For this final episode, Rob welcomes back comics legend Alex Ross to discuss the equally legendary SUPERMAN VS. SPIDER-MAN!
Check out images from this comic by clicking here!
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Podcasting legend Rob and Comics Legen Alex Ross together again!
I will first apologize for not listening to all the TreasuryCasts, because time commitments and so on. But I was thrilled to listen to the review of this comic book! I remember reading it only once (borrowed from someone who got it back at the end of the day) and remember being wowed! Comics as a rule were hard to come by in the Philippines, and this one was especially hard to find. For me, I knew it was special but the concept of Marvel vs. DC was alien to me at the time — and this comic made me aware that they were from two different universes!
What a thrill to listen to the history of the art, the apocryphal history of the origin of the idea, and other trips down memory lane. I’m not feeling well as I write this reply, but i can tell you that this lifted my spirits! Thanks!
And so, as always, all good things come to an end…
…but it was a very fitting end. Barring Gerry Conway himself, I can’t think of a better guest to cover this issue than Alex Ross. I really enjoyed his breakdown of why he likes this one so much – and I also appreciated the praise for Andru’s work. Unlike many, I’ve always loved his work, esp. on Spider-man. And incidentally, I can’t believe he knows someone who thinks that “Adams ruins everything” (?!)
My own history with this book is a bit tortured; like most comics-reading kids in the mid-1970s, I well remember the house ads and I wanted it *soooooo* much, but it never appeared on any of the magazine racks where treasuries were usually stocked in my neck of the woods. Back then, I recall wondering how the battle between the two would even work; even then, my brain told me that it should be a cake-walk for Superman, but as a diehard Spidey fan, my heart wanted him to kick the Kryptonian’s butt.
Anyway, I only read the story much later, as an adult in the mid-’00s, in the standard comics format in the mid-1990s reprint, the same way I read the Batman & Hulk story. And I have to be honest, without childhood nostalgia influencing my judgement, I think I prefer the latter book, but I agree with you both that the first Superman/Spider-man team-up is better than the second. As a side-note, though, I’ve been surprised to see many comics fans say that the second one is their favorite Marvel/DC crossover book, which makes no sense to me, because the best is obviously Batman & Captain America… 😉
Well, I’ll conclude this rambling comment by once more saying thanks, Rob, for a great show. Treasury Cast, together with Digest Cast, has always been my favorite on the network, and I’ll really miss it.
p.s. I almost forgot: I think the Shazam lightning bolt would turn Supes into Captain Supermarvel rather than hurt him…
missing scene
Luthor “Team up with you? Why? I could just mind control the hulk and let him kill Superman.
Ock “AH yes i’m certain I bring less to the table than the child-killer with the toy fetish
Lex Hush! that’s post crissis!
Ock “Dude tHIS is an intercompany crossover being reprinted 40 years Later Space/time is a mess for example on earth 3 you have hair!
Lex “Your multiverse has only 4 universes and you’re DEAD in 3! And is deathlock Black or white?
Ock you know what I had in all those universes? HAIR!
I remember seeing advertisements for this inside other comics as a young kid, but didn’t know enough about DC/Marvel to realize the significance of the crossover. I wish I could remember the lightbulb moment when little me said “hey! they’re not supposed to know each other!”
CONGRATULATIONS on 100 episodes!!!
While I saw and drooled over the ads for Treasury Editions as a kid, I only owned one. You guessed it – Superman Salutes The Bicentennial. Yes, I was Tommahawked.
One thing that makes comic books amazing is their variety. I loved that this show covered everything from Annie to The Wizard of Oz.
I love Christmas and the Flintstones are my favorite cartoon. So, my favorite episode was the Flintstones Christmas Party. The best part was Chris’ imitations of so many beloved cartoon characters. I listen to that episode almost every December and it always makes me smile. Chris needs to do an episode of Saturday Morning Fever filled with his wonderful impressions!!!
I love the idea of dropping new episodes about once a year. I was really happy to hear that Batman Family Reunion is planning annual family reunions. I already miss that show. Plus, I was tickled pink that a new episode of Zero Hour Strikes dropped recently. If you decide some time in the future to drop more episodes the two treasuries I’d love to see covered are the Yogi Bear Easter treasury and Jack Kirby’s 2001.
