Con 1979 Part 3

Any of you dear comic enthusiasts out there who have managed to get to the Con over the last few years have seen the Marvel Booth. A custom-built two-story field of dreams that beckons and rewards… But as little as 40 years ago, well, get a good grip on your jaw as it will be dropping:

Yes… Ralph is monitoring the traffic in case anyone shows up. He’s getting a little sleepy… and that was just the first hour… You can see Peter setting things up for his work space.

I think this is Master Inker Ernie Chan saying hi. The “booth” is a little further along by now. Rick has his best huckster smile in place. What Ralph is doing is the regulation, “Stan Aaron glasses gesture.” All us glasses wearers did it. [Stan was Marvel’s type-generating maven for many years—you saw his work mostly in the form of letters columns, ad copy and those darn indicias. Stan had a couple of quirks that we all loved—making a point with the extended temple of his glasses was one. Combining the formal, “Mr.” with all the guys’ first names, i.e.: Mr. Rick or Mr. Ralph was just silly—but bless us, it has stuck for all these years!—Mr. Eliot]

I should point out the special artwork that filled the church bazaar tables of the Marvel “booth.” Those were color photostats dry-mounted on foam core boards. With a special and costly Peter Ledger air-brushing in the corners. Nowadays, glossy bright and sassy color printing may feel more common but back then, Weirdworld was intended to be the beginning of a change in the quality of color printing at Marvel. In fact, one of the greater aspects of Rick Marschall’s job was elevating the color work in the printed book. Rick’s behind-the-scenes work was putting together EPIC Illustrated magazine. Alas, he would not give birth to that particular baby—in-coming Editor Archie Goodwin would do that. But the first issues—including a never-before-seen Frazetta fantasy piece on the first cover—were among Rick’s efforts.

There was an “Artist’s Alley” at this con, here Peter can be seen demonstrating a new level of fan involvement. These two young stalwarts are getting as close as one can get to the action. Peter was not just a remarkable artist but a pitchman along the lines of a auction-caller—especially when it came to his work!

Not to take anything away from the Artist’s Alleys of the following decades—it was possible to get pretty close to the artists if they were doing a con sketch. Peter was doing pages that were to be printed (in only a few weeks!) and in full painted glory with air-brushing! I may be wrong, but this was quite unusual for such high-end art to be done right there.

Special guests of the Con are Virginia and John Romita Sr. To those who have lived under rocks for the past 40 years, John is one the most talented comic artists to ever pick up a pencil. At this point in time, John was Marvel’s Art Director. To those of you who tasted the lash under Virginia, she was Marvel’s Traffic Director. Which means she guided, nurtured and coaxed along every stinking page of art that crawled through the Marvel machine. After all, she was married to a man and mothered a son who worked as freelancers. So she knew all the tricks… ALL of them… so don’t even try…

Get back to work. They’re not buying; get back to work!

He said, “GET BACK TO WORK!!!” Yes, that is Rick about to throw a collectable book at the con riff-raff. But that’s also legendary Artist Steve Leialoha looking on (standing in the red shirt).

Steve borrowed a corner of the Marvel “booth” to adorn a sketch book.

Former Editor In Chief (Creator, Writer, early Bullpenner and noted comic historian) Roy Thomas, rapping with the current Editor In Chief (Creator, Writer, etc.) Jim Shooter.

Jim Shooter yakkin’ up a storm with Creator, Writer Marv Wolfman. Roy Thomas autographing a sketch book.

Somewhere in the Ladies’ Flouncy Dress Dept. of the con, Artist, Inker Ernie Chan (the bird is his agent—the fellow mostly covered by Ernie is the person bringing around that well-behaved parrot!), Virginia, the large person is none other than Writer, Editor and legendary comic contact person, Mark Evanier, Marv and John!

What better time to really get under comic business-people’s skins than at the con! Back to us is Robert Overstreet, he of The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (known forever to me as The Over-Priced Street Guide). In 1979, the Comic Guide was still fairly new—about 10 years along, but those first years were baby steps. In no time, the Guide because huge, then huger. These days it’s so big, no one can carry it, or read it—the type is so small. The tall fellow, extreme right is Bruce Hamilton, Captain Hook impersonator, available for parties.

Rick already filling out his Travel & Entertainment forms!

As usual, a Comic Convention travels on its stomach— what better time to try to borrow $5 off of the Romitas?

San Diego Comic Convention – 1979! Coming up, Part 4—“last day” deals…