Welcome to another Marvel Handbook.
I’m Jim Trabold. Also known to many as Mr. Marvel. I’ve been doing this for some time now and I must say I love our fans. You guys come up with some new questions every week. Keep it up. Now let’s check on my favorite editor, Daron. Hey, Daron how are you?
Hey Jim, I’m pretty good. I find it amusing that after putting this up over a day late you didn’t even bother to explain or anything”¦other than that I’m great.
What I can’t be in a positive mood?
Well that was random”¦
I’m just in a good mood. Don’t know why, I just am.
Yeah”¦
(From last week.)
Jeff Emails
Hi Jim (and Daron),
Thought of another point that I’d like to get your feedback on. I have been burned for years on the big annual crossover events. Most of time, and especially
at Marvel, there’s all this hype and build up and the proverbial “And one shall die…” tagline and when it’s all over the dead one is always somebody useless
like Maggot or some forgetten Liefield character or someone introduced at the beginning of the event so we have no emotional connection to the death scene. So I guess what I want to know is:
“Should I be reading new books like Son of M or X-Factor if I’ve skipped House of M and Decimation?”
I’m mostly interested in X-Factor–I enjoyed the mini last year and usually love Peter David’s work. But it’s got that damn Decimation iconography on the cover. How deeply does it tie in? I do plan on reading the trades if/when Marvel ever puts them out for House and/or Decimation. But I prefer to read things as chronologically as possible. If you have some idea of how crossover-heavy some of the new books are (low-med-high or a 1-10 scale) I’m sure others would find it as helpful as I would.
I suggest you read it. The main thing the series is covering more then Decimation is where Madrox the series ended. Now of couse you will see Layla Miller in there from House of M but I don’t see her as a big factor in not buying this book. It’s actually a good book and you understand the ramifications of Decimation after all. I would get X-Factor even if I didn’t read House of M
New Excalibur is the same. I would get the book. Nothing from Decimation or House of M in these books so far to REALLY confuse the readers. Hell you have us here at the Handbook. You can come ask us if you need to know something. This is the type of situation we’re around for. Questions and answers.
Now out of the Decimation titles the 2 books you shouldn’t touch without either House of M or the Decimation preview that came out. These books are Son of M and Generation M. Now these have the most impact. I know the X-Men books cover it some but not like those two. They come straight out of Decimation and House of M. I would even read X-Men, Uncanny and New X-Men. They get involved BUT you will understand them.
I do suggest people go pick up House of M: The Day After. Just for the sake of picking up a preview for most of these titles. You only have a small House of M connection thanks to the powerloss. It will help you understand exactly what’s going on though. You don’t have to but it’s a good idea.
And for the record, the entire Ultimate Universe is my
Gambit.
HAHAHA I don’t blame you. I’m not a big Ultimate fan either. I’d get rid of it if it was possible and maybe even move the writers and artist to the main title versions of the books.
Oh, oh, can they be my Gambit too”¦even though Gambit is my Gambit?
Happy New Year,
You too.
Ditto.
Cory emails with a boatload of questions.
Hey guys, congrats on the remarkable job you guys are doing. Kinda alot, so here goes:
1) TOP 5 list of characters that really NEED to get laid:
1. Capt. America (Relax, lol)
2. Sabretooth (sex is WAY better than killing)
3. Magneto (especially after the “Eve of Destruction” story arc)
4. Scarlet Witch (she crazy man…like Left Eye”burn ya house down crazy”)
5. TIE: Cable (since he is no longer Mr. Savior, I preferred him with Domino though) & Deadpool (too obsessed with the red-headed Siryn, c’mon Tom Cruise separated from his…lol)
Agree with Cap and Cable even. Wanda should go to Simon unless he really dosen’t want her anymore
Hell I even agree with Deadpool. That sex obcessed perv.
My top ten since I didn’t do them last time
1. Cap
2. Cable
3. Deadpool
4. Bullseye
5. Bruce Banner (can’t do it much as Hulk)
6. Ghost Rider
7. Black Panther
8. Namor
9. Thing
10. Daredevil (Not like he don’t get a lot he just needs to pick one.)
I shouldn’t have opened my mouth on this one”¦ *shakes head*
2) TRADES: How about Deadpool for Deathstroke? or for a humor standpoint: Deadpool for Deadshot. Or Bullseye for Deadshot?
