Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
***
Brace yourself, tiger, because it's time, yet again, to see what a random selection of Marvel's lower-profile titles has to offer us.
Can Ka-Zar really be dead?
Well, of course it can't be true. He'll be back next issue. But at least we get a wraparound cover out of it.
And it looks like it's bad news for everyone's favourite wall-crawler.
And this one reprints Roy Thomas and Barry Smith's classic adaptation of Red Nails, one of the most sumptuous comic book stories ever committed to paper.
We're about to find out, as Marvel's latest venture hits the spinner racks.
Thanks to its 30 pages, we get a reminder of the worst blunders in Marvel history, including the accidental renaming of Peter Parker to Peter Palmer, Doc Ock calling Spider-Man, "Superman," and Betty Ross getting mixed up with Betty Brant.
I'm assuming Bruce Banner being referred to as Bob Banner for the entirety of a Fantastic Four story will also get a mention but I cannot confirm for certain that it does.
If Asbestos Man isn't among them, I shall be furious.
Marvel produces its adaptation of The Life of Pope John Paul II, a 64-page epic from the minds of Steven Grant and John Tartaglione!
It seems Wolf's been humiliated in a race and must redeem himself against Monique Areadite.
Meanwhile, Honcho's on a top-secret mission to Cairo, while Cowboy and Georgianna flirt with each other, to the dismay of Wrench.
Frankly, I've no idea who any of these people are.
And, soon, the bad guys of the world will too, as the avenging archaeologist gets his very own monthly mag.
Will it go on to replicate the success of the company's Star Wars comic?
Not really but it will last for 34 issues, which is more than enough time in which to unearth every mystery artefact on Earth, I should imagine.
Posts
37 comments:
According to that part headline in the Daily Bugle, Zabu's been killed!
Phillip
So that’s at least 3x that Conan cover had been reprinted! Its a good one! BWS’s best besides Avengers 100?
3x... although Steve didn't complain about Conan's legs this time round.
But that won't stop me moaning about 'Baxter paper' reprints again. Marvel Treasury #4 is the place to go for a colour 'Red Nails'.
I was tempted to make Shanna the Savage #22 my cover of the month - its always good to see a wraparound (and indeed a shapely young lady in a revealing jungle outfit) - but its gotta be Marvel Fanfare #6.
Inside its a fairly average Spidey/Wanda team up - probably from the MTU inventory file - dressed up with inks by P. Craig Russell (a standard Fanfare move). Still, theres a nice Dr Strange back-up by Roger Stern and Charles Vess.
-sean
So The Life of Pope John Paul II #1 is a one-shot, rather than an origin issue then, Steve?
Does it deal with the Vatican bank scandals, and the hit on John Paul 1?
-sean
IIRC Gil Kane drew the innards and we saw more of JP’s nostrils than was dignified?
Did Popes Benedict and Francis get their own Marvel comic too?
The Conan Treasury Edition that featured "Red Nails" also included another Conan classic, "Rogues In The House", and it was the first time I'd ever read either of those stories. I bought the Conan Treasury Edition and a Thor T.E. while on holiday in Burryport in South Wales in August 1977 - they were still on sale more than two years after being first published!
"Red Nails" was actually the last ever Conan story written by Robert E. Howard and he'd already committed suicide by the time it was published in 'Weird Tales' magazine in the autumn of 1936.
I'm not sure how it was in the UK but JPII was a larger-than-life personality here in the USA. Drew enormous, truly enormous, crowds when he visited.
It is not a stretch to see Marvel offering a comic. Plus JPII communicated well with the masses, unlike his predecessors who led a more hermetic existence and were all italians who basically only spoke italian IIRC.
To this day I regret not going the Saturday morning when my father woke me up and asking "Hey. let's go see the Pope! He's downtown in Chicago!" But I was a lazy forking teenager... (1978?)
Even my only-nominally-religious relatives picked up copies of that comic and held on to them for decades. In the end they asked me if I wanted it but I was like "Overstreet says thanks but 'no thanks.'"
Anyhow, the USA has a ton of Catholics, many from Poland and central Europe. Most may have remembered the unkindly ways protestants in america felt / acted towards them over the decades. (E.g., the largest Klan march in Washington DC was an anti-catholic one.)
Plus JP II was nearly assassinated by a Bulgarian working for Russia / USSR. If the Russians hated him, he had to be a good guy.
So those are some reasons why JPII probably got his comic book.
Charlie
I remember that first issue of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe in the local comic shop and thinking who would possibly be interested in this? A few months later it was selling for £10 a copy at the Westminster mart. It looks like the current value is around US$6 and so hopefully there weren't too many speculators who went big on these. I still wonder who it is aimed at. Surely anyone with access to a direct sales shop (I don't think this had newsstand distribution) would already know most of the characters. Or the ones they cared about.
DW
Charlie, the fella who tried to whack J2P2 - Mehmet Ali Agca - was actually Turkish, and his only known link to a state secret service was the Turkish branch of Gladio.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter-Guerilla
Theres no evidence of any Bulgarian or Soviet involvement in the assassination attempt. Thats Reagan-era American propaganda.
-sean
Further on the failed Spaceport Cornwall launch that came up under the last post, I see former prime minister Boris Johnson - the Leon Trotsky of Brexit - has been getting himself airbrushed out of history.
www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jan/10/spot-the-difference-boris-johnson-appears-scrubbed-from-photo-posted-by-grant-shapps
Next: the show trial of Jacob Rees-Mogg?
-sean
More than 12 years ago, I wrote an Amazon review of Marvel Universe, in general, hitting that particular issue of MU. Looking back, I went a bit 'over the top'. Here's my review:
Here are two different reviews. The first's brief, for those with a casual interest. The second's very long, for comic book anoraks (like myself!)
First Review
Here goes. 'The Essential Official Handbook Of the Marvel Universe Vol # 1' is pretty good. If you were a Marvel reader in the 70s & very early 80s, it covers all the major characters. Some very interesting minor characters, however, are left out (for example, Bushman, Deathgrip, Firefly, Grotesk, Lupinar, Megaman, Mogol, Mongu, Ms.Marvel, Slaymaster, Torgo and Warhawk). Nevertheless, this book has many detailed and interesting essays on the major characters, even if these are sometimes very inaccurate. However, the fun of Marvel Universe partly lies in spotting the errors.
Detailed Review
In this edition of Marvel Universe, the strengths, weights, and heights of some Marvel characters are described incorrectly. Sasquatch and the Thing are a prime example. Marvel Universe claims the Thing is stronger than Sasquatch, stating that the Thing can lift 85 tons, whereas Sasquatch can only lift 70 tons.
This is blatantly wrong. When the Thing battled Sasquatch in Marvel Two-in-one # 83, both characters said that Sasquatch was stronger. Sasquatch said:"AMAZING! I HAVE THE ADVANTAGE IN STRENGTH! HE SHOULD BE OUT OF IT BY NOW--BUT HE'S STILL MANAGING TO AVOID MY BLOWS!" The Thing agrees with Sasquatch, saying: "SHEESH! YER BIGGER, STRONGER, TALK BETTER'N ME AND PLAYED PRO BALL! THERE MUST BE SOMETHING I CAN BEAT YA AT!"
Also, in comparing Sasquatch with Colossus, Marvel Universe gets it wrong, too. Marvel Universe puts Sasquatch and Colossus as equal in strength, rating them both at 70 tons. In fact, when Colossus battled Sasquatch (Classic X-Men # 27), Sasquatch was clearly stronger. When Colossus hit Sasquatch, the Canadian was completely unfazed, saying: "THAT YOUR BEST SHOT, RUSTY? I'VE TAKEN WORSE FROM THE GIANTS' FRONT LINE!" Colossus has to resort to Judo to compensate for Sasquatch's superior strength.
In fact, giving Sasquatch's strength as 70 tons is wrong for other reasons, too. In Classic X-Men # 26, Sasquatch lifts a 250 ton airliner with ease: '--THE PLANE DOESN't MOVE AN INCH, UNTIL MUSCLES THE SIZE OF BRIDGE CABLES SUDDENLY FLEX, HEFTING THE 250 TON AIRCRAFT A FEW FEET OFF THE GROUND AS IF IT WEIGHED NOTHING."
