![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/comicscomicsmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Danzig1.jpg\")
<\/a>Crystar #8, 1984, Michael Golden art<\/p><\/div>Hey True Believers, Frankie the Wop here with an installment of “Esoteric Comics History.” Today, we’re looking at Glenn Danzig<\/a>‘s swipe file. This file is labeled “Michael Golden.” My friend and blood brother, Spahr Schmitt<\/a>, has been telling his tale of encountering the Dark Son of rock ‘n roll for years. They talked comics, and about, uh, the anxiety<\/em> of influence. Many of you may know about Danzig’s famous swipe, but I am surprised by how many folks do not. I love telling this story. I remember once telling this story in front of my publisher, Mr. Dan Nadel, and an assortment of comics folks. When I said “Crystar<\/em> #8,” Dan shook his head and said, “I can’t believe I publish you. You have the most retarded stories, haha.” So this one is an old favorite. Try to imagine Danzig’s Elvis-like speaking voice when reading the tale below. Spahr would usually “do” Danzig’s voice, which always cracked me up.<\/p>\n By Spahr Schmitt<\/strong> SAMHAIN, Glenn Danzig’s post-MISFITS outfit, was little more than a year old, but already making a second stop in the ‘burgh.<\/p>\n My punk-rock “sponsor” (my sister’s boyfriend) had a band that opened for SAMHAIN the first time they came through, and had become friendly with Mr. Zig. By way of doing me a solid, a polite introduction was made. Glenn was less than enthused to be shaking the hand of a 15 year old kid, but I was meeting a hero of sorts and was anxious to find out a little about our mutual interest: comics.<\/p>\n I asked “What comics do you read?” <\/p>\n He replied “Nothing you would know.” <\/p>\n “Like what?” <\/p>\n “Mostly ’50s stuff.”<\/p>\n “You’re into EC’s: Krigstein, Wood, Elder…?”<\/p>\n “Wha?!”<\/p>\n “Well I can tell that you like Michael Golden!”<\/p>\n “Uh yeah, he’s one of my favorite artists”<\/p>\n “I know – you ripped off your logo off of the cover of Crystar<\/em> #8″<\/p>\n “Uhhh … I had to finish it!”<\/p>\n It’s true. The SAMHAIN\/DANZIG iconic skull, synonymous with Glenn’s projects to this day, a symbol of darkness and menacing evil, is a tracing of a Michael Golden illustration used to sell one of the most half-witted, lame-brained children’s toy FLOPS of the last quarter-century. Admittedly.<\/p>\n
\nThursday April 25th 1985, All Ages event at the infamous Electric Banana nightclub, Pittsburgh, PA.<\/p>\n