Punch Up: “To Me My ❌-Men”

Chapter Eleven:

1982-1983

January, 1972 Thor No. 198 by J. Buscema, Colleta, Costa, Conway + Stan

September, 1972 Thor No. 206 by J. Buscema, Colleta, Costanza, Conway + Thomas

October, 1972 Thor No. 207 by J. Buscema, Colleta, Glynis, Costanza, Conway + Thomas

November, 1972 Thor No. 208 by J. Buscema, Colleta, S. Goldberg, C. Jetter, Conway + Thomas

September, 1983 Dazzler No. 30 by Springer, McDonald, Colletta, Yamchus, J, Chiang, + Harris/Macchio and Sienkiewicz cover

Mixtape tracks: Let’s Stay Together by Al Green; Snowblind by Black Sabbath; On the Corner by Miles Davis; Walk on the Wild Side by Lou Reed; Breaking the Chains by Dokken

Chapter 11 in “to me my ❌-Men,” where our story intersects with “real” people at the 16th San Diego Comic Con.

Previously on “to me my ❌-Men,” where the Honeymooners crash land us into a proto-tentacle porno close call, while thousands of miles away under NYC plans are confirmed for a child bride, tradition and responsibility has interrupted epic romance, and we are lead to believe grandpa is an existential threat to the world, as a backroom government meeting of the fearful discuss how to address. Only our evidence of danger is a romance soap. We were treated to a lighter romance comic, of pop stardom, where Angel was bleeding out on the carpet, Alison and her sister, a newly minted mutant murderer, Lois were with him in the bedroom of a naked old man. The old man and Lois exclaimed, “YOU,” at the same time like a Spidy meme; leading us into an Adventures of Tintin like car chase fight with Raven and Irene’s daughter Anna Marie.

My old comics prof from SCAD, James Sturm moved up from Savannah, GA to White River Jct, a year before I too, moved up to Vermont. Both of us, city folk flatlanders (being born in the Rockies, I get a wry smile every time this comes up) following our wives leads back to their home towns. Neither of us, for Frank Miller research projects. Erin and I did so a year later. Been here ever since.

James started the Center for Cartooning Studies, and in doing so hired Vermonter, Stephen Bissette to become a professor at CCS. Stephen lent me a resourceful hand in my own short-lived college comics program on the other side of the state.

Cartoonists circles in Vermont are like they are in most places. Comics are a small industry. We already all know each other, or are two degree of Kevin Bacon away. Vermont itself operates on this level of familiarity. Folks come here to hide, but everyone local knows where they be.

James is a Fantastic Four fan. We don’t have as many similarities as folks in our circles who are aware of our dynamics might conjecture. James understood who he could work with outside the classroom. He had Philip Craven (Kung Fu Panda) assist him on the comic he was working on when we all lived in Savannah. He had Robyn Chapmen (Xeric winner), join him to help set up and run CCS. Philip produced one of my favorite short story comics ever shared in my comics classes, and Robyn represented our scene widely as we joined our fellow comics professionals. To me this made and still makes sense. I think, there was some misreading when we were all in school together, on where I was coming from. I definitely had trouble translating James guidance. Which influenced positively my development as a cartoonist and educator in the long run. I really appreciate my classmates and professors. Heck, James facilitated my moments with Jim Woodring (I am a Frank fan, before anything else, save Mike Patton), as the three of us shared a Jack Davis moment (talk about influence on lil’ ol me). I am blessed to crossed their paths. I will speak to the tenacity and importance of Robyn till the day I die.

On paper maybe, but in reality, James and I had to work to get on casually. Our processes are not the same. Our comics voices are not the same. He is a Fantastic Four guy. I am an ❌-Men guy.

He kinda co-wrote the book on FF; Unstable Molecules. It’s essential reading for a Marvel fan. Very well exactitude. However, I would recommend his Watership Down co-adaptation, The Golem’s Mighty Swing, and Market Day, before remembering to include Unstable Molecules.

James is constantly working on projects that bring his lived experiences and passions together. DC’s Swamp Thing and Kubert Schools products’ Stephen Bissette (the reason there is 24-Hour Comics Day), is very much the same. The two of them do work for the comics community that is this really interesting balance of local and global in utility and influences.

One project, was a gallery showing of original pages from these old 1970’s Marvel and DC comics, that were secretively the first Marvel and DC crossovers. They also, featured Stephen’s Vermont hometown (thus the why), an event happened year after year, and featured a bunch of New York cartoonists, IRL AKA Earth-1218. So this the first time, DC’s Earth-1 and Marvel’s Earth-616, maybe having something to do with Marvel’s Earth-7642, but I am thinking it has more to do with Earth-1218 (ours) and Earth-1 and Earth-616. I’m no mathematician.

