BRUCE HAMILTON ON FANTASIC FEARS #5 OVERSTREET'S COMIC MONTHLY #6, Oct '93; pg. 132, 4 - LETTERS PAGE.
BRUCE HAMILTON COMMENTS
I'm glad to see your new publication, Overstreet's Advanced Collector,
if for no reason other than to see something besides 'hot' new artists
on the cover! I consider it a privilege that Gladstone had a color
ad in the premiere issue. My only reservations about it
has nothing to do with its contents, but rather the title itself. 'The
Advanced Collector' of what? Won't some casual browsers in comics
shops wonder? Or perhaps even pass it by not bothering to wonder? My
only concern - as I know you guys know - is that it be a success...and that's
why I pose the question.
My first comment on the contents of issue #1 is directed toward Louis
Farro's fine article and documentation on Steve Ditko. I would have liked
it better if he'd not ignored the Miscellaneous Genre group of Ditko's comics,
and I say that not just because I wrote "Stretching Things" from Fantastic Fears
#5. I believe much of this is worth examining.
As to the story ''Stretching Things'', it has been documented in Bob's Annual
Price Guide as being Ditko's first story for fifteen years. Now I see it's been
relegated to 'third' in the price update section, which brings up an interesting
situation. What qualifies as 'first'? What was done first or what appeared
first?
I'm reminded of the classic debate at Disney concerning Mickey Mouse's
first appearance. The company has relentlessly promoted 'Steamboat Willie'
because it was the first show on the nation's movie screens. But all collectors
know - and Disney has been quick to acknowledge - that Walt and company
produced 'Plane Crazy' first, 'Gallopin' Goucho' second and while doing
their third - 'Steamboat Willie' - they decided to upgrade it to include synchronized sound...
and that's the reason it was released first. But you can't change history :
'Plane Crazy' was the first thing ever done, ever drawn, and ever produced
starring Mickey Mouse.
We have the same situation here with Ditko. Steve was quoted in an interview
in the 1970's as saying that 'Stretching Things' was the first professional
comic book work he'd ever done. In fact, I exchanged letters with Ditko about the same
time, telling him I'd been the one who'd written his first story. He replied,
saying that he'd always wondered who'd written that.
Here's the story. ''Stretching Things'' was written and illustrated very early in
1953 and was not done for Farrell, but instead was sold to Stanmore, who had a stable
of second grade titles, such as Mr. Mystery and others. I was paid $4 a page
for scripting ''Stretching Things'' and Ditko was paid $10 a page for his pencils and inks.
No one in the industry at that time paid less. Atlas commonly paid their
artists $45, for comparison.
When Stanmore got a story that was cut above the standards they were willing
to publish, they'd peddle it to some other house for a profit, and Farrell
was one. That's why nine or ten months went by before it finally hit
the stands. I had two or three stories that happened to me and I almost
missed seeing them in print. I had to scour the newsstands two or three times
a week and go through all the horror titles to make sure something didn't slip by.
Normally Overstreet's position in 'firsts' has to be the publication
date, because he has no other information to use as a guide. But it seems
to me the guide should reflect what is to the collector's best interest, as
you can't rewrite history. Black Magic #27 should be identified as 'first published Ditko
story,' and cross-referenced to Fantastic Fears #5. The latter should be documented
as 'first comic story, published second' or something like that and cross-referenced
back to BM.
Somehow the update section has tabbed 'Stretching Things' as the third.
I can only assume that Black Magic #28 must be the 'second' by the update's
reckoning, but the logic escapes me if that's the case. BM #28 and Fantastic Fears
#5 were both Jan-Feb, 1954, were they not?
When I mentioned 'Stretching Things' as having been done very early '53, I'm
giving the conclusion the latest benefit of doubt. I wrote the story either just
before or just after the Christmas 1952 holidays, as I was living in Manhattan
during the school year terms and vacation at home in Texas. Stanmore would have
then immediately have turned the story over to the artist to draw. It's highly unlikely
it was finished any later than February, 1954.
Again, the best of success with your 'Advanced' Collector!!!!!!!