These are ok, but I’m thinking DC might want someone a little bigger for Deathstroke since he has basically become their Deus Ex Machina lately.
3) In Marvel vs. DC, I saw a panel with the Punisher shooting an Uzi at Deathstroke. So who won that lil gunfight? I’m guessing if the Punisher won, Deathstroke would be…..Dead…lol, good assumption?
The same can be said if Deathstroke won. Now Frank could’ve won without killing him in some way. He is a master at capture and torture as well when it comes down to it. I’m not saying who won. I’d like to know myself.
4) How about a bio on Cardiac (since he was mentioned last week)
Real Name: Doctor Elias “Eli” Wirtham
Aliases: None
Dual Identity: Unknown
Citizenship: U.S. Citizen
Legal Status: Presumable criminal record as Cardiac
Occupation: Vigilante, physician, surgeron, owner of a biological research firm
Other Aliases: None
Place Of Birth: Unrevealed
Marital Status: Presumably single
Usual Bases: His hospital
Known Relatives: Joshua Wirtham (brother, deceased)
Group Affiliation: None
Education: PhD, Medical specialist
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man Vol.1 #344
Height: 6′ 2″
Weight: 220 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Powers: Superhuman strength and stamina. Can manipulate electricity to cause shock and melt metal. Can project electric bolts through his staff. Bullet-proof metal beta-mesh skin. Can fly with the aid of extruding wings built into his staff.
Limitations: Elias now depends on his new beta-particle heart for his very life. The experimental device borrowed from his friend Tony Stark can, and does, falter – leaving Cardiac at the mercy of the technology which gives him his tremendous powers.
5)What the hell was the deal with the revamp of The Punisher when he had a ponytail? ugh!
Hahahaha good question. I don’t see the ponytail on Frank anymore in his book thankfully. Note I said his own book not limited series and the like. I believe just like when Frank first came to Marvel Knights and became an Angel that the ponytail was to make him out to be more interesting to the readers. Not to say it worked though.
6) If Colossus had a sexual relationship with Rogue, and he has his power that she can’t affect, were contraceptives ever needed, you think?
Okay now this question is a little perverted but we do cover everything I suppose. I would think they would have to use contraceptives even if Colossus is powered up.
7) Since Wolvie is over 115 years old, I’m guessing he got a lot of tail (Jean, Elektra, Storm, Lady Deathstrike, Viper, Mariko, etc.) so who getting the Ol’ Canuckle now?
Well currently Logan is not going with anyone. In House of M he had Mystique as his lover so she’s his last one. But currently in Marvel Logan has been so tied up to see any women in any titles.
8) Since he now remembers everything, does he, fellow associates or Marvel period, ever address him now as James Howlett or Logan still?
So far they have called him Logan or Wolverine. Of course that might change. Thankfully Marvel is being smart now with him and pulling him from a few titles. He’ll now be in two Wolverine books, Astonishing X-Men and New Avengers.
9) Is it me or are superhero teams like The Real World now? ex.X-Men: Wolverine (read above), Colossus (Rogue, Kitty), Rogue (Magneto, Gambit, Colussus) Angel (Psylocke, Husk..yuck) Cyclops (Jean, Emma)….nobody ever heard of monogamy huh?
The X-Men have had that feel for a while now. Since the 90s for the most part I believe. There’s a little of it with each X-Men and the characters.
Not to say real life dosen’t impact the titles though because it does but I think your talking about Real World the MTV series. That to me is more like X-Men then the others.
Marvel in ways is a Soap Opera. I think we’re going to start calling it the Days in the Marvel Lives at this rate.
10) About The Punisher again: Where does one cross the line of being a vigilante (killing those responsible) & being a serial killer (killing every guilty person), not to get to psychological? I’m guessing he crossed that line a looooong time ago, huh?
Punisher is insane. Really. He doesn’t know when to stop. He has said he won’t stop until they are all dead so he’s obsessed. As stated in his War Journal and the movie:
Frank Castle is dead. He died with his family. In certain extreme situations, the law is inadequate. In order to shame its inadequacy, it is necessary to act outside the law. To pursue… natural justice. This is not vengeance. Revenge is not a valid motive, it’s an emotional response. No. Not vengeance. Punishment.”
Frank likes killing and that will never change.
11) Remember when Wolverine was in the “Enemy of the State” story arc, and he gave Daredevil that chastizing speech about being a blind (handicapped) hero & what his peers think of him; question, do you think that was like good writing of him being a lil too harsh & do you think ol Matt Murdock already knows (and accepts) this?
I think Matt knows what he said for the most part BUT dosen’t really care. BUT also in reality Logan was being brainwashed by Hydra so who’s to say he was really of his right mind. I’m not say Logan dosen’t think it but I don’t take a lot of what Logan did under mind control as being just Logan’s thoughts.
12) (Not in any order) Who are the top fighters in Marvel/DC?
Guessing: (Marvel): Wolverine, Captain America, Cable, Shang Chi, Iron Fist, Elektra, & DD.
(DC): Batman, Batgirl, Nightwing, Richard Dragon, Lady Shiva, Bronze Tiger, Green Arrow, Deathstroke.
Am I somewhat correct, or forgot a few?
Ok we’re talking fighters. I can do this simply as to putting a nice top ten list. The rules will be simple. Powers that help like cosmic characters will not be involved. Stronger characters will count like Hulk and Thing though.
1. Wolverine
2. Captain America
(Note that those two could be debated back and fourth for a long time.)
3. Hulk
4. Thing
(Again more debating here but I’ll put Hulk higher)
5. Cable
6. Deadpool
7. Shang-chi
8. Iron Fist
9. Stick
10. White Tiger
After that it can be debated and so can mine as well. I’m thinking if I continued I would get down to some of the others. I’ll bet I’m not even thinking of some.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Shang-chi and Iron Fist are probably better fighters than everyone above them on your list, Jim.
13) Punisher kills the Marvel Universe….hmmm…how possible is it for him to accomplish this? And wouldn’t Batman be a better suitor to kill the DC Universe, instead?
As many people should know that Fred Hemback did this title. YES that Fred Hemback. The master of comedy in comics. The one with the silly looking versions of the characters in them. So in reality it’s not series. Hell I don’t think Frank can do it. Might be able to do it on Earth. But not the cosmic characters.
Now the 95 edition was another thing. It was done by Ennis. But it wasn’t everyone known in Marvel. I mean he could kill some of the characters but not everyone in the Marvel Universe.
Oh and yes Batman can kill the DC Universe. I’d go ask Batman to go do that right now but I’m a Marvel guy so I can’t crossover into DC at the moment.
Ha”¦ha”¦
Phew, sorry for the length, but I missed you guys last week. Thanks a million, and in the words of what Wolverine told The Gorgon: “Kiss it goodbye, freak(s)”. Adios!
Welcome and no problem with length here. Daron might cut something but I won’t right now. I’ll let him decide.
Oh sure, now you tell me I can cut something”¦
KSM emails
Boy. I hate Superman. I admit this freely and often. And so any complaint I have against Superman is always suspect. Despite this, there’s NO WAY Superman should’ve been able to lift Thor’s hammer. Superman is a pacifist. That’s strike one. If Odin is doing the judging, not smiting your enemies has got to be a HUGE black mark against you. I think Wonder Woman ought to have 10x the chance Superman has of lifting Thor’s hammer. The Silver Surfer is Superman’s closest Marvel spiritual analog, and he couldn’t do it. Strike two for Superman? It’s a magical object. Superman’s history with enchanted dinguses is pretty suspect. Be it the call of the Silver Banshee, the torture devices of the X, or Wonder Woman’s lasso/sword, magic stuff usually doesn’t work the “normal” way when Superman is involved. I just don’t buy the Clark/hammer argument.
I agree fully on this one. I don’t think Superman can do it and I don’t think Superman should’ve touched it in the Avengers/JLA crossover. It made no sense. I know DC had to be behind it. Heck I think DC had a lot of calls on it. Let’s go through it some:
Batman defeats the Taskmaster apparently singlehandedly. Now I love Taskmaster. He’s a sick SOB. He can copy ANY characters fighting style and use many others against them. Cap has problems with this guy. I don’t see Batman doing it THAT easy.
I have to disagree here because of the simple fact that Marvel has simply squandered the Taskmaster. By all rights he SHOULD be one of Marvel’s top not villains (he should be Marvel’s equivalent to Deathstroke – at least), but the truth is he’s basically been turned into a joke. Past that though, even if he was treated as a more serious villain, Bats would still probably take him”¦I mean who hasn’t Bats beat”¦?
Superman beats Thor. Here we go AGAIN. Over valuing of Superman. Thor may not be as strong. Could be but not positive here. BUT Thor has a BIG advantage. Magic. That’s right. Thor has magic behind him and that’s Superman’s weakness. Thor should’ve won. Plus then Supes takes out most of the other Avengers after this easily. My god that’s stupid.
Superman was allowed to wield Thor’s hammer Mjolnir by Odin during battle, but was not deemed worthy enough to lift it after the fighting was over. The second part makes sense BUT not the first as stated above Supes isn’t the best to do it.
Galactus is able to be slain and consumed by Krona. COME ON! I mean Galactus is one of the most powerful cosmic beings around and this guy takes him out. That’s another mistake.
I’m just going to say my piece about the whole Superman thing right here in one sitting. First not to sound like an activist, but you guys are showing your ignorance when you say Superman has a “weakness” to magic and that this should stop him from being able to lift the hammer. The truth is Supes has a “susceptibility” to magic not necessarily a weakness. He has a weakness to kryptonite. Being around the substance alone weakens and can kill him. This is not the same with magic. Yes magic attacks circumvent his vaunted defenses, but just being around it doesn’t hurt him, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to be in the same room with Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and plenty of other heroes. So to say he can’t lift the hammer because it has magic properties is a crock.
Also I don’t really see the connection between Supes and Surfer, buy more to the point, calling Supes a pacifist is incorrect. A pacifist abhors violence in any form and does not participate in it at all (think Ghandi). Sure Supes doesn’t kill his foes (even though he has) but he doesn’t seem to have much of a problem beating them senseless.
I said it last week and I’ll say it again if Supes can’t lift the hammer no one should be able to”¦ like him or not.
Soak posted on the board
i thought the column was as good as usual but i wanted to see if maybe jim forgot the one part of my previous question. the good ole DOL had a comment but no answers. so what exactly is the story behind monet st. croix because i have no idea who she is or what she can do other than be holier than thou and fly.
Ha, ha. Haven’t you figured out yet that I rarely actually answer anything. I just enjoy forcing my opinions down your throats. Mwahahahaha.
I think I forgot to go through the full X-Factor team in a way.
Madrox:
Real Name: James “Jamie” Arthur Madrox
Occupation: Adventurer, former farmer and laboratory assistant
Other Aliases: The Multiple Man
Place Of Birth: Los Alamos, New Mexico
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Daniel Madrox (father, deceased), Joan Madrox (mother, deceased)
Group Affiliation: X-Corps, Fallen Angels, and X-Factor
Powers: Ability to create duplicates of himself at will, each duplicate can create duplicates, the original Madrox can “absorb a duplicate into himself at will
Strong Guy:
Real Name: Guido Carosella
Occupation: Government operative, former bodyguard
Other Aliases: None
Place Of Birth: Unrevealed
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Mr. Carosella (father, deceased), Mrs. Carosella (mother, deceased)
Group Affiliation: X-Factor
Powers: Superhuman strength that increases as he absorbs kinetic energy
Wolfsbane:
Real Name: Rahne Sinclair
Occupation: Student, adventurer, former government agent
Other Aliases: Mutate #490 (in Genosha)
Place Of Birth: Unspecified location in Scotland
Marital Status: Single
Known relatives: Montgomery Sinclair (father, deceased), unnamed mother (deceased), Reverend Craig (adoptive father), Moira MacTaggart (adoptive mother, deceased)
Group Affiliation: New Mutants, X-Factor
Powers: Superhuman strength and durability, enchanted speed, stamina agility and reflexes, Rahne has the ability to transform herself into a wolf at will, while retaining her human intelligence
Rictor:
Real Name: J. E. Richter
Occupation: Adventurer
Other Aliases: None
Place Of Birth: Somewhere in Mexico
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: X-Terminators, New Mutants, X-Force and X-Factor
Former Powers: Has the ability to generate tremendously powerful waves of vibrations in any object he comes in physical contact with. These vibrations can cause inorganic objects to crumble or shatter
M II:
Real Name: Monet Yvette Clarisse Maria Therese St. Croix
Occupation: Adventurer
Other Aliases: Penance
Place Of Birth: Algeria
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Marius St. Croix (brother), Nicole and Claudette St. Croix (sisters), Carter St. Croix (father), Mere (mother, dead)
Group Affiliation: Generation X, X-Corperation, X-Corps, X-Men, X-Factor
Powers: Telepathic abilities, open inter-dimentional gateways into alternate planes of existence, flying, superhuman strength, speed, reflexes and endurance.
Layla Miller:
Real Name: Layla Miller
Occupation: Adventurer
Other Aliases: none
Place Of Birth: United Stated
Marital Status: Single
Group Affiliation: X-Factor
Powers: The ability to restore the minds of others.
Siryn:
Real Name: Theresa Rourke Cassidy
Occupation: Adventurer, former criminal
Other Aliases: None
Place Of Birth: Cassidy Keep, County Mayo, Ireland
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Sean Cassidy (father, aka Banshee), Maeve Rourke Cassidy (mother, deceased), Thomas Cassidy (father’s cousin, aka Black Tom)
Group Affiliation: X-Force, Fallen Angels, X-Factor
Powers: Ability to create various sonic effects with her vocal cords, including producing sonic blasts and propelling herself through the air at speed of sound, she also has the ability to detect objects through sonar, highly resistant to injury from sonic vibrations, psionic powers to create force fields.
secondly what was layla’s whole deal in the house of M? all i know is that she “knows things”.
Actually Layla made her first appearance in House of M as everyone knows. She says numerously now in X-Factor “I know things” but in reality in House of M:
Layla Miller is a young mutant girl with the ability to restore the minds of others. She was instrumental in bringing down the House of M. Layla was one of the only unaffected characters by Wanda, and she was able to restore the others’ minds, helping them rebel against the House and restore reality.
Also Doctor Strange believes that Wanda created her to help stop her.
keep up the great work guys!
We’ll do our best.
Decimation update:
This week was the 198 Files. So let’s cover who we know of the 198:
Alchemy – Thomas Jones
Anole – Victor Borkowski
Archangel – Warren Worthington III
Arclight – Phillippa Sontag
Aurora – Jeanne-Marie Beaubier
Avalanche – Dominic Petros
Beast – Henry McCoy
Beautiful Dreamer – unknown
Big Betha – Ashley Crawford
Bishop – Lucas Bishop
Black Box – Garabed Bashur
Blindfold – Unknown
Bling! – Roxy Washington
Jamie Braddock Jr.
Bruiser – Molly Hayes
Cable – Nathan Summers
Caliban – Unknown
Cannonball – Samuel Guthrie
Catiana – Tatiana Caban
Lila Cheney
Collective Man – Sun, Chang, Ho, Han and Lin Tao-Yu
Colossus – Piotr Rasputin
Cyclops – Scott Summers
Dark Beast – Henry McCoy
Dazzler – Alison Blaire
Diamond Lil – Lillian Crawley
Domino – Neena
Dragoness – Tamara Kurtz
Dust – Sooraya Qadir
Elixir – Josh Foley
Empath – Manueal Alfonso Rodrigo de la Rocha
Erg – Unknown
Ernst
Exodus – Bennet du Paris
Fever Pitch – Unknown
Firestar – Angelica Jones
Flatman – Val Ventura
Forge – Unknown
Frenzy – Joanna Cargill
Gambit – Remy LeBeau
Gateway – Unknown
Glob Herman – Herman
Havok – Alex Summers
Hellion – Julian Keller
Husk – Paige Guthrie
Icarus – Joshua Guthrie
Iceman – Bobby Drake
Hisako Ichiki
Jazz – Arthur Zander
Madison Jeffries
Martha Johansson
Justice – Vanc Astrovik
Karma – Xi-an Coy Manh
Kid Omega – Quentin Quire
Kylun – Colin McKay
Lady Mastermind – Regan Wyngarde
Leech – Unknown
Lifeguard – Heather Cameron
Litterbug – Unknown
Living Monolith – Ahmet Abdol
Loa – Alani Ryan
Lorelei – Lorelei Travis
M – Monet St. Croix
Magma – Amara Aquilla/Alison Crestmere
Mammomax – Unknown
Marvel Girl – Rachel Grey
Match – Ben Hammil
Meltdown – Tabitha Smith
Mentallo – Marvin Flumm
Mercury – Cessily Kincaid
Micromax – Scott Wright
Mr. M – Absolon Zebardyn Mercator
Multiple Man – Jamie Madrox
Mystique – “Raven Darkholme”
Nightcrawler – Kurt Wagner
Kiden Nixon
Nocturne – Talia Josephine Wagner
Northstar Jean-Paul Beaubier
Omega Red – Arkady Rossovich
Onyxx – Sidney Green
Outlaw – Inez Temple
Peepers – Peter Quinn
Persuasion – Kara Killgrave
Pixie – Megan Gwynn
Prism – Unknown
Kitty Pryde
Psylocke – Elizabeth Braddock
Quill – Maxwell Jordan
Random – Marshall Evan Stone III
Mikhail Rasputin
Rhapsody Rachel Argosy
Franklin Richards
Riccochet – Johnny Gallo
Rockslide – Santo Vaccaro
Rogue – Anne Marie
Sabra – Ruth Bat Seraph
Sabretooth – Victor Creed
Sack – Unknown
Sage – Tessa
Scalphunter – John Greycrow
Scrambler – Kim Il Sung
Selene – Selen Gallio
Shatterstar – Unknown
Sebastian Shaw
Shinobi Shaw
Silver Samurai – Kenuichio Harada
Siryn – Theresa Rourje Cassidy
Skein – Sybil Dvorak
Squirrel Girl – Doreen Green
Storm – Ororo Munroe
Strong Guy – Guido Carosella
Sunspot – Roberto da Costa
Surge – Noriko Ashia
Tempo – Heather Tucker
Thunderbird – Neal Sharra
Three-In-One – Celeste, Mindee and Phoebe
Toad – Mortimer Toynbee
Trance – Hope Abbott
Ursa Major – Mikhail Ursus
Vanguard – Nicolai Mikhail Krylenko
Voght – Ameila Voght
Wallflower – Laurie Collins
Warpath – James Proudstar
Evangeline Whedon
Whirlwind – David Cannon
Pete Wisdom
Wither – Kevin Ford
White Queen – Emma Frost
Wolf Cub – Nicholas Gleason
Wolfsbane – Rahne Sinclair
Wolverine – James Howlett
X-23 – Laura Kinney
Next week we’ll have the full list again. I didn’t want to have Daron kill me for taking too much room.
That would be horrible wouldn’t it”¦
Well that’s it for another week. A big week in fact because of the long Decimation update I gave with the 198. If you noticed though the list is not 198 mutants strong yet. We still have a lot of mutants to find out. But we’ll keep updating. Now let’s finish this.
Hey Daron what you think of this week?
I think its over.
Cool I’ll sign off first and leave you the last word.
Notes:
1. Marvel.com poll Who is your favorite Wolverine foe?
2. Marvel Legends Cover Poll Cool covers to vote for as always
3. Marvel Digital Comics. Comics you can read online
4. superherohype poll Which 2006 hero movie are you looking forward to the most?
5. CBR poll OK, of the “big two,” which publisher was #1 in your book in 2005, DC or Marvel? Don’t worry, we’ll get to the rest of the field later in the week. (Vote Marvel)
6. As always your opinions on anything in the article or out on the shelves is welcome. After all you never know what type of response you will get.
7. Keep those emails coming and make sure to label them Marvel Handbook.
That’s it from my end. Reporting from my corner of the Marvel Universe I’m Jim Trabold. Have a great week and see you at the comic shop.
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