The Iron Age of Comics: Jim Shooter's Return to Marvel

[THeaven]

I want to play that Fantastic Four game!

Fire up the D-Hopper, we're going on a trip...

 

[Pyro]

"Quarterman's spies have reported that DC Comics has been holding meetings with representatives from Capcom in California and Japan about a potential licensing agreement. Could that mean that the minds behind Mega Man and Street Fighter will be churning out games starring the Man of Steel, the Dark Knight, and the rest of the Justice League?" - Excerpt from Quarterman's column, Electronic Gaming Monthly #37, August 1992

 

[JonClark]

Unfortunately, one of the casualties of that announcement would be the Superman television series that DC Comics president Jenette Khan had championed. [2]

[2] And Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman bites the dust, which will start a domino effect for the comics which I will elaborate on in a coming update.

Does this affect how long the Superboy TV series ran? IOTL it was cancelled due to Lois & Clark not wanting direct TV competition. With the movie not coming out as soon, did DC wait longer to pull the character rights back?

 

[lukedalton]

Well, honestly

I think it can work out as Spider-Man's in-universe popularity was low thanks to the JJJ and the Daily Bugle. Captain America has the "living legend" aura going for him, and Iron Man can use Stark's PR department to make him a celebrity. We'll see where this goes.

Spider-Man and X-Men will be making major bank so Crusade is going to see productions with a 1996 release date in minds. The 1997 Oscars will be an interesting affair.

The real game changer will be the fact that they will be in a shared cinematic universe (the MCU is basically a tv series on movie format), a truly revolutionary approach OTL and even more ITTL basically 10 years earlier; plus there is the fact on how the characters will be approached, taken in consideration Cameron and his love for technical detail and worldbuilding, he will probably go for a more realistic build up plus a 400 page bible regarding the world around Spiderman full of easter-egss and reference to other characters.

And if OTL teach something, the movies will surely influence the comics regarding how the characters are depicted and if we go for a metaplot, instead of the Infinity Gauntlet, the more probable choice will be the Kree-Skrull war.

Back to the shared universe, if the marvel movie are the moneymaker like OTL expect that all the big studios will go for a similar approach...with probably similar results as OTL

Peter Jackson on Wonder Woman. Hmmmm. -eyebrow raise-

Jackson is still not know enough to be given such a big budget blockbuster

Edit: if Cameron helm Spiderman, expect Micheal Biehn having a substantial part, maybe even Uncle Ben and that the female lead will be some strong woman that kick ass...maybe going for Silver Sable even as love interest for Spiderman (if he choose to forgone the teenager years and attempt something of more adult...like the PS4 game) after all there is always been tease that Sable had some romantic attraction towards Spidey...due to him being an overall and genuine good guy and hero, what to say, bad girls want good boys

 

[Pyro]

After a decades-long courtship Superman would marry his love interest, Lois Lane with Superman (vol. 2) #75 in November 1992. While DC had published “Mr. & Mrs. Superman” stories during the seventies and into the eighties, these were the adventures of the Golden Age “Earth-Two” counterparts of the characters that were no longer canon after Crisis on Infinite Earths. DC President Jenette Khan had originally vetoed the idea as she wanted to save the idea for her never-realized television series, but green-lighted it after Warner Bros. changed its plans following the Marvel/LightStorm announcement. However, a great tragedy would occur before the celebration.

“Wedding of Steel” was the epilogue for what would be that year’s big crossover where an unstoppable alien juggernaut named Doomsday would rampage across the DC universe. It began in Green Lantern (vol. 3) #33 where Doomsday crashes into Coast City and begins slaughtering its inhabitants. He faces off against not only Hal Jordan, but also John Stewart and Guy Gardner in a desperate battle while the Corps evacuates the survivors. Doomsday defeats them and dozens of other Lanterns before moving on, but the city still stands and most of its population spared.

Doomsday would continue next month in The Flash (vol. 2) #71 where Doomsday arrives in Keystone City. The fastest man alive would desperately employ every speed trick he knew to slow the behemoth down, only to get both legs broken before both the Justice League and Justice League International intervene. The crossover consists of DC’s entire pantheon of heroes making a stand against the creature over the following months, only for them to fall until Doomsday arrives in Metropolis.

