Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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England are, once more, out of a World Cup, sunk by the French and, so, we must turn our gazes away from plucky losers and move them toward a bunch of people who always win.
Marvel super-heroes.
But do they always win?
Will triumph accompany them, this month?
Or will they too know the bitter taste of defeat?
Or so it seems...
Yet again, Iron Man finds himself facing a foe who's good at melting things, meaning his armour's got a challenge ahead of it.
Along the way, Shellhead rescues Rhodey - who's been stricken by spider venom, thanks to the machinations of the not-at-all-cliched Laird of Glen Travail.
And, just to add complications to those complications, Peter Parker gets a visit from Debra Whitman's psychiatrist, as regards her belief that our hero's really Spider-Man.
However, it's nothing of the sort. It's an illusion created by the Leader for who-knows-what nefarious purpose.
That's followed by the Widow and Foggy setting about breaking up Matt and Heather's relationship.
And then it turns out The Hand are out to resurrect Elektra!
Don't ask me how they do it, because I don't know.
But I do know Dr Druid's involved.
But it's better news for Carol Danvers who, in the heat of battle, suddenly regains her super-powers and is reborn as the noticeably Phoenix-like Binary which is a terrible name for a super-doer.
Still, that is the most Dave Cockrum costume ever.
Sadly, that's all I can remember of this one.
The only problem is Arnim Zola and Baron Zemo appear to be involved.
Also, Bernie Rosenthal still knows Cap is really Steve Rogers.
But, then, who doesn't?
I've no idea what happens in this one but I'm willing to bet that giant spiders, evil sorcerers and helpless females are involved.
Oh, yes - and pirates.
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29 comments:
10 years later, the Hulk's using the first person, yet again!
It should read: "Give Hulk amnesty, or give Hulk death!"
Phillip
I suppose the point is, the first person's to indicate to the reader, that Banner's brain's in charge of the Hulk's brawn. Next thing you know, a 'gamma gun' will appear in the story!
Phillip
Plus, the patently obvious fact that the (non-Banner in charge) Hulk would never use a word like 'amnesty'.
It's like 'Alias Smith & Jones' !
I'll get my coat...
Phillip
GIVE HULK AMNESTY! Now that's a battle cry if there ever was one? Btw... what's RICK JONES status during this epoch of Hulk? Is he in the mix at all?
Funny... Charlie is seeing this CAP cover for the first time ever. (How could Charlie not find time in the last 40 years to check out Hulk covers?) Charlie's first thought was "Cap is fighting the mole man?"
Quickly divergent question... were the Beatles (some or all) ever on your Top of the Pop show?
Also, are any of you tuning in to the annual TotP Christmas special? I hear it's way more fun than the Queen's annual Christmas Speech?
Also, will you folks tune in to King Charles Christmas speech?
STEVE - Thanks for the LINK to the current Singles Chart in the UK!!!
As always, Charlie is curious at what is busting the charts in the UK!
Is it not a little strange, though, that both DEAN MARTIN and FRANK SINATRA are in the top-100 with LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IS SNOW.
And as usual, Charlie sheds an emotional tear for Christmas songs by LENNON, MCCARTNEY and for sure THE RONETTES with SLEIGH RIDE.
I do crank up RONETTES SLEIGH RIDE (1963 RELEASE) in the car. Love the "wall of sound!"
Is it hard to believe THE ROLLING STONES opened for the Ronettes when they toured the UK around 1964? And then they opened for THE BEATLES when they toured the US in 1966. Wow.
Cheers! Charlie.
Charlie - Some of Paul McCartney's 1980s songs must have been on TOTP. Likewise, John Lennon's final stuff. For earlier stuff...see google:
https://www.beatlesbible.com/1964/07/07/television-top-of-the-pops-scene-at-6-30/
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To me, that FF story lacked credibility. In X-Men # 137, during the battle against the Imperial Guard, on the dark side of the moon, Gladiator was only marginally stronger than Colossus.
Then suddenly, in this FF story, Gladiator's supposed to be far stronger than any other Marvel superhero.
So, Marvel, to get themselves out of this fix, decided to award Colossus class 100 strength, in Marvel Universe, to offset the lack of credibility - but this doesn't wash either. After all, Sasquatch was stronger than Colossus, when the X-Men fought Alpha Flight, forcing Colossus to use some of Cyclops's Judo tricks.
No, this FF story's only credible point was Reed pointing out that Gladiator couldn't hold up a skyscraper, like that, was it would collapse under its own weight. So some skrull (?) jiggery-pokery was involved (I forget).
If a writer wants a new super powerful character to have credibility, they have to establish, for the reader, how those powers came about.
