Peter Sanderson: Marvel's first (and only?) archivist!
1:57
From the "This Week in Marvel" podcast (3/25/14)
Tags: peter sanderson marvel comics librarians archivists
Added: 1 month ago
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BEN MORSE: For those who might not be familiar with your work, and your role in Marvel in the past, can you give a quick bio of yourself and introduction to your place in this giant tapestry we call Marvel?
PETER SANDERSON: Well, my place in the giant tapestry we call Marvel has actually been to keep track of the giant tapestry that is called Marvel ...
[the hosts both laugh]
PETER SANDERSON: Um, I grew up reading Marvel comics in the Silver Age, and ... In the late seventies, I moved to New York City--
BEN MORSE: Mm hmm.
PETER SANDERSON: I started meeting people, the first person ... Marvel pros I met were Chris Claremont and his first wife, who were impressed with the letters I was writing to the X-Men!
RYAN PENAGOS: Nice!
PETER SANDERSON: And from there, I got to meet other people, including the late Mark Gruenwald ...
BEN MORSE: Mm hmm.
PETER SANDERSON: Who brought me on ... Who, knowing my interest in comics history, brought me on board to work on The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.
BEN MORSE: Yes.
PETER SANDERSON: And I worked on all the different versions of that through the eighties, and ... at one point in the eighties, I was an assistant editor on books like X-Men and Star Wars.
BEN MORSE: Mm hmm.
PETER SANDERSON: And I eventually became the first Marvel archivist--
RYAN PENAGOS: Nice!
PETER SANDERSON: And for all I know, the only Marvel archivist!
[the hosts both laugh]
PETER SANDERSON: But I was in the library room, and I was in charge of the books and in keeping track of continuity, and ... Eventually, by the nineties, I was signed to write books about Marvel. I started with Marvel Universe for Abrams, and so there's something like a dozen or more books out there which I've written about Marvel--
BEN MORSE: Mm hmm.
PETER SANDERSON: Or contributed to them, or they're reprints of things like the Handbook that I've written.
BEN MORSE: Yeah ...
PETER SANDERSON: And I also wrote, like, a series called The Marvel Saga about Marvel.
BEN MORSE: Yep.
PETER SANDERSON: Which, I hope, someday they will bring back!
[the hosts both laugh]
BEN MORSE: I would love to see that!
PETER SANDERSON: So, um ... So yeah, keeping track of comics history in general and Marvel in particular, this has been my life and career and my vocation.
---
From marvel.com:
Celebrate Marvel's Golden Age on Episode 125.5 of This Week in Marvel
Published
Mar 25, 2014
Marvel historian Peter Sanderson joins Ben and Ryan for a lengthy discussion about Timely Comics during the 1940's and 50's, including stories about the creation of Captain America, the forgotten heroes of the Golden Age, Stan Lee's first job and much more!
---
From wikipedia.org:
Peter John Sanderson, Jr. (born April 25, 1952) is a comic book critic and historian, as well as an instructor/lecturer in the New York area concerning the study of graphic novels/comic books as literature.
He is best known for his work as a researcher at the two main American comics companies, DC and Marvel, where he helped to catalog the various fictional characters that comprised their respective continuities.
Biography
Sanderson was born on April 25, 1952 in Milton, Massachusetts, to Peter John Sanderson, Sr.
As a teenager, and later, at Columbia University, Sanderson's first involvement in the field was as a "letterhack," a frequent contributor to comic book letter columns. His missives impressed DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz enough for Schwartz expand the letter columns in some titles to a second, separate page (such as "Flash-Grams - Extra", "Letters To the Batcave - Extra", and "JLA Mailroom - Special Peter Sanderson Edition") to facilitate Sanderson's analysis. In the early 1980s Sanderson wrote for comic fanzines.
From there, Sanderson broke into the comic book industry proper; he was first hired by DC Comics, where he was given the task of reading every comic book published by the company since 1935. His research was used by Marv Wolfman in writing Crisis on Infinite Earths[citation needed] and by Len Wein in writing Who's Who in the DC Universe. Sanderson then went to work for Marvel as their first (and only) archivist, and contributed as a researcher on the various Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe series in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Sanderson was also the writer of the Marvel Saga and Wolverine Saga limited series. These titles did not follow the typical art-centered comic book format; instead, the two series focused on text chronicling the fictional histories of comic book characters - rather than writing new exploits of the characters - that Sanderson culled from previous titles Marvel had published over the years. The text was supplemented by individual panels excerpted from the comic books that served as Sanderson's sources.
He writes an online column entitled Comics in Context, which (in Sanderson's own words) is "a weekly series of critical essays on comics, cartoon art, and related subjects" (those "related subjects" can run the gamut from film adaptations of comic books, to other media that have been influenced by comics, such as Star Wars). The series started on July 8, 2003 on the website IGN.com, but then moved to the Kevin Smith-affiliated website Quick Stop Entertainment on June 23, 2006; according to Mr. Sanderson, the "Powers That Be" in charge of IGN's comics section began to tamper with the titles of his columns and complain about some of the topics he covered, whereby a "change of scenery" was necessary. After a seventeen-month hiatus, Comics in Context returned to the newly-rebranded A Site Called Fred on January 19, 2010.
Outside of his online writings, Sanderson has also had a number of books published (including The Marvel Vault and The Marvel Travel Guide to New York), taught the class The Graphic Novel as Literature at NYU, curated an exhibition on Stan Lee for the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art,[10] and reviews the latest in comics and comics-related material for Publishers Weekly.
Comics Bibliography
Essential Marvel Saga: Volume 1 (440 pages, January 2008, ISBN 0785127275)
Essential Marvel Saga: Volume 2 (472 pages, December 2008, ISBN 0785127283)
Books Bibliography
Marvel Universe: The Complete Encyclopedia of Marvel's Greatest Characters (256 pages, Harry N. Abrams, 1998, ISBN 0810981718)
Ultimate X-Men (Dorling Kindersley, 174 pages, 2000, ISBN 0751328855, revised second edition, X-Men: The Ultimate Guide, 192 pages, 2003, ISBN 0751346179)
Classic Marvel Super Heroes: The Story of Marvel's Mightiest (128 pages, Becker & Mayer Books, 2005, paperback, ISBN 1932855564, hardcover, ISBN 1932855327)
Essays
"The Ideal and the Strange: Order Vs. Freedom in Planetary". Keeping the World Strange: A Planetary Guide. Sequart Research & Literacy Organization, 2011. ISBN 9780578077017.
"The 1960s Batman TV Series from Comics to Screen". Gotham City 14 Miles: 14 Essays on Why the 1960s Batman TV Series Matters. Sequart Research & Literacy Organization, 2010. ISBN 9780578064611.
"Bringing Light to the World: Watchmen from Hiroshima to Manhattan". Minutes to Midnight: Twelve Essays on Watchmen. Sequart Research & Literacy Organization, 2010. ISBN 9780578060767.
Comics In Context
Comics in Context #246 (Vol. 3 #6)
Friday July 27th, 2012
Title: Spider-Man's Oedipus Complex
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson takes a look at the new cinematic take on Spider-Man ...
