Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas | |
---|---|
Harvey Awards Hall of Fame (2022) |
Roy William Thomas Jr.
Among the comics characters he co-created are
.Thomas was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2011 and into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame in 2022.
Early life
Thomas was born in
Thomas became an early and active member of
Career
Marvel Comics
In 1965, Thomas moved to New York City to take a job at
This came after his chafing under the notoriously difficult Weisinger, to a point, Thomas said in 1981, that he would go "home to my dingy little room at, coincidentally, the George Washington Hotel in Manhattan, during that second week, and actually feeling tears well into my eyes, at the ripe old age of 24."[11] Familiar with editor and chief writer Stan Lee's Marvel work, and feeling them "the most vital comics around",[11] Thomas "just sat down one night at the hotel and – I wrote him a letter! Not applying for a job or anything so mundane as that – I just said that I admired his work, and would like to buy him a drink some time. I figured he just might remember me from Alter Ego."[11] Lee did, and phoned Thomas to offer him a Marvel writing test.[13]
The writer's test, Thomas said in 1998, "was four
I was hired after taking [the] 'writer's test', and my first official job title at Marvel was 'staff writer'. I wasn't hired as an editor or assistant editor. I was supposed to come in 40 hours a week and write scripts on staff. ... I sat at this corrugated metal desk with a typewriter in a small office with production manager Sol Brodsky and corresponding secretary Flo Steinberg. Everybody who came up to Marvel wound up there, and the phone was constantly ringing, with conversations going on all around me. ... Almost at once, even though Stan proofed all the finished stories, he and Sol started having me check the corrections before they went out, and that would break up my concentration still further. ... [and] they kept asking me to do this or that, or questions like in which issue something happened, or Stan would come in to check something, because I knew a lot about Marvel continuity up to that time. ... It quickly became apparent to them, too, that the staff writer thing wasn't working, and Stan segued me over to being an editorial assistant, which immediately worked out better for all concerned.[15]
To that point, editor-in-chief Lee had been the main writer of Marvel publications, with his brother,
Thomas' earliest Marvel work also included the teen-romance title Patsy and Hedy #104–105 (Feb.-April 1966), and two "Doctor Strange" stories, plotted by Lee and Steve Ditko, in Strange Tales #143–144 (April–May 1966). Two previously written freelance stories for Charlton Comics also saw print: "The Second Trojan War" in Son of Vulcan #50 (Jan. 1966) and "The Eye of Horus" in Blue Beetle #54 (March 1966).[19] "When Stan saw the couple of Charlton stories I'd written earlier in more of a Gardner Fox style, he wasn't too impressed," Thomas recalled. "It's probably a good thing I already had my job at Marvel at that point! I think I was the right person in the right place at the right time, but there are other people who, had they been there, might have been just as right."[20]
Thomas took on what would be his first long-term Marvel title, the
As Thomas self-evaluated in a 1981 interview, shortly after leaving Marvel for rival DC Comics, "One of the reasons Stan liked my writing ... was that after a few issues he felt he could trust me enough that he virtually never again read anything I wrote – well, at least not more than a page or two in a row, just to keep me honest."[21]
Thomas eloped in July 1968 to marry his first wife, Jean Maxey,
Thomas and artist
In 1971, with Stan Lee, Gerry Conway and Gray Morrow, Thomas created Man-Thing and wrote the first Man-Thing story in color comics, after Conway and Len Wein had introduced the character in the black-and-white comics magazine Savage Tales.[19] Later that year, Thomas wrote the "Kree–Skrull War" storyline across multiple issues of The Avengers penciled variously by Sal Buscema, Neal Adams, and John Buscema.[31][32][33] Thomas was the first person other than Stan Lee to receive a writer's credit for The Amazing Spider-Man,[34] and he and artist Ross Andru launched the Spider-Man spin-off title Marvel Team-Up in March 1972.[35]
Thomas, with Marvel writers and artists, co-created many other characters, among them
Editor-in-chief
In 1972, when Lee became Marvel's publisher, Thomas succeeded him as editor-in-chief. Thomas also continued to script mainstream titles, including Marvel's flagship,
DC Comics
In 1981, after several years of freelancing for Marvel and a dispute with then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter, Thomas signed a three-year exclusive writing/editing contract with DC. He marked his return to that company with a two-part Green Lantern story in Green Lantern #138–139 (March–April 1981), and briefly wrote Batman,[55][56] DC Comics Presents, and the Legion of Super-Heroes.[19] DC gave Thomas' work a promotional push by featuring several of his series in free, 16-page insert previews.[57][58][59][60]
Thomas married his second wife,
As a solo writer, Roy Thomas wrote Wonder Woman and, with artist Gene Colan, updated the character's costume and introduced a new supervillainess, the Silver Swan.[19] His final work on the series, issue #300 (Feb. 1983), was co-written with his wife Dann Thomas,[71] who, as Roy Thomas noted in 1999 "became the first woman ever to receive scripting credit on the world's foremost super-heroine."[62]
Thomas realized a childhood dream in writing the
In 1983, Thomas and artist
Return to Marvel and other comic work
In 1984, Thomas sent Jim Shooter a letter in which he hoped ...
