MrFAANRVFAEREL

i LEN
 FAST
DESEENT

QUENCES NEW MEXICO, ON A

DRY, HOT, MIDSUMMER MORNING...

WE'RE ALMOST THERE, MS.

ANDERSSEN, AN' DON'T YOU
WORRY. IF ANYONE CAN HELP
x IR. WORTHINGTON CAN.

TIM NOVAK |mICHAEL GOLDEN %

LETTERER COLORIST
MARVEL FANFARE Vol. 1. No. 1, March, 1982. Published by MARVEL COMICS GROUP. James E Galton. President. Stan Lee. Publisher. Michael Hobson, Vice-President.
Publishing, Milton Schiffman. Vice-President, Production. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION. 575 MADISON AVENUE. NEW YORK. N.Y. 10022. Published bi-monthly Copyright1981
by Marvel Comics Group. a division of Cadence Industries Corporation. All rights reserved. Price $1.25 per copy in the U.S. and Canada Subscription rate $15 00 for 12 issues
Canada. $16.00. Foreign. $17.00. Printed in Canada. No similarity between any of the names, characters. persons, and or institutions in this magazine with those of any living or
dead person or institution is intended. and any such similarity which may exists purely coincidental. This penodical may not be sold except by authorized dealers and 1s Sold subject
to the conditions that it shall not be sold or distributed with any part of its cover or markings removed. nor in a mutilated condition. All prominent characters featured in the issue and
the distinctive likenesses thereof. are trademarks of the MARVEL COMICS GROUP Postmaster Send address changes to Subscription Dept .Marvel Comics Group. 575 Madison
Avenue. New York. N.Y. 10022
 HE HAS ae HE'S MY, yy WE'VE ARRIVED, MA'AM. THAT'S . <i Y ‘ A FEW HECTIC MINUTES LATER...
ONLY HOPE. Wa MR. WORTHINGTON'S MOUNTAIN- joes - j |OLITHE! Cae sd mills
: TOP CHALET-- BEST VIEW IN @ S- . :
: THESE PARTS. 7

AERIE-- OUR
HOME AWAY
FROM HOME.

WANTED PRIVACY, AN’

THAT'S WHAT HE GOT.
IT'6 TWENTY MILES
TO THE NEAREST
DECENT PUBLIC ROAD,
B AN' TWENTY MORE To
P THE NEAREST TOWN.
PRACTICALLY, THE ONLY
H WAY IN OR OUT OF THIS
PLACE IS BY AIR.

--YOU PROBABLY \ ‘ 9
ERE IS MR. WORTHINGTON ¢ YOU SEE, WARREN --PERHAPS
Opec HE'S EXPECTING ME 2 PASSED HIM ON . v
PLEASE-- IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT I YOUR WAY DOWN. . ; BETTER
i, KNOWN AS THE HIGH-
b You WILL..AS FOR ‘SEE HIM. WR
He's UP
= VISITING
Wine HE Ie SOME MEET WARREN
FRIENDS, WORTHINGTON Z ,

(IN TO RUN
THE FAMILY BUSINESS,
LEFT HIM BY-H/S DEAD
FARENTS.

SOLE HEIR TO ONE OF

AMERICA'S LARGER PRIVATE
FORTUNES, HE WAS YOUR BASIC,
EVERYOAY, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, SLIGHTLY
SPOILED RICH KID LINTIL HE HIT
PUBERTY --AND SPROUTED WINGS /

AND SO, AFTER THE TRADITIONAL DOHAT

FoR CAN
You yout
"WANT You TO
iD.”
HELP ME FIND...
JENITIES AND A BITE OF TANYA € KARL LYKOS.

P HECK I'D
LIKE TO. STAY
LOOK6 LIKE MY GUEST UOise!
HAS ARRIVED A Wee BIT pFOREVER!
AHBAD OF SCHEDULE.
iE WAS A
ELF TH
, BECAME A BRILLIANT, THOUGH
UNORTHODOX , PHYSICIAN.

