The BSS Q&A Thread: It's Time For Arkhamaniacs

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > BSS: Bisexual Super Son > The BSS Q&A Thread: It's Time For Arkhamaniacs

«‹›509 »

ecavalli: Nov 18, 2012

While recovering from surgery I'm rereading Ostrander's seminal run on Suicide Squad for the fifth time and I've got a few questions for those of you with a better grasp of DC's history/continuity than I.

Does Captain Boomerang (Digger Harkness) have any other appearances that are worth reading? He's a delightful bastard in SS.
Was Sheba created for SS or did it exist prior to Ostrander's run? (Airwolf doesn't count.)
That first volume is the only Suicide Squad comics I've read, largely because I haven't heard anyone gush over later runs like they do for the original. Are there any other worthwhile SS storylines?
Just how strenuous were DC's editors about blue language in this era? There's a number of lines that were pretty obviously written to include a "poo poo" or "rear end" then altered to be more family-friendly, yet Captain Boomerang pretty regularly addresses women with Aussie slang for "whore" and even refers to black characters as "abos" a few times. Was that all ignored because uptight American moms wouldn't pick up on such things?

(Aside: If you haven't read the first volume of Suicide Squad, do so before the live-action movie debuts next year. I have no idea how the film is shaping up, but I feel very comfortable in saying that it will look like terrible when compared to the unexpectedly intelligent, mature stories Ostrander was writing in the 1980s.)

ecavalli fucked around with this message at 07:55 on Aug 14, 2015

# ? Aug 14, 2015 07:52

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 12, 2024 23:04

SiKboy: Oct 28, 2007; Oh no!😱

Prison Warden posted:

So this is a really specific one.

When I was a kid, back in the 90s, I owned a huge comic collection. I don't remember where I got it, or when, but I do remember the thing was about half the thickness of a dictionary, maybe, and had a whole bunch of stuff in it. I'm wondering if anyone knows what the hell this thing was. I know a lot of specific info but I've had very little luck investigating this every few years when I remember it again. Aside from a single Age of Apocalypse comic a friend owned where Blink fought Holocaust, this was my first exposure to most of these comic characters.

I remember there was a Superman story (probably a John Byrne one), that was the first time I'd ever seen skintones done with multiple little dots, that had Superman being interviewed by Lois Lane, that seemed to follow on from a previous issue where Superman saved "a crashing space-plane". It had such moments and Superman flying/swimming through water for some reason, and telling Lois that he didn't drink and never developed a taste for Brie. As well as dodging suspicion that he knew where she lived by him "knowing where everyone lives" in a creepy manner.

There was a story with Spider-Man fighting Doctor Octopus on a nuclear submarine, it had a bunch of cool moments like Doc Ock using crude oil so Spidey couldn't stick to walls, and a lot of villain speeches. (Doc Ock also "died" at the end)

There was a Hulk story where he is minding his own business in a corn field when he is abducted by a weirdo alien. I remember the alien trying to inject/dissect Bruce Banner for some reason and him Hulking out and the needle snapping. In the end, just the dirt under the Hulk's fingernails was enough to save the alien's species.

There was a Batman story where he had a blue cowl/cape. It was a story where Batman, I think, encounters the scarecrow for the first time. A guy dies ... of fright and Batman tracks the culprit to an abandoned fairground or something (helpful, I know).

I think the entirety of a Tintin story was in there. I want to say Tintin and the Black Island, but I maybe have read that separately later. There was also a Captain America story I don't recall much about too, as well as a fuckton of smaller, newspaper style comics. A lot of which I'm positive were never published here in the UK. Marmaduke, Funky Winkerbean, Love Is, Peanuts, Garfield, Beetle Bailey. I think it may have also had a Frank Sidebottom comic?

This thing was jam-packed. I seem to recall it was made for some kind of charity concert thing, or at least had images from one in it. To the extent I'm sure it was some kind of charity thing. Maybe Live Aid, though I haven't found anything searcing for that. And while Live Aid was some time before I was even born, I'm sure I got the comic second hand, and I think it was missing pages too.

I'd be interested in finding a copy, or even just knowing what the hell this was.

e: There was also a Judge Dredd story where he was inside a giant pinball machine.

You arent making this up or misremembering, and it wasnt a custom binding of comics; I had this too. White, soft cover book, basically a compilation of strips/stories to raise money for charity of some description. There was I think a Lucky Luke story in there somewhere, aside from that I only really remember the batman, hulk, judge dredd (the story involved him chasing someone into a arcade where people got into essentially a zorb (spray on plastic called Boing) and became the ball in a giant pinball machine) and spiderman stories you mentioned. I had it in probably the early 90s. I dont remember what it was called at all unfortunately, and I havent seen it in the last maybe 20 years.

