I always feel bad when I have nothing to contribute so I'm gonna let loose with two things I've been thinking on for years.
The first is the almost never used power if Sue Richards to make invisible things visible. Has it been used since the Byrne Terrax issues? Anyways, I've always thought f she could get a bead on the clear portions of an opponent's eyes, she could make them visible and effectively blind them. End of fight.
The other is about Banshee and how someone in the X-men creative team decided it didn't make sense to him for Banshee to be able to talk and use his sonic scream to fly with so it ended. Honestly, I think the major cut in his interaction with his teammates helped make it easier to edge him out. Well, if his vocal chords were so advanced they could create various effects, why not simulate his speaking voice and the scream at the same time? It's lack of imagination from some creators that have negative effects like teams losing a valuable character or character relationship.
I love the new articles Tom (especially the Deathlok history as that was a title I collected in the 90s).
Thanks for your response to the marriage question - even though I disagree your thoughts on the Superman love triangle make me rethink my position - I like the marriage and the Bendis twist of no secret identity but I can see how loneliness can be a sort of kryptonite to a powerful being like Superman and that makes him more vulnerable and relatable.
Related question - how critical do you think the Daily Planet/Newspaper reporter job and setting is to a character like Superman? It can also apply to Peter Parker. I find that it is a trope that dates the characters as that profession disappears and/or becomes less relevant - but at the same time it seems so tied to their characters and supporting casts it seems impossible to update or remove it. Thoughts?
I liked this entry as well, the new sections are interesting and I like the approach of not giving names in Blind Item. It turns anecdotes that could be hurtful into something funnier. Wise choice.
Question: now that you are changing from Avengers to X-Men, does that mean associate editors like Annalise Bissa go with you? Or do they remain in Avengers?
Count me among those who are deviously charmed by the notion of Blind Item, Tom. But then again, I suppose I'm exactly the sort of person who would be, so make of that what you will.
I'm not sure I have any terribly good questions off the top of my head this week, so let's throw out another historical question, albeit with a personal bent. You've been active on your blog for years positing theories to solve some of the mysteries behind Silver Age Marvel: positing that the first issue of Fantastic Four was cobbled together from stories originally slated for multiple anthology issues, for instance, or working out the publication process behind Amazing Fantasy #15. So at this point, are there any lingering mysteries or historical question marks from comics past that you want to solve, but never have? Is there any episode in particular that you'd most want to get to the bottom of if you could?
I remember you had posted on your website years ago a summary of all the super hero movies from the old serials to modern day (which I think was the Avengers movie at that time) with your thoughts on what worked and what did not with some hindsight.
It would be fun if you posted that again and (maybe a new feature) updated it with superhero movies that were out since then.
Love the refreshed format. Thanks for keeping it going
I agree about Mad Men Season Six. Overall, the series is one of my all time favorites that I rewatch every year or two. But I always dread season six. That or I just end my rewatch at the end of 5, which I feel like is a pretty solid ending.
Which makes me think of a question:
Are there any series out there, tv, film, comic runs, where you have a pet ending? A place where you just turn off the tv or close the book and say “That’s it. The End” while the story goes on too long?
Bonus Question related to Mad Men. Are you a Commentary Track guy? If so, do you have any favorites? The Mad Men dvd commentaries are a highlight for me, almost like a free masterclass in storytelling, where the creators break down the decisions they made while writing the stories. I can also recommend The Simpsons and Community for the same reasons.
That's the same two-volume book, yes, but it doesn't come with the seven seasons' worth of screenplays--which is something I'd want. But thanks for looking!
How easy it is to change a book's ship week? And if it happens, is it usually for a multipart story to arrive at LCSes in sequence, or because a department was running late?
Has there been any recent pushes for a group of incumbent scriptwriters ala the early-10s ‘Architects’ or the line artist-focused ‘Stormbreaker’ groups? Maybe I’m wrong — it came just before I got into comics with AvX — but it felt like the Architects push resulted in Marvel being able to create some buzz around interesting creators and canonise a number of ongoing runs while they were still in progress. (Though obviously lots of people still carry their own list of current ‘hot’ creators in their head.)
