Puck Part 84: Alpha Flight #106 (March, 1992)

Puck learns some personal information about a fellow Alphan and gets reacquainted with an old friend.

I have this issue.

Judd attends a debriefing with “Core Alpha” in a waiting room at Toronto General Hospital as Jean-Paul awaits news of an infant girl he found in a garbage can. They learn the child is dying from AIDS, and the team spends the next three weeks talking to the public about the disease.

Judd catches up with Northstar, who’s still at the hospital, and convinces him to take a break and try to get some food and rest when they hear something crash in the infant’s room. Judd gets there in time to recognize the man standing over the child just before Jean-Paul carries the stranger out into the night.

The next morning, Judd is with Northstar and the stranger when the doctor tells them the infant is close to death, and watches as Jean-Paul holds her as she passes.

Jean-Paul later holds a press conference announcing to the world that he’s gay. Judd is seen with the rest of Alpha Flight in a newspaper article covering the story.

Notes of Interest:

1) Judd knows the Canadian super-hero named Major Mapleleaf, calling him by his first name – Louis.

2) It seems Judd smokes cigars.

3) He appears uncomfortable in hospitals, which makes sense considering his past dealings with them.

4) Judd – like the rest of Alpha Flight – doesn’t seem bothered in the least by Jean-Paul’s revelation.

WTF? Moment: I know this story came out in 1992, but has it ever been okay to smoke in a hospital? I don’t see Judd as that callous, despite his low comfort level.

WTF? Moment #2: This issue is all about Jean-Paul and his coming out of the closet, and if you go back and read every issue he’s in, you can see that’s where Byrne, Mantlo and the others were leading. It’s important to note that Judd stands by his teammate, despite Jean-Paul being a quick-tempered pompous jerk at times. This speaks volumes of Judd’s character, as well as that of everyone else on the team.

Puck Part 83: Alpha Flight #105 (February, 1992)

It’s Madison Jefferies’ bachelor party, and Puck is there to take part in the celebration.

I have this issue.

Judd is with Colin, Walter, Jean-Paul and Kyle as they celebrate Madison’s impending wedding at a local Toronto bar. But it’s also Christmas Eve, and when someone tries to rob the bar they learn that the thief was only planning to borrow the money because his landlord raised the rent on his family’s home. The Alpha males decide to help him, and Judd, Walter and Colin visit the landlord and ‘convince’ him to sell them the house.

Notes of Interest:

1) Judd has known Jean-Paul for six years as of this issue.

2) The bar they are at is called Corky’s, and is the same bar Judd was a bouncer at when he received the Alpha Flight call signal back in Alpha Flight #1.

3) Apparently, John Byrne hangs out at Corky’s too.

4) Judd reveals to Corky and others that he’s Puck of Alpha Flight and nobody believes him…not even Byrne.

WTF? Moment: Judd’s over seventy years old at this point and comments that the thief’s story is the most tragic thing he’s seen on a Christmas Eve. Really? I know it was summer when he was in battle in Spain with Hemingway, but surely something tragic happened either to him or around him during Christmas time as he traveled the globe. Plus – wasn’t he in prison at some point?

WTF? Moment #2: Having Judd storm off after Corky asked him for an 8x10 of Guardian was funny. It would have been even funnier if Judd brought in a pic of Mac from his Guardian days – a Byrne pin-up perhaps?

Someone I plan on meeting after I die...

Tom Mankiewicz
I bought Captain America: The First Avenger recently and watched it for the first time since its theatrical release and asked myself: "What makes this movie so damned good?



The answer is that the story follows the Tom Mankiewicz method for comic book origin movie storytelling.

Tom Mankiewicz is the genius that took the mess that was the script for Superman: The Movie and made it the powerhouse masterpiece that all other comic book movies aspire to be.



Put simply, the Mankiewicz Method is taking a given comic book story and breaking it down into three smaller stories (commonly known as arcs, but with Mankiewicz it actually worked).

In Superman's case, the three stories were:
1) Kal-El's escape from, and the destruction of, Krypton.
2) Clark Kent's upbringing and the development of his powers in Smallville.
3) Superman arriving in Metropolis.

Simple. Easy. Beautiful.

In Captain America: The First Avenger the three-part "Mank Method" was:
1) Steve Rogers' attempts to get into the Army.
2) Steve Rogers' experiences in the Super Soldier Program.
3) Captain America's time spent in the Army.

