THE MARVELOUS AWARDS!!
WRITER AWARDS
“Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players…I have 10 or so, and that’s a lot. As you get older, you become more skillful at casting them.”
—Gore Vidal
I don’t know if what Gore Vidal says is precisely true, but I do know that Stan Lee had a very large repertory company in his head, which through his efforts in the early 1960’s easily turned comic book history on its head. We owe him a great debt for sharing his characters with us, for breathing life into his heroes and villains way back when, so that today we have something as grand as the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Thank you, Stan, for setting this all in motion.
And now, on to the Writer’s Awards.
CH-CH-CH-CHANGES….
Nothing remains the same. In order for fictional characters to remain interesting, they must change. Some of these early changes to Marvel characters may have been wrought with this in mind, but just as likely, the writers were still “trying things out,” throwing stuff against the wall and seeing what would stick. In either case, in the category of Most Significant Changes to a Marvel Character, the nominees are…
- Peter Parker, who, when losing his eyeglasses, also loses a significant amount of his defining “geekiness,” replacing it with more superheroic self-confidence
- Iceman, who develops the ability to turn himself truly into ice, not simply snow
- Marvel Comics itself, which, during this time, embraces the model of two major storylines sharing a single book—most significantly, Tales to Astonish, which adds The Incredible Hulk to Giant-Man and the Wasp, and Tales of Suspense, where Captain America brings up the rear for Iron Man
And the Award goes to…
Peter Parker. Since eyeglasses are the universal trope for nerdiness, Parker losing his glasses strikes me as no accident. The writers are sending a clear message that the character is about to undergo some major changes…perhaps even more major than the changes that befell him when he was first bitten by that spider!
PUNY
In these early days, there are certain words and phrases that occur with comforting regularity. Who can forget “Bah!” and “I sneer at…” (fill in the blank)? One of my favorites is the use of the word “Puny” to describe something or someone insignificant or sub-par. But who gives this word its most dramatic punch? Could it be…?
- Hulk, as he declares “No puny ropes can hold me!!”
- Flash Thompson, for his repetitive use of this alliterative moniker
- Mr. Hyde, for taunting the mighty Thor with this sexist sentence:
- Reed Richards, who, disguised as a villain, taunts Torch and Thing thusly:
And the Award goes to…
Flash Thompson! Mainly because his repetitive use of “Puny Parker” has seared the phrase into our brains. But also because if we don’t give him an Award for being a bully, what else could we possibly give him an Award for?
GREATEST MORAL DILEMMA
A hallmark of great literature is that characters must often work their way through agonizing moral dilemmas. This serves two purposes. A, it helps the character undergo significant changes (as referred to in our first Award tonight), and B, it makes the story more interesting. And how about this—it gives the reader the opportunity to ask “What would I do, if faced with a similar moral dilemma?” Not that any of us are ever likely to face the sort of moral dilemmas routinely experienced by Marvel superheroes, but still…it’s fun to wonder.
In the category of Greatest Moral Dilemma, the nominees are…
- Doctor Strange, who is torn between protecting Earth by destroying the evil Dormammu, and leaving the Dormammu dimension defenseless against the Mindless Ones
- Thor, who ponders whether it is wise to maintain the time warp which is keeping his beloved Jane alive, despite the fact that the time warp is causing a temporal displacement throughout the entire Universe
- Matt Murdock, who weighs his own love for Karen Page against his best friend’s love for the same girl
And the Award goes to…
Thor. And here’s why: Murdock has already decided he must live out his life as a loner, and besides, his dilemma, though admittedly agonizing, is strictly personal. You could make a case for Doctor Strange, but let’s do the geography: Dormammu. Where is that, exactly? Doctor Strange is a long way from home, dealing with foreign affairs, which may or may not eventually affect our home shores. But Thor? Well, Thor holds the fate of the entire Universe in his time warp! One girl…or the ENTIRE UNIVERSE?? You would think the choice would be simple and obvious, but when superheroes love, they love big. Big love + big consequences = big dilemma. And if he chooses wrongly, we’re ALL in a heap of trouble.
