From: wogg0743@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (William Shakespeare)
Subject: Re: Miracleman #23
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 06:13:44 GMT

A reply to a reply by Montague_Kevin@Tandem.com (Kevvy Kev).  My
original message text is deleted
 
>I think you're forgetting some equally important clues that point to the
>opposite.  One quick one: when Mike finally remembers his word, and remembers
>some of the past, he comes home to his wife and says "Honey?  Honey, don't
>be afraid, it's me.  It's Mike."  Clear pointer to the fact than he feels
>that it's still *him* in there.
>This is why I brought it up; a lot of the tension and movement in this
>story is generated by Moran's procession towards schizophrenia.  The
>comparison
>with Bates is what adds to it: as Moran says, looking at Bates, "That
> could've been me."
 
And maybe it will be him.  The silver age may surprise us.  However, when
the above encounter with Mrs. Moran occurred, he had just become MM again.
Plus, he didn't know the truth about the two-body situation or his origin.
He just thought he was charaged with nuclear harmony or some such.
 
>Again, I'm trying to make this quick, in case the earlier post went
>through. . .
>but condider the fact also that he decides to remain on earth, while Winter
>makes a relatively early decision to cut out.  Again, the comparison is
>useful; I don't think Moran feels he doesn't "need" people.  Maybe need is
>the wrong word.
 
Winter thinks homo saps are "just people".  She cares more about the sky
color than whether racism has been abolished or the hungry fed.  She has
never known need and doesn't understand it, ergo, she can't empathize.  MM
can empathize because of his time as Moran.  The earthlings need him, or so
he thinks.
 
>A gross simplification.  You give mortal man too little credit. . .or, I
>should say, Moore's conception of mortal man.  Would You be pissed off?
>I know that I wouldn't (It's happened).
 
(A response to my comment on the "poof" incident with the kid in the woods,
the one with the Peter Pan reference).
 
Moran is very insecure about his masculinity.  He can't stand that his wife
makes more money (and is apparently more talented) than him.  He's upset
that he's infertal (radiation will do that--avoid a-bombs), whereas MM
(like the classical Zeus) can knock up Mrs. Moran in one night.  No problem.
Remember, he gives her the silent treatment for MONTHS after learning of the
pregancy.  MM, on the other hand, has no insecurities on this front.
 
>Do you really think he can have anything?
 
(Response to my hypothetical MM gets mugged scenario.)
 
MM can have everything he needs and almost anything he wants.  Without
resorting to physical cumpulsion of humans.  If he uses force unethically,
he can have nearly anything.  In general, though, what does a man who
is immortal, invulnerable, etc. need, besides a good-looking consort and
a world full of tempermental humans to keep him from getting bored?
 
My point on the mugging was that MM would feel no emotional response to
having someone demand money from him under threat.  To a human man, it is
a big deal to be ripped off.  MM, of course, cannot be really mugged.  But
if someone mistook him for someone else and pointed a gun at him and said
fork over, he would either hand over his money (if there were still money)
or not.  He would be indifferent to the situation.
 
> Same as above.
 
(Response to my comment on MM attitude toward humans.)
 
MM could treat anyone the same.  A king to him is no better than a beggar.
All earthly power is meaningless to him because its means of enforcement
is useless against his forcefield.  A billionaire is the same as a street
person to him, because he doesn't need money.  He doesn't have to suck up.
He can be totally honest (except about Kimota and Abraxas, if those still
apply).  His relationship to people in general is deeply affected by his
invulnerability.
 
>Broken record dep't: Bates and his reactions to being a superhuman in a
>world of "normals" must be considered, and I think they show conclusions
>very different from those you've drawn.  In addition, you (And Moore) ignore
>the fact that the technology ultimately allows the use of an entire
>"wardrobe" of bodies; this speaks to the issue as well.
 
(Response to my comment on Moran's "suicide".)
 
Bodies seem to be owned by individuals.  The aliens in the Moore run make
reference to the sexier bodies of a certain individual.  Moore's silver
age shapechanger has a wardrobe of bodies in his color scheme (and aparently
tailor to keep his Miracle Child powers intact in that form).  Only Winter
has been shown taking on a body not specifically designed for her, and that
was in an expurgated "child's" version of the story.  Furthermore, Qys bodies
seem to be all super-powered in one way or another.  The alien's swear by
their original bodies, but don't seem to have much interest in wearing them.
Winter goes to visit the Qys in the first place because they are experts in
the field of superpowers.
 
True, I think there are some inconsistencies in the suturing of the Qys
into the MM universe (Moore, for instance, seems originally to have positted
one extra body per alien.  The alien that died a-la YM had a Miracle body
and an original one.
 
bg
 
ps. Has it occured to anyone that Winter is the most powerful being in the
universe?  She can warp, shapechange, and has miracle powers.  Scary.  Maybe
she'll be the villain in the Silver Age (or the hero).

-- 
William ("Shakespeare") Gulstad          /  So where are the C.S. babes?
wogg0743@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu                /  Joni Mitchell for President!
I vote, so I can complain!               /  Did you vote?  Then don't complain!
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