HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: manley@iies.ecn.purdue.edu (HELD HOSTAGE -- YEAR ONE)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: Swapthing/Alan Moore
Date: 26 Jul 92 00:02:54 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <1992Jul25.015952.6776@midway.uchicago.edu> lf7z@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>
>Actually, Swapthing was once a fellow netter, who refused to post to r.a.c.
>marketplace.  One day he went too far, posting a car ad, and was engulfed
>in flames.  He ran screaming thru the nearby drugstore and into a local
>Thrift Store.  As a result of the ensuing explosion he was transmogrified into
>--- the Swapthing (imagine eerily wavering font).  But this was before the
>Mooremeister got a hold of him.  Swapthing discovered that he was really
>a bargain basement elemental, defender of the underground economy, and
>foe to price inflation wherever it rears its ugly head.  He ocassionally
>takes trips into the Barter, where he communes with predecessor bargain
>hunters who have since taken root in the Great Mother of Flea Markets.
>His greatest enemies are those who have descended into the Designer,
>for whom no price is too high.  He lives in a Garage Sale in West Chicago,
>with his wife Thrifty and his daughter Sweetdeal.

You know, I really enjoyed Swapthing during the Moore runs, but after he
left the book and the new management at Rac Press started with all the
guest appearances, I grew disinterested.  I mean, in the summer of '91 alone
Swappy showed up in Suicide Squid (three times, and IMHO, only one was worth 
reading), Legion of Supper Heroes (if I hear one more okra joke, or see
MASHED POTATO MAN LIVES in the background of one more Rac Press book, I will
firebomb their offices), Legion of Net.Heroes, Net.Villains, AND the Tales of
the Net.Lurkers mini-series.  Plus there was that horrid cameo appearance
in BLOODBLOODBLOOD!!! Annual #3.  Geez, talk about hyper-extended marketing.

M.
--
------------------------  manley@iies.ecn.purdue.edu  ------------------------
                              Nobody likes you.
                            Everybody hates you.
                             You're gonna lose.
From: conty@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (Conty 1/2)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: DC Comics
Date: 24 Jul 92 21:00:20 GMT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories

In article <1992Jul24.103507.202106@uctvax.uct.ac.za>, snyeva01@uctvax.uct.ac.za writes:
> could someone please tell me what the DC as in DC Comics means?
> could it be "Devil's Comics"?

Yes.


July's Fool!  :-)

But seriously:
	So why did National change to "Detective Comics"?  More
importantly, why was the name "Detective Comics" used instead of
"Action Comics"?
-- 
			    E n r i q u e  C o n t y
			The Incredible Man-with-no-Life
			      jester@ihlpl.att.com
		    Disclaimer: You're not dealing with AT&T
Organization: Computer Repair, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
From: jrp3935@tamsun.tamu.edu (Jonny Ray Purvis)
Subject: Re: Conan queries
Organization: Texas A&M University, College Station
Distribution: rec
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 18:06:52 GMT

In article <KAUTZ.92Jul21174718@pushpakam.research.nj.att.com> kautz@research.att.com writes:
>Anyone have a list of all the Conan books with artwork by Barry Smith?
>
>Also, years ago Marvel put out a special oversize Conan book, all
>artwork by Smith, but reprinted in color for the first time.  The
>pages were reproduced larger than the original size and were quite
>striking; one story, I recall, was "Red Nails".  Anyone know exactly
>what this book was called, if there was ever a followup, and where I
>might be able to buy a copy?

No help for you on the name unfortunately.  I do remember, however, a
book published around 1987- (Conan Saga?) that reprinted the better
Conan stories.  They started by doing all of Barry's work, then moved on 
to other well known artists.  You could probably get this series for near
cover price, if you can find it.

Jon Purvis
jrp3935@tamsun.tamu.edu
From: sl859@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: Give Galactus "HIS" due
Date: 30 Jul 92 10:45:37 MDT
Organization: Utah State University

In article <IeRzgcO00W01I19Gp1@andrew.cmu.edu>, Harith Jameel Alkhafiz <ha09+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
> Yes!!!  That would bring Galactus back up to the levels of cosmic might that
> Stan Lee and Jack Kirby intended waaaaaaay back when they first wrote him.
> Galactus is a force of nature, an indescribably powerful entity above morality
> and emotions.  Unfortunately, this sounds like what happened in FF when the
> real Dr. Doom came back (in cool silver armor), restored Kristoff, and
> destroyed the Doombot that was impersonating Doom.  This restored Doom to his
> previous place of glory and explained why he had been acting so petty of late.
> Unfortunately, we know what happened to that storyline.

