August 1972

"... this Ghost Rider is a mad, mod, mystic hero who straddles both the world of motorcycles - and the supernatural!
(And that's some job of straddling!)"

From Fantastic Four, Vol. 1, No. 125

July 1972

"ITEM: January 5, 1972! Mark that date in your memory-book, faithful one - 'cause that's the night the batty Bullpen got it all together at Carnegie Hall, in the hectic heart of New york City!

As we told you last month, the whole magilla was called 'A MARVEL-OUS EVENING WITH STAN LEE' - and it was a way-out compendium of music, magic, and madcap Marvel mayhem! Smilin' Stan himself was Master of Ceremonies - presiding over the frantic goings-on while images of mighty Marvel superheroes flitted across a giant movie screen. A trio of our titanic artists got into the act, too, as Jazzy Johnny Romita, Happy Herb Trimpe, and Big John Buscema did sensational sketches of Captain America, ol' Greenskin, and Thor - which in turn were projected onto that selfsame screen. (There was a passel of our cavortin' characters in actual attendance, too, including Spidey, Daredevil, Doc Doom, and even J. Jonah Jameson himself!)

The standing-room-only crowd exploded with applause, also, at the roster of famous names who had gathered to pay homage to the madness that is Marvel: World-famous film director Alain Resnais translated a few of the Silver Surfer's soliloquies into his native French; and there were also a few pungent paragraphs about our heroes which were intoned by radio personalities Alec Bennett and Earl Doud, by actors Rene Aberjonois and Chuck McCann (you've seen the latter a zillion times as the 'Hi Guy' neighbor on the other side of the medicine cabinet in those Right Guard commercials), and neo-journalist Tom Wolfe, resplendent in red, white, and ble as he read about - you guessed it - Captain America.

As for the music mentioned about, most of it was provided by the far-famed Chico Hamilton Players - but some more Marvel Madmen got into the act, too, as Hectic Herbie and Bashful Barry Smith plunked a couple of wild electric guitars while Rascally Roy Thomas belted out a rousin' rocker or two! Then, for the grand finale, just about everybody in the blamed Bullpen crowded onto stage to sing the Merry Marvel Marching Society theme-song - while, not to be outdone, dozens of cheering fans rushed onstage as well, and the show closed amid a revel of handshaking and autograph signing all 'round. And that was that!All in all, it was a wildly successful evening - and not necessarily the last of its kind, either! And, if there were a few bleary eyes and sore throats among the Bullpenners come the morning of the 6th - well, that's show biz, people!"

From Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1, No. 110

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"... January 5, 1972, a day that will live in infamy... Consider this: Roy Thomas imitating Elvis."
-Peter Sanderson

June 1972

"Wild Bill Everett, who created the Sub-Mariner many moons ago, has both written and drawn the fabulous 50th issue of Namor's own mag, now on sale!"

From Captain America, Vol. 1, No. 150

May 1972

"Hello to Stalwart Steve Englehart, who's just joined our harried little staff, where he'll be doing proofreading, penciling, inking, scripting - and probably lettering, if somebody will lend him a spelling-book! Welcome aboard, Steve - may your inkwell never run dry!"

From Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1, No. 108

April 1972

"These brief, random thoughts are being written just a short time after the Attica State Prison tragedy. Now I have no intention of imposing my own opinions upon you about which side, which party or parties might have been right or wrong. Instead, I'd like to discuss the theory of 'right or wrong' itself. Is it possible that too much harm, too much injustice has been caused in the name of 'right' - in the pursuit of combating 'wrong'?"

From Incredible Hulk, Vol. 1, No. 150

March 1972

"This month I'm gonna try to answer the question which is asked of us more than any other. It's the plaintive, passionate poser, "How do I break into the comic-book biz?"
Of course the easiest answer is "Why would you want to?", but I won't cop out that easily. (Mainly because I've gotta fill this furshlugginer column!)"

From Avengers, Vol. 1, No. 97

February 1972

"Stan (The Man) Lee who returns at last this month to scripting Spidey-thrillers again, startled everybody by suddenly shaving off his beard the other day! [...]
Affable Al Kurzrok, sometime Sgt. Fury scripter and fulltime production plodder, just got back from a wild weekend in voodoo-haunted Haiti. Hope you had a ball, A.K.- but why'd you just shave off the beard on that doll with all the hatpins in it?"

From Fantastic Four, Vol. 1, No. 119