From October 1972, Justice League of America #103:
The real life town of Rutland Vermont became a very familiar location to regular readers of Marvel and DC comics back in the 1970's and early 80's, especially around Halloween. Back in 1960 a comic book fan named Tom Fagan founded the annual
Rutland Halloween Parade, an event which is still held to this day, some 65 years later. In the early days Tom would write letters to Marvel and DC promoting his event, and over the years, several comic book professionals made the 5 hour trip up from New York to rustic Vermont to attend. Tom lived in a gothic 24 room New England mansion that was described as something out of an H.P. Lovecraft novel. It's said he hosted some legendary Halloween parties there. Of course the attending professionals, which included the likes of Roy Thomas, Denny O'Neil, Gerry Conway, Len Wein and Steve Englehart, among others, used the parade and the town as a backdrop for their stories.
Which brings us to JLA 103 and that stunning and spooky Nick Cardy cover. The writer of this issue, Len Wein (co-creator of Swamp Thing and Wolverine) wrote himself into the story, along with his fiance Glynis Oliver and his friends and fellow writers, Steve Englehart and Gerry Conway. In the story, the foursome made their way to Vermont in Steve's beat up old car to attend the parade and of course mystical shenanigans ensued, courtesy of long time JLA villain and evil sorcerer Felix Faust. Good thing the Phantom Stranger showed up to lend a helping hand. This is the issue where the Stranger sort of "unoffically" joined the League.
And what was really cool, JLA 103 was the second part of a three part story that came out that October. Part one was Amazing Adventures 16, written by Steve Englehart, and part three was Thor 207 written by Gerry Conway. Len, Glynis, Steve and Gerry, along with Tom Fagan, were in all three issues. If you were savvy enough to know what was going on, it was a real hoot. This was the first Marvel and DC crossover, albeit unofficially.
The late Mark Gruenwald, a longtime editor at Marvel, once posited that the real life town of Rutland Vermont, much like the fictional Marvel town of Citrusville Florida (Home of the Man-Thing) was a "Nexus of all realities", especially on or near Halloween, which is when the Marvel and DC Universes would meet. I always liked Mark. He came up with some really great ideas, which is why he was an executive editor.
I love JLA 103 and I re-read it every Halloween. It has plot holes you can drive a tank through but who cares? It's comics. Sometimes you just have to shut your brain off, relax and enjoy yourself. This story has a classic villain, the world's greatest superheroes, a great guest star in the Phantom Stranger and an insanely creepy setting. All on Halloween night. It doesn't get any better, especially when you're 14 years old.
I have very, very few things on my bucket list these days, but visiting the town of Rutland and seeing the Halloween Parade is on the list. I'd love to be there and I hope I make it someday. Tom Fagan, who was born in 1932 and founded the parade when he was 29 years old, passed away in 2008 at the age of 76. He left behind one hell of a legacy and made many fans, both young and old, very happy. Myself included. Thank you for everything, Mr. Fagan.
