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“2-ply facial quality tissue 325 sheets -- 4.5 X 4.0 in. 40.65 sq. ft.”

Spider-Man web-swings across the city

the “gamma generator”

the Leader

a familiar hulking figure

Spidey does see the big-domed villain

Editor/writer James “Jim” Alexander Salicrup began working at Marvel Comics as a paid intern at the tender age of fifteen. Working his way up through the ranks over twenty years, Jim became an editor there, overseeing such top Marvel titles as FANTASTIC FOUR, SPIDER-MAN, THE UNCANNY X-MEN, THE AVENGERS and MARVEL AGE MAGAZINE. Jim also wrote scripts for TRANSORMERS, SLEDGE HAMMER, THE A-TEAM, SPIDEY SUPER STORIES and a special SPIDER-MAN giveaway comic book about child abuse, among others. He followed his work at Marvel by becoming Editor-In-Chief and Associate Publisher of Topps Comics, which produced such titles as THE X-FILES, JURASSIC PARK, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, MARS ATTACKS!, RAY BRADBURY COMICS, THE LONE RANGER AND TONTO, LADY RAWHIDE and ZORRO, as well as a line of comics based on concepts created by the late Jack Kirby. Next, Stan Lee offered Jim the position of Senior Writer/Editor at his new (and unfortunately short-lived) online company, Stan Lee Media, where he also performed the voice of “Stan Lee’s Evil Clone”. Jim currently lives and works in New York City as the Editor-in-Chief at Papercutz, publishers of new NANCY DREW, THE HARDY BOYS, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED, BIONICLE, TOTALLY SPIES! and ZORRO graphic novels. Jim is also a trustee at the Museum Of Comic And Cartoon Art (or MoCCA) and writes "Addicted to Comics" and a blog at MySpace.

Cartoonist Marie Severin was born on August 21, 1929 in Oceanside, New York. Growing up in an artistic household -- Marie’s WWI vet father was a fashion designer and her older brother John also became a cartoonist -- it was probably inevitable that she would also follow a similar career path; she had even secretly aspired to be a stained glass artist. Marie was essentially home-trained. “My father taught me,” she says. “He was a really good artist. He’d trained at Pratt Institute...but my mother could draw, too.” As a teenager, Marie took "a couple of months" of cartooning and illustration classes at the Cartoonists And Illustrators School, and attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York "for one day and said, 'This is a college', and I wanted to draw and make money". While she was working on Wall Street, her brother John -- who was freelancing for EC Comics -- convinced Marie to work for the publisher as a colorist. Her first gig in comics was to color EC Comics’ A MOON…A GIRL…ROMANCE No. 9 (October, 1949), but by 1951 she was working on staff at EC, coloring and doing production work on most of their titles. (Exercising her own good taste in service to the controversial publisher, Marie was known for toning down any particularly gory or violent panel by coloring the entire image a deep blue!) On her stint at EC, Marie has said, “I worked closely with Harvey Kurtzman and my brother. For a long time, I was really Kurtzman’s girl Friday...I picked up his pacing of humor.” After EC ceased publication of their line of color comics in 1954, Marie briefly worked as a colorist for Atlas Comics, edited by Stan Lee. But in 1957, after a slump in the comic book business, Marie took a staff job with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, for which she “did a little bit of everything for them — I did television graphics on economics [and] I did a lot of drawing. I did a[n educational] comic book [THE STORY OF CHECKS] that my brother did the finished art on ... about checks". In 1959, in addition to coloring two years’ worth of Columbia Features’ BAT MASTERSON syndicated Sunday newspaper comic strips, Marie returned to work for editor Stan Lee at what was now called Marvel Comics. Originally hired for her skills at coloring and production, nearly a decade later, a freelance illustration gig for ESQUIRE magazine impressed her boss so much that she was assigned to draw the Steve Ditko-created “Doctor Strange” feature in STRANGE TALES. This led to penciling and inking other Marvel series. Initially, these included “The Incredible Hulk” and “Prince Namor, The Sub-Mariner” in TALES TO ASTONISH, but it was Marvel’s parody comic, NOT BRAND ECHH on which she quickly established herself as one of the finest humor artists ever to work in the funnybook field. Another impressive job from Marie was KING KULL, AKA KULL, (first appearing as the lead feature of CREATURES ON THE LOOSE), a barbarian hero created by “Conan The Barbarian’s” Robert E, Howard; her brother, John Severin, exquisitely inked his little sister’s pencils on this series, one of the few instances in which they’ve worked together as an art team. Marie’s prodigious body of work -- which includes hundreds of cover-designs -- for Marvel includes: THE ADVENTURES OF KOOL-AID MAN; THE A-TEAM; ALF; APACHE KID; “The Beast” in AMAZING ADVENTURES; BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT COMIC BOOK; CAPTAIN AMERICA; CAPTAIN BRITAIN, THE CAT; CONAN THE BARBARIAN; CRYSTAR (Marvel Books), DAMAGE CONTROL; DAREDEVIL; DOOM 2099; DROIDS; EWOKS; FALLEN ANGELS; FANTASTIC FOUR; FRAGGLE ROCK; FRANCIS, BROTHER OF THE UNIVERSE; G.I. JOE; GIANT-SIZE CHILLERS; HOWARD THE DUCK; IRON MAN; JIM HENSON’S MUPPET BABIES; KA-ZAR; LUKE CAGE AND IRON FIST; LUKE CAGE, POWER MAN; MARVEL TEAM-UP (notably on an issue that teamed Spider-Man with SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE’s original “Not Ready For Prime Time Players”); MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE (teaming the Thing and Thor); MARVEL UNIVERSE; MIGHTY MOUSE; PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN; PLANET OF THE APES; PSI-FORCE; RED SONJA; SMURFS; SPOOF; THUNDERCATS; UNCANNY TALES; WEIRDWORLD; WHAT IF?; and CRAZY magazine. From 1965 to 1968, she also worked on staff as a production artist, an art director and a color director. In the 1980s, Marie was assigned to Marvel's “Special Projects” division, working with Sol Brodsky and John Romita, Sr. on non-comic book licensing such as toy maquettes, film and television tie-ins, and the short-lived children's book imprint, Marvel Books. Marie has also done work for Archie Comics, Claypool Comics, DC Comics, DYNAMITE magazine, EC LIVES (fanzine), Fantagraphics Books (re-coloring material for B. KRIGSTEIN), Filmfax (educational filmstrips), the short-lived FUNNY PAPERS tabloid, Gamemaster, Last Gasp Comics (STRIP AIDS, USA), MARVELMANIA magazine, Pyramid Books (FICTION ILLUSTRATED) and Russ Cochran. In 1972, 1974 and 1975, Marie received the “Shazam Award” for “Best Penciler” (Humor Division); in 1975, she was also nominated for both “Best Inker” (Humor Division) and “Best Colorist”. In 1988, Marie was the recipient of the San Diego Comic-Con’s “Inkpot Award”. Marie was inducted into the Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame in 2001 and retired sometime afterward, but continued to work on the occasional freelance job or art commission. On October 11, 2007, Marie Severin suffered a stroke, and was taken to Huntington Hospital in Huntington, New York, on Long Island, to recover and recuperate. Stan Lee has said, "Calling Marie the best woman artist in the business is an injustice. Marie was one of the best artists in the business, period", and editor/writer Roy Thomas states, "Marie Severin is a triple threat. She can color, she can draw superheroes, and she's all but incomparable at humor. She is, quite possibly, one of the most underrated people in the history of comics." (Not to mention being the all-time finest illustrator of comic book-themed toilet paper!)

