Fun and Games Magazine #1
Published and © by Marvel, September 1979
Title: “Stan Lee Presents Fun and Games Magazine”
Synopsis: Marvel characters decorate puzzles, mazes and other time-wasters. Some are easy, but others require deep geek knowledge.
Writer: Owen McCarron
Artist: McCarron
Review: Even as a kid, this reviewer didn’t know what to make of Fun and Games Magazine. On one hand, a title that combines enjoyable puzzles with favorite Marvel characters can’t be all bad – especially when some of the activities require serious fan knowledge (e.g., secret identities, trivia, etc.) On the other, such a book just doesn’t seem respectful of the characters. Collectors today probably wish Owen McCarron wasn’t the only supplier of new art for this title; throw in an original John Byrne/Terry Austin X-Men drawing or a Frank Miller Daredevil, and this would be a much cooler publication.
Grade: N/A
Notable: Fun and Games puzzle master Owen McCarron was inducted into the Joe Shuster Awards’ Canadian Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2006.
Collector’s note: Beware: It’s a book full of puzzle, so make sure to check every page for writing. … Listed in The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide as Marvel Fun & Games.
A word from the publisher: “Our talented titan of trickery, good ol’ Owen McCarron, has created some of the most dynamite brainteasers you’ve ever tackled – so what are you waiting for? Grab yourself a pencil and go! You’re gonna flip over every far-out page!” – Stan Lee, from the introduction to this issue
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Feb. 24, 2009.
