THE MARVELOUS AWARDS!!
Welcome to the 3rd Annual Marvelous Awards! As always, it has taken us a while to get here, but that is only because such a great amount of thought and consideration goes into this panoramic view of what has gone on during a single year in Marvel Comics. This is a very busy universe, and 1965 has been a very busy year! And so, without further ado, let us begin…
SUPPORTING CHARACTER AWARDS
Throughout literary history, protagonists have always enjoyed relationships with supporting characters. Listening to Sherlock Holmes babble to himself on a constant basis, rather than explain his reasoning to Dr. John Watson, might soon get tiresome—for us, as well as for him. When the going gets tough, Samwise Gamgee is more than a friend to Frodo, he’s a lifesaving inspiration. Harry Potter has best friends Ron and Hermione, as Buffy enjoys the assistance and camaraderie of Xander and Willow.
In some cases, though, the support may outshine the main character; for instance, who do you most remember from Happy Days, Richie Cunningham, or the Fonz? In other cases, the line is even more blurred; who’s really in charge here, Wooster, or Jeeves?
Love ’em, hate ’em, or entirely indifferent, there’s no denying supporting characters play a vital role in the stories of our heroes. And Marvel Comics is no exception.
With that said, let us proceed through our first batch of Awards, for the Most Outstanding Supporting Characters in Marvel Comics, 1965!
MOST SUPPORTIVE CHARACTER
Superheroes do not exist in a vacuum. As powerful as they are, they can’t always do it all on their own. As the Beatles once said, “I get by with a little help from my friends.”
In the category of Most Supportive Character, we present for your consideration some of Marvel superheroes’ best friends.
- Balder
- Happy Hogun
- Karen Page
- Dorma
And the Award goes to…
Happy Hogan. These are all good nominees, but after much reflection, the winner is clear. As touching as we find the gals’ support, that support is heavily peppered with a hefty dose of romantic self-interest. And while Balder is Thor’s devoted friend, he is also a hero in his own right, routinely going above and beyond; supporting a friend is in his job description. Happy, on the other hand, is merely the chauffeur, an employee, a regular guy. Nothing requires him to jump into the arena with Iron Man—nothing, that is, except a germ of suspicion that his friend Tony Stark may, in fact, actually be Iron Man. But he doesn’t yet know that for sure. So Happy’s devotion travels a long way on only a dribble of steam, at great risk to his own safety. Not to mention what helping Stark might do to his own romantic interests with Pepper! He is utterly selfless. And that is why this year, Happy Hogan is the most supportive supporting character.
LEAST SUPPORTIVE CHARACTER
On the other hand…not all supporting characters are actually supportive. Some are downright antagonistic!
In the category of Least Supportive Character, the nominees are…
- Senator Harrington Byrd
- Major Glenn Talbot
- Flash Thompson
And the Award goes to…
Major Glenn Talbot. From the moment he was introduced as a supporting character, Talbot has been a thorn in Bruce Banner’s side, always willing to believe the absolute worst about our brilliant scientist. His slimy attentions towards Betty Ross are the icing on the cake of this very frosty relationship. Senator Byrd probably thinks he’s doing the right thing (haven’t we all seen heartfelt politicians that are simply misguided?) and Flash is, frankly, an immature jerk. (Maybe he only needs to grow up?) But Talbot is old enough and smart enough to know better. And yet still…this is what we get from him.
SUSPICIOUS MINDS
Suspicion is the seasoning of so much drama! Which characters are happiest to pepper the pot to the fullest advantage?
In the category of Suspicious Minds, the nominees are…
- Balder
- Happy Hogan & Pepper Potts
- J. Jonah Jameson
And the Award goes to…
Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts. You see what I did there? I sort of gave away the Award with the phrase “happiest to pepper the pot.” But the Award does not go to Happy and Pepper simply to make a literary point, but rather because their sustained disdain and suspicions about Iron Man’s role in the disappearance of their beloved boss creates such extreme tension in the office. Have you ever had to work, day in and day out, with someone you were not sure you could trust? Toxic work environment? I rest my case.
THE NATIVES ARE RESTLESS
This Award could just as well have been called the “Ya Got Trouble Award,” or “The Coup Award.” You get the idea.
In the category of The Natives Are Restless, the nominees are…
- Asgardian Mariners
- Atlanteans
- Lichtenbadans(?) Lichtenbadites(?) Lichtens(?)
And the Award goes to…
The Asgardian Mariners, for an out and out MUTINY! So much fighting, by so many able-bodied and pissed off sailors, in such an enclosed, inescapable arena! The situation is intense, and you have to love the artistic depiction of utter commotion. CLANG! KRAK!
BEST SIDEKICK
Right-hand man. The indispensable guy in the sidecar. And perhaps most importantly, a partner in amusing banter.
