CSBG Archive
Comic Book Easter Eggs – Clark and Lois and the Amazing Spider-Friends!
Every Tuesday, I will be sharing with you three comic book “easter eggs.” An easter egg is a joke/visual gag/in-joke that a comic book creator (typically the artist) has hidden in the pages of the comic for readers to find (just like an easter egg). They range from the not-so-obscure to the really obscure. So come check ‘em all out and enjoy! Also, click here for an archive of all the easter eggs featured so far! If you want to suggest an easter egg for a future column, e-mail me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com (do not post your suggestion in the comments section!).
First off, we have a rare DOUBLE easter egg!
In Web of Spider-Man #75, written by Tony Isabella and drawn by Alex Saviuk and Keith Williams, we both have the first comic book team-up within Marvel continuity (that I know of, at least) of the Amazing Spider-Friends, as Spider-Man, Iceman and the then-new member of the New Warriors, Firestar all team-up.
Plus, as you can see, Clark and Lois are visiting from DC Comics (they got married a bit earlier in Marvel’s continuity than DC’s).
Thanks to reader Ty B. for the suggestion!
Next, we have a romance comic book easter egg.
In 1971′s DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #5, artists Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs (both well known for their superhero artwork) sneaked a Green Lantern ring into a romance comic book panel…
Thanks to reader Cliff B. for referring me to Jacque Nodell’s post about this easter egg on her great romance comic book blog, Sequential Crush.
Finally, we have a nice farewell by Dale Eaglesham.
In Justice Society of America #26, Eaglesham drew himself, his wife, Louise, writer Geoff Johns and editors Michael Siglain and Harvey Richards into a supermarket scene inside the issue.
Justice Society of America #26 was the final issue of the series for Johns, Eaglesham and both editors. Very cool nod by Eaglesham.
Thanks to reader Mary S. for suggesting this one (Mary saw Eaglesham’s wife, Louise, write about this Easter Egg, confirming the identities of the people, at Eaglesham’s website here).
That’s it for this week!
Again, if you can think of an easter egg/in-joke that you would like to see me feature, drop me a line at bcronin@comicbookresources.com! DON’T make suggestions in the comments section, so as to not spoil the surprise for when I end up actually featuring your suggestion.
21 Comments
Travis Pelkie
January 4, 2012 at 1:17 am
Does that Spider-Friends not count the Marvel Action Universe book? I think that adapted an ep of the show or something. And it’s got Ms Lion, mofos!
And that’s a Sinestro Ring! Of course she’s sad, she’s evil!
Is that listing of the people in that panel with Eaglesham et al from left to right? Nice send off, though.
Cerebro
January 4, 2012 at 4:24 am
Travis, that’s why Brian said it was the first “in continuity” team-up. The MARVEL ACTION UNIVERSE book isn’t in continuity because, as you stated, it was an episode adaption.
Charles J. Baserap
January 4, 2012 at 4:28 am
The Lois one reminds me of the WildC.A.T.s (1st series) issue where Voodoo and Spartan are on a cruise ship and Jean Grey and Cyclops are there on their honeymoon.
Stephane S.
January 4, 2012 at 6:13 am
Johns’ hairline in that panel is drawn incredibly generously.
chad
January 4, 2012 at 6:45 am
love how the one jsa member is almost saying take a picture by his what super heroes buy ice cream too plus interesting that that is the first in comics team up of spiderman and his amazing friends thought marvel also did one where spider man tries to hook up firestar and iceman
Sandeep
January 4, 2012 at 7:12 am
The spider-friends is over referenced. This is an easter egg but check out USM #118
Erik Burnham
January 4, 2012 at 7:39 am
My cohort on Ghostbusters would give you an easter-egg induced heart attack. He loves to add stuff! (:
Robert Eddleman
January 4, 2012 at 8:07 am
Marvel’s Lois & Clark have actually appeared over a dozen times in many different titles, starting with Uncanny X-Men #98.
Pj Perez
January 4, 2012 at 8:12 am
I add Easter Eggs to crowd scenes all the time. It’s a nice way to break up the monotony and see if anyone notices.
kaniole
January 4, 2012 at 10:38 am
Some more ideas:
- Tom Cruise face in Tony Stark charcater in IronMan Extremis (he was close to play the part in the movie)
- The many times that Spider-man talked about Superman or Batman (frequentyl in the 80s) as they were comic characters and the Marvel universe were the REAL world (nice play!)
- Spider-man # 75 first page, in a halloween party you can see some kid in DC characters costumes.
- Spider-man in the last pin-up page of Legion of SuperHeroes 300 anniversary extra issue, in the background just behind Sun Boy.
Brian Cronin
January 4, 2012 at 10:42 am
Yeah, Erik, I have noticed. Seemingly every page has one!
Andy E. Nystrom
January 4, 2012 at 11:01 am
I recommend getting the various Marvel Index trades if you want a good resource on Easter Eggs, since that series routinely points them out.
R.
January 4, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Ghostbusters does have plenty of Easter Eggs. But perhaps not as many as the recent Darkwing Duck series!
Travis Pelkie
January 4, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Did…did you add in that “within Marvel continuity” bit after I commented, or can I just not read? It’s quite likely I just missed it, but I usually make sure to read closer if I’m going to make a nitpicky comment like that. D’oh if I didn’t read close enough!
Michael P
January 5, 2012 at 6:48 am
Heh. I love how Nova doesn’t even realize Lois just totally shut him down.
NewWorldComics
January 5, 2012 at 7:00 am
There was recently an issue of Deadpool MAX II that featured an overweight Hydra Bob on the cover riding a scooter. It had a caption that was a neat homage to an old Punisher War Journal cover.
I think the issues are Deadpool MAX II #3 and Punisher War Journal #19.
PB210
January 5, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Per Amazing Heroes#122, one love comic had someone named Hal Jordan.
Angel of Angel and the Ape’s implicit sister appeared.
Matty Macomber
January 7, 2012 at 5:58 pm
Has anyone done a chronology of Earth-616 Clark Kent and Lois Lane? They probably enjoy a much more stable life together than their Earth-1, New Earth, or New 52 counterparts did.
Ganky
January 9, 2012 at 12:44 am
Clark appeared in one of Simonson’s Thor comics, where Fury gives Thor a new civilian ID as Sigurd Jarlson.
I wonder when the first time Marvel Lois & Clark appeared was?
Not counting Doc Ock calling Spidey “Super-Man” in Amazing #3!
ShadZ
February 9, 2012 at 9:43 am
@Matty Macomber: A chronology of Clark is here: http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/kentclrk.htm
And Lois is here: http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/loisdc.htm
Andy E. Nystrom
February 9, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Re: the chronology: I know this at least partly contradicts Web of Spider-Man#75, but wasn’t there an issue of X-Factor where Quicksilver encounters Lois & Clark on their honeymoon?