Now here's a novelty--something I not only have never owned but had never even seen until this morning! This CAPTAIN AMERICA paperback was one of two Marvel novels to come out in the mid-sixties. The other was THE AVENGERS BATTLE THE EARTH WRECKER. Now THAT one I had--twice! Written by Otto Binder, best known for his sci-fi novels and his comics writing for CAPTAIN MARVEL and SUPERMAN (was this his only Marvel-related work?) I couldn't get into it when I bought it used in 1970 (10 cents!) so I tried again some years later (seven dollars) but still didn't care for it. I had heard about the CAPTAIN AMERICA one all along but never saw a copy at a convention or anywhere else! Then, this morning, this turned up on datajunkie, a marvelous site that I have been remiss for not mentioning during my radio period as they have been consistently posting dozens of OTR shows--in some cases entire series!--online for our enjoyment (if we had all the time needed to listen to all of them anyway). Today's post offers some SUSPENSE episodes and then a whole run of just really cool sixties and seventies mass market paperback covers--including this one. Ted White wrote the novel. I knew his name at the time only from his chapter in ALL IN COLOR FOR A DIME but he had been a BNF (Big Name Fan) in sci-fi fandom for years. He went on to be a respected sci-fi novelist and essayist as well as an early editor of HEAVY METAL. If I recall correctly, White was more than a bit into the counterculture. It would be interesting to read his particular take on Cap in the sixties. Today, as Dr. Progresso, Ted White maintains an online presence with a fascinating music website. Check him out!
Oh I remember this one. I read it when it first came out.
ReplyDeleteIsn't this the one where Ted wrote in a minor character who was killed off in the first chapter named Monk Mayfair -- he didn't realise there were any other people who remembered Doc Savage until he started getting complaining letters ("How dare you...")
this brings back memories
ReplyDeleteI bought this in 1968 9or ('69)
It cose me $0.50 and I recall using a Half-Dollar coin to purchase it.
I now own 2 or 3 copies of it; the conditions of each varies. Also some have the original .50 price and others say .75c or $1.00.
I forget which.
so it WAS reprinted a time or two since the price was different.
Like you It didn't thrill me much at age 8. It was a bit over my head.
I've tried reading it since then and just can't get into it.
I see copies of this every now and then in used book stores.
Oddly enough I've yet to see a copy of the Avengers Paperback you mentioned.
Alan Bryan
JettBlackBerryX
alan.bryan1@us.army.mil