... to let bygones be bygones, and if possible, to avoid adverse comment on Marvel and its policies. I've even long regretted the fact that your elevation to the position of editor-in-chief, in which you've obviously done a fine job, came at a time after I'd moved to the West Coast. Perhaps if we'd had more personal communication from 1977 to 1980, we could have come to some sort of agreement at that time or at least parted under more amicable circumstances. I leave it to you to decide if we should ever make any attempt to rectify that situation; certainly I've never been a grudge-carrier in other cases. ...[82]
By 1986, Thomas wrote for Marvel's
Over the next ten years Thomas did less work for the mainstream comics press. For a series of independent publishers, he wrote issues of the
With Marvel's four-issue miniseries Stoker's Dracula (Oct. 2004 – May 2005), Thomas and artist
Anthem, a comic book series by Thomas and artists
From 2007 to 2010, Thomas wrote adaptations of classic literature for the Marvel imprint
Later career
In 2011, Roy Thomas wrote the one-shot DC Retroactive: Wonder Woman – The '80s with art by Rich Buckler. In 2012, Thomas teamed with artists Mike Hawthorne and Dan Panosian on Dark Horse's Conan: The Road of Kings, which lasted 12 issues. In 2014, he wrote 75 Years of Marvel: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen for Taschen, a 700-page hardcover history of Marvel Comics.[86][87] The following year, he compiled three volumes of World War II-era comics stories featuring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman for Chartwell Books.[88]
Thomas had a cameo appearance as a prison inmate on the third season of Marvel's Daredevil, released in October 2018 on Netflix, and wrote a blog entry about this experience.[89]
On November 10, 2018, Thomas visited
On February 23, 2019,
On March 23, 2019, the final Amazing Spider-Man newspaper comic strip was published. Thomas had been the ghost writer for Stan Lee on the strip since 2000.[92]
Thomas made a return to Marvel Comics in 2019 with the release of the Captain America and The Invaders: Bahamas Triangle one-shot drawn by Jerry Ordway,[93] wrote a Wolverine origin page for the Marvel 1000 celebration issue and did a two-part Savage Sword of Conan story with artist Alan Davis. In 2020, Thomas wrote a 10-page story in the Marvel one-shot King-Size Conan #1.[94]
On February 23, 2021, Thomas criticized Abraham Riesman's controversial Stan Lee biography True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee. In a guest column in The Hollywood Reporter, Thomas took issue with Riesman's assessment of conflicting accounts of the work of Lee and Jack Kirby, who is credited with co-creating many classic Marvel characters. Thomas stated, "Something like 95 percent of the time, [the book] is a very good biography. However, the remaining (and crucial) 5 percent of its content, scattered amid all that painstaking research and well-written prose, renders it often untrustworthy...i.e., a very bad biography. Because the author often insists, visibly and intrusively, on putting his verbal thumb on the scales, in a dispute he seems ill-equipped to judge."[95]
In 2022, Thomas returned to write Wolverine, in the first two issues of a new Marvel Comics ongoing series called X-Men: Legends which tells new in-continuity stories of early X-Men adventures. Thomas's two-part story takes place right after The Incredible Hulk #181 and right before Giant-Size X-Men #1 and reveals a missing link mystery about Wolverine's costume.[96]
Thomas serves on the Disbursement Committee of the comic-book industry charity The Hero Initiative.[97]
Awards
- 1969: Alley Award for Best Writer[28]
- 1971: Shazam Award for Best Writer (Dramatic Division)[98]
- 1971: Goethe Award for Favorite Pro Writer[99]
- 1973: Shazam Award for Best Individual Story ("Song of Red Sonja", with artist Barry Smith, in Conan the Barbarian #24)[100]
- 1973: Goethe Award for Favorite Pro Writer
- 1973: Goethe Award for Favorite Pro Editor
- 1974: Shazam for Superior Achievement by an Individual[101]
- 1974: Angoulême International Comics Festival Award for Best Foreign Author[102]
- 1974: Inkpot Award[103]
- 1974: Comic Fan Art Award for Favorite Pro Editor[99]
- 1975: Comic Fan Art Award for Favorite Pro Writer
- 1975: Comic Fan Art Award for Favorite Pro Editor
