Bullpen Bulletins

Last updated
The first official "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins" page, from The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (Dec. 1965). BullpenBulletins 6512.jpg
The first official "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins" page, from The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (Dec. 1965).

"Bullpen Bulletins" (originally titled "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins") was the news and information page that appeared in most regular monthly comic books from Marvel Comics. In various incarnations since its inception in 1965 until its demise in 2001, it included previews of upcoming Marvel publications (the "Mighty Marvel Checklist"), profiles of Marvel staff members, and a monthly column written by Stan Lee known as "Stan's Soapbox" or "Stan Lee's Soapbox".

Contents

With "Bullpen Bulletins," Lee created the friendly, chatty editorial voice of Marvel Comics — "a style that could be characterized as High Hipster — two parts Lord Buckley, one part Austin Powers," [1] putting "himself on a first-name basis with the readership at a time when the rival DC editors generally came across... as... stodgy adults." [2]

The "Bullpen Bulletins" page was where Lee rhapsodized about the Marvel "bullpen," the stable of in-house creators who produced the company's comics. He often bestowed colorful sobriquets on Marvel staffers and creators; nicknames such as Stan "The Man" Lee and Jack "King" Kirby permeated into mass culture. The fictional Marvel staffer Irving Forbush also appeared regularly — as the butt of Lee's humor. Similarly, phrases like "Excelsior!," "'Nuff said," "True Believer," and "Make Mine Marvel," as well as other company mainstays like the No-Prize, were popularized there as well.

Lee often used "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins" and "Stan's Soapbox" to needle other comic book publishers, [3] which he referred to as the "Distinguished Competition" (i.e., DC) or, more disparagingly, "Brand Echh." [4] ("Brand Echh" was a play on an advertising convention of the time, in which a competitor's product was not referred to by name, but simply as "Brand X.") [5]

Publication history

Origins, 1965–1972

The tone of "Bullpen Bulletins" was inspired by a series of boys' adventure books Lee read as a child. Penned by Leo Edwards, the end of each Jerry Todd book had the unusual feature of printed letters from readers and the author's warm, informal responses to them. As Lee said in a 1992 interview, "I don't know if I consciously remembered those books when I set out to do the Bullpen page years later, or if I was unconsciously influenced and only afterwards realized where I got the idea from. I do know that talking to the readers informally and indirectly seemed like the natural thing to do." [6]

What became "Bullpen Bulletins" started out as part of the letters section of Marvel's flagship title Fantastic Four . [6] This two-page section often concluded with a "Special Announcements Section" where Lee responded to general letters and promoted other Marvel titles. "The Mighty Marvel Checklist" appeared for the first time — embedded in the Special Announcements Section — in Fantastic Four #33 (Dec. 1964). [6]

A separate "The Merry Marvel Bullpen Page" appeared in comics cover-dated July and August 1965, but the checklist and special announcements were still on the letters pages. Finally, the first stand-alone "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins" page, complete with checklist and special announcements, debuted in the issues cover-dated December 1965. [6]

For many years, starting around this time, each edition of "Bullpen Bulletins" included an alliterative subtitle. The first one read "More mirthful, monumental, mind-staggering memoranda from your Marvel madmen!" [7] Other memorable subtitles include "A Profound Potpourri of Perplexing Pronouncements and Preposterous Philosophy, all Portending Practically Nothing!" [8] and "A Riotous Roundup of Ridiculous Rumors and Rabelaisian Reports." [9] Editor Archie Goodwin eliminated the alliterative subtitle with "Zounds! A Zealful Zetetic of Zestful Zanies to Zap the Zeitgeist," which ran in Marvel comics cover-dated June 1977. [6]

"Stan's Soapbox" first appeared in the "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins" of June 1967. [10] Later on, when filling in for Lee in the space that was originally slotted for "Stan's Soapbox," Thomas's column would be titled "Roy's Rostrum." [11]

Post-Lee: Roy Thomas through Archie Goodwin, 1972–1978

With Stan Lee's stepping down as editor-in-chief in 1972, "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins" was put together (with the exception of "Stan's Soapbox," which Lee continued to write on a regular basis) by his successors, including Roy Thomas (1972–1974), Archie Goodwin (1976–1978), [12] and Jim Shooter (1978–1987). [13]

By 1973, much of the space formally used in the "Bullpen Bulletins" page for inside info and Bullpen gossip had been taken over by the checklist and special announcements. From at least 1974–1975, Marvel ran a "Bullpen Bonus Page," which hosted the checklist, fan page information, and announcements; freeing up the original "Bullpen Bulletins" page for the cherished "inside info" traditionally featured in that spot. [14] For the most part during these years, however, the page retained the tone and flavor of when Lee edited it.

