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Steranko at Marvel

Started by bronze johnny,

30 posts in this topic

Forbush-Man

Forbush-Man

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What was Steranko's reputation at Marvel during the late 1960s? What did his colleagues think? Stan? Jack? Romita? Buscema?

 

Were there any attempts to give him a major title?

 

893scratchchin-thumb.gif Good question. thumbsup2.gif

 

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ComicBookGuy

ComicBookGuy

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What was Steranko's reputation at Marvel during the late 1960s? What did his colleagues think? Stan? Jack? Romita? Buscema?

 

Were there any attempts to give him a major title?

 

Stan raved about him in his soapbox column when he first appeared. Of course, he raved about everyone. Clearly he thought enough of him to have him initiate the Friends of Old Marvel, aka FOOM, club.

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*paull*

*paull*

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Steranko was seen by Stan pretty early on as an innovator and someone worth giving hype to in the Soapbox. If you go back to circa 1967-1968 Soapboxes, you'll see what I mean.

 

However, Steranko and Stan butted heads over editorial decisions a number of times. The silent sequence in Nick Fury: Agent of Shield #1 was censored (possibly after being rejected by the Code), Steranko's Hulk Special #1 cover was modified with a Marie Severin head pasted over a Steranko body, and Steranko's super innovative Tower of Shadows #1 cover was rejected by Stan in favor of a sedate (IE: lame) cover by Romita. I also believe that Steranko's cover to Cap #113 was also rejected, one that featured the Avengers carrying a coffin.

 

However, Marvel (Stan) had issues with Steranko's slow pace in completing assignments. After the three Cap issues (#110, 111 and 113 which had a Kirby issue in #112), Steranko wouldn't work for Marvel again on a regular basis. He did do a short story for Tower of Shadows #1 and Our Love Story #5 and a half-dozen or so covers in circa 1972, but that was the end. Steranko was looking to move on from comics and set up his company Supergraphics as well as earn more money doing book covers. I don't think there was a hostile relationship between Steranko and Stan, as evident by his sporadic work for Marvel in the early 70s, but I think Steranko was too innovative and individualistic with too many other commitments for Marvel, while Marvel was too restrictive for Steranko. They could only part ways at that point.

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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I think i mentioned this before, but wasn't Sternako the formost authroity on Houdini? I think Miracle Man was actually modeled after Jim Steranko, the master escape artist...any body to verify this?

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That Ron Dude

That Ron Dude

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Paull has a better memory than I, but I think he is on the mark.

 

Steranko was offered "The Fantastic Four" and turned it down. This was during Kirby's run. In Nick Fury there was a love interest who was a "lady" scientist. Marvel wanted her drawn with an upturned nose. Steranko wanted her with a longer nose. Steranko viewed it as unwarranted interference.

 

He got to keep his artwork. I don't know if anyone else did.

 

At conventions, he demanded that his art be covered in a roll of plastic. No one else ever wanted this. He didn't do convention sketches-- most everyone else did. He held seminars which he charged for.

 

Most of this is from my personal memories of him at conventions in the very early '70's and from an interview with him in Fantastic Fanzine by Gary Groth when he was a charming fanboy, which I haven't reread in thirty years.

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mrwoogieman

mrwoogieman

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Steranko told a story once about how Stan rejected his cover to Nick Fury 1 because Stan thought it was too out there. But after the first few issues were out and selling well and Steranko was getting good feedback, the unused cover for issue 1 was used for issue 5 of the run.

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Wrightson fan

Wrightson fan

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I met Steranko at a con in either 89 or 90 in Greensboro NC, as my memory is playing tricks on me, but i thought he was a very approachable man and spoke to me as an equal and not like he was better then i was. We discussed our love of Orson Welles movies and his cinematic style of illustration. I considered it an honor to get to speak with him for awhile, and it was made that much better when he turned out to be appreciative of his fans. Oh, and i got him to sign my 1st issue of Nick Fury. wink.gif Did i mention i also met Bill Gaines, Harvey Kurtzman, and Joe Kubert at the same show? Those were the days.

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Red Hook

Red Hook

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I concur. I got Steranko's autograph in the late 60's, at the height of all the hype, and he was quite friendly. Of course cons were different then, much more intimate, and low key.

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Wrightson fan

Wrightson fan

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However, Steranko and Stan butted heads over editorial decisions a number of times. The silent sequence in Nick Fury: Agent of Shield #1 was censored (possibly after being rejected by the Code), Steranko's Hulk Special #1 cover was modified with a Marie Severin head pasted over a Steranko body, and Steranko's super innovative Tower of Shadows #1 cover was rejected by Stan in favor of a sedate (IE: lame) cover by Romita. I also believe that Steranko's cover to Cap #113 was also rejected, one that featured the Avengers carrying a coffin.

 

I cut and pasted the above quote so as to address Cap 113 only.

 

The cover to Cap 113 was rejected because it depicted a skull with Cap's mask and the various bullet holes in the head. I assume it was a little graphic for the time with the code restrictions and all , but it looked great. If i can find a pic of it i will post it so everyone can see.

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