FOOM
Encyclopedia
FOOM was Marvel Comics
' self-produced fan magazine
of the mid-1970s, following the canceled Marvelmania
and preceding Marvel Age. Running 22 quarterly issues (Feb. 1973 - Fall 1978), it was initially designed and edited by celebrated comic book
writer-artist Jim Steranko
.
FOOM, though spelled without periods in both indicia and cover treatments, is an acronym for "Friends of Ol' Marvel". The name is unrelated to either the computer software
acronym FOOM (Functional and Object-Oriented Methodology), or Australia
's annual Songwriters, Composers and Lyricists Association (SCALA) Festival of Original Music Song Competition (FOOM).
about the current comic scene", and that Lee told him about plans to start an in-house fan club. EC Comics
had had its "EC Fan-Addict" club in the 1950s, and Marvel the Merry Marvel Marching Society
beginning 1964; after the MMMS had run its course by 1969, Marvel licensed a small company in Culver City, California
to produce the fanzine/product catalog Marvelmania, which lasted a year. Steranko, writing that he nostalgically "recalled the days of radio
, with all the clubs and super-premiums that were perpetually offered over the air", volunteered "my services as a designer, writer and comic historian". Ken Bruzenak
served as associate editor, with Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas
as consulting editor and Ed Noonchester, Joel Thingvall, and Gary Brown as staff.
A four-issue subscription was US$3. An additional dollar bought a club membership I.D. card, six decal
s, and a poster
. The membership kit was also available separately for US$2.50.
The premiere contained a foreword by Lee; an introduction by Steranko announcing a contest to design a superhero
or supervillain
; short biographies of Lee, Thomas, artists John Buscema
and Joe Sinnott
, and writer Gerry Conway
; three puzzles, including a crossword
; a four-page feature on the superhero
team the Fantastic Four
, accompanied by a two-page title and credits checklist; a two-page board game
, "Moving Target"; a five-page "Far-Out Fanfare and Infoomation!" section previewing upcoming Marvel comics; a pinup reprinting superheroes from the Jack Kirby
-drawn cover of Fantastic Four #73 (April 1968); a page of sketches of superspy Nick Fury
, on which fans were encourage to draw disguises; a one-page "Recommended Reading" page that featured The Steranko History of Comics and Steranko's Comixscene for two-thirds of the page; a one-page humor strip, "Fantastic Fear", written by Thomas and Len Brown
and drawn by Gil Kane
and Wally Wood
; and two pages of in-house ads, for T-shirts and the record album The Amazing Spider-Man: A Rockomic! Similar fare appeared in subsequent issues.
Steranko, who additionally drew the back cover of issue #1 (Spider-Man
), the cover of #2 (the Hulk
), and incidental interior art during his tenure, was succeeded as editor by Tony Isabella
with issue #5 (Spring 1974). Ed Hannigan
was by now credited for production, with Mark Evanier
, Jim Salicrup
, and Duffy Vohland as contributing editors. Scott Edelman
took over as editor with #8 (Winter 1974), Vohland with #12 (Dec. 1975), Chris Claremont
with #13 (March 1976), and finally Dave Kraft
with #15 (Sept. 1976). While previous issues had listed the company's overall editor-in-chief on the masthead, FOOM, also with issue #15, was given its own editor-in-chief, beginning with Ralph Macchio
, followed two issues later by Salicrup.
The back cover of #7 (Fall 1974) featured one of Ghost Rider
co-creator Mike Ploog
's earliest sketches of that supernatural
motorcyclist, introduced two years earlier. Issue #11 (Sept. 1975) was a Jack Kirby tribute commemorating the legendary comic-book artist's prodigal return to Marvel after a two-year sojourn at rival DC Comics
.
John Byrne's earliest work at Marvel, a Frankenstein drawing inked by Duffy Vohland, appeared in issue #5's "Fan Art Gallery."
and "Novaton" by future Marvel art director, writer and editor Mariano Nicieza. Issue #3 (Fall 1973) included "Heros" by future Marvel Age editor Steve Saffel.
The winner, announced that issue, was Michael A. Barreiro of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, for the supervillain "Humus Sapiens". Several dozen honorable mentions included future The X-Files
comic-book writer Stefan Petrucha
, listed among those under "Best Presentation".
Despite the contest's announced prize, Humus Sapiens was never used in a Marvel comic at the time. Creator Barreiro later inquired at Marvel about the character, but received no response. Comics columnist Fred Hembeck
in 1979 wrote in the magazine Buyer's Guide to Comic Fandom about the contest and Humus Sapiens, but nothing came of it. The character eventually appeared 28 years later in Thunderbolts
#55 (Sept. 2001), as the fictional mutant
Humus Sapien
. Barreiro grew up to become a carpenter and a freelance artist living in the Carrick
neighborhood, and did a small amount of work for Marvel and Dark Horse Comics
.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' self-produced fan magazine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
of the mid-1970s, following the canceled Marvelmania
Marvelmania International
Marvelmania International was comic-book publisher Marvel Comics' in-house fan club from 1969 to 1971, which absorbed the Merry Marvel Marching Society begun in 1964...
and preceding Marvel Age. Running 22 quarterly issues (Feb. 1973 - Fall 1978), it was initially designed and edited by celebrated comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
writer-artist Jim Steranko
Jim Steranko
James F. Steranko is an American graphic artist, comic book writer-artist-historian, magician, publisher and film production illustrator....