I dont think it was live aid, but hell if I remember what the charity was.

Edit; Maybe it was for comic relief?

SiKboy fucked around with this message at 11:46 on Aug 14, 2015

# ? Aug 14, 2015 11:40

Random Stranger: Nov 27, 2009

The Spider-Man story sounds like Amazing Spider-Man 131, the issue where Doctor Octopus marries Aunt May. They have a long fight on a submarine in that one.

I tried to cross reference that with Man of Steel 2 and came up with nothing, though.

# ? Aug 14, 2015 15:17

Madkal: Feb 11, 2008; Can't post for 3 hours!; Fallen Rib

ecavalli posted:

While recovering from surgery I'm rereading Ostrander's seminal run on Suicide Squad for the fifth time and I've got a few questions for those of you with a better grasp of DC's history/continuity than I.

Does Captain Boomerang (Digger Harkness) have any other appearances that are worth reading? He's a delightful bastard in SS.

Was Sheba created for SS or did it exist prior to Ostrander's run? (Airwolf doesn't count.)

That first volume is the only Suicide Squad comics I've read, largely because I haven't heard anyone gush over later runs like they do for the original. Are there any other worthwhile SS storylines?

Just how strenuous were DC's editors about blue language in this era? There's a number of lines that were pretty obviously written to include a "poo poo" or "rear end" then altered to be more family-friendly, yet Captain Boomerang pretty regularly addresses women with Aussie slang for "whore" and even refers to black characters as "abos" a few times. Was that all ignored because uptight American moms wouldn't pick up on such things?

(Aside: If you haven't read the first volume of Suicide Squad, do so before the live-action movie debuts next year. I have no idea how the film is shaping up, but I feel very comfortable in saying that it will look like terrible when compared to the unexpectedly intelligent, mature stories Ostrander was writing in the 1980s.)

I quite enjoyed Suicide Squad: Out of the Ashes which was a SS story Ostrander did about 8 or so years ago. Pretty much a short mini continuation of his stuff.
As for the language thing, I always felt SS got more leeway due to the storylines (ie more political and with evil people). There is also the theory that the editors just don't know how Aussies speak as well.

# ? Aug 14, 2015 16:16

prefect: Sep 11, 2001; No one, Woodhouse.
No one.; Dead Man’s Band

ecavalli posted:

Just how strenuous were DC's editors about blue language in this era? There's a number of lines that were pretty obviously written to include a "poo poo" or "rear end" then altered to be more family-friendly, yet Captain Boomerang pretty regularly addresses women with Aussie slang for "whore" and even refers to black characters as "abos" a few times. Was that all ignored because uptight American moms wouldn't pick up on such things?

The first time I heard/saw the word "abo" was in an X-Men comic. It was pretty clear that it was not a nice thing to say, but I think foreign curse words and slurs don't count to editors.

# ? Aug 14, 2015 16:19

redbackground: Sep 24, 2007; BEHOLD!
OPTIC BLAST!; Grimey Drawer

ecavalli posted:

While recovering from surgery I'm rereading Ostrander's seminal run on Suicide Squad for the fifth time and I've got a few questions for those of you with a better grasp of DC's history/continuity than I.

Was Sheba created for SS or did it exist prior to Ostrander's run? (Airwolf doesn't count.)

Sheba and all the Belle Reve personnel were created for SS.

# ? Aug 14, 2015 16:19

Rohan Kishibe: Oct 29, 2011; Frankly, I don't like you
and I never have.

SiKboy posted:

You arent making this up or misremembering, and it wasnt a custom binding of comics; I had this too. White, soft cover book, basically a compilation of strips/stories to raise money for charity of some description. There was I think a Lucky Luke story in there somewhere, aside from that I only really remember the batman, hulk, judge dredd (the story involved him chasing someone into a arcade where people got into essentially a zorb (spray on plastic called Boing) and became the ball in a giant pinball machine) and spiderman stories you mentioned. I had it in probably the early 90s. I dont remember what it was called at all unfortunately, and I havent seen it in the last maybe 20 years.

I dont think it was live aid, but hell if I remember what the charity was.

Edit; Maybe it was for comic relief?

Yeah the spray on plastic I remember vividly. I'm sure the name wasn't just boing but something like bOiingg (tm) every time.

# ? Aug 14, 2015 18:32

Senior Woodchuck: Aug 29, 2006; When you're lost out there and you're all alone, a light is waiting to carry you home

prefect posted:

The first time I heard/saw the word "abo" was in an X-Men comic. It was pretty clear that it was not a nice thing to say, but I think foreign curse words and slurs don't count to editors.

Which would explain how "kike" got into an issue of Wolverine...

