"Any spare change, guv'nor?" The above character would sure give you a fright if you chanced to encounter him in a bright alley, never mind a dark one. Not quite sure how MARVEL got away with this one, as zombies and the undead (or are they both the same thing?) weren't supposed to be allowed by the COMICS CODE, but it gave Big JOHN BUSCEMA the chance to turn in a spectacular splash page. And hey - that's what this series is all about!
Well, I guess the term "the undead" could include ghosts and vampires as well as zombies.
ReplyDeleteIIRC, Marvel evaded the Comics Code by calling their undead monsters "zuvembies."
More info on that last part please, TC.
ReplyDeleteYeah ole TC is right Marvel used the term "zuvembie" in the early 1970s in place of "zombie" which was banned by the Comics Code Authority. A " zuvembie" was a term used by Robert E. Howard (I think) in one of his tales. I dont recall it being used that often or for long as Marvel had a black and white magazine called "Tales of the Zombie" in the mid/late 70s but I have an copy of the Avengers and a Thing / Black Panther "Two in one" strip where "zuvembie" was used (I thought they were mistakes the letterer made at the time)
ReplyDeleteTa for the info, PM. Regardless of what Marvel called 'en 'though, I'm still surprised they got away with this character in the '60s. Maybe it was because he was called 'The Ghost', but even then, going by the look of him, they were chancing their arm.
ReplyDeleteI agree I can only think that as he was supposed to be the "Flying Dutchman" it was considered as a known myth / fairytale / ghost but it is a scary illo by the big man (love the weeds growing out his head)
ReplyDeleteOops - 'called 'em', not 'called 'en' - my bad. Yeah, that's what occurred to me at first, PM, but wasn't 'The Flying Dutchman' the name of the ship, rather than the captain? Either way, great splash!
ReplyDeleteIn Wagner's opera, the term "Flying Dutchman" seemed to refer to the cursed captain. Also in the movie "Pandora and the Flying Dutchman."
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was originally the name of the ship, and it later got confused/conflated with the captain? Similar to Dr. Frankenstein and his Monster.
The results of MY initial search suggested it was the name of the ship, but it might be like you say. Although ships usually have female names, don't they, so maybe it's the reverse? I'm too lazy to investigate.
ReplyDeleteKid, I'm genuinely surprised that you've never heard the word "zuvembie" - you are usually so knowledgeable about all things comic-related ! And ships usually have female names ? Like the Victory ? The Bismarck ? The Golden Hind ? The Mayflower ? The Titanic ?
ReplyDeleteI didn't say I'd never heard the word, CJ, I just don't remember reading it in a Marvel comic. Perhaps because I DID know the word, if I read it in a Marvel comic, it wouldn't have struck me as being unusual and stuck in my mind.
ReplyDeleteRegarding ships, ships are always referred to as 'she' or 'her', so when ships' names are gender specific (unlike the ones you mention) they're usually female. Obviously I meant what I said in my previous comment in that context.
I love that page. The empty eye sockets, the gnarled hands...it almost doesn't need any dialogue. Buscema was a genius.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a belter, DD. Buscema certainly knew how to draw comics the Marvel way.
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