Pendleton Ward’ s Adventure Time

We will be establishing Thor as an ❌-Men character, so we might as have him enter our story here to set up some contextual realities with Alison, who is a core ❌-Men character in this telling of “to me my ❌-Men,” and these seem to be tidbits that loosely connect to my personal journey…which is the “why” to this diary (again…get your own diary…I would be happy to read it…our stories are equitable and we are all dust to the wind…till then let’s overshare together…or sit quietly and ponder…works just as well!; life is a balance).

Thor 198:

WHEN DIES THE IMMORTAL

John Buscema channels and builds on Kirby’s creation and aesthetics. I struggle with Thor. Less is more, and the comic seems to always be filling the page with more. It’s dense. Kirby, Buscema, Simonson…I struggle in this space. I go from attentive over analysis of elements, to browsing with my heightened visual lexicon senses. My brain edits out so much irrelevance to my care, leaving these nuggets if genius extracted from a swamp of ink and pulp.

Gerry Conway brakes through, because of Vermont. John brakes through, because of form, figure, and local architecture. In the Thor tradition, they try my patience.

Odin is dead, or about to be. He is in the clutches of a forgettable Kirby & Lee monster. Kirby worked through these to develop some real comics magic. But he murdered forests of trees to get there. I love the history of these characters, like the now famous names being labeled on these creatures before the Fantastic Four, and then being repurposed for fame a few years later as real life deaths, politics and market realities informed the crucible that created them. Here we just have some process pieces that are still hanging around…maybe because they were essential to Garry or John’s personal creative journeys. Or they are trying to hit a deadline and they are struggling. I have no idea.

Thor and the Warriors Three are doing their thing, and Odin seems done. Then there is the page that features Volstagg, who will more than once in “to me my ❌-Men,” save a scene.

I am as far from fat phobic a reader as you can get for my size and physical history. I am a bit of an advocate in the other direction. So am very aware of the contexts here and the humor trying to be made. But this reader sees Volstagg as heroic in all senses, and the jokeyness is not how I am reading this:

Thor: “I charge thee with this, Fat One…I…? I go off…to FIGHT!”

Conway: “And, behind the running Thunder God, Volstags trembles. ‘Tis his moment…perhaps the single most important moment…of his life!”

Volstagg: “What NOW, Loud Voice? Where be thy mighty boasting now? There be none to hear thee…only thyself…”

His perspiration is emotion dripping of his brow. He takes this moment and turns it into gesture of noble and prudent small actions.

The story drags around this moment of personal growth.

Luckily we have need to catchup with Sif and Hildegarde, and a piraty ship captain in the water around a city on the planet Blackworld; a depression era reflection of America back on Earth. Hildegrade is my personal favorite Asgardian. And absolutely it is because of her size. Comics are a visual medium.

They are joined by Tana Nile, an alien colonizer, and they are all in the shadow of “he,” “him” (Ego). An excellent panel, worthy of price of admission; 20¢.

We are left in multiple cliffhangers…which may just never be threads we pick up again, but we have been introduced to some interesting and some relevant characters.

That’s reading comics.

Thor 206-208:

THE POWER OF THE ABSORBING MAN!

“Rutland, Vermont: Latitude 43.36° N, Longitude 72.59° W. The second largest city in the state, Rutland is a quiet town—A peaceful town, these last days of summer. And yet…”

Hank and Jack are fishing. Not sure of it is Otter Creek, Patch Pond, Muddy Pond, or Rocky Pond. A shooting star lands Carl “Crusher” Creel, through a confusing sequence that connects with Nevada through the air.

Thor does his rounds in NYC, before resting with Jarvis serving his needs at the Avengers’ mansion. As across town Sif and Hildegrade in their NYC attire look out at eh Hudson River, to witness Carl land again. He seems to be bouncing around the US.

They and New York’s finest face off against Carl. Sif is left unconscious, and Thor arrives, distraught.

We then are north east again in Vermont, at Tom Fegan’s (who made his debut back in Avengers No. 83). His home is like many here. Think Stephen King and EC comics finest homes. Tom and his dogs are disrupted by a shadowy stranger.

The stranger appears lost this evening. Tom helps him in.

The Asgardian battle Carl. Karnilla and the Grand Vizier observe and debate the need to get involved from Asgard. Where the Warriors three debate sustenance.

Carl lands again, elsewhere. At Tom’s.

The stranger was Loki, who greats Carl, at Tom’s door.

WHERE DEMONS DWELL!

The event that brought Stephen joy as a teen, the Rutland Halloween Parade, was in Earth-7642 or Earth-616, or Earth-1 as it was in Earth-1218, a place for comics cartoonists, pros, to meet up, a place for Marvel and DC superheroes to appear on floats going down Main Street. A place for kids to wonder.

Gerry Conway, wasn’t wrong.

Steve Englehart: “Looks like Gerry told us ture, people. We are going to have a good time!”

Len Wein’s (co-creator of Logan, Ororo, Illyana, Kurt, Piotr, etc..) nerves are shot after the ride up. Glynis (“our” colorist) seems unfazed. Gerry seeks calm and keeping to his schedule. They head to Tom’s. I gather they are a little shaken up by events in another crossover issue where they met up with the Thomases.

