When Walt suggested our collaboration he was told—by an assistant editor no less—that it would have to be “approved” by higher ups at Marvel. Why? This was during the “Byrne’s stuff doesn’t sell” times.* Publishers were literally afraid to upset the retailers.

Not paranoia on my part! The Publisher at one company actually spoke the words to me (relating to something else): “We can’t risk annoying the retailers.”

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* I still hear this, as the companies pump out expensive reprints of my work.