- 1977: Favourite Comicbook Writer at the Eagle Awards[104]
- 1977: Nomination: Favourite Single Comicbook Story at the Eagle Awards for Fantastic Four #176: "Improbable as It May Seem the Impossible Man is Back in Town" with penciler George Pérez[104]
- 1978: Nomination: Favourite Writer at the Eagle Awards[105]
- 1978: Nomination: Favourite Continued Story at the Eagle Awards for Star Wars #1–6 with George Lucas and Howard Chaykin[105]
- 1979: Nomination: Best Comic Book Writer (US) at the Eagle Awards[106]
- 1979: Nomination: Best Continued Story at the Eagle Awards for Thor #272–278 with John Buscema[106]
- 1980: Roll of Honour at the Eagle Awards[107]
- 1985: Named as one of the honorees by DC Comics in the company's 50th anniversary publication Fifty Who Made DC Great.[108]
- 1996: Author That We Loved at the Haxtur Awards[109]
- 2011: Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame[110]
- 2017: Sergio Award from the Comic Art Professional Society (CAPS)[111]
- 2022: Harvey Awards Hall of Fame [112]
Bibliography
Charlton Comics
- Blue Beetle #54 (1966)
- Charlton Premiere #1 (1967)
- Romantic Story #87 (1967)
- Son of Vulcan #50 (1966)
Cross Plains Comics
- H.P. Lovecraft's The Return of Cthulhu oneshot (2000)
- Red Sonja: A Death in Scarlet oneshot (1999)
- Robert E. Howard's Myth Maker oneshot (1999)
- Robert E. Howard's Wolfshead oneshot (1999)
Dark Horse Comics
- Conan: Road of the Kings #1–12 (2010–2012)
- Cormac Mac Art #1–4 (1990)
- Kings of the Night #1–2 (1989)
- Michael Chabon Presents the Amazing Adventures of the Escapist #3, 5 (2004–2005)
- Robert E. Howard's Ironhand of Almuric #1–4 (1991)
DC Comics
- Action Comics Weekly #623–626 (1988)
- All Star Comics 80-Page Giant #1 (1999)
- All-Star Squadron #1–67, Annual #1–3 (1981–1987)
- America vs. the Justice Society #1–4 (1985)
- Arak, Son of Thunder#1–50, Annual #1 (1981–1985)
- Atari Force #1–5 (promo) (1982–1983)
- Batman #336–338, 340 (1981)
- Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! #1–11, 16, 18 (1982–1983)
- Crimson Avenger #1–4 (1988)
- DC Challenge #9, 12 (1986)
- DC Comics Presents #31–34, 37, 41, 48–49, Annual #3 (1981–1984)
- DC Retroactive: Wonder Woman – The '80s #1 (2011)
- DC Special Series #26 (1981)
- The Dragonlance Saga GN vol. 1–5 (1987–1991)
- Green Lantern #138–139 (1981)
- Heroes Against Hunger #1 (1986)
- History of the DC Universe HC (text article) (1988)
- Infinity, Inc. #1–53, Annual #1–2, Special #1 (1984–1988)
- JLA: The Island of Dr. Moreau #1 (2002)
- Jonni Thunder a.k.a. Thunderbolt #1–4 (1985)
- Justice League of America #193 (All-Star Squadron insert preview), 207–209, 219–220 (1981–1983)
- Last Days of the Justice SocietySpecial #1 (1986)
- Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2, #277–283 (1981–1982)
- Captain Carrot insert preview) (1982)
- The New Teen Titans vol. 2, #38 (1987)
- The Ring of the Nibelung #1–4 (1989–1990)
- Secret Origins vol. 2, #1, 3, 5–9, 11–13, 15–22, 24–26, 28–31, 42, Annual #1 (1986–1989)
- Shazam!: The New Beginning #1–4 (1987)
- The Superman Family #207 (1981)
- Superman's Metropolis #1 (1996)
- Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #91 (1966)
- Superman: War of the Worlds #1 (1998)
- Swordquest #1–3 (1982)
- Arak, Son of Thunderinsert preview) (1981)
- Wonder Woman #288–296, 300 (1982–1983)
- World's Finest Comics #271 (1981)
- Young All-Stars #1–29, Annual #1 (1987–1989)
Don Lawrence Collection
- Storm: De Kronieken van Roodhaar #1 (2014)
Dynamite Entertainment
- Red Sonja #100, #1973, Giant Size #1 (2007, 2013)
- Red Sonja: Ballad of the Red Goddess OGN (2019)
- Red Sonja Holiday Special oneshot (2018)
- Red Sonja: Monster Isle oneshot (2006)
First Comics
- Alter Ego #1–4 (not to be confused with the magazine of the same name) (1986)
- Elric: Sailor on the Seas of Fate #1–7 (1985–1986)
- Elric: The Bane of the Black Sword #1–6 (1988–1989)
- Elric: The Vanishing Tower #1–6 (1989–1988)
- Elric: The Weird of the White Wolf #1–5 (1986–1987)
Heroic Publishing
- Captain Thunder and Blue Bolt #1–10 (1987–1988)
- Heroic Spotlight #10–12, 15–16 (2013–2014)
- Liberty Comics #6 (2012)
- Roy Thomas' Anthem #1–5 (2006–2009)
Millenium Publications
- H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu: The Festival #1–3 (1993–1994)
Marvel Comics
- Amazing Adventures vol. 2, #5–6, 8, 18 (1971–1973)
