New MU Handbook suggestions
Fred Sigmundson
NOTE: Not my computer I'm using, reply to group or my e-mail:
elr...@hotmail.com! Thanks!
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe series were great, and I really
wish they'd make more, and soon. To help out, I thought up a few
suggestions...
-DO NOT make it like the Master Edition!! That was so bland and boring.
-I liked DC's last version of Who's Who, but found it a little short on
info. The full page pin-up was cool though, and the hole-punched pages is a
MUST!
-Unlike Who's Who, major characters should be given more than one page.
Also, the MU version should not have a "Hero" or "Villain", etc category.
For example, what heading would Magneto be under?
-The Deluxe Edition 89 Updates had the artist who drew the character do the
'action pics' also. I didn't like this, taking actual pics from past
appearances is better, it gives a more "historic" feel seeing those old
Kirby or Dikto pictures.
Well, that's it for now. I'll wait and see what responses I get before
adding more suggestions!
Jim Kinsey
These sound like good ideas; but I have seen neither the original OHOTMU
nor DC's Who's Who; as for the hole punchings, were the editions in the
format of a regular comic (i.e. stapled) or were they as separate leafs so
that they could be put in a ring binder in a convenient way?
your ideas on the pictures are good. One thing; would an OHOTMU just be on
characters, or characters, concepts, places, worlds, etc.? e.g would it
explain SHIELD, AIM, Oracle inc, The Bugle, Hydra, etc. etc., or only
refer to these when relevant to characters?
It sounds like it'd be a vast undertaking, but I guess with the
ultra-knowledgable types like Kurt, Tom, JohnO etc. at Marvel these
days(and, hey! Us 'ultra-knowledgable' types on RACMU/X as well) it'd turn
out good.
Is it concrete that it'll be done, or just fan speculation, or a
'possibility'?
JimK, hoping concrete
/-------oo-ooo-oo-ooo----oo---o--o-o-oo-)
| http://www.rdg.ac.uk/~shu96jek/
\-------------oooo-o---oo-oo-o)
Mario Di Giacomo
Just wanted to add one *crucial* detail...
Get Elliot R. Brown to do the technical illustrations!!!!!
mdg
Dwight Williams
Mario Di Giacomo (m...@ids.net) writes:
> Just wanted to add one *crucial* detail...
>
> Get Elliot R. Brown to do the technical illustrations!!!!!
Well, Penthouse Comix shut down for good recently, so that might be a tad
easier to achieve than previously...
And I agree that Brown's tech work is a Very Good Thing to Have.
Also, if the workload's too big for him alone, he should find as many
talented helpers as possible...and we should know who they are.
--
Dwight Williams(ad...@freenet.carleton.ca) -- Orleans, Ontario, Canada
John Bilow
In article <356d2...@198.161.96.27>, "Fred Sigmundson" <fsigm...@ccinet.ab.ca> wrote:
>NOTE: Not my computer I'm using, reply to group or my e-mail:
>elr...@hotmail.com! Thanks!
>
>The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe series were great, and I really
>wish they'd make more, and soon. To help out, I thought up a few
>suggestions...
>
>-DO NOT make it like the Master Edition!! That was so bland and boring.
I agree. Make it like the deluxe edition. I have the original version, the
delux edition and some of the updates, but the Master edition SUCKED.
Also, keep ever issue under $200 by NOT making them high-gloss, gold foil,
hologram covered, pieces of shit. I want plain old news print and no gimmicks
for the express purpose of driving up the price.
Oh, and one more thing. The covers better damn well fit together to form one
big picture. :) I liked that about the original and delux editions.
John Bilow
To reply, remove "spamsucks" from my address
Terry Wessner
In article <356D66...@ids.net>, Mario Di Giacomo <m...@ids.net> wrote:
>Just wanted to add one *crucial* detail...
>
>Get Elliot R. Brown to do the technical illustrations!!!!!
>
I don't know. I liked Mr. Brown's work, but frequently his designs deviated
from what was shown in the comics. His cockpit design for Captain America's
jet looks nothing like what appeared in the comics themselves, for example.
Terry Wessner
http://webhome.idirect.com/~twessner/
Lance Visser
In <6kk2j3$qqa$1...@tornews.torolab.ibm.com> wes...@ca.ibm.com (Terry Wessner) writes:
+>In article <356D66...@ids.net>, Mario Di Giacomo <m...@ids.net> wrote:
+>>Just wanted to add one *crucial* detail...
+>>
+>>Get Elliot R. Brown to do the technical illustrations!!!!!
+>>
+>>mdg
+>I don't know. I liked Mr. Brown's work, but frequently his designs deviated
+>from what was shown in the comics. His cockpit design for Captain America's
+>jet looks nothing like what appeared in the comics themselves, for example.
I don't like his work at all. What he typically did was remove
all the fantasy elements from things and turn them into ordinary off-the-shelf
technology. What makes these things interesting (IMO), is that its pushing
a little bit past edge of technology which is something Elliot Brown
considered less important that a boring degree of "realism" applied to
unreal things.
