A Deviant high priest. A ghostly gunslinger. Marvel’s answer to Superboy. A magician with the power of fishnets. Which are hot and which are not? Coverage on the fifth issue of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition continues.
Featuring permanent panelists Elyse, Isabel, Nathalie, Josée, Amélie and Shotgun.
Listen to Episode 42 below (the usual mature language warnings apply), or subscribe to oHOTmu OR NOT? on iTunes!
Relevant images and further credits at: oHOTmu or NOT ep.42 Supplemental
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I’m confused. I don’t see any shorts on Ghost Rider. I see him wearing pants and having his guns tied to his thighs, but not shorts.
Also, speaking as someone from New Jersey, we don’t have an accent. Well, not the accent that you’re thinking of. Most of what people consider “Jersey” accents are actual from New York City transplants or vacationers. A good portion of the women do dress like Glamor, though, except the fishnets are replaced with leggings.
I believe my friend are simply refusing to acknowledge skin-tight spandex as clothing for a cowboy.
Not so much skin-tight spandex as painted on jeans. I haven’t seen many pairs of spandex pants that have a fly, but I also don’t go around looking at spandex pants so I could be wrong. 🙂
Ghaur: One of the things I love be about this show is that the gang’s comments can often trrevocably change the way I look at characters. Ghaur’s headwill always be a dinner roll now. Specifically, a pretzel roll.
Gladiator: it is very hard for me to like him as a character. He is supposed to be a Superman derivative but he is always so freaking pompous. It is like a stain on Superman! All the way from The Marvel universe! That’s why I loved when he lost faith and got knocked out by Sue Storm! It is odd to see Curt Swan in a Marvel book!
Glamor: Uuuuggghhh! I don’t want to say she is hot. But she seems just like the type I would have fallen for in younger years. I am pretty sure I did her calculus homework in high school in hopes of getting a date. (Spoiler alert – lots of calculus homework, no dates)
As always, great show. Laughed too hard!
Sigh. I’m not going to beat my old Curt Swan drum, but I will say, MANY comic artists draw the same face over and over (John Byrne comes to mind). And Swan actually gave the Legionnaires distinctive faces, Mr. Legion of Super Bloggers.
I guess I did beat that drum.
Man, I dig Ghost Rider. Not shorts, of course, but I love that look. Ghost Rider was actually published by a different publisher that was not a forerunner of Marvel (Timely, Atlas, etc.). Magazine Enterprises was founded by one-time DC editor Vin Sullivan, and Ghost Rider was co-created by artist Dick Ayers, who went on to work for Marvel and brought the character with him when the trademark lapsed. Marvel scooped it up, and that IP has made them quite a bit of money! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazine_Enterprises
Chris
Hey, I’ve said the same about John Byrne, maybe even on the show. Of course, here the point was to MAKE him look like Superman. And Russell Burbage is Mr. Legion of Super-Bloggers, I only do the Reboot reviews and post-Levitz Who’s Who work.
I knew about the original Ghost Rider, but didn’t want to muddy the waters on the show. It was indeed a good buy.
Once a Legionnaire, always a legionnaire…even with all the reboots!
Chris
Ghaur – I’m honestly pretty impressed with just how alien this design is. Having grown up on Star Trek and now being over the “basically human but with one weird face thing” image of aliens, the more inhuman the look the more I tend to like it. That’s in broad terms though. Date him? That’d be a pretty solid “pass.” I have a feeling he’d get pissed when I’d keep wanting to feel the ridges on his head.
Ghost Rider – Sadly, I have to agree with Siskoid: they aren’t shorts. But I see what the ladies are seeing and the idea is adorable. I’m torn on this one, because it does a lot of stuff that I like. Surprisingly dynamic despite uniform coloring, the faceless mask is working, I like the pose. But there’s something about this that just makes me feel like he stepped out of a Scooby Doo episodes. The gang’s going to pull the mask off and find out it was Old Man Whithers all along. And let’s see if we can get #horseonahorse going.