What would follow would be what many fans regard as one of the most brutal fights in the history of the medium where Superman and the remnants of the League fight Doomsday to standstill. Ultimately, it is a badly-injured Superman who stands alone against the creature--and betrays his own code to never kill and puts Doomsday down for good, but at a cost. Superman survives the battle, but falls into a coma and later learns that the battle burned his powers out when he emerges from it.

His experience with Doomsday taught him how even fragile his life is and thus continues on with the wedding--doubling his commitment to Lois. Superman announces his retirement to the world and appoints Booster Gold as his replacement in the League as well as Metropolis’s protector [1]. The story ends with Lois and Clark on their honeymoon; Clark playfully asks Lois if she still loves him as much now that he’s not Superman. She unbuttons his shirt to reveal his bare chest and leans towards him to whisper, “You will always be MY Superman.” before they kiss.

“Doomsday” would have reverberations that would echo throughout the DC Universe. For one, Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner would set aside their differences for the rebuilding of Coast City while John Stewart joins the Corps’ Honour Guard. Wally West’s encounter with Doomsday would leave him terribly shaken, especially when Barry Allen apparently returns from the dead at the end of The Flash (vol. 2) #73. However, the biggest change will be the expansion of the Superman mythos as several pretenders will appear out of the woodwork.

[1] Likely because Booster Gold is Dan Jurgens’s creation.

 

[Ogrebear]

Surprised DC didn’t go for at least one Hero death like one of the GL or JL members.

Still a powerless Clark should be fun for a while. I can see Clark trying to still help though and ending up (eventually) in a Batman style suit until his powers return giving him much needed perspective on How the Human Heroes do things.

Also I can see DC avoiding the ‘superbaby’ question by having Lois declare she is not wanting kids yet for her career.

Be interesting who appears as successors here- Superboy, Eradicator, Steel, Loose Cannon, Cernok, and a few more yet I’m sure.

Hope Booster can handle the pressure too!

 

[Pyro]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 released to great acclaim on November 24, 1992 after months of hype on the Sega Genesis, Game Gear, and Master System. While the game is visually the same in terms of sprites and assets to its OTL counter, some levels that were removed from the game during its development made it in to the game while others were altered or disappeared from the game altogether. Gone are Aquatic Ruin, Hill Top, Mystic Cave, Oil Ocean, Sky Chase, and Wing Fortress. In their place are Frosty Peak, Red Wood, Dust Hill, Hidden Palace, and Cyber City with the Death Egg becoming a full-fledged zone albeit a single-act one.

Frosty Peak is both a fire/ice-themed Zone with ice physics on the exterior while rising lava and earthquakes menace Sonic and Tails inside the caves. The level itself is a blending of OTL Hill Top and the unused Winter Zone designed by Brenda Ross and the bass of the level is the Egg Plow, a scrolling boss where the player must run forward, dodging missiles from Engman, and curling into a ball to damage him when he raises the plow.

Red Wood is a completed version of Wood Zone from the OTL beta filled with conveyor belts and saws. The boss, the Egg Logger, uses both to keep the player on their toes.

Dust Hill is the desert zone seen only in mockups OTL with quicksand and other traps, including the treaded alligator badnik. The boss is similar to the one used in OTL's Oil Ocean, except Engman submerges himself in quicksand rather than oil.

Hidden Palace is the same one from the beta that Christian Whitehead restored in the OTL iOS part, including the bandits. It replaces Mystic Cave and uses that zone's boss.

Cyber City continues from Metropolis as a single-act zone (albeit a long one) that Eggman launches the Death Egg from. However, the player will need to get past Mecha Sonic to board it.

The level order is thus: Emerald Hill > Chemical Plant > Casino Night [1] > Red Wood > Frosty Peak > Hidden Palace > Dust Hill > Metropolis > Cyber City > Death Egg.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 would become that year's "must have" game on the Sega Genesis and one of the systems highest selling games. However, a stolen beta of the game that included "lost" Zones would be later dumped as a ROM that would circulate in the late 90s, which would spur fan speculation.

[1] With the palette from the OTL beta.

 

[phx1138]

After Shooter, Phoenix, & the return of Jean, I dread what might happen... However, it has my interest.

Am I right you're keeping Queseda away from Spidey? That's worth the price of admission alone.

prevented Iron Fist's resurrection (which happened in the Namor title under Byrne.)

Given how they did it, good.

Any guesses as to what that will be?

Milestone?

Which is around the time I quit reading, actually. I don't remember Jim Lee's X-Men at all, which is really odd, given how big a fan of Claremont's I was.
Edit:

Gerard Jone will be using Hal in Justice League International.

Hang on, what happened to Guy? (And Booster & Beetle? And Guy getting punched out? And the killer penguins? {I ask that, I should add, as somebody who was 20yr a Marvel Zombie & only came to anything DC after seeing George's art on TNT, & noticing Marv was scripting, figuring it might be okay, then.})

Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman bites the dust

Booooo!😡 I really liked that a lot.

Silver Sable even as love interest for Spiderman

Seriously? What about Black Cat?

And honestly, Geena Davis as Wonder Woman? I also really liked Famke as Jean, even if she was too old (& "Professor Grey" was pretty stupid). IDK who I'd have cast, instead, tho...

 

[lukedalton]

Seriously? What about Black Cat?

Nothing but it's too similar to the batman/catwoman relationships so they can try something of different and honestly Sable seem the type of female characters that can pick the interest of Cameron

 

[tornadobusdriver]

I don't think Sable or Black Cat should be in the "first " Spider-Man film but I can see Cat at least showing up in a potential sequel.

 

[lukedalton]

I don't think Sable or Black Cat should be in the "first " Spider-Man film but I can see Cat at least showing up in a potential sequel.

Cameron usually do as he want, for this reason i named sable if he go for an already adult spiderman like in the ps4 game as she is more his ideale heroine like ripley and Sarah
connors

 

[Pyro]

Batman: The Animated Series by Warner Bros. Animation debuted on the Fox Kids on September 5, 1992 to great acclaim for its darker tone, the film noir aesthetic, and producer Bruce Timm's character designs. Villains such as Mr. Freeze received a new on life after the Emmy-winning episode, "Heart of Ice" by Paul Dini and some B:TAS characters like Harley Quinn and the Gray Ghost would make the jump to comic books by mid-decade. Perhaps its biggest impact would be the episode, "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" would serve as the inspiration for the third Batman film, Batman: The Dynamic Duo.

Meanwhile, X-Men debuted later that year as a special preview on October 31, 1992 despite airing in an unfinished form. Much like Batman: The Animated Series, it had a darker tone and explored issues like prejudice. While never receiving the same acknowledgements B:TAS did, it was still very popular and often competed with Sonic the Hedgehog as Fox Kids highest-rated show. It would also enjoy a longer run than the Blue Blur, ending its seven season run in 1999 and crossing over with Fox's Spider-Man in 1995 as well as UPN's Fantastic Four in 1996. James Cameron would also acknowledge its influence when writing the "series bible" for Marvel's nascent cinematic universe solidifying it as a touchstone for popular culture.

 

[Igeo654]

Here's an idea. Maybe When X-Men Evolution rolls around, that universe could be expanded too? Maybe with something like ''Spider-Man: Evolution?''

 

[eldandythedoubter]

Hey Py, have you been watching this series when coming up ttl sonic comic?

 

[Nivek]

Here's an idea. Maybe When X-Men Evolution rolls around, that universe could be expanded too? Maybe with something like ''Spider-Man: Evolution?''

Some other did like X-men Evolution too, i always thought was the only one.

 

[tornadobusdriver]

Could be interesting to see what butterflies hit the animated shows. I'm a big fan of the DCEU.

There are a lot of unproduced Batman: The Animated seires episodes. There was a vampire one worh Nocturna. And iirc they talked to Neil Gaiman about a Sandman crososver episode, with Gaiman even wanting Morpheus to be voiced by John Hurt, but the Veritco split killed it. It, like other episodes, was likely too grim to be produced.