BEST USE OF ALLITERATION
I’ve already alluded briefly to the alliteration of “Puny Parker,” but that is by no means the only occurrence of this time-tried literary device which turns simple prose into something more closely resembling poetry. Muse along with me at the marvelous multitude of nominations for “Best Use of Alliteration.”
- From Amazing Spider-Man #26, the Ringmaster
- From Avengers #8, the Narrator
- From Fantastic Four #31, the cover
- From Fantastic Four #32, the cover
- From Strange Tales #127, Thing
- From Strange Tales #127, Doctor Strange
- From Tales to Astonish #62, the Narrator
And the Award goes to…
The Narrator. And specifically for Tales to Astonish #62, where almost every mention, of Hank is Handsome, our hero is a Costumed Crusader, and the villain is none other than the aptly named Second Story Sam. Such special pains are taken to obsessively alliterate, almost to the point that, as Jesus turned the water to wine, the writer of this tall tale turns the prose to poetry.
FISH OUT OF WATER
Time for another trope! And what’s more fun than the fish out of water (unless, of course, you’re the fish…)? But in the case of Marvel Comics, everyone wins when representatives from different cultures and planets are pitted against each other.
In the category of Fish Out of Water, the nominees are…
- The Executioner and Enchantress, exiled to Earth, stop traffic
- The Infant Terrible, for everything he does
- Captain America, first arriving in 1964
And the Award goes to…
The Infant Terrible, because he’s not even human, and can’t even pass for human, making assimilation that much tougher.
MOST AWKWARD DROP-IN
You’re hanging out in your scientific laboratory, laboriously working on the cure for the common cold, and at the very split second when you are about to cry out “Eureka!” who should suddenly appear with a “Wham!” and a “Pow!” and a “How do ya do?” but the entire cast of Marvel superheroes. (Is there enough macaroni and cheese left over from dinner last night to invite them all for lunch?)
In the category of Most Awkward Drop-In, the nominees are…
- Loki’s astral body suddenly appears and interrupts Doctor Strange’s meditation session
- Captain America barges in through the open window, interrupting Hank and Jan’s conversation about her new uniform (but he makes up for it by telling Wasp she looks lovely)
- Though not technically a drop-in, Jane is surprised to find Thor in Blake’s office and assumes Blake “must have left by his private door”
And the Award goes to…
Captain America. For the use of the open window, AND the lovely save.
THE “OH NO, NOT THIS AGAIN” AWARD
Repetition is comforting. Unless it happens way too often…then it’s just annoying. Really annoying. Very, very annoying. Are we running out of fresh ideas? Marvel writers, I have news for you: it IS possible to have too much of a good thing!
And in the category of Oh No, Not This Again! the nominees are…
- How many times will we see two (or sometimes three) panels showing us how Donald Blake becomes Thor?
- Every villain wears purple and green
- The “Lady from Nowhere” is Cleopatra…again
And the Award goes to…
Thor’s repetitive waste of valuable storytime, taking up so many panels to show the same transformation over and over again. And over again. Again.
This year, the Academy is choosing to counter the “Oh no, not this again!” Award with a special “Thank God for Less of THIS” Award, which shall be given to Torch and Thing, as this year they seem to be engaging in a lot less of their “Boys Will Be Boys” shenanigans. Thank you, Marvel writers! Are our characters growing up and changing, or are you as weary of such childish behavior between two grown men as we are?
MISUNDERSTOOD HERO
Misunderstanding is a plot device of so much great literature, whether it’s every plot of every P.G. Wodehouse novel, the entire catalog of the Golden Age of Hollywood screwball comedies…or the Silver Age of Marvel Comics!
In the category of Misunderstood Hero, the nominees are…
- Hawkeye. His unfortunate discovery over a pile of stolen jewels leads the police to believe he is the thief.