There are variations on overall plot, subtle references and character development of course, and different combinations of screenwriters, directors, actors, movie companies and such. But the fundamentals of the "Mank Method" are there. Plus, those variations help define the character in question, and tell the audience how - for instance - Steve Rogers is different from Kal-El, even though both are heroes and the average layman may confuse Cap and Superman.

Tom even helped resurrect Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, and did rewrites on Ladyhawke, Legal Eagles, Live and Let Die and Diamonds are Forever.

Plus, he not only wrote Dragnet, the movie starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks, he directed it.

But for me, he will always be remembered as one of the pioneers in successfully translating comic book greatness to the screen.

Sadly, he left us in 2010. But when I move on, I’ll be buying a ticket to Tom’s movie marathon, and take the opportunity to ask him how it feels to be a legend in super hero cinema.

Puck Part 82: Alpha Flight #104 (January, 1992)

Puck is officially given a new title, a new position…and a new costume.

I have this issue.

Judd is on the roof of Department H headquarters talking to Dr. Knapp as Windshear finishes giving the press a tour of the facilities. The rest of the team - Guardian, Weapon Omega, Sasquatch, Diamond Lil, Madison and Northstar - return from their covert mission against Diablo, and Judd notices something wrong with Jean-Paul, who shouts out that his sister is alive as he speeds off. Judd and the others catch up with him in the sub-basement of the complex, where they find Aurora a prisoner in Headlok’s cell. They all witness her breaking free of Headlok’s control and “setting [Headlok] free”.

A week later, Judd is with Guardian, Weapon Omega, Sasquatch, Northstar and Windshear as they discuss Aurora’s supposed disappearance, the team’s new costumes, and Weapon Omega’s membership when Madison and Lil reveal they are resigning from the team to get married. Aurora shows up and tells everyone that she’s rejoining the group, and Judd tells Heather that with Windshear as a desk jockey and himself as a trouble-shooter, Aurora’s going to be needed for there to be five members to the team.

Notes of Interest:

1) As of this issue, Judd becomes a supportive member of the team and the official line-up of what Judd calls “Core Alpha” are Guardian, Northstar, Weapon Omega, Aurora and Sasquatch.

2) This is the first time Judd has seen Aurora since he heard about his fellow Alphan’s disappearance back in Alpha Flight #98.

3) Judd learns that Weapon Omega is really Wild Child.

WTF? Moment: The only problem I have here affects Judd indirectly, and that is the costumes. I prefer the original X-Men/New Mutants approach to a team look: Everyone has the same look while they learn and train, and get their own unique looks once they graduate. You never see the Avengers or the Uncanny X-Men in identical costumes. Granted, these outfits are reminiscent of Guardian’s original look, and it can be seen as a tribute to Mac’s ultimate sacrifice, but I think it would have been better to see Beta Flight trainees wearing these suits, thus sending a stronger message about Mac’s dream.

WTF?

Doctor Who

I’ve mentioned before how I fought tooth-and-nail for a long time against wanting anything to do with The Doctor.

I’ve also mentioned that I’ve since got sucked in and totally hooked.

But any regular visitor of Adorkification can tell from my issue by issue comments of character appearances and total admiration of Mark Gruenwald…I’m a sucker for continuity.

And that’s something The Doctor really lacks. Now before you get angry, hear me out.

There’s no argument that The Doctor currently played by Matt Smith is indeed the same Doctor that William Hartnell played in the beginning.

But between the series, the novels, the comics, the New Adventures, the Missing Adventures, audio sessions, computer games and all…I’m having a hard time sorting it all out.

It seems that one of the great things about The Doctor is that fans can decide for themselves what ‘counts’ and what doesn’t.

And that just frustrates the heck out of me. I clearly need guidance.

With comics it’s easier, because every movie/cartoon/television show/Broadway musical is a variation of the source material – the comics. Plot points are altered and characters are created or not simply to tell the story in a different medium. This I can understand. I can also come up with reasons why Tony Stark’s hair would change from one issue to the next and back again ala Marvel’s No-Prize.

Is it really that simple to do with The Doctor? When events and characters in an episode appear in a novel? When incarnations meet incarnations between series?

The whole thing makes my head hurt because I want to read and learn more about The Doctor, but it makes no sense.