.
FOOM, though spelled without periods in both indicia and cover treatments, is an acronym for "Friends of Ol' Marvel". The name is unrelated to either the computer software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
acronym FOOM (Functional and Object-Oriented Methodology), or Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's annual Songwriters, Composers and Lyricists Association (SCALA) Festival of Original Music Song Competition (FOOM).
Publication history
Steranko, in his first-issue introduction, wrote that he had "dropped in at the Marvel bullpen to rap with [publisher] Stan LeeStan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
about the current comic scene", and that Lee told him about plans to start an in-house fan club. EC Comics
EC Comics
Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books specializing in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, notably the Tales from the Crypt series...
had had its "EC Fan-Addict" club in the 1950s, and Marvel the Merry Marvel Marching Society
Merry Marvel Marching Society
Merry Marvel Marching Society was a fan club for Marvel Comics started by Marvel editor Stan Lee and/or Marvel publisher Martin Goodman in 1964.-History:...
beginning 1964; after the MMMS had run its course by 1969, Marvel licensed a small company in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
to produce the fanzine/product catalog Marvelmania, which lasted a year. Steranko, writing that he nostalgically "recalled the days of radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, with all the clubs and super-premiums that were perpetually offered over the air", volunteered "my services as a designer, writer and comic historian". Ken Bruzenak
Ken Bruzenak
Ken Bruzenak is an award-winning American comic book letterer, primarily known for his work on Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg! Bruzenak's lettering and logowork was integral to the comic's futuristic, trademark-littered ambiance...
served as associate editor, with Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
as consulting editor and Ed Noonchester, Joel Thingvall, and Gary Brown as staff.
A four-issue subscription was US$3. An additional dollar bought a club membership I.D. card, six decal
Decal
A decal or transfer is a plastic, cloth, paper or ceramic substrate that has printed on it a pattern or image that can be moved to another surface upon contact, usually with the aid of heat or water. The word is short for decalcomania...
s, and a poster
Poster
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be...
. The membership kit was also available separately for US$2.50.
The premiere contained a foreword by Lee; an introduction by Steranko announcing a contest to design a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
or supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
; short biographies of Lee, Thomas, artists John Buscema
John Buscema
John Buscema, born Giovanni Natale Buscema , was an American comic-book artist and one of the mainstays of Marvel Comics during its 1960s and 1970s ascendancy into an industry leader and its subsequent expansion to a major pop culture conglomerate...
and Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott is an American comic book artist. Working primarily as an inker, Sinnott is best-known for his long stint on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, from 1965 to 1981 , initially over the pencils of industry legend Jack Kirby...
, and writer Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
; three puzzles, including a crossword
Crossword Puzzle
For the common puzzle, see CrosswordCrossword Puzzle was the second to last album made by The Partridge Family and was not one of the most popular albums. It was released in 1973 and did not produce a U.S. single. This album was finally released on CD in 2003 on Arista's BMG Heritage label...
; a four-page feature on the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
, accompanied by a two-page title and credits checklist; a two-page board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
, "Moving Target"; a five-page "Far-Out Fanfare and Infoomation!" section previewing upcoming Marvel comics; a pinup reprinting superheroes from the Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
-drawn cover of Fantastic Four #73 (April 1968); a page of sketches of superspy Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
, on which fans were encourage to draw disguises; a one-page "Recommended Reading" page that featured The Steranko History of Comics and Steranko's Comixscene for two-thirds of the page; a one-page humor strip, "Fantastic Fear", written by Thomas and Len Brown
Len Brown
Len Brown is the Mayor of Auckland in New Zealand and the head of the Auckland Council. He won the 2010 Auckland mayoral election on 9 October 2010 and was sworn in as Mayor of Auckland on 1 November 2010, being the first to hold that title for the amalgamated Auckland 'Super City'...
and drawn by Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
and Wally Wood
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
; and two pages of in-house ads, for T-shirts and the record album The Amazing Spider-Man: A Rockomic! Similar fare appeared in subsequent issues.
Steranko, who additionally drew the back cover of issue #1 (Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
), the cover of #2 (the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
), and incidental interior art during his tenure, was succeeded as editor by Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella is an American comic book writer, editor, artist and critic, known as the creator and writer of Marvel Comics' Black Goliath, DC Comics' first major African American superhero, Black Lightning, and as a columnist and critic for the Comics Buyer's Guide.-Marvel Comics:Before he joined...
with issue #5 (Spring 1974). Ed Hannigan
Ed Hannigan
Ed Hannigan is an American a writer, artist, and editor of comic books for both Marvel Comics and DC Comics. His most notable writing credits include work on The Defenders during the late 1970s and early 1980s. As the artist on The Spectacular Spider-Man, Hannigan co-created the characters Cloak...
was by now credited for production, with Mark Evanier
Mark Evanier
Mark Stephen Evanier is an American comic book and television writer, particularly known for his humor work. He is also known for his columns and blogs, and for his work as a historian and biographer of the comics industry, in particular his award-winning Jack Kirby biography, Kirby: King of...
