As usual, the first comic you read will set the tone for the year...as usual, hmm.

It's not a minty-fresh copy, but let's be honest, I'm not super-minty-fresh myself. (Spine damage, faded colors, pretty sure I too am missing a staple...) From 1968, Not Brand Echh #10, cover by Marie Severin.

This was a "worst of" issue, but it opens with a great one, "The Silver Burper!" from Not Brand Echh #1, by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Frank Giacoia. That was from May 1967, and it was a riff on Fantastic Four #57, on sale 09/08/1966! Well, it's probably easier to spoof a recent issue, the plot's maybe still fresh in mind. A picture of that one, rather than cramming it in the scanner, but that panel is a favorite.

Also this issue: "Peter Pooper vs. Gnatman and Rotten" Written by Stan Lee, pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Frank Giacoia. (With a guest-panel by John Romita!) Man, we mentioned Marie Severin last week with Alf, but she was on point for years! Posting this so you'll know when I inevitably steal "SKLUNCH!" and here's some panels that were maybe stolen--er, homaged--in my favorite Spider-Ham story in Marvel's later What The--?!:

Well, this bodes well for the rest of the year! (Something had to...)