Tho...@my-dejanews.com
In article <356d2...@198.161.96.27>,
"Fred Sigmundson" <fsigm...@ccinet.ab.ca> wrote:
>
> NOTE: Not my computer I'm using, reply to group or my e-mail:
> elr...@hotmail.com! Thanks!
>
> The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe series were great, and I really
> wish they'd make more, and soon. To help out, I thought up a few
> suggestions...
>
> -DO NOT make it like the Master Edition!! That was so bland and boring.
>
> info. The full page pin-up was cool though, and the hole-punched pages is a
> MUST!
>
> -Unlike Who's Who, major characters should be given more than one page.
> Also, the MU version should not have a "Hero" or "Villain", etc category.
> For example, what heading would Magneto be under?
>
> -The Deluxe Edition 89 Updates had the artist who drew the character do the
> 'action pics' also. I didn't like this, taking actual pics from past
> appearances is better, it gives a more "historic" feel seeing those old
> Kirby or Dikto pictures.
>
> Well, that's it for now. I'll wait and see what responses I get before
> adding more suggestions!
I still go back and reread some of my old issues of the OHOTMU and I have a
few thoughts that I would like to share:
1) Have special issues devoted exclusively to categories such as alien races,
alternate universes, other dimensions, and technology/equiptment. These are
topics that IMNHO warrant an issue devoted to exploring them more frequently
and would also be a handier guide for gamers.
2) Put out an on-line edition that can be updated more frequently.
3) Include an index or means of comparing different characters' relative
strenghts (besides class 100) and use more objective terminology.
4) Update the Book of the Dead (maybe a book of the resurected).
-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
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Dwight Williams
Lance Visser (vis...@convex.com) writes:
> In <6kk2j3$qqa$1...@tornews.torolab.ibm.com> wes...@ca.ibm.com (Terry Wessner) writes:
>
> +>In article <356D66...@ids.net>, Mario Di Giacomo <m...@ids.net> wrote:
> +>>Just wanted to add one *crucial* detail...
> +>>
> +>>Get Elliot R. Brown to do the technical illustrations!!!!!
>
> +>I don't know. I liked Mr. Brown's work, but frequently his designs deviated
> +>from what was shown in the comics. His cockpit design for Captain America's
> +>jet looks nothing like what appeared in the comics themselves, for example.
>
> I don't like his work at all. What he typically did was remove
> all the fantasy elements from things and turn them into ordinary off-the-shelf
> technology. What makes these things interesting (IMO), is that its pushing
> a little bit past edge of technology which is something Elliot Brown
> considered less important that a boring degree of "realism" applied to
> unreal things.
Well, part of the point for him and Mr. Gruenwald was adding believability
to the Marvel U scenario without removing the sense of wonder factor. And
for me, it *did* work.
It made me believe that with a bit of work and study and help(and in the Iron
Man suits' case a *lot* of money!), *I* might be able to cobble together some
of those wonder gadgets...which made *me* do a bit more ooh-ing and ahh-ing...
Charles Patterson
The on-line idea is perfect. We could download 2 or 3 new characters a day from
Marvels Web site. You could print them up in color or b/w. This idea would get
people
to visit Marvels web site.
I liked all three editions of the MU. As an artist I liked the binder edition the
best because it showed each characters front, back, and side.
Gr8Methos
Here's a suggestion. When they say See Appendix they actually publish one this
time. They had this line in the Deluxe Edition and in the Update but never came
out with one.
Genaro M. Ramirez
gr8m...@aol.com
||
======||===================>
|| Because the alternative would be unthinkable.
--Methos "Highlander:The Series"
Andrew S Goldstein
>>
>> 4) Update the Book of the Dead (maybe a book of the resurected).
Actually, I think a Book of the Dead these days is rather pointless, given
Marvel's (and comics in general) propensity for killing and resurrecting
characters on a regular basis. I think it would be better to simply
include all the "dead" characters in the main section of the Handbook
along with the living, with a "Status: Deceased" notation or something in
the character stats.
Andrew
Tho...@my-dejanews.com
In article <199805290630...@ladder03.news.aol.com>,
gr8m...@aol.com (Gr8Methos) wrote:
>
> Here's a suggestion. When they say See Appendix they actually publish one
> this time. They had this line in the Deluxe Edition and in the Update but
> never came
I was wondering about that - I collected all of the deluxe editions of the
OHOTMU and I had never been able to find that one. Now I know why.
JSp...@my-dejanews.com
In article <6kl2u5$3r5$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,
Tho...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
>
> 2) Put out an on-line edition that can be updated more frequently.
I think Marvel would be very wise to do this, even if they only used it on an
in-company intranet. Assuming the Guide layout was done on a HTML-friendly
program (and almost every program today is), the actual pages could simply be
exported to HTML format, a few links added, and they'd have a very usable
document.