I've never been a huge X-Men fan for whatever reason. I was born in 81, making me just the right age for the 90's cartoon, arcade game and trading cards. But for whatever reason i never got that into the books. (Although i did aquire a friend's near complete New Mutants Sienkiewicz run and i love love loved it so much. )
I've been spending a lot of time with Hoopla, going back and checking out old series and runs i have missed and have been looking to work on the X-Men.
I'm real curious what your favorite X-Men storylines are your favorites? When you think back favorably on the older books, what springs to mind? What are your personal favorite stories?
Re: Taschen... I've never regretted a purchase from them, almost always through their sales. You likely won't get MM for $500, but there might be a number to take some of the sting out.
Re: the X-Men... I never understood the "hated and feared" motif even as a kid coming in at the tail end of the Byrne/Austin run. If they were the only powered beings in the world, sure, but in the Marvel Universe? Vision, Scarlet Witch, and the Thing are good in the public's eyes, but Storm, Colossus, and Nightcrawler are scary? The Beast is bad on a mutant team but cool on the Avengers... when he looks even stranger? It made even less sense (again, to me) in the Lee/Kirby era, where they looked like standard heroes in their matching uniforms. I thought this might be adult overthink, but I do remember once planning a childhood letter to Marvel asking why the popular heroes didn't just hold a press conference vouching for the X-Men — "Being born with your powers doesn't make you a lesser hero than getting them from a nuclear accident."
I always feel bad when I have nothing to contribute so I'm gonna let loose with two things I've been thinking on for years.
The first is the almost never used power if Sue Richards to make invisible things visible. Has it been used since the Byrne Terrax issues? Anyways, I've always thought f she could get a bead on the clear portions of an opponent's eyes, she could make them visible and effectively blind them. End of fight.
The other is about Banshee and how someone in the X-men creative team decided it didn't make sense to him for Banshee to be able to talk and use his sonic scream to fly with so it ended. Honestly, I think the major cut in his interaction with his teammates helped make it easier to edge him out. Well, if his vocal chords were so advanced they could create various effects, why not simulate his speaking voice and the scream at the same time? It's lack of imagination from some creators that have negative effects like teams losing a valuable character or character relationship.
That What If issue sure was a cracker, up there for me with the Roy Thomas Invaders issue out before it.
I love the new articles Tom (especially the Deathlok history as that was a title I collected in the 90s).
Thanks for your response to the marriage question - even though I disagree your thoughts on the Superman love triangle make me rethink my position - I like the marriage and the Bendis twist of no secret identity but I can see how loneliness can be a sort of kryptonite to a powerful being like Superman and that makes him more vulnerable and relatable.
Related question - how critical do you think the Daily Planet/Newspaper reporter job and setting is to a character like Superman? It can also apply to Peter Parker. I find that it is a trope that dates the characters as that profession disappears and/or becomes less relevant - but at the same time it seems so tied to their characters and supporting casts it seems impossible to update or remove it. Thoughts?
Love the new features!
How often is the "bake off" pitch style utilized?
Was it Graig Weich?
I liked this entry as well, the new sections are interesting and I like the approach of not giving names in Blind Item. It turns anecdotes that could be hurtful into something funnier. Wise choice.
Question: now that you are changing from Avengers to X-Men, does that mean associate editors like Annalise Bissa go with you? Or do they remain in Avengers?
For those interested in the Deathlok pitch, Dwayne posted it on his website which you can read thanks to online archives: https://web.archive.org/web/20071201200239/http://homepage.mac.com/dmcduffie/site/Deathlokpitch.html
Count me among those who are deviously charmed by the notion of Blind Item, Tom. But then again, I suppose I'm exactly the sort of person who would be, so make of that what you will.
I'm not sure I have any terribly good questions off the top of my head this week, so let's throw out another historical question, albeit with a personal bent. You've been active on your blog for years positing theories to solve some of the mysteries behind Silver Age Marvel: positing that the first issue of Fantastic Four was cobbled together from stories originally slated for multiple anthology issues, for instance, or working out the publication process behind Amazing Fantasy #15. So at this point, are there any lingering mysteries or historical question marks from comics past that you want to solve, but never have? Is there any episode in particular that you'd most want to get to the bottom of if you could?