In the category of Best Sidekick, the nominees are…
- Bucky
- Rick Jones
- Dum Dum Dugan
And the Award goes to…
Bucky. Dum Dum is part of a “team,” and no one beats Rick Jones for sheer devotion, but the Award goes to Bucky for devotion, teamwork, AND a fearless willingness to employ his skills, such as they are, with the same determination as Captain America himself.
LADY IN WAITING
My unique perspective from 2023 has acquainted me with all these ladies, long before I actually met them in the comics. So I have long been awaiting them in print. But who most of all? And who makes the most dramatic entrance?
In the category of Lady in Waiting, the nominees are…
- Gwen Stacy
- Mary Jane Watson
- Crystal
And the Award goes to…
Mary Jane Watson, because of how often and how skillfully the writers have teased her arrival. I imagine the readers of the day were more excited than Peter Parker himself to finally meet her. And the flower in front of her face? Well played!
MOST AMAZING ANIMAL
The ASPCA approves this next Award, for the most amazing animal in Marvel Comics, circa 1965.
In the category of Most Amazing Animal, the nominees are…
- Zabu
- Shazana’s Pet
- Fenris, the Asgardian wolf
And the Award goes to…
Shazana’s pet. Doctor Strange is able to communicate with the creature, which is pretty amazing in and of itself. But I most love the Dr. Seuss-ish presentation of this poor little odd-looking other-worldly royal pet.
LOVESICK FEMALES
What fun would Marvel Comics be without a beautiful bevy of lovesick females? Little boys who have not yet gotten their twelve-year-old molars might still read such stories…but not me!
In the category of Lovesick Females, the nominees are…
- Pepper Potts pines for Tony, whom she believes has died
- Betty Brant falls into the throws of despair when she believes she has lost Peter forever
- Lady Dorma decides life would not be worth living without her beloved Prince Namor
And the Award goes to…
Betty Brant. Because the pounding on the door is so dramatic. Nice work, girl, taking the soap opera to the next level!
ODIN’S FASHION PARADE
We couldn’t get through these Supporting Characters awards without at least some mention of Odin. This year, my fascination with the Asgardian monarch centered mainly upon his wardrobe.
In the category of Odin’s Fashion Parade, the nominees are…
- Odin’s Golden Go-Go Boots
- Odin’s Battle Armor
- Odin’s Bathrobe and Slippers
And the Award goes to…
Odin’s Battle Armor. Everything in me wants to choose the bathrobe and slippers for their odd juxtaposition of coziness and absurdity, but ultimately Odin’s battle wear wins the day. The horns, cape, and enormous sword are all over the top. But what is that white thing on his headpiece? I haven’t yet figured it out, but it sparks the imagination. (If anyone has any ideas, please post in the comments below. Thanks!)
DAMSEL IN DISTRESS
What good would superheroes be, if they didn’t get to rescue the occasional damsel in distress? This tried-and-true literary staple always graces the pages of Marvel Comics in superb fashion.
In the category of Damsel in Distress, the nominees are…
- Debbie Harris, Foggy’s old girlfriend
- Jane Foster, as “Thor Bait” of the Enchantress and the Executioner
- The White-Haired Girl, imprisoned by Dormammu
And the Award goes to…
Jane Foster. Debbie is only faking it, and though the white-haired girl is at the mercy of a most formidable super-villain, she has shown enough spunk in the past to convince us that somehow she’ll get out of this. On the other hand, Jane Foster is the quintessential “Damsel in Distress,” as if the role is somehow melded into her DNA.
DUDE IN DISTRESS
Despite the long history of the phrase, Damsels are not the only ones who might end up in Distress. We live in an equal opportunity world now! So how do the dudes do, when faced with distress?
In the category of Dude in Distress, the nominees are…
- Rick Jones, dramatically kidnapped by Zemo
- Foggy Nelson, beaten senseless when he foolishly decides to play the hero
- The unconscious Bucky, marked for experimentation by a mad scientist
And the Award goes to…
Bucky, of course! Foggy is no victim; he made his bed, now he has to lie in it. As for Rick Jones, isn’t he always being taken as “bait” to lure the superheroes into the villain’s clutches? Yes, Jones is a mere “boy,” as is Bucky (though you would never know it based on the mature rendition of him in his perfectly tailored green suit), but he’s been through this schtick enough times by now that rather than cry out, “Oh, no! Poor Rick!” our immediate reaction is more likely, “Oh, no! Not this again!” But poor little Bucky looks so small and helpless lying there on that table. He needs a hero to rescue him, and…wait! Is that Captain America crashing through the door?
Well, having just considered all these damsels and dudes in distress at the hands of our merciless villains has raised my hackles at the Marvel super-villains. But at the same time, there is much to admire about their gumption and ingenuity. We’ll consider the Marvel villains of 1965 in greater depth next week, when we meet again for these Marvelous Awards! See you then!
