The Letters Pages
#1
DVD Talk Special Edition
Thread Starter
The Letters Pages
Has anyone written into a comic as a kid (or adult) and had their letter printed in the Letters page?
Also, Obi-Wan Jabroni's post in another thread reminded me, anyone ever win a Marvel No-Prize?
For myself, I recall writing into GI Joe's 'The Pit' a few times, but none of those made it into print.
I did have a letter printed in a Batman Adventures comic when I was trying to win an art page that they would give out. Whenever I find that comic, I usually buy it for the nostalgia and because it was such a dumb letter, looking back at it.
Also, Obi-Wan Jabroni's post in another thread reminded me, anyone ever win a Marvel No-Prize?
For myself, I recall writing into GI Joe's 'The Pit' a few times, but none of those made it into print.
I did have a letter printed in a Batman Adventures comic when I was trying to win an art page that they would give out. Whenever I find that comic, I usually buy it for the nostalgia and because it was such a dumb letter, looking back at it.
#2
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Re: The Letters Pages
I have vague memories of writing letters to Micronauts, and a probably created memory of being printed, but I wouldn't swear to either.
I tend to put them off for later reading that I never get around to, but there are still some great letter pages out there.
I tend to put them off for later reading that I never get around to, but there are still some great letter pages out there.
#3
Re: The Letters Pages
Never wrote any letters but I liked reading them. I remember reading letters from readers who eventually became comic book writers for both DC and Marvel.
#4
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Re: The Letters Pages
I wrote a couple but never got published.
But thinking back on it, they probably sounded like they were written by a 10-year-old, which they were.
But thinking back on it, they probably sounded like they were written by a 10-year-old, which they were.
#5
Re: The Letters Pages
Yeah, I always wanted to send out a letter but never did. However, I read all the Adventure Comics that starred LSH and I'm almost sure a lot of the letters where written by 12-15 year old kids. I bought them all in the mid-70's after I started to read their run in Superboy.
#6
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Re: The Letters Pages
Yeah, I always wanted to send out a letter but never did. However, I read all the Adventure Comics that starred LSH and I'm almost sure a lot of the letters where written by 12-15 year old kids. I bought them all in the mid-70's after I started to read their run in Superboy.
#7
DVD Talk Hero
Re: The Letters Pages
I was reading through some old comics and did a double-take when I saw a letter from George R. R. Martin.
I have one letter printed in a comic. It's a Vertigo title, and that's all I'll say.
#8
Re: The Letters Pages
I recently saw a clip on tv or online; I wish I could remember what it was but it was mentioned he used to write letters and was published. I'm thinking it mentioned it was a DC book.
#9
Re: The Letters Pages
Speaking of the stories written in general for LSH; they were pretty ahead of it's time. Sort of like Star Trek in the sense that men and women were equals. In this case boys and girls. A lot of girls also wrote letters to comment on the stories.
#10
DVD Talk Special Edition
Thread Starter
Re: The Letters Pages
Never really thought about it, but I suppose it was the message board of the day. Unfortunately, you'd have to wait 4-6 months to see how everyone else thought about a story.
#14
Re: The Letters Pages
I recall reading letters from writers Martin Pasko (Wonder Woman) and Cary Bates (Flash). I think Pasko also worked on Mask of the Phantasm.
#15
Senior Member
Re: The Letters Pages
I have had a few letters published in Savage Dragon.
#16
Re: The Letters Pages
I had letters published back in the eighties. Some of them were pretty dire. I have a great fear that I'll accidentally come across some of them if I'm reading an omnibus which includes letters pages.
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John Pannozzi (05-19-22)
#18
DVD Talk Hero
Re: The Letters Pages
Here's Busiek's letter published in Byrne's last issue of Uncanny, where he all but roasts Claremont:
https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/...m2&sh=5d8c466f
As far as the Legion and 13 year old Jim Shooter, I always thought Shooter's old blog was a great look into the past, from his perspective
http://jimshooter.com/2011/03/i-aime...han-wors.html/
One of my favorite books is the collection of Legion Outpost fanzines and articles that Twomorrows curated.
#19
DVD Talk Hero
Re: The Letters Pages
Here's Busiek's letter published in Byrne's last issue of Uncanny, where he all but roasts Claremont:
https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/...m2&sh=5d8c466f
https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/...m2&sh=5d8c466f
Interesting bit of trivia, but Kurt Busiek is also the person who came up with the trapdoor to get Jean back.
http://www.cbr.com/comic-book-urban-...s-revealed-29/
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John Pannozzi (05-19-22)
#20
Re: The Letters Pages
I had a letter published in "Tomb of Dracula" #18, -I was buying my comics off a local spinner rack at the drugstore and I had a few continuity questions resulting from issues I had missed. Very vanilla. However, after it was published I got a call from an older (30ish, I guess) African American woman who lived in an adjacent city and was a Peter Cushing super-fan. I was a teen-ager on the only phone (in the kitchen) with my parents circling around (after I was on the phone for a while, they'd start making (phony) noises about having to make a call).