“The Amazing Spider-Man & The Incredible Hulk” in “The Gamma Gambit!” is a six-page comic book story written by Jim Salicrup and Michael Higgins and was drawn by Marie Severin; it’s printed in blue ink on approximately 27 perforated inches of “2-ply facial quality tissue 325 sheets -- 4.5 X 4.0 in. 40.65 sq. ft.” This “original story!” begins as Spider-Man, in his civilian identity of Peter Parker, changes into his web-covered superhero costume and leaps out of the window:

PETER (SPIDER-MAN) PARKER:
Mid-day in the Manhattan apartment of science student Peter Parker…and mid-crisis! Empire State University is unveiling its own on-campus POWER PLANT! I’m doing a PAPER on it for my physics class --

SPIDER-MAN:
-- And I can’t afford to MISS it!

Everybody’s favorite friendly neighborhood Spider-Man web-swings across the city:

SPIDER-MAN (thinking):
So I’ll get there fast -- SPIDEY STYLE!

Meanwhile, at a nearby bus station, Bruce (The Hulk) Banner arrives in New York City:

BRUCE (THE HULK) BANNER (thinking):
BLAST IT! The bus was LATE! I’ve got to hurry…if I’m going to get to the ENERGY EXHIBITION on time! The new process they’re using to generate GAMMA POWER could just be the key to CURE me of my terrible curse…THE INCREDIBLE HULK!

Soon, at Empire State University, both Peter Parker (back to wearing his civvies) and Bruce Banner attend the demonstration of the “gamma generator”:

SCIENTIST:
The POWER PLANT is now in operation! Observe the incredible output of energy!

BRUCE (THE HULK) BANNER (thinking):
This could be it! At last! This could be -- THE CURE!

PETER (SPIDER-MAN) PARKER:
My SPIDER-SENSE is tingling, but WHY?

