“Greetings, creep culturists! For my debut issue, I, the CRYPTOLOGIST (with the help of FROM THE TOMB editor PETER NORMANTON), have exhumed the worst Horror Comics excesses of the 1950s, Killer “B” movies to die for, and the creepiest, kookiest toys that crossed your boney little fingers as a child! But wait... do you dare enter the House of Usher, or choose sides in the skirmish between the Addams Family and The Munsters?! Can you stand to gaze at Warren magazine frontispieces by this issue’s cover artist BERNIE WRIGHTSON, or spend some Hammer Time with that studio’s most frightening films? And if Atlas pre-Code covers or terrifying science-fiction are more than you can take, stay away! All this, and more, is lurching toward you in TwoMorrows Publishing’s latest, and most decrepit, magazine—just for retro horror fans, and featuring my henchmen WILL MURRAY, MARK VOGER, BARRY FORSHAW, TIM LEESE, PETE VON SHOLLY, and STEVE and MICHAEL KRONENBERG!”
The Cryptologist and his ghastly little band have cooked up more grisly morsels, including: ROGER HILL’s conversation with our diabolical cover artist DON HECK, severed hand films, pre-Code comic book terrors, the otherworldly horrors of Hammer’s Quatermass, another Killer “B” movie classic, plus spooky old radio shows, and the horror-inspired covers of the Shadow’s own comic book. Start the ghoul-year with retro-horror done right by FORSHAW, the KRONENBERGS, LEESE, RICHARD HAND, VON SHOLLY, and editor PETER NORMANTON
(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $10.95
(Digital Edition) $4.99 • Ships January 2025
CRYPTOLOGY #3
This third wretched issue inflicts the dread of MARS ATTACKS upon you—the banned cards, the model kits, the despicable comics, and a few words from the film’s deranged storyboard artist PETE VON SHOLLY! The chilling poster art of REYNOLD BROWN gets brought up from the Cryptologist’s vault, along with a host of terrifying puppets from film, and more comic books they’d prefer you forget! Plus, more Hammer Time, JUSTIN MARRIOT on obscure ’70s fear-filled paperbacks, another Killer “B” film, and more to satiate your sinister side!
Our fourth putrid tome treats you to ALEX ROSS’ gory lowdown on his Universal Monsters paintings! Hammer Time brings you face-to-face with the “Brides of Dracula”, and the Cryptologist resurrects 3-D horror movies and comics of the 1950s! Learn the origins of slasher films, and chill to the pre-Code artwork of Atlas’ BILL EVERETT and ACG’s 3-D maestro HARRY LAZARUS. Plus, another Killer “B” movie and more awaits retro horror fans, by NORMANTON, the KRONENBERGS, LEESE, VOGER, and VON SHOLLY!
The John Romita Memorial Panel Discussion, June 15, 2023, from the POPXP! podcast Steve… and Cimino Says BOOM! “I’m Getting Satisfaction From What I’m Doing!”
David Armstrong’s 2001 conversation with master storyteller and artist John Romita. …All That Jazzy Johnny Jazz!
John Cimino picks the top 10 greatest John Romita comics stories of all time.
Mr . Monster’s Comic Crypt: We All Have To Start Somewhere! (Part 3)
Michael T. Gilbert gives a guided tour of the early artwork of Murphy Anderson. re: [correspondence, comments, & corrections]
FCA [Fawcett Collectors Of America] #248
P.C. Hamerlinck looks at Phil Bard, 1940s artist of Fawcett’s Minute Man, et al.
INTRODUCTION: The nigh-weekly podcast Steve… and Cimino Says Boom! came to fruition due to the incessant texts that Steve Houston and John Cimino had begun exchanging concerning comicbook history and facts. Finally, in 2022, after a year of such back-and-forth, John suggested to Steve that the two of them join forces in a podcast, because they had so much “useless information” about comics and pop culture in their heads that it should be presented to the waiting world in grand fashion. Steve agreed, and they invited Roy Thomas to be a “recurring co-host,” on a very informal basis. After a jumpstart for several episodes aided by their pal Everett Otto, John and Steve eventually found a home when the podcast was picked up by Nile Scala and his POPXP! Network. Nile’s technical wizardry has kept John and Steve flying high
in the YouTube universe, and the three of them have never looked back.
When they learned that John Romita passed away on June 12, 2023, the lads impulsively decided to put together a special episode (or “issue,” as they call it) devoted to that comic industry legend. Nile was fortunate enough to get John Romita, Jr., to drop in on the first part of the podcast, even though he was about to host a private family gathering, making this his first public appearance talking about his late father and his work. Several other notable comics professionals also took part, as ID’d in
the paragraphs below. Alas, the podcast was marred by a few technical difficulties (some of them due to terrible WiFi reception in Roy’s home in rural South Carolina—or was it the Negative Zone?—from which he and John C. were podcasting), but one and all managed to muck through.