# ? Aug 14, 2015 18:52

toanoradian: May 31, 2011; The happiest waffligator

My first exposure to the DC comics was The Flash, because I loved the tv series. From what I can gather, unlike the tv show, in the comics Barry Allen is best buds with Batman and the Green Lantern instead of the other Green guy. In the comics, what sort of relationship does Barry Allen have with Oliver Queen?

toanoradian fucked around with this message at 19:08 on Aug 14, 2015

# ? Aug 14, 2015 18:58

ecavalli: Nov 18, 2012

Senior Woodchuck posted:

Which would explain how "kike" got into an issue of Wolverine...

That was ostensibly an editorial mistake. A massive, baffling editorial mistake.

# ? Aug 14, 2015 19:20

Unmature: May 9, 2008

prefect posted:

The first time I heard/saw the word "abo" was in an X-Men comic. It was pretty clear that it was not a nice thing to say, but I think foreign curse words and slurs don't count to editors.

I just read a Grant/Breyfogle issue of Batman from the 80s where they say abo at least fifteen times. I also remember seeing it a lot in early Tank Girl.

# ? Aug 14, 2015 19:43

HitTheTargets: Mar 3, 2006; I came here to laugh at you.

toanoradian posted:

My first exposure to the DC comics was The Flash, because I loved the tv series. From what I can gather, unlike the tv show, in the comics Barry Allen is best buds with Batman and the Green Lantern instead of the other Green guy. In the comics, what sort of relationship does Barry Allen have with Oliver Queen?

They get along alright, but you're far more likely to see Flash/Green Lantern or Green Lantern/Green Arrow.

Kid Flash and GA Jr. were pretty chummy, if I recall correctly.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 01:33

Mr. Maltose: Feb 16, 2011; The Guffless Girlverine

Wasn't Wally West the second Green Arrow's sponsor to join the Justice League during Morrison's run?

# ? Aug 15, 2015 02:04

Rhyno: Mar 22, 2003; Can't post for 10 years!

Mr. Maltose posted:

Wasn't Wally West the second Green Arrow's sponsor to join the Justice League during Morrison's run?

No, it was Kyle Rayner. Wally wanted Max Mercury on the team for some reason.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:03

HitTheTargets: Mar 3, 2006; I came here to laugh at you.

When did Taskmaster's origin change from being born with his power to getting an injection?

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:23

Mr. Maltose: Feb 16, 2011; The Guffless Girlverine

Rhyno posted:

No, it was Kyle Rayner. Wally wanted Max Mercury on the team for some reason.

To be fair, Max Mercury loving rocks so I completely understand.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:28

bobkatt013: Oct 8, 2006; Youâre telling me Peter Parker is ...... Spider-man!?

Rhyno posted:

No, it was Kyle Rayner. Wally wanted Max Mercury on the team for some reason.

Wally trust Max to take care of impulse and is one of his teachers

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:29

Rhyno: Mar 22, 2003; Can't post for 10 years!

bobkatt013 posted:

Wally trust Max to take care of impulse and is one of his teachers

Why would the JLA need two speedsters at that point?

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:30

bobkatt013: Oct 8, 2006; Youâre telling me Peter Parker is ...... Spider-man!?

Rhyno posted:

Why would the JLA need two speedsters at that point?

They were looking to stop huge threats. Rather two speedsters than one speedster and huntress

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:36

Rhyno: Mar 22, 2003; Can't post for 10 years!

bobkatt013 posted:

They were looking to stop huge threats. Rather two speedsters than one speedster and huntress

In the story even Max thought it was pointless and only came to get pictures of the moon.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:40

WickedHate: Aug 1, 2013; by Lowtax

Rhyno posted:

Why would the JLA need two speedsters at that point?

Two speedsters alone should logically curb stomp any threat, much less two speedsters plus the rest of the League, but at that point it's so overpowered nothing would be fair.

Hell, there needs to be a Justice League of nothing but speedsters. All other heroes could retire forever.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:40

Rhyno: Mar 22, 2003; Can't post for 10 years!

WickedHate posted:

Hell, there needs to be a Justice League of nothing but speedsters. All other heroes could retire forever.

They sure do have enough of them

Note that this is like 1/10th of the characters with super speed in the DCU.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:42

Unmature: May 9, 2008

Rhyno posted:

They sure do have enough of them

Note that this is like 1/10th of the characters with super speed in the DCU.

Man, just one Flash working a 40 hour shift a week should be able to pretty much eradicate crime.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 03:49

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

HitTheTargets posted:

When did Taskmaster's origin change from being born with his power to getting an injection?

2010 in the Taskmaster mini by Fred Van Lente and Jefte Paolo. I'm pretty sure this is also where the detail that he loses personal memories every time he 'memorizes' something.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:01

SirDan3k: Jan 6, 2001; Trust me, you are taking this a lot more seriously then I am.

