Hi everyone. Welcome back for another edition of the Handbook.
Hey Daron how is it going this week?
It’s alright. I would have like to have been on Monday with the rest of the world, but other than that”¦yeah it’s been okay. You?
Mine went pretty well. I’ve been busy. Not as much in the email range as last week BUT a few questions did require good in depth answers.
Well”¦people might be more forthcoming wit emails if you didn’t badger”¦
So let’s start!
*Raises eyebrow*
SCAVENGER emails
Hi Jim, Love the collumn..hate the mistakes:-)
“Terror Inc started his adventures in his own series, Terror Inc # 1”
Terror Inc. actually crossed over into the Marvel Universe from one of the ShadowLine books. (though, there seems to be a little controversy on it, http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/terrorsh.htm but I also recall the marketing at the time the book came out, and they directly said that Terror Inc was spinning out of Shadowline.
But wasn’t Shadowline a Marvel brand? So he’s still Marvels. Also I think the old Marvel cards had Terror Inc First app as # 1. Could be wrong still about this. Although I have to admit that site even says I’m wrong on that point with DD # 305 being his first. Either way I think the best thing might be for me to asking around Marvel lol
“Ultra girl (Came from Ultraverse)”
Ultra Girl, despite the name, in fact did not come from the Ultraverse. She was part Kree. (Barbra Kessel and Leonard Kirk weren’t Ultraverse creators). http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/ultgrl.htm
You might be thinking of Siren : http://forgottenuniverses.com/ultraverse/siren3.html who was an ultraverse character who psuedo-crossed over (only acknowledged in Malibu books)
I think your right. Got those two switched. I knew I meant one of them. Thanks for pointing that out. That was my mistake.
Heads will roll for this, heads”¦will”¦roll.
Joe emails
Hey Jim, I have a question about some posters I used to own and have been scouring the internet trying to find again.
There were 2 posters, one of Captain America, Bucky and Namor overrunning a German position on a battlefield and the other was The Human Torch and Toro attacking a Japanese air ship that was aiming some kind of death ray at New York city. The art on the posters looked Golden ageish, and the caricatures of the German and Japanese soldiers was somewhat racist by today’s standards, since they were given a sort of sub-human quality.
I’m not racist, but the posters do have tremendous nostalgic and historical value to me, especially since they were originally given to me by the owner of my neighborhood comic store on the day he closed down in ’95. They were hanging on the wall in my basement and were destroyed when water got through cracks in my house’s foundation and ran down the wall.
Anyway, any help you can throw my would be appreciated
Thanks
Ok this one is complicated. I’m going to have to look all over for it. I’ve never heard of them exactly. What I do remember are like Steranko work with Cap and also an Alex Ross Print as well as a few others I’ll show here
Just some I found. Likely none are the one your looking for. If possible someone else might help.
TherCanBeOnly1 emails
again. Thanks for answering my questions a few columns ago. I’m back with more.
1.) How strong is Luke Cage? If I remember rightly from his Marvel Universe entry, he can only lift 1 ton or so. What prompts this question is the beatdown he gave to the Purple Man in the New Avengers issue recently. PM is a runty little guy, who probably engages in little to no exercise (to put it in classic MU terminology). A regular guy Luke Cage’s size would’ve killed him if he hit him the same way Cage did in that issue. Granted, these are comic books, but as with any fictional medium, I want to will my suspension of disbelief. To get that from me, you have to be consistent. Ok, I’m willing to believe a guy can have impervious skin and super strength, to be entertained. But if he’s got super strength, then what he did to PM, PM should be dead. Not in a coma, in the ground. I remember also an incident that happened I think in the first Secret Wars, where Ultron caught Johnny Storm and Captain America yelled up for Storm to use his nova flame to melt Ultron’s insides. They showed him flaring up and Cap on the ground, hiding behind his shield. That’s great to protect him from the flames, but Cap should’ve been killed a million times over by the heat.
Well I think your right on his strength level it don’t count adrenaline in with that. He hates Purple Man for what he did to Janis and all. He wanted to kill him. Cap just had to stop him. Of course anyone ever notice that he appeared quite fast afterwards in New Thunderbolts? Continuity gap in there somewhere. He should be in a damn coma still I think after that beating
Also as you did say comics do have that unrealism to them with certain things but it’s a comic. Not like you see people fly or anything in real life.
2.) One of my favorite editors back when I was into comics was Mark Grunewald (sorry if I’m not spelling it right). He had a column called Mark’s Remarks, and it was really enjoyable. It seemed like he was being primed to become editor in chief at Marvel. Did that ever happen?
Actually no. Here’s the story:
Hired initially as an assistant editor, Gruenwald was promoted to full editorship by Jim Shooter. In the late 1980s he became executive editor, with a particular remit as the keeper of Marvel continuity. Most fans, as well as Gruenwald’s colleagues at Marvel, believe that had there not been a restructuring of the entire company by the owners in the early 1990s, he would have become editor-in-chief.