> characters who are severely out of character lately:
> Galactus (too petty)
> Silver Surfer (not "cosmic" enough)
> Dr. Doom (too petty)

	I'm afraid I have to agree with you here as well.  Pretty soon 
the Punisher will be beating up on Galactus!   (Don't put it past 'em! if
they thought it would get them money they'd do it in a sec!)  I am glad
that they have not ruined the power of the phoenix force, since it too 
is supposed to be one of those "forces of nature."  (If only they'd just 
bring Rachel back!)  Sort of annoying also how everyone seems to beat up
on Mephisto, Juggernaut, Xavier, Gladiator.  (to name a few more) They used 
to be untouchables but now one way or another someone snatches them up or
pettily blows them away.
            Is that what you call progress???  
                                                wReam...

P.S.  I wonder is it common for someone riding in a fast elevator, all 
alone, to lie down on the floor of the elevator because they like it better?
Just wondering, not that I do it or anything.... ;-)
From: v070km6q@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (John B Schutkeker)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: Reality Gem.
Date: 29 Jul 92 15:17:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Jul27.215111.24579@sol.UVic.CA>, jcowling@ophelia.UVic.CA (Scowling Jim Cowling) writes...

>How do you know it's not Thanos?  I think it's pretty damn obvious that it's 
>Thanos, myself.

Ssssssuuuurrrrrreeeee!  And why don't they make Dr. Doom leader of the free
world, too, since they're feeling so suicidal?  I think the guy that predicted
that the "good Warlock" would get the reality gem was right on.

As far as the problem of keeping that person from becoming too omnipotent is
concerned, that's no problem.  Just give it to a weak character who can't
exploit it's potential.  Look at how poorly Gamora, Pip, and the Destroyer
use their gems.  Moondragon is the only one with any capability at all.  Pip
should be able to do more than teleport.  Gamora should be able to do more
than just "glimpse" the future once every ten issues, and the Destroyer hardly
seems to have gotten stronger at all.  If Irv Forbush got the reality gem,
nobody would notice it.  No, wait.  I take it back.  If Irv Forbush got
the gem we might all be stuck in Howard the Duck's Baloneyverse.

Aaaaiiiiiieeeee.......
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
From: tyg@dip.eecs.umich.edu (Tom Galloway)
Subject: Re: DC Comics
Organization: Interleaf
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 12:58:25 GMT

In article <1992Jul24.103507.202106@uctvax.uct.ac.za> snyeva01@uctvax.uct.ac.za writes:
>could someone please tell me what the DC as in DC Comics means?
>could it be "Devil's Comics"?
>what with a adress like 666 fifth street one could get quite suspicuous.

Sigh...this is as silly as there not being 13th floors in many buildings
and other corporate satanism rumors. DC stands for Detective Comics, and
looking at what's actually in their comics should show that it's not a front
for satanism (despite the silly letter in the latest Sandman from a Donald
Wildmon front organization). Besides, DC moved from the 666 address last year.

Devil's Comics did put out a few issues of Suicide Squid though; the special
adaptations of Faustus and Dante's Inferno.

"He has been known by many names; the Prince of Lies, the Director, Lucifer,
Belial, and once, at a party, some obnoxious drunk kept calling him 'Dude'."
  --Ty Templeton
tyg   tyg@hq.ileaf.com
From: steppe@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Top Changwatchai)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: Shade info (spoilers)
Date: 23 Jul 92 02:59:16 GMT

In article <1992Jul20.142647.5430@uceng.UC.EDU> sweide@uceng.UC.EDU (Steve Weide) writes:
>
>I Just picked up a copy of Shade the other day, and I loved it.  The rave 
>reviews were by no means unwarranted.  I was wondering if someone could
>post or E-mail me some background info on this series, it would be greatly
>appreciated. 
>                      Thanks,
>                             Steve

How detailed a summary would you like?  For myself, I just started reading
comics, but I got all the back issues of _Shade_, including the eight issues
by Steve Ditko.

Briefly, the character Rac Shade (and the comic) is loosely based on the
same-titled character (and comic) created by Steve Ditko in the 70's.  This
original comic ran only 8 issues.  (The character also appeared in Suicide
Squad, a pretty bland comic.)  Fortunately, the only stuff you need to know
from the original comic is explained in the new series by Milligan.

In this new series, Shade comes to Earth from his home planet Meta and inhabits
the body of serial killer Troy Grenzer, as Grenzer is being electrocuted.
Shade's real body lies decaying in the Area of Madness (in the Zero-Zone,
between Earth and Meta).  Shade is a Metan government agent who has been sent
to Earth to contain madness
which has spilled over into America.  This madness is embodied by a specter
called the American Scream.  Shade meets Kathy George, whose parents and
boyfriend had been killed by Grenzer.  After a bunch of adventures,
Shade manages to destroy the Scream, as well as his treacherous Metan boss
Wizor (issue 20, I believe).  He is thus now (sorta) on the run from the Metan
authorities.  Also, he and Kathy have picked up Lenny along the way, and the
three of them share a pretty complicated set of relationships.

Anyway, by issue 26, Shade figures out that he's dead (yeah, it's a pretty
weird comic), so he has to find somebody else's body to inhabit.  He's
eventually forced to inhabit the body of Naomi, who's just died in a car wreck;
thus the name change to _Shade:_the_Changing_WOman_.

Oh, I almost forgot the most important bit:  Shade's real body wears something
called the M-vest; it gives him power and some control over the madness.  It
also lets him do some pretty odd things.

That should get you up-to-date, but most of the preceding issues are pretty
interesting; I recommend getting the back issues.  Alternatively, I could
summarize those issues in greater depth for you.  Let me know.

Top
From: cwagner@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Christian Wagner)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: Swapthing/Alan Moore
Date: 27 Jul 92 01:24:48 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

In article <1992Jul25.015952.6776@midway.uchicago.edu> lf7z@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>In article <1992Jul24.194150.6748@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> grimm@eecae.ee.msu.edu (Jerry Michael Grimm) writes:
>>Hmm, it been a while since I've seen any info requests for
>>Swapthing on the subject line.
>>Wasn't Swapthing a character created by Alan Moore just after his
>>[Original Swapthing joke deleted]
>[Followup Swapthing joke deleted]

Okay, guys, when are we gonna be able to get official r.a.c. Swapthing 
t-shirts? And who do we get to do the artwork?

-- 
It is better to be     |      Christian Wagner      | I may make you feel,    
quotable than honest.  | UT - Austin, CS Dept. (UG) | but I can't make you
  - Tom Stoppard       | cwagner@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu | think. - JT, "Taab"

Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
From: hoahosth@halls1.cc.monash.edu.au (ANDREA HOSTH)
Subject: Re: DC: Wonder Woman #66
Organization: Halls of Residence, Monash University 
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 03:33:52 GMT

In article <b2dmcbq.dani@netcom.com> dani@netcom.com (Dani Zweig) writes:
>jrd@lynx.frame.com (James Drew):
>>>Wonder Woman is now Lost in Space, with no idea of where Earth is or how to
>>>get home.  Right.
>She was in orbit.  The blast threw her thousands of miles.  Now if
>I were thrown thousands of miles (and lived to tell the tale), I'd
>probably be lost (at least till I could ask for directions), but I
>wouldn't have much doubt as to where Earth was.

Thousands of miles is a very short distance in space. Frankly, she would 
have had to have been travelling for a few centuries to even get out of the 
solar system after being thrown out of orbit by a "blast". Earth is a fairly 
large and recognisable landmark from more than a few thousand miles.

Ankh
From: albert@chain.ssctr.bcm.tmc.edu (Rick Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: Marvel Continuity
Date: 29 Jul 1992 21:02:02 GMT
Organization: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tx

In article <1992Jul29.143453.1@skcla.monsanto.com> jjfink@skcla.monsanto.com writes:
>We can also pinpoint 'important' events by other features:  are there any books
>with the Statue of Liberty in scaffolds?  How many presidential caricatures are
>there?  If I'm not wrong, it may have been a sacred cow before Reagan.  These
>kinds of things can cause serious retcons in the future.


	When Dark Phoenix went ape in X-men #135/136, President Carter
called the Avengers to ask what the @#$% was going on.  Beast was
on call, but ditched to go help the X-men, so Jarvis got chewed out
by Carter.
-- 
Rick Jones				Systems Support Center
albert@bcm.tmc.edu			Baylor College of Medicine
Voice: 713-798-7352			standard disclaimers apply
"I've _got_ to start listening to those quiet, nagging doubts." - Calvin
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
From: lintz@buster.cis.udel.edu (Brian Lintz)
Subject: Question about Hellblazer TPB
Organization: University of Delaware, Newark
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 17:36:23 GMT

The _Hellblazer_ TPB that is supposed to come out in August collects
issues 1-9. Didn't _Hellblazer_ #9 continue into an issue of _Swamp Thing_?
Is this issue also reprinted in the TPB, or do I have to run around looking
for it if I buy the TPB?

Thanks

Brian Lintz
lintz@udel.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
From: sarwate@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Sanjiv Sarwate)
Subject: Re: Sinestro's ring! and Guy Gardner!
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 15:25:08 GMT

perry@tartarus.uwa.edu.au (Perry Staltari) writes:

>	I'm a fairly new comer into the comic world, but have caught up
>a lot lately. Currently I'm going through the Eclipso cross-overs and
>regularly read L.E.G.I.O.N. I also have been following some of the
>Batman mini-series that have been floating around. I haven't read too
>many Marvel comics, but as you can see I'm into DC.
>	I've just finished reading the Guy Gardner Reborn mini-series.
>He's after Sinestro's ring and in the end gets it. I know little about
>Sinestro and the extent of power he once had. Also, just how powerful is
>this ring and is there anyway to stop Guy Gardner? Not that I think he
>should be stopped, except I think Lobo has a score to settle.

Sinestro's ring was pretty fraggin' impressive. Like a GL ring, but with
no vulnerability to yellow, and it was based on yellow light, basically    
allowing it to whomp all over GL rings.  Guy will be hard-pressed to kill Lobo,
though.  I can't remember off hand if power rings are capable of         
disintegration, but even if they are, Guy likes to use cute tricks when
fighting with his ring.  

The only living being I can think of offhand who could kill Lobo easily is
Darkseid.  

So basically, Guy is dead meat on a stick when Lobo comes after him.  And
no one on Earth can stop him.       


-- 
Sanjiv Sarwate		sarwate@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu	SANJIV@UIUCVMD
"The next day, the former Prime Minister accepts his first job since leaving
the Executive Mansion; cleaning out the inn's stables.  He notes that the two
occupations are not, essentially, dissimilar."  
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
From: kenl@idacom.hp.com (Ken Loo)
Subject: Re: The Red Tornado (was: Re: JL* Sucks!)
Reply-To: kenl@idacom.UUCP (Ken Loo)
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, IDACOM Telecommunications Division
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 23:57:09 GMT

In article <1992Jul20.094740.1852@wkuvx1.bitnet> charyma@wkuvx1.bitnet writes:
>In article <1992Jul20.001448.25050@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, dvandom@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (David VanDomelen) writes:
>> Unfortunately, Red Tornado has been transformed into a DC Elemental, which 
>> means that he has to go about ranting about how evil mankind is for damaging 
>> the environment.  Captain Atom cooled him down a bit, but I doubt that would 
>> last long.  DC seems to have this tradition of taking neat characters (Swamp 
>> Thing, Firestorm, Red Tornado) and turning them into one-dimensional Elementals
>> with permanent mad-ons vs. humanity.  Swamp Thing seems to have recovered, but 
>> I'm sure that Firestorm's Elementality killed his title.
>>      Dave Van Domelen, DC Elemental of Dryer Lint
>
>WHOA!  Wait just a cotton-pickin' minute!  The elemental retcon *saved*
>the Swamp Thing title.  It was a great idea and a terrific plot.  Moore
>made a brilliant change with a character which was going *NOWHERE* previously.
>Just because the other guys can't write doesn't made the Swamp Thing retcon
>bad.

No arguement there!  Prior to Moore, Swamp Thing suffered from "Quest
Syndrome".  That is, the whole basis of the series was Alec Holland's
quest to regain his humanity.  

What Moore did at the time when he took over the writing chores was just
short of brilliance.  By twisting the premise from a man turned
into a plant, to a plant who thought he was once a man, Moore basically
guaranteed the series an infinite shelf life.  Under the old premise,
once Holland found the cure, the series is over!

- Ken Loo
  Idacom, A Division of HP

Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
From: lf7z@ellis.uchicago.edu (glenn alan carnagey jr)
Subject: Re: Superman DIES ???????????
Reply-To: lf7z@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 22:47:58 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.201048.3332@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> berninge@peptide.ecn.purdue.edu (James A Berninger) writes:
>I doubt it.  Hellblazer and Sandman are both "mature titles".  Just
>as Green Arrow, Sandman, etc. were not included in Armageddon 2001
>or Eclipso ....

Guess you skipped the latest GA Annual, huh?  He got dragged into this
Eclipso mess, and there's a Batman/Green Arrow one-shot due out at the
summer.  Never say never when it comes to crossovers.

Pax ex machina,
Glenn
...............................................................
"Be my little human sacrifice"
   --- My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult
g-carnagey@uchicago.edu, if you must know
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
From: EAO102@psuvm.psu.edu (Ernie Oporto)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: Re: Weapon Omega
Date: 28 Jul 92 00:15:09 GMT
Organization: The Pennylvania State University

In article <1992Jul27.204949.3243@rose.com>, victor.ng@rose.com (victor ng)
says:
>
>This is a list of circumstances that could lead Weapon Omega (Newest member of
>Alpha Flight). to the Sabretooth and Wolverine.

