The Marvel No-Prize Book #1

History

The project was organized and driven by Jim Owsley (later known as Christopher Priest), who received the expansive credit 'writer, layout & design, art direction, making it happen, and glory-grabbing.' Roger Stern and Steven Grant conducted the historical research — essentially being paid to excavate decades of Marvel comics for blunders — while Bob Camp and inker Vince Colletta drew new framing-sequence pages into which reproduced error panels were inserted. Editor Larry Hama oversaw the issue under Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, who is credited as having originated the concept. The book went on sale October 19, 1982, carrying a January 1983 cover date; the indicia notes only a 1982 copyright, and the cover month was used to establish the official date. In a final flourish of meta-humor, the already-gag-heavy cover — Michael Golden's image of Doctor Doom unmasking to reveal Stan Lee — was deliberately printed upside-down, and the Comics Code Authority stamp was replaced with a spoof seal reading 'Approved by the Common Cold Authority.'

Trivia · 7 facts

• Published as a one-shot by Marvel Comics; on-sale date October 19, 1982, with a January 1983 cover date — the indicia carries only a 1982 copyright.
• The sole story, 'Lest We Should Goof...!', was scripted by Jim Owsley (Christopher Priest), with historical research by Roger Stern and Steven Grant, and new framing-sequence art by Bob Camp (pencils) and Vince Colletta (inks).
• Cover painted by Michael Golden depicts Doctor Doom removing his mask to reveal Stan Lee; the entire cover illustration and word balloons were deliberately printed upside-down as a joke.
• The standard Comics Code Authority stamp on the cover was replaced with a parody seal reading 'Approved by the Common Cold Authority.'
• Stan Lee appears in-story as host/narrator in what the book itself describes as 'caricature form,' guiding readers through the parade of gaffes.
• Documented goofs include: Spider-Man called 'Peter Palmer' and 'Superman'; Betty Ross mislabeled as Betty Brant; the Hulk's alter ego listed as Dr. Don Blake (Thor's identity); Daredevil drawn with a gun and holster as part of his costume; a multi-page spread tracing four contradictory locations given for the Inhumans' Great Refuge (the Andes, the Himalayas, the Alps, and ultimately the Moon); and a two-page spread cataloguing years of confusion over whether the woman from Captain America's past was Sharon Carter or Peggy Carter.
• Interior art in the reprinted error panels was drawn by Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Gene Colan, John Buscema, Frank Miller, and others — spanning the full breadth of Marvel's Silver and Bronze Age illustration roster.

Cast · 40 characters

Full credits

Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers