Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 10, 2024 18:57:24 GMT -5
The biggest flaw in classic Spidey (and many other super-hero series), in my opinion, is that he had no confidante who shared his secret and could, if need be, help him maintain it, an Alfred Pennyworth or Tom Kalmaku. True, there wasn't anybody well-suited for that role until Captain Stacy and Joe Robertson came along but there could've been had Stan so chosen and I think there should've been. Cei-U! I summon the missing link! That's a really interesting idea. I don't actually agree, mind you, but still, the idea of Peter taking, say, Robbie Robertson fully into his confidence and having him serve as an older, wiser partner, a la Alfred, is fascinating to entertain. But I think it's precisely Peter's isolation in having to shoulder the burden of his secret identity and the terrible guilt he felt over Uncle Ben's death (and later Gwen's) on his own and on such young shoulders that makes him such a special character. Speaking for myself, it's one of the key aspects that endeared me to the character and made him resonate so much with me when I was an angsty teen and as I moved into my early 20s...and I strongly suspect I'm not alone in that respect among Spidey's fanbase. ...technically means Superman was better at his job than Spider-Man was. Absolutely! And that's exactly why he's about a 50 times more interesting character than Superman. It's his flaws that make Spidey such an interesting and engaging character to follow. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 10, 2024 0:49:12 GMT -5
I recently picked up issues #17 and #18 of Doctor Strange from 1976, which are Steve Englehart's final issues on the series... These were both enjoyable comics, in which Strange and Clea travel back through time to see Francis Bacon (author of the utopian novel New Atlantis, which foreshadows the concept of America) and Benjamin Franklin (one of the Founding Fathers of the United States) in order to see the origins of the U.S. The whole issue is very much tied in with the then-current 1976 Bicentennial celebrations which were going on at the time. However, during Strange and Clea's time-travelling history lesson, it turns out that dark forces are at work (so, what else is new?!) and the magician Stygyro, who is the Sorcerer Supreme of the 17th Century, makes an appearance and tries to stop the formation of the U.S. for...reasons. Something that is very odd though, is that Clea ends up having sex with an elderly Benjamin Franklin for no adequately explored reason. This is a real head-scratcher, WTF moment. I know that Englehart was doing a lot of LSD at this point, but Clea and Franklin gettin' it on, while Strange battles Stygyro at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for the very future of America, just comes out of nowhere and is probably one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen in a Bronze Age comic. All in all though, these are two really enjoyable issues. Like the best of Englehart's run, these comics are bat-sh*t crazy, philosophically thought-provoking, and very readable. There's also some really nice Gene Colan and Tom Palmer artwork in these issues too. I suppose that investigating the origins of the U.S. is a bit of a weird subject for a Doctor Strange story, but it's also a refreshing change of pace for the comic. I agree that the Benjamin Franklin episode feels very weird (and not in a cool way) but I don't think we can pass final judgement on it since the story was unfinished - barely started, I suspect, as I've always had the feeling this was meant to be a major, multi-issue storyline. Of course it's quite possible that Englehart would have simply moved on and never referred to it again, leaving it as a bizarre, unexplained episode that continued to stick out like a sore thumb, but he was really at the top of his game around this time, especially on this series, so I wouldn't be surprised if he had something in mind that made more sense than it appears to do as things stand.
Yes, I suspect you are right about this originally being intended to be an extended, multi-part storyline. It really does feel like that. It would've certainly been fascinating to see what Englehart had in mind for this Bicentennial storyline. Still, Clea and Ben Franklin making "the beast with two backs" is a really weird thing for him to throw in here. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 9, 2024 23:51:09 GMT -5
I discovered Postmodern Jukebox recently. A little too recently, as they just came through town and left before I thought to check their tour schedule. The harmonizing at the end of this one is heavenly. My wife went through a period of watching a lot of their videos. They're great musicians, but their whole schtick is a real one-trick-pony. It quickly gets repetitive and boring IMHO. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 9, 2024 23:30:51 GMT -5
I recently picked up issues #17 and #18 of Doctor Strange from 1976, which are Steve Englehart's final issues on the series...  These were both enjoyable comics, in which Strange and Clea travel back through time to see Francis Bacon (author of the utopian novel New Atlantis, which foreshadows the concept of America) and Benjamin Franklin (one of the Founding Fathers of the United States) in order to see the origins of the U.S. The whole issue is very much tied in with the then-current 1976 Bicentennial celebrations which were going on at the time. However, during Strange and Clea's time-travelling history lesson, it turns out that dark forces are at work (so, what else is new?!) and the magician Stygyro, who is the Sorcerer Supreme of the 17th Century, makes an appearance and tries to stop the formation of the U.S. for...reasons. Something that is very odd though, is that Clea ends up having sex with an elderly Benjamin Franklin for no adequately explored reason. This is a real head-scratcher, WTF moment. I know that Englehart was doing a lot of LSD at this point, but Clea and Franklin gettin' it on, while Strange battles Stygyro at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for the very future of America, just comes out of nowhere and is probably one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen in a Bronze Age comic. All in all though, these are two really enjoyable issues. Like the best of Englehart's run, these comics are bat-sh*t crazy, philosophically thought-provoking, and very readable. There's also some really nice Gene Colan and Tom Palmer artwork in these issues too. I suppose that investigating the origins of the U.S. is a bit of a weird subject for a Doctor Strange story, but it's also a refreshing change of pace for the comic. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 9, 2024 22:35:38 GMT -5
 I should have read this much sooner, I am absolutely loving this collection of the early Manning era Star Wars newspaper run. The art is gorgeous and really suits Star Wars, and much as I have great nostalgia for its counterpart monthly Marvel series, this feels like a little "truer" Star Wars to me perhaps? Though it does likewise sort of carve its own path as we are in between the first two movies at this point, and I enjoy the storytelling in both. Definitely need to pick up the later material with Al Williamson as well. I quite like the Russ Manning era of the SW newspaper strips too, but they weren't printed over here in the UK at the time, so I don't have any rose-tinted attachment to them like I do with the Marvel series. I first encountered the Manning stuff in the '90s via Dark Horse's Classic Star Wars: The Early Years comics. Unlike you though, I find the Manning stuff to be hard going and not terribly Star Wars-y, but the artwork has its charm. I'm much more into the later Al Williamson newspaper strips, which we did get over here in the Sunday Express magazine in the early '80s. They feel truer to George Lucas's universe than the Manning stuff to me, plus Williamson is one of my Top 3 favourite comic artists ever, so I'm a bit biased. If you haven't already, you should check out thwhtguardian 's review thread of these SW newspaper comics, here. And if you're into the old '70s and '80s Marvel SW comics, you might enjoy my review thread of that series here. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 9, 2024 22:20:44 GMT -5
Gwen's death was beautifully written. That's why it's been a constant source of inspiration for creators that followed. It's about as far removed from a soap opera death that I can imagine. If you ask me, it was that type of storytelling that set Marvel apart from DC at the time. I can't imagine a DC comic from 1973 where Superman fails to save Lois Lane from her death. Just a clarification, if you were referencing the post I made immediately before yours, but I'm not using the phrase "soap opera moments" in a disparaging manner, when talking about the events surrounding Gwen's death. I'm just sort of using it as short-hand for the increased angst, guilt and pathos that it brought to the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. I agree that Gwen's death and its immediate aftermath -- not to mention the burgeoning romance between Peter and Mary Jane that occurred against that backdrop -- were beautifully written. I'm a guy who thought Peter already had the perfect gal with Betty... Ha! This made me chuckle. "Damn Spider-Man started going down hill when they killed off Uncle Ben!"   |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 9, 2024 0:08:25 GMT -5
I don't really have an opinion on whether killing Gwen was a mistake from a creative perspective -- it was already half a dozen years in the past when I first started reading Spider-Man comics, so it's just the way things are, as far as I've always been concerned. It's as much a part of basic Spider-Man lore as Uncle Ben dying to me.
What I will say though is that I love the tragedy of it all and the resultant guilt and pathos that it has provided in Peter's life. In that regard, it has made for some great comics over the years. In particular, the grieving that Peter went through in the immediate aftermath of Gwen's death and then the total headf**k of the Gwen Stacy clone turning up a short while later made for some amazingly good, angsty soap opera moments.
I also like how it canonised Gwen by framing her as this beautifully doomed innocent in her pre-death appearances and as a haunting archetype of tragically lost young love in the post-death era.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 7, 2024 22:54:16 GMT -5
Spider-Man is my favourite superhero and I really, really love the 70s comics. I think the 60s runs of Lee/Ditko and Lee/Romita have never been bettered, but there was still an awful lot to enjoy in the 70s.
For example, at the start of the decade, Stan Lee was still writing Amazing Spider-Man, with help from Romita and John Buscema. Soon afterwards, Gil Kane comes on board on art chores and you get such great storylines as the death of Captain Stacy, the anti-drug issues, and the six-arm saga with the introduction of Morbius.
Then you get Gerry Conway's run as writer, which includes the landmark Death of Gwen Stacy, the introduction of the Punisher, Harry Osborn becoming the Green Goblin, the Doc Ock & Aunt May romance, and the original Clone Saga. Oh, and the very underrated, but rather excellent Ross Andru is on art for the latter part of Conway's run and most of the following Len Wein run. I really rate Andru's artwork very highly.