- Spider-Man. He is labeled a coward when he runs away from a fight with Green Goblin, but he’s actually rushing off to see Aunt May in the hospital.
- X-Men. As an allegory for persecution, whether it’s Jews during World War II, African-Americans during the civil rights movement, or misunderstood teenagers, the public doesn’t trust them, because they’re “different.”
- Hulk. People misconstrue his actions for violence, when mostly? He just wants to be left alone.
And the Award goes to…
The all-too-real angst of Spider-Man, which is not helped by getting on the wrong side of the man who buys ink by the barrel.
BIGGEST SOAP OPERA MOMENT
(Cue up the organ…)
Oh, Marvel Comics! You know how much I love you! I have never loved any other Comics as much as I love you. Not even Superman. Not even…Doonesbury, or…Mary Worth. But…but…I have a confession to make… (dramatic musical flourish…)
It’s hard for me to admit this, but…Marvel Comics…if you were all fight scenes, all action adventure, and nothing else…I would have left you long, long ago… (another dramatic musical flourish!)
Yes, it’s true. I stay with you for…for the Soap Opera, because…well, because…you are so very good at it…
In the category of Biggest Soap Opera Moment, the nominees are…
- Professor X, at death’s door, tells his students “Leave me! I’m no good to you any more! Forget me!”
- Bennett Brant takes a bullet to protect his sister
- Thor loves a mortal, but father disapproves
- Matt and Karen secretly like each other, but each has silent misconceptions
- Tony wonders if Pepper really prefers Happy, or is she only trying to make him jealous?
- The Watcher falls in love with a queen who’s willing to give him everything, but he must reject her
- Alicia and Ben each believe they are not good enough for the other
- Thing wonders how anyone could miss someone as ugly as himself
- Pepper believes Tony is finally asking her out, but he’s only putting in a good word for Happy
- Jan is convinced that Hank is still in love with his first wife
- Betty refuses to listen to her heart and make up with Peter
And the Award goes to…
OMG! So many good contenders! And so difficult to choose. They ALL deserve to win. Can I do that? No?…Oh well…okay…then if I must choose, I’m going with the Watcher and the Queen. Not because their situation is any more soap operatic than the others, but because the Watcher doesn’t get many opportunities to be nominated. If he’s nominated, he should win. And I take that back: the trope of a lover being cruel to make their beloved hate them is pretty much drenched in soap opera. And when you add the Watcher doing this because he believes he “must forever roam the Universe,” putting his solemn responsibility above his own personal happiness…need I say more? Award!
BIGGEST ROMANTIC BACKFIRE
I don’t know how often women in real life do this, but in Marvel Comics, it happens with such regularity, these characters should have learned by now that trying to engage your love interest by making him jealous is a sure-fire way to mess up a relationship!
In the category of Biggest Romanic Backfire, the nominees are…
- Betty tries to make Peter jealous by dating Ned, but it doesn’t work, and she wonders if she’s lost him forever
- Pepper goes to the drive-in with Happy, to make Tony jealous
- Jan tries to make Hank jealous right before he intends to propose, which demolishes his self-confidence, and the proposal goes on the back burner
And the Award goes to…
Jan. You blew it, girl!
BIGGEST WTF MOMENT
So, you’re sitting there, reading your Marvel Comics, and maybe the story’s starting to feel a little dull, a bit predictable, like something you’ve heard before, and maybe you’re thinking it’s time to turn on the TV and see what’s new on Netflix, but then you turn the page and all of the sudden…WHAT??? Did that really just HAPPEN?? Are you KIDDING me??
In the category of Biggest WTF Moment, the nominees are…
- Giant-Man surprises Wasp with a demonstration of how he can change her size, simply by thinking about it
- Electro’s sudden shift when he realizes, in fact, he has not won…
- Cap discovers that Rick Jones is “Bucky’s double…like his twin brother”
- Peter drops his ticket to the circus at the most inopportune moment, leading jealous Betty to suspect he is dating another girl
And the Award goes to…
Captain America, and the inexplicable coincidence of resemblance between Bucky and Rick. What is this…Dark Shadows??
