dub@pur-phy.UUCP (Dwight) (10/17/84)
Dear readers, I have found, over the course of looking back at back-issues, a couple of inconsistancies in Marvel comics. The first concerns the spaceship or mobile home of Galactus. In Dazzler #10-11, the ship is spherical, but later in the Secret Wars it appears to be like the Greek leter for infinity. Why the difference? The second concerns Kang, who was murdered by Ultron. There are two different points of view what could have happened. One is that Kang used his circuitry to escape into another time. The other is that he he was murdered (from Marvel's own handbook <#6,p.1> we can see that this couldn't happen.) That means another flaw has been found in the Secret Wars. Yet another question concerns Captain America issue #301. Marvel always finds a way to restore their heroes through technology or some kind of ray. With Captain America he was given some kind of new drug. With the FF they were hit by a modified Skrull Aging ray. When will Marvel stop using these hokey ideas! -Paul - "Onward soldiers of Muspelleim. On to Asgard!"
lmaher@uokvax.UUCP (10/19/84)
After a 20 day hiatus, uokvax is recieving notes again - I've read all of them at one setting (whew!) and will have comments upcoming on the back (issues?). For now, though: > /***** uokvax:net.comics / pur-phy!dub / 1:05 am Oct 17, 1984 */ > I have found, over the course of looking back at back-issues, > a couple of inconsistancies in Marvel comics. > The first concerns the spaceship or mobile home of Galactus. > In Dazzler #10-11, the ship is spherical, but later in the Secret Wars > it appears to be like the Greek leter for infinity. Why the difference? You're probably confusing Galactus's ship, which is a sphere, with his home, which is a lunch - err I mean a figure 8. > The second concerns Kang, who was murdered by Ultron. There are > two different points of view what could have happened. One is that Kang > used his circuitry to escape into another time. The other is that he > he was murdered (from Marvel's own handbook <#6,p.1> we can see that > this couldn't happen.) That means another flaw has been found in the > Secret Wars. While Secret Wars has near-infinite flaws, this isn't really one of them. That Kang escaped to another time seemed so obvious that I assumed that was what happened. The other possibility is that in the final issue all the dead will be brought back to life. It certainly appears that most of Marvel's writers are doing their best to eradicate the changes made in the Shooter Wars. Colossus is beginning to get over his stupid crush on Zsaji, Spiderman ditched his nifty new threads, the Thing will probably reappear in the FF, rejoin, lose the ability to shift forms, and Salad Girl (err I mean She-Hulk) will leave. Any other "awesome" changes I missed? Oh yes! Everyone got their personalities back as soon as they returned, so that effect of the Shooter Wars is transient too. While I'm flaming on the Shooter Wars (which I've tried to avoid doing - anyone can beat up a corpse), let me mention one of my peeves is the complete absence of "grace notes," the little bits of throwaway characterization that further the character and delight the fan, but aren't required for the action. Things like Wolverine carving on antique table (anyone remember *that* issue?), or the Nightcrawler stuffed doll Amanda Sefton has. Are these cherished by any other fen out there? > Yet another question concerns Captain America issue #301. Marvel > always finds a way to restore their heroes through technology or > some kind of ray. With Captain America he was given some kind of > new drug. With the FF they were hit by a modified Skrull Aging ray. > When will Marvel stop using these hokey ideas! Mediocre writers will always look to the past for crutches, and I find it unlikely that the large companies will ever be rid of all the mediocrity, so the answer is "Never." Note that there is a fine line between classic tributes and cliche - I may post an article on this later, in discussing the Kidnapped Dependent Ploy mentioned some weeks back. I was pleased when Stark gave up his armor, because once the very basics are changed - *anything* could happen. But now we see Rhodey being driven crazy by the armor, and we'll have the friend vs. friend template plot (fill in the blanks), and Stark will be Iron Man once more. Ho Hum. As I've mentioned before, one of the reasons I prefer team books is because it's at least conceivable that a character could die, so it keeps you in suspense. If Peter Parker dies, three of Marvel's most popular books will be cancelled, and Marvel loses millions. But an X-Man can die and the book continue, and sometimes be the better for it. But that's why I (FLAME ON!) despise huge buildups and massive ad campaigns surrounding deaths, such as for Alpha Flight #12. Can you imagine how much more intense the death of Guardian would've been with absolutely no warning??! Just a double-sized anniversary issue, Guardian is in trouble but you expect he can handle it - you turn the page and he dies. I'm just sad Marvel has sunk so low under Shooter that profit totally outweighs grace. (Flame off, more or less.) > "Onward soldiers of Muspelleim. On to Asgard!" Speaking of which, wouldn't it be fun if Simonson *really* killed Odin, and did so in such a way that no one could ever bring him back without wrecking the comic's integrity? Now *that* would be a surprise. If Karnilla and Amora reform, is Loki next?!? Remember, "The grave is a mutant's only lasting sanctuary." Carl ..!ctvax!uokvax!lmaher
mcdonald@smu.UUCP (10/23/84)
I personally got a big kick out of the "Bamf" doll.
Does anyone know where I can get one?
There's also the many references to Elfquest in Kitty's fairy tale, whichever
issue that was. And the letter from Kitty which appeared in Elfquest's
LOC...
Erin McD