Comics in Context #245 (Vol. 3 #5)
Tuesday July 3rd, 2012
Title: Four From Pixar
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson takes a look at a quartet of flicks from the House of Lasseter ...
Comics in Context #244 (Vol. 3 #4)
Monday May 28th, 2012
Title: When Burton Met Barnabas
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson begins his in-depth look at Tim Burton's DARK SHADOWS ...
Comics in Context #243 (Vol. 3 #3)
Friday May 11th, 2012
Title: Avengers Annotations Assemble!
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson dives into the big screen take on Marvel's AVENGERS ...
Comics in Context #242 (Vol. 3 #2)
Monday April 30th, 2012
Title: Remembering Barnabas Collins
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson remembers DARK SHADOWS' own Barnabas Collins, actor Jonathan Frid ...
Comics in Context #241 (Vol. 3 #1)
Sunday April 22nd, 2012
Title: Cabin (in the Woods) Fever
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson returns with an in-depth look look at Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard's "Cabin in the Woods" ...
Comics in Context #240 (Vol. 2 #12)
Saturday April 10, 2010
Title: Wimpy in Love
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson returns with the penultimate chapter of his extended exploration of Popeye's sometime companion, the hamburger con man J. Wellington Wimpy...
Comics in Context #239 (Vol. 2 #11)
Thursday April 1, 2010
Title: Scrooge's Lost Horizon
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson takes a journey with Uncle Scrooge to the not-so-mythical land of Tralla La, crafted by Carl Barks ...
Comics in Context #238 (Vol. 2 #10)
Friday March 26, 2010
Title: Popeye vs. Wimpy
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson returns with his extended exploration of Popeye's sometime companion, the hamburger con man J. Wellington Wimpy ...
Comics in Context #237 (Vol. 2 #9)
Friday March 19, 2010
Title: Donald the Dad
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson dips into the comics adventures of Donald Duck and his Uncle Scrooge, crafted by Carl Barks ...
Comics in Context #236 (Vol. 2 #8)
Thursday March 11, 2010
Title: Wimpy Redeemed
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson returns with an additional look at Popeye's sometime companion, the hamburger con man J. Wellington Wimpy ...
Comics in Context #235 (Vol. 2 #7)
Thursday March 4, 2010
Title: The Chief and the King
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson returns with a look at Hanna-Barbera's king of the streets, Top Cat ...
Comics in Context #234 (Vol. 2 #6)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Title: Diary of a Wimpy Con Man
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson returns with a look at Popeye's sometime companion, the hamburger con man J. Wellington Wimpy ...
Comics in Context #233 (Vol. 2 #5)
Thursday February 18, 2010
Title: Cunning Canines
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson returns with a look at Wes Anderson's adaptation of Roald Dahl's FANTASTIC MR. FOX and his animated predecessor, Hanna Barbera's Hokey Wolf ...
Comics in Context #232 (Vol. 2 #4)
Thursday February 11th 2010
Title: David Levine On Stage
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson returns with an exploration of the work of master caricaturist David Levine ...
Comics in Context #231 (Vol. 2 #3)
Friday February 5, 2010
Title: Killing Katnip
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson looks back on the animation voiceover career of the late Arnold Stang - voice of Top Cat and Herman - focusing on the HERMAN & KATNIP cartoons ...
Comics in Context #230 (Vol. 2 #2)
Thursday January 28, 2010
Title: The Dark Lulu Saga
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson makes his triumphant return to FRED with an article delving into the history of kiddie comics as featured in ComicArts' THE TOON TREASURY OF CLASSIC CHILDREN'S COMICS, this week looking John Stanley's comic book tales of Marge Henderson Buell's LITTLE LULU ...
Comics in Context #229 (Vol. 2 #1)
Tuesday January 19, 2010
Title: Outfoxed
Description: Comics historian extraordinaire Peter Sanderson makes his triumphant return to FRED with an article delving into the history of kiddie comics as featured in ComicArts' THE TOON TREASURY OF CLASSIC CHILDREN'S COMICS, starting with THE FOX AND THE CROW's treatment in comics & animation ...
Comics in Context #228
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
Title: The Bat Who Shot Liberty Valance
Description: Peter returns with an in-depth look at Christopher Nolan's second big screen take on Batman, THE DARK KNIGHT ...
Comics in Context #227
Friday, July 18th, 2008
Title: Sunday Morning at the Met
Description: Peter sanderson recounts Peter Coogan's presentation of the sartorial choices of superheroes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - plus some talk of Stephen Colbert, to boot ...
Comics in Context #226
Thursday June 26, 2008
Title: Half a Decade with the Hulk
Description: Peter's back with an in-depth look at the cinematic do-over featuring everyone's favorite gamma-monster, THE INCREDIBLE HULK ...
Comics in Context #225
Wednesday June 18, 2008
Title: Getting Lucky in New York
Description: Peter takes in the Big Apple's World Science Festival and gets all super-sciencey, including encountering the real Dr. Savage ...
Comics in Context #224
Wednesday May 21, 2008
Title: My Cinco de Mayo
Description: Peter Sanderson takes in a very special superhero fashion exhibition at the Met, talks some Iron Man, and mentions a few cartoon centennials ...
Comics in Context #223
Tuesday May 6, 2008
Title: Gathering of the Tribe
Description: Peter Sanderson continues his in-depth blow-by-blow look at the New York Comic-Con, with a special panel reflecting on cons past ...
Comics in Context #222
Tuesday April 29, 2008
Title: San Diego By The Hudson
Description: Peter Sanderson takes a look at the rapidly expanding New York Comic-Con, and whether or not it's a serious challenger to the San Diego behemoth ...
Comics in Context #221
Tuesday April 15, 2008
Title: The King in Exile
Description: Peter continues his in-depth look at Mark Evanier's mighty tome KIRBY: KING OF COMICS and the man behind the legend, Jack Kirby ...
Comics in Context #220
Monday March 31, 2008
Title: The King of the Silver Age
Description: Peter continues his in-depth look at Mark Evanier's mighty tome KIRBY: KING OF COMICS and the man behind the legend, Jack Kirby ...
Comics in Context #219
Tuesday March 25, 2008
Title: Kirby at the Crossroads
Description: After a short break - and the formal release of the book - Peter returns to his in-depth look at Mark Evanier's mighty tome KIRBY: KING OF COMICS ...
Comics in Context #218
Thursday March 20, 2008
Title: From Animation Into Reality
Description: Peter turns his eye towards Disney's ENCHANTED, discusses how it's not the first time that the 2-D and 3-D worlds have crossed over, and spends SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE ...
Comics in Context #217
Friday March 14, 2008
Title: The Next Frontier
Description: Peter dives into the recent animated adaptation of Darwyn Cooke's JUSTICE LEAGUE: NEW FRONTIER, and takes an in-depth look at the original series of graphic novels that spawned it ...
Comics in Context #216
Tuesday March 4, 2008
Title: The Omega Enigma
Description: Peter continues his look back on the work of the late, great Steve Gerber, this week focusing on Gerber's OMEGA THE UNKNOWN ...