(7
IE OF US KNEW

sil
ll
*SEE X-MEN #5 60 § 6/-- AL.
LIFE IS FULL OF “IF'S”, TANYA, BUT-- THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, UNTIL
CLICHE THOUGH IT IS -- WHAT'S: I READ THIS, MAGAZINE ARTICLE
DONE a nb CAN'T CHANGE ABOUT LANE ONE
THE PAST. SO WHY KEEP -- NEED-
LESSLY-- TORMENTING YOURSELF M ., I
ABOUT IT ? EDITORS, IT WAS_TAKEN L.
THAN SIX MONTHS AGO.
THE MAN STANDING
BESIDE KAZAR, LORO
OF THE SAVAGE LAND...

TO You | BECAUSE. WITH OR WITHOUT

ING HE IS Your HELP, I'M
‘T Leet |You UNDER- J .., GOING.
(DON'T CRY, TANYA,

Ula
PLEASE. T..,
va L THINK I'M
GOING To
oe Ww. . REGRET THIS,
CANDY.
 PUBLISHER OF THE NEW YORK DAILY BUGLE. ALSO,
OR INP PETERFy ER, ACE FREE-LANCE SHUTTERBUG,
PPENS TO BE THE AMAZING SPIDER.
OUR MASTER'S VOICE --
I_KNEW THIS DAY WAS

I WONDER WHAT'S UP? I HAVEN'T

SEEN THAT GLEAM IN HIS EYE SINCE
HE ANNOUNCED THAT DEWEY HAD
JUST BEATEN TRUMAN.

1sARE PLANNING AN EXPEDITION YOU'RE GONNA ae eas

TO THE SAVAGE LAND. I'VE MEAN _ SEND ME BACK TO | AAA
MANAGED TO SECURE FOR THE BUGLE 3 |E SAVA .
EXCLUSIVE WORLD RIGHTS TO THE STORY, LAND 2/2
ALL_WE NEED Now IS
SOMEONE TO COVER IT.
SAY, A MEMBER OF OUR
STAFE WHO!S BEEN
THERE *,

AMAZING
SPIDER-MAN#'S
103 § /O4--AL.
I WON'T TAKE THINK OF THE FAME... THE Bar'sGATTHOE
gion. THIS ASSIGNMENT 1S Lacs
‘SHOE-IN FOR A PULITZER. | BOY A Make
ANP HE TURNS
ON ME!

I ALMOST GOT
KULED THE LAST
TIME T_WAS THERE,
REMEMBER 2

WELLLL-- T
MUGHT
CHANGE MY
MIND...

PETER HAS
COLLEGE EXPENSES,
MEDICAL BILLS FOR
HIS AUNT MAY...
 SEEMED LIKE THE SENSIBLE
THING TO_DO,

COMING UP W Ato burD Oe

THESETHeSas
DAYS.
‘ON THE M/ST WALL, SKIPPER. }
SEEMS THICKER THAN USUAL
BANE
THIS TRIP
GOOD THING WE LAIDIN.
NAVIGATION BEACONS AN
THIS SOUP A LOT LESS

THINGS SURE HAVE CHANGED
SINCE I WAS HERE LAST, WHO
KNOWS, MAYBE THIS TRIP WILL
BE DULL AND BORING. AND
FEACEFLIL,
I SHOULD BE
SO LUCKY.
FUNNY-- LAST TIME I CAME To I PRAY I'M DOING THE R
WAS THING, THE ODDS AGAINST OUR.
YKOS. FINDING KARL ARE AS HUGE AS
THE SAVAGE LAND ITSELF-- BUT
VE TO 7RY.
oes

LET'S BEGIN OUR }

DESCENT, SAMMY, J

WL,
I VOT DYE hee
[

IT'S Too CLOSE,

SKIPPER! LOO!
IT! IT'S GONNA--
pO) KW

“ZL... DON'T sone 2

ANGEL ,DID
PETER PARKER
GET OuT #! DID
HE HAVE _A
PARACHUTE 2/
SOME TIME LATER. 'M GONNA PUNCH PARKER, YOU'RE
ASELE IN THE NOSE ALL Ri /
RIGHT
SOON AS I GET BACK To eo FOR ACCEPTING
IT.
NEW YORK, I'M GOING TO iS
INCH JANESON RIGHT IN ‘ iy uv,
THE NOSE FOR MAKING ME h LONG TIME,
AN OFFER I COULDN'T NO
REFUSE. 4