THANK YOU for such an amazing podcast!
An event for the ages. Treasurycast goes out with a bang. It still seems incredible that Superman vs Spider-Man got published at all, let alone delivered a fun story. The rare case where too many cooks managed to perfect the soup. I’ve often dreamt of a world where DC and Marvel managed to make Superman and Spider-Man an annual event. Giving us a new adventure teaming up these comic book titans once a year. A world where these two would become buddies, featuring annual get togethers, perhaps featuring a double wedding of Clark and Lois & Peter and Mary Jane at some point in the 80s.
Thank you Rob for 100 episodes of Treasurycast. It’s been entertaining.
Big thanks to Rob for all of the time and effort that went into this wonderful podcast over the years. This podcast started around the time I discovered the existence of Treasury Comics and it helped fuelled an obsession. I collected oh so many of them (thankfully before the prices that got too out of control) and anxiously awaited each episode of this show to hear what Rob had to say about the books that I had collected (as well as ones that I’d never heard of, even though that generally meant an expensive trip to eBay was in my future). I’ll miss not having this show around. A few of my all time favorite Treasuries (including 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is how I discovered the format in the first place, and Scott McCloud’s wonderfully excessive Destroy, and the Tales From Crypt reprint Treasury) never got an episode. I hope that Rob will consider the occasional return episode to fill in those gaps. I’ll keep subscribed to the show just in case. But even if that doesn’t happen, I just want to express my gratitude for each and every episode of this series. Even though the show was always fun to listen to, I know there was a lot of work involved in making them happen. Your efforts were always noticed and appreciated. I’ll miss this show dearly, but look forward to whatever creative projects you put your energies into next. Congrats on one hell of a run on Treasurycast! You will be missed.
Congrats on an epic run Rob, and the perfect way to wrap the show up. I can’t really add much more about this comic, because I feel like you and Mr. Ross covered it all very well. I was so happy to hear Alex wax Ross Andru’s car here. I think he is vastly underrated by most comic fans. Even in the Silver Age he was doing some truly dynamic layouts and figure work at DC that rivaled Kirby’s at Marvel. I just picked up the Superman vs. Flash treasury facsimile this weekend, and the second story is drawn by Andru and inked by his longtime partner Mike Esposito. While still having a Silver Age sheen, the artwork looks amazing in the treasury format and seems BIGGER than the first race, drawn by my beloved Curt Swan. For sheer cinematic power, Andru was hard to beat. The “plusing” by Adams and Romita in the crossover just pushed the art over into near masterpiece in some places.
I feel like this book was pretty influential in the 70s. I do wonder if being such a high profile piece, that the diasters here didn’t help influence the inclusion of those elements into act three of Superman The Movie. Maybe it was just the Irwin Allen influence alone, but perhaps it was a touch of this. The image of Luthor cackling in this book was picked up and redrawn for Mego’s 12″ Superman The Movie-inspired figures. And weirdest of all, Jimmy Olsen is depicted in the late 70s Superman Colorforms set wearing the exact same, very unique sweater Peter Parker is wearing in this comic! So maybe that ISN’T Jimmy, and is Peter instead?
This show has been a pleasure to listen to, and it was an honor and a joy to be a frequent guest. Obviously you are one of my favorite people to talk to, and when we talked about treasuries, your joy was always incredibly apparent. Oh, and thanks for making the facsimiles happen, as the network is often want to do! 😉
Thank you, Rob, for so much information and entertainment in this, and so many other fof your productions.
Thanks for bringing back memories of a wonderful format of publication, and thanks for even allowing me my comics podcasting debut.
Thank you for the inspiration to attempt my own.
I’m sure that this door closing will open many more.
Way to stick the landing, Rob! Great show
Hi Rob!
Whoever ghosted you with the Smurfs Treasury is a huge Smurf, and he can go SMURF himself! Sorry for the language, but it makes me so Smurfing angry.