There’s a a great site I found that breaks every story ever told into categories by Doctor and whether it’s a book, episode, audio or whatever. It helps me make sense of the grandness of the character.

But it still gives me a headache because it kicks my collective tendencies into overdrive. I want to collect them all, like comics. Do you know how many years it took to convince myself that just because I want to own every appearance of Superman, I don’t need to own every appearance of Superman? And now I’m to throw it all away for some silly British alien that nobody expected to last almost fifty years?

FRAK!

Someone I plan on meeting after I die…

Mark Gruenwald

Some of you may be asking “Who’s That?” Well let me tell you…

Mark Gruenwald was a writer for Marvel Comics, but not just any writer.

He’s the writer responsible for getting me hooked on comics.

It started back when I came across a different kind of comic on the spinner when I was 11 years old:

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #4 (April, 1983).

Maybe it was because I was learning how to research information for school reports. Or it could have just been that after looking up such things as electricity, former American Presidents and Eastern European countries, I was fascinated by reading about cosmic rays, former Avengers and the Savage Land written in a similar style. And that’s what made this series, and the Deluxe Edition that Mark was partially responsible for creating in ’86, so cool. The information was presented in prose and described past and (then) current events as if they took place in our world as if each character experienced everything mentioned in one continuous stream of existence.

Not only did I want to collect every issue of the series – which took me 25 years to complete – but I wanted to read the actual issues this information came from.

I was hooked. But so were a lot of other people.

Don’t believe me? Check out DC’s Who’s Who for starters. That didn’t come out until March, 1985 in conjunction with Crisis on Infinite Earths.

In fact, both Marvel and DC adapted the OHOTMU format to describing their characters on their respective websites. Valiant too. Privately-created websites have also copied the format for characters such as Transformers, G. I. Joe, Thundercats, TMNT and others.

All because of Mark Gruenwald.

Among his other accomplishments in comics, he’s responsible for the 12 issue Squadron Supreme miniseries.

What’s the big deal? Well, it’s about a group of super-human heroes eerily similar to well-known characters of Marvel’s Distinguished Competition who take over the world in order to build a utopian society. The plan falls apart and heroes betray and kill other heroes. It is one of the most mature stories Marvel ever published while retaining the Comics Code seal on the cover. Plus, it came out in 1985…two years before Frank Miller wrote Batman: Year One, and a year before Alan Moore’s Watchmen.

It was such a success that Gruenwald put in his will that his ashes be mixed with the printers ink when the Squadron Supreme Trade went to press.

 

And they were, when he died in 1996.

So when I pass on, I intend to have both OHOTMU volumes incinerated with me…so I can have them and get Mark to sign each and every issue! No matter who’s in line behind me.

Puck Part 81: Alpha Flight #103 (December, 1991)

Puck witnesses Windshear’s first public appearance as acting chairperson of Alpha Flight.

I have this issue.

Windshear appears on the television show Canada A.M. and is bombarded with accusations of mishandling the Consortium incident and causing massive damage in Toronto. Judd looks on from behind the cameras, acknowledging that this sort of thing was outside his comfort zone. Windshear makes a comment that can be seen as throwing Heather (as team leader) under the bus, and Judd realizes that he new face of the team is gonna need some pointers.

Notes of Interest:

1) While Judd isn’t comfortable being interviewed on camera, he understands the need to appear unified in the public eye.

WTF? Moment: I guess the meeting with DeFalco didn’t go so well since Judd’s still confined to a single page of the issue.

WTF? Moment #2: Why Lobdell didn’t have Judd hop a plane to help fight Diablo is beyond me. This is a guy who fought against the Great Beasts, remember? A few elementals would be child’s play.

WTF? Moment #3: If the plan is to make Judd work more “behind the scenes” of the team and help maintain public support and government funding, I’d be happy with that. He’s been around long enough to justify keeping an eye on watchdogs, giving Windshear some wisdom and maybe even training some future Beta members…just GET there already!

Puck Part 80: Alpha Flight #102 (November, 1991)

Puck accepts role of Chief Administrator after Mac’s death, only to abdicate the position to Windshear.

I have this issue.

That’s it. That’s all he does this entire issue.

Notes of Interest:

1) No real character development…at all.