Ug) FOR THEM BUT

A So FARM SICH,
Y,LANDED WAY UP THECLIFF
«
WE TOP, THEY LOOKEDB OKAy, THE NAVY HAS TANYA, WE'VE GOT NO. SUPPLIES,
THEY WAVEDEls IF WE'STAY, WE'RE ASKING FoR
OBA EVE COME
Seete| Ve MOUNTAINS. 2 Wis Fae
Wg ieee SHOULD FLY
i us Our To

THANKS \T WASN'T, REALLY, BUT IT'LL BE DARK SOON-- AND

FOR IN pull NEIGHBORHOOD IT GETS REAL DARK, REAL Jy
EAsl. I FIGURE WE'LL BE BETTER OFF FINDING Jam
P; HELTER FOR THE NIGHT-- BEFORE LEAVING FST
> THING IN THE MORNING.

IN THE MEANTIME,
I GUESS THERE
NOT BELIEVING —_— =
WHAT THEY ALMOST COMPLETELY FILLING THE VALLEY BELOW--/7TS GREAT,
IND, SHATTERED DOME TOWERING ABOVE
GEO-THERMAL PITS THAT HELP WAR E IND
IESERVE ITS PREHISTORIC ENVIRONMENT-- STANCS A RUINED,
S| AUTURISTIC CIT™ =

| /7°S A MONUMENT 70 THE DREAMS

OF AN ANCIENT, REINCARNATED--
= NAMED _GAROKK.
De THAT ALMOST DESTROYED
THE SAVAGE LAND, AND, IN THe END,
CONSUMED THE GOD HIMSELF. *
ey

sa
Wy
SEE
RACTION OF.
ITs

*FOR DETAILS, SEE X-MEN *'S

U3-M6 -- AL.
SOME
RES. THIS CITY'S 4
STORY IN

Ae
Nee
TINGLING!
eneets ROM THES SERVED
X-MEN'S DESCRIPTION. Fer
ANC
nix PRIESTESS,
2. ZALADANE.

CO
BEFORE I FLY PETER AND
TANYA TO SAFETY,T'

SURE ,I'M_ OUTNUMBERED. BUT T' +ALL GO MI} IT ONCE, HE TRIES TO I \

A LOT FiFASTE;a AND Mi ORE i ta EA We THEIR ATTACK-- 7p WYN
MANEUVERABLE THAN... D-DON'T UNDER-
\ Km STAND... pecrett

I-" ONLY TO END LIP FLYING STRAK

INTO THE WAR-AXE Cf.One Oe”
ANGEL'S DOWN! ZTHE ODDS ARE TOO GREAT. MY A RIVER 2/ LADY, THAT'S
NOW THEY'RE SECRET IDENTITY BE HAN - ZB TusT WHAT THE DOCTOR
CONCENTRATING RK M ORDERED! TANYA, CAN
NTION LOVESaS : YOU SWiM2

WE'RE BACKED UP ©
AGAINST THE EDGE OF
A CLIFF, ABOVE A
RIVER / WE CAN'T
RUN ANYMORE !

CJ
. 5 IN THE Mi ME.
"L Bi IELP TANYA_ ¢) I'VE GOT TO GET THIS
LONG BEFORE SHE REACHES ANY OF THE BARBARIAN HORDE OFF.
DANGER AREAS. OUR BACKS.

IF WE'D BOTH GONE OFF THE CLIFF TOGETHER. ec ack ANNN

os

WA

4 a oe
WE'D HAVE BEEN S/TT/ C ed
FOR THEIR SPEARS, Sere ee
TANYA ON HER OWN FORA BIT...
H)
THANK HEAVEN! T
Due ae,
AFTER TANYA.
wie BEGINNING TO

CO
WHEN SHE'S SAFE,
I'LL COME BACK
FOR ANGEL--WHOA/!

