tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post3706367620990516038..comments2024-03-22T04:20:11.870-05:00Comments on Gentlemen of Leisure: X-amining Mephisto Vs. #1-4Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-442547240612231032014-01-06T18:02:41.178-06:002014-01-06T18:02:41.178-06:00@Blam: I wonder if this is when Marvel's glutt...@Blam: <i>I wonder if this is when Marvel's gluttony came into full bloom: X-Men vs. Avengers launched the next week, as did Fallen Angels, and Fantastic Four vs. X-men was halfway through</i><br /><br />I don't think we're quite at full bloom yet - I think that comes when DeFalco, who was never shy about expanding a franchise and pumping out product, becomes EiC, around the time that Wolverine gets a solo series AND a regular feature in <i>Marvel Comics Presents</i>. <br /><br /><i>Not having read Mephisto vs. ... before, I'm kind-of impressed that it's not worse</i><br /><br />Indeed. Especially having now read <i>Fallen Angels</i>, this could have been much, much worse. <br /><br /><i>I don't recall ever knowing about that pheromones deal of Beast's as an explanation for why he was such a ladies' man in his fuzzy-and-blue incarnation</i><br /><br />Yeah, I'm still not sure if that's a thing this series made up or something that got picked up from elsewhere. I know Beast's ladies man schtick first showed during his time in <i>Avengers</i>, but I don't recall pheromones being part of the deal then. <br />Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-12690034551911700832014-01-06T17:56:09.443-06:002014-01-06T17:56:09.443-06:00Comment from Blam: "The double-bagging effect...Comment from Blam: "The double-bagging effect of the mystic Mylar" is definitely a little too on-the-nose.<br /><br /><i>// If there's another point to the series, I'm just not sure what it is //</i><br /><br />I think the point of Mephisto vs. ... was to make money. One new title got more exposure, couched in a four-issue tale that prompted readers of that and three established titles to pick up at least one extra comic book and possibly four of them at $1.50 a pop. The fact that it stood on its own was probably appreciated by anyone who didn't pick it up and offensive in an "I blew six bucks on this shrugfest?" to anyone who did.<br /><br />Looking at <a href="http://www.dcindexes.com/features/timemachine.php?site=&type=calendar&year=1986&month=12" rel="nofollow">the month #1 was released over at <i>Mike's Amazing World</i></a>, in fact, I wonder if this is when Marvel's gluttony came into full bloom: X-Men vs. Avengers launched the next week, as did Fallen Angels, and Fantastic Four vs. X-men was halfway through — which makes me really curious as to how those titles gibe with the ongoing series, with each other, and with this mini.<br /><br />Not having read Mephisto vs. ... before, I'm kind-of impressed that it's not worse. I wouldn't spend the cover price on it today, mind you, and I definitely would've regretted it if I had done so back then, but on its own merits it's not bad. While I distinctly remember it popping up on the racks, I'd already given up on the X-books (except Classic) and in fact was down to pretty much zero Marvel stuff in favor of indies and DC. Fringe benefit, though: Kids learned what an ellipsis is, as well as how indicia titles and cover titles can differ.<br /><br />I wonder if maybe that Nocenti & Mazzucchelli Angel story was done first, sometime earlier, possibly even before X-Factor was a thing, and if, having learned of the intense upcoming plans for Angel from Louise Simonson or Bob Harras, Nocenti or even Jim Shooter asked Milgrom or Ralph Macchio to include a scene in Mephisto vs. ... that would lead into the Marvel Fanfare short.<br /><br />Of course that doesn't explain how Angel finds his way back into the same situation from which he was plucked for this miniseries, but given how the X-Men and X-Factor lineups don't exactly mesh with the publication schedules or ongoing storylines of their own titles I suspect that Mephisto vs. ... is one of those "We threw in a couple of editor's notes to help, but really it's up to you readers to figure out, so good luck!" situations. I read Uncanny X-Men #214 first, and #215 after, as they apparently go, but it's pretty clear from dialogue that those issues are concurrent without the miniseries happening in-between.