Redartz: Good day, everyone! To help us face this Monday, we are taking a funny break today, and looking at a classic bit of Marvel satire. Between 1967 and 1969, Marvel produced Not Brand Echh. And yes, I know that doesn't fall in the parameters of our Bronze Age, but some of those stories found print during our focus years. Actually, Marvel had a brief series called Crazy that reprinted issues of "Brechh" (as it is fondly known) in the early 70's. Here we have the original cover as presented in Not Brand Echh 6 from 1967, and on the right the reprint in Crazy 2 from 1973. By the way, this series of Crazy predated the magazine version of the same name, by four months.
The stories and art were provided by some of Marvel's big guns: Kirby, Tom Sutton, Gene Colan, John and Marie Severin. Later issues featured work by John Verpoorten, Jim Mooney, and Frank Springer, among others. Issue Most of the covers were the work of Marie Severin, who really shows her vast artistic skills over the course of this series.
"Brechh" largely featured parodies of Marvel's own superhero stable, while also poking frequent fun at the Distinguished Competition. Here, a certain Darknight Detective and a Son of Krypton get the treatment...
Occasionally, still other companies' properties were 'seen', including Archie, Tower Comics and Gold Key (Archie, THUNDER Agents and Magnus, Robot Fighter, to be specific). And later issues, released in the giant 25cent size, also contained Mad Magazine-style film and television pastiches. Frankenstein, Bonnie and Clyde, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner could be found in the satirical klieg lights of Not Brand Echh.
This title has a special place in my heart, as one of the earliest comics I ever bought as a boy was Not Brand Echh #5. I didn't understand all the references, but I loved the book. Jokes, both verbal and pictorial, abounded. The Origin of Forbush-Man was hilarious, and the Thung/Bulk battle featured swipes from and nods to several classic Thing/Hulk meetings. And note the wonderful details inserted within the panels.
Not Brand Echh certainly owed a debt to Mad Magazine, and to the other similar publications of the day. Yet Brechh had a special look and feel, due to the presence of the Marvel Bullpen. Writers including Stan Lee, Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich gave us some witty, pun-filled features, and we saw that Marvel was quite capable of laughing at itself. The whole book sometimes felt like an extension of the Marvel Bullpen Bulletins, with all the self-referential comedy. At any rate, Not Brand Echh was a special, humorous highlight of Marvel's Silver Age. Aside from the stories that appeared in Crazy, some stories have been reprinted in various 'Omnibus' editions. And for all the entertainment they contain, even today the back issues are a bargain. In closing, we present a few more covers and a few more samples...enjoy...
12 comments:
Thanks Red, a great read.
Not Brand Ecch is Exhibit A in the case against modern portrayals of the Bullpen as being at best, non-existent, and at worst, joyless and backbiting.
These people were having fun!
I always loved satire comics and I used regularly read magazines like Mad, Cracked, and Crazy, but I never read NBEcch. For some reason I just never really noticed it back in the day. However, I do have a friend whosold a story to Marvel that was published in NBEcch. I can't remember exactly what it was though. I think I may have the comic somewhere. I'll have to try to dig it out if I can find it.
Great job partner. Brechh always seemed so cool to me as a kid. I liked that they poked fun at themselves, and the art for this type of thing was really quite good and elaborate. I especially enjoy Marie Severin's versatility in style. And I agree with Colin - it had to be fun.
In looking at the Brechh and Crazy covers, I find it odd that they redrew Spidey in a more traditional and on-model style for Crazy. They left all the other characters alone so I wonder what the reasoning was.
One of the biggest 'yet-to-be-collected' title yet for me..., was never a Hembeck fan, so preferring these Silver Age gems.
Like Colin said, these folks were having fun..!!
BTW, finally won the Flash 135 last night, a Fine+ copy of Wally West's costume change. Paid a bit more than my typical limit, but YAY, another collection cornerstone off my list.. :)
Thanks for the comments, guys!
Colin- You are right, these people must have been having a blast with this book. And after all, the ability to laugh at yourself is a sign of good mental balance, is it not?
Marti- wow, sharp eyes there! Hadn't noticed the change in Spidey's figure. Looks like maybe some Romita changes?
David_b- congrats on that Flash pickup. Nice book!
The title was incomprehensible to me as a kid. Never could figure it out. I did buy #1 2 years ago for like &2, but now the market seems hot.-
Hey! If anyone is still there... on the cover to # 11 in the bottom right corner is a german pilot in his red biplane saying "very interesting."
Do you suppose this is a play on the Smothers Brothers show where that german dude would say "Very innnnteresting. But Shhhtupid!!!"
Charlie- I believe it is Arte Johnson, who had such a character on "Laugh-In". And yes, the punchline was " Verrrry Innnnnteresting...". Loved that show, although my parents frowned on it...
Hiya,
One of my absolute favorites of all time. I always had the feeling that this was the title that the writers and artists could just let their hair down, a must in the Sixties, and let go with what they were really thinking about these characters and their respective worlds.
A great delight was to see what all those supposedly 'serious' professional artists could do in this humorous format. Colan, Severin, but especially Kirby just nailed it.
Hey Charlie Horse 47 . . . I do get the part about this being incomprehensible to you when it came out. I met the X-Men in this title long before actually reading one of their books. But I was always confused regarding Mad magazine as I never ever got the chance to see any of the movies that they satirized before reading the take off.
Still thought it was funny, though.
I did manage to score almost all of these books, or at least pick up the material when it was republished under different titles. A great source of joy and inspiration to me.
Seeya
pfgavigan
Red - You are spot on! "Laugh In" was the show! Sock it to me baby!!!
If you aren't familiar with the shtick, check out the link or just google "Very interesting but stupid." It's rather interesting... but...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qf6Sv3A9zs
Oh boy do I love this title! Although I'm missing the much-loved Frankenstein & BonnieandClyde issues still.
A few years ago when I was still buying back issues with some regularity, I came across several issues of the Mile High Comics sight in Fair-minus condition for almost nothing-- and snatched 'em up. And, as is often the case w/ Mile High, even though their "regular" prices can often match their name, they really did tend to 'way under-grade their books, IMO. These were first-rate reading copies-- one of my best purchases ever.
I do still remember reading an issue on the bus in-- maybe 3rd grade?-- w/ a buddy of mine. Whichever one had Reed & Doom arguing face-to-face, mouths expanding grotesquely. Images are burned forever into my little brain!
And for me, Sgt Fury & the Howling Commandos were a book that must have been based on the spoof that I read in THIS book first--!
Oh, such a great memory for us oldsters who did have a chance to wade through the Silver Age our own selves--
HB
In case anyone is unaware, the complete run of NBE is available as a hardcover, full-colour Marvel Masterworks edition ...!!! Mine is mere inches from where I sit right now.
Brecch captures the swinging '60s pop-culture zeitgeist better than any other comic from the time.
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