SAS
NS
f LEAST. BUT IT ALSO
LNSCRAMBLED MY BRAINS. I'VE
HAD ATTACKS OF VERTIGO-~
DIZZINESS--BEFORE, BUT
NOTHING LIKE THAT,
GEEZ-- THIS
GUY'S AS BIG AS
A HOUSE. T
HOPE HE'S ONE
OF A KINO,
ALTHOUGH THE
GIANT1S LINIQUE, HE
1S NOT ALOWVE, HE
HAS COMPANIONS,
EACH ONE AS
POWERFUL AND
DANGEROUS, /N
HIS OWN WAY,
AS GAZA,

PASSES AND,FAR POWNRIVER ,TANYA

ANbescen Mieeies THROU OP HE thick,
WEONRIN RAEN, Whe tr
es BEN ON
2 foKEEP
nearMOVING BY CONSTANT”
/ F PTERO! DACTYL RIDERS. FOR
ALL HERSSans"AND STAMINA, SveKNOWS
SHE'SNEAR THE END OF HER ROPE.

THAT MEANS Brose)WARRIORS PROBABLY CAP-

TURED PETER \ AILLED HIM. WHY
DID I COME Rene sy WiiBion I TAKE ANGEL'S
aA GATES CL ieAS MAD, AS DRIVEN -- AS CURSED.
=-AS
NO! T CAN'T GIVE
up! PETER AND #
ANGEL MAY STILL Be
ALIVE. IF I can FIND
KA-ZAR, HE MIGHT
OC ABLE tORESCUE
THEM.

i
WHAT'S THAT. |
GOUND-- 2?
ANYBODY GOT AN
ASPIRIN € I GOT
SUCH A HEADACHE,
YOU_WOULDN'T
BELIEVE,

I’M_MANACLEP TO A TABLE-- MY CAPTORS

AREN'T TAKING ANY CHANCES, ANGEL'S
STILL OUT COLD, AND, BROTHER, I DO NOT
LIKE THE LOOKS OF THAT MACHINE--
ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S POINTED AT ME/
I THINK I CAN BREAK FREE--
BUT I'VE GOT To STALL FoR
TIME, GET MY STRENGTH BACK.
ary: 7 WHERE AM...
AM IZ AND...
You'Re WHO THE PEVIL..,
AWAKE27 ARE YOU ?/
INCREDIBLE!
BARBARUS'
BEATING

WELCOME, HUMAN,
TO THE CITADEL OF
OUR OR EA .
I, AM CALLED SRA/WV-
CHILD, ITAM MASTER
HERE,

BLIND GAZA AND FOUR-ARMED r

BARBARUS YOU HAVE ALREADY 1 ~
MET, MY EMERALD -SKINNED COMRADE i
| AMPHIBILIS--THE YOUNG LADY, .
/ERTIGO, WE ARE MUTANTS. ; , |
b / SOON, WITH YOUR HELP
THE SAVAGE LAND.

LL FUNCTION, IT
Oo /E ANY LIVING BEING
(oJ ITS PRIMORDIAL BEGINNINGS
WE HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED To
TEST OUR DEVICE ON KA-ZAR,
BU
THAT YOU AND
ANGEL ARE HERE,
ee
 SORRY, BIG_ BRAIN,
BUT -- FLAWED
THOUGH T MAY BE--
a
4»
Loe
S @

AN ATTEMPT THAT /S
DOOMED To a
FROM THE MOMEN:
BRAINCHILD ACTIVATES
THE TRANSFORMER.

AS THE MOMENTS SLIDE BY, HE AE FEELS HIMSELF DROWNING

FINDS IT MORE DIFFICULT TO THINK: YN A BLACK, OLY WHIRLPOOL
WITHIN 11S MIND. A TERRIGLE,
TERRIFYING SCREAM
LOWS

Ss INEXORABLY LINPER.

a
ey, \

AT THE LAST INSTANT, WITH HIS

SENTENCES DRIFT OUT OF REACH,
THEN WORDS).+
AS SIMPLY, AS EASILY,AS AN ONION
STRIPPED OF ITS SKIN, SO /S°
SPIDER-MAN STRIPPED OF HIS
AUMANITY,
LAST RATIONAL THOUGHT. HE
REALIZES THAT THE SCREAM
1S 4/8.
70 BE CONTINUED. 1,
 C'MON, AL/ TELL THE 2GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE%..HOW'S HE
FOLKS ABOUT MARVEL EXPECT ME TO GET ANY EDITING
FANFARES DONE AROLINO HERE!

WELL, LESSEE
NOW... FANFARE.
OH, YEAH!

Hl, FANS! LM Ad M/LGROM YOUR SOMETHING WE COLILD CHARGE UH-- SORRY, + SERIOUSLY, WE
FRIENOLY NEIGHBORHOOD MARVEL EXTRA MOWEY FOR! TIM... WANTED TO PRODUCE
EDITOR / A COMIC USING THE
NOW ME AN’ THE BEST TALENT
I HAD THIS IDEA FOR A NEW MISSUS CAN AFFORD AVAILABLE.
COMIC-- SOMETHING WHICH You THAT TRIP TO ACAPULCO
REALLY DEO/CATED COMIC WE'VE BEEN... WHAT’S MORE,
FANS COLILD GO FOR. WE WANTED TO GIVE
THE BOOK A CHANCE
10 £00K \1S BEST.

AS A RESULT, THE PRICE /S HIGHER.

THAT'S WHY WE DESIGNED THIS Comic
TO BE DIRECT SALES ONLY, WE KNOW
THAT YOU DISCRIMINATING READERS
ARE WILLING TO PAY MORE IF YOU
GET A QUAL/TY PRODUCT, WE
THINK MARVEL FANFARE
QUALIFIES/
‘COURSE WE'D LIKE TO KNOW
WHAT YOU THINK, TOO. FEEL FREE
> TO WRITE US. *

* WRITE TO: MARVEL FANFARE Cfo MARVEL NOW, IF YOU'LL

COMICS 575 MADISON AVE, 6 FLOOR, EX 'E ME, LVE GOT IMPORTANT
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022 EDITORIAL BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN MIRACLES JUST ASK LEWIS, HE'LL TELL E
YOU ABOUT THAT NIGHT, THERE'S NOTHING HE LIKES BETTER--
BXCEPT THE CHILDREN. THEY'RE THE REASON HE TROTS HIS FAMILIAR
RED SUT OUT OF MOTHBALLS , TRIMS HIS WHITE BEARD TUSTSO-
Ry sk ANC
h us ~-AND FOR TWO GLORIOUS WEEKS BRIGHTENS
THE USUALLY DINGY UPPER WEST SIDE.
IN
: ayy Na
ke p|

MAYBE HE 1S SANTA BUT THAT COLD AND BLUSTERY

KID I USED TO THIN NIGHT - THE NIGHT BEFORE
GUESS I S7iLL OO CHRISTMAS - -HE WAS A
WCTIM...

SOON AS
H He's ALONE, WE
BGO FOR IT! i

AURRY, NE AIN'T HE DION'T HAVE MUCH, BARELY

GOT FOREVER ! ENOUGH FOR HIS PREC/OUS
CHILDREN. BUT THE HOPHEADS
TOOK IT ALL.
MAYBE NOT.
BUT WE GOT THE
MONEY. AND WE GOT

N-NO...
PLEASE...
 CEET HIM WITH NOTHING BUT PAIN
ANO HEARTACHE --LITTLE COMFORT
FROM THE BITTER NORTH WIND THAT
HOWLED ACROSS THE ICE-CLOGGED
HUDSON, BAcee WITH THE PROMISE