Gee...not only that, but he used to be someone called WildChild, who is
on the same list tha Wolvie and Sabre are on for being terminated by the
Shiva program robots from the Wolverine comic.  Seems like they were all
part of the Weapon X project...

---
Ernie 'SHOKK' Oporto - EAO102@PSUVM.PSU.EDU OPORTO@CORVETTE.ECE.PSU.EDU
Computer Lab Attendant for the Penn State Center for Academic Computing
"See?!? I'm the cat!" -- Ren Hoek
From: maral@repare.EBay.Sun.COM (Mark Maral)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
Subject: DH: The American
Date: 22 Jul 1992 14:07:22 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distribution: world
Reply-To: maral@repare.EBay.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: repare.ebay.sun.com

Can someone give me some additional background
info on Dark Horse's The American?  I picked up
the latest issue and  it appears there was
a gap between this issue and earlier issues.
What has transpired during this time?

Thanks in advance  



Xref: sparky rec.arts.comics:20973 rec.arts.comics.misc:377
From: ghost@ra.nrl.navy.mil (G. Host)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics,rec.arts.comics.misc
Subject: Re: Crisis Inconsistencies (WAS: Re: The Problem with the GL yellow we
Date: 23 Jul 92 23:21:08 GMT
Reply-To: ghost@ra.nrl.navy.mil (G. Host)
Distribution: na
Organization: Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC


> Article <1992Jul23.003021.10129@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> From: dvandom@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (David VanDomelen)

> Actually, Denny O'Neill came up with a good way to scale back Supe's powers, 
> and it *was* permanent...until another editor took over.  He had an 
> experimental reactor transform all kryptonite into lead, making it harmless.  
> However, due to a side effect of the accident, an energy double of
> Supes began 
> to form, which siphoned his power. 
> At the end of the story (and the inevitable
> battle betwixt the two), the double left Earth, taking much of Supe's power 
> with it.  Superman thus lost his K weakness and was scaled back to about the 
> power level he's at now.  But editorial laziness on the part of later editors 
> restored Clark to his former level of glory and boringness.  And this all 
> happened about 20 years ago.


20 years ago? I remember buying it off the shelf - I guess my age is showing.

The problem with the story is that none of Supermans foes were
Correspondingly weakened so an attack which bothered him before
was a major problem and attacks which could kill him other than Kryptonite
would kill him fast!

I liked the story as well - one of my favorite quotes was in it..
"Kryptonite?" <munch> <chomp> "Not bad at all but could have
used a touch of salt."

A great line when heroes had sense of humors without being
putzes or fools.

-- 
Glenn Host          | Moving soon; watch this space for new address!
12307 Tigers Eye Ct |
Reston, VA 22091    |
(703) 620-1141      | I will public post abusive email! Be warned!
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics
From: mbvg9741@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (plain)
Subject: Re: Jewish Superheros
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 20:22:19 GMT

danfrank@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Daniel Frank) writes:

>With the return of Seraph in the Global Guardians (Yay!!!!), I wanted to
>compile a list of Jewish superheros. Please post any additional ones
>you may be aware of.


>Marvel
>Magneto: I know that the reason he wants mutants to rule the world
>   was the result of his experiences in the Holocaust and that 
>   Professor X met him in Israel. However, has Marvel ever said that
>   he was Jewish? His kids, Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch, aren't
>   Jewish unless their mother is. (Anyone know?)
 He was at a reunion, I believe, of holocaust survivors in issue 199
 (and probably 198, I only have 199 of Xbooks that late in their history)
 I don't think he is specifically identified as Jewish in that issue,
 but I'm fairly certain he is clearly identified at some point.  If
 memory serves me, his wife was a gypsy, though I don't remember where
 I read that.
 By the way, Kitty Pryde is also Jewish, or at least she was when I
 still read Xbooks.


>Marvel also had some team that consisted of Earthpeople who were in
>   training for godhood or something. I don't remember the name but
>   one of them was from Israel
 New Gods is who you are referring too.  They were in the one issue
 of a recent Marvel Premiere or Preview or whatever that title is
 now that is mostly an excuse to get Wolverine and Ghost Rider fans
 to buy another title, IMHO.

-Vincent
>****************************************************
Xref: sparky rec.arts.comics:21007 rec.arts.comics.marketplace:2052