Pulled From My Files #23: The Spider’s Web

If you remember when nearly all comics had letter-columns, you’ll know that they needed a header with the column title (usually something relating to the book title or a pun version of it), and the address where readers could send their letters. I did a number of letter-column headers for both DC and Marvel, and this is one of the latter, for THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN in 1994, utilizing my revamped Spider-Man logo in the title. I did new headers for all the Spider-Man books at that time, just as my pointy logo appeared on all of them.

Here’s a closer look at the fine print, all hand-lettered. The style of the larger lettering is highly influenced by Gaspar Saladino, my favorite letterer. I’m surprised at the abbreviation “SO.” for South, I don’t recall seeing that anywhere else.

Email has replaced nearly all mailed letters now, and internet message boards and social media have replaced letter-columns. Even when I was on staff at DC (1977-87) the amount of letters coming in to a particular title was quite small. It was often a challenge to find enough good ones to put together the letter-column every month. Some editors (or usually assistant editors) were forced to make up letters to fill the page. I don’t know how much communication there is now, but at least the editors, writers and artists can tap into it pretty easily with a web search. I know I enjoyed reading the letters that came in about the comics I wrote back in the day, even when they were negative.