At Tom’s, Tom is dressed as Defender Kyle Richmond AKA Nighthawk, and looks shocked up himself. The party scene reminds me of James Sturm’s mostly true account of the real life party scene that lead to the creation of the Fantastic Four and featured a Vermont connection, as well. There are plenty of superhero costumes at this party. Len and Glynis confirm, Tom’s not right.

Thor, Sif, and Hildegrade land near by in the woods.

They confront Carl.

Hildegrade has Sif, as something is off.

As Glenys gets on Len’s case for eating burgers like he is Jugghead, with Gerry and Steve, we get a note from Roy that this crosses over into an issue of Beast. A direct ❌-Men intersection. We’ll take it.

Glynis sports a supergirl outfit that has “G". She is her own hero. Yup.

Something happened to her. She is gone.

Loki and the dogs (wolves?) hangs in a tree observing Thor and Carl. He seeks his hounds on Thor.

Our cartoonist friends are somehow part of Loki’s plot. Their souls will supply it power. Thor does not abide.

Karnilla is interjecting herself into the plot through manipulation involving Hildegrade has Sif.

Loki and Karnilla have disrupted the evening, sending off Steve’s car and leaving Hildegrade to say, “Thy beloved did leave with Karnilla, as she did promise!…and in my heart, I know…ne’er shell we see either of them…again!”

A delightfully cartooned panel.

Thor 208:

THE FOURTH-DIMENSIONAL MAN!

Thor flying Hildegrade is a delightful set up, after a delightfully over the tip cover. We land in NYC, startling awake poor Jarvis. Thor is in a mood.

Hildegrade demolishes the god of thunder for his tone, in defense of Jarvis. Damn strait!

Joined by the Warriors Three they get entangled with the Fourth Dimension, our friend Vision makes a cameo (he will matter soon enough), and a NY Cabby has a moment. We are back amongst New Yorkers.

Long story short (or as we are “Bening It,” “Short Story Long”), we can be forgiven if Earth-616, has déjà vu moments for us living on Earth-1218. Here be another one:

This chapter comes with warning about being an assistant editor on a comic.

We have jumped an issue of Dazzler, so now Alison is in a plane with a passed out pilot over mountains…so we have switch from Brenda Star vibes to Temple of Doom vibes. She saves two men and herself by parachuting them passed out into the desert air. Its title rendered in a classic adventure/romance comic style. Frank’s pretty good at this.

Between panels and pages the cops passing by have recovered them and returned them to safety, in a the hospital. “Soon…”

I guess one of the guys was a pop star, and Alison is not his level of famous, but that’s the plan. The staff are star struck.

“Later…” a page later, the naked guy who said “you” was Lois Dad, Alison’s step. Lois and Alison have the same mother and both have the ❌-gene. There is a little business and family drama. So Ali leaves.

She is picked up by a stranger. I guess if they don’t look like Caliban it’s safe…especially if they talk about it before getting in the car. I wonder how many children were lost because of this issue? No wonder Prof X and his telepathy can so easily populate his superhero school with children.

So the guy in the car is Ralph and he is an editor and he is headed to San Diego. WAIT A SECOND?! 😏

So She-Hulk is my favorite, in part because she brakes the fourth wall. But Marvel has a long tradition of grounded fantasy comics. They are designed this way for relevancy and intimacy with the experience for the audience. So they reference our reality a lot. Depict it to. As mentioned above, “My Thor” comics, the same thing is unfolding here. The assistant editor Macchio is picking up Dazzler.

They are now heading to San Diego Comic Con. Presumably the 16th, were there was about 5,000 attendees, like Harvey Kurtzman and Trina Robbins. This issue’s publication is a month after the event.

Side story, I guess the Army has figured out Alison is a mutant and are after her, like she is the Hulk.

“Meanwhile, in New York…” Bob Harras (editor of this comic) hasn’t heard from Ralph. Oh wait, maybe Bob is the assistant and he has free rein over the story because Ralph is out of town. It’s hard to tell, but it seems like Ann Nocenti, Liouse Simonson, Frank Spring, and other Bullpen members are in this page…or maybe they are at Comic Con. I definitely think that is Nocenti though.

So back in San Diego the convention is on. Ralph is autographing, so he has to be the head editor. Alison is commenting on the crowd…again 5,000…hahaha! And the Army and a mutant giant purple lizard is there and now Comic Con is trashed. Pandemonium! Alison saves the day and Ralph makes his phone call to Bob back in NYC, on the only standing structure. Part of a wall with a pay phone attached. Ending Bob’s reign of editorial power!

(Bob would end up being editor-in-chief as Marvel was in bankruptcy proceedings in 1996-1997…he then went to Image and then DC…and yes Macchio gave him his big brake. Macchio was a newly minted editor at this point. He was assistant editor under Dennis O’Neil the year before).

Alison is resolute to return to being a pop star.

Next: Uncanny X-Men Vol 1 No. 179