Kyle Baker 1985-1986: “It’s Genetic” from Marvel Age #31 - 60
Having landed an internship at Marvel somewhat effortlessly and being well-liked in the Bullpen, Baker could have been a shoo-in for a bright future at Marvel. The big problem is that Marvel is mostly in the superhero business, and Baker is the first to admit he’s not a big superhero fan.
I was still trying to be funny, and I had been submitting strips to syndicates with no luck. It’s very hard to get into a newspaper syndicate. Jim Shooter and Stan Lee both tried to help me get into the syndicate that does the Spider-Man strip. Shooter liked me — I was doing some Marvel stuff, too — but he felt that I was just all wrong for Marvel, because they didn’t do any comedy. So he was always trying to get me set up at the syndicate so he could get rid of me. [laughter] That was nice of him — I’m not knocking him.
During his time freelancing at Marvel, Jim Salicrup commissioned him to write a few one-panel gags about the X-Men, called “It’s Genetic” published sporadically in the pages of Marvel Age’s “Mutant Report” feature.
Baker did twelve of these comics over the course of a little over a year and it’s the first time we get to see him in his element. I have a fond memory of these comics and loved the way he drew such a short squat Wolverine.