- The Amazing Spider-Man #101–104 (1971–1972)
- Astonishing Tales #1–2, 7–8, 10–13 (1970–1972)
- The Avengers #35–104, 132; Annual #1–2, 19–20, 22–23; Giant-Size #1, 3, King-Size Special #1 (1966–1975, 1991–1994)
- Avengers Spotlight #37–39 (1990)
- Avengers West Coast #60–63, 65–101, Annual #5–8 (1990–1993)
- Avengers: The Ultron Imperative #1 (2001)
- Black Knight #1–4 (1990)
- Captain America #215, 217, 423, Annual #9, 11, 13 (1977–1994)
- Captain America: Medusa Effect #1 (1994)
- Captain America and The Invaders: Bahamas Triangle #1 (2019)
- Captain Marvel #1–4, 17–21 (1968–1970)
- The Cat #1 (1972)
- Chamber of Chills #3 (1973)
- Chamber of Darkness #2–5, 7 (1969–1970)
- Conan the Adventurer #1–14 (1994–1995)
- Conan the Barbarian #1–115, 240–275; Annual #2, 4–7; Giant-Size #1–4 (1970–1982, 1991–1993)
- Conan the Savage #1–6, 10 (1995–1996)
- Conan: Death Covered in Gold #1–3 (1999)
- Conan: Flame and the Fiend #1–3 (2000)
- Conan: Scarlet Sword #1–3 (1998–1999)
- Conan: The Lord of the Spiders #1–3 (1998)
- Conan: The Ravagers Out of Time GN (1992)
- Creatures on the Loose #10, 16–17 (1971–1972)
- Daredevil #50–69, 71 (1969–1970)
- Doc Savage #1 (1972)
- Doctor Strange #169–178, 180–183 (1968–1969)
- Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #5–24, 26–47, 52–56, Annual #2 (1989–1993)
- Dracula Lives#1–3, 5–8, 10–11 (1973–1975)
- Epic Illustrated #2–5, 14, 34 (1980–1986)
- Eternals: The Herod Factor #1 (1991)
- Fantastic Four #119, 126–133, 136, 157–179, 181, 303, Annual #11, 22 (1972–1977, 1987–1989)
- Fantastic Four Unlimited #1–7, 9–12 (1993–1995)
- Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up #1–2 (1975)
- Haunt of Horror #1 (1974)
- Hulk: Broken Worlds #1 (2009)
- Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular #1 (1990)
- The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, #105–106, 121–145, 147, 158, 172–178 (1968–1974)
- Invaders #1–9, 11–23, 25–28, 32–36; Annual #1; Giant-Size #1 (1975–1979); Giant Size #2 (2005)
- Invaders vol. 2, #1–4 (1993)
- Iron Man #44, 47; Annual #11–12 (1972, 1990–1991)
- Iron Man and Sub-Mariner #1 (1968)
- Journey into Mystery vol. 2, #1 (1972)
- Kid Colt Outlaw#127, 136 (1966–1967)
- King Conan #1–8 (1980–1981)
- King-Size Conan #1 (2020)
- Kull the Conqueror/Kull the Destroyer #1–3, 11, 16 (1972–1976)
- Legion of Monsters #1 (Dracula story) (1975)
- Marvel Comics Presents #44 (1990)
- Marvel Comics Super Special #2 (1978)
- Marvel Double Feature:Thunderstrike/Code: Blue(Code: Blue segment) #13–16 (1994–1995)
- Marvel Feature #1–4 (1971–1972)
- Marvel Feature vol. 2, #1, 6–7 (1975–1976)
- Elric) (1982)
- Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan of the Isles (1989)
- Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan the Rogue (1991)
- Marvel Graphic Novel: Conan: The Horn of Azoth (1990)
- Marvel Illustrated: The Iliad #1–8 (2008)
- Marvel Illustrated: Kidnapped #1–5 (2009)
- Marvel Illustrated: The Last of the Mohicans #1–6 (2007)
- Marvel Illustrated: The Man in the Iron Mask #1–6 (2007–2008)
- Marvel Illustrated: Moby-Dick #1–6 (2008)
- Marvel Illustrated: The Picture of Dorian Gray #1–6 (2008)
- Marvel Illustrated: The Three Musketeers #1–6 (2008–2009)
- Marvel Illustrated: Treasure Island #1–6 (2007–2008)
- Marvel Illustrated: The Trojan War #1–5 (2009)
- Marvel Premiere #1–2, 15, 29–30, 33–37 (1972–1977)
- Marvel Preview #1, 9, 19 (1975–1979)
- Marvel Spotlight #2 (1972)
- Marvel Super Special #9 (1979)
- Marvel Super-Heroes #13, 17, 20 (1968–1969)
- Marvel Super-Heroes vol. 2, #6–7, 12, 14 (1991–1993)
- Marvel Team-Up #1 (1972)
- Marvel Treasury of Oz Featuring the Marvelous Land of Oz #1 (1976)
- Marvel Treasury Edition #23 (Conan) (1979)
- Marvel Two-in-One #20; Annual #1 (1976)
- Millie the Model #135–136 (1966)
- Modeling with Millie #44–46 (1965–1966)
- Monsters on the Prowl #16 (1972)
- Monsters Unleashed #1, 3 (1973)
- Mystic Arcana: Black Knight #1 (2007)
- Namor, the Sub-Mariner #42–43; Annual #1 (1991–1993)
- Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.#4, 6 (1968)
- Nightmask #6–7, 10–12 (1987)
- Not Brand Echh #1–5, 7–9, 11–13 (1967–1969)
- Patsy and Hedy #104–105 (1966)
- Pizzazz (Star Wars comic) #1–8 (1977–1978)
- Rawhide Kid #67, 91 (1968–1971)
- Red Sonja #1–15 (1977–1979)
- Red Sonja vol. 2, #1–2 (1983)
- Red Wolf #1 (1972)