And thanks as always for this newsletter.
I remember you had posted on your website years ago a summary of all the super hero movies from the old serials to modern day (which I think was the Avengers movie at that time) with your thoughts on what worked and what did not with some hindsight.
It would be fun if you posted that again and (maybe a new feature) updated it with superhero movies that were out since then.
Woah! I'd love to find that old article! I will have to go hunt for that, unless someone can post that link here!
Cannot find it - hopefully Tom still has it and posts a link next week!
https://tombrevoort.com/2016/03/13/were-about-to-go-into-what-is-perhaps-the-busiest/
Amazing Tom! This would be a fun feature to update on your newsletter if you are so inclined ;)
What comic did you pay $1,400 for?
Love the refreshed format. Thanks for keeping it going
I agree about Mad Men Season Six. Overall, the series is one of my all time favorites that I rewatch every year or two. But I always dread season six. That or I just end my rewatch at the end of 5, which I feel like is a pretty solid ending.
Which makes me think of a question:
Are there any series out there, tv, film, comic runs, where you have a pet ending? A place where you just turn off the tv or close the book and say “That’s it. The End” while the story goes on too long?
Bonus Question related to Mad Men. Are you a Commentary Track guy? If so, do you have any favorites? The Mad Men dvd commentaries are a highlight for me, almost like a free masterclass in storytelling, where the creators break down the decisions they made while writing the stories. I can also recommend The Simpsons and Community for the same reasons.
Thanks again!
Tom- isn't this the same Taschen Mad Man book?
If so, then Amazon has it for $400.
https://www.amazon.com/Matthew-Weiners-Mad-Men-XL/dp/3836526433/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Matthew+Weiner.+Mad+Men&qid=1704710752&sr=8-1
That's the same two-volume book, yes, but it doesn't come with the seven seasons' worth of screenplays--which is something I'd want. But thanks for looking!
Ok. I wasn’t sure. Personally, I think you should splurge. But it’s not my money. Thank you for another awesome newsletter!
How easy it is to change a book's ship week? And if it happens, is it usually for a multipart story to arrive at LCSes in sequence, or because a department was running late?
Hi Tom, hope all’s well.
Has there been any recent pushes for a group of incumbent scriptwriters ala the early-10s ‘Architects’ or the line artist-focused ‘Stormbreaker’ groups? Maybe I’m wrong — it came just before I got into comics with AvX — but it felt like the Architects push resulted in Marvel being able to create some buzz around interesting creators and canonise a number of ongoing runs while they were still in progress. (Though obviously lots of people still carry their own list of current ‘hot’ creators in their head.)
All the best,
Cathal.
I've never been a huge X-Men fan for whatever reason. I was born in 81, making me just the right age for the 90's cartoon, arcade game and trading cards. But for whatever reason i never got that into the books. (Although i did aquire a friend's near complete New Mutants Sienkiewicz run and i love love loved it so much. )
I've been spending a lot of time with Hoopla, going back and checking out old series and runs i have missed and have been looking to work on the X-Men.
I'm real curious what your favorite X-Men storylines are your favorites? When you think back favorably on the older books, what springs to mind? What are your personal favorite stories?
Re: Taschen... I've never regretted a purchase from them, almost always through their sales. You likely won't get MM for $500, but there might be a number to take some of the sting out.
Re: the X-Men... I never understood the "hated and feared" motif even as a kid coming in at the tail end of the Byrne/Austin run. If they were the only powered beings in the world, sure, but in the Marvel Universe? Vision, Scarlet Witch, and the Thing are good in the public's eyes, but Storm, Colossus, and Nightcrawler are scary? The Beast is bad on a mutant team but cool on the Avengers... when he looks even stranger? It made even less sense (again, to me) in the Lee/Kirby era, where they looked like standard heroes in their matching uniforms. I thought this might be adult overthink, but I do remember once planning a childhood letter to Marvel asking why the popular heroes didn't just hold a press conference vouching for the X-Men — "Being born with your powers doesn't make you a lesser hero than getting them from a nuclear accident."