Volume 36, Number 2

Vol. 36, No. 2
February 2025
whole number 422
2025 pages 009-016

Michael Fleisher featured this issue, with a script for the first page of an unpublished Batman / Jonah Hex crossover he wrote in the early 1980s.  The story would have referenced the 1978 "The Last Bounty Hunter" story by Fleisher and Russ Heath. Also included, an unused Sunday page for a proposed Jonah Hex comic strip, circa 1980 by Fleisher and Heath, and a page from a 1978 issue of VAMPIRELLA by Fleisher and Jess Jodloman.

The Carl Wessler bibliography, "Upon Reflection" is up to 1968/1969 in part 61, featuring work for DC, Harvey and Warren.

In Under The Gun Robin Snyder looks at a Lincoln anecdote and how it applies to numbering presidents and grading comics.  Letters of comment from Nick Caputo on the breadth of Ditko's career and Joe Frank on Stan Lee's changing story on the creation of Doctor Strange, Jerry Siegel's letters and the enigmatic notations Carl Wessler sometimes used in his records.

Volume 36, Number 1

Vol. 36, No. 1
January 2025
whole number 421
2025 pages 001-008

Rodney Schroeter provides the cover collage celebrating 35 of years of the newsletter.

In Under the Gun, Robin Snyder looks back on some memories and highlights of his publishing going back even before the newsletter.  Gary Kato's 2024 Christmas card is featured, Stephen Bissette writes in appreciation of some of the recent print-on-demand books featuring Gill/Ditko Charlton reprints and other things, plus outlines some of his future plans.  Daryl Coats, Eric Reese and Nick Caputo also write in, and the passings of Steve Erwin and Joy Seligsohn are noted.

Barry Pearl writes about his first hand experience with comics distribution and display in his family's store in the 1960s.

A Steve Ditko essay, "The Exceptional", includes some memories of the creation of the classic AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 back in 1964.

Part 77 of the Robert Kanigher bibliography, "The Mystery Of The Human Thunderbolt" has a look at some of the members of Easy Company featured in various DC war books from 1957.

Volume 35, Number 12

Vol. 35, No. 12
December 2024
whole number 420
2024 pages 089-096

A Dan Gormley cover of Frosty the Snowman from a 1952 Dell issue up front.

The obligatory Sheldon Mayer contribution to the Christmas issue is a two page excerpt from his unfinished Rudolph story "Christmas for a Cave Man" from 1979.

Dave Sim writes "Voice Over", a review of the Ditko at Charlton books of the 1970s and the evolution of his art over the decades.

Under The Gun Letters from Joshua Warren, G.G. Faircloth, Nick Caputo, Warren Sattler, Bernard Brannigan, Gene Hall, Joe Frank, Thomas W. Scott III and Paul Bach.

Yearly index for 2024 finishes up the issue and the year.

Volume 35, Number 4

Vol. 35, No. 4
April 2024
whole number 412
2024 pages 025-032

Up front this time is a record of Carl Wessler's 1966 writing for Harvey as Part 66 of his bibliography, "Upon Reflection".  Somewhat enigmatic notations unless you're very familiar with their publishing of the time.  I'd estimate this is over 1000 pages of writing for the year (for only one of his clients), at $7 a page.

Under the Gun has letters from Al Salton and Nick Caputo, and as usual for Sheldon Mayer's April 1 birthday there's a sample of his work, a 3-page unfinished story circa 1975 meant for PLOP, "Behind the Door of Gregor's Grisly Grotto" and two finished unpublished pages from a circa 1981 Ronald McDonald story.  Snyder writes about finding unpublished inventory stories at DC during his time there and trying to get some of them into print.

Volume 34, Number 12

Vol. 34, No. 12
December 2023
whole number 408
2023 pages 089-096

A pair of features from newsletter regulars in here, with a few pages of Robert Kanigher's unused script for a Green Lantern story "The Light That Failed" and a few pages of Sheldon Mayer work with Tenny Henson on the unpublished Rudolph story "Christmas For A Cave-Man".

Robin Snyder discusses the background of those stories, and other unused inventory from his time at DC, some of which he got published, others which remain unseen.

Under The Gun has a letter from Nick Caputo, and a few recommended recent books.

And as usual for the year-end issue, there's an index to the past year.