- Saga of the Original Human Torch #1–4 (1990)
- Saga of the Sub-Mariner #1–12 (1988–1989)
- Savage Sword of Conan #1–79, 190–235 (1974–1984, 1991–1995)
- Savage Sword of Conan vol. 2, #10–11 (2019)
- Savage Tales #1–5 (1971–1974)
- Secret Defenders #1–8 (1993)
- Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #29–41; Annual #2 (1966–1967)
- Spider-Man/Dr. Strange: The Way to Dusty Death #1 (1993)
- Spider-Woman #1–4 (1993–1994)
- Spoof #1–2 (1970–1972)
- Spitfire and the Troubleshooters#5 (1987)
- Stan Lee Meets the Thing#1 (2006)
- Starbrand#7 (1987)
- Star Wars #1–10 (1977–1978)
- Stoker's Dracula #1–4 (2004–2005)
- Strange Tales #143–144, 150, 153–154, 158–159 (1966–1967)
- Sub-Mariner #1–40 (1968–1971)
- Submariner Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1 (2009)
- Supernatural Thrillers #1, 3 (1972–1973)
- Tales of Suspense #87 (1967)
- Tales of the Zombie #1 (1973)
- Tales to Astonish #93–95, 97–98 (1967)
- Tarzan #1–14; Annual #1 (1977–1978)
- Thor #239–240, 272–278, 280, 283–299, 472–489; Annual #7–8, 14–15, 17, 19 (1975–1995)
- Timely Comics Presents The Human Torch oneshot (afterword) (1999)
- Tower of Shadows #2–3, 5, 9 (1969–1971)
- Two-Gun Kid #88 (1967)
- Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #3, 5–6 (1975)
- Vampire Tales #1–2, 5 (1973–1974)
- Warlock #1–2, 6 (1972–1973)
- Western Gunfighters vol. 2, #1 (1970)
- What If ... ? #1–2, 4, 6, 13 (1977–1979)
- What If ... ? vol. 2, #1, 9, 15, 19, 24, 35–39 (1989–1992)
- What If ... ? vol. 9, #200 (text article) (2011)
- Within Our Reach #1 (1992)
- Worlds Unknown #2–3, 5 (1973–1974)
- X-Men #20–43, 55–64, 66 (1966–1970)
- X-Men: Black Sun #3 (2000)
- X-Men: Gold #1 (2014)
Marvel Comics/DC Comics
- MGM's Marvelous Wizard of Oz #1 (1975)
Topps Comics
- Bombast #1 (1993)
- Captain Glory #1 (1993)
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs#1–9 (1994)
- The Frankenstein / Dracula War #1–3 (1995)
- Hercules: The Legendary Journeys #1–5 (1996)
- Jack Kirby's Secret City Saga #0–4 (1993)
- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein #1–4 (1994–1995)
- Xena: Warrior Princess #1–2 (1997)
- Xena: Warrior Princess – The Dragon's Teeth #1–3 (1997–1998)
- Xena: Warrior Princess Vs Callisto #1–3 (1998)
- Xena: Warrior Princess: Year One #1 (1997)
- The X-Files: Season One Episodes "Pilot", "Squeeze", "Deep Throat", "Conduit", "Ice", "Space", "Fire", "Beyond the Sea", Shadows" (1997–1998)
TSR, Inc.
- Warhawks #1–3 (1990)
Screenwriting credits
Television
- The New Fantastic Four (1978)[episode needed]
- The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show (1979–1980)[episode needed]
- Thundarr the Barbarian (1980–1981)[episode needed]
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1985)[episode needed]
- Conan the Adventurer (1992–1993)[episode needed]
- Xena: Warrior Princess (1996)[episode needed]
- G.I. Joe Extreme (1997)[episode needed]
Films
- Fire and Ice (1983)
- Conan the Destroyer (1984)
References
- ^ a b c "Roy Thomas Checklist" Alter Ego vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16
- ^ Comics Buyer's Guide #1636 (December 2007) p. 135
- ^ a b Thomas in Currie, Dave. "Roy Thomas". Comic Creators in Conversation. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
- ^ The Avengers Annual #1 (1967), biographical text page
- ^ a b Cooke, Jon B. (May 2001). "Son of Stan: Roy's Years of Horror: Marvel's Editor-in-Chief discusses the '70s macabre mags". Comic Book Artist (13). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publications: 20. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
I went to a parochial Lutheran school, but I'm not religious
- ^ Jordan, Carla (January 2020). "'Welcome Home, Roy Thomas!' A Remembrance of the "February Annual' Event in Jackson, Missouri, 2019". Alter Ego. 3 (162). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publications: 40.
It was held at the St. Paul Lutheran Fellowship Hall...on the grounds of the church Roy attended while living in Jackson.
- ISBN 978-1605490311.
I'm a lapsed Lutheran myself.
- ISBN 978-3319827056.
- ^ Siegel, Howard P. "Made in America," BEM #16 (Dec. 1977).
- ^ Reed, Patrick A. (November 22, 2016). "Making History All His Own: Celebrating the Great Roy Thomas!". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Interview with Roy Thomas". The Comics Journal (61): 79. Winter 1981.
