My new book, MARVEL EXPLODES: FROM BULLPEN TO BIG BUSINESS, is a focus on the years that changed Marvel from a very small operation within a small magazine publishing company to the turning points where it became a cultural force. It’s part of Bloomsbury’s line of Marvel Age books, and as such, it’s ‘authorized history’ rather than an independent academic assessment, but I believe I was able to do an honest work within those strictures. It’s not a ‘tell all’ but there are plenty of behind the scenes anecdotes, both ones previously reported and a number that at least I’m not aware of seeing elsewhere.
One thing that distinguishes this book hopefully is that I was able to write with an insider’s knowledge of how the comics industry worked at the time, and there’s several points at which I delve into the way newsstand distribution of comics worked that are rarely discussed. These points are related to significant moments when there are changes in the Marvel line as a result of how the system worked.
Unlike most of the Marvel Age series, it’s not focused on the storylines that made Marvel magical in those years. It’s focused on how the company changed, on the cast of characters in the office and freelancing for Marvel, and in many instances, the business ‘why’ of what happened. I was hanging around the Marvel offices as a fan in my Comic Reader days (1971-1973) and with many of the young people who worked at both Marvel and DC from those days onwards, and that’s informed how I can tell the tale.
And the few anecdotes that I couldn’t get into the book…well, I’ll just tell them somewhere else one of these days…
Nice to hear the stories from the 70’s. I caught your web interview with Mark Evanier and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed it. I’ve been a DC and Legion fan since the 70’s and have always liked your work. Thanks for your contributions.