Hey Rog-

Really enjoyed your story in this week's Cap. Having followed a little bit of that era when I first started getting into comics, the one thing that I really liked about Captain America was his cute girlfriend Bernie.

Well done!

I'll echo those sentiments. Great story, Uncle Rog!!

I third the vote, excellent story Uncle Rog.

Thanks, gents!

-- Uncle Rog

And of course, from the same week, after I posted this, I read the Aunt May story in ASM Family, and liked that even more!

A fine update of Bill Mantlo's story from PPSSM Annual #4, it seamlessly moved the "Johnny Jerome" elements forward into the late '50s/early '60s without being ostentatious about it, nor invalidating the prior telling.

Was this the first mention of -


I thought that that element made sense of so many other things throughout the history of the series, and fit in with modern life expectancies and lifestyles.

How old do you think Aunt May is, anyway? Mid-60s?

The only problem with the Bernie story is how much it makes me long for the continuation of the Stern/Byrne Captain America.

Captain America Forever?? (Maybe I shouldn't get started...)

No way!. Avengers forever must come first

Hum, no Uncle Rog already did that

Rog did so many issues of the Avengers (Including Forever and The Ultron special) that it isn't as big a tragedy that he didn't "finish" his run. Captain America may be the biggest "comic-book disappointment" ever!

Just do more of the Avengers # 1 1/2 type of issues. Get John Byrne to do them, too.
That was a great way to do some (minor) retconning, and to tell behind the scenes type stories.
Plus, you get to work with the classic characters before they are too screwed up.

I still want Uncle Rog to do an Ant-man and Wasp Tales to Astonish Annual #1 comic.
Or, if you like, do it a little later when Hank is Giant-Man, and give the Hulk a story, too.

Tales of Suspense Annual #1 would be a great way for Rog to do a Cap story.

Glad you liked it. I believe it was the first mention of since this little panel...

...in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #238. (That's right, I've been waiting over a quarter-century to follow up on that clue.)



Yeah, that sounds right. May should be about forty years older than Peter.

-- Uncle Rog

Actually, we almost revisited CAP about ten years ago. I mentioned that in this interview: http://www.marvelmasterworks.com/features/int_stern_1006_1.html. Here's the pertinent section...

GK: And what were your plans for the storyline that would have followed [CAP #255]?

RS: That was going to be our Red Skull trilogy. After we left Cap, I toyed with the idea of turning the story into a graphic novel. But later writers did some things with the Skull that would have invalidated the story. A couple of years ago, there was some talk of having John and me revisit the story as a special project – sort of "What if Roger and John hadn’t left Captain America?" But then John started having major creative differences with Marvel. I guess the story will have to remain "The One that Got Away." For now, at least. I never say never.

-- Uncle Rog

Yeah, that would be fun!



When we were working on AVENGERS #1.5, I had an idea for a faux house-ad for a TALES OF SUSPENSE ANNUAL, guest-starring the Thing with the golden-armored Iron Man. We didn't have time or room for that faux ad, but I've often wished we could have produced that Annual.

-- Uncle Rog

Rog, what do you think of John Byrne's current art style? I prefer his 80's output myself.

I want! That sounds like a very interesting team-up, and one that I can't recall
anyone else giving much play to before.

To each his own. Personally, I think John is a much better artist today than he was then.

-- Uncle Rog

Damn, I would love to see this!