Nefaria, like Gladiator, was a Superman figure, but Nefaria had a proper back story/origin.
Rant over!
Phillip
*as it would collapse* (typo)
Phillip
Charlie, from memory, the Beatles appeared on some very early editions of Top of the Pops but I don't think they appeared on it after 1964.
I don't remember McCartney appearing on it until 1993 with Hope of Deliverance and then C'Mon People. I don't recall him appearing on it after that.
I think Lennon appeared on the show to do Instant Karma.
I have no memory at all of Harrison and Starr ever appearing on it.
Usually, with the Beatles and post-Beatles, when they were played on the show, we just got the video, or Pan's People or Legs and Co doing a dance routine to the song.
I shall be watching the Top of the Pops Christmas Special. It's not what it used to be but it gives us all a chance to grumble about how bad all the acts are and how it used to be better in our day.
I won't be watching Charles' speech.
Rick Jones was in the Hulk comic in this era. He was hanging around with Bereet who'd come to Earth to do more film-making about the Hulk but found herself growing more and more attracted to Bruce Banner.
Phillip, the Hulk's constant use of the 3rd person does lead me to conclude he was the most pretentious person in comics.
Stop the Presses! I've just checked and it appears Wings appeared on Top of the Pops to do Junior's Farm in 1974.
STEVE AND PHILLIP! Thank you bringing Charlie to the present!
I checked out JUNIORS FARM! Then I went and watched the ROLLING STONES do THE LAST TIME from 1964. (The fellow I met last night at a soiree is in the Stones TotP, front and cent. Hence my sudden interest in TotP.)
Looks like by 1974 no more "kids" dancing in the room? Were WINGS even at TotP studios or was it just a video?
The 1964 video is fun to see. Kids not paying any never mind to Mick and the Stones... just dancing with themselves. Heh heh... Mick in a button down shirt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27ouOE4RvUc
We think inflation is bad now - look at those prices, just on the cusp of a 25% increase from 60c to 75c.
Charlie: according to this article on BBC online the Beatles only appeared live once onToTP in 1966. The pre recorded a few sessions ( which I assume most if not all acts did).
I won't be watching Charles either
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47854806
Something tells me that Hulk switching from “Hulk smash” to “Me smash” should provide plenty of fodder for those interested in studying the nature of consciousness?
Well, it wasn't exactly a great month for Marvel Comics. Condolences on the World Cup, by the way, Steve, that age-old contest which determines which nation on Earth is the best, and which master race will lead us into the glorious future.
I liked the Amazing Spider-Man during this period, and was surprised and excited (well, somewhat, let's not go nuts) to read about the return of Will o' the Wisp.
Where had that guy been since the '70's? Apparently, he had been floating around as a discombobulated ball of molecules.
I sympathize. That's pretty much how I spent the last half of the '90's.
I always liked that guy, but I'm not sure why. I tend to have an affection for super-villains who appeared in comics I had when I was a kid. He was mysterious, it was hard to figure him out, a trait that in a villain (or antagonist, anyway) is always compelling.
I was rather appalled by the fate of the Tarantula. I mean, yeah, he was pretty bad, but getting turned into a giant spider...
This comic came out four years before that Cronenberg movie The Fly, and 67 years after Kafka's Metamorphosis.
Hard to imagine anything worse than getting turned into a giant arthropod.
It would screw up your Christmas plans, that's for sure.
These holiday family get-togethers are awkward enough already without a relative who got turned into a horrible multi-legged giant bug showing up and worse, start talking about how much he admires Trump at the dinner table.
M.P.
Phillip, personally I'm ok with Colossus having Superman-level strength. After all, Supes was a 'man of steel' too (although actually Colossus armoured form was made of organic osmium; not a lot of people know that).
But you can't accept Gladiator because... Colossus once had difficulties fighting Sasquatch? Seriously? I could maybe understand if a major point of continuity was involved, but come on - if you're going to let inconsistencies with earlier stories get in the way of enjoying a Marvel comic you might as well not bother with any of 'em.
FF #249 was pretty good, but I don't think it needed to be a two-parter, especially with the next issue being double sized. Although I suppose they wanted the 'X-Men' cliffhanger ending.
Obviously the best comic here is Daredevil #189.
A great issue, although the Matt/Heather break up was a bit contrived, and unconvincing. It seemed like Miller had built up a sub-plot and then didn't know what to do with it, and just wrote Heather out. Possibly he found it easier to write tough superbabes like the Black Widow and Elektra, rather than a more regular female character?
Although that may be unfair, and he could just have been clearing up plot threads in time for his own departure from the title...