The following is the list of the nine stalwarts who took part in this very special podcast, roughly in the order in which they appeared on-screen:
STEVE HOUSTON has been an obsessed comicbook collector since 1983. Since ’93, he has become one of the best-known and most influential comicbook dealers in the country, as an Overstreet comics advisor and as comics expert on the popular reality-TV show Pawn Stars. The British-born Steve’s unique look and eccentric sense of style make him an unforgettable presence.
JOHN CIMINO sums himself up as a living, breathing modern-day cowboy. He’s a promoter, agent, and media rep who takes Roy Thomas around the world to comics conventions near you. He’s contributed articles to RetroFan, The Jack Kirby Collector, Alter Ego, and Back Issue magazines—and, with his background as a comics dealer, he has extensive knowledge of comics, toys, and animated cartoons from the Marvel Silver and Bronze Ages.
NILE SCALA is the founder (with artist Billy Tucci) of the POPXP! Network on YouTube. POPXP! produces many shows on pop culture with a focus on comicbooks. He has also lent his talents to many independent comics and is a leading voice in the independent comicbook movement, especially in the realm of crowdfunding.
ROY THOMAS has, since 1965, been a professional comics writer and often editor, including being Stan Lee’s successor as Marvel’s
editor-in-chief from 1972-74. He is noted for extended work on Avengers, X-Men, Conan the Barbarian, and numerous other comics series, and as the co-creator of Wolverine, the Silver Age Vision, Iron Fist, Red Sonja, and numerous other comics heroes—and worked in the Marvel offices with John Romita during the ’60s and ’70s.
JOHN ROMITA, JR., the son of John and Virginia Romita, had early runs on such comics as Iron Man and, in his father’s footsteps, Amazing Spider-Man, and helped launch the Dazzler series. He has since drawn much-applauded stints on The Uncanny X-Men, Daredevil, Black Panther, The Eternals, and other series, and co-created the independent comic Kick-Ass
STEVE ENGLEHART entered the comics field intending to be an artist, but wound up instead as the acclaimed writer of such Marvel series as The Beast, The Avengers, The Defenders, Dr. Strange, and Captain America, as well as equally successful runs on DC’s Batman and Justice League of America. He is also noted as the co-creator of the Master of Kung Fu series, starring Shang-Chi.
BRIAN PULIDO is publisher of Coffin Comics and writer/creator of the series character Lady Death. He was the publisher of Chaos! Comics, where he created Evil Ernie, Purgatori, and other characters. Additionally, he has published or written comics based on A Nightmare on Elm Street, Chucky, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, WWE , and more.
JIM STARLIN, creator of Thanos, started off at Marvel drawing and plotting such series as Iron Man and Captain Marvel, and co-creating Master of Kung Fu with Steve Englehart. His work on Warlock and The Silver Surfer raised those cosmic characters to new heights, and his The Death of Captain Marvel was one of Marvel’s earliest and most important graphic novels. His creator-owned Dreadstar comics and graphic novels have only enhanced his reputation.
JAIME JAMESON has worked (primarily as inker) on covers for Metal Men (DC Comics), Dejah Thoris (Dynamite Comics), and Dreadstar graphic novels with Jim Starlin, along with numerous other comics-related concepts. She is currently developing several creator-owned
projects of her own, as well.
It should also be noted that major comics pros Billy Tucci, Jim Salicrup, and Tom DeFalco had also hoped to join this special podcast, but all three of them were attending Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC, at the time, so could only be present in spirit. As another fitting tribute to the memory of John Romita, the podcast was recommended by the Hollywood Reporter online edition to its viewers. —JC & RT.
JOHN CIMINO: Hello, everybody, and welcome to the “Steve… and Cimino Says Boom!” show—a special edition, because today we’re doing a special tribute to the life and legacy of the recent passing of John Romita, Sr. And we wanted to make this episode live, and for everybody to enjoy it. And we have our host of today…
ROY THOMAS: Co-host.
CIMINO: …Roy Thomas, of course. And Steve [Houston], down below. And Nile Scala. Nile, tell us what we need to do, brother!
NILE SCALA: Hey, everyone—well, before we get started, make sure to look below, click that subscribe button, and smash that bell to get notifications, so you can catch some amazing streams like we’re doing tonight. And gentlemen, I’m excited for this. I’m honored to be doing this. I’m very honored that our guests are willing to take the time to share some memories.
CIMINO: What we’re going to do is, people are going to come in and out, and hopefully we’re gonna get a nice round in a celebration of everybody talking about John Romita—his inspiration to them, and their experiences in their life. So this is going to be great.
