Amazing Fantasy #15: "Spider-Man!"

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After changing its name twice, Amazing Fantasy suspended operations. That fifteenth and final issue (August 1962) guaranteed the magazine a place in comics history, however, since it was the birthplace of Spider-Man. Starting up in the spring of 1961 under the title Amazing Adventures, it had dealt in the usual Marvel brand of fantasy and sci-fi. Among the monsters prowling the initial half dozen issues were Manoo, Sserpo, and Monsteroso, this latter billed as "the MOST FEARFUL creature of all time!" Scripts were chiefly the work of Stan Lee, the main artists were Jack Kirby, in charge of the Monster-of-the-Month, and Steve Ditko. With the seventh issue, the title was switched to Amazing Adult Fantasy and the book promised "spine-tingling, supernatural thrillers for the more mature reader!" One of the creatures provided for the mature reader was a huge chap called Tim Boo Ba.

For the fifteenth issue the title was shortened to just plain Amazing Fantasy. On the cover, as drawn by Kirby, Spider-Man was seen for the first time. In the eleven-page story inside, written by Lee and illustrated by Ditko, readers met Peter Parker, Aunt May (quite a bit plumper back then), and, of course, Spidey. At the yarn's end, Lee said, "And so a legend is born and a new name is added to the roster of those who make the world of fantasy the most exciting realm of all!" Early the next year, the first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man was released.


Credits

Cover: Jack Kirby (pencils) and Steve Ditko (inks)
Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Steve Ditko
Inks: Steve Ditko
Letters: Artie Simek

Note: Winner of the 1962 "Best Short Story" Alley Award.

Reprinted:

• in Marvel Tales Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #1 (1964)
• in Origins of Marvel Comics (Simon and Schuster, 1974 series) #[nn] (1974)
• in Spindelmannen (Atlantic Förlags AB, 1978 series) #1/1978 (January 1978) [as "Spindelmannen", Swedish translation]
• in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #137 (March 1982)
• in Amazing Spider-Man, The (Marvel, 1963 series) #275 (April 1986)
• in Marvel Masterworks (Marvel, 1987 series) #1 (1987)
• in Uomo Ragno, L' (Edizioni Star Comics, 1987 series) #70 (April 1991) [as "L'Uomo Ragno", Italian translation]
• in Spider-Man Classics (Marvel, 1993 series) #1 (April 1993)
• in Essential Spider-Man, The (Marvel, 1996 series) #1 (1996) [black and white]
• in Origins of Marvel Comics Revised Edition (Marvel, 1997 series) #[nn] (1997)
• in Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel, 2002 series) #1 (2002)
• in Marvel Visionaries: Stan Lee (Marvel, 2005 series) #[nn] (2005)
• in Wha...Huh? (Marvel, 2005 series) #[nn] (2005)[pp1–3]
• in Spider-Man Collectible Series (Marvel, 2006 series) #1
• in The Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus (Marvel, 2007 series) #1 (2007)
• in Amazing Fantasy Omnibus (Marvel, 2007 series) #[nn] (2007)
• in Marvel Deluxe: Stan Lee (Panini, 2007 series) #1

Monsters Unleashed #7: "The Monster In the Mist!" (Al Williamson art)

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Back in the old days, before the comics industry felt the need to censor its own product, EC Comics produced some of the finest science fiction comics ever published. One of the reasons why Weird Science, Weird Fantasy (and later, Weird Science-Fantasy) were so good was the work of a lanky young man named Al Williamson. At 21, Williamson was the youngest of the EC family, but everyone was in awe of his draftsmanship. Williamson could draw bravura science fiction adventure like no one else, though it didn't hurt that he had the likes of Frank Frazetta, Roy Krenkel, and Angelo Torres assisting him with backgrounds and inking.

After the collapse of the EC line of comics. Williamson worked for such companies as ACG, Atlas, and Harvey, to name just a few, bringing to the stories what he did for their SF and mystery titles the same superb rendering and palpable sense of atmosphere that made his EC work so memorable. In addition to the comic books he did, Williamson also made significant contributions to the art of the comic strip, ghosting several weeks of Flash Gordon for Dan Barry, and assisting John Prentice on Rip Kirby. These last two assignments are particularly ironic when you consider that it was Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon that inspired Williamson to become a comics artist in the first place. Indeed, Williamson had been the primary proponent of heroic realism in comics, and is the rightful heir to the Flash Gordon mantle of Alex Raymond, something Williamson proved with his superb work on the King Flash Gordon title of the mid '60s, and on the Flash Gordon movie album adapted from the (otherwise wretched) DeLaurentiiss film.



Credits

Cover painting: Richard Hescox
Script: Unknown
Pencils: Al Williamson
Inks: Ralph Mayo

Reprinted:

• From ASTONISHING #60 (April 1957).
  

• In Monsters Unleashed (Marvel, 1973 series) #7 (August 1974).
  

House of Mystery #185: "The Beautiful Beast" (Al Williamson art)

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House of Mystery started out as a horror anthology, featuring tales of the supernatural as well as supernatural-themed mystery stories. However, with the growing backlash against horror comics in the mid-1950s, as well as the advent of the Comics Code Authority and its restrictions on horror-themed storylines (banning stories dealing with such supernatural fare as werewolves, vampires, and such), the series quietly was revamped into dealing with science-fiction type monsters and other mystery-suspense type tales that were permitted by the comic code.

With issue #174, EC Comics veteran Joe Orlando was hired by DC to take over as editor of House of Mystery. As the Comics Code Authority was now being challenged by both DC and Marvel over content restrictions, the series returned to its overt horror themes. The first issue under Orlando would be a reprint issue of old horror/suspense stories, as the new direction would truly begin with #175 (July/August 1968). The issue would introduce a new figure to the series, Cain, the "able care taker" of the House of Mystery who would introduce nearly all stories that would run in the series before its cancellation.


Credits

Cover: Neal Adams
Script: Joe Gill
Pencils: Al Williamson
Inks: Al Williamson

Reprinted:

• in Showcase Presents: The House of Mystery (DC, 2006 series) #1.