The Shooter years, 1978–1987

During Jim Shooter's tenure as editor-in-chief, "Bullpen Bulletins" underwent various format changes. An abbreviated checklist returned, the gossipy "Items" came and went, and except for one month in 1981 [15] the page disappeared entirely from Marvel's books. When it returned in issues cover-dated January 1982, the page was missing the checklist and "Stan's Soapbox," and was for the first time actually signed by its author: Shooter. [6] Shooter rededicated the page on its return, promising readers that:

"Soapbox Specials" which will appear on this page from time to time in the future — whenever [Stan Lee]'s got some big news to announce and he can spare ten minutes to write! ...We'll also present on this page occasional announcements, gossip, news, and nonsense from Al Milgrom, Denny O'Neil, Jim Salicrup, and Louise Jones, pertaining to the particular comics and magazines they edit. You'll also hear from Larry Hama about CRAZY! doings... and once in a while Archie Goodwin, Editorial Director of EPIC ILLUSTRATED, will enlighten us all about the latest goings on in his domain... In between all those special things, I'll be giving you the general lowdown on things Marvel-ous. I'm not Stan Lee, but as Editor-in-Chief, I am right here in the middle of things, and I can fill you in on most of the important current events. And I will. [16]

Throughout the rest of his tenure, Shooter gradually did away with the traditional tone of the page — for instance, eliminating the colorful nicknames for Marvel staffers — in favor of a new idiosyncratic voice where Shooter wrote in the first person and even signed his name. New innovations included guest columns written by various freelancers, a Hype Box, and tongue-in-cheek photo features.

In the early 1980s, Shooter also created a separate page, titled "Bullpen Bulletins Specials," which ran only in Marvel's direct market titles Moon Knight , Ka-Zar , and Micronauts . These "Bullpen Bulletins Specials" featured Shooter's interviews with various Marvel creative talents.

In 1983, Shooter launched Marvel Age , which was essentially a comic book-length version of "Bullpen Bulletins," filled with company news, creator interviews, and previews of upcoming books.

By the end of Shooter's tenure, "Bullpen Bulletins" contained very little original material, as it was mostly filled with design elements and an abbreviated Marvel Comics checklist. "Stan's Soapbox" had been revived in the pages of Marvel Age (beginning with issue #41). [17] After Shooter's departure from the company (corresponding with comics cover-dated February 1987), [6] there were no "Bullpen Bulletins" for three months. [6]

Mark Gruenwald, 1987–1996

Tom DeFalco took over Marvel's editorial reins in 1987, and for the first time, someone other than the editor-in-chief was put in charge of "Bullpen Bulletins": beloved writer/editor Mark Gruenwald. [6] During this period, a single-panel comic called "The Bull's Eye" was often featured on the page. Created by Rick Parker and Barry Dutter, "The Bull's Eye" often featured DeFalco, as well as Gruenwald, who was often depicted as a caricature and foil for DeFalco's antics. Other recurring "Bullpen Bulletins" features during Gruenwald's rein included the "Pro File," short Marvel Handbook -style profiles of Marvel staff-members; and the "COOLometer," a light-hearted list of current pop-culture fads. Gruenwald edited "Bullpen Bulletins" until his death of a heart attack in 1996.

Demise, 1996–2001

In the late 1990s, Stan Lee returned to writing the Bullpen Bulletins column. Readers were invited to write to Lee with questions, and anyone whose question was chosen to be answered in the column received a Marvel No-Prize.

In 1999, Marvel began running Chris Giarrusso's "Bullpen Bits" strip on the "Bullpen Bulletins" page. Many of the strips featured "Mini-Marvels," cutesy takes on the various Marvel heroes as kids. [18] Marvel discontinued the "Bullpen Bulletins" page in 2001.

Collected edition

In January 2009, Marvel Comics/The Hero Initiative published Stan's Soapbox: The Collection ( ISBN   0979760291), a 144-page softcover containing all of the "Stan's Soapbox" columns from 1967 to 1980, with commentary from Joe Quesada, Roy Thomas, and many others. The book was also published in a hardcover edition limited to 250 copies.

