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Elizabeth Sandifer

Elizabeth Sandifer created Eruditorum Press. She’s not really sure why she did that, and she apologizes for the inconvenience. She currently writes Last War in Albion, a history of the magical war between Alan Moore and Grant Morrison. She used to write TARDIS Eruditorum, a history of Britain told through the lens of a ropey sci-fi series. She also wrote Neoreaction a Basilisk, writes comics these days, and has ADHD so will probably just randomly write some other shit sooner or later. Support Elizabeth on Patreon.

14 Comments

  1. Eric Gimlin
    April 25, 2014 @ 12:44 am

    Oh, this is going to be a fun chapter!

    My "favorite" (if that's the right word) of Goodman's tricks to avoid paying Simon & Kirby Captain America royalties: he actually gave away the movie right to the company who made the serial, figuring the free publicity was worth it.

    I'm seem to recall Lee has denied being the one who ratted out S&K to Goodman, and at least one of them is on record as saying they believed his denial. I'm not saying it's something that Stan wouldn't have done, just that at this point he would either admit to it or say he didn't remember.

    Marvel did have one semi-superhero book at the end of the 40's, VENUS. I absolutely love what I've been able to find of the series. Take a mythological character like Thor a decade and change too early, convert them into a roughly superhero mode, then throw them into any genre you think might sell that week other than superhero and print it. The results are completely bonkers.

    Reply

  2. Nathan P. Mahney
    April 25, 2014 @ 4:33 am

    I've heard much the same thing regarding Lee ratting out Lee and Kirby. It's possible that he did it, but I've never seen it confirmed for certain.

    The whole piece does seem fairly down on Stan Lee, but I must admit that that Alan Moore quote is a corker.

    Reply

  3. Nathan P. Mahney
    April 25, 2014 @ 4:34 am

    Of course, that ought to say 'ratting out Simon and Kirby' above. Years of typing Lee and Kirby together has given me a reflex reaction.

    Reply

  4. BerserkRL
    April 25, 2014 @ 7:00 am

    Reply

  5. elvwood
    April 25, 2014 @ 9:07 am

    Great timing! I was just talking to my children about the history of Marvel Comics yesterday, and realised how little I really know. This has started to fill that gap in an entertaining way. I've also just reread the Alan Moore Captain Britain stories, fairly randomly. Thanks.

    Reply

  6. BerserkRL
    April 25, 2014 @ 7:47 pm

    it is notable that the Kirby's cover to the first issue borrows its composition from DC's book

    I'd never noticed that before!

    Reply

  7. Froborr
    April 26, 2014 @ 12:36 am

    Nor had I–but the minute I saw the cover in the context of a post about Marvel, I though, 'Huh. That looks astonishingly like Fantastic Four #1." And sure enough.

    Reply

  8. David Anderson
    April 26, 2014 @ 3:50 am

    Although as a composition, Kirby's is in almost every way an improvement. (The JLA cover is only superior in the respective positioning of the woman hero.)

    Reply

  9. timber-munki
    April 26, 2014 @ 6:36 am

    Me neither.

    Wasn't the first super hero comic Moore read an early UK reprint issue of Fantastic Four that Moore's sister picked up for him when he was off school sick. He'd described a comic with a group of pepole dressed up in blue costumes (meaning DC's Black Hawks) and the subesquent Lee & Kirby story blew his mind.

    Reply

  10. timber-munki
    April 26, 2014 @ 6:44 am

    I'd suggest Sean Howe's Marvel Comics: The Untold Story for a decent behind the scenes story, doesn't feature any Marvel art as they would only release the rights if he didn't say anything negative about the company.

    Reply

  11. ferret
    April 27, 2014 @ 6:50 pm

    Looking forward to this chapter immensely – although at this stage I have nothing to add!

    Reply

  12. Jesse
    April 30, 2014 @ 12:39 pm

    his girlfriend, Susan Storm, was a hapless housewife

    Were they or weren't they married at this point? I can't remember; either way, the phrase should be revised.

    Reply

  13. John
    March 13, 2015 @ 1:28 pm

    Yes, the phrase should be revised, as Sue was Reed's girlfriend for the first 43 issues. However, the essence of his comment rings true. Back in the early days, Sue Storm was often portrayed as a hapless female, either being held hostage and/or in need of being saved by the men on the team.

    Reply

  14. John
    March 13, 2015 @ 1:28 pm

    Yes, the phrase should be revised, as Sue was Reed's girlfriend for the first 43 issues. However, the essence of his comment rings true. Back in the early days, Sue Storm was often portrayed as a hapless female, either being held hostage and/or in need of being saved by the men on the team.

    Reply

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