Yesterday, Brian and I recorded another episode of Secret Identity and in this installment of OUT OF THE LONGBOX I take a look at an incredibly funny and very satisfying comic, THE OFFICIAL MARVEL NO-PRIZE BOOK!
The Marvel No-Prize was implemented in the early 1960's at the dawn of Marvel Comics and the Silver Age as a way for Marvel to interact with its fans and to more importantly... not take themselves too seriously. The history is... if a fa found an error of any kind, they would write in and receive a cash prize, free comics or something like that.
In an early issue of FANTASTIC FOUR Stan Lee offered no prize for people to write in and tell what they thought the Marvel Age of Comics was. With no prize given, there would be no loser! When fans began to demand NO-Prize, the company decided to send something and in 1967, the MARVEL NO-PRIZE was created. It was an empty envelope that contained this wording... "Congratulations, this envelope contains a genuine Marvel Comics No-Prize which you have just won!"