Hidden obscenities?

**MichikoS** · 11-08-2005, 02:54 PM

Blame it on the change in weather. Lately, I was reminded of a cover from a 1970 Ka-Zar comic book that supposedly featured a "hidden obscenity." To this day, I have no idea whether or not this was an intentional insertion or just a strange coincidence. I've always considered so-called "hidden messages" something of a Rorschach anyway.

Does anyone know the TRUE story behind this "F*CK" supposedly hidden in the tall grass above Zabu's rump? It's a Marie Severin cover, too! And do you know of any other examples of comic book "hidden obscenities"?

Michi

**Punisher** · 11-08-2005, 03:05 PM

Could you find a larger copy of this cover because I can't see the word?

**Cei-U!** · 11-08-2005, 04:01 PM

I've attached a larger image below and I gotta say it sure *looks* like the f-word nestled there atom Zabu's furry behind (though without the real book in front of me, I can't say with any authority that this isn't a prank played on the GCD by some PhotoShop-savvy jokester). It's hard to imagine either Marie Severin or John Verpoorten pulling such a stunt. Since John V. was Marvel's production manager at the time, maybe this was some armadillo's idea of revenge?

Cei-U!
Patiently waiting for Mark Evanier or Scott Shaw! to shoot my theory down!

**davros42** · 11-08-2005, 04:21 PM

It's more likely the artist's signature, made illegible by the shrinkage and compression of making this image a JPEG

**The Wayner** · 11-08-2005, 04:36 PM

This is the first time I've heard of this, or looked at the cover that way. Pretty interesting, and amusing.

**Cei-U!** · 11-08-2005, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by davros42

It's more likely the artist's signature, made illegible by the shrinkage and compression of making this image a JPEG

It doesn't look like any Marie Severin signature I've ever seen. On the other hand, I looked at an enlargement and the "word" kinda disappears up close (if anything, it looks like it says "5hek"--whatever that means).

Cei-U!
I summon the eyestrain!

**MWGallaher** · 11-08-2005, 04:41 PM

I have a copy, and there is no way it's an innocent coincidence. It's no signature, it's no accident, it's very obviously intentional.
And I'd go with the "armadillo" theory, rather than blaming Severin or Verpoorten. If Ms. Severin had done it, she'd have hidden it better. As published, it looks to me like an addition to the art--it's not "organic" enough to be something the cover artist herself would have put it.
And this would certainly seem like a "firing offense". I doubt either of those two would have risked their jobs for a juvenile prank like that, and since neither of them were fired in the immediately following years...

**MDG** · 11-08-2005, 05:30 PM

Steve Ditko hid a little "present" on this Creeper cover:
http://www.comics.org/graphics/cover.../2212_4_07.jpg

(Sorry--it's hard to see in the scan. Anyone have a larget image?)

MDG

**Aaron Kashtan** · 11-08-2005, 06:11 PM

I remember that a few years ago, when Bob Harras (I think) left Marvel, Al Milgrom inserted a hidden message into a panel that he was inking. It said something like "Ha ha, Bob is gone, good riddance to bad rubbish." The message made it into print, but unfortunately some higher authorities noticed and Milgrom was fired.

**C.O. Jones** · 11-08-2005, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by Sir Tim Drake

I remember that a few years ago, when Bob Harras (I think) left Marvel, Al Milgrom inserted a hidden message into a panel that he was inking. It said something like "Ha ha, Bob is gone, good riddance to bad rubbish." The message made it into print, but unfortunately some higher authorities noticed and Milgrom was fired.

The words were written into the spines of a set of books as titles that were sitting on a bookshelf. Exactly which comic it was, I can't recall.

**Brian Cronin** · 11-08-2005, 10:08 PM

Yeah, I always wanted to do an "urban legend" on the Ka-Zar thing, but all I had to run with was "the comic says fuck on the cover." :)

Not much of a story there. ;)

Here's my bit on the Milgrom snafu (in the comments, someone provides a larger scan than the one I had).

**Paradox** · 11-09-2005, 01:03 AM

Hidden obsenities? Hmmm...haven't heard of any that haven't been mentioned.

Here's an open obsenity for you. :D

"Cap? It's Quasimodo on the phone. He wants his hump back." :p

**The Wayner** · 11-09-2005, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by MDG

Steve Ditko hid a little "present" on this Creeper cover:
http://www.comics.org/graphics/cover.../2212_4_07.jpg

(Sorry--it's hard to see in the scan. Anyone have a larget image?)

MDG

I've been studying this pic and can't see anything, lol. I know you mentioned needing a possible larger scan, but I can't wait! Spoil it for me! :D

**Aaron Kashtan** · 11-09-2005, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by Brian Cronin

Yeah, I always wanted to do an "urban legend" on the Ka-Zar thing, but all I had to run with was "the comic says fuck on the cover." :)

Not much of a story there. ;)

Here's my bit on the Milgrom snafu (in the comments, someone provides a larger scan than the one I had).

Here's the link to that scan: http://credibility.blogspot.com/2005...-of-inker.html