Manic Monday Triple Overtime--That Time The Government Gave Us Free John Buscema Pin-Ups!!

Emblazoned on the cover of Fantastic Four #128 (1972) was this:

 And it was true. Stuck right in the middle of the comic, on glossy stock no less:

Well, it turns out that there was a reason for this largesse on Marvel's part:

Yes, in the 1970s, Republican presidents used executive orders to mandate what private business could charge customers or pay employees. How times have changed. Pray remember that the next time someone starts throwing around the words "socialist" or "free market."

Anyway, I've read varying accounts; some say Marvel did this out of the goodness of their own heart as a make-good, others insist that they were compelled by the federal government to do it. If so, thanks for the free pin-ups, Mr. Nixon!!

Of course, today, Marvel just throws 8-page gatefolds into every damn issue (and often in the middle of double-page art spreads, thank you), and claims that they can't afford to sell their comics more cheaply than $3.99.

So...any presidential candidates out there: President Nixon established the precedent that you can tell comic companies how much they can charge for their books. Make the pledge to lower books to $2.99, and you've got my vote...