Comics in Context #215
Tuesday February 26, 2008
Title: Wauugh and Remembrance
Description: Peter continues his look back on the work of the late, great Steve Gerber, this week focusing on Howard the Duck ...
Comics in Context #214
Tuesday February 19, 2008
Title: The Essential Steve Gerber
Description: Peter looks back on the work of the late, great Steve Gerber ...
Comics in Context #213
Tuesday February 12, 2008
Title: Your Obedient Serpent
Description: Peter continues his journey into the world of online animated cartoons, this week focusing on Fleischer SUPERMANs, Fox & the Crow, TOM TERRIFIC, BEANY & CECIL, and more ...
Comics in Context #212
Tuesday February 5, 2008
Title: Finally Felix
Description: Peter's been diving into the world of online animated cartoons, this week focusing on silent FELIX THE CAT cartoons, more Winsor McCay and Koko, George Pal's PUPPETOONS, and some bizarre Columbia animated shorts ...
Comics in Context #211
Tuesday January 29, 2008
Title: The Silent Rabbit
Description: Peter takes a look at Disney's recent reclamation of their first, pre-Mickey Mouse animated star, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit ...
Comics in Context #210
Monday January 21, 2008
Title: Divorce Marvel Style
Description: Peter takes issue with Marvel's latest character upheaval - the Faustian erasure of Peter Parker's marriage to Mary Jane - and what it means to Spider-Man ...
Comics in Context #209
Tuesday January 15, 2008
Title: Down in the Dump
Description: Peter dives into MST3K alumnus Frank Conniff's CARTOON DUMP, which also features selections from animation historian Jerry Beck's "Worst Cartoons Ever Made" library ...
Comics in Context #208
Monday January 7, 2008
Title: Creative Differences
Description: Peter kicks off the new year with part 2 of his review of Mark Evanier's Jack Kirby book, KIRBY: KING OF COMICS, including a digression about the BBC documentary IN SEARCH OF STEVE DITKO ...
Comics in Context #207
Saturday December 22, 2007
Title: Royal Retrospective
Description: In this pre-Christmas column, Peter digs into an advance copy of Mark Evanier's long-awaited KIRBY: KING OF COMICS, an art book devoted to the career of the late Jack Kirby, co-creator of the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Captain America, and many more ...
Comics in Context #206
Friday December 14, 2007
Title: Blaze Of Glory
Description: Peter goes in-depth on Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's latest LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN adventure, BLACK DOSSIER ...
Comics in Context #205
Tuesday December 4, 2007
Title: Identity Theft
Description: Peter takes on Robert Zemeckis's mo-cap BEOWULF, and dives into the adaptation work of screenwriters Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary ...
Comics in Context #204
Tuesday November 27, 2007
Title: Was It A Dark And Stormy Life?
Description: Peter lines up the football and takes a crack at David Michaelis's controversial biography of PEANUTS maestro Charles Schulz ...
Comics in Context #203
Monday November 19, 2007
Title: Paradise Lost
Description: Peter wraps up (for now) his look at Danny Fingeroth's book DISGUISED AS CLARK KENT, about the effect of Jewish-American culture in originating and developing the superhero genre ...
Comics in Context #202
Monday November 12, 2007
Title: Stung
Description: In this week's column, Peter continues examining Danny Fingeroth's DISGUISED AS CLARK KENT, and also takes on Jerry Seinfeld's CG animated BEE MOVIE ...
Comics in Context #201
Monday November 5, 2007
Title: Secret Lives
Description: In this week's column, Peter continues examining Danny Fingeroth's DISGUISED AS CLARK KENT and delves into why secret identities are an important part of superhero stories ...
Comics in Context #200
Monday October 29, 2007
Title: My First Million
Description: Peter Sanderson's "Comics In Context" celebrates its 200th column with an index of what's come before, a discussion of Danny Fingeroth's new book DISGUISED AS CLARK KENT, and wraps up with the mighty John Byrne's MAN OF STEEL ...
Comics in Context #199
Monday October 22, 2007
Title: The Forgotten Ones
Description: Peter brings his six-part critique of the Neil Gaiman's new ETERNALS series to a close ...
Comics in Context #198
Monday October 15, 2007
Title: It's Not So Sprite
Description: Peter continues his critique of Jack Kirby's and Neil Gaiman's ETERNALS series ...
Comics in Context #197
Monday October 8, 2007
Title: Rude Awakenings
Description: Peter continues his critique of Jack Kirby's and Neil Gaiman's ETERNALS series ...
Comics in Context #196
Monday October 1, 2007
Title: Celestial Mechanics
Description: Peter continues his critique of Jack Kirby's and Neil Gaiman's ETERNALS series ...
Comics in Context #195
Monday September 24, 2007
Title: Deviant Behavior
Description: Peter continues his critique of Jack Kirby's and Neil Gaiman's ETERNALS series ...
Comics in Context #194
Monday September 17, 2007
Title: Eternal Verities
Description: Peter begins his critique of Jack Kirby's and Neil Gaiman's ETERNALS series ...
Comics in Context #193
Monday September 10, 2007
Title: Mystery In Montclair
Description: Peter takes a trip to the Montclair Art Museum, and scopes out some choice pieces of comic book art ...
Comics in Context #192
Monday September 3, 2007
Title: You're So Yvaine
Description: This week, Peter unreels the second part of his thoughts on the big screen adaptation of Neil Gaiman's STARDUST ...
Comics in Context #191
Monday August 27, 2007
Title: You Are My Lucky Star
Description: This week, Peter unreels his thoughts on the big screen adaptation of Neil Gaiman's STARDUST ...
Comics in Context #190
Monday August 20, 2007
Title: Pop Eye-Con
Description: Peter gets his hands on the wonderful new POPEYE cartoon collection from Warner Home Video, and lays down his appreciation of the spinach-chowing sailor man ...
Comics in Context #189
Friday August 10, 2007
Title: Woody's Woodpeccadillos
Description: It's the Woody Woodpecker show, as Peter dives into the manic bird's new DVD set ...
Comics in Context #188
Friday August 3, 2007
Title: D'OHME!
Description: Peter takes a look at the new SIMPSONS MOVIE ...
Comics in Context #187
Friday July 27, 2007
Title: All Hallows Eve
Description: Peter takes a trip to Hogwarts for the first part of his in-depth analysis of Harry Potter's final adventure ...
Comics in Context #186
Monday July 23, 2007
Title: Le Petit Chef
Description: Peter tackles Pixar's latest, RATATOUILLE ...
Comics in Context #185
Monday July 16, 2007
Title: Get Off Of My Cloud
Description: Peter declares "Clobberin' Time" in the second part of his in-depth FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER review, and also gives a shout out to the RiffTrax treatment of the first flick...
Comics in Context #184
Monday July 9, 2007
Title: Clobbered Again
Description: Peter declares "Clobberin' Time" in the first part of his FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER review ...
Comics in Context #183
Friday June 29, 2007
Title: The Quality Of Mercy
Description: Peter turns his sights on the webslinger's third big screen adventure, continuing his in-depth look at SPIDER-MAN 3 ...
Comics in Context #182
Monday June 25, 2007
Title: The Red And The Black
Description: Peter turns his sights on the webslinger's third big screen adventure, in the first part of his in-depth look at SPIDER-MAN 3 ...
Comics in Context #181
Sunday June 17, 2007
Title: Tobey Or Not Tobey
Description: In this week's "Comics in Context", Peter is on hand for the SPIDER-MAN 3 premiere in Queens, goes after critics for their poor understanding of comic books as a medium, and discusses some additions to the Stan Lee exhibit at MoCCA ...
Comics in Context #180
Friday June 8, 2007
Title: Tribute At Tribeca
Description: In this week's edition, Peter Sanderson continues his look at the Will Eisner documentary PORTRAIT OF A SEQUENTIAL ARTIST, plus gives a shout out to fellow Quick Stoppers Paul Dini, Misty Lee, and a monkey named Rashy ...
Comics in Context #179
Friday May 25, 2007
Title: Pride and Prejudice
Description: The saying goes that "any publicity is good publicity," but have recent events pushed Marvel beyond that threshold and into harmful territory? Also, Peter looks at the new Wiil Eisner documentary...
Comics in Context #178
Monday May 21, 2007
Title: The Whole World Is Watching
Description: Peter talks about the recently famous Mary Jane statuette and the new Miller ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN ...
Comics in Context #177
Friday May 11, 2007
Title: The Collector's Eye
Description: When Peter left off last week, he was being dazzled by the vast array of vintage comic books on display at Geppi's Entertainment Museum, which opened last fall at the former Camden Station building in Baltimore, Maryland. This week, he continues his look at the pop culture wonders it contains within its walls ...
Comics in Context #176
Monday May 7, 2007
Title: Birthday in Baltimore
Description: Peter takes Steve Geppi's new pop culture museum in the heart of Baltimore for a spin. Was he amazed? Check out his report on the wonders within its doors here ...
Comics in Context #175
Friday April 27, 2007
Title: My Dinner In Hell
Description: Peter gets down and dirty with Zack Snyder's cinematic adaptation of Frank Miller's 300 ...
Comics in Context #174
Monday April 23, 2007
Title: Hat Trick
Description: Peter sits down with overpriced popcorn & soda, and takes in the latest CG project from Disney, the non-Pixar MEET THE ROBINSONS ...
Comics in Context #173
Monday April 16, 2007
Title: Happy Heresies
Description: Where else can you get a column that mixes Dave Cockrum, Marshall Rogers, HAPPY FEET, and Tex Avery's "I Love To Singa"-lovin' owl?
Comics in Context #172
Friday April 6, 2007
Title: Nightcrawler's Other Self
Description: Peter takes a moment within his New York Comic-Con coverage to remember the late Dave Cockrum ...
Comics in Context #171
Friday March 30, 2007
Title: New York 2007 - Bullpen Bulletins
Description: Peter takes in the old school Marvel Bullpen panel at the New York Comic-Con, signs books, and remembers the late Marshall Rogers ...
Comics in Context #170
Friday March 23, 2007
Title: Miller's Next Move
Description: Peter's coverage of this year's New York Comic-Con continues, this time looking at Frank Miller's big screen plans for Will Eisner's THE SPIRIT ...
Comics in Context #169
Saturday March 17, 2007
Title: New York 2007 - The King Of Creation
Description: It's Saturday coverage of this year's New York Comic-Con, with BUFFY, Stephen King, Frank Miller, THE SPIRIT, Walt Simonson, and more ...
Comics in Context #168
Friday March 9, 2007
Title: O Captain! My Captain!
Description: Peter takes a look at Marvel's decision to murder Captain America, and wonders just how cold the body will become before the icon returns. He then jumps back into his NYCC coverage with notes on the Stan Lee panel, as well as that evening's Stan Lee exhibit at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art ...
Comics in Context #167
Friday March 2, 2007
Title: New York 2007 - Blogs, Bone, and Billy
Description: Peter was at last week's New York Comicon, and here's the first part of his coverage - focusing on Jeff Smith, blogging comics, and more ...
Comics in Context #166
Saturday February 24, 2007
Title: Megahero Vs. Megavillain
Description: Peter continues his commentary on Peter Coogan's book chronicling the origins of the superhero genre, returning to the subject of supervillainy ...
Comics in Context #165
Saturday February 17, 2007
Title: The Supervillain Defined
Description: Peter continues his commentary on Peter Coogan's book chronicling the origins of the superhero genre, this week focusing on supervillainy ...
Comics in Context #164
Saturday February 10, 2007
Title: Super Slayer
Description: Peter continues his commentary on Peter Coogan's book chronicling the origins of the superhero genre, this time focusing on Joss Whedon's stab-happy heroine, Buffy the Vampire Slayer ...
Comics in Context #163
Friday February 2, 2007
Title: Are They On The List?
Description: Peter continues his commentary on Peter Coogan's origins of the superheroe genre, from Superman and Batman to The Fantastic Four (and even Zatanna) ...
Comics in Context #162
Monday January 29, 2007
Title: The Superhero Defined
Description: Peter tries to pin down the prickly problem of how exactly to define the term "superhero" in this day and age ...
Comics in Context #161
Sunday January 21, 2007
Title: Walt The Auteur
Description: Peter continues his in-depth look into Mary Poppins, this time with a focus on a man named Disney ...
Comics in Context #160
Friday January 12, 2007
Title: Banks' Holiday
Description: Peter continues his in-depth look at Mary Poppins - from book to screen to stage - this time with a special look at the character of Mr. Banks ...
Comics in Context #159
Friday January 5, 2007
Title: The Da Vinci Comics Code
Description: This week, Peter continued his in-depth look at the Library of Congress' "Cartoon America" exhibition ...
Comics in Context #158
Saturday December 16, 2006
Title: Jolly Holiday
Description: Peter takes an in-depth look at Mary Poppins - from book to screen to stage - and tries to pin down one of literature's more perplexing forces of nature ...
Comics in Context #157
Friday December 8, 2006
Title: Our Nation's Cartoons
Description: This week, Peter goes in-depth on the "Cartoon America" exhibition at the Library of Congress ...
Comics in Context #156
Friday December 1, 2006
Title: Canon Fodder
Description: Peter talks Scott McCloud's MAKING COMICS tour, plus the likes of Kurtzman, Kirby, Eisner, Crumb, Panter, Ware, and more
Comics in Context #155
Friday November 17, 2006
Title: Two American Masters
Description: This week, Peter talks about Will Eisner and Jack Kirby at the "Masters of American Comics" show at the Jewish Museum in NYC.
Comics in Context #154
Saturday November 11, 2006
Title: Master Class
Description: Milt Caniff and Charles Schulz come to the fore as Peter continues his discussion of comics masters ...
