Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe (One Shot)

 

Comic: Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe

Where Purchased: JAF Comics in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

When Purchased: June 20, 2024

When Read: November 17, 2024

When I first started collecting comics, Fred Hembeck was the guy who drew a little 3-panel comic strip that appeared in DC comic books. Usually funny, always irreverent.

Along with the "Ask The Answer Man!" column on those Daily Planet promotional pages, Hembeck helped me deepen my understanding of the history that came before.

He also featured prominently in the Marvel Age publication, contributing a 2-page humor strip for most of the comics run.

I also own a few of the black and white magazine-sized format books that FantaCo published back in the day (a rare exploration of something non-Marvel or non-DC for me back then) and I love love LOVE the Fantastic Four Roast that he wrote and laid out the artwork for from Marvel to commemorate the FF's 20th anniversary. 

It features one of the first wraparound covers I had ever seen. 

I always felt he rather cleverly recounted the FF's origin... 

One of my favorite sequences from the story is the X-Men page.

So when I came across "Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe" I had to pick it up.  I am glad I did as it is a hoot.  While not for everyone, this is a fun flashback to the early days of collecting for me.

I snagged this during a work trip in Pennsylvania this past summer.  All in all, I think we've made four or five trips that had us driving across most of the state in the last two years.  There are only a few spots where there are any comic shops worth popping into.  Mostly we have hit antique stores.

I visited JAF Comics in Bethlehem, PA this time.  It was a little out of our way but Nan was determined I would find some comics on this particular trip.  It was worth the stop, as I found this book as well as two decently priced, gap-filling issues of Super- Villain Team up and an issue of Captain America.