-sean
PS Byrne referenced that FF cover with one he did for #8 of his Superman run -
https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Superman_Vol_2_8
-sean
Oh, and before I forget, yes Steve - Binary has the Cockrumest costume ever. Carol Danvers also has a strong claim to being the ultimate Claremont character.
-sean
Sean - Colossus was also weaker than Dracula (who has the strength of 20 men?) So, maybe Dracula could beat Superman & Gladiator, too, making him the toughest guy in comicdom! No, it doesn't wash! My favourite depiction of Colossus was in X-Men # 112. As regards Colossus as another 'Man of Steel' (or not, as the case may be), I thought Claremont was referencing Greek mythology, in X-Men # 116, when Colossus was burned alive, until his metal body was literally red-hot (like Talos, the bronze giant, when he'd been in the fire!) Moreover, to start with, Colossus was drawn more 'statically' - with a more frozen facial expression - more like a statue (c.f. Dr.Who 'The Robots of Death'). So maybe Greek mythology might have inspired Wein or Claremont. I remember from schooldays, that Osmium's supposed to be the densest metal, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's hard. It's like titanium's a cool metal for Marvel (e.g. for the Titanium Man), but it can be damaged by a simple marker pen. I'm sure the blog's science guys know a lot more about this guff than me. Marvel usually extricate themselves from such problems by using made-up super-metals, like adamantium, Vibranium, & omnium. But, if consistency etc isn't your bag, I suppose such things are less important. I'd agree Carol Danvers epitomizes almost ever element of a Claremont character.
Phillip
Come to think of it, I seem to remember M.P. pointed out, a while back, that Dracula had some pretty impressive "scalps", under his belt, apart from just Colossus!
Phillip
Regarding super-metals, one of the Quatermass films had a fictitious (?), near-indestructible super-material, named 'borozon'. Based on boron (very hard), perhaps? Coat-getting time, again...
Phillip
Yeah Phillip, its kind of surprising they didn't go for vibranium or adamantium with Colossus, rather than osmium (not just the heaviest metal but also the title of the first Parliament album, science fans).
-sean
Phillip, I do remember the Borozon drill putting in an appearance in Quatermass and the Pit.
Charlie, I too have my suspicions about that Wings Junior's Farm performance that's claimed to be from Top of the Pops. It really doesn't look at all like Top of the Pops footage. All very mysterious.
Darren, I think I've said in the past that I stopped reading Marvel comics when the price rose from 60 pence to 65 pence. I decided that was an outrageous price for a comic.
McScotty, thanks for the Beatles/Top of the Pops info and link.
MP, I think I struggle to recall what happened in any of the tales in which Will o' the Wisp appeared. I seem to have a total blank spot where he's concerned.
Sean and Phillip, wasn't Gladiator's strength entirely down to his level of self-belief? If so, it's understandable that his power levels would vary from story to story.
I don't recall, Steve - I just think of him as a Superman stand-in. With added explanatory gimmick (which I think Byrne also used a bit for the man of steel himself).
-sean
Gladiator, Nefaria & Hyperion, should form a team named, 'Marvel's fake Supermen'. That being said, to me, Nefaria's proper back story made him an outstanding baddie, who stood head & shoulders above the other two. Nefaria was far more than just a cheap, Superman knock-off. I suppose it could also be argued that - in terms of his appearance - Gladiator was an OMAC knock-off, too. So, Gladiator was a composite-copy character!
Phillip
Yeah, Phil, and I thought Byrne did do something interesting with that guy, the Gladiator.
Supposedly, his powers are actually "psionic" in nature.
I don't know what that means, exactly, but it seems to be mental.
He does it all with his brain, somehow.
For instance, how does he lift the Baxter Building up by the foundation without that part he's grabbing just crumbling, because THAT PART OF THE BUILDING CAN'T SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE?
Psionics!
There was this Superman comic I had when I was a kid where Superman lifts this huge ship up outta the water for some reason. Even as a kid I knew that was bull$#!t, his hands would just poke through the hull.
Psionics!
That's the word of day.
She blinded me with psionics.
M.P.
You forgot Wundarr, Phillip.
And possibly Omega the Unknown could also be considered a Marvel fake Superman?
-sean
Both characters created by Steve Gerber.
Ah, I see a pattern. Gerber was a Superman fan when he was a kid!
Obviously.
Scratch a cynic and you get a disillusioned idealist.
Or a romantic.
"And how am I to face the odds
Of man's bedevilment and God's?
I, a stranger and afraid
In a world I never made."
-A.E. Houseman
M.P.
As it happens M.P., Steve Gerber's early 80s Phantom Zone mini-series is probably the best pre-Moore Superman.
-sean
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