Comics in Context #153
Friday October 27, 2006
Title: Top Drawers
Description: More "Masters of American Comics" with Frank King's GASOLINE ALLEY and Chester Gould's DICK TRACY, plus Roy Lichtenstein, swipe artist.
Comics in Context #152
Friday October 27, 2006
Title: "Ott Krittik" At Work
Description: Peter continues his in-depth look at the "Masters of American Comics" exhibition ...
Comics in Context #151
Friday October 20, 2006
Title: The New Old Masters
Description: Peter looks at the recent explosion of comics as fine art, as cartoon art and cartoonists exhibitions begin popping up all over the place, from the museums of New York to the halls of the U.N. and even the Library of Congress.
Comics in Context #150
Saturday October 14, 2006
Title: Remarkable
Description: Peter celebrates his 150th column with a remembrance of a good friend and comics legend, Mark Gruenwald ...
Comics in Context #149
Saturday October 7, 2006
Title: Forty Years In Shadows
Description: Taking a cue from Fred Hembeck, Peter celebrates the 40th anniversary of one of his favorite gothic soap operas, DARK SHADOWS.
Comics in Context #148
Thursday September 28, 2006
Title: Radio City Rowling
Description: This week, Peter gives a blow-by-blow account of the big Stephen King-John Irving-J. K. Rowling benefit in NYC.
Comics in Context #147
Friday September 22, 2006
Title: San Diego 2006 - Is This Trip Really Necessary?
Description: Peter wraps up his in-depth coverage of Comic-Con 2006 with Kevin Smith, Mark Evanier, Billy West, supervillains, signings, and the enigma that is Quick Stop editor Ken Plume ...
Comics in Context #146
Friday September 15, 2006
Title: San Diego 2006 - A Hall Too Small
Description: Peter's in-depth Comic-Con coverage continues with Frank Miller, Kevin Smith, and the hell that is Hall H..
Comics in Context #145
Friday September 8, 2006
Title: San Diego 2006 - Masters and Eisners
Description: Peter's in-depth look at Comic-Con 2006 continues with the Eisners and masters of American comics.
Comics in Context #144
Friday September 1, 2006
Title: San Diego 2006 - Stardust Memories
Description: Peter's in-depth look at Comic-Con 2006 continues with Neil Gaiman, STARDUST, Boreanaz, BONES, and Bruce Timm.
Comics in Context #143
Friday August 25, 2006
Title: San Diego 2006 - The Donner Party
Description: Peter's in-depth look at Comic-Con 2006 continues with a Singer surprise ...
Comics in Context #142
Friday August 18, 2006
Title: San Diego 2006 - Driven From Dreamland
Description: Peter takes in a panel on the Disney elegy DREAM ON SILLY DREAMER and comes face-to-face with a Stormtrooper.
Comics in Context #141
Sunday August 13, 2006
Title: San Diego 2006 - Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood
Description: Peter's back with a look at Mark Evanier's mini-con, Jerry Robinson, and what it could take to get Fred Hembeck to go to Comic-Con ...
Comics in Context #140
Friday August 4, 2006
Title: San Diego 2006 - Stamp of Approval
Description: Peter's back from Comic-Con, and the reports begin ...
Comics in Context #139
Friday July 28, 2006
Title: Superman Returns Twice
Description: The new big screen Man of Steel has feats of clay.
Comics in Context #138
Friday July 21, 2006
Title: Lasseter, Come Home
Description: After CARS, is John Lasseter's golden reputation tarnished?
Comics in Context #137
Friday July 14, 2006
Title: Car Toon
Description: Peter Sanderson gives Pixar's latest a spin.
Comics in Context #136
Friday July 7, 2006
Title: Before There Were Cars
Description: Peter looks into animation's past, encountering little blue coupes, silly symphonies, dancing cookies, three caballeros, and more.
Comics in Context #135
Friday June 30, 2006
Title: The Passive Aggressive Phoenix Saga
Description: Peter Sanderson wraps up his in-depth look at X-MEN: THE LAST STAND.
Comics in Context #134
Friday June 23, 2006
Title: Cineplex-Men
Description: Peter Sanderson's in-depth comic analyses find their way to Quick Stop, beginning with a look at X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, both the flick and the Chris Claremont novelization.
Comics in Context #133
Tuesday May 16, 2006
Title: Swinging Down Broadway
Description: Tarzan's big fall.
Comics in Context #132
Tuesday May 9, 2006
Title: Gallery of Glory
Description: The mighty pen.
Comics in Context #131
Monday May 1, 2006
Title: Two V Or Not Two V
Description: The Vendetta ends.
Comics in Context #130
Monday April 24, 2006
Title: V By Five
Description: Even Moore V.
Comics in Context #129
Tuesday April 18, 2006
Title: V For Visionary
Description: More on Moore.
Comics in Context #128
Monday April 10, 2006
Title: V's Supporting Players
Description: The Vendetta lives on.
Comics in Context #127
Monday April 3, 2006
Title: Professor V's School
Description: The Vendetta continues.
Comics in Context #126
Monday March 27, 2006
Title: All About Evey
Description: Peter Sanderson assumes his own Vendetta.
Comics in Context #125
Monday March 20, 2006
Title: Miller, Front and Center
Description: Frank Miller and Joe Simon at the NYCC.
Comics in Context #124
Monday March 13, 2006
Title: New York Con-Versations
Description: McFarlane, Romita, Claremont & Steranko.
Comics in Context #123
Monday March 6, 2006
Title: NY Comic-Con 2006
Description: Birth pangs of a new convention.
Comics in Context #122
Tuesday February 28, 2006
Title: Alternative Stripping
Description: Comics life outside of spandex.
Comics in Context #121
Tuesday February 21, 2006
Title: The Once & Future Kong
Description: Examining Peter Jackson's monkey business.
Comics in Context #120
Monday February 13, 2006
Title: Dog Gone
Description: Peanuts, Pa Kent and Pixar.
Comics in Context #119
Monday February 6, 2006
Title: All-Star Bats
Description: The goddamned Batman according to Frank Miller. Can redemption be found for the widely-despised All-Star title?
Comics in Context #118
Monday January 30, 2006
Title: O Other, Where Art Thou?
Description: Examining Spidey's changes and the potential outcome of Infinite Crisis.
Comics in Context #117
Monday January 23, 2006
Title: To Boop Or Not To Boop
Description: Betty's one night stand.
Comics in Context #116
Friday January 13, 2006
Title: Rhythm and Boops
Description: The Brothers Fleischer.
Comics in Context #115
Friday January 6, 2006
Title: Twelfth Night Toons
Description: Post-holiday hoo-ha.
Comics in Context #114
Friday December 16, 2005
Title: Christmas with Carl Barks
Description: Disney's Duckman cometh.
Comics in Context #113
Friday December 9, 2005
Title: First Festivus
Description: Pop-eye for the Spider-Guy.
Comics in Context #112
Friday December 2, 2005
Title: Dream of the Rabbit Fiend
Description: A bit o' Wallace & Gromit.
Comics in Context #111
Friday November 18, 2005
Title: The Enemy Within
Description: Peter's History of Violence.