Gladiator – No. No. God no. Fuck no. Are you serious? No! Fuck off out of here, fucking no. Everything is just an avalanche of no about this. The color, the outfit, the god damn Mohawk. It’s like somebody was trying to create the worst superhero ever designed. Honestly it was the Mohawk that fully broke me. Because I’m looking at this square jawed, doofy, upright looking guy. And then I see the hair and think “Yeah right dude, that’s not even close to who you are. You’re embarrassing yourself.” It screams mid-life crisis. And that’s even before getting into the “super impressed with himself” bullshit. I get enough of that from certain political figures that will go unnamed. #fucktrump
Glamour (corrected for spelling) – I wanted her to redeem this episode. I really just can’t. I’m down with fishnets (and have never found them as uncomfortable as the ladies,) but I hate the hair and the puffy sleeves. Also there’s something so contrived that she has a power set that basically perfectly aligns with the kinds of tricks that stage magicians already do. That’s the kind of thing I could buy with a historical character, like they did these tricks way back in the day because it’s the powers they had and then other magicians figured out ways to fake it in order to compete and they became the standard tricks. But doing it the other way just smacks of a corporate planning meeting. Some douchebag chomping on a cigar going “ok, what about a superhero magician? Somebody pitch me that powers!” and then a nervous junior executive going “I guess she’d have the powers to do the things magicians pretend to do but for real? Like she can separate, and walk through walls, and stuff?” The executive goes “you’re fired!” and as soon as he’s out of the room the executive goes “I’ve got it! She’s got the powers you’d need to do magician tricks for real! Get this down to the art department. It’s gonna be a goldmine!”… I don’t know why I went that elaborate with the scenario, but I think you get what I mean.
What a miserable crop this was. But great listening as always.
I really enjoyed this episode as, once again, it challenges my ingrained comic book aesthetic. It needs to be done! And to address one of the ladies, I’m not mad and definitely NOT disappointed. This show is always an Armadillo and never a f’neh. Finding my joy in 2019!
Ghost Rider – I understand that they are pants. I always assumed they were pants, but because of the influence of the ladies, I now can only see shorts. In fact, they look like spandex bike shorts. Now I have an image of him in his full costume but on a 10-speed Schwinn instead of a horse. #BeachVibes #Horseception.
Gladiator – I always wanted to get into this character, but I just never did. And now, because of the ladies, I have less desire to do so. If I don’t believe in him, does he have power over me? Or is it just his belief in himself? This seems like a slippery slope unless he’s so egotistical he believes in himself all the time? Hmmmm, maybe I’m back on board this character because I just have so many questions on how this works…….
Anyways, another great episode as always and I’m looking forward to the next one (as well as the mentioned FW Team-Up with Etrigan!). Keep up the great work!
Ghauur: During the discussion about which Deviants to cull, I picture Siskoid biting his tongue about Ransak the Reject from the Eternals listing, because he was a rejected Deviant for exactly the reasons the gang gave.
Ghoust Rider: I can’t unsee the shorts now. #ShootingClams
Gladiatour: Man, if he was dating one of this crew, he’d never have powers! I love it! His mohawk should droop as he loses confidence. (#EmoFringe?)
Glaumor: Is any of the gang watching the Doom Patrol streaming series? It would answer all of their questions about #SemiLiquid, and not in a good way. (#PorkShoulderHip?)
You’re right, an extra “u” makes every name better. (I’m sorry, I’m a bad person.)
#TinyPriests
Mrs Priest does not have horses anymore, her last one went to the big pasture in the sky and she decided it was time to drop that expensive hobby. Mr Priest just wrote the checks. But I can tell you my wife liked bay/browns, and they usually had a white flash down the face and one or more white leg that look like socks. Favorite snacks were apples or carrots.
No, she was NOT riding when that far pregnant, but that is a frightening image expecting twins! Trust me, she had no interest in any “bouncing” with that much baby in there. Way too painful.