, Jim Salicrup
Jim Salicrup
Jim Salicrup is an American comic book editor, known for his tenures at Marvel Comics and Topps Comics. At Marvel, where he worked for twenty years, he edited books such as The Uncanny X-Men, Fantastic Four, Avengers and various Spider-Man titles...
, and Duffy Vohland as contributing editors. Scott Edelman
Scott Edelman
Scott Edelman is an American science fiction, fantasy, and horror writer and editor. He became the editor of SCI FI Magazine in 2002, and has edited the channel's online magazine Science Fiction Weekly since 2000.He was the founding and only editor of the science fiction magazine Science Fiction...
took over as editor with #8 (Winter 1974), Vohland with #12 (Dec. 1975), Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
with #13 (March 1976), and finally Dave Kraft
David Anthony Kraft
David Anthony Kraft, also credited simply as David Kraft, is an American comic book writer, publisher, and critic. He is primarily known for his long-running journal of interviews and criticism, Comics Interview.- Writing career :...
with #15 (Sept. 1976). While previous issues had listed the company's overall editor-in-chief on the masthead, FOOM, also with issue #15, was given its own editor-in-chief, beginning with Ralph Macchio
Ralph Macchio (comics)
Ralph Macchio is an American comic book editor and writer, who has held many positions at Marvel Comics, including executive editor. Macchio is commonly associated with Daredevil, the Spider-Man line of comics and the popular Ultimate Marvel line...
, followed two issues later by Salicrup.
The back cover of #7 (Fall 1974) featured one of Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (comics)
Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
co-creator Mike Ploog
Mike Ploog
Michael G. Ploog is an American storyboard and comic book artist, and a visual designer for movies....
's earliest sketches of that supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
motorcyclist, introduced two years earlier. Issue #11 (Sept. 1975) was a Jack Kirby tribute commemorating the legendary comic-book artist's prodigal return to Marvel after a two-year sojourn at rival DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
.
John Byrne's earliest work at Marvel, a Frankenstein drawing inked by Duffy Vohland, appeared in issue #5's "Fan Art Gallery."
Character contest
Issue #2 (Summer 1973) presented the first of two double-page spreads of fan art submitted for the character-design contest announced in issue #1. Included were the characters "Absorba-Man" by future comics artist Steve RudeSteve Rude
-Career:In 1981, Rude became widely known in the comics world when he and writer Mike Baron created Nexus, an independent science fiction comic book with a large supporting cast. For the series, Rude designed a dozen or so distinctive alien races, including the Thunes, the Amphibs, the Quattros,...
and "Novaton" by future Marvel art director, writer and editor Mariano Nicieza. Issue #3 (Fall 1973) included "Heros" by future Marvel Age editor Steve Saffel.
The winner, announced that issue, was Michael A. Barreiro of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, for the supervillain "Humus Sapiens". Several dozen honorable mentions included future The X-Files
The X-Files (comics)
The X-Files comics was a spin-off from the television series of the same name, originally published by Topps Comics and, most recently, DC Comics imprint Wildstorm.-Publication history:...
comic-book writer Stefan Petrucha
Stefan Petrucha
Stefan Petrucha is an American writer for adults and young adults. He has written graphic novels in the The X-Files and Nancy Drew series, as well as science fiction and horror.- Background :...
, listed among those under "Best Presentation".
Despite the contest's announced prize, Humus Sapiens was never used in a Marvel comic at the time. Creator Barreiro later inquired at Marvel about the character, but received no response. Comics columnist Fred Hembeck
Fred Hembeck
Fred Hembeck is an American cartoonist best known for his parodies of characters from major American comic book publishers. His work has frequently been published by the firms whose characters he spoofs. His characters are always drawn with curlicues at the elbows and knees...
in 1979 wrote in the magazine Buyer's Guide to Comic Fandom about the contest and Humus Sapiens, but nothing came of it. The character eventually appeared 28 years later in Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts (comics)
The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. The group first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.-Publication history:...
#55 (Sept. 2001), as the fictional mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
Humus Sapien
Humus Sapien
Humus Sapien is a fictional supervillain published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared as Humus Sapiens in FOOM #3 , created by Michael A. Barreiro. He first appeared as Humus Sapien in Thunderbolts #54 Humus Sapien (Sonny Baredo) is a fictional supervillain published by Marvel Comics. He first...
. Barreiro grew up to become a carpenter and a freelance artist living in the Carrick
Carrick (Pittsburgh)
Carrick is a south neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is served by two zip codes, 15210 and 15227, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 with a part in District 3.Located between the suburbs of the South Hills and...
neighborhood, and did a small amount of work for Marvel and Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
.