<br /><br />I don't recall ever knowing about that pheromones deal of Beast's as an explanation for why he was such a ladies' man in his fuzzy-and-blue incarnation.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-59366465624782053552013-11-18T16:17:38.785-06:002013-11-18T16:17:38.785-06:00@Anonymous: I may have mentioned this when this se...@Anonymous: <i>I may have mentioned this when this series was mentioned previously, but the "Rogue absorbs souls" business just infuriated me when I first read this series.</i><br /><br />In the context of the series (and the somewhat loose definition of "soul" used throughout - it's never quite clear where the physical bodies of these souls Mephisto is capturing end up) it didn't bother me too much (one could argue that, given Carol Danvers at-the-time condition of possessing her memories but not the emotional attachments to them, Rogue essentially did steal her soul), but it's certainly not a literal use of her power that I'd want to see used/referenced elsewhere. <br /><br />@MOCK!: <i>Reed's dialog reads like Chief O'Hara noodling through the clues in the Adam West Batman "movie"!</i><br /><br />Thank you! I was trying to place what it read like, and that's it exactly. <br /><br />"Now that we've exited Mephisto's realm, we must find a way to rescue Sue. Hmm..exit...x...X-Factor! They can help us!" <br /><br />@Chris: <i>Mephisto is a character appropriate in only a few books. Occult oriented books are fine as are grand cosmic space sagas when other abstract ideas are personified as characters. </i><br /><br />Yeah, he's definitely not someone I need to see hanging around the X-books very often. I definitely think of him as more of a mystical figure more akin to Thor or Dr. Strange than someone who should be facing off against the X-Men. <br /><br />@Anonymous: <i>How long was Rogue in Mephisto's realm and why wasn't anyone worried about her?</i><br /><br />The very specific placement of Thor's placement in the fourth issue definitely causes some timing issues with the whole thing. From the perspective of the X-Men and X-Factor it's not too problematic (because we don't have to reconcile Thor's appearance), but I suppose you could maybe use the old "time moves differently" in Mephisto's realm excuse to explain it? Rogue was there a long(er) time, but when Mephisto returned her to Earth, it was only moments after he initially took her? Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-52766683595595303212013-11-17T23:09:50.788-06:002013-11-17T23:09:50.788-06:00Here's a major problem with the story- Jean ge...Here's a major problem with the story- Jean gets grabbed by Mephisto before X-Factor 13. Then, Rogue gets grabbed and Jean gets returned. Then Scott flies to Alaska, finds Maddie "dead", buries Maddie, flies home, Warren "kills himself" and Thor appears in X-Factor 17 just as Warren is being buried. THEN, Rogue is freed from Mephisto's control. How long was Rogue in Mephisto's realm and why wasn't anyone worried about her?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-12690073427013797052013-11-17T18:49:43.452-06:002013-11-17T18:49:43.452-06:00Mephisto is a character appropriate in only a few ...Mephisto is a character appropriate in only a few books. Occult oriented books are fine as are grand cosmic space sagas when other abstract ideas are personified as characters. In routine super-hero books, it does not work for me.<br /><br />- ChrisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-23342805493350775032013-11-16T23:42:38.443-06:002013-11-16T23:42:38.443-06:00Teebore writes:"Goaded by hints subconsciousl...Teebore writes:<b>"Goaded by hints subconsciously placed in his mind by Mephisto, Reed nonetheless makes something of a leap in deciding to seek out X-Factor."</b><br /><br />Reed's dialog reads like Chief O'Hara noodling through the clues in the Adam West Batman "movie"!MOCK!https://www.blogger.com/profile/02854497329647596811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-35690986390273612302013-11-15T18:08:57.504-06:002013-11-15T18:08:57.504-06:00I may have mentioned this when this series was men...I may have mentioned this when this series was mentioned previously, but the "Rogue absorbs souls" business just infuriated me when I first read this series. My nerd rage at the distortion of her powers knew few bounds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com