STEVE HOUSTON: Well, first things first. I’m very honored to be here amongst legends, and also looking forward to hearing some firsthand accounts. Some nice material. It’s going to be wonderful. Remember, first, before anything—it’s a celebration. It’s not going to be a maudlin affair; it’s going to be a celebration of a lifelong work, which will be living forever.
CIMINO: Yes. And before we bring on our guests, I would want to point out that Roy here, created— co-created two characters—right, Roy?—with John. Would you tell us about that, really quick?
THOMAS: Well, the first one, I think, was Satana, where Stan had just [come up with] a name. Then John and I had a couple of days to do a three- or four-page story [about her] to get into a magazine… which is strange, because it turned out to be the only story John and I ever did together. All the stuff we did together, covers and this and that, we never got a chance to actually do a story together, [besides] this one.
And the other was when I had the idea for Wolverine. I gave
Rascally Roy Thomas (from a 1970s magazine) juxtaposed with two of his prized and ultra-rare collaborations with John Romita:
tried to reach that goalpost of being as good. He’s LeBron. I’m the waterboy at the end of the bench. I have that to look for, trying to reach it. But all his personality… the man had no ego. And that’s the way to be a brilliant artist… with no ego. You don’t get that very often.
CIMINO: And Steve Houston, any last words to Mr. Junior here?
HOUSTON: You know, I was actually very fortunate to see John at a Spider-Man panel in San Diego in 1996, and I was actually able to ask him: “When you drew the cover to Amazing Spider-Man 39, you had it on your drawing desk and you’re sitting back and you’re thinking, “Okay, I’m taking over Spider-Man from Steve Ditko. I’m going to be in charge.” I said, “When you sat back on the drawing desk, did you realize that you had created a masterpiece?” Because it is one of the most iconic covers of all time, and to go into what you’re saying, he said, “I just hoped they liked it.” He goes, “I sent it off, and I was worried that they might not like it.” And I was like, “Oh my word!”
Scala
THOMAS: I think it’s the most famous cover. Certainly the most important cover he probably ever did. [A/E EDITOR’S NOTE: For Romita’s cover for Amazing Spider-Man #50, see p. 57.]
ROMITA: I agree. He got awards from a lot of people because of how important it was. Ladies and gentle people, I have to get going, and I apologize for cutting it short, but I have a lot of—
ROMITA: But you know what cover he would inflate his chest over? Number 50. “Spider-Man No More!” He was more proud of that cover because of the reaction it got, and he said [that], to this day, it’s his favorite piece that he ever did.
Goblin Up The Turf
John Romita’s very first cover for Amazing Spider-Man: issue #39 (Aug. 1966). Brian Pulido thinks he should have realized that he had succeeded in making the title his own from the start— while John just “hoped they [meaning Stan Lee and Martin Goodman] liked it.”
JAMESON: J.R., tell your mom I’m sending a cheesecake.
ROMITA: Thank you very much. You’ve been wonderful, and I hope to talk to you all again under better circumstances.
ENGLEHART: Nice to see you, John.
SCALA: And I have just two super-chats [sent in by watchers] for you, John, if I can just get those up real quick.
CIMINO: He’s gotta get the pizza ready. Come on!
SCALA: I know, I know. Just real quick. John Malin: “Thanks for the super chat. Sorry for the loss, John.” Right, and then I’ve got one more here. 200 Watt Studio: “JRJR, I’m so sorry for your loss. Did your dad give you any advice when you started on Amazing Spider-Man?”
ROMITA: Advice? That line about “There’s always someone bigger and better and smarter than you. Deal with that and try to get better.” It was basically a short conversation. “If you think you’re good, you’re never gonna get better.” And that was the one that I took the most. Bless you all. Thank you. [ John Jr. signs off.]
CIMINO: Jaime. I’m sorry that I missed you when I went around talking to people. I apologize for that. Please tell me your experience with John Romita, and stuff in your background with him.
John Romita—An Artist For All Seasons
Nile
Funny What Some People Throw Away!
JAMESON: Well, as I mentioned, I met him many, many years ago, before I was in comics, but he was like—Spider-Man was my favorite as a kid. My great-uncle used to call me—I was obsessed with Spider-Man—he called me Jaime Jameson, “Jaime Jules Jameson.” I mean, just all these names. Jim is in my chair, but if you look, it is Spider-Man. [Starlin is seated in a Spider-Man-backed chair] I was obsessed. But I got Spencer [Beck], my art manager—he would FaceTime me with John Sr., and I’d have these conversations with him on FaceTime in Virginia, and just got to know him better. It was my very first FaceTime call, actually. But just getting to know him or talk about what I said before. I mean, J.R. just said it best: “You’re never where you want to be with art, and just not to give up and not to take into consideration—maybe you don’t love what you’re doing, but it might be the right thing.” I just thought that was always such good advice. I didn’t expect to do comics. I’m the last person that would tell you, “Yeah, I work in comics now.” Did not foresee that. But it led me here, doing things I didn’t want to do. So, just a lovely man. Just the nicest, happiest personality, you know? Just a sweetheart.
