Happy Hercule-Day

Happy New Years everyone!

Remember: Don’t drink and drive … or fight SHIELD agents.

Notes From The Gerberverse

We hate to keep dumping on Matt Brady … really.

Unfortunately, the Keeper recently stumbled upon this comment from a Brady interview with Joe Casey regarding Marvel’s latest try at resurrecting The Defenders:

NRAMA: Speaking of the Defender’s original “uniqueness,” it probably could be argued that a lot of what [writer] Steve Gerber did in his run was the bread and butter for many present day creators, and, while it was avant garde in the ’70s, a lot is relatively old hat now…

*Sigh*

Sadly, we don’t have the time for an in-depth rebuttal to that rather short-sighted comment. (However, your ever-vigilant Fortress Keeper is happy to refer curious readers to A Trout In The Milk’s fabulous Gerber essays …)

So, instead let’s just pick a random image from one of Gerber’s many Marvel masterworks of the ’70s. (Unfortunately, we no longer have our old Defenders issues lying around … )

OK, is that the sort of stuff you see in a comic book these days? Gerber’s stuff, at its best, tore down social and political mores (in the above case, psychology and mental institutions) by any means necessary - even if it meant using a talking duck and members of KISS.

Is anyone at Marvel testing the limits quite so fearlessly these days?

Judging by their recent stab at Howard The Duck, we think not.

Yes, The Defenders probably do need a new approach to survive in today’s market, although we kind of liked Kurt Busiek’s and Keith Giffen/J. M. DeMatteis’ respective series.

We also understand why commentators like Brady opine that funny-books are much more sophisticated now than at any time in the past. Judging by surface appearances - the production values are unquestionably superior - comic-books are much more than junky little periodicals found at 7-Elevens.

Certainly there’s some good stuff out there - Joe Casey’s Gødland is a prime example - but let’s be honest. There aren’t enough great books out there (Countdown: Arena, anyone?) to justify p!$$ing on the efforts of those who came before.

Superior production values don’t necessarily equate to superior art. Some of our greatest films, music and art eschew slick presentations.

That also holds true for comics, and it definitely applies to Steve Gerber. His voice is truly unique, and unlike many of his contemporaries is still potent today.

(Read Hard Time when you get a chance, Mr. Brady.)

We sincerely wish Joe Casey luck with his new Defenders project, and hope that Matt Brady finds less annoying ways in the future to promote Marvel product.

Sunday Pin-Up

Captain Sternn by Berni Wrightson

Any Heavy Metal fans out there?

No More Days

Well, Mr. Quesada got his wish.

Peter Parker is once again foot-loose and fancy-free.

So, now what?

There’s little point in condemning One More Day. It’s merely one more crappy stunt in a comic-book era littered with crappy stunts. (Although, we couldn’t help but note the irony of the Bullpen’s little “salute” to JMS after the story obliterated his entire run … )

The only relevant point is whether the Spider-Man “franchise” (gad, we hate that word) is better off now that the Q Continuum has cleared the deck.

Well, it appears The Other and all that Morlun nonsense has been swept under the rug. Good riddance to bad rubbish, and we’ll just pretend that Sins Past has also been erased.

Harry Osborn is alive, which negates his heroic sacrifice of about 20 years ago. That’s a shame, as the character’s arc through the Spider-Man series was one of the series’ high points in our opinion.

He was the son who never satisfied his father, a fact that drove the poor sod to drug addiction and insanity. In the end, however, Harry broke free of his father’s twisted desires and saved Peter’s life.

It was a truly moving story, a fact recognized by Sam Raimi when he adapted the plot for the Spider-Man film trilogy. Too bad J.Q. thought it was more important to bring Harry back as a potential candidate for a new Green Goblin.

(You know it’s going to happen.)

Then, of course, there is the marriage. We never thought Peter’s union with Mary Jane necessarily ruined his image as an “average Joe.” For one thing, a guy who’s smart enough to invent web fluid isn’t really all that average and Mary Jane’s status as a supermodel/movie starlet was easy enough to erase.

(One of the few good moves of the JMS era, in the Keeper’s humble view … )

Creators argued that the marriage negated the soap opera elements of Peter’s life, but that’s a load of hogwash. It’s not like there aren’t any married couples in daytime soaps. In fact, those couples are usually under the most tension!

So, let’s just chalk the marriage’s “annulment” to the unimaginative minds of the Marvel Boy’s Club, who think it’s cooler for a man in his mid-20s to live with his elderly - and clueless - aunt.

The final judgment, however, will be found in subsequent stories. Will the new creative teams do anything fresh with the Spidey formula? Aside from Dan Slott, who was born to write Spider-Man, we aren’t all that confident.

Steve McNiven draws purty pictures, but his style is far too static for a dynamic character like Spidey. Phil Jimenez and Zeb Wells aren’t exactly Fortress favorites either, although Chris Bachalo and Salvador Larroca are always intriguing.

So, the Q Continuum’s Spider-Man revamp looks less than promising. Our only consolation? Ret-cons can always be ret-conned by a future editorial administration.

Now that would truly be a “Brand New Day.”

Marvy Christmas!

Happy holidays to all our Internet friends!

We’ll see you after New Years, Robin-O!!