Comic book letter column

[1] Letter columns remained a regular feature of most comic books until the early years of the 21st century, when they began being phased out in favor of the growing prevalence of email and Internet forums.

[2] When Hugo Gernsback published the first science fiction magazine, Amazing Stories in 1926, he allowed for a large letter column which printed reader's addresses.

These letters tended to be praise for the previous issue's story and artwork; or simplistic questions about the correct pronunciation of "Mxyzptlk" or where Superman put his Clark Kent clothes when he was in costume;[8] or alternately, obsessive dissections of perceived continuity errors or art mistakes.

In the 1990s, a trend in letter writing developed in which readers would send in specific, bulleted questions about the direction of the series, plot points, etc.

By the first few years of the 21st century, as comics-related forums sprang up all over the Internet, many letter columns were gradually replaced by advertisements or in-house promotions.

This, combined with a growing sentiment that letters pages were increasingly bringing out the worst in readers, led to their continued decline.

[1] One reason for the persistence of the form, even in the face of other outlets for publisher-creator communication, is that letters pages allow for a more in-depth discussion than most online forums.

Occasionally, if a story ran too long one month, or there were printer-related problems, a comic's letters page would be omitted that issue.

[18] Toward the end of 1960 — thanks in no small part to the urging of motivated readers like Jerry Bails (later to be known as the "father of comics fandom") and Roy Thomas — DC editor Julius Schwartz decided to print readers' home addresses in the letters, a custom of long standing in science fiction magazines and one which helped originate science fiction fandom (where Schwartz himself got his start in publishing).

Schwartz sought and published letters with wit, style and intelligence, that demonstrated genuine, if still budding, critical faculties.

So many letter columns in other books ran non-answers by anonymous staffers; Schwartz, in contrast, always made clear he treated his readers’ opinions with respect.

By printing names and addresses of his letter writers, he fostered communication among readers in a time before comics shops or conventions.

[25]Similarly, under the guidance of editor-in-chief/publisher Stan Lee, Marvel Comics also decided to print readers' home addresses in the letters.

Lee made it a priority to create a community of readers, giving them a sense of personal investment in Marvel and its titles.

[30] In desperate circumstances, DC and Marvel lettercol assemblers were even known to write fake letters under assumed names, just to fill out the column.

[citation needed] Marvel's Deadpool, as part of his regular practice of breaking the "fourth wall," also answered his own letters.

[30] Some had additional purposes such as in the 1980s The Question series, written by Dennis O'Neil, whose letters pages included a reading recommendation with each issue to complement the philosophical points illustrated in the feature story.

(Avengers), "Letters to the Living Legend," (Captain America), "The Spider's Web" (The Amazing Spider-Man), and "X-Mail," (Uncanny X-Men) are just a few examples of this tradition.

It soon became a tradition to hold a contest for fans to write in with column title ideas, with the winning writer credited in the letters page.

Similarly, when a new comic book series was created, readers were asked to submit names for the lettercol title right from the outset.

[b] Readers of Tomb of Dracula[34] and The Vision and the Scarlet Witch limited series were asked to suggest names for the main characters' babies.

Many 1970s Marvel lettercols stressed the importance of reader feedback, such as this one from Power Man #24 (April 1975): "We don't score hits with every issue.

"[38] Similarly, (beginning in the 1980s) the most esteemed letterhacks were occasionally solicited to send letters based on early preview copies, thus helping to build a fan-base for a new title.

[40]Some of the most prolific "LOCers" or "letterhacks" include Jerry Bails, T. M. Maple (who published over 3,000 letters), Augie De Blieck Jr. (who claims to have published over 400 letters),[41] Bill Schelly (now a comic book historian), Peter Sanderson (ditto), and Irene Vartanoff (an omnipresent 1960s letterhack who ended up working behind the scenes for Marvel in the 1970s and 1980s).

Kurt Busiek, Mary Jo Duffy, Mike Friedrich, Mark Gruenwald, Fred Hembeck, Tony Isabella, Paul Levitz, Ralph Macchio, Dean Mullaney, Martin Pasko, Diana Schutz, Beau Smith, Roy Thomas, and Kim Thompson are just a few of the many comic book professionals who got their starts as young letterhacks.