Popular Post Garystar Posted May 10, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2023 (edited) When I was reading Amazing Spider-man, mostly reprints, in the 1970s I became aware of a re-occurrence of certain letters in the backgrounds but could never quite work out what the pattern was. Years later I discovered the answer; By the 70s Tony Mortellaro was working with John Romita Snr on the art for Amazing-Spider-man, John was doing the breakdowns and figure-work whilst Tony was filling in the detail and backgrounds. However Marvel would not include Tony’s name in the credits so Tony began slipping in his credit within the story art, therefore the credit, or part thereof, of “BACKGROUNDS BY MORTELLARO” began appearing. Now whenever I read an early 70s Spider-man I always look out for “BACKGROUNDS BY MORTELLARO” and have started to catalogue where they appear. A work in progress, these are the occurrences I have found to date, grateful for any additions; ISSUE PAGE PANEL WHERE WHAT IT SAYS SPIDER-MAN 52 20 5 BILLBOARD UNDS LARO SPIDER-MAN 53 1 1 BILLBOARD BACK OUNDS B MORT L SPIDER-MAN 56 12 3 POSTER RDS Y ARO SPIDER-MAN 98 1 1 BILLBOARD BACK BY MOR SPIDER-MAN 99 1 1 BILLBOARD BAC MO LARO SPIDER-MAN 99 19 7 BILLBOARD BAC GROU S BY MOR E SPIDER-MAN 100 1 1 BILLBOARD BAC OUNDS M TE SPIDER-MAN 105 2 3 BILLBOARD BAC GROUN MORTELLA SPIDER-MAN 107 1 1 BUILDING SIGN LLARO SPIDER-MAN 107 15 3 SIGNS O NDS MORT SPIDER-MAN 108 1 - 3 VARIOUS CAR NUMBER PLATES TM 45 and MO SPIDER-MAN 108 7 2 BILLBOARD BAC MOR SPIDER-MAN 108 14 5 BOOK TITLE BACKG R D BY MORTELLA SPIDER-MAN 109 4 1 BUILDING BACK ROUNDS BY MOR LLARO SPIDER-MAN 110 1 1 BILLBOARD GROUNDS LARO SPIDER-MAN 111 20 1 WATERTANK BACK MORT SPIDER-MAN 112 2 3 BILLBOARD BAC M SPIDER-MAN 112 4 2 WASTE BIN NDS Y ARO SPIDER-MAN 112 5 2 BILLBOARD BAC ROU M TEL RO SPIDER-MAN 112 5 3 SHOP SIGN MO SPIDER-MAN 113 CREDIT AS ART ASSISTS SPIDER-MAN 114 9 2 SHOP SIGN M RO BA SPIDER-MAN 114 16 6 BILLBOARD BAC BY MORT SPIDER-MAN 115 CREDIT AS ART ASSIST SPIDER-MAN 115 8 3 WATER TOWER BACK MORT SPIDER-MAN 116 1 1 WATER TOWER BAC MOR SPIDER-MAN 116 1 1 BUILDING POSTER OUNDS LLARO SPIDER-MAN 116 2 3 BUILDING POSTER BACK SPIDER-MAN 116 10 4 BILLBOARD BA MO SPIDER-MAN 117 CREDIT AS ART SPIDER-MAN 118 CREDIT AS ART SPIDER-MAN 118 6 1 WATER TOWER BAC MOR SPIDER-MAN 118 6 5 SIGN BY OR LAR SPIDER-MAN 118 8 3 SHOP SIGN LARO SPIDER-MAN 119 4 4 BILLBOARD BA MO SPIDER-MAN 120 - 125 CREDIT AS INKED BY SPIDER-MAN 120 5 6 SIGN ARO SPIDER-MAN 120 8 4 SHOP SIGN BAC ORTELLARO SPIDER-MAN 120 10 4 SHOP SIGN BACK UNDS SPIDER-MAN 121 5 6 SHOP SIGN ARO SPIDER-MAN 121 7 1 3 X SIGNS BA OUNDS MO ARO O SPIDER-MAN 121 8 2 3 X SIGNS MOR ACKGR EL SPIDER-MAN 121 10 3 SHOP SIGN BACK SPIDER-MAN 121 12 6 NEWSPAPER AC MO TEL SPIDER-MAN 122 9 1 BILLBOARD BACK MORT SPIDER-MAN 122 12 1 BILLBOARD ROUNDS LARO SPIDER-MAN 122 19 6 POSTER BACK BY MOR SPIDER-MAN 123 COVER WATER TOWER/BILLBOARD MOR / NDS SPIDER-MAN 123 5 7 POSTER NDS Y ARO SPIDER-MAN 123 7 6 SIGN NDS ARO SPIDER-MAN 123 8 6 BILLBOARD MO SPIDER-MAN 123 9 2 BILLBOARD UNDS LARO SPIDER-MAN 124 1 1 BILLBOARD NDS ARO SPIDER-MAN 125 COVER SIGN MORTEL SPIDER-MAN 125 2 6 BILLBOARD B CK ROU MOR LLAR SPIDER-MAN 125 3 1 SIGN/WATER TOWER BAC U M / M SPIDER-MAN 125 17 2 SIGN BAC MOR SPIDER-MAN 126 COVER WATER TOWER MO SPIDER-MAN 130 COVER SIGN/WATER TOWER M / MOR SPIDER-MAN 132 CREDIT AS ART ASSIST SPIDER-MAN 132 16 3 SIGN KG BY TEL SPIDER-MAN 139 COVER WATER TOWER D ARO SPIDER-MAN GIANT-SIZE 2 COVER WATER