Women of Marvel Magazine

Ms Marvel graces the cover of the Women of Marvel magazine (Spring 2010). The issue has a mix of articles, pin ups and comic reprints that celebrates seven decades of women from Timely/Marvel Comics. The first article is titled "Witches, Widows and Warrior Women" by Robert Greenberger that is a retrospective of Marvel's females through the decades. That is followed by the first appearance of the Black Widow from Timely's Mystic Comics #4. The next article is titled "Female Creators Through the Ages" by Robert Greenberger. A Q&A with Flo Steinberg and "Bring on the Bad Girls" by Valerie D'Orazio follows.

A reprint of Tales of Suspense #52 that features the first modern appearance of Black Widow against Iron Man is included. Sarah Jaffe then interviews editor Jeanine Schaefer about Girl Comics, a new anthology title featuring tales of Marvel super heroes created entirely by women. There is even a two page preview of Girl Comics featuring Doctor Octopus grocery shopping. A reprint of Savage She-Hulk #1 follows. Will Panzo writes about "America's Next Top Mutant Model" and "X-Love". A reprint of The Uncanny X-Men #201 is next. Finally, Kiel Phegley takes a look at "The Unstoppable Spider-Girl". The last page states that Marvel will be celebrating their greatest super heroines with one-short specials that features X-23, Sif, Firestar, Dazzler, Rescue, Namora, Lady Deadpool, Spitfire and Valkyrie. There will also be variant covers by Jelena Kevic Djurdjevic that spotlights the Women of Marvel.

Cover of Women of Marvel Magazine from Marvel Comics

Page one of Black Widow story from Women of Marvel Magazine from Marvel Comics

Aiding Gene Colan

Clifford Meth has posted about an auction to help Gene Colan at his blog, Everyone's Wrong and I'm Right. The legendary comic book artist has a failing liver. He worked for Timely Comics and Atlas Comics in the Golden Age before working for DC Comics and Marvel Comics in the Silver Age. Gene Colan also did work for Archie and Dark Horse.

Goodnight, Jim Mooney

News From Me reported the death of Jim Mooney, American comic book artist, passed away on Sunday, March 30, 2008. His first job was to draw a Batman-inspired character known as The Moth for Fox Publication's Mystery Men. After freelancing for Stan Lee at Timely Comics (now Marvel Comics), he went on to draw Batman himself for DC Comics. Among his other work for DC Comics were Tommy Tomorrow, Legion of Super-Heroes, Superman and Batman team-ups in World's Finest Dial H For HERO in House of Mystery and Supergirl in Action Comics. Jim Mooney also worked with Steve Gerber on Man-Thing and Omega the Unknown.

Goodnight, Bob Oksner

News From Me reported that comic book artist, Bob Oksner, passed away from pneumonia on February 18, 2007. Among his early work was the second Marvel Boy in 1943 for Timely Comics. He wrote and drew Miss Cairo Jones, a syndicated newspaper comic strip from 1945 to 1947. Sheldon Mayer, an editor at DC Comics, hired him to be an artist on comics adapted from other media. His works included Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Adventures of Jerry Lewis, Adventures of Bob Hope, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Sgt. Bilko, Pat Boone, Angel and the Ape, Welcome Back, Kotter, Elvira's House of Mystery and Stanley and His Monster. For King Features, he did art for the I Love Lucy newspaper comic. In the 1970s, Bob Oksner did artwork for Superman, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Shazam!, Black Orchid, Lois Lane and others. He retired from comics in 1986.