Just Kickin’ Around The Office — 1980

Back in the “day” or more precisely, January of 1980, there were fewer people in the Marvel Bullpen. Not that the number of people reflected somehow on the number of books. There were a goodly number of books, reprints, posters and even some ads. So we were all pretty busy. But not so crazed all the time, that I couldn’t wander around with my camera.

What attracted me to the open door of the not-quite-back entrance, I cannot say. That it was propped open was generally considered a “no-no.” Perhaps the air conditioning was out. Perhaps a big order was to be brought from the service elevator to the offices. Can’t remember.

First pic in this series:

This door opened to the “side entrance” of Marvel’s offices. Not visible is the mailroom door just past and to the right. That door visible on the left is the Mens’ Room. The larger area, where the official main entrance to Marvel and the elevators are.

Mark popped up. In January of 1980, Mark Gruenwald was still legendary Editor/Creator Denny O’Neill’s Assistant. He’s holding a bound volume. I have described these historical oddities before, but basically, they were the official collection of a year’s worth of a comic title (plus annual, if present). To place Mark in the office, the door with the Epic Mag sign is a good start (I refer anyone to the map of Marvel’s 6^th Floor, 575 Madison Ave offices, in an earlier blog)! To image right, is the open door of Paty Cockrum, the Licensing Department’s artist of all manner of things. On the floor, that transition from linoleum to carpet puts us on the way to Jim Shooter’s office—to the right – and on to Stan’s exalted corner! The door to image left opens on to the Bullpen, still more linoleum. The better to sweep up old freelancers from! (What is in Mark’s other hand is a mystery! Could be something as simple as his glasses; I can’t recall when he got his contact lenses. A ‘thing’ I could never understand was removing one’s glasses for a picture… )

Mark seems to be heading back to his (and Denny’s) office, located on the other side of the building. (Yes, that IS a ratty old Con Ed traffic cone… ) I was still playing around with my photo-flash “strobe” units and apparently not quite getting the exposures right. (Technically speaking, I wasn’t allowing the camera to catch enough of the room light when the strobe went off. You could balance the two sources to be more pleasing, even to seeing more of the background.) Plus I hated using a “normal” lens. Here, below, is a reason why. I think I am just inside a doorway but wanted to avoid seeing the door frame. A normal lens for a 35mm film camera, while it approximates the viewing characteristics of the human eye, does not see the very wide image we all see… ) I couldn’t see enough of the room and thus, took two bad shots:

Well, there were good elements in each—but neither could really stand on its own. I didn’t take that many shots of Jim; I didn’t really know him that well to impose. Plus he was The Boss. Gruenie, on the other hand, we had already hit it off.

I can tell from the second shot, I suggest he move in to frame, but that wound up cutting off Jim’s head. Hard to pay attention to everything at once. Until the advent of PhotoShop!

That’s better. That’s my buddy!

Then, for some reason, I returned to the doorway. You can see the spiffy little “Mail Room” sign that no doubt was there when Marvel took over the half-floor! The sign over the lock says, “Keep This Door Closed At All Times—The Management.” Except when large-format stat-camera operator Stu Shwartzberg, is receiving his giant boxes of light-sensitive film or paper! (That’s his office door, just to the inside right of this doorway!)