ROGER McKENZIE, Writer

PAUL SMITH, penciler
TERRY AUSTIN, LNKEr
ALLEN MILGROM, Editor

SHELLY LEFERMAN
Letterer
GLYN/S WEIN
colorist
JIM SHOOTER
Ed.itor-Ln- chief
BUT WHILE LEWIS LAY BEATEN BUT WHAT'LL I Saly.? VY Lewis isn't HERE, DARLING.
ANO SHIVERING JUST A FEW WHAT'LL T BO? BUT YOU ARE. NOW HOLD
BLOCKS AWAY, FOGGY NELSON, LEWIS ALWAYS STILL OR T'LL WEVER GET
MY BEST FRIENO AND LAW PARTNER, PLAYS SANTA-- THIS BUTTONED.
WAS GETTING COLD FEET...
HOW'S HE LOOK,
HEATHER >
D ANO I WAS iV
A BLUE FUNK!
R :

MATT, YOU OON'T JUST I INTENDED TO. LEWIS WAS

HAVEN'T STAND LATE... AND HE'D RATHER
SAID TWO “THERE-- OLE THAN LET THE CHLDOREN
WORDS ALL 20
EVENING. SOMETHING !

ZKNOW. ZT
USED 70 BE
ONE OF THEM,
THIS /SN'T GOING TO WORK,
DEBBIE. 1 JUST AWOW IT ISN'T.

4 BVER SINCE A FREAK 8-BUT Lewis

ACCIDENT, YEARS BEFORE, \S BOUND TO
LEFT ME BLINO BUT BE HERE ANY DISAPPOINTING
HEIGHTENED MY RE- MINUTE. CAN'T THOSE POOR
MAINING SENSES TO WE WAIT ~~ KIDS? THEY'VE
SUPER- HUMAN LEVELS. WAITEO ALL
YEAR.

MATT, YOU
GOTTA HELP
Me!

gAieyirga ie esEVERY ‘ 3 Ss
F THOSE SENSES ROM TH y
Scmeaman SoMeTHIne
WAS WRONG! |Voilee tr
UILOTHE
70 LEAVE VEL, Tove uRNEe
ROOM. |BY THE ME...
BERED TIME THEY
I WASREMELA-
GONE...
SLIPPING INTO MAY FAMILIAR RED ZIM CALLED THE MAN WITHOUT
SUIT, MY RADAR-SENSE GUIDEO
ME FEAR BUT I'LL ADMIT MY
EFFORTLESSLY THROUGH A WORLD HEART SKIPPED A BEAT--UNTIL
OF CARKNESS... ZL HEARO HIS POUNDING: ++
ERRATICALLY, BUT STRONGLY.

TOO LATE FOR THAT,

NOW, TOO LATE FOR
ANYTHING.

MY ACHES AND
PAINS AREN'T
IMPORTANT, IT'S THE
CHILOREN I'M
WORRIED ABOUT.

THEY THINK I'M

SANTA. BUT I'M NOT, I'M
JUST A LONELY OLD MAN.
I NEED THEM MORE THAN
THEY NEED ME. _“|

BUT HOW CAN I FACE YOU'LL WEVER YOU'RE WRONG.

THEM LIKE THIS-- WITH KNOW _HOW MUCH I 20 KNOW.
NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE-- THEY HURT.
WHEN THEY FIGHT SO
HARD EACH ANO EVERY
DAY TO OVERCOME THEIR
HANDICAPS ?

DON'T MISUNDERSTAND,
DARE DEVIL. THEY DON'T
WANT PITY OR HANDOUTS. im
THEY WANT 70 8& ACCEPTED [IME
AS HUMAN BEINGS WITH ff
SOMETHING WORTHWHILE
AND (IMPORTANT TO
CONTRIBUTE TOLIFE.
JUNKIES, MAINLINERS, LONG AS BUMS LIke N yes, I GUESS }
NAMES DON'T MATTER, HASKILL KEEP PUSHIN’ HE COULD. J
POISON OUT ON THE
ia, STREETS, THEY'LL KEEP

ae
4 : ROBBIN! AND KILLIN!
p TO GET IT.

A 8L/NO MAN
COULD SEE
THAT.

IT OION'T TAKE ME LONG TO

REACH MY DESTINATION.

