Previously, in COMICS 101: We began our look at Marvel’s premier female solo superhero, Ms. Marvel, as she first appeared in 1977. When we left off, the character and her alter ego Carol Danvers had been introduced to the readers (or re-introduced, in Carol’s case), although due to a pesky case of amnesia, Ms. Marvel […]
Tag Archives | Comics 101
Sometimes the Clothes Make the Woman
There are some comic-book characters that, for better or worse, are all about the costume. Take, for example, Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Marvel Comics’ Ms. Marvel, or as she’s been alternately known in the past, Binary, Warbird, and these days, Captain Marvel. The character has always been a favorite of mine, and I’ll admit much of […]
Same Bat-Time…
Time for another time-travel trip in the Wayback Machine. Set the dials for the year 1975. Li’l Scott has been forcibly called inside from playing in the front yard. Visibly miffed at this development (though not really able to verbalize it at age 4), Li’l Scott is plunked down in front of the TV while […]
Lit by the Tree
Every year, the Christmas tree would be different. One year, it would be the classic red and silver glass spheres. The next, scores of wooden ornaments, lovingly accumulated over decades. The next, dozens and dozens of crystal bells, painstakingly hand-stitched together for months in advance of the big debut. And every year, it would be […]
Staying on Target, Part VII
For Those Who Came In Late: We’ve been continuing our jaunt through the storied history of one Clinton Francis Barton, perhaps better known by his nom de voyage: Hawkeye the Marksman. Last time we explored Hawkeye’s first solo effort, which left him with a new costume and a new bride. Let us continue, shall we? […]
Staying on Target, Part VI
Previously: Our long-form look at Hawkeye the Marksman goes on unabated. When we left off, Hawkeye had just returned to the team after one of his lengthier absences, and big changes in his life were just around the corner… In September of 1983, after almost two decades of publication, ol’ Hawkeye finally got his own […]
Staying on Target, Part V
For Those Who Came In Late: We’re hipdeep in our extended coverage of Hawkeye the Marksman, Marvel Comics’ resident archer and lovable loudmouth. When we left off last week, a frustrated Hawkeye had just quit the Avengers, and was jetting off to the West Coast in pursuit of a lost love, the Black Widow, who […]
Staying on Target, Part IV
Last time: When last we convened we were in the midst of our discussion of Marvel’s Avenging Archer, Hawkeye the Marksman. When we left off, Hawkeye, in the grip of a long-building inferiority complex, had given up his bow and quiver in exchange of steady doses of Hank Pym’s growth serum, transforming him into the […]
Staying on Target, Part III
Previously: We’ve been talking of late about Hawkeye the marksman, the Marvel Universe’s resident archer extraordinaire, longtime Avenger and seemingly full-time member of the lonely hearts club. Brother has no luck with the ladies. When we left off last time, Hawkeye was finding his way on an Avengers team increasingly populated with much more powerful […]
Staying on Target, Part II
For Those Who Came In Late: Last time, we began our coverage of Marvel Comics’ resident archer and malcontent, Hawkeye the Marksman. As we saw then, Hawkeye got his start as a misunderstood supervillain, repeatedly finding himself in conflict with Iron Man thanks to Hawkeye’s romantic fixation on the Soviet femme fatale the Black Widow. […]
Marvel’s Most Overlooked Giant: Black Goliath
Editor’s Note: Remember Laurence Fishburne in ANT-MAN AND THE WASP? Who’s he playing, you ask? Bill Foster, a.k.a. Black Goliath. Seeing Fishburne on the screen made me think about poor doomed Black Goliath, blasted through the torso by a Thor clone back in 2007 and then buried by helicopters at full height for a bit […]
Airboy Goes to China
Way, way back in the day, in these pages, we discussed Hillman Periodicals’ stable of slightly jingoistic characters published during World War II, military aviation heroes like Airboy, SkyWolf, the Flying Fool, the Iron Ace, Black Angel and the Heap. But what we didn’t discuss is how the character matured once the war was […]
AND THEN THERE WAS ONE: Crisis on Infinite Earths
For those who came in late: If you missed last week’s Comics 101, it’s probably a good idea to go back and catch up before diving into this week’s concluding installment. For those of you who can’t be talked into it, here’s the Cliff Notes version: In an effort to explain why some of their […]