SHAP DAY!!!

April 27, 1981– Better known as “fake nose day.” How it evolved into remarkably patient Barry Shapiro’s own day is lost in the turn-about innards of Mark Gruenwald’s mind. Mark found a large supply of the obnoxiously-named “Beagle Puss” novelty item (that’s what it said on the package…). Better known as the “nose and glasses” gag gift. Mark liked to get mass quantities of props and have us all wear/use them (included but not limited to: whoopee cushions, Frisbees, overalls, etc…).

Barry “The Shap” Shapiro came to the Marvel Bullpen al-l-ll the way from Detective Magazine! I know… but I am pretty sure it wasn’t for real detectives… Legend has it that funny man and sublimely creative Editor Mort Todd suggested him to his pal, similarly funny and creative Larry Hama, who passed the name along to the Bullpen’s Fearless Leader Danny Crespi and the rest is history, as they say.

There were several layers to the Marvel Bullpen which, I must hasten to point out, was not differentiated by salary. There was a Designer, Lettering Correction Artists, Paste-Up & Mechanical people. None of these are “official.” These “titles” are based on my opinion, because most functions were done by everyone—lettering was tough though; not everyone could match sytles. As much lettering work and re-work that needed to be done, there sure was a lot of paste-ups too. And that’s where Barry came in.

Barry was a family man which meant he did not really hang with us daffy kids—he also worked weekends as a caterer’s waiter. Lingering evidence of that side-gig was evidenced on most days when his casual farewell was, “Party hearty.” But he was sincere as I never heard Barry utter a word in anger. Generous, he would offer us some of his leftover store coupons. He seemed to not realize what comic geekdom meant (how often did pizza parlors offer coupons?).

Now just who noticed that Barry’s distinctive nasal apparatus was comparable to the comically-proportioned nose-and-glasses novelty nose is lost to the swirling mists of time. Could’a been anyone… could’ve even been Barry. But once that similarity was seen, there was no stopping that rolling snowball!

And Shap Day was announced!

(Left) Black & White Magazine Department Art Director Nora Maclin, Assistant Editor Ralph Macchio, Associate Editor Roger Stern, (below) Lettering Correction Artist Jack Morelli, (above) Assistant Editor Lance Tooks, (way below) Stat Man Eliot Brown, (middle above) Lettering Correction Artist Rick Parker—who has his arm on Paste-Up & Mechanical Artist Barry Shapiro(!), (up top) Editor Archie Goodwin, Assistant Editor Mark Gruenwald, Editor Tom DeFalco, (below) Bullpen Art Director Ron Zalme, (right) Paste-up & Mechanical Artist Joe Albelo

Since I’ve used the phrase “paste-up and mechanical” so many times and it is what Barry did, this may be a good time to explain what that is. The “paste-up” part seems pretty straightforward but we in the Bullpen have taken that to extremes. With the advent of super high-contrast reproduction film, the ability to use truly questionable original material is made much easier. Old Time Bullpenner Morrie Kuramoto, often counted on high-contrast film to make shadows cast by layers of Scotch Tape, grey Sno-Paque and cigarette ash disappear! Whatever Barry knew when he arrived on the shores of the Bullpen, was chased from his head when seeing the work done around him. Neatness counted… but only to about “3.” The rest was Kodalith Film!

The theory of PU/Mechanical is that you take the various parts of any page—usually a page not like a comic book—where there is type or pictures and assemble them for the separators (those stalwarts who make the film used to make printing plates). You literally use “paste” which may have actually been wheat paste back at the dawn of lithography but now was harmless and safe rubber cement. Rubber cement will stick to itself very nicely. You apply it to the “art board” which holds everything, and also to whatever you want to stay put. Put the two together and presto—a page! You follow a Designer’s design or layout or you will be made fun of. Pictures follow the same path except you use substitutes instead of the original photo. The substitute shows the separator how much to enlarge or reduce the photo.

And on and on. The “art” comes in when you need to do different things, such as including instructions for the separators to make something a different color or “subtract” a piece of artwork from another. Corrections are the eye-strain, shaky-hand test—making commas into periods, etc.

All of this applies to the comic art world too, but is generally simpler. Marvel of course had both worlds of straightforward publishing and the publishing of comic art. If you came from a picture- and type-heavy magazine, such as Detective Magazine, you were ready for anything.

But was Barry ready for SHAP DAY? I think so.

Now, where the rest of us ready for nose-and-glasses? Not so sure…

Nobody had ever seen Danny laugh this hard ever. At first he attempted a certain dignified remove when we were invading his Bullpen for the picture up top. But those nose-and-glasses are just funny. The fellow standing in the background, arms akimbo, is veteran Stat Camera Operator and really funny guy Stu Schwartzberg. For the record, I’ve not seen Jack laugh so hard either.

This was when we found that Barry could not actually fit the nose-and-glasses set over his own rather full nose. Rick Parker is holding Barry’s glasses so that he could try.

Alas, the nose-and-glasses novelty set did not come in natural skin tones for other races. But that did not stop Lance from doing his Mohammed Ali impression (“I am the Greatest – even in a Beagle Puss!”). To the right is Typesetter Marion Stensgard, behind is upstairs accountant guru-ette Susan Ehrenreich—always up for a laugh with us. Associate Editor Helen Katz is managing to hold on to her digni—oh, wait–

No dignity after all. See what I mean about Gruenie wanting everyone to be involved? I believe he had wanted everyone to have a set. Not sure if he got enough for both floors. (Why, yes; Helen is studying the Scarsdale Diet. What price beauty? As of right now, a Beagle Puss will do!)

Speaking of the personification of dignity, Executive Secretary Alice Gordon – who started off as working for Stan Lee and when this picture was taken, might have been working for Vice President Publishing Michael Z. Hobson, shows us how to make the nose-and-glasses work.

But we didn’t stop there! Editrix Supreme Louise Jones is now Editrix Sublime in her oh-so fashionable Beagle Puss! L-R Associate Editor and Creator/Writer Jo Duffy, “Weezie” Jones (that’s her familiar nick-name, by the way and, who may have been wheezing through that thing), Staff Correction Artist but super-talented penciler/inker John Tartaglione and Associate Editor Danny Fingeroth (Louise’s Associate).

Last, we tried to be inclusive and even gave freelancers a shot at looking like fools! Freelance PU/Mech Artist and heckuva nice gal Deb Pedlar tries out the look! It’s a Spring Fashion Accessor-Bonanza! To the right is Jo Duffy, no doubt seeking targets while offering encouragement!

Shap Day!

Editor’s Note:
This website was upgraded in September 2019. To my horror I lost about ten comments with the upgrade. I do, though, have the following screen capture(s) of the lost comments . I’m sorry Readers! — Arlene Puentes