Welcome to another edition of the Marvel Handbook all. Woah wait a second. I like the new digs. I know a bit old news but I do like the new look. But onto business. Allow me to bring Daron in. How are you today bud?
I’m good, just trying to get through the weekend…looking forward to a day off.
I‘ve got a nasty cold. Likely a flu but I‘m good enough to get this done and also get started on the following issue. But that doesn‘t mean readers should not email. They should. We need all the emails we can get. Let‘s start though.
Yeah, you must be sick cause that almost made sense…
Steven emails
Jim and Daron,
Good work on the Handbook, interesting to see how it has evolved from a mostly specific answer column to a more opinion column, so I thought I would throw a question your way.
I am trying to change how I do it. I love answering questions but throwing in opinion does help a lot.
Thanks, Steve, glad you like the format. We’ve definitely come a long way…
The email from Luthen asked about “copycat” characters, but it sparked an idea about what I would call tribute characters. Over the years we have seen some characters, especially groups that are clearly meant as tributes to characters from the competition, such as the Shi’ar Imperial Guard = Legion of Super Heroes, Squadron Supreme/Sinister = JLA. Cyborg Superman = Reed Richards. The question is, which is your favorites and which have been the most successful over the years.
My choice is the Squadron Supreme, not only have they had quite a run in several different forms over the years, but they have generated a number of characters who have had long and frequent appearances outside of the group (Nighthawk and Hyperion) and they have pushed the concept in a number of ways both with the Utopia series and the current Supreme Power series.
So lets see what you come up with.
My favorite would be the Squadron as well. Not just Supreme Power here. I’m talking the old Squadron too. When that series came out I thought it was one of the better books at the time. I was still young and getting into comics at the time too. So my fave is Squadron Supreme.
I’m actually, completely drawing a blank here…
Keep the faith.
Consider it kept, bound and chained.
JPF emails
Tere should be a new top 10 that no one has asked: What are the top 10 smelliest marvel characters? In other words what characters would make you puke if they came up to you. Two that I think of is Namor (fishy smelling guy) and Doom (being inside that armor can’t be nice?
ok this one is odd but let‘s try it
1. D-Man
2. Mephisto
3. Blackheart
4. Doom
5. Namor
6. Azazel
7. Neyaphem
8. Lockjaw
9. Lockheed
10. Most armored characters I assume
Cory emails
Cory’s here, what’s up J and; D? Hope all is well for you both. Enough greetings…on to the fun stuff:
Hey Cory. Good to see you bud. We‘re always ready for fun.
1- My 1st 2 questions are about The Incredible Herc: When did he drag the island of Manhattan back into place, and why?
Marvel Team-Up #28: The City-Stealers planned to destroy the foundation of Manhattan Island and pull it out to the sea Hercules was the one who put it back in it’s place.
2- When Korvac brought Herc close to death with two point-blank blasts, was he in the possession of the Power Cosmic, or is he just that powerful?
Korvac is just that powerful. Korvac was originally a normal man until his upper body and nervous system were grafted onto a specialized computer module capable of siphoning energy from virtually any source. After downloading information from Galactus’ ship and acquiring the Power Cosmic, Korvac was capable of many feats on par with other cosmic entities, such as matter alteration; teleportation; massive energy projection and manipulation of time and space.
3- BIG question here! Who’s faster, speedsters or teleporters? (ex. The Flash vs. Nightcrawler)
I‘d say Teleporters. They can be there in an instant. They just have to think it and they are there.
I think it depends on the range of the teleporter. If we’re talking Flash or Nightcrawler, you have to give it to Flash, since Kurt can only port as far as he can see, where as Flash moves inbetween seconds faster than even Kurt can think. If we’re talking about someone who could teleport to anywhere they can think of then we might have a race. But again it comes down to whether or not they can port faster than the Flash can think and how long it actually takes them to port.
4- What has been the best Beast story ever told or his breakout issue?
Hmmm good question
Some of my favs
Uncanny X-Men #49-53
Amazing Adventures #11
Avengers #137
Defenders #105
X-Factor #2-3
X-Factor #30-31
X-Men (2nd series) #24
5- From UMHB #226. What was Acts of Vengeance about again? And where did it go wrong?
Loki sought to destroy the Avengers to absolve his guilt over inadvertently creating them. Posing as an assuming pawn, he duped a group of influential superhuman criminals into acting as his Prime Movers (Doom, Mandarin, Wizard, Red Skull, Magneto, and Kingpin). Loki set up a meeting spot within the Isle of Silence, and established portals to the meeting room in the individual bases of each of the Prime Movers.
As per Loki’s “advising,” the Prime Movers organized a series of assaults on the super-heroes, involving a basic mix and match, where the villains attacked heroes they didn’t usually fight. The Prime Movers themselves began to break apart as a result of their egos and differing goals.
It wasn‘t the prime movers that where the issue. It was the plot all around. They took obscure villains who never faced the heroes they fought before to take them out. The complication also came that even though they where all connected they didn‘t seem to all work together as a bigger event and story
6- One More Day! What can I say? I got major mixed feelings on this one. Also, did this deal with Mephisto help him regain his secret identity back? Jim, you also said that it “ruined” alot of other past Spidey stories, which ones?
Well since my opinion is that it ruined many things is subjective this is just what I think was screwed up.
JMS whole run is now moot. It never happened like we read it
Harry being alive
May not dying
Spidey registering but no one recalling face
No one knowing who Spidey is. (this includes Daredevil and Wolverine. Which makes no sense)
No more marriage
I could go on. Trust me I really hated OMD
Yeah, I don’t think OMD fixed anything, except maybe Joey Q’s ego.
7- Now I know of Typhoid Mary and; Polaris, but what made Aurora go nuts?
Jeanne-Marie was raised at Madame DuPont’s School for Girls where Sister Anne thought that Jeanne-Marie had the look of the devil about her and would often pick on her cruelly punishing her for every minor disobedience. Already weakened by the constant struggle of her upbringing, Jeanne-Marie’s fragile psyche cracked under the strain. That night, a second personality emerged.
8- Ok, here is my “Captain Kirk” fantasy issue picks? Marvel & DC
1. Emma & Wonder Woman
2. Psylocke & Starfire
3. Rogue & Huntress
4. Spider-Woman (J. Drew) & Cheshire
5. She-Hulk & Harley Quinn
6. Sue Storm & Vixen
7. Colleen Wing & Black Canary
8. Black Cat & Catwoman
9. Mystique
10. Ms. Marvel
not bad. Missing 2 DC at the end though. Might want to add Supergirl and Batgirl in those spots. Can‘t argue with any really. Maybe Colleen Wing. I think she should be lower then all those listed. Would replace her with Scarlet Witch.
9- About Spidey & the Spidey-women, has he ever hooked up with or at least met them all? I know of Jessica Drew obviously, I’m just surprised Pete hasn’t tried to sue em for copyright infringement.
Spidey has met all 4 Spider-Woman in fact. He‘s not thought of suing them though. Julia he met on the Beyonder world and got the black costume idea from.
10- Characters in need of a makeover? Cyke? Honestly, can you guys picture him as anything besides a boy-scout? Black Panther? Being the FF’s deus ex machina, isn’t that too much of a makeover? Archangel could always go back to the metallic wings, but Iceman may stay the same unless Emma gets in his head again.
Not a bad list. I agree with most of them. I hope Brubaker is already trying to change and improve Cyclops. The latest issue is a step in the right direction. Notice a few X-Men on the list. Bet Daron would mention Gambit too.
11- Characters not having a series? Nick Fury definitely needs at least a mini-series, especially to explain where he’s been and why? Gladiator would be very interesting, being in space and all. Beast also needs a lil bit of the spotlight as well. Deadpool? Anyone?
We actually will see where Nick has been and up to. It will be in Secret Invasion in one of the Avengers titles. But he needs an ongoing. Deadpool definitely needs an ongoing.
12- Oddest team-ups? What SNL cast was Spidey teamed up with?
This one:
Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner, Lorne Michaels
13- The What-if’s? I have a questions or a few: 1-What if the X-Men had stayed in Asgard? 2- What if…starring Gambit? 3- What if…starring Sabretooth? What happened in all 3 of these stories?
What if the X-Men had stayed in Asgard?: When the X-Men and New Mutants visited Asgard and it came time to leave, Rahne Sinclair opted to stay. Cyclops agreed to put the decision to a vote, with the winning majority deciding whether to stay in or leave Asgard. Loki, in an attempt to gain the favor of Those Who Sit Above in Shadow, reversed his own edict and sent the losing majority home to Earth, while allowing the winning majority to stay in Asgard. What if Vol 2 #12
What if…starring Gambit?: What if 100: After quitting the X-Men due to his past connection with their enemy, Mister Sinister, Gambit decided to pay a visit to his old love, Rogue, at the Xavier Institute.
http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix3/earthsinisterlearnsecrets.htm
What if…starring Sabretooth? : What if Vol2 # 87: The day after Cyclops and Jean Grey had gotten married, the X-Men tested their Shi’ar technology against a potential attack from one of Magneto’s electromagnetic bursts. The test caused the power systems to go offline, allowing the captive Sabretooth to escape
14- X-Men: Messiah Complex. What can I say? Wow! So is Prof. X dead? Is Bishop missing an arm? Where’s Rogue going? How long will Sinister stay dead, etc?
I‘ll take 1 at a time
Prof. X dead? His body looks pretty dead. His mind though. His mind is alive and in the Astral plane. You will be reading his story in Legacy
Is Bishop missing an arm? Sure looks like it. Bet he gets a robotic arm
Where’s Rogue going? Somewhere she can deal with her issues. Somewhere Gambit will follow her in Legacy
How long will Sinister stay dead, etc? I’m betting not long. I think he’s just in a coma basicly. He’ll be back
15- Since there was a mass amount of mutants depowered, but a nice number killed in Messiah Complex, and the goal was to save the mutant race…isn’t it all a lil contradictory?
Heh. A little. But the Messiah will be the key to salvation. She will bring the mutants back in some way. We don‘t know exactly the full story yet but somehow the mutants will be saved by her.
That’s a wrap for me this week. Till the next installment, Thanks a mil, see ya in 7, and make mine Marvel.
Cool great stuff as always Cory. Welcome and see you next time.
Late.
Brand New Day Synopsis
Amazing Spider-Man #549: Someone stops some hoods at the Port Authority. Spider-Man saves construction workers at the Bugle. Bennett takes over the Bugle firing a staffer as Pete arrives late. The Bugle is renamed DB as Menace appears. Spider-Man goes off running into Jackpot and failing to stop a goon. Spidey tries to find out who Jackpot is. Pete ask Harry about MJ. Spider-Man goes searching for Menace as he runs into Jackpot again.
Amazing Spider-Man #550: Blue Shield arrives and attacks Spidey preparing to unmask him. Menace arrives and Spider-Man out. Jackpot helps Spidey. Pete calls Lily about Harry. Jonah finds out about the Bugle. Bennett won’t pay for Pete’s photos till he gets what he wants. Betty helps Pete out find who is working on the Spider tracer case. Spidey meets with the detective as Menace strikes. Before Spidey can go to help the police surround him.
Annihilation Conquest #4: Ultron and the Phalanx torture Star Lord. Mantis and Bug listen in and try to help. Daystar reports to Blastaar. Mantis contacts Groot and Rocket. Evolutionary, Warlock, and Phyla survived the blowing up of a star. Warlock tries to comfort Phyla before passing out. The Bugs and Phalanx fight. Super Skrull and Ra-Veen watch. Ronan, Prax and Wraith with Ravenous as prisoners find an army of Sentries to help in the battle and destroy Hala. Mantis continues to protect Starlord as Ultron finds the others. Warlock saves Phyla and arrives on the planet finding Evolutionary who turns on them.
Initiative Synopsis
Moon Knight #15: Tony is shown video of Moon Knight attacking a man. Marc trains. Black Spectre is released. Marc’s friends don’t know what to do about him. Spectre sees his parole officer paying him off. Marc argues with his girlfriend. Moon Knight continues to deal with his demons as he places Bushman’s face which he tore off only to take it off as Bushman places it on.
Secret Invasion synopsis
Ms Marvel #24: Carol fights the Brood with her team as her Binary powers before they give out. Running back into Cru who is killed by the Brood Queen. Carol destroys the Queen in the end. Arana goes home, Machine Man is rebuilt, and Carol faces herself in the shower. Tony calls in Sum and reports to him Carol is a Skrull.
Captain Marvel #3: Pulse works on Captain Marvel case. Kree attack Iron Man and Mar-Vell finding out they are Skrulls. Sante meets with Tony about Mar-Vell. A world wide food drive is started by the cult. Sante finds out one of the Cult members is a Skrull. Mar-Vell escapes the Skrulls who capture him and talks to Carol. Mar-Vell goes to see Cobalt Man who turns out to be a Skrull and says Mar-Vell is not the real deal.
New Avengers #38: Cage goes looking for Jessica in the end calling Avengers Tower and arguing with her. Jarvis talks to Jess till Cage arrives and confronts Jess about the baby. Jarvis watches on a monitor as the Mighty Avengers arrives and go after Cage. Cage tells them about the Skrulls before being allowed to leave by Ms Marvel. Danny gives the team a place in one of his buildings as the team learns about Jess.
Divided We Stand Synopsis
Uncanny X-Men #495: Cyclops dreams as Emma wakes him as we find them in the Savage Land. Weeks ago: Tony contacted Cyclops about Registration before telling him the X-Men where done. Cyclops and Emma vacation with Shanna and Kazar. Colossus, Wolverine and Nightcrawler go on a road trip. Shanna talks to Emma. Angel arrives in a city that seems stuck in the past as he contacts Cyclops for help.
Wolverine #63: 1902: Wolverine and Mystique meet up in front of a firing squad in Mexico. Present: Afghanistan: Wolverine searching for Mystique kills an innocent woman. Muir Island: Cyclops ask Wolverine to find and kill Mystique. Iran: Wolverine finds Mystique who escapes only by exploding a temple. Past: Wolverine and Mystique survive thanks to Wolverine taking out the gun men. Mystique sets Wolverine up to get killed.
X-Factor #21: Siryn goes to see a priest. Wolfsbane tells Madrox she’s leaving the team and she dreamed of killed him and Layla. Rictor finds a girl looking like Layla and goes after her only to run into trouble and for Strong Guy to save him from a beating. Wolfsbane tells M she‘s leaving. Madrox goes after the Purifiers getting into a fight. Siryn tells M she’s pregnant with Madrox baby. Madrox and Rictor talk only for Rictor to find a note after.
X-Force #1: Angel’s Airie: Cyclops contacts Wolverine about Reverand Rismen who turned himself in, a Purifuer was inside and helped kill Shield agents. Cyclops wants Wolverine to reform X-Force. To take the Purifiers out. Warpath wants revenge for Caliban. X-23 already was sent in looking for what they took. Seems the Purifiers have Nimros. Wolverine tries to talk X-Force out of this. Bastion returns. X-Force attacks as Rinsmen holds Rahne and shoots.
That‘s it for this week. A good amount of emails. I left one out. We‘ll get it next time out I promise. So Daron what did you think?
Good as always, some interesting this week.
I think it was another good week. Although I think I‘m off to go get some hot tea with honey and cough medicine. See everyone next week.
Yup, yup. Feel better man. See ya next week.
1. Digital comics Comics you can read online
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That’s it from here. As always reporting from my corner of the Marvel Universe I’m Jim Trabold. Make Mine Marvel.
