TEST YOUR 'METTLE' DEPT: IS IT HEAVY?

Copyright relevant owner

Back in 1990, the manager of a local band asked me if I could possibly secure the services of a 2000 A.D. artist to do an album cover for him.  He had no specific artist in mind - anyone who worked on the comic would suffice.  "I'll see what I can do," I replied, "but it'll probably cost you."  I 'phoned SIMON BISLEY, who wasn't interested, so I told him to name a figure that'd make it worth his while.  Perhaps wishing to price himself out of a job he didn't want, he quoted a sum far in excess of his usual page rate (at that time anyway).  I relayed it to the manager, thinking it'd be beyond his means, but to my surprise, he agreed.  I told Simon it was a deal and he went to work, turning the job 'round in no time flat.

Simon generously offered me £100 for putting the job his way, but I turned it down on the grounds that, as he'd done all the work, he was entitled to all the money.  All I'd done was make a few 'phone calls to describe to him what the band had in mind (before he and the manager started talking directly between themselves).  As it turned out, it was worth every penny - and then some - because the cover was what swung a record deal their way.  The band's manager played their demo album to the record company, then delivered the coup de grace - the finished cover art by a high-profile artist.  A deal was struck on the spot.

I was promised an extra-special credit in the sleeve notes, which was only fair, I thought.  After all, the cover had got them the deal, and I'd got them the cover.  When the album was released, everyone else and their granny got a mention - everyone, that is, except me, who'd suddenly become the invisible man.  Simon Bisley got paid, the band got their cover and a record deal, the manager got to bathe in the reflected glory and publicity (plus whatever percentage he was on), staff at the hotel the band rehearsed in were thanked in the sleeve notes, and sundry other folk were credited for simply breathing.  Me?  I got hee-haw!

Well, that's not quite true.  I got one spare, well-played copy of the CD (with well-worn, wrinkled inlay booklet).  I'd have thought I deserved a brand-new, shrink-wrapped copy at least.

And the moral of the story?  If anyone asks you to do something which they hope is going to make their fame and fortune, charge them for your time.  Promises of gratitude are worthless.    

JOURNEY'S END...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here are the final two stories from J.I.M. #83 to complete the issue.  One is a text piece, of the type that was only included so that the mags qualified for 2nd class mailing rights, the other's a typical fantasy tale by STAN LEE and STEVE DITKO.

So, there you have it - the complete ish (sans ads) of one of the classic MARVEL comics of the Silver Age.  This comic would cost a small fortune to buy in decent condition nowadays, so don't ever say that I never give you anything for nothing.  As before, click on images to enlarge, then click again for optimum size.

Be sure to tune in again from time to time - you'd kick yourself if you missed anything.  And check out the previous two posts, if you haven't already, for the rest of this collectors' item issue. 

"GONNA TAKE A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY..."

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Okay, peeps, today we're going to re-present the first instalment of the remainder of JOURNEY Into MYSTERY #83.  Wouldn't want your lives to be incomplete now, would we?  Looking at the last page, it's clear that Mike Morgan was actually falling to his death, but the Comics Code must've objected to this grisly ending and insisted on changes.  The first clue is the caption in the 2nd panel of page 5 - "And in those last nightmarish seconds of Mike Morgan's life..." is a giveaway that he was receiving his just comeuppance.

The last two panels have clearly been re-lettered by a different hand to give the impression that he survives, and the final panel itself seems to have been altered, as the figure doesn't look like the work of DON HECK, who drew the rest of the strip.  "Guess I might as well glide down and save him..." ?  Get real - he's splattered all over the landscape by now - unless he was falling in slow motion.  Click on images to enlarge, click again for optimum size.  And, if you haven't already, be sure to see the previous post for the origin of THOR The MIGHTY!

THOR The MIGHTY & The STONE MEN From SATURN!

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

If you're fortunate enough to own any of the MARVEL OMNIBUS editions, you'll doubtless have appreciated the clean reproduction, the near perfect colour registration, the larger than normal page size, the attention to detail, etc., etc.  Truly they are things to marvel at (pardon the pun), but they have one drawback - they're almost too good.

A while back, I purchased The SILVER SURFER Omnibus; I went through it page by page, drinking in all the above mentioned qualities, savouring the exquisite clarity of each panel - but without reading it.  Then I dug out my original eighteen issue run of comics and read them individually over the next few evenings.

Great as the Omnibus volumes are, there's just something about the original issues which is hard to beat.  The smell of the paper, the adverts, the Ben-Day dot colouring - it all adds up to an experience which is a delight to the senses.  When you're sitting on the porcelain, an Omnibus volume can be quite heavy on the ol' thighs; a single comic is much easier to read and far less wearing on the legs.

With that in mind, I decided to treat you all to THOR The MIGHTY's origin, scanned from my very own copy of JOURNEY Into MYSTERY #83.  I could've scanned my softcover MASTERWORKS volume, which - along with the Omnibus edition - has the best reprint so far of that particular tale.  However, you folks are special - I figure that you deserve nothing but the original.

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Plot: STAN LEE  * Script: LARRY LIEBER  * Art: JACK KIRBY
& JOE SINNOTT  * Letters: ART SIMEK

Click on any page, then click again to see the image in extra-large size.

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BONUS DEPT:  Here's how the final panel originally looked before it was changed to the published version.