A year or two later I get a letter from The Phillipines from some young girl who also saw my letter in TOD and decided to write to me as a pen pal. We exchanged a few letters then she sent me a picture of herself and asked for one in return from me. I got my mother to take a Polaroid (which made her very suspicious) and sent it to the girl. She sent a letter in reply that said she thought I was Black, and that's why she wrote to me originally. I never heard from her again.
A year or two later I get a letter from The Phillipines from some young girl who also saw my letter in TOD and decided to write to me as a pen pal. We exchanged a few letters then she sent me a picture of herself and asked for one in return from me. I got my mother to take a Polaroid (which made her very suspicious) and sent it to the girl. She sent a letter in reply that said she thought I was Black, and that's why she wrote to me originally. I never heard from her again.
#21
DVD Talk Hero
Re: The Letters Pages
I like Kurt, but he comes off like a butthurt fanboy in that letter.
Interesting bit of trivia, but Kurt Busiek is also the person who came up with the trapdoor to get Jean back.
http://www.cbr.com/comic-book-urban-...s-revealed-29/
Interesting bit of trivia, but Kurt Busiek is also the person who came up with the trapdoor to get Jean back.
http://www.cbr.com/comic-book-urban-...s-revealed-29/
Yup, Busiek came up with the Jean resurrection concept when he originally heard Shooter would only accept her return if the story blew him away. It's really cool how the story percolated through various writers just from him staying over at Stern's house and chatting.
Of course, the snark in me would say that bringing Jean back was entirely unnecessary and caused a whole bunch of other issues with comic book resurrection and in particular recycling the same Jean concept over and over and over. It's one of the issues with work for hire, fanboy creators will always find a way to bring their favorites back and relive the era that they were a fan of. On the other hand, some creators use well established characters as fodder. That wasn't the case here, but I could see Busiek, not pleased with the direction the Dark Phoenix saga did to "his" X-men, wanting to reverse some of the changes and bring Jean back.
edited to add: well, I guess Busiek was not exactly a kid, he was 20 when he wrote that letter.
Last edited by fujishig; 08-09-17 at 12:16 PM.
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John Pannozzi (05-19-22)
#22
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: The Letters Pages
I got letters published 3 or 4 times, but the only ones I can recall is Savage Dragon and Green Arrow (Mike Grell era). I still remember 2 names who always appeared on the letter pages, Augie DeBlieck(?) who went on to work at CBR and Olav something from the Netherlands.
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John Pannozzi (05-19-22)
#23
DVD Talk Hero
Re: The Letters Pages
Oh, yeah, the letterhacks.
T. M. Maple
Uncle Elvis
Malcolm Bourne
Olav Beemer
Paul Dale Roberts
Tue Sorenson
Rob/Rich? Morrissey
Charles Sperling
Elizabeth Holden
Seemed like, for a while, there was an Uncle Elvis letter, usually just a couple of sentences, in every damned comic I read in the late 80s, early 90s. I remember at the time thinking it was a pseudonym that someone in the industry -- an artist, writer, or editor -- used.
I also remember an issue of Grendel where one letter column consisted of nothing but Malcolm Bourne letters.
T. M. Maple
Uncle Elvis
Malcolm Bourne
Olav Beemer
Paul Dale Roberts
Tue Sorenson
Rob/Rich? Morrissey
Charles Sperling
Elizabeth Holden
Seemed like, for a while, there was an Uncle Elvis letter, usually just a couple of sentences, in every damned comic I read in the late 80s, early 90s. I remember at the time thinking it was a pseudonym that someone in the industry -- an artist, writer, or editor -- used.
I also remember an issue of Grendel where one letter column consisted of nothing but Malcolm Bourne letters.
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Re: The Letters Pages
It never, ever occurred to me to actually write in to a comic. I just had no desire and to be honest, I probably had some doubts that they were *real* letters.
#25
DVD Talk Hero
Re: The Letters Pages
I just always assumed as a kid that tens of thousands of letters were getting sent to the bigger comics each month and having your letter printed was like hitting the lottery.
Looking back, I imagine they were likely only dealing with a couple hundred at most per month for regular issues.
Looking back, I imagine they were likely only dealing with a couple hundred at most per month for regular issues.