If this was done in-house only, it would be a *very* handy tool for any writer
or artist, since they could look up any characters they wanted to use, and
find out what their current status is. An on-line, up-to-date Guide could list
the last appearance of each character, what their current powers are, their
current costume, etc. There could even be a very detailed breakdown of each
and every appearance of the character, with issue numbers and abstracts of
what happened.
If this was done as part of Marvel's public web-site, it could be less
detailed (or not, depending on server space and bandwidth). It would be a very
exciting resource for fans, especially any involving themselves in the ever
popular "Who'dwin?" debates. And it would help Marvel build excitement over
the more obscure characters, and give new fans with web access (many
elementary and highschools now offer it during recesses and study periods) an
easy way to catch up to things.
Considering Marvel's current emphasis on gaining new readers, this would seem
to be the best arguement for an on-line public guide. It would give new
readers a way to learn the history of the characters they've just discovered,
without spending a lot of money. And the rich history of Marvel's characters
is, at least to me, one of their primary selling points. I read a lot of DC
comics, simply because they make some very good comics, but I *care* about the
Marvel characters.
Of course, Marvel will have to hire someone to read every comic they publish
each month, and update the Guide accordingly. Get some assistant editor to do
it, or hire someone with competant writing skills for $8/hour. I imagine there
are hundreds of fans that would kill for such a job.
Devil's Advocate: I have to mention, of course, that the idea of an on-line
Guide would seem to threaten the profitability of the printed version. In its
defense, I know I, and many others, would still buy a printed guide. The last
figure I saw claimed less than 20% of American homes have web access, and even
those that do often have slow, unreliable service. Anyone really interested in
reading through an entire Guide is *not* going to do it on-line. The on-line
Guide would serve as a reference for a specific question or character, not
something that people are likely to spend hours reading. Those people will buy
the printed guide.
JSPEKTR - Hell, why don't some fans just do an on-line Guide?
jsp...@sprynet.com http://members.tripod.com/~JSpektr/base1.htm
Take a look at my work on-line, but if you do, tell me what you think!
"ROCK ON!" - the Human Thing
Mario Di Giacomo
JSp...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> JSPEKTR - Hell, why don't some fans just do an on-line Guide?
I think someone did...a little light on detail, but I clearly remember
coming across it...hold on...
Nope, it's not there anymore..Geocities turnover.
mdg
as1
i think u guys are forgetting that more money comes from the comics they
sell, and many of those readers do not have computers or may not want to
have an online database. i personally think it's great but it would be
better if they did both online and comic book type ones.
Mario Di Giacomo wrote in message <357000...@ids.net>...
as1
as1
as1
as1
Paul O'Brien
In article <Pine.GSO.3.96.980528124009.13765B-
100...@sutf7.reading.ac.uk>, Jim Kinsey <shu9...@reading.ac.uk> writes
>
>your ideas on the pictures are good. One thing; would an OHOTMU just be on
>characters, or characters, concepts, places, worlds, etc.? e.g would it
>explain SHIELD, AIM, Oracle inc, The Bugle, Hydra, etc. etc., or only
>refer to these when relevant to characters?
In the past editions, it really depended on whether there was anything
you could say about these institutions seperately from any other
entry that's already in there. In other words, SHIELD, AIM, the
Daily Bugle and HYDRA all had entries. Oracle Inc didn't, which
was of course because as far as I recall, it hadn't been created
at that point. But it probably wouldn't have been listed since
there's not much you'd want to say about it that wouldn't already
be explained in the Heroes for Hire's entry.
Paul O'Brien
pa...@esoterica.demon.co.uk, www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~prob/
It's Punch-a-Pixie week, courtesy of B*Witched.
Paul O'Brien
>
>4) Update the Book of the Dead (maybe a book of the resurected).
I don't think there should be a Book of the Dead, seperate from
the main text. And the reason for that is that with the continual
whirl of characters dying, being resurrected and such forth, finding
an entry in the Official Handbook requires to know not only whether
a particular character is dead, but whether they were dead when the
last edition of the Handbook came out. It's much simpler to lump
them all in the main text, if you ask me.
Paul O'Brien
In article <Sngb1.461$8x5.4...@news.rdc1.az.home.com>, John Bilow
<cellblo...@homail.spamsucks.com> writes
>
>Also, keep ever issue under $200
I'm with you there.
(Yes, I know commenting on typos is sad, but I couldn't resist.)
Mario Di Giacomo
Paul O'Brien wrote:
>
> Oracle Inc didn't, which
> was of course because as far as I recall, it hadn't been created
> at that point. But it probably wouldn't have been listed since
> there's not much you'd want to say about it that wouldn't already
> be explained in the Heroes for Hire's entry.
>
And the Namor entry, of course...after all it *was* his company.
[It may still be...the implications of his sealing off Atlantis haven't
fully been explored]
mdg