As good wishes for Gene Colan light up the blogosphere, I’m reminded of the fact that when I first became aware of his work, that work wasn’t appearing under his own name, due to the comic-book traditions of the day. Back then, it was taboo for artists and writers to openly accept assignments from multiple companies, and so if they wanted to work for other than a single outlet, they had to do so under a pseudonym, creating a different house name wherever they went.

For example, when DC inker Mike Esposito first started working for Marvel Comics, he appeared under the name Mickey Demeo. Frank Giacoia became Frank Ray, Gil Kane was reborn as Al Stak, and so on.

From this vantage point, it all seems a polite fiction, because who could read the works of any of these creators and not know who really wrote or drew them, whatever the pen names? Surely the editors and publishers of the day could see right through the ruse. But I guess they were primarily concerned that the readers think that all of their favorite artists and writers were exclusive, and in those days when comic-book fandom was just being born, the powers that be probably felt that no one would be able to tell what was really going on.

Which meant that it was a much different world when Gene Colan first started working for Marvel Comics in 1965. Here’s how his Sub-mariner assignment was announced in the first newsletter I ever received after sending in my pennies, nickels, and dimes to join the Merry Marvel Marching Society in 1965. Based on the other upcoming comic-book content mentioned, I’m guessing that I received this in the spring of that year.

As you’ll see once you click to enlarge, back then, there was no Gene Colan. There was only … Adam Austin.

Once Adam Austin’s work began appearing to great acclaim, the following nugget ran in all of the Bullpen Bulletins pages which were printed in Marvel’s November 1965 issues.

Finally, in the May 1966 Bullpen Bulletins pages, Stan ripped off Adam Austin’s mask, and we all finally learned whose work we had been admiring.

Some of you might ask—why was I fooled by a pseudonym in the first place? Whatever name it appeared under, shouldn’t I have been able to identify Gene Colan’s unmistakable style?

To which I can only respond—hey man, cut me a break! When Adam Austin first appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics, I was only 10 years old!