Kurt Busiek

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”!

Ralph Macchio is probably most well-known for his editing work at Marvel Comics, though he has some writing credits to his name on titles such as the Avengers and the Sword of Solomon Kane. But, before gaining employment with Marvel he was a loyal Marvel Comics follower. He got a letter printed in the Champions #7 (cover date – August 1976), displaying some early evidence of his editing ability.

On Ebay: Champions | 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”!

Mary Jo Duffy has written for many comics titles including Catwoman, Glory, and Wolverine . She even created the team, Fallen Angels, who had their own mini-series in the 1980s and interacted with the New Mutants. But, before that she was a faithful follower of Iron Fist, probably (as her letter points out) because of the strong, female characters in that book’s supporting cast. You can read her letter below which was published in Iron Fist #12 (cover date – April 1977).

On Ebay: Jo Duffy | Iron Fist

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”!

Shannon Wheeler is best known as the creator of Too Much Coffee Man. With his roots in independent comics, Wheeler enjoys checking out other indy books, as we can tell from his letter to Diebold, A Silent Partner‘s Production, which was published from 1994-1995. You can read his letter below.

On Ebay: Shannon Wheeler | Diebold

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”!

Tom McWeeney has been working in the comics industry since the 1980s. Besides writing and drawing Roachmill, he’s probably best-known for a very wacky, three-issue run on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (#38-40). But, before all that, he was caught up in the adventures of Marvel’s rampaging, green behemoth. He got a letter published in the Incredible Hulk #240 (cover date – October 1979) which you can read below.

On Ebay: Tom McWeeney | Hulk

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”!

Walter Simonson‘s worked on almost every big-name Marvel & DC super-hero along with his own creator-owned work. His run on Thor in the 1980s (wherein he introduced Beta Ray Bill – one of a small group of characters who can wield Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir) is still upheld as some of the best work the book’s ever seen. More recently, he served as the writer for Wildstorm Comics’ World of Warcraft. But, before he even graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, he had written the following letter to Iron Man. It was published in the letters page (then-named “Sock it to Shell-Head” – oh that wacky Stan Lee!) of Iron Man #10 (cover date – February 1969).

On Ebay: Walter Simonson | Iron Man

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”!

William Stout has had work featured in comics, usually dealing with lizards or dinosaurs. His illustrations of dinosaurs have gone on to inspire the creators of movies like the Land Before Time and Jurassic Park. He was the production designer of the Masters of the Universe movie and has worked on at least thirty other films including Conan, Return of the Living Dead and the Prestige. With all these impressive credits to his name, he still finds time to keep up with independent comics once in a while. One such book was Diebold, A Silent Partner‘s Production, published from 1994-1995. In fact, he even got a letter published in issue #2, which you can read below.

On Ebay: Willliam Stout | Diebold

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”!

Bud Plant has played a notable part in comics history. In the 1970s, he opened a comic store called Comics & Comix and he also published underground comix, most notably Jack Katz‘ First Kingdom. A decade later, his company, Alternate Realities, was a major distributor of comics on the West Coast, which he later sold off to Diamond Distributors (currently the only major distributor of comics). But, before all that, his imagination was captured by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby’s run on Thor, Marvel’s version of the Norse god of thunder. He got a letter published in Thor #169 (cover date – October 1969), which you can read below.

I find it worth noting that his letter, which suggests that the creators leave Galactus to books like Fantastic Four, was printed in an issue prominently featuring that very same character!

On Ebay: First Kingdom | Jack Katz | Thor | Stan Lee | Jack Kirby