(Fun and Games Magazine#11)- Once again Cross-Wordo, meaner than ever went on a rampage only to be defeated once again when someone solved its cross word puzzle.

Comments: Created by Owen McCarron (writer/pencils) & Andy Yanchus (inks)

There really isn't much to say about Cross-Wordo other than it was one of the few new characters in the series to have actually been used more than once. It is possible Cross-Wordo (If the series had continued past issue #13) would have been a recurring character with morer appearances thus providing other entertaining cross words puzzles for readers to solve.

Cross-Wordo looked slightly different in its 2^nd appearance and probably outfitted with different forms of weapons.

It was never revealed what heroes battled Cross-Wordo in its second appearance.

Its funny he was given the tag "the meanest menace in comics" when the only way to defeat it was by solving an easy cross word puzzle. Well, I thought the puzzles were easy enough, but maybe not to the average reader or young kids that this series was geared towards.

Cross-Wordo would make the perfect archenemy for the Fun and Games character called Puzzle-Man. It would be cool if everyone could write to Marvel and ask for a Puzzle-Man series, or maybe not!

Here is a little insight on what the comic series "Fun and Games" was about. In the 1970's Marvel published a series of crossword and other types of puzzle and fitness books featuring characters from their comics such as Spider Man and the fantastic Four. In 1977 a black and white paper back series ( I believe 5 were produced) with the name Stan Lee Presents: The Mighty Marvel Superheroes Fun Book was published and on the front cover it had a caption saying "all you need is a pencil" This book was 128 pages long and contained games, riddles ,puzzles, mazes and surprises and proved to be a moderate success. Skipping ahead a few years to 1979, Stan Lee was approached by his long time friend and comic book artist Owen McCarron who sold him the idea of doing an ongoing series featuring puzzles and other activities geared towards children and young adults and featured characters from the "Marvel Universe". Owen McCarron had experience creating puzzles since and had a weekly fun page that ran in his local newspaper the Hallifax Herald Limited. This too was called "Fun and Games" and was a success after having been produced for three decades. Owen McCarron had also worked in the comic book industry and was considered Stan Lee's go to guy for quickly getting art projects that needed to be completed in an emergency. This full color monthly series lasted for 13 issues until it was canceled.

Profile by AvatarWarlord72.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Cross-Wordo has no known connection to:

• Cross, Arms of Salvation, partner of Fitch, wore blue body armor to shield self from microwaves, project freon blasts @ Marvel Comics Presents I#82/2
• Cross, assassin @ Moon Knight VI#8
• Cross Technological Enterprises, a company @ Marvel Premiere#47
• Word (Jack Wordman) father of Ultima, charismatic, low-level mental powers, able to influence others with speech @ Savage She-Hulk I#9
• Word, an agent of Red Skull (Johann Shmidt), organized Dead Man's Hand @ Nomad II#4
• any other giant robot or character with a similar name

images: (without ads)
Fun and Games Magazine#9, Cover (main image)
Fun And Games Magazine#11, p27, pan1 (alternate look)

Appearances:
Fun and Games Magazine#9 (December, 1979) - Owen McCarron (writer/pencils/editor)
Fun And Games Magazine#11 (July, 1980) - Owen McCarron (writer/pencils/editor), Andy Yanchus (inks)

Last updated: 07/21/13

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
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