Congratulations on the first 100 episodes of TreasuryCast, and I look forward to the next 100. What? Why is everyone looking at me?
Hey, Rob!
Allow me to join what I’m certain is a large and enthusiastic chorus of “Congratulations” on completing a wonderful run of TreasuryCast! Any conversation with the legendary Alex Ross is itself a treasure and your centennial episode was no disappointment.
On a personal note, while I’m sorry to see this series end, I would like to extend my thanks to you and all the wonderful contributors and guests of the podcast. I discovered the network after gleefully stumbling upon the Power Records Podcast in 2020 and several of the shows truly helped me while working through those difficult first several months of the pandemic (I work for UPS so there was no shelter in place for me). An added surprise was learning that you and I grew up in the same general area (I was in Horsham, Montgomery County) in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s. I have vivid memories of my Nana buying me several Treasury editions at now long defunct department stores Grants and Two Guys. Your dedication to the format brought those fantastic moments back to me at a time when joy was sorely needed. Again, I offer my thanks.
I’ve gone on long enough. Best of luck in whatever is on the horizon. I’m also a big Dylan fan so I guess it is high time I start binging POD DYLAN from the beginning.
FLY, EAGLES, FLY!
Fondly,
Steve Zanine (Stevenski)
I clearly recall the ads for this particular treasury, but did not acquire a copy until just a few years ago. TBH, I’ve never been a big Spider-Man fan so I wished for a Superman/Captain America crossover that never came, although I suppose that the Super-Soldier books from the Amalgam universe gave me that in a different format.
Rob and various guests, this podcast, like so many of those found on this network, has been an absolute joy and delight. I did not think that I had much of a history w/ the treasury format, but you have reminded me so often of treasuries that I had as a child: Star Wars, Legion, FF, Batman’s Strangest Cases, etc
I finally had a chance to sit down and write this after picking up a new treasury of sorts at my local comic shop: The new reprinting of Untold Legend of the Batman–all three issues together in one treasury-sized package. Looking forward to your next project and other fun and interesting work from the Fire and Water Network.
Congratulations and thanks for 100 episodes of joy, Rob, and thanks for letting me play now and then. I was fascinated to hear about some of the big Treasuries you never get to, so yes, I’m down for the occasional show resurrection.
As for this book, somehow it made it over to the UK at the time, and I was lucky enough to get a copy. Despite being one of the DC creative team entries, it felt more like a Marvel comic… I suppose having the classic Spidey team of then DC regulars Gerry Conway and Ross Andru would do that. I loved the issue from beginning to end, it was, and remains, astonishing to me. Subsequent team-ups between the company may have been better – objectively, subjectively, it doesn’t matter – but none would match the magic of this one… we fans wished it into being.
It was lovely to hear Alex Ross on the show again, he’s always such a gracious guest. It’s funny that Alex enjoyed Lex having that fake skin, and Alex also drew the cover for a Six Million Dollar Man Comic – isn’t that what the Steve Austin doll had?
Thanks again for Treasurycast, Rob. This show belongs in a museum.
Great finale! Always good to hear Alex Ross, Especially talking about the first Supes/ Spidey team up. I guess I can stop making fun of you for not doing the Most Important Treasury!
I don’t have a fraction of the same affection for the Treasury format as Rob, but I dipped into this show plenty more times than a commented on it, and enjoyed what I heard. There was still a lot of material out there that I’m bummed Rob will never get to, including most of the few that I own, but I doubt he’ll lose any sleep over skipping Brass, BIG BIg Bang Comics, or Giant-Size Kung Fu Bible Stories. I’m not sure I got to all three of Alex Ross’ episodes, but at least two, and this was a good one. I liked the discussion on the challenges of perspective, and the tea spilt on Dan DiDio. Congratulations & excelsior!
Huge congratulations, Rob!
Unbelievable episode.
100 episodes in and it feels like you’re JUST hitting your stride. Here’s to 100 more!!
I can’t even imagine what superstar guest you’re going to get for that 200th episode.
Now to go back and read everyone else’s comments.
I hope I didn’t miss anything.
Keep doing God’s work!!