What The--?! #1 [Direct]
(August 1988)

Marvel, 1988 Series
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Volume
1
Price
1.25 USD; 1.75 CAD; 0.50 GBP
Pages
36
Indicia Frequency
monthly
On-sale Date
1988-04-05
Publisher's Age Guidelines
Approved by the Comics Code Authority
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
Marvel Comics
Brand
Marvel [standalone or inside vertical box]
Editing
Carl Potts (editor); Tom DeFalco (editor-in-chief)

Issue Notes

on-sale date from Amazing Heroes #138.
This issue has variants:

...When Titans Tussle! (Table of Contents)

cover / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Jon Bogdanove (signed)
Inks
Al Milgrom (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
?
Genre
satire-parody; superhero
Cover Thumbnail for What The--?! (Marvel, 1988 series) #1 [Direct] Cover Thumbnail for What The--?! (1988 series) #1 [Newsstand]
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Cover gallery

Switching Channels with Dr. Doof!!!!! (Table of Contents: 1)

table of contents / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Letters
?; typeset

Accounts Overdrawn--Checks Returned for Lack of Funds (Table of Contents: 2)

The Pulveriser / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script
Peter Gillis (credited as Peter B. Gillis)
Pencils
Hilary Barta (credited)
Inks
John Severin (credited)
Colors
Petra Goldberg (credited as Petra Scotese)
Letters
Bill Oakley (credited)
Genre
satire-parody; superhero
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Any comedy strip drawn by Hilary Barta gets automatic points from me; he's one of three modern artists I can think of with a Mad-quality combination of goofiness and manic energy (the other two being Kevin O'Neill and Flint Henry).

The Armor That Made a Man Out of Mac (Table of Contents: 3)

comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Marc Siry (credited)
Pencils
Marc Siry (credited)
Inks
Marc Siry (credited)
Colors
Marc Siry (credited)
Letters
Marc Siry (credited); typeset
Genre
satire-parody; superhero

Indexer Notes

The first of many Charles Atlas parodies in which Mac becomes various Marvel characters.

Bower Brats Meet Clunk and Dagnabbit (Table of Contents: 4)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Terry Austin (credited)
Pencils
June Brigman (credited)
Inks
Terry Austin (credited)
Colors
Glynis Oliver (credited)
Letters
Jim Novak (credited)
Genre
satire-parody; superhero

Yubewasted (Table of Contents: 5)

text article / 1 page (report information)

Script
Al Milgrom
Pencils
Al Milgrom
Inks
Al Milgrom
Colors
Al Milgrom
Letters
typeset
Genre
martial arts; satire-parody

Indexer Notes

Parody of the traditional self-defense book ad.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 6)

Bullish Bulletins / text story / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Genre
satire-parody

Indexer Notes

Bullpen Bulletins parody with Pro File on: Harry Bernmont & Checklist (fake comic titles)

When Titans Bunch! (Table of Contents: 7)

Unnecessary X-Persons & New Pubescents / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script
Peter Gillis (credited)
Pencils
Jon Bogdanove (credited)
Inks
Al Milgrom (credited)
Colors
Gregory Wright (credited as Greg Wright)
Letters
Joe Rosen (credited)
Genre
satire-parody; superhero

Secret Wars III (Table of Contents: 8)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script
Mark Gruenwald (credited as Gwen Dibley)
Pencils
Steve Ditko (credited)
Inks
John Severin (credited as Severin)
Colors
Christie Scheele (credited as Max Scheele)
Letters
Janice Chiang (credited)
Genre
satire-parody; superhero
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Gruenwald credit revealed in Carl Potts' blog:

http://generaleclectic123.blogspot.com/2008/10/marvelous-tales-steve-ditko…

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 9)

What the--Mail?! / letters page / 1 page (report information)

Script
Marc Siry (credited)
Letters
typeset
Genre
satire-parody

Indexer Notes

Joke letters from Lisa Glynn, John Voskamp, Lewis Long, Orson Keyes, Jennifer Majewski.

Famous Inkers School (Table of Contents: 10)

comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Terry Austin
Pencils
Terry Austin
Inks
Terry Austin
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Genre
anthropomorphic-funny animals; satire-parody

Indexer Notes

Ad parody for a mythical inker's school run by Terry Austin on the back cover. The "self-portait" of Austin looks a lot like Ziggy Pig.

Editing
Issue at my.comics.org
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. ...When Titans Tussle!
  2. 1. Switching Channels with Dr. Doof!!!!!
  3. 2. Accounts Overdrawn--Checks Returned for Lack of Funds
    The Pulveriser
  4. 3. The Armor That Made a Man Out of Mac
  5. 4. Bower Brats Meet Clunk and Dagnabbit
  6. 5. Yubewasted
  7. 6. [no title indexed]
    Bullish Bulletins
  8. 7. When Titans Bunch!
    Unnecessary X-Persons & New Pubescents
  9. 8. Secret Wars III
  10. 9. [no title indexed]
    What the--Mail?!
  11. 10. Famous Inkers School
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Chris Boyko
  • Nick Caputo
  • Peter Croome
  • Gregory Fischer
  • Jerry Hillegas (R.I.P.)
  • Michael Hoskin
  • Mike Nielsen
  • Derek Reinhard
  • Richard Thomson
  • Steven Tice
  • Jim Van Dore
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