B3

Darcey McLaughlin - Geek World

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

This week I thought we'd have a little fun and look at some neat facts about comic book history you might not have known.

Enlarge Photo

Grey Hulk

Most people know The Incredible Hulk as a big green monster, but not a lot of non-diehard comic fans realize he started out grey.

You see, legend Stan Lee created the character but he didn't want a colour that would suggest a particular ethnic group so they went with grey. Problem was, with 1962 technology the grey didn't come out so well and the colour varied throughout the book.

So with issue No. 2 the team went with green, which was easier to print, and the rest is history.

For many years Marvel brushed the grey origin under the rug. Not only was Hulk green in retellings of his origin but in reprints featuring the original art.

It wasn't until 1984 that Marvel reintroduced the idea of a grey Hulk and now it is established as part of his history that he started out grey.

For a time, during Peter David's run in the 1980s, Hulk even became grey again, with a more intelligent personality, working as a Las Vegas bouncer known as Mr. Fixit.

It may not be easy being green, but apparently it's harder to be grey.

A 14-year-old comic writer

Today Jim Shooter is a legendary name in comics. What some newer fans might not realize is Shooter started his career at age 14.

The young writer was an avid comic book fan and began sending his stories to DC Comics (back when comic companies would accept unsolicited materials). His first story was published in Adventure Comics No. 346 (July 1966). It was a story about the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Shooter took the group which had been part of Superboy's supporting cast and shaped them into a popular group on their own, and created some of their greatest characters, including Karate Kid and Ferro Lad.

What's really amazing is the editors at DC were so impressed with his stories, they didn't even realize his age until after they hired him.

Creator inspires character

In the 1960s, Jim Steranko revolutionized comics with Nick Fury: Agent of Shield. His art was like nothing anyone had every seen, bringing in new visuals and incorporating op art and pop art into comics. Steranko was also very smart. He was very rarely seen in public and he built up a mysterious persona about himself and an eccentric artist.

What was not so well know was Steranko had once been a very famous escape artist working for carnivals and circuses. He was so good legendary artist and creator Jack Kirby used him as inspiration for his Mister Miracle character, the universe's greatest escape artist.

DC tried to make Batman look less gay

In 1954 Dr. Frederic Wertham published a book called Seduction of the Innocent. Through his "research" the good doctor had determined comics were basically responsible for creating criminals. He toured prisons and discovered that, surprise, most of the criminals had read comics when they were children.

The book sparked a congressional hearing to discuss the issue and it basically resembled a mini version of the McCarthy hearings. The comic book industry was very frightened and as a result decided to censor itself and created the Comic Code Authority.

But other changes had to be made as well. In 1956 Batwoman was created, followed by the first Bat-Girl. The reasons? Well, Wertham had accused the dynamic duo of being in a gay relationship. So DC editors decided they need to spend more time hanging out with girls to show the world they were good old heterosexual men.

Ashes in ink

In 1996 Mark Gruenwald died of a heart attack at age 42. According to his wishes, he was cremated and his ashes were mixed with ink used for the first printing of the Squadron Supreme trade paperback published by Marvel Comics.

Wonder Woman creator a bit freaky

Looking back now, some of the early Wonder Woman stories by creator Dr. William Moulton Marston are little disturbing. Almost every story features women being tied up, and Wonder Woman herself loses her powers when bound by a man.

Before creating the character Marston created the systolic blood-pressure test, a component of the modern lie detector. He also wrote a book on psychology. He often said women were more honest and basically good compared to men, who were violent and brutish.

In his personal life his Marston was married to Elizabeth Holloway Marston. But the couple also shared their relationship with Olive Byrne, a young woman who was never seen without her silver wrist bracelets. Sound familiar? He fathered children with both woman, who continued to live together after his death in 1947.

Small talk

Now you have some interesting stories to share next time you're at a loss for something to say (hey, did you know...). If you have something to say, feel free to send an e-mail to mclaughlin.darcey@gmail.com.