- ^ Roy Thomas interview (July 2005). "'Roy the Boy' in the Marvel Age of Comics". Alter Ego. Vol. 3, no. 50. p. 4.
- ^ a b "Stan the Man & Roy the Boy: A Conversation Between Stan Lee and Roy Thomas". Comic Book Artist. No. 2. Summer 1998. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009.
- ^ a b Thomas, The Comics Journal #61, p. 80
- ^ " 'Roy the Boy' in the Marvel Age of Comics", pp. 4–5
- ^ Alter Ego vol. 3, #50, p. 8
- ISBN 978-0756641238.
- ISBN 978-1-60549-086-1.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Roy Thomas at the Grand Comics Database
- ^ Alter Ego vol. 3, #50, pp. 9–10
- ^ Thomas, The Comics Journal #61, p. 78
- ^ Alter Ego vol. 3, #50, p. 37
- ^ Thomas (interviewer) in "So You Want a Job, Eh? The Gene Colan Interview", Alter Ego vol. 3, #6 (Autumn 2000) pp. 13–14
- cover-datedMarch 1969, including The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, #113
- ^ Stiles, Steve. "The Groundbreaking Neal Adams". SteveStiles.com (official site). Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Additional .
- ^ Schumer, Arlen (Winter 1999). "Neal Adams: The Marvel Years". Comic Book Artist (3). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-8109-8171-3, p. 127: "Running nine issues, much of it spectacularly illustrated by Neal Adams, the Kree-Skrull War had no precedent in comics. ... With this story The Avengers unquestionably established its reputation as one of Marvel's leading books"; and Stiles, re: X-Men: "Even knowing that the book was slated for the axe, Adams poured out some of the finest, most innovative work of his career".
- ^ a b "1969 Alley Awards". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. n.d. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015.
- ^ Sanderson, Peter "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 146: ""Writer Roy Thomas and British artist Barry Smith (later known as Barry Windsor-Smith) launched Marvel's sword-and-sorcery comics with Conan the Barbarian, in a series that ran for 275 issues."
- ISBN 9780810938212.
- ISBN 978-0785107453.
- ^ Daniels p. 150: "This wild tale ... attempted to tie together more than thirty years of the company's stories ... More than any previous work, 'The Kree-Skrull War' solidified the idea that every comic book Marvel had ever published was part of an endless, ongoing saga."
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 150: "Unprecedented in Marvel history, this epic spanned nine issues of The Avengers. The saga began in The Avengers #89."
- ^ ISBN 978-0756692360.
In the first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man to be written by someone other than Stan Lee ... Thomas also managed to introduce a major new player to Spidey's life – the scientifically created vampire known as Morbius.
- ^ Manning "1970s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 60: "Spider-Man was a proven hit, so Marvel decided to expand the wall-crawler's horizons with a new Spider-Man title ... Its first issue featured Spidey teaming up with the Human Torch against the Sandman in a Christmas tale written by Roy Thomas with art by Ross Andru."
- ^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 131: "A precursor of the unstoppable robot in the Terminator films, Ultron sprang from the minds of writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema."
- ^ Walker, Karen (February 2010). "Ultron: The Black Sheep of the Avengers Family". Back Issue! (38). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 23–30.
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 178: "Danvers first appeared in March 1968, as a NASA security chief in the Captain Mar-Vell story in Marvel Super-Heroes #13, and was originally created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan."
- ^ "Luke Cage, Hero for Hire, Vol. 1, No. 4". National Museum of American History. Smithsonian. 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 165: "Marvel combined the superhero and martial arts genres when writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane created Iron Fist in Marvel Premiere #15."
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 156: "Co-created by editor Roy Thomas, writer Gary Friedrich, and artist Mike Ploog, the new Ghost Rider was Johnny Blaze, a motorcycle stunt performer."
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 154: ""Roy Thomas came up with the idea for a series called 'I, Werewolf', narrated in the first person by a teenager who transformed into a werewolf. Stan Lee liked the concept but decided to name it 'Werewolf by Night'. The initial creative team on the series was scriptwriter Gerry Conway and artist Mike Ploog."
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 159: "Roy Thomas conceived the initial idea of an alternate-future Earth sequel to H. G. Wells' classic science fiction novel The War of the Worlds ... Neal Adams plotted the first story with a script by Gerry Conway and art by Adams and Howard Chaykin."
- ^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 132: "The updated Vision was created by writer Roy Thomas, who continued his trick of taking a name that Marvel already owned and creating a new super hero around it ... The new Vision, drawn by John Buscema, was a synthozoid – an android with synthetic human organs."
- ^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 133
- ^ DeFalco "1960s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 128: "[Thomas] often employed a name that Marvel already owned and built a new character around it. Such was the case with the Black Knight."
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 155
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 157: "September [1972] witnessed a new generation taking command at Marvel Comics. Roy Thomas not only became writer of 'The World's Greatest Comic Magazine' with Fantastic Four #126, but also simultaneously became Marvel's Editor-in-Chief."
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 151: "[Roy] Thomas and artist Ross Andru reunited [Doctor] Strange, the Hulk, and Namor as a brand new Marvel superhero team – the Defenders."
