Weirdworld
Encyclopedia
"Weirdworld" was a fantasy series created by Doug Moench
and Mike Ploog
for Marvel Comics
, set in a dimension of magic.
imprint
Curtis Magazines
. It then was featured in the color comic Marvel Premiere
#38 (Oct. 1977
).
in late 1977 or early 1978, co-creator Ploog left Marvel in a contract dispute while in the midst of drawing a 60-page "Weirdworld" story, written by Moench, that the company had planned to publish as one of its Marvel Comics Super Special
series of one-shots. Ploog recalled in 1998 he had "a disagreement with [editor-in-chief] Jim Shooter
. I had moved to a farm in Minnesota
, and agreed to do a hand-colored 'Weirdworld' story. Marvel backed out of the deal after I had started. I can't remember the details, but it doesn't matter. I think I was ready to move on. Marvel and I were both changing." Richard Marschall, the story's editor, said in 1978 time that Ploog had been given four months to complete the art, and when it became evident the deadline would not be met, arranged to publish the story in two 30-page installments, giving Ploog two more months. Ploog sent Marvel photocopies of the first 31 pages, and was paid for them. During this time, Marvel had given work-for-hire contracts to its freelancers, many of whom, including Ploog, Frank Brunner
, Jack Kirby
, Don McGregor
, Roger Slifer
, and Roger Stern
, refused to sign, resulting in cessation of work for Marvel. Ploog "took himself off the project," said Marschall, and retained his original artwork. Moench's script was eventually published as a 106-page story illustrated by penciler John Buscema
, inker Rudy Nebres, and airbrush
colorist Peter Ledger
as the three-part "Warriors of the Shadow Realm" in Marvel Comics Super Special #11-13 (Spring - Fall 1979).
Ploog returned to draw the first part of a "Weirdworld" trilogy, in Marvel Fanfare
#24, (Jan. 1986), with Pat Broderick
penciling the two subsequent issues (#25-26, May & July 1986).
: Tyndall and Velanna , both from the floating ring-shaped island of Klarn, and an irascible dwarf dubbed Mud-Butt (because he tended to land on his backside in a quarrel).
Doug Moench
Douglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
and Mike Ploog
Mike Ploog
Michael G. Ploog is an American storyboard and comic book artist, and a visual designer for movies....
for Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, set in a dimension of magic.
Publication history
"Weirdworld" debuted in the first issue of the black-and-white magazine Marvel Super Action, published by the Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
Curtis Magazines
Curtis Magazines
Curtis Magazines was an imprint of Marvel Comics that existed from 1971 to 1980. The imprint published black-and-white magazines that did not carry the Comics Code Authority seal. Initially, page counts varied between 68,76, and 84 pages....
. It then was featured in the color comic Marvel Premiere
Marvel Premiere
Marvel Premiere is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It ran for 61 issues from April 1972 to August 1981....
#38 (Oct. 1977
1977 in comics
- Year overall :* Wendy and Richard Pini establish WaRP Graphics.* Jan and Dean Mullaney establish Eclipse Comics.* The United Kingdom's Eagle Awards are established.* Bob Brown dies at age 62.* Ciao magazine is launched.-January:...
).
in late 1977 or early 1978, co-creator Ploog left Marvel in a contract dispute while in the midst of drawing a 60-page "Weirdworld" story, written by Moench, that the company had planned to publish as one of its Marvel Comics Super Special
Marvel Comics Super Special
Marvel Comics Super Special was a 41-issue series of one-shot comic-magazines published by Marvel Comics from 1977 to 1986. They were cover-priced $1.50 to $2.50, while regular color comics were priced 30 cents to 60 cents, Beginning with issue #5, the series' title in the its postal indicia was...
series of one-shots. Ploog recalled in 1998 he had "a disagreement with [editor-in-chief] Jim Shooter
Jim Shooter
James Shooter is an American writer, occasional fill-in artist, editor, and publisher for various comic books. Although he started professionally in the medium at the extraordinarily young age of 14, he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comics' ninth...
. I had moved to a farm in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and agreed to do a hand-colored 'Weirdworld' story. Marvel backed out of the deal after I had started. I can't remember the details, but it doesn't matter. I think I was ready to move on. Marvel and I were both changing." Richard Marschall, the story's editor, said in 1978 time that Ploog had been given four months to complete the art, and when it became evident the deadline would not be met, arranged to publish the story in two 30-page installments, giving Ploog two more months. Ploog sent Marvel photocopies of the first 31 pages, and was paid for them. During this time, Marvel had given work-for-hire contracts to its freelancers, many of whom, including Ploog, Frank Brunner
Frank Brunner
Frank Brunner is an American comic book artist and illustrator best known for his work at Marvel Comics in the 1970s.-Comics:...
, Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
, Don McGregor
Don McGregor
Donald Francis McGregor is an American comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics, and the author of one of the first graphic novels.-Early life and career:...
, Roger Slifer
Roger Slifer
Roger Slifer is a writer of comic books, animation, and video games, well-known for a run on Omega Men in the 1980s.-Biography:Slifer started out in comics as an editor at Marvel Comics where he also wrote a number of comic books....
, and Roger Stern
Roger Stern
Roger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.-Early career:In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine CPL , one of the first platforms for the work of John Byrne...
, refused to sign, resulting in cessation of work for Marvel. Ploog "took himself off the project," said Marschall, and retained his original artwork. Moench's script was eventually published as a 106-page story illustrated by penciler John Buscema
John Buscema
John Buscema, born Giovanni Natale Buscema , was an American comic-book artist and one of the mainstays of Marvel Comics during its 1960s and 1970s ascendancy into an industry leader and its subsequent expansion to a major pop culture conglomerate...
, inker Rudy Nebres, and airbrush
Airbrush
An airbrush is a small, air-operated tool that sprays various media including ink and dye, but most often paint by a process of nebulization. Spray guns developed from the airbrush and are still considered a type of airbrush.-History:...
colorist Peter Ledger
Peter Ledger
Peter Ledger was an Australian commercial airbrush artist and illustrator.-Biography:...
as the three-part "Warriors of the Shadow Realm" in Marvel Comics Super Special #11-13 (Spring - Fall 1979).
Ploog returned to draw the first part of a "Weirdworld" trilogy, in Marvel Fanfare
Marvel Fanfare
Marvel Fanfare is the title of two comic book series published by Marvel Comics. Both versions of Marvel Fanfare were anthology, showcase titles featuring a variety of characters from the Marvel universe.-Volume One:...
#24, (Jan. 1986), with Pat Broderick
Pat Broderick
Pat Broderick is an American comic book artist known for his work on the Micronauts. Broderick also pencilled the four-part Batman: Year Three storyline, written by Marv Wolfman, which detailed the first meeting of Batman and Tim Drake.-Early career :Fresh from high school in Tampa, Florida,...
penciling the two subsequent issues (#25-26, May & July 1986).
Characters
The protagonists were two elvesElf
An elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
: Tyndall and Velanna , both from the floating ring-shaped island of Klarn, and an irascible dwarf dubbed Mud-Butt (because he tended to land on his backside in a quarrel).