Make Mine Marvel

Reading all(-ish) of Marvel Comics from the beginning

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Thing #24 (Carlin/Wilson, June 1985). I do feel bad for Aleksei. He’s been stuck in that rhino suit for over a decade, even considering the sliding timeline. He must smell horrible.

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Uncanny X-Men #197 (Claremont/Romita Jr, Sept 1985). Arcade’s silly games give Piotr and Kitty a chance to work out their post-breakup issues.

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Marvel Graphic Novel #18 (Byrne, Nov 1985). Shameless cheesecake, icky villains, and lavish color herald a new chapter for Jen! I’m sure modern readers will balk at how Jen’s repeatedly violated. I’d argue the story actively critiques the characters undermining her agency… even as Byrne revels in the pleasures of objectifying her, making him complicit in those same violations. At the heart of it is a fair (and fascinating) question of whether Jen maintains control of her image and identity.

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Captain America #310 (Gruenwald/Neaey, Oct 1985). Steve submits his commercial portfolio to Marvel Comics. Why not? Reed’s had a publishing deal with the company since Stan and Jack, Hulk once sought refuge in Ann Nocenti’s office — the bullpen’s essentially another HQ for heroes.

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Moon Knight #3 (Zelenetz/Warner, Sept 1985). This rematch with Morpheus calls attention to how much horror we lose in a grittier, more realistic style.

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Longshot #1 (Nocenti/Adams, Sept 1985). Nearly incomprehensible debut for an amnesiac hero and a band of beasts from another world.

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Amazing Spider-Man #267 (David/McLeod, Aug 1985). Pete commutes to the suburbs to catch a robber. The typical Parker luck follows him.

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Power Pack #13 (Simonson/Anderson, Aug 1985). The kids interfere with a ballgame to stop a bomber. It’s okay, they’re not even real teams.

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Moon Knight #2 (Zelenetz/Warner, July 1985). Spector investigates the dastardly experiments of Arthur Harrow.

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Web of Spider-Man #5 (Fingeroth/Mooney, July 1985). Assuming his defeats are a matter of physical skill, Doc Ock builds a silent Spidey robot to practice on. Which is so greta, ‘cause clearly the issue isn’t Pete’s strength or dexterity but rather his unstoppable motormouth. Once the two foes meet again, all it takes is a sheepish plea from ol’ Webhead and Otto freezes up. I never think the movies put enough value on Spidey’s quips.

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Iron Man #200 (O’Neil/Bright, Nov 1985). Obadiah Stane misjudges his opponent, and Tony unveils his new Silver Centurion armor.

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Web of Spider-Man #4 (Fingeroth/LaRocque, July 1985). Doc Ock’s been receiving psychiatric care, somewhat necessitated by witnessing Molecule Man’s powers on Battleworld during Secret Wars. That event miniseries may have been a cynical marketing ploy, but I’m enjoying how many ripples it’s had for the characters.

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Daredevil #222 (O’Neil/Mazzucchelli, Sept 1985). Matt hits the road again when another ex-lover’s life is endangered. The repetition is certainly intentional — Matt’s starting to feel cursed — but I have no clue where this is going. Except… Oh wait, Born Again is around the corner.

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Iron Man #199 (O’Neil/Trimpe, Oct 1985). Stane pushes his luck by attacking anyone Tony has ever cared for.

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Captain America #309 (Gruenwald/Neary, Sept 1985). Nomad learns Madcap’s tragic backstory. No sign of the Beyonder…

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Uncanny X-Men #196 (Claremont/Romita Jr., Aug 1985). Still disguised as Steve, The Beyonder takes an interest in Rachel and Magneto.

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Daredevil #221 (O’Neil/Mazzucchelli, Aug 1985). Matt runs away from his responsibilities again, jetting to Venice in pursuit of baddies wrapped up in Heather’s fate. All this death and denial in Italy, and I don’t think the comics have actually specified that Matt’s a Catholic yet.