Making a dream list of comics, especially for a publisher like Marvel, is a tricky prospect. You have to consider 85 years’ worth of history, not to mention the wide spectrum of characters. Marvel: Unforgettable Stories manages to pull off what should be an impossible feat thanks to the loving work of Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum. The duo are no stranger to the world of comics: they served as showrunners on the wonderful yet short-lived M.O.D.O.K. series for Hulu, and recently created the Minor Threats series for Dark Horse.
Oswalt and Blum sat down with AIPT recently to discuss the recently-released Marvel: Unforgettable Stories, and tackled the biggest question first: How in the world did they get down to just ten stories?
“It wasn’t a kill-your darlings thing,” Oswalt said of the selection process. “We chose the stories that meant a lot to us.” Blum also said that their favorite characters played into the selection, adding, “I’m an X-Men guy, and Patton’s a Spider-Man/Daredevil guy.”
True to form, the collection does feature those characters: the list of stories published includes Amazing Spider-Man #33 (featuring the infamous “If This Be My Destiny” sequence where Peter Parker lifts a mountain of machinery); X-Factor #87 (which gives insight into Quicksilver’s mind); and Daredevil #191 (the supremely dark “Roulette” story, a gem in Frank Miller’s stellar run on the Man Without Fear.) There’s also some more modern picks, including the first issue of Runaways (of which this writer is a humble fan). But another feature that Marvel: Unforgettable Stories boasts is that each story is scanned from its original format, retaining the feel of actually having the issue in your hands. It’s a format that Blum loves.
“I’m not really a fan of reprints, they tend to lose that color,” he said. “But this…it’s like holding the original newsprint in your hands.”
Courtesy of Folio Society.
Marvel: Unforgettable Stories comes courtesy of the Folio Society, who’s previously published similar collections for Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and the Avengers. For Oswalt, curating Unforgettable Stories was actually pretty easy.
“They reached out to us,” he said. “I’ve been to the Folio Society, I’ve visited their archives, I’ve seen their books…this was a no brainer!” When asked if he’d help curate another collection for the Folio Society, Oswalt didn’t hesitate, adding, “I’d do it in a heartbeat.”
Oswalt and Blum were also kind enough to share how they got into comics, which is inevitably linked to their work with Marvel: Unforgettable Stories.
“They’ve just been a part of my life,” Oswalt said. “I love the colors, the larger than life elements.”
For Blum, he says his love of comics came from reading them with his father.
“It’s how I learned to speak English,” said Blum.
It’s not hard to see how both men transitioned from reading comics to writing them, and Blum has one project in mind.
“I want to write a big crossover event. I know those tend to break people,” he said with a laugh. “But if I could pull this off I’d be happy.” Oswalt demurred on the topic, adding, “I’ve pretty much done everything at this point.”
Special praise was also given to the cover of Marvel: Unforgettable Stories, which features some stunning artwork from Marcos Martin (Doctor Strange: The Oath, Batgirl: Year One). In a way, it’s part of what makes Unforgettable Stories the “perfect package”, so to speak: iconic imagery surrounding stories that cover the wide range of the Marvel Universe. Oswalt and Blum aren’t just amazing creators, but amazing curators; Unforgettable Stories‘ contents and presentation make it the perfect gift for a lifelong Marvel reader and someone who’s looking for an entry point into the world of comics.
Courtesy of Folio Society.
Marvel: Unforgettable Stories is available to purchase now via the Folio Society.
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