My tongue still hurts. Of course they will see this comment, but will have forgotten it my the time we get to the R’s in the Year 5.5/Apple/26 (too deep a cut?).
No one here is yet watching Doom Patrol, but last night a commercial came on and Amelie (of course Amelie) expressed interest based on the visuals.
Hmm, that deep cut sounds familiar, but I’m not placing it.
That sounds like Amelie. I look forward to hearing what she thinks, if she follows thru.
And it’s a good thing I’m not a superhero, because I’m the worst at keeping my secret identity. (Didn’t sign as Time Priest AGAIN!)
Mrs Shagg rides horses. TEAM-UP! But no fighting first, ladies.
I do hope Mrs Shagg meeting Mrs Priest would be more DCCP than M2-in-1.
I always enjoy listening to this group, even when I don’t know the characters they’re dissecting. Re: Gladiator; Chris already spoke up to defend Curt Swan’s drawing, but I just want to add look at that right hand. It’s not a fist, or claws, or rage hands, it’s just a perfectly drawn relaxed hand. The other thing about Gladiator, does the Daredevil foe Gladiator appear in this series? Think the ladies would go for a guy with spinning saws on the backs of his hands?
He’s in the Book of the Dead. RIP
Splendid show, ladies and gent.
We’ve only just found The Nanny and love it, onto series four. Fran’s not from Noo Joisey, though, she’s from Flushing, Queens (cue theme song!). Then again, I also thought ‘Nanny’ as you were describing her.
Surely the original Ghost Rider died from all that lead in his luminous paint?
‘Banshee’ is a great name for a spooky horse. His secret ID could be ‘Benjie’. (‘I say thee NEIGH!’)
Curt Swan could draw a huge variety of faces, with enormous subtlety of expression (I’m sure you’ve seen the Silver Age ‘Many faces of Superman’ model sheet, so quit rock trolling Mike!) but given he was employed specifically because he’s THE Superman artist, of course he’s going to draw a Superman physog. And Good Sir Chris, keep beating that drum.
Mind, I always assumed Gladiator was a Mon-El analogue (I give you not just a ‘u’, but an ‘e’!), not a Superboy substitute. Then again, Philip Wylie’s pulp hero Gladiator was an influence on the creation of Supes, so maybe I’m wrong. That chest symbol is a stylised G for Gladiator.
Glamour’s look is simply pants but I love the power set. Just perfect. And I love matching married super-types. We see a lot of magicians when we go cruising and the women always seem to marry the men… contortionists are apparently great wife material.
That’s twice this week you’ve mentioned that Gargoyle is an obvious Demon rip-if, Mike. It never crossed my mind… they’re both visually based on gargoyles is all, their personalities are so different. Can you imagined Etrigan dating an old lady named ‘Dolly’!
I don’t know why I never saw the “G” before! Too focused on the analog and seeing a reversed S-shield I guess! If Gladiator was ever Mon-El (say in the mind of Dave Cockrum), he lost that connection by the time he got the name Kallark, but that would be later.
Actually, here’s the reference on Wikipedia, and it comes from the horse’s mouth directly:
In The X-Men Companion, interviewer Peter Sanderson asks Gladiator co-creator Dave Cockrum, “How about the Imperial Guard? Can you give a key as to who’s who? The leader, Gladiator, is supposed to be Superboy…?” Cockrum answers, “Superboy, sure.” Later, Sanderson comments, “There’s the leader, Gladiator. Coming right from the Philip Wylie novel Superman was based on.” Cockrum replies, “That’s why we did that.” The X-Men Companion, “Interview With Dave Cockrum”, Fantagraphic Books, 1982, page 82.
I have no such scholarly support for my take on the Gargoyle.
His boots are kind of like Superboy/man’s stretched into thigh-highs, but the main reason Gladiator’s costume is not Mon-El’s is that belt. That’s a Superboy/man belt.
Well, that’s that sorted!
Unless he has Big Yellow Fasteners where we can’t see ‘em.
Another fun episode!