TOWER MOR CAPTAIN AMERICA 138 1 1 BILLBOARD BAC BY MORTEL CAPTAIN AMERICA 150 8 4 POSTER BACK ROUNDS MORT LARO CAPTAIN AMERICA 154 14 6 POSTER BACK BY MORT CAPTAIN AMERICA 163 5 4 NEWSPAPER BACKGROUNDS BY MORTELLARO CAPTAIN AMERICA 171 COVER BUILDING/BUILDING NDS RO / RO Inspired to do this because of @Spider-Variant and @Get Marwood & I work in the Ross Andru / Dave Hunt thread over in Bronze. List compiled from Essentials - some of these references were removed from the published version (eg #105) but appear in the reprints. Original; Reprint; Edited February 14 by Garystar Pictures added LowGradeBronze, theCapraAegagrus, Turnando and 24 others 23 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theCapraAegagrus Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 This is the type of comics history I'm interested in. So weird. Dr. Balls, Turnando, Garystar and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Balls Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 This is easily the coolest thing I'll read all day. Thanks for putting the work into something this neat. Larryw7, Get Marwood & I, Spider-Variant and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE_BEYONDER Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Very cool. Thanks for sharing Garystar and Spider-Variant 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE_BEYONDER Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Just went through ASM 121 online Fun stuff Spider-Variant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Get Marwood & I Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Absolutely fantastic Gary. Well done mate Reggie will be all over this when he logs on. He spotted the background stuff in the Andru thread, not me. F knows what I was looking at as a kid. I can spot a price variant on Mars now but I missed all these references growing up Garystar and Spider-Variant 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Get Marwood & I Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 On 5/10/2023 at 4:01 PM, Garystar said: A work in progress, these are the occurrences I have found to date, grateful for any additions; Is your Cap #139 a typo Gary - this is in #138: Spider-Variant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreatCaesarsGhost Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 (edited) This guy? Edited May 10, 2023 by GreatCaesarsGhost Get Marwood & I, Larryw7 and Tec-Tac-Toe 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garystar Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 On 5/10/2023 at 5:13 PM, Get Marwood & I said: Is your Cap #139 a typo Gary - this is in #138: Well corrected. I only spotted that one a couple of days ago and then typo’d it. Doh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider-Variant Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 On 5/10/2023 at 11:01 AM, Garystar said: When I was reading Amazing Spider-man, mostly reprints, in the 1970s I became aware of a re-occurrence of certain letters in the backgrounds but could never quite work out what the pattern was. Years later I discovered the answer; By the 70s Tony Mortellaro was working with John Romita Snr on the art for Amazing-Spider-man, John was doing the breakdowns and figure-work whilst Tony was filling in the detail and backgrounds. However Marvel would not include Tony’s name in the credits so Tony began slipping in his credit within the story art, therefore the credit, or part thereof, of “BACKGROUNDS BY MORTELLARO” began appearing. Now whenever I read an early 70s Spider-man I always look out for “BACKGROUNDS BY MORTELLARO” and have started to catalogue where they appear. A work in progress, these are the occurrences I have found to date, grateful for any additions; ISSUE PAGE PANEL WHERE WHAT IT SAYS SPIDER-MAN 52 20 5 BILLBOARD UNDS LARO SPIDER-MAN 53 1 1 BILLBOARD BACK OUNDS B MORT L SPIDER-MAN 56 12 3 POSTER RDS Y ARO SPIDER-MAN 98 1 1 BILLBOARD BACK BY MOR SPIDER-MAN 99 1 1 BILLBOARD BAC MO LARO SPIDER-MAN 99 19 7 BILLBOARD BAC GROU S BY MOR E SPIDER-MAN 100 1 1 BILLBOARD BAC OUNDS M TE SPIDER-MAN 105 2 3 BILLBOARD BAC GROUN MORTELLA SPIDER-MAN 107 1 1 BUILDING SIGN LLARO SPIDER-MAN 107 15 3 SIGNS O NDS MORT SPIDER-MAN 108 1 - 3 - CAR NUMBER PLATES TM 45 and MO SPIDER-MAN 108 7 2 BILLBOARD BAC MOR SPIDER-MAN 108 14 5 BOOK TITLE BACKG R D BY MORTELLA SPIDER-MAN 109 4 1 BUILDING BACK ROUNDS BY MOR LLARO SPIDER-MAN 110 1 1 BILLBOARD GROUNDS LARO SPIDER-MAN 111 20 1 WATERTANK BACK MORT SPIDER-MAN 112 2 3 BILLBOARD BAC M SPIDER-MAN 112 4 2 WASTE BIN NDS Y ARO SPIDER-MAN 112 5 2 BILLBOARD BAC ROU M TEL RO SPIDER-MAN 112 5 3 SHOP SIGN MO SPIDER-MAN 113 CREDIT AS ART ASSISTS SPIDER-MAN 114 9 2 SHOP SIGN M RO BA SPIDER-MAN 114 16 6 BILLBOARD BAC BY MORT SPIDER-MAN 115 CREDIT AS ART ASSIST SPIDER-MAN 115 8 3 WATER TOWER BACK MORT SPIDER-MAN 116 1 1 WATER TOWER BAC MOR SPIDER-MAN 116 1 1 BUILDING POSTER OUNDS LLARO SPIDER-MAN 116 2 3 BUILDING POSTER BACK SPIDER-MAN 116 10 4 BILLBOARD BA MO SPIDER-MAN 117 CREDIT AS ART SPIDER-MAN 118 CREDIT AS ART SPIDER-MAN 118 6 1 WATER TOWER BAC MOR SPIDER-MAN 118 6 5 SIGN BY OR LAR SPIDER-MAN 118 8 3 SHOP SIGN LARO SPIDER-MAN 119 4 4 BILLBOARD BA MO SPIDER-MAN 120 - 125 CREDITED SPIDER-MAN 120 5 6 SIGN ARO SPIDER-MAN 120 8 4 SHOP SIGN BAC ORTELLARO SPIDER-MAN 120 10 4 SHOP SIGN BACK UNDS SPIDER-MAN 121 5 6 SHOP SIGN ARO SPIDER-MAN 121 7 1 3 X SIGNS BA OUNDS MO ARO O SPIDER-MAN 121 8 2 3 X SIGNS MOR ACKGR EL SPIDER-MAN 121 10 3 SHOP SIGN BACK SPIDER-MAN 121 12 6 NEWSPAPER AC MO TEL SPIDER-MAN 122 9 1 BILLBOARD BACK MORT SPIDER-MAN 122 12 1 BILLBOARD ROUNDS LARO SPIDER-MAN 122 19 6 POSTER BACK BY MOR SPIDER-MAN 123 COVER WATER TOWER/BILLBOARD NDS MOR SPIDER-MAN 123 5 7 POSTER NDS Y ARO SPIDER-MAN 123 7 6 SIGN NDS ARO SPIDER-MAN 123 8 6 BILLBOARD MO SPIDER-MAN 123 9 2 BILLBOARD UNDS LARO SPIDER-MAN 124 1 1 BILLBOARD NDS ARO SPIDER-MAN 125 COVER SIGN MORTEL SPIDER-MAN 125 2 6 BILLBOARD B CK ROU MOR LLAR SPIDER-MAN 125 3 1 SIGN/WATER TOWER BAC U M / M SPIDER-MAN 125 17 2 SIGN BAC MOR SPIDER-MAN 126 COVER WATER TOWER MO SPIDER-MAN 130 COVER SIGN/WATER TOWER M / MOR SPIDER-MAN 132 CREDIT AS ART ASSIST SPIDER-MAN 132 16 3 SIGN KG BY TEL SPIDER-MAN GIANT-SIZE 2 COVER WATER TOWER MOR CAPTAIN AMERICA 138 1 1 BILLBOARD BAC BY MORTEL Inspired to do this because of @Spider-Variant and @Get Marwood & I work in the Ross Andru / Dave Hunt thread over in Bronze. List compiled from Essentials - some of these references were removed from the printed version (eg #105) but appear in the reprints. Original; Reprint; Awesome stuff. I'll go through my haphazard list and see if I can spot some you don't have. Garystar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garystar Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 On 5/10/2023 at 5:26 PM, GreatCaesarsGhost said: This guy? Yes, although according to MyComicShop he only did the cover. Google says Tony started in early 1950s for Trojan Comics and then moved to Timely/Atlas/Marvel