CIMINO: Roy, the Romita family all started filling up the offices of Marvel. Do you have any stories about that?
THOMAS: No, that was a little after my time. Mrs. Romita started
coming in a little later to kind of help out. I mean, I knew her, and I knew John [Jr.] when he was a little kid. The funny thing is, I think that John Jr. said his first job was being the New York editorial assistant and coordinator for Savage Sword of Conan, but I didn’t remember it, because I never saw him. It was just a voice over the phone, and I knew it was John Jr., but I just didn’t recall it. It’s kind of strange. So he sort of made a name for himself after that.
But to me, though, there’s—I have forbidden, in Alter Ego or anything else I work on—I have forbidden the term “John Romita, Sr.” I come from a different place. No disrespect to John Romita, Jr., who’s become a fantastic artist. I worked with him once or twice; I’m happy I did. But you know, there’s John Romita, Jr., and there’s John Romita. There is no John Romita, Sr.
SCALA: Those are the rules.
THOMAS: Just for me. You know, I knew John Romita for so many years before I knew John Jr. as an artist.
STARLIN: I think the style guide would say you’re right.
THOMAS: Well, I speak as a “Junior” myself, you know… and my father was never called Roy Thomas, Sr.
JAMESON: I was supposed to be James Patrick, Jr., and I’m so glad I’m not.
CIMINO: Mr. Englehart, what’s your “best work of John Romita”? What’s a work that he’s done that impressed you, that you can still look at, that still has a lingering impression on you?
ENGLEHART: Well, all of it. But if I were to single something out, I’d go back to his Daredevil, because that was such a nice piece of
The Family That Works Together… John and Virginia Romita together in the Marvel offices—during the days when she was a very important office manager. Thanks to Tom Brevoort.
fact that their work is going to last a lifetime. It is unforgettable, that is their legacy. They lived work, and their work was their life. They loved their work. And that is going to be around far longer than we are. You know what I mean? I think that their legacy was the fact that they loved their work, and it showed.
CIMINO: Yeah. Roy?
THOMAS: Well, two things. One is that in those days— particularly in the days after first Ditko, and then Jack Kirby, left—there were two people really important for the next decade or so in setting the Marvel style—with room for other people to do their thing, and yet a certain center that you knew was sort of the gravity that was holding things together. One was John Buscema, the other was John Romita. Romita was a little more at the center because he was right there in the office, where John Buscema was just doing it by example.
To me, though, while everything that everyone says is true about John, to me his greatest legacy will be that he’s the reason we can say that the character Spider-Man had two quintessential artists. Usually the quintessential artist is the one who creates [a character], and certainly nobody is going to ever take that away from Ditko, or ever should try, and John would have been the last person to do that. But what John maybe took a long time to realize... maybe he never did… was that he was the other quintessential artist. The one who, in his own way, was almost
as important, and maybe just as important, as the guy who had artistically created Spider-Man. He took him to new heights. [Spider-Man] became the most popular, famous, and archetypal Marvel character; he took him to the absolute pinnacle. You can’t take any character any higher than that.
So I think, in many ways, the world can’t see the subtle things perhaps that John did, the things he held together, and the art direction, all those things. I think the legacy in a way will be—I don’t know how many issues—but between penciling, inking, and just overseeing, when he was guiding Gil Kane and Ross Andru and other artists, I think his legacy is really as the second quintessential artist on Spider-Man.
CIMINO: And with that, Nile—any last things?
SCALA: Yeah, I do. You know, we’ve been talking about John and his work, and all he’s done to inspire all of us, especially as artists who strive to be like him—and you got to throw Jim into that as well—you know, those are the guys that we want to draw like. But what I’d like to know from you guys is, do you have any fun stories? Maybe something out of the office, out of the Bullpen? Maybe some fun stories that happened at a convention, at a dinner? Were there any memorable moments you guys have with John Romita, maybe outside of the workspace?
JAMESON: My FaceTime call was pretty memorable. He had no idea what FaceTime was. And he’s like, “I can see Jaime! You can see me? Shoot, can you see me?” It was the cutest thing! I will never forget that moment. It was like the sweetest thing, and he looks at Virginia and he’s like, “Virginia, she can see me!” Adorable. Spencer Beck actually was the one showing him how it worked, and I was the first person that came to mind. That was just adorable.