Volume 34, Number 3

Vol. 34, No. 3
March 2023
whole number 399
2023 pages 017-024 (8 pages)

This issue features excerpts from Robert Kanigher's 1943 book WHERE AND HOW TO SELL YOUR MANUSCRIPTS, published by Cambridge House, with its list of markets for comic scripts and a sample of a comics script format for "Adam Anthony", which I'm assuming wasn't a real comic.

That book was of course a companion to Kanigher's HOW TO MAKE MONEY WRITING... series, which included HOW TO MAKE MONEY WRITING FOR COMICS MAGAZINES, available in an 80th Anniversary edition.

In Under the Gun Robin Snyder looks at a few other early books about comics and there are letters from Mike Tuz, Nick Caputo and Joe Frank.

Volume 28, Number 9

Vol. 28, No. 9
September 2017
whole number 333
2017 pages 065-072

Mart Nodell is up front, with a 1993 illustration of his Golden Age creation Green Lantern.  

Inside Robert Kanigher, a frequent Green Lantern writer back in the late 1940s after Nodell's time, provides a few manuscript pages of an unpublished Green Lantern story he wrote in 1982.

Over in "Under the Gun", the passings of Vic Donahue, Blanche Fago and Vernon Henkel are noted and there are letters from Robert Rowe, Mike Tuz, Nick Caputo, Joe Frank, Gary Poole, Harry Leeman, Athos Bousvaros, Daniel Tesmoingt and Donnie Pitchford.

"And my favorite 'villain' would have to be the pathetic, infuriating, and maddeningly hilarious Grey Negotiator!" -- Gary Poole (on Ditko's new comics)

Volume 24, Number 9

 Vol. 24, No. 9

Extra Tags

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Volume 23, Number 8 - Extra Tags

Vol. 23, No. 8
August 2012

Extra tags

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Volume 23, Number 1 - Extra Tags

 Vol. 23, No. 1

Extra tags

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Volume 22, Number 12

Vol. 22, No. 12
December 2011
whole number 264
2011 pages 089-096 (8 pages)

Christmas issue, so we get a look at some illustrated Santa Claus missives to mark the season from Gary Kato and Jim Ivey (both continued inside).

Also the traditional look at the work of Sheldon Mayer, this time four pages of script/layouts from the unpublished "Story of Jesus" for Nestor Redondo to work from.

Letters in here from Anne Powell, Nick Caputo and Stan Bycko.

This issue also features the index to the year of the newsletter.

Volume 21, Number 8 - Extra Tags

 Vol. 21, No. 8

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Volume 20, Number 3 - Extra Tags

 Vol. 20, No. 3

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Volume 15, Number 9

Vol. 15, No. 9
September 2004
whole number 177
2004 pages 065-072 (8 pages)

"The Avenging Mind" was a three part essay by Ditko presented across six consecutive issues of the newsletter in 2004. This issue concludes it, with the third section of part 3, "The Anti-Ditko Mentality".

The series actually began in the March 2003 issue, while Ditko was still in the middle of his "Mini-History" series about Spider-Man, but that first chapter was revised and reprinted in the April 2004 issue after the "Mini-History" wind-up.

"Another part of that question was answered in a letter I received after an early published Mr. A story. The writer said he would be afraid to walk down a dark alley and see Mr. A. What did he reveal, confess?" -- Steve Ditko

Despite the title, this was not included in The Avenging Mind [2008], and the series has not so far been reprinted outside the newsletter.

Also this issue, part 16 of "The Riddle of the Sphinx" bibliography of Robert Kanigher takes a look at his 1979 work, almost all for DC's various war comics (with one mystery story). Two pages of an unpublished Jerry Grandenetti story by RK, a "Force 3" story intended for All-Out War #7 (it was cancelled with #6 in 1980), are also featured.

Under the Gun letters from Daniel Sorenson, Nick Caputo, Tom Gill, Nathan Isaacs, Sharon Levine, Robert Rowe and Jeff Jatras.

Some passings are briefly noted are Bernard Baily, E.E. Hibbard, Chest Jon Koziak, Arthur Peddy, Kin Platt, John Saunders, Marty Taras, James V. Taurasi and George A. Ward.

Volume 14, Number 8 - Extra Tags

Vol. 14, No. 8

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Volume 14, Number 6

Vol. 14, No. 6
June 2003
whole number 162
2003 pages 041-048 (8 pages)

Steve Ditko on the front and back this issue, with a chapter of his "A Mini-History" series on Spider-Man:

11. "Further Complaints and Influences of the OOs".