as an artist and later inker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garystar Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 On 5/10/2023 at 5:29 PM, Spider-Variant said: Awesome stuff. I'll go through my haphazard list and see if I can spot some you don't have. Cheers. I think I should next look at John Romita books of late 60s early 70s and see if Tony pops up there. Cap #138 (thanks to Marwood for correction) was the only issue from that title I could see, perhaps I should take a look at his FF issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post october Posted May 10, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2023 He did some killer pre-code work. Randall Dowling, Garystar, Get Marwood & I and 8 others 9 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Garystar Posted May 10, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 10, 2023 Ken Aldred, GreatCaesarsGhost, Get Marwood & I and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Pontoon Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 (edited) He did a lot of Spidey Super Stories, too, but I'm blanking on what the credits looked like and don't have time to pull any. Edited May 10, 2023 by Dick Pontoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garystar Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 On 5/10/2023 at 6:21 PM, MR. Pontoon said: He did a lot of Spidey Super Stories, too, but I'm blanking on what the credits looked like and don't have time to pull any. He did indeed and I don’t think he got in the credits on those either. I sold all my Spidey Super Stories last year so can’t check. I have the Fireside edition and he doesn’t slip his credit into the backgrounds that I can see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F For Fake Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 This is great, love this sort of stuff. Thanks for sharing your work! Garystar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowGradeBronze Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 (edited) On 5/10/2023 at 5:42 PM, Garystar said: Cheers. I think I should next look at John Romita books of late 60s early 70s and see if Tony pops up there. Cap #138 (thanks to Marwood for correction) was the only issue from that title I could see, perhaps I should take a look at his FF issues. MCS credits Tony M with co inking in Cap 139. Just had a quick peek and I recognise the hallmarks. I've enjoyed his backgrounds for a while and love looking for telltale clues left on billboards etc. Edit: He doesn't leave us any crafty clues in Cap 139 though. Edited May 10, 2023 by LowGradeBronze Garystar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garystar Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 On 5/10/2023 at 8:11 PM, LowGradeBronze said: MCS credits Tony M with co inking in Cap 139. Just had a quick peek and I recognise the hallmarks. I've enjoyed his backgrounds for a while and love looking for telltale clues left on billboards etc. Edit: He doesn't leave us any crafty clues in Cap 139 though. Good idea, I’ll have a look through MCS for the period - they list contributors even those not in printed credits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicrobot Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 I doff Albert Tatlocks cap to you Gary. It is so great that there is always something new to discover in old comics. Garystar and steveinthecity 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
