Hello and welcome again to another action packed Marvel Handbook. I’m Jim Trabold, of course. I’m not sure who my editor is this week but likely Daron is around here somewhere. Say hi to the readers.
Sadly, Daron is not around this week. Perhaps he has fallen into a well”¦I can’t be sure. I, Tim Stevens, however, am. And I’m getting to like it around here. Maybe I’ll buy some property and settle down. It’d be great. Jim, you and I could go fisâ€â€
Let’s start this up.
What? Oh”¦right”¦I guess we can talk about this later.
James writes”¦and writes”¦and writes”¦
Hey Jim,
Thank you for answering my last batch of questions. Here’s another round. :)
(It’s the first time, so we’ll let the emoticon there go. But next time you draw a smiley face with a colon and an end parentheses, I just might not be so forgiving.)
What’s going on with the original New Warriors? Where are they now?
Actually the New Warriors are coming back in a limited series. From what I can tell Nova, Speedball and Night Thrasher will be members at least.
The squad does include those three, as well as “classic” New Warrior Namorita and two new characters: Microbe and Debril.
Namorita: She was last seen in a recent Thunderbolts as a New Warrior but she’s not present on the cover so I can’t confirm her on the current team.
Ahh, but I will so you don’t have to, Jim.
Firestar: Also was seen with the others helping the Thunderbolts
She was also part of the Busiek’s Avengers, taking the natural progression from the Triple A team to the Major Leagues. Unlike Rage who decided to go in the other direction.
Justice: Also was seen with the others helping the Thunderbolts
He also was part of those aforementioned Busiek penned Avengers. He and Firestar remain love interests and are now actually spouses.
What’s Nova’s background?
Nova Prime Rhomann Dey was mortally wounded by the space-monster Zorr while attempting to halt the creature from destroying the Earth. Dey transferred his superhuman abilities to high school student Richard Rider. Discovering his abilities Rider used his ability to repel Zorr’s invasion and fight against Earthly injustice as Nova.
Is he part of a larger force (ala the Green Lantern Corps)?
Yep there’s a group of Novas running around out there. Originally, the Nova Corps was Xandar’s space militia and exploration division. It consisted of 500 soldiers ranging in rank from Corpsman up to Centurion and its leader, Centurion Nova Prime. The Corps also had a regiment of Syfon Warriors, of which Powerhouse was one. After the reformation of Xandar, the Nova Corps expanded its protective range to include the entire Andromeda Galaxy and Earth. They are also known as the Xandarian StarCorps
Among its members:
Richard Rider (Nova)
Gabriel Lan (aka Air-Walker)
Pyreus Krill (Aka: Firelord)
Rieg Davan (aka: Powerhouse)
Rhomann Dey
Grot
Garthan Saal (Super-Nova)
Nova Omega
Nova 00
Tas’Wzta
Torthar
Tanak Valt
Did Nova ever get rid of that god-awful redesigned outfit?
Yep he got rid of it. Worn in New Warriors #1-#6 series 2. Queen Adora told Rich Rider he was out of uniform, Nova morphed the costume back to the original uniform
At one point, Namorita was Johnny Storm’s girlfriend, how did that resolve itself?
Actually I don’t remember them breaking up in the book but I suspect they did since she hasn’t been seen with Johnny for a while.
The specter of her and Johnny’s Fire-Water relationship did show up in the recent Tsunami Human Torch series, issue #11, if I recall correctly.
And for a time she had blue skin, how did she get cured of that?
Actually it just came off in the shower one morning.
I know that might sound like a joke to everyone, but Jim is actually being 100% serious. It happened in the second issue of the Larsen penned Nova series. However, she has it back now because Skottie Young (the artist behind the new New Warriors launch) preferred the visual. No news yet if it will be justified beyond that, in continuity or out.
Now that they’re relaunching Power Pack, is that in the 616 universe, or will that be in an alternate universe? If not, how much of the old Power Pack stories are within continuity?
Actually I think it’s 616 but takes place in the past or something since they are young in the book and we’ve seen them a tad older now in other books.
That’s a pretty good guess. My assumption is that it is just one of those books outside of time at the moment. If the mini proves popular and Marvel decides to do more with Power Pack, they may then go back and put the mini in its proper chronological place. Until then though, I don’t expect that any effort will be made to ground it in any particular time. However, I say all this without having read word one fo the book, so I could be way off.
Last time I asked about the Defenders, where are the remaining members now? I know about the big 3 (Hulk, Dr. Strange and Silver Surfer), but what about Hellcat and the rest?
Ah you mean the other main Defenders
Hellcat: Well she was part of the last run of Defenders and has helped the Avengers once in awhile before the team separated. Of course, before she did any of that, she came back from the dead.
Valkyrie: Brunnhilda was on Asgard when it fell but was knocked off her horse before Ragnorok.
Nighthawk: After the last series of Defenders he has kept a low profile and has yet to use his powers to reunite the team.
About two years ago, he also had a miniseries guest starring Daredevil that involved Hell, Mephisto, and Nighthawk’s “gift” for “seeing” evil.
Hellstorm: He went evil for a time and even joined the Hellfire Club for a time. He now continues to publish regularly in scholarly occult journals
Clea: Clea is now ruler of the Dark Dimension and still in love with Dr Strange
Red Guardian: Now known as Starlight she was going around with the Presense for a time last I knew
Gargoyle: This friendly fella is in charge of the demonic afterworld
Beast: He’s back with the X-Men now
And now more tiger-looking than ever!
Angel: Like Beast, with the X-Men
Iceman: Like Beast and Angel, he’s with the X-Men once more.
Cloud: Last known to be traveling the galaxy.
Moondragon: After some time with the Infinity Watch she trained Captain Marvel for a time.
There where many other Defenders including the Secret Defenders members so if you want others covered just ask lol.
On that note, didn’t Hellcat die during the Son of Satan mini-series? Is her suicide continuity? Or did they retcon her death to something else?
Yep she died and it is still in continuity. She actually got resurrected which is not hard to do in comics. Check out her limited series from 2000.
If you are specifically interested in her resurrection, you can find it in a Thunderbolt annual. Long story short, Hawkeye and Company would to hell to retrieve what he believe to be the body of his deceased wife, the hero Mockingbird. Upon unwrapping “her” he realized that it was not his wife, but rather Hellcat and he had failed, once more, to catch the subtle differences between the two heroines. Thankfully, (for him) Mockingbird remained deceased and thus unable to flap him upside his fool head for making such an error.
I think the first ever Marvel comic book death story I read was the death of Jean DeWolf. Is the character still in continuity and do they ever reference her in the Spidey titles? I remember she seemed to be a great friend of his at the time …
The story and her death is still in continuity but they don’t really cover her death as much as the one that effected Spidey the most and was the first I believe after Uncle Ben, Gwen Stacy.
I just re-read that story this past week and I’ll be damned if it stil doesn’t hold. Some of my favorite Peter David work ever.
Is Eddie Brock Venom again? What exactly happened during the last Venom miniseries? What was Brock’s life like before he became Venom?
Actually Eddie Brock was Venom for a time but gave up the symbiote and slit his wrists in an alley. Eddie died in MK Spider-Man # 8
Not to be contrary, but I can’t recall if Brock’s demise was over explicitly confirmed. For all we know, he might have recovered from his self-infliced wounds.
Brock’s life was hell before he joined Venom as well. He was fired from his job at the Daily Globe. His wife divorced him. Spider-Man ruined him more than once.
Um let’s see the last Venom series was Venom vs. Carnage. Venom fought Carnage who spawned a new symbiote named Toxin.
This is probably one of the most exciting times in Marvel History because Joe Q. will publish anything. It’s also one of the most disappointing times in Marvel History since Joe Q. will publish anything (even if it’s not quite readable). Joe Q. comes to you and says, “Jim, I need a hot team book. Avengers are great, X-Men are wonderful, but we need a new group, made up of existing characters …” What characters would you use? And no Spidey or Wolvie. You need them for crossovers in issues #4 and #6.
Hmmmmmmmm I need a good name never taken before either. This might be hard. Can I like take a name which has been used before? lol
(I’ll even add the rule they can’t be part of a team right now in comics. Rules out a lot though lol. Plus it’s not an X-team lol)
Personally I’d love to bring back the Infinity Watch
Soul Gem: Adam Warlock
Time Gem: Captain Marvel
Space Gem: Silver Surfer
Power Gem: Thor
Mind Gem: Professor X
Reality Gem: Doctor Strange
Ego Gem: Thanos
It seems to me that I’ve been beaten to the punch twice with teams I’d like to see. The idea of a loose group of largely street based heroes (like DD, Moon Knight, etc) was used in Marvel Knights, but not to very good degree. I believe it is a concept that has much mileage left on it. The other squad is alive and well and that would be Excelsior. The Phil Urich Green Goblin and Darkhawk on the same team?! Dammmmmmmmmmmn!
What are the top 10 Creepiest moments in the Marvel Universe?
1. Venom in Spider-Man # 299. The last page when MJ comes in expecting her husband sees that smile as he says “I’m home.”
2. Doom in Unthinkable
3. The whole Mutant Massacre
4. Kraven’s Last Hunt when Kraven buries Spider-Man alive.
5. Reed & Sue’s second child lives and is some evil vampire thing. What If v.2 #30 (Ben actually mentioned this one and reminded me of it)
6. Inferno storyline.
7. The final battle with Dracula in Doctor Strange (volume 2) #59-62 (he’d be back of course)
8. Jessica Jones’ past as a sex slave of the Purple Man’s in Alias.
9. Stacy Stacey (Gwen’s daughter really 10 years old) kissing Pete in Sins Remembered
10. Earth X ( the full limited series)
I’d also throw in Avengers #200 for the whole Warbird (Ms. Marvel at the time) giving birth to Marcus thing. Very creepy in that gross sort of way.
Is Daron a Dire Wraith and what does he have against Gambit?
Daron you handle this one
Except he’s not here. So I’ll give it a whirl. First, no, he is not. You give the man too much credit.
Second, perhaps the better question is what doesn’t he have against Gambit.
And how could his list of worst mutants ever NOT include Marrow?
Marrow wasn’t all bad. Not to say she’s not on a list of mine somewhere but not sure she’s the worst.
Maggot didn’t make the list, did he? Cause he was AMAZING!
Wasn’t she the prototype for X-23?
I’m not sure she was. X-23 was more created on her own with Wolverine as the prototype.
Lastly, where are Artie and Leech now?
Leech is at Weapon X
Artie is currently in Monaco with M’s father.
And does the name code-name “Skids” make you giggle inappropriately when reliving your memories of the Louise Simonson run on X-Factor?
Hehehe Yeah actually it does.
Aww, that’s so”¦..juvenile.
Docbooty likes commercials that run during major sporting events so it’s no surprise that he writes in to ask:
Will you please list the superheroes in the credit card commercial that ran during the Super Bowl. (I thought I saw Nova from New Warriors)
Captain America
Spider-Man
Wolverine
Storm
Thor
Black Panther
Cloak
Silver Surfer
The rest I’m not sure of.
Vince emails
Mr. Trabold,
You can call me Jim
It took me several weeks, but I just finished reading the old issues of this column and am finally caught up. I hope I’m not going over stuff you’ve already talked about.
Cool. Glad you liked reading my articles
1) I’ve been reading the Stan Lee Essential series so I can see how characters started out, and am wondering: how does Marvel fit in the alien races that visit Earth into the Shi’iar/Kree/Skrull empires? For instance, the toad people who visited Iron Man, the Stone Men who Thor fought, and that other alien race that fought Hulk, among others. Were these people from planets outside of the empires, were they there by permission of the three empires, or did they get ret-conned out?
Well just because there are empires it don’t mean there can’t be other races of aliens like the Toad Men. Take Earth for instance. The Skrulls and the Kree have both tried to take over Earth from time to time, but humans remain unconquered “aliens”. Just because of the big empires are around not every alien is part of the group.
Think of the galaxy like the colonial world. Sure, France, Spain, England, and Italy controlled a lot of it, but there will still natives (be they American or otherwise) who were autonomous and living their lives always despite these empires.
2) Art Simek and Sam Rosen seem to have lettered every single comic book in Marvel from the ’60s and ’70s. Do they get any recognition/respect for this? How important is the letterer? (I read comic books, I don’t write them.)
Their names are listed in the books they impacted and the like but they don’t get the type of credit say Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and other artist and writers get.
3) Who is Irving Forbush? (Mentioned in the author captions as things like panda wrangler, shyster lawyer, etc.)
Ohhhhh The Forbush Man
Real Name: Irving Forbush
Alias: The Amazing Punishing Wolver Forbush, Dark Forbush-Man, Forbush-Man Lite
Occupation: Janitor for Marvel Comics, would-be comedy relief character
Known Relatives: Aunt Mayhem (aunt), Uncle Benny (uncle), Cousin Lance (cousin)
Group Affiliations: Charter and only member of the Forbush League International, Forbush League Antarctica, and the X-Forbush
Irving Forbush was a fanboy janitor at Marvel Comics in the 1960’s who wanted to get the autographs of all the superheroes.
Read more here: Forbush Man. He was also the star of Not Brand Echh comics and also appeared in Marvel Age when it was the Marvel main magazine
4) In the X-Men, while Beast is with the Avengers, he is in his “Beast” looking mode (like he did in the cartoon), and then later on, during the Fall of the Mutants, when he’s with X-Factor (X-Force? Whichever team it was, it was when Apocalypse caused it so that every time he uses his strength he gets dumber and dumber), he seems to look more like he did when the X-Men first appeared. Did something happen there, or is my memory faulty?
Actually let’s go though all of Beast’s looks
1. His original look (X-Men # 1)
2. He drank a serum which turned him into a gray furred Beast (Amazing Adventures #11)
3. The serum later mutated him into the blue furred Beast (Amazing Adventures #15) He was an Avenger and Defender in this form
4. After he joined X-Factor and was kidnapped and turned human looking again (X-Factor # 4)
5. Pestilence touches him and makes him lose his intelligence (X-Factor # 19)
6. Infectia accidentally kisses Beast and makes him furry again and intelligent. (X-Factor # 30)
7. Dark Beast replaced our Beast for a time (X-Men Unlimited # 10)
8. He was then turned into his lion like form not to long ago (X-Treme X-Men # 4)
I always thought Beast’s evening wear look was his strongest. Far more so than his swimsuit one, that’s for sure. (Shudder).
Thank you for re-kindling my interest in comics,
You’re welcome
X-Men the end cont: Issue 2
Psylocke
Real Name: Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock,
Occupation: Adventurer
Other Aliases: Captain Britain II, Lady Mandarin
Place Of Birth: Braddock Manor, England
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: James Braddock Sr. (father, deceased), Elizabeth Braddock (mother, deceased), James “Jaime” Braddock Jr. (brother), Brian Braddock (twinbrother, aka Captain Britain I) Meggan (sister-in-law)
Group Affiliation: X-Men, former member of STRIKE and RCX
Powers Telepathy, “psychic knife”
Height: 5′ 11″
Weight: 155 lbs.
Eyes: brown
Hair: Naturally black and either again dyed purple
First Appearance: Captain Britain Vol.1 #8
M
Real name: Monet St. Croix
Other aliases: Formerly Penance
Occupation: Adventurer, Former Student
Place of birth: Monaco
Marital status: Single
Known relatives: Cartier St. Croix (father), Marius St. Croix (Emplate, brother), Mother (unnamed, deceased), Claudette and Nicole (formerly Penance, sisters)
Group Affiliation: X.S.E., Formerly X-Men, Generation X
Powers: psionic powers
Height: 5′ 7″
Weight: 125 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men # 316
Cecelia Reyes
Real Name: Dr. Cecilia Reyes
Occupation: Doctor, former Adventurer
Place Of Birth: unknown
Marital Status: Possibly married
Known Relatives: Henry “Hank” McCoy (possible husband, Beast), Mr. Reyes (father deceased)
Group Affiliation: Formerly X-Men
Powers: force field
Height: 5’8
Weight: 118lbs
Hair: black
Eyes: hazel
First Appearance: X-Men #65
Magma
Real Name: Amara Juliana Olivians Aquilla
Former Aliases: Allison Crestmere
Occupation: adventurer (former) Student
Place Of Birth: England
Marital Status: Single, engaged
Known relatives: Lucius Antonius Aquilla (adopted father in Nova Roma)
Group Affiliation: X.S.E. , Formerly New Mutants, New Hellions, Hellions
Powers: Heat Generation
Height: 5′ 6″
Weight: 124 lbs.
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Blue
First appearance: New Mutants (1st series) #8
Lockheed
Real Name: Lockheed
Occupation: pet
Place Of Birth: unknown world
Marital Status: single
Group Affiliation: X-Men, Formerly: Excalibur
Powers: Fire Breath, Flight
First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #166
Colossus
Real Name: Piotr “Peter” Nikolaievitch Rasputin
Former Aliases: The Proletarian, Peter Nicholas
Occupation: Adventurer, (former) Artist, student,
Place Of Birth: Ust-Ordynski Collective, near Lake Baikal, Siberia, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Marital Status: single
Group Affiliation: X-Men, Formerly Acolytes, Excalibur
Known Relatives: Nikolai Rasputin (father, deceased), Alexandra Rasputina (mother, deceased), Illyana Nikolovna Rasputina (anglicized to Rasputin, Magik, sister, deceased), Mikhail Rasputin (brother, deceased)
Powers: Organic Metal Skin, Strength, Invulnerability
Height: (normal) 6 ft. 6 in. (armored) 7 ft. 5 in.
Weight: (normal) 250 lbs. (armored) 500 lbs.
Eyes: Blue, (transformed) Silver
Hair: Black
First appearance: Giant-Sized X-Men # 1
Polaris
Real Name: Lorna Dane
Former Aliases: Malice, Powerhouse, Magnetrix, M-2, Magneto The Second
Occupation: adventurer, formerly Graduate student in geophysics at the University of California at Berkeley, U.S. government operative
Place Of Birth: Unrevealed
Marital Status: single
Group Affiliation: X-Men, Formerly Genoshan Cabinet, X-Factor, Marauders
Known Relatives: Zaladane (alleged sister, possibly deceased), unnamed uncle and aunt (adoptive parents), Erik Magnus Lehnsherr (father, Magneto), unnamed mother (deceased), Anya Lehnsherr (half-sister, deceased), Pietro Maximoff (half-brother, Quicksilver), Wanda Maximoff (half-sister, Scarlet Witch ), Mr. and Mrs. Dane (adoptive parents), Crystal (sister-in-law), Luna Maximoff (niece)
Powers: Magnetic Manipulation
Height: 5 ft. 7 in.
Weight: 115 lbs.
Eyes: Dark green
Hair: Light green
First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #49
Banshee
Real Name: Sean Cassidy
Occupation: Adventurer, Formerly Founder and directory of operation for X-Crops, Headmaster at the Massachusetts Academy, Interpol Inspector and Agent, freelance detective, professional criminal, involuntary operative for Factor Three
Place Of Birth: Cassidy Keep, Ireland
Marital Status: Widower
Group Affiliation: X-Men, Formerly X-Corps, Generation X, Interpol, NYPD, Factor Three
Known Relatives: Maeve Rourke Cassidy (wife, deceased), Thomas (Black Tom, cousin), Theresa Rourke (Siryn, daughter)
Powers: Sonic Scream
Height: 6 ft.
Weight: 170 lbs.
Eyes:Blue-green
Hair: Blond
First appearance: Uncanny X-Men # 28
Sage
Real Name: Tessa (last name unrevealed)
Occupation: Agent for Sinsiter, Adventurer, former spy, advisor to Sebastian Shaw, mercenary
Other Aliases: Tessa
Place of Birth: Unrevealed
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Sinister’s agents, formerly X-Treme Sanctions Executives, Hellfire Club, X-Men
Powers/Abilities: Low Level Telepathy, Computer-Like Mind, Triggering Mutant’s latent powers
Height: 5’7″
Weight: 135 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #132
Iceman
Real Name: Robert “Bobby” Louis Drake
Occupation: Adventurer, former accountant, student
Other Aliases: Formerly Mister Friese, Drake Roberts, Rampage
Place Of Birth: Fort Washington, Long Island, New York
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: William Robert Drake (father), Madeline Beatrice Bass Drake (mother), Anne (aunt), Mary (cousin), Joel (cousin)
Group Affiliation: X.S.E. former member of Champions, Defenders, X-Factor, The Twelve, Committee To Elect Graydon Creed (undercover),X-Men,
Powers: Ice
Base of Operations:
Height: 5 ft. 8 in.
Weight: 145 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men # 1
Courtney Ross
Real Name: Courtney Ross
Occupation: Senior Vice-Presidents of Fraser’s Bank, formerly University student at Thames University, London
Place Of Birth: unknown
Marital Status: single
Group Affiliation: formerly worked for Fraser’s Bank, Hellfire Club
Powers: well versed in financial systems
Height: 5′ 9″
Weight: 140lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond (previously dyed auburn)
First appearance: Captain Britain Weekly #3
Cerebra
Real Name: Martha Johansson
Occupation: Student, adventurer
Other Aliases: None
Place Of Birth: Unrevealed
Marital Status: single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: X-Men
Powers: telepathic
Base of Operations: Xavier Institute for Higher Learning
Height: unknown
Weight: unknown
Hair: none
Eyes: none
First Appearance: New X-Men #118
Madelyne Pryor
Real Name: Madelyne Pryor
Occupation: Former pilot North Star Airways
Other Aliases: Madelyne Pryor-Summers, Anodyne, Goblyn Queen, Black Rook, Spitfire
Place Of Creation: A laboratory of Mr. Sinister in an unrevealed location
Marital Status: formerly Married
Known Relatives: Scott Summers (husband, Cyclops), Christopher Nathan Summers (son, Cable), Christopher Summers (father-in-law), Katherine Ann Summers (mother-in-law, deceased), Alexander Summers (brother-in-law, Havok), Christopher Summers (Corsair, father-in-law), Philip Summers (grandfather-in-law), Deborah Summers (grandmother-in-law)
Group Affiliation: Ally of X-Men, later ally of Nastiah , Former member of Hellfire Club
Powers: psionic abilities
Base of Operations: Hidden location
Height: 5 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 110 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Red
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #168
Ok Daron I don’t know how you missed you sign off but you’re the boss so I let you sign off yourself. So hope you understand.
On behalf of Daron I thank you and accept your apology. On my own behalf, I demand offerings of snack cakes!
Right”¦sure.
Oh no you don’t. I won’t be ignorâ€â€
Reporting from the Marvel Universe I’m Jim Trabold. Have a great week and see you at the comic shop