MOST HEART-WRENCHING ROMANTIC TRIANGLE
Who doesn’t love a good romantic triangle?
In the category of Most Heart-Wrenching Romantic Triangle, the nominees are…
- Reed/Sue/Namor/Dorma
- Matt/Karen/Foggy
- Tony/Pepper/Happy
And the Award goes to…
Reed, Sue, Namor and Dorma. You’ll observe that this is kind of a cheat, because it’s not really a triangle. It’s more of a parallelogram, a quadrilateral, or a rhombus, with the added attraction of sea vixen Dorma holding up the fourth wall. Actually, this configuration makes me think of how I’ve always had no more than three cats in the house, but at one point (for some reason I can’t remember…) we welcomed in a fourth cat, and from that moment on I understood that 3 + 1 definitely equals waaaay more than 4! Total bedlam! That’s what’s going on here.
MOST CLEVER “TURN OF PHRASE”
As Steve Martin once observed, “Some people have a way with words, and other people…oh, uh, not have way.” In the case of our Marvel characters, I think they all have a hunky-dory fantastico way with words! What do you think? And most importantly…to whom shall the Award go?
- Spidey tells Kraven “and so the hunter becomes the hunted.”
- When Torch says they’ll have company, Thing says “Maybe I shoulda baked me a cake!”
- Reed says, “The natives are restless today” when they are attacked by Yancy Street Pranksters.
- Giant-Man says, “That’s the way the mop flops.”
- Hawkeye sees his situation as a fairy tale and wants to “claim the fair damsel’s hand!”
- Jameson says, “Even my ulcers have ulcers!”
And the Award goes to…
Giant-Man for evoking the flopping mop. There’s something so 60’s about that phrase. At the time, I’m sure that kind of groovy talk was the best thing since sliced bread.
BIGGEST MYSTERY
Why do we keep coming back? Because there’s so much we don’t yet know. For your consideration, in the category of Biggest Mystery, the nominees are…
- Where is Professor X and what is he up to?
- Who is Green Goblin?
- Who is Mary Jane Watson, and why does she keep breaking her blind dates with Peter Parker?
- Who, or what, is the mystery villain in Strange Tales #127?
- Who is the mysterious stranger trailing Peter Parker and then reporting to an even more mysterious boss?
And the Award goes to…
Mary Jane Watson. From the movies I know a tiny bit about her, and I’m dying to see how she is finally introduced! I would imagine that for the readers of 1964 this was probably not the most burning question in their minds, but this is one mystery that absolutely consumes me! Will Peter like her when he finally meets her? What will she look like? What will she be wearing? Will she have any further explanation for all those broken blind dates? How will this date go? Where will they go? Will Peter pay, or will they go Dutch? Will there be a kiss? Oh…the suspense!
ENOUGH ALREADY! OR…THE TALKY-TALKY AWARD
Last time, in the Artist Awards, I took special pains to not be too “talky-talky.” I hope you appreciated it, because, sometimes, it’s no small feat for me to keep quiet. You may not know this about me, but I sort of like to write (which is really just another way of talking). Once, in junior high, when some pranksters in the class were misbehaving, the teacher assigned the entire class a 1,000-word essay on some topic that had to do with the New York Mets and their fans. I was living on Long Island at the time, and I guess some big things were going on in baseball. I didn’t really follow baseball at the time, and I still don’t (though there were a couple of years in the 1990’s when I was living in Florida when we would take the kids to see Marlins’ games, and my main memory of those experiences is that the lemonade in that Park was the coldest and most refreshing drink I’ve ever had! But that’s beside the point…) Getting back to junior high, as you can imagine, when that 1,000-word essay was assigned, a collective groan went up in the class…from everyone but me. I thought it was cool! I grabbed my pen and loose leaf! I was totally ready to tackle the assignment. What about “fans”? What did the teacher mean by “fans”? Baseball fans? What if they were ceiling fans? Or paper fans, you know the kind Japanese geishas like to flutter about? I was 100% ready to write 1,000 words (or more!) on the topic of “fans.” Never mind the Mets! That would be another 1,000 words!
Now. Having said all that, I admit that my lifelong penchant for writing (and talking) in no way holds a candle to some of our marvelous Marvel characters, who certainly have no concept of when enough is enough. They’re not like me…
And in the category of Enough Already! The Talky-Talky Award the nominees are…
- Daredevil
- The Narrator. The weight of his words is enough to crush the Mighty Thor.
- Diablo, who spends half a page explaining alchemy…to himself.
- The Spider-Man robot congratulates his creator for giving him “the ability to speak in the same vernacular as the real Spider-Man.”
And the Award goes to…
The Narrator! He’s EVERYWHERE and he NEVER shuts up!
MOST REVEALING FLASHBACK OR BACKSTORY
We meet our Marvel heroes and villains in mid-stream. If we keep reading, we’ll find out where they’re going, but sometimes where they’re going is only half as interesting as where they came from. These are three-dimensional characters with not only a present and a future, but also a past.
In the category of Most Revealing Flashback or Backstory, the nominees are…
- Captain America’s tale of Bucky’s death
- Magneto saves Wanda, and therefore, she and her brother remain indebted to him
- Young Victor von Doom turns to black magic after the authorities murder his parents
- Thor as Dutch Paint Boy
And the Award goes to…
Victor von Doom, if only because his story is so compelling, so melodramatic, and explains so much about why he is the way he is. You almost have to feel sorry for the guy. Almost…
HONORABLE MENTION TO:
When Sue and Johnny’s mother is killed in a car accident, their father turns to gambling and shoots a loan shark.
MOST CONFUSING USE OF THE TIME TRAVEL MOTIF
Okay, I have to admit. More often than not, time travel baffles me. Russ and I are still discussing the implications of all the time travel that went on in Avengers: End Game. And will probably be discussing it forever, because really, there are no good answers, are there?
However, you would think that in the innocent days of the early 1960’s, time travel would somehow be…simpler…gentler… more understandable. Think again!
In the category of Most Confusing Use of the Time Travel Motif, the nominees are…
- Thor swings his hammer in a prescribed matter to create a time warp
- Kang is Rama Tut is Doctor Doom
- The enchantress casts a spell to turn back time, but then time starts to replay
And the Award goes to…
Kang, Rama Tut and Doctor Doom. I think. I’m so confused, I don’t even know how to begin to talk about this one…
THE “BLESS THE BEASTS” AWARD
Have you ever considered how often the animal kingdom plays a part in Marvel Comics? Sometimes it’s simply for comedy, and sometimes as a metaphor for a particular human trait, but my favorite scenes are those where we see our heroes showing their softer side by caring for their animal friends.
In the category of Bless the Beasts, the nominees are…
- Odin turns his back on the potential battle, in order to protect the valiant steeds
- Balder wraps his horse’s feet in bags of rocks, so he can walk across the valley of swords
- All ants are Ant-Man’s friends…even the communist ants
And the Award goes to…
Balder. It’s decent of Ant-Man not to hold country of origin against the Communist ants, and Odin acts nobly in protecting his battle steeds, but the image of Balder wrapping his horse’s feet against danger speaks to a very special relationship between man and horse. If you had a horse, wouldn’t you wrap his feet in bags of rocks before crossing a Valley of Swords? I would like to think we all would…but in the case of Balder, we know he does.
THE “WAS THE ASPCA CONSULTED?” BOOBY PRIZE
There is another side of this coin where animals are concerned, and all I can say is thank goodness this is only comics, and not real life! How horrifying for the animal kingdom, if innocent beasts were pressed into service and abused like those in Marvel Comics!
In the category that asks the question Was the ASPCA Consulted? the nominees are…
- Fantastic Four #23
- X-Men #3
- X-Men #3 again
- Tales to Astonish #53
- Daredevil #3
- Tales of Suspense #59
And the Booby-Prize goes to…
Tales of Suspense #59. Iron Man’s treatment of the Black Knight’s horse is disgraceful. Okay, yes, Black Knight is a villain, but the horse is such a noble animal, he never asked for any of this, and doesn’t deserve to be treated this way.
BEST ANNOUNCEMENT
I love Love LOVE what I call the “Announcement!” What is an “Announcement”? The following nominations will explain:
- Commie soldier
- Giant-Man
- Mysterio
- Electro
- Human Torch
- Mister Hyde
- Kraven
- Owl
- Human Torch
- Scarlet Witch
- Doctor Strange
- Black Knight
- Iron Man
- Hawkeye
- Betty Ross
- Matador
And the Award goes to…
The Owl, and his surprise at seeing “A girl!” I’ve talked about this one before; it was amusing then, and it’s still amusing. Some things never get old.
BEST USE OF HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO, OR…
THE BIG CHEAT AWARD
Oh! That’s awfully convenient, isn’t it?
- Matt Murdock realizes he can adopt a superhero persona to fight crime and still keep his promise to his father
- Oh, sure, Iron Man promised to get on the plane, but he never said he’d stay on the plane
- Thor is turned to stone, but as he falls, Mjolnir hits the ground, and he’s turned back to Blake
- Just before Doom’s oxygen runs out in the vastness of outer space, Rama Tut rescues him
- Magneto’s bomb is suddenly covered in ice, just before it explodes! A surprise (non) appearance by the X-Men.
And the Award goes to…
Magneto’s bomb, suddenly covered in ice by an unscheduled appearance of the X-Men. Murdock and Iron Man use clever but twisted thinking to manipulate their circumstances. The writers take advantage of a possible outcome, when Thor’s hammer hits the ground at just the right time, in just the right way. And here we go again with the inexplicabilities of time travel, when Rama Tut rescues Doom “just in time!” But to have the X-Men suddenly show up, out of nowhere, in a tale where Magneto is battling Thor, well…as the Award says: “Big Cheat.” Might as well have Harry Potter fly in from the future and wave his wand and exclaim “bracadabra!” to disintegrate the bomb. Not really. But as you can tell by my sarcasm, I’m not a big fan of the “Big Cheat.”
THE VANQUISHED HERO
For drama, pathos and tragedy, nothing surpasses a vanquished hero.
- Spider-Man
- Daredevil
- Hulk
And the Award goes to…
Spider-Man, knocked out by Electro. Because it was “his own fault,” because he moved too quickly and did not employ the usual cautions most people would, when messing around with electricity. Sometimes Spidey is too cocky and sure of himself for his own good, adding extra pathos to his sorry situation.
MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT
Oops!
- Cap encased in bands of unbreakable cinders, like a pig in a blanket
- While he’s out, someone steals Doctor Strange’s physical body
- Flash Thompson is KO’ed by Puny Parker
And the Award goes to…
Doctor Strange, for misplacing his physical body. I hate it when that happens…
EXTREME IRONY
A fire station burns down. A marriage counselor files for divorce. An anti-technology group sets up a website to recruit new club members.
Got the idea? Let’s go:
- Flash thinks Puny Parker would probably faint if he ever saw Spider-Man
- When Doctor Octopus unmasks Spider-Man, everyone believes Peter was pretending to be a hero
- Karen can’t figure out why Matt reminds her of Daredevil
- Wasp winks at the reader as she tells Hank she needs his protection…after she just took down the Magician on her own
- It burns up Peter Parker that Flash Thompson is Spider-Man’s biggest fan
- Not realizing that he was assisted in battle by the Fantastic Four, Namor prays that the FF won’t attack Atlantis, while in his weakened state
- Matador robs a burglar alarm factory
And the Award goes to…
Wasp! Oh, I just love this gal’s sassy ways. Extra points for breaking the fourth wall.
