Superman #62: Black Magic On Mars

[Joshua]

I have been doing a bit of reading on this very odd comic book "crossover" featuring Welles (in the midst of filming "Black Magic") being transported to Mars, where it is necessary for him to be rescued by Superman. A few of the things I have read state that it is unclear whether Orson gave his permission to appear in this issue. Has anyone ever run across something while reading about Orson that may clear this issue up? Is this something he approved of? Or perhaps was it just the studio who gave the o.k. for it in order to promote its movie?

[Cyberstrike]

The following is from a brief plot synopsis of Superman #62 from
Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? collection.

Number #62 featured a story plugging Orson Wells's movie Black Magic In it, Wells was abducted by Martians planning to invade Earth. He got to a radio to warn the world, but, recalling his famous War of the Worlds broadcast, no one believed him!

[chipm]

Here's the response I got on this from Mark Waid, comic writer and well known authority on DC comics (and...my boss at the comic company that I now work for and that published my comic Left On Mission this past year. )

To the best of my knowlege, having spoken to those who would know, this was a deal where the studio gave the okay and Welles couldn't care less. Or so I've heard. DC comics were lousy with media tie-in books during the 1950s (Superman met Perry Como just a year or two later, for instance), so it doesn't stand out as that rare an event for the era.

Best,

Chip

[Joshua]

That's very interesting Chip. Thanks alot!

[LamontCranston]

Welles, The Cradle Will Rock, his Shadow gig, the Funhouse shootout all make appearences (in disguise, Welles became 'Grover Mills') in an issue of the late 1980s/early 1990s comic 'The Shadow Strikes!'