Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!hao!seismo!harvard!wjh12!genrad!decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian
From: boyajian@akov68.DEC (Jerry Boyajian)
Newsgroups: net.comics
Subject: Ketchup Comments #1
Message-ID: <3755@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Sep-84 07:37:24 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.3755
Posted: Thu Sep 27 07:37:24 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 3-Oct-84 08:27:51 EDT
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 124

I've been busy lately, so I've got a lot of comments to get out of the
way. This is the first set of them.

Be it known, too, in case any of you which to send mail to me, that I
will be unable to receive mail at my regular node this coming weekend.
Please note the temporary address change at the end of this message.
Thanks.

********************

> From:	usceast!ted

> Warlord 88
>	A fairly entertaining issue, esp after the muddled time travel
>	plotline, but truth to tell this is one of the 2 (*) books I buy
>	for the backup strip : The Barren Earth. This is a swords,planets
>	and dessert type story set in the far future after the general
>	abandonment of Earth. The heroine is beautiful and competent
>	and the plot engaging, what more could you ask for? Well a
>	mini series for one thing, and this issue sets it up.

You may be pleased to know that a Barren Earth mini-series is scheduled to
begin in November.


> From:	dartvax!markv           18-Sep-1984 10:38:02  

> Also, can anyone fill me on on this 
> Bolton guy--who he is, what he is drawing/has drawn?

Well, he's done some work for the British Quality Comics --- the Dracula strip
in HALLS OF HORROR and a couple of strips for WARRIOR. On this side of the
Atlantic, check out some of the Bruce Jones Associates comics from PACIFIC ---
ALIEN WORLDS, TWISTED TALES, and PATHWAYS TO FANTASY. Bolton also did some mag-
nificent work for the Baxter-paper issues of KULL THE CONQUEROR, as well as
the "Marada the She-Wolf" stories in EPIC ILLUSTRATED (with Chris Claremont).


> From:	nmtvax!horton           14-Sep-1984 11:28:44  

> Could someone please tell me what's happening in X-MEN??? I've
> heard talk of anti-mutant sympathy, but none of that is
> happening in ALPHA FLIGHT. Also, I've seen these adds for DAZZLER
> with the word "mutie" scrawled over her face. What is happening?

Basicly, two things are happening. First, "mutant fear" (*sympathy* isn't really
the word your looking for; I think you meant "anti-mutant sentiment") is taking
hold of the American public at large, much like the witch-hunts of the past.
Secondly, the government isn't helping matters by considering mutants as risks
to national security, so they're trying to legislate "controls" on mutants. The
result of all this is a movement toward the possible future of X-MEN #141/142
and Rachel's "flashforwards" in recent issues.
	The reason this hasn't shown up in ALPHA FLIGHT is simple and two-fold.
(1) Alpha Flight isn't really well known to the public, and the government is
has a benevolent attitude toward them (the government set them up, after all).
(2) There are only two mutants so far in AF. Guardian was just a normal guy in
a battlesuit; Heather doesn't have any powers; Puck really doesn't have any
special powers; Shaman is a mystic; Sasquatch is a gamma-ray-altered human;
Marrina is an alien; Snowbird is a hybrid. Only Northstar and Aurora are true
mutants (and Langkowski has supposedly taken care of that for Aurora), as well
as the new member, Talisman (any guesses as to who that will be?:-))


> From:	fluke!moriarty           19-Sep-1984 07:59:46  

>> Spectre - Does he do magic? He is by his nature supernatural, and he uses the 
>>	powers which his supernatural form gives him, but I don't think he casts
>>	spells or draws on other powers. 
>>
>> Post more ideas, please!				Harry
>
>
> Hmm... I don't believe his powers are "magic"; they might almost be
> considered religious, as he seems to be the shade of a dead man with the
> power to warp reality....  Anyway, I always figured that his
> powers came from the Big Man or Woman Upstairs...

It was pretty evident in The Spectre's own comic back in the late 60's and his
guest appearances in DC COMICS PRESENT #29 (where he had to stop Superman from
going beyond the Pale to rescue Supergirl) and the recent SWAMP THING ANNUAL
that The Spectre does indeed work for the Big G., though the Boss is never
specifically named (it's all right for Satan to appear in a comic, but not God;
interesting, isn't it?).


> From:	milo!eric           25-Sep-1984 12:31:54  

>	This last week's batch of comics seems to emphasis a trend that I
> have been seeing. DC is definitely pushing more sex and graphic violence.
> What is unusual is that it is not in their limited distribution books, but
> the mass market ones as well.
...
> 	I find this a little disturbing. I can accept such things in
> comics which are aimed at an older audience, such as Teen Titans, or
> Swamp Thing. But "Jemm" and "Flash" have been marketed as books for
> a younger audience, and as such I am not sure why these scenes are showing
> up. Am I off base on this, or have others noticed this trend?

Gee, I would've thought of TEEN TITANS as a comic aimed at a younger audience
(of course, the Baxter book is different, but supposedly the more "adult" scenes
in it will be edited for the Mando reprinting). As far as JEMM goes, though, you
are definitely off base. It is *not* marketed for a younger audience. The fact
that DC is publishing it (and SWAMP THING) without the Code seal is proof of
that (or hadn't you noticed?). Just because it gets newstand distribution rather
than being direct-only doesn't mean that it's aimed at a younger audience.
	I agree with your concerns, though, and have had them myself since the
Elektra/Hand stories appeared in DAREDEVIL. I'm a supporter of the idea of
rating comics like the movies. In many cases, it's not really a problem that I
can see, at least as far as sex is concerned. Most of the time, with regard to
sexual innuendos (such as, oh say, the issue of X-MEN during the Brood War in
which Kitty roundaboutly asks Peter to hop in the sack with her), there is
enough subtlety so that anyone who would be "too young" would be unlikely to
understand just what the hell's going on anyway. Violence, however, is getting
a bit too graphic these days for younger readers.

--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA)

UUCP:	{decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov75!boyajian
							          ^^
ARPA:	boyajian%akov75.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA
		     ^^

**NOTE** akov68 changed to akov75 for the weekend of 28-Sep to 1-Oct.
	     ^^		       ^^