CIMINO: I actually have something pretty funny, back in like 2006. This was during my bigger bodybuilding days, and I was
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION: The Marvel Bullpen in the latter 1960s and first half of the ’70s—the years when I was lucky enough to be around in person as a physical part of it—was basically a good-natured, friendly, and upbeat lot: Sol Brodsky, later succeeded as production manager by John Verpoorten… corresponding secretaries like Flo Steinberg (not that there was ever anyone quite like Fabulous Flo)…. resident artists like Marie Severin, Herb Trimpe, Bill Everett—and John Romita. Almost as soon as he signed aboard in July 1965, he was recognized as virtually an art director without portfolio (Stan Lee retained that title for himself till 1972), and the ultimate go-to guy for any purely artistic questions (and answers).
In this short but incisive interview conducted by David Armstrong at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2001, John recounts some of the high (and low) points of his career—and gives a clear and unassailable defense of that era’s so-called “Marvel method” of producing comicbooks, which undeniably played a powerful part in Marvel’s gradual ascendancy between 1961 and 1972 to becoming the leader in the field. No offense to other comics companies, but Stan and I couldn’t have said it any better ourselves!
DAVID ARMSTRONG: When did you start drawing?
JOHN ROMITA: Well, like a lot of kids, I started drawing about five years old, maybe earlier, but about five. I used to get a lot of mileage out of doing drawings.
DA: Did you do stuff in high school or junior high school?
ROMITA: Oh, yeah. Went through the whole thing, starting from elementary school, fourth and fifth grade. I decorated the halls every holiday, Valentine’s Day, Lincoln’s birthday, Washington’s birthday, the 4th of July. I did Civil War generals… decorated all the backgrounds on plays.
DA: And so did you know that’s when you wanted to do for a living?
ROMITA: I assumed I was going to be an artist. You know, I actually didn’t have a lot of confidence, but I really never stopped. It’s amazing.
DA: And how did you get your first paid professional job?
ROMITA: That’s interesting. I graduated high school on my 17th birthday. I was lucky that way. They had an advanced class. The school recommended me to a doctor on Second Avenue. It was called Manhattan General at the time. It’s another name for the hospital. This doctor was instituting a new process. He was an anesthesiologist, but he was a multi-millionaire anesthesiologist,
and he was instituting this new process from ambulance to operation that would be coordinated by this process. He called it “pneumatology.” It means something else now.
I was 17 years old and he told me, “Can you do an exhibit?” He showed me a long corridor in the second floor of this hospital. “I want an exhibit down these corridor walls and a turn at the door.” And he said, “Could you design and illustrate it and execute it?” And I must have been crazy. I said yes. I had no professional experience. I designed it. I used medical books to do cross-sections of hearts, lungs. I did everything in that exhibit. I purchased all the materials after I designed it in sketch form, and he okayed it. Then I had to execute it on four-by-eight cardboard thick board, one-quarter-inch thick, mounted on wooden frames. I went to hardware stores and art supply stores in Union Square and ordered all the stuff, billed it to him, and I put it together on the floor of that office, every single frame, four by eight, and I scaled up every one of my thumbnail drawings onto that board.
I drew them, I painted them. I Photostatted, did some things, photographs. I did six months. He paid me $60 a week, which was more than my father was making at the time to raise five kids. 60 bucks a week. And I was really trying to drag it out. And I still got it done in six months, because I was figuring that the longer I’d take, the longer he’s going to pay me, you know, until he finally got wise
to me. This guy was a very impressive version of The Perfect Doctor from a movie, had a white goatee and white hair and had a castle on the Hudson, and he had 12 children. It was almost a Hollywood setup. I think the carpenters helped me to hang it. That was the one thing I needed help for. They put up the hooks and I put up wire and hung them as picture frames. Six months and I did that whole thing. I thought it was beautiful until I saw pictures of it about ten years later. I wasn’t pleased with all the drawings; I mean, I was really just a rank amateur. So I threw all the photos out. I hated that it was so bad.
It only stayed up for about two months. He had a cocktail party and people coming constantly, and I stayed for a while as a guide at 60 bucks a week. And then I was on my own.
DA: And so how did you get to do comicbooks?
ROMITA: My second job, I was an office boy messenger at Litho House called Forbes Litho. They were one of the litho houses in the city during the late ’40s that were competing for Coca-Cola assignments. They used to do the festoons that appeared in the ice cream parlors behind the counter, showing a beautiful girl drinking a bottle of Coke and Santa Claus at Christmas and Coke bottles on both ends. I did so many Coke bottles that I could do them in my sleep.
It was a wonderful 2½ years until I met somebody I graduated school with who wanted me to ghost a comicbook story for him. His name was Lester Zakarin. I was just speaking to him after a 40-year hiatus. He was an inker, couldn’t get any work, so he figured if he told [the editor] he could pencil, he’d get work. Stan Lee gave him work, but [Zakarin] needed a guy to ghost it, because he was not fast enough to do the pencils himself. So I penciled for him as a ghost. He inked it and turned it in as as his own work. It was very interesting.
DA: And how long did that work?
ROMITA: Maybe two years, I think. I started in September of ’49, all through ’50, I believe. We worked together, and Stan Lee gave us maybe one 7- or 8-page story a month, or something like that. It was keeping us in groceries. I made more money on that first pencil assignment than I did in a month. I was making $21 a week at the Litho House after taxes. So when I got my first check for 270 bucks, I treated everybody in the family to a midsummer Christmas. It was crazy.
DA: When did they find out that you weren’t really Zakarin?
ROMITA: I got inducted into the Army. It was 1951 and the Korean War had started a year earlier. I passed the physical. Even though I have a bad leg from polio, the Army said, “Oh no, you’re able.” My mother almost had a heart attack. I had a buddy who was on Governors Island doing recruiting posters. We went to school together and he said, “If you get drafted and if you don’t get sent to Camp Gordon in Georgia—if you get sent to Fort Dix [NJ]—let me know, and I’m going to try and have you assigned over here.” He was a sergeant at the time. There was an Air Force captain who was the art director, and he made a request for me and snatched me off a boat to go to Germany. And I went to Governors Island and spent 18 months doing recruiting posters.
While I was there, I had a class-A pass. Whenever I was not on duty. I used to go up and see if I can get some comic work for weekends. I go in in uniform, you know, a private in the Korean War, standing in the waiting room, and [tell the secretary], “I’ve been working for Stan for 18 months. He doesn’t know me, but I’ve been doing the work that Lester Zakarin has been turning in.” She comes out with a script and she said, “Stan said, great, here’s
a story.” It was a four-page story. And I said, “Well, when do you need the pencils?” She said, “You don’t have to show us the pencils. Just ink it. We’ll letter it in after you.” I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know how to ink except for that experience with the exhibit. But I was afraid to turn it down. It was money, so I took it. And the rest is history. I’ve been working for Stan, except for those eight years at DC, like 40 years…35 years.
DA: So how did you figure out about inking technique?
ROMITA: I got a crowquill pen. I knew enough, because I had done illustration work, book illustration in school. I went to an art high school, did three years of illustration, book and magazine illustration, and I knew how to do pen work, but I didn’t know how to do comic-style pen work. So I just struggled along and I lucked out. It worked out okay, very stiff. But you know, I did one of the best baby renderings I’ve ever done in my life. On my first story. I had some good photo reference, I guess.
DA: What was the story?
ROMITA: It was a science-fiction story about a couple who adopt a baby. On the second day, her husband comes home. His wife is dead at the foot of the steps. And the only person in the apartment was the baby, and he didn’t know who did this. It turns out the baby was an alien and killed the mother and then ends up killing the father. And the last panel shows another couple adopting him. It was one of Stan Lee’s science-fiction gems. It was called “It!” (See pp. 33 & 53.)
DA: It was funny that you didn’t meet Stan that first time. He just had someone come out with the script.
ROMITA: I met him when I brought in that first story. I had
worked with Zakarin in a couple of other companies… minor companies. My first actual job was for Famous Funnies. I did a romance job, 15 pages. He paid me for it… Steven Douglas. Steve Douglas has a special place in heaven. He paid me 270 bucks for that first job, and he never printed it. And I found out that he had a stack of artwork on his desk this high. It was all artwork he had given to beginners to give them a break. Never used it. I regret that I never went to his wake and tell his widow what a wonderful guy he was, because he probably supported half the young artists in the city.
Steven Douglas
DA: It is tough to get that first job.
ROMITA: Oh yeah, it was. I worked for other editors, and most editors were rather blasé. They would look at the stuff and grunt and give you a check, or you’d take an invoice and hope you’d
The Top 10 Greatest JOHN ROMITA Comics Stories Of All Time
According to John Cimino
Back in Alter Ego #170 and #179, I was pleased to have Roy Thomas invite me to write articles on “the top 10 Jack Kirby Marvel slugfests (1961-1970)” and “the top 10 greatest Stan Lee stories of all time.” This time, it’s to honor the late artist extraordinaire Johnny Victor Romita, another legend from the hallowed halls of Marvel’s mighty Bullpen, and to put together a top-10 list of his greatest comics. By many, Mr. Romita has been dubbed “the Norman Rockwell of Comics,” and he has drawn stories and images that inspired millions, defined a culture, and literally changed the world. Yeah, no pressure at all… Holy Moley!
Before I get into the meat and potatoes of this article, I have to write about John Romita’s everlasting impression on me. First off, I’ve been obsessed with super-heroes since I was three years old; if Cimino legend is correct, my mom said “Spidey” was one of the first words I ever spoke. That has to be true, because when I was a toddler in the mid-1970s, to calm my little ADHD-fueled body down, she plopped me in front of the television set to watch episodes of Spider-Man from The Electric Company and the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon series that was in syndication at the time.