Comics in Context #110
Friday November 11, 2005
Title: Chick Flick
Description: Plucking Chicken Little.
Comics in Context #109
Friday November 4, 2005
Title: Maestro Mouse
Description: Mickey Mouse-ing around.
Comics in Context #108
Friday October 28, 2005
Title: Tyger! Tyger! Burning Bright
Description: Wrapping-up Gaiman's Anansi Boys.
Comics in Context #107
Friday October 21, 2005
Title: Trickster or Treat
Description: Even more on Gaiman's Anansi Boys.
Comics in Context #106
Friday October 14, 2005
Title: Double Trouble
Description: Gaiman's Anansi Boys, part deux.
Comics in Context #105
Friday October 7, 2005
Title: Spider Boys
Description: In-depth on Gaiman's Anansi Boys
Comics in Context #104
Friday September 30, 2005
Title: Here's Looking At You, Silver
Description: Batman's Dark send-off.
Comics in Context #103
Friday September 23, 2005
Title: Saturday Morning Fever
Description: Just us Justice ducks.
Comics in Context #102
Friday September 16, 2005
Title: Highbrow Hare
Description: Wabbit's Whapsody.
Comics in Context #101
Friday September 9, 2005
Title: Classical Chuck
Description: A Looney Concerto.
Comics in Context #100
Friday September 2, 2005
Title: Centennial Cartoon Concert
Description: 100 columns and Red Hot Riding Hood.
Comics in Context #99
Friday August 26, 2005
Title: Gorilla My Dreams
Description: Jackson's Kong & Disney's Narnia.
Comics in Context #98
Friday August 19, 2005
Title: Far From Serenity
Description: In-depth on Whedon's big screen Firefly.
Comics in Context #97
Friday August 12, 2005
Title: The Eisners Without Eisner
Description: Nerd Prom, awards and midnight Potter.
Comics in Context #96
Friday August 5, 2005
Title: San Diego 2005 - Dial H for Humongous
Description: Disney, Warner Bros., Henson and Mirrormask.
Comics in Context #95
Friday July 29, 2005
Title: The Crypt, The King, and The Credit
Description: Kirby your enthusiasm.
Comics in Context #94
Friday July 22, 2005
Title: San Diego 2005 - Back to Brigadoon
Description: The fickle fate of Finger.
Comics in Context #93
Friday July 15, 2005
Title: Clobbered
Description: Fantastic Four's fantastic farce.
Comics in Context #92
Friday July 8, 2005
Title: Sin Along the Croisette
Description: Revisiting Sin City.
Comics in Context #91
Friday July 1, 2005
Title: Age Before Beauty
Description: Miyazaki's primal Howl.
Comics in Context #90
Friday June 24, 2005
Title: Plume's Paradigm
Description: Superman redux.
Comics in Context #89
Friday June 17, 2005
Title: Batman Reboots
Description: Batting Batman Begins.
Comics in Context #88
Friday June 10, 2005
Title: Face to Face
Description: Two-Face two-step, Joker and Bat-agascar.
Comics in Context #87
Friday June 3, 2005
Title: Divided Detective
Description: Deeper into Batman: Dark Detective.
Comics in Context #86
Friday May 27, 2005
Title: Sith, Six and Sex
Description: Dissecting Revenge of the Sith.
Comics in Context #85
Friday May 20, 2005
Title: Through the Looking Glass
Description: Peering into Gaiman's MirrorMask
Comics in Context #84
Friday May 13, 2005
Title: Dark Definitive
Description: Englehart's Batman returns.
Comics in Context #83
Friday May 6, 2005
Title: The Big Fat Deconstruction
Description: A return to Sin.
Comics in Context #82
Friday April 29, 2005
Title: Idles of the King
Description: Storming Spamalot.
Comics in Context #81
Friday April 22, 2005
Title: The Third Act
Description: The Sprit of comics legend Will Eisner.
Comics in Context #80
Friday April 15, 2005
Title: A Memorial In Wildwood
Description: Remembering Will Eisner.
Comics in Context #79
Friday April 8, 2005
Title: Three Knights In Sin City
Description: More Sin and a Beetle Crisis.
Comics in Context #78
Friday April 1, 2005
Title: Summoned To Sin City
Description: Peter takes on the cinematic Sin.
Comics in Context #77
Friday March 25, 2005
Title: Gone with the Steam
Description: Whedon, Sondheim and Steamboy.
Comics in Context #76
Friday March 18, 2005
Title: The Wabbit in Winter
Description: Greetings, Loonatics, Looney Tunes and Robots.
Comics in Context #75
Friday March 11, 2005
Title: The Rubber Band Theory of Cartoon Art
Description: Loonatics and Loeb's Supergirl.
Comics in Context #74
Friday March 4, 2005
Title: Warners, Wabbits and Woe
Description: Bugs and Constantine.
Comics in Context #73
Friday February 25, 2005
Title: My Comics Week
Description: Pekar's Splendor.
Comics in Context #72
Friday February 11, 2005
Title: F. O. G.
Description: Neil Gaiman and Charles Addams.
Comics in Context #71
Friday February 4, 2005
Title: Comic's Other Golden Age
Description: History, Lee, Kirby, and Ditko.
Comics in Context #70
Friday January 28, 2005
Title: Elektra Lite
Description: Assassin-ated.
Comics in Context #69
Friday January 21, 2005
Title: Present at the Creation
Description: More on the legendary Will Eisner.
Comics in Context #68
Friday January 14, 2005
Title: The Spirit of Will Eisner
Description: Remembering a legend.
Comics in Context #67
Friday January 7, 2005
Title: Catch As Cats Can
Description: Gaiman and a Goodbye to Identity Crisis.
Comics in Context #66
Friday December 17, 2004
Title: A Christmas Potpourri
Description: Polar Express, Superman, Peanuts, and a holiday blowout.
Comics in Context #65
Friday December 10, 2004
Title: Artists Alone
Description: Dark Knight, Watchmen and Sandman.
Comics in Context #64
Friday December 3, 2004
Title: Institutionalizing Comics
Description: Comics as art?
Comics in Context #63
Friday November 19, 2004
Title: Superfolks, Syndrome, Sharks, and Spinach
Description: The Incredibles, Popeye, and more.
Comics in Context #62
Friday November 12, 2004
Title: That's Incredible!
Description: Peter goes in-depth on The Incredibles
Comics in Context #61
Friday November 5, 2004
Title: After the Fall
Description: Post-Election Wrap-Up ...
Comics in Context #60
Friday October 29, 2004
Title: The Day That Time Stood Still
Description: Spiegelman's In The Shadow of No Towers and McCay's Little Nemo.
Comics in Context #59
Friday October 22, 2004
Title: Before the Fall
Description: Spiegelman's No Towers and Herriman's Krazy Kat.
Comics in Context #58
Friday October 15, 2004
Title: Crisis of Conscience
Description: Peter wraps-up his decimation of Identity Crisis
Comics in Context #57
Friday October 8, 2004
Title: As Grim as It Gets
Description: Peter tears into DC's Identity Crisis.