Regarding the questions about Ghaur: As for why he didn’t use his powers to cure the too-deformed Deviants rather than sacrifice them, I don’t know whether his powers were unique to him or whether other priest-lords could manipulate DNA as well. If the other priest-lords didn’t have his power, then it was probably a tradition by the time he came to power. (Also, I don’t remember for certain, but I think the ’80s Eternals mini-series revealed that he wasn’t actually killing the “sacrifices,” but was secretly keeping them alive to be his slaves/soldiers.)
When the ladies asked whether Ghaur could manipulate their DNA, I believe the comic made it clear that his powers only worked on Deviants and not on humans. To change a human’s appearance, the Deviants needed a special machine rather than Ghaur’s powers…and it didn’t work too well. (Spoiler alert) That’s why the hero Ikaris’ girlfriend Margo Damian (excuse me, Damian, comma, Margo) is in the Book of the Dead.
They asked whether a “human-looking” Deviant would be among those considered too deformed to live…when you get to the “R” volume, you’ll meet Ranak the Reject, who was not destroyed but was ostracized for his “freakish” human appearance.
Ghost Rider: I’m amazed by how accurately they envisioned the scenario of “killing a stalker in self-defense and then being stalked by his ghost”…yep, that’s pretty much exactly what happened with Mockingbird and Phantom Rider!
Now I need to see a horse riding a horse!
Gladiator: I was lucky enough to meet Curt Swan at a convention before his passing, and I got him to sign the Gladiator page in OHOTMU (since these books make such great autograph-collecting books). This was Swan’s only work for Marvel Comics. It’s kind of interesting that another Marvel Superman counterpart, Omega the Unknown, had his OHOTMU entry drawn by another classic Superman artist, Wayne Boring. (You’ll get to Omega in the Book of the Dead.)
Glamor: The reason for her New Jersey origins is that Richard Howell, the artist of the Vision & Scarlet Witch mini-series and this OHOTMU entry, lived in Leonia, NJ at the time (and maybe still does, I don’t know). Writer Steve Englehart had the heroes move to Leonia as a shout-out to his collaborator, and possibly so that Howell could draw locations he was familiar with, rather than have to get photo-reference for the locale (which probably would have been a bit of a hassle in those pre-internet days).
Great episode –
Re: shorts on Ghost Rider- I’ve had this argument abuout this page- I know they aren’t shorts, because I lost the argument. The argument came from a “cowboy”, (drunk red neck with a cowboy hat,)- “That’s stupid cowboys don’t ware shorts.”
(When it’s my turn to be designated driver I bring comics to read- I live in a red neck town- Geting drunks to talk about superheroes produces the few jems like that-)
So I wasn’t going to say anything- because I don’t want to cause trouble- and I listen too a lot of great Comic book podcasts (many on this network)- but because I’m going though a nestagia for a particular age of Marvel my top two favorites discuss this era-
So above most of this network- Jay and Miles- and anything by Hub- are tied for the top—-
This show and “Unpacking the Power of Power Pack.” And as you asked who the rival was just seconds before mentioning them, i felt compelled to inform you.
Hahaha, well we’re in good company. Don’t worry about it, I play favorites all the time. And am very fickle. I’ll tell people they’re my favorite, then rip the title away from them minutes later because someone else just became the favorite. I find it parses out brown nosers from the pack. If you don’t care whether you’re my favorite or not, then you’re doing what you do for the right reasons, right?
Ghaur: Fneh. Yes, he’s a bad guy, but he can’t help that he’s a Deviant.
Ghost Rider: He rules! But because he’s a horse and his name is great, Banshee RULEERZ!! (That’s the next level above “rules”, apparently.)
Gladiator: Rules. We want to pet his brushy hair. It looks fuzzy. And he’s purple.
Glamor: Rules, she be cool.
Sorry this was so late, the two-fers were not that interested this month. Sigh. I understand if it’s too late for the next episode.
You missed it by almost exactly 24 hours. We’ll address it next time, no worries.