The Merry Marvel Marching Society!

[Artistsean]

Merry Marvel Marching Society!


Merry Marvel Marching Society (often referred to by the abbreviation "M.M.M.S.") was a fan club of sorts for Marvel Comics started by Marvel editor Stan Lee in 1964. For the contribution of one dollar to start and a yearly contribution of 75 cents each year afterward, members received a button, a newsletter and a recording featuring the Marvel staff including Lee, Jack Kirby and others. The M.M.M.S. folded in the mid-1970's. A second attempt to create an official Marvel Comics Fan Club, called The Friends of 'Ol Marvel (FOOM), was tried from 1973-1976.​

The character of Hiro Nakamura on Heroes is reported to be an M.M.M.S. member in the episode "Don't Look Back", though, given his age, it would be impossible for him to have been a member.​

http://www.teako170.com/mmms.html​

 

[The Leaguer]

Mkay.

 

[ang_hulk]

i own that yellow sheet.is was quite expensive.

 

[3dman27]

lol this brings back good memories thanks

 

[Steve Rogers]

That's awesome. Wonder if we can still join 30 years later?

 

[Artistsean]

Me too. Marvel should bring it back.

We could always start the Unofficial Merry Marvel Marching Society of Superherohype.com.

 

[Themanofbat]

[YT]pB_v5w9NwUU[/YT]



Sorry for it not working earlier... it's my first youtube post.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Me too. Marvel should bring it back.

We could always start the Unofficial Merry Marvel Marching Society of Superherohype.com.

Count me in.

 

[Dragmire]

 

[Artistsean]

Well if enough people want to start an Unofficial Merry Marvel Marching Society of Superherohype I'm all for it. But how would we do it?

In the mean time, the lyrics:

Merry Marvel Marching Society lyrics​

Stand a little straighter. Walk a little prouder.
Be an innovator. Clap a little louder.
Grow forever greater. We can show you how to.
Where will you be then?
You belong, you belong, you belong, you’ll belong
To the Merry Marvel Marching Society.
March along, march along, march along to the song
Of the Merry Marvel Marching Society.
I you growl, if you grown with a down sour outlook,
If you howl, if you moan, you can lose your sour grout
By keeping trim and in step with the vim and the pep
Of the Merry Marvel Marching Society.
Be an early riser. Strive to be ambitious.
Speak a little wiser. Try to be judicious.
Be a good advisor, never ever vicious.
Where will you be then?

Face front…
Lift your head…
You’r on the winning team…
NUFF SAID!

You belong, you belong, you belong, you belong,
To the Merry Marvel Marching Society.
March along, march along, march along to the song
Of the Merry Marvel Marching Society.
I you growl, if you grown
And your star is nearly zero,
Do not howl, do not moan,
You can be a superhero,
Marching right along to the fighting song
Of the Merry Marvel Marching Society.
Stand a little straighter. Walk a little prouder.
Be an innovator. Clap a little louder.
Grow forever greater. We can show you how to.
Where will you be then?​

 

[Artistsean]

OK, not too many people interested about making a new unofficial MMMS.
Thats OK, here is more stuff from the Merry Marvel Marching Society:

Later Marvel tried bringing back the fan club idea with FOOM (Friends of Ol' Marvel):

and I guess they put out a magazine or something.

 

[Artistsean]

F.O.O.M.(or Friends of Ol' Marvel)
FOOM History:

Spoiler

Marvel Comics' self-produced fan magazine of the mid-1970s, following the canceled Marvelmania and preceding Marvel Age. Running 22 quarterly issues (Feb. 1973 - Fall 1978), it was initially designed and edited by celebrated comic book writer-artist Jim Steranko.
The name is unrelated to either the computer software acronym FOOM (Functional and Object-Oriented Methodology), or Australia's annual Songwriters, Composers and Lyricists Association (SCALA) Festival of Original Music Song Competition (FOOM).
FOOM, though spelled without periods in both indicia and cover treatments, is an acronym for "Friends of Ol' Marvel".[1] Steranko, in his first-issue introduction, wrote that he had "dropped in at the Marvel bullpen to rap with [publisher] Stan Lee about the current comic scene", and that Lee told him about plans to start an in-house fan club. EC Comics had had its "EC Fan-Addict" club in the 1950s, and Marvel the Merry Marvel Marching Society beginning 1964; after the MMMS had run its course by 1969, Marvel licensed a small company in Culver City, California to produce the fanzine/product catalog Marvelmania, which lasted a year. Steranko, writing that he nostalgically "recalled the days of radio, with all the clubs and super-premiums that were perpetually offered over the air", volunteered "my services as a designer, writer and comic historian". Ken Bruzenak served as associate editor, with Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas as consulting editor and Ed Noonchester, Joel Thingvall and Gary Brown as staff.
A four-issue subscription was US$3. An additional dollar bought a club membership I.D. card, six decals, and a poster. The membership kit was also available separately for US$2.50.
The premiere contained a foreword by Lee; an introduction by Steranko announcing a contest to design a superhero or supervillain; short biographies of Lee, Thomas, artists John Buscema and Joe Sinnott, and writer Gerry Conway; three puzzles, including a crossword; a four-page feature on the superhero team the Fantastic Four, accompanied by a two-page title and credits checklist; a two-page board game, "Moving Target"; a five-page "Far-Out Fanfare and Infoomation!" section previewing upcoming Marvel comics; a pinup reprinting superheroes from the Jack Kirby-drawn cover of Fantastic Four #73 (April 1968); a page of sketches of superspy Nick Fury, on which fans were encourage to draw disguises; a one-page "Recommded Reading" page that featured The Steranko History of Comics' and Steranko's Comixscene for two-thirds of the page; a one-page humor strip, "Fantastic Fear", written by Thomas and Len Brown and drawn by Gil Kane and Wally Wood; and two pages of in-house ads, for t-shirts and the record album The Amazing Spider-Man: A Rockomic! Similar fare appeared in subsequent issues.
Steranko, who additionally drew the back cover of issue #1 (Spider-Man), the cover of #2 (the Hulk), and incidental interior art during his tenure, was succeeded as editor by Tony Isabella with issue #5 (Spring 1974). Ed Hannigan was by now credited for production, with Mark Evanier, Jim Salicrup and Duffy Vohland as contributing editors. Scott Edelman took over as editor with #8 (Winter 1974), Vohland with #12 (Dec. 1975), Chris Claremont with #13 (March 1976), and finally Dave Kraft with #15 (Sept. 1976). While previous issues had listed the company's overall editor-in-chief on the masthead, FOOM, also with issue #15, was given its own editor-in-chief, beginning with Ralph Macchio, followed two issues later by Salicrup.
The back cover of #7 (Fall 1974) featured one of Ghost Rider co-creator Mike Ploog's earliest sketches of that supernatural motorcyclist, introduced two years earlier. Issue #11 (Sept. 1975) was a Jack Kirby tribute commemorating the legendary comic-book artist's prodigal return to Marvel after a two-year sojourn at rival DC Comics.
Created by: Peter Senko
Character contest

Issue #2 (Summer 1973) presented the first of two double-page spreads of fan art submitted for the character-design contest announced in issue #1. Included were the characters "Absorba-Man" by future comics artist Steve Rude and "Novation" by future Marvel editor Mariano Nicieza. Issue #3 (Fall 1973) included "Heros" by future Marvel Age editor Steve Saffel.
The winner, announced that issue, was Michael A. Barreiro of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the supervillain "Humus Sapiens". Despite the contest's announced prize, the character was never used in a Marvel comic at the time. He eventually appeared 28 years later in Thunderbolts #55 (Sept. 2001), as the fictional mutant Humus Sapien.

Spoiler

Several dozen honorable mentions included future The X-Files comic-book writer Stefan Petrucha, listed among those under "Best Presentation".
Barreiro later in the '70s inquired at Marvel about the character, but received no response. Comics columnist Fred Hembeck in 1979 wrote in the magazine Buyer's Guide to Comic Fandom about the contest and Humus Sapiens, but nothing came of it. Barreiro grew up to become a carpenter and a freelance artist living in the Carrick neighborhood, and did a small amount of work for Marvel and Dark Horse Comics.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Heh. She looks way better in the black outfit she got in the Countdown series. And she's got an edge to her which makes her a lot more sexy. God..a comic book character is sexy? I need another vacation!!!

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

F.O.O.M.(or Friends of Ol' Marvel)
FOOM History:

Spoiler

Marvel Comics' self-produced fan magazine of the mid-1970s, following the canceled Marvelmania and preceding Marvel Age. Running 22 quarterly issues (Feb. 1973 - Fall 1978), it was initially designed and edited by celebrated comic book writer-artist Jim Steranko.
The name is unrelated to either the computer software acronym FOOM (Functional and Object-Oriented Methodology), or Australia's annual Songwriters, Composers and Lyricists Association (SCALA) Festival of Original Music Song Competition (FOOM).
FOOM, though spelled without periods in both indicia and cover treatments, is an acronym for "Friends of Ol' Marvel".[1] Steranko, in his first-issue introduction, wrote that he had "dropped in at the Marvel bullpen to rap with [publisher] Stan Lee about the current comic scene", and that Lee told him about plans to start an in-house fan club. EC Comics had had its "EC Fan-Addict" club in the 1950s, and Marvel the Merry Marvel Marching Society beginning 1964; after the MMMS had run its course by 1969, Marvel licensed a small company in Culver City, California to produce the fanzine/product catalog Marvelmania, which lasted a year. Steranko, writing that he nostalgically "recalled the days of radio, with all the clubs and super-premiums that were perpetually offered over the air", volunteered "my services as a designer, writer and comic historian". Ken Bruzenak served as associate editor, with Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas as consulting editor and Ed Noonchester, Joel Thingvall and Gary Brown as staff.
A four-issue subscription was US$3. An additional dollar bought a club membership I.D. card, six decals, and a poster. The membership kit was also available separately for US$2.50.
The premiere contained a foreword by Lee; an introduction by Steranko announcing a contest to design a superhero or supervillain; short biographies of Lee, Thomas, artists John Buscema and Joe Sinnott, and writer Gerry Conway; three puzzles, including a crossword; a four-page feature on the superhero team the Fantastic Four, accompanied by a two-page title and credits checklist; a two-page board game, "Moving Target"; a five-page "Far-Out Fanfare and Infoomation!" section previewing upcoming Marvel comics; a pinup reprinting superheroes from the Jack Kirby-drawn cover of Fantastic Four #73 (April 1968); a page of sketches of superspy Nick Fury, on which fans were encourage to draw disguises; a one-page "Recommded Reading" page that featured The Steranko History of Comics' and Steranko's Comixscene for two-thirds of the page; a one-page humor strip, "Fantastic Fear", written by Thomas and Len Brown and drawn by Gil Kane and Wally Wood; and two pages of in-house ads, for t-shirts and the record album The Amazing Spider-Man: A Rockomic! Similar fare appeared in subsequent issues.
Steranko, who additionally drew the back cover of issue #1 (Spider-Man), the cover of #2 (the Hulk), and incidental interior art during his tenure, was succeeded as editor by Tony Isabella with issue #5 (Spring 1974). Ed Hannigan was by now credited for production, with Mark Evanier, Jim Salicrup and Duffy Vohland as contributing editors. Scott Edelman took over as editor with #8 (Winter 1974), Vohland with #12 (Dec. 1975), Chris Claremont with #13 (March 1976), and finally Dave Kraft with #15 (Sept. 1976). While previous issues had listed the company's overall editor-in-chief on the masthead, FOOM, also with issue #15, was given its own editor-in-chief, beginning with Ralph Macchio, followed two issues later by Salicrup.
The back cover of #7 (Fall 1974) featured one of Ghost Rider co-creator Mike Ploog's earliest sketches of that supernatural motorcyclist, introduced two years earlier. Issue #11 (Sept. 1975) was a Jack Kirby tribute commemorating the legendary comic-book artist's prodigal return to Marvel after a two-year sojourn at rival DC Comics.
Created by: Peter Senko
Character contest

Issue #2 (Summer 1973) presented the first of two double-page spreads of fan art submitted for the character-design contest announced in issue #1. Included were the characters "Absorba-Man" by future comics artist Steve Rude and "Novation" by future Marvel editor Mariano Nicieza. Issue #3 (Fall 1973) included "Heros" by future Marvel Age editor Steve Saffel.
The winner, announced that issue, was Michael A. Barreiro of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the supervillain "Humus Sapiens". Despite the contest's announced prize, the character was never used in a Marvel comic at the time. He eventually appeared 28 years later in Thunderbolts #55 (Sept. 2001), as the fictional mutant Humus Sapien.

Spoiler

Several dozen honorable mentions included future The X-Files comic-book writer Stefan Petrucha, listed among those under "Best Presentation".
Barreiro later in the '70s inquired at Marvel about the character, but received no response. Comics columnist Fred Hembeck in 1979 wrote in the magazine Buyer's Guide to Comic Fandom about the contest and Humus Sapiens, but nothing came of it. Barreiro grew up to become a carpenter and a freelance artist living in the Carrick neighborhood, and did a small amount of work for Marvel and Dark Horse Comics.

FOOM was a great magazine, back in the day, but i thought it was a seperate club from the MMMS...?

 

[3dman27]

it was the sucsessor to the mmms

 

[The Leaguer]

This thread should have ended with this post.

 

[Artistsean]

Did FOOM only put out a magazine? Or were their other fan club stuff they gave out?

The last of the FOOM comic covers that I found:

FOOM was their attempt to relaunch their fan club, I guess under a new name and new gift plan and stuff.

Out of curiousity, Does Marvel have any Fan Club stuff now?
Just wondering.

I would love if they put out a DVD or something of behind the scenes of making a Marvel comic or something. I know they can't fallow people around the Bullpen now since it doesn't really exist. But if they, maybe, interviewed people at their studio doing what they do on that comic, or something along those lines.
That would be awesome. Maybe put out something where they tour the Marvel studio or something. Something to make the fans feel more a part of the process again.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Did FOOM only put out a magazine? Or were their other fan club stuff they gave out?

The last of the FOOM comic covers that I found:

FOOM was their attempt to relaunch their fan club, I guess under a new name and new gift plan and stuff.

Out of curiousity, Does Marvel have any Fan Club stuff now?
Just wondering.

I would love if they put out a DVD or something of behind the scenes of making a Marvel comic or something. I know they can't fallow people around the Bullpen now since it doesn't really exist. But if they, maybe, interviewed people at their studio doing what they do on that comic, or something along those lines.
That would be awesome. Maybe put out something where they tour the Marvel studio or something. Something to make the fans feel more a part of the process again.

I was too young for the MMMS, but i WAS a member of FOOM.

And yes; There was a membership card, iirc, and a great big poster of all the Marvel characters, and i also seem to remember a REAL cool Avengers poster as well, (With the Clint Barton version of Goliath)...maybe some pencils? Cant remember anything else (we're talking thirty, or even thirty-five years ago...sheesh! )...