Comics in Context #56
Friday October 1, 2004
Title: Mind Over Meta
Description: Postmodern Space Ghost, She-Hulk, and more.
Comics in Context #55
Friday September 24, 2004
Title: The Endless Bummer
Description: Superheroes on TV continues ...
Comics in Context #54
Friday September 17, 2004
Title: Women of Wonder
Description: Superheroes on TV ...
Comics in Context #53
Friday September 10, 2004
Title: The A-Files
Description: An in-depth look at Peel & Steed ...
Comics in Context #52
Friday September 3, 2004
Title: Mod as a Hornet
Description: The Green Hornet and The Avengers' Emma Peel.
Comics in Context #51
Friday August 27, 2004
Title: What's New, Pussycat?
Description: Halle's Catwoman, Duck Dodgers, and Superman ...
Comics in Context #50
Friday August 20, 2004
Title: Summer Camp
Description: Catty about Catwoman.
Comics in Context #49
Friday August 13, 2004
Title: Gray 'n' Green
Description: The Incredible Hulk ...
Comics in Context #48
Friday August 6, 2004
Title: Small Town Kryptonian in the Big City
Description: Superman on TV.
Comics in Context #47
Friday July 30, 2004
Title: Retro Hero Retrospective
Description: Superheroes on TV ...
Comics in Context #46
Friday July 23, 2004
Title: The United States of Spider-Man
Description: Peter wraps up his in-depth look at Spider-Man 2.
Comics in Context #45
Friday July 16, 2004
Title: A Spider-Man State of Mind
Description: Peter's in-depth look at Spider-Man 2.
Comics in Context #44
Friday July 9, 2004
Title: Weavers of the Webs
Description: Peter looks at the men behind Spider-Man.
Comics in Context #43
Friday June 25, 2004
Title: Joss Whedon's Tales to Astonish
Description: Part 2 of Peter's look at Joss's X-Men.
Comics in Context #42
Friday June 18, 2004
Title: Joss Whedon's Comics & Stories
Description: X-Men, Buffy, and more.
Comics in Context #41
Friday June 11, 2004
Title: Traditions in Transition
Description: Danny Fingeroth's Superman on the Couch, Home on the Range, and Wolverine.
Comics in Context #40
Friday May 28, 2004
Title: Beasts and Beauty
Description: Shrek, Hellboy, and rediscovering Nemo.
Comics in Context #39
Friday May 21, 2004
Title: Mutants in Midlife
Description: Peter takes a look at Chris Claremont's X-Men reboot.
Comics in Context #38
Friday May 14, 2004
Title: Minor League
Description: Peter turns his eye towards Peter David's Soulsearchers & Co.
Comics in Context #37
Friday May 7, 2004
Title: High Noon for Mutants
Description: X-Men, Spider-Man, and Jess Nevins' League.
Comics in Context #36
Friday April 30, 2004
Title: From Here to Alternity
Description: Peter wraps up his in-depth look at Neil Gaiman's 1602.
Comics in Context #35
Friday April 23, 2004
Title: Finding the Patterns
Description: Peter continues his in-depth look at Neil Gaiman's 1602.
Comics in Context #34
Friday April 16, 2004
Title: Knight Makes Right
Description: Peter wraps up his in-depth look at Frank Miller's Dark Knight.
Comics in Context #33
Friday April 9, 2004
Title: A Boatload of Monsters and Miracles
Description: Peter takes a look at Gaiman's 1602 #7.
Comics in Context #32
Friday April 2, 2004
Title: The Living Legend
Description: Peter spotlights the late, great comics legend, Julius Schwartz.
Comics in Context #31
Friday March 19, 2004
Title: Knight Terrors
Description: The second part of Peter's look at Frank Miller's Dark Knight, plus a little Toy Fair ...
Comics in Context #30
Friday February 13, 2004
Title: Knight After Knight
Description: Peter goes in-depth on Frank Miller's Dark Knight.
Comics in Context #29
Friday February 6, 2004
Title: Ross's Thunderbolts
Description: Alex Ross-o-rama.
Comics in Context #28
Friday January 30, 2004
Title: Adapt and Assimilate
Description: Kuper's Metamorphosis, New X-Men, Uncle Scrooge, Jungle Book 2, Batman, and Gaiman.
Comics in Context #27
Friday January 23, 2004
Title: Old King Cole
Description: Peter takes a look at Plastic Man, Daredevil, Dini, and Zatanna.
Comics in Context #26
Friday January 16, 2004
Title: Silver and Gold
Description: Comic Book Heroes, Batman, and Mark Hamill's Comic Book: The Movie.
Comics in Context #25
Friday January 9, 2004
Title: Byrne, Baum and Bumble
Description: John Byrne's Generations, The Wizard of Oz, Will Eisner, and Gaiman's 1602.
Comics in Context #24
Tuesday December 23, 2003
Title: A Christmas Column
Description: Featuring work by Walt Kelly, Lemony Snicket, Carl Barks, Paul Dini, Charles Schulz, Dr. Seuss, Chuck Jones, and more.
Comics in Context #23
Friday December 19, 2003
Title: An Extraordinary Trio
Description: Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Book to film and back again ...
Comics in Context #22
Friday December 12, 2003
Title: Major League: Part 1
Description: Peter takes an in-depth look at Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Comics in Context #21
Friday December 5, 2003
Title: Conan, Clones, Chabon, Triplets, and Turkey
Description: Gaiman, Star Wars, and a Barbarian.
Comics in Context #20
Friday November 21, 2003
Title: This Belongs in a Museum
Description: So why don't superheroes get respect as an artform?
Comics in Context #19
Friday November 14, 2003
Title: Go West, Jung Bear
Description: Peter takes an in-depth look at Disney's Brother Bear.
Comics in Context #18
Friday November 7, 2003
Title: All About Doors and Walls
Description: Peter talks more Gaiman: Neverwhere, Wolves in the Walls, and 1602.
Comics in Context #17
Friday October 31, 2003
Title: Dream Analysis
Description: Peter takes an in-depth look at Neil Gaiman's Endless Nights.
Comics in Context #16
Friday October 24, 2003
Title: What If... There Had Been No Stan Lee?
Description: Peter concludes his look at the recent biography of "Smilin' Stan".
Comics in Context #15
Friday October 17, 2003
Title: Stan Lee and the Mystery of Creativity
Description: Peter Sanderson looks at the recent biography of "The Man"...
Comics in Context #14
Friday October 10, 2003
Title: Continuity/Discontinuity
Description: Straczynski's Supreme Power, Mark Gruenwald, and JLA / Avengers
Comics in Context #13
Friday October 3, 2003
Title: 1602 and All That
Description: A look at Neil Gaiman's 1602 and the return of Angel & Smallville.
Comics in Context #12
Friday September 26, 2003
Title: Dark Shadows Festival 2003, Part 2: Radio Days
Description: Discussing comics based on the fantasy series, and the original cast gets together for a sequel.
Comics in Context #11
Friday September 19, 2003
Title: Dark Shadows Festival 2003, Part 1: The Final Fest?