RandallODim posted:

2010 in the Taskmaster mini by Fred Van Lente and Jefte Paolo. I'm pretty sure this is also where the detail that he loses personal memories every time he 'memorizes' something.

It's come up all of once since then though with a minor character I've forgotten the name of in Avengers Academy who might have been his daughter.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:06

RandallODim: Dec 30, 2010; Another 1? Aww man...

SirDan3k posted:

It's come up all of once since then though with a minor character I've forgotten the name of in Avengers Academy who might have been his daughter.

Which is once more than his wife/handler and his status as 'double top secret SHIELD agent'.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:10

Air Skwirl: May 13, 2007; Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed shitposting.

I know Marvel Unlimited has it's gaps and mis-dated items, but is Ultimate Spider-Man #1 really the first bit of work Bendis did for Marvel? because that's a hell of a debut.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:21

Unmature: May 9, 2008

Skwirl posted:

I know Marvel Unlimited has it's gaps and mis-dated items, but is Ultimate Spider-Man #1 really the first bit of work Bendis did for Marvel? because that's a hell of a debut.

Wasn't Alias before that?

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:27

X-O: Apr 28, 2002; Long Live The King!

Skwirl posted:

I know Marvel Unlimited has it's gaps and mis-dated items, but is Ultimate Spider-Man #1 really the first bit of work Bendis did for Marvel? because that's a hell of a debut.

It was either that or Daredevil Ninja I think. Both were around the same time so I'm not sure which came first.

Unmature posted:

Wasn't Alias before that?

Nope. Ultimate Spider-Man was well underway when Alias came out.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:29

zoux: Apr 28, 2006

So he got USM on what, the strength of Goldfish?

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:30

X-O: Apr 28, 2002; Long Live The King!

He had a well regarded run on Sam and Twitch before that, so probably that got him noticed.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:32

Rhyno: Mar 22, 2003; Can't post for 10 years!

People seem to forget that Bendis wrote a shitload of comics before USM #1.

http://www.comicbookdb.com/creator_chron.php?ID=5

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:34

X-O: Apr 28, 2002; Long Live The King!

Rhyno posted:

People seem to forget that Bendis wrote a shitload of comics before USM #1.

http://www.comicbookdb.com/creator_chron.php?ID=5

He was asking if USM was his first work for Marvel.

That link says USM came out one month before Daredevil Ninja, so yes USM was his first work at Marvel.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:36

Endless Mike: Aug 13, 2003

WickedHate posted:

Two speedsters alone should logically curb stomp any threat, much less two speedsters plus the rest of the League, but at that point it's so overpowered nothing would be fair.

Hell, there needs to be a Justice League of nothing but speedsters. All other heroes could retire forever.

No they need at least one guy who can fly. Justice League of Speedsters and Superman.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:37

Rhyno: Mar 22, 2003; Can't post for 10 years!

X-O posted:

He was asking if USM was his first work for Marvel.

That link says USM came out one month before Daredevil Ninja, so yes USM was his first work at Marvel.

I meant to quote zoux in my reply. He got his work at Marvel based on the strength and buzz of a lot of comics.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:39

TwoPair: Mar 28, 2010; Pandamn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta; Grimey Drawer

Rhyno posted:

Why would the JLA need two speedsters at that point?

Power redundancy has never stopped the JLA from keeping multiple characters around whose powerset boils down to "flies, super strength"

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:45

redbackground: Sep 24, 2007; BEHOLD!
OPTIC BLAST!; Grimey Drawer

bobkatt013 posted:

Rather two speedsters than one speedster and huntress

Huntress was the hero of DC1M so she gets a pass.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:48

WickedHate: Aug 1, 2013; by Lowtax

Endless Mike posted:

No they need at least one guy who can fly. Justice League of Speedsters and Superman.

Eh, I'm sure they could get away with saying Flash runs so fast he [technobabble] because [technobabble] and thus can fly.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 04:58

Air Skwirl: May 13, 2007; Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed shitposting.

WickedHate posted:

Eh, I'm sure they could get away with saying Flash runs so fast he [technobabble] because [technobabble] and thus can fly.

They've been pretty consistent about him needing either a ramp or the side of a building to run up as much as I can remember.

# ? Aug 15, 2015 05:01

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 12, 2024 23:04

Opopanax: Aug 8, 2007; I HEX YE!!!

If they have a whole team of speedsters Deathstroke will just act super cool and take them all out, though

# ? Aug 15, 2015 05:09

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > BSS: Bisexual Super Son > The BSS Q&A Thread: It's Time For Arkhamaniacs

«‹›509 »