Why Not Say What Happened? Episode 18: The Day I Should Have Defended Herb Trimpe

Posted by: Scott Tags: Why Not Say What Happened Posted date: February 10, 2025 | 2 Comments

Another look back on my early comics career has me considering the possible reason Robert De Niro’s Max Cady character cared about Captain Marvel in the 1991 movie Cape Fear, the day Jim Shooter and I parachuted out of an airplane (and why an ambulance was called), my surprise over a 1974 House of Mystery submission to editor Joe Orlando, why 2025 Scott is curious about what Crystal leaving the Fantastic Four meant to the 1970 fanboy I was, the reason Doc Savage and Scooter Pies are inextricably linked in my memory, my regret over not having defended artist Herb Trimpe from his detractors, and much more.

You can eavesdrop on all those memories via the embed below or download them at the site of your choice.

Here are some images which illustrate some of what I talk about this episode —

Captain Marvel and Black Bolt in Cape Fear

A record of my two parachute jumps

A F.O.O.M. article about my jump with Jim Shooter

The jumpers before going airborne

My second Ethics column

My Vision story’s splash page drawn by Herb Trimpe

2 Comments for Why Not Say What Happened? Episode 18: The Day I Should Have Defended Herb Trimpe

Slade Grayson

Hello again, Scott. I just read over your COMICS JOURNAL “Ethics” article you graciously reprinted on your blog.

First, many thanks for doing that. I had stopped reading THE COMICS JOURNAL by the mid-1980’s and therefore missed your columns when they were originally published. I enjoyed the Journal during the late 70’s and early 80’s, especially the infamous Harlan Ellison interview, but over time, the constant negativity towards mainstream comicdom (and pop culture in general) began to wear on me. I grew tired of reading articles about how Marvel and DC were purveyors of garbage, and we (the fans) were nothing more than ignorant pigs eating up the slop they were serving.

Too harsh? Maybe, but that was the feeling that came through many of the editorial comments. Even in Ellison’s interview, Gary Groth talked about Stan Lee sitting “on a mountain of crap.” Or something like that. But I digress.

I was wondering if you ever received backlash for your column, or for the comments and/or statements you made about what went on behind the scenes at Marvel? You must have run into Archie Goodwin, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, and Jim Shooter at conventions over the years. Any negativity towards you for speaking the truth? Feelings of betrayal? Or did they disagree with your memory of events and outright deny it?

Apologies if this is a subject you’ve covered elsewhere. Thanks again, and just wanted to say… I was always a fan of Herb Trimpe’s art.

Scott

Surprisingly, there was never any pushback. But then … at the time I wrote it, I didn’t care.

First of all, it had to be said, and secondly, I had so divorced myself from the comics world it was unlikely I’d ever bump into anyone I wrote about again … and didn’t, for at least a decade, I think. And when I did, no one ever said anything

Had they forgotten? Had they never read it in the first place? I have no idea. But the bottom line is, it never caused any distress.