A 16-year-old George R.R. Martin wrote Marvel Comics in 1964 – His letter is awesome
In 1964, Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin was 16 years old and obsessed with the new Marvel superhero comic “The Fantastic Four.” He even took the time to write Stan Lee and Jack Kirby about a mistake they made in one particular issue. His letter was printed, and it reads exactly the way you would expect a George R.R. Martin letter to sound.
Comic book legend Jerry Ordway tweeted out a picture of the letter page from Fantastic Four #32, with Martin’s letter in it. Here’s the text.
Dear Stan and Jack,
Ho-hum! Another month, another bunch of classics, but then what else can one expect from you chaps! FF#29 was once again sublime with the beautiful Kirby-Stone artwork giving just the right impact to Stan’s sparkling script. As for that last panel on page 11, I could rave all day and still not run out of words. When my beady little eyes first glinted hungrily at that panel, hydrogen bombs exploded in my brain and I was swept away by the sheer magnificence of it. Please, fellas,don’t do that too often unless you want to see me die young!
However, I regret to inform you that I found one flaw in this otherwise perfect masterpiece, a flaw that is, regrettably, very common with you. When we last saw the Red Ghost in FF #13 he was stuck on the moon being chased around by three super-powered apes livid with hatred and waving Mr. Fantastic’s paralyzer ray at him. Now suddenly you bring him back in full control of his apes without one single word of explanation.
This isn’t the first time you’ve brought back a villain without properly explaining how. You did it when you revived the Puppet Master in FF #14 after Reed had pronounced him dead in FF #8. Some scientist – can’t even tell if a chap is living or dead but is bright enough to come up with a super-amplified-cosmic-powered-radio-active-doohickey-ray at a moment’s notice!
In conclusion, I wish you good luck on all forthcoming books, but Stan, don’t pull any more returning villains out of your hat. Next time tell us how the remade the scene – ok? OK!
George R. R. Martin, 35 E. First St.
Bayonne, NJ
Well, OK then.
Stan Lee replied with an actual mea culpa – they never checked on the final disposition of Red Ghost before bringing him back. Either way, this manifesto provides a glimpse of what Martin would someday offer. Whether that is good or bad depends on who you ask.
Here’s the letter page:
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