Also, prior to Sasquatch's battle with the Hulk, agent Farnum's video showed him lifting the front of a naval destroyer out of the water. This would weigh far more than 70 tons.
The entry in Marvel Universe for the Thing's strength(85 tons)is also wrong in comparison to its entry on Thundra (60 tons). In two stories in which Thundra fought the Thing - 'THUNDRA AT DAWN!'(The Complete Fantastic Four # 1) and 'ENTER: THUNDRA' (Super Spider-man and Captain Britain # 236)- Thundra was clearly stronger than the Thing. So how come she's 60 tons, whilst he's 85?
The strength of Rom the Space knight is also wrong. When Rom was relating his origin to Brandy Clark, he was attacked by the army, and lifted a battle tank over his head. Yet Marvel Universe only rates Rom's strength at 15 tons. In fact, his strength should be more comparable to the Thing's.
Marvel Universe rates the strength of Ikaris as 1.5 tons, and Thor's as 95 tons. This cannot be correct. In Thor # 287, when Ikaris supports the Eternals' entire arena, as it's collapsing, he says to Thor: "BOTH YOU AND THE FORGOTTEN ONE MAY BE STRONGER THAN I, THOR--BUT IF SO, IT IS THE VARIANCE BETWEEN TWO MIGHTY MASTODONS, NOT THAT BETWEEN A MAMMOTH AND A MINNOW!" If Marvel Universe is correct, and Ikaris's strength really is 1.5 tons, whilst Thor's is 95 tons, it really would be the difference between a mammoth & a minnow!
Starhawk is another character whom Marvel Universe under-rates. In Thor Annual # 6, in one panel, Starhawk was going toe-to-toe with Thor. Yet Marvel Universe rates Starhawk at 5 tons, whereas Thor is 95 tons. Moreover, during Jim Shooter's Korvac Saga, the reader got the impression that Starhawk was in the same league as Thor & the Silver Surfer - 5 tons is way too little.
Marvel Universe says that the original Captain Britain could lift 1,800 pounds. This could be about right, as Nova also had the strength of ten men. However, straining his powers to their limits, Captain Britain lifted a loaded bathysphere out of Loch Ness (Super Spider-man and Captain Britain # 233). According to my reading, Charles Beeble's bathysphere weighed 2 tons, when empty. This suggests the original Captain Britain's maximum strength would be something over 2 tons, with the aid of the star sceptre.
The Beast's strength is also perhaps a little too low. Marvel Universe says the Beast can lift 2,000 pounds. However, when Dark Phoenix turned a tree trunk to solid gold, pinning Colossus, by transforming him back to Peter Rasputin, the Beast lifted the gold tree trunk off Peter. Gold is extremely heavy; and that tree trunk would weigh more than 2,000 pounds. Wolverine commented: "CRIPES! JEANNIE CHANGED THE TREE INTA (SIC) SOLID GOLD! IT MUST WEIGH TONS..." (X-MEN # 135).
Iron Man should also be stronger. Marvel Universe states that Iron Man's armour amplifies the wearer's strength 75 times, saying that James Rhodes can normally lift 295lbs, so the armour allows him to lift 11 tons, as Iron Man. This figure is insufficient. Under normal circumstances, Iron Man's strength is about equal to that of the Submariner, when he's out of the water - perhaps a little less. Iron Man's battles with Namor were usually quite evenly matched, with Iron Man normally winning (Tales to Astonish # 82, Iron Man #25, Iron Man #120). As Marvel Universe itself states that even when the Submariner has been deprived of water for as long as an hour, his strength is still at the level of 40 tons, Iron Man's strength cannot be 11 tons (less in the case of Tony Stark, as his original strength would be less than that of James Rhodes).
Marvel Universe is correct, however, in stating that Iron Man can increase his strength, by overriding his normal limits. Iron Man has been overriding the limits of his armour as far back as Tales to Astonish # 92, when he said, "BY SETTING MY TRANSISTORS TO THEIR HIGHEST INTENSITY, MY STRENGTH BECOMES VIRTUALLY LIMITLESS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME." Iron Man has used this technique against very powerful opponents, such as Count Nefaria and the Hulk. In fact, it enabled Iron Man to momentarily exceed Nefaria's strength; and, most controversially of all, to knock out the Hulk. Admittedly, however, the latter feat did far worse damage to Iron Man than it did to the Hulk, as it almost resulted in the death of Tony Stark. Strangely, however, Marvel Universe says that by overriding his normal limits, Iron Man can only increase his strength to 91 tons, for 0.1 seconds. These figures are too low for Iron Man to have exceeded Nefaria's strength, or to have knocked out the Hulk! On other occasions, Iron Man has pushed a falling skyscraper back into its vertical position (Iron Man #135); and also, along with Thor, Wonderman, and the Vision, caught Graviton's sky-island; then, with his fellow Avengers, threw it a considerable distance into the ocean. Moreover, Jim Shooter famously said, "Iron Man's strength is only limited by the source of his power." This means that if Iron Man absorbs a lightning bolt, he can even exceed Thor's strength, momentarily (see 'War Against The Gods'- Avengers # 220). Under normal conditions, however, Iron Man admits that he can never match Thor (Avengers Annual # 8).
Speaking of Thor, Marvel Universe states he can lift 95 tons. Too low. In chapter 9 of the Avengers/Defenders clash, Thor fought the Hulk in a rage-enhanced state(100 tons+) , and the two were evenly matched. Gladiator(100+ tons), too, says of Thor: "HIS STRENGTH MAY BE THE EQUAL OF MINE..." (FF #339).
The strengths for the Man-thing, and Charlie-27, also seem too low. Marvel Universe says the Man-thing can lift over 1,000lbs. The Man-thing & the Golem once subdued the Hulk. If the Hulk lifts over 100 tons, a strength level of 1,000lbs wouldn't be enough for the Man-thing to do this. Likewise, Charlie-27's the strongman of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Only lifting 1,500 lbs, he hardly deserves that role. Nor is 50tons enough for Firelord, who's closer to Thor in strength.
Deathbird's strength is underrated too, it being given as 6 tons. Every time Deathbird fought Ms.Marvel, the two were very evenly matched, with Deathbird, if anything, having the edge in strength. Ms.Marvel's strength reached its limit when she only just lifted a wooden water tower, containing 10,000 gallons (10,000 gallons weighing 50 U.S. tons, plus there would be the weight of the wooden water tower, in addition to the water), in Ms. Marvel # 9. Yet Ms. Marvel clearly states that she's not as strong as Tiger Shark (70 tons, in water, according to Marvel Universe),or Grotesk, who's not quite as strong as the Thing (85 tons). This means that Deathbird's strength, like Ms.Marvel's, should be somewhere between 50 and 70 tons - not 6 tons. In a later story (Ms.Marvel # 24), Carol Danvers says she can lift a 70 ton battle tank; but perhaps she's speaking loosely, as she only deflected a tank hull (minus the turret)that was thrown at her (Ms.Marvel #20).
But it's not just strengths Marvel Universe gets wrong. It gets weights wrong, too. Marvel Universe gives Deathlok's weight as 395lbs. This is totally inaccurate. When Deathlok jumped on an old fire escape in Astonishing Tales # 32, his computer gave him a clear warning:"WARNING: FIRE-ESCAPE WILL NOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF----SIX HUNDRED POUNDS----OF METAL----AND STEEL RE-ENFORCED--FLESH."
This figure of 600lbs is confirmed by Luther Manning's former best friend, Mike Travers: "IT'D BE HARD TO COVER THE TRAIL OF HIS 600LB CYBORG BODY--EVEN IF HE WANTED TO!"(AST T # 32, P.10)
Marvel Universe also gives the wrong figure for the Thing's weight, citing 500lbs. The Thing himself says he weighs 700lbs, in Marvel Two-in-One # 83: "I'M COLLECTING QUITE A CROWD! I GUESS THESE CANADIANS AIN'T USED TO EYEBALLIN' A 700 POUND, ORANGE CELEBRITY."
Likewise, Daredevil's weight is wrong, with Marvel Universe stating 200lbs. Whilst fighting the Silver Samurai, Daredevil gave his own weight as 187lbs: "HOW 'BOUT THAT! ALL MY 187 POUNDS FLAT IN THE FACE ACTUALLY DAZED HIM -- A LITTLE." (MWOM # 323).
Wolverine's weight & height are also wrong. Marvel Universe says Wolverine is 5 ft 3" tall and weights 195 lbs. Stories give two different figures for Wolverine's height, neither of which match that. Incredible Hulk # 181 says Wolverine is 5ft 5": "--AND THOUGH YOU MIGHT THINK A BATTLE BETWEEN AND EIGHT FOOT MONSTER AND A FIVE FOOT, FIVE INCH MAN WOULD BE A TRIFLE ONE-SIDED----WE ASSURE YOU IT IS NOT!" In contrast, in X-MEN # 108, when Jahf, the guardian of the M'Kraan crystal knocked Wolverine into orbit, the Starjammers' computer registered Wolverine's height as 1.6m (5ft 2"+) and 70kg in weight (that's less than 195 lbs).
Some Marvel Universe entries on paraphernalia are wrong, too. Marvel Universe comments on Nova: "It is not known how much oxygen the (Nova's) suit contained." Again, someone hasn't checked this. In the story entitled `POWER PLAY', Nova himself explained that his helmet supplied 15minutes' worth of oxygen: "MY SELF-BREATHER IS IN OPERATION--BUT IT LASTS ONLY FIFTEEN MINUTES, SO THIS CRAZY IDEA BETTER WORK BEFORE THEN." (RAMPAGE # 24).
Wonderman's belt-jets is another inaccuracy. On the Wonderman entry, Marvel Universe states that Wonderman "can lift aloft up to 300lbs before he exceeds the design limits of the jet engines." (MU, No.12, Dec `83, p.18). In paraphernalia, Wonderman's belt jets' maximum cargo is 400lbs. Neither figure can be correct, as when the Avengers fought Tyrac (`HOLOCAUST IN NEW YORK HARBOR!), Wonderman lifted the Vision, at maximum density, out of the water, pushing his belt jets to their limits.
Finally, (I imagine you've dozed off by now) Marvel Universe claims that the Whizzer is slower than Quicksilver. In reality, the Whizzer is faster than Quicksilver. In Giant Size Avengers # 1, Iron Man comments to Thor: "MY ARMOUR SPEEDS UP MY REFLEXES--BUT THAT GUY'S EVEN FASTER THAN PIETRO WAS."
The Whizzer from Squadron Sinister was also faster than Pietro. The Submariner commented: "EVEN THE FLEET-FOOTED QUICKSILVER WAS NEVER SO FAST!" (RAMPAGE # 12).
Update: I wrote this review years ago. Since then, I noticed that the Thing's weight IS given as 500LBs, in both MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE # 17 & # 18. Maybe the lower figure of 500LBs, rather than 700LBs, could be explained by the fact that Ben Grimm could have been wearing the exo-skeleton at that time. To be sure, you'd have to check the chronology, alongside the pertinent issues of FF (I think Grimm started wearing the exo-skeleton around the time of Gorr, the golden gorilla, & the issue with Luke Cage). Checked it! FF # 171 The Human Torch, in flight, is carrying the Thing towards Gorr, the golden gorilla, and declares, "OKAY GRUESOME! BUT I SURE WISH - - YOU'D GO ON A DIET! " - to which the Thing replies, "BITE YOUR TONGUE! I'M DOWN TO 480." This implies that the Thing is 480-500lbs in the exoskeleton. Interestingly, to carry 480lbs, the Human Torch must almost have Captain America's strength!
In answer to DW's question about Marvel Universe's target audience, I think pedantic fact-checkers, like I was! I wanted it to agree with my assessments, based on my reading of Marvel, when - in reality - Marvel becomes inconsistent, the longer you read it!
Phillip
But is Asbestos Man included in #1, Phillip?
-sean
Ha! I knew you could not trust those Russkies! They lie about everything! (Actually, Thanks Sean! Damn Reagan never had a problem Lying!)
Sean - In the A's, # 1 goes from Arnim Zola to Asgard, completely air-brushing poor Asbestos Man from Marvel's historical record/King lists. Clearly, Asbestos Man's reputation was tainted by late 70s/early 80s campaigns against Asbestosis, making him forever a pariah, cast out of Marvel's glorious pantheon, into the eternal blackness!
Phillip
I'm shocked to learn Whizzer was faster than Pietro Quicksilver!!!
What's the point of being a mutant???!!!
PHIL - Thanks for that summary!
Another novella from Phillip and surely the geekiest comment in internet history ;)
Charlie - But the Whizzer had to quit superheroing, because of heart failure - so maybe Quicksilver's mutant powers protected him against speed-induced cardiac complaints, making Pietro the winner in the long run (is that a pun?) ! You're welcome, Charlie!
Colin - use it as a sleep-aid, for bouts of insomnia! Yes it is, isn't it?!
Phillip
Are you going to do the Marvel No-Prize Book too, Phillip?
-sean
Charlie, re: the Whizzer and Quicksilver - clearly shooting up mongoose blood is better for you than mutation.
-sean
No, Sean. Purple prose, I can do - but not reviewing No-Prize books I don't have! Then again, my entire MU review's like a no-prize, as very little (if any?) is about characters starting with 'A'. I think I'd been listing inconsistencies (during the 90s?), so when, on Amazon, I saw the chance to review MU, I jumped at the chance to point them out (regardless of the relevancy!) "Plus ca change!" I hear everyone say!
Phillip
At some point in the late 80s, I managed to puck up all ten volumes of the paperback version of the OHMU.
The most glaring omission in my eyes was Kraven The Hunter.
SEAN you got me curious… were their mutants in Golden Age comics?
Also, I just picked up for nostalgic reasons Superman number one which is reprinted from cover to cover. It cost like six dollars. But I just really had to chuckle at the retelling of his origin. Ma and Pa Kent pay no attention to the fact that baby Superman is in a rocket ship. Rather, they simply focus on there being a baby. One might have expected Ma or pau Kent to say something like, “oh my God there’s a huge rocketship in the field. Let’s go call the army or the police or something! “. Instead we get, “there might be a baby in the rocket ship let’s check it out. “. Ahhh… I really loved the golden age! Times were so much simpler! Need super speed? Just inject some mongoose blood!
Sean & Charlie - I'm ashamed to admit, I never knew the source's of the Whizzer's speed. Your greater breadth & depth of knowledge becomes evident!
Phillip
*source*
Ah yes Charlie, the good old days of golden age comics, with Captain America, Namor, and the Whizzer with his sidekick Slow-Motion Jones...
www.misterkitty.org/extras/stupidcovers/stupidcomics79.html
They don't make 'em like that any more.
-sean
SEAN- inspired by your reporting I did a bit of googling about the assassination attempt on the pope. The assassin himself was the one who said he was hired by an eastern European country along with the Soviet union per articles I read from the UK press. Unfortunately investigations cannot confirm any of his statements. And it seems to this day nobody can ascertain what his motivations were for shooting the pope.But if someone out there can find something reliable please provide a link! Charlie would be much obliged!
My understanding is that the would be assassin started saying that after the Italian cops 'asked' him about the possibility, Charlie. But then years later he claimed the Iranians ordered the hit... Either way, there was never any evidence for anything other than him being a 'lone nut', which seems quite likely.
But Italy was a mad place in the 70s and 80s so inevitably the incident fits into all that 'strategy of tension' stuff anyway. As do the conspiracy theories about the death of John Paul I (fictionalised in Godfather 3), and the actual facts about the Vatican Bank and Roberto Calvi.
I thought you might know a bit about 'God's Banker', seeing as he was a bishop from Chicago -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Marcinkus
-sean
The Pope later met his would-be assassin and forgave him.
So he practised what he preached.
Sorry
DW
"IIRC Gil Kane drew the innards and we saw more of JP’s nostrils than was dignified?"
If only...it was John Tartaglione, inked by Sinnott.
Wonder what it says about how bad Marvel were by then that their best title of the month was a reprint (Conan)?
To be fair to Marvel, B, a reprint of 'Red Nails' would be their best title in most months of the company's history. Very nearly all since it originally came out, I'd have thought.
-sean
Post a Comment