Wein's run is solid, rather than mind-blowing, but still, he gave us some really entertaining stories, such as Dr. Barton Hamilton becoming the new Green Goblin and the simultaneously amazing/ridiculous Spider-mobile.
Marv Wolfman's run at the end of the 70s is a bit more forgettable IMHO, but still, the story of the return of the burglar from Amazing Fantasy #15 that occurred around the 200th issue anniversary is really good.
That's without mentioning Marvel Team-Up, which started in 1972, and Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man, which debuted in 1976. The former was always a really solid read, even if it was a little formulaic. Still, it gave us fans the opportunity to see Spidey interacting and joining forces with an array of other Marvel characters.
As for Spectacular Spider-Man, that series didn't really reach its full potential until the early 80s, when it was really giving ASM a run for its money as the best Spidey comic. Nevertheless, in the 70s, the first 35 or so issues of PP:TSSM are pretty good, with the four-part Bill Mantlo-penned "Ashes to Ashes" storyline featuring Carrion being a real favourite of mine.
So yeah, lots of great Spider-Man comics in the 70s, as far as I'm concerned.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 6, 2024 12:36:59 GMT -5
Never heard of this being a sequel to "Up On the Roof". The Drifters did very much release a sound-a-like sequel to "Under the Boardwalk" with their very next single though, with "I've Got Sand in My Shoes". That song uses parts of the same melody as "Boardwalk" and even mentions the boardwalk in the first line, just to reinforce the connection... Despite being written by two different songwriting teams, there is indeed a connection between "Under the Boardwalk" and "Up On the Roof", although I wouldn't necessarily call it a "sequel" or "answer" song. Both songwriting teams (Goffin/King and Young/Resnick) were Brill Building writers at the time, so that's the obvious first connection.
Next, the very first line of "Under the Boardwalk" reads as: "Oh, when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof"
Then, on the recording of song, the string section can be distinctly heard playing the signature melody riff for "Up On the Roof" right around the 1:25 mark, and again around the 2:15 mark, immediately before the chorus section. From the sound of the arrangement, I'm pretty sure that this audible reference was intentional, as it is quite recognizable.
Good points, TP. I'd never really thought about it in that way, but yeah, there is a similarity between "Boardwalk" and "Roof" that appears to be intentional. Another Drifters' song that is kinda related to "Under the Boardwalk" (at least in my mind) is "Save the Last Dance for Me"; both songs have the same chord progression in the verses, though they are in different keys. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 6, 2024 11:39:13 GMT -5
I think that's just my head canon. They're thematically similar in getting away from the hustle and bustle to a semi-isolated spot. Yes, I hear you on that. Both great songs too. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 6, 2024 10:44:55 GMT -5
Most listened to songs of 2023 # 17 - Under the Boardwalk - The Drifters
This is just a great pop song, a semi-sequel to The Drifters earlier hit "Up on the Roof." The instrumentation is outstanding (love the use of the guiro). The vocals were thrown to Johnny Moore at the last minute with the untimely death by overdose of lead singer Rudy Lewis the night before the song was to be recorded. Never heard of this being a sequel to "Up On the Roof". The Drifters did very much release a sound-a-like sequel to "Under the Boardwalk" with their very next single though, with "I've Got Sand in My Shoes". That song uses parts of the same melody as "Boardwalk" and even mentions the boardwalk in the first line, just to reinforce the connection... |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 5, 2024 20:42:45 GMT -5
Smaug was much smaller, but is still from a dreadful lineage; he's probably much more powerful than any balrog.I got curious about this in a "who's stronger, Hulk or The Thing?" kind of way and started to dig around on the internet looking for an official answer. Apparently J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in The Book of Lost Tales Part II, "yet of all are they [dragons] the most powerful, save it be the Balrogs only." So, apparently Balrogs have the edge on Dragons in terms of power. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 5, 2024 11:38:25 GMT -5
I love Mac & Cheese!
...especially with tomato ketchup.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 5, 2024 11:29:38 GMT -5
I generally like Bendis' writing, with his work on Alias/The Pulse/Jessica Jones being my fravourite stuff of his. I also enjoyed his writing on New Avengers, House of M, Secret War, and Secret Invasion, but have not really re-visited those since I initially read them.
I can definitely see that his stylistic quirks would be off-putting to some though.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Mar 4, 2024 20:10:34 GMT -5
Today (3/4) marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Dragonlance... Did anybody here ever read any of the Dragonlance novels? I didn't, but two of my best friends in my teenage years (who were later band mates in The Kynd) were big fans of those books. They used to really rave about how good they were, though I was much more into Tolkien's Middle-Earth. In fact, The Kynd's early, pre-record deal demo tape was titled Everywhen, which is a word that I believe my friends took from the Dragonlance books. |
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