It’s hard to believe, but 60 years ago, three of Marvel Comics most famous issues debuted on the very same day, July 2, 1963: Avengers 1, X-Men 1, and Fantastic Four Annual 1. Buying all three issues would set you back 49 whole cents at the time, but you could probably put a child through... Continue Reading →
Jim Shooter died on Monday, June 30 of esophageal cancer. He was supposed to appear at HeroesCon last weekend, but word quickly spread that he was very ill. The one-time editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics was a controversial figure in the industry to say the least, and I’m sure just about every obituary you’ll read about... Continue Reading →
With the new Superman movie written and directed by James Gunn about to take off, Tales From My Spinner Rack! Episode 19 takes a loving look back at ten of my favorite Superman artists, influential creators who defined the look of the Man of Steel in his comic book adventures from 1938 through 2000, in... Continue Reading →
“WONDER TOT SAVE YOU! The Impossible Tale of the Wonder Woman Family” is episode 18 of Tales From My Spinner Rack! with a look back at that wonder of a woman, Wonder Woman, and her 1960s run of comics featuring her “Family:” Wonder Queen, Wonder Girl, and the Amazing Amazon toddler known as Wonder Tot!... Continue Reading →
Watch the Season 14 premiere of SDConCast, the official podcast of the San Diego Comic-Con Unofficial Blog, kicking off this season with its annual tradition featured special guest, moderator extraordinaire and writer, Mark Evanier (newsfromme.com). But there’s a twist! Also joining iwas returning guest Gary Sassaman (that's me!), former director of multiple departments at Comic-Con... Continue Reading →
IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME! In 1961, the company that would become known as Marvel Comics had a reduced outcome of just eight or so comics per month, due to an onerous distribution deal with their main competitor, National Periodical Publications, better known as DC Comics. Publisher Martin Goodman and editor Stan Lee published a steady diet... Continue Reading →
IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME! Join me at WonderCon at the Anaheim Convention Center, March 28-30 for Tales From My Spinner Rack LIVE! featuring the world premiere of my latest episode titled, “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine!” on Saturday, March 29 at 3:00 PM in Room 209. Take a nostalgic look back at Stan Lee and Jack... Continue Reading →
Tales From My Spinner Rack! returns with Episode 16, a special Valentine’s Day video featuring a look back at Marvel’s Romance titles from the late 1960s, titled “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” At the end of the Silver Age, Marvel had a brand new distributor who didn’t care how many books it put... Continue Reading →
Here's a sneak peek at the new Tales From My Spinner Rack! special Valentine’s Day episode featuring a look back at Marvel’s Romance titles from the late 1960s, titled “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” At the end of the Silver Age, Marvel had a brand new distributor who didn’t care how many books... Continue Reading →
Tales From My Spinner Rack! returns from its long winter nap with an in-depth look at the third season of videos coming in 2025 on YouTube. Gary Sassaman, former director of programming and publications for Comic-Con International San Diego, previews ten new episodes set to premiere in the coming year, including a special focus on... Continue Reading →
Friends, we have reached the promised land. With my latest Tales From My Spinner Rack! video on YouTube (click here to view it), we've reached over 1,000 subscribers . Thanks to everyone who helped me get to this (admittedly minor) milestone, but it was something I never even considered when I started my channel a... Continue Reading →
Tales From My Spinner Rack! Episode 15 takes a tour of my very own spinner rack, with stops along the way to examine some of my favorite covers. From Superman to Adam Strange, from the Demon to Captain America, from the Incredible Hulk to (Choke! Sob!) My Love Story Queen Size Special, and with special... Continue Reading →
Tales From My Spinner Rack! Episode 14 is now available for your viewing pleasure! This all-new video takes us back 61 years to 1963 and Marvel’s very first war comic: Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created Fury and his team in the second year of the “Marvel Age of... Continue Reading →
Apologies for the clickbait headline … it’s nothing life-threatening or urgent. Just a personal favor, please. For the past year, I’ve been creating videos on my YouTube channel @ TalesFromMySpinnerRack. They’re based on my nostalgia for the old comic books I grew up loving in the 1960s and ‘70s. To-date, I’ve done 13 videos (#14... Continue Reading →
Tales From My Spinner Rack! Episode 13 is now available for your viewing pleasure! This all-new video takes us back almost 60 years to three brand new #1 comic books that appeared on my small town newsstand in the summers of 1965 and 1966. In 1965, THUNDER Agents #1 blew me away with its stellar... Continue Reading →
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