Humble Beginnings

Humble Beginnings
or: Wrong Place Wrong Time

This weeks grab bag... Marvel Fanfare - Strange tales” a collection of Fanfare 1-7. Fanfare plays a huge part in my comics career. Issues 1&4 are the springboards for everything.

Issue One has my first story for Marvel, Roger Mckenzie’s DD story Snow.
Done on spec, just think of how this plays out. Not only to I start with the best story of my career, I get comic’s hottest inker, Terry Austin and a debut on slick stock in Marvel’s newest spectacular.

Issue 4, Cris Claremont’s-Lost Souls, has lost it’s artist. Dave Cockrum needs a break. Me? I’m just walking through the halls of Marvel, not bothering anyone... “You! You got nothin’ to do. Here!” uhhh, ok. At that point I’m taking any job I could get.

Without the DD story, I don’t go to NY. Without being in NY, no X-Story. No X-Story, no Uncanny... Fanfare was my own try-out book.

Thanx, Al!

Happy Trails
Smitty

3 Comments so far

Eric!'s picture

I remember this issue when it hit the stands. Kazar, Zabu and the X-men looked so good.
Gerry McDade's picture

I just reread these issues a few months ago. When I read these stories as a kid, I was too young and uninformed to know that you were a young artist just getting his start. Years later, I marvel at the level of polished this work had. Milgrom knew what he was doing!
John Klein III's picture

I own issue four of Fanfare! (and a few others) such a great series and I really like Terry Austin's portfolios when we were treated to them.

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