Quotes

Author Jonathan Lethem:

...a page of Marvel gossip and advertising featured in every issue of every comic, written in a style that could be characterized as High Hipster — two parts Lord Buckley, one part Austin Powers. Stan Lee was a writer gone Barnum, who'd abandoned new work in favor of rah-rah moguldom. He was Marvel's media liaison and their own biggest in-house fan, a schmoozer. [1]

Writer Mark Evanier:

I... really liked the friendly editorial 'voice' [Lee] established in his letter columns, house ads and especially in the 'Bullpen Bulletins.' He put himself on a first-name basis with the readership at a time when the rival DC editors generally came across not only as adults but stodgy adults. He simultaneously bragged about the greatness of Marvel and expressed such humility that when they screwed up, as they occasionally did, you were willing to cut them a lot of slack. [2]

The actual Marvel bullpen

A map of the Marvel Comics offices circa 1982. Artwork by Bob Camp. Marvel-bullpen-1982.jpg
A map of the Marvel Comics offices circa 1982. Artwork by Bob Camp.

In 1982, in an edition of "Bullpen Bulletins," then Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter defined and described the Marvel Bullpen:

[I]n the old days, virtually every comics company had a big room where all the artists and writers sat together, creating their works of four-color wonder. Creative folks generally being the garrulous sort, typically, quite a bit of 'bull' got tossed around these legendary rooms, so the nickname 'bullpen' was a natural.... At any rate, these days, most comics artists and writers prefer to work in their own studios, but, still, here at Marvel, we have a big room, a production bullpen, where all of our art/production people work doing our paste-ups, lettering corrections, art corrections, and such — and even though the editorial folks are bunched in small offices off to the sides we still refer to the whole shebang as the Marvel Bullpen. It's a tradition dating back to the days when we actually were a one-room operation! [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvel Comics</span> American comic book publisher

Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and primary imprint of Marvel Worldwide Inc., part of Marvel Entertainment. In 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired the parent company.

<i>Amazing Fantasy</i>

Amazing Adult Fantasy, retitled Amazing Fantasy in its final issue, is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics from 1961 through 1962, with the latter title revived with superhero features in 1995 and in the 2000s. The final 1960s issue, Amazing Fantasy #15, introduced the popular superhero character Spider-Man. Amazing Adult Fantasy premiered with issue #7, taking over the numbering from Amazing Adventures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Thomas</span> American comic book writer, born 1940

Roy William Thomas Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E. Howard's character and helped launch a sword and sorcery trend in comics. Thomas is also known for his championing of Golden Age comic-book heroes – particularly the 1940s superhero team the Justice Society of America – and for lengthy writing stints on Marvel's X-Men and The Avengers, and DC Comics' All-Star Squadron, among other titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Gruenwald</span> Writer

Mark Eugene Gruenwald was an American comic book writer, editor, and occasional penciler known for his long association with Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvel No-Prize</span>

The Marvel No-Prize is a fake or satirical award given out by Marvel Comics to readers. Originally for those who spotted continuity errors in the comics, the current "No-Prizes" are given out for charitable works or other types of "meritorious service to the cause of Marveldom". As the No-Prize evolved, it was distinguished by its role in explaining away potential continuity errors. Initially awarded simply for identifying such errors, a No-Prize was later given only when a reader successfully explained why the continuity error was not an error at all.

<i>Not Brand Echh</i> Marvel Comics comic book series parodying superhero stories by Marvel and other publishers

Not Brand Echh is a satiric comic book series published by Marvel Comics that parodied its own superhero stories as well as those of other comics publishers. Running for 13 issues, it included among its contributors such notable writers and artists as Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Gene Colan, Bill Everett, John and Marie Severin, and Roy Thomas. With issue #9, it became a 68-page, 25¢ "giant", relative to the typical 12¢ comics of the times. In 2017, a 14th issue was released.

Robert Harras is an American comics writer and editor, who was editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics from 1995 to 2000 and editor-in-chief of DC Comics from 2010 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Fingeroth</span> American comic book writer and editor

Daniel Fingeroth is an American comic book writer and editor, best known for a long stint as group editor of the Spider-Man books at Marvel Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Macchio (editor)</span> American comic book editor and writer

Ralph Macchio is an American comic book editor and writer who has held many positions at Marvel Comics, including executive editor. Macchio is commonly associated with Daredevil, the Spider-Man line of comics, and the Ultimate Marvel line.