As a writer, Gruenwald is best-known for a long (1985-1995) stint as the writer of Captain America, and for the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. However, he is widely regarded to be his mid-1980s 12-issue miniseries Squadron Supreme, which told the story of an alternate universe where a group of well-intentioned superheroes decide that they would be best suited to run the planet.
In 1996, Gruenwald succumbed to an unexpected heart attack. As per his request, he was cremated, and his ashes were mixed with the ink used to print the first trade paperback compilation of Squadron Supreme.
3.) Something else that bothers me about certain heroes. Take Batman, Daredevil, and Captain America. They’re very big on turning criminals in, not killing, abiding by the laws, etc. Yet, by their very existence, aren’t they contradicting themselves? If someone started going out and beating the hell out of street criminals, they themselves would be breaking the law, and branded as vigilantes. Granted, it’s a measure of scale, but how can Daredevil be against what the Punisher does, when, in essence, he’s doing the same thing?
Cap actually isn’t as much a vigilante as DD or Batman. Remember he’s an Avenger (government funded) Plus has SHIELD connections and also has clearances with government organizations otherwise.
DD is a vigilante yet ever notice Matt is a lawyer? He sort of works on both sides of the law. He contradicts himself in that way yet Matt doesn’t kill. (Although he did in the past) which is why he goes after Frank. Frank is willing to cross those lines.
Most heroes are vigilantes. We’re talking the likes of Spidey, DD, Wolverine, and tons more. Always have been and yet they all abide by the law more then the villains.
4.) Last question. What’s your stance on trading scanned comics online? I’ll admit, I indulge in this. I don’t see how me downloading a copy of Thor 352 takes any money out of the pockets of the comics industry. If I went to a comic book store to buy it, I’d be buying a used copy. Marvel doesn’t make a single dime off that. Granted, I’m taking business away from comic book stores, but here’s the thing: I’m really not. I’ve got a downloaded copy of Amazing Fantasy 15. I’m not going to buy that, anywhere, from anyone. I just don’t have 5 million dollars laying around, or however much it goes for now. What’s your take on it? Think I’m just justifying thievery to myself, or do you agree with any of my points?
I don’t see anything wrong with this practice. I mean your not taking money from the companies hands. In fact to prove Marvel doesn’t have as many problem with it is that they themselves have put issues online. Not really to copy as much but they are online at Marvel.com. Plus Marvel also put out recently on disk every issue of Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four. Plus they put out other disk with full issues.
Your really more hurting the comic shops. Which is not a great thing BUT you’re not hurting the companies. Just as long as you and others like you don’t force more comic shops to fall from this and those stores that most every fan loves the most stay operating (maybe getting away from that dark basement feels and make them more open) I don’t see anything your doing as wrong.
Well not to sound like a jerk, but it is wrong. Just like trading music and movies online is wrong. I’m not saying the world’s going to end, but piracy is still piracy no matter what the content. Here’s my thought on the subject:
Sure not many people are going to spend the money to pick most golden or silver age books, so you’re probably right when you say you’re really not hurting anyone (especially since the people how would spend that money are going to anyway because they’re collectors and want to have the issues in their collections). However, as with all things like this it’s going to lead to eventually (actually I’m sure it already is – maybe not in your case) trading brand new issues, hot off the shelves. This practice will hurt everyone. If people aren’t buying the comics from their stores, the stores will lower their orders from the companies and eventually the whole industry will collapse. The comic industry really can’t afford to take the kind of hit that the CD industry took a few years back. A lot more people STILL regularly buy CD’s than have ever bought comics. So if this trend really takes off it will most likely be the end of the comic industry.
Sorry if that sounded a bit “fire and brimstone,” and I’m not trying to get on you about this, but that’s honestly my opinion on the subject”¦
Blake asked me
Jim give me the rosters Of all the X-Teams, past and present?
This could be complicated, especially since we’re covering every X-Team. But I can give you every member of the teams with current rosters and past members.
X-Men
Current Members:
Astonishing: Beast, Colossus V, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Lockheed, Shadowcat, Wolverine
XSE: Bishop, Marvel Girl III, Nightcrawler II, Psylocke, Storm, Wolverine
X-Men: Gambit, Havok, Iceman, Rogue, Wolverine, Xorn II
Former: Archangel, Banshee, Gus Beezer, Cable, Cannonball II, Chamber, Changeling, Tom Corsi, Dark Beast, Dazzler II, Fiz, Forge, Sharon Friedlander, Frenzy, Nate Grey, Husk, Joseph, Jubilee, Juggernaut, Legion III, Lifeguard, Longshot, Moira MacTaggart, Maggott, Magneto, Marrow, Mimic, Moonstar, Ms. Marvel, Multiple Man, Northstar, Phoenix II, Phoenix III, Professor X, Paulie Provenzano, Revanche, Cecilia Reyes, Sage, Amanda Sefton, Siryn, Slipstream, Candy Southern, Stacy X, Sunder, Sunfire, Sunpyre, Thunderbird, Thunderbird III, Wolverine VIII, Wraith, Xorn I
Xaviers: Angel IV, Beak, Blindfold, Bling, Victor Borkowski, Tristan Brawn, Dryad, Ernst, Eugene, Flubber, Frida, Jeffrey Garrett, Carter Ghazikhanian, Nicholas Gleason, Gloom, Martha Johansson, Melody Guthrie, Hisako, Hope IV, Irena, Jessie IV, Karma, Andrea Margulies, Molly III, No-Girl, Onyxx, Quill IV, Radian, Rain Boy, Rubber Maid, Silicon II, Skywalker (II), Slick III, Spector, Spike V, Stepford Cuckoos, Tag, Tantra, Tattoo II, Winston II, Wolf Club, Zach
Muir Island X-Men
Former: Tom Corsi, Sharon Friedlander, Strong Guy, Legion, Dr. Moira MacTaggert, Multiple Man, Polaris, Amanda Sefton, Siryn, Alysande Stuart, Sunder
Cerebro’s X-Men
Former: Cerebro, Crux, Grey King, Landslide, Mercury, Rapture, Chaos
Hellions : Dust, Hellion, Mercury II, Rockslide, Tag, Wither, Emma Frost
X-Factor
Current: Madrox, M II, Rictor, Siryn, Strong Guy, Wolfsbane
Former: Archangel, Archer, Beast, Caliban, Rusty Collins, Valerie Cooper, Cyclops, Fixx, Forge, Greystone, Havok, Cameron Hodge, Iceman, Mystique, Phoenix IV, Polaris, Quicksilver, Random, Sabretooth, Shard, Wildchild
New Mutants
Current: Elixir, Icarus II, Moonstar, Prodigy IV, Surge IV, Wallflower, Wind Dancer, X-23
Former: Bird-Brain, Cable, Cannonball II, Rusty Collins, Cypher, Gosamyr, Karma, Magik, Magma II, Magneto, Meltdown, Professor X, Shadowcat, Rictor, Skids, Sunspot, Warlock II, Wither, Wolfsbane
X-Force
Current: Cable, Caliban, Cannonball II, Domino III, Meltdown, Shatterstar II, Warpath
Former: The Anarchist, Battering Ram, Bloke, Coach, Copycat, Dead Girl, Doop, Feral, Gin Genie, Spike Freeman, Jesse Bedlam, La Nuit, Lacuna, Moonstar, Orphan, Phat, Plazm, Rictor, Saint Anna, Siryn, Sluk, Smoke, Spike, Succubus III, U-Go Girl, Vivisector, Pete Wisdom, Zeitgeist III
X-Corporation
Current: Empath, Feral, Forge, Lifeguard, Sabra, Shepherd, Shortpack, Skids, Skitz, StringFellow, Sunfire, Thornn II, Thunderbird III, Warpath
Former: Cannonball II, Darkstar, Domino III, M II, Multiple Man, Mystique, Professor X, Prudence, Rictor, Risque, Siryn, Sunspot
X-Corps:
Former: Avalanche, Banshee, Blob, Fever Pitch, Husk, Jubilee, M II, Mastermind IV, Multiple Man, Mystique, Radius II, Sunpyre
Generation X
Fomer: Banshee, Blink, Chamber, Tom Corsi, Adrienne Frost, Emma Frost, Gaia, Husk, Jubilee, Leech, M II, Artie Maddicks, Maggott, Mondo II, Penance II, Penance III, Franklin Richards, Skin, Synch
Excalibur
Current: Captain Britain, Dazzler II, Juggernaut, Nocturne, Pete Wisdom, Sage
Former: Black Knight III, Callisto, Rory Campbell, Captain UK, Cerise II, Colossus V, Crusader X, Douglock II, Feron, Freakshow III, Shola Inkosi, Kylun, Lockheed, Magik II, Moira MacTaggart, Magneto, Meggan, Micromax, Nightcrawler, Phoenix IV, Professor X, Shadowcat, Karima Shapandar, Sir Benedict, Alistaire Stuart, Wicked, Widget, Wolfsbane
Exiles
Current: Beak, Blink III, Mimic II, Morph, Sabretooth II, Sasquatch III
Former: Holocaust, Magik III, Magnus, Namora, Nocturne, Sunfire II, Thunderbird, Timebroker
There’s no House of M this week and X-Men The End 6 came out but I’m going to hold off on that that because I’ve had a busy week. I’ll get that next week and the new HOM books.
Otherwise I think it’s sign off time. Daron care to go first?
Sure thing, Jimbo. We had an interesting mix of questions this week, but as always we could use more. Don’t forget about us guys, send us your questions, and if possible throw in a few juicy ones so we can get some banter going. Have a great week everyone!
My turn with notes:
1. Marvel.com is, Which Runaway are you?
2. While there ask Brian K. Vaughn a question.
Remember books come out on Thursday this week due to the holiday. Speaking of, I hope everyone had a good holiday, and also remember to keep those emails coming (labeled: Marvel Handbook).
Reporting from my corner in the Marvel Universe I’m Jim Trabold. Have a great week and see you at the comic shop.