And you know what? It worked. It worked so well, in fact, that I became infatuated with Spider-Man. Luckily, when Mom would take me out shopping with her, super-hero merchandise, especially Spider-Man merchandise, was everywhere (yeah, growing up in the ’70s and ’80s was a glorious time). And whose art was on the majority of all that wonderful packaging? None other than that of “Jazzy” Johnny Romita! His images became so impactful on me at such an early age that, even to this day, his art is what I would use to define the look and feel of super-heroes, and more specifically the look and feel of Spider-Man. So, look no further than the cover of Marvel Treasury Edition #1 (1974), because that’s the greatest image of Spider-Man ever drawn, IMHO.
Now, the time has come to go through the massive amount of comicbooks John Romita produced over the years and pull out his
ten greatest—well, not his ten greatest issues, but his ten greatest stories, since a few of them extended over more than one edition of the comic he was drawing (and often co-plotting). Judging this legend’s work in a list is, of course, strictly subjective. I had to base my decisions on how I felt when I was reading them, especially for the first time. Also, I wanted to include issues where his art and storytelling were the main focus, so that his genius was being shown throughout, rather than tales that showcased his incredible inking and even his great covers. This is a list of pure Jazzy Johnny at his Jazzing best, so accept no substitutes.
RIP Mr. John Victor Romita (1930-2023)… this one’s for you!
10) Strange Tales #4 (1951) – “It!”
Bill and Jenny adopt a baby, but are soon plagued by a mysterious series of deadly accidents. Finally, Jenny trips over the baby’s teddy bear and falls down the stairs to her death. Bewildered, Bill enters a room in the house and finds the baby (who is actually a being from another world, inhabiting the body of the child) pointing a gun at him. After shooting and killing Bill, the baby is adopted by a new family, where the cycle will begin all over again. John Romita drew a stellar story with perfect pacing, and that little evil baby with a gun reveal at the end was priceless. This is what I call classic 1950s horror at its finest!
The Red Skull, thinking Captain America long dead, rounds up his minions so they can begin an international crime syndicate. At that moment, Lee School high school teacher Steven Rogers is driving Bucky into New York City. Bucky asks Steve why he doesn’t come out of retirement to prove to the kids at school that Captain America is not make-believe, but Steve tells him that Captain America’s work is done. However, as they listen to the car radio, they hear reports that The Red Skull has returned and allied himself with the Communists and that he has invaded the United Nations building and is taking hostages. Seeing this as a reason for Captain America to return, Bucky reveals that he has hidden their costumes under the car seat in case they would ever need them again. In full costume, the two heroes rush to the UN Building, much to the surprise of those gathered outside. Smashing into the General Assembly, they easily trounce Red Skull and his minions and free the hostages. The delegates thank Captain America and welcome him back. It should be noted that this was the first super-hero feature John Romita ever drew—and what an introduction it was! BOOM!!
“Let ’Em Have It!”
23-year-old John Romita’s debut on “Captain America” in Young Men #24 (Dec. 1953)—see his original art above left—was delayed by one panel, when editor Stan Lee decreed that the splash panel (though not the others on that page) be redrawn by artist Mort Lawrence, who would later draw a single full “Cap” story during the hero’s 1953-54 revival. Thanks to Bob Wiener for the balloon-less original art at left, and to John Cimino for the published page at right. Clearly, a Red Skull dialogue balloon was accidentally left off the printed art; he must have been shouting “Let ’em have it!,” to which Cap is responding in panel 2. Scripter unknown, although Romita believed that some of the “Captain America” scripts he drew bore Stan’s name and might have been written by him—in which case this initial story would be a primo candidate.
Welcome to the third “Crypt” episode devoted to the early works of some of fandom’s favorite artists. In previous issues we explored novice art by Leonard Starr, Gray Morrow, and Gil Kane. This time we look at Fiction House and DC mainstay Murphy Anderson.
This episode was inspired by an article in Dwight Decker’s fanzine Torch (#166), which put a spotlight on Murph’s early art for Fiction House’s venerable pulp magazine, Planet Stories. This was shortly before the artist began his comicbook career for the same company.
Anderson was 18 when he drew the pulp illustrations on the next pages. It was crude stuff, indeed, but one enjoys Murphy’s youthful enthusiasm. Soon, given the opportunity, his talents increased faster that a speeding Martian Floogle-rocket!
Early Years…
Anderson was born in Asheville, North Carolina, on July 9, 1926. Artistically gifted, 14-year-old Murphy Anderson won a newspaper art contest in 1939 at the Greensboro Daily Record. After graduating high school in 1943, he briefly attended the University of North Carolina before moving to New York City, seeking work in the comics industry. There he was hired by Jack Byrne as a staff artist at Fiction House, where the bulk of his early work took place.