The Alley Award was an American annual series of comic book fan awards, first presented in 1962 for comics published in 1961. Officially organized under the aegis of the Academy of Comic Book Arts and Sciences, the award shared close ties with the fanzine Alter Ego magazine. The Alley is the first known comic book fan award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sol Brodsky</span> American comic book artist

Soloman Brodsky was an American comic book artist who, as Marvel Comics' Silver Age production manager, was one of the key architects of the small company's expansion to a major pop culture conglomerate. He later rose to vice president, operations and vice president, special projects. "Sol was really my right-hand man for years", described Marvel editor and company patriarch Stan Lee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flo Steinberg</span>

Florence Steinberg was an American publisher of one of the first independent comic books, the underground/alternative comics hybrid Big Apple Comix, in 1975. Additionally, as the secretary for Marvel Comics editor Stan Lee and the fledgling company's receptionist and fan liaison during the 1960s Silver Age of Comic Books, she was a key participant of and witness to Marvel's expansion from a two-person staff to a pop culture conglomerate.

Forbush Man is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Originally the mascot of Marvel's Not Brand Echh, he is the alter-ego of Irving Forbush, a fictional employee of "Marble Comics". Forbush was devised in 1955 by Marvel editor Stan Lee to refer to an imaginary low-grade colleague who was often the butt of Lee's jokes. In his guise of Forbush-Man, he first appeared in 1967.

<i>Marvel Age</i> Comic book-sized magazine

Marvel Age was a promotional comic book-sized magazine from Marvel Comics published from 1983 to 1994. Basically a comic-length edition of the Bullpen Bulletins page, Marvel Age contained previews of upcoming Marvel comics, as well as interviews with comics professionals and other features, including occasional original comic strips. It is also notable for early work by Marvel writers such as Peter David and Kurt Busiek.

A comic book letter column is a section of an American comic book where readers' letters to the publisher appear. Comic book letter columns are also commonly referred to as letter columns, letter pages, letters of comment (LOCs), or simply letters to the editor. Letter columns appeared early on in the history of comic books themselves, and their growing prevalence — particularly beginning in the 1960s — helped create and legitimatize comics fandom. As the forum developed, the volume and tenor of letters became a reliable gauge of overall reader response to developments in the comics themselves. Letter columns remained a regular feature of most comic books until the early years of the 21st century, when they began being phased out in favor of the growing prevalence of email and Internet forums. Despite this, the 2010s saw a renaissance of comic book letter columns, and many comics titles still print them.

<i>Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction</i>

Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction was a 1970s American black-and-white, science fiction comics magazine published by Marvel Comics' parent company, Magazine Management.

Snafu is a short-lived satirical comic book published by Marvel Comics in the mid-1950s. One notable contribution of Snafu is that it introduced the character Irving Forbush, the alter ego of Forbush Man. Snafu was an attempt to duplicate the success of Mad magazine, which had much greater success and longevity.

The Official Handbook of the Conan Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Conan publications of Marvel Comics. The one-shot issue was published in comic book format in 1986, followed by reprints in 1993. The main author and researcher was comic book writer Alan Zelenetz.

References

  1. 1 2 Lethem, Jonathan (2003). "Izations". JonathanLethem.com. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
  2. 1 2 Evanier, Mark (October 31, 2003). "Notes from Me". POVonline.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
  3. ↑ "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated June 1966.
  4. ↑ "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated July 1966.
  5. ↑ "The Real Brand X". Time . October 31, 1960. Archived from the original on September 3, 2007. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Gruenwald, Mark (w). "Origin of the Bullpen Bulletin"Marvel Age 119(Dec. 1992),Marvel Comics
  7. ↑ "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated April 1966.
  8. ↑ "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated May 1967.
  9. ↑ "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated February 1971.
  10. ↑ "Fan site jpeg". Archived from the original on 2004-11-15. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
  11. ↑ Thomas, Roy (w). "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins: Roy's Rostrum"Marvel Super-Heroes 43(May 1974),Marvel Comics
  12. ↑ "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated October 1976.
  13. ↑ "Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics with a publication date of May 1979: "Many people have written in asking just who it is who writes this crazy column... Stan writes only the soapbox part of the page. Ye Olde Editor-in-Chief [Jim Shooter] pens these lines...."
  14. ↑ "Marvel Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated March 1974.
  15. ↑ "Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated July 1981.
  16. ↑ "Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated January 1982.
  17. ↑ Marvel Age #41 (August 1986)
  18. ↑ Cronin, Brian (April 9, 2009). "Comic Book Legends Revealed #202". Comic Book Resources .
  19. ↑ Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins," in Marvel comics cover-dated May 1982.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.