I WAS GLAD I COULDN'T SEE

(7. THE SMELL WAS BAD

YOU CAN THANK

GOD YOU DIDN'T F
KILL HIM.
 I WANT HASKILL - - WHERE |S HE SURE, BIG
THE MAN WHO SOLO SNOWBIRDS? SING MAN. AT YOURR
YOU THAT SLOP! TO ME. FUNERAL.

RUIN YOUR OWW LIFE, HURT INNOCENT PEOPLE... AND I TAKE MY

THAT'S YOUR BUSINESS. GOOO PEOPLE...IT BECOMES BUSINESS SERIOUSLY.
my BUSINESS.

H- HE'S
A Devic!
HE AIN'T
HUMAN /

AND HE CAN FIGHT

FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES.

ONE MORE TIME,

SNOWBIRD, WHERE'S
HASKILL
SO FAR SO GOOD. ONE SNOWBIRD
HAD FLOWN THE COOP.

Wok
OFA4 / S G y

«K y
©

\ aN
Z COULD HEAR THE SHARP AND ZI WENT FOR HASKILL.
SCRAPE OF POLISHED STEEL
AGAINST WOOD.
YOUR GREED BROKE BUT NEVER I WAS SO I GOT 'IM,
AN OLD MAN'S HEART AGAIN, MAD THE
TONIGHT- ~ HASKILL. ; BL00p
ROARED IN
)) MY EARS.

é NEXT THING I KNEW

THE SNOWB/RO
TURNEO INTO AN
EAGLE.

CHRISTMAS
FOR SOME
VERY SPECIAL
CHILOREN.

BUT THERE WAS NO --BUT THERE WAS NO

HELP FORTHCOMING. PLACE HE COULD GO...

VY Lie

OUTSIPE 17 HAD BEGUN TO SNOW,

BLANKETING THE CITY WITH A WHITE
SPLENPOR TI COULD ONLY IMAGINE.
AN UNEARTHLY STILLNESS HAD THAT SCREAM LORD, I WEVER THEY NEED A
SETTLED OVER THE CITY, BeCKen DOESN'T ITEVER ASKED FOR MUCH MIRACLE. PLEASE...
ONLY BY THE DISTANT, MUFFLED STOP, LORD? BEFORE. BUTI'M
spel OF hens ia » ANO, ASKIN' NOW. Susn
Z 1, AN Fe oe
SER zane \ ONE, SMALL...
NOT FOR a
LEW/S HAD BEEN HEADING ME. BUT FO!
HOME, DESPONCENTLY, THE CHILDREN.
TRUPGING WEARILY
THROUGH THE SNOW..+

WHEN HASKILL HAD

FALLEN TOHIS DEATH.

1A,
4
p

11, AAS HASKILL'S MIOWEY,

THEARD HIS VOICE CATCH IN/WS THROAT CAUGHT BY THE DECEMBER
AND I WISH T COULD HAVE SEEN WING, CAME BRIF TING
THE LOOK ON H/S FACE... POWN LIKE SNOW.

