Ted Newsom
Screenwriter, Freelance
Working on: Directing *Metamorph*; previously wrote unproduced *Spider-Man*, *Sub-Mariner*, *Sgt. Fury* scripts
Newsom recounts his work co-writing an unproduced Spider-Man screenplay for Cannon Films in the mid-1980s with partner John Brancato, detailing their Spidey-vs.-Doc-Ock story rooted in Stan Lee's outline. He traces the project's collapse through a succession of rewrites (including a disastrous pass by Menahem Golan), corporate upheaval at Cannon, the diversion of resources to Superman IV and Masters of the Universe, and the rights eventually landing with Golan's 21st Century Films. He also discusses his unproduced Sub-Mariner script for New World Pictures and his current low-budget filmmaking work.
Erik Larsen
Penciller, Marvel
Working on: *The Amazing Spider-Man*
Larsen discusses the challenge of succeeding fan-favorite Todd McFarlane on The Amazing Spider-Man, deliberately easing readers into his own style rather than making a jarring break. He traces his career from self-published fanzines through his Marvel debut in Marvel Fanfare and his critically panned run on Doom Patrol, and addresses the influence of Kirby, Kane, and Simonson on his art, his frustrations with continuity-obsessed editors, and his dream project: a new Nova series.
John Prentice
Artist, King Features Syndicate
Working on: *Rip Kirby* newspaper strip
Prentice recalls his career from wartime Navy service and art school on the GI Bill, through early comic-book work for Simon & Kirby and DC, to his unlikely succession of Alex Raymond on Rip Kirby after Raymond's fatal car crash in 1956. He describes working only fifteen days ahead of deadline at the start, the syndicate's desire for seamless visual continuity with Raymond's style, and collaborations with assistants Al Williamson, Al McWilliams, Gray Morrow, and George Evans.
Stan Lee
Publisher / Writer, Marvel
Working on: Overseeing Marvel film/TV projects; *Marvel Masterworks*
Lee critiques the Hulk TV movies and discusses the Captain America film then in post-production, noting script quality compromised by over-cutting. He reflects on reviving Captain America in the 1960s as a "man out of time," explains how the interconnected Marvel Universe grew organically from his need to cross-pollinate titles he was writing alone, and comments on Steve Ditko's genius, the Marvel Masterworks hardcover line, and the enduring role of comic books in encouraging young readers.
A one-page feature presenting a scene by Todd McFarlane cut from Spider-Man #1 that did not appear in the published comic.
A lighthearted interview with an Atlanta health-food store clerk who discusses her favorites (*Nexus*, Badger, Grendel, Miracleman), convention costuming, opinions on DC crossovers, and the Dark Knight Returns.
Reflects on Spider-Man's unlikely rise to Marvel's flagship character, notes the record-breaking launch of Todd McFarlane's new Spider-Man title, and introduces the issue's Spider-Man theme.
A reader letter from New Zealand detailing Customs seizures and Indecent Publications Tribunal rulings against several adult comics and graphic novels (including Milo Manara, Robert Crumb, Omaha the Cat Dancer, Cry for Dawn, and Faust), with the full text of the Tribunal's December 1989 decision appended.