WTF? Moment: Where to start…I thought the idea of Judd honoring Mac’s memory by accepting the Chief Administrator gig was great. There’s at least four issues of sub-plot there as he grew (get it?) into the job. As for his choosing to abdicate to Windshear, that was again a great idea that made sense for the character – because let’s face it Judd is more of a do-er than a planner – but it should have happened after Judd at least tried to make it work. I suspect that Lobdell initially pitched it as a longer story arc that was cut down by Editor Bobbie Chase to one page.

WTF? Moment #2: One page? AGAIN? We don’t even know where he’s going as he cartwheels out the door. Is he heading to the “top secret” location the team left for to lend a hand?  Is he getting a pizza? Most likely, he’s on his way to the Marvel Bullpen to have a sit-down with DeFalco.

The Super Bowl Rematch Awaits...

So...I guess the Pats won...and the Giants...so we're going to listen to two weeks worth of reliving the Pats defeat 4 years ago!


I can't complain too much though, the Pats are in the Super Bowl after all.

But is it me, or have their victories been squeakers? A 7 point margin or less in the really important games.

Nail-biting events to say the least.

In a way, I'm glad I missed them play the Ravens, because I would be hoarse right now. And I'm not sorry I missed Mick Jagger...sorry, Steve Tyler...hamming it up.

But to be honest, I'm scared a little bit by the upcoming game.

God, I miss Tedy Bruschi.

Football...Football...Football

Football is my sport of choice.

Hockey is a close second because it was the sport I watched during my years at BU, and because my daughter and I catch at least one Portland Pirates game every season.

Basketball and Baseball are more fun for me to actually play instead of watch, but I am a fan of movies based on these sports such as Major League, Teen Wolf, A League of Their Own, White Men Can't Jump, and Field of Dreams. I have yet to see Hoosiers, but I think I'd like it.

Anyway, the AFC and NFC Championship games for the 2011-2012 NFL season are today...

...and I have to go to work.


One thing I hate about sportscasters is that they put up or mention stupid statistics during the game. Stats like "The last time this quarterback led his team to victory in this stadium in an AFC Championship game was 1955," and such.

I always feel that any mention of stuff like that will jinx the game.

So I won't mention stats...I'm going to state facts:

1) The Pats won their first of three Super Bowl rings the same year I started working for the corporation I still work for now.

2) Ever since I changed branches within that corporation, the Pats have either not made it to the Super Bowl, or lost.

3) Regardless of the season, almost all Pats games I missed due to working ended as victories.

4) Adam Vinatieri earned every ring he has...except the last one. (The COLTS Adam? Really?)
and
5) Tedy Bruschi should be hired by the Pats...as a member of the Defense coaching staff.

Okay, so the last two weren't facts, but they should be.

GO PATS!!!

Technical Difficulties...

Due to systems beyond my control, I was unable to post anything yesterday.

Part of it was my fault. I let my wife and daughter use our computer before I went to work, and my plan was to post after I came back...

...but we lost power.

Not for long though, roughly an hour, and power was restored before I came home...

...just not the internet.

At first we thought it was the computer, but it tuned out that Time Warner had some issues...

...Time Warner owns DC Comics doesn't it?

Anyway, we're up and running and I'm a day behind...

...sorry about that.

DC...or not DC...

I'm not sure how to feel about the new DC logo I've been reading about.

This marks the second logo change in six years, and I didn't like the "old" one at first,  but it grew on me.



The change, along with the "New 52" and the DCnU make me wonder what the higher-ups over there are thinking. I can understand the need to change one's image to reflect current trends in an attempt to raise sales, but Marvel's marketing in their movies, games and other non-comicbook products has stayed the same since around 2000. And last time I checked, it was working pretty well.

The difference between these two companies can be summed up like this: Marvel accepts me as one of their own. DC keeps me at arms length.

Both want my money and loyalty as a fan, and to some extent they both do. But this new look/universe DC's got going on makes me think that much harder about revisiting my old comics, let alone buy new ones.

What's to stop them from changing their minds (again) and come out with yet another look and universe three years from now?

I love all of the DC characters I grew up with, but now I have to say things like "MY Superman, MY Justice League and MY Teen Titans" to distinguish them from what those kids are reading nowadays.

So my message to DC is this - Stop dicking us around. Make a decision and stick with it. Marvel has survived bankruptcy and a Disney buy-out thanks to a dedicated, loyal fan base. Do yourselves a favor and get back in touch with your fans, or they won't be there anymore.