Suddenly, operating a gigantic robot, the Hulk’s old foe, the Leader, comes crashing through the wall:

THE LEADER (broadcast):
Make way for my MECHANOID! With the MIND of the Leader -- and the NIGHT of the Mechanoid -- I’ll make all Manhattan mine! I need only ONE THING more -- a high intensity energy source for my bionic EXO-SKELETON! And that’s exactly what this newly-developed POWER PLANT shall provide!

Operating its controls, the Leader guides the Mechanoid to pluck the scientific demonstration’s “gamma generator” from its housing:

THE LEADER (broadcast):
While you fools were designing a dynamic new GAMMA GENERATOR, I was guiding this MECHANOID -- a massive micro-circuited robot designed to use your gamma plant in the same way a toy robot uses a BATTERY! The major DIFFERENCE is -- my Mechanoid is far more DEADLY! To prove my point, I’ll pick a VICTIM at random!

Not realizing who the student next to him is, Bruce selflessly pushes Peter out of the way of the Leader’s weapon-fire:

BRUCE (THE HULK) BANNER:
The Leader’s going to let that guy have it -- with a GAMMA RAY BLAST!

BRUCE (THE HULK) BANNER (thinking):
I’ve got to SAVE him -- take the BRUNT of the blast myself -- even if it means I risk HULKING OUT!

Witnessing Bruce’s brave act to spare Peter through the view port of his Mechanoid, the big-headed Leader is not impressed:

THE LEADER (broadcast):
That FOOL! He leaped into my line of fire -- as I he thought he could survive being struck with a GAMMA BLAST! No one could LIVE through that!

As the smoke-clouds created by the blast begin to clear, we see a familiar hulking figure approach us:

THE HULK:
NO ONE? No one -- except -- THE HULK! And now -- the Hulk will SMASH!

And with that, the incredible Hulk punches the Mechanoid, rocking it on its metal feet:

SFX:
DAK-KOOM!

NARRATIVE CAPTION:
Alas, with but one unthinking action, the mighty man-brute unwittingly destroys the gamma generator -- and with all of his alter ego’s chances for a cure!

Meanwhile, hidden from view within the roiling smoke, Peter Parker changes into his Spider-Man costume:

PETER (SPIDER-MAN) PARKER:
I’ve got to change into SPIDER-MAN -- and lend the Hulk a HELPING HAND against the Leader! Hang tight, Hulk! Maybe together we can trip him up -- as a team!

THE HULK:
BAH! The Hulk does not need BUG-MAN’S help! Hulk will keep POUNDING -- until big METAL MAN flies apart!

SPIDER-MAN:
He’s going all to PIECES over you, Hulk!

NARRATIVE CAPTION:
Unfortunately, the battling behemoth fails to notice that one of those pieces is the ESCAPE POD of the Leader --

Fortunately, Spidey does see the big-domed villain try to get away -- and stops him:

SPIDER-MAN:
Hope you don’t mind my saying so, Leader -- your plan seems to be FALLING APART!

THE LEADER:
STAY AWAY from me, Spider-Man! Let none DARE lay hands on the Leader!

SPIDER-MAN:
OBOY! You asked for this one! No hands, big brain? Then how about wads of webbing?!

Later, apparently after turning the Leader over to the proper authorities, the wall-crawler makes a futile attempt at befriending the Hulk:

SPIDER-MAN:
We make quite a TEAM, huh, Hulk?

THE HULK:
BUG OFF, Bug-Man! Hulk has NO friends -- and wherever the Hulk goes -- he goes ALONE!

SPIDER-MAN:
Sheesh! You’d think I have BAD BREATH!

And with that, the Hulk leaps into the sky, his leg muscles carrying him out of town and into the distance:

SPIDER-MAN:
That guy -- the one who pushed me out of the way -- was really the Hulk! I didn’t get a chance to see him clearly -- but WHOEVER he is, he was willing to risk his life for STRANGER! That means no MATTER what people say about the Hulk, he’s NOT just a mindless menace! He may be the most MISUNDERSTOOD man-monster on Earth!

ODDBALL FACTOID – Cartoonist “Mirthful” Marie Severin was also the artist on most of the tiny “Marvel Mini-Books” gum-machine prizes produced during the mid-1960s!

Bonus ODDBALL FACTOID – Marie’s big brother, John P. Severin, is also a highly respected cartoonist who has worked extensively for EC, Marvel, DC and CRACKED magazine!

New Next Week: ODDBALL COMIC #1,238 -- MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2008 -- Back off, James Bond! Drop out, Napoleon Solo! Take a hike, Derek Flint! It’s “A.R.C.H.I.E.” as “The Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.” and “B.E.T.T.Y.” as “The Girl From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.” in an issue of LIFE WITH ARCHIE, an undeniably ODDBALL COMIC that’s guaranteed to bring out the secret agent in you! Plus, pucker up for some face-time with The Whistler, one of the daffiest-looking supervillains of all time!

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