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Wally Wood left because he was not paid for his writing
J David Spurlock
18 August 2016
Like Kirby, Ditko, Orlando, Toth, etc., Wallace Wood QUIT MARVEL OVER
NONPAYMENT. The official 1965 Marvel Newsletter seen here announced
that, Daredevil rebooter, Wallace Wood was "starting" plotting of
Daredevil with issue #9; though published editorial notes as early as
issue #6 had confirmed Wood plots on #s 7 & 8 as well. These
statements by Marvel, support Wood's own accounts that he had been
plotting Daredevil all along and that he quit over nonpayment for that
work. Many other legendary freelance talents including Jack Kirby,
Steve Ditko, Joe Orlando, Alex Toth, etc., also quit over the "Marvel
Method" of getting artists to plot stories and do significant amounts
of art revisions without payment. The brilliant creative work of
Kirby, Ditko & Wood, in creating and/or developing such famous
characters, is so essential to the building of Marvel, that their
value could be incalculable.
Patrick Ford: Here's what Wally Wood had to say to Mark Evanier when
Evanier asked him about the dispute with Lee.
Wally Wood: I said I couldn't contribute to the storyline unless I got
paid something for writing and Stan said he'd look into it, but after
that he only had inking for me. Bob Powell was suddenly pencilling
DAREDEVIL. I complained about not being paid for writing and suddenly
I was inking Powell but I managed to talk him into letting me write
one.
I guess Stan Lee couldn't stand having me do the whole thing. I do
remember that that was his way of dealing with me asking for writing
money if I was pencilling. He had me ink other guys who didn't want to
share the writing money. He said it was because the book was going
monthly and he didn't think I could pencil and ink both but I think it
was just because I wasn't going to write the book for nothing.
Patrick Ford: Notice the dodge Lee slips into the MMMS Bulletin? Lee
does not exactly credit Wood with plotting. He makes sure to say the
Wood was plotting "with Stan." Of course Ditko, Wood, and Kirby did
plot with Stan. In other words they plotted while Lee was sitting in a
chair looking at them.
J David Spurlock: Well, the Al Hartley mention above is interesting in
that here is a RARE situation where an artist other than Stan's
brother Larry actually got writing credit. It notes they were good
friends — evidently! But it also throughs in, edited by Stan... I see
the "with Stan" related to Wood very similar along with Kirby's
comments that Stan was primarily the editor-coordinator but that he
did insist on doing the final dialogue...
J David Spurlock: Remember, this predates Roy and Skeates. My guess
would be that Stan dictated roughly, quickly, to Flo and that she
likely typed this up.
Patrick Ford: There were a couple of other people who were short term
and predated Steve Skeates and Thomas. If I recall correctly Larry
Ivie and Mike Friedrich.
J David Spurlock: Editorial/writing help on-staff? Who, when? where is
that documented?
Patrick Ford: I double checked and it's not in the Howe book. It would
have to be Gary Friedrich not Mike. It may be I saw Steve Skeates
mention this. I'm not sure Ivie can be positively identified as on
staff. He may have only written some stories. There are a number of
people who claim that Ivie was unreliable in his recollections so it's
hard to say.
Dave Rawlins: Skeates predated Thomas and Thomas brought Friedrich, a
friend from Missouri, in. Before going over to Marvel, Friedrich wrote
for Charlton. Ivie had some writing credits before either Skeates or
Thomas, Avengers #14 and Strange Tales #132. Don't know if he was ever
on staff.
Patrick Ford: It may be that Ivie claimed to have been on staff? I
know there are a number of people who say that Ivie sometimes made
claims that were not accurate. If I run across the comments about Ivie
being on staff I'll post them.
J David Spurlock: Thanks Dave Rawlins That is exactly the way I was
recalling it.
Dave Rawlins: Thanks, BTW, Denny O'Neil was at Marvel before
Friedrich. There was a real game of musical chairs amongst Skeates,
O'Neil and Friedrich. Skeates leaves Marvel for Tower, then goes to
Charlton. O'Neil leaves Marvel for Charlton. Friedrich leaves Charlton
for Marvel. And finally Skeates and O'Neil move over to DC!
Patrick Ford: Someone could ask Steve Skeates if he recalls if he was
the first assistant hired by Lee.
Dave Rawlins: He said he was in an email to the Wood list. At least I
think it was the Wood list.
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