Murphy started out doing illustrations for Fiction House’s sci-fi pulp Planet Stories when he was still a teen. He then transitioned to the pulp title’s comicbook counterpart, Planet Comics.
Shortly before joining the Navy in 1944, Murphy wrote an amusing “attack” on his editor, Wilbur Scott Peacock.
Peacock took it in good fun, even writing a tongue-in-cheek introduction to Anderson’s article. The following appeared in Planet Stories, Vol. 2, #9 (Winter 1944), along with numerous Anderson illustrations throughout, which we reprint here. And now we present, direct from Planet Stories’ letter page…
“PS’s Feature Flash!”
Flashing you the headlights on one of the men you’ve met in preceding issues—those cosmic-minded artists who help to nourish Planet Stories and “The Vizigraph” [the title of Planet Stories’ letters page].
But before we do, we wish to state that Anderson makes a base canard or two below. There were no five bucks involved. There were only two—and we didn’t squeeze his neck—very hard. Anyway, just as we found him, clean unspoiled and almost unshaven, we give you––
Money-Mad Murphy!
Mageditor [= magazine editor] Peacock peered fiendishly through his horn-rimmed glasses. “Murph!” he said, said he, “my old pal! You old salt of the earth you! I love you more than my pay check!”
The Life & Troubled Times Of Fawcett Artist PHIL BARD
by P.C. Hamerlinck
From Krazy Kat To Communist Capers
Communist-affiliated activist would paradoxically become the principal artist for Fawcett Publications’ patriotic “One Man Army.”
Phil Bard was born on February 14, 1912, in New York City. His parents were Haskell and Becky Bard, both born in Ukraine. He had two older sisters and one older brother. The highest grade he completed was the 8th grade. (He did not attend NYC’s School of Industrial Art as previously reported, as the high school didn’t open its doors until 1936.)
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In January 1930, the U.S. Census revealed that 18-year-old Phil Bard worked at an “artist studio” in New York City. That place of business was the Mintz Studio, and his employer was Charles Mintz. In late 1929, animation producer Mintz had negotiated a deal with Columbia Pictures to adapt George Herriman’s comic strip Krazy Kat as sound featurettes. Whatever Bard’s art duties were on Krazy Kat, they were short-lived ones: Mintz relocated his operation to the West Coast at the end of February 1930 and did not take Bard along with him.
Also during this time, he created a recruiting booklet, No Jobs Today, for the Young Communist League of New York City. The pamphlet’s introduction stated: “This little book is ‘written’ in pictures by a young workingman, Phil Bard. It is a book of cartoons, but not of ‘comic’ pictures—it is full of grim humor that will touch the mind.…”
Bard’s political philosophies and proclivities had progressed by the time he was a young man in his late teens. After the brief Mintz Studio gig, the artist sought out freelance jobs, and perhaps possible outlets to express his left-leaning convictions. He found them with
A Marxist Workers Party of America magazine closely connected with the American Communist Party, New Masses’ circulation had increased amongst Americans who had become disillusioned with capitalism during the Great Depression. Bard designed striking front-cover images and illustrated editorial and gag cartoons consistently for the publication from 1930 to 1935.
Throughout the ’30s, Bard also created illustrations on a freelance basis for Labor Unity magazine for the Trade Union Unity League, and artwork for The Daily Worker newspaper published by the American Communist Party. Additionally, he contributed artwork to a 1936 calendar for the American League against War and Fascism.
Bard’s copious contract work came to a halt when he would leave the country on a special assignment.
Wintering In Spain
During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), nearly 40,000 men and women from 52 countries—including 2,800 Americans— volunteered to travel to Spain and join the International Brigades’ fight against fascism. The American volunteers served in various units in different capacities; they came to be known collectively as the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Phil Bard was part of this battalion.
On the day after Christmas 1936, Bard and a group of his fellow Lincoln Brigade comrades set sail in the cold Atlantic waters to Spain, departing from New York aboard the SS Normandie passenger ship.
While in Spain, Bard—only 24 years old at the time—was a figure of authority for the Brigade as the “Commissar” for their American base in the city of Albacete, and his position put him in charge of political education and organization. However, due to
JOHN ROMITA tribute issue! Podcast recollections recorded shortly after the Jazzy One’s passing by JOHN ROMITA JR., JIM STARLIN, STEVE ENGLEHART, BRIAN PULIDO, ROY THOMAS, JAIMIE JAMESON, JOHN CIMINO, STEVE HOUSTON, & NILE SCALA; DAVID ARMSTRONG’s mini-interview with Romita; John Romita’s ten greatest hits; plus FCA, Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, & more!
