Posted By Dan Greenfield on Oct 26, 2024 | 3 comments

A BIRTHDAY SALUTE: Chris Ryall visited the House of Ideas with one of its builders…

The classic 1974 paperback Origins of Marvel Comics has been re-released for its 50th anniversary, but there’s a second hardcover deluxe edition edited by our pal Chris Ryall that aims to put into the book into better context and highlight the contributions of the company’s storied artists, like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, among others. (The original has long been controversial for, in part, Stan Lee’s solo byline on the cover, which strongly suggests he was the only creative force at the House of Ideas.)

When he was in town for New York Comic Con this month, Chris paid a visit to the Marvel offices and met up with Larry Lieber, Stan Lee’s brother and one of the last living links to comics’ Silver Age.

It’s Lieber’s birthday, so here’s Chris’ recollection of the meeting, adapted from his Substack Tales of Syzpense #62:

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By CHRIS RYALL

I’m flying back from the New York Comic Con as I type this. I haven’t been to that show, or to New York, since just prior to the pandemic, so it felt great to be back in that city and that convention.

The con was full of interesting moments and some really encouraging, new opportunities, and the usual combination of happiness at seeing old friends, meeting collaborators in person for the first time, and that unfortunate thing of just not being able to see everyone or do everything you hoped to do while there. That last part being especially challenging this time around since I was only in the city for two days and at the convention for barely a day and a half.

But lots happened in the amount of time I was there.

Before making it to the show, we had a meet-up at Marvel Comics’ offices to tour the office and celebrate the recent release of Origins of Marvel Comics. Among the attendees was journalist and comic writer Frank Lovece, my Simon & Schuster editor Kimberly Laws, Marvel’s Sarah Stone and Jeremy West… and perhaps the only living creator to have worked on one of the comics in Origins, writer/artist/editor Larry Lieber.

Larry looks at the framed photos of the Marvel Bullpen staff from back in his day.

Larry worked alongside his older brother Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby on Journey Into Mystery #83, the first appearance of Marvel’s Thor. (Larry also worked on the first appearance of Iron Man, Tales of Suspense #39, which appears in the second volume of this same Fireside Books line, Son of Origins of Marvel Comics.)

Larry and I join Marvel’s wall of heroes as painted by Alex Ross, who also created the cover on the deluxe edition of Origins I’m holding.

Larry contributed a very sweet remembrance of working with his brother Stan and with Jack on Journey Into Mystery #83 for my deluxe edition of Origins, so I thought it would be a particular thrill to meet him, and it was. Larry, who turns 93 — he was born Oct. 26, 1931 — enjoyed the walk through the office and seeing some nice remembrances of his own with the various Marvel Bullpen artifacts and posters the company has on display, along with their impressive array of statues featuring the MCU version of characters Larry helped bring to life in the first place. All of which was a pretty special way to start the convention weekend.