Feeling nostalgic, I started researching my boy Captain America and his original appearances in Timely comics in 1941. This led me to some nice info and more background on Human Torch, Toro, Bucky, and Sub-Mariner as well. Digging deeper, I now understand all the titles and characters that predate the Marvel Universe.
Why would I care? It's helpful to know where you've been so you can determine where you're going! I've been delving into Silver Age Marvel so long that I sometimes forget that all this is built on the characters and interactions of the 1940s heroes. I always love the tribute comics featuring original Golden Age comics done by DC and would love to see the same done at Marvel. For all I know they already have done something in this vein. I did find some of the lesser known characters from Marvel Mystery Comics in an independent book (since they are now Public Domain), but I don't think I would go for it. So much of the Golden Age stuff has been ret-conned that I don't even see a way to link it to the current Marvel Universe.
I would love to do some sort of Golden Age story, maybe even try to get it scripted and published! However, for now I would just like to focus on the "Invaders" of old Timely Comics and make a MSHRPG adventure based on that. I've just picked up the Invaders: Complete Collection volumes 1 and 2 from Amazon.com and can't wait to read through them! I had a few Invaders comics back in my youth (talking 1975 or so) and these were mainly from my Grand-Uncle Joe who served in the army in WWII and read about these characters in the very comics I'm now researching! He knew these characters well and wanted me to know them too! But back then, I didn't understand books that were non-linear. Besides, the Human Torch I knew was in the Fantastic Four and bickered with Ben Grimm all the time and the Sub-Mariner was a villain. Toro was confusing to me....I had no idea who he was. But Union Jack was visually stimulating to my young mind and the others were cool as well. Cap has almost always had a spot in my heart - I go for the patriotic heroes all the time!
So now I can work up write-ups for Destroyer, Human Torch (android), Miss Fury, Black Marvel, the Fin, the Angel, and the others and hopefully come up with some sort of adventure based on these characters. I'll have to bone up on my 1940s history too!
No comments:
Post a Comment