- We've talked before about how comics
used to be censored pretty heavily
thanks to an independent group
known as the Comics Code Authority.
But what happens when censorship
comes from within the company?
What do you do when someone like Marvel legend Stan Lee
tells you to change the story you've written
even if it undermines the whole thing?
You get creative, that's what you do.
In the early 1970s,
Frank Brenner and Steve Englehart wrote up a story
in Marvel Premiere issues number 13 and 14.
Honestly, it's a really cool story.
A wizard from the 31st century named Sise-Neg
discovered that he could absorb magical energies
from magicians all throughout history
by moving backwards in time.
His goal is to keep moving back far enough,
all the way back to the beginning of time itself,
so that Sise-Neg could become God.
Not a god, but the capital G, one and only God.
And, he actually achieves this.
But at journey's end,
which is the very beginning of our universe,
he learns that his plan to recreate reality
in his own image is wrong.
He realizes that mankind is imperfect, sure,
but we're this universe's, quote,
closest approximation of perfection.
Sise-Neg uses his new status as God to recreate the universe
exactly how it was before, changing his name to Genesis.
And you have to admire the poetry there.
His revelation happens at the universe's genesis.
Brilliant.
And that was the end of the comic.
Pretty simple, straightforward story.
And as far as we know, Sise-Neg slash Genesis
is still up there being God in the Marvel universe,
but more on that later.
But where the comic book story ends,
is where our story starts.
You see, apparently nobody was paying any attention
to was Brunner and Englehart were doing
while they were creating this comic,
so it just went to print
as you would expect.
After the story was all finished
and hit shelves with issue number 14,
Stan Lee finally got ahold of it somehow
and wasn't too happy.
Stan wrote them a letter
telling the two to write up a retraction,
saying, quote, we can't do God,
you're gonna have to print in the letters column
a retraction saying this is not the God,
this is just a god, unquote.
But Brunner and Englehart fought for their story,
saying, oh come on, this is the whole point of the story!
If we did the retraction of God, this is meaningless!
So the two of them hatched a plan,
sort of a scheme, more of a plot, really.
You guys know how comics will sometimes have
those letter pages at the end of an issue, right?
That's a sacred space for fans to write in
about their favorite comic book characters
and feel a little more included by talking directly
with the people behind the stories, and oh yeah,
they totally exploited that.
Englehart was traveling to Texas around this time,
which was perfect, because it allowed him
to ensure a proper postmark
when mailing in a fake fan letter
that he and Brunner wrote to Marvel regarding their comic.
This was genius.
And also, kinda terrible, depending on how you view it.
The letter they had written
was from a fictional Reverend Billingsley,
which told a completely made up story
about how one of the children in his congregation showed him
the comic book story of Sise-Neg's journey to become God.
And when the imaginary reverend read it,
he remarked that it was the best comic he ever read.
They sent in that letter to Marvel,
which found its way up to Jim Starling,
who just so happened to be at the New York Marvel offices
at the time reading fan mail.
He saw their letter, believed it to be real,
because there's really no reason to believe
that it wouldn't be, and he sent it up to Roy Thomas.
Roy Thomas in turn sent it up to Stan Lee,
and also right back to Brunner and Englehart,
telling them to print that letter, their letter,
instead of the retraction that Stan Lee requested.
And they did.
How hilarious is that?
Take that, Stan and your censorship!
Just kidding, I love you, please don't die.
Either way, since this comic was never retracted,
does that mean that Sise-Neg is Marvel's God?
Well, we're not going to discuss it here,
but my good friend and one of the editors here at Nerdsync,
Aurum, just launched season two of his series,
The Show With Issues.
The first episode talks in detail
about the gods of the Marvel universe,
and tries to pinpoint precisely who is the actual God.
I don't think he mentions Sise-Neg at all,
so just for fun, go over to his video
and type in Sise-Neg in the comments
with no further context.
That's how you spell it.
You can watch that video by clicking right here.
Or you can check out our recent Super Suits
about Doctor Strange versus Christian music?
Yeah, it's a weird one.
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My name is Scott, and I will see you right here
on Monday for another video.
See ya!