Ditko discusses how two of the signature artistic touches of the series, the split-face and spider-sense used in panels where Peter Parker appears out of costume, were used in part to appease Stan Lee's wish for less of the school storylines, but later opposed by Lee thanks to the influence of "others, outsiders (OOs)", in this case college students who seemed to not understand the visual language.  Ditko also discusses the Comics Code as another source of OOs influence stifling creativity.

"But PP/S-m, a teenage hero, should be seen, understood, in his teenage context, environment. His normal (non-hero_ life can't just be shown in some brief transitional sequences between a number of hero/villain clashes." -- S. Ditko

 

The 10th chapter of the Robert Kanigher bibliography, "Riddle Of The Sphinx", covers more of his 1974 work for DC, with some Superman, Wonder Woman  Rima, Supergirl and Tarzan in addition to the war comics. Two pages of Frank Thorne art from the story "Big Man, Little Man" in RK's Gallery of War series are shown. 

Lively Under The Gun column, with letters from Sam Catalino, Nick Caputo, Orah Mae Miller, Mark McMurray, Robin Miller-Pallet, Marc Swayze and Arlen Schumer

Volume 14, Number 2

Vol. 14, No. 2
February 2003
whole number 158
2003 pages 009-016

Steve Ditko with two pages this issue, with a chapter of his "A Mini-History" series on Spider-Man:

8. "Others, Outsiders (OOs): Complainers and Complaints Against Betty Brant".

He discusses the negative fan-mail reaction to the character of Betty Brant, especially when prospects of a romance between her and Peter Parker were hinted at in the comics, and refers to an extreme story idea he had for her which his editor, he concedes correctly, rejected.  He expands this to a general discussion of the tone of the comic and some other comics, like Iron Man's alcoholism storyline and Captain America's continuing to mourn over Bucky.

Jack Keller's passing is noted, with a short letter, an autobiographical page and a sample of his 1960s Charlton work on TEENAGE HOTRODDERS.

Part 14 of the Carl Wessler bibliography looks at some 1952 work at Timely.  Under The Gun features letters from Don Mangus, Nick Caputo, Jerry DeFuccio, Richard Prosch and Mark McMurray.

Volume 12, Number 6

Vol. 12, No. 6
June 2001
whole number 138
2001 pages 043-050 (8 pages)

Remembering Western and Others by Tom Gill (Front page)

Under the Gun: letters from Athos Bousvaros, Matt Murphy, Gary Usher, Roy Thomas, Nick Caputo, Batton Lash, Robert Kanigher, Joe Gill, Zetta De Voe, Russ Jones, Jerry De Fuccio and Jack Burnley

Two pages of Robert Kanigher's "White Devil - Yellow Devil" script

The Romance Rondo by Robert Kanigher: RK on his work as editor/writer on romance comics (back page)

-- Indexed by: Nick Caputo

Volume 11, Number 6

Vol. 11, No. 6
June 2000
whole number 126
2000 pages 043-052 (10 pages)

   

Flash and the Carrots by Robert Kanigher essay by RK on writing the Flash Gordon comic strip

Occupying Chambersburg panel by Fred Ray

Under the Gun: letters from Manuel Auad, Fred Ray, Nick Caputo, Carmine Infantino, Don Mangus, Daniel Tesmoingt, Tom Christopher, Link Yanko, Tim Barnes and Jerry De Fuccio. Includes an illustration and comment by Irwin Hasen

Tomahawk original art page by Fred Ray

A Tribute to Fred Ray by Jack Burnley

The Story of the Alamo Illustration by Fred Ray

A Fred Ray Civil War Index by Don Mangus includes Gettysburg illo

The Comics Mail Order page includes cover for the never-published The Tsk! Tsk! Forum by Ditko

Static promo (back page)

-- Indexed by: Nick Caputo

Volume 11, Number 5

Vol. 11, No. 5
May 2000
whole number 125
2000 pages 035-042 (8 pages)

The Self-Proclaimed by Steve Ditko commentary on "divine rights" (front page)

Promo for Mr. A. with calling card by Ditko 

Under the Gun: letters from Steve Ditko, Matt Murphy, Gary Usher, Ted Latner, Sam Catalino, Link Yanco, Don Mangus and Nick Caputo

Charlie by Joe Gill: an appreciation of Charles Nicholas 

Original art page by Charles Nicholas and Vince Alascia from Hot Rods and Racing Cars # 68

Static promo by Ditko (back page)

-- Indexed by: Nick Caputo