BIGGEST BACKFIRE
Things don’t always turn out the way you plan. Not even in the Marvel Universe. And some backfires are bigger than others. Up for your consideration…
- Zemo sends Wonder Man to infiltrate the Avengers, then Wonder Man flips from evil to good
- Puppet Master’s helmet strikes back at him instead, hurling him off his feet
- In a literal backfire, Sue’s force field traps “subsonic sound waves” to blow up the machine
- Doctor Strange’s spell causes the midget to grow
- The harder you hit Sigurd, the more powerful he grows
- Porcupine takes an overdose of Giant-Man’s pills, but rather than growing super big, he shrinks to nothing
- The bigger Hank Pym grows, the weaker he becomes
- In an effort to contact his dead mother, Victor conducts an experiment that leads to his permanent disfigurement (maybe he should have listened to Reed’s warning about the decimal point)
And the Award goes to…
Zemo and Wonder Man. In the black and white Marvel Universe, what could possibly be a bigger blunder than jumping the fence?
MOST IMAGINATIVE ALTERNATIVE TO JAIL?
Let’s face it. In the Marvel Universe, “jail” is not really a powerful deterrent or punishment. Most criminals end up back on the street even faster than they do in our real world. Sometimes, heroes and gods may feel that justice is best served by taking it into their own hands. That may not always work, but at least it’s entertaining!
In the category of Most Imaginative Alternative to Jail, the nominees are…
- Doctor Doom falls through a hole in the floor and lands in outer space
- For his treachery, Loki must serve the trolls
- After Professor X brainwashes him into forgetting the X-Men, the Blob returns to the carnival as a side-show freak
- Hank Pym gives Second Story Sam a memory loss serum
And the Award goes to…
Pym’s use of chemicals to completely eradicate any tendency towards crime. Oh, if only it could be true, what a different world we might live in! Of course, that would completely bypass the issues of crime and punishment, victim’s rights, free will, etc. Let’s all just pop a pill and live in the land of lollipops and sunshine! With no criminals, of course, there would be no need for superheroes, right? Dull. I guess that’s why we haven’t heard about this Marvel “quick fix” again…you think?
BIGGEST SURPRISE
As the poet Gomer Pyle once said (circa 1964—same as the comics in these Awards), “Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!”
Which Marvel storyline surprise is most worthy of Mr. Pyle’s triple “Surprise!” and thus the Award? The nominees are…
- Wimpy Foswell is the Big Man
- It turns out that Ant-Man wasn’t really dead, at all (well, maybe that’s not really that big of a surprise for us, but it sure was, for Jan!)
- After seeing Doctor Doom finally crush Reed Richards, we learn it was all in Doom’s head
And the Award goes to…
Reed Richards turning the tables on Doctor Doom by using reverse psychology against him. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that a Brainiac like Richards would corral all the elements at his disposal to achieve his goals. I wouldn’t have been willing to take that chance, even if I had been smart enough to think of it. Which I doubt I would have. But then, that’s why Reed Richards is the star of this story, and I am just one humble reader.
Marvel Comics was pretty good with those surprises, huh?
And now I have a surprise for you, dear readers! Last time I did these Awards, this was the end of the road. But through much discussion, Russ has made the point that there should be yet another Award category. Not to demean Marvel Comics, but think of a Dog Show. After all the “Best of Breeds” and “Best of Group” competitions are decided, there is a final round for “Best of Show”—essentially the “Best of the Best.” In a like manner, we’re presenting a Grand Finale for these Awards with one more installment: The Most Marvelous of the Marvelous Awards! So join me in a week’s time when we will take one more look at the grand big picture of the year 1964 in Marvel Comics!
