Frequent File 770 contributor James H. Burns welcomes these early days of summer with a pair of comics-related articles.
”Marvel and the Apple Tree” explores the Long Island roots of the early years of the Marvel Age of comics, and some of our shared suburban experiences with the four-color universe.
Audiences at the multitude of internationally popular Marvel Comics movies might well believe that their impressive lineup of superheroes were born on some farflung battlefield, in a gamma-ray infused radiation burst or in the mythic halls of Asgard. But in truth, many of these dimension-spanning titans were born in a backyard in Hewlett Harbor and in a basement art studio near Mineola.
In ”Up on the Roof, Somewhere Closer to the Sky” Jim wonders if the cream of 1970s comics talent almost plummeted to their doom, thirty-eight years ago this weekend… Burns was the laison/line producer for the 1976 and 1977 Phil Seuling International Comic Art Conventions and he recounts a rooftop soiree at the Bicentennial event, amid the skyline of Manhattan.
Now, imagine a great portion of some of the most important talents in comics being placed precariously upon the roof of a structure about to be condemned….
The first piece is from the swanky Long Island Pulse, and the second from the fine comics news and reviews website, Comics Bulletin.
Great photo of Stan Lee writing in
his backyard in Hewlett Harbor, on the jury-rigged arrangement he worked out,
tables placed on top of one another. This is precisely how Lee wrote some of the most widely read words of fantasy in
the 1960s.
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Mr. Burns
I recently read your article MARVEL AND THE APPLE TREE. in the LONG ISLAND POST. I found ut interesting and glad to see you made some mention of Joe Simon. Im sure you know that Stan Lieber was once the young lad that Joe took under his wing. JOE is my moms( Gloria Simon Glanzman). First cousin.her dad Irv
and Joe dad Harry were brothers in same apt bldg where i grew up in rochester n.y.
I remember watching Joe at his studio in woodbury n.y as i lived in Syosset. I have many dear memories of him and saw him dufing his last days with us. I would have liked to see more of his work in your article, maybe another time. I have quite a collection at my home. I am in still in touch with his son Jimmy and other
siblings. Hope to find more of his life in future articles. Feel free to contact me any time, would like to meet you. On another note i read an article of yours on little league baseball. My son is 29 and still plys since he could lift a ball and bat. He plays on long island. Sincerely Bob (GMAN)
Glanzman