- ^ DeAngelo, Daniel (July 2013). "The Not-Ready-For-Super-Team Players A History of the Defenders". Back Issue! (65). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 3–5.
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 170: "In 1975, Thomas and adventure comic strip artist Frank Robbins created the Invaders."
- ^ "Jim Shooter Interview, Part 1". ComicBookResources.com. October 6, 2000. Archived from the original on October 17, 2010.
We had been losing money for several years in the publishing. And y'know, actually a lot of credit should go to Roy Thomas, who – kicking and screaming —had dragged Marvel into doing Star Wars. If we hadn't done Star Wars – what was that, '77? – well, we would have gone out of business.
Additional . - ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9.
The Yellow Brick Road from Munchkin Land to the Emerald City was also wide enough to accommodate DC and Marvel as they produced their first-ever joint publication ... Roy Thomas scripted a faithful, seventy-two-page adaptation of Dorothy Gale's adventure, while John Buscema's artwork depicted the landscape of Oz in lavish detail.
- ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 179: "Writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema created Marvel's new Tarzan series, based on author Edgar Rice Burroughs' character."
- ISBN 978-1465424563.
Batman #337 Gerry Conway was assisted by writer Roy Thomas and the pencils of José Luis García-López in this issue that introduced Batman to the new threat of the Snowman.
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dougall, p. 139: Batman #340 "Writers Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas collaborated with artist Gene Colan for the dramatic return of the Mole, an old Batman villain given a serious upgrade."
- Fantagraphics Books: 28–30.
All-Star Squadron, DC's new World War II-era superhero series debuts in May in a 16-page preview insert in Justice League of America #193.
- ^ Catron, Michael (June 1981). "Thomas's Indian/Viking to Roam Medieval Europe". Amazing Heroes (1). Stamford, Connecticut: Fantagraphics Books: 28–30.
Arak, Son of Thunder, described as an 'Indian/Viking,' makes his debut in a preview insert in Warlord #48, on sale in May.
- ^ Sanderson, Peter (September–October 1981). "Thomas/Colan Premiere Wonder Woman's New Look". Comics Feature (12/13). New Media Publishing: 23.
The hotly-debated new Wonder Woman uniform will be bestowed on the Amazon Princess in her first adventure written and drawn by her new creative team: Roy Thomas and Gene Colan ... This story will appear as an insert in DC Comics Presents #41.
- ^ Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 196: "The New Teen Titans #16 – In a sixteen-page bonus preview insert in the middle of The New Teen Titans ... was the debut story of Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew."
- ^ Catron, Michael (August 1981). "Personal Notes". Amazing Heroes (3). Stamford, Connecticut: Fantagraphics Books: 23.
- ^ a b Thomas, Roy "The Secret Origins of Infinity, Inc." Alter Ego vol. 3, #1 (Summer 1999) TwoMorrows Publishing p. 27
- ^ Thomas, Roy "Roy Thomas Checklist" Alter Ego vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) TwoMorrows Publishing p. 23
- ISBN 1-893905-05-5pp. 191–192
- ^ Thomas, Roy "Crisis on Finite Earths The Justice League-Justice Society Team-Ups (1963–1985)" Alter Ego, vol. 3, #7 (Winter 2001) TwoMorrows Publishing, pp. 31–34
- ^ Shaw, Scott "Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! Vol. 1, No. 1" Archived January 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, OddBallComics.com #1180, October 8, 2007
- ^ George Pérez interview, David Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview #6 (Fictioneer, Aug. 1983).
- ^ O'Neill, Patrick Daniel. "Career Moves" (Pérez interview), Wizard #35 (July 1994).
- ^ "Roy Thomas Checklist" p. 17
- ^ Radulovic, Petrana (June 11, 2019). "The abandoned X-Men movie of the 1980s isn't missed by anyone involved". Polygon. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 200: "The Amazing Amazon was joined by a host of DC's greatest heroes to celebrate her 300th issue in a seventy-two-page blockbuster ... Written by Roy and Dann Thomas, and penciled by Gene Colan, Ross Andru, Jan Duursema, Dick Giordano, Keith Pollard, Keith Giffen, and Rich Buckler."
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 195: "The creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist Rich Buckler on All-Star Squadron offered readers a nostalgic glimpse back in time, albeit through the slightly distorted lens of Earth-2's history."
- ^ "One of Thomas's goals is to resolve problems in past Earth-2 continuity." as noted in "From Here to Infinity" Sanderson, Peter Amazing Heroes #36 (December 1, 1983) p. 47
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 203: "The children of the original Justice Society of America made their smash debut in this issue by writer Roy Thomas and penciler Jerry Ordway ... All-Star Squadron #25 marked the first appearances of future cult-favorite heroes Jade, Obsidian, Fury, Brainwave Jr., the Silver Scarab, Northwind, and Nuklon."
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 207: "Written by DC's Golden Age guru Roy Thomas and drawn by Jerry Ordway, Infinity, Inc. was released in DC's new deluxe format on bright Baxter paper."
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 212: "In this limited series by writer Roy Thomas and penciler Rafael Kayanan, the JSA was taken to trial following a modern-day witchhunt."
- ^ Greenberger, Robert (August 2017). "It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time: A Look at the DC Challenge!". Back Issue! (98). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 41–43.