And they won't come back...no matter how many times you change image.

Puck Part 79: Spider-Man #12 (July, 1991)

Puck and Sasquatch make a cameo as Spider-Man and Wolverine investigate three dead bodies outside a small Canadian town.

I have this issue.

Sasquatch reads a newspaper article regarding the dead bodies found mangled in the woods and it mentions his name in the headline. Judd calms him down and tells him that Logan would find the real killer and clear his name.

Notes of Interest:

1) No real character development this issue.

WTF? Moment: It’s kinda cool to see Judd in a Spider-Man comic, but this cameo feels like it was thrown in just because the story takes place in Canada and Logan’s involved. It would have been better if he helped track down the killer. Since the victims were young boys and the suspected killer is some kind of wild animal, maybe Judd could have gone undercover as another young boy to lure the animal into a trap? Then again…maybe not.

Someone I plan on meeting after I die...

Beethoven

Not the dog, the composer (1770 – 1827). Probably the only 16^th (or 17^th since he died in 1827) century composer I’ll include on the list.

I remember learning of Haydn and Bach in elementary school, about how they created and influenced what we now call “Classical” music.

And Mozart…don’t get me started on Mozart. I saw the movie. I liked it, and can honor and respect his creative genius when it comes to experiencing color and texture in music.

But there’s one thing Beethoven’s work has that Mozart’s doesn’t…

BALLS

Big brass ones that knock you on your ass and wipe the floor with you.

Based on their music styles, Mozart strikes me as someone you’d share some cheese and a nice bottle of wine with at a museum while discussing the works of da Vinci and Shakespeare. Beethoven is more like someone you’d share some bratwurst and a lager with at a bar while discussing the works of the wench who just served you. And that’s just more fun.

As a bonus, his Ninth Symphony was not only in Die Hard, but also The Money Pit…and that’s just a plateful of awesome with some awesome sauce on the side.

If you haven’t seen Immortal Beloved, rent it/stream it/queue it. Because Gary Oldman’s Beethoven could knock Tom Hulce’s Mozart on his ass and wipe the floor with him.

So I’ll be waiting in line with the others to hear Ludwig’s 157^th Symphony on opening night…with a plateful of bratwurst and a cold lager.

And he can finally hear the applause he so richly deserves.

Puck Part 78: The Infinity Gauntlet #2 (August, 1991)

Puck makes an appearance in The Infinity Gauntlet…by disappearing.

I have this issue.

Judd is among the heroes who have disappeared as Thanos attempts to woo Death.

Notes of Interest:

1) Judd’s disappearance isn’t depicted in this issue, but he’s shown on panel (and cover) as one of the many who have vanished.

WTF? Moment: If there was any single event that proved how Marvel viewed Alpha Flight and its many members, this was it. Not only was Judd written out of this story, but every single member of the team. Really, Starlin? You couldn’t have kept one Alphan around?

Puck Part 77: Alpha Flight #101 (October, 1991)

Puck pays his respects at James MacDonald Hudson’s funeral along with the rest of Alpha Flight.

I have this issue.

Judd is with Heather at Mac’s grave and she tells him that Mac’s death has affected her differently this time. He returns with her and the rest of the team, in uniform, for the funeral service. Later on, Diamond Lil has her biopsy, and Judd is there when she learns her cyst is benign.

Notes of Interest:

1) The initial scene at the gravesite is reminiscent of Byrne’s depiction waaay back in Alpha Flight #13 - down to what they’re wearing.

2) Judd is moved to tears during the service.

WTF? Moment: Now for something completely absurd – Judd’s reaction to the news of Lil’s cyst. He’s drawn like a little boy who’s been told he can have some ice cream rather than someone who just heard some terrific news concerning the health of a fellow Alphan. Tom Morgan’s work isn’t terrible, but most of Marvel’s titles developed a Liefeld-esque quality to them around this time, Alpha Flight included, – which leads me to…

WTF? Moment #2: While this issue didn’t mark the end of my collecting days for Alpha Flight, it did mark the beginning of the end.

Puck Part 76: Alpha Flight #100 (September, 1991)

Puck is among those left behind to make a final stand against the oncoming Consortium assault fleet.

I have this issue.