SO LEWS HAO HIS MIRACLE, +11 ANO, LIKE Z SAID, (F YOU

THE KIDS HAD THEIR OON'T BELIEVE INMIRACLES
CHRISTMAS. JUST ASK LEW/S.
U! |) es mm I}

HE'LL TELL YOU /

ABOUT THAT NIGHT,

i
 CADENCE internal Correspondence
From Tim L
Date /Of4¢g/s
y 26 3/
% Séan
Subject
AN OPEN LETTER TO STAN LEE
Dear Stan,
We haven't had a chance to talk for a while, so |thought I'd drop you a line. No special reason — Ijust
feel like blathering at you for a couple paragraphs.
Remember back when you worked here in New York how every now and then, around five-thirty or
So, after a typically chaotic day, I'd sort of wander into your office and flump down on the couch and we'd
just shoot the breeze? It's about 5:45 P.M. now, and I'm in that same sort of mood. You're the Marvel Hol-
lywood Mogul these days, and |guess it's good that you're keeping an eye on all that TV and movie stuff.
It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it, right?
Bleh.
| liked it better when you were here, in the office next door down the hall. | know, | know, you say
you're just a phone call away. Bull. Itjust isn't the same as when |could pop in anytime with the latest reve-
lation, or crisis, or good news, or problem and flump down on the couch and be amazed, or distressed, or
happy, or puzzled with you, right there, right away, face-to-face.
That was a better deal than | realized at the time. Where else besides this strange place could | have
strolled into the Big Boss's office more or less whenever |pleased, put my feet up on the coffee table and
scarfed down sourballs from the candy dish while complaining about the weather, the Mets, and how hard
it is to explain the mysterious science of balloon placement to new writers. More important, who else
would really, truly understand
how hard it is to explain balloon placement to new writers? How many times
did | thank the proverbial stars that you, the Publisher-Executive-Vice-President-Creative-Director-High-
Muckamuck-Whatever-the-Heck your title is, had spent many years doing myjob, so that you really, really
understood the problems? Even when you didn't have an answer |felt better about whatever the current
crisis was because, hey, if you didn't know what to do it must be okay for me not to know.
I'm real glad you were here during the first couple years of my time in this job, at least, so that |could
get my feet under me, before you went West. I'm glad we didn't have three time zones and a telephone
separating us back when we were struggling to get EPIC launched, or the time that we had to trash a
couple hundred thousand copies of the Battlestar Galactica Super Special because of a legal hassle.
Geez, how many years has it been since | became E.1.C.? Four, | guess. Already? Wow.
| remember the day, in December of 1977 when you asked me to have lunch with you downstairs at
the Ultimate Lotus. | was the Associate Editor then. | figured we were going to discuss the Spider-Man
daily strip, which |was plotting for you at the time, but instead you wanted to tell me that Archie Goodwin
had resigned to become a writer again, and that you wanted me to replace him as Editor-in-Chief.
You told me then how much grief it would be. You warned me that I'd be facing some big problems
and tough decisions in the months to come, and that doing the job right meant enduring a lot ofabuse from
a lot of people.
You also told me how to deal with grief, big problems, tough decisions, and abuse.
The grief, you told me, is standard fare. In publishing, you've got to expect a lot of late nights making
deadlines, a lot of boring memos about budgets, a lot of aggravating meetings about schedules and other
nonsense. z
The problems, you said, come daily. The latest books are always the ones that get lost in the mail.
Stat machines only break down when you need them desperately. Allthe inkers are busy when you've got
jobs to give out, and all of them need work when everything is backed up at the letterers!
The tough decisions, you told me, can't be avoided. A lot of bucks stop on the desk of the Editor-in-
qt Choices must be made— creative choices, business choices, who to hire, and, sometimes, who to
ire.
As for the abuse, you warned me that there were a lot of things that needed changing, things that had
been neglected for years. The changes needed, you said, would very likely leave some people upset.
Furthermore, you told me, that no matter what |did, somebody wouldn't like it, and people who don't like
what you do often attack you. You said that there was no defense against the abuse except one — to al-
ways, always deal fairly, honestly, and honorably with everyone. In the long run, you said, people would
learn that you could be trusted and judge your critics accordingly. Above all, you said, never answer the
abuse in kind.
Well, four years into this trip, |can tell you without a doubt that you were right about everything. In fact,
it's been a bit rougher than you warned me it would be. It's also been better than |ever imagined it could
be. | took a stroll around the place this afternoon, and | realized, for the thousandth time, that the people
who work here are not only the best group of comics editors, artists and production people ever assem-
bled, they're truly the best people | know. What a place to work! Creatively, we've begun to open up a
whole new era with our Graphic Novel Series, EPIC, the All-Direct titles, FANFARE, and other great stuff,
and, personally, | couldn't be happier. | love my job.
It's getting late. Time to go home, | guess. Hey, would you believe that two thirds ofthe guys in the
‘Pen are still here working? Well all love our jobs, | guess.
Thanks, Stan.
ee Best,

Shooter
P.S. Almost forgot, say hi to the Marvel Productions folks and Joan for me. That's all for now.
 ~s
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