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 218: "The heroes of the DC Universe got a little more exposed thanks to the new ongoing effort Secret Origins, a title offering new interpretations to the backgrounds of some of comics' biggest icons. [Its] debut issue featur[ed] the origin of the first true super-hero – the Golden Age Superman – by writer Roy Thomas and illustrator Wayne Boring."
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dougall, p. 162: "Earth-Two Batman's history was chronicled by writer Roy Thomas and artist Marshall Rogers."
- ^ Wells, John (August 2017). "Their Lives Were an Open Book: Secret Origins 1986–1990". Back Issue! (98). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 2–20.
- ^ Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 221: "The world's first super-team saw its adventures come to a temporary end thanks to its biggest fan. Writer/editor Roy Thomas acknowledged that, after ... the Crisis maxiseries, the JSA seemed no longer relevant."
- ^ Shooter, Jim (August 18, 2011). "Writer/Editors – Part 6: Years Later". JimShooter.com (official site). Archived from the original on September 5, 2011.
- ^ Weiland, Jonah (September 30, 2004). "30 Years of Horror: Editor Beazley talks the return of Stoker's Dracula". ComicBookResources.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
- ^ Smith, Zack (February 24, 2007). "NYCC '07/D2: Marvel Magic Gets Spotlight in Mystic Arcana". Newsarama. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007.
- ^ George, Richard (August 19, 2008). "Marvel in November 2008". IGN. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
- ^ Wilson, Matt D. (July 9, 2014). "Roy Thomas And Taschen Drop 700-Page Hardcover Celebrating 75 Years Of Marvel Comics". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014.
- ^ Melrose, Kevin (July 8, 2014). "Taschen and Roy Thomas chronicle 75 Years of Marvel". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on September 25, 2014.
- ^ Johnston, Rich (July 24, 2015). "Roy Thomas Tells The War Years Of Batman, Superman And Wonder Woman". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on October 27, 2015.
- ^ Thomas, Roy (November 1, 2018). "MY MARVEL CAMEO". "Hero Envy" The Blog Adventures. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- ^ Forsythe, Dana (November 15, 2018). "Marvel legend Roy Thomas visited Stan Lee days before his death. Here's what happened". SyFy Wire. Archived from the original on August 11, 2019.
- ^ Hartwig, Joshua (February 25, 2019). "Comic book writer Roy Thomas celebrated Saturday, awarded key to uptown Jackson". Southeast Missourian. Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
- Johnston, Rich (March 23, 2019). "The Last Spider-Man Newspaper Strip Runs Today – Its Writer, Roy Thomas Looks Back". Bleeding Cool.
- ^ Sardo, Matthew (April 12, 2019). "Marvel Announces Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway's Captain America and The Invaders: The Bahamas Triangle #1". Monkeys Fighting Robots. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020.
- ^ "KING-SIZE CONAN (2020)". Weekly Comic Book Roundup. December 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Thomas, Roy (February 23, 2021). "Roy Thomas, Former Marvel Editor, Pushes Back on New Stan Lee Biography (Guest Column)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "Visionary Roy Thomas Kicks Off a New Era of 'X-Men Legends'". Marvel.
- ^ "Hero Initiative Board Members Disbursement Committee". The Hero Initiative. 2013. Archived from the original on June 21, 2013.
- ^ "1971 Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. n.d. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015.
- ^ a b Bails, Jerry (n.d.). "Thomas, Roy". Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016.
- ^ "1973 Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. n.d. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015.
- ^ "1974 Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. n.d. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015.
- ^ "Bullpen Bulletins" page, "Wondrously Witty Words From a Woomful of Wombats!" in Marvel Comics cover-dated October 1974: "Our own Rascally Roy Thomas ... was recently awarded an Alfred by the first International Comic-Strip Congress at Angouleme, France ... The award was given to Roy as best comics writer in a foreign language. Sheesh! And here all these years he thought he was writing in English!"
- ^ "Inkpot Award Winners". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012.
- ^ Eagle Awards. 2013. Archived from the originalon October 23, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
- ^ a b "Eagle Awards Previous Winners 1978". Eagle Awards. 2013. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
- ^ a b "Eagle Awards Previous Winners 1979". Eagle Awards. 2013. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
- ^ "Eagle Awards Previous Winners 1980". Eagle Awards. 1980. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
- ^ Marx, Barry, Cavalieri, Joey and Hill, Thomas (w), Petruccio, Steven (a), Marx, Barry (ed). "Roy Thomas From Fan to Professional" Fifty Who Made DC Great, p. 33 (1985). DC Comics.
- ^ "1996 Haxtur Awards". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. n.d. Archived from the original on May 14, 2015.
- San Diego Comic-Con International. 2015. Archivedfrom the original on September 5, 2015.
- ^ "CAPS Banquet: Roy Thomas". Comic Art Professional Society. November 2, 2017. Archived from the original on October 26, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
- ^ George Gene Gustines (September 23, 2022). "Harvey Awards to Induct New Hall of Fame Members". The New York Times.
External links
- Roy Thomas at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Roy Thomas at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
- Roy Thomas at IMDb
- Roy Thomas at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators