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November 14, 2005

COMICS 101 is in Session

John H. writes: Here's a tough one... maybe.

In the mid 80's there was a comic book that tied in with an animated series and a line of actions figures. I don't remember the name of any of it, but the subject was a warring world populated by two factions. One faction consisted of wizards/sorcerers and one consisted of warriors/soldiers. They were pitting magic against technology. The "hook" was that the characters all had a shield, or breastplate on their armor with a hologram on it. I can't remember what it was for or what they were called, but I remember buying the books and some of the actions figures. Can you shed any light on this?

Also, I had asked you a couple of weeks ago about the DC series "Checkmate." Thanks for replying to that message so quickly. In your reply, you agreed with me about the Knights having some of the coolest uniforms ever. I was wondering if you'd ever consider doing your own version of a best/worst dressed list in Comics 101 sometime? I know it doesn't really do much to educate us about the various comics out there, but I'm sure it'd be a lot of fun and people would get a kick out of it.

Keep up the great work!

Tipton: That would be the Visionaries:

http://www.80scartoons.net/toons/visionaries.html

A best- and worst-dressed list? Genius! That's next up as soon as I need another one-week break.

Giles M. writes: Thank you for the time and effort you’ve put into your “Comics 101” articles. As a long time casual comic book reader, it’s been very enjoyable reading additional details and history with regards to books I grew up with. As I slowly begin to read through your archives, you’ve already answered questions that have been sitting unresolved in the back of my mind.

“Comics 101” has enabled me to be able to hold my ground when talking to real comic book geeks (like my brother). Hell, I’ve even been able to contribute the odd bit of information to discussions that normally I’d sit quietly nodding in agreement / disagreement (whatever I guessed the situation called for).

Speaking of details, there is one small item that has been bugging me. As I read through your articles, one statement stays in the back of my mind. Towards the end of the article “MARVEL AND DC COMICS”, you state:

“…DC seems to have more of a respect for the history and lineage of its characters…”

Fair enough. However, after continuing sequentially with your articles, I’ ve read a various other statements that seem to contradict this sentiment. For example, the following statements appears in “HE'S JUST A SMALL(VILLE)-TOWN BOY”:

“Back in 1986, DC Comics started over from scratch with Superman, in an attempt to modernize and freshen up the character. In the process, much of his past adventures and history were abandoned…”

“So if you pick up a new Superman comic today, bear in mind that according to DC nowadays, the stories I’m talking about never happened.”

One more example can be found in “AND THEN THERE WAS ONE”:

“…for some reason, the various DC editors, for reasons that to this day elude me, interpreted the reborn DC Universe as “whatever I say goes,” and the continuity suffered more than it ever did with multiple Earths.”

After citing numerous specific examples, you close with:

“…the piecemeal plugging of the holes in continuity went on for years, and continues to this day.”

As I’ve stated, I’ve just begun to read through your articles, so I apologize this observation has already been addressed. Don’t get me wrong; I am not trying to get into a discussion concerning Marvel vs. DC. Personally, I do not have a biased to any given publisher. The publisher’s logo on any given book is not as important as the character/story/artist contained within.

So keeping all this in mind, I am left wondering how any publisher could possibly change the history and lineage of its character any more than DC has done. What has Marvel done to rival this scope of re-imagining of their character’s stories and origins? Can you demonstrate examples or qualify your initial stance? As a neophyte (and without disrespecting DC’s excellent “Crisis” miniseries), this has left me a little confused as I continually read of the multitude of inconsistencies caused by DC’s ‘Multiverse Reconciliation Fix’.

Again, thank you for the great Comic 101 articles. Enough of this email! It’s cutting into time better spent reading, learning, and being entertained. So keep ‘em coming!

Tipton: Actually, the full quote was:

"...currently, DC seems to have more of a respect for the history and lineage of its characters, which appeals to me greatly, while Marvel has begun to abandon much of its trademark devotion to a single Marvel Universe in which continuity between books and characters is closely tracked and adhered to, and looks to be focusing more on shock tactics, sex, violence and crude language to sell their books."

I was referring to the state of the books at the time I was writing, not looking at their overall histories. DC has certainly done more monkeying around with their characters' backstories than Marvel, but it doesn't usually affect the essential meaning of the character.

The Marvel books I was referring to in that quote included ALIAS, which included scenes of Luke Cage implicitly engaging in anal sex. Recent Marvel stories have continued this trend, such as the distasteful decision to make Gwen Stacy have sex with the Green Goblin in JMS' AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Compare with DC's most controversial recent release IDENTITY CRISIS, which similarly involved adult themes, but handled them in such a way that it didn't undo or despoil old stories, merely recontextualize them.

And it also has to be rememebered that comics are a fluid medium, as even since I made that comment, Marvel has started to shift back to a more closely-knit continuity, such as the coordination of the AVENGERS and SPIDER-MAN books and the recent HOUSE OF M business.

Steve B: writes: Another good column, but if you think that rendition of Aquaman is bad look at Zatanna behind him, she looks almost constipated and what kind of street gang would call itself Los Lobos?

Tipton: Yeah. B-A-D-not-good.

Paul Z. writes: hey scott, just wanted to say it was a good quiz, way too hard for me to enter, but still a good one. too bad there aren't any extra credits for knowing those cells came with comics back when the iron man and fantastic four cartoons were debuting. do i get anything for knowing that?

just kidding, just wanted to let you know again that the column is a good one!

Tipton: Wrong, sir -- those were actual production cels used in the creation of the '90s X-MEN animated series on FOX, not at all the cheap knockoffs given out in crappy comics.

Nothing but the best for COMICS 101 readers.

Jeff S. writes: Great work on the column. It's one of the most enjoyable things on the site. It's allowed me to fake knowledge at parties, get-togethers, and even at the mall. Now this 98 pound weakling is king of the beach, all thanks to you!

But, Joking aside, I have a few questions.

1.) You said in your most recent column that Gail was introduced to us in A Dame To Kill For, right? But then who's the dame who tied Marv up in the original? I know that she didn't have a name, but when I read ADtKF, the first real thought I had was "Hey it's the masked chick from the original!" Sorry to split hairs, but Sin City is a favorite of mine. (And if I really wanted to be spiteful, I'd tell you it's the HARD Goodbye with Marv and Goldie. The Long Goodbye was the 1973 detective movie.)

2.) What are your thoughts on I Can't Believe It's Not The Justice League? It seems like they've decided to take it out of DC continuity, namely in the form of a certain superhero's wife who died while having a CRISIS. Of IDENTITY. And with Countdown coming up, it looks like another superbuddy's taking the walk. Thoughts?

3.) Now, this next one is a bit trickier. I've never been able to find The Big Fat Kill. I've found the original, Yellow Bastard, & Dame to Kill For, but no one has ever had Big Fat kill, so I come to you as an uneducated blob. I was checking out sin City's IMDB page, when I saw cast listings for Ava Lord and Manute. And then the commercials hit, and right there, bam! Manute. Now, without spoiling too much, Are they just in it for Flashbacks, cameos, etc. or does Ava have a real role in this? I ask because I really, really liked Ava as a character, and'd like to see her again.

Wow. Didn't see it getting that big. Well, thanks for your time, and keep up the rocking of the column.

Tipton: True about Gail, but since we first got to know her as a character in DAME, I considered that her real introduction. I think you could make the argument either way.

Good catch on THE HARD GOODBYE. Since that subtitle is new, it doesn't sound right to me, and I got it mixed up with Chandler's LONG GOODBYE. Fixed.

I'm not happy with how DC seems to be purposely dismantling the Giffen/DeMatteis JLI, but maybe they’ll get a measure of redemption in INFINITE CRISIS.

Manute has a small but meaty part, while Ava is just a cameo.

Joe writes: I am a big fan of DC Comics, their legends and legacy, and of course, your columns. I find them informative, humorous, and well thought-out. I read your three-part review of Superman's career and found it very enjoyable.

I am a huge Superman fanboy as I own copies of virtually every significant Superman story to date. I was wondering about some of your in-depth thought on the John Byrne revamp. Personally, I thought he really brought some elements of the Superman mythos to greater light, but he really dropped the ball on other equally important parts of the Man of Steel's life.

1. While I liked the idea of Clark's adopted parents being alive into his adulthood, I found it highly unlikely that a simple midwestern woman would have created such a colorful costume. I believe it was Martha who even came up with the Superman insignia. Huh??? They should have stuck with the Dick Donner explanation that the Superman logo was the Krypton family crest.

2. Lex Luthor. Never liked the whole Kingpin "multi-millionaire" business man version. I know the majority of comic fans prefer the business man Luthor. I liked the vengeful, evil Luthor from the Pre-Crisis days.

3. Lana. Why did they decide to make her such a pathetic creature in the comic mini-series? I really prefer the Dini-Timm Superman: TAS version where she is a successful fashion designer.

4. Bizarro. Why introduce him just to kill him off in the same issue? I would have preferred if they kept him true to his Pre-Crisis roots with Luthor creating him from Superman's DNA.

Also, I was wondering if you planned on writing a column on the Justice League cartoon. While I liked Batman and Superman's animated shows, I found the storywriting on JL wildly inconsistent and lazy at times. They really de-powered Superman while letting Batman dance around him and the League with his almost "Ferris Bueller"-like omniscience. I think they forget that Batman and Superman are equals.

Sorry for the long e-mail. I was just inspired to write.

Tipton: Funny, I always thought it was a stretch that the Kryptonian family crest of El happened to look like a English letter "S," and thought it made more sense for his mother to have designed it. To each his own, I guess.

I've talked about it in the past -- I think evil genius Luthor is much more interesting than millionaire "Kingpin Lite" Luthor. Glad to see the character shifting back the other direction in recent years.

Yeah, the Byrne Lana really is a doormat.

I love the old Silver Age Bizarro World concept, and think nothing they did with the character post-Crisis has ever measured up.

Definitely planning on a JL cartoon column one of these days. While I admit that the first season writing was inconsistent, second season and JLU have been much improved -- excellent work.

Mela writes: First off, let me just say how much I love your column. I'm a sucker for comics history, and this is easily the most entertaining presentation of personally familiar and strange subjects I have ever found. Kudos.

Second, the titular Doom Patrol question. I picked up the two trades, and like you said, there's nothing else like it. It's so strange I can't help but love it to bits. But I've heard that those are the only two trades that DC is allowed to publish because of a lawsuit involving Charles Atlas and the Flex Mentallo character. I have no clue what this is about, so I'm hoping you could explain to me if (a) you possibly know what this lawsuit is about and (b) it's true that these will be the only two trades.

Thanks in advance, and can't wait to see the JLI installment this week!

Tipton: There was litigation involved in the Flex Metallo character, but DC won hands down. You can read all about it here:

http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/regional/083100ny-comics.html

You're probably better off tracking down the back issues, though, as I think DC is most likely still gun-shy about putting the books back to press. I haven't heard concretely one way or the other.

Eddie Guerrero, R.I.P.

Chris G. writes: I'd just like to write about Eddie just for a bit. Like Chavo's t-shirt said in WCW Eddie Guerrero was my favourite wrestler. He was incredibly crisp in the ring and just so charismatic that, even when he tried to be a heel in 2003, the crowd refused to boo him. I really don't know what to say. He should have died years ago in that car crash in WCW but he didn't. He should have died in some drugged up stupor after WWE let him go in 2001 (after he failed at rehab twice) but he didn't.

Instead he took control of his life, cleaned himself up, toured the independents and made the Guerrero name one to respect. He did it so well that he got his job back with WWE, worked his arse off and ascended to the top of the mountain. He showed that second chances were there if you were willing to take them and work for them. He did it all and he did it well.

And now he's gone and his daughters no longer have a father, his wife no longer has a husband, his mother no longer has a son.

It wasn't supposed to be this way, he turned it around, he made the most of his second chance and he was on his way to finishing an amazing legacy.

Him and Candido, I still can't believe it.

Tipton: I know. Here was a guy who fought his way back to the top, straightened out his life, and to have this happen out of nowhere? So unfair.

I can't believe it either.

TV RECOMMENDATIONS

ARRESTED DEVELOP-Laments:

Pat B. writes: So, the bastards at FOX have finally done it, though it's hard to say "they didn't even give the show a chance," because unlike other great shows that they've cancelled before their time (Firefly, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Undeclared, etc) "Arrested Development" lasted two and a half seasons. Maybe, as David Cross suggests, the marketing department didn't do their jobs, but you have to admit: it's a hard show to sell. So while I'm sad to see it go, I can almost understand why they cancelled it (though you have to think there's a time slot that could accomodate "Arrested" better; it definitely has a rabid and loyal fan base).

Ryall: Yeah, I agree. I never thought they'd bring it back this season, and its continued low ratings unfortunately didn't give them much of a choice at this point.

I just wanted to write and thank you for getting me into "Arrested Development." I had never seen an episode before late September (actually the first episode was vaguely familiar; I think I watched it at a party once) when, based on your recommendation, I checked out the DVDs from the video store at which I work. The sad thing is that I never got to see an actual broadcast of an episode; I work on Monday nights and was really looking forward to next semester, when our work schedules change and more than likely, I'd get to watch some of Season 3 before it came out on DVD.

On the bright side, at least we'll have 50 episodes to revisit. If this were a British show, we'd only have fifteen (one of the most frustrating things about "the office"). On the not-so-bright side, one of the most wonderful things about the show was that it had no forseeable end. The writing, characters, and concepts were just as fresh in the last episode of the second season as they were in the first episode of the seasons. With no story in particular to resolve (eg, the Tim-and-Dawn storyline from "the office," the Rachel-and-Ross thing from "Friends" which ultimately ruined the show), this is the rare great show that could have stayed a long time without getting old or over-staying its welcome.

Damn.

PS: I think whenever I hear "The Final Countdown" from now on, I'll break down and cry. And the band plays it at UI basketball games a lot - which gives me another reason to cry at basketball games this year. I hate FOX and North Carolina.

Ryall: Hah, yeah, I know--they made EUROPE cool again! Well, kinda.

Suddenly that has me thinking of GOB and his chicken dance. And Buster. And "never nude." And... damn.

Chris G. writes: Just saw over on AICN that AD has been cut from a 22 episode order to 13. This usually happens prior to cancellation.

We should all weep for television.  It's apparently run by a bunch of MRFs.

Ryall: What is this strange "AICN" you speak of? Not sure I know what that is... but yeah, the show is officially cancelled. And FREDDIE is picked up for an entire season. Mediocrity once again wins out.

P.S.: PSP

Eddie C. writes: I've never checked out a movie on the PSP (it just didn't seem practical), but maybe I'll give one a look. I'll just borrow my friend's though, no need to go out and buy one (unless I end up liking it). Definitely agree with your assessment of "First Blood" and its sequels. The sequels pale in comparison to the first (actually they outright suck in comparison). But that's what you get when you take a movie with an intriguing character and good story (the acting was ten times better in the first as well, even Stallone) and decide to make atypical action movies with no plot for the sequels. On its own "First Blood" stands the test of time. You bring in the sequels and it just ruins it (I'd rather disavow any knowledge of those movies altogether). Not that it matters (or that I care), but I remember the second one originally being called "Rambo: First Blood, Part 2", whereas the even worse third one was entitled "Rambo 3." Second one still sucks, though.

Ryall: Ahh--then it was the third movie that was mis-named. That one should have been Rambo 2: First Blood, Part 3, right? And the one Stallone is planning now will be Rambo 3: First Blood, Part 4. In a perfect world. Of course, in a perfect world, he would have only made First Blood and maybe Rambo (if only because we needed that movie to beget Hot Shots Part Deux).

"Universal Soldier" is actually a decent sci-fi/action flick, considering I can't stand Van Damme or Lundgreen (remember the awful "Punisher" movie, I mean the first one). Sometimes I get a kick out of watching Lundgreen try to act though (he's so unintentionally funny its hilarious). "I come in peace." "Well, you're leaving in pieces." Okay, maybe there was a tounge-in-cheek moment with that particular line, but how he delivered it without busting out laughing I'll never know. Then again, he dosen't seem to have much of a sense of humor, or personality.

Ryall: Yeah, I agree, considering it should have sucked so much more with those two involved.

P.S. After buying AD Season 2, I'm almost caught up again (keep falling behind on that show), so I guess its good they postponed it for so long. Flew through Season 2 (as great as ever). I almost questioned taking George Sr. (the great Jeffrey Tambor) out of jail, but when he made friends with the dolls in the attic, friggin hilarious. I'll never question the writers again.

Ryall: Yeah... damn.

CAPS LOCK MUCH?

Keith J. writes: HI MY NAME IS KEITH AND I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FO A MOVIE FOR SOME TIME YET IM STILL HAVING GREAT DIFFICULTY FINDING THIS MOVIE IM LOOKING FOR . IT IS ABOUT A MAN FROM AMERICA WHO HAS TROUBLE AT HOME WITH A MAN WHO USES POWERS IN A FIGHT TO HURT HIM AND THE MAN WHO HAS TROUBLE GOES IN SEACH OF HELP TO GET A SPECIAL GIFT. HE STARTS BY TRAVELING TO CHINA BUT IS TOLD THE PLACE HE IS LOOKING FOR HAS MOVED TO ANCIENT TAIWAN OR JAPAN I CANT REMEMBER WHICH ONE HE HAS TO TRAVEL QUITE FAR AND FROM THE LAST VILLAGE HE PASSES THROUGH HE HAS TO DO A FOUR DAY LONG WALK TO GET THERE BUT HE DOES IT THE WRONG WAY AND HAS TO GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN AND WHEN HE DOES HE MEDITATES UNDER THE STATUE OF A DRAGON FOR ONE NIGHT BUT WHEN HE IS MEDITATING FOR THE NIGHT HIS MIND IS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD FOR ONE MONTH AND IN THE MORNING HE GET UP AND STARTS TRAINING AND HE IS SUPPOSED TO STAY THERE AND TRAIN FOR SIX MONTH OR SO BUT HE LEAVES EARLY AND HAS TO GO BACK AND FINNISH HIS TRAININ! G .WHEN HE DOES THIS HE GOES BACK HOME AND HE HAS A FIGHT WITH THE MAN HE HAS TROUBLE WITH AND THEY BOTH USE THERE POWRES AND THE AMERICAN WINS. AND YEARS LATER HE RETURNS TO THE TEMPLE AND THE SENSI ASKS HIM TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT THE TEMPLE AND THE STORY IVE DESCRIBED AND AT THE END OF THE MOVIE IT TELLS YOU HOW SCOOLS OF MONKS GO THERE EACH YEAR TO SEE IF THEY GET THE GIFT AND IT ALSO SAYS HOW A MAN FROM A TROUBLED PAST WILL GO THERE AND HE WILL CHANGE AND HE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE GOOD . THIS MOVIE IS A TRUE STORIE AND WAS MADE IN THE 1980s OR 1970s BUT IM SURE IT WAS THE 80s . IM WILLING TO PAY ALOT OF MONEY FOR A COPY OF THIS MOVIE OR IF YOU KNOW THE TITLE OR WHERE I COULD GET A COPY OR EVEN ANY ONE WHO COULD HELP ME FIND THIS MOVIE TITLE . MY NAME IS KEITH JOHNSTON AND MY E MAIL IS [bobloblaw] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I WILL HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON THANKS

Ryall: No idea, myself. ANYONE?

Photos of the Week

Ryall: From the "Counting Your Chickens Dept," this teaser poster has already been released:

Ryall: Finally coming on DVD, the "unrated" (but not uncut) HAVOC with Anne Hathaway:

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