Judd, Captain America, She-Hulk, Diamond Lil, Black Widow, Northstar and Sasquatch face an alien invasion in Toronto. Being nearly invulnerable, Judd is chosen by Cap as one of the heroes to act as a shield while they fall back to a metro station to regroup and formulate a plan. The station is destroyed before the team can reach it, but they make it to an underground tunnel, and Cap tells them the only way to end this is to infiltrate and destroy the Consortium mother ship.

She-Hulk, Lil and Sasquatch act as a diversion on Earth while Judd and the others commandeer a Consortium craft. Judd uses the ship’s translation programs to communicate to the mother ship that their ship is leaking radiation and needs extensive repairs… buying them time and the opportunity to land unobserved.

The four heroes split up, with Judd and Black Widow taking over the communication systems and ordering the fleet to return to the mother ship. Cap and Northstar succeed in setting the ship to go to warp, and the four of them return to Earth just as the team sent to fight Galactus returns…without Vindicator.

Notes of Interest:

1) We learn that Judd knows Japanese.

2) It seems Judd has a history with Black Widow, fighting on opposing sides in the Tonkin Gulf in 1967.

3) Black Widow knows Judd’s first name is Eugene.

WTF? Moment: I love the fact that Judd’s past includes Black Widow. It’s little things like this that make reading comics such fun.

WTF? Moment #2: So Natasha knows Eugene’s name? Was it because of their previous work, or did she just read it in the Avengers’ files? Plus - he doesn’t seem fazed by it. Does he know her name too?

WTF? Moment #3: I know this is nit-picking, but we see Judd, Widow and Cap on the stolen craft all sitting separately with their backs to each other looking out separate windows, so it’s hard to tell who’s piloting the thing as they approach the mother ship. Maybe they all are?

Someone I plan on meeting after I die…

Bob Anderson

It was the sad news of the first famous person to pass away in 2012 that made me start thinking about who I would want to talk to or hang out with after I die. I knew Bob was the fencing genius behind The Princess Bride from the extras on the DVD. In fact, that was the first time I’d ever heard of him, but it didn’t matter because that fencing scene was some of the best dueling ever put on film. That movie alone puts him on this list.

Then I read his biography and film credits…and learned that he had worked on every movie I ever saw that had fencing in it. Never mind Highlander or the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings trilogies; I’m also talking about three James Bond films, both Antonio Banderas Zorro films and The Phantom!

$20 says that if Harrison Ford didn’t suggest shooting the guy, Anderson would have been involved with Raiders too.

I love fencing so much that I took classes and bought a sparring foil - back when I was in my thirties – and it’s because of Anderson without my even knowing it.

So after I die, I plan on waiting in line with a bunch of other people for the chance to get a few tips…and maybe spar…with The Master.

Bob Anderson…I salute you.

Puck Part 75: Alpha Flight #99 (August, 1991)

Puck helps out his fellow Alphans and the Avengers as the alien army continues to invade downtown Toronto.

I have this issue.

Judd learns that Her had helped overthrow the dictatorship of a distant planet. The Consortium saw that as a breach of contract and held Her responsible. She fled to Earth in search of help to protect the species she freed, but the Consortium followed, and wants Her to surrender.

Problems arise when Vindicator suddenly teleports half of the gathered heroes away…including Her. Judd is left behind with Captain America, Sasquatch, Northstar, Diamond Lil, Black Widow and She-Hulk as the Consortium see this as yet another breach of contract and launch a full scale “take-over” of Earth.

Notes of Interest:

1) This marks the first meeting between Judd and Her.

2) Judd also meets Black Widow for the first time.

3) Not much character development here, but it becomes clear that he’s waaaay out of his league because…

WTF? Moment: …he has a momentary lapse of bladder control? Really? Mister “I ran with the bulls and sat with Hemingway and had close encounters with mysticism and was a bad-a$$ soldier of fortune before any of these Alpha Flight ‘whipper-snappers’ were born” goes and wets himself? That has to be a joke. To be fair, he has had minimal experience with alien races…except for Marrina and Her…and may have difficulty grasping existence beyond our solar system. However, he has NO problem dealing with gods, demi-gods, demons, spirits, curses, old friends who come back from the dead, unplanned time travel, planned time travel, talking androids or creatures capable of living underwater.

Can you imagine his response if he was included in the group that found themselves facing Galactus? He may have had a bowel movement.