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The first comic mart I ever attended was in The Royal Stuart Hotel in Glasgow in 1982. I stumbled across it by accident while passing the hotel with a friend and curiosity got the better of me. It was there I first spoke with the late Pete Root, who told me of his plans to open a comics shop with a group of friends - which, he claimed, would be so good it'd put eight other comic shops out of business. (The shop was AKA Books & Comics.) I bought Silver Surfer #1 from him for £12, and I also ran into Brian Bolland that day and got his autograph on the back of a mini calendar tab for 1983 (I like to be prepared), which I still have today.
At that mart I also saw a book called The Marvel Comics Art of Wally Wood, and though I was tempted, I didn't buy it. I've always regretted not doing so, so I recently purchased one via eBay and it arrived at Castel Crivens from the States today. Just think - 42 years wiped away in a single stroke and things are now as they should've been back then. The inevitable question - how the hell did 42 years of my life pass so quickly? And the same question would apply even if I didn't now own the book, as that day only seems such a short while ago to me, rather than the vast expanse of time (two-thirds of my life in fact) it actually is.
I didn't have the Surfer ish long as I inadvertently damaged and then dispensed with it, but three or four years later I bought a better copy I still have today, along with the other 17 issues. If you don't have the Wood book, I thought you'd appreciate seeing some of the art contained within. The Royal Stuart Hotel is now student accommodation (and has been for many years), but when I look at my SS #1, my autographed calendar tab, and my Wally Wood book, I'm back in 1982 and everything is as it was. In fact, it feels like I've owned the book since then now that it's in my possession. Anyway, enjoy the images - click to enlarge, then click again for optimum size.
(Incidentally, there are no biographical details about Wood, nor an introduction in the book, so either it was rush-released as a tribute in the wake of Wood's death [in November '81] or the publishers felt that his art spoke for itself.)
1982 was the year I sat my O Levels (in June) and then entered the 6th Form in September. Being in the 6th Form meant I was automatically made a Prefect which allowed me to jump the queue at dinner-time! On the comics front I'd completely abandoned Marvel UK by 1982 and was buying only the US Marvels especially John Byrne's FF which was definitely my favourite Marvel comic of that time.
ReplyDeleteI've still got all my Byrne FF comics from that time, CJ - and the Omnibus volume of them as well. Thought they were brilliant in the main, though the series trailed off a bit towards the end. When you were a prefect, did you have to take an apple into school each day for teacher?
ReplyDeleteI stopped reading Marvel comics around late 1983, Kid, (until 2007 anyway) so I wasn't around for the end of the Byrne era but I know he altered the FF's costumes and replaced the Thing with She-Hulk, both of which I disapprove of so I'm rather glad I wasn't still around.
ReplyDeleteByrne was also writing The Thing's own mag at the time, CJ, in which he had him off on another planet for a good while. That's why The She-Hulk was drafted in to fill his place in The FF. What I didn't like was Johnny poaching Alicia as his girlfriend, so I'm glad a later writer made the Alicia (whom Johnny married) a Skrull. (His name was Fred. Only joking - it was a female Skrull.)
ReplyDeleteGreat reminiscences, Kid. I always like to read tales of when and where people picked up certain books. The Wally Wood looks very interesting. Another one to add to the wish list.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways it's a slight disappointment, B, in that it only has 64 pages, including covers, with a mere 58 story pages, plus a 'frontispiece' of sorts, making just 59 pages of internal art, all in. It would have been better as a 'King-Size' comic book. The art is good though.
ReplyDeleteWood was a master. Solid anatomy, great layouts and none better at spot blacks. And don’t forget he basically reinvented Daredevil. He’s the one who made him the devil instead of the circus acrobat look.
ReplyDeleteTrue, PS - though he was also a prolific 'swipe' artist who often relied on assistants to do most of the work which he then 'slicked-up' at the inking stage. A bit like Frank Hampson in fact.
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