Letters Pages 2 2

[LowGradeBronze]

I'm always disappointed when a comic doesn't have a letters page. Somehow brings it to life for me, (especially when the contributors went on the be comics creators themselves, like Frank Brunner or Don McGregor.) But even letters from Joe Public (or Shirley Gorman for that matter,) perk the comic up. Marvel were always better at it than DC where the replies seemed stiff and formal, certainly back in SA DCs. Marvel pepped it up with the Ranks of Marveldom, so people would sign off as KOF etc, or else try and squeeze a No-Prize from a reluctant editor. 

A case in point, a real favourite comic Uncanny X-Men 138, with its fabulous cover and art, but sadly no letters page, which would have made it a perfect comic for me. 

My comics are bagged/boarded and the bag nearly always includes a small slip of paper on which Ive noted things like grade, when and where purchased, how much it cost etc, but it will also note things like: Letter from George RR Martin, or letter from Ralph Macchio. Just makes them more special and gives them a better context in time. 

[Ken Aldred]

The Marvel Omnibus hardcovers reprint the letter pages, and I agree, it’s always very interesting to revisit them.

[shadroch]

There was a time when the first thing I'd read in my stack was the Cerebus letters page. At some point, I decided Dave was putting more effort into that page than the rest of the book, and that I was watching someone I admired slowly turn into something very ugly.  

[wardevil0]

As a kid in the 80s I always loved reading the letters columns, especially when you'd get a letter from the top-tier letterhacks like Uncle Elvis or T. M. (The Mad) Maple.  It really brought in a sense of community, but also makes me regret that I personally have yet to send in a fan letter.

Today, I still enjoy scanning letters to get a feel for what the fans felt at the time, and to note letters from fans who went on to be pros.

[Dave2739]

On 7/8/2022 at 11:18 AM, wardevil0 said:

As a kid in the 80s I always loved reading the letters columns, especially when you'd get a letter from the top-tier letterhacks like Uncle Elvis or T. M. (The Mad) Maple.  It really brought in a sense of community, but also makes me regret that I personally have yet to send in a fan letter.

Today, I still enjoy scanning letters to get a feel for what the fans felt at the time, and to note letters from fans who went on to be pros.

I always wonder what ever happened to those dudes.

[themagicrobot]

Quote

I always wonder what ever happened to those dudes.

So did I until someone invented something called the Interweb.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._M._Maple is on the left I understand

[Dave2739]

On 7/8/2022 at 1:19 PM, themagicrobot said:

So did I until someone invented something called the Interweb.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._M._Maple is on the left I understand

Let me rephrase my original statement: I always wonder what ever happened to those dudes but not enough to Google them.
Thanks for the link 

[Dr Zen]

On 7/8/2022 at 12:19 PM, themagicrobot said:

So did I until someone invented something called the Interweb.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._M._Maple is on the left I understand

I always enjoyed reading letters from T.M. Maple and Kent Phenis.

[kav]

irene vartanoff

[Dr. Balls]

I remember the letters pages (and envelope art) in Wizard was practically the first thing I read when the issue arrived.

Letters pages were awesome.

[Gaard]

I wrote lots of letters back in my teens. I never had a single one published. I'm such a failure.

[Cobbledclam]

The letters pages are what fed my need to get back issues. Reading certain letters that referenced a storyline and characters that were only a few months old but at that age  seemed like a lifetime. Distribution wasn’t like it is today and places where I bought comics didn’t always have every title let alone multiple copies of books. If one wasn’t the first to get to the spinner rack or the shelves on a Tuesday or Thursday you missed out and hoped you had a friend that had picked x title up and you could borrow or trade with. Also….sometimes scraping up twelve cents or more was a real task back then. Lots of empty bottles, yards mowed and leaves raked etc. 

[Cobbledclam]

[ADAMANTIUM]

There are some moderns with letter pages too!!!!

We even have some board residents that have been "published!"  Well in the letters pages.

@BladeTX @Crops068

[frozentundraguy]

Then there are those letters that go against the grain. From JLA #33 (Feb 65)

 

 

[frozentundraguy]

Found an example of writers whining to win a no prize. From The Incredible Hulk #200 (June 76)

[Crops068]

On 7/9/2022 at 4:31 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

There are some moderns with letter pages too!!!!

We even have some board residents that have been "published!"  Well in the letters pages.

@BladeTX @Crops068

Walking Dead has "Letter Hacks" which is their version of the Letters pages.  And yes myself and @BladeTX has been published in multiple issues.  While I have only been in two of the Walking Dead Deluxe issues (19 &31), Blade has been in more, I know starting with issue #7 of WDD and had at least 1 or 2 in WD as well.  Walking Dead Deluxe new Letter Hacks are done at the start of a story arc otherwise the following issues are reprint Letter Hacks from the original Walking Dead issues.

From Issue #19 -

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by Crops068