Description: A look at the 1960s supernatural drama series and its penultimate convention.
Comics in Context #10
Friday September 12, 2003
Title: San Diego 2003: Day Four: Tarantino, Tru, Tea and Tristram
Description: Kill Bill, Tru Calling, Neil Gaiman, and more.
Comics in Context #9
Friday September 5, 2003
Title: San Diego 2003: Day Three: Worlds of Whedon
Description: Joss Whedon on Buffy, Angel, Fray, and more.
Comics in Context #8
Friday August 29, 2003
Title: San Diego 2003: Day Three: Gaiman, Groening and Bradbury
Description: Neil Gaiman's 1602, The Simpsons' next season, Duck Dodgers, Teen Titans, and Ray Bradbury.
Comics in Context #7
Friday August 22, 2003
Title: San Diego 2003: Day Two: From Henson to Hamill
Description: Peter Sanderson covers Jim Henson Pictures and Neil Gaiman's MirrorMask, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Mark Hamill's Comic Book: The Movie, and more.
Comics in Context #6
Friday August 15, 2003
Title: San Diego 2003: Day Two
Description: Jack Kirby, Will Eisner, Sex, Lies & Superheroes, Harvey Pekar, and more.
Comics in Context #5
Friday August 8, 2003
Title: San Diego 2003: Day One
Description: Comics historian Peter Sanderson explores Comic-Con past and present.
Comics in Context #4
Friday August 1, 2003
Title: The Old Superfolks' Home
Description: Peter Sanderson discusses comics as art, and aging superheroes.
Comics in Context #3
Tuesday July 22, 2003
Title: The Stepford Spider-Man
Description: An examination of MTV's new Spider-Man series and the state of animation today.
Comics in Context #2
Tuesday July 15, 2003
Title: Crouching Banner, Hidden Faust
Description: Comics historian Peter Sanderson examines Ang Lee's Hulk.
Comics in Context #1
Tuesday July 8, 2003
Title: Comics Movies and Their Critics
Description: The premiere edition of our brand spanking new column by comic book historian Peter Sanderson.
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From sequart.org:
Peter Sanderson is a comics historian and critic who has written and co-written numerous books, as well as contributing essays to several Sequart anthologies. Sanderson has three degrees in English literature from Columbia University, and has taught "Comics as Literature" at New York University. He was Marvel Comics' first archivist and an assistant editor there. Sanderson has curated or co-curated three exhibitions on comics at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in New York, worked on two documentaries about comics, and written reviews and journalistic pieces on comics for Publishers Weekly and other magazines.
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From comicvine.com:
Peter Sanderson has been working in comics for nearly three decades. Peter has worked primarily for Marvel and DC Comics. Sanderson is best known for his worked as a writer/researcher, on Marvel's Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe, he is the only person ever to receive the title of archivist at Marvel. In preperation for DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, Peter had to read every comic published by the company.
Peter Sanderson is a comics historian and critic, who was Marvel's first official archivist. He is the author of Dorling Kindersley's best selling X-Men: The Ultimate Guide, Mr. Sanderson was also one of the main writers of the first four versions of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.
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From bleedingcool.com:
It sounds like a dream job - getting paid to read comics and take notes. Very few ever get such a chance. Peter Sanderson did, twice, first working as a research assistant for DC for a little project that turned into Crisis on Infinite Earths. From there, he would move over to Marvel, where he became Marvel's first, and to date only, official archivist. Peter can now be found at the Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art in New York or in bookstores, where he has multiple books on the history of comics, along with an upcoming book that he can't talk about yet, but we'll be sure to cover it, and speak with Peter, when he can.
Until then, Peter and I have had the chance to chat about his tenure with DC and Marvel, starting first with DC.
In preparation for Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC hired you to read all of the comics they had published to that date for research. How does one get hired for such a position?
Len Wein and Marv Wolfman asked me to do research for them by reading through all the comics relating to DC Universe continuity in the DC library. They knew me through the letters I'd written to letter columns in comics they wrote (such as Marv's Tomb of Dracula) and we had met at comic conventions in New York City. Obviously I only had to read DC comics dealing with DC Universe continuity. I didn't have to read through Bob Hope or Jerry Lewis or The Fox and the Crow!
Did you know from the beginning what the research was being used for - Crisis - or was it more vague?
Originally the research was to be used for a project called The History of the DC Universe. I don't recall when I found out about Crisis. By that point I'd moved on to working at Marvel. Marv Wolfman and George Perez eventually did a History of the DC Universe in 1986, following Crisis. You'd have to ask Marv how much he relied on my research to write History. Certainly I used the research I had done as one of the writers of DC's original Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe, which ran from 1984 to 1987.
How long did that take you to read through everything?
It took a year, with my spending three days a week at the DC library. Marv and Len originally assumed it would take only three months, but that underestimated how long it would take to read through a half century of DC Comics! At the three-month point, I think, Len took a look at the notes I was compiling and said I was doing them correctly. So it wasn't that I was slow; it was that there was so much material to go through. I think there were three different librarians during the time it took me to do the research—two women and one man!
Was there anything that truly surprised you along the way?
In terms of continuity, I don't think so. I was already knowledgeable about DC Universe history and aware of various supposed problems (like multiple versions of Atlantis, multiple future timelines, the various alternate Earths). Of course it was a comics fan's dream come true to get to read through all of these stories I'd never read before, especially the wealth of Golden Age material. I suppose one of the biggest surprises was discovering how many characters and series there were in DC's Golden Age, not just super heroes but in other genres as well, like “The Black Pirate.” It was also something of a surprise that so much of the Golden Age material was not good by contemporary standards, either in terms of writing or art. Nonetheless, it was wonderful to discover the gems in DC comics going back to the mid-1930s. It was a surprise to find the vintage material that was really good, and often little known, like early series by “Superman” creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster such as “Doctor Occult” in More Fun Comics and “Slam Bradley” and “Spy” in Detective Comics. It was also a surprise to me to see how many Golden Age artists were seemingly influenced by leading comic strip artists of the time, most notably Flash Gordon's Alex Raymond.
What areas did you find most daunting in untangling DC's continuity?
That wasn't my problem. I was just researching the stories. It was up to Marv and Len and DC to untangle continuity. Of course what Marv did in Crisis was to get rid of the parallel Earths like Earth-2, and to establish only one future timeline. So the Justice Society and Captain Marvel were now on the same Earth as the modern DC Universe super heroes. Crisis also got rid of the Kamandi/OMAC future timeline; now the DC Universe's only future timeline was the one that led to the Legion of Super-Heroes' 30th century. Of course, recent DC comics have brought back the multiverse and undone most of the changes in continuity that Crisis on Infinite Earths accomplished!
On the other hand, I did have freedom to untangle continuity when I was writing entries for the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. Editor Mark Gruenwald would have to approve what I wrote, but we thought alike on these matters, and I think he always approved of solutions I found to resolve continuity tangles. I also made a point of consulting the then-current writers of series, like Chris Claremont on X-Men and Frank Miller on Daredevil, when writing entries about their characters.
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