I can see a 90s x-men film taking a lot from the animated seires in terms of line up and design.

That fantastic four game sounds like something I'd be into, interesting that there's no silver surfer or galactus but I assume you save them for a sequel if one happens.

 

[eldandythedoubter]

There are a lot of unproduced Batman: The Animated seires episodes. There was a vampire one worh Nocturna. And iirc they talked to Neil Gaiman about a Sandman crososver episode, with Gaiman even wanting Morpheus to be voiced by John Hurt, but the Veritto split killed it.

Really?! I probably wouldn't habe appreciated this episode as a kid, but I definitely wouldchavr as an adult.

 

[Pyro]

Am I right you're keeping Queseda away from Spidey? That's worth the price of admission alone.

Quesada will likely stick to being an artist and never become an editor because Marvel Knights will be butterflied away.

Milestone?

Milestone will get its own update in due time. Methinks they're butterfly resistant enough because Dwayne McDuffie had a specific goal in mind when he and his partners created it. Whether it will be a DC imprint or a Marvel has yet to be decided.

Hang on, what happened to Guy? (And Booster & Beetle? And Guy getting punched out? And the killer penguins? {I ask that, I should add, as somebody who was 20yr a Marvel Zombie & only came to anything DC after seeing George's art on TNT, & noticing Marv was scripting, figuring it might be okay, then.})

The Griffen era ended with the "Breakdowns" storyline. Beetle's on the reformed and League and Booster will return after the depowered Superman "retires."

Booooo!😡 I really liked that a lot.

Sorry for that, but I had to make sacrifices to the Butterfly God lest it smite me.

Hey Py, have you been watching this series when coming up ttl sonic comic?

Indeed I have. I thought it would add an interesting wrinkle if Marvel made Sonic closer to his Japanese counterpart.

There are a lot of unproduced Batman: The Animated seires episodes. There was a vampire one worh Nocturna. And iirc they talked to Neil Gaiman about a Sandman crososver episode, with Gaiman even wanting Morpheus to be voiced by John Hurt, but the Veritco split killed it. It, like other episodes, was likely too grim to be produced.

I shall invoke the Word of God trope and confirm that Warner Bros. produced a Sandman-centric episode of B:TAS written by Gaiman himself titled "Perchance to Dream." Gaiman was more vocal about the idea ITTL and Vertigo (under Karen Burger) relented as a one-time deal. Much like, "Heart of Ice," "Perchance to Dream" won Gaiman a Daytime Oscar. Perhaps enough butterflies would flap and he would be involved in a more successful revival of Doctor Who in 1996.

How's that?

I can see a 90s x-men film taking a lot from the animated seires in terms of line up and design.

Indeed, Bryan Singer's "no spandex" declaration never becomes a rule ITTL. While largely faithful to their comic book designs, there will be SOME adjustments to make them more practical. We will see Wolverine's iconic mask. Bet your posterior on that.

Also late but that fantastic four game sounds like something I'd be into, weird that there's no silver surfer or galactus but I assume you save them for a sequel if one happens.

Fantastic Four was already getting a bit crowded because of the locales I used. A sequel is possible, but will have to take place off-planet.

 

[phx1138]

Quesada will likely stick to being an artist and never become an editor

Yay! (That said, I thought the wedding was a mistake.)

Milestone will get its own update in due time. Methinks they're butterfly resistant enough because Dwayne McDuffie had a specific goal in mind when he and his partners created it. Whether it will be a DC imprint or a Marvel has yet to be decided.

If it's remotely like OTL, I wouldn't care. It was a great idea, & I loved Static. I just wish the book had lasted longer.

The Griffen era ended with the "Breakdowns" storyline.

I don't recall that. I must have quit reading before it happened. (It was shortly after the appearance of that awful Cap expy. )

Sorry for that, but I had to make sacrifices to the Butterfly God lest it smite me.

Understood. You realize, however, it makes me tempted to smite you.

 

[thekingsguard]

I do wonder if a successful Superman movie franchise might get the Superman TAS some much meeded love and